MTC companions

            

        

                                                                         

     

MTC District Provo Temple

     

                                                          MTC President and Sister Nally

September 23, 2013

HELLO HELLO HELLO!!!!

Man it is crazy how long I feel it has been, and it has only been a few days! I hope you got my letter! They had us send one out on Tuesday.

So 30 of us flew to Montana on Tuesday and man was it crazy.  We met our Mission President and his wife.  Both are sweet, sweet people.  President Mecham is a go getter and expects a lot from us but he seems to be a very understanding man.  I look forward to getting to know him better.  Sister Mecham is so unbelievably sweet.  I really like her.  Tuesday we had the opportunity to go to the temple which was sooooo nice.  It just keeps your mind on what is truly important.  Wednesday we had training from some of the zone leaders as well as the assistants.  I weirdly know one of the assistants.  A girl in my major dated him before his mission, so when I got my call she told him about me coming to Montana.  Wednesday's training is all a blur.  hhaha No one really cared because we were all so anxious to hear where we were assigned.  Get ready.....drumroll please......My first area is BOZEMAN!!! I am serving in Bozeman 3rd ward with Sister Greenfield.  It is absolutely gorgeous out here.  I can't even tell you.  I was kinda disappointed in Billings. Ha, we were driving around and I was like, people must not understand beauty if they say Montana is pretty.  But now I understand! We had dinner at a member’s home the other night and not only was their house the most gorgeous thing I have ever seen but the view was breathtaking.  Wow. Wow. Wow.  Sister Greenfield and I have both a car and bikes.  The weather has been sooooo nice lately that we have been biking, but we are still trying to figure out our way around Bozeman so sometimes the car is a better option.

My companion is Sister Greenfield. She is from Wisconsin and says the word bag really weird...the Elders always make fun of her for it.  Ha, she is like the size of my pinky and has the brain the size of....something really big. Haha She is so smart.  She went to BYU for 2 years and was studying genetics and all this sciency stuff. I have really grown to love her. She has been so much help to me. She has been out for 4ish-5ish months. She originally got her call to Brazil, but is waiting for her visa. When the Mission President told me that I wanted to cry.  He said with visa waiters you never know when it will come.  It could come tomorrow, next week, next month, or 3 months from now. So he said I need to learn fast.  And the one thing I have been so nervous about is having to either train right off the bat or be totally new to an area without any help. So that's awesome. Haha but she really is great. She is a super hard worker and obeys everything to perfection. Sister Greenfield doesn't really know the area all that well, she has only been here a transfer and was the junior companion, so we have been trying to learn the area together which at times can be stressful when we want to be using our time wisely, but we waste so much of it getting lost. But we are getting better. Sister Greenfield does such a good job of making me feel like I have a lot to contribute and give to the area so that pumps me up. We will get out of a lesson and she will say, yep, and that's why you were called here. Ha she is much more analitical than me and has a hard time connecting with people so I guess we help each other out. I think we will make a good team.  This week has been hard because I just want to know everyone and know the area and I want to see progress. It sucks cause we will work hard and be out all day but when we come home our numbers don't show that we put any effort in at all. For all they know we could have been sleeping all day and the numbers would have been the same. I have begun to feel a huge sense of responsibility and expectations from not just my companion, but the ward, my district, zone and Mission Pres. And it can be very overwhelming at times. They have been focusing a lot on Less Active members, so a majority of our work is Less Actives and a few investigators. I know that it will come with time and I need to be patient. Sister Greenfield will sometimes just get so excited and started yelling about how much she loves being a missionary so I am excited to be serving with her and get excited right along side her. I can't say that I am having fun yet. It's hard work and I feel a lot of stress but it will come.  I just need to be patient with myself and with the Lord.  I mean, it's only been a few freaking days! So I need to calm down. Yesterday was especially rough. The ward was so welcoming and nice to me. But I kept thinking, man, I still have a year and a half of this. Not just a year but a year and a half and I would just want to cry. As we were waiting for sacrament to start I started to think like that and it just kept going and going and then I saw a picture of the Savior and I thought, dang Kenz you are such a brat. What if the Savior were to walk in right now, how would you explain yourself to him? He has given you absolutely everything in your life and you can't even buck up and return just 18 months of your life? That got me to shut up ha. And I KNOW that I just need to be patient with myself and with the work. I know it will pull through.

