1/28/2013

Hello Family!

 

This week was full of trying to get stuff done for the car. Hopefully that is over. We are just waiting to see if repairs are needed.

 

Right now, I am sooo excited to go on exchanges with Sister McFarland tonight! I love her sooo much! Its also nice being in the area and knowing the area so-so.

 

Right now, we are starting to teach a woman in Enchanted hills who use to be a cop. She is an amazing woman and has had huge trials in her life that even gave her PTSD. Right now, she is a Born again Christian- Buddhist. I love her and already I have seen her grow as we taught about the atonement and forgiving. There is sooo much good in this world if you let yourself embrace it.

 

Also, get this, we taught a woman who has also been through alot, about relationships with men. yeah, that sounds weird right? But no, really, she has been so mistreated in her life by the ones that she loved. We tried to give her comfort and help her understand her purpose and what she needs to do now. I love this woman soooo much! i just want to cry unto God for her and ask him to change her life for her. And although, i do, I also accept that for her, she also needs to be the one crying out to God as Enos did. Then will she truly know what God has in store for her.

 

Another miracle we had just happened, we are out of money for the month and were getting the bare min. at walmart today when a member saw us, said hi, walked away, and then came back to us. She said that she had forgotten that she had the left overs to a walmart gift card and asked if we would use it. It was amazing! It was 21 dollars right there right then. It was a miracle. we marveled over it. The last 2 months, I have truly seen what the Lord meant when he told the apostles not to worry about purse or script, he will provide a way.

Do you remember that man that we had seen and said a prayer with, and then he had decided to get himself to church. He still is! he is so awesome! he even taught Elders quorum last week. i am so proud of him and the life choices and changes he is making.

I love y'all soooo much and I miss y'all soooo much!

 

1/22/13

WOW! It sounds like y'all had a crazy adventurous week in Tx. I'm sooo happy that you both had fun and went through it. I am so proud of you mom for getting to the point to be able to do it and I'm proud of Dad for supporting mom every step of the way. It truly is amazing. The pictures say million of words.

I might as well tell you about our "short" adventure. So yesterday, my comp turned left very widely and hit a high curb and rocks. We stopped and took pictures of it. Then kept going when we realized that our tire had a 2 inch gash in it. So we went to a gas station (now 9:30 at night), called the Elders, and put the spare tire on. going home, we had to go slow with emergency lights on so we got pulled over by a cop to see if everything is ok. we made it home at 10:45 (bed time 10:30) This morning, we were told to go to a jiffy lube to get it repaired and I think that we ended up in an entirely different zone, about 10 miles from where we live. Got there, found out jiffy lube doesn't replace or repair tires and that our spare was only half full of air. Went down the street to buy a tire at some small place that we'd have to try to get approved. Got there and of course right off they try to fix the tire. I stay steady and tell them that if they do not call the church first then we will not be able to pay. They finally stopped, found out the church would not pay them. However, they decided to fix the tire for free and gave us their card! Wow, by that point we were just saying nonstop prayers over and over again. Crazy! But all is good now! The best thing about it all was being reminded that people don't hate us for us! They just avoid our name tag. It was funny because we had many people stop and ask if we needed help. They were so kind. Its great to see people who are not members also going out in the world and doing kind things for other people/

This week, we received a referral from another ward for someone in Placitas. The referral, their elders and us went up to give Cathy a blessing. Her daughter (college age) had just passed away from some horrific accident. I'm so excited to begin teaching her., especially more about the Plan of Salvation. She has been so prepared. I hope that she has an open, willing heart with real intent to accept invitations.

 

We also received a referral from another ward for Ruby in Bernalillo. We are so excited because she sounds so ready and prepared to learn more from someone that she works with. We would have already met her, but a family emergency pulled her away.

 

This weekend, that man, Charles, with the Garlic had a stoke hours after we met with him. He is in the hospital right now and we are praying a lot for him. Also a recent converts son was hit in the head by a rock and rushed to the hospital. ekkk.

Mom- i love your picture with your hair flying straight up and your mouth bigger than an orange. Great!I can tell how excited you were from your letters. you are crazy you know.

Dad- i love this pic of you jumping out of the plane. hehehe. And I'm sure work will pick up way too soon.

 

Trent and Amberly- Congratz on your games! i love the pics i get.

 

I love y'all soooooo very much! y'all are each so special to me!

