18 April 2016 - Haircut, High Hopes and the Holy Ghost

I got my haircut and its curlier than ever because of the intense humidity! Its gettin hot down here y'all. My companion is loving the humidity... haha jk she hates it, but shell get used to it eventually :)
Some highlights from our Zone Conference:
"Allow God to fight for you" Joshua 3:5
"It's all going to be ok!" President Hansen
"But undaunted still he trusted, in his Heavenly Fathers care." Hymn 26
I loved conference this week! I learned a lot about being willing to give your heart and will to God and it will all be ok :)

So Sister Banta was sick with the flu still all this past week. We stopped at the store and I got her some flowers. We brought them by and expressed our love then we skedaddled before we caught whatever she had! We also saw Nana Holcomb, she is in her 80's and just got moved into an assisted living because of her Parkinson's disease. I absolutely adore her and when we were coordinating with the Elders they broke the news to me that she doesn't live in our area..... Ya whoops... I didn't know haha But it was really sad to say good bye to her and give her to the Baton Rouge North Sisters.

God has really been sharpening my listening skills when it comes to hearing direction from the Holy Ghost! I have really been praying hard that I would increase in ability to know what to do and when to do it! So when we were driving past a less actives I had the feeling that we needed to come back tonight to see them and it was definitely spirit led! The mom of the house opens the door and invites us right in to meet her sick father who is prepping for a surgery for his cancer. We talked about the power of prayer and she just cried through the whole thing. It was really awesome. We also saw our investigator Alma for the first time in WEEKS! We were tracting and having great success but then the spirit told me "Leave right now and go see Alma!" So we did and it was awesome.

We went to see an investigator and I couldn't find her house! So I figured one of the houses close to where the GPS dropped us off would know who our investigator Amber was. I walked up to the first trailer and this little girl was playing on the stair hand rail like it was a jungle gym! I asked if her mom was home so she ran and got her. I asked her when she came if she knew who Amber was! She said "Oh ya.. she be stayin right down dere. Oh and the white poles will lead you to the door." oh suga.... I was hoping that wouldn't be her house when we drove past it there was this fierce looking dog the size of Skyler's old dog Chief on the front steps. I asked her if the dog was nice and she said yes. "Oh ya! Her name is Lady, just tell her to stay down because she will jump on ya!" Ah man I was so glad for that warning because when we made it to the white poles to lead us to the door this huge dog came barreling at us. My companion who is like a foot shorter than me immediately starts yelling "Lady down. Lady down." Haha I was laughing so hard this dag was jumping on us like crazy standing up it was the height of my companion. It was a good time and a really sweet dog!

We met an adorable African American couple, the Dukes. They have a 14 month old son and just moved into a nice house. We had a fantastic Restoration lesson with them and they are super excited to read the Book of Mormon! After we taught Brandon the husband asked if there was such thing as black Mormons. I couldn't help but laugh and I told him of course there are! I explained that it was a world wide church intended for every race and nationality. We really want to watch meet the Mormons with them at a members house soon! Pray that works out!

Funnies: Someone drove through our security gate at our apartments... I went to put in the code and realized the whole thing had been ripped off... haha I laughed real hard!
I let a lizard bite my ear! I have been wanting to do it since Mississippi but just never had the courage!
We coordinate at a Sonic restaurant that members own and they give us free shakes a lot of the time! Its the best.
I told Sister Hyer some of my Mississippi stories and she was literally gagging. She had tears in her eyes and was full on gagging.. I just thought "Wow these are gems, my family will cherish these stories forever!" ha

I loved this week so much! We got to go to the temple and had a wonderful day at church! It was just so uplifting! I hope yalls week was as upbeat and positive as mine, if not make it be!
Love you to the moon and back,
Sister Kerr

 This is me and Nana Holcomb.

This little girl's name was Emree and it made me think of my niece Emree!! I can't believe she turned 1 this week! But this girl looked like Pepper so I thought she could be my niece!!
 

 This is the Sant family! Sari Sant is leaving on her mission this week! She is going to Argentina :)

After 13 months I finally worked up the courage to wear the lizard like an earring! All the southern kids do it! That thing was latched on there too!

12 March 2016 - Bye Sis Paulo, Hi Sis Hyer

Good morning y'all! So Sister Paulo is gone... but only to the neighboring area so... she close! But my new companion is Sister Hyer, she is from Roy, Utah. We went straight to work and we met this way nice/ not interested guy who directed us to his friend’s house who might be interested! So we went over and met that guy (the timing was beyond perfect and sparked by God!) But we get there to meet Mr. Charles and we find out he is a Christian Preacher..... ok I got slightly nervous because I was really unsure about how my companion would react. So I grabbed hold of that situation and just started teaching him about the Restoration! He didn't shun the idea at all and agreed to reading the pamphlet. I asked if we could pray with them and he said of course, so we did and then left. I walked away and the only thing I could say was "That was the most Christian Preacher I’ve ever met!" I was so impressed, even if he doesn't convert or even read the pamphlet he didn't yell, call name or demand us to leave immediately! I was so touched by this experience. It will stay with me forever.

