"Tell Grandpa he finally got what he wished for. That's right folks. I'm headed to Pikeville, Kentucky to serve with Sister H...again. I don't know what the deal is, but they really like to stick me with sisters I have already served with. All that I know about Pikeville is that it's 2 hours from any of the meetings we will have, out in the boonies. I am excited for the people. I love poor people, they are so humble. I think our apartment is one of the nicest in the mission. I think the complex has a gym so that will be nice."
"I'm dreading this. I couldn't even finish talking to the zone leaders last night I was crying so hard. I've been crying since then. I know there is a reason for all of this but it's not the last transfer I was expecting. I'm trying to have a positive attitude but I have been trying to avoid Kentucky my whole mission. Bluefield is my second home. If I ever ran away, I would run away to Bluefield. I am friends with all the ward members here. I'm praying for strength and courage to do what God asked me to do. I'm sure the ward is great. I'm sure that it won't be horrible. I hope they don't feed me Opossum."
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
A Baptism, Yay!
"I was blessed with my fourth baptism this week (: Our recent convert's nephew got baptized Sunday. It was the sweetest thing. One of our zone leaders, who has the same first name, got to baptize him. He got a little nervous with the water, so he had to be baptized twice cause he let his foot come up. His aunt and I stood at the top of the font and she wrapped her white towel that she used at baptism, around him. It was the cutest thing. She is so proud. In her blessing it talked a little about some of her family accepting the gospel as she shares it with them and she's seeing the fruits of her labors. I have never seen her this happy."
"The two girls are still trying to get permission to be baptized. Their mom and their grandma are pretty hard-hearted towards the Mormons, and so they are being stubborn with giving their consent. We are still praying that the spirit will work on them so that they can be baptized. We're trying for August 3rd now."
"Please pray for the couple that was baptized when I first came to Bluefield. She had a miscarriage this week and they, and her mom are very angry with God right now. Her mom only came for Sacrament meeting yesterday and the couple didn't come at all. We haven't been over there yet because she was worried that the husband would go off on us because we're "god's people" (another nick-name for the missionaries here in the south, lol). We're going to try and go over tonight to see if there's any way we can soften hearts and help them understand."
"Transfers are still up in the air. We have no idea who will be going where. I got a blessing at the beginning of the transfer that said that I still had people here in Bluefield that I needed to find, so I think I will die here (that is how they refer to finishing their mission) and I will get a new companion. But it's so bitter sweet cause me and Sister P keep having all of these awesome experiences and we just want to stay and die together, haha. But we are willing to do whatever God wants us to do."
"I love you all. Look for missionary opportunities this week!!"
"The two girls are still trying to get permission to be baptized. Their mom and their grandma are pretty hard-hearted towards the Mormons, and so they are being stubborn with giving their consent. We are still praying that the spirit will work on them so that they can be baptized. We're trying for August 3rd now."
"Please pray for the couple that was baptized when I first came to Bluefield. She had a miscarriage this week and they, and her mom are very angry with God right now. Her mom only came for Sacrament meeting yesterday and the couple didn't come at all. We haven't been over there yet because she was worried that the husband would go off on us because we're "god's people" (another nick-name for the missionaries here in the south, lol). We're going to try and go over tonight to see if there's any way we can soften hearts and help them understand."
"Transfers are still up in the air. We have no idea who will be going where. I got a blessing at the beginning of the transfer that said that I still had people here in Bluefield that I needed to find, so I think I will die here (that is how they refer to finishing their mission) and I will get a new companion. But it's so bitter sweet cause me and Sister P keep having all of these awesome experiences and we just want to stay and die together, haha. But we are willing to do whatever God wants us to do."
"I love you all. Look for missionary opportunities this week!!"
Monday, July 14, 2014
Baptisms Next Week
"I have a lot to write. Let me see if I can get it all with the time I have."
"So our recent convert is doing a lot better. Her 2 nieces and 1 nephew are all getting baptized on Sunday after church. We are so excited!! We are teaching another one of her nieces but it's going to be a slow process with her. Our recent convert had a little bit of a tough week- lots of people trying to convince her not to be a part of the church. She hadn't taken the sacrament the week before because she was ill and couldn't make it to church...which made things a little more difficult for her. She came to church with her nieces and nephew and had an incredible experience. I was asked to play a piano solo in sacrament meeting. I knew that one of her favorites was "Nearer my god to thee". Well, Marvin Goldstein saved the day again, and I had a piano solo arrangement of that song that was perfect. During the sacrament, I was reading the words to kind of prepare me for the kinds of emotions I would put into it as I played. I noticed her sitting next to me, with her eyes closed and head bowed in humble prayer. She had had an incredibly tough week (thank you for the prayers btw), but she was committing to Heavenly father to change and I'm sure she was pleading for peace (she's better now after a perfect week at church). So it was my turn. I was about to put the book back in the slot so I could get ready to go up and play, and she reached for the book. I found the page I was just on for her, and she stuck her finger in it. During my song she followed along with the words. That's a true disciple. Someone who's dedicated to changing despite what the world says."
