Started a new blog!!!

Hey all! I just wanted to let you all know that I started a new blog with the adventures of my husband and I. It is titled thepilotswifeguide.blogspot.com. I started this blog because I saw a huge need for wife's of pilots to know they are not alone. I also wanted to share my thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and "to do's" with others who find themselves needing to be independent because of their husbands job. So go and check out my blog! You wont regret it:)

My Adventures on Vimeo

https://vimeo.com/user38672130

I love my Savior and I will serve him forever as his dedicated disciple.

So when I was thinking and pondering and praying as to what I could say I just thought back to my farewell and the quote that I LOVED and shared:) From non other than the great Winnie the Pooh- How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.

That is how I felt leaving to Korea. And that is how I feel leaving Korea. 

Like...  I am so filled with words.. and thoughts I don't know where to start. I think I am stressing this out way to much. So what I'm going to do is just send you my usual e-mail:) no need to make this one any special:) 

Anyways... sorry... ha ha ha. So this week was amazing. I want to tell you of this amazing member, Sister 박웅비 Park Onug Bee. HOLY COW I LOVE THIS GIRL!!!!!! She has a bit of a mental handicapped  and I have seen more of the savior in this one sister than any other person, place or thing. She is just FILLED with the spirit of God. She is the one who last week told me "Sister Ensign you need confidence. Don't be afraid. You are Sister Ensign". I think I held her hand for 4 hours yesterday and just hugged and kissed her to death. Heavenly Father LOVES his children. All of them. And I know that we can feel that love through other people. I have felt that love through Sister Park. 

Also our amazing investigator Mr. Kim is just amazing. AGAIN when we taught him he couldn't stop talking about how good he felt when he was with up. And when investigators feel that spirit there is no greater time to ask them to be baptized. So we asked him to be baptized on the 13th. He said he will talk with his wife and let us know. We didn't hear from him for 3 days which I was FREAKING OUT and praying like no ones business!!!! And come to find out that he was just out of town referring  for volleyball:) So he wants to meet us tonight and we will find out if he wants to be baptized next week:) I love this man. He is so in tune with the spirit and HE LOVES OUR GOSPEL. No wonder he does, its Jesus Christ's message. 

So my thoughts have been really focused on the temple lately:) And mom, your amazing example and testimony of family history work has really helped me and I have been able to talk about you in my lessons where we talk about family history and the temples. Maybe its because I just miss the temple so much and cant wait to go to the bountiful and salt lake temple and be able to fell Gods love and spirit. It truly is the house of the lord. I know that. And I cant wait to go. The temple is our celestial kingdom. And I cant wait to be home. 

I honestly have NO idea what I will do when I get home. But I do know a few things for certain: I'm going to the temple. I'm going to kiss Samantha and Bubba's cheeks off.   No matter how much they hate it. I'm going to pray. and pray again. And I will just go to the temple again. Those are my plans. And I like them a lot.

So let me talk about missionary work... and cry my eyes out. I think about this last transfer and my heart is just warm. So warm. So so happy. I have a testimony that this is the work of the Lord. God loves his children and so he send us  on missions and while we are out here learning things for ourselves, we get the amazing blessing of helping people on our way. I have learned that that is life. We go through experiences and we get to help  people so that our experiences are GOOD. 

So I think of everything about this mission and everything in the past, to come, and now and my thoughts are turned to Christ. 

And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.  2Nephi 25:26. 

All of my efforts have been for Him. He is the one who died for us. I don't need to die on my mission to help people receive salvation. I just need to teach them about the one who did die, who did suffer, who did make it possible to receive eternal life:) No greater message. No greater work. I love being a missionary. I love talking of Christ and bringing others to Christ because it is in Christ where we find our purpose, love, happiness, joy, fulfillment, peace, comfort, rest and answers to prayers/ life. I know that Christ lives. That he loves us. And like it reads in Jacob 5, that I am the servant in the vineyard. I love in Jacob 5 when it reads in verse 72: And it came to pass that the servants did go and labor with their mights; and the lord of the vineyard labored also with them; and they did obey the commandments of the lord on the vineyard in all things. 75: And it came to pass that when the Lord of the vineyard saw that his fruit was good, and that his vineyard was no more corrupt, he called up his servants, and said unto them; Behold, for this last time have we nourished my vineyard; and thou beholdest that I have done according  to my will; and I have preserved the natural fruit, that it is good, even like as it was in the beginning. And blessed art thou; for because ye have been diligent in laboring with me in my vineyard, and have kept my commandments, and have brought  unto me again the natural fruit, and ye shall have joy with me because of the fruit of my vineyard." No I am no prophet and the second coming has not happened yet, but I am so blessed to have been able to work in the vineyard. This truly is the work of the lord. 

