tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50328892860782113082024-03-13T16:02:37.254-07:00Sister Lusk's Mission BlogThe blog of Sister Lusk's mission in Riverside, CaliforniaSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-10713664728514248862011-01-03T10:12:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:16:45.851-08:00We Talked to Her!!!!!!!Hey y'all,<br />This is Zak, Amanda's little brother :) So on Christmas we all got to talk to Sister Lusk!! She sounded amazing!!!!!! We were in Memphis so she had to call my grandma's house, but we put her on speaker with Brittani in Provo. She said that she loves mail and packages!!! Her address is still the same, so SEND HER SOMETHING!!! She thanks everyone for all that they have done. <br /> <br />I am really happy that i have Amanda to look up to. I love her and hope that she has a great new year!!!<br /><br />ZakSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-41641181286192844162011-01-03T10:11:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:12:28.538-08:0012/27/10MERRY CHRISTMAS<br /> <br />Christmas eve the Pinson family invited us to have a big fire with food and singing. It was amazing. I loved just being able to listen to everyone else talk. We got to sing and sing and sing. It was wonderful. The Pinson family gave us gifts. It had warm clothes with some pens, note cards, sticky notes, and other missionary stuff. I loved it. We felt like home :) Christmas morning we watch Sister Black's two young kids open up their Christmas gifts. Her little girl said' "This time I got what I wanted" I forgot how excited little kids get to open up gifts. We all need to become like little children. We need to be excited over the simple joys of life. We spent the rest of the day at Sister Donaldson's house. She invited her family, friends, and everyone over to have Christmas lunch/dinner. It was fun. We got to share the Christmas light with non-members. We opened our gifts over at the Donaldson's house. I got to call home. For some reason I thought that everything would have stopped because Sister Lusk(aka ME) was not there... however life still goes on with out me. I know that I am where I need to be. I will jump back into "real life" faster then I know. This Christmas I was not with my family, however I got some much from everyone that it was one of my best Christmas ever. Kailey E. PJ, my Grandparents, my older sister Brittani, Glenn, and many many more people gave me gifts that made my whole Christmas day. Christ gave us the greatest gift, he gave us his life. I love him for that.<br />2 Nephi 7:6-7<br />"I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting"<br />"For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know I shall not be ashamed"<br /> <br />I am nothing. I will just give my life over to the Lord. I love training Sister Jacobson. She is really nice. She was already a missionary before she came out here. I am just leading her along. She came trained. Sister Phillips is loving Temecula. It is weird to be in a three-some. Think of what you might do with three missionaries are knocking at your door.... Yeah it is weird. However we are lead by the spirit more. We have heaven sent questions with testimonies to back them up. It is great.<br /> <br />We met with Carole and Ron. Carole had some good questions about why we have Christmas on December 25th and not on April 6th with Christ was born. We asked Bishop Pinson then went back to answer her question. We love answering questions... Well I love answering questions. That is how the Lord helps us lean and grow. We have to ask then find out for ourselves what we believe and know. Just like Joseph Smith did. He had a question then asked God to know the answer. If we really want to know and ask we will get an answer.<br /> <br />Yesterday we were tracking... I LOVE TALKING TO PEOPLE ABOUT THE GOSPEL!!!!!!!!!!!!! We haven't been able to go out at the start of the week because it was raining so hard. We were talking to everyone we could see. One man talked to us for awhile. We left him with a pamphlet then went to the next house. Sister Jacobson kept thinking we should have left him a Book of Mormon. So... you guessed it... we walked back over to his house and gave him that Book of Mormon. I believe that the Lord know the hearts of his children. We need to always follow the spirit and just do it. One day maybe he will read it or it will fall into the hands of someone else. I just know we did our part.<br /> <br />Thank you to everyone that made my Christmas great. I love you all. I am doing wonderful. I love my mission. I love my companions. I love Temecula.<br /> <br />From Sister Amanda LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-81950878552968830222011-01-03T10:09:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:10:57.864-08:00December, 13th 2010MERRY CHRISTMAS<br /> <br />TRANSFERS... Saturday morning I got the wonderful phone call about transfers. I am staying in Temecula for Christmas! Sister Phillips and I should be here another transfer. However I am going to be training a missionary straight from the MTC. I will go down to Riverside on Wednesday to pick her up. All three of us will be working together in the Temecua Ward. I am going to get team ups for the evenings. I am a little scaried and excited. I have only been out six months and I am training. Sister Phillips will be able to help me out. She have everything set up for Christmas. The Pinson family is having a big get together on Christmas eve that we are invited to go to. On Christmas day Sister Donaldson has invite us over to eat and open gifts with her family. We will have to move out the week of Christmas. Sister Black, one of our ward mission leaders, is letting us stay with her that week. It should be a great Christmas. Sister Phillips has gotten many gifts already. It is so fun to watch her open a package to find a gift inside. She face lights up and she starts laughing and telling me how excited she is haha she is like a little kid on Christmas morning. <br /> <br />Michelle moved. She put her house on the market within three days it was sold. Seh texted us to tell us she was too busy for new religion stuff right now. We stopped by to talk with her more to find out she was moving. We were about to go over two different days to help her move. She was very glad to have our help. We got her address to give to the Elders in her new town. She is still looking into the gospel. She really does want it in her life. I am excited to know that she will still be looking into the church.<br /> <br />Chelsi didn't show up for our appointments this week. We texted her about church on Sunday... She told us that she doesn't have the time right now for religion. Her sister having health problems. I know that one day she will take all of the missionary lessons and be baptized. It will just take time. I really enjoyed teaching her. <br /> <br />We were out to lunch with a less-active person in from the ward. This less-active doesn't believe that there is a God and knows that she needs faith. Out of no where this lady that had just got done eating with her family places her hands on my back and looks our less-active right in the eyes and saids, "The Church is true! I just know it!" Sister Phillips and I didn't know what to do. We thought our less-active was going to jump right our of her set and hit this lady in the face. However our less-active just said that she doesn't believe that same way the other lady did. It could have gotten bad.<br /> <br />I am doing great. I was just in wal-mart pushing my cart. I never can keep my eyes off of all the great things to look at. I wasn't watching where I was going... I ran right into a few boxes that didn't move. The cart hit me so hard in the ribs. haha I will be watching where I am going from now on because my ribs still hurt. Merry Christmas to everyone. It was been a warm week here in Temecula. One day it got up to 88<br /> <br />Love Sister Amanda LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-18941058702228814012011-01-03T10:08:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:09:15.716-08:00Happy Thanksgiving!! 