*** IT IS HERE!! SISTER DOHNER WILL BE HOME WEDNESDAY!! HER MISSION HOMECOMING TALK IS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11 AT 1 PM***

Well babes, this is it!

Last email as a full-time missionary.

*golf clap*

These past 18+ months have been quite the gnarly ride. 

Constantly being humbly broken down and mercifully lifted up.

Encountering a plethora of emotions namely disappointment, heartache, confusion, amazement, extreme happiness, incredible joy!

As I reflect upon my mission, I am taken back by indescribable, immense gratitude. Any magnificent word comprised by the most scholarly mortal mind could not accurately describe the feelings of gratitude I have developed for my Heavenly Father and Savior.

Very precious moments have been had, and these people and this place will forever occupy a large piece of my heart.

ALL of the boys came to church yesterday! Ah. We filled up a whole middle bench :,)

And a couple of the boys wanted to go up and bear their testimonies but they were SO nervous so they wrote them out. hahah ah I love them SO much.

Departing Missionary Temple Trip--LA Temple

Sister Dohner and Sister Hoffman

Me with President and Sister Henrie--Man, I am going to miss them!

I had a big awesome thing written out for today, but I just ain't feelin' it and no one likes long emails anyway, so I'll just do the Spark notes version and say:

 

I have been forever changed by this gospel, these people, and by love. I am grateful.

And I'd be nothing without the outpouring of love and constant support of you babes. So THANK YOU! You have rocked my life like Avril. 

 

Cannot wait to hold you tight in a hot minute :)

You are my ROCK.

 

With much gratitude, Farewell--

Sister Dohner

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!! Oh, how I am grateful4u :,)

My thanksgiving...

Best Thanksgiving! Family from Italy

Happy Turkey Day

We literally ate all day long. From 11am-9pm our only appointments were food appointments.

 But the company was stellar so 10/10 would do it again.

This week was the most stressful week of my mission thus far. Haha, mostly in a good way, but I don't even know where to start. You know that feeling you get after you watch an episode of Dance Moms and you just walk away shaking your head with damaged brain cells and exhausted from all the unorganization? I guess that's a bit of how I feel.

But, living the dream because miracles are so abundant!

The MVP's of this week were the Caliz boys. Man, I love those little monsters. 

The 11 year old is mostly the ring leader who keeps his commitments and doesn't miss church. I'm probably not allowed to have favorites but... he's super fired up and teaches all the neighborhood kids about what he's learning from us :,) So our lessons are mostly riling up a band of little boys under the age of 16 to answer their questions and teach them more about God's plan for us. I feel like my heart is going to blow up every time out of immense love.

Taking the boys to LA Temple grounds

I love this band of boys!

We gave the boys a bunch of candy and said, "Having you at church was super dandy, now enjoy this yummy candy!" hahah and they gave this to us.

 

You know, this whole reaching the end of my mission has got me feeling some type of way. 

My emotions are like a 14 year old girls. Yesterday when we were driving in the car, Hoffy asked me, "What's the biggest thing on your mind?" and I thought for a sec, to put it to words, and pretty much...

 

1. How are we going to get everything done in one week?

2. Am I really going home?

3. How am I going to do my hair?

Lul. But for real. Bittersweet is an understatement.

 

A large piece of my heart will always remain here in San Fernando California. 

Here is where I've seen the Savior. 

Where I've seen his gentle touch change many hearts and dramatically change mine.

I just feel extraordinarily blessed and monumentally grateful!

Know I love you even more than apple cinnamon candles.

Xo, Sister Chels D

PS-- #LIGHTtheWORLD       https://www.mormon.org/christmas/light-the-world?play=hero

 Watch this video to catch some of the Light of Christmas!

 

 

 

 

 

 

**16 DAYS TO GO FOLKS**

"And their hearts were swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God..."       --3 Nephi 4:33  

This is how I feel.

There are just some times where you cannot describe things with words. Being here with these people are those times. My heart is seriously swollen with joy, unto the gushing out of many tears, because of the great goodness of God.

Living the dream 4 sure.

