June 5, 2017 – Become a Disciple That Will Go the Extra Mile (:

My favorites (: 

Brother Mackey was baptized and confirmed this week! My favorite color is pure white. It is everyone's best color…I am telling ya (: So, we planned his service fairly quickly and we focused on having the right people be involved. It all worked out to have those people be able to participate in the service. The actual baptismal service was an adventure. They got in the font BUT IT WAS DRAINING. sooo.. good thing our ward mission leader is an x pro football player because he was in a solid squat as he baptized brother Mackey, ha. The spirit was strong as brother Mackey was baptized and his nerves went away--you could just tell because the spirit was present like never before. We asked brother Mackey to bear his testimony. At first, when we asked him a few weeks ago, he was like noooo way. But then slowly, he decided he would. I loved his pure testimony. He proceeded to bear his testimony about Heavenly Father with one of his analogies and then testified that he believed everything he read was one hundred percent true. And then he stops and says.. no.. two hundred percent true. (: That felt good. Haha so his confirmation yesterday was crazy because he was almost late –bless his heart (we all have weaknesses). We confirmed that he was coming, but then church started and he wasn't there. AHH!!!! He told us he was on his way. So, we sing the hymn but it was the shortest hymn in the book I kid you not. So, this sweet little old man gets up and I just say, God, please make this the longest prayer possible. Sister Wavers told me after she was heart praying the same thing hahah. Well, our prayers were answered cause this man prayed and prayed and PRAYED. As we kept praying, he kept praying. So, shout out to you great grandpa Calvin because I learned to appreciate long prayers (; right after the prayer Brother Mackey came in, sat down and then had to pop right up again so he could go be confirmed. He made sure he shook every single man’s hand after- he is a stellar member (:

We were on a leadership call with president the other day and at the end of the call he told us that he was going to say the prayer. I realized that I think this is the only time I have ever heard him pray. Wow! This man is called of God and he loves us and this mission. The things he prayed for were spot on and they ran through my mind all day. They are still doing so. It was a great example to me of prayers with faith behind them.

Yesterday we parked the car in the nearest parking lot instead of driving right up to our appointment. As we were walking there, there was one man (there is hardly ever anyone outside walking there) walking. We turned around and started talking to him. Guess what? He is looking for a church(: It was a reminder to me that Miracles are in the extra mile, extra smile, or extra sacrifice. We need to give up our will to God’s and be willing to give all we have, not just what is comfortable or easy to give. Become a disciple that will go the extra mile (:

HEY! I love y’all. I know that through Jesus Christ we can be delivered from all…even the tiny everyday things are easier when we involve Him through prayer, study, worship, gratitude, and forgiveness (:

I LOVE MY CALLING (:

Sister Campbell 

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

 

May 29, 2017 – BEcome More like Him (Jesus Christ) Each Day (:

My favorites (:

We had a week for the story book for sure!

Happy Memorial day(: We got to go to this event put on by the city today. I enjoyed being there with my neighbors and friends (everyone starts to know everyone even after 3 months here) to remember and thank so many! Something the speaker said struck me. He said- "if we are going to continue to be the land of the free…we need to continue to be the home of the brave." Freedom -whether it be our country or from the chains of the devil does not come without brave soldiers. People who understand their purpose enough to give their lives up for it. 

I was thinking- If not death or full time for a period of time, I hope we are all giving up a small part of ourselves to BEcome more like Him (Jesus Christ) each day. (: 

I feel like the less time you have on your mission the more people ask you when you go home. I get it at least 10 more times a day than normal. Or maybe it just feels like that. 

We are teaching this couple and their daughter. They are a fun little family with many challenges cause life and Satan, but they have great hearts. We got to their lesson and she had literally taught herself the entire restored gospel. I was shocked at how much they knew and their questions were very inspired. They are very interested in coming to know it is true, but people are so focused on outside resources and creating our own ways rather than just doing the simple things we have been asked to do. We taught them about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and asking God if it is true. On missions we don't use google but in non missionary life I did. It made me think about how often I would turn to a tool like the internet or a friend or my parents before I would turn to the Lord. Here, if I don't know how to do something or I need information, I ask God first. I pray! I think sometimes we forget that our technology is a tool that we turn to AFTER going to God in prayer(: It isn't ask of google- it is ask of God. And, if needs be, he guides us to use the right tool which could be google. 

When we were walking back to where our car was parked, I saw a shopping cart so I decided since were were walking the same way I would return it.. HA. It was quite literally the loudest and most obnoxious noise ever. Shopping carts and sidewalks don't make a good team, but hey at least we were seen and doing a good deed while being seen, haha! 