A Less Active we are working with is a 25 year old girl named Cara.  She is super fun and outgoing and really the sweetest thing.  She went inactive while dating a non-member but is now seeing the importance of church and God in her life.  We went over and made sushi with her the other day and got to meet one of her roommates that we are going to start teaching!

I still am getting to know all of the investigators and less actives, but we have a lot and a handful are progressing.  I hope that Sister Greenfield and I can work hand in hand with the Lord to bring up the work.

I am serving right in the middle of the college part of town.  So there are  alot of college students and everyone rides bikes everywhere! It's awesome.  People go hiking all the time and ride everywhere.

We are meeting with the zone today and are going to play dodgeball....hahahahaha yep, just picture me playing dodgeball and that should give you a good laugh.

DAD- Thanks for the email and the pump up talk on the phone at the airport! :) I love you!

Also I got cookies from Allison Warr at the MTC! Could I get her address?  I want to write a thank you note.

And a thank you to the Jensens! For the delicious cookies! Oh man! They just hit the spot! Thank you so much!

It sounds like life is busy busy busy at home! Saryn, I will be praying for you! Don't worry! You will do great.  Aural skills is a butt, but! You will do great! And I feel for you with noon recital....not my cup of tea.

How is the new calling going mom?

I better run, I will try and send some photos in another email.  I love you all so very much! And I know that this feeling of scaredness will go away soon.  I just need to keep praying and trust that everything will work out.  AND IT WILL! I love this gospel and I LOVE my Heavenly Father so much.  I feel so privileged to be one of his many representatives.  What. an. honor.  That I am trusted to bring back God's children to Him.  Wow. This gospel is so true and I love it! I know that it can bring us true and everlasting happiness.  Thank you for all your love and support.  I love you all!

Sister Moline!

aka Sister Moose according to some kids at church.

                                            My Zone
                                             Front in red tie is Elder Russel

                                             behind me is Elder Beard

                                             Blonde in the back is Elder Evensen 

                                             Next to the Elder with glasses is Elder Wilson                        

I forgot Grandma Shirley!! I was in such a hurry to write that I forgot! Tell her I love her and thank you for the letters she sent me.  I am so happy Ashley's wedding went well and that she was able to come to my farewell and spend time with all of us! It was the bomb.  Shirley Olsen.  WHAT A LADY!

Also! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TANNER MOLINE! I knew it was his birthday and I even wrote in a binder to remind myself to say happy birthday! What the heck! What a stud.  Tell him I love his face and he is bodacious babe!

The internet was being super lame today so we had to go to the laundry room and luckily I was able to snag a computer but I had to hurry so my companions could email as well.  Hopefully it made sense.  And I hope you know that I really am enjoying myself here.  It has been an incredible experience.  

I love you so much! Thank you for all that you do!

PPPPPSSS!!!

We listened to this talk by Elder Bednar on Sunday.  The BEST TALK I HAVE EVER HEARD! I think it is called Characteristics of Christ.  He gave it at the MTC a few years ago on Christmas day.  If you have time, look for it, read it, live it, love it, preach it.  It was the best.  He basically slapped us in the face saying that we are too selfish in our preaching and that this is not about us.  It is about everyone BUT us.  WONDERFUL.  I left feeling so motivated.  

September 13, 1013

Hello Hello Hello from the good ole MTC!  I LOVE THE LETTERS!!!! It is seriously the best part of my day when I hear I got 3 or 4 letters.  AH! they are seriously the best.  My district kinda hates me cause I get the most love out of anyone else.  That's what's up!  Haha  I love hearing what everyone is up to.  

Mom CONGRATS!  I knew you got called to Relief Society, I could feel it in my bones. haha That sounds like fun going to institute.  And I LOVED the Moses story you shared with me.  It is what I needed for sure.  

Saryn no joke, you are a babe, those pictures are the bomb.  The way you write makes me laugh out loud and everyone hates me cause I am the only one that got a letter. But VBall sounds like a beast.  How are classes going right now?  Is that kid from choir still all in love with your face?

