Monday, March 18th - Scotland/Ireland will forever have a piece of my heart

We had another amazing week.  We have been blessed to see so many miracles.  

We were able to stop by a woman who said to try by about 6 weeks ago.  She promptly let us in and we were able to teach her the Restoration.  At the beginning of the lesson she started by telling us she would never go to church, but as we continued teaching we just watched her heart soften as the Spirit touched her.  She told us at the end that she wanted to come to church and yesterday, she came!!!!  She really enjoyed it and I felt like I could just see her heart soften.  The Spirit is amazing!

We also taught our friend from China this week, finally!  She told us, "I just want to know if He is there."  She was able to come to church too!  She also read some of the Book of Mormon and prayed.

We were able to teach another woman and she accepted a baptismal date.  We also helped her move some things around her house and she was so grateful.  

I am so grateful for the many miracles we saw this week and I've seen in the last year and a half.

Well, this is it.  18 months later.  I don't have words to express the feelings in my heart.  I am so grateful for the chance that I've had to be a full time representative of Jesus Christ and to bear His name on my chest every single day.  I know that God truly is our loving Heavenly Father and that he cares about each one of us.  I know He wants us to be happy and the way we do that is by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The Gospel brings peace.  It brings hope.  It brings joy.

I will be forever grateful and forever indebted to my Heavenly Father for the time I've had to serve Him in Scotland and Ireland.

I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father, who loves me and I love Him.

Scotland/Ireland will forever have a piece of my heart.

For the last time, Sister Baker

Monday, March 11, 2019

This week it rained...a lot!  We were soaked so many days, but we had fun with it!  A couple times we stopped avoiding walking through the puddles because our shoes were already soaked.  Funny of the week:  On one of these days while it was soaking we chapped into a lady that opened the door and her eyes went SO BIG at how wet we were.  She couldn't hide it.  She told us she wasn't interested and shut the door.  Sister Coffman and I walked away and busted up laughing at how horrified she was that we were that wet.

Unfortunately, our friend from Lithuania got really sick this week and couldn't meet with us.  Then he couldn't come to church because he had to make up time at work.  But he texted us and told us that he had been reading the Book of Mormon and that he is really interested to keep reading!

Our Chinese lady had a presentation to give for work yesterday, so she couldn't come to church either.  She has been keeping in contact with us though and hopefully we can teach her this week!

We were chapping this week and toward the end of the night a man opened the door and invited us in.  His sister was there, with his niece as well.  He sat and told us that God wasn't real, but his sister was very insistent.  She kept standing up for us and said the things we were doing were good.  As we kept talking and trying to share a little bit of doctrine she loved the things we were saying.  She gave us her address and said she would love for us to come by sometime and teach her 15 and 17 year old daughters.  What a miracle!  Hopefully we will be able to meet with them this week!

Yesterday it felt like all of my world collided.  Sister Coffman and I were greeting people as they came into church.  One YSA walked up to me and said, "Sister Baker, there's a man and a woman that want to talk to you outside."  So I walk outside and see Brooke and her uncle Les are in Cumbernauld (from her previous area - Perth).  They came to church.  It was so good to see them and to have them at church in Cumbernauld.  Then as we were waiting for church to start Ellie Cummings, a girl that went to Cottonwood, walked into the building!  She was there with her husband.  It was so strange to see someone else I knew and she was married!  Crazy.  I'm so grateful for all the people I know, whether it's Utah, Scotland, or Ireland.  I am grateful for the example of everyone around me and the love they show me.  I truly have been blessed.

Monday, March 4, 2019

This week FLEW by.  I can't believe how fast the time is going.  We had a really good week.  

We were able to meet again with the lady that we met with last week and talk a little bit about the Plan of Salvation.  She told us that she loves having us over and she always feels good with us there.

We found and taught a man from Lithuania.  He was so excited to be able to get the Book of Mormon in his language.  I love how many languages the Book of Mormon has been translated into.  The work is hastening!

Our Chinese friend had a really busy week, so we weren't able to meet with her, but we have been in contact with her all week and she said she really wants to come to church next Sunday!

