HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Highlights of the week:

* Having a "love song war" with the other sisters in our zone today. This involves leaving love songs on each others voice mails and then saying "tag you're it".

* While eating dinner at a members house their kids were playing "operation" Their 2yr old walks over to the game. Eats a bone from the man... I didn't do anything because I was in shock... and it was in his stomach before we could get it back. He thought it was a tic-tac! Now it's like REAL operation!

* Prayer at the end of a lesson "I'm grateful for the sisters and all that they have taught me. And how happy they have made my life. I want our meetings to go on forever." (:

* When Sister Larsen told me what one of my spiritual gifts was. I'm so lucky to be her companion.

* One of our Investigators descriptions of the Book of Mormon " All they do is receive revelation. All they do is wanna repent and get baptized" ... yep! haha (: she is getting baptized at the end of this month!

Enjoy the week! Love, Sister Heidi Jayne Starr*

I cannot believe that tomorrow is FEBRUARY! So excited!

Confession. Valentine's Day is my favorite holiday. Pink is my favorite color. I have recently made a connection between these two and why maybe I love Valentine's ... No, I do not feel ashamed of this realization.

We asked a less-active member if he had recently read his Patriarchal Blessing.
His response: "Front to cover?? ... Probably not. Maybe a few years ago."
...Front to cover? hehe.
 I just don't get why people fall away. I know that people do and that we have been told that people will be blinded and confused. But why can't people just join the true church, love it, gain and strengthen their testimony and stay.  We need them so we can continue to gather Israel! I feel like most of our time is spent gathering those that have already been baptized rather than finding those that haven't! Sorry. Small rant. I am still trying to understand this.

This week I officially felt tired. I just need a day (or 2 or 3) to sleep. That will have to wait a few more months (like 13). I've done soo good these first 5 months. Not dozing off. But it's been really hard lately. I just have to think of the wonderful people we are teaching and how much I would be missing out on if I were in bed.

I hope that everyone is having a wonderful week. Don't forget those resolutions you set! Now is the time that many people start to lose steam. Keep working toward your goals. Goodness, Heavenly Father is so mindful of us. We all truly are blessed. One thing that I have learned is that many of the people we come in contact with have problems that I have not experienced in life. Recent death, divorce, abuse, or other hard things. At first I felt inadequate to give aid. Then I realized that all though I may not be able to understand their problems exactly, I still know the answer.

The answer is simply always the Atonement. The Atonement, Christ's suffering, death, and resurrection, can provide comfort in all situations. If we were wronged or if circumstances of life just fell in our laps and we feel like we got the short end of the stick. It can also provide peace for the repentant sinner. The burdens, weight and shame that come with sin can leave if we humbly repent. I always know the answer though I may not know the circumstances. I am grateful for this knowledge and for my testimony of my Savior. He truly did come to save us. Not only from our sins. But also from our heartache.

-Sister Heidi Jayne Starr*

This week was great.

Highlights:

*We tried to double our lessons...And we did! We got 31 lessons, 10 of which members came to. It was crazy. I was told that that may be the highest number of lessons I have on my mission. Ha. Yeah right. If you put forth the effort, you are blessed. I don's t know why these missionaries settle for less than they can achieve. We just tried as hard as we could and told Heavenly Father our plan and how we were going to achieve it. Then I know He helped us to do it.

*We played soccer on Monday and I got ANOTHER bloody nose. This is NOT my sport. I have tried it probably like 5 times now and, yeah, it's time to end things with soccer. No more.

*Taught a lessons to an investigator. She was telling us how much she sees God's hand in her life. She needed to get her car fixed but didn't have the money. She was at the grocery story and found a $100 bill. She asked the clerk if she was missing any money. She said no. She asked the lady in front of her if she had dropped anything. She said no. So... She decided that God had placed this money in her path for her to fix her car. "That's what I'M talkin' about!" she said. It was so funny. I couldn't stop laughing during that lesson.

*We went another ward's baptism because they needed help with the music. During the baptism the bishop's wife leans over to me and asks quietly, "are you related to Elder Ryan?" What? No I'm not related to Elder Ryan.... Don't worry, after the baptism they had us stand together and they compared our features just to be certain. It was VERY embarrassing but really just hilarious.

*While walking to our car we saw this guy about our age getting our of his car with a guitar. "Do you play?" we asked. "Yeah" he said. "Well, let's hear a song!".... "Oh I haven't played in front of people in years".... "Well it's about time then!" He then proceeded to play some Metallica song.... I didn't know it needless to say. But after that we were able to teach him an entire first lesson in the parking lot. The spirit was there. He was prepared. Unfortunately he doesn't live in our area, but Heavenly Father is always placing people right in our path. It is just up to US to talk to them (:     Have a marvelous week!                                                                 Sister Heidi Jayne Starr*

P.S. Sister Larsen and I are staying together! This makes like mission history! (not really but it is crazy!) it is what we requested and what I wanted, but not at all what we expected. The zone leaders told us there would be no way haha. But they told us that we would stay together. So this is her 5th transfer in Palmdale and my 4th! We have both spent a 3rd of our missions together! (well we will have after this transfer!)   
  My address is still:    Sister Heidi Starr

                                  39129 10th ST W #24

                                  Palmdale, CA 93551

This Week was Hilarious....

Helllllllo!
This week was hilarious. Have I really been out almost 5 months? CrAZy! We had so many funny experiences knocking. I LOVE knocking.

