Monday, June 23, 2014

"I've died 9 times!! I have 11 death certificates!!"


Greetings from good ole' Baton Rouge!!
 
This has been the BUSIEST week of my mission so far..... our numbers were out of control!! Hardly anyone ever gets em this high any time during their mission....you ready........................................ drum roll........................ 11 hours of service (not that great) and 32 lessons!! 32 FREAKIN LESSONS!!! what?? Is this even really life?!?!? Have I ever been more tired in my life??? Don't think so!!! haha But we are working so hard and I love it!!! :)
 
So I left my planner and my camera at home b/c we were going to go home before we emailed and then there was a change of plans so I will try to remember everything that is important.
 
First off, I am having a little bit of separation anxiety from Grandmas house knowing that you all are there. So I went and bought some Wheaties because every summer I would eat Wheaties at grandmas house. So now when I am at my apartment eating my Wheaties I kinda feel like I am at grandmas house with all y'all! :)
 
Monday
Last Monday..... we wen tot the zoo to celebrate sister steele and sister Hill's birthdays!! It was fun but I have never been a really fan of zoos because I can just look at picture of the things on the internet and have the same thrilling experience of seeing exotic animals in the comfort of my pajamas but the company was very much enjoyable and I am glad we were ableto do something for them!!
 
Tuesday was district meeting and it went really well!! We  didn't get done until later and then it rained pretty hard so we went to a members house for an hour so that it would calm down! Then that night was ward temple night!!! ahhhhhhh it was so awesome!!! I just love it so much! Since being in Louisiana I have been able to go 5 times! so it has definitely been a blessing to be close to the temple. Heavenly Father must have know that I would need that monthly boost!! Because it works! After ward temple night I am ready to take on the world!!! :)
 
Wednesday was crazy busy! We taught 7 lessons that day! We met a crazy woman.... my favorite quote from our conversation is down at the end just for the suspense! :) So that was fun!! We were able to just see so many less active and so many non members! We have really been working with this one less active. she is awesome and I can see some real potential for her coming back to church if we keep working with her! She has been doing her "homework" as she calls it and keeps wnating us to give her more things to do!!! Now we jsut have to get her family on board too because that just makes things easier!!
 
Thursday was even crazier! We taught 8 lessons! That is an all time daily high for me!! and for Sister Steele! It was just so awesome and the Lord was just making everything fall into place that needed too!..... did I tell you that a few weeks ago the elders made me drink buttermilk at a members house and I about puked?? Well that happened... we had dinner at that same members house thursday night so that just reminded me!! :) ahah
 
Friday we had our last specialized training with Pres. Wall. It was definitely a little sad. But the discussion we had was amazing... pres. Wall would ask certain wuestions to missionaries and people just opened up really fast. We were talking about the tender mercies of the lord in relation to hope... It was just super cool and the spirit was jsut so strong you could have popped it with a needle! :) We also talked about the atonement in realtion to missioanry work and they showed that video that I told y'all to look up when I first got here to Louisiana! It was just super cool. President Wall pretty much just went through what he wanted us to learn most and what her thought were the most important things to learn while out here. it was just awesome! So after that we started sharing with everyone this idea of finding hope through the tender mercies of the Lord. It brought about some amazing discussions in which you could jst feel the spirit all around us. It also caused me to reflect on my life and taking the time to recognize the tender merices. I have recognized so many more since being a missionary but I don't think it is because they just increased in number but more I am looking for them and am grateful when I find them. As simple and finding a pull through parking space so sister steele doesn't have to back me!! :) The tender mercies of the Lord are everywhere! And I have noticed that as I reflect on those tender merices when I say my nightly prayers that it makes a big difference in the type of day I have the next day!
 
Saturday we did service all day for this less active woman........ I stayed and helped with the kitchen for 3 hours it needed a lot of work but I am glad we were able to help! Sister Hill and Sister Weidmann came too becuase we knew it was going to be a big project!! Then we went to dinner with one of our recent converts!!
 
