COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS

 This month I have challenged myself to be more grateful.  I have tried to post something every day on FB that I am grateful for.  I challenged myself to go beyond the usual (God, family, friends, nature, and the gospel posts) and post things that point to those things.  It's been fun!  And Thanksgiving Day embodied all of the above.  I love our Thankgiving traditions that focus on everything and everyone we love!

We began with our traditional Turkey Trot (complete with new shirts for the event - by Scott!)  It was a beautiful day in nature.  The weather was AWESOME!  The company was BETTER!  And it was GOREOUS!  (The only thing that could have made it better was if our extended families could have joined us.  But we truly love our Kentucky family!  And wouldn't trade them for the world!)  I may have taken too many pictures....

Our Kentucky Family

The Lillywhties proudly display the shirts!

Walking... and I got to hold my eternal companion's hand and Jelly Bean's hand!

Joy is walking with our family!

Love my grandson!

He's sooooo cute!

And he makes everyone smile!

Raisin kept up on her bike!

We did it! Turkey Trot 5K!

This picture made me laugh!

All the Bettenhausens look onward while Starburst sleeps....

Dang!  I love this family!

Raisin, Mark and Marmalade are so cool!

I absolutely adore this small family!

My grandson, my son, and my daughter!

DAB!

Then our dinner was, again, more than we needed or deserved.  So we shared.  Amy, Kiara and I made sure Katia and her companions had enough and then reached out to our wonderful sisters in the branch!  We love them so much!  We made them the exact same meal we enjoyed.  (Wish they could have joined us at our home - but they were unable too.)

Sister Wolfley, Sister Wooley, Sister Larson and Sister Powell

As we all discussed what we were grateful around our own Thanksgiving feast, I felt joy at the heartfelt expressions of gratitude that were given by all of the kids!  AND my favorite expression of thanksgiving came from my own, sweet, adorable grandson!  When his mother asked him what he was grateful for, everyone watched as he turned right towards me and smiled!  He is definitely thankful for his grandma!!!!!!!

Giving Thanks!

We are cute!

We played games and crafted the rest of the evening.  Which is exactly the way I like it!  I always come up with a craft (tradition) for the kids on Thanksgiving.  This year we made Christmas wreaths out of pool noodles!  I think they turned out fantastic!

Besties (Skittles and Starburst) playing with cars!

Kiara - Marmalade - Apple Pie - Nuts - Jacob
Me - Jelly Bean - Raisin

Scott and I are so grateful for friends!  We are so grateful for family!  And we are most grateful for our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!  Happy Thanksgiving!

SISTER DeGOOYER - WEEK 73

 Happy Thanksgiving!

My, my time flies! Another week come and gone; sometimes I wish time would just freeze....

This week was so good! We found 3 new people to teach! Our family came to church! We went to mutual with the youth and did a FaceBook scroll. We had an exchange! We listened to our dear prophet pray and have been giving thanks ever since!

It was an amazing week, nothing too wild to report. We are just loving this work in Chubbuck -- some of the people we have been teaching got Covid, so that's hard, but we're remaining optimistic. Our wards support us so well - honestly, we love them!

Life is good and I am hanging onto every second! Being a missionary is amazing! Good thing it won't end when I go home. I encourage all of you to do President Nelson's challenge in whatever way you can.

Have a great week!

Sister DeGooyer

Blessings of Israel:

1N21:13 comfort and mercy
1N21:15 God will not forget us
1N21:16 we are graven upon our Lord's hands
1N22:6 "nursed by the Gentiles"
1N22:9 we will have covenants again - through us all the people will be blessed
1N22:12 brought out of captivity - gathered to the land of inheritance - brought out of darkness and obscurity - knowledge of Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior
1N22:14 every nation which fights against us, will fall and be destroyed
2N3:5-7 broken off seed of Joseph will come to a knowledge of the truth
2N 3:24 restoration
2N6:11 the Lord will be merciful - they will come to a knowledge of their Redeemer - gathered again, in lands of inheritance
2N6:13 not ashamed
2N6:14 the Messiah will come to save them a second time; He will come in power and great glory
2N6:17 the mighty God shall deliver His covenant people

Cookie Dough

Cookie Dough Movie Night

We love Church

Religious Freedom - Heck, yes!

