Sweet Sister Toomer--she is so amazing! Not sure if these will be her last letters or not...since she comes home in...wait for it... 5.5 days!!!!!!!! We are dying of excitement!

What a week! So to start off the week we got a new investigator Niami! She's awesome but is catholic not for long though;) but then it kinda went down hill from there this week was nuts! We literally thought we were going to do so good cuz we had members to lessons with investigators but more than half of them cancelled and the other half were not home. It's okay though cuz we stuck with it and found more ppl to teach. There is this lady named Yesenja that said she was searching for something like this when we introduced her to the Book of Mormon. So ya lots of potential :) Hesus dropped off the face of the earth. We can't find him..but Corrin came to church again and said that all the talks were speaking to her. I'm noticing that when one door closes there is always more openings to those the Lord is preparing. I love doing the Lord's work! I just can't believe sometimes that he trust this crazy Sister to be his instrument :) Keep keeping on! 

Love,

Sister Toomster!

 

Wow this week went by fast..it's kinda a blur but it was super fun! Sister Pugh is a gogetter and the sisters we serve are so much fun too. I went on exchange with a sister that left her mission but came back and she is so cool! She just has that amazing drive and desire to serve the Lord. I learned a lot from her. Then we did some sweet service we sanded sheet rock and sorted food for food banks. And the manager lady gave us some cool feedback she said if your boss guy ever asks we really like his missionaries;) No worries I told the big man upstairs! Church was awesome as well we had this amazing member who has A.L.S. which means his body is slowly dying and he is in a wheel chair. He spoke and it was inspirational he said that he was the luckiest guy ever despite everything because he has the gospel. Then he said something that I'll never forget, he said "God gave us mountains and he sometimes doesn't move them for us but he always helps us climb them." I know that's true!! God is always there! I love being part of his work:) Love you all!!

Love,

Sister Toomer aka I grow on ya;) 

 Here is Sister Toomer's latest...only a few more weeks!!! Ahh!!

Oh ya it really is! This week was wonderful I got to go on a couple exchanges and one of them was with my MTC buddy Sister Groesbeck. Ya that's right we were the Groesbeck Toomers :) I love last names. It was a blast because we have both grown so so much spiritually and everywhere else in between!

Then I went on another exchange with a hermana (sister in spanish) she has only been out 7months but probably knows more than this old one. She is so spirit driven and loves the Lord it was awesome! I learned a lot from her and I also learned a little tiny tiny bit of spanish! Mostly Jesus Christ lives (vive) . That's all they needed to know from this crazy english speaking missionary;) 

The Lord blessed me with English speaking..because I was thinking missionary work is hard without the language thing. So I totally respect the people that did both!

So during exchanges with Hermana Cannon my eyes were burnning I just thought it was my contacts so I took them out and did the exchange. Then the next day one of my eyes had like goober stuff and was super read and sensitive. I still didn't think much of it and went to ward council. I sat across the RS president and she looked at me funny and said Sister Toomer you need to go home you have pink eye. Good thing in ward council we had an eye doctor and he confirmed it. Lame sauce so I missed church and had to stay in cuz I guess it's super contagious. But good news it's going away!!! I just have to clean this key board after I'm done with it....so that's why it's so great to be alive! ;) 

Thank you for all your love and support! I love you all!

Love,

Sister Toomer

PS Seahawks are going to the Super Bowel!!

It's been a crazy week like always. No worries I no longer have pink-eye it went away fast which was a blessing:) This week was awesome! I had an interview with President Ware. He's so sweet and thinks I'm pretty legit. Ya I got him fooled ;) wants me to keep keeping on which I am trying with the Lord's help and so far so good! We followed up with a older lady that we tracted into and taught her the restoration and she agreed to it all! Her names Dora oh ya she's explora! She's so cool! Then of course I went on a couple exchanges. One of them was with Sis Camplese the sister I trained:) It was sweet cuz I got to see her progressing and working super hard. We just remanised like all day it was awesome!

