Monday, April 29, 2013


 
 
Hello!                                                                                                 April 29th 2013

   Thanks for all the Birthday Wishes!!!! I appreciate all your thoughts and remembering me !!  It will be weird to be another year older!

 It's been another wonderful week in sunny California and the temperatures have decided to jump up!  Which it does feel great in the shade but walking around in the sun can definitely be draining.  Praying for energy becomes a part of every pray! Haha but it is wonderful.

For the miracle this week, we found 7 NEW INVESTIGATORS! That is so many for us and it was amazing how we found them! They are truly blessings from the Lord. We have a teaching pool of about 15 right now and they are all amazing people! A lot of the time, it is just hard to get in with them. They get excited to meet and then they forget or aren't there. That can be discouraging, but President Gordan B. Hinckley said, "Never, ever give up on the slightest spark of interest." I always remember that and that helps. The one investigator with a baptismal date is doing ok. He didn't come to church yesterday like he was suppose to and we haven't heard from him and we are kind of worried but, can't do anything about that agency thing. The ability to choose is great, except for our investigators! Haha totally kidding. It is great, and we just have to show them how to use their agency wisely which can be hard sometimes but that is what makes missionary work entertaining to say the least.   The little 8 year old girl we are teaching is doing well.  She is so smart and cute and just loves primary which is really cool! And her mom is enjoying coming back to church and hopefully we can get her brother coming as well.   The recent converts that we have been teaching are doing well! Their love for the Gospel is growing  and becoming stronger. Most of the time it seems that they are teaching us without even knowing it! It is great!  I love seeing how Christ's Gospel changes lives and helps people to find that peace and happiness that these days seem impossible to find.    We had a lesson with a wonderful lady on Friday that she was raised to not talk to Mormons but she is really curious about what we believe in and wants to understand and she is really open and ready to learn. She has some concerns that we have to work through but she will be ready soon! The Lord really knows his children and loves them so much! Every time we get to teach someone, my love increases for them because I get a taste of the love Heavenly Father feels for them.

I was reading In 3 Nephi, These are the chapters that are about the destruction before Christ comes. As I was reading it, I just felt that I was there and could feel the sadness and heartache that was happening. And I realized, "Do we wait to call on the Lord until we are in darkness and despair or do we call on him before so we DON'T get to destruction and despair?"  “It made me think a lot about when I decide to call on the Lord in my own life? It always seems that we wait until we are at our breaking point to ask for help, that we become humble to listen to the Lord. And I believe that if we would just call sooner on the Lord that we would be spared a lot of heartache and trouble. It was a really neat thought and I just love the Gospel so much! This Church is true because it's Christ's. Christ can change hearts and bring peace that is not of this world. As we strengthen our testimonies, we draw close to the Lord and the Lord to us. I am so grateful for the chance to serve and be able to help those that are searching. Thanks for all the Love and support! Love you all! Sister Haws

Monday, April 22, 2013

New letter from the California Girl April 22nd 2013


Don't forget it is her Birthday on the 30th, get your cards and birthday wishes sent out early this week so the mission office can get them to her on time !!  Thanks
 
Another sunny week in California!                                                                                           APRIL 22 2013

  This last week’s weather has been wonderful! Most days about 90 degrees which is wonderful! I know that sounds crazy but its California! 90 is cool for Cali! This week has been interesting and fun ! Lots of finding time and lots of wonderful people that we have met.  A lot of them aren't quite ready to hear the Gospel but they are definitely being prepared.
We had a lesson with the young man who has a baptismal date that went well and he seems to really enjoy what is being shared. He didn't come to church yesterday which was really sad and we might have to push his date back but that is ok. He can be ready, he just has to choose. We also were able to FINALLY get in with an investigator who we had even before we got here! But she made some time and is really open and wants to understand more! She has started to read in the Book of Mormon and keep saying I want to know it is true! We also were able to find 3 new investigators this week. All of which seem to be prepared. It will take some work but that is why it is called Missionary Work! :)   We also went to visit a less-active member. She is amazing! She has had a disease that keeps her body from producing antibodies and so she hasn't been able to leave her house unless it is to the car and then back to her house! She hasn't been able to come to church since December and that has just killed her but she has such strong faith and before she was diagnosed, she was working towards the temple! So the ward set it up so that she could take the class in her home and she is going to go to the temple soon! She was finally able to come to Church yesterday and she was just glowing! They started a new treatment that seems to be working so now she can come out but still has to be careful! She keeps saying, “I know if I go to the temple, I will be healed." Now that is solid, sure faith!   We are also starting to teach an 8 year old girl who’s mom has been inactive for years but because her daughter wants to learn and be baptized, they are both coming back! She is so cute and so smart! It will be fun to teach her.   We are also working with a couple recent converts who are doing amazing! They are so strong already and are planning on going to the temple soon! It has been fun to teach them after they are baptized and see how they are increasing in knowledge and how much the Gospel has become a part of their lives and how they recognize it. It is really neat to see!

