Hello! :)

Hi everyone!

This week was.... interesting! I don't even know where to start!!

Haha, right as Sister Wilson and I were thinking we'd never had any crazy food, a member took us out to dinner and got us duck and lobster! They tasted... interesting. It was hard accepting the fact that I was eating DUCK! But it's all good. It definitely could have been worse! I'll send some pictures of it!

A kind of scary experience happened this week... So Sister Wilson and I were walking to an appointment in DC and all of the sudden we see a group of boys sprinting past us. They all were scattering and hiding! Then we heard sirens and saw a TON of police cars. Haha sister Wilson and I were so oblivious so we just kept walking to our appointment because we didn't want to be late. So we kept walking and there was this group of guys and they were clearly up to no good. We both had the strongest feeling to go a different direction and right as we turned, a really sketchy guy from the group came up to us and said, "Come on let's go help those girls out." AHH WE WERE SO SCARED! We tried to stay calm and just kept walking.  Luckily, they eventually stopped following us. Oh my it was so scary! Our appointment right after was with a girl named Sam and it went really well! We talked about the Holy Ghost and how it has many different roles, including

giving us physical guidance!   I'm not sure if I have mentioned Sam before but she is so amazing! She committed to a baptismal date on March 20! We are so excited for her. She is such a huge example to me!

A lot of super neat families come into the Visitors' Center! It is so great to see them! There was this family that came in, and they had like 6 kids and they were so intelligent! One little girl was only three and had the first vision memorized! It was so incredible! As the little girl left the Visitors' Center, she ran up to me and gave me a huge hug and said, "I felt the spirit here most strongly than ever!" I love little kids so much! They are my favorite!  I love temple grounds and all the wonderful strong families that come to them! The spirit is so strong on temple grounds!:)

This week, a scripture that I have really liked is Moroni 7:48, "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen" I LOVE this!!

As we pray with ALL the energy of our heart, we will be able to feel of Gods love for us!! Prayer is so powerful! I love you all! Have a great week!

Sister Freeman

 the duck we ate

 The member that took us out was so kind and gave me the lobster head.... Ha ha! 

 Sister Wilson and I!

 We went to the Holocaust Museum today for our P day!

It was so sad!

Four Months!!

Hey everyone!

These last couple of weeks have gone by so fast. Yesterday I hit my 4 month mark! :D  I say this all the time, but days feel like weeks and weeks feel like days!

This week a lot of tender mercies happened where Heavenly Father sweetly and quietly answered my prayers. One day we drove to our favorite place to contact and talk with people. Before we left the car (like always) we said a prayer. We decided to be very specific so we could get a more specific answer. We prayed that we would be able to find someone who was ready and willing to come unto Christ. When we got out of our car, we were walking and we turned a corner and out of nowhere we ran into this guy and HE approached US (that never happens) and he said, "You guys are the Mormons... here is my number and my address! Please come over and teach me more!!" This was like Christmas!! We were so happy! He then showed us that he found a mini Book of Mormon and he said that he had been reading it! We gave him our phone number and he has called us every day. Unfortunately, he is not in our area, but that's okay, the missionaries told us they would let us know what happens! His name is Barren. :)  Ah such a huge blessing! :)

We were invited to come to a companion study with an elderly sister

missionary:)  Her name is Sister Mitchell. She lives just a floor down from us. So we went and she fixed us breakfast! She is the sweetest lady ever! She made German pancakes (reminded me of home). This is my favorite breakfast! She told us how her husband passed away and it is such an incredible but sad story. They were walking on the beach and their daughter was a little bit behind them and out of nowhere a huge tidal wave comes up and knocks out both of them. Luckily her daughter wasn't affected by the wave and ran to get help. Sister Mitchell said that it was like a wall hit her and then she said it ran her into a rock and cracked her head open pretty badly. She had to be life flighted out. They were never able to find her husband... only a couple of his bones. They did a DNA test and found they were her husbands. Isn't that so sad!! She said God saved my life so I am going to serve Him the rest of my life. (She has been on so many missions!) She is so inspirational! I might name my kid Mitchell after her ;) haha just kidding. But she is so amazing. Her outlook on life is so inspirational. She could have turned bitter and dwelt in her sorrow for the rest of her life, but she has done the exact opposite. She is constantly reaching out. She is the most spiritual lady I know!

