2017 03/27 "If you can't tell, I love General Conference" #LDSconf

WHAT'S UP. 

Yes we made it to church yesterday 😂 Thanks for asking 😂

First off-- HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRYSON!!! (Last weeeeeeeeeek.) He's already a decade old. What in the world? He's so old. 

Speaking of birthdays, MicKelle's birthday is THIS SATURDAY. This isn't an April Fools joke. It's really her birthday. 😉 (hilarious. I know.) Everyone give her a big b-day shout out ✌ love ya, Kelle 

💙 

Second-- I went though the temple 1 YEAR AGO  (as of Saturday March 25th) how cool!! I love the temple. I NEVER would have thought that I'd be 18 and going to the temple. But I am so grateful. I really do believe that a huge part of why the Lord asked me to serve a mission is so that I could be in the temple. ❤ make time to go this week!! 

Third-- 1 year ago, on March 26th, I went to lunch with Aubrie Jacobsen and now....on March 26th we're COMPANIONS!!! WHAAAAAAAAT. She's the best and I love her to death. #CompGoals

Okay. Let's get real here. 5 MORE SLEEPS UNTIL GENERAL CONFERENCE. I hope you're as excited as I am. Conference weekend is honestly better than my birthday (and for those of you who know how much I LOVE my birthday...that's a big deal.) I am so grateful for General Conference. I love that we have this opportunity to hear the words of our prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is our prophet today. I know that he is because I've asked my Heavenly Father. I know that as we follow the Prophet, we will NEVER be lead astray. God is at the helm and He directs us through His prophet here on the earth today. I hope that as you each prepare yourselves to be taught from on high this weekend, you will make time to write down your questions. I KNOW HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWERS ALL OUR QUESTIONS. I know that each question I'm seeking an answer to will be answered. Pray for the Prophet his counselors and the other 12 apostles as they prepare to teach us. Also, I hope that we never take Conference lightly. OF COURSE Conference is a time for family and good food, but it's SO much more than that! Conference is a time for us to be spiritually fed- for 10 whole hours!!! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE arrange your schedule so that you can sit down at 10 (or noon if you're an East Coaster😉) and open your heart to the spirit. I hope that the Saturday afternoon session is especially important to you so that you make time to sit down and sustain the Prophet of God. IT. IS. SO. IMPORTANT. 

We were doing a street contacting activity in central park on Saturday and we were asking people if they wanted to come and listen to the Prophet. The answers we got were "No." "No. Get away from me." And "I don't need a prophet." BUT WE DO NEED A PROPHET AND WE HAVE ONE. So watch General Conference with the expectation of receiving answers. Don't be like the lame  (but still loved) people in central park who think they're good without a prophet. We all need President Thomas S. Monson, his counselors and the other 12 apostles. If you can't tell, I love General Conference and I am sooooooooooo happy and grateful to have this incredible opportunity. #LDSconf 

Marvin is good. He's going to Cuba at the end of April to play the trombone with a super famous Cuban band. He's gonna be on TV so look out for him 😂 he's reading the Book of Mormon ON HIS OWN and he said "I'm receiving answers, don't you worry sisters." ✌ I said "Marvin, I wish I could be as cool as you." And he responded "Oh Sister Bain, if you wanna be cool, you gotta work at it. You can't just wake up and be as cool as me." OKAY 😂😂😂😂 Thanks Marvin 😂😂😂😂 

AAAAAAALLLLLLLLSSSSSSSSSOOOOOOO----- SISTER FOX CAME TO CHURCH WOOT WOOT. Sister Fox is a less-active that we've been working with for so long. She hasn't been to church for 10 years but she's BEST FRIENDS with all the members in the ward. She even does her visiting teaching but never comes to church. We've been super bold with her and SHE CAME. I almost cried when I saw her ❤ 

I love this place. The city has been hard for me, but I do love it. I'm grateful for NYC🍎

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

Be bold. Be courageous. Be honest. Be truthful. 

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

"I know not by what methods rare,

But this I know, God answers prayer.

I know that He has given His Word,

Which tells me prayer is always heard,

And will be answered, soon or late.

And so I pray and calmly wait.

I know not if the blessing sought

Will come in just the way I thought;

But leave my prayers with Him alone,

Whose will is wiser than my own,

Assured that He will grant my quest,

Or send some answer far more blest."