We had a mission leadership council meeting Tuesday. President's last one and my last one. President texted us to tell us that there was a huge accident (we haven't gotten an update yet on the people:(  right on the interstate that we needed to use to get from Lexington to Charleston (3 hour drive there and another 3 hours back seeing that all goes smoothly). I panicked a little bit because I am the absolute worst with directions and I was the co-driver….so it was mostly on me to figure out how to get us there. President gave us these really long detailed instructions and told us not to do anything differently. He said if we followed his directions, we would get there only 40 minutes later than usual. I looked on the GPS and I saw so many other routes we could take. He told us no and to go the way he said - through this pretty mountain pass in the middle of no where haha. We decided that he knew best and we would follow to a T his directions. Sister Wevers said she said an extra prayer asking God that we would arrive there on semi time and in one piece.  We followed every one of his directions and we got there (: We got there and I realized not everyone was there.  There were many missionaries that accidentally took the wrong way- the way I thought we should go- and got stuck in a whole bunch of messes with traffic from the wreck and I think even another detour. I was SO grateful that we had listened to our mission president and not my idea. President had the biggest grin on his face when we walked in and later he told us that he was thankful we listened to him. He was so pleased with that choice. He saw around the corners and he knew how to keep us safe and how to get us there with the least amount of problems. It didn't seem that way…I will admit it actually sounded a bit crazy when I looked at the map and all of the other ways we could have gone, but he knew best. My desire to follow the prophets and the apostles was enhanced. I felt the spirit witness to me that these men speak the will of God and that I should follow their counsel the same way I followed President Salisbury's directions- with exactness. It took time and effort to understand his directions…same with the prophets. We have to not just read or listen to the prophet’s words, but we need to STUDY AND APPLY them to our lives. I know their words will be what makes sure we return to our desired destination of our heavenly home (: It was a temporal experience, but it helped my testimony grow incredibly. During the closing song in MLC I could not stop crying. I realized it was my last missionary meeting in a big group setting. I was comforted by the spirit that there is a time and a season for everything and that good things won't come to an end. 

We were out working this week and we decided to work around the area where we had tried someone. We walked to the very end of the street and outside there was a dad and his daughter. He and his wife are catholic and he told us, "I actually know I really need to read the Book of Mormon!" That felt good(: I have a good feeling about him. They go out of town for a week but you best believe we will be seeing them soon(: 

I got to go on exchanges with Sister McHan this week. She is an incredible missionary. I came out with her last Jan(:  I have always wanted to serve around her so this was a blessing. We had some good laughs and brought a trash can to a lesson (cause object lessons work). We taught about how the sacrament each week for us is like garbage day. We weekly have an opportunity to have our sins taken from us rather than stinking up or piling up.  I asked her how she can always focus on the other person and not be focused on fearing men or what they think of her. She told me that she tells herself, "it's not about you". I have been trying it and it works so well. It reminds me of who the most important person is--the one right in front of me.  Sister Zaugg is her companion and she turned 20 so we celebrated (: Shout out to you! 

We are working suuuper hard with the people we are teaching and so are they(: I love repentance and the joy it brings to others. 

I LOVE MY CALLING (: 

And I love you! 

Sister Campbell

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

May 22, 2017 – BEcome Truly Converted to a Part of the Gospel of Jesus Christ That You Desire to Strengthen Your Testimony In

My favorites! 

This week was a roller coaster, but all good things and we are seeing others become converted left and right. WE LOVE IT. There is no greater feeling than walking into church with a friend and watching them participate in the ordinance of the sacrament for the first time in over 35 years(: No greater gift! 

So funny story, Yesterday sister Waddoups fed us dinner and made a whole pan of Texas sheet cake and sent us with the WHOLE THING to give out to people. Who knew cake was such a good way to contact people and help them feel loved? WE talked to a lot of our friends and got 3 appointments set up. Creativity at work, haha! 

We went out with a girl who has recently returned from her mission. We went to teach a very Baptist man who could not wrap his head around the blessing of a modern-day prophet. It was quite the lesson. Anyhow, we got out of the lesson and the member that was with us said something that really hit me. It was her first time being out with the missionaries since her mission. She told us that being a member and being a missionary was VERY different. During the lesson, she had so many thoughts run through her head, but she felt the spirit often during the lesson asking her to not speak. She felt the spirit testify to her that Sister Wevers and I were set apart and called to testify. The more I thought about that, the more I realized how blessed I am to teach people this message! There is no other job or experience like it. 