Sunday we had to teach relief society and it was one Dallin H. Oaks talk from the priesthood session. It was am AMAZING talk but it was on a subject that made me a little uneasy to teach about because so people are crazy and when you ahve an investigator at church who still has some unresolved issuses with the priesthood you just get nervous. I have come the the conclusion that I need blood pressure medication just for the sundays while I am on my mission. Nothing stress me out more than church...... even wrinkled paper doesnt stress me out more thats how stressful they are! But really it s only when we have investigators there.  But the lesson went surprisingly well and we really just focussed on the fact that we have equal but different responsibilites and then talked about thsoe!! So it went well!!
 
Today we had a bike ride. Those are the pictures that I can send becuase we have sister steeles camera with them. Pres. Wall is an avid cyclist so his last wish was for everyone in the mission to ride their bikes from 10-12 on his last p-day (today) with their districts! It was fun! My butt hurts soooo bad!! but thats just because I haven't ridden a bike in a while! (I borrowed one from some members!) And we ahd t-shirts that say the final ride on the front and bringing hope one mile at a time on the back! So they are pretty groovy and it was a pretty fun things to do! We went about 14.23 miles [after 2 people getting flat tires and someones chain falling off. Can you tell most of us have been working on patience for our christlike attribute this month? :) ] So collectively as a distict we rode 113ish miles! So it was pretty fun! Now we have some more projects to do before he leaves!
 
 
I miss you guys but I hope you're having fun on the adventures youre going on!! I am happy, health, and working hard!
 
I love you!
 
Your favorite missionary
 
Quote
 
*We talked to this crazy lady and she was tellin us how no one can stop her. She proceed to not yell but very forcefully proclaim "I've died 9 times!! I have 11 death certificates!!" I, with some extra strength given to me by Heavenly Father, was able to surpress my laughter until we got into the car and then I jsut lost it! Like tears rolling down my face I was laughing so hard! How can you have more death certificated that times you have "died"!!!! 

Tornado???? Just Kidding!


Well I forgot my planner today, so trying to remember everything from this past week will be interesting.
 
First off! It has been four months today since I was set apart!! CRAZY!!
 
Tuesday.... There was a pretty bad storm on Tuesday.... haha so the way for Sister Hill and Sister Weidmann to get home was mega flooded. (We had district meeting so we all met at the church) so its a miracle that they got there without flooding the engine or something... But it was still raining super hard after the meeting so they called president wall and he told them to stay with us until it got better. So they came with us! We went and did service at a members house and it was raining ever harder! I could wring out water from my skirt!! So we stayed at the members house for a little bit to wait out the storm. For being a place that rains a lot their drainage systems aren't wuite up to par so I didn't want to drive until things calmed down a bit! and they did about an hour later! The weather here is so bipolar because it was just sunny and hot! :) But it was super fun to be able to spend some time with them!! THey are like our best friends! :) So that was fun! :) But tmost of our afternoon apt. cancelled on us b/c they didnt want us driving in the storm!
 
Wednesday was asked if they needed any help with mutual, so we went over to the leadres house and helped and then agreed that we would do part of the lesson that night. Unfortunately we doubled booked ourselves without realizing it so we had to find some people to do splits with! So we each went with a yw from the ward for a portion of the after noon and then met back up at mutal! Bu tin the end when we were talking about it we realized that we were both where we needed to be with the person we were with! So it was super fun to get to know the yw a little better!! We are arranging for some of them to spend a day this summer with us and come see what missionary life/work is all about! :) so that should be super fun!! YW was great! and we ever got a wendy's frosty out of it! :)
 