Didn't mean to send the one of me looking at my tag...
(But mom thinks it is beautiful!)

Texas Roadhouse

Service

Service

Red Robin

Our Thankful Wall

SISTER DeGOOYER - WEEK 72

Hello friends,

Guess who woke up sick -- this human.  Maybe it's because Sister Sifford and I literally got caught in a sleet and haul storm?  Who knows though? The perks of being in a walking area for winter! Two years in a row; is God trying to tell me something? Or perhaps HE is just preparing me for Rexburg?

This week was so good! Zone Conference, Interviews with President, Sifford's Birthday, Exchanges, and a multitude of those small miracles that make everything worth it!

Miracle 1) We were given a referral a week ago that we have been trying to check out. Every time we have gone there no one has answered. We decided to stop by one evening, but the lights were not on in the home. Sister Sifford and I decided to just leave it alone for the evening. The moment we decided to leave I felt like we should knock on the door - I thought to myself how stupid that would be especially considering how cold it was and how dark the house had been. I kept feeling like we should go so finally I said, "I really want to knock on that door." Sister Sifford didn't argue and shrugging we went back. We prayed as we walked, we do that now, because it's so cold if you stop for a second the wind gets to you. Right as we were coming up to the house the light turned on. The referral answered the door, we shared a message, and she invited us to come back!

This random guy showed up at church. We talked to him and found out that one of our favorite families invited him to listen to their daughter sing. He has been looking for a church and really liked our service! He gave us his name, number, and address!  Wooohooo!

What other small miracles happened this week? We met a dude from England, who wants us to come back! We had Costa Vida twice! We got to hold puppies twice! We had some amazing studies! We laughed A LOT! I threw a surprise party for Sister Sifford with our amazing members -- she was surprised! We ate ltos of cake! We went to ward council in both wards yesterday and the support and friendship we have with our members is the best! I saw a picker machine! It snowed a couple of times! We got in touch with some of our key families this week! Our mission went up to 117 people on date this week (we started the week at 61).

Y'all it was such a good week and to boot my studies have been INCREDIBLE! Oh, I love studying this gospel, living this gospel, teaching this gospel! I love my life!

Happy Birthday, Jacob!

Muchas love to all of my amigos,
Sister DeGooyer

P.S. BLESSINGS OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL (found in studies this week)
1 N 10:14; gathered together again/come to the knowledge of the true Messiah
1 N 12:9; judged by the twelve apostles of the Lamb
D&C 75:5; laden with many sheaves - crowned with honor and glory and immortality and eternal life
D&C 75:11; HE will be with you until the end
D&C 75:16; overcome all things - lifted up at the last day
1 N 15:14-18; come to a knowledge of the Christ - all the kindreds of the earth will be blessed through us
1 N 14:2; the gentiles will join us - it shall "no more be confounded" - blessed people, upon the promised land forever - no more brought down into captivity
1 N 14:14; "armed with righteousness and with the power of God in great glory."
1 N 14:26; lost or hidden scripture will be revealed unto us!!
D&C 77:9; the gathering and the restoration of all things
1 N 19:16; gathered from the four quarters of the earth
1 N 18:17; every people shall be blessed

Exchanges with Sister Cameron

I really wanted to hop on drive it.

After effects of the hail and sleet storm

explanation:
I bought this toothbrush package thinking it would last me my whole mission...
I am on the last one....

surprise party

SISTER DeGOOYER - WEEK 71

 So in a lesson, Thursday evening with one of our families, we were talking about the Plan of Salvation. The Dad was explaining the story of Adam and Eve to his children, and decided to ask them what they were not allowed to eat. After some guessing, the son pipes up and says "Mushrooms?!" We all started laughing and then our fellowshipper shouts "Don't eat the shrooms!!" 