Sooo. SHOUT OUT TO THE KASMERS ( you know who you are) because I finally served with that Hawaiian companion I have always wanted. Even if it was only for a day. Now the back story to this. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted a Hawaiian companion. Like SOOO bad. So, when I found out I was training again I thought for sure she was going to be Hawaiian. I got Sister Zaugg who is totally not that, but she is great(: The Kasmers are some members I got close to in Cotton Hill. When I told them I wanted a Hawaiian companion they were sure I was never gonna get one cause there aren't many in the mission. BUUT dreams do come true cause I went on exchanges with Sister Fonua (: #dreambig 

During the exchange, we focused on prayer and on tweaking, not throwing our ideas out. Sister Fonua taught me many good things! The most important thing she taught me was that missionary work is supposed to be enjoyable all of the time. She had the best attitude about everything. She also taught me that if you put eggs in Ramen noodles it makes them taste better. I hate ramen noodles, but she offered to make me some for breakfast and I had never tried it so I always try it once, haha. 

On occasion, I will stop to think about how abnormal what I am doing is. How unique and personal our message is. And then thoughts rush into my head of why I know that what I am doing is God's work. We were driving one day this week and a song came on that was talking about the Book of Mormon and the history of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I still remember the part in the song where I was listening closely and all of a sudden I got goosebumps from my head to the last part of my toes. I felt so happy and I felt peace. I felt that the world stopped for a moment as I remembered that what I know is true. And I felt a moment of courage. I felt that I had the faith to be obedient to what God had asked me to do. I am grateful for the confirmation that I received of the truthfulness of Jesus Christ and His church. These experiences can happen often (they will be different for all of us) if we are looking and they help us to stay truly converted as we use them to fuel our obedience and faith. My goal this week is to seek for an opportunity to BEcome truly converted to a part of the gospel of Jesus Christ that you desire to strengthen your testimony in. Pray for that opportunity and work for it! 

We also taught Bryan the law of tithing using animal crackers (thanks Brother Barney) this week and it connected for him. I am being stretched as a missionary right now because we are teaching many progressing people but they are all on much different levels and they all learn differently. We have had to totally rely on the spirit as we teach. We taught Bryan about the importance of service and then at the end of the lesson he asked Sister Wevers and I if there were any needs in our family and if he could pray for them. He is loving the gospel and despite his 12-year-old type setbacks, he is really doing well. Love that kid! His mom isn't in the picture and I feel the women of the ward have helped him to feel nurtured and loved. Such a blessing. 

Visiting the members of our congregation is our new favorite thing. I have never felt more purposeful on my whole mission. We love teaching short lessons to members and helping them share the gospel! We reach A LOT of people that way. 

​I got to make my fort this week! The convincing worked(:  We celebrated sister Wevers’ year mark. I am so proud of her. She is a good buddy to have and we never have a dull day or a dull dish. We cook a lot of good food cause she teaches me how(: All I can make is chocolate chip pancakes, haha! She is strong and she pushes through. 

WELL! Pray for us. We have got some gooooood things happening here(:

I LOVE my calling so much! 

Sister Campbell

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

May 15, 2017 – BEcome a Blessing to Those at Church

My favorites! 

How are ya?? 

Happy Late Mother’s Day! Mine was great(: I got to see a lot of my favorite women. So bless(: 

Well, this week we saw lots of cool miracles with helping people come to church! WE also were in church Sunday and saw three new girls. We went up and talked with them (back story, recently on my mission I have learned to BE a blessing to those at church. This means that you sit by someone and you genuinely talk with them and listen to them and be a friend to them. Doesn't matter who it is. I have loved this idea and I try to sit next to different people all the time. Sometimes it really messes with peoples’ heads because normally it is where they would sit, but I like it and it helps me get to know my ward quicker (:) ​and guess what! One of them was our neighbor. (not Violet, a different neighbor(: ) It was fun to talk with them. They were there for a class and we answered a lot of questions for them! 

So, one cool story. I know the Lord gives us the experiences we need to prepare us for what is to come! 6 weeks ago, I overheard someone talking about an interfaith going on in the community. Long story short, we tracked down the supervisor and got involved. WE met a freshman at W&L who is taking a summer class. By the end of the event (thanks to the elders for talking to her at the booth they were at) she runs up to us and says, "can I have a Book of Mormon?" YES!!!! So, we highlighted one, put our testimonies in it, and met up with her to give it to her. Well, she had so many questions we ended up teaching her for a good 30 minutes. She wasn't interested in meeting regularly, but she was so cool! So, we asked her if she would do something with us today. WE ended up walking around town. At the end, she told us she had been reading the Book of Mormon (: I felt JOY! And confident that I would continue to have experiences where I can share what I love forever(: I felt God telling me through this experience that there is always someone and some way to be a missionary. 

