The Lord Guides Us...

This week has been CRAZY! There was a lot going on so I'll try to fit everything in, in this short time I have. So last Monday we had to do some MAJOR cleaning because we were having house checks. We also had to clean our car. So Sister C and I were headed to the car wash. Meanwhile, a train went through town so we had to stop and wait for a while. So we made solid use of our time by putting the car in park and cleaning the inside while we waited! I'm sure the people around us thought we were nuts. We had the Windex and we were washing the windows inside and wiping down the dash and such. So that was fun. THEN we went through the car wash and it was Sister C’s first time! Ever. She thought it was so fun! She can now cross that off her bucket list ;)

A cool experience on Monday night-We have been visiting a less active lady, every once in a while. She has an autistic boy and she is also having some marital problems. She and her husband are separated for some time while they try to figure things out. Anyway, we had her on our list to go visit again (it would be our third time) but then I got sick, and then we went another time and she wasn't home. So it had been a few weeks since we had been there. Well, while I was studying I was reading the war chapters. It talks a lot about fortifying the cities and what not. So I thought about the things we can do to fortify ourselves against our enemy (the adversary). Of course all the little things came to mind: scripture reading, church attendance, prayer, etc. So I felt we should talk to her about those things and how she can fortify herself to have the strength to go through hard times, as well as cut the adversary off. So we went to her house and she was there. Before we even started teaching, she talked about how she needs to do better at reading her scriptures and how God was going to send her "a swift kick to the butt pretty soon" if she didn't start. I said, "Well we just might be that kick!" So now we are going to go over every week and read with her and help her understand the Book of Mormon. She is a convert and had a hard time understanding it alone when she was converting so the missionaries helped her then. So we said we would help her too! She then went on to say that our timing is always perfect and the message that we share is always exactly what she needs and she always receives answers from it. AWESOME! So that was a huge testimony to me that the Lord is ALWAYS guiding us even when we think he isn't. Because in our mind it was, "we should probably go visit her soon. We could try showing this Mormon Message because she is going through a hard time." So it never really felt like inspiration or revelation, but more just that we were wingin' it. SO, that was awesome to hear from her and it helped me to know that as long as I'm doing my part, the Lord will always help us and that we help people when we don't even realize it.

On Tuesday R’s back was still hurting so we got some people to come give him a blessing! It went really well and I think it touched him. He knows he is going to convert, but he wants to take his time. He has some Word of Wisdom issues and he says he isn't sure he is ready to change those. But hopefully as his testimony continues to grow, he will WANT to make that change. He says he likes it and he doesn't doubt any of it, but that spiritual conviction still isn't there. But his son thinks he is already Mormon! He wants to be baptized, BUT he still won't even commit to go to primary yet. His dad says I have a little bit of power over him for some reason. So we always play rock, paper, scissors, to see if he has to go or not. But he pinky promised that next week he would go and he would bring a friend so he wasn't so nervous. But they are progressing really well!

We go to the "asylum" every week and this week, they trusted me with the code to let myself in and out! WOO! I officially moved up in the world! Apparently they trust us now or something.

One night this week, we were eating at a member’s house and we had tacos. It was super good and I had like 5 (just the small corn tortillas, don't call me fat, I was starving ;) haha anyway, at the end of the meal we said, "That was super good! Thanks!" And the member replied, "Ya, the buffalo was pretty good too!" We were super confused and thought he was lying, but nope. We ate buffalo meat that night folks. I didn't even notice! It tasted just like hamburger. He said his brother shot huge buffalo last year. It was like 90 years old and was HUGE. We saw a picture and it really was massive. Anyway so that was kinda cool, I tried something new without even knowing it!

This week we also had zone conference and it was SUPER good! I learned a ton about really consecrating yourself to your mission and really tapping into God's power and miracles he has waiting for you. I loved it and it was super helpful. We also went on exchanges this week. So I went with Hermana A to the spanish area again! I love her so much. She is from Mexico City. I think I talked about her on our last exchange too. If not, let me know and I'll explain in more detail. Anyway her driving is getting a LOT better, but she is nervous about yellow lights. She automatically slams on the brakes when she sees one. So we were almost to the intersection and it turns yellow so we come screeching to a halt and we are almost in the way of cars. I am yelling "Go Go Go!!!" But she just sat there, so we just laughed and laughed and laughed. Plus she was in the crosswalk so far that people had to walk BEHIND our car to get across the street. So the rest of the day I would tell her if it turned yellow whether to go or not. It was funny :) But I learned a lot from her! She is a super good missionary and way dedicated. I hope to be as good as her someday! So she taught me a lot of things that have helped her on her mission so I'm going to try some of them and see how they work for me! Also, the some old, Spanish men in her ward said they loved my black grandma shoes. It was quite funny. uhhhh thanks? haha