Tanner.....you know how I feel about Katy....BUUUUTTT if you feel like its right then I still like you.  haha jokes.  How is work and everything with the Katy face going?  Fill me in little bro!

OLSEN FAMILY!  You guys are the BOMB!  I was so surprised when I got like 4 letters in the mail from all of you! You all are the best.  Maggie you are adorable and I love you like crazy.  I told my companions how you got asked to homecoming.  FANTASTIC! I am full support.  You are going to have so much fun! Send pictures!  And Abby, those stickers were the cutest thing.  I am so happy you wrote me babe! It is supposed to be super cold in Montana, any advice to stay warm? Joey, I am super bummed I didn't get to say goodbye, BUTTTT You are going to be a ridiculous missionary.  I've only been in the MTC and I am starting to see how much work it is. But I have learned so much and really seen what life is all about.  You really gain perspective here.  I cannot wait to hear where you are going.  AHH! Its going to be so awesome. Love you!

Grandma Warr and Grandpa!!  I love what you said about how its okay to be green because green things grow.  Thank you.  Thank you for all that you said, your letter gave me such strength to go throughout the day.  AND! I got the poem about the girl that eats the whale.  AWESOME! Thanks so much.  You are the best.  If i could write something awesome in German I would.  I LOVE YOU!

Jensens! Thank you so much for letting me crash at your place and taking care of me that last night and morning....we all know I needed it.  The MTC has been great and I keep thinking about what Uncle Paul said, You will never get an opportunity to serve like this again, you will never experience like this again.  And it really is an experience like non other.  Thank you for all that you did.  I love you!

OKAY! Here is the dirt.  Get ready. 

So my zone is made up of 3 districts.  Mine, ASL and SLC.  SLC left on Tuesday and a new district of Jackson Missouri missionaries took their place.  Sister Wallace, Glenn and I were assigned to be the equivalent of Zone leaders for girls.  We are the Sister Training Leaders.  We just had to welcome them on Wednesday night, show them the ropes and be there if any issues arise.  

We have run into other Montana districts with other Elders and Sisters which has been so much fun.  I got to see the sister that i have been facebooking back and forth with but not a whole lot.  We all fly out the same day on the 17th.  Which reminds me, we get to call you that day.  I bought a calling card.  Plan on me calling around 7ish-8ish.  I will call the home phone.   

I don't remember if I talked about my comps or district last week or not.  WE have 4 Elders.  Elder Russel and Evensen and Elder Beard and Wilson.  Elder Russel is the BOMB.  He was baptized at 17 fell away and about a year ago had this amazing experience that changed his life.  He is 21 and has such a cool perspective as a convert. It's a different feel talking to him about the mission compared to some of the other Elders because he WANTS to be here so bad.  And he has such a desire to serve and work hard while some of the other Elders are immature. I feel bad because he doesnt get any mail from family or friends.  His companion Elder Evensen just turned 18 last month so there is a pretty large gap between them but they get along great and work hard together.  Not like Elder Beard and Wilson.  They.....they kind of butt heads and have a hard time studying together.  Elder Wilson is very much an 18 year old which I can tell gets on Elder Beards nerves.  Wilson doesn't usually participate in class and falls asleep regularly.  Elder Beard though is not much better haha, he just thinks he is.  I feel pretty tight with our district though we eat together and spend most of our Pday together as well. 

Then there are my companions,.....hahahaha It has gotten so much better.  Sister Glenn and I....are similar in many ways but are VERY different in others which at times can cause some tension.  It didn't help at the beginning that I was stressed and nervous and then I had this companion that has different ways of getting her points across. For instance, we taught a lesson and afterward Sister Glenn pointed out that I needed to let everyone else talk.  Which lets be real, is not hard to believe.  So next lessons I backed off but Sister Glenn spoke the ENTIRE time.  SIster Wallace and I were able to throw in a little testimony at the end.  It has been stuff like that where she tells me not to do something but will end up doing the very same thing later.  Ha butttt I am much more comfortable and what she says I am able to roll off my back.  I have been praying that my love for her would grow and that we could work well together. Because if we aren't happy with each other the lessons will not go well.  And I really and truly have.  All three of us are getting along great and have gotten much more comfortable with each other.  Sister Glenn is an amazing Sister though. She has been through SO much which makes me have so much more respect for her.  Her mom converted her Dad and about a year later her dad has his records removed from the church.  He is an active baptist while her mom still goes to the LDS church. Growing up they were not allowed to go to church with her mom unless her dad was out of town, no home teachers, no visiting teachers, no Friend magazines or anything doing with the lds faith. She just turned 19 2 months ago and was baptized at 18.  We had a heart to heart talking about how she gained a testimony and how the church has influenced her life.  Because of that conversation I was able to understand why she acted the way she did. 

