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Monday, August 23, 2010

students.

!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello Everyone :)

"I [Sister Amanda Christine Lusk] having been born of goodly parents [ken
and terri lusk], therefore i was taught somewhat in all the learning of my
father [to become a great missionary]... having been highly favored of the
Lord in all my days [because my amaszing wonderful family sends me great
packages that i love] yea; having had a great knowledge of the goodness and
mysteries of God, therefore i [have the best family in the whole wide world
and couldn't have asked for a better one]" 1 Nephi 1:1

I love being companions with Sister Iwamoto. I wish she lived in the US. We
talked with this lady who was not happy that we wanted to get her LA husband
back into the church. Once we were done Sister Iwamoto said, " She most of
been speaking a read between the lines kind of English" hahaha I just love
her. We have become amazing runners. We ran a 3.3 mile run this morning.

I met another amazing family in the Temecula ward. It is the Berardini
family. They are about 23 years old with a one year old baby. I am always
needing to us the bathroom haha so one day we were making our visits around
and I really needed to go... I remember how nice sister Berardini was in RS
and stopped in to use her bathroom. We have seens that time gone over to
have dinner at their home. Brother Berardini has only been a member of the
church for about three years. He grow up having LDS friends. No one focused
him to take the missionary lessons they just were great examples to him and
explained gospel ideas to him when he would ask. One day the missionaries
knocked on his door and he was ready to hear the message of the gospel. It
is amazing what happens when you have good friends that keep their standers.


Teaching Colby has been going great. Lizzie leaves for college this week and
Colby said that we can keep teaching him about the gospel. He even went to
church on Sunday !!! We let him know why we are so willing to share with him
the gospel. We told him that we will let him know all about what we believe
and when he is ready and willing he can get baptized. At least he knows why
we are teaching him now. His testimony of Jesus Christ has grown so much. He
understands why we are here on Earth. So many people in the world don't have
that understanding. What do they think their purpose in life is???

We had a great ward activate in the park this week. Tessa's family came. We
were about to let Tessa know a little bet more why we are out on missions.
We haven't been able to sit down and talk with her this week. We did leave
her with a paper we make about pray. We hope she is moving forward. Her
family is pushing really hard against her. I know that Satan knows that this
church is true and that he is trying his hardest to stop the work from going
forward. This is the only true church. The only church that has the
priesthood of God and the only church that will help us get back to live
with our Heavenly Father again one day. It makes me so happy to know that I
know that and I can share that with others for 18 months.

We have two new people that we are teaching. One is Maricel Dorano Hiriz.
Yay for new investigators. She is 24 years old and is from Sister Iwamoto's
home town. Crazy huh. I know that is why Sister Iwamoto is serving here in
Temecula right now. Maricela is Filipine and was a referral from a member in
the Redhawk ward. Yay for referrals. Her friends name is Merlyn and knows
Sister Iwamoto's sister. What a small world. Yes if you were wondering I don
just listen to them talk because they don't talk in English when they are
all together. The spirit is still the same when the truth is being told in
different languages. The other new investigator is named Cindy. She was
being seen by other missionaries two years ago. We when by and she is ready
know to hear the gospel. I know this for a fact. First I couldn't stop
thinking about her street. Second sister Iwamoto and I were looking through
the dropped people and felt like we should stop by her house. Once we meet
with her two times and told her why we stopped by she said, "Well, I need to
go buy me a dress because the next Sunday I have off from work I am going to
church." wow huh... The Lord know each one of his children. He knows you and
me. And he knows Cindy and she is ready to learn his gospel. Both of these
investigators set return appointments. That is a good sign that they really
want what the Lord is letting me share with them.

I gave a talk on Sunday :) It went great. It was on Missionary Work. We are
pushing the Temecula Ward hard to do missionary work. It has been going
great. The ward is excited now lets hope I can do my part as the missionary.
Brittani wrote me and said that I might become an aunt in March. What I am
not old enough to be an aunt. People keep telling me that I look like I am
18 years old. hahaha I am way excited for her. She will make a wonderful
mother because she is already a wonderful wife. I got the best package in
the mail. My family is amazing. I love them so much. Wow I get everything I
need in the packages. "words are much too small and few... for all the
things I wish for [my family]. I love them very much. Thank you to everyone
who is writing me. I love all the pictures and letters. Thank you for all
the love and support. Sometimes missionary life gets hard, but when I get a
letter or package and it makes everything better. I know that I am loved.
Thank you.