Our older lady friend took us to dinner again this week. She is getting so dang old and can hardly function cause she has so many health issues. She is SO stubborn and at dinner she made it very clear that she was never going to join the church. She keeps telling me that I need to become a preacher or minister and get really high up in our church because "yous really knows somethin'"(in an east coast accent). She just thinks we are wasting time out here. But I love that woman; however, we are going to have to drop her because we need to spend time looking for people who are ready to accept the gospel! sad :( we will still go by and clean for her every once in a while to help her out, but sadly we aren't going to be able to use a lot of time on her anymore.

So this week has been super great and we are preparing for our 15 year old’s baptism this week! YAY! They announced it in church this week and I think there will be a pretty good turn out. We also had some good help from the ward council in setting it up so that will be awesome to see who shows up and how it goes. I am going to be giving a talk, which makes me kinda nervous cause I don't want it to be boring! But I am so excited for this young woman. We also have a young man on date too! We taught him last night and put him on date for April 26. I think he is just doing it because he is dating a member in our ward. He really likes her and I think they will eventually get married. But he says he really likes everything and he told us he would read 40 pages in the Book of Mormon by Friday so hopefully he does that! But yay! We also have a few people that we have recently met that we can start teaching soon as well!

Things are going good here and it's getting warm. I already have tan lines.

A legit farmers tan line, a watch tan line, and an insane shoe tan line. It's so crazy!

haha anyway hope you all have a great week! :) Be good examples and try to share the gospel at all times.

"We should share the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words."

-Elder Uchtdorf :)

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY! So this week has been a little bit rough. For the past week I have had benign positional vertigo. Monday morning, I woke up with a huge roaring and ringing in my ears that caused me to be super dizzy and sicker than a dog. I was so, so sick on Monday and literally couldn't do anything. We tried to go shopping when I was feeling a little better, but ended up breaking a TON of rules. I could not walk around and was trying not to throw up and/or fall over, so I sat at a booth in a Subway that is in the Walmart, gave my list to Sister C and she did all the shopping. She was mostly in the produce section which I could see, so it wasn't technically breaking rules, but I also was basically asleep on the table trying not to be so dizzy. So the poor girl did everything for me that day. I luckily never threw up, so that was nice. I had to call the mission president’s wife and the mission nurse and so forth and they ended up sending me to the doctor on Tuesday. However, Sister R, one of our ward members called me to see how I was doing! She didn't know I was sick and immediately they got things in order to come give me a blessing and to also bring me chicken noodle soup, saltines, and a banana. Members aren't allowed to come into our apartment, so we had to meet them at the church to give me a blessing. THEN, I forgot our key doesn't work to the church on Monday nights since they don't want people in the building on Monday evenings, so we ended up doing the blessing in the back of Brother R pickup! haha that was funny. It was super nice of them to do all that for me. They seriously take such good care of us and are always doing things for us. Sister R was also the member who took us to the doctor the next day. The doctor told me what I had and said it should clear itself up in a few days. Well it didn't really, so I now am on a prescription that makes me super tired, but it gets the job done. But before I get ahead of myself, let me tell you some highlights about last week since I didn't have a chance to write an email. (Then I'll tell you about this week).

Funny story about Monday though. We were all in our room talking since I was sick and Sister A was also sick (she had a kidney stone..ouch!) While we were visiting, the zone leaders called us and asked for our address. We were confused but just gave it to them. A few minutes later there was a huge knock at the door. So Sister B ran to the door and looked out the peephole. She didn't see anyone so she came screaming into the room (in a southern accent) "No one is there! I looked through the peephole!" So then Sister C runs to the door and opens it to find little origami shapes on the door mat. They said, "Get well soon" and stuff like that. So there was a heart (colored pink), a swan, and also a little box thing (colored blue). Anyway so they didn't even ask if we needed anything, yet they drove out to our apartment, dropped off little origamis, and ended up watching Sister B and C run around because our blinds were open in the living room. Haha Sister B was saying some hilarious things, but it isn't really funny unless you can hear her accent :) Just know it was super funny. Silly Elders. I guess that's how they show compassion...origami. :)

So last week we met with an Indian lady. She really just wanted to cook for us so we let her. It was interesting food. It wasn't gross; it was just super bland because she says she can't have spice because her stomach can't handle it. So I forced that stuff down even though I had already eaten lunch. She is so crazy though. She says she loves us like a daughter but that she already knows about Jesus. We can't get a word in edgewise! She talks and talks and talks! She is constantly talking about how her religion doesn't try to make anyone else change their religion. She says that God is inside each one of us and he doesn't have a body. Despite our best efforts, we can't even testify because she talks so much and once we start saying something, she cuts us off. But I love her and she is super sweet. We had lunch with her again this week. We wanted to try to teach her more and help her understand, but we are definitely going to have to drop her :( She takes up way too much time and she definitely isn't open to our message.