Sister Wallace is the best! She is half Samoan, and is HILARIOUS.  She was pretty shy at the beginning but is so much more open and outgoing now that we spend every waking moment together.  She is 22 and went to BYU Hawaii for a year and worked at the PCC.  In our lessons that we teach she doesn't say much, but what she does say has a lot of power.  

Some fun facts about this week, I met one of the guys from the District!!! We had this crazy all day orientation yesterday and he taught one of the classes.  I creepily tried to steal a picture without him noticing but I he totally saw me..... I just went over afterward and asked for a picture with him.  So basically. I met a celebrity.  

DAD!!!!!!! I met Sister Griffen!  I totally forgot you told me about her and then last Sunday we met other Montana Sisters.  I asked Sister Griffen where she was from and when she said Ohio I told her that you served there.  She just laughed and said, yeah I actually already know that. She went on to explain that a woman in her ward came up to her after sacrament crying and told her that the first Elder she ever met was Elder Moline and his daughter was going to her same mission.  Crazy Crazy. She is super cool.  

I met one of Maurie's efy friends, Amber! And I saw Megan Mckee today as well as a friend from my ward here, Kate Hargadon. I also go the opportunity to meet one of the women that helped write the YW theme! WHAAAAA! Super awesome.  

So this letter is super long. I’m sorry for writing so much.  The MTC is hard.  This is definitely not easy stuff but it is so worth it.  I have learned more here than I have in my entire life.  The things that we learn seem so simple but can be so difficult to actually apply.  They stress teaching with the Spirit more than anything else.  To listen and to act.  Listen to the investigator and gather their needs from what they say.  They will tell you as you listen what you need to teach them.  But it is so hard.  I am having a hard time with planning and not over planning.  It is so much more comfortable going into a lesson knowing what you want to teach how you want to teach it, who says what and who invites and commits, so I have been working really hard on relying on the spirit.  We have a lesson tonight so I hope that I can apply what I learn.  Also they beat the Doctrine of Christ in you like no one's business.  Read 2Nephi 31 or 3Nephi 11.  Awesome chapters.  Pray for me that I will be able to retain what I learn.  I have been reading the scriptures like crazy and never in my life have I ever felt the way that I do about them right now.  They are magical.  For real, like magic.  Any problem you have can be answered in the scriptures.  They bring us peace and comfort as well as warning and direction.  I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON.  

I love this work.  Missionary work is the work of God.  There are so many people that need this gospel and I get to do that.  I GET to.  I am so thankful for this and for all of these people here that are willing to give up their time to serve the Lord.  AH! So wonderful.  I love you all and I love this gospel more than anything.  Don't write me after the 17th cause I will be in MONTANAAAA!!! WOOOOO! Love yaaaa!!!

P.S. I am not at the MTC West Campus

September 6, 2013

FAMILIA! I am alive and not a mess like I had anticipated I would be. Ha I sent a letter yesterday forgetting I could email today so I’m sorry if I am redundant. Mom, I got your letter today and I can't even tell you how much that meant.  Thank you so much.  You are so right about Heavenly Father looking out for me. I just need to open up my eyes.  I also got a letter from Jason as well as a package which was SO FUN! 

I was SO NERVOUS on Wednesday.  Jennifer took my out to lunch and took me to the temple to take pictures.  But once I got here, there was absolutely no time to freak out.  She pulled up to the curb a sister grabbed my bags and I was off.  Just like that.  And from then on out it has been non- stop going.  The spirit was immediate when I came.  It is such a different spirit than I have ever felt before.  It's a feeling of responsibility and ability to reach higher than I ever have.  There is such an excitement in the air too.  Everyone is positive, smiling, and happy.  Everyone is wanting to serve and be their best.  

