Finding!

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I'm late again! We got stuck for two hours in stupid northern Virginia traffic so I only have 20 minutes! Sorry! But, today we went to mount Vernon! We got to see Washington's house :) It's nice. I see why he didn't want to be president anymore and wanted to just live out his days there. I could live there. Haha

Anyway, What a great week we had!! So many miracles! I just love it! So as a mission we have a goal of having 300 baptisms this year. Last year they had like 240 something I think.... Anyways 300 is like the big number here. So this week as a mission we decided to find 300 new investigators (we usually find around 130ish) all having to be invited
to baptism in the first lesson to count. It was a crazy goal, but as we all came together as a mission and prayed like crazy we were able to accomplish it! As a mission we found 432 Investigators!!!! We killed our goal! Here in Oakton Sister Labrum and I found more than
has ever been found in this Ward in a single week, and the people we found are amazing! I'm so excited to keep working with them!

We had our last exchanges of the transfer this week. Haha too bad the transfer is over Thursday! That went fast! But this week we were with the good old Arlington sisters! That's Sister Tingeys new area :) I always love seeing my Woodbridge sisters :) but I actually went on the exchange with Sister Wollston and we saw miracles. One of them being Wayne :)

We met Wayne at Cold Stone. Haha he was there eating and told us what combinations would be good and then invited us to sit with him. We talked about the restoration and he loved it! We then had another lesson with him two days later and talked more about the Book of Mormon. He really wants to read and learn more! He then came to church yesterday! He reminds me SO much of Jeremy (my convert in swift creek back in December) that it freaks me out a bit. Haha they are like the same person. One sad part is we found out that Wayne is actually just outside of our boundaries, so we will have to pass him off to the other wards missionaries :( such a golden find though!

Another amazing person we found this week was Kush. He was just walking down the street and we called over to him. He recently moved here from India and is starting to learn about Christianity and is very interested in it. We talked about the plan of salvation and he loved it! He then told us that he doesn't usually walk home that way so it was God's will that he ran into us. I love when people recognize that we are sent here by God and that He is leading and guiding us. Kush also came to church yesterday! It was amazing! I love when people come to church! It's the best :)

But those were just two of the people we found. We found so many others. So many kind people let us in and invited us back. I just loved those two miracles, because they are both people who are truly prepared by God to meet us and hear His message. In both cases we
shouldn't have run into them. Kush took a different way home and the only reason we were at Cold Stone was because our dinner ended really early and we were close by. I just gained a testimony that God is going to put us where we need to be. We don't know who will accept us and listen to us, but God does and he will direct our paths to make sure it all works out! I'm so grateful for this week of finding. I have never prayed so much before and seen so many miracles from it. I love being out here doing the Lord's work. I love talking to people and bringing them the happiness that I have in my life. This really is the
happiest time of my life!

I love you all sooooo much! I'm excited for this next week to work with all our new investigators! Just remember the power of prayer and that miracles do happen!

Love,
Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks dad for the letters!

Mt. Vernon!

For zone Pday we had a scavenger hunt in the mall. We later where
asked to leave the mall, but we were done by then. Haha all the
workers were excited and helping us out, (picture below) but the mall
police weren't too happy....

This shot:  Give a card to a man with a mustache. Hello Juan!

Exchanges with the Arlington Sisters!

Good thing we are just preaching the good word of Christ.

GO TEAM USA!

Me coloring in my spare time (not much, but during lunches).

Picture re-do!

Mission goal smashed video!

Oakton is on FIRE!!

Hey Everyone!

What a great week!!  Katrina was baptized!!!!!!!!!  First baptism Oakton has had this year!  It was the smoothest running baptism that I've had too.  Everything went according to plan.  No issues! Love that!  Katrina was so happy and excited for her baptism! I just love feeling the spirit that is so present at baptisms! It's the best! Sunday was a bit stressful because she was late to church, but she made it just in time to be confirmed.  That was a miracle in itself.

We had zone meeting this week and Sister Labrum and I trained on using members in missionary work.  It went well.  We have really been trying to get members out with us everyday.  It's been really good. The ward is really supportive and helpful and ever since the baptism they are even more excited to help out! 

We went on exchanges this week with the Potomac mid-single adult sisters.  I was with Sister Adair.  We spent most of the day tracting, but it was still fun.  The Potomac ward is crazy though because it covers 3 missions. They take all the single members 30 and older in the northeast.  So they travel to Maryland and stuff.  It's crazy!  But it would be pretty cool.  

This week I had the "Endure to the End" meeting! Ahhhhh!!  It was a meeting for all the missionaries that are going home this year!  So stressful!  We went around the room sharing our goals for the rest of our mission.  I just can't believe that I am at this point! Freaks me out!  It was a really motivating meeting though. Just about giving it our all until the end.  That's what I want to do.  Just make every moment count.  

I really can't think of what else we did this week.  We spent a lot of time with Katrina preparing her and spent lots of time tracting.  It was HOT this week! Saturday was 115 degrees with humidity! haha oh man.  That's something I won't miss. The humidity is real.

Well, I love you all so much!!!!!  This week is going to be crazy!  As a mission we are having a goal of finding 300 new investigators and inviting them all to baptism!  Lots of tracting is planned this week, but I know we can do it!!! I'm excited!!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks Auntie Sarah for the letters!

Katrina's Baptism!!

