January 21

HELLO EVERYBODY!! 

This week was wonderful. So busy but wonderful! Well it started out with exchanges to Hickory. I went with Sister Whitmer up to Hickory and she is fantasticwonderfulfunny and a great teacher and I learned so so much from her. Then.. on our way back from hickory, we found out that one of the Alexandrina Sisters, Sister Bingham is sick! She was in the hospital, and had been since Sundaynight. They didn't know exactly what was wrong, but she just kept vomiting and couldn't keep food down. Scary. So President asked us to do exchanges with them right away and let her companion get a shower and some rest. So my companion stayed with Sister B in the hospital and I took her companion, Sister Bowen with me. She is so sweet. They are both fantastic missionaries. I thought Sister Bowen would just want to rest and eat and shower but we get along well and we are buds and she just wanted to talk :) She wasn't even tired. She's the cutest. We talked and got to know each other better. She came to District Meeting with me. Sister Chandler did her training that she was supposed to do at District Meeting over Skype from the Hospital room (which is a good 45-50 minutes away from the hospital she was at in downtown Charlotte) Great use of technology! It was pretty funny. Sister Bowen and I went to a couple appointments in her area and a couple appointments in my area. Good times. The Sister in the hospital ended up having to go home, her parents came and flew out to get her today and she's going home later tonight. We are going to say goodbye after we email today. She is just too sick, and they've got to find out what's wrong with her. It's so sad, she's only been out 3 months. We'll be praying for her that she'll be able to come back soon. So ya. Then on Thursday morning Sister Chandler and I did weekly planning. We were finally able to coordinate what is going on in our area, seeing as we haven't been together in a few days. Then right after weekly planning, we drive straight up to Lenoir to go on exchange with those sisters! I got a Sister who came here with me. She is so sweet and willing to work hard, but she's SO quiet. We saw a few people and she barely said any words. The next day I gave her opportunities to go an talk to people on the street.. and she still had a hard time. I tried as hard as I could to build her confidence in herself. She is doing great, she has a wonderful testimony, she just has a hard time talking with people! Then Sister Chandler and I finally had 1 full 24 hours together in our area. It was a miracle. It's interesting when Sister Chandler found 2 new investigators while I was on exchanges, and then when I was on exchanges in our area, we went back to see them and we were two missionaries they had never seen before, and we had never met them. Such is the life of a Sister Training Leader.. poor people are always so confused with different people showing up. Then after church on Sunday we drove up to North Wilksboro to go on exchange with THEM! This time I went up to North Wilksboro with Sister Mortinsen. She is wonderful. She's from South Jordan and I actually kind of knew her before the mission. She was in our stake. They are working with a lot of great people there. It was so different though, because it was SO COUNTRY. We were definitely out in the sticks.. BUT it was wonderful. The scenery on the drive was so beautiful. And the weather was gorgeous!! Ya it was 70 degrees that day. To hot for a coat. It's been way nice weather here :) :) ( except for the picture of us on the bikes, the sun was not out that day and it cooled down so we are wearing our hats under our helmets) 

So as far as helping people progress.. with only 1 day together in our area it was difficult to know who was taught what and what people were found and everything. Kind of crazy. OH but on the one day we did have together, Sister Chandler and I did find one new investigator. We just knocked on his door, and we taught this man and he and his family were looking for a church. He said the restoration made sense, and that he wanted us to come back and teach his family. YAY! 

Sister Chandler on one of our exchanges saw Barbara (the lady in the BYU shirt) and it went well. They brought a fellowshipper who really clicked with her. She's got great potential. Those are the main people right now. 

Oh ps we were called to give talks in church yesterday like 2 days before. The bishopric member thought that since we had an hour to study in the mornings, we could definitely fill in for the person who backed out. Definitely. I actually really didn't mind. We both just gave 5 minute talks on spiritual protection. I based it on a conference talk that I found, and thanked my parents for the spiritual protection they have given me! I said how grateful I was that I had a wonderful foundation laid from my parents of daily prayer and scripture study and going to church that protected me and given me spiritual safety. Thank you :) 

So needless to say, between 4 exchanges, this week has been crazy. But wonderful. Loving the opportunity to be with so many different Sisters, get to know them and learn so much from them! I definitely learn so much more from them than they could learn from me. I love being in different parts of North Carolina, and meeting so many different members and investigators. It's a wonderful experience. 

You should google North Wilksboro, North Carolina and you'll see how pretty it is! Also you should google Huntersville. I have come to love this little place in the 8 months I have been here! !

 

I LOVE Sister Chandler. She's the greatest. We have gotten very close and we are already planning all of our adventures we are going to have after our missions :) ...