Sister Froemming's Heart Grew 3 Sizes That Day

Bula family & friends!

I sincerely hope each of you have had an amazing Christmas. Full of food, family, love, and remembrance. Christmas in Toukley was absolutely magical.

It was a very different Christmas this year.

Christmas without Santa.

Christmas without a big tree.

Christmas without traditions.

Christmas without my family.

Christmas without cold or snow.

Christmas without pie.

Christmas without Turkey.

Christmas without many lights.

There were a lot of things I missed from home this Christmas, but I have to say this one was my favourite yet. Without the distractions, without the traditions, without the movies, and without the hoard of presents, I was left more time than I ever before had to ponder the Saviour.

Now please don't be mistaken, I woke up to presents and was fed by the members all day long. They took such good care of us here. But this time it was different. I woke up on Christmas morning for the first time, without hopes for what I would get out of this day, but with hopes to help others enjoy it. 

My favorite part of the day was after having a HUGE breakfast with the members and a HUGE lunch with a less active/part member family we came home to rest. All the 4 sisters of the flat had our mattresses on the living room floor lined up in a row next to the tree. I drifted off for just a few minutes, but I just could not sleep away Christmas. So I got up and began studying. I spent time pondering what it must have been like on the first Christmas from many different perspectives. I thought of the shepherds, the Nephites in the Americas, the chorus of angels, and Mary. 

As I did so, I felt a warm feeling enter into my heart. Stripped of familiarity, on the other side of the world, the only one awake, I felt like I had my own precious time to approach the manger and adore the baby Jesus. The humble, meek, little child who would change my life forever. Who would change my families life forever. Who would change my investigators lives forever. Who would change the world. 

I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ. He is the Beginning and the End. He is the Light and the Life of the world. He is the Prince of Peace. He is our Saviour and Redeemer. He is our Friend and our Brother.

Long lay the world, in sin and error pining

Till He appeared and the soul felt it's worth.

#ASAVIOURISBORN

WEEKLY HIGHTLIGHTS!!

-Mattress surfing down the stairs princess diaries 2 style on "Christmas Adam" (which Sister Spainhower introduced us to. It's the night before Christmas Eve.) so we could all sleep next to the tree together. We liked it so much we slept there for 4 days haha.

-Contacting EVERYONE at all the shops on Christmas Eve morning. Everyone was crazy and busy and rushing around but so many people smiled and happily took our A Saviour is Born pass along cards. It was a wonderful way to share the spirit of Christmas! 

-Christmas Eve Barbi with the zone. We cooked up heaps of meat and played games (including the funniest game of soccer in recorded history. 4 sisters against 2 of the best elders hahaha).

-HEAPS of food on Christmas! Pancakes and ice cream, seafood, fruit, eggs, ham, tarro, NZ corn beef, roast pork, just everything a girl could ever want #missionweight

-One of our investigators had to go to the hospital this week. She is engaged to a less active member and really wants to be baptized but she is so busy and never has time for lessons. She normally works 12 hours a day 6 to 7 days a week. But since she was in hospital we were able to teach her and get her a blessing. She felt the spirit so much and immediately identified the feelings she had during the blessing as the spirit. The Lord works in mysterious ways and we hope and pray that we can help Lisa be prepared for baptism as she recovers from her illness. 

-SKYPING MY PARENTS! They'll probably tell you it was the worst because it was bad signal. But it was so amazing to just get to hear them and see their faces. I had so much fun laughing and talking with them. It felt like it'd been just a few days, not almost 8 months. I love and adore my family!

Well I love you all so much! I hope you can continue to keep the Christmas spirit in your heart as you look forward to partaking of the sacrament each week and continue to remember Him. Please set meaningful New Year's goals that are spirit-led and will increase faith in Jesus Christ for you and those around you.

Au lomani iko!

SF

The Light of the Year

Bula family & friends!

I hope everyone is enjoying Christmastime! We are having a wonderful time here in Toukley! This week has been full of miracles.

I have felt the TRUE spirit of Christmas as I have read, pondered, and prayed about the Book of Mormon daily. I have become more deeply rooted in the Doctrine of Christ as I have studied His words. I know that the Book of Mormon points us towards Christ. It points us towards His Gospel. It helps us feel, understand, and apply His love in our lives. Sister Koi and I have felt and seen so much success as we have made it a goal to teach and testify of the truthfulness and power of the Book of Mormon at every opportunity. We have seen hearts softened as they have been touched by the spirit of the Book of Mormon.