11/29/10Happy After Thanksgiving,<br /> <br />Yes- if you were wondering missionary work still goes on through the bussy months of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We ate a little at everyones house that we went to. It was funny everyone loves to feed us. We played many games with different families and shared spiritual thoughts. We ate at the Kayls, Donaldsons, Cates, and Dernbach. We had a wonderful day with saying everything we are thankful for. I am thankful for my wonderful family and companion.<br /> <br />I have a new friends Heidi. She is the best. Our home was cool this week. We weren't living in Sister Donaldson's place because she had family staying with her. We didn't understand how blessed we were to have a warm home and a hot showers until we didn't have them anymore. I have been trying harder to see all the blessings that the Lord has given me and Sister Phillips. We have a car and don't have to worry about anything. It was a little rainy this week and we didn't want to track in the rain, but when we thought off all the blessings we have. By the way it didn't rain the whole time we were out tracking. We are truly blessed more then we can see. "Count your many blessing, name them one by one" Funny story... As you read this thing of me laughing... We tracked into this man who was drinking as he opened the door. Once he notices we were missionaries he didn't know what to do with his hand that was holding his beer. He started to talk to us as he held the door open with one hand and the beer pushed up against the wall in the other. When we left we handed him a pass along card... you guessed it he didn't know what to do let go off the beer of the door. It was funny.<br /> <br />One night we pulled in to our home and we were so tired. We didn't our miles stuff and went to walk into the house. hahaha I had parked one house over and we almost walk into the wrong house. Sister Phillips had to back me up and we reparked infront to the right house. It was funny.<br /> <br />We have been teaching many of the ward families. It is amazing how excited they get to see the missionaries. I love hearing them yell out "SISTERS SISTERS" I have been not letting Sister Phillips say much in the lessons. I get so excited and I love teaching. So this week I have been trying my hardest to let her have some of the lesson. How can the Holy Ghost lead the lesson if I don't let anyone else have a part of the lesson. I am doing great. I love all the Christmas lights that are starting to pop up. Christmas is coming fast. I love you all.<br /> <br />LOVE SISTER LUSKSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-79501372761818763672011-01-03T10:06:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:07:14.249-08:0011/15/10 :)Hello Once Again :)<br /> <br />Thursday night Sister Iwamoto and I got a phone call from President Reeves... Sister Iwamoto got sent to Moreno Valley and I now have a new companion named Sister Phillips. Sister Phillips came out a little while after I did. She is also from Utah. She is from Sandy Utah. She runs!!!!! We have been getting along great. She is so nice and willing to do anything that pops into my mind. We have taught a few lessons together and they have gone well. It was hard to say good bye to Sister Iwamoto, but I believe that the Lord does everything for a reason. Everyone will grow and learn from this. I am greatful I got to stay in Temecula. I love the ward here and I have been loving showing Sister Phillips around. Sister Phillips has a GPS. Now that I can get us around she has one haha don't worry I know we will need it. I still get lose sometimes.<br /> <br />Kaylie set a date to be baptized, but we are going to need to change it again. The stake building is being use on that weekend. Maricel is doing well. She was sad to see Sister Iwamoto go, but is still willing to have sister missionaries over. She wants to get baptized so bad. She just cannot right now because of her the way she is living. She doesn't have any money to more out and wants to marry her boyfriend one day. Carole hasn't gotten any new questions lately. We did have a really good set down lesson with her and Ron. It was short and it was just about prayer and how we can knew that our prayers are answered. Ryan and Julianne had us over that other night. Sister Donaldson came. We had a great talk about the Restoration. They haven't read any of the things we left them. We were bold with them. We told them that if they want to know if it is true or not they are going to have to pray about it. There is no other way to find out until they read and pray. God is the one that gives us the answers we need in life. We just need to ask him. Michelle has some books on Joseph Smith. I haven't heard back from her yet on what she thought about them. I hope she understands that she can know all things through pray and the world is not always right about religion things.<br /> <br />Tessa and her family. Last night Sister Phillips and I stopped in at Tessa's house. It worked out just right. Justin answered the door. He let us in, but he wanted to watch his basketball game. We told him that we wouldn't take up more then a few minutes of his time. He turned down the sound. We started with a prayer. I went over the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had a fun object lesson and Tessa made all her kids sit and watch. They loved it. We left them with a video to watch and something to read. Justin said the closing prayer. Once it was all done no one wanted us to leave. It was great. We left when the spirit was high. I hope that Justin will want us to come back, so he can feel that same spirit again. I know the Lord loves that family. <br /> <br />Dane... We didn't met Dane at his house this week. We met him somewhere else. We to told him we would be fine meeting at his house, but he said he had homework to do anyways. We were about to teach him more. I believe that everyone need to be ready and have an open mind to understand and take in the gospel. One day Dane will, but for now he needs to read and pray about the things he has learned. The spirit can do anything. <br /> <br />We can text message now. Yes you heard me right... :) It has worked out amazing. We have been able to text people and set up appointments. Most people answer a text. No one answers a voicemail. I am doing great. I love my mission. Temecula is amazing.<br /><br />Love Sister Amanda LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-84967717244047201332011-01-03T10:05:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:06:12.616-08:00Still in TEMECULA!!! - 11/8/10HELLO EVERYONE<br /> <br />I am so happy to be serving the Lord in Temecula California. This week was great. We got to see many great people. Michelle is doing a college paper on Joseph Smith. It will be fun to see what she finds out and what questions she will have. I am so loved. My home ward sent me a wonderful package :) I loved it. I loved all of it. It made me feel so loved. I got to share some of the treats with the Elders they love it. My parents send me a camera. I have been going picture crazy for the last few days. We did yard work on Saturday for Serve. I am not a yard work kind of person. I rather make lunch or drink for the yard workers. BUT I know that I love the member and the Lord. My little brother Zak is right "God wants us to be happy" I might have not quoted that right, but it is close. I was happy not because I was doing yard work. I was happy to serve others.<br /> <br /> One investigator name Dane is trying to change is life around. She doesn't understand why we need do good works to return to live with Heavenly Father. He believe that the Atonement is all we need. He believe that we don't need to repent every day and try to live a Christ like life. It is was hard teaching me because one of the guys he is living with is a minister and started talking with us. Wow oh wow it was the first time in my life that someone has told me that I am going to HELL. I cannot believe that someone would tell me that. Come on I am Sister Lusk. Dane's friends was worried for our souls. It was nice of him to worry, but I think she need to read and pray about the bible and book of Mormon again. I was able to learn from him. I learn that everyone has their own beliefs and we cannot change them. The Lord is the only one that can do that and the Lord does that through prayer. I learned that people get blinded by little things or read scriptures and understand them many ways. I learned that I know this church is true and that everyone can learn that for themselves if they have an open mind and heart. I learned that everything needs a foundation. Dane still wants to learn more, but has a lot of facts or ideas but doesn't know where to start. Everything starts with faith then you can build on that faith.