Studies with her were so amazing. We read Nephi's lament in 2 Nephi ch 4. I challenge you all to go read that and have a concern you would like to better while you read it. Just think of something or a question before and then read the chapter with an open mind and heart.

It is so amazing how the scriptures can answer our questions.

Haha... So one day this week we had a dinner appointment with this cute girl in our ward! Sister Wilson and I were so excited to go over because we are poor and member meals always taste way better than our crackers and cheese. Hahak! So we get over there and she invites us in and she goes into her moms room and we hear them arguing for like 10 minutes... it was a little awkward. And then she comes back out and takes us into the kitchen and it was A MESS. Then she says, "Actually can you guys help me clean?" We were happy to help her! We are always looking for service opportunities as missionaries! It took us like an hour to clean up her kitchen. I can't even explain how messy it was!

But anyway so we were almost done cleaning and she gets out stuff to make dinner and starts cooking! Haha it got mine and sister Wilson's hopes up! It smelled so good! Then she says, "Sorry I would make you guys dinner but I kind of ran out of time."  We weren't bitter :) Haha no just kidding! We didn't mind at all. Service is 10X better than food! We had a good laugh about that.

Here is just a spiritual thought to end this email. :) It's about "Asking without guile and receiving without doubt when we pray." A lot of times we fear to put our weight on a beam that might break. We have to have faith.  Faith is a burden of love. We have to trust in God and His greater love. Accepting answers to our prayers with out doubt is accepting truth! Isaiah 55:8-9, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." This is so true! I love to keep this in mind when ever something happens that I do not quite understand! Like President Cooke always says, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail? You miss 100% of the shots you don't take."  I know that the more we put our weight on a beam that might break, the more we find out that the beam will never break! Have a great week!

Sister Megan Freeman

LOOK WHO I FOUND!!!! SISTER GRIFFIN! I love her so much!

She was the best trainer ever!

This is Sister Buhler! She is like a big sister to me!! She is so amazing! 

We have gotten so close! She was one of my roommates last transfer!

Sister Wilson and I pretended like we didn't see this haha! We knocked anyway! ;)

Happy Valentine's Day!! :)

Hey everyone! This week was SO GREAT!:)

I think this last week has been the busiest week so far!! We were constantly moving!! It was the best!!

So the craziest/ most stressful/ most confusing experience of my life = driving in downtown DC.  Let me just say that driving in DC is CRAZY!!!! The round o bouts are nuts and every street is one way...

So if you miss your turn then you might as well add a half hour to your route hahahah!! We got so lost!! And every car is parked on the side of the road so you have no room to drive. So that was an interesting experience!! But we made it back alive... Barely! Haha!!

If you can drive in DC you can drive anywhere ;).

A lot of really neat things happened in the Visitors' Center this week!! In our Friday meeting the director read to us a super cool email from the man in charge of all the Visitors Centers in the world!! They told us that we (the Washington, D.C. Temple Visitor Center sisters) beat the Temple Square sisters in Salt Lake City, Utah (and all the other visitors centers in the world)  last year in getting referrals!!!! AND we beat them by 40% in getting referrals during the December lights season!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!! They have like 10X more sisters and people that come to them but hehehe we beat them! Haha it was so exciting! They said that the brethren were so impressed with the sisters at the Washington DC Temple Visitors Center! The sisters here are so incredible!! I am so lucky to get to serve with them! On Saturday there were 15 weddings. I guess it was because of Valentine's Day!!! One of the brides walked in and haha all the sisters were in awe!! Haha!! She looked so gorgeous!! When she walked in, there was such a sweet spirit that came in with her. It definitely strengthened my testimony on temple marriages and how special and important they truly are. That is the only marriage that seals that relationship together beyond the grave and for beyond this life!! 

