Oh Come Let Us Adore Him

What an amazing week! Wow! So much happened this week that I have to break it down. First things first: S AND R were baptized!!!!!!! I just got the pictures from Sister Johnston and I am over the moon right now! I am honestly bummed out that I wasn't there to see them, but I am, SO proud of them. I also heard that S partook of the sacrament for the FIRST time! YAY! I love the thing she does where she sits very still and puts her hand over her heart and closes her eyes. She knows about her Heavenly Fathers love for her and what the Holy Ghost feels like. To have that understanding is priceless.

We taught a couple, K and O, whose son is on a mission in Chile. Their son is the only member in their family. O needed a blessing because his toe was amputated. They both know about the church and had read the Book of Mormon twice, I am just wondering why they aren't baptized yet? We invited them to read the Book of Mormon again, but together as a family, and have the question of Is the Book of Mormon true in their mind and heart.

5 Month Mark!!! I can hardly believe I have been out this long, not going to lie when I say that I had thoughts about going home. It is hard work, but each day I remember people like S and R, who are prepared to hear about the gospel they just need someone to find them! And I think we did. We found a Father! For missionaries, that is huge...especially if He is interested. AND HE IS!!!!!!!!!!!!! He expressed that he and his wife were actually looking for a church to come to, perfect! We will be stopping in after the Christmas season.

We also saw S, and I have some awesome news.................He wants to be baptized Soon! JOY TO THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Background: We asked S to fast and pray for two specific things: A baptismal date and a job (so he can move out of his girlfriends place), but right before we said the closing prayer S came up with fasting for the answer if his current girlfriend is right for him. Okay! We followed up after a few days and asked how his fasting and prayers were going and he told us that he hasn't gotten any answers, but he has the faith to keep going. We went to Gospel Principles on Sunday were we talked about Exultation, and The Spirit was So Strong. We turned to S and asked what he learned. He flat out said, " I need to be baptized, soon". Pure joy and another S moment :) *NEVER underestimate the power that comes from your lessons teachers! People receive answers in your class.*

CHRISTMAS

I got a package from Mom for Christmas :) She always includes my companions in every package. We each got a stocking! It was filled (for me) a stress toy, a bracelet and a testimony from an Elder that served in 1998-2000, plus candy. A Green Eggs and Ham Book with a gospel/missionary twist.

Christmas was amazing! We went over to our Ward Mission Leader's House, the Hanamaikai's, and had a short ward correlation meeting, breakfast (Texas shaped waffles, egg casserole, and sausage). The wife and daughter's Christmas gift to me and Sister Record was a foot massage :) Very spoiled. Talking with everyone was exactly what I needed. To actually see them...and tell them that I love them so much was the best moment that morning. Later on in the day we went to some less active members who were elderly/sick and sang Christmas Carols to them. We had Christmas dinner at the Magill's, and they gave us not only dinner, but a scarf, pumpkin bread, and two tins of sweets. We then had a Part-member family drop off some leftovers from their dinner.

It has been really cold here. Don't snicker and say "ya, sure it is..", I am here Telling you that IT IS COLD. Other than that, we had a lot of lessons this week and a lot of return appointments. The members here are great and they aren't afraid to invite us over to their homes for us to have a lesson. It also helps that we have our car back!

I love y'all so much, I am so thankful and grateful for ALL the support you give me. I miss you all too:) Hope you have a great New Year!

Sister Foster

Hurrah! Hurrah!Hurrah for Israel!

                                       wearing our Christmas scarves from the Magills

                                        Playing around with the sisters at Mission conference!

                                             Our Christmas stockings from mom

                                         Love my new necklace. It says "His love proclaim"

                                                                 SO MUCH candy!

                                                                 Mission Conference!

 

It's Christmas!!