Christmas is not just a time of celebration it is a time for transformation. It is not designed for us to become better for a season, it is a stepping stone for us to become more Christlike for the rest of our lives. Christmas is a time for healing, a time for discovery, a time for learning. Christmas is a time for remembrance and deepening conversion. It's a time for love and forgiveness. It's a time for us to care for others and come together. Life is hard. We all have different trials, pains, and wounds, but we all have Christmas. We all have this time of year to minister to one another, to heal, and to grow. Please view this season as an opportunity to draw closer to the Saviour, not just for a month, but for eternity. May we all find ourselves more like Christ at the end of this Christmas season.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!!!!!!

-TRADE OFFS! I had the pleasure of going on trade offs with Sister Mapuhi, my favourite Tahitian. She is so amazing. I have never seen someone with such an intense glow in my life. I admire so many qualities about her, but I especially admire her humility. Everyone she meets just lights up around her. I was so grateful to be able to spend the day with this sister learning from her.

-THIS! Toukley is gorgeous.

-One day this week it was absolutely pouring rain. Coming down ridiculously hard. Sister Koi and I were driving and we saw a man and a little boy running in the rain with no umbrella. They were getting absolutely soaked. I pulled over, and Sister Koi and I got our umbrella out of the trunk and started chasing after them. The man was so grateful and told us that he lived just up ahead and that if we met him there that he would give us the umbrella back. After I few minutes and getting completely soaked from running in the rain, we met the man and his son by his house. He was smiling from ear to ear and he said "Thank you so much. My son said that you two must be the nicest girls in the world." We gave him a Christmas card and wished him a Merry Christmas. Unfortunately, that was all we had time to do as he ran into his house with his son to get inside from the rain. But we know we met these two for a reason. I was grateful for Heavenly Father placing people in our path and for the gift of the spirit to prompt us and give us the encouragement we need to do Heavenly Father's will.

-My two "daughters" are now companions! You all know Sister Eteaki, but do you remember Sister Nelson? I was in a trio with her for her first two weeks in the mission and every time she has seen me since she has run to me and yelled "MOTHER!". Haha, I was so happy when I found out they would be companions. So cute! They spent the night at our flat last night (they live far away and our zone went to Sydney) and they were being so annoying and making me get them blankets and food and wouldn't stop talking and I was cracking up because they literally feel like my kids. Love these sisters to death. Ofa lahi atu.

-F I A ! Haha, she made it into weekly highlights again. We took her out for the day this week and had so much fun and were able to learn so much with her.

Sister Hosea and Sister Froemming at Temple Lights

-TEMPLE LIGHTS!!!!! ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! We went to the temple and there were HEAPS of missionaries being guides and hosts. We got to greet and talk to people and show them videos about Jesus Christ and bear our testimonies and take people's pictures and almost everyone that I love was there and this is a run on sentence but I don't care I'm too happy. I saw members from Emu Plains ward, I saw Sister Hosea, I saw Elder Sribunruang, I saw Sister Salvador, I saw missionaries that I haven't seen since I started, and I met so many new people, it was amazing! It was so nice to be reunited with people and meet new people! Heaps of members were there but there were also some non-members who just wanted to see what it was all about. It was a wonderful experience!

-Our flat is DECKED out with Christmas stuff. Shout out to my mom  and the sisters I live with who love Christmas too.

-Most importantly, our investigators are doing so well. There are bright things ahead for these people. People are coming to church and keeping commitments to read the Book of Mormon. It hasn't been an easy journey for them, but we are seeing progression!

I love being a missionary. I love my Heavenly Father. I love the Saviour, Jesus Christ. I love the people of Toukley. I love Christmas and celebrating it as a missionary has been eye opening. This Christmas, please prayerfully select a gift to give to Him who gave everything for you.

Have a great week everyone! Please let me know if there's anything I can do for you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!

Au lomani iko!

SF

How to have a B.O.M. Christmas!

BULA family & friends!

I hope you have all had an absolutely wonderful week! It has been an incredible week here in Toukley. Full of fun, progress and surprises!

So this week was transfers and guess what? CHRISTMAS IN TOUKLEY WITH SISTER KOI!!!! What a dream! We are so happy to both be staying here for Christmas and to keep working with all the beautiful people that we are so blessed to get to know and love.

This week we had some amazing Conferences and trainings about the Book of Mormon. Honestly, this week was a total transformation for Sister Koi and I. From these conferences, we were able to see that we working hard but not as smart as we needed to.

Sister Koi and I were feeling so overwhelmed with all of the investigators we have. We have SO many people and they all require so much time and attention and none of them progressing the way we expected. We were feeling weighed down, and as the week went on and we approached our Zone Conference, we were yearning to be spiritually fed and to learn.