Well, I love y'all! Keep on smiling (: and create a GREAT day! 

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

May 8, 2017 – There is One Path That is Right for Everyone - This Path is God's Plan of Salvation (:

My favorites, 

Oh, do I have stuff to tell you. In missionary life, 4 days of experience is like 100 days of experience. I'm telling ya. My hand cramps all the time because the journal writing goes on and on and on. Good news is, there will never be a short supply of stories and experiences (: Speaking of stories and experiences we had lots. This entire week was all about people telling us that there were "many paths one God". My testimony grew that it is REALLY important to read the scriptures, because that is not what Jesus Christ taught. I know that God created a plan and that plan is centered on his Son, Jesus Christ. 

So, on a real note. I TOATLLY forgot to write a weekly email. My B. Here is Sister Wevers take on the week (she let me borrow this) 

So, on Saturday evening, it was around 8 pm, the last hour in which we proselytize, we decided to start off by trying this former investigator, and see if we could potentially start teaching them again. Before we even make it to their house I trip and fall on the ground, and scratch up my knee for probably the first time in my mission (that is a blessing). We then go and try this former, and he wasn't interested, a normal occurrence as a missionary, but what made this experience unique was the fact that he started trying to have an argument with us about Marijuana, and trying to support his argument that Marijuana is basically a gift from God, and that there is a scripture about how God created herbs for the use of man, and that everyone who says Marijuana is bad is a liar, that it can cure cancer, etc. We both decided that there was better uses of our time, but it was just the most ridiculous thing. We then go to try a potential investigator and we go up to the door to knock on it, and they have these huge windows and of course we accidentally end up seeing them making out, and so now I'm traumatized for life. To end off that night, we also ended up meeting our mission president's wife's hair dresser, so small world.  

Then yesterday we had a lesson with one of our investigators, a twelve year old boy who is the son of a less active man we found, and we were teaching the law of fasting. We teach it and we asked the member who was with us about how fasting has blessed her life, so she tells her story, and a little background information in the situation is that the dad and son we are teaching have these two roommates who are not interested in learning about the Gospel at all, and have never participated in our discussions before. One of the roommates was there playing video games and after the member shared her experience, he starts saying all this stuff about how fasting is a higher level thing, and that you have to be really careful about what you fast about because things can happen and how it opens your "third eye". Overall it just randomly turned into this thing in which he told us he believes in magic, and that he casts spells, and he even started to say some inappropriate things, in front of two twelve year old boys.... so yep that was just interesting to say the least. 

Kid you not-funniest week EVER. This week I learned that the book of Mormon is FOR ME AND MY LIFE. The people are just like me. They have problems JUST LIKE MINE. I love it(: 

Y'all be good(: Remember I love you! Happy Mother’s Day. 

Still love my calling(: 

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

May 3, 2017 – Become a Cheerful Doer of God's Will (:

My favorites(: 

Well, the past ten days have been crazy, but they have been so good! 

First, in case you miss me and the odd things I do, I will share a funny story. We were cleaning the car today and I grabbed my roll of coins and an empty water bottle off the seat. My plan was to throw the water bottle in the trash and then to start the vacuums…well ha I drop the water bottle in the trash, but I hear a really loud noise and all of a sudden my hand was a lot lighter. I actually dropped my roll of quarters in the trash and I was still holding the water bottle. yup. (: Lucky us, the trash was totally full. We found an empty garbage bag and had to dig to the bottom. Sister Wevers was laughing the whole time. She looks at me and says, "Whoever you are with never has to have a dull moment". -ha…she tells me her life has been crazy since we have been companions. (: I took it as a way of her telling me she likes that I keep things interesting. 

My next goal is to convince her that our living room is perfect for building a fort and watching our missionary training videos in. I am getting there. Pictures to come provided my plans go through. 