<br /> <br />Funny story... Sister Iwamoto and I had gotten ID cloths to take to the ID Pod at the church. We tried dropping it off, but it was locked. I wanted to just leave the cloths there. It is ID stuff so if someone takes it or it gets some sun it would be okay. Sister Iwamoto didn't want to leave it because it might rain. I laughed at her when she said that BECAUSE I couldn't see any signs of rain in the sunny sky. We didn't leave the ID stuff because I listened to my companion. We went to an appointment and when we came out it was windy and looked like it was going to rain. I couldn't believe it. The weather had changed so fast. I couldn't believe it. Good thing I listened to my companion. I learned and we all can learn from this story to listen to others. It might sound like a weird of lame idea, but that idea just might end up being right. <br />Sad Story Porferio and Consuelo dropped us. When we called to make sure it was still okay to meet with them they said that they didn't want to meet with us anymore and we could take back the book of Mormon. Don't worry we left the book of Mormon with them. We did talk to them. They didn't understand. I think it is because they are meeting with missionaries of a different faith along with meeting with us. One day I hope they look over and see their book of Mormon and start reading it again. They at least have one and know a little about the church. All in good time... The Lords Time.<br /> <br />I am doing great. I know that Temecual will see baptisms. I have faith that the Lord loves each of his children. He want them all to return unto him. Baptisms are just number and who really tells the truth about who many they got on there mission anyways haha I am just kidding. I love it here. I have a great ward. I have a wonder family and I have great friend that support me. Thank you to everyone that has written me. I love letters and I love hearing about every ones lives.<br /> <br />LOVE THE ONLY SISTER AMANDA LUSK SERVING YOU IN TEMECULA CALIFORNIASister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-34368603502222066852011-01-03T10:04:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:05:02.801-08:0011/1/10Happy day after Halloween :0<br /><br /> <br />Yesterday night was my first real transfer calls… I was going out of my mind. I really love Temecula and I have been here awhile. I love the member and love working hard. All day I was think about where I could be going and how much I love working with Sister Iwamoto. I have Sister Donaldson who is like my mom on my mission. She is the lady we are living with. She loves spending time with us at breakfast and before we head off to bed. We spend Halloween night with her playing games. After awhile of just thinking about me… I new that I was living because all day and all week I was just thinking about myself. I am just a missionary other missionaries can take my place. It is not up to me it is up to the Lord. 10PM rolls around Saturday night and I am going crazy. Elder Blackett calls and asks Sister Iwamoto to hand me the phone. Right off I told him that I don’t really want to go. He said, “Sister Lusk you are going to… YOUR STAYING” at first I was like what?? I am lost. Then he told both of us that we are STAYING IN TEMECULA I was so happy. Sister Donaldson has waiting up down stair for the phone call. It would have been hard on her to have one of us move out because we have re-placed her kids while they are out at college. I know the day will come when we leave, but for right now I know this is right. I know that God loves me and wants me in Temecula for another six weeks. I am so excited to do more missionary work in Temecula. "... no unhallowed hand can stop [Sister Iwamoto and Sister Lusk] from progressing. Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame. But the truth of God will go forth..." Let me teach everyone who is in the sound my teaching. I want everyone to come up to Christ :)<br /> <br />For Halloween Sister Iwamoto and I got tries from the Elders and we wear them to the ward activate. It was fun to take picture with the ward members all dressed up. I love my ward. It is the best ward in the world. On Sunday everyone was asking if we got to serve in Temecula one more week. Sister Cate started crying when we told her we get to stay (happy cry). The ward has grown to trust us and love us. It is my first area so I don't think I will ever forget this ward. We are teaching a lot of the families. We make sure we try to get as many of them as we can to be missionaries themselves. We tell them to get their friends to take the missionary lessons. <br /> <br />NEW INVESTIGATOR- Her name is Michelle. She is a wonderful mother and loves the Lord. She is living her life like a Mormon already for the most part. She grow up Catholic and calls herself a Christian now. She has great faith in Jesus Christ. We were able to give her a Book of Mormon and go over the Restoration. The spirit in her home was amazing. I know for a fast that the home is where the family is the strongest. All of you who have a family make sure your home is a place where your kids can find peace. <br /> <br />ANOTHER NEW INVESTIGATOR- Ryan and his wife Julleann. Both are wonderful marines. Julleann is now a full time mother to her two year old daughter. Ryan is still going strong in the marines. Both come from different background of religion, but what to better now God and have one religion they can take Molly too. Molly is so cute. She took off my shoes and put them by the front door where the other shoes where. At least she knows one thing... where the shoes go haha <br /> <br />We had a wonderful sit down lesson with Tessa and Justin. Both of them sat down and listen to us stay something. Really I don't remember what we said. I just remember that we started with a pray to bring in the spirit and when we left Justin said the closing prayer. The Lord has blessed me so much. Missionaries are so blessed my the Lord. The Lord lets us have everything. If we are doing what is right the Lord blesses us. I love being a missionary. I know that I am in the right place with a family that loves me. I go the cutes pictures from my little sister this week. I also got a letter from my parents. Thank you to everyone. You guys are the best. Brittani you look great. I got your picture. You are going to be a wonderful Mother. :)<br /> <br />LOVE SISTER LUSK :)Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-3551768163990479162011-01-03T10:01:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:02:19.057-08:009/7/10Hello everyone :)<br /> <br />This morning the coolest thing happened. Sister Iwamoto tried calling someone to see if we could still go see her today. When she called the lady didn't answer. Sister Iwamoto set the phone down and said, "I'll pray and hope for a miracle". When she finished her pray the phone rang. Yes you guessed it. The lady was calling us back. That was our miracle for today. We see mircales everyday. <br /> <br />We have been seeing a lot of people. We get home at nine every night and by the time 10:30 comes around we are die asleep. The Lord is really working us hard. It got so hot here. It was around 106. We had to go tracking on Friday and Saturday to meet our goal of tracking seven hours. We tried tracking in the morning and it was too hot. We tried in the after noon and it was still too hot, but we did it anyways. By the time we got to our dinner appiontment we laid down and had some cold water. It was crazy. My family is amazing and sent me another package. My favorite so far has been the Indulgent Trail Mix I think. I am looking forward to what I might get next. Thank you guys so much. You are the reason I can get through the hard times. I look forward from hearing to all of you :) Thank you for all the letter and packages. I love them all so much. :) <br /> <br />Last Sunday that young boy Ben walked into our ward building he didn't show up for our appiontment on Tuesday. I do know that he did learn that the LDS people are nice and he can always turn to the church for help. I don't think I'll ever know what happened with him, but I do know that he is loved by God and God is looking out for him.