Last week we also had one of the best days ever! We felt so successful and we were just pumping lessons out and meeting lots of new people who looked promising. We ran into a family right when we were about to go home one night. The father was just randomly walking out their door and one of his daughters followed. She was probably about 10? Anyway we just started talking to them and the young girl was SO excited. We talked about her favorite books and then also talked to the father about religion. His sister is actually a member and he said he would be willing to have us come back! Meanwhile, the other daughter came out who I think is 8. She got super excited too and they wanted us to come over the next day. We then gave them a Book of Mormon because they both like to read. We told them it was our favorite book ever and that we would love to have them read it and then we could talk about it next time we came over. They were SO happy. However, with me being sick, and the fact that it was spring break here, we haven't been able to meet with them again yet. But hopefully things work out with them!

We also knocked on a man's door. We have talked to him on the street many times. He is super nice and says that he will never shut his door on a Mormon because they are human just like everyone else. So we wanted to try to share a message with him formally instead of just on the side of the street. So we knocked on his door and his son came out. He then told us that his father had just had a stroke and was now in the hospital. The son looked super tired and he said the rest of his family was with his dad and he had just got home from work. So we started telling him that we have a message all about Jesus Christ and that it can bless his life and help his family through this hard trial and that no matter what happens, we can be with our families forever again someday. He said that his family would be fine with having us come back and share more of this message with them. Then two of his little sisters came home, so we gathered them all together on the porch and said a prayer for their father. The little girls (age 10) were so happy and gave us huge hugs. We also went back there this week and shared a message about trials. The mom was super nice but didn't seem too interested in the message, but the daughters loved it and one of them was even crying. So maybe there is some potential there!

Another fun thing that happened last week was when we went to dinner at one of the member’s homes! They seriously spoil us. Brother R had decided to find out what some of my favorite meals were. Dad told him I like breakfast for dinner; so I walk in thinking we were going to have grilled cheese and salad (cause that's what they told us earlier) and the first thing I hear is Brother R bellowing from the kitchen, "WHO LIKES BREAKFAST FOR DINNER!" He was SO excited :) Sister R said he found out what I like ten minutes before we were supposed to be there, and he booked it to the store so we could have it all that night! It was yummy:) Pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. DELICIOUS! That was nice since I don't make breakfast food like that in the morning! They are just the sweetest people ever. They are like family away from home. So no worries! They take the best care of us.

We had a few other good lessons last week. We were visiting with one of our investigators and as we were walking in the front room to talk, I asked his son to join us. (Timeout, I don't know if I've told you. His son is 10 years old. He comes to church with his dad and he really likes us, but he is usually playing when we talk to his dad. I thought I was going to have to pester him to join us, but he got right up and came in! We ended up teaching him the restoration and his dad pretty much explained a lot of it to him! Woo! Then the boy even said the closing prayer! He didn't want to at first but we helped him have ideas on what he could say and he willingly did it! Anyway more stuff happened last week but those were the highlights!

So this week, we didn't go proselyte on Monday or most of the day Tuesday. On Tuesday I was still super dizzy but not sick to my stomach. I hadn't eaten anything on Monday so I was famished on Tuesday. I ate everything! Sister R also got me some sprite and ice pops to snack on that day after the doctor as well. So I ate a whole sleeve of saltines, my sprite, two things of chicken noodle soup, and a ton of ice pops, plus normal food here and there as well :) So I was feeling much, much better. I was just super tired and my ear was still plugged. However, we had planned to go to the visitor’s center with an investigator and his son so they could watch the Joseph Smith Restoration video! So I rested all day so we could go that night. I thought I would be good since we would just be sitting the whole time so I wouldn't get too dizzy. (We also drove everywhere for those few days since I couldn't ride a bike since I might fall off ;) However, there were a million obstacles we had to overcome in order to go! Our investigator had hurt his back and didn't want to move, then later he felt better but his son was gone, then his son came home but wanted to go to a friend’s house, then we finally convinced the dad to come even if his son didn't come; in the end the son also brought his friend. So this was a long session of trying to get them to come because we also had to coordinate with members to take us. We had planned this for a few days and we knew how good it would be for them so we HAD to go. We prayed alllll day that it would work out and it did! They loved the movie. The son and his friend were dead silent the whole time and even asked questions about it afterwards. The dad also said that he didn't really doubt any of "this" stuff and he wanted to come back to the visitor’s center to watch more videos and look at everything! Apparently Sam also told the member that he wants to be baptized, but we didn't hear him say that so I'm not sure. They were supposed to come to church yesterday but the dad’s back was acting up again so they couldn't make it. But yay! It was awesome for them to go to that and the spirit was SO strong! I think it really helped them.

