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.

Hello beauts :)

This week was filled with craziness and mad miracles!!

First things first, I love the projects. I love those people so much!!

So we were trying to track down one of our boys and we ran into these two guys up to no good. We talked to them for a little while and they asked how they could know that it is true. There is an insane power that comes when we hand over a Book of Mormon. Every time. One of them held it in his hands and said, "I'll read it."

So we left them with that commitment and to pray and then went on our way.

We kept knocking the eerie neighborhood and then saw that fellow again. There was a baptism for someone in our Zone in about an hour so we were like,"Yo, T,  do you want to come to a baptism right now?" He said he didn't have a car so we called up the elders in that area and asked if one of their members would come pick him up and take him. AND THEY DID!

So just try to imagine us walking into the church with this big dude from the projects. Throughout the whole baptism we talked about how he felt and he kept saying "I feel coo" (cool). He's such a boss!

Sister Dohner and Sister Bullock

YSA at CSUN

Then we went Sunday night for a lesson in the projects with two of our  members. Right when we got there we heard a ton of gun shots and we were like uhhhh... but then it was just firecrackers ;) Our homie C stood us up, but his friend was there and so he said he'd sit in for the lesson we would have had with C. Truuuuuest homie right there! My heart just melts seeing these kids in the worst circumstances have a desire to do better and be better and let the Atonement of Christ work in their lives!

This work is so real. It is straight from God. 

Love you cuties. Have a good week :)

Sister Dohner

Hey beauts! It was a roller coaster kind of week, but good nonetheless!

Something that I am becoming more and more grateful for is the little miracles God puts in my life remind me He is there. We picked up this new investigator that I love SO MUCH. Wow he's the truest. My homeboys Elder Jensen and Horito were teaching him and then he moved so they handed him off to us. He is a wild guy hahah uh ya but it's the coolest thing to see the gospel soften the hardest of hearts and the toughest people. When we were in the lesson with him, he pulled out the Book of Mormon from his backpack and shared with us a scripture and why he liked it. hahah He's the best.

I love it so much out here and I love MY PEOPLE!! :,)

It's nuts I've been out here for a year now. I really can't believe it!

 

ONE YEAR celebration! The missionaries left little post it notes with all nice things about me to read!

Surprise Breakfast for my ONE YEAR

Awesome Package from the Fam

 But wow I am so grateful for this time I have had and for the outrageous things God has instilled in my heart. The other day I listened to a CD that I listened to a ton my first 12 weeks as a missionary. Mad TBT to Stevenson Ranch and the sick memories and stellar feelings there :,) But beyond all I am so satisfied. 

I have had so many struggles, I've messed up, and I still have a while to work on A LOT of things, but I have really come to know that God has provided the perfect mission for me. All of this has been what I needed, and will continue to be what I need. That's life.

I hope you all know that you are LOVED by me and more importantly, Heavenly Father. Open your eyes to the miracles!! They are there.

Stay freaky fresh and keep reading your scrippy's and praying :)

xoxoxoxoxoxoxo, sis d

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hellos & Goodbyes.

Sup fam~ it was transfer week! Sad to have the two man band break up, but change is lyfe and I'm stoked for what the Lord has in store!

This week was pretty low key lesson wise due to everyone cancelling because they have to "study for finals".

But Sister Bullock and I still had one heck of a time. Our zone and district are stacked! So the next 6 weeks are going to be buck wild and filled with crazy miracles!

 

Good bye to Sister B! 

My new companion--Sister Bullock

I want to share a little tender mercy of the week.

A year ago Saturday (May 14th) is a tender day so I knew this week was going to be difficult. I prayed all week that the Holy Ghost would help me and the fam out and that I'd stay busy. Well on Friday we had a lesson with a fellow named Edward. We found him knocking. His eyes were sad, his spirit was low, and he told us he lost his brother a month ago. He said he has a lot of questions and he's scared. As he told us all about his brother and how they used to go on drives and blast music and dance, I couldn't help but think of Josh. All the good times, all the laughs, all the bumpin' music and random bursts of dance moves.

I didn't share with Edward how or why I knew the similar feelings, but he knew. We talked about God's plan for us and watched the mormon message: Mountains to Climb (lds.org). The spirit was so incredibly strong on that doorstep, there is no way any of us could deny the immense amount of love God sent in that moment. I think sometimes we go through things to help other people but sometimes we go through things in order to humble ourselves enough to be helped.

I truly know that God is on my right hand and on my left and his spirit is in my heart and his angels round about me to bear me up.

One thing that I am completely sure about is that God is fully mindful of each and every one of us. There is not one doubt in my mind that anything we go through in this life isn't something we cannot handle, there is nothing God will not help us with, and does not contribute to our eternal quest in progression. God's plan is perfect and I'm 100% confident that we can do absolutely anything with the Lord. I'm grateful for the Fall of Adam and Eve and I'm grateful for physical death to enable us to move forward in God's magnificent plan to return back to Him.

I want you all to know that I love God with my whole heart and I love you all so deeply.

Stay gucci and keep your testimonies fre$h.

 

 OH PS I hit my year mark this week so if you're feeling extra generous, I wouldn't mind a surprise in the mail :) but please hold back on the sweets...

xo, sista d :)