<br /> <br />Adam, his girl friend Claudia, and their friend Dustin are amanzing. We tracked into them one day and we have taught all of them about three times now. It is amazing. Adam seemed to be the most into meeting and learning with us. Adam and Claudia are out of high school and maybe living together. Claudia said that her grandma and mother told her to find a church that believes in christ and get baptized into that church. Adam knows a lot about the bible. He always has good questions to ask. He believe everything we have taught him so far. Both of them want to be in this together. Dustin is just hanging around to be with his friends. He doesn't want to much to do with us. It is almost like we are un cool in is 16 year old eyes or something. We were able to give each of them a book of mormon to read. Claudia said the prayer to end up our last visit. Wow it was the most wonderful prayer. She prayed like all of us should pray, from her heart. She really wants to know if this is the true church of God. It is Claudia it is!!!<br /> <br />Another person we tracked into is named Jasmine. Her husband is anatheist, but doesn't mind her meeting with us. He said she can believe in God and go to church he just doesn't want to do it with her. She is really open about religion. She has a bible, however she has never read from it. She is more into the churchs with the live bands. She want to bring her kids up with some kind of faith in Christ. We told her about family night and praying has a family. The reason why she let us into her house is really cool. He husband send an email to one of his work friends. I guess it has some things in the email that were not really something anyone she be looking at. His friends was LDS and took him nicely not to seen things like that to him it goes against what he believes to look at things like that. The example of a ward member standing up for what he believes. Every member should stand up for the standerds of the church you never know who is watching. <br /> <br />We were able to meet with Melissa. I tracked into her with sister Newam( who is doing great in Provo). Melissa and her two kids have a heart dissease. She has turned to Christ through her hard times. It took her awhile to really just give her life up to the Lord. She has truly put her put her trust in the Lord. We are going back in two weeks to have some sit down lessons with her. So far we have just talked about how wonderful God and Jesus Christ are and how they bless us. Oh and how the Lord will never give us something we cannot handle. The Lord know each one of us. He understands our weakness and he does give us weakness to make us stronger. He put us her in families to streghten each other. Guess what happened... Melissa's little daughter who is about six years old asked sister Iwamoto and I if we are "liking each other." You know liking liking each other hahaha. We had to explain to her that we are best friends and we like guys. Marrage should between a man and a woman is how it should be. I wonder what little kids are learning from friends and TV this days. Her mom would have never taught her that. <br /> <br />We got to teach Colby again. It was hard to find some where to teach him because we are now livng in Sister Donaldson's house. Mission rules say we cannot teach anyone is our homes. We met him at the church building. We couldn't go inside because we didn't have another woman with us. Sister missionaries cannot be alone with any males and Colby is are same age. We did try, but we couldn't get anyone to come with us. It still worked out great. We sat in the grass under a tree. We didn't know the grass was wet until we all walked away with wet back sides haha he has read the book of mormon a few times and had some questions about a few things. Good thing I have been through years of scritpure classes. I was able to answer some of his questions with the help of the holy ghost. He talked about Christ baptism and he understands the priesthood power and how we should be baptized. He knows that how he was baptized was not the right way. He knows that his church has the priesthood and the right way to baptize. He says that he hasn't gotten answer that the book of mormon is true or that this church is the only true church. He cannot understand how their can be only one true church. He has felt the spirit and loves listening to us. I know that in time he will be baptized. I do know this the Lord has help me see that through feelings that I have felt as I pray about how and what to teach him.<br /> <br />Sister Amanda LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-67750421238414069842011-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:002011-01-03T10:00:39.254-08:00This is a picture of Brother and Sister De Gesu. He is 6'9" crazy huh I love you! :) I am doing wonderful.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TSIOomeMGdI/AAAAAAAAAGs/gU5LifW3-A4/s1600/this%2Bis%2Ba%2Bpicture%2Bof%2BBrother%2Band%2BSister%2BDe%2BGesu..JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TSIOomeMGdI/AAAAAAAAAGs/gU5LifW3-A4/s320/this%2Bis%2Ba%2Bpicture%2Bof%2BBrother%2Band%2BSister%2BDe%2BGesu..JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5558020980813339090" /></a>Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-4559082105641975272011-01-03T09:53:00.000-08:002011-01-03T09:54:53.134-08:00Hello to the outside world :)<br /> <br />D&C 123:17 "Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed" I can do anything cheerfully because I have a wonderful family who keeps sending me wonderful packages. I love the Lord and I am blessed to be a missionary :)<br /> <br />I got to visit with one of the less-active woman in the ward. Her name is Sister Lumblade. Her and her husband met at a bar haha he became a member and they got married. One year latter they got married in the Temple. He is know across the sea fighting for our country. She stopped going to church shortly after he left. That is where I came in as a missionary :D we stopped by and guess what... she is now coming to church. She understands that going to church is where she feels the Lords love for her. Once we put the Lord first in our lives everything else falls into place.<br /> <br />We had to drop someone this week. Her name is Twilla. She knows the church is true. She has had many missionaries come over to her house and she has many friends that are members. She lives the live of a Mormon and loves reading from the Book of Mormon. She just has one small problem. She believes in reincanation haha Don't ask me how you can believe in Resurrection and reincanation, but Twilla does. If anyone has any good ideas on that one please let me know. I am still trying to think through it. The more I have thought about it and read about it I believe she really has some other problem. Maybe she doesn't understand the Plan of Salvation or the Atonement...<br /> <br />I followed the spirit :) Well, I try to always haha One night we were visiting less active members and Madline Blakes name came to my mind. We told her we wouldn't visit her until next month. I couldn't just tell God no I don't think we should, so Sister Iwamoto and I stopped by. We got to her house when everyone in her family was about to eat dinner. However she really needed us to stop by and pray for her friend that was about to die. Her friend is really old and Sister Blake wanted us to pray that her friend would pass over to the other side in peace. The Lord truly does have a plan for us, we just need to listen to him.<br /> <br />We had lunch with a wonderful less active Jill Cobb. We are hoping she comes to church next week. We brought are friend Siter Dernback with us. They had some much to talk about. It worked out great. We were able to show her the Restoration DVD and share how we know that the church is true. I love hearing every ones testimonies. The Lord is so great.