It is Christmas week already? That is so crazy!!!!! I have always felt the excitement of Christmas since probably November, but ever since I came to Texas...it has just been pretty quiet. In fact, we were grocery shopping last week and there was Christmas music playing in the background. I honestly didn't recognize anything that was playing until I actually had to stop and listen. I asked Sister Record if she knew what song it was, and she said "Sister Foster...that is the radio playing, did you seriously forget?" Seriously, I did.

I am beyond excited to Skype on Christmas!!! I honestly get all giddy just thinking about it, which can be really distracting because I am supposed to be focused on the Lord's work.

This week has been one of many hard weeks. We didn't really have that many lessons taught, and I am a bit embarrassed to show our bishop the progress record we had since past records were full or even over flowing. It has been a real experience of what it is like to ride a bike EVERYWHERE you go. Luckily we have amazing Sisters in the Converse ward who are more then happy to drive us to our appointments/drop-by. We should be getting our car back today, but if not...lets just say I am REALLY praying that we get our car back. I already learned my lesson on patience, humility, and perseverance.

CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE We had our mission Christmas Conference on the 17th, and it was AMAZING! I got to see everyone that I know, from my last area, district, zone and MTC :) It was truly a blessed day where I got to realize how many friends that I really do have here in the Texas San Antonio Mission. Ever since day 1 in Texas, I have loved my Mission President and his wife, and I actually talked with Sister Slaughter during the break. I have had a hard time with my thought process of commitment, and Sister Slaughter gave me some really good advice. I told her I wanted to be all in, I don't want to look back...I just need help (Which is a HUGE thing for me to ask) She said she was more than willing to help me on this journey and she wants me to be happy here, she wants both of my feet here in San Antonio :) How blessed I really am.

I have come to love Alma 26 since I have been here in Texas. It describes where I am, what I need to do to improve, and where my focus should be.

I love y'all so much and I miss everyone dearly.

Discover, Embrace and Share the Gift this Christmas season (John 3:16)

Merry Christmas!

Sister Victoria Foster

                                                            MTC Roomies Reunited!

                                                       Christmas Mission Conference!

                                       Yes, Our star is made of tin foil...I know Ya'll are jealous!

                                                Selfie with Sister Record's glasses

                                                            Welcome to Converse!

                                                             Yep, we are a bike area!

Transfer to Converse, Tx !!

That is right ladies and gentleman, I am in Converse,TX. The same area where Sister Johnston served the first 9 months of her mission :) I truly do miss her, but she is going to do great things in Austin, and in training her new missionary.

 

​The wait for my new area kills me every time! The fact that I was going to San Antonio meant that those were being announced last. "Sister Foster, you are being transferred to the Converse Ward with Sister Record as your new companion." WHAT! Sister Record and I were in the MTC together. She was Sister Pito's companion, who I will miss dearly in Austin. Sister Johnston was super excited for me, and said that I was going to have a great time in Converse.

I got to say bye to Susana a couple of days before I left, and she wished me luck in my new ward. She was pretty sad that I wouldn't be there for her baptism, but I told her that I will be thinking about her on the 20th :)

 

 

​So the first moment after I get off the van, Sister Record hugs me and then said, "So you should know that we currently do not have a car, so we may be on bikes." What? I didn't even touch my bike in Austin, and you are saying that I have to ride it until Wednesday??? Very different. Converse is very country. Lots of Military families here, which I didn't really notice in Austin. I am close to the Randolph Air Force Base, which is so cool!!

 

I will be honest, it has been a rough transfer. I had met so many great people in Austin, and to be here in San Antonio is very dramatic. But I believe there is some purpose for me to be here in Converse. There are a lot of members here in Converse, and they are so good to the Sister Missionaries (Full Dinner Calender, offers rides to our appointments/drop-by's). There is one Sister in particular when I first met her gave me a giant hug and whispered in my ear "This is from your mom. She is so proud of you right now." It is those moments that I love from members.

Well, I love you all so much! and I wish y'all a Merry Christmas...It is coming so fast!!!:):):)

Love,

Sister Foster

                                    My last picture with our awesome apartment view!