MIRACLE:  We were chapping one night this week and I looked down and realized my badge was gone!  I got so sad and figured it was gone forever.  Sister Coffman and I retraced our steps and she thought that it would be in a parking lot we cut through.  Sure enough, in that exact parking lot was my badge.  I am grateful that God is aware of me (and everyone else) and the little things that matter to us.  To some, that is just a badge and a coincidence, but to me that was a manifestation of His love and how aware of us He is. 

I had my last zone conference this past week and I cried through the whole thing.  Departing missionaries give a final testimony and boy that was hard.  I have loved being a missionary.  I love representing Jesus Christ.  The Gospel brings so much joy.  I am so grateful for Scotland/Ireland and for my time here.  I have just a few more weeks to work as hard as I can.

Monday, February 25, 2019

We had a good week!  We were able to have a girl from China come to church with us!  She responded to our text and wanted to come.  We got a lift for her and we are teaching her on Wednesday!

We were also able to find a new friend through the area book this week.  She felt the Spirit so strong as we shared the First Vision.  

We're having some problems with the missionary email, all the missionaries are.  No time. Sorry.

Monday, February 18, 2019

Sister Coffman is the best!  She is from the great state of Kentucky.  She is 20 years old.  She has been out for almost a year and has served in Northern Ireland and Scotland.  She likes to go hiking and camping.  She has four brothers.  She loves riding our bikes.*  

*Sister Coffman was so excited when she found out we had bikes.  We rode our bikes for a while so we could go chap in a new neighborhood.  We were locking up our bikes and heard a 'ssssssssssssssssssssssss' sound.  We both looked at each other with fear in our eyes.  After searching, we found the puncture in Sister Coffman's back tire.  There was a rock embedded in the tire.  We didn't really know what to do, but we did our best to cover it (with a hair tie and the cover to my hand sanitizer) then left to go chap.  Three hours later we came back to the bikes and the tire was completely flat.  It was an hour and a half walk back to the flat.  We started walking the bikes back, but Sister Coffman's tire completely fell apart.  We had to call some members to come to our rescue.  Only we had to call two members because their cars weren't big enough to get us and the bikes somewhere.  They gave us a lift and the bikes followed.  The members took it to a bike shop the next day and all was well.  They should be good to go now.  

On Tuesday we were chapping and a lady told us that it was a bad time and to try back in a couple days.  We went back on Thursday and she invited us right in.  She shared with us that in the last year she has turned her life around and talked about how she has been able to recognize God's hand every step of the way.  She told us that the first time we came to her door she was a little wary, but because we came again she believed that God sent us to her door and He was trying to send her a message.  The Spirit was so strong in the lesson.  Unfortunately, when we called her later in the week she told us this 'was not for her.'  Definitely still a miracle, nonetheless.  

On Valentine's Day we went around telling people that we were sharing a message about the love of God.  I think only one person caught on, but we get to share that 365 days a year!  Not just on Valentine's day.

On Friday we were having dinner with some members and after dinner the husband started to read an article about how missionaries can now communicate with our families.  We all thought he was kidding because he is a major jokester.  He kept going with the article and all of us didn't believe him.  The wife then went on to lds.org and BAM.  I'm not sure who freaked out more, us or them.  It is so crazy that we are allowed to do that now.  "HOME CENTERED."  

Monday & Tuesday, February 11&12, 2019

Monday:

Moves call:  As you probably predicted I am staying in Cumbernauld.  Sister Cluff went to Paisley and I am getting Sister Coffman later today.  I don't have a lot of time to email, but I'm excited.  Sister Coffman and I were in the same district 6 or 7 or 8 months ago.  I don't know much about her, but she's from Kentucky.

I'll probably have more time to email later :)

Tuesday:

Well this is a bit later hahaha, but now I can actually email!

Sister Coffman arrived in Glasgow yesterday at about 6, so by the time we got back to Cumbernauld everything was closed.  Therefore, we're emailing today!  She came from Lisburn in Northern Ireland, so she had a long journey with a train, a ferry, and a bus!

