March 10-17

                           Sorry I don't have time to email again, but next week I will for sure! 

  I've been working on classes and my final report, but want to send you some pictures!

                                                       Me and one of my favorite families!

                                                                 




                                                                      Me and Om Ros

                                                        The Three Amigos! or, Bei Mitpeak!

                      





                        Our Zone activity was bowling at the Bass Pro Shop, so very underwater themed!

  This was a Buddhist funeral for Om Samoeun that passed away a month ago that we attended last week.

March 3rd

Sorry, I sent another email and it decided to send both at the same time, so I guess I should finish writing my home email before sending off my pics, haha!

We had a musical fireside put on by the missionaries and the converts in the area this past Sunday which I played the piano for and sang in. It turned out really well, and I'm happy with how it went will be even better prepared to play at the next fireside in a few weeks since I was a little rusty with the songs, having only enough time to practice once before we performed. (You can see more pictures at: calledtoservewa-tac.blogspot.com) I wish I could record it so you could have chance to see what it's like, but I've heard they recorded Amazing Grace (which is our mission song) and that it's on Youtube somewhere.

This week I was impressed to study about prayer, and with all different assignments coming up competing for my study time, I wasn't able to study it as personally as I'd hoped, but God made up for it and almost every church meeting I went to this week we've talked about prayer. Not that it's not something that's brought up very often, but I heard peoples personal testimonies, and I'm sure it's not ironic that we have a whole book in the Book of Mormon about the power of prayer. With the little chance I had to study Enos I learned about how much effort it takes to really make prayers worth it and I'm still working on making them more personal as it's our time to personally communicate with Him, and find additional answers through the scriptures and the words of the living prophets. 

Mondays are always so busy and hectic it's not very relaxing sometimes, and this past Monday was one of those. In spite of the rush however, I was able to go down to Lacey briefly and talk meet with Sister Rasmussen again as we practiced for a musical number coming up this Saturday for a mission-wide meeting. The day started off very unlike today where I had a hard time feeling grateful with everything that we needed to do and just prayed that with the little visit I would get with Sister Rasmussen in Lacey it would lift my day. And it did! It's usually the small and simple things that if we look for we will notice God in the detail of our lives.

Sorry my email's not very long this time, but with this thing called a "Final Report" that our mission does where we write a paper on what our missons have meant to us, and with registration coming up next week for school, I have a lot competing for time! But I love you, and hope you have a great week!!

Sister Dunster

 Especially for Youth group came out with such a good album this year I woke up to one of their songs; "It's Good to be Alive" playing in my head, and honestly I can't think of a better way to start the day!

 .                                            My new favorite vegetable; a sweet, purple potato!

                                                       . Me & Sister Loy at a church activity

 Pho (fuh) or kteel in Cambodian which a less-active made for us and gave us two servings-worth each! But so good!

                                                                  Me and Hector for a ride!

Feb 24th

"Knowledge carefully recorded is knowledge available in time of need. Spiritually sensitive information should be kept in a sacred place that communicates to the Lord how you treasure it. That practice enhances the likelihood of your receiving further light." - Richard G. Scott

When I received a blessing in the MTC I was told I would see many miracles on my mission. I didn't quite comprehend what kind of miracles he was talking about until later in my mission I was trying to remember all the little daily miracles I was experiencing but couldn't capture in my journal because let's face it - I can't fathom-ably write sufficient detail in my journal every night in 15 minutes, it just doesn't work out - I'm always behind. That's when I decided to keep a "Daily Blessings" journal (the "little plates") where I just jot down a few blessings I had that day, and when I have time to catch up in my journal I reference that to make sure I get the good stuff in the "big plates" (1 Ne 9:2-4). So here are just a few I've had this past week:

First, I was transferred back Cambodian speaking with Sister Loy and Sister Chhuon who both know Cambodian pretty well and speak to each other in Cambodian all the time so I don't always know what's going on, but know that's exactly what Sister Loy went through when she was with me and Sis Walker so I have no room to complain. Plus, I learn new Cambodian words every day, so it's the best opportunity possible to learn the most Khmer I can before I go home! Sister Chhuon is from California but is full Cambodian and grew up around it so she speaks a lot of "household" Khmer and is learning the gospel vocabulary. Interestingly enough, she's 31 years old, but I don't always feel like I have a companion 10 years older than me - she's that loving & amazing we all just get along so well! I couldn't have asked for a better companionship for my last transfer. 