Thursday we had exchanges!! Those are always so fun! I went to South Baton Rouge with Sister Stennet! It was super fun!! :) We were pretty busy! We helped clean this womans house......... gross....... first off she asked how old I was and I said 19. She said" wow I thought you were 29! But thats okay becuase I thought your compnaion over there was 7!" Man she knows how to lift people up!!  But we are cleaning this womans house. Now I dont have a weak stomach but my stomach was in my throat. I was about to toss my cookies any moment. Just from the smell and looking at food that had been out for 4 weeks..... So sister stennet is doing the dishes and then she gasps and her face goes pale......... I hesistantly go over b/c I am afraid of what I might see..... then I see it.... or should I say them.... maggots....everywhere in this one dish that was at the bottom. I nearly lose it then. Sister stennet who doesn't have a weak stomach either wants to lose it about then. So the woman takes the whole container and just chucks it over the railing of her aprtment complex!!! WHAT!!! oh my gosh it was so gross and I about puked everywhere!! We powered through and finished though!! then went and had a lesson with their investigaotr from gladys knight who is getting baptized this saturday! She is so awesome and wow.......thats all I can say........ wow! We had a good time talking about k-love songs!! :)
 
Friday we were going to exchange back after studies but this text comes in telling us not to leave our appartments b/c of a tornado watch. It was storming and their were winds of about 45 mph but there wasnt a torando!! but we were only on lockdown for 30 min. The funny thing is that sister hill and sister weidmann were the reasons! They called the office and told them there was a tornado by their house! but it was just bad wind! ahaha when i had them reinact what it was like and what they did I nearly peed my pants! Just imagine two siters in a bathtub with bikehelmets on their heads!! ahahah it was super funny! I will ahveto record them telling the story!! :) But we exchanged back and then wnet on our way!
 
*There was no actual tornado! Just overreactant sisters! :) *
 
Saturday. I could not focus all day. at all. like I already have ADD and focussing problems but when you mix those with being able to see my best friend it was just to much for my little mind to handle! It had been 3 1/2 months since I have seen and even really talked to sister Dixon!!!!!!!! So the fact that we were going out to dinner and then she got to spend the night at our apartment was just too much!! :) But we made it through all our appointments for the day and they went to pick them up from the stake center! (The drove the 2 hours with members from their ward) It was honestly one of the best moments so far! She might have even shed a little tear but shhhhh dont tell her I said anything! :) It was so good and just what the both of us needed! We were able to just talk and be together for like 18 hours is all but that was really all either of us needed! We have NO idea when we will see each other next so it was good! :) Plus it was Sister Steeles b-day so it was just a good day all around!!!
 
Sunday
Stake conference! it was really good! the saturday night session is when our recent convert spoke! I was SUPER nervous about that but he did a GREAT job!! I really wanted to make a sign to hold up cheering him on but I figured that would be a little irreverant! :) So I just told him afterwards!! :) Bu tthe sunday session was good!! :)  It seemed super long! But it was good!!! :) Pres and sis Wall spoke so that was good!! I am sooooooo sad that they are leaving!!! :( Really though! I am sad and  little scared about how strict this next president is going to be b/c pres wall is one of the most relaxed presidents! But we will see!! After atake conference I had to say goodbye to sister dixon! It was actually harder than I thought it was going to be and I am going through some withdrawals now!! :) I just love her so much! And we are just best friends! And it was like having a little taste of home for a bit! :) But I am grateful that i was able to see her fo rth short time that we did! :) But after that we went with the STL's and sister hill and sister weidmann (the plaquettes) and ate lunch at the Laupers! It was super super fun! like alot! You might want to check her blog because she took pics and said she was going to update it that night!! :) But after that we went and visited some less actives and then went home to finish our day with our studies!!
 
Today we are going to the Zoo as a district b/c its sister Hills bday today and it was siter steeles on satuday!! Yay for parties!! :)
 
I love you guys! I am doing really well, I am happy, and up until this weekend, I hadn't laughed so hard since we took flight going over those railroad tracks in Utah or that time when Max and Ethan threw tomatos all over the house!! :)
 
I pray for y'all everday!! I love you!!
 
Your favorite missionary

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Alligators, Alligators, Alligators.....