Also another HUGE highlight! We have a baptism scheduled! She is so solid! Sister W and I found her at the beginning of our first transfer together, and now she is so solid! We had this awesome lesson prepared to help her want to be baptized and see that she is ready. She has been progressing but didn't think she had enough faith to be baptized yet. So we had an awesome lesson about faith, repentance, and baptism and then we told her we thought she was ready to be baptized. We had a few scriptures as back-up in case she was hesitant but she just looked at us and said, "Ya, It think so too." So she is on date for March 29th! She also told us that she had been studying the For the Strength of Youth Pamphlet on her own and had decided to start listening to better music! It took her a little bit of time to decide to do this for herself and then act on it so she could gain that faith, but now she is doing so good and she is so excited. Oh, she is 15 if I haven't mentioned that before. She has grown so much and I love that girl! :)

So we have had some super awesome miracles! Even though I was super sick when we taught our investigator, it was one of the best lessons ever :) So Sister C and I celebrated by making ourselves some yummy fruit pizza. We stocked up on fruit and we had both been craving fruit pizza so we made some :) It was fun and very delicious :) Lastly, we celebrated National Pi Day with some members. They invited us over for Pie Night and they had pizza and pie and then watched “The Life of Pi” on a projector outside. Of course we didn't stay for that part though. But the cool thing was that they had non members there and a young woman about 14 years old came up and asked what a person who was looking into the church would be called. We told her "investigator" and she said, "Oh, I guess that is what I am then :)" So we talked to her a little bit about it and apparently her family is super strong in their church but she doesn't really like it. She has been talking to her friends and she went to the temple open house and she wants to learn more about the church. She just doesn't know how her parents will feel. So we gave her our number and told her to let us know when she is ready! She isn't in our area, but she is in our stake so we will see what happens!

Anyway I also had to play the piano at the Mission Presidents Fireside last night. I hate that the AP's know that I play the piano now! I had slid under the radar for a few months but now I get asked to play quite frequently. Ridiculous! Anyway all in all it's been really good! A few minor bumps in the road, but we are all good now. I just love being a missionary and it makes me so happy! Also, how is everyone doing on that Book of Mormon challenge? I fell a little behind with being sick cause I couldn't read since it made me dizzy, but I'm getting back on track! :) I love the Book of Mormon so much! :) It is the key to happiness, I know it. I hope you all have a fabulous week! :) Thanks for all the love and support!

NATIONAL PI DAY!!!

Eating Indian Food

Sick Again

Sorry but there is no way I can write a letter today.

 I woke up with a crazy ringing in one of my ears and it feels like it needs to pop but it won't. Anyway it was fine this morning but throughout the morning it has caused me to be super dizzy and now I feel super, super sick. I am trying to not throw up right now and I'm typing with my head down kinda like a replay of my first Pday in the MTC. I'm really sorry. This week has been good but I just really can't email.I don't even know if we will be able to go to the store today because I can't walk without being dizzy. I can't even sit without being dizzy,so I'm going to try to sleep it off today. SO I'm really sorry again. Have a good week. Sure wish I had my mommy to take care of me right now :) 

Spiritual High

Well this week has been an extremely emotional one! So many changes and new challenges/callings make for an exhausting yet rewarding week! The beginning of the week was filled with saying goodbyes to some of our investigators and ward members for Sister W. She was really shocked to be leaving because I thought for sure I was leaving. I don't really know why, but obviously I was wrong! Anyway of our older investigators took us out to dinner again. She really was super upset that they were splitting us up and kept saying that she didn't think it was fair and how mean it was of them to do that. We try to explain it to her, but she such a stinking stubborn old lady! Yet, I love her! We also had some good lessons with J and one of the member families in our area. He said he has faith that this could be true, but he wants to be able to commit to it 100 percent if it’s what he is going to do and he claims he hasn't seen that commitment from his family (they are all baptized except him) and so he still is apprehensive about it. But he is just barely starting to open his heart after 16 years, so I imagine it might take him a little time to receive the "strong" answer he wants. He really needs to read the Book of Mormon so until he desires to do that, I don't think he's going to get his answer.