<br /> <br />The Cate family took us out to dinner at a fun place named Rickies. They are going to take us out to dinner every Wednesday night :) cool huh!! We are teaching their family as a WMP family. They love talking with me about the STG.<br /> <br />We taught Maricel again this week. We taught her the importance of following Christ example. We asked her if she wanted to get baptized. She said she is a sinner and couldn't be baptized. I haven't hear that one yet... But I am still a new missionary. Don't worry we explanned how baptism works. We are going to try to get her a baptism date on our next visit. I am excited to be able to say we have someone on date. I know that she is ready right now to change and follow chirst. We also meet a drunk man infront of her house that said we can come visit him at his house anytime. We are going to send the Elders over to his house. I really don't think it would be good to go see him(Well because I am a sister Missionary you know).<br /> <br />We invited Tessa's family to pray about getting baptized at the end of next month. All I can do is ask... I wish I could do more than just invite. I wish I could teach them so well that they could know. I try and the spirit is there talking to their heart. I just don't think they understand the importance of our church. We have the priesthood of God. We are the true church. Yes the people that go to church are wonderful, but it is the Lord's church that he set up. Their daughter is not happy with us right now. She thinks we are pushing her. We invited all of them to act that is not pushing. If missionaries could really push someone they would push them into the waters of baptism with their hands... only because we understand the importance of it for their salvation. We could push them to read and pray. I do love their family and one day I do believe they will understand everying. They did come to chuch again on Sunday. I was so happy. I love the Lord.<br /> <br />We moved into Sister Donaldson's house. Now when she gets home at night she is not just coming home to her dog Carter. We are watching him until she get back from taking her kids to college. I want to... I love that dog... I do know one thing I am not going to have a dog for a long time once I get off of my mission. We ran with him this morning and I believe it helped him not be so all over the place. I do love the house and have more than everything I need their.<br /> <br />On Sunday this 19 year old young man walked right into out church building from across the street and wanted religion in his life. He has a past, but is ready and willing to change is life. His name is Ben. I almost didn't know what to said to him because I was so happy to be able to teach him. Bro. Elkins helped him understand faith and how we have to act to show are faith. We are meeting with him on Tuesday. Yes he will be baptized. However when I don't know... He is not in our area. We are having him meet with the Elders. They are excited... not fair... I guess the church is still true even if I don't get to teach the people who get baptized. I am becoming a really go seed planter. Someone has to do it.<br /> <br />Love Sister LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-29756487602546409922010-08-23T16:54:00.000-07:002010-08-23T16:57:21.706-07:00students.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/THMKWjbrCiI/AAAAAAAAAGY/IcFE1c46Gko/s1600/amanda,+and+investegator.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/THMKWjbrCiI/AAAAAAAAAGY/IcFE1c46Gko/s320/amanda,+and+investegator.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508758151788956194" /></a>Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-27411045219232650482010-08-23T16:51:00.001-07:002010-08-23T16:51:30.481-07:00!!!!!!!!!!!Hello Everyone :)<br /><br />"I [Sister Amanda Christine Lusk] having been born of goodly parents [ken<br />and terri lusk], therefore i was taught somewhat in all the learning of my<br />father [to become a great missionary]... having been highly favored of the<br />Lord in all my days [because my amaszing wonderful family sends me great<br />packages that i love] yea; having had a great knowledge of the goodness and<br />mysteries of God, therefore i [have the best family in the whole wide world<br />and couldn't have asked for a better one]" 1 Nephi 1:1<br /><br />I love being companions with Sister Iwamoto. I wish she lived in the US. We<br />talked with this lady who was not happy that we wanted to get her LA husband<br />back into the church. Once we were done Sister Iwamoto said, " She most of<br />been speaking a read between the lines kind of English" hahaha I just love<br />her. We have become amazing runners. We ran a 3.3 mile run this morning.<br /><br />I met another amazing family in the Temecula ward. It is the Berardini<br />family. They are about 23 years old with a one year old baby. I am always<br />needing to us the bathroom haha so one day we were making our visits around<br />and I really needed to go... I remember how nice sister Berardini was in RS<br />and stopped in to use her bathroom. We have seens that time gone over to<br />have dinner at their home. Brother Berardini has only been a member of the<br />church for about three years. He grow up having LDS friends. No one focused<br />him to take the missionary lessons they just were great examples to him and<br />explained gospel ideas to him when he would ask. One day the missionaries<br />knocked on his door and he was ready to hear the message of the gospel. It<br />is amazing what happens when you have good friends that keep their standers.<br /><br /><br />Teaching Colby has been going great. Lizzie leaves for college this week and<br />Colby said that we can keep teaching him about the gospel. He even went to<br />church on Sunday !!! We let him know why we are so willing to share with him<br />the gospel. We told him that we will let him know all about what we believe<br />and when he is ready and willing he can get baptized. At least he knows why<br />we are teaching him now. His testimony of Jesus Christ has grown so much. He<br />understands why we are here on Earth. So many people in the world don't have<br />that understanding. What do they think their purpose in life is???<br /><br />We had a great ward activate in the park this week. Tessa's family came. We<br />were about to let Tessa know a little bet more why we are out on missions.<br />We haven't been able to sit down and talk with her this week. We did leave<br />her with a paper we make about pray. We hope she is moving forward. Her<br />family is pushing really hard against her. I know that Satan knows that this<br />church is true and that he is trying his hardest to stop the work from going<br />forward. This is the only true church. The only church that has the<br />priesthood of God and the only church that will help us get back to live<br />with our Heavenly Father again one day. It makes me so happy to know that I<br />know that and I can share that with others for 18 months.<br /><br />We have two new people that we are teaching. One is Maricel Dorano Hiriz.<br />Yay for new investigators. She is 24 years old and is from Sister Iwamoto's<br />home town. Crazy huh. I know that is why Sister Iwamoto is serving here in<br />Temecula right now. Maricela is Filipine and was a referral from a member in<br />the Redhawk ward. Yay for referrals. Her friends name is Merlyn and knows<br />Sister Iwamoto's sister. What a small world. Yes if you were wondering I don<br />just listen to them talk because they don't talk in English when they are<br />all together. The spirit is still the same when the truth is being told in<br />different languages. The other new investigator is named Cindy. She was<br />being seen by other missionaries two years ago. We when by and she is ready<br />know to hear the gospel. I know this for a fact. First I couldn't stop<br />thinking about her street. Second sister Iwamoto and I were looking through<br />the dropped people and felt like we should stop by her house. Once we meet<br />with her two times and told her why we stopped by she said, "Well, I need to<br />go buy me a dress because the next Sunday I have off from work I am going to<br />church." wow huh... The Lord know each one of his children. He knows you and<br />me. And he knows Cindy and she is ready to learn his gospel. Both of these<br />investigators set return appointments. That is a good sign that they really<br />want what the Lord is letting me share with them.