I found a kindred spirit, apparently the son thinks mushrooms are poisonous. My long researched conspiracy theory is that mushrooms are little aliens, sent to take over the universe one lawn at a time. So, I have found another believer. #thetruthisoutthere #attackofthemushrooms #nooneissafe

This week as I partook of the sacrament, I was thinking about some mistakes I have made in my life and even throughout just this week. I had an epiphany, sitting there in the church pew. I became aware that I was thinking about my weaknesses, mistakes, and shortcomings, in the term of definition; when in reality I should have been thinking about them in terms of refinition. [I think i just made up that word, haha] Our mistakes do not define us, they refine us. When we let them define us, we become weighed down; the atonement is what should define us-- nothing else. Refinement is and should be the effect of our shortcomings, produced and changed through the power of our Savior's love, mercy, and grace. This was just one of the many lessons learned this week in the life of Sister DeGooyer. 

We saw many miracles this week, especially as we started a gratitude wall! Every night we each write down 3 things to be thankful for! 

Nov1 

1. Baked Potatoes

2. The Book of Mormon

3. Testimonies

Nov2

1. Hannah was found! 

2. My name tag

3. The hills of Poky 

Nov3

1. MERCY and repentance 

2. My purpose as a missionary

3. Dogs 

Nov4

1. Exchanges 

2. Facebook Scrolls 

3. America- the land of the free 

Nov5

1. My district 

2. The Moore Family 

3. PMG 

Nov6

1. President and Sister Southward 

2. My companion

3. Trains

Nov7

1. Dancing in the rain

2. The Highland Zone Leadership Team

3. Macoroni and Cheese 

Nov8

1. SNOW 

2. The Atonement of Jesus Christ 

3. Divine Light 

It was truly a great week, so so hard, but so so good! I hope y'all are doing well! Love y'all! 

Sister DeGooyer 

P.S. I got my acceptance letter to BYU-I on campus! Not sure when I'll be heading there-- I find out, optimistically, this upcoming week! 

P.S.S. "As you study your scriptures during the next six months, I encourage you to make a list of all that the Lord has promised He will do for covenant Israel. I think you will be astounded! Ponder these promises. Talk about them with your family and friends. Then live and watch for these promises to be fulfilled in your own life." A prophetic invitation, that had escaped me until I read this talk! I felt so bad, a direct invitation from our Savior! Who wants to do this with me?! Oh, the quote is from President Russell M. Nelson in "Let God Prevail"

Exchanges 

Living my best life 

Smashing our FEARS 

We walked in the snowwww 

"DISGUISE" THE LIMIT

 Halloween was absolutely wonderful this year! Our neighborhood ROCKS! Despite "shut downs" and "mandates" etc. we celebrated! Scott and I dressed up and gave out 150 full-size candy bars! We got to see the most adorable ghosts, princesses, and goblins. The kids were happy! We were happy! It was one of my favorite Halloweens in our life because of the "connection" between all of us!  We needed it! (And it made it even better when Katia sent this great picture of her and her companions/roommates! They celebrated too!)

This may be one of my favorite costumes for US!

I love my other half!

Cody MADE his dragon mask.  How cool is that?!

Kiara decided to channel a more scary costume: Devil Spawn

And Scott LOVED the little garden gnome!

What's up with dad?

Starting Halloween traditions!

Skittles handed out candy with Grandma and Grandpa!

The gang!  I love these kids!

Although Skittles LOVED Halloween... I LOVED this crying picture.

He didn't like his beard at first.

I wish we had a real garden gnome that looked this cute!

Grandpa's favorite gnome!

Mommy's favorite gnome too!

Skittle's best friend, Starburst!

I LOVE that Sister DeGooyer had some fun with her companions!

This picture makes me happy!

AND then... NaNoWriMo!  Yes... we counted down... and WROTE at midnight.  I'm writing a literary novel.  It's not my comfort zone to write a novel, but I'm trying to grow and become and try hard things.  I encourage everyone to write more during the month of NaNoWriMo.  It's fun!  And, like my daughters are tired of me saying, "Little by little, a little becomes a lot!"  Happy Halloween!  And Happy NaNoWriMo!