Love
Sister Amanda Christine Lusk

Monday, August 16, 2010

August 16th, Shes doing great!!

Hi Guys :)

"Ye shall go forth in teh power of my spirit, preaching my gospel, two by
two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump,
declaring my word like unto angles of God." D&c 42:6

Thank you all for all the letters. I love reading them. It always makes my
day a little brighter. I love all the encouragement and support I get from
everyone. I have the best family :) I got a package from them this week. It
had amazing nuts, pictures, and notes in it. Thank you Thank you. I enjoyed
it all. Oh and it had my picture card. I will send home my picture new.
Thank you for all that you do :)

Last Monday Sister Iwamoto spent around two hours in Wal-mart and other
places looking for food and shopping around. I don't like shopping as much
as I use to love it. It is not the same when your on a mission. I hope to
one day find that love for shopping again. haha We started teaching a LA
named Jeff. Jeff is a family friend of the Lester family. His parents are in
the Temecula ward. He is about 20 years old. He doesn't see any purpose in
his life and lost his testimony of the gospel. I am excited to get him going
back to church. We are teaching him tonight at the Lester's home.

We invited Chelsea Smith over to the Smith Family's home for family night.
It was fun to feel the spirit of the family and be able to teach with
testimonies of everyone. We focused mostly on pray and the role of the Holy
Ghost in getting answers. Chelsea loved talking with girls her age and girls
that are doing some of the same things she is doing( hair school). We love
the spirit of members homes. Chelsea has been really having a hard time in
her life and needed that spirit.

We watched Faith in Christ with Tessa and Samy. Tessa understands the
Atonement. It was amazing. She didn't understand some other parts. She has
really opened up and feel like she can ask us questions. The Lord is really
straighting her family. We talked to Samy about bapitsum. She has thought
about it, but not lately. We are working on them being baptized :)

We taught Lizzie, Colby, Kenzie :) The spirit as we teach is so strong.
Colby opened up and was straight forward with his questions. He understands
a lot about the gospel, but does think he is getting answers to his prayers.
That is always hard to try to teach someone how God speaks to them
personally. The Holy Ghost is the only one that can really teach someone
that. We helped with some scritupers. Colby also does understand why God
would let his children suffer in 3rd world countries. A lot of people ask us
that question. We told him what we believe the Holy Ghost would have us say.
He understand it, however I have no idea what I said or what Sister Iwamoto
said. But whatever we said answered his question. I kind of wish I could
remember and understand what we said. That way next time that question comes
up I could have a better answer. I will just have to trust in the Lord on
that one.

On Wednesday we tracked into a football player looking black man who was
very smart and know his bibles. He talked with us for awhile. haha He
believes that aliens and UFOs are all among us and he was telling us where
to look in the bible to back him up. It was great. I loved listening to him.
We did have the change to let him know what we believe. He did invite us
back haha however we will just let the next set of missionaries track into
him.

Anna is wonderful. The more she learns about the gospel the more she
understands. It is amazing how the Lord has people ready for missionaries to
teach. Anna is one of these people that God has put in our path to share
with her the light of the gospel at this time. We taught her the Plan of
Salvation. She understands all of it. It was her first time hearing most of
the information, but she kept telling us that it all makes since. She asked
us some good questions and I am excited to get to go back.

We got to carve with Ron Arrington again this week. He hates the world for
the most part. He is LA and his wife Carol is one day going to get baptized.
The missionaries have been working with this family for over 10 years. One
day they will come around. Carol has all kinds of questions about the
priesthood, polygamy, wards, and other little things that don't matter. Well
they do matter, but you don't need to know that before you get baptized.
Both of them believe that we are the only true church and want to go to the
temple together one day. Faith without works is die.... :)

Sister Escodro came to church on Sunday :) One more LA that is coming to
church. On Saturday night we went over to her house and watched the
Restoration DVD in Tagalog. You guessed it... I had no idea what was going
on. Good thing I have already seen that DVD. The spirit was so strong was we
watch it and as they talked. I just listen(because I don't know Tagalog).
She made up her mind that she was going to go to church and she did. It was
amazing.