Monday:
Alligator farm was the most ghettotastic place I have ever been!! Well except for a few places in North Baton Rouge but I won't tell you about those until I get home!!! :) We go and this tour guide is Cajun through and through so we go and the first alligator we see is in what he calls "detention" he proceeded totell us that this 12.5 foot alligator escapes abot once a month. This happens becuse some of the tin fencing has holes and the smart ones know how to get through.......... he said they were tired of the nieghbors calling them to get the alligator out of their yards. HELLO! I see an issue here! Fix the dang fence becuase they shouldnt be able to get out in the first place! Then he tried getting it to come to him and it wouldn't so he said well looks like I will have to go to her. He then lays down on the ground 5 inches from its face and then starts tapping its nose! Yeah the alligator did not like that!! THere was a mom with her two little boys that that started swearing up a storm! Then we left and I got to pet a little 3-4 year old one and then hold a baby one!!! :) I guess you can say I am a professional now. PS what made it more ghettotastic was the fact that they had tin baby pool sort of things inside the gift shop with alligators in them..... with no signs saying don't touch or "could kill you beware" granted they biggest one was 4 ft. but I went and being the genius that I am put my face near the rim and the thing lunged at me and almost took my face off.  But I survived... no need to worry! After the alligator farm we drove back and went to a less active members home becuase she wanted her grandson to get a blessing. it was super cool because usually whenever we go there the entrie family but her scatters. And I promise I shower every day so its not my hygiene thats the issue. but they were all there and we could totally feel the spirit and it was jsut awesome!! :)

Tuesday!
We taught our investigator named BJ the restoration!! What what!!! It went perfect! Well almost..... her nieghbor who is one of our recent converts came in part way through and was bring us way off topic at some points..... really though they were outrageous comments! :) But at the end of the lessons I extended the invitation to be baptized. She said that if she reads and finds out the BOM is true that the answer is yes! Sweet justice it was awesome!! :) Then we were able to go to the temple that night with a less active that is coming back. It has been 20 years and she is doing great. It is amazing to see missionary work come full circle!! 

Wednesday: Nothing too grand happened at all. Actually I cant remember Wednesday so I am assuming there was nothing too remarkable that happened!

Thursday:
We went to go see a less active family that a member told us to go see. So we make the long trip out there and we knock on the door and the womans son answers and we asked if his mom was home. He said yes and invited us is. So we wait in the kitchen while he goes in the back. He come out and says wait here she will be out in a few minutes then he left. So we wait in their kitchen...... 15 minutes passes and I think its funny..... 30 mintues passes and I start to think its not reall funny anymore......45 minutes passes and I start calling the sons name to see if he will come out... nope.... finally an hour passes of us sitting in their kitchen so we leave. I would have left sooner but the member that told us to go see her said that she takes forever toget ready and to get out of bed. So I didn't know if thats what she was doing and I didnt want to offend her by her spending that time to get to ready then come out to no one. But after an hour I said we are leaving. I even fake sneezed to see if anyone would come out. Then I took the phone off silent and went to ring tones and made it go off. That didn't even work... I was out of ideas and took the hint that we should leave!! :) So that was delightful!! :)\

Friday:
We worked on trying to visit people on the roster we have never met before......... 23 unanswered doors later the gospel is still true and people still dont like us!! :) Just kidding people love us... most of the time! :) Our Friday dinner appointment was interesting..... the Elders told the person feeding us that I wanted to drink some buttermilk..... straight buttermilk....... I didn't think that it was funny... I took a few sips and then about tossed my cookies so I made Elder Mapa finish it! 

Saturday:
We went back to BJs and watched the restoration DVD with her. SHe loved it! It was the 20 minute one and when it was over she said "Thats it? I want more!"  What words can make a missionary want to jump out and shout for joy more that "I want more"? So we are going to go back and watch the longer one with her!! Saturday night we invited investigaotrs and recent converts to come play volleyball with us at the church! It was super fun and its nice to just have fun with people!

