March 26, 2012

Hello Everyone!
   So, the reason I could barely write anything last week...I was racing to get to a spring training baseball game between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox with a few of the other missionaries! It was so much fun, and I got a LOT of sun. The game was sold out, but we went anyway hoping to have a miracle. I literally hadn't put the car in park yet when a scalper yelled, 'tickets! who needs tickets?!' I said, 'Hey we do, we need three.' It took me maybe a minute to talk him down from $40 a ticket to $10 and the other missionaries were staring at me like, 'Who are you, where did you come from, and what have you done with Hermana Levanger!' It was hilarious, all I could think was, 'This is not my first time around the baseball field, and even though I have a skirt and a badge, I am still not overpaying for a Spring Training Lawn ticket!' I truly had so much fun. I love being outside and just smelling baseball.


   The really cool thing was spending that day and the next with Hermana Gallegos. I know there are many of you out there saying, 'Why is that name familiar?' She was my trainer with Hermana Dollahite for two weeks last April! I love her and have not seen her much this last year. She is going home in two weeks and we had an amazing time talking about our missions, the experiences we have had, and the way our lives have changed for the better because of it. I truly felt grateful for the chance I had to spend just a little bit of time with her and remember how far I have come this last year in the mission field. It still seems like yesterday, but it will be a year in two days.
    I was in Fort Meyers for about a day and a half. There is a big mission-wide choir and my companion, as well as several other sister missionaries, are participating. In order to keep the work going while these missionaries practice, the less vocally talented companions are asked to stay behind and keep working. (You are probably wondering why I was not in the choir; just know that it was invitation only, and I was NOT invited!) So next week I will be in Fort Meyers again. It should be a blast. I really love working in an area that is not my own. I love watching the techniques of other missionaries and seeing how investigators react to different missionaries teaching the same doctrine. It was a spiritual experience for me.
   I love being a missionary so much. I feel like it is the greatest most fulfilling work I have ever done in my life. I pray each night that My Heavenly Father allows me to be a missionary forever, maybe not full-time, but still doing His work. I love this gospel. I know it is true with every fiber of my being. I love each and every one of you and pray that you have your own relationship with your Heavenly Father. He loves you so much. No matter what is going on in your lives personally, never forget that He loves you, and that you are His child.
   I love you All,
        Hermana Levanger

March 19, 2012

Hello Everyone!
   What an incredible week to report! We found some great new investigators and saw a lot of miracles. I love the people here and the members are really amazing. It is still weird to think that I have only known them for three weeks but I love the process of getting to know them! This church has some of the most incredible people in the world. How lucky I feel each day to spend my time around them and to be edified by their testimonies!
   Some important things happened in my life last P-day. I was notified that I had been accepted to the Brigham Young University Master's of Business Administration Program. I am still completely in shock that I got in! It is an incredible program and it has been my dream to attend for years! I was hesitant at first to apply as I would have to give up the chance to extend my mission (which I love more than life). However, my mission president said I was not to pass up an opportunity like this and that if I did I would basically be throwing one of God's blessings back in His face. He added that he, President Summerhays, would be very disappointed in me if I didn’t take it. I decided to follow his counsel! I was notified last Monday that I had been accepted and I am thrilled! This means I will be returning from the mission field on July 4th and would love to see as many of you as possible at the airport.
   Until that day, I will be here, focused on the greatest job I have ever had, being a missionary. I can't believe how quickly the time is going, I feel like someone pressed fast forward without my permission and I can't figure out how to stop it! I love being part of the work of the Lord and am grateful each day for the blessing I have of being here.
   One last wonderful piece of news is that last Monday one of my mission dreams came true...I got to kiss an alligator! His name was Turbo and it was one of the funniest experiences you can imagine! Don't ask me why I always wanted to do that, but I did, and now I have! I also got some amazing pictures, so I hope you all enjoy.


I am now off on another day of adventures. I invite all of you to look for a way to serve the Lord in the next three hours.
I love you all,
Hermana Levanger

March 12, 2012

Hello Everyone!
I have zero time today and will have even less next week. It can’t be helped and I love being busy.
This week was a crazy awesome and amazing week, I wish I could break it down in detail. I will list the high points though:
 
-The most amazingly awesome baby shower I have ever seen. Check out the picture.