Love,
Sister Amanda Christine Lusk

Saturday, August 14, 2010

August 9th

Hello Friends and Family :)

"Father, behold over God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should
fall; then let us go forth, we would [teach teh word of God]" Alma 56:46

I took Sister Newman to the mission home Tuesday night and get a new
companion. My new companion is Sister Iwamoto. She is from the Philippines.
I love having her as a companion. She is slowly becoming a runner. It is
great. We have had amazing busy days. We get home at night and out bodies
as so tired. It is wonderful. I have been showing Sister Iwamoto the area. I
have not gotten to lost yet. Knock on wood!! The Lord has helped me remember
where places are and who people are and what they need to be taught. We got
a call Wednesday morning from a girl named Chelsea. Sister Newman and I gave
her a pass-a-long card one day when we were tracking. She was calling
because she wanted to talk more about the gospel :) Chelsea is 23 years old
and wanting peace in her live. She was taking lesson and understand that the
church can bring that peace she needs into her live. We met with her at the
church building and when went out to lunch with her. She feels just like we
have always been friends. I love spending time with her. She is the perfect
investigator. She goes out to lunch and dinner with us and writes down
questions that she has when she is reading. She always calls us when she
says she will. She wants to be baptized if she learns more and believes that
this is the true church. I know that she will find out that this gospel is
what has been missing in her life and she will be baptized.

Sister Donaldson went over with us to visit Sister Blake aka Madoline. We
had the spirit with us so strong. Sister Donaldson and Sister Blake had so
much in common with each other. The Lord was the only one that could have
known that it would work out so well if Sister Donaldson went with us.
Sister Blake didn't come to church on Sunday, but I know she feels welcome
in the ward and will come active in the church again when she is ready.

Sister Melinda Escoribo and my new wonderful companion had a fun talk in
Tagalog. It was amazing how the Lord works. I couldn't understand what they
were saying, but I could still follow the spirit and know the topic of what
they were talking about. Sister Escoribo wants another priesthood blessing.
The last one she got made it so she could sleep that night with out any
pain. She was crying as she told us the story. I am always amazed with the
power of God. We told her she can have another priesthood blessing after she
came to church. She thought that was a good idea. We are going to watch the
Restoration video with her next Saturday in Tagalog. I am excited. Listening
to the video will be fun :) She told us that she will come to church next
sunday. I believe she will.

Friday we tracked into a ton of ward members haha I am still new in the area
and don't know the members house yet. It worked out great. We got Sister
Black who just moved back into the ward to come to church on Sunday because
we tracked into her house. We also found a golden investigator named Anna.
She was so willing to talk with us. We shared with her the Restoration,
Joesph Smith's story and why it is so important that we have the Book of
Mormon. She was so open and believed everything we told her. Her two kids
loved having us over. I know she will keep reading and asking questions. I
know that Lord puts people in missionaries path that are ready to hear the
gophel of Jesus Christ.

Tessa and her family came to church on Sunday. We were able to teach Tessa
the Plan of Salvation this week. We sat on her floor and I let her daughter
play with my hair. I could feel God's love for her. As we laid out the plan
the Lord has for us she could find new understanding. She told us that it
made sence and it was like she had known it or that it was always the plan.
She is wonderful I love her family. Her daugher Samy reminds me of what
Trisha Green would have been like when she was in high school.

I am doing wonderful. I have a great area, companion, and ward. I could not
ask for anything better. Well... Selina... We have not been able to get a
hold of her. She is not their when we stop by and doesn't ask our phone
calls. She will come around.

Love your daughter Sister Amanda Lusk

Amanda and her new Friends!! (:




Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Amanda is so Awesome

Hello Everyone :)

"Commune with the Lord. He is your best friend! He knows your pain because He was felt it for you already. He is ready to carry that burden. Trust Him enough to place it at His feet and allow Him to carry it for you. Then you can have your anguish replaced with His peace, in the very depths of your soul" Ensign Nov. 2006, 8.