We also went out to eat with some young women in the ward because they were also sad that they were changing us. We went to eat with them and it turned out to be a super spiritual time that resulted in tears at the end. We have been told in blessings and also by President that we were put together for a reason and I think some of it had to do with the young women. Also maybe just to get the ball rolling with some investigators and see that we actually have personalities and know how to have fun while still being able to preach the gospel. (Sister W brings out my crazy side in me, so I definitely have come out of my shell a little!) Anyway so that was really fun to be able to go with them. We also went to one of our ward families and they bought us HUGE bags of popcorn from Costco. They have gotten us addicted to it so they bought it for us as our goodbye present. I love them so much!! We also said goodbye to R. He said no one would ever be able to replace us and we have already made such a huge difference in his life and his family. He is really sweet and his son even said he was going to miss us being together. So even though we didn't have any baptisms, I hope we actually did touch some people’s lives and help them come closer to Christ, and if nothing else, planted many seeds for someone else to harvest.

On Wednesday I got my new greenie! She is from Idaho as well. She is the youngest of 10 children, and went to BYU-I and got her nursing license. She is also 20 years old. She's super sweet and really excited to do the work so I'm glad I don't have to nag at her or anything. It’'s super challenging to be a trainer I'm finding out. I never know when to correct, or when to just let them learn for themselves. I'm trying to thrive off of the MTC fire they have when they first come out and use it to our advantage. She has a lot of good ideas that we have tried before, but it’s hard to know when to let them try them again, or when to tell them it might not be the best option. Letting them learn on their own and fall at times, but being there to pick them up. It's tough to get the balance right. I'm assuming that's what parenting is like, but much harder. Anyway it's a good growing experience though. I thought for sure that I didn't know the area, but I've done pretty good so far! We still haven't gotten lost (knock on wood!) That’s a blessing for sure. Anyway I kept up the tradition and took her to one of lady investigators on our first day. haha I really don't know what to do for her because she changes her mind every time we go there, but Bishop still wants us to meet with her so we do, plus she is fun and adorable so I like going there anyway.

Lately we've really been focusing on the Book of Mormon. We have given it to quite a few people or just really emphasized its importance a lot. We tell them how it will help their faith grow and help them get answers to their prayers and it's the key to all happiness and all that jazz. We gave one lady the Book of Mormon and for once she was totally stumped and didn't have anything sassy to say or joke about. So I hope this is what gets her! I just have such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon and that we can receive so many answers from its pages. It literally has the key to happiness in it because it not only allows us to get answers, but to learn more of the

gospel and it brings us closer to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

We also got in to teach another lady this week. She has depression and is bipolar and multiple other things. It was the second time she let us in. The first time we went, she was super down and quiet but this time she was super bubbly and long winded. She talked forever. But we also have really been focusing on faith and the atonement with a lot of people too. And she definitely needs that in her life right now because she is going through some pretty hard times.

So super fun times! We got to watch the cultural celebration for the Gilbert Temple! It was pretty cool. Man, those kids were so soaked though. It has been raining the past few days and it rained the ENTIRE performance. They were freezing. But it was cool.. Oh, I forgot to mention it was on TV! ABC15 covered it and so we watched it at a member’s house. It was super cool. 

Plus we also got to go to one of the sessions of the dedication. (There were three.) Poor President Monson is not looking to good though. He was really feeble and he only spoke in one of the sessions for about 5 minutes. He was so cute doing the cornerstone though. He had a few kids come up and put some mortar on and he exclaimed, "YAY! You get to help build the temple!" It was so cute. It touched my heart. It was such an awesome spiritual experience. It made me reflect on how lucky I have been to be a part of 3 temple dedications already in my life. Plus I got to be in the cultural celebration myself! What a blessing! Anyway I love President Monson with my whole heart and the spirit has testified to me more than once that he is in fact a prophet of God. So it's been somewhat of a spiritual high with all the temple things going on. I was hoping President Monson would drive past us as we were biking around in the rain.. haha we were soooo soaked. We had to have towels when we went into the member’s house for dinner. It just came down and I was wearing my rain coat too and I was all the way soaked through! But the water was much needed.

Anyway I love the church and I'm glad to be here on a mission. It's the best thing ever. Have a good week!