Advice for missionaries: that includes you Bubba:) part of this was some great advice I got before my mission from a friend, Elder Marsden. And I want to share it with you all.

1: Charity never faileth. LOVE IT ALL. AND LOVE IT ALL THE TIME.  Let that love of Christ fill you up and give it to others. That is what will make you successful. Mom sad some amazing words to me- They (investigators) may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you helped them feel". So give them the greatest feeling, the one they will remember. And that is love.

2: Decide now that you will be 100% obedient. It is the lords way. You did not ask God to help you do your work as a missionary. God called you to do HIS work and you have to do it HIS WAY. Obedience. is Love. Obedience is what God asks for us. And it is obedience that brings blessings and miracles. 

3: There will be times when you will feel sorry because people wont accept this and you just love them so much and so you will feel sorrow. THAT IS OKAY. That sorrow is what God feels and it is a godly feeling. You will feel VERY close to the Lord during those times. Sorrow was the only thing that Christ would not take away from the 3 Nephites.

4: LIVE IN THE MOMENT and EXPECT BAPTISMS!!!!! Expect them. And LIVE IN THAT MOMENT. Don't move on to the next thing running like a chicken with its head cut off. LIVE IN THE MOMENT. Even the hard ones. Live it up. Live each moment, each person, each experience and live them. Don't rush them by.

5: This is the most important. Remember and never forget that it is all about CHRISTS ATONEMENT. All of it. It is the MOST IMPORTANT. The MOST!!!!! I know that to be true. I love my Savior. And I will serve him forever as his dedicated disciple. 

I love you all to the moon and back. Catch ya on the flippidy flop:)

Sister Nicolle Ann Ensign

Celebrating the Women in the Church

.....how thankful I am that I know, and even more grateful, that I can share that testimony with others!

Another great week:) Goodness mom your e-mails are so good. thank you for always sending me updates and just.. your love. I love you!!!!!! Sammy is getting so big.. like i have a feeling she's taller than me.... ... And Bubba looks like he could squish me with 2 fingers... I hope his games go well this week!!!!

So this week was so great. Me and my amazing companion made some great goals this week with God. We are really trying to focus on our top investigators who can be baptized. We are really trying to help our investigator, Mr. Kim Jong Hun. I love this man. He is the next area president. He is interested in English and that is why he called us. We actually were talking to one of his friends on the street by our house and have his friend our number. His friend knew Mr. Kim was interested in English and gave him our number. MR. KIM LOVES THE GOSPEL!!!! Amazing experience this week was when we were teaching him and we were reviewing what we talked about last week (restoration) and he was just so impressed at how we don't try to convince him through scriptures or through our knowledge that this is true but that we encourage him to ask God. The one who knows all, if this is true. He really respected that. By the way, this is the famous Volleyball ref. Well we prayed and we got done with the prayer and he said "you know, I feel really comfortable when I come to this church. It is a good feeling. I would like to meet more". Yes SIR!!!! You've got it:) So we met him again and talked more about the plan of salvation. HE EATS IT UP!!!! I am so excited for this 53 year old man!!!! He said his family is not interested in English or the gospel right now but "maybe later". Well we talked again and we were explaining a principle of the gospel and he clapped his hands and said "I like your church". We asked him to be baptized and he said when he comes to know if this is for him, then he will.  Well he came to church yesterday and said he wants to come again. This gospel truly is for everyone. I love Mr. Kim. I know he can be baptized on April 13th. Which is our plans for him. He can do it:)