Where to start? Oh! I know! So, our mission president last zone conference invited us to do almost everything differently. I think my jaw kind of dropped when he asked that because it was just a little overwhelming, but then also…challenge accepted. It sounded like an adventure(: He, in faith, asked us to change how we find (more creatively) teach (go directly to repentance) and baptize (create incredible baptismal services where all who are present can become converted). He asked us to be e.x.a.c.t.l.y. obedient, to have faith to see miracles, to wear ourselves out in the work of the Lord, and to recognize that this is Jesus Christ's work. He promised us that if we relied on the Spirit of God to do those things differently that we would be a miracle mission. I was in and super pumped. I decided that I would start by taking good care of the people we or other missionaries had already taught. One day, we found a person who had no address (BIGGEST pet peeve) but Sister Wevers knew where she lived. We planned to go by and grab it. Well, when we got there we decided to get out of the car and meet her. She opens the door and says “Hey! I was just getting ready to sit down and read the Book of Mormon. She let us go in and read with her(: AND she let us set up a time to come back. Turns out she is traditionally Catholic her WHOLE life. When we taught her the restoration she completely understood that we were claiming that Jesus Christ restored the priesthood authority and all of his doctrine to one church- and that church was the church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints. The best part…when we invited her to be baptized and confirmed by this authority, she didn't kick us out. (: She said, ”you understand I have been Catholic my whole life and that would be a really big deal for me right”? We testified to her we knew that it was worth it. She still didn't kick us out, but instead asked, “okay well how can I know it is true”? We invited her to read the Book of Mormon and to come to church. She declined the church and said no way was she missing her church Sunday. Yesterday we showed up for a lesson, but she was all dressed to go to church. We had not clearly explained that we only had services on Sundays. oops. We told her they were only on Sundays and she said, well I can't go then. We taught her the plan of salvation. She was interested and really wanted to know if it was true. I invited her to come to this church until she got her answer from God.-for as long as it took. It was a bold invitation and when it actually came out of my mouth I felt a power bigger than me hold me up and assuring me that what I was asking her to do was right. She said, “okay, I will see what I can do”. And she came up with a plan to try and get there. I am convinced that invitations given with love to act are the best way to do the Lord’s work. And the best part of it-I know who I am so it isn't hard to do it. 

Our friends are eating the restored gospel of Jesus Christ up. AND they are reading the Book of Mormon. (: Brother Mackey came to a baptismal service this Saturday and passed out the programs for it. After the baptismal service he looks at me, grabs his dreads, and says, "these are gonna be a mess". But he never once had the thought of- I won't do it.  I love this man’s desire to serve God! When the Lord asks him to jump- or we ask him to jump- he asks- how high? And he jumps even higher than that every time. We taught him about fasting this week and he says, “I think I am going to fast from my video games on Sunday”. He did. Such a good man. We had a few bumps in the roads with the baptisms coming up, but the Lord is working all of it out I just know it(: Hopefully we will see a few in the next 6 weeks! 

Something that has been on my mind this week is doing the Lord’s will. And doing it with a cheerful heart. For those of you that don't know, after talking with the doctor me and good President Salisbury made the decision it was best for me to go home in June rather than July to help me get the bar in my chest out sooner. It has been causing much pain and discomfort and the sooner, the better.  With the change of my departure date I was so worried that I wasn't going to stay out for my entire time. It is a 6-week difference but I was so nervous we looked over something or I didn't have enough faith to be healed or something had to be wrong. I was afraid it was going to ruin my life! (dramatic, right? but I promise you it was really how I felt) The words that sweet Sister Adams said to me, my trainer, Sister Wevers, President Salisbury, my mom, everyone else, and God especially spoke to me comforted me. My testimony grew in other’s ability to say the right thing. I got a blessing from a very nice man in our ward. As I was bawling. He just gently spoke to me. A few things he said to me struck me to the core. I will try to do the chat my comp and I had and a line of my blessing justice:  -God's perception of time is so very different than ours- Where you spend those weeks DO NOT MATTER- he knows where he wants you and if you let him, you can be right where he needs ya. How you spend those weeks does matter. Sister Campbell, the only personal thing you can give to God is your will. HE wants your heart all. of. it. ALL OF IT!. I learned an important lesson that day- missions ARE NOT where we start our service to the Lord or end it. -it is one calling in a sea of many….and it just so happened the Lord needed me for 17 months in this beautiful land of broccoli forests (that is what it looks like here right now) and people I will forever be changed by (: The scripture I picked for my mission plaque has come back to me a few times this week: 

16 You know, brethren, that a very large ship is benefited very much by a very small helm in the time of a storm, by being kept workways with the wind and the waves.

17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.

​

I know that this is what God is asking me to do. 

-That being said. I am ready to soak up these next 6 weeks and make the most of them(: Please pray for us that the road bumps leading to the baptisms we have planned will smooth out- the Lord willing (: 

​

​I LOVE MY CALLING(:

​And I love y'all! 

-- 

Sister Justina Campbell

West Virginia Charleston Mission

Beautiful land of broccoli forests.

A bird pooped on my hand.

My Ward mission leader is a retired NFL player for the ravens. He is so sweet! I really like him and he helps with the work. Bless his heart. I love members that do missionary work (:

We volunteered at the sellar (vendor) event downtown. We both wore polka dots and our new friend (she asked US for a Book of Mormon) asked us if polka dots was our uniform...oops.