                                       A perfect combination of my and my parent's missions!!!!

It's December?!?

The weather outside is more bipolar than Utah! One day I am bundled up in my heavy jacket and tights/Boots, the next it is hot! It was 81 degrees on the 3rd!!!! What is going on??!!!!

So some pretty exciting news came into my life of a missionary...drum roll please............................................................I am getting transferred! After 4 months, I am leaving the Austin Ward :(

You should have seen and heard the phone call...

Sister Davis: Sister Foster, you will be...(phone lost connection)

Me and Sister Johnston: WHAT???????(top of our lungs screaming)

Sister Johnston will be staying and training a brand new missionary :) She is super excited, but she has told me that I can't leave until she has updated her journal...she is several weeks behind :) as am I. HAHA

R ended up in the hospital the day of his baptism...so he didn't get baptized on the 6th of December. We are going to try to find out which hospital he is in so that the Elders Quorum can give him a blessing...if y'all could keep him in your prayers that would be great!

For P-day last week, we went to the Capitol with the Zilker Park Sisters. It was super fun! And Cold!

It has been such a great time in the Austin Area, being so close to the Capitol. But I am excited to meet the new people I will be serving.

Funny Moments:

-Sister Johnston got engaged :) One of R's friends was talking about how we need to be serving God by getting married having children! HAHA, I was laughing so hard after she realized what was happening.

-Riverside Elders (Elder Calley and Elder Zalaya) called us saying that they ran into one of our former investigators and she told them, and I quote, "Tell Sister Foster to call me!"(Say it in a DEEP southern accent)

-We were teaching a recent converts friend(V and N) and the friends daughter loved flossing! She offered to floss mine, but I had to tell her that I already flossed that day:)

-I got half a pizza twice this week, it was good!

Nothing really exciting happened, I gave a training in District Meeting about how to talk to people, and a lot of people said that I did a great job and that they could have never guessed it was my first training ever.

Okay, I don't know if Sister Slaughter talked to you about my doctors appointment, but I had to go in  and test my thyroid. It turns out that I have a low thyroid and I now have to take medication. I guess the thyroid thing does run in the family...

Since I will be leaving, this is the mission office address for people who have my actual address, please use this!

Sister Foster

404 E. Ramsey Rd. Ste #105

San Antonio, TX 78216

I love y'all so much! And I love hearing from y'all!!!!!!

Love Sister Foster

                                                                         At the Capitol

                                           I am going to miss this view from my apartment!

                                                               The best district ever!

                                                                         Crazy selfie

                                                                             Hmmph!

Thanksgiving, My Birthday and Exchanges, Oh my!

Before I say anything else on the matter...I invite everyone who is reading this to go to christmas.mormon.org and watch He is the Gift. It is truly an amazing video, and share it with everyone! If you are on social media, use #ShareTheGift and share why Jesus Christ is the true gift of Christmas.

This week has been crazy fun and exhausting! We have an investigator,S,  who we taught 4 out of 7 days this week :) She is truly so amazing and ready to learn more and more of what we teach her. Plus, every time that we come over she always has something for us to eat and she just got a 6 pound tub of chocolate that she lets us eat  :) I am SO not complaining!!! She has such a deep testimony of the Holy Ghost and the church, and how she knows that everything makes sense and that she can't wait to be baptized. 

Funny moments with her: She is going to make coffee, smell it, then take it to the homeless people:)... When we talked about keeping the Sabbath Day holy, she said "Really? Then I must repent!"...

M just found out that her health is weakening, she has diabetes now. But she knows about the Priesthood, and asked for a blessing. How awesome is that?! She knows about the power of God given to the worthy men of the church, and she uses it whenever she can get it. It was also a great learning experience for her friend K who is learning with us, the amazement in her eyes truly shone when the Priesthood holder, Brother R, explained about what he would be doing. After the blessing, we talked about President Monson's address from last conference, and taught about how we have a living Prophet on the earth today. We had Sister Tsang with us, who is a Temple Square Sister...so go say hi to her when you go Downtown...I'll tell y'all when she gets back there, so she got to tell them about what it was like to hear President Monson speak. They were truly jealous. 