*Me- "Do you pray often?"
Lady- "Sure, pretty often"
Me- "What kinds of things do you pray for?"
Lady-"The only thing I'm praying for now is that you need a coat!"
..... I wasn't cold!

*We knock on this lady's door. She comes to her window and tries to speak to us through it. We could hardly hear her. And apparently she could hardly hear us.
Lady-"Who are you?"
Me- "The missionaries"
Lady-"Who?"
Me- "The MISSIONARIES!"
Lady- "Miranda?"
Me- "no... The MIssIONNaRRIES!!"
Lady- "I don't know you!!"
hahahahahaha. Fail.

Oh contacting, you just never know who (or what) is going to be on the other side of the door. (:

Saturday night we called Brother Bob. He hasn't been to church in over 30 years. We "invite" (or push) him to go to church every week and he hasn't yet. But we called as we do every week and we said we would meet him at his house at 10:40 so he could follow us to church. He said "okay, I will go to church with you girls this week." I was silent! Was he really going to go!? We would see that next morning. Sure enough, we showed up at his house and he was waiting in his car! I was like hyperventilating I was so excited! We waved and then he followed us. I instantly said a prayer out loud thanking Heavenly Father for giving him the strength to come that week. It was a wonderful Sunday.  Goodness. So wonderful. So many members just wrapped their arms around him even though they didn't know who he was.

The church is so true. I said that to Sister Larsen the other day while we were planning and she didn't look up. She just nodded and said "Si". I loved her quiet, strong assurance. Like Yes, yes it is true. Now let's continue planning. Haha.

LOVE, Sister Starr*

So Much Snow....

This week has been great. There is so much snow here in Palmdale right now! I didn't sign up for this! My mission call said C-A-L-I-F-O-R-N-I-A ... not U-T-A-H ... I think I'll stay anyway though :)

Highlights of the Week:
*While knocking, we were outside this house and they had a sign that said "friends & family welcome" I of course read it out loud and then Sister Larsen says "Good... We're both!" hahaha. soo true.

*We went out to dinner with a way less active lady in our ward. We walk into the restaurant and the first thing she tells the waiter is "3 margaritas!" ... the funny part is she wasn't kidding. (we got them virgin and they were delish)

*We had a lesson with this less active man and his non-member wife. We taught her about the Book of Mormon and she said "Oh I bet I can finish that by the end of this month!" We committed her and her husband to read it by Valentine's Day and we are too!

So many more, but I think that's good for now. I hope each of you are doing well. Thank you for your support. I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord and my brothers and sisters here in California every day. I hit my 4 month mark on the 1st! Lots more time to go... Lots more to learn... and lots more people to find. :)

"No one has learned the meaning of living until he has surrendered his ego to the service of his fellow man." -President Thomas S. Monson

                                            Sister Heidi Starr*

Happy New Year

I wasn't sure how Christmas was going to go on the mission... But I LOVED IT! Sister Larsen and I kept the Starr/Trowbridge tradition alive and went caroling of course. Christmas Morning we woke up at our usual 6:30... the Hermanas slept over. We opened presents which consisted of post-its (those seriously help peoples salvation with all the notes we leave on doors. We swear by them!) Book of Mormon Study Companion, Pens, Headbands, Walmart giftcards, Stationary and other essential missionary equipment. Then we had breakfast (some type of butterscotch pudding rolls that Sister Rollins' mom makes Christmas Morning and they were SO GOOD) and then we got to call home! So fun to dial that forbidden number from our cell phone! I haven't been homesick at all (such a blessing) but I was still crying and crying as I was talking to everyone because I was just so HAPPY to hear their voice and see that they were alive and well! Lahteedah... we got ready and then went to our dinner appointment (listening to Michael Mclean's Forgotten Carols on the way) and had tacos and played "Know the Bro's" - a game with fun facts about the apostles and prophets. All in all... it was such a fun Christmas! I'm totally ready to take on 2011's Christmas.

Besides Christmas- This weeks Highlights included:
* LA Temple Visit (SUCH A BEAUTIFUL TEMPLE! I LOVED THE PALM TREES!! OH and the new visitors center was super legit too. Did I just say super legit? It was though... go check it out.)
* Teaching a man how to pray on his doorstep
* Having our check out lady at Walmart tell us that we should "date those other guys with tags that come in here! Two girls and Two guys!" bahaha.
* Doing a white elephant gift exchange for district meeting and having the caffeinated 12 pack of coke be the gift that everyone fights over (I personally wanted the phase 10 card game...)
* Finishing the white handbook for the 5th time! (this time Sister Larsen and I went through and read all of the scriptures under each subject... sooo many fun scriptures!)

That's all for this week. Have a Happy Happy New Year!

xoxo, Sister Starr*

December 20th

"Misunderstanding is the prelude to offense." -Jesus the Christ
   So, turns out that people aren't really any nicer this time of year. They are stressed the max, worried about providing for their family and worried about keeping their homes. The good news is that we have tons of excuses for people to not turn us away. Who would turn away carolers? or a Christmas DVD? or a plate of Christmas goodies? So far, NO ONE! Good news for us! Hopefully we spread some of the joy to the season to the people that need it most.
    I have been so blessed to not feel homesick, especially during this time of year. People say all the time, "It must be so difficult to be away from your family." Well yeah.... but it is SO WORTH IT to see other families receive the same happiness that mine has. I wouldn't give that up for anything.
Have a MARVELOUS Christmas and rejoice at the guiding stars we have in our lives that lead us to Christ today. 
-Sister Heidi Jayne Starr*