September 30, 2013

FAMILY AND FRIENDS!!!!

I am still alive....barely! The beautiful Bozeman Montana turned into rainy and cold Montana.  Hahaha I was not prepared!  One of the Elders gave me one of his coats he isn't using till I get mine.  Mom and Dad, could you send me my brown coat??  From what I am hearing it will work just fine.  I can hold on to the Elder's until that one comes.  I am going out after emails to buy boots, tights, socks and gloves so I don't die.  Everyone I talk to apologizes for what I am about to endure....NOT HELPING!  Haha But I really think my coat back home will be good. 

This week has been so so so much better.  It had its rough moments, but nothing I couldn't handle. 

First off there is a older woman, Sister Williams in our ward that we go over and do service for.  Her husband served his mission in Germany, was a branch president and then out of nowhere stopped going to church.  She has recently been coming back.   We went over and cleaned her blinds while she sat on the couch and just talked to us, she even made us lunch and had a spot for her husband, but he avoids us at all costs.  He wouldn't even come to eat lunch with us.  And a few days ago we went over and cleaned her windows while it was butt cold out. 

Cara!! I love Cara! I forgot what I said about her last week but she is a Less Active that goes to school at MSU.  Her husband lives in Butte so she usually drives down there over the weekend which is why she hasn't come to church. She came to the RS broadcast this week though! Holla Holla! I was so happy! We also went and visited her at the beginning of the week and brilliant Sister Greenfield offered to call every morning right before she goes to school to read a chapter with her over the phone.  She loved that idea and it has been working out.   

Sheila! We met with Sheila this week and had our Ward Mission leader's wife, Sister Gillian pick her up and bring her to the church so that we could give her a tour and teach the first lesson.  MOM, DAD, FAMILY EVERYONE! GO WITH THE MISSIONARIES! Members add so much to lessons that the missionaries can't.  The lesson went really, really well.  I got the feeling that maybe it was a lot to take in and a lot to handle for her.  We asked her about prophets and her thoughts on there being a modern day prophet and she said that she believes that it is possible and that God would have prophets on the earth but she needed to ponder and think about ours being the prophet of God.   Cool, Cool.  

Grandma Sharon! Okay okay this woman is the best thing ever! Her voicemail is one of the greatest things I have ever heard.  I wish I could play it for you.  We met with her and her son in law is who we actually ended up teaching.  He is in his late 40's early 50's and he came over and said, ladies, I tried reading your book and I don't understand it, can you give me specific things to read so that I can understand.......Why yes, yes we can.  He then told us about how he just had back surgery and had a coming to Jesus moment through that.  He says he now knows there is much more to this life than our physical bodies.  And that we need to save our souls.  His wife died about 2 years ago and he said that he swore she was standing beside him the whole time.  YES BRIAN, YES! While we were inviting Sharon to the RS broadcast he asked if we had a men's group he could attend.....yes we do in fact have a men's group! 

So some interesting facts, I found out that the apartment we live in used to be a janitor's closet! hahahahahaha It is teeeeeny tiny. And I always wondered if all the other apartments were that small. Nope! Because the other apartments are actually living quarters, not closets.  Hahaha  Also, we were over at a part member's house and Sister Greenfield asked, Have you