The Lord is so wonderful and he has made people ready for the truth in their lives. Sister Newman tracked into a 18 year old girl named Selina before I got to Temecula. We have meet with her two times now :) We just got done talking with her and we asked her to be baptized... and she said YES :) we put her on date(that means we have a date that she is going to be baptized on). I am so excited that the Lord put her in our way that we can teach her about Jesus Christ.

This week we had Tessa and her family come to church. Tessa has been taking the lessons and coming out to church actives. Her family is so wonderful. When they walked through the doors at church I almost died. People tell us all the time that they will come to church, but most of them don't come. I welcomed them to church and the members did the rest. The Temecula ward is so great at fellowshipping. She was taken care of and everyone loved having her at church. We are going to ask Tessa and her family if they would like to be baptized. They are going to says YES :) They already have tons of friends that are in the ward. The Lord is so amazing and his hand is in all the work we do. I don't know what people do with out the knowledge of him. I guess that is where I come into play. I bring the gospel to those who know not where to find it.

Ron and Carole are two wonderful people. They are a dog that weighs more than I do. At first it scared me and I just smiled because I am a missionary haha now I just think of him as a big nice dog. Ron has been teaching Sister Newman and I how to make things out of wood. He teaches us as we teach him about the gospel. Ron is less active in the church and his wife Carole is a non-member. She wants to be baptized, but doesn't think she know enough and wants Ron to be a better example of a LDS member. I love them so much.

This week Sister Newman is going to Riverside to have a training meeting. That means I need a companion for the next four days haha Luck me Sister Robinette my MTC companion also needs a companion for four days while her companion goes to the training meeting. Sister Robinette is coming up to Temecula for four days to be my companion. I am excited and scared to drive around a new area. I am not to worried about teaching. I know the Lord will help me know what to say and what to do, but driving around haha I will let you know how that goes. Mosiah 27:36 "they [sister lusk and sister robinette] were [will be] instruments in the hands of God in bringing many to the knowledge of their Redeemer"

I am so glad the one of my bestest friends Glenn made me a copy of his Sponge Bob Plan of Salvation. We were able to use it as we taught a family that is already a member of the church. They have been taught the Plan of Salvation so many times. As we taught with the drawings of Sponge Bob they were able to be excited and not have the same old same old lesson. It was great! They loved it. I did get the six dollar check my parents sent to me! Do you know what that means... I will be able to send everything in and be able to drive :) I love getting packages and mail for everyone thank you so much for all the love and support.

Mom I love you and miss you too. I am glad I have wonderful parents that have shown me the way. I bet Rachel and Sarah loved fishing. I don't think that they have been fishing before. Dad it is hot out here too. It has been getting over 100 the last few days. It makes tracking less fun haha. Rachel I love the super missionary picture you made me. I love all of you. much love :)

Love Sister Amanda Christine Lusk

Amanda's letter this Week

Hello Again :)

This week was a little crazy. On Tuesday Sister Newman and I drove to Riverside so she could go to a leadership trainning meeting. Sister Robinette was my companion for four days out of the week. I love Sister Robinette and it was fun getting back together with my MTC companion. However, we are both every new and are not good with the area. We had a small problem getting back to Temecula from Riverside. It was like putting two small ants in the middle of a big grassy field and telling them to find their way out to the sideway. We tried our best, but when about a hour out of our way. We went the wrong way on teh 215 or 91 or something. Somehow we ended up on the 10 freeway when we should have been on teh 15 freeway. I had to call Sister Eichelberger and Sister Elkins ot look up where we were on Mapquest. It is funny now, but at the time I was stresssing out way bad. I called Sister Reeves (my mission president's wife) as soon as I know how to get home from where we were. She just laught and said I was cute. I know we went over on miles this month. My bad.