Happy to be in New York City!

1 year ago...

2017 03/20 "Blizzards bring blessings!"

Hey y'all 🌻

I hope you had a fun week in the warm weather. I looked at the weather in Utah and while it was 70 degrees there it was 20 degrees here. Yay. We were hit by a HUGE snowstorm on Tuesday. It was INSANE. But! We saw awesome miracles that day. Everyone was home!!! Trudging through all the snow and being wet all day was A BLAST......and it was definitely worth it! Blizzards bring blessings! (I hope the Gurney's had a nice time in the storm too😉) 

I am so excited for ROOMIE!! She's such a rockstar. She should apply to Juilliard and move to NYC hahaha she'd like it here. But. NAU is sooooooooooo lucky to have her!! Way to go, Rooster!!❤

Transfers are this week and GUESS WHAT!!! I'll be staying in the Manhattan 1st Ward with Sister Jacobsen ❤ I am so so happy ❤ AND!! 

Guess who couldn't go to church yesterday because we were locked INSIDE our apartment. Yeah. 4 Sister missionaries in West Harlem. Sister Jacobsen and I leave first because we have 9:00 church so we prayed and I unlocked the door, we went to leave and IT DIDN'T OPEN. The deadbolt was BROKEN. I climbed out the window onto the fire escape to find out that it was way too rusty and didn't reach the ground so we'd basically have to jump off the window ledge to the sidewalk. NO WAY. NO THANKS. So we yelled down to some guy on the street to ask him if he'd go to the front of the building to get the Supers number. When he came back he gave us the wrong number (even though we gave him chocolate and a Restoration pamphlet) sooooooooooo that didn't work. (DON'T ASK WHY WE DON'T HAVE THE SUPERS NUMBER IN OUR APARTMENT. IF WE EVER NEED HIM WE JUST WALK DOWNSTAIRS TO THE BASEMENT AND HE'S THERE.) We called Sister Larsen in the mission office and she found the Supers number for us. We FINALLY got ahold of him and he gave us the number to the locksmith. We called the buildings locksmith and he said that he'd come help us at noon. He was really put out that we needed his help because it was his day off and everyone should be at church." YEAH NO KIDDING. So noon came. 1:00 came. 2:00 came. 5:00 came AND HE STILL WASN'T THERE. (My happy mood had disappeared by this time OBVIOUSLY.) The locksmith FINALLY came at 6:00pm !!!!!!!!!! He tried to drill at the lock for about 30 minutes, then he said there was nothing he could do. He went upstairs to our neighbors and asked them if he could use their fire escape to get onto our fire escape so he could get into our apartment, but all of them said no. (Go figure. Literally all our neighbors thought he was trying to break into our apartment and rob us. Also, he didn't really speak English so nobody understood what he was trying to do...) So he came back and told us that there was nothing he could do for us, and HE LEFT. (But wait. It gets better.) The 4 of us were sitting there brainstorming ideas of how we were going to get out of our apartment and the buzzer rang. (Someone buzzed the apartment from the downstairs doorbell. You can't just walk into buildings in NYC.) Nobody EVER buzzes our apartment, so we thought the locksmith had come back! Someone rang the doorbell on our door, I yelled "hello?" through the door and GUESS WHO IT WAS! Our friends at NYPD. 😂😂 one of the officers said "Please open up the door." And me, innocent little Sister Bain, said "Uh sorry....I can't do that. The door is broken." 😂😂 Someone had called the police because they saw the locksmith drilling on our door and "a suspicious person" asking people if he could go inside their apartment to use their fire escape😂😂 The officers were TICKED that the locksmith AND the Super were just going to leave us locked INSIDE our apartment. They knocked on our neighbors door and OF COURSE he so willingly and graciously let the officers use his fire escape so that they could climb over to our window in our bedroom. They made sure that we were okay and that we were safe. They stood outside our door for over an hour waiting for the locksmith to come back and get us out. NYPD is the best. Anyway. We CLEARLY didn't make it to church.....but we're finally free and all is well. We just have a nice hole in our door where the locksmith drilled the lock out. Hahahaha YAY. I love that. We also have the Supers number saved in our phone and written down on the fridge. It's all fine. I know that Heavenly Father was protecting us!!❤❤ I also read all of Helaman and half of 3rd Nephi yesterday so that's cool. 