I love you mom i love you dad i love you trent i love you Amberly ! i love Y'ALL

 

Later in the evening received the following message:

Hey mom, surprise letter, huh? Well, we have to email these photos to the office. Today has been crazy just trying to get stuff with the car figured out. We have an appointment at 8 that I hope the person is home for. The best days are always the days that you have an opportunity to testify of Christ. At least once in a day! To any one. The other night, we couldn't find anyone to talk to. No one was home. But we drove into a gas station and i prayed to see 1 person I could say a prayer with. I am so thankful that we found that one person.

1/14/13

Hello family!

How are y'all! I miss y'all tons! I absolutely loved the package of colored pages I got! It was soooo coool! I can imagine everyone around the living room trying to color pictures. It was fun to see how each of your personalities came out in the pages y'all choose to send to me. And mom, i love the personal letter you sent. oh, and I'm glad you got some new colored pens too :)

So, something cool happened this week! We were driving to stop by and see a man named cj. as i turned down the main street, I started feeling odd about going to see him. but then, I accidentally turned down the wrong street to get to his house, I had a vivid impression to TURN AROUND NOW, GET OUT, GET BACK. It was kinda scary. I had to do a quick 3 point turn and I wouldn't let my companion out of the car to help me out. But we left as fast and as soon as we could. Do you realize how many prayers missionaries have said for them from y'all, in homes, at church, in the temple, and so forth. Its amazing! And do y'all realize how much we need them to be safe, and also to find the right people to teach. It is so cool. I heard about the 2 sisters that were kidnapped recently and i think about how this is God's work and how everyone works together to make it possible. All prayers are answered.

We also had a cool experience when we decided to stop at a gas station to use the restroom the other day. We stopped, saw an investigator that we ran over to see, saw another person who we had been trying to get in contact with for weeks now, and then we were stopped by someone who wanted reading material because she was a bit interested in what we did. It was way cool.

I am so sad because we have a few investigators that we are just going to need to drop. It breaks my heart to do it and I'm wanting so badly to push it off. I love these amazing people so much and the gospel would bless their lives sooo much if only they would see it. The biggest reason why we do decide to drop them is because in dropping people that do not progress, we are able to focus our energy on those that truly are ready for the gospel today. We will find them. I know that we will.

Anything that has anything to do with youth reminds me of mom and of Trent. The other day, we stopped by to see a 15 yr old girl who is super active in the church and seminary, but who does not have a testimony. It was sad to watch how she didn't believe that she was important, loved, or that there may be a God. It was truly a miracle to stop at her door that night. I loved testifying to her that she was loved, important and that God loves her. She is amazing! I already love her so much and I hope for her to find God for herself. We invited her to begin a gratitude page with how God might exist and to pray over the Book of Mormon. I know it will bless her life if she does these things.

Amberly- mom told me that you laughed super hard over the letter i sent you. I hoped you would like that. isn't it disgusting!

 

A Spanish sister had a miracle happen a while ago. They were teaching someone who had had one question for years and years and no preacher or minister had ever answered it. Then, as they were teaching, a scripture that Sis. Hendreson had looked at once, years ago in seminary came to her mind. That scripture was the lady's answer. It doesn't matter if most of your seminary is done at home or if you hate your teachers (...) or whatever! keep going and doing what you know is right!

ps frying pans, who knew :)

I'm soo happy y'all were able to listen to Elder Ballard this weekend. It sounds amazing.

I love y'all soooo much! and thank you for the pictures! i look at them every single day. They make me smile. Yall are the best!

I LOVE Y'ALL SOOOOOOO MUCH FOREVER AND FOREVER AND FOREVER!!!

If there is anything i can do for you, let me know

1/7/13

This week has been intense but amazing too. The best part, is that since the blessing I received last week, it truly seems that so much inside of me has changed.

I miss home, but it does not hurt as much as it did. I am able to sort through my feelings about it much easier.

 

On the other hand, taking over an area is super hard! I was stressed out all week to the point of many breakdowns. But was the week went on, I was able to see how the spirit was not with me the more I stressed out. And the more stressed I was, the more Satan tried to attack me.

 

I was also stressed, because no one was setting up appointments with us. Then, I found out that many of the people we had tried to do so with, hadn't even received our messages or anything. Again, not even anything i could have done with it!

