11 month anniversary!!

I can't believe it has almost been a full year! I feel like the time has flown by so very fast.. I will be home in no time. :)

 

My week was fanstastic! We got to go into Cambridge for MLK day.  They were holding a huge service project in one of the churches. We got to make blankets and valentines cards for old people. :) It was a lot of fun! We were able to meet lots of good people. They had over 2,000 volunteers come and help out. We went on exchanges with the sisters in Southcoast. I got to spend the day in Belmont with Sister Wake. We had a webex conference call with the mission leaders about the digital mission! It is supposed to be launched this week. Check out the website. :) reallifeanswers.org! It's wonderful. The missionaries (not me) have worked so hard on the website. We volunteered at Beech St.  The seniors are so much fun to be around.  Some of the greatest highlights of my week. Alright ready for some more miracles!?

1.The Lopez family, who we found a week ago, called us on Tuesday to help them with family history. Sister Lopez wanted to know how to print out names so that her member friend can take them to the temple to do their work. She says that she wants to give them the opportunity to accept this gospel.. She is already doing temple work!! What the what! :) All I could do was tell her how awesome she was. They want to be baptized as a family, so we are working on getting everyone ready for it.

2. Maria Teresa is a refferal from our relief society president in the 2nd ward. She asked for us to bring her a Book of Mormon.  When we brought it over to her she said that she read it before in Bolivia and wants us to come and read it with her. Done. She has a beautiful family.

3. We got a call from one of our members saying that their friend Ali is ready to take the lessons so that he can be baptized as soon as possible.  Almost too good to be true. We talked to him at church on Sunday and he told us that he has read all of Preach My Gospel so he is prepared for what we have to teach him.

 

We were red-dotted Tuesday night because of snow.  Even though it wasn't too bad.  Remind me to never buy a Toyota Corolla.  Awful in the snow.  I am grateful to have a car though. We are so SPOILED here in New England. 

We had dinner at the Romney's. It was a lot of fun. They are a hilarious family! It was probably the funnest dinner appointment I have ever been to. Mitt was not there.  It was his son's family. :) They fed us pork tacos. So normal and delicious. It was hilarious. I love their family. Brother Romney is coming out with us on Thursday. :) He sliced his finger open while we were there.

I think I am allergic to cats.  We had sloppy joes for the first time on my mission.  Exciting. :) 

Taught Bernard at President Haight's home. Both him and his wife are such good teachers.  We just sat back and watched.  Bernard is what I'd like to call an eternigator.  He has been investigating for three years.  He is really smart and so talented.  He can't seem to settle any doubts to get baptized though.

Our members are on fire here!! It is such a testimony to me that member missionary work is the way Heavenly Father wants us to share His gospel. I don't have time to blink.  Life has been so crazy and so busy.  but I love it. :D

Living the dream :)

It is so cold here.  9 degrees sounds right. :) We got a little bit of snow last night and this morning. I hope it gets back into the 50's.  My nose is on permanent run. :) haha

My interview with President went really well. He is the best! He always gives such good advice. I never know what to bring up with him though.  I am not worried or concerned about much. :) 

My week was great! I forgot my picture cord.  Again.... I promise to have some pictures for you on Monday. Lots of pictures on Monday. :D 

Last pday we got to go to the zoo! It was so much fun! GUESS WHAT ANIMAL I SAW!? A hippo!! :D and wait for it. GOATS!! I can't even tell you how happy and excited I was. Heavenly Father is pouring out his blessings and I am constantly becoming more and more aware of how much he loves me. I am so spoiled. :) Then we were driving home and we were talking about how cool it would be to get to visit Fenway Park with some of the members in our ward. Then we looked over and there it was!! We got to spend the last few hours of pday walking around the outside of the ball field. We found a perfect parking spot. It was just so good. :) Living the dream. 

Then we had a wonderful member lesson that night with the Sivers family. They are awesome at member missionary work and they are just fun to be around. 

We had dinner on Tuesday with one of the Boston Temple sealers. He told us that once you are set apart as a sealer you will be one for time and all eternity. I didn't know that.