Then I went with a spanish sister to her area. I'm understanding the language more and more:) And the spirit is always the same awesomeness! I love it! Serving the sisters is way fun. It seems like they teach me more than I do. 

Also I am in a trio again :) it's Sister Peatross, Donnelly and Toomer it's pretty much a missionary party everyday! We picked up Sis Donnelly wednesday she was serving in Zillah and her comp went to Kenn. they had to be moved. Sorry I can't really tell you all the details. But we are enjoying Sis Donnelly she's super funny and we all laugh all the time. 2nephi2:25 Thanks to all of you I'm finding that joy and especially through my Savior! I know he lives and loves us all! Because of him we are able to live with our Heavenly Father once again! I love this great news and sharing it with others brings me that Joy!

Thank you for all the prayers and letters you send my way! 

Love you all!

Love,

Sister Toomer

It was a pretty great week! We had tons of spiritual lessons and Joe one of our investigators came to a baptism. Of course he felt the spirit but he is a catholic so his pastor is worried about him. Although he says he still wants to meet with us! So that's a plus! And Bill our recent convert bore his testimony yesterday which was amazing!!  He said he felt at home! Those are the moments I love on the mish. It was a great testimony meeting which was wonderful cuz Lynda finally came to church!! She said she liked it:) I'm praying she will get baptized soon! Silly word of wisdom gets a lot of ppl but the with the Lord's help anything is possible! Hey and more good news a recent convert in Pendleton Cynthia Ross is going through the temple soon I don't know when but I hope I can go. That would be so cool!

This week we have a leadership meeting and we will know what will happen for transfers on Sat...dun dun dun! What do you think will I end my mish in Yakima or go somewhere else. I'll let you know next week;) Love you all!

Love,

Sister Toomer

PS there are some sad seahawks fans over here ready to hear the gospel;) 

Wait for it...I'm staying! Oh ya Yakima is not sick of me yet;) I'm super excited!! I love living with the Olanders and there is a lot of potential progress coming up! It was legit, on sunday I gave a talk about missionary work and invited pretty much everyone we talked to and 4 investigators came!!

I was beaming of course and they said they want to come again!! Sherri and Dustin our investigators was one that came. She told us that her cat was bugging her and trying to get her to wake up and the cool part is that the cat doesn't usually do that! I love how the Lord works:) 

Sister Peatross is going to Wenatchee and Donnelly is going to Richland crestview! My old area:) She'll rock it. Now they have a car...that's alright when I was there walking built character and a nice tan;) 

Funny story so we were teaching Joe about the restoration and this guys older and half Mexican and kinda goes on a lot of tangents. He tells us about his care giver and how he sometimes wants to beat the devil out her. haha all three of us don't know what to say so he laughs then we finally laugh...

Love it! Being in this trio has really taught me to find the joy in doing the Lord's work. I really do love being here and to be able to share the thing that has helped me so much with others!

I know that the atonement is real! Christ Lives!! We are apart of HIS church!! Heavenly Father wants all of us back! It's a blessing to help my brothers and sisters come back to him!

Love you all!!

Happy VAlentines!

Love,

Sister Toominator

So this transfer is going to be insane not just because my crazy awesome companion is having me get up at 6am to do insanity but because the work is progressing and it's so legit! Sister Pugh works really hard and I love it she keeps me going :) And Sister Olander aka Erin who just came back from her mission in Africa is awesome! She comes out with us and tries to get her friends to listen to the message that we have. I'm just really blessed!

It was way cool yesterday we took a laurel out with us but appointment after appointment canceled. So I was thinking man this sisters going to change her mind about a mission but then the Lord blessed us! Like always:) We taught this young dad about the plan and asked him if he would be baptized and he said yes! Perseverance is key! It's so good:) I still keep learning and learning. I love it! And Orlando the recent convert that got baptized in Nov. bore his testimony in Ward conference:) I felt so proud I can only imagine how Heavenly Father feels ;) Oh ya and Bill is getting his patriarchal blessing! 

Life is great can't complain! Love you all and appreciate all that you do for me!!

Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Toomer

What a week! All my days are kinda off I can't believe it's a thursday but the temple was so amazing and peaceful! It was worth it!! Haha so lots have happened! Funny story on Saturday we were contacting ppl and have been trying to get in with a guy named Hesus who is like 30yrs old and has a couple kids but he has been super busy. So we called the Hesus that is in our phone and he says he is working and wants to meet with us and will let us know. Then a couple nights later the Hesus on our phone txt us and says he can meet that night so we are like "score" we call an awesome member and get them to come..Hesus txt us back and says he is going to be late since he has to walk to the church. So we have the member pick him up. The members walk in the church and behind him was Hesus but not the Hesus we had been trying to get in with. Instead it was a 19year old skater kid hahah so we play it off acting like he was the one we were looking for the whole time and give him a church tour, Teach him the restoration and ask him if he wants to get baptized. He said Yes! And luckily that night there was a YSA activity so we got him fellowshipped in there. It was a happy coincidence! I love how the Lord works! It was a testimony to me that this is the Lord's work and not ours;) I probably would have messed it up a long time ago. Then one day we had lessons after lessons it was so fun I love sharing this gospel! The work really is booming here and Corrin who we meet outside of her house smoking came to church and she brought a notebook and took tons of notes. And then we had Zone Conference so where missionaries close to our area meet and talk about how we can be better missionaries and stuff. And there I gave my departing testimony:) so weird but it's good! Thank you all for your support and love!

Love you!

Sister Toomer

Ps The pic of all the sisters is who I'm kinda responsible for as an Sister Training Leader:)

and us at the temple today!

Weird it feels like I was just here...like 4 days ago. Time is flying! But it has been legit! We found 5 New Investigators this week who want to get baptized!! We introduced them to the BOM and took the challenge we got from an area of 70 Elder Arnold and have been seeing miracles!! It's so awesome! I love to see the change the gospel brings to ppl. Like Bill! Yesterday he showed up to chruch in a white shirt and tie and nice pants. This is the Bill who is in the wheel chair who usually wears pajama pants and a collared shirt. But not only do they change physically but also spiritually you can see the light! It's the best!

Oh man and of course there is always opposition in all things. There was this middle aged guy we ran into walking to a baptism and he wanted to know where the nearest coffee place is. Why he asked two Sister Missionaries where some coffee is is beyond me but luckily I knew there was a Starbucks close cuz I was desperate and had to use the bathroom there I felt bad but that was the closest place, Anyway, We were talking to him about God and he said look around your girls there is no God. And we said back, "ya look around you all of this is evidence that there is a God." It was super sad cuz he had no hope and you could tell he was miserable and anything we said he rejected it by telling us that we were wasting our time...I know we were supposed to meet him though even if he thought we were crazy for letting him know that God cared about him. 

We are so blessed to have this gospel and it's true it does bring the happiness you can't find anywhere else! I love it!!

haha and just so you know we are being takin care of over here in Washington. There is this lady that likes to go on a lot of walks and we ran into her last week and then again this week. She had prayed that she would run into us again cuz she thought we were crazy for walking around Yakima...so she taught us some self defense and said she would keep an eye out for us! So I got this funny lady watching and God watching over us we are set!

Love you all!

Sister Toominator

I had such good intentions when I started this blog for Sister Toomer...I was going to post after each letter/email...it was going to be great!! Well......we all know how that turned out! I haven't posted since November! Sheesh!

Wow time is flying thanksgiving is tomorrow! So as you can tell this is not our normal pday day;) An area of the 70 came to the mission so he spoke to us on monday. It was such an answer to my prayers. Cuz we were trying to see how we could help our investigators progress and he just taught by the spirit that I knew my Heavenly Father was just smilling and saying here you go. Then we applied what we were taught and Tyler is set to be baptized Dec 12!! 

Then we went on exchanges yesterday with some amazing Sisters and the one I was with had been a less-active member that changed her life around they are so awesome! I think they teach me more than I teach them anything. I love this work and helping our brothers and sisters is priceless!