And that is exactly what happened. We received so much revelation and were able to get a much clearer vision of the role of the Book of Mormon in conversion. Something President Checketts said really struck me. He said: "Too many prophets have shed their blood and too many saints have suffered to defend and preserve this book, for us not to make it the heart of everything we do as missionaries."

This week, I have gained a new, and renewed love for the Book of Mormon. I know that it is a evidence of God's love for us. If you want to know if Jesus is the Christ, READ IT. If you want to know if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints contains the saving ordinances and principles necessary for exaltation, READ IT. If you want to feel comfort and healing in a world full of hate, sin, and fear, READ IT. If you want your friends and family to come unto Jesus Christ and be one with you in His church, READ IT AND THEN DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO GET THEM TO READ IT.

I received very clear revelation this week that has absolutely transformed me as a missionary and it is this: "Kirsten, you are making things too complicated. The book is true, use it."

I testify to you that I know that it is true. I know it contains the fullness of the everlasting gospel. I know that there is no other book that draws men and women closer to God. I know that this book testifies of Jesus Christ and His divine mission. I know that Joseph Smith was and is inspired of God. And I know he translated this record through the power of God. I know that there is no question or concern that cannot be resolved by praying and reading the Book of Mormon. I testify that it has power to soften hearts and heal wounded souls. I know that this book was designed not just to teach us, but to change us.

This Christmas I invite each of you to renew your testimony of the Book of Mormon and by so doing also renew your testimony of that baby born in Bethlehem whom we are celebrating. I love this book and I hope each of us can gain a greater vision of the important role it plays in our lives as we strive to prepare to meet our Heavenly Father and qualify for eternal life.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!

-Ham the dog. (LOL my poor companion.)

Alright, so one day as we were walking down the street visiting people, a dog ran up to us. It is this short FAT dog and Sister Koi freaked out but I started to be friends with him and he started walking along with us. We realized we had a problem when he started coming to our investigators doors with us and just making everything awkward. We couldn't get rid of him. We decided to go. So we walk back to our car with the dog by our side, and as I open the door to get in the car, this giant fat dog jumps inside and goes right to Sister Koi's seat in the car.

I am DYING laughing and Sister Koi is speaking angrily in Fijian. He is like drooling and shedding and making her seat all gross. And she keeps going "GET HIM OUT!! STOP LAUGHING!" But she is laughing a little bit too. Finally, I stop laughing and try to get him out. But he won't come out. We try everything. And eventually all three of us are sitting in the car (Sister Koi in the back seat lol) and saying a prayer that this dog will get out of our car. At some point I start teaching him the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the pamphlet and Sister Koi is laughing and saying that she has never seen anything so strange in her life, but ya gotta keep it light right? I ended up naming him Ham and after calling him by this name to get out of the car, he FINALLY comes.

But it doesn't end there, the seat was so gross and hairy and drool-y that Sister Koi wouldn't sit in her seat, so I drove her around in the back for two days until we finally had time to give it a proper clean. At dinner, I told one of the member families this story and then they came out to see us off and started cracking up seeing Sister Koi in the back seat. They had to take a picture.

#Thingsthatonlyhappentome

-CAN YOU SAY FOUR MAN FLAT?! YAY. Two lovely Sisters moved into our flat today because of transfers. Sister Spainhower (who was my insta BFF before the mission) and Sister Ah Hoy who I served around in Penrith zone. So lovely and so fun!

-Christmas EVERYTHING! I finally got in the Christmas spirit this week. We decorated the flat so nice and at Zone Conference we won a David Archuleta & MoTab Christmas album which I force my companion to listen too lol. Also the Christmas First Presidency message was wonderful!!

-Going out with Fia. She is CRACK UP and so spiritual and has an amazing testimony to share with our investigators! Love this girl.

Zone conference! 

-Who can find Sister Eteaki? #faceofpurejoy. Also the other blondie with the yellow skirt is my new flatmate Sister Spainhower!

-Here is the before mentioned picture of Sister Stigen and I on trade offs. We had dinner at this beautiful beach and had a mini-photo shoot. More pictures of us probably coming soon because she's coming tonight with Sister Mapuhi for trade offs again. #eternalmissionfriends

-I just love my companion. We have really clicked as a companionship, as weird as it is that we get along so well haha, we just do! We laugh, we work, we cry, we love. Noqu Companion!

-Miracle of the week: JASON! An investigator who dropped us. This week we felt prompted to text him and then next thing we know, he is saying he wants to meet with us and find out more about baptism. He found out that his dad studied with Mormons when he was younger and his dad encouraged him to learn more. Such a blessing. Please pray for him, we'll meet with him again tonight.