One day I was sitting on the bench next to the Christus (the giant statue of Jesus Christ) and I saw this little girl come up to Him and she stops right by Him and says, "Hey Jesus how are you doin'?  I love you so much and I know you love me!" And then she ran away!! It was so sweet! I got a little teary!! Little children are so close to Christ and so innocent!!! I love how we are instructed in the scriptures to become like children!! Become submissive to our Heavenly Father and to love Jesus Christ. There is a quote that says, "Hate is learned, love comes naturally." This is so true! Almost every little child I have met is loving and just innocent! This is definitely a concept that has really hit me this week!

So as you know, yesterday (Sunday) was Valentine's Day.... And Sister Wilson and I are serving in a young single adults ward..... So ya church yesterday was awkward haha!! Missionary probs!! During the last hour lesson all the guys in the ward came in with flowers for all the girls.......... Haha......... It was so funny!! I'll send you pictures of the flowers we got!! Despite the nice flowers and awkwardness, the lesson was really good. We learned about opposition and trials!!

President Howard W. Hunter said referring to paddling in a boat, "The pulling of the oars against the resistance of the water creates the force that causes the boat to move forward. Resistance creates both the opposition and the forward movement." This is so true!! Trials help us move forward and to progress!! You can't get over a trial and avoid it, you have to go through it. We become acquainted with God and with Christ through these extremities!! During these hard times, that is when we can become submissive and meek and rely on Jesus Christ to help us.  I encourage you all to change your mind set to become and to rely on Christ! I love you all and remember that God gives His toughest battles to His strongest soldiers!!

Sister Freeman

 Haha we took a lot of pictures with the flowers we got from the 

singles ward on Valentine's Day yesterday

 Sister Wilson and I and our roommates all wore black on Valentine's Day hahaha!!!!!!! ;) 

Some very sad sister missionaries on Valentine's Day!!

Our recent convert temple baptismal trip was on Saturday!! It was so neat to be able to go with Marvin (the one all the way to the right).

 Ivan is the one in the middle. He has been a member for a year but this was his first time going!

Such a neat experience!:)

A Valentine Treat For Megan

Today, I sent Megan an envelope full of fun Valentine's Day treats.  I sent a card, a couple of letters from her open house, money from Cal Darrow ($30) that he gave her at Christmas time, but I forgot to send to her, 10 more Temple names for she and her companions to do, and a cute little notebook for whatever she wants to use it for.  I told her to use the money to take her companion out to lunch or something.  I hope she has a wonderful Valentine's Day!!

Hello Everyone!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had a great week!:)  Make sure you read the quote at the end of this email if anything, it is so amazing!!!!! :)

We had transfers on Wednesday!! My new companion is Sister Wilson! She is from Utah and is so sweet! She is an incredible teacher! I am so excited for this transfer!! She is so easy going and so obedient! I already love her so much!!

This week has been SO INCREDIBLE! So many miracles! Our area is really picking up!! So as some of you know Visitors' Center missionaries have time during their Visitors' Center shift to do some online proselyting! So we are the ones who answer chats on Mormon.org! Super cool! So a couple months ago a guy named Hugo came on to chat and had a lot of really great questions and wanted missionaries to come by and explain a little more about our beliefs! So I have been keeping in touch with him and teaching him additional information with what his local missionaries are teaching him and GUESS WHAT!!! He got baptized on Saturday!!!! Isn't that so cool! He sent me some pictures that I'll have to attach to this email! I am so lucky to be able to do online chats and help others come unto Christ that way as well! I've talked to people from all over the world! It is so great!!:)