Sister Robinette and I didn't get lost once we got to Temecula haha I don't think anyone is going to let us live getting so lost down. We had a great time being companions. We tracked seven hours with week. I think I am getting better at listening to the spirit and being able to give out copies of the Book of Mormon. We tracked into someone named Amanda haha She wants us to come back and talk with her and her husband. I am excited to share the gospel with her and I am glad I found another Amanda in Temecula. I gave my first Law of Chatity lesson. Sister Robinette and I gave it to Selina. Yes she is the one with a 10 month old baby and is not married. I would like everyone to just picture this in your mind... two new missionaries teaching the law of chastity to a 18 year old girl that has a baby haha. It went great. Selina believes that the law of chastity is a commandment from God and that she should live the commandments. She went to the beach over coming to church on Sunday. That means we have to move her baptism date back. She needs to becoming to church inorder to be baptized. I love teh scripture 1 corninthians 10:13. I know know us and doesn't give us anything we cannot handle. That is how I made it through this week :) I know that the Lord is over all.

I was way excited to have Sister Newman back. That way she could be the one stressing over everything and I could stress less. I read a funny door mat it said, "ring the doorbell and run, the dog needs exercise" Saturday Sister Newman and I tracked into a wonderful woman named Bobbie. At first she didn't want anything to do with us, but after we talked awhile she felt the spirit of our message and took a Book of Mormon and told us she would read form it. We gave her almost the whole first lesson on her door step. I love being a missionary and I love sharing the gospel with others. The Lord has really blessed me in my life.

Sunday Tessa and her husband came to churh :) They sat by us. It was amazing how willing they are to follow the teaching of Jesus Christ. One think Tessa has a hard time with is the word of wisdom. So guess what sound we sang of the opening song... We sang In our Lovely Deseret. For those of you that don't know that song all that well, it has a line that says, "tea adn coffee and tobacco they despise, drink no liquor, and they eat but a very little meat" Tessa's husband noticed and pointed it out to her. Sister Newman and I were laughing inside. I guess they got a little pre-show of what our next lesson will be on :)

I read a way cool scripture and changed it a little to fit my life right now. " they [Sister Lusk and Sister Newman] fasted much and prayed much that teh Lord would grant unto them a portion of his spirit to go with them and abide with them, that they might be an instrument in the hands of God to bring, if it were possible, their brethren the [temeculaites], to the knowledge of the truth, to the knowledge of the baseness of teh traditions of their fathers, which were not correct" Alma 17:9

Until next week,
Love Sister Amanda Christine Lusk :)

Mom thank you so much for the package. I loved it :) Thank you thank you thank you. I love the things to put into my water to flavor it and I love stamps. I love you :) You are so great and beautiful. Tell everyone hi for me :) I love you! I am doing really great.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Monday, July 12, 2010

MTC !






Her week in the MTC!

Another Week seving the Lord!!!

Hello-

somos missionares de la lalasia de jesu cristo de los santos de los ultimous
dias (i think that is how you write it)
We are the missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints

Another week has gone by. Time is flying by so fast. Sister Newman is a
wonderful trainer. I hope I am becoming a fun trainee. I am learning a lot
about missionary work. I help do the area book every night and everything ;)
One cool think that temecula is known for is its hot air balloons. When we
go running/walking every morning we get to see them up in the sky. They are
so beautiful. I was thinking the other day that the Lord must think I am
stronger than I believe that I am as a missionary. My trainer Sister Newman
leaves in August. That means I will have to step up my game so I will be
able to show another sister missionary my area. The area that I go trained
in, Temecula. I only know how to get home and to the two other church
buildings that are around my house. I am remembering a few more names of the
ward members every day. I know the name of the people we teach, but I am
lost when it comes to get to their homes. haha Well- with the Lord all
things can be done. I'll just keep praying for a companion that has a GPS
and a great mind for remembering names and faces :) For P-day we played
Dodgeball. It started out has a few Elders and I. When the game of
basketball ended (most of the Elders were playing basketball) those Elders
came over to play on our half court Dodgball game. It was crazy we had like
30 Elders and me playing half court Dodgeball. I thought someone was going
to die :] It was fun! We washed the car again today. It was looking pretty
drity. I find it funny that washing our car is where we find most of our joy
on P-days.