We found a way cool lady the other day named Corrine we taught her the restoration and she just obsorbed it all up telling us that it made perfect sense! I love when that happens. Cuz we have all heard this in the pre-existence and we are just rekindling their memory.

For thanksgiving we are eating dinner with the Olanders the ppl we live with! Love them! Then we are going to check on the widows in the ward and some investigators and less-actives. Should be great! 

I am so grateful for all of you and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!!! Love you all so much!

Sis Toominator

 

 22 more days until this Sister is going to have her golden Bday!!!!!!!!!!! 

And yes I did have a great Thanksgiving!! The Olanders spoiled us with an amazing traditional dinner the turkey probably was my favorite it was very moist and seasoned to perfection. But more importantly I am so grateful for this time to serve my brothers and sisters. 

Bill has a desire to get baptized AGAIN! He just needs to stop smoking electronic cigarettes. So please keep him in your prayers. 

Then Tyler wants to get baptized as well!! He is a great kid but didn't come to church yesterday he was definitely missing out. We were talking about the enabling power of the atonement at church and that's so what I needed! It's so real I know it is because I've felt it! I really do love this gospel!! And I love this time of year it seems like more ppl are getting into the Christmas spirit which is always refreshing. Last wednesday when we had pday and we were shopping we told everyone that we saw Happy Thanksgiving. haha ppls reactions were priceless some were shocked that someone even talked to them and others thanked us. I know that small things really do make a big difference. Thank you all for making a difference in my life! Love you!

Love,

Sis Toomer

ps still hasn't snowed here...lame I know send us some of your snow;)   

We got to go to the temple today! I love it everytime and I learn more and more each time I go!!! I love being a part of this wonderful gospel! It's so so true!! 

Bill bore his testimony this sunday! It was amazing not gonna lie I get nervous when investigators bare their testimony cuz you think of all the things you have taught them and ya...well luckily we taught by the spirit so his testimony was phenomenal!!!!!!! He told everyone that he wants to be baptized the start of this year so Jan 3rd is his date! I'm so happy for him!

He was concerned about his wife though cuz she is going to church with her daughter at a non-denominational place but she still listens to the lessons. I know eventually she will come back too;)

And we finally had a lesson with Bob and Lynda and it was super sweet cuz Lynda in her prayer apologized for ditching out on us and prayed that we could come back and she made us homemade banana bread. Not only do they love us but you can really tell that they love God which is always the best! Even better than banana bread but they do come close;) jk

Then we were tracting (knocking on doors) and three ppl let us in which never happens. They actually listened to what we had to say which was sweet some weren't super interested but some were! I love this work and I'm realizing more and more that it's the Lord's mission and he could do it without me but he's helping me learn some wonderful things!! 

I almost forgot but we were teaching this super smart doctor Lutheran guy and applied what an area of 70 told us to do and have kneeling prayers. We did that and the lesson was totally directed by the spirit. It was way cool we asked him to be baptized and he said yes! Then my comp felt impressed to tell him that that would mean he would have to leave his church. And he was like of course I would it only makes sense. And this is a guy that does a ton for the Lutheran church!! It was so awesome!! We had our member that we live with come with us and that night she was super stolked that she had a hard time sleeping...she asked us how we do it all the time. It was funny. I love this work and I appreciate all the support and love you send my way!! Love you all!

Sis

 

 

This month is flying and this week! So since wednesday. Sister Peatross and I have done 2 exchanges. One with spanish sisters and the other with just english they were legit! I didn't go to the spanish area but the hermana came to our area. It was way sweet cuz we we worked hard while haveing fun! Then the exchange with the other sisters I went to their ward party ohhh ya funural potatos are the bomb.com idk why but I love them! And not only that but we found this guy named Ron that reminded me a lot of Dad. He was a track coach and a teacher that knew that God cared and would share that love with his students. It was awesome! We taught him the restoration on the doorstep! He just soaked it all up. It was cool cuz I could just see him totally getting baptized someday! And good news Bill quiet the electronic cigarettes on his own!!! He is so close to getting baptized! I'm so happy for him! Then as a ward we went carolling after church to investigators, less actives and members. It was sweet cuz you could just see their hearts softening:) I love this work! And sweet news our mission is going to be split into 2 missions on July. There is going to be a Yakima mission and a Kennewick mission! Cool huh the work is hastening and God is giving me this great opportunity to be a part of it! Love you all!!! 