Sunday 
We went to church and then spent the afternoon at the hospital visiting one of our memebers was is in their. And we went to a members house for dinner and they bought us little caesars pizza. I always feel super awkward when that happens.. like what do you say??? Please tell me becuase I cant wuite figure it out. The member said "Sorry my husband is out buying dinner dont judge us or be mad it has just been a crazy week." I responded "Do you need help unloading your dishwasher?" hahaha I didnt want tosay that it was okay because it isnt but they have their agency :)

Monday 
We tried to visit more people on the ward roster we havent met before. We pull up to this one house and the woman is in the drive way with her dogs. W eare getting our stuff together and I jokingly say Sister we need to hurry before she runs in the house! So we get out and start going up the sidewalk and she starts walking to the door to let her dogs in. so she opened her door and let the dogs in and then went in herself and closed the door on us without saying a word. Well on the off chance that she is blind and was unable to see us coming right behind her, I knocked...... no answer so I knock again..... no answer. So that was fun!!! :) Then the next house people pulled down the shutters to see who it was and then shut them..... yup they never answered... I think they wanted us to think they werent home.... haha then we went to Pres. Riggs home for dinner.

Well I hope you all have a good week!! I love all yall so much!!!

Your favorite Missionary

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

2 Missionaries walked into a bar...then broke into their ward mission leaders house.........

May 19th -

Why hello fine people!!! I hope this finds you well!! It has been a crazy busy and...interesting week!

So starting with Monday night. You know that less actives house that is in the middle of nowhere and when Sister Wily and I went there we were freaking orsleves out... yeah well Sister Brady and I went there again and it was good but while we were there it had rained so at 8:45 when we went to go leave I put the car into what I thought was reverse but when I pushed the gas nothing happened it just made the noise of tires moving... I though maybe I put it in neutral but when I checked nope it was in reverse... We were legit stuck in the mud. Now Lousiana mud is super sticky and hard to get out off. Ssiter Brady tried to push while I was reversing and it didn't work. so finally I put it into drive and it moved like 4 inches forward. so then I reversed..... needless to say I did like a 50 million point turn and we finally got unstuck!!! People here need drivways of gravel not grass!!! :) So that was fun and got the car all messy!!! 

Tuesday was interviews with Pres. Wall!! I love that man!!! My letter this week talks alot about the interview!!! :) It was what I needed to hear!!!

Wednesday we went to the hood!! :) But don't worry mama we had the Spirit to protect us! We did a service project as a zone at a african american history museum! AND GUESS WHAT I DID!!!!! you will never guess but few things have made me happier in life... just kidding....kinda!! This little white girl planted cotton!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited!! The woamn was listing all the jobs taht needed to get done and when she said planting cotton my hand went flying up!!! Who ever gets the opportunity to plant cotton, in Louisiana, at a legit afriacn american history museum!!! Not many people!!! It was so fun! Life goal....check!!! jk :)

Thursday we went on exchanges! It was really good and very much needed! I stayed in Praireville with Sister Lindstrom!!! She was Sister Bradys comp in the MTC!!! :) it was good!!

Friday, our district leader got permission from pres. wall to do a temple session for our district meeting! It was super cool to all be there together!! it was just super awesome!!

Saturday..... us 7 missionaries (there are 3 assistants now since e. asuao leaves in a week) we all accidently walked into a bar and it was super awkward. but the funny thing is that we all walked in a different times. When sister brady and I walked in we just stood in the door way and everyone just loooked at us. the woman said thisis a bar so seat yourself....... my face was super red and I said "well I don't see the people we are meeting yet so I am just going to wait outside!" Then we walked next door to the actual restaurant!! :) It was super funny!!

Sunday was super crazy!!! We went to church and there was a woman there that came in and said to me and sister brady... I need a priesthood holder. well it was 45 min before church started so every priesthood holder that was there was in PEC. so I said we can wait with you so I can tell you who walks in that is a priesthood holder. So we were waiting there and this guy gotout of his car and I said "I have never seen him so I dont know" and the woman said her spoke at the singles conference yesterday. that is Elder Parker of the 70!!! So she went out to talke to him and us and hte elders stayed  by the doors. He came in and asked the elders is they had an oil. Elder Adkins left his in Gonzales when he was on exchanges and Elder Mapa said "I think mine is in the car" Well remember when I told you that my branch pres in the MTC told us sister to carry oil, for when something like that happened! Well you can bet our burning buns I said here use mine! Elder Parker was like leave it to the Sisters to help the Elders out.... I just think its pretty cool that the first person to use the oil I carry with me is a 70!!! :) Moving on to 3:15 Sister Bradyand i are doing our studies at the aprtment and the elders call. they said the whitehats decided to get baptized today....at 4.... but we cant get ahold of brother fitt(the ward mission leader)a dn the white clothes are at his house.... we need you to go there and get them! So we went and had to do a little trespassing and find our way into the house then to get the clothes.... brother fitt was cool with it.... I just felt awkward!! :) So we get back and the whitehats got baptized!! The elder ahve been working with the family but Sister Wily and I met with the mom once an week and taught her!!! :) It was super neat to be ableto welcome her out of the water!! :) She was so happy!! I have never apprecieated a wet hug so much before that moment in my life!! :) It was just super cool!! and the spirit was so strong even though we only have 1 hour to prepare!!! :)