THANKSGIVING!!!!!
​We had dinner at the D's house. They seriously remind me of my family every time that I come over. Sister D cooked EVERYTHING from scratch. It was SO good!!! After dinner, we shared a thought about being grateful and we went around the table telling everyone what we are Thankful for.

BIRTHDAY/EXCHANGES

​Thank you Mom for all the props for my birthday, Sister Johnston and I had a lot of fun with the props...photos to come in later email.

Sister Johnston made me French Toast in the morning, then I opened my presents after companion study...Thank you for the cards and packages that I have received!! I was truly thankful for to have been remembered.

It just so happened that I went on exchanges with Sister Turpin from Zilker Park Ward. She made sure that I had a good birthday. I had dinner at Super Salad with this cute old couple named the A's. Sister A got me lotion and chapstick :) So sweet. Later that night after nightly planning, we had a little party with the sisters in the District. So much fun!

I learned how to be more consecrated in the work and how I need to set my pride aside and go to work.

We had Zone Conference on Tuesday, President Slaughter gave a training on The result and proof of The Great Apostasy. I was part of a musical group. Elder Harris, Elder Graham, Sister Fullam and I sang Abide with Me. It went really well. Learned a lot, and had a great interview with President Slaughter.

I love you all, and I thank you everyday and week for the support that you give me. You truly have no idea how much it means to me to see the love I read from someone's letter or email. I just wanted to say thanks again!

  

Remember to Discover the Gift, Embrace the Gift, Share the Gift!

Love,

Sister Victoria Foster

                                                                S making Musubi for us!

                                                             It's my birthday!!!!

                                                                          Exchanges!!

                                                                    Thug Life

                                                                     What a week!

I honestly can't remember...

This week was one of those weeks that I can't remember one thing...so I am going to try to list everything that happened.

There was a HUGE lightning and thunderstorm on Saturday! 90% chance rain... alright! There was serious rivers on the road, so we had to pull over somewhere just to wait out the storm. Perfect time to do some phone calls I guess. But the problem with the rain was that it made me sleepy and want to pull some sweats on. Can't really do that on a mission... We got bashed on the Book of Mormon at McDonald's, meeting a RC, said he wanted historical proof that the Book of Mormon was real...The book of Mormon is the best historical proof you can get! Later that night we had dinner at a PM's house, and they got a new puppy :) The puppy decided to pee on me...Seriously? I had to remind myself that it was kinda funny after we left.

We had our Ward Thanksgiving Dinner, and there were lots of food and investigators! I was so happy, and they seem to really be enjoying to get to know a lot of the members. K actually brought her husband with her! And he hit it off with some of K's fellowshipper's husbands. S came a little late, but still enjoyed the party.

R: Only 2 more lessons until his interview, yay!

S: We finally set a date for her! She is set for the 20th of Dec, and is SUPER prepared!! She totally understands the role of the Holy Ghost, and loves that she can always have Him with us.

I might be going on exchanges on my birthday, plus no one signed up for dinner for my birthday anyway...but we are eating Thanksgiving, so you can relax now. :)
Our district is dwindling down, we know have 5 sisters, and 5 elders. Sister Johnston is doing fabulous!

Didn't really see anyone this week that has a set date...

Now for the fun part...Pudding drop!

Last P-day, Sister Fullam wanted our District to do a Pudding drop. It was the most funnest, messiest and grossest (ignore the incorrect grammar) I have ever done! Plus it was Elder Graham and Elder Calley's Birthday's that week so we made them wear the birthday getup.