We had a new ward mission leader named Brother Elkins. He is great and I
believe that he will get the ward more excited about helping mission work
alone. I went to my first Multi Zone Meeting. It was great. I was picked to
recite my purpose. I was so scared I almost forgot the whole thing. Half way
thought the meeting I turned to Sister Newman and I had to go to the
bathroom way bad. It was funny because we were sitting in the front and in
Multi Zone there is never a good time to walk out. I did try to hold it, but
I have been drinking so much water. We had to walk out and run down the hall
to the little girls room. I will drink less water next time there is a
Multi Zone. Friday day Sister Newman and I were out tracking. We stopped at
one street and were about to start tracking. Before we got out we both
looked at each other and felt wrong about that street. We picked another
street to tracked( that was across our little area of Temecula). The first
door we knocked on was Julie. She opened the door and wanted to learn about
the church. We are going back to teach her this week. I am so excited to
teach her. I know that the Lord truly helps us to be lead by the spirit.
Saturday Sister Newman and I help a non-member family move into their new
home. She was so thankful for all the help form the ward. Her husband had
just been told he has cancer and he couldn't help her move. She didn't know
how she was going to be able to move in time. I was so glad we were about to
help her. She joked that she should become a member of our church :) we left
her with our number and told the Elders that are in her area to tract her
street. I have seen the Lord a ton in my life. This is truly the only true
church on the Earth. The Lord has blessed me so much. I am loving being a
missionary :) There is nothing better I could do in my life then to serve
the Lord.

Friday, July 9, 2010

Her first letter from CALI!!!

Hello Everyone :)
EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!! don't send anymore mail to the old mission home
address. i will get that mail until oct., but it gets to me so slow. I have
a new mission home address please send my mail to it:
SISTER AMANDA LUSK
RIVERSIDE CALIFORNIA MISSION
5900 GRAND AVE.
RIVERSIDE, CA 92504
I missed my P-day beacuse in the MTC I had P-day on Wednesday, but out here
in California I have P-day on Mondays. Well- Happy 4th of July to everyone!
I am now serving in Temecula California. My companion is Sister Newman. she
is a temple square sister. that means she got her mission call to temple
square in salt lake, all of the missionaries that serve at temple square get
to have a second misssion call while they serve for three months, her second
mission call was to riverside california. she has been here for 12 weeks and
goes back to temple square august 3rd. she just hit her year mark when i
came out. she is 23 years old and is a great tranner. we get a phone adn a
car. we drive a 2010 corolla toyota that is firetruck red. she drives and i
hold the phone and pray that someone calls us haha :) we got to wash our car
and play ultmate on p-day with the elders of our district, it was tons of
fun. my p-day for the rest of my mission will be on mondays. i am living
with the eichelberger family. Yes- if you remember my friend teisha
eichelberger it is her aunt adn uncles. what a small little world. i am
loving living here. we are teaching a few different investigators. i am
loving temecula. the church members here are so strong and wonderful. tehy
help out with missionary work a ton. we wish they would they would help us
get some more referrals. we do get a few referrals from other places. the
members here feed us every night. i haven't made every many meals for
myself. it is great :)
Mom or Dad i nedd you to send me a six dallor check made out to Department
of Public Safety. i need it so i can send in my diver license request stuff
so i can drive in california. with out that six dallor check i cannot drive.
so PLEASE :) send me a six dallor check made out to Department of Public
Safety so i can drive thanks

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

She's THERE!!

AMANDA IS IN TEMECULA, CA!!!!!

An email we got when amanda arrived in the field

Dear Parents,

We want you to know that your sons and daughters have arrived safely to the
California Riverside Mission! We are thrilled to have them! What a great
group of outstanding missionaries! They have been very highly recommended
by each bishop and stake president. Every one of them has attended a year
or more of college--which is the first time we have ever had such a group!
We had the opportunity to hear their beautiful testimonies last evening and
were very touched by their strength and spirit.