Yesterday at church was an amazing experience for my mission. We celebrated the relief society/ women in the church yesterday and it was amazing:) we all wore our Han Boks:) It was so amazing. The amazing 15 grandmas in their 80's and 90's got up and bore amazing testimonies that will change my life forever. This 500 year old grandma got up and sang the song "Truth reflect upon our senses" and it changed me forever. I will miss that. I will miss my Korean grandmas. I love their un-shakable testimonies and their bad breath and I will miss it when they shove food in my mouth and miss it when I say hello to them and they think its HILARIOUS that I speak Korean so they laugh and smack my back. Goodness I love this. 

The spirit as really taught me this week. I have again been reminded of my savior this week. Studying his life and death has really helped me be able to have an even stronger testimony of him. And then when I get to share that testimony with others it grows even more. I love my savior and I am so thankful for him. and...I KNOW MY SAVIOR LIVES. I read a great quote by a 70 that said "I know-as I know that I live- that HE LIVES. And I know that my savior lives. He has a body of flesh and bones and he lives. I know it. And how thankful I am that I know and even more grateful am I that I can share that testimony with others. Like it says in 2 Nephi 33:10-11 "And now, my beloved brethren, and also Jew, and all ye ends of the earth, hearken unto these words and believe in Christ; and if ye believe not in these words BELIEVE IN CHRIST. And if ye shall believe in Christ, ye will believe in these words, for they are the words of Christ, and he hath given them unto me; and they teach all men that they should do good. And if they are not the words of Christ, judge ye- for Christ will show unto you, with power and great glory, that they are his words, at the last day...". I love the scriptures because they teach me of Christ. 

Mom, I have to run. But I love you. I love you to the moon and back. Can wait to see you. In just a few days:) 

Love you mom, dad, bubba, Sammy, and Shmee:) Kill it Shmee. You are in my prayers. God is with you. So is Chelsea. I promise our angle is with us:) DI4C:)

Love Sister Collie Ensign

I love this work and it just can't end......

So like... so many miracles this week I will have to do a bullet point.

* So we meet every Wednesday with this little young woman, Sorl Jee min. I will call her Min. Well she is the one whose dad abuses her and she wanted to end her life. Well we have been meeting her every week and been going on dates and just trying to share the "good word". AND I CANT EVEN BEGIN TO  TELL YOU THE CHANGE IN HER!!!!!!!! I have a testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Christ's Atonement works. And as missionaries it is a HUGE blessing to be a part of the amazing experience of being the hands that help change people through Christ's Atonement. Truly amazing. I love being a missionary. Yesterday Min had a talk and shared her testimony of the restoration and Joseph Smith. It was amazing. She told everyone that she wanted to later be a missionary who could share this message with others. :) She use to be this really shy, no smile girl but when she stood up on that stage she had a smile that filled the room and confidence of a daughter of God. Because that is who she is.

 

* Our investigator, Sister Go-san-oak!!!! We had our lesson with her and we felt impressed to sing my favorite song "abide with me tis even tide". And we end and she was quiet and said "I feel something. When you sing or with I hear your message I feel something". We explained to her that it was the spirit telling her heart Gods message. She smiled. She also confessed to us that she has NOT EVER PRAYED ON HER OWN AT HOME!!!!! And what was our lesson on that day.. PRAYER. God told us exactly what she needed and then she did. ha ha ha ha. Truly amazing. We committed her to be baptized and she didn't answer. She said she would pray about it. WE are really trying to work with her because she is just so so so so close.