Sad news about ____:  We had nearly sorted everything out with the Word of Wisdom and his baptism, but on Wednesday when he walked into the lesson he opened by telling us it would be the last time we would be meeting.  He apologized to us for 'wasting our time.'  That was really sad.  We invited him to continue to read the Book of Mormon and pray and told him he is always welcome at church.  

Sunday was Stake Conference in Glasgow.   Those were the all the missionaries in Glasgow Stake as well as the departing missionaries from this transfer.  Stake Conference was great and it was so fun to see members from the Dumbarton Ward.  They are the best!  

So usually when missionaries are moving they move on Monday morning, but you never know what might happen.  I told Sister Cluff on Saturday night that I thought she should pack as much as she could and be ready to leave on Sunday night.  Well, Sunday night rolled around and at about 7:30 we got a call from the zone leaders asking if we could go to Glasgow and leave in about 20 minutes.  That was a bit hectic, but we got everything together and managed just fine.  

Yesterday was mostly dedicated to helping missionaries get to their plane/ferry/bus/train/subway.  It was slightly crazy because a bunch of people have to go through Glasgow to make connections from buses to trains or from one train station to another.  It's probably quite comical to watch a bunch of 20 year olds running all day through Glasgow with luggage, doing there best to make sure no one misses a train.  We did a pretty good job and only 2 people missed their bus to make the ferry.  Oopsie!

I am really excited for this transfer with Sister Coffman!  We will have lots of fun together.  I can't believe this is the start of my final transfer and I don't know where the time has gone.  It's really scary.  For now, I'll just be enjoying every second I can of being a missionary.

Love you lots!

Love,

Kristina

February 4, 2019 - So grateful to be a Missionary!

THE BIKES:  I haven't crashed, but let's just say you won't be calling me the next Lance Armstrong anytime soon.  I am very wobbly, but that's okay.  We were only able to ride them twice this week, due to snow/ice, but for those two days BOY WAS I SORE.  

____ had his baptismal interview this week and most everything went over smoothly.  While talking about the Word of Wisdom he mentioned that he takes cannabis oil from the pharmacy to help with his epilepsy.  It is legal, but not prescribed and it has been helping with his seizures.  We weren't sure on what to do, so we called President Macdonald.  He wasn't sure either, so he has been in contact with the people that he asks questions to.  He also had a brief interview with ____ over the phone, but he is still unsure.  For now, we have to hold off on the baptism, but we'll see what happens with that.  

This week was absolutely FREEZING!  BUT was it too cold for ice cream?  No, never.  Imagine an ice cream truck in America:  Hot day, middle of the afternoon, drives around with the music playing and all the kids come running out.  Now, here is a Scottish ice cream truck:  Middle of winter, dark outside, drive and park somewhere and hope for the best.

Well for the last year I have heard ice cream trucks around the neighborhoods, but I have never actually seen one.  Sister Cluff and I saw one on Tuesday and just had to get ice cream, even though it was below freezing.  Well, on Wednesday we were walking and what do we see?  ANOTHER ICE CREAM TRUCK.  We walked by it and starting talking to the people.  Then they gave us a free slushie and a hot dog!  Free lunch woohoo!  On Thursday we were chapping and we heard the music in the distance.  About 20 minutes later where is the ice cream truck?  4 HOUSES DOWN.  So we got ice cream again, just to say that we had something from an ice cream truck 3 days in a row in below freezing temperatures.   

Recently, I have been studying the General Conference Ensign.  I love to read the words of the modern day prophets.  I especially loved the quote from President Oaks, "we are a missionary people. We are sometimes asked why we send missionaries to so many nations, even among Christian populations. We receive the same question about why we give many millions of dollars of humanitarian aid to persons who are not members of our Church and why we do not link this aid to our missionary efforts. We do this because we esteem all mortals as children of God—our brothers and sisters—and we want to share our spiritual and temporal abundance with everyone."  It reminded me of the great privilege I have to be here and to share my abundance.  'Because I have been given much I too must give.'  I am so grateful to be a missionary each and every day.