Because it is a week of Thanksgiving, I just wanted to say that I am grateful for my Family and Friends who are supporting me in this adventure and whirlwind that I am taking. I am grateful for Joseph Smith for asking God that day in the grove of trees, and I am continually grateful that he translated the Book of Mormon, which IS another testament of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for a Loving Heavenly Father who sent his only begotten Son to this earth to "go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people. And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." I am grateful for His Atoning Sacrifice, even if I may forget it sometimes. I am grateful to know that I am a Child of God! A daughter of a King! A witness of Christ.

I love all of you! I appreciate letters, and have a Great Thanksgiving!!!!!

Sister Foster:)    




                                                                  Pudding drop!

                                      

                                                        Oh the rain!!! I love it!!

Birthday elders

"But Sister, It's COLD outside!!!"

Warning, I repeat, Warning! It has gotten below 40 degrees in Austin!!!!!!

I have been thinking of things that I need to get and what I need to ask for in order to stay warm...because the cold in Austin gets ridiculous!  I am very cold, and I luckily got the tan jacket from the Sister donation bag. All I can think of is send warm things, hopefully we will be going to Good Will today. {MOM HERE...THAT PARAGRAPH WAS FOR ME, I HAD ASKED HER WHAT SHE NEEDS FOR WINTER :)}

Funny Moment of the week: Our car couldn't start on Friday night...Of course it would happen to me!*Ask anyone of my family members why this is funny, I am not the best when it comes to cars* It just wouldn't start! We sat in the 7/11 gas pump for a good hour before the Zilker Park Sisters picked us up to take us home. I can check that off my bucket list!

There has been some new families moving into the ward, which is a HUGE blessing because our ward is really small of active families. It is our job as the Austin Ward missionaries to go around our area and see who is actually here because when people transfer their records to Austin they automatically transfer them to our ward. We had counted how many we have marked moved or do not contact=118 names. Yay us!

S: We got a referral from a member in Sunset Valley Ward saying that her friend wants to come to church, but belongs to our ward. She also wants to study the Book of Mormon. Okay! We get to her house and she made us dinner and we gave the 1st lesson, and asked if she wanted to be baptized. Said she wasn't ready but wants to continue to learn. She came to church this Sunday and after Gospel Principles she pulled me and Sister Johnston aside and said "I had a vision, about baptism. I want to be baptized!" Are. You. Serious?! Did that really just happen! We still don't have a date for her, but we are meeting with her tonight and talking about the Plan of Salvation.

We helped clean two houses this week...Sister Johnston and I were serving then we shared a thought/lesson...P's and M's.

M got released from the hospital Tuesday and she is not allowed ANY Sodium! She is on a new life long diet where she has to keep track of everything that she eats, I could never do that so I am admiring the dedication that she has to become a better person and mother.

Taught K and A earlier this week, but we have not been able to get into contact with them to schedule another appointment, and K's baptism date is coming up...

R is doing great! Getting closer to baptism!

The most stressful moment of the week was on Saturday when we were trying to figure out how we were going to go out today. The Auto place said that they weren't going to look at the car until after lunch, and of course this was the day that we had appointments all over the area! Through the power of prayer, one member said that she could come with us the ENTIRE day!!!!!!! I have never been so grateful until that moment, that was also a humbling moment for me because I had not said my morning prayers and that was my first prayer, a prayer to help us serve him in this little part of his vineyard.

I had Real BBQ!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had Ribs, Brisket and Sausage,  with Butter-Pecan with Coconut frosting, yum!

Sister Johnston and I are doing great. We have had a lot of fun with my camera this week ;)

I love you all so much and I really appreciate letters! I think and pray for y'all constantly.

I love y'all !!!

Sister Foster <3

 A true Texan meal. Brother M. woke up at 6 in the morning to smoke the brisket for 12 hours!! But then we forgot to take a picture with him!

                                               M. throwing away her ashtray FOREVER!

                                        PDay pics of us and the Capitol Elders emailing home

                                 We were CRAVING ice cream even though we were freezing

                                                       Having fun with my camera