January 27th!

This week we went on exchanges with the Dobson Sisters! I went with two amazing Sisters. It was fun going up there, because I have never been up to that zone before. My 3 areas all border each other and are in the same place basically so I haven't really gotten to branch out much, except for exchanges. So it was exciting. Dobson is about 2 hours north. We met halfway (about an hour away) and switched companions, and then met there again the next day to switch back. Except.. when we got to Dobson I realized I had the phone for our area in my pocket.. whoops :) Sister Chandler wanted it, and both members that were driving us were so nice to turn around and drive another hour to meet and give it back. So we spent like 4 hours in the car that day. So fun. But it was a wonderful exchange. Also.. when we were on exchange we went to visit a family and one of the kids had strep throat, hope I didn't pick it up from one of them! It's not quite as bad as strep throat I think. I'll gargle with saltwater when I get back to our house :) I did take some daytime flu medicine this morning that has helped alot. 

I think I am under the weather because it has been really cold this week! It has been colder here than in Utah ( we have Siri on our ipads so I ask her for the weather all of the time) and I checked one day and it was colder here than in Utah! Crazy! And we were outside a lot on Saturday because it was a car fast day. And then yesterday morning I woke up not feeling good. Hopefully it'll go away. 

We had Zone Conference this week as well, which was wonderful. Sister Craven gave a training on obedience and dilligence. The Assistants had Sister Chandler and I do a role play in front of everyone! We role played introducing the Book of Mormon with pictures. It is a wonderful way to invite someone to read the Book of Mormon. 

Well I love you all, the church is true, and I'm going back to bed. Thanks for all of the love and support. :)

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 :) ...

1 YEAR MARK!!!

Can you believe this week was my one year mark?! It's crazy to think that it has been one year. Sister Chandler and I both thought a lot this week about what we have learned the past year and how we have grown. I think some of the biggest things that I have learned is of course my increased testimony that the church is true and this really is the Gospel of Jesus Christ once again on the earth. I know that the Book of Mormon really is true. I have seen it change people's lives, but most importantly, my own.  I have learned about the Priesthood, and a lot about Christlike Leadership. I have learned how I want to raise my family and my kids to be missionaries and I think I have learned a lot that will help me to help them gain testimonies. I have learned how important my family is, and how much I love them. I have learned what kind of person I want to marry and what things are really important. I have seen a lot of different families and marriages, good and bad and I want to take from the best of all of them, and leave out the things that I don't want. Ha ha. I have learned so much from President and Sister Craven about how important it is to have living prophets and apostles today, and a lot about the Doctrine of Christ. 

This week we went on two exchanges and I was in our area for both. Monday we went with a companionship that is having a hard time that we got specifically called to do an emergency exchange with. I had one of them in my area. We talked alot about having the faith to find people to teach, and she was very teachable. I tried to build her faith and tell her that she's doing a great job and that everything is going to be just fine! We talked about doing things other than knocking on doors all day to find people to teach. 

Tuesday was the COLDEST DAY on my mission so far. Steve, I know it doesn't sound cold to you. But... for us it was cold. It was like 10 degrees, and it was SO cold.One of our members made us come in and do service for her because it was too cold to go out. But the rest of the week warmed up and now it's back to the 60's. :) I am going to be a baby when I come back and have to face Utah cold! BRRRR 

Wednesday we went to the New Missionary Meeting. President asked us to come. They had the Sister Training Leaders up front answering questions in a panel discussion for the new missionaries and trainers. Most of them were about how to get along with your companion and how to find people to teach. President would randomly call on people to answer questions they had. It's always fun to be with new missionaries though and get to know people. We love traveling down to the mission office. There are so many memories there and that feels like our home away from home. 

Thursday was our year mark on our mission.. so we got frozen yogurt during our lunch hour, and the member that was meant to feed us got sick and gave us money to go out.. so we went to a nice Mexican restaurant and talked about what we had learned during the past year. Good times. Then we saw the Elders in our ward (all 4 of us came out on the same transfer) because we taught a hand off lesson, we handed them one of our investigators, Frank because we think he'll do better with them.