I got to go to Martha's Vineyard on exchanges!! Now that was an adventure. Best part was getting to ride the ferry there and back. :) I also got to shovel and clean up alpaca poop! Doesn't sound like it would be fun, but it was!! I walked through a sea of alpacas.  :) Islanders are a bit wacky, but in very good ways. We have had many a miracle the last few days.  

We met with the Staple's family on Friday with their friend Susan. Susan is so sweet. :) We had a wonderful lesson with her about Jesus Christ and the role He has played in each of our lives. I even cried.  That doesn't happen too often. haha 

We have been inviting families to set a date with their missionary work.  Whether it be to have someone to meet with us, have someone come to church, or pass out a Book of Mormon.  Sister Bell and I decided that we couldn't ask others to do this without doing it ourselves. So we set a date to find one new investigator to teach by January 31. So on Saturday (Sister Bell's birthday) we received THREE new investigators. A family who has been coming to church for 5 years and are just waiting for someone to help them to baptism. The Lopez family is the best. :) I have a testimony that setting goals works. Heavenly Father will put people in your path.

We had dinner at our ward mission leaders house in the second ward. They made yummy taco soup. I love it here. :) Church has become crazy. We cover two wards and they overlap.  Good news though, I get to take the sacrament twice!

We are being asked by God to share his good news!

I am doing great. :) Belmont is fantastic, hopefully we get to spend sometime in Boston today. :)

The church bought this awesome new webex program so we are now able to Skype as an entire mission. It's so awesome!! We did it for the first time this week, I loved it. I have been so very happy my entire mission, but it has gotten even better here in Belmont. It's a different kind of work, but it's good. I am so excited and so happy. :) 

My companion and I are the same in the sense that we are both annoyingly positive to others, but not to each other.. If that makes sense. So it's fun. :) haha

We serve lunch at a senior center three times a week for an hour. The seniors are adorable. They always ask us questions and we have a lot of opportunities to testify to them. 

We are teaching a woman named Farah English from the children's version of the Book of Mormon. She is delightful. Every time we go over she has a new beauty tip for us.. It's so funny! She plucked the members eyebrows last time, the member was a good sport about it. :) 

We went on a full split with the members twice this week! That's huge for Belmont and many miracles came from it.  We have over 400 members to take care of.. It's INSANITY!! I am definitely going on splits when I get home.

We have MLC this last week and we spent the entire day talking about the Book of Mormon. It was wonderful. I don't think we realize the power that the Book of Mormon holds. Our goal as a mission is to become Book of Mormon missionaries. :) It's hard for me to remember stories, but I am getting better at it. All things are possible with the Lord's help. 

We got to drive to Cape Cod for district meeting. That was a lot of fun. 

I am excited to go on exchanges with our new sisters. :) It's such a blessing because I get to learn so much. 

We spoke in sacrament this Sunday on missionary work. We tried to take a new spin on it because people generally shut down when missionary work is brought up. I like to look at it as sharing the gospel. Gospel means good news. :) So we are being asked by God to share His good news. Seems pretty awesome. It is so critical and it's not supposed to be a burden, it's just who we are. haha it's so true! People are so intimidated by us. :) There was a lady in my first area that thought the elders were FBI agents.

I have been truly blessed on my mission. Nothing has been more rewarding.  Everyone told me that it would be 97% hard and the good would be realized later on in life.  It has been 100% good. :) Not necessarily easy, I have had to overcome a lot, but I have never been happier. It is stressful at times, but a good kind of stress. Heavenly Father has blessed me SO much. SO much. 

Sister States and Sister Malolo Vaai.. They were my companions while I was in Westerly for a few weeks. :)

I thought this was so funny!

Sister Giblette and I

The McClain's and I (I miss them!)

Sister Waite.. She is a sweetie

Sister Sullivan (Member from Norwich Ward)

Audia (Member from Norwich ward)

Roxanne :D

Kassy and Gordo :D

My old disrict.  I love these guys a whole lot!

We got matching pajamas from the Ward. hahahaha!

Doesn't my pizza look like Stich?