<br /><br />I gave a talk on Sunday :) It went great. It was on Missionary Work. We are<br />pushing the Temecula Ward hard to do missionary work. It has been going<br />great. The ward is excited now lets hope I can do my part as the missionary.<br />Brittani wrote me and said that I might become an aunt in March. What I am<br />not old enough to be an aunt. People keep telling me that I look like I am<br />18 years old. hahaha I am way excited for her. She will make a wonderful<br />mother because she is already a wonderful wife. I got the best package in<br />the mail. My family is amazing. I love them so much. Wow I get everything I<br />need in the packages. "words are much too small and few... for all the<br />things I wish for [my family]. I love them very much. Thank you to everyone<br />who is writing me. I love all the pictures and letters. Thank you for all<br />the love and support. Sometimes missionary life gets hard, but when I get a<br />letter or package and it makes everything better. I know that I am loved.<br />Thank you.<br /><br />Love<br />Sister Amanda Christine LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-14840325444462005522010-08-16T19:08:00.001-07:002010-08-16T19:08:37.553-07:00August 16th, Shes doing great!!Hi Guys :)<br /><br />"Ye shall go forth in teh power of my spirit, preaching my gospel, two by<br />two, in my name, lifting up your voices as with the sound of a trump,<br />declaring my word like unto angles of God." D&c 42:6<br /><br />Thank you all for all the letters. I love reading them. It always makes my<br />day a little brighter. I love all the encouragement and support I get from<br />everyone. I have the best family :) I got a package from them this week. It<br />had amazing nuts, pictures, and notes in it. Thank you Thank you. I enjoyed<br />it all. Oh and it had my picture card. I will send home my picture new.<br />Thank you for all that you do :)<br /><br />Last Monday Sister Iwamoto spent around two hours in Wal-mart and other<br />places looking for food and shopping around. I don't like shopping as much<br />as I use to love it. It is not the same when your on a mission. I hope to<br />one day find that love for shopping again. haha We started teaching a LA<br />named Jeff. Jeff is a family friend of the Lester family. His parents are in<br />the Temecula ward. He is about 20 years old. He doesn't see any purpose in<br />his life and lost his testimony of the gospel. I am excited to get him going<br />back to church. We are teaching him tonight at the Lester's home.<br /><br />We invited Chelsea Smith over to the Smith Family's home for family night.<br />It was fun to feel the spirit of the family and be able to teach with<br />testimonies of everyone. We focused mostly on pray and the role of the Holy<br />Ghost in getting answers. Chelsea loved talking with girls her age and girls<br />that are doing some of the same things she is doing( hair school). We love<br />the spirit of members homes. Chelsea has been really having a hard time in<br />her life and needed that spirit.<br /><br />We watched Faith in Christ with Tessa and Samy. Tessa understands the<br />Atonement. It was amazing. She didn't understand some other parts. She has<br />really opened up and feel like she can ask us questions. The Lord is really<br />straighting her family. We talked to Samy about bapitsum. She has thought<br />about it, but not lately. We are working on them being baptized :)<br /><br />We taught Lizzie, Colby, Kenzie :) The spirit as we teach is so strong.<br />Colby opened up and was straight forward with his questions. He understands<br />a lot about the gospel, but does think he is getting answers to his prayers.<br />That is always hard to try to teach someone how God speaks to them<br />personally. The Holy Ghost is the only one that can really teach someone<br />that. We helped with some scritupers. Colby also does understand why God<br />would let his children suffer in 3rd world countries. A lot of people ask us<br />that question. We told him what we believe the Holy Ghost would have us say.<br />He understand it, however I have no idea what I said or what Sister Iwamoto<br />said. But whatever we said answered his question. I kind of wish I could<br />remember and understand what we said. That way next time that question comes<br />up I could have a better answer. I will just have to trust in the Lord on<br />that one.<br /><br />On Wednesday we tracked into a football player looking black man who was<br />very smart and know his bibles. He talked with us for awhile. haha He<br />believes that aliens and UFOs are all among us and he was telling us where<br />to look in the bible to back him up. It was great. I loved listening to him.<br />We did have the change to let him know what we believe. He did invite us<br />back haha however we will just let the next set of missionaries track into<br />him.<br /><br />Anna is wonderful. The more she learns about the gospel the more she<br />understands. It is amazing how the Lord has people ready for missionaries to<br />teach. Anna is one of these people that God has put in our path to share<br />with her the light of the gospel at this time. We taught her the Plan of<br />Salvation. She understands all of it. It was her first time hearing most of<br />the information, but she kept telling us that it all makes since. She asked<br />us some good questions and I am excited to get to go back.<br /><br />We got to carve with Ron Arrington again this week. He hates the world for<br />the most part. He is LA and his wife Carol is one day going to get baptized.<br />The missionaries have been working with this family for over 10 years. One<br />day they will come around. Carol has all kinds of questions about the<br />priesthood, polygamy, wards, and other little things that don't matter. Well<br />they do matter, but you don't need to know that before you get baptized.<br />Both of them believe that we are the only true church and want to go to the<br />temple together one day. Faith without works is die.... :)<br /><br />Sister Escodro came to church on Sunday :) One more LA that is coming to<br />church. On Saturday night we went over to her house and watched the<br />Restoration DVD in Tagalog. You guessed it... I had no idea what was going<br />on. Good thing I have already seen that DVD. The spirit was so strong was we<br />watch it and as they talked. I just listen(because I don't know Tagalog).<br />She made up her mind that she was going to go to church and she did. It was<br />amazing.<br /><br /><br />Love,<br />Sister Amanda Christine LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-48341850675691842862010-08-14T15:41:00.000-07:002010-08-14T15:42:03.107-07:00August 9thHello Friends and Family :)<br /><br />"Father, behold over God is with us, and he will not suffer that we should<br />fall; then let us go forth, we would [teach teh word of God]" Alma 56:46<br /><br />I took Sister Newman to the mission home Tuesday night and get a new<br />companion. My new companion is Sister Iwamoto. She is from the Philippines.<br />I love having her as a companion. She is slowly becoming a runner. It is<br />great. We have had amazing busy days. We get home at night and out bodies<br />as so tired. It is wonderful. I have been showing Sister Iwamoto the area. I<br />have not gotten to lost yet. Knock on wood!! The Lord has helped me remember<br />where places are and who people are and what they need to be taught. We got<br />a call Wednesday morning from a girl named Chelsea. Sister Newman and I gave<br />her a pass-a-long card one day when we were tracking. She was calling<br />because she wanted to talk more about the gospel :) Chelsea is 23 years old<br />and wanting peace in her live. She was taking lesson and understand that the<br />church can bring that peace she needs into her live. We met with her at the<br />church building and when went out to lunch with her. She feels just like we<br />have always been friends. I love spending time with her. She is the perfect<br />investigator. She goes out to lunch and dinner with us and writes down<br />questions that she has when she is reading. She always calls us when she<br />says she will. She wants to be baptized if she learns more and believes that<br />this is the true church. I know that she will find out that this gospel is<br />what has been missing in her life and she will be baptized.