Friday we had Zone Meeting. I love those, always so fun to see everyone. The Zone Leaders gave a great training. After, we went on exchange with the Newton Sisters. We have been with them twice and they are wonderful. We had a great exchange, except for on Saturday morning it RAINED BUCKETS AND BUCKETS and we literally got soaked through. Everything I had on was soaking wet. And my shoes were filled with water. It was a "car fast" day so we had to walk. But it was good times, good times. 

Yesterday, Sunday at church we invited Gladys to the Mission Home Fireside. She wanted to come! Her fellow shipper Paula drove us all. It was so fun. We had a great time. It was a fireside at the mission office for investigators, recent converts, less actives, or whoever. And President usually speaks on something really simple, like faith or repentance, or baptism. BUT this time he read the scripture in the Book of Mormon how adam fell that man might be, and talked for 1 HOUR about the Fall. It was pretty deep but it was fantastic. I loved it. 

MIRACLE STORY::: So one of our members gave us some referrals for people who go to school with their kids. We went to one, he wasn't interested, but we being great preach my gospel missionaries asked who he knew that we could go to. He said "well, my Mom next door, she'd probably love to talk to you." So we go to the door, and she answers in a grey BYU shirt. The first thing I said was "WOW is that a BYU shirt?!" She's like "YES my Mormon friend gave it to me. Are you Mormon?" We were like "Of course!" She said she never ever wears that shirt, and she never ever answers the door to people she doesn't know. She took it as a sign and let us in. We talked to her about the Book of Mormon, she said she had one but hadn't read it. She seemed really excited and wanted to learn more. She had just moved in to the house, lives by herself. BUT she has been Methodist her whole life, because that was the church closest to her. BUT she just moved across the country and hasn't found a church here yet. BINGO! :) :) But she was out of town for the weekend but we are supposed to meet with her this week! YAHOO! Her name is Barbara. 

Other than that, still just finding people to teach. We have some people in our teaching pool, but not really progressing or coming to church. Let's get this train moving and get these people progressing this week!! We have 3 exchanges to go on this week as well. So let's hope they can be productive and we can keep our area up while we are gone!! Ah! it's hard sometimes having so many other people come to your area. With your companion, especially one that you've been with for a while, you have a rhythm with teaching and finding and you learn to work together. BUT with all of these exchanges, you have to teach with someone you haven't taught or went finding with before and sometimes they are different! But the Lord will help us. 

I LOVE SISTER CHANDLER SHE'S THE BEST!! We miss each other on exchanges. Ha ha.  We already plan all of our adventures we are going to have in Utah :) She lives in Spring ville, so really close! 

Love you all!

January 6, 2014

Hello friends and family! Love you all! 

This week on Monday night we had exchanges. Sister Larsen came here! She's so great. She is from BYU and we went to school at the same time but didn't know each other. She's hilarious. She's from Kansas.They are teaching an amazing investigator who has been so solid but has been sick for the past 3 weeks. She keeps supposed to be getting baptized but always is super sick on the day of. Satan is good at his job! But Sister Larsen is funny. She's like "I'm the most baby hungry missionary ever. All I want to do is to hold them. And to have my own kids. Like yesterday." Ha ha.

We taught the Alexandriana Sisters neighbor. Their apartment is in our area, and he was intersted, but they can't teach him so we got to. He is a nice man. He thinks his family is under a curse and wants to know how the gospel can help him overcome that curse. We told him that God's light can overcome any darkness, and that the Gospel can help him do that. He is a little nervous about coming to church though because he's been Catholic his whole life and it would be a big change. But we'll bring some members and hopefully help him feel comfortable coming!

Remember that family that was supposed to get baptized in October, came to General Conference, and then work and life got in the way and they stopped meeting with us? Well we went over and saw them and talked to the Daughter. It's a mom, dad and a daughter. She wants to come to Young Womens and to learn more. She had a great time when she came to Young Women's back in October. Hopefully they'll start meeting with us again, but their lives are crazy with work and they'll have a lot of things to overcome but we know with God's help they can do it! 