ON THE PLUS SIDE: MARVIN WENT TO CHURCH AND STAYED FOR ALL 3 HOURS WOOHOO 🤗 (HAHAHAHA when your investigators go to church and you don't) We had a lesson with him over Skype this week (thank goodness for technology) and we read part of Alma 32 with him. I've had so much fun seeing Marvin's little seed grow. He always says that we're his sunshine--helping his testimony grow 🐣🌷☉ I love in Alma 32 when it talks about diligence. The Lord tells us that we can't just sit around and wait for the plant to grow. We have to get up and WORK. We need to read the Book of Mormon, we need to pray, we need to attend church, we need to serve those around us....as we are diligent in keeping the commandments and doing all we can to water and nourish our testimonies, they will grow! Yes, we do need patience in the Lord's timing, but we can't just sit there and except wonderful things to just HAPPEN to us. We need to do our part ❤ Put forth the effort and miracles will come ❤

Good things are happening in Manhattan, NY. I'm grateful that I get to be here and I'm grateful to be His missionary. I'm grateful for MY FAMILY ❤❤❤❤ and I hope you all have an amazing week FULL of missionary opportunities 😚 

I love you!! 

Be bold. Be courageous. Be honest. Be truthful.

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

District Picture: Sister Evans goes home this week and Sister Larsen is training!

Snow Storm - Honey, Where's my car?

Dump trucks and tractors doing snow removal hahaha 

NYPD hanging out in front of our door hahaha. (a.k.a.Stripling Warriors)

Sympathy from President Smith

2017 03/13 "One Year ago..."

H E L L O 🌻

I'm taking my companion to the Museum of Natural History today. I'm. STOKED. 😂

On March 12th, 2016 (1 YEAR FROM YESTERDAY) I got a text from mom saying that my mission call was sitting on my bed waiting for me. 1 year ago, I was called to serve in the New York New York North Mission with President and Sister Smith. HOW GRATEFUL I AM FOR THIS WONDERFUL CALLING. I've reflected on the past year a lot this weekend and as much as Satan tells me otherwise, I've accomplished a lot. And I've CHANGED. Man, oh man, have I changed. And I'm so grateful for those changes that my Heavenly Father and Savior have helped me make. In 1 year, I finished my first year of college, I went through the temple, I met new friends (a lot of them are here serving with me and one is my COMPANION), I turned 19 years old. I struggled-- leaving home for 18 months is no easy task. And, I was still questioning whether or not I really wanted to go on a mission. But! Now I'm here in New York City and I couldn't think of a happier place. In the last (almost) 9 months, I've come to know my Savior. I've gained a real testimony of the Prophet Joseph Smith, I KNOW the Book of Mormon is true. I've learned how to plan for my day and make the best use of my time. I've learned how to study the scriptures. I've learned how to communicate with others. I've learned how to repent and WHY we need to repent DAILY. I've learned that I can overcome anything because I have the Savior and Redeemer of the world by my side. I've seen INCREDIBLE miracles. I've met people that have changed my life. I've seen myself develop a deeper passion for playing the piano and a greater love for the sacred hymns. I've missed my sweet little brothers A WHOLE LOT. I've seen my family change and grow. I've seen our family relationships be strengthened through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I KNOW that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet of God with restored priesthood power. I've had sacred experiences that I couldn't have had any other place or any other time. I've overcome weakness, found new ones, developed new skills and new strengths. I've made spiritual goals that will help me create a gospel centered home. I now know of the importance of WEEKLY church attendance. I've seen the sacrament become personal to ME. I've become more and more grateful for mom teaching me the importance of modesty. I love life more. I smile more. I'm happier. I have found REAL joy in the gospel of Jesus Christ. I couldn't have learned any of these things if I wasn't here in the New York New York North Mission. I'm grateful that Mom and Dad had so much patience with me and helped me get here.