<br /><br />Sister Donaldson went over with us to visit Sister Blake aka Madoline. We<br />had the spirit with us so strong. Sister Donaldson and Sister Blake had so<br />much in common with each other. The Lord was the only one that could have<br />known that it would work out so well if Sister Donaldson went with us.<br />Sister Blake didn't come to church on Sunday, but I know she feels welcome<br />in the ward and will come active in the church again when she is ready.<br /><br />Sister Melinda Escoribo and my new wonderful companion had a fun talk in<br />Tagalog. It was amazing how the Lord works. I couldn't understand what they<br />were saying, but I could still follow the spirit and know the topic of what<br />they were talking about. Sister Escoribo wants another priesthood blessing.<br />The last one she got made it so she could sleep that night with out any<br />pain. She was crying as she told us the story. I am always amazed with the<br />power of God. We told her she can have another priesthood blessing after she<br />came to church. She thought that was a good idea. We are going to watch the<br />Restoration video with her next Saturday in Tagalog. I am excited. Listening<br />to the video will be fun :) She told us that she will come to church next<br />sunday. I believe she will.<br /><br />Friday we tracked into a ton of ward members haha I am still new in the area<br />and don't know the members house yet. It worked out great. We got Sister<br />Black who just moved back into the ward to come to church on Sunday because<br />we tracked into her house. We also found a golden investigator named Anna.<br />She was so willing to talk with us. We shared with her the Restoration,<br />Joesph Smith's story and why it is so important that we have the Book of<br />Mormon. She was so open and believed everything we told her. Her two kids<br />loved having us over. I know she will keep reading and asking questions. I<br />know that Lord puts people in missionaries path that are ready to hear the<br />gophel of Jesus Christ.<br /><br />Tessa and her family came to church on Sunday. We were able to teach Tessa<br />the Plan of Salvation this week. We sat on her floor and I let her daughter<br />play with my hair. I could feel God's love for her. As we laid out the plan<br />the Lord has for us she could find new understanding. She told us that it<br />made sence and it was like she had known it or that it was always the plan.<br />She is wonderful I love her family. Her daugher Samy reminds me of what<br />Trisha Green would have been like when she was in high school.<br /><br />I am doing wonderful. I have a great area, companion, and ward. I could not<br />ask for anything better. Well... Selina... We have not been able to get a<br />hold of her. She is not their when we stop by and doesn't ask our phone<br />calls. She will come around.<br /><br />Love your daughter Sister Amanda LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-62090976924296964722010-08-14T15:27:00.000-07:002010-08-14T15:37:09.439-07:00Amanda and her new Friends!! (:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcaffrY-ZI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/i0g8_0WN2WM/s1600/amanda,+companion,+and+investegator.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcaffrY-ZI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/i0g8_0WN2WM/s320/amanda,+companion,+and+investegator.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505398197865478546" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcae-H5nNI/AAAAAAAAAGI/C-dsJp2M2LU/s1600/Amanda+and+Friends.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcae-H5nNI/AAAAAAAAAGI/C-dsJp2M2LU/s320/Amanda+and+Friends.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505398188858252498" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcaebd2SgI/AAAAAAAAAGA/bFa4OJIQf38/s1600/amand+and+sis+newman.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcaebd2SgI/AAAAAAAAAGA/bFa4OJIQf38/s320/amand+and+sis+newman.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505398179555068418" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcad3mtcuI/AAAAAAAAAF4/DObPnlOHDXk/s1600/amanda.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TGcad3mtcuI/AAAAAAAAAF4/DObPnlOHDXk/s320/amanda.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5505398169928561378" /></a>Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-22359314936848311582010-07-27T21:21:00.001-07:002010-07-27T21:21:26.154-07:00Amanda is so AwesomeHello Everyone :)<br /> <br /> "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. <br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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. <br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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"<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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 :)<br /> <br />Love Sister Amanda Christine LuskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-86346123083851937262010-07-27T13:36:00.001-07:002010-07-27T13:36:31.591-07:00Amanda's letter this WeekHello Again :)<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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.<br /> <br />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 :)<br /> <br />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 <br /> <br />Until next week,<br />Love Sister Amanda Christine Lusk :)<br /> <br />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.Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-49238392903088867082010-07-18T17:14:00.000-07:002010-07-18T17:30:57.902-07:00Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-32965569251891285872010-07-12T17:46:00.000-07:002010-07-12T17:53:21.893-07:00MTC !<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu42U06u0I/AAAAAAAAAFw/wbOXAM7toP4/s1600/102_0092.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu42U06u0I/AAAAAAAAAFw/wbOXAM7toP4/s320/102_0092.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493187413951560514" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu4159VEMI/AAAAAAAAAFo/1tsiRetooJg/s1600/102_0137.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu4159VEMI/AAAAAAAAAFo/1tsiRetooJg/s320/102_0137.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493187406739083458" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu41rk4dCI/AAAAAAAAAFg/XJCm2a6bGtw/s1600/102_0052.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu41rk4dCI/AAAAAAAAAFg/XJCm2a6bGtw/s320/102_0052.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493187402878448674" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu41R9fgzI/AAAAAAAAAFY/bgAPKDC4qcg/s1600/102_0099.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu41R9fgzI/AAAAAAAAAFY/bgAPKDC4qcg/s320/102_0099.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493187396002349874" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu40lBBbKI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/BWoROKElsZs/s1600/102_0071.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TDu40lBBbKI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/BWoROKElsZs/s320/102_0071.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493187383937559714" /></a><br />Her week in the MTC!Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-33580176430327234882010-07-12T17:44:00.001-07:002010-07-12T17:44:47.602-07:00Another Week seving the Lord!!!Hello-<br /><br />somos missionares de la lalasia de jesu cristo de los santos de los ultimous<br />dias (i think that is how you write it)<br />We are the missionaries of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints<br /><br />Another week has gone by. Time is flying by so fast. Sister Newman is a<br />wonderful trainer. I hope I am becoming a fun trainee. I am learning a lot<br />about missionary work. I help do the area book every night and everything ;)<br />One cool think that temecula is known for is its hot air balloons. When we<br />go running/walking every morning we get to see them up in the sky. They are<br />so beautiful. I was thinking the other day that the Lord must think I am<br />stronger than I believe that I am as a missionary. My trainer Sister Newman<br />leaves in August. That means I will have to step up my game so I will be<br />able to show another sister missionary my area. The area that I go trained<br />in, Temecula. I only know how to get home and to the two other church<br />buildings that are around my house. I am remembering a few more names of the<br />ward members every day. I know the name of the people we teach, but I am<br />lost when it comes to get to their homes. haha Well- with the Lord all<br />things can be done. I'll just keep praying for a companion that has a GPS<br />and a great mind for remembering names and faces :) For P-day we played<br />Dodgeball. It started out has a few Elders and I. When the game of<br />basketball ended (most of the Elders were playing basketball) those Elders<br />came over to play on our half court Dodgball game. It was crazy we had like<br />30 Elders and me playing half court Dodgeball. I thought someone was going<br />to die :] It was fun! We washed the car again today. It was looking pretty<br />drity. I find it funny that washing our car is where we find most of our joy<br />on P-days.<br /><br />We had a new ward mission leader named Brother Elkins. He is great and I<br />believe that he will get the ward more excited about helping mission work<br />alone. I went to my first Multi Zone Meeting. It was great. I was picked to<br />recite my purpose. I was so scared I almost forgot the whole thing. Half way<br />thought the meeting I turned to Sister Newman and I had to go to the<br />bathroom way bad. It was funny because we were sitting in the front and in<br />Multi Zone there is never a good time to walk out. I did try to hold it, but<br />I have been drinking so much water. We had to walk out and run down the hall<br />to the little girls room. I will drink less water next time there is a<br />Multi Zone. Friday day Sister Newman and I were out tracking. We stopped at<br />one street and were about to start tracking. Before we got out we both<br />looked at each other and felt wrong about that street. We picked another<br />street to tracked( that was across our little area of Temecula). The first<br />door we knocked on was Julie. She opened the door and wanted to learn about<br />the church. We are going back to teach her this week. I am so excited to<br />teach her. I know that the Lord truly helps us to be lead by the spirit.<br />Saturday Sister Newman and I help a non-member family move into their new<br />home. She was so thankful for all the help form the ward. Her husband had<br />just been told he has cancer and he couldn't help her move. She didn't know<br />how she was going to be able to move in time. I was so glad we were about to<br />help her. She joked that she should become a member of our church :) we left<br />her with our number and told the Elders that are in her area to tract her<br />street. I have seen the Lord a ton in my life. This is truly the only true<br />church on the Earth. The Lord has blessed me so much. I am loving being a<br />missionary :) There is nothing better I could do in my life then to serve<br />the Lord.Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-71856803806118253382010-07-09T16:25:00.000-07:002010-07-09T16:26:16.680-07:00Her first letter from CALI!!!Hello Everyone :)<br />EVERYONE LISTEN UP!!! don't send anymore mail to the old mission home<br />address. i will get that mail until oct., but it gets to me so slow. I have<br />a new mission home address please send my mail to it:<br />SISTER AMANDA LUSK<br />RIVERSIDE CALIFORNIA MISSION<br />5900 GRAND AVE.<br />RIVERSIDE, CA 92504<br />I missed my P-day beacuse in the MTC I had P-day on Wednesday, but out here<br />in California I have P-day on Mondays. Well- Happy 4th of July to everyone!<br />I am now serving in Temecula California. My companion is Sister Newman. she<br />is a temple square sister. that means she got her mission call to temple<br />square in salt lake, all of the missionaries that serve at temple square get<br />to have a second misssion call while they serve for three months, her second<br />mission call was to riverside california. she has been here for 12 weeks and<br />goes back to temple square august 3rd. she just hit her year mark when i<br />came out. she is 23 years old and is a great tranner. we get a phone adn a<br />car. we drive a 2010 corolla toyota that is firetruck red. she drives and i<br />hold the phone and pray that someone calls us haha :) we got to wash our car<br />and play ultmate on p-day with the elders of our district, it was tons of<br />fun. my p-day for the rest of my mission will be on mondays. i am living<br />with the eichelberger family. Yes- if you remember my friend teisha<br />eichelberger it is her aunt adn uncles. what a small little world. i am<br />loving living here. we are teaching a few different investigators. i am<br />loving temecula. the church members here are so strong and wonderful. tehy<br />help out with missionary work a ton. we wish they would they would help us<br />get some more referrals. we do get a few referrals from other places. the<br />members here feed us every night. i haven't made every many meals for<br />myself. it is great :)<br />Mom or Dad i nedd you to send me a six dallor check made out to Department<br />of Public Safety. i need it so i can send in my diver license request stuff<br />so i can drive in california. with out that six dallor check i cannot drive.<br />so PLEASE :) send me a six dallor check made out to Department of Public<br />Safety so i can drive thanksSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-90464923147188798522010-07-07T12:39:00.000-07:002010-07-07T12:40:03.287-07:00She's THERE!!AMANDA IS IN TEMECULA, CA!!!!!Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-55206779390498026942010-07-07T12:23:00.000-07:002010-07-07T12:24:23.242-07:00An email we got when amanda arrived in the fieldDear Parents,<br /><br />We want you to know that your sons and daughters have arrived safely to the<br />California Riverside Mission! We are thrilled to have them! What a great<br />group of outstanding missionaries! They have been very highly recommended<br />by each bishop and stake president. Every one of them has attended a year<br />or more of college--which is the first time we have ever had such a group!<br />We had the opportunity to hear their beautiful testimonies last evening and<br />were very touched by their strength and spirit.<br /><br />We will try to email you again later today and let you know where they will<br />be serving within the mission and who their companion is. We actually<br />already know that Sister Robinette will be serving in Riverside (Woodcrest<br />Ward) with Sister Appleby, who is from Florida and is about half way through<br />her service here. Sister Lusk will be serving in Temecula with Sister<br />Newman who has been here with us for three months, but has served on Temple<br />Square for approximately nine months previous to coming to Riverside. She<br />will serve here another five weeks, then return to Temple Square.<br /><br />We send you our love and thanks for sending such great missionaries!<br /><br />Sincerely, President Mel and Sister Linda ReevesSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-79271972784090426032010-06-30T15:17:00.000-07:002010-06-30T15:20:42.138-07:00Week Twohello 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 luskSister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5032889286078211308.post-46730902959652092752010-06-30T15:15:00.000-07:002010-06-30T15:17:35.284-07:00Her first day of the MTC<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TCvCNsL629I/AAAAAAAAAFI/1OUe6zoz8Ks/s1600/.jpeg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VRWvZKPAjbA/TCvCNsL629I/AAAAAAAAAFI/1OUe6zoz8Ks/s320/.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5488694111336324050" /></a><br />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!Sister Luskhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16155255745534417792noreply@blogger.com0