We also got a referral from other missionaries in another area of a friend of a member who lives here. We met her briefly, she's wonderful and she loves missionaries and what we do and hopefully she will progress. She goes to another church, and has for a long time, and says she "wants to listen, but not going to change". Once she reads the Book of Mormon though, I know it will start to change her heart! 

We had MLC this weekend in Charlotte. It was wonderful. All of the Sister Training Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Assistants and President and Sister Craven were there. We got lots of wonderful training about leadership, President calls it " Priesthood 101" and he talked about "The Disciples Path". President is a gospel scholar and it's always amazing to hear from him at meetings. I always learn so much. I know he is so inspired. I know he will be a General Authority one day, I'm sure. The Apostles and the 70 already love him, they visit our mission all of the time. We have had so many 70's and apostles visit our mission, and it's all because of President! They talk about our mission in SLC all of the time. That's why we got Ipads, because they trust us and they trust Him! That night, everyone stayed in Charlotte. Missionaries got to proselyte in other areas. We thought we were going to go to another area, but we found out we just went back to Hunters ville. It was ok though. We got to eat at Dana and her families house. house. They got baptized back in July. They are incredible. The amazing thing about staying in an area this long, is being able to watch them progress. They were the most perfect investigators you could ask for. They never missed an appointment, always kept commitments, and she made cinnamon rolls every time we came over. Now they both have callings in the ward and are just on fire. They are more active than the active members. They love it. It's incredible to see their growth. They will be the investigators that I will tell my grandchildren about. I love talking with families about mission stories and their favorite people they taught and things. 

Saturday we went back and had MLC and talked about goals we have for this year and got more training from President. President really has taught me and engrained in me the Doctrine of Christ. I think this is why I am with him, because I needed to learn that. I know that it is the process by which we change and become better and it really does apply to everything we do! 

 Dad, I'm telling you I see you as a Mission President someday! You will be wonderful! And Mom will be a wonderful support to you! I say it's only a matter of time :) 

MIRACLE STORY: So this week during Weekly Planning, we were calling a former investigator we hadn't talked to in a while. They texted back and it was the wrong number.. but Sister C was like "Talk to them anyway!" So we texted back and forth and we found it was a lady who lived outside of our boundaries, but was very interested in learning more! The Zone Leaders in our area were happy that we found them that referral and it will be interesting to see what happens. She says her new years resolution is to get closer to God, and to help her family have a stronger relationship with him.... ?? PERFECT!!

Funny moment: We were tracting in an apartment complex. Apparently people weren't happy because one of the managers came to kick us out. He didn't want to kick us out, but he said he had to because his boss told him too. He said if it were his way, he'd have us here all day teaching people. So.. we had a really great conversation with him and started teaching him instead! :) It was wonderful, and he wants to know what we believe and wants to come to church. God works in mysterious ways, even if it is through people who are coming to kick you out. :) 

Funny Funny moment- We were asked to stay in for New Years Eve. Which is like the only day EVER EVER that President would want us to do that. Christmas, Thanksgiving, every other day is proselyting, except New Years eve, because of drunk drivers probably. But our sweet neighbor, the one we spent Halloween with, and came to the Nativity festival with us, she had us over. We had a great dinner with her, and she offered us wine. She bought this super expensive wine for us and we were like.. oh boy. Then she was like Oh you don't drink? It's ok, I have the best tea!! uh..... Well, I'll just make some Coffee then. uh..... "Could you give me a list of the things you can and cannot eat? That would be easier!" Ha it was pretty funny. We gave her a word of wisdom pamphlet for her to read. 

I know the Book of Mormon is true. I read the talk "Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon" and I loved it. I know that the Book of Mormon really is the tool for gathering Israel and helping people be converted to the gospel. It is the one question that you have to ask yourself, if it is true or not, then everything else falls into place. I know deep in my heart it is true because living its principles blesses my life.. I know that it is from God because of its fruits, and because it leads me to Him. Share it with someone!