The rest are of a more serious nature; The other day a less-active asked us to come visit this "Yiay" or "Grandma" that was dying in the hospital and didn't have any family to visit her before she went (Quivs: it was the Yiay with two teeth that showed us how to dance). We'd met her before, so we decided to go visit her that evening. An appointment ran lat, so we were short on time as the deadline for visitors drew close and we couldn't find the hospital. When we finally found it the main entrance was closed, so we walked around to another locked door and started calling to reschedule for the next day when someone exited and we got through the exit. We found an elevator but there was no 8th floor, so we went to the 7th. The doors opened to a nurse on break just sitting on the couches who was able to show us through some locked doors to a different elevator that would take us to the 8th floor. When we got there we realized we'd taken too long to get to the hospital and the less-active who was giving us directions had changed rooms, so we ended up praying with another friend of hers who was in the hospital. The next day when we planned to go visit the Yiay, the less-active informed us she'd passed away that morning.

(Two days later) Monday morning during studies we were accidentally called by the brother of one of our recent converts, Samoeun. He was trying to call his sister to inform her that Samoeun was in critical condition at the hospital. We'd had no idea, and remembering the Yiay from the day before, we decided to visit him as soon as we finished our studies. We made our way there, but not knowing the room we called Samoeun's brother to find out where he was. I talked to him on the phone and he said Samoeun was "gone", but due to the language barrier weren't sure what he meant by that, so we talked to the information desk and got his room number. We had our fears as the elevator took us up, and when we found a crowd of Cambodians on the floor, our fears were confirmed. We spent a few moments with Samoeun's mother whom we taught and baptized with Samoeun, crying with her. He'd passed away during our studies, and while I almost couldn't do it, we went and saw him one last time together. 

For a year he'd sat and listened from the side while we taught his 80 yr-old mother who doesn't have a very good memory, having said he wasn't interested. It wasn't until he started prompting his mother with the answers that we realized he was listening, taught him, and he was baptized, his mother following not too long after. Up to last week he was too sick to go, he went to church every week with his mother, and I have no doubt he will receive the blessings of his faithfulness from this life.

That morning's studies consisted of miracles: "Miracles should not be regarded as deviations from the ordinary course of nature so much as manifestations of divine or spiritual power." (Bible Dictionary, pg 732) Having discussed it, we decided that because God is love, and God is the essence of spiritual power, that love is a miracle. Everything we see, do, experience, is a manifestation of God's love and power, and only the things we don't understand do we call a miracle because we don't understand the mechanics behind it. But to God, His works and miracles are one and the same.

"Christianity is founded on the greatest of all miracles, the resurrection of our Lord. If that be admitted, other miracles cease to be impossible." (BD p. 732) I know, that because of Him we are able to create loving relationships in this life, and that "the divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave." (The Family: A Proclamation to the World") I love this gospel as it blesses us with the ability to see this life through the perspective of eternity: "While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:18) God has a plan for each and every one of us; we just need to turn to Him as the source of comfort and answers, and I know we will find them.

Love you!!

Sister Dunster

                           Our Transfer photo (look at it awhile and see if you can tell what we're spelling)

                                   Dupont exchange from last week with Sister Everett and Sister Liao!

                                                       Me, Sisters Walker, Loy &Chhuon.




      Gat sbow, or "cutting Bear Grass" which is something Cambodians do to earn money. It's about $7 per 100 bunches like the one I have in my hand.

                                                       Us sisters at a mission fireside in Elma

                                                                    All cutting bear grass

Feb 17th

So last week I don't think I remembered to mention transfers were coming up, and yesterday the library wasn't open, so today I'm packed and going back to Tacoma! Yep, I get to finish off (something I still have a hard time saying) my last transfer (there it's out!) Cambodian speaking which I'm really excited about! I learned a ton these past two transfers from both my companions, and from the English work here in Lacey 3rd. I'm going to really miss them, but God's been really good to me about saying goodbyes because when I said goodbye to Tacoma I knew I'd be coming back, and when I say goodbye to Lacey 3rd, a source of comfort is that 6 weeks from now we'll be Facebook friends and I'll still be able to keep in touch with them!! I love Lacey!