Sisters going home this year! We sign the flag saying we will endure to the end!

Woodbridge Sisters

Going on exchanges with this crazy crew!

Me and my friends getting pumped for the Disney Cruise!

Taking on the City

Hey Everyone!

Another great week! Sorry I'm late emailing again and I have no time to write! We went to DC today! Every transfer we get to take the metro into DC! It's way cool! We walked around and saw the White House, the Washington Monument, the World War II memorial, the Vietnam memorial, and the Lincoln memorial! Haha it was way fun! We ended up meeting up with the Woodbridge sisters at the Lincoln memorial.  All my companions here in DC were with me :)  We walked around with them and got lunch. It was a fun day :) It's fun to just be in the city. Next time I go to DC maybe I'll go to a Smithsonian or the zoo. There's just so much to do in DC! It's so hard to choose! Haha

But this week was GREAT! What a miracle! We went to go visit a less active member, Shannon, and her sister was there. Her sister, Katrina, was living with her a few months ago and was taking the missionary lessons. Katrina was planning on getting baptized, but then she moved to DC. Well she is back! We went over and she said she was so close to being baptized before and I said, "Well you still can be baptized!"  She got really excited and asked when the next baptism date was. We said it's August 13th and so we have been meeting with her daily to prepare her! She is getting baptized this Saturday! Her interview is on Wednesday and she is just SO prepared! She accepts and understands everything we teach and it's so amazing! Such a miracle! Oakton hasn't had a baptism for almost a year, but that will change on Saturday! So excited!

So that was the big news this week. In other news we went on exchanges with the McClean sisters this week. I was with Sister Snow. She is a crack up. She is so funny! We found the coolest girl while tracting. She asked US for a Book of Mormon! I love when people do that! Haha yes you can have one! So lots of miracles happening here in Oakton! Also just a fun thing that happened on exchanges: I found a Freddy's in Virginia! Smelt like home. Hahah I had my first Freddy's burger after working there for months. It was good! :) I still remember all that comes on it. Haha

We also had MLC this week. My first MLC in the DC south mission. It was super similar. Just lots of trainings, but they were all really good. We talked about how we can build our trust in the ward and how to work with members better. It was good to hear and there are things I can work on. We've been working a lot with the young woman and trying to get them out with us and excited about missionary work. MLC was also fun because i got to see Sister Bray! Always good to see her :) I got to be with
some other sisters too :) I'm starting to get to know more people here which is nice.

Well those are the highlights of the week! Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks Dad and Grandma for the letters this week!

The White House!  My future home as POTUS.

The Washington Monument!

DC BABY!!!  

WWII Memorial with the Lincoln Memorial in the background.

I found HOME!!

Me and my comps at the Lincoln Memorial.

Me and Einstein - we're close.

I found a Freddy's!

Sister Snow

My first Freddy's burger!

SO MANY TREES HERE!!

Double This, Double That, Double Double This That

Hey Everyone!

Sorry I'm so late today! I don't have lots of time because today was crazy and this week was crazy! So fun though! So to start off we had two zone conferences this week. They do it differently here.  We train together and since we are over sisters in multiple zones we have to present in multiple conferences. Sister Labrum and I trained on the Holy Ghost and how to receive personal revelation. They went well. The second one was better, but they both were good.

Then this week we also went on two exchanges! So we do this thing called 'model area' so the sisters both come to our area and we split off and all work here. It takes a lot of planning, but it's cool because then we know the area and know who people are and how to best help. What's really fun about it is at night we all come together and have a big slumber party. Haha Sister Labrum and I sleep on the floor and the other sisters use our beds. It's such a party night. So fun! I got to meet some more of the sisters and that was fun. I know more people now :) the sisters we went with are in Herndon and Alexandria. They are both in training so it was fun. I got to take Sister Young tracting for the first time. She was so excited about it. And then with Sister Stammerjohn we went tracting with a member and found SO many cool people! It was an awesome night.

So I know most of you have heard of Pokemon Go. Well, I really don't know much about it, but I see people on their phones playing it. The other day we were looking at a map on our iPads and a car pulled over and asked if we were playing. We started laughing and said no. We then made up our own game called Investigators Go! Haha we have an app that plots all the people we work with on a map and we pull it out and try to find where they are. It kills me.

Then today was crazy fun! We met some sisters at the mall this morning and made Build-a-Bears! Hahaha so fun. We made little missionary bears. I put my name tag on it and she says "Hi, I'm Sister Lawson and I'm a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." I also have one of those mini Book of Mormons. So cute. Hahaha I know I'm five, but it was really fun. Then we went to Great Falls National Park with some other sisters and hiked around to the waterfalls. We also all became Junior Park Rangers. Haha Such a fun time!

Well I know there was a lot more, but I'm almost out of time for P-day today.  It's been a great week! This next one should be fun too!

Love you all!
Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks Dad and Auntie Taryn for the letters!

Sister Bears

Trying to convince mom why I needed another Build-a-Bear!  haha

Build a Bear party!

Hiking Great Falls National Park

Taking the Jr. Ranger oath.

Slumber party!

It's a baby stop sign. I take that to mean stop if you want, but it's
more of a suggestion. Haha

We just found a sign for the meaning of life.

Sister Stammerjohn

We got soaked!

Sister Young 

(I told Abby I couldn't believe she found someone smaller than she is!)