   It has been a good week and something that I really am noticing is how important the Spirit is not only in missionary work but in everyday life. We live in an increasingly dark world and the Holy Ghost provides the light so we can see where we are going and keep that eternal perspective! Both my companion and I gave talks yesterday in Sacrament meeting on being member missionaries and it was neat. The spirit was there and we hope it will help them into action. Investigators who meet missionaries through members have an easier time coming into the church. They have that immediate support system and someone to help them through a big change!

  It is great how the Lord is truly hastening his work and how many missionaries are coming out! The gathering of Israel is picking up speed! Thanks for all the love and support! Love you Sister Haws

Monday, April 15, 2013

KAELEY'S BIRTHDAY IS COMING !!!

Hello everyone again,  just another reminder that it is her birthday on the 30th of this month she will be turning 23 !!  Wow she is getting old :)  I know she would love to be swamped with lots of birthday cards and wishes from her friends and family !!  She is just using the mission office address for now so you will have to get it sent to her a little earlier so they have time to get it to her before her birthday. If you send it so that it will be at the mission office by the 23rd (tuesday) it should get to her on time.  the address is : 

Sister Kaeley Haws

C/O California San Fernando Mission

23504 Lyons Ave. Ste 107

Santa Clarita, CA 91321

You can also send me an e-mail and I can forward it on to her if that is easier, my e-mail is :

heehaws@ida.net 

Thanks for helping to make her birthday great !!  JoAnne Haws

New letter from Sister Haws !! April 15th 2013


Hello!!                                                       April 15 2013                                                                                                                          

    Another week has just flown by! Today is my 8 month mark....So WEIRD! It doesn't even feel like 8 months! But when you are having fun, time flies!
   This week, we seemed to have a lot of meetings. We had Zone Conference with our Mission President and then it was Stake Conference this weekend. Zone Conference was absolutely incredible! So inspired and really helped me personally to understand a few different things that didn't quite make sense yet. We talked a lot about studying for our investigators to help meet their needs and planning out lessons for them and how important it was to have something planned. And also a little bit about how the work is hastening! So many great things are happening as the Lord hastens his work and it is an exciting time to be a missionary.

   Our stake Conference was amazing as well! Elder Whitening of the Seventies was there and the spirit was so strong and simple beautiful testimonies of how the Gospel has been restored! There are amazing things happening in the work of the Lord and it is a privildge to be a part of the Lords work being a Missionary and for member missionaries as well. He talked a lot about how we when just open our homes to our neighbors and friends they will feel the difference and the spirit in our homes. And that our homes can be a living testimony and we don't even have to use words. I really loved that because of how important it is at this time to have strong testimonies and constantly striving to increase them and it starts at the Home. If we have a place where we can find refuge from the World, others will come as well because they can feel the difference.
   We had a lot of small but wonderful miracles this last week. One for me personally, was there was a couple days that I wasn't feeling too well and there came a point that I really felt that I couldn't take another step and I prayed for the strengthen to take another step and I literally felt this strengthen come over me! It was such a neat experience and we were able to find a less-active and talk to him and help him to come unto Christ.

   On Friday, we had an amazing miracle. We had a lesson with an investigator that fell through so we went up to the next street to go finding. We both felt prompted to knock on this one house and we did. We met a guy who seemed surprised that we were there. We found out that he had moved from Texas to here and had talked to missionaries a little bit before and had just lost his Book of Mormon. He was amazed that we had found him and he has a lot of questions that others hadn't been able to answer. We had an amazing lesson with him on Saturday and he came to stake conference with us and he LOVED it! He is finally getting answers that he has been searching for and he is so prepared to receive the Gospel. He has a baptismal date and it is so cool! He is really a miracle and we are so grateful to be able to teach him. We have a lot of wonderful investigators that are ready and the Lord is placing them where we are able to find them. The spirit really does guide and direct us to those that are prepared. It is amazing how it works!
   I love serving a mission and serving the Lord. It is an amazing work to be a part of and I am so grateful to be here! Study the Scriptures, say daily prayers and attend church and you will be okay!!! I promise you that! Thanks for everything! I love you lots! Sister Haws