I love you all so much and I'm ALWAYS praying for you. 🗽🌃🌉🍎🚕

Gordon B. Hinckley:

"I was touched … by the heartbreaking statement of a young missionary. He said, “I have been here for months. I can’t learn the language. I dislike the people. I am depressed by day and weep at night. I wanted to die. I wrote my mother and pleaded for an excuse to return home. I have her reply. She says: ‘We’re praying for you. There is not a day passes that all of us do not kneel together in the morning before we eat and in the evening before we retire and plead with the Lord for his blessing upon you. We have added fasting to our prayer, and when your younger brothers and sisters pray they say, “Heavenly Father, bless Johnny … and help him to learn the language and do the work he was called to do.”

This young man then went on to say through his tears, “I will try again. I will add my prayers to theirs and my fasting to their fasting.”

Now, four months later, I have a letter from him in which he says, “A miracle has happened. The language has come to me as a gift from the Lord. I have learned to love the people in this beautiful land. God be thanked for the prayers of my family.”

Be bold. Be courageous. Be honest. Be truthful.

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

2017 03/06 "I know that there is power in writing things down"

Hi again! 

I'm glad Makail had a fun birthday!! How in the world is she already 23? She's soooooo old.

Fun fact: We were walking down the street and Sister Jacobsen stopped and said "your high school killed my high school in the state championship our sophomore year. I am still so mad about that." 😂😂😂 I DIED. *I'm probably the only one that thinks this story is funny but pity laughs are always accepted and also always appreciated...* 

I finished my study journal that I started in August and it's been so fun to read the things that I was learning at the beginning of my time in Connecticut and in the city. Some of those things I'm still learning and some of those things have turned into strengths. I know that there is power in writing things down and also pondering those things that the spirit is teaching us! Look back and REMEMBER the spiritual experiences you've been blessed with!! I love what Hanna said about how journaling strengthens our faith! I know that that's true!! 

MIRACLE: I was looking through our AreaBook and I found a record of a guy that the sisters had met on the train in November AND NEVER FOLLOWED UP WITH HIM. (WHYYYYYYYY THEY DIDN'T FOLLOW UP??? I. DON'T. KNOW.) ANYWAY, we called him to see if he was still interested and when he answered he said "Sisters! Why the heck are you just barely calling me???" (Yeah, I thought the same thing. It's fine.) So we set up an appointment with him!! We met with him on Saturday night and it was WONDERFUL. The youth were having their camp/activity fundraiser gala thing that night so the church was PACKED and there were people everywhere and crazy kids literally running around EVERYWHERE. It was an actual nightmare. We couldn't use the 3rd floor because the flood of people, the 2nd floor of the church didn't have enough people coming and going so that left the first floor for us to have our lesson. Jokes on us. The 1st floor was where everyone was getting their tickets so it was CRAZY. Miracle---- Elder and Sister Adams in the family history library said we could use the room when they went home. YAY!! They saved us. And so 6:00 came and Dieudonne (our investigstor) didn't come. COOL. But no worries. He came at 6:30 haha. Dieudonne is so prepared. He's a refugee from Africa and has such a BIG heart. His parents were killed when he was really young in a war that happened in his town. Since the time he was about 8 he raised his 2 younger sisters. He came to New York about 6 years ago to go to school and find a better life. He was telling us that adjusting to the city has been really hard and he's been searching for peace. He doesn't like that he sees so many couple fighting and he doesn't understand why they live together before their married. He was telling us that he really wanted to have a family of his own-- because he grew up without parents. It really pulled on our heart strings because both Sister Jacobsen and I grew up with INCREDIBLE parents and families; something we'll never take for granted anymore. It was amazing to see how the Lord has prepared him to hear the restored gospel. Sister Jacobsen and I didn't say much the whole hour. The spirit told both of us to just sit back and listen and just to love him and really care about him. I really just wanted to cry the whole time because my heart hurt for him and because I realized how truly blessed I am. At the end, I offered the prayer and the Spirit just overwhelmed me. He looked up at us after, with tears in his eyes, and said "why do you care about me so much? Why did you just sit here and listen to me? Nobody has ever done that for me and I can't thank you enough. I feel so much love." Sister Jacobsen and I looked at each other and we both had the biggest smiles on our faces. 