I am in a threesome with a Sister Glenn from Michigan and Sister Wallace from California. Sister Wallace is the bomb.  I really like her.  She is pretty shy but very real.  She says what she means and I really appreciate that.  Sister Glenn is very outgoing and independent.  And a super rule follower which is good.  Both are super nice and fun.  And I am learning a lot from both of them. 

Not going to lie my first day here was very overwhelming.  It was a strange mix of emotions.  I was nervous and excited and scared and excited and freaking out and excited and crazy haha.  Something they said in our introduction was that we are not expected to be the greatest missionary but we are expected to put forth our best effort and Heavenly Father will take care of the rest.  That really calmed my nerves and helped me focus.  Later that evening we taught investigators as a group.  So about 40 of us sat in a room with an investigator and we had to ask him/her questions, get to know them and teach.  So I went from a, It's all going to be fine mindset to OHMYFREAKINGGOSHIKNOWABSOLUTELYNOTHING.   So that wasn't the best. But I am learning SO much.  

I have seen Megan Hill, William Allred, Nina Matheny and a guy from my music classes.  Another tender mercy that I am not here alone.  I talked with Nina today and it was so wonderful to talk to her. She told me not to worry that the first week is overwhelming and really scary but it gets better.  She is going to be an awesome missionary.  

Yesterday was our first real day in the MTC and it was LOOOOONG.  Wake up at 6:00 personal study at 7:15 then breakfast at 8:15 Classroom instruction (with my awesome teacher that did efy with Maur) for 3 hours then lunch then personal study and honestly I can’t even remember yesterday, it feels like 5 years ago. My MTC teachers are Brother Boddy and Sister Knowlton.  Sister Knowlton is powerful in her teaching.  I get what she is saying and I love it.  Brother Boddy is fresh off the mish and is kinda hard to relate to but he's good.   As I have been here, for the 2 days that I have, I have started to really understand how God feels for his children.  There are moments where I start to think of actually doing this and doing it for 18 months and I get really really scared but I know I can do this.  I know that I have been called to Montana and I know there are people that I need to teach that are getting prepared to hear the gospel.  This gospel is so unbelievably important and I am honored that I get to bring God's children back to the gospel.  

My district is very small, it is my companionship with Sister Wallace and Sister Glenn as well as 4 other Elders.  Elder Russel and Evanson and Elder Beard and Wilson.  They all are awesome.  Elder Russel is 21 and a convert.  He has some way sweet insight into the gospel.  He is solid.  I have a lot of respect for him. Evanson turned 18 last month and is a STUD.  He's really quiet but solid as a rock.  He acts way beyond his years.  Elder Beard is hilarious and I am in love with his last name ha he is super fun, kinda reminds me of an awkward Mckay and Elder Wilson is 18.  He is that stereotypical football player in highschool.  He is having a hard time staying awake which can be entertaining but other than that he's great.  

I guess there was a letter Mom got from the mission president that I never read and it had a lot of information but one of the things it said was to deactivate our facebooks.  Which is a bummer cause I feel like that's how most people find addresses for their missionary friends.  So if you could let Jason know, he can deactivate and post one last time and maybe people will want to be added to the email loop or something.  I don't know.  

So on Sunday's we have a topic given and everyone in our zone has to prepare a 5 minute talk and at the discretion of the Branch president he will call whoever he wants to speak.  Talk about most un relaxing sacrament ever.  Geeezzz I don't even know when I will have time to think about the topic and write something out.  Whatever, it will work out.  

Today we had lunch with our zone and it was so nice to be with people i just click with.  I can be goofy and fun and sarcastic and they dish it right back.  I don't really feel like I can be that way in my district yet.  No one really appreciates my weirdness yet.....yet. hahah oh but they will! hah 

I better go this letter is mucho mucho long long. I love you all and I feel your prayers. Keep praying I am going to need it.  You all are the best! 

Until next week

Sister freaking awesome Moline