We had a really good last week here. I didn't get transfer calls until Saturday, but like I think I said in my last email, it was accidentally implied by my mission president's wife. Love her! So throughout the week I had a chance to have final lessons with everyone. It was also the busiest for us as we went on two exchanges in order to fit in the new companionship of Cambodians now doing English work (still bizarre in my mind that they ended up together for that little bit!) and Sister Rasmussen went to the temple with a recent convert on Saturday (Valentine's day) so I joined the American Lake Sisters for the day which was super fun! It's amazing how much you can learn from each and every person you associate with, and I'm so grateful - as daunting as it was to me - for the opportunity I had to go on exchanges with the sisters within our stewardship (or for a day) and their examples. It's amazing.

Ok, my format's everywhere but I'll just go with it; so Tuesday was the exchange with Sister Humphreys, my baby! It was weird to be back in our companionship in the not so distant but foreign land of Lacey doing English work, but she's learned a lot since we were together and will continue making progress on her mission. Sister Rasmussen went with Sister Walker in Olympia which is only reasonable as I couldn't have gone on three exchanges with her - it'd be rigged and I was grateful for the two we had anyway, and it was just what she needed!

Our second exchange, and my last, was to Olympia 4th where I went with Sister Kramer who wasn't feeling well and we spent most of the day going to the clinic and actually slept during our knocking hours with permission because of how fatigued she was, and afterwards felt so much better so we were able to finish off the day strong. It brought back a lot of memories from the first half of my mission where I had to stay with my trainer as she had what they've finally diagnosed her with (6 months later) as parasitical bacteria in her stomach, so she ended up eating nothing but protein drinks that last few weeks of her mission. It made me realize how hard it was for me at the time, but how much I learned about love, and ultimately patience. It's something I studied up again on today, and how it's closely tied with faith and hope as we are able to calmly wait for something we hope for, believing it will come. I'd been hoping for a good, productive mission, and although it was pretty rough at the beginning, God blessed me with a beautiful mission. And no matter how near the end grows, I know, my mission will never end as it's not what you accomplish, but what you become that matters, and I will continue growing, even after I take off the badge.

There are so many people I wish I could write about our time with, but there's just not enough time for me, or for you reading it as I know long emails can get a little boring if you don't even know the people personally and all the excitement is on my end, haha, but just know there are many amazing people here in this ward! I'll write just about one; Sister Snider. I think I've mentioned her before, but she's in her upper 40's, (incomprehensibly)single, super healthy, an RM, she sings, has an amazing sense of humor and teaches the youth in the ward. I just had to let her know how much I appreciated her and her example because some of the most influential women in my life growing up (other than my mom) were my teachers who at the time were single, returned missionaries, who passed their love of the gospel on to their students. 

Any time I meet people like that, that I sometimes think should be an example to a larger or more public audience, I realize that everyone has their place in life and just because we're not called as Apostles of the Lord, doesn't mean we can't have a testimony like one. I'm sill working on that, but I really appreciate all the amazing examples of love and true discipleship I've seen, whether public or private.

Thanks for all you've done for me, and I hope you all have a great week!

Sister Dunster

                                     Exchange #1 with Sister Humphreys and Sister Walker!

                                                         Me and Princess (Ian's dog)

                                              Exchange #2 with Sister Kramer and Sister Flanigan!

        Family photo of me with the amazing Sister Dee Brouse and her dogs Amy and Wilson (who's trying to hide)

Fed 9th

This week I spent a day in Deschutes with Sister Liao again! She got a new companion, Sister Everett, who actually leaves the same transfer as I do, and since I went with Sister Liao last time I told Sister Rasmussen I could go to Deschutes with Sis Everett. It just so happened they missed our call, so when they called back I was in the shower and just before we're suppose to leave I find out Sis Rasmussen accidentally switched it and I was going to Deschutes with Sister Liao! She's a blast to be with, so I had no complaints, and it was meant to be!

We met with a guy that night who only wanted to hear something new, so she shared with him some things that are in the Book of Mormon that aren't as clearly defined in the Bible, but he wasn't very satisfied. So I just bore testimony about the truthfulness about the Book of Mormon and how it doesn't matter how much you know, but how you feel about what you know; how you could read the Book of Mormon over and over again, and always get something new through the Spirit of revelation, and how all he needed to know was whether or not the Book of Mormon was true.