I love you all and I hope you are having a wonderful Christmas time! Please let go of any negativity this season and focus on the real reason we are celebrating. I know that Christmas can be a time of great growth and deepening conversion to our Saviour.

Au lomani iko, (I love you)

SF

Tan Lines & Trying Again

Bula family & friends!

I hope you all have had an amazing week! It was definitely a fantastic week in Toukley. The work kind of slowed a bit. We have so much potential in this area and we know it really does depend on our exertion as a companionship. We are trying are best to work with everyone we can but we found we have fallen short so many times.

This Sunday, as we evaluated our week, we were a little frustrated. We feel that we are doing a lot, but we can see we need to be doing SO much more. I keep telling Sister Koi "We're not working hard enough." and she keeps saying "Sister Froemming you're going to kill me." lol.

One of the testimonies shared this Sunday really brought peace to my heart. One of our members got up and began sharing the story of Jesus and the woman who committed adultery.

John chapter 8:  

 1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in themidst.
 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
Brother Sita then explained how when he read this, he wondered: why did Jesus forgive her when she had committed a sin with specific consequences? Why wasn't she punished fairly?
And then he realized, that it was in that moment that he made a covenant with her. He essentially said without saying "You have sinned and you deserve to die. But I love you. So I will die for you. But you need to change. Go and sin no more. Go. Try again."
He then compared this to us. Each week, we come into the chapel and partake of the sacrament. We are forgiven. We are made clean. We are redeemed. We fall at the Saviour's feet and He has mercy upon us. He is our advocate with the Father and we are healed through Him.
But then we mess up. We say something unkind. We judge people unfairly. We hold grudges. We break commandments. We ignore spiritual promptings.
And then we come back to the chapel. With head's hanging low, we are presented in front of the Saviour again. We know what we deserve. We know that we have sinned. But just as He did with the woman, He does with us. He says "You have sinned. You deserve to be punished. But I see you are repentant. And I love you. Leave this chapel and try harder this week. Go. Try again."
Each week we are given a charge from the Saviour to "Go. Try again." We will never stop making mistakes. We will never be perfect, but we will improve. We will become more like Him. We will develop His qualities and become more prepared to meet Him one day. He will always forgive. Satan can try us and tempt us but he can only win if we let Him. Because we always have open arms and a fresh start waiting for us.
Go. Try again.

WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS!!!!!!

-The dreaded mission tan lines have surfaced. Haha, we spent one morning walking to all of our appointments and I unfortunately had my hair in a bun. #baycountyredneck 

 

#baycountyredneck 

-Sister Koi is teaching me how to play soccer. She is ridiculously talented with sports. She can play everything at like pro level. So blessed to have a companion who is patient and hardly laughs at me ;)

-I love Filipinos! There are a few in the ward and WOW I have been missing out my whole life. Hilarious, adorable, and the best cooks. I love coming to the other side of the world and meeting all kind of new people.

-I accidently called one of the investigators from my last area lol. OKAY it's pretty funny how this happened. It was totally on accident. We were just calling heaps of people to invite them to the Christmas party, and I had this random number in my planner. Sister Koi and I were trying to figure out who it was. We eventually figured that it must be the recent convert who just moved in and we decided to call him. Next minute, DOREEN ANSWERS! I was cracking up and couldn't stop smiling. I forgot I wrote down her number in my planner because someone emailed it to me. The funniest thing was that when I explained to her why I accidently called she said "Oh well what time does the party start?" Haha, I had to then tell her that it started at 5:00 but it was two hours away from Emu Plains. I talked to her for a few minutes and she told me she is now taking the discussions from Sister Piutau and Sister Wilson because she wanted sisters to teach her. I wasn't able to say goodbye to her so it made me so happy. She told me how much she appreciated the time I spent with her and that she wanted me to come visit. It's so funny how much you come to love people as a missionary. Everyone you work with starts to feel like family. I can't wait to see the day Doreen gets baptised!

-I also got to call Sister Hosea this week because Saturday was her birthday! :)

(Our fav RM in the ward, Fia)

-The ward Christmas party was CRACK UP. So much 80's Christmas music. Haha, I love old wards!!!! Sister Koi and I were overjoyed when after dinner people started finally getting up to dance. It was so cute to see our ward having fun! Also it was a success because after a ridiculous amount of inviting, one of our investigators came and a less active came to the party and then church the next day!

Have a great week everyone! Please try to prepare yourself each day this week to partake of the sacrament on Sunday.

Au lomani iko!

SF