* I HAVE A TESTIMONY OF ENGLISH CLASS!!!!! This weeks English class was HEAVEN ON EARTH. It changed my life. We started using our English class as more of teaching opportunity instead of a service thing. so we  teach an hour of English and then tell everyone, hey if you want to hear a good message about god, just stay:) and then we teach about 30-40 minutes of a gospel message. THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING. we taught about the Book of Mormon and LIVES WERE CHANGED. we had 8 non members there asking SO MANY QUESTIONS!!!! It was truly a bit of heaven as we answered their questions. they all asked if they could meet with us to learn a bit more about our message. So amazing. I am so excited to be a missionary. Our investigator, Brother Kim Jing Hoon was asking so many questions. we are asking him to be  baptized this week so please pray for us. He is a famous volley ball ref who travels the world and he is so so interested!!!!! But I just want to bear my testimony that it is through small simple ways that gods greatest work is brought to pass. just read the bible and you can see how Christ did it through those small and simple ways:) Look at me. I am very small and simple:)

* The things I learned through Sister Najuttes Dad,  aka a stake president: Love makes us vulnerable to heart break, but invulnerable to temptation, filled with good works, unburdened by selfishness, pure in heart, fearless (perfect love casts out fear), and ultimately like God... True Joy is the loss of self". Though I still do struggle to completely give my self, when I do, THERE IS THE JOY. !!!!! TRUE JOY!!!!! Also I loved the quote he shared by Thomas Pyane. And coming from someone who LOVES AMERICA I wanted to share this quote:) "These are the times that try men's souls. the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink form the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of men and women. Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheep, we esteem to lightly. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated". Now please look at the word freedom and remember that true freedom is eternal life with God and Jesus Christ. And it is not easily won. 

  

* From the talk by Sherie Dew- "Choose carefully who you listen to, and then listen. Choose carefully who you will follow, AND THEN FOLLOW." 

I love being a missionary. I am crying.. again. I do that a lot these days. I love this work. I love it and it just cant end. It wont. ha h ha. Reality check will come,  but I'm avoiding it as long as I can. This work is Gods work. I know it. 

I love you mom. Thank you for... everything. School, e-mails, keeping me updated, and raising me to know what I now know. Because of what you taught me as a girl, I know now as a woman. As girls we need our moms. And as women, we need our God. ... and our moms.  But I want you to know that I know. Thanks for the help. I cant wait to be a mom:) We were on a hike with our investigator this week with the ward and he asked me what my dream was. I thought of you Mom. Being a mom and changing the world through that amazing calling. Mom, Korea, Australia, and soon Ireland and Scotland have to thank you. And so do I. Oh ya, hey dad, I have not forgotten you:) You are to thank too:) I love you both so much. Thanks to my sent from heaven Parents:) I love you to the moon and back:)

Sister Nicolle Ensign

"All we do in the church- our meetings and activities, our missionary efforts, the lessons we teach and the hymns we sing- should point us to the Savior and the work we do in the Holy Temples."

So this week was really great:) A lot of great lessons learned!!!!

Lets start:)

I want to start off with this quote that helped me remember my purpose and actually what I love doing as a member and as a missionary.

 

       "All we do in the church- our meetings and activities, our missionary efforts, the lessons we teach and the hymns we sing- should point us to the savior and the work we do in the HOLY TEMPLES".

 

I was sweetly reminded by the spirit how much I LOVE temples and how it is all about getting to the temple. I have loved that. I was able to testify of temples this week to our recent converts and also to investigators. I was able to help less actives prepare / take steps that will get them to the temple. I was able to tell them just how much I missed the temple. I was also reading in Revelations this week and John had a vision of what the celestial kingdom will be like and he tells us that he saw no temple because THE CELESTIAL KINGDOM IS A TEMPLE. holy cow!!!!! like I'm doing whatever it takes to get to the celestial kingdom because I want that feeling. I want that love. I want to be in the temple forever. I want to live there. and we have that opportunity. Also my sweet companion bore her testimony to our investigators that one day when we do go to heaven that we will want to find each other. That we will want to see how each other is and to love each other in the presence of God. The greatest desire of any missionary. 

