Land of Lincoln 🎩

 

Week: 38
Date: October 28, 2024
Location: Champaign, Illinois
Email: leah.kimball@missionary.org
Companion: Hermana Anderson /Lehi, Utah
Blog: https://livinlavidastlouis.blogspot.com/?m=1

Lexi's Mission Blog: https://iputtheradincolorado.blogspot.com/

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The campus park is my fav park here!! 
Champaign Illinois
October 2024

Fall is my fav here 
Champaign Illinois
October 2024

Hey hey hey everyone!! This week flewwww by, not gonna lie. It was a week of activities and driving!!

On Tuesday we started the week off so strongly and got to drive to the land of Lincoln (Springfield Illinois) also side note: just found out Lincoln was born in Springfield Illinois… like what! We got to head there for zone conference!! Which is literally just the most fun, killer time ever!! We got chattin' all about Light the World coming up!! And I'm soooo excited for Christmas!!! I can't wait to Light the World as a missionary! We also got to talk about how we can serve our members more, and that got me fired up. Hermana Anderson and I have a goal to visit every member in the branch ASAP!!! We are so excited!! 

On Wednesday we had the most fire lesson with our bestie friend Reinaldo!! He's so cool. He's from Colombia and basically introduced himself and was like “help me change my life”.. We were like okay!! And now we have been meeting with him 3 times a week for 3 weeks now and we invited him to be baptized on November 30th!! He was like “Uh yes, but can we do it sooner?” HAHAH PERIOD OF COURSE WE CAN!!! But sad news…his phone has now broken and he doesn't live at the address we have for him… so that basically means he has fallen off the face of the earth! So please please pray we can find Reinaldo again! 

Friday we got to drive back to my baby area!!! We hit the road for 3 hours at 6 am Friday morning to St. Louis!! Gosh I love that place! We got to see the arch again! (Feels pretty monumental every time we drive past it). We had a missionary training to attend for Hermana Anderson! And it was tons of fun! I got to see Pres. Mckay and some of my mission besties!! So I was feeling prettttty blessed.  They also fed us dope fire food and we got to decorate for a Halloween party that was happening in the church that night. (that part was pretty random, but fun)... Then after a 6 hour meeting, we hit the road for another 3 hours all the way back to Champaign… and then at 6pm we hit the streets for some fire missionary work!! Grind never stops! 

Hey cute views in illinois 
Champaign Illinois
October 2024

Besties and me at zone conf 
Champaign Illinois
October 2024

Sunday's are literally the best days ever! I just love Sunday!! We had the opportunity to attend a baptism for the English ward with our friend Mateo! I had to translate the whole thing but he literally love love loved it! He is sooo excited to be baptized and the branch is excited!!! We have so many members who just want to help! Hermana Kerly is even baking him a cake!! 

At church we also had 5 friends come to church!! Literally biggest blessings!! They were all men but hey, a win is a win! Mateo of course came, and then our friend Memo who I mentioned last week came, and then 3 surprise show ups came (PabloAlonzo, Angel, y Joseluis)!! But it was seriously awesome!! They all loved it! 

Sunday night, Hermana Anderson and I had all of our lessons falling through… that always sucks.. and on Sundays we don't store find, so there’s only one real way to find latinos on a Sunday night… knocking. So we go to the Spanish Barrios and we just knock every door or we skip a couple if we feel prompted to hit a specific door! Hermana Anderson told me that we should skip like 15 houses and hit a door at the end of the street… I looked at her w/ my lazy bones and just thought, couldn't she choose one just a bit closer. But the if the Spirit guides us we always follow. So we run to the end of the street and knock the door! Boom God always provides! We met a FAMILIA!! whoop whoop, Abuelo Salvador, Abuela Angelica, Hija Erika, y nieto Salvadorito!! At first they were very hesitant to receive us, but we were able to share one of the most powerful prayer and El Libro de Mormon lesson ever! They were genuinely on the edge of their seats.. and Abuelo Salvador instantly asks if we have a Capilla (chapel) nearby.. and we were able to share all the info and set up a return appt!! It was seriously such a miracle and ended our week perfectly!! 

Goodwill pday activity!! 
Champaign Illinois
October 2024

MARKS BAPTISM 
Champaign Illiniois
October 2024

This week I have been studying prayer.. pretty basic, pretty easy. But I really have been trying to think of my prayers as real communication with God, a time to really sit back and speak with him. I just read a talk the other day from some lady and she said “I caught myself saying a prayer as if I was leaving a voice-mail for God and I knew I had to change that”... instantly that got me self reflecting.. how can I fix my prayers? How can I really talk to God? Then I reread my favorite chapter in the whole Book of Mormon, I read Enos! Enos is seriously my favorite chapter because there is so much, forgiveness, prayer, and joy experienced throughout! But while I was reading Enos I read verses 4 & 5, in verse 4 it says 

4 And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens.

Now I'm not saying I began to pray all day and night, but my soul does hunger to speak to God. I wanted to express my desires to talk with him and to feel as if he is listening, then I read Enos 1:5 that says 

5 And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed.

Enos hunkered for the forgiveness and it was given to him. He asked and he received. I know that God answers prayers. I know that he forgives, he loves, and he brings miracles! Prayer is such a key aspect to our faith and how to exercise it! I am so grateful to have this opportunity to teach others how to pray to God! I love God, I know he loves and cares for me and for all of you! And I know that he answers prayers because I have witnessed it first hand! 

I love you all so so much!! Always remember who you are and what you stand for!! Can't wait to hear from all of you! God is good! 🩷

-Hermana Kimball🩷

Dad: I'm so excited to be apart of a Guatemalan Baptism just like you were! 

Mom: You look like I should tie you on a string a fly you like a kite your majesty… 

Colton: Your primary program side comments to every vid had me laughing pretty hard

Caryn: Sorry that 4 of the chickens died ..  

Taylor: Too bad you lost 20 bucks :( 

Bailey: Praying for you 🙏 

Clay: Your costume was fyaaa 

Lexi: I'm trying to meet someone from Colorado just so I can send you a referal lol 

Bella: CUTEST Newsie what!!!

Collins: Please keep sending vlogs!! I loved your Cinderella costume!! 

Capri: You are the tannest Snow White I've ever seen 

Kash: Hopefully you still like sticks when I get back, and hopefully I get you for secret Santa 

Reese: You have to be the cutest baby I've ever seen