 

 Man it was such a great week!! The best part was probably yesterday because not only did Bill and Ruth come to church but we had a new investigator come AND wait for it....BOB came to church!!!!!!!! Yay finally it was like Heavenly Father giving us an early Christmas :) We had great lessons with the spirit there of course:) And cats that were dressed as santas. We even helped a fam put up there Christmas. I love this time of year ppl are super nice and love to talk about Christ! We helped with a breakfast at an assistated living place which was fun. The ppl there were joking with us and thought we were really good help and wanted us to come back! 

Plus this week I get to see all my fam minus the little Bro but still it will be great! And I'll get to see Elder Toomer later:) I was thinking it will be like a preview of what Heaven will be like but not! Merry Christmas everyone!!! Thank you for all the Birthday and Christmas wishes!!!!! Love ya!

Love,

Sister Toomer

 

 

Thank you thank you for making this Christmas super amazing! I seriously got spoiled Christmas and Birthday!! I'm the luckiest Sister ever!! 

This week was legit we had great lessons on my bday and Bob and Lynda made me a cake and got me lotion. It was awesome! Then for Christmas eve we had dinner with a young couple that just had a baby so they didn't go to their families for the holidays so they spent it with us. That was nice. And then on Christmas Sis. Peatross and I got up at 6:29am and waited for the alarm to go off lol then rushed up stairs and opened presents had breakfast with our district. And Wait for it...I saw my fam!! That was the best part!! The little ones are growing so fast! And Cason and Bayla talked to me and said they loved me! It was precious!! 

After that we caroled all night to lots of ppl. It was a great Christmas!

Thanks again! And good news I'm staying in Yakima with sis Peatross!! It's gong to be awesome!! And ya that's right I'm a 6month missionary :) Love you all! Have a wonderful New Year!!

Pics Bob and Lynda and my comp

 

Oh man what a good start to the year! Bill finally got baptized and confirmed this weekend! In sunday school he said that he felt like he was finally home! Moments like those are when I absolutely love being a missionary!! He looked so good in white and I can just see him going through the temple.

Ruth loved the baptism (that's Bill's wife) she wasn't feeling good prior to the baptism so we asked the Elders if they could give her a blessing and they did. When we left she said she called us and said she felt so much better! I know the priesthood really does work! It's amazing!!

I'm stolked I'm staying in Yakima I do love the members and the ppl we are working with. We just need to find more and more and more but with the Lord's help we got this! Thank you for all your support and love!!

Keep keeping on!

Love,

Sis Toominator

PS this is Bill and Ruth:) He had a stroke awhile back that is why he is in a wheel chair but he is super bright he read the whole BOM before he got baptized!

 

What a week! It has been a roller coaster. So a set of sisters lived with us while their members they live with where gone for a funeral. Unfortunately, they don't get along so it was kinda frustrating because as a missionary you just want the spirit all the time and contention is the worst. But no worries we encouraged them to go to God and I know that everything will work out. It's a good learning experience for sure! 

So ya I am still with Sister Peatross she's legit. I have learned so much from her. She is so patient and loving. I'm going to work harder on that for sure. Oh ya and we did service for this family that had really bad insulation so we hammered down their roof. It was so much fun! Haha our ward mission leader calls us home-wreckers now.  

And there have been some really cool experiences we were lost on where we needed to go and of course the spirit guided us. We went to a ladies that almost never answers and she finally did! She said she had missed us and was going to call us right when we knocked on her door! It was awesome the Lord knows best! There were tons of those moments this week I love it!! Then we had the leadership meeting as well which is always so spiritual and just makes you want to be a little bit better and do a little bit more. 

Thank you for all your support and help! Have a wonderful week! 

Love,

Sister Toomer