We were able to meet a new investigator who referred us his 2 children who are now our new investigators and we will be meeting them for lunch today. And so great because THEY LOVE OUR MESSAGE. we will be asking them to get baptized and to come to church this coming week:) He is a really amazing man. He is an artist and actually a famous one here in Korea. This week when we met he took us with his daughter (who is now our BFF) to his studios and IT WAS AMAZING. I was amazed. I cant wait for him to create something that represents his testimony and how he feels about Jesus Christ. It will be beautiful:)  Our area is really exploding. We were able to receive 5 referrals and we were able to teach a LOT of people the gospel. I have really tried working on being peoples friends THROUGH THE GOSPEL. When we meet someone and have a relationship with them, THEN WE TEACH THEM THE GOSPEL. If you love them you will give them what they need most, which is the gospel. That is love. That is the greatest love you can give an investigator, or anyone. Is by giving them the source of joy, love and happiness. Which is Christ. And you come to Christ thorough our message:)

So we have 4 sisters living in our apt and one of the sisters, Sister Naatjes wrote her a letter that she shared with me and I want to share it with you. Its about missionary work: You are on the lords errand. you are doing a great and important work. Never doubt the power of your simple efforts. Wearily, all of the saviors greatest moments and teachings were reported as one-on-one or small group conversations. Have patience with the pace of it. Love the small moments. Love each person and focus on them, as though they matter more than many of the choicest of God's creations, because they do. The lord has always blessed the world though small and simple things and people. happily and cheerfully be one of them. The poor and the meek will have the gospel  declared to them by the weak and the simple. This is the Lords way." Thank you President Naatjes. 

I am simple and I am weak but my message is not. My message is perfect. I was able to bear testimony of that yesterday as we met our investigators who are trying to start a new church because they "cant find the truth". HELLO. agh. anyways. They asked us and the elders to share our testimonies. The spirit was strong and I felt so inadequate but I trusted that in my weakness God would testify to them through me. IT was an experience I will never forget. we finished our testimonies and they did their "worship dance"........... But I was just sitting there and asked God in my heart for direction.  And I could see heaven for a minute and God was just hanging his head. They are so close, yet still so far.   I told God that I know the truth and that I will try to help them. The hard thing about them is that they don't have any evil intentions they just believe differently, they worship different and God bless them for the faith that they do have. But I was again reminded of the temple and the "BIGGER PICTURE". Which was a tender mercy. How thankful I am that I know the bigger picture and that I can try in my weakness, to share that with everyone. We are working so hard to get our investigators baptized. I have spent my mission focusing on members and RC and LA and investigators, but me and my companion got revelation to focus on our investigators. WE see them every day. we call them every day. We pray for them every day and our investigators really are trusting us. We have made it a goal to ask them all to be baptized with dates this week. Please pray for our efforts. WE want to harvest. WE have planted with the help of the lord and now we are to harvest. Sweet Sister Goo San oak will be baptized if she can believe in God. WE are working so hard to help her have that. WE are working hard with a handful of members who will give their friends to us to teach. WE are working hard with 2 teenagers to come to church BECAUSE THEY WANT OT BE BAPTIZED. But they go to Seoul every weekend with their mom. WE have made it our business to become friends with the mom so that she will trust us with her girls during the weekend. So many miracles. This week we were able to make appointments with 4 people on the street to meet and come listen to our message. This is all so true. These people are searching for truth and we can give it to them. I have come to learn this week that I am also seeking for truth. I have been so fortunate to know where, how, who , when and what way to seek for that truth. I know I have found it. I know it. And I'm here to share it with everyone that I can:) 

I love you all so much. Thank you for all of your love and support. Please pray that our week will be filled with the spirit to lead and guide us as to how to do this work. I love you. Thank you for the prayers and I am so excited to see that you are still all my "brothers (and sisters) in the gospel". I love you to the moon and back.

Sister Nicolle Ensign

p.s. This is a shout out to Sister Drusteller. Your son is in my district and he is like my baby brother. He is an amazing example to all who meet him. He is working so hard and is just filled with the spirit. He's got a good attitude and he is changing this mission through his testimony and love for the Lord. He told me you read my blog and I just felt like reminding you how amazing your son is. He reminds me of my amazing brother, Hunter,  who just got his mission call to Scotland/Ireland. And I wanted to tell you because I hope one day when my boys serve missions, I would love to have someone remind me that my boys are doing a good job. You are one amazing mother. You and my mom would be friends. Amazing moms are friends.  Thank you for your sacrifices. I know you miss your son. He misses you too but he sure loves this work and he is working so hard because he loves the Lord. Such a good missionary. I pray one day I can have a son just like him. God job:)