I love you all!!

Your favorite missionary!

Gladys Knight

 K, so me, Maddy's mom am pretty proud of myself.  I am becoming so tech savy!  LOL.  Maddy's letters are seriously so entertaining I have to share them, and I am pretty sure that is why she set up this blog a long time ago!  So I promise to try and be better!!!

May 5th -

Why hello!
 
So this week has been crazy busy!! Tuesday night there was the Gladys Knight performance. i had no idea who she was until I was out here and they were talking about this thing! But she is actually pretty good! So like 20ish years ago she converted to the church and pres. Hinckley asked her to oraginze a choir. So now she travels around with this grammy award winning choir talking to people about her conversion and just singing gospel music! So we just invted a bunch of people! And they started the thing by having hte choir enter down the aisle between the chairs in the gym then make their way up to behind the podium. Well guess who followed the choir in! Gladys Knight! adn guess who was sitting in an aisle seat! This girl!! So she was going and high fiving people so naturally I stick my hand out and instead of high fiving me what does she do? She grabs my hand and just smiles! Then she kept going but the purpose of this story is tat I am Gladys Knights favorite person.... I had to make that conclusion in case you didn't catch it! :) But this is one of those things taht they encourage people to rise their hands and say amen and to stand and clap and stuff. and everyone was nervous to do it b/c it was a mormon church and they didn't knw what exactly to do. But a few people were getting up and clapping and swaying so I stood up was clapping my hands saying amen and.... well really I was jsut workin it. And all the missionaries I was sitting by were laughing!! :) Sister Thornely (yeah she was there and I got to see her and it made my day!) was embarassed and I jsut loved it! But by the end they were all standing up clapping shoutin amens!! It was just super awesome!! and I great way for one night to really blend with the culture of the South! :) We didn't get home until 12 that night because the last one got over pretty late! But we are already seeing miralces! 2 or 3 sets of missionaries in our zone meeting the next day said that the people they brought came out saying "How can I get baptized? I want to get baptized!" from that night the Baton Rouge Zone (37ish missionaries) got 110 referrals!!  It was so awesome!! One ward alone got 63!! Our ward got 9 but since we have the zone leaders and the assistants in our ward they went to help the BR North missioanries contact their 63 so Sister Brady and I contacted the 9. Now nine doesn't seem lke too many but we were asked to contact all those referrals in the first 48 hours. Some of the people we had to go to their homes 5 times before they were there. Now the referrals were from info card that people filled out and gave to the ushers at the performance. and if they filled out that info card they would get a package delivered by a church representive (aka missionaries :) )with a restoration dvd, a bom, and a sampler gladys knight cd inside! So we went out to try to find and contact all these people and we had some pretty cool experiences!
Sunday ms BJ came to church for the first time!! She is an investigator that we have been working with!! She was a referral from our recent convert! and she finally came!! She loves having us over! She calls Sister Wily and I her daughters and when she had surgery 3 weeks ago we brought her over a little care package wil a picutre of us in it and now she has that picture on her table by her couch! She came to Gladys Knight but didn't sign up for a package because she said "I already got myslef some missionaries!" :) But we went by to see how she liked it the next day to follow up and she said that she really really like it! As we left she said "I want you to know that I really am think about becoming mormon!" :) 

I miss you and love you!!
 
Your favortie missionary!!