When he first came outside to meet us he came with the spirit of contention which I was worried about because I didn't want to bash with him, but he was very open about his desire to know more, so in the end he said he appreciated my testimony, admitted that he felt a lot happier than he had at the start, and said he'd give the Book of Mormon another shot. There was no guarantee, but at least he was willing to keep opening it up and reading, and if he's truly sincere about his desire to know the truth he'll pray about it and receive an answer for himself.

It was one of those instances I could see God's mighty hand working those little miracles in life, because I always knew the Book of Mormon to be true, but there are times in life when you feel the reconfirmation of its truthfulness, and the woman yelling at us last week really helped prepare my testimony for this guy (ironically). :)

There are literally no words I could use to encompass everything that happened Wednesday, and I don't think everything that did happen could be shared. Sister Walker's companion who struggles with depression, social anxiety and paranoia was really going through a loop and decided to go home. Sister Rasmussen and I wanted to do something to help them, so we called President who suggested we go over and just comfort them. We spent a lot longer than we'd anticipated, but we never fully understood how badly the sister was suffering since we'd gone on an exchange two weeks previously and she seemed fine, but after that we knew it was one of those situations where it's best they go home to recover before coming back, which she hoped on doing. That was the roughest day of the transfer, and one of the most emotionally straining days of my mission as I saw her mentally come and go what Sister Walker went through in being patient and loving towards this sister she'd been with for a month already! She treated the situation really well, and President said he'll get her a really good companion for her last transfer this coming transfer which is what she deserves, and I gained SO much respect and love for this sister who has those struggles in this life, and really hope she'll be able to come back out again!

The next day during weekly planning we accidentally locked ourselves out of the apartment, but we have the most amazing recent convert neighbor just down the stairs! Dee does everything for us, and I absolutely love her! So we went by to walk her dogs and share some scriptures with her while we waited for the apartment manager to come unlock it for us. Needless to say we'll be making a duplicate today!

Friday was my last missionary leadership counsel where we spend the morning with all the zone leaders, assistants to the president and the mission president and discuss business of the mission. So here you have all the top people of the mission gathered to learn and discuss, and of all people, Sister Rasmussen and I were asked to give a training on door approaches! It's the third training we've been asked to do this transfer! But God knows what we need, and going from a zone meeting training where I was the most nervous, to zone conference training which I was also really nervous about but a little more relaxed, I thought we were good for the rest of the transfer. But I learned a lot, and after praying super hard that everything would go well, it was the most relaxing training I'd given! God gives us opposition for a reason, as hard as it is to appreciate beforehand!

That's a pretty long email for this week, but I hope everything's going well and hope you have a great week! Love you!!

Sister Dunster

                              Sister Madsen (Sis Rasmussen's previous companion), Sis Ras and me!

                                         The sisters after MLC (missionary leadership counsel)

Feb 2nd

I had my last conferences as a missionary this week. We had Stake conference which was really good for me personally, and we watched it broadcast to our own building, so it was black and white like an old general conference session which made it even more unique. We also had Zone Conference where they asked Sister Rasmussen and I to give two 40 minutes trainings. We were supposed to teach the same lesson twice, but somehow it got mixed up and the other pair of Sister Training Leaders were prepared for a lesson, so they taught the second hour instead which we both relieving and disappointing at the same time, 'cause it usually takes the first training before you get it right the second time, but we were happy with it!

The other day we knocked on a door and a woman answered with a somewhat upset look on her face. She squinted at my nametag as we started introducing ourselves (I forgot my Khmer nametag was on my coat instead of my English) and started ranting about how upset she was that we knocked on her door. It was apparently bad timing, but she took the opportunity to tell us everything she felt was wrong about our church and for 5 minutes wouldn't give us a chance to so much as suggest putting a "no religious soliciting" sign on her door. We finally ended up just walking away as she continued, but it was one of those doors you learn that all people have their agency and some that have a bad day chose to take it out the wrong way. I've met some really respectable people at doors, some pretty immature people at doors, and very opinionated people, and although it's hard, I've learned to recognize that you can't judge them because you never know what's really going on in their lives.