Everyone here are geniuses who make lots of money ...

I am doing so good. It is a little chilly here. :) Good thing I have the best mom in the world who bought me boots and a super warm coat against my will.. haha They are saving my life. :) Friday night was -5 degrees, today we are up to 55. So that's awesome. :) It makes 55 degrees warm.

The transfer was postponed due to snow.. It snowed a lot in Mass. So I came to Belmont Saturday afternoon. :) It is wonderful here! My new companions name is Sister Bell. She looks like the Disney princess Bell. She is so much fun! Sister Bell came out with Sister Hurst, so almost 8 months. She is so solid! I have been lucky with companions so far. She has the same sense of humor that I do. It's awesome. :)

Belmont is crazy! We cover two wards, which means I have no idea who anyone is and I won't for a long time. We don't have many investigators at the moment.. There are a million members inviting us their friends to meet with us, it's just a matter of following-up to make sure they do it.  So, we are soon to be VERY busy with investigators and I can't wait. :) I have met so many new people. Mitt Romney's son lives in one of my wards.. Everyone here are geniuses who make lots of money. They are sweet though. :) Our apartment is nice. We are moving two new sisters in today. There will be four of us, it will be a party. I will have to take pictures of our sleeping arrangements, pretty funny.  Good news is, my bed is so comfty! I sleep like a baby. :)

I have been taken care of thus far, although I did eat pistachios on accident Saturday night. It was the last appointment of the day, so it was alright. :) I took some benadryl.. It was all okay. We are right near Boston, so we will get to go there often on pdays, which I am super happy about. :D

I am starting a veggie diet today.  I am going to be eating mostly veggies and things like that.  Avoid bread. :) Also, we are telling the members that we are trying to cut back on sweets.  So hopefully they will stop cooking us dessert.  :)

Transfer!

The rest of Christmas was fun. We stopped by some houses and what not. Then we went to dinner at the Marker's house. They made so much food! It was delicious but I was still stuffed from lunch.. We got to eat and hang out with some potentials. They have Boston terriers! I think around 10 of them..  :D I have been converted to them.. I think I may have one, one day.. Not 10 though. Don't worry. :) I ate a lot of prime rib, not that good.

This week has been CRAZY. So I got a call on Thursday morning from President Packard telling me that I was being transferred that weekend. So here is what happened. A sister came back from having to go home for medical reasons, she went to Franklin, the Franklin sister took my spot in Norwich and then I am in Westerly until tomorrow. I had half a day to say goodbye to my people in Norwich. :( It was really hard to leave.. Tomorrow I am going to BELMONT, MA. :D I am so excited! It is going to be such a intimidating ward. I am scared out of my mind.. It's by Boston, MA. It is a lot of rich people.. Mitt Romney is in that ward. I go there tomorrow. Sister Bell is my new companion. :). Also, President Christensen (I shook his hand once and we are forever friends. I can't wait to talk to him!!) and President Haight from the missionary presidency is in my ward too.. 

I am almost positive I will be coming home in August.. I think, I'll let you know when I know. :) I am not looking forward to being a return missionary.. Not at all.

Also, my New Years Resolution is to help an investigator quite smoking I am going off sweets.. You should follow up with me and keep me accountable. :D

The week was a success

I look high.. I can promise you that I'm not though.. :) haha

Birthday Girl!!

My week was good. :) We found some less-actives and signed up for some service, so that's good. :) One of our investigators, Cindy, missed a step and tore all the ligaments in her foot.  Ouch. 

Everyone in New England are wimps about the snow.  I am really surprised because it snows here a lot. They cancel everything even if it barely starts to collect on the ground. 

I spent Wednesday in Central Falls. That was a lot of fun. I got to see all my girls (Heaven, Ana, and Athena) and some of the members that I love. :)  It was a good day. 

We spent most of Thursday planning and then we had to go into Warwick to practice for the musical fireside. We were there for a while. It was fun though. :)  On Friday we set up for the RS activity.  Our RS president went all out. 