Church was SO great yesterday!! So Marvin, one of our recent converts, passed the sacrament yesterday!!!!! It was so incredible to see him! I got a little teary! He is progressing so much!! All he wants to do is please God, he is so incredible! We get to go with him to the recent convert temple trip on Saturday!!:) We are so excited!! THEN after Sacrament meeting, we meet this lady named Anna! She isn't a member but came to church because her friend said that that is where she can go to find peace!! (HUGE miracle) She is from Bolivia and really wants to strengthen her relationship with God! She is so awesome! She said she felt so welcomed and peaceful when she came to church! She has been going through a hard time! We had a lesson right after church with her! She is so prepared and ready for the gospel of Jesus Christ to enter into her heart! She told us to make sure we text her to set up another appointment this week!:) We are so excited! We met a lot of really cool people while we were contacting as well! This one old man called us angels haha, he was so sweet!:)

Here is a quote that if anything in this email I hope you read! It is a quote that has changed my outlook on everything. Henry B Eyring said "I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I am done with low living, small talking, colorless dreams, tamed visions, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, positions, promotions, or popularity. I don't have to be right first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer and labor with power. My face is set, my gate is fast, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, divided, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I won't give up, shut up, or let up until I have stayed up, stored up, and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He returns for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My banner will be clear." My goal is to be able to say this with confidence and I encourage you all to have the same goal! It is so powerful! Don't get side tracked with the little worldly things in this life. Focus on what is important and I promise that EVERYTHING else will work out!:)  Love you all!

Sister Freeman!:)

Hugo got baptized! (The one I was teaching on Mormon.org) :)

MY NEW COMPANION! Sister Wilson

Ya... We got ice cream.

Great Week! :)

Hey everyone!!

This week was so great!!!!

We got to teach a ton of lessons!! It was the best!! I love seeing the people we teach become happier and happier each time we meet! Everyone can truly have the light of Christ in their eyes!:)

Here was a neat experience- So Sister Griffin and I were out contacting one day this week and we came across this sweet older lady!

She was from China and was just walking down the street. We stopped her and talked with her for a little bit. She expressed how grateful she was for us to stop and talk about Christ with her!! She told us that she has really been seeking to strengthen her relationship with God and Jesus Christ. She just moved here from China and she told us they have limited worship there. We gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and told her she can strengthen her relationship with God by reading it and abiding it by its concepts, along with reading the Bible. She was SO grateful for it! It is so neat how people who come from countries with limited religious freedom are so thankful for our message and so thankful for the opportunity they have to come closer to God. It truly is a great opportunity we have to be able to have religion in our life, and that is something that really stood out to me this week!

Don't take it for granted!!

Wow these last couple of weeks have passed by!! Transfers are next week!! We found out that Sister Griffin will be leaving and I will be staying!!:(  I am going to miss Sister Griffin so much! She has been the best trainer ever!! We have gotten so close!! She has taught me so much! I can't wait to see who my new companion is and what I can learn from her! I have some guesses but I will find out tomorrow morning!!:)

I love you all and just want you to all know that I LOVE being a missionary and I love helping others come unto Christ! I love teaching and learning from our investigators, the senior couples, my roomies, and my companion! I love this gospel and I know it is true with all my heart! If ANY of you are thinking about serving a mission... GO, even if you are a girl!! It changes you so much and really helps you for the rest of your life. The world is getting so crazy and is mistaking truth for darkness and darkness for truth. Never fall into darkness thinking it is truth! (2Nephi 15:20 "Wo unto them that call evil good, and good evil, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!") Famous quote from Sister Griffin, "Satan's best lies are half truths." That is so true!! Be careful with what you read and everything you say and do!! Serving a mission has really helped me form a firm foundation in my beliefs. Here is a scripture that backs up everything I just said! It's Helaman 5:12 "And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall." This is so true!! Build your foundation on Christ and you will NEVER fall!! The devil will send forth his mighty winds to bring you down but we are more powerful! We can all turn darkness into light if we let Christ help us! Build your faith and foundation on Christ! :)  I love you all!!

Love, Sister Freeman

The sisters in my district

My whole district

My zone!!

For our zone activity today, we all got to go ice skating!!!  So fun!  Missions are the best!!

The Rockville Zone

I (Mom) have no idea who or what this is!!