Love you babes almost more than when people keep their commitments <3

See you in a quick 16!

Back road tracking

Postin' up in the pourin' rain

Hi Utah! :)

I have never been so tired in my entire life.

Ha, this week was great though.

LA TEMPLE Visitor's Center

 

My girl Jackie was in the hospital so we trekked to Woodland Hills to go see her. Man, I love this lady. We sang her a hymn of her choosing, and then talked to her for a bit. She looked so frail and weak lying in that hospital bed. Then she grabbed tight to our hands, thanking us and said very softly, "I know He's with me. I don't know if this is a trial... but I will keep the faith. I will....", her voice broke, "persevere." Then a tear streamed down her face. She melts my heart in a way I cannot describe. She is a treasure.

with Jackie

 Later that night we stopped by the family we saw last week and the boys. Only one of them were home so we talked with him for a bit. Then later we were walking down the street and they were home. So outside of their apartment-- in the very small, dirty, and humble walkway above the stairs-- we talked to them about the power of the Book of Mormon.

AHH LET ME JUST PAUSE AND SAY THEY ARE AMAZING. Just being around them and talking to them melts my heart.

Then the 11 year old said the prayer. Ahh their prayers. I think I die every time. He thanked Heavenly Father for giving Joseph Smith this knowledge so that we could learn of it. And said, "The four of us are super into this so... we hope to keep in touch with you and you keep in touch with us." Haha and prayed about church then I casually melted cuz I LOVE THOSE BOYS SO MUCH!

Man. I honestly feel like so unworthy to feel the feelings I do. Every time I walk away from these people I feel like my heart is going to either blow up or jump to the moon. It is a feeling I've never felt before. 

It's exhausting. 

It is so much love it completely consumes my energy. 

 

I feel like this mission has just twisted and turned my heart in a million different ways. It physically hurts. 

Consistently. 

It either hurts of incredible sorrow or incredible joy. I think I now understand what Alma and the sons of Mosiah meant when they talked about "their sufferings in the land, their sorrows, and their afflictions, and their incomprehensible joy".

It's like nothing else and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

 

See you in 23 DAYS!!

Love, Sister Dohner

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another sublime seven days out here in So Cal :)

Friends Forever

You know, I thought by the end of my mission I would be quick at speech and have prophetic things to say and it would be easy for me in that way.. but I feel like I've gotten more and more speechless. More and more tongue tied. Because these things I've seen and felt just cannot be accurately put into words.

I'll try to explain a piece of one of the most magnificent days of my mission thus far... 

So we were walking through a run down part of town, trying to look for this really less-active member and her family. We didn't have an apartment number for her but we really felt like we needed to find her.

So we walked around and then this little 14 year old walked out and it turned out to be her son! They were on their way out but they told us to come back in a few hours. So we did.

She got baptized in Guatemala when she was a teenager but her husband and her 6 boys aren't baptized. We sat down with her and asked her about her baptism and then she stopped and got all her boys to come in and listen to us.

AH I wish I could have recorded what they said and bottled up these emotions and thoughts!!

The 11 year old boy had the most profound questions, I was blown away. Then he asked us to teach him more about "Joseph Smith and the plates". In the midst of the lesson, we stopped and asked them how they felt. He said, "I feel like Jesus Christ is with us. I don't know if he's here in this room, or up there... but I feel like he is here with us."

Ahhhhhhhh.

 

At the end, he volunteered to say the prayer and said: "We learned today that God is always with us.. we hope that we will be ready for our baptism Dec. 3rd and hope we can come talk to you tomorrow at 9:30am...." 

There was more but that's all I can remember because my brain almost exploded from an overflow of incredible gratitude for God letting me see for a second the things He sees in them. To let me feel for a second a fraction of the love He feels for them.

I feel so blessed I can hardly breathe.

Love, 

Sister Dohner

 

Utah State!!