Update on Sister Banta, we have decided that we are kindred spirits! After our conference experience, I prayed super hard that I would know how to tactfully bring up the idea of her quitting smoking! We met up with her and taught her about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She loved it and just asked all sorts of questions. At the end of the lesson, she looked at me and said "I'm a failure..." So I asked why she felt that way. She told us she had decided to quit smoking on Sunday but within 2 days, she was not able to! I just started crying immediately, my prayer was heard from God and rested right on her heart. She told me that the spirit told her she needed to quit. So I bore my testimony to her and promised her that we would help her to quit. We sang I Need Thee Every Hour with her and it was so special. Sad news though she got the stomach bug so she wasn't able to come to the Relief Society activity or Church. But I talked to her last night and she said she is starting to feel better, so this week holds big and great things for our dear sweet Sister Banta!

Funny story... We had correlation with our Ward Mission Leader at sonic for half-priced shakes. They had tons of new fun flavors so I used my persuasive skills and talked everyone into trying some weird flavor! So I got wild berry lavender (ha yes lavenders are flowers...) Sister Hyer got buttered toffee (Tasted like a stick of butter), Elder Elison got Dulce de leche, and Elder Armstrong got Bourbon vanilla! The waitress brought us our shakes and she passed them out. Then she was telling us a story about a recent customer who told her that they had put too much alcohol in her bourbon shake..... Ahhhhh man... Elder Armstrong and I just look at each other like shoot... did I just order an Elder an alcoholic beverage. His face was all nervous. Then she ended the story by telling us that she had to explain to the customer that Sonic doesn't sell alcohol! It was so funny. Our Ward Mission Leader was dying laughing. It made for a great starter to our meeting. I love the awkward innocence of missionaries!

Love Y'all and God Bless

Sister Kerr

Brother Shute that bakes everyone bread!

Sister Paulo's 12 week diploma :) I promised her that if she would do it I would make her a diploma!

Sister Hyer and I.

My posterity! We are missing Sister Lanning, she wasn't at the transfer meeting!

I'm the mama of the mission :)

 Sister Widdison went home! Dang.... I learned so much about myself and what I'm made of when I was comps with her! She is now my best friend and I am going to miss her so bad!

 Mint oreo shakes!

 I decided to see myself in the temple every day when I'm getting ready :)

 

Sister Hyer and I.

Outside the Temple.

Down by the Bayou.

Down by the Bayou.

Down by the Bayou.

This little girl, Blythe was sent home with this sock monkey from school, its just like Q-Bear! I loved it :)

5 April 2016 - General Conference aka Missionary Super Bowl !

Such a good week! So do y'all remember the lady who's husband died right when I moved to Baton Rouge? Her name is Barbara Banta, she is in her 70's and she is so cute! She is from Baton rouge but married her husband when she was young. He was from Rexburg, Idaho. She has informed me that there are tons of Banta's in Ashton, Chester, St. Anthony and Rexburg, Id. I just laughed my head off, what a small world. So Mom and Sky, do you know any Banta's? We sang her my favorite hymn, Nearer My God to Thee when we first met her and then we have visited her a couple times since. Anyways she was baptized when she lived in Rexburg but really has no clue about the church, she really hasn't ever been active. So we went to see her and asked if we could come back and watch General Conference with her. She was a little hesitant because its so long but then she agreed to have us for the Saturday afternoon session. So we jumped right on that wagon before she could turn us down haha. We went and watched and during Elder Arnold's talk about the less actives and rescuing the lost sheep she pointed right at the screen and said that man is talking right to me! Then she looked at us and said "God sent you girls to me didn't he?" We confirmed that He sure did! So she immediately told us she was ready to learn more about the church and to come back. We were so excited to hear her exclaim such a righteous desire! Before the session was done she asked if we would come back on Sunday to watch it with her some more. We did and once more she felt very touched. We sat like 3 little sardines on her little couch listening to the inspired speakers and it hit me, how blessed are we to live at a time where God has a living prophet on the earth to guide us and to provide words of peace. I sat forward on the couch and began to cry as I listened to the words of Jeffrey R. Holland. His words penetrated my heart so deeply, tears of gratitude and so much love just filled me as I just absorbed everything I was feeling. Sister Banta just says "It's a miserable couch, huh?" haha She thought I had sat forward because of discomfort but I just turned to her and said "Nope I'm nice and comfy by you!" Before we left Sister Banta asked if we could come back to teach her soon. We set up an appointment and when we got to the car I looked at Sister Paulo and told her "This is why I'm here!" Its the best feeling ever when God confirms or tells you why you were sent to an area or why you serve with specific people.

Transfer update!: I am staying here in Prairieville! Sister Paulo is getting transferred tomorrow morning and I am training another new missionary! I am excited :) Yay for the greenie fire that new missionaries come packed with! We are going to baptized the entire city of Prairieville. Love y'all, God Bless ya,

Sister Kerr

I got Kensey's wedding announcement! So excited for her. Yay for my sisters wedding!

 We found the one Samoan in Baton Rouge! haha! She just fell in love with Sister Paulo so she had us for lunch this past weekend. She had her Pilipino friends over to meet the Samoan Mormon. Well, I walked in first and they all just starred at me and said "Whoa, she is so beautiful and WHITE!" I had to tell them quickly that I was not the Samoan. It was hilarious! They all called me "palagi" which means white person.

 

Sister Banta and us!

 We went to the old capital building in downtown Baton Rouge.

 Sister Paulo and I with the capital building. Dang I am going to miss my Samoan!

We went out to Red Lobster because someone gave us a gift card. Yay for sea food!

General Conference Sunday morning at the Sant home of the Baton Rouge 3rd Ward.