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

KAELEYS BIRTHDAY :)

TO ALL HER BLOG FOLLOWERS, IT IS KAELEY'S 23RD  BIRTHDAY ON THE 30TH OF THIS MONTH, SHE WOULD LOVE IT TO JUST BE INUNDATED WITH BIRTHDAY CARDS AND WISHES.  HER CURRENT ADDRESS IS THE MISSION OFFICE ADDRESS THAT IS ON THIS BLOG, JUST REMEMBER IT WILL TAKE A FEW EXTRA DAYS TO GET TO HER BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO DELIVER IT TO HER.  SO I WOULD RECOMMEND SENDING THEM TO HER NO LATER THAN THE 20TH. THANKS FOR ALL YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR HER !!!  JOANNE HAWS. 

New Letter April 8th 2013.

Note from Kaeley's mom:  Sorry it was a day late, I was out of town yesterday !! 

Hey!!                                                                                                                    April 8th 2013
Happy Conference weekend! Wasn't it just amazing?!?! I lOVE hearing the Prophet and Apostles speak! It is so amazing how inspired they are and how much love they have for the members! If I learned anything from conference, it is this...The church is TRUE! and Heavenly Father loves us so so much and everything he does is for our benefit and happiness! My favorite talk was Elder Holland’s! He is just so powerful and you know without a doubt that he knows it is true. I also really enjoyed L. Tom Perry and President Monson’s talk about obedience because obedience really is everything is the Gospel. If we are obedient the Lord cannot and will not hold back blessings from us. and as we are obedient, the spirit grows stronger and stronger and we grow closer to the Lord and the Lord closer to us.

 I really felt that the overall theme is that we must strengthen our testimonies each and every day if we are going to make it through these difficult times that are here and are coming. I have been thinking a lot about that lately, of how truly important it is to make sure we have a strong foundation and truly are converted to the Lord. There will come times that we have to stand for what we know to be right, even if we stand alone. And our testimony and conversion to the Lord will be the one thing that carries us through and gets us to act upon what we know to be right. President Uchdorf's talk was also very inspiring about it is our choice to step into the Light or stay in the darkness. If we are doing those things the Lord has asked us to do, our testimonies will be strengthened and we will stay in the Light. Anyway,  just wanted to share some of my thoughts from conference.
This week has been great! It went really fast but we had a lot of miracles. On Wednesday, we had a lot of finding time and there was certain areas we felt pretty strongly about tracting and finding in so we were walking around and found a lady that was sitting out front of her house just staring at the ground. We told her we were missionaries and she wanted to know about our church and where it was. They had just moved there and she was having a hard time in her life and we left her a little pamphlet to read and we went over to talk to her neighbor who was outside and when we had turned back around, she was almost done with what we had given her!  So, we left her a Book of Mormon and promised she would find a lot of comfort through reading it. It was so cool to see how the Lord truly prepares people to hear the Gospel. 
Later that day we went door knocking and we talked to a young man who was really interested in Family History Work. We knocked on another door and a lady opened the door and said I have been looking for a new church to come to! Can I come to yours! So that was really neat! And she is hopefully coming this week! But the greatest miracle was we tried a house that we felt pretty strongly about and a man opened the door, we asked if we could share a message of Christ and he said I don't believe but my wife does. So his wife came to the door and we said the same thing but added that families can be together forever. She looked at us and said that's strange. And she said I just lost my sister on Easter Sunday and my mom 8 months before this and she started crying! We were able to leave her a movie about families and say a pray for her and she said I will definitely have you back over after the Funeral. It truly was a neat experience to feel the Spirit working through us and to see how much Heavenly Father knows His children and in their time of needs, he will always send someone to help and comfort them. It was a huge testimony builder for me and to see how the Lord really does work through his servants.
This truly is the Work of the Lord and it is moving forward in haste! The number of missionaries has increased and is increasing and this is the last days. It really is! Helaman 5:12 The Savior is the rock of our salvation and when we build on him, we cannot fall. I Know the Church is true and that the Savior knows us and can help us to overcome the trials and hardships we face! He truly is the Savior of the World and Our Savior. I love the Lord and I love His work! Congrats to my cousin, Austin Brasier who just received his mission call to Raleigh South Carolina !!!!  Soooo exciting and I am so happy for you!  I am just going to have you all use the mission office  address because with the changes that are happening in our mission it is just easier. Maybe after that I will let you know but just use that. The zone leaders normally go up there quite a bit so it will come pretty fast.  The wind here is CRAZY WINDY!!!! I feel that I am going to blow away. It’s worse than rexburg :) It might be 80 miles tonight! ahhhh. So if I end up back in Idaho tonight you will know why, the wind just carried me home.  I might  have go and find a straight skirt because ALL of mine are flowing and they are going over my head. It’s pretty entertaining. haha 
Hope you all have a wonderful week, Thank you for all your support and love and prayers! I love you,  Sister Haws