When people ask me to tell them about cool experiences I've had as a missionary, I could tell them about cool miracles I've seen or crazy things I've done (like walking in meth) but in reality, the best part about being a missionary is feeling God's love for others. It's hard to explain in words, but the love I feel for people on New York City is far beyond my own ability. I know that it's our Heavenly Father's love. And it's INCREDIBLE. I know God's love is REAL. I've felt it in my own life. His love is personal, His love is infinite, and His love will always be there-- no matter what❤❤❤ On that note, I love you all SO MUCH. And I know that our Heavenly Father loves you even more than that!!😚✌

So, have a good week and remember that your favorite sister missionary is thinking about you and praying for you! 

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

Ps. I miss dad a lot because I said the word "hip" yesterday in a sentence. I said "wow, that's so hip." And then I bascially died of laughter. I love ya, dad!!❤❤❤

PPs. The 9-11 Museum was INCREDIBLE. It was interesting because there weren't any kids running around, everyone was so quiet the whole time, and it had a very somber and heavy feeling. I really do believe that it's sacred ground. You bet I cried. When the Bain fam comes back to NYC, we're going there. FOR. SURE. And I have a feeling you're all going to cry too. 

Ground Zero - Last Slab

Ground Zero

It's all about family.

Sister Eskimo Bain

Zone Conference

2017 03/01 "Let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever."

WHAT'S UPPPPPPPPP ❤❤❤ Happy Wednesday!! 

First things first, IT'S MY BEST FRIENDS BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY!!! Happy birthday, my dearest Makail. Thanks for choosing Heavenly Father's plan and being born. I love you!!✌❤ 

Also, guess who had salmon for dinner 4 days in a row??? That's right. WE DID. 😂😭😂😭 Someone guess how much Sister Bain still doesn't like salmon😂😭 

Today is P-day because we were so blessed in the New York New York North Mission to have Elder and Sister Gong (from the presidency of the seventy) here with us on Sunday and Monday. It was sooooooooooo wonderful to be taught by the spirit. I also had the opportunity to play a musical number so now I can check "play the piano for a general authority" off my bucket list😉 Thanks for sending my piano book, Mom!!❤Elder Gong said, "I appreciate your dedicated piano teacher for helping you develop your talent." THANKS MOM! YOU'RE THE BEST ❤❤❤❤I hope you travel safely to Oklahoma!! 

This week was good. It started off with Sister Jacobsen and I going to the ER because Sister Jacobsen had symptoms of appendicitis. Yay. But she's fine now and didn't actually have appendicitis. Also, Anne is feeling better so we were able to see her at church on Sunday!! Marvin is also doing well. We had a lesson with him yesterday and he said that everything is starting to make sense. We love love love the people we have the opportunity to teach!!❤ 

Something I've been thinking about this week is prayer❤ I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR PRAYER. I know that it is direct communication with our Heavenly Father WHO LOVES US. He's real. And He hears every single prayer. I know that's true. I know that by counseling with our Father in Heaven is how we find true peace. 

《Alma 37:36-37》

Yea, and cry unto God for ALL thy support; yea, let ALL thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let ALL thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, LET THE AFFECTIONS OF THY HEART BE PLACED UPON THE LORD FOREVER.

•Counsel with the Lord• in ALL thy doings, and HE WILL DIRECT THEE for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and IF ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

I love the phrase "let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever." I know that Heavenly Father knows the deepest desires of my heart. I know that what's important to me is important to Him. I've been making some goals this week of things I want to accomplish before the end of my time in New York City. I've taken those goals to my Heavenly Father and I've counseled with Him-- asking Him to help me accomplish the desires and affections of my heart and asking Him if those goals are what He wants me to do. Everything I desire (as long as it's righteous) I KNOW that Heavenly Father WILL help me. I'm also grateful to have been raised in a home where we said family prayer EVERY night. It didn't matter how tired we all were or how busy we all were, we always knelt together. And I will forever be grateful for that. Thank you, mom and dad, for teaching me how important that is❤

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior. I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. And I know that the Book of Mormon is true. It's all true!! And it'll bless your life.

I hope you all have a good week. I love you so much and I'm so so grateful for the wonderful family I've been blessed with. Thank you for your prayers and for all your love.

I love youuuuuuuuuuu. 

Love always,

Sister Bain 🍍

Elder Gong and President Smith serving up Ice Cream

Sister Jacobsen in the hospital. All is well. 

We Love the Missionaries!