"Elder Bednar came to Charleston to speak specifically to the youth of West Virginia. The 3 girls got to go hear him speak and shake his hand (: It was incredible!! I never thought that my investigators would get to meet an apostle of whom I just taught them about. Her nephew is so funny...he's 8. His other aunt used to give him a cup of coffee in the morning, and a cup at night when she would drink it. So when we taught him the Word of Wisdom this week, I was not expecting the answer I got.. "WHAT?! Wait a minute. Just wait. Hoollld up. No COFFEE????..." He hasn't had it for a while, and our convert doesn't drink it anymore, so he'll have someone to lean on. He is the cutest little boy!! He's so excited to get baptized!
"So I am out of time. I always try and do 5 things at once on my email. I'm going to print some pictures and send them home with a short letter. We did a couple of really fun things this week!"
"So our recent convert is doing a lot better. Her 2 nieces and 1 nephew are all getting baptized on Sunday after church. We are so excited!! We are teaching another one of her nieces but it's going to be a slow process with her. Our recent convert had a little bit of a tough week- lots of people trying to convince her not to be a part of the church. She hadn't taken the sacrament the week before because she was ill and couldn't make it to church...which made things a little more difficult for her. She came to church with her nieces and nephew and had an incredible experience. I was asked to play a piano solo in sacrament meeting. I knew that one of her favorites was "Nearer my god to thee". Well, Marvin Goldstein saved the day again, and I had a piano solo arrangement of that song that was perfect. During the sacrament, I was reading the words to kind of prepare me for the kinds of emotions I would put into it as I played. I noticed her sitting next to me, with her eyes closed and head bowed in humble prayer. She had had an incredibly tough week (thank you for the prayers btw), but she was committing to Heavenly father to change and I'm sure she was pleading for peace (she's better now after a perfect week at church). So it was my turn. I was about to put the book back in the slot so I could get ready to go up and play, and she reached for the book. I found the page I was just on for her, and she stuck her finger in it. During my song she followed along with the words. That's a true disciple. Someone who's dedicated to changing despite what the world says."
"Elder Bednar came to Charleston to speak specifically to the youth of West Virginia. The 3 girls got to go hear him speak and shake his hand (: It was incredible!! I never thought that my investigators would get to meet an apostle of whom I just taught them about. Her nephew is so funny...he's 8. His other aunt used to give him a cup of coffee in the morning, and a cup at night when she would drink it. So when we taught him the Word of Wisdom this week, I was not expecting the answer I got.. "WHAT?! Wait a minute. Just wait. Hoollld up. No COFFEE????..." He hasn't had it for a while, and our convert doesn't drink it anymore, so he'll have someone to lean on. He is the cutest little boy!! He's so excited to get baptized!
"So I am out of time. I always try and do 5 things at once on my email. I'm going to print some pictures and send them home with a short letter. We did a couple of really fun things this week!"
Monday, July 7, 2014
4th of July
"Not going to lie, I don't have a whole lot to report this week. But I will share my fourth of July with ya'll (: "
"We had a zone meeting from 9 that morning to about 3 that afternoon. I got to sing the national anthem and apparently it was so good that 2 or three people pulled out cameras and recorded it. I was then told that I needed to try out for the Voice haha...The meeting was really neat, we talked about Form and Essence. The zone leaders told us all about the new mission president. He seems like a good guy, I guess I won't know till tomorrow, when I meet him in Pembroke with the rest of our missionaries for the mission tour. After our meeting, we went up to visit a home bound less active member. Turns out her less active and part member family is all up having a BBQ so they fed us dinner while we were there. Then our recent convert texted and asked if we were around, and she brought us dinner as well. Then we ate dessert at a member's house. Funny story. We were trying to sticky note their door without getting caught, but we totally got caught and they invited us in for dessert. We met their friends, this cute, cute couple who travel and sing gospel songs at revivals and stuff. So we sang hymns for them and they sang "Please let me sing in the choir" and "Over and Over" for us. It was so much fun!"
"Please pray for our recent convert. She is having some hard trials right now, and needs all the prayers and support she can get."
"We had a zone meeting from 9 that morning to about 3 that afternoon. I got to sing the national anthem and apparently it was so good that 2 or three people pulled out cameras and recorded it. I was then told that I needed to try out for the Voice haha...The meeting was really neat, we talked about Form and Essence. The zone leaders told us all about the new mission president. He seems like a good guy, I guess I won't know till tomorrow, when I meet him in Pembroke with the rest of our missionaries for the mission tour. After our meeting, we went up to visit a home bound less active member. Turns out her less active and part member family is all up having a BBQ so they fed us dinner while we were there. Then our recent convert texted and asked if we were around, and she brought us dinner as well. Then we ate dessert at a member's house. Funny story. We were trying to sticky note their door without getting caught, but we totally got caught and they invited us in for dessert. We met their friends, this cute, cute couple who travel and sing gospel songs at revivals and stuff. So we sang hymns for them and they sang "Please let me sing in the choir" and "Over and Over" for us. It was so much fun!"
"Please pray for our recent convert. She is having some hard trials right now, and needs all the prayers and support she can get."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)