Monday, April 1, 2013

SHE MOVED !! New pictures and letter April 1st 2013

Kaeley's new companion, Sister Fialho from Brazil --->

Must have been a hard day of missionary work !!

   A family from her ward in Chatsworth -->

The New Sister Missionaries Easter disguises
?????




Hello,                                                                                                                                    April 1st 2013  

Well...The big news...is I didn't get transferred. There was a change of plans....Still in good old Chatsworth....not sure how I feel about it but I guess whatever the lord needs.... about all I can say. Have a good week. Love you and miss you Sister Haws  

APRIL FOOL’S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Haha !! I had to get you somehow since I am not there and I thought telling you I got in a wreck wasn't very nice since you can't call.  So that was the best I can do!!! :) love you

 I did get transferred and that was about the most stressful half an hour of my life. Not knowing where I was going or who I was going to be with and it took a long time to get to the area that I would be in. I am now serving in Lancaster. So I am in the desert area! My companion is from Brazil and she came from Salt Lake City Temple square mission. They have an outbound program and I am with her for the next 2 transfers till she goes back. She is amazing! She has been on her mission for 10 months now and I have learned so much from her already! She truly is a Christ-like missionary! She is teaching me Portuguese...well trying to anyway. And I have learned a little bit of Spanish out here so it is kind of fun. I speak a little bit of Spanish with a Portuguese accent. We call it Portanish. It's a growing language :)! The Elders before that were serving here were covering 2 areas at once so they moved the Elders to the young single adults ward and put us Sisters in the other ward.  We are the first sisters they have had in this ward in 20 years!  So that is fun to be here and open up the area for sisters! We got a new apartment and a new car...like a brand new car....I am enjoying it while I can because I am sure I will never drive a brand new car right off the lot ever again and that is ok but it’s really cool! Got a new cell phone because it’s a new area and we even new beds and I got a new companion. Everything is new and I am super spoiled that is for sure! The Lord takes care of his missionaries!

When we first got here, we had a baptism on Friday night for an amazing man who found the Gospel through his Daughter who was Baptized 6 months ago. He knew it was true and it was an amazing baptism! The spirit was so strong and it was fun to come to an area with a baptism already! We have a couple of other investigators with baptismal dates as well and it is fun to meet them and see their progress! We have a lot of less-actives in the ward, and lots of having to find them and schedule time to work with them. There is a lot of work to do and it will keep us busy which we are glad about!

Last night, we found a potential family of 12!!  No Joke.  The mom is super open to learning and wants to learn. We had tried a less-active that lived next door who wasn't home, and we felt that we needed to talk to her and invited her to hear our message and she said of course I want to learn! It is really cool! My last area was a lot of the Jewish faith, here it is Baptist, which is really fun to talk to them! I love it a lot already and am excited to be here. Sometimes, it's overwhelming when you think about all of it at once but I know the Lord sent us both here for a reason. It is going to be wonderful to see the Miracles that happen.  This truly is the Lord's work and he is watching over and guiding us to where we need to be!   Sorry to drive you nuts for a week not knowing where I went, but now you get a taste of what it is like from transfer calls to transfers!! :) I didn't know when I sent that letter to dad. We get calls Saturday night and we don't find out where we are going till Tuesday morning at about 11:30.  I am not sure of my address right now so just send everything through the office. That would be best. Takes longer to get it but It’s safer that way.  It is kind of crazy I am in a different area now but nice. I was praying for a change. It was time and I could feel it, and it will be good.  I love you lots and lots and miss you all lots!  Sister Haws