Saturday was my birthday! Yay! It was such a good one. I am spoiled. We visited members for most of the day. Kassy, our investigator, turned 13 that day too. Her step-dad bought us a cake and sang us happy birthday. :) It was fun. She is a cute girl. 

Church was cancelled yesterday because of snow.. Sister Giblette and I have both been sick. Darn colds. We went to visit our recent convert, Asia, and her family. We watched Joy to the World, cheesy but good. Then we drove to Warwick again for the musical fireside. :)  The musical was so good!!! You invited Brian and Kelly! :D I was so happy to see them. SO happy. 

The week was a success.

Now in my window :)

Tree before we decorated it

Tree after it was decorated. :)

Garland that we thought were individual bells

We were making faces :)

My beautiful flowers. :D

colorful marshmallow hot chocolate! What will they think of next!?

The hat Sister Giblette got me :)

my dear Kassy. :)

The birthday cake from Kassy's step dad

Norwich City Hall

Me!

The Wauregan has a cool history.. It used to be an old hotel where rich people would take their prostitutes.. Sketchy.. Then it got a little classier and Abe Lincoln stayed there! He is the coolest!! :D Now it is a swanky apartment complex and still slightly sketchy, but only at night.

SO creepy..

The harbor. :)

That's a high school.. People call it Hogwarts around here

There are dinos in Norwich :)

They are floating on ice! hahahahaha

My hands were SO cold after this :)

Goodbye teen years :)

It doesn't feel like it's almost my birthday.  Not at all. It's so soon though. :) I don't know if I'll get a cake. But it is the night of the musical fireside! I get to speak in it again and Pres asked me to talk about dad like I did last time.  I am excited, but nervous. :) It's Kassy's birthday that day too (one of our investigators). :) So that will be fun, she is really excited. I will be 20! I am so old.  Goodbye teen years. :) haha

My week was great!  It has been a lot of fun.  I spent Tuesday in Providence, RI.  I got to walk around Providence all day.  I loved it!  The buses are fun because you get to meet so many people.  I got to go to Brown University, there are a lot of smart people there.  We were almost spit on by a little boy in a window. haha 

We got to go to MLC on Wednesday.  MLC is mission leadership council. :) There are 12 zones and a zone leader for each one and then they are, I think, 10 sister trainers.  They travel from all over to get there.  :) It's a lot of fun.  Sometimes we try to cram into the mission home.  It's a party. :) We made it there in time and did not hit any traffic!  Thank goodness!  I absolutely love President and Sister Packard.  They are the best.  I can't wait for you guys to meet them! :)  

Thursday was such a good day.  We planned for Zone Meeting with the Groton elders. Then we went to visit Jeanne.  I love her so much!  She has become a great friend.  Sister Paetzell came with us and was able to relate really well.  After we had a lesson with Roxanne.  Sister Lewis (super awesome member) came with us.  Roxanne is the best.  Her husband is coming with her to the musical fireside. :)  Oh and Roxanne wanted me to tell you that she says hello.  Had dinner at the Edwards.  She made really good soup.  I love the winter because of all the tasty soup. :)  We met a potential investigator that night too. 

Friday was Zone Meeting.  It was good.  We went to the McClain's too teach Asia one last time before she got baptized. :)  Their family is the best.  :)

Asia and her family. :) She just got baptized and she is adorable.

I have had over 10 baptisms.  But that's not the important part.  I mean, it is important.  It is our goal.  But if I can bring people closer to Christ in anyway, then I know they will accept His gospel at some point.  I want to get as many people close to Him as I can, even if it doesn't result in baptism while I'm around. 

We made our skit this morning (for the Christmas Conference next week.... they let the Elders write it, brave sisters!)  It will be pretty good. 

Nothing else too exciting going on.

Sister Giblette colored my toe :)

There has been a lot of rain and then it gets really cold at night, so it all freezes.  We finally got some snow today. :)  But now it's raining so it won't last very long.  It has been chilly.  I absolutely love my coat though, it is saving my life. :)  it hasn't limited the work yet, we will go out no matter what.  Unless they red dot us. :) 

It snowed!

The giant lit rose in the green by our recent converts house. :) So cool!