 

 

 

 

 

Hey hey,

Happy Halloween!!! :)

Life is so good over here in Reseda California! This transfer couldn't have started off any better. I am companions with Sister Hoffman... man, I love that girl. We were in the MTC together and we've been dying to be comps since. So we started our missions together and now we get to end together :,) #abundantlyblessed

Reseda is a trip. I spent a little time over here in YSA. The Relief Society President's son's girlfriend (if you can follow along there) was one of my investigators and best friend in YSA so I got to see her at the ward Halloween party-- it was a real treat :)

But ya Reseda... for any of you Karate Kid lovers-- it's kind of a little ghetto... I love it!!

This week we saw so many miracles and met so many amazing people. We're kind of the Dream Team.

But I actually don't have much time or many words to describe my life right now. It's just so indescribably good and I feel so indescribably blessed. 

 So we are teaching this incredibly sweet woman named Jackie. She is in her 70's and she broke her hip not that long ago so she's just super fragile. She has so much faith though ahhhh she makes my heart SWELL. Like just one of those people where you leave and you could pass out you are just filled with so much love for her.

She just started getting taught and hadn't come to church yet because of her hip issues but we were in a lesson with her on Thursday and in her prayer she said, "Snow, rain or fire.. please help me get to church on Sunday Lord!"

She woke up 3 hours before church so she could get ready on time for a member to pick her up and wheeled her into church.

When she got into the chapel, tears were streaming down her face with such gratitude. She said she was in so much pain but she knew Jesus gave her strength to be there.  AH I LOVE HER.

Sister Bosshardt is headed home!

Studio City Fond Farewell

They gave Sister Brown and I a Farewell!

Love these kids!

My First Companion and My Last Companion!

Plus, ITS HALLOWEEN WAHOO! I hope you all eat too much candy and scare lots of little kids cuz you already know that's what I'll be doing :,)

Tonight is the missionary pumpkin carving contest and Halloween party so wahoo swag, watch out cuz we get wild. .....

Love you all more than candy corns :)

Sister Dohner

**SISTER DOHNER'S LAST TRANSFER!!!**

Hey family, friends, and fans :)

So this week was super fantastically amazing! Well, until my heart got ripped out of my chest.

The Dodgers lost and I am being transferred!

What a terrible combination.

Exchange Day

Last time with this view

Famous cupcake shop in Beverly Hills CA

Love all these palm trees

But I'll wind back a little to the good things of the week because... optimism.

So last Sunday was Elder Anderson's last Sunday on the mish.

He was with his investigator and some members came up to tell him goodbye and then his investigator was like... "Wait, you're leaving?? I wanted you to baptize me!" He was to leave Saturday morning,so they scheduled the baptism for Friday night.

We went, and our Iranian investigator came.

Man, the air was THICK in that room-- the Spirit was so strong. After the baptism, a bunch of us missionaries did a cool restoration musical number and one of the elders bore strong testimony of the Book of Mormon at the end. There were no dry eyes. Our investigator felt the Spirit for sure.

Our investigator

The next morning we went to the temple visitor center with him and one of my fav young families in the ward. We focused our tour a lot on celestial marriage and Christ-centered families. Armin wants a Mormon family more than anything else.

He texted us that night and said, (since he committed himself to stop drinking and clubbing) "My weekend style: Bible and Book of Mormon reading"

Hahahah. We Mormons sure are WILD! Our next step is to get him some additional FUN weekend plans :)

I'm going to miss that guy.

Sunday was super bitter sweet. They asked us to give a little farewell testimonies. I cried. These people have become my world.

We're shared successes and failures, joys and tears, hopes and dreams, current struggles,we've prayed together, deep chatted together, ate LOTS of food together, and most importantly, grown closer to God together.

Shaving coconut like a true Native

Authentic Lu pulu

Tongan drink Otai---FAREWELL TO SISTER BROWN

I feel very blessed.

Though it's hard to say goodbye, I'm very excited for my last area, last companion, and last 6 weeks. I feel my work isn't quite finished out here, so I'm excited to hit the ground runnin' and discover God's next new adventure for me.

I feel like the luckiest little girl in the world!

You all are so deeply rooted in my heart. Love you more than words can say :)

Love,

An emotional Sister Dohner

Hey Sunshineee!

Happy Monday people.

This week was a blur-- for two reasons. It went by incredibly quick but also because I can't really remember much of what happened. Ha. I'm in a time warp, I'm convinced.

Sister Brown and Sister Dohner--last week together

But the highlight was definitely meeting with our Iranian investigator. He's a neat one.

His soul is so eager to remember these things-- we meet with him every other day.

And on Saturday he sent us texts like this:

A: I would say I've got really closer to your ideas.

Us: What do you mean?

A: I feel I am going to be closer to Mormon, I think you say the truth.

Us: Wow, that's awesome! So what made you think that we say the truth?

A: I prayed and read Joseph Smith's testimony

... :,) There ya have it boys and girls. The primary answers-- READ AND PRAY, and your fears will fade.

It is so true it almost hurts.

This part of a hymn really hit me yesterday...

"Eyes that are wet now, ere long will be tear less, Blessings await you in doing what's right"

As I look at my life in retrospect, there's been some tears and sorrow and pain but a good majority of that has been a result of me thinking I can do this whole mortal thing on my own.

It makes life so much harder. It brings more tears. It really is in the gospel that we find the peace and purpose and joy we are all searching for. 

I think we all, from time to time, go searching elsewhere for contentment but in reality, lasting happiness does not exist outside of our covenants.

And when we mess up, the great thing is, God's hands are ALWAYS stretched out and blessings await us when we do what is right.

This stuff right here is genuine and authentic, so don't brush it off :,)

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-03-009-a-shower-of-heavenly-blessings?lan

I love you all so dearly. Stay siiiick.

Love, Sister Dohner

Hello hooligans!

This past week was a TRIP.

Unbelievable.

First of all, GREG BROWN WENT THROUGH THE TEMPLE!!!!

Flash back to almost precisely a year ago... me, Sister Beddes, and a couple elders were up in Stevenson Ranch teaching Greg.
After the first couple lessons, he knew. I still remember what he said as if it were yesterday:

"I want to be baptized as soon as I can. I've spent 50 years of my life without this knowledge and I don't want to go another day.."

So we would teach him 4 lessons in one sitting, haha. Since then, he had a year countdown for the day he could enter the temple... and it happened!!! :)

Now he has the Melchizedek priesthood, married a member, and teaches the CTR 4 year olds!

Miracle round two...

We got a member referral through the system, and it included the # for the member so we called her. She told us this referral was praying for spiritual guidance, and he was on Facebook and felt impressed to add her. He told her there was something different in her countenance and asked what it was. She continued to tell him it's her religion... "I'm Mormon". And so they chatted back and forth talking all about what we believe even down to Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity. But she lives in Utah, so she asked if she could send the missionaries and he said yes.

So we went over that day.

He told us all about life in Iran and his journey to America and journey in finding Jesus (only 9 months ago). He said, "In Iran I had everything. Beautiful penthouse in the nicest part of the city. All the cars. Parties every night. I had everything... but inside, I felt like I had nothing."

He searched for happiness and couldn't find it.... until he prayed and had a dream. A special dream with Jesus Christ. And then he knew Jesus Christ was more than just a man.

The next day he got a call for his green card.

At the end of that lesson, he asked us how often we could meet with him, so we've met every day since.

This man is a seeker. In nine months he's read the Bible in Parsee 5+ times.

He literally wants NOTHING MORE than to follow Jesus Christ and "receive salvation". He's told us over and over again-- "This is the most important thing for me right now".

And I've been thinking about that.. Is coming nearer to Jesus Christ and working towards my exaltation the most important thing for me?

When does that priority get foggy?

When do we lose that awe?

It's a funny thing because I came out here thinking I'd be teaching people... but they teach me a whole lot more. I want to wind back and really remember and relive the times I first received parts of my testimony. See things in a different way. Always be in awe for the little gospel treasures.

Uchtdorf's recent talk "O How Great the Plan of Our God" and Gerald Causse's old talk "Is it Still Wonderful to You?" have really hit me to the core.

"Amazement causes spiritual strength"

Is this gospel still wonderful to you?

I just feel overwhelmingly blessed. I've spent a lot of time reflecting and I HONESTLY feel like I am the luckiest person in the whole world. Beyond blessed.

And most of those feelings come from how lucky I got to have the best friends and family.. So thanks for being fresh and fly and incredible :,)

Stay Wonderful.

Love,  sis d

Prep Day at City Walk

Doing work for the dead

The Zone

Hello beauts via Utah! :)

This weekend was incomprehensibly perfect. I don't know about all of you, but as a missionary General Conference is almost as magical as Christmas morning!

Me and Sister B

Bill's baptism

HOLA! Welcome to English Class!

Another Amazing restaurant

 

 I'm just feeling cathartic and incredibly grateful :,) Hearing the MoTab, seeing Temple Square, listening to the familiar voices of the Prophet and Apostles and General Authorities and just seeing all those people in the Conference Center brought tears to my eyes every session because.. well, I miss the Utah bubble haha! (count your blessings) But also because I don't know what I did to deserve this great knowledge of Jesus Christ's restored gospel. I don't know how I got so lucky to be a part of something with such great love and clarity and purpose. I just feel so much love and gratitude. Not many words to describe.

But here's a miracle for your taking:

A member in the NoHo Ward brought one of her friends (that lives in our ward boundaries) to watch conference at the Stake Center! In between sessions the member pulled us aside and asked if we could teach her friend the lesson on The Restoration.

Man, her friend is INCREDIBLY prepared.

The spirit was so strong the whole time and by the end we were all crying. She told us that she feels like God has been preparing her little by little throughout her life to receive this message but that now He sees that she's ready. We then invited her to be baptized and she accepted :)

Gosh, I've taught people about God's love and Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ's Restored Gospel so many times but IT GETS ME EVERY TIME.

We were also able to go to Bill's baptism between Conference session!! So much JOY!

I feel like I need to go hibernate for a season to rejuvenate from all this spiritual stretching!

My heart is so swollen. And I am grateful beyond expression.

I sure do love you little angels more than life itself. Keep being outrageously wonderful.

All the loves,

A very exhausted and joyful Sister Dohner :)

 

 

 

 

 

Hi cute people :)

Another quick week out here in Studio City!

City Lights for miles and miles

Over looking my valley

A little glimpse into how these people roll: We were visiting with an old woman in the ward that is a little too fragile to make it to church. While we were over, she told us that a woman in the ward became super less active and every time she called she didn't have luck or she was "not home". So one day this 80+ year old woman decided to leave a message saying she was pretty much dying and being rushed to the hospital and she didn't now how much longer she'd live so she just wanted to hear this less actives voice... which was not true  hahahah....Just like Betty White on The Proposal.

Boy... what can ya do?

Woman's Conference was nothing short of amazing. It's always a joy to unite as latter day saint women and feel more abundantly of the strength and empowerment heavenly Father showers upon us. I feel really lucky to be a part of such a powerful force for good.

Sundays are my favorite.

I love being with my people at church.

There are so many young families and people poppin' out babies like it's the new trend, so we had 3 (boy) baby blessings.

OK, the mission has made me SO SOFT for family and babies, I cried in all 3 blessings haha.

I could just feel the insane amount of love. I am always touched by priesthood men and to watch those men circle around these babies with such great love. And I could also just feel a piece of how nervous and overwhelmed these fathers were to hold that infant in their arms. I believe it's because they are aware of what they hold. Not just a tiny fragile piece of life... but they hold the future. They hold the brother their current or future children. They hold future priesthood bearers of God's authority on the earth. They hold future missionaries, husbands, and dads. They hold Heavenly Fathers precious sons in their hands that He has entrusted them to raise up to be loved and to be nurtured and to grow in the gospel.

It's a neat thing.

 

But it was fast Sunday and while one of the dads was bearing his testimony he said: "and express my gratitude" but my hungry stomach and tired mind heard: "Panda Express, my gratitude", so my spiritual thoughts melted right there.

But man, I LOVE you beaut lads and ladies so so much! I know a lot of you, if not all of you, are going through some really tough times. I hope you remember you are in the hands of God. Just hold on a little longer! Things will be all right.

Stay cute and eat your fruits and veggies <3

xoxoxo, sis d

 

 

 

 

 

Hey loves happy Monday :)

Posterity Shot--My Hijas

So the other day my companion and I were knocking doors and came to a gate. A good amount of houses are gated, so we just flung the gate open and let ourselves in, like usual. We knocked on the door and immediately a guy answered and said "WHAT IS MY GATE DOING OPEN?"

And well, before I continue, there's a few big things to know about southern California: Traffic is wild at all hours of the day, people love "organic" and keeping to themselves, there aren't many yards and if there are it's fake grass, and... people LOVE THEIR DOGS.

This guy continued to say "There is a German Shepard on the premises... walk back to the gate and make no sudden movements". So we slowly but urgently walked back to the gate while holding ourselves back from punting his incredibly obnoxious chihuahua snapping at our ankles. Just as we made it to the sidewalk and finished sliding the gate shut, the German Shepard came running and barely didn't make it to us.

Ha, so I'm pretty sure all mailmen and missionaries have similar stories to this (if not worse) but I wanted to share it in comparison to a lesson I learned this week.

So lately I've been thinking a lot about decision making. Every day we make decisions- big or small- but I realize in these next few years of my life I'm going to have to make some big decisions.

It's scary. It's exciting.

But as I'm here in the safest environment to learning life lessons, I want to master decision making by the Spirit as much as I can.

So this is what I've felt, and help me out if I'm wrong.

-We have a desire. Or a goal.

-We live the gospel, keep the commandments, and put God FIRST

-We get to WORK! We do everything we can to reach that goal.

-Along the way:

     *When there is a fork in the road- Talk it over with God and LISTEN. I think we would feel a whole lot less lost and uncertain if we just took time to listen.

     *When there's an obstacle- We realize those obstacles are sometimes placed there by others, and sometimes by ourselves but each time we have the choice to either walk straight into it and resent it or climb on top of it to get a better view.

     *When there's sorrow, affliction, temptation- Remember we are in the hands of God. Remember the Lord knows everything we don't want anyone to know and loves us anyway. Remember we can quickly repent and get back on our way.

-Open our eyes to the blessings and possible routes God has provided that are actually far greater than what we imagined.

-Through it all give gratitude and pray unceasingly. For this task to reach our desires isn't just about the outcome, but more about the journey.

Alma 38:5

"And now... I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your TRUST in God as much as ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up the last day."

My thoughts stem from the words of Elder Holland in the Mormon message "Wrong Roads". He and his son reached a fork in the road and didn't know which one to choose. Jeffery invited his son to pray about it. They both felt the right fork... to find themselves at a dead end. His son was troubled as to why they felt so strongly to go down that road if it was wrong. The lesson is that sometimes Heavenly Father allow us to go down the wrong road a few hundred yards to a dead end so we can know with a sure knowledge and conviction that indeed that is the wrong road and the other one is right. Rather than driving down the correct road for miles and miles with uncertainty.

Sometimes Heavenly Father lets His ignorant little children into gated properties with protective German Shepherds so later on they don't throw open a gate to ferocious lions.

I'm grateful for a loving God that allows us to make decisions but is there beside us all along the way.

Love you !!! Keep praying and reading your scripys :,)

XOXOXO,

your girl sis chels d

My new Companion Sister Brown

Farewell to Sister Ipson

**ONLY TWO MORE TRANSFERS FOR SISTER DOHNER**

Hi friends!

Got to Golf on Pday!

I don't have much time today but things are going great. So here is my week IN PHOTOS!

I wish I could just bottle up all this JOY! I'm just so grateful. We gave missionary training at Zone Conference about how to set faith-filled goals. Goals are the desires of our heart and vision for what we want to accomplish. So "Where your heart is, there will your treasure be also."

I have a testimony of Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon is truer than true!

Have a swell week beauts!

XO  Sister Dohner

A Sweet Treat!

Livin' on the Edge

We walked into 'Game Night' with some ward members

Sunday walk with these cute girls!

A hillside of stacked Cairns

Hogwarts is SO close to me!