-My first ever sister's exchange with Sister Wilson from New Zealand who serves in our same area, but English speaking (I LOVE serving around other sisters for a change!)
-Five new investigators. Here’s another picture where I am teaching with the help of a Chihuahua and two Great Danes.


-Awesome Sunday, where we taught a complete lesson in gospel doctrine on the Isaiah chapters of the Book of Mormon in Spanish with 20 minutes notice! (I started the class with a story. I said, “One day a man was walking down the street with a Book of Mormon in his breast pocket and another man yelled 'Mormon' and shot him with a pistol. The bullet hit the Book of Mormon and miraculously stopped in 2 Nephi 11. Not even a bullet could get through the Isaiah chapters!” They all laughed. (I also said that when Jorge called us that morning to teach the class, I was excited, but that when i opened the manual he handed to us as Sacrament was starting and I saw that the lesson was the Isaiah chapters, I was close to killing him too!) It actually went really well and the spirit was amazingly strong!
 
I'm sorry that I don't have much time to write today, I really am swamped with a million things to do, including a date with an alligator in a few minutes! I hope you all have a wonderful week and look for opportunities to serve the Lord in unexpected ways. I am so grateful to serve Him each day. I LOVE being a missionary.
 I love you all,
Hermana Levanger

March 5, 2012

Hello Everyone!,
   Wow! What a change! My life is 100% completely and totally different than what it was a week ago. First, there’s the city where I now live. Naples is one of the highest income per capita towns in the United States. My dad sent me a list of famous people who live here and it was quite the impressive list of neighbors! I went from seeing a strip club, bar, and adult superstore on every other comer in St. Pete, to a country club, golf course, and Porsche on EVERY corner here! It is ridiculous. I have yet to even see a billboard. It is incredible to believe that I am in the same state, let alone the same country just a week ago.
   Next consider my apartment...I LIVE IN A PALACE!!! Seriously, I live in a fully-furnished, two bedroom, two bathroom, gigantic apartment in one of the nicest parts of town. I feel like the most ridiculous rags to riches story on the planet, and I am still a missionary! It is so weird. I literally don't even have words for it. Here’s a picture of the view from our apartment:


   Next, there’s our car, I went from driving a 2009 Toyota Corolla with 55,000+ miles on it, to a brand new Dodge Grand Caravan! I can't really believe we drive around in a mini-van to do missionary work, but I like it!
   With all that being said, I do miss my old life too. I miss knowing everyone and being loved by all. I even miss my little shoebox apartment and the simplicity that it had. I miss knowing where I am all the time (my GPS has never had so much fun!) It will be a great adventure adjusting to life here in this new place. I will probably be here until I finish my mission, unless something crazy happens and they need me somewhere else. I think I will enjoy working here. We have a ward down here, which is incredibly weird! For the first time on my mission I didn't feel the incessant compulsion to count heads to see how many people came to Sacrament Meeting. There weren't a ton, but definitely more than my little Largo branch. They even have Young Men's and Young Women's and a High Priest group here! (I know you are probably thinking, what is weird about that? Trust me, after not being around them at all for over a year, it is REALLY weird!) The people here are great, I am excited to get to know them all.
   My new companion is Hermana Furse. She is from Hurricane, Utah, and has four brothers. She is a Humanities major, with a Music something attached to it. I don't know why God continually feels the need to put me with musically-talented people! I am kind of sick of being the untalented half of the companionship! Honestly though, Hna Furse is great. I love her already. She is quiet and thoughtful. She and I will be good friends.
   There are some great things happening in our area, although there have been quite a few problems we will be working on overcoming. I am excited to get to work. There is a lot of work to be done here. I hope and pray that I am up to the task. I know that as I put my faith in God that He will help me along the way. I can definitely use His help right now. Any extra prayers you have to spare would be great too. I know that you all pray for me so much as it is. Thank you for your continued love and support. I am so grateful to be a missionary at this great time and in this great work.
I love you All!
Hermana Levanger