Life never ceases to be a roller coaster, but this week ended up sublime.

Just Looking--Universal Main Street Harry Potter

Sweet Treats!

Universal Main Street Shops

Something that I absolutely love about being a full-time missionary is that it allows intimate conversations with complete strangers, that probably wouldn't happen otherwise. We get a little glimpse into these people's hearts. We get to see the uniqueness in their soul. We get to feel a particle of the love God has for who they truly are (the way they think, perspective, what pains them, how they've struggled and how they conquered that struggle, their talents, their current state of character as well as who they can become, their passions, what hurts them, what God means to them and what experiences they went through to be at that state, when things get tough what they turn to for solace, their dreams and what's holding them back from achieving those, what barrier they think they have to burst through to be truly happy).

People are fascinating. And California is filled with some of the most diverse.

We meet all these people in passing from day to day. We connect with the commonalities of life's hardships. We try to go where they are and draw them nearer to the original message in heaven they jumped for joy to follow.

Life takes us places and we geographically separate but I just pray with my whole heart that these soul driven conversations make a difference.

There's a talk called "What if love were our only motive?" by Russell T. Osguthorpe that's real good but I like this particular quote:

"We are either giving life or taking life from each other as we move forward on our way. Harsh words take life away from the one who receives them and even from the one who utters them. But words spoken in love GIVE LIFE."

I also love the members of this ward SO much. I've never connected with the souls of so many so quickly. These people's characters are phenomenal. They bring out the good in me. My heart is just so grateful.

I love you all so dearly and I hope you know you always have a friend in me.

Have the sickest week and..

DO

SOMETHING

CRAZY FUN

xoxoxox, sista dohner 

Hey hey!

It's 11:29am here in SoCal and life is good :)

It's getting pretty steamy out here. It's that uncomfortable season where you'll be talking to someone in the heat of the day and you just feel sweat dripping down your back. Hahaha, like sweating my water weight in gallons. It's superb.

Sis Dohner at the Brady Bunch house

Two cool things in particular happened this week:

So we were knocking this neighborhood. A lot of people have big gates, including this particular house, so we buzzed the intercom. Someone actually answered. She said they're Catholic and not interested in converting but they'll let us in. So we're like okay, sick. We walk in and it's this GORGEOUS multimillion dollar home and parked on the side was my dream: a white G-wagon.

We get talking to the fam and WOW I LOVE THEM SO MUCH! The mom told us she grew up with a bunch of Mormon friends and she was close to converting once. She loves them and the faith and still keeps in touch. We talked to them for like 30 mins and they invited us to come back any time (especially the beginning of the week to give us groceries... #blessed). I seriously felt like I was walking into a reality tv show. Picture perfect everything and hilarious humans. Oh and he has 3 Emmys, so that is life here in Studio City.  But wow good people. Stay tuned.

The other miracle was at church yesterday. We were just keepin in low key in relief society and then this member pulls us out and tells us to follow her. She took us to this dude and said he just walked in and wanted to learn about the church. Suuuper chill. He grew up Catholic but went to college in AZ with a Mormon and felt good about it so he wanted to learn more. He said he wanted to learn from the source so he went to mormon.org on the chatroom and asked where the closest church was. It's .5 miles from his house so he picked himself up and drove over. We gave him a mini church tour and he's going to start meeting with us and said he's looking forward to coming to all 3 hrs of church.

Whhhhhaaattt issss liffffeeeee.

This is how I feel.
3 Nephi 17:16-20

 16 And after this manner do they bear record: The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as we saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father;

 17 And no tongue can speak, neither can there be written by any man, neither can the hearts of men conceive so great and marvelous things as we both saw and heard Jesus speak; and no one can conceive of the joy which filled our souls at the time we heard him pray for us unto the Father.

 18 And it came to pass that when Jesus had made an end of praying unto the Father, he arose; but so great was the joy of the multitude that they were overcome.

 19 And it came to pass that Jesus spake unto them, and bade them arise.

 20 And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And now behold, my joy is full.

Something that I've really come to know is that there is no way we can create the joy that comes when feeling the love of Christ. We are incredibly happy when we're living the gospel and coming closer to Christ because it is Godly joy. It cannot be imitated or created by any mortal emotion or earthly material or distraction. Lasting happiness is only brought to us by the powers of heaven.

So find joy in a grateful heart and keep rockin' like Avril.

Love you babes xo :)

PS. We see so many people walking the streets playing the new Pokemon game and it's so funny hahahhaha I hope you all are getting good exercise "tryna catch em all" 

Hello lovelies!

Things are freaky fresh here in the CA.

I don't have much time but quick shoutout to America. I hope you all had an enjoyable time at BBQ's and fireworks and walking around looking like an American flag.

Sister Dohner and Sister Ipson

Happy 4th of July

A Celeb House!

The work here is pretty slow pace right now but we're building it up and seeing God's hand every day. Our one investigator (super sick dude) wanted us to give him a S/O in our emails hahah--so this one is for you Derek.

This week I learned a lot about how important it is to have a grateful heart. And instead of being grateful for things, being grateful in no matter what circumstances we may be in. I think WHERE you are doesn't matter nearly as much as WHO you are, so keep being the cute people you are and let the atonement sanctify your minds and hearts.

I love you all almost as much as cookie butter ice cream!! :)

xo, sista c-drizzy

HELLO beautiful people, it's me, still a missionary out here in California!

First week out here in Studio City/North Hollywood aka city of broken dreams.
It's a whole new world out here. Our area consists of places like Warner Bros, Nickelodeon, Panasonic, Comcast, Universal Studios, mingled with too many freeways, millions of people, patches of suburb, the hills with tons of celebs, producers, directors, and other people trying to make it big. I've never had so many doors slammed in my face, yet my heart has never been so happy.
Lol we met a girl at church who said she's studying to be a director and then followed by saying, "Ya, so I'll be a waitress" hahaha true.