Alma 5 has come up a lot in my personal study and lessons this week and I realized it's the place to go when you're looking for a self-assessment! Between that, and contrary to the woman at the door's opinion, it's amazing to see how true the Book of Mormon truly is! Anything that draws us closer to God is from God (Moroni 7:13). You can't read the Bible to know if the Book of Mormon is true - you have to read the Book of Mormon and if you're sincerely seeking the truth with an open heart, you will gain a stronger testimony of Jesus Christ and know that the Book of Mormon is from God. Anytime Sister Rasmussen and I come across anti it helps solidify our testimonies, so just as in any life's lesson, opposition is necessary for growth and I'm grateful for the outcome. Knocking can be hard sometimes, especially since it's required for two hours every day, but in zone conference we were talking about how almost every story begins with "One time when we were knocking..." and it's true that's how most of the crazy stories begin!

We're still working on our teaching pool, but we had a new-member potluck for new members and their Visiting/Home teachers where we ate, chatted, and three converts bore their testimonies which were really powerful. The night before Sister Rasmussen felt we needed to knock a street the elders had knocked not too long ago, so we went and found a less-active that unbeknownst to us, our ward mission leader had been trying to get a hold of in order to invite to the dinner! She came which was quite the surprise for our ward mission leader, and we're going to try and talk to her parents who are not members as well. Overall we had a good crowd show up and it turned out really well.

Ever an adventure here in the WA-TAC. :)

Sister Dunster

 1. To stay away from the SuperBowl craze, we had a "ScriptureBowl" activity with the zone and since Deshutes is a drive away, the sisters were given permission to have a sleepover at our place! :D

2. The rain truly makes everything green in Washington.

Jan 26

Amidst the finding activities for the week, we were able to go on an exchange with Olympia 3rd again, and without my input, Sister Rasmussen suggested that Sister Walker would benefit best by me going on an exchange with her. I couldn't argue, so Walker came to Lacey with me!! Haha!

I'm terrible at taking pictures, so you'll just have to imagine how happy we were romping the streets of Lacey, checking on all the potentials and part-member families (because all but one appointment fell through that day), and talking up a storm! I learned how to find my own names for Family History with Sister Rasmussen this week, so just like going through a family tree, every time we brought up a topic of conversation, I felt like it brought up five more points we needed to touch on, and once we caught one of those it brought up another seven!

(Side note; We were prepping to go to the temple with our recent converts, and I'd heard it said before, but I didn't realize it until Sister Rasmussen showed me how to click through my ancestors to find temple work for them how easy it can be to find names - we found 63 in 40 minutes!)

Sister Walker's had a challenging transfer so far, so it was good for her to get a break and as always it was hard to say goodbye, although it's somehow getting easier, and of course we took pictures at the end. :)

It was quite the hassle trying to get our recent converts to the temple. One of them didn't get permission from his parents, and on the last day our only hope said she had chores to do and her dad wasn't home so we couldn't go over. Chances were slim, but we kept pushing and told her we couldn't go to the temple unless she had family names! Thank goodness Sister Rasmussen worked in Lakewood where the sisters there specialize in family history so she knew the ins and outs of Familysearch.org. Two hours before we were to leave for the temple all we had was her grandmother's name and her mother's name, and we had to call her grandmother for permission - but it was granted!! So she was baptized in behalf of her great-grandmother who now has the opportunity to accept or reject the offer, and our recent convert had a great time! It was also my first time doing family names at the temple and although the Dutch really tripped the workers up, it was a neat experience and only my second time to attend the Seattle temple.

And then, of course, I've never served in such a sports faithful state! In Gospel Doctrine on Sunday we were discussing prayer and naturally the topic of the Seahawks popped up and went on for over 10 minutes about how some said a prayer that the Seahawks would win against the Green Bay Packers, but how we can't pray for God to override someone else's agency. Then the Stake President stood up to explain how it's a personal decision whether or not we should watch sports on the Sabbath (unless you're a missionary and can't watch it at all), while Sister Rasmussen and I just laughed amongst ourselves. I have yet to buy a Seahawks T-shirt, but I think I'll wait until they win the second Superbowl in a row. :)

Love you all!!

Sister Dunster

"Courage is... the form of every virtue at the testing point." - C.S. Lewis (quoted from "Which Way Do You Face" By Elder Lynn G. Robbins, Oct 2014)

 As a kid I told my mom I wanted to be two things; a peacemaker, and a twin. She told me I could be a peacemaker, but that I couldn't really do anything about the twin part. Well, apparently there's more to a twin than being biological as we were "born" into the mission field at the same time, and as different as we are, we are known in the mission as "the twins"!

                                     Exchanges! Me, Sister Walker, Rasmussen and Jensen