We will try to email you again later today and let you know where they will
be serving within the mission and who their companion is. We actually
already know that Sister Robinette will be serving in Riverside (Woodcrest
Ward) with Sister Appleby, who is from Florida and is about half way through
her service here. Sister Lusk will be serving in Temecula with Sister
Newman who has been here with us for three months, but has served on Temple
Square for approximately nine months previous to coming to Riverside. She
will serve here another five weeks, then return to Temple Square.

We send you our love and thanks for sending such great missionaries!

Sincerely, President Mel and Sister Linda Reeves

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Week Two

hello everyone. I have a favorite quote it is "if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten".. one of my teachers said it when i was in class.. i am doing great here in the MTC. i have six days left until i go down to california. i leave tuesday june 29th at 8 am. sister robinette and i get to fly out together. i would like to tell you more about my district. one of the elders name elder bennett ran into a pole. he had a big headack and a red forhead all day long.. in sister mann's class we were asking one elder tons of questions to show how the people that we are teaching might feel like.. he got all his words mixed around and when he was asked what he did for fun he said "oh i sleep around" this elder is named elder everitt.. he reminds me of my dad and i don't think he has ever in his whole life said anything bad.. it was so funny we couldn't stop laughing and he turned so red.. one time this week at lunch our zone leader was trying to make the elders in my district believe chocolate milk is the bes in the world.. as elder buchanan (our zone leader) was going back to his set with his chocolate milk in hand he hit into elder alexander and dumped the whole cup of chocolate milk down elder alexanders back.. it was so funny.. elder alexander just sat there for a second.. he said he was hoping it all was a dream and he would soon wake up.. i couldn't stop laughing.. in one of the activites in class we were reading or teaching something to our companion then asking questions to dig deeper.. i reading and talked about the atonement.. as i was asking sister robinette more and more questions the spirit of the lord answered a question she had been wondering about for a long time.. i know that it is not me who does the teaching.. the only real teach is the holy ghost.. another time we were about to go teach some other elders not in our district and we prayed together to see what we should teach about.. after we prayed together we both looked in our own scriptures to see what we could find.. we both had the same idea with out talking about it.. we had both found scripture on faith in different places.. it was amazing the lord know each of us and he know our needs.. he know what we need to hear and when we need to hear it.. i has having a hard time with commiting people to be baptized after just one lesson.. in one of my classes we sang HYMN number 335 " let the lower lights be burning, send a gleam across teh wave.. some poor fainting, strugging sea men you may rescue, you may save" once we sang that song i understand that i needed to be the light how saves teh sea man.. i needed to bring people unto christ by inviting them to be baptized into the one and only true church of god.. I'll end with a funny story.. two elders were teaching elder snow and elder bennett and had them turn to proverbs 5:3 " for the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smother than oil" haha that is not what they wanted them to turn to.. they wanted them to turn to proverbs 3:5.. i love you all and keep my in your prayers.. Keep writing and I will write you back when i get time.. thanks for all the love and support.. love sister amanda christine lusk

Her first day of the MTC


The first day of her being in the mtc she saw the Woodburys. They are a couple missionaries from our ward. What a small world!

Last hugs!




Saying Goodbye!!!



Dropping her off




Getting the suitcases out of the car

The Day of The M.T.C.



This is Amanda's last coke before she goes and us waiting in Brittani's apartment.




We went to the state capital and they let us in! I couldn't believe that it was that easy to get in! We took pictures like crazy....so here are just a few.

Going to the Zoo




We went to the Hoogle Zoo in Salt Lake!!!

Today we Leave for Salt Lake

Today we leave for Provo. Before we drop here off we want to see some sights, so I hope I get some pictures to post!!!

Our last family vacation to Zions




Amanda wanted to go to Zions National Park one last time as a family. It was tons of fun and a great idea to spend time with each other before she leaves

The ENDLESS Shopping Vortex...

After Amanda graduated we realized how little time we had until she left. We realized that there was a lot of check lists that we needed to go through. One of which was the shopping list. We needed modest skirts, low key shirts, and shoes that were comfortable, sturdy, looked good, and in a size 5. Lets just say it was a very long week. Poor Zak got stuck going with us to store after store. We finally found all that was needed. It was a fun adventure!

Amanda graduating with her associate degree before leaving!!!!