Satan is a tricky guy. But all is much better now. I just cant get so stressed out. I just have to work my hardest and do what I know is right.

 

And actually, the times that I relaxed, is when we were the most productive and saw miracles happen. It is also when I had fun. One miracle that occurred this week, was amazing.

We had an appointment up in Placitas this week, and when we were coming back, we decided that we would stop at the O home. (I've met them once. they are Less active) When Bro O answered the door, I asked him if he was ok.

He said that they are actually going through a hard time right now with recent unemployment. No one else was home, so I asked him if we could say a prayer with him, in the cold, and on his doorstep. He said yes. After we prayed, he looked like he was going to cry. He then said (for the first time ever!) That he might come to church this week. Guess what! he did! he sat by us and asked a few little questions about the bishop and so forth. After sacrament meeting, he told us that it wasn't until we had stopped by and prayed with him in the cold that he decided that we would come back to church. he said that its time for him to come back. It was amazing!

 

In that gospel doctrine class, we had C. come to learn, Bro. O., and a less active couple who hated Utah Mormon's but is now receiving the answers to his questions that he needs from members of our congregation and the Spirit. It was amazing!

 

Oh, and at church, everyone was teasing me!!!!!! I guess that when bore my testimony in Bern. Ward, I said y'all 3 times with one of them as a loud "all y'all" (yes, someone actually counted!) They were teasing me for my Texan accent that almost never shows!!! Also, when I said a closing prayer in Gospel Principles, one of the men looked up at me and asked where I was from.When I said TX, he said "YES, I knew it. I could hear it in your prayer." I don't know what has been going on with my words, but apparently, I'm starting to talk like a Texan.. in New Mexico. So weird. I guess I learned on Sunday that everyone likes to tease me! haha. I love it though. even Sis. Hendricks (a ward missionary) was teasing me about my accent, her rolls, and any other thing. Her kids were helping her! It was fun.

 

Heavenly Father has also blessed me as I prayed not to freak myself out about driving this week and I am doing much better. It hasn't been stressing me out at all. It helps that I kinda know the area now, but I feel so blessed.

 

I love y'all sooo much! And I'm still using and playing with each amazing thing from Christmas.

 

I LOVE YOU !!! ALL OF YOU SOOO MUCH!

 

transfer week

Hey family! How are y'all! so I'm going to explain my week backwards.

Yesterday, I went to alburq.. for transfers at 7am. I found out, that my companion and 2 other sisters companions were coming up from the south.

So, I stayed in City View for the day to work until 4:30. Then- check this- We had to go back to the chapel, and pick up our 3 cars and dive them to the mission home! That means that I

was driving ALONE in a car! I was following the sisters, but then got stopped at a light. Luckily, I pulled out my GPS and made it! Ahhh! I cant believe that as the longest and farthest I've ever been from a comp! Crazy!

I do not know much about her yet. But she is super kind and I'm excited to work with her

Last week, Christmas, before and beyond, was not the easiest one. I have to be honest, if I was not in an appointment, I was probably breaking down crying somewhere. The next day, we taught the plan of salvation, and heard about at least 5-10 other deaths. About 2 days after Christmas, I was sick of this and decided to get a blessing. As soon as i'd had the blessing, everything was just better. I wasn't homesick I wasn't sad. I knew home was not here. I knew about GranGran and Katy, but it was ok. It was like it was in my world, but it wasn't in my work. Since then, I have felt immensely better and much happier. It seemed to be one of those miracle blessings that you hear of everyone else having, but never yourself. Its funny, because Satan is still trying to draw me back in to distraction by telling me about every other person who has passed away in the area. But its OK, because through Heavenly Father, I was given the strength that I needed to be happy again. Miracles do happen every day.

Being in a Relief society district is funny. The elders always say that the thing that surprised them the most is the n umber of blessings they give--- to the sisters. It is funny. The elders help us out so much. I cant count the number of blessings I have gotten in the last almost 5 months for comfort and even the ones from bishops for transfers. They are truly amazing. and helps every single time.

Dad, Thank you so much for your letter this week. It was supper special and you can bet I have tears down my cheeks as well.

Taking over the area, and driving is super stressful. I have found that coloring, drawing, and singing can be great stress relievers. My comp is really good. We have a to-do list that is miles long, but we are getting through it.

 

I LOVE YALL SO MUCH AND I MISS YALL EVERYDAY!!! I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!