Our apartment is literally 5 minutes away from Universal and my heart gets happy and cries every time I see Harry Potter World :(

My new companion, Sister Ipson

We got fruit from a celeb!

My Trainer, Sis Maxfield, is heading home

Street Art

So close. See you next year, Harry.

 But it's all good.
Sis Ipson and I are white washing this area and it's buck wild crazy fun times! We are seriously having so much fun and are so excited to rebuild this area and get it hoppin'! Plus our zone has like 70% of my fav people in the mish so it'll be some good times for sure :) Also our ward is super funny and super crazy hahah but we love them a lot.

We spent a lot of time this week running around getting to know members and less actives and knocking a lot in the hills trying to hunt down Steve Correll and Ryan Gosling... Instead we found the Producer of Avatar's brother that is the big deal of E-Cigs (super cool dude that gave us fruit) and the daughter of Luis Zamperini (Olympic runner and inspiration of the book/movie "Unbroken"). Stay tuned though, we'll work hard on them! 

I think the biggest highlight of my week was my studies though. They have been straight fire. I won't get on a soapbox and preach but wowie the gospel is truuuuuueeeeeeee! Keep reading your scrippy's and having sincere prayer! I love you all so so so so much!!!

 xooxox

-sis d

be you, be true.

Hello mi familia y amigos :)

This week was seriously so sublime I think my heart melted like 20384023 times.

LA TEMPLE trip this week!

Overlooking Malibu California

TRANSFERS--bye Sis Bullock!

Granola Girl

So long, Farewell Northridge

So many crazy miracles teaching the best people ever. A very successful week of the spirit touching hearts, mostly mine. 

We went to the LA Temple and I mostly want to talk about that. 

Half of the mission was there and I love those people more than most things and there is no better feeling than being in the celestial room with people that mean so much to you.

With Josh's passing a little over a year ago and Grandpa Crew and Grandpa John's passing a few weeks ago, my heart was ready to be filled by the spirit within the walls of the Lord's house.

When we were walking in the temple doors, I flashed back to about 13 years ago. My mom was telling me a bunch of things she loved about my Grandpa Dohner. She told me that he loved hummingbirds and every time she saw one, she felt like he was there with her. Right then a hummingbird flew by and I immediately was filled with so much love.

Something I have been thinking a lot about this week is family. And something I have been really studying is the Atonement and God's plan.

...I am trying to put my feelings into words but I just cannot because no words can describe the sanctity of those topics. 

Before my mission, being married in the temple and having a family was definitely something I desired, but it definitely was beneath my list of selfish desires. The more I understand God's plan and the reality of it all, I have come to understand why Eternal families are so sacred. THEY ARE EVERYTHING! 

I am getting transferred and my heart is torn because I love YSA but I am so happy to be with families again and be in the midst of families centered on Christ. (And home cooked meals😊)

DIOS ES AMOR!!! And I love you all to pieces!!

Stay cute and fresh!

xoxo, Hermana Dohner

Hey loves :,)

This week was nutso crazy good with many many miracles!

We are teaching a couple really stellar people but we really have been trying to find more people to teach. Last Sunday we fasted to find those sifted throughout the valley that the Lord has prepared. FASTING AND PRAYER IS SO REAL. 

Pro Chefs

Weekly Service

One of the highlights was this dude that literally JUST moved here from Texas this week. He was walking 6 miles away from his house because he got lost, and ran into some sisters (my bb Sis.Beddes). He came to church with us yesterday and was introducing himself during class and said: "I ran into the sisters on the street and it changed my life". Then we had another lesson with him last night and I asked him what it meant to him to know God is his loving Heavenly Father and he said, "In a nutshell, it feels like I'm coming home." AHHHHH SOOOO COOOL!!!

 

I literally feel like my heart is physically melting. These people make my heart drip with joy and gratitude.

I LOVE THIS LIFE. :)))))

And I love you all!!! Have the best week and pray your little hearts out <3

xoxoxoxoo Sister Dohner

Happy Monday beauts! :)

So there is this roller coaster in Disney World called Expedition Everest. It's one where you go up this steep hill slowly, like many do--building up anticipation, then it drops and you're going super fast and it's a thrill. Then when you start to think you're getting the hang of it, you're all of a sudden in a dark cave and a Yeti jumps out! Then the rest of the roller coaster you're going backwards, mostly in the dark. It's one of my favorite rides.

Well this roller coaster is a simile of my week:

A mission really is an interesting thing, and life is the same. Where we're on this ride that we were super excited to come on, even though we knew there would be sharp turns, unexpected drops, time in the dark going backwards, and a million emotions in between. 

Golfing on P-Day with ward members

California Wildfires

I want to include a couple conference quotes that really hit home for me this week:

"Some of you may at times have cried out in your suffering, wondering why our Heavenly Father would allow you to go through whatever trials you are facing...

"Our mortal life, however, was never meant to be easy or consistently pleasant. our Heavenly Father knows that we learn and grow and become refined through hard challenges, heartbreaking sorrows, and difficult choices, Each one of us experience dark days when our loved ones pass away, painful times when our health is lost, feelings of being forsaken when those we love seem to have abandoned us. These and other trials present us with the real test of our ability to endure." -Thomas S. Monson

"In reality, the best way to help those we love- the best way to love them- is to continue to put the Savior first." -D. Todd Christofferson

I add my testimony to these wonderful men that God knows what He's doing. He lives, He is aware of us, and He has provided a way for us to never feel alone through our Savior, Jesus Christ. God's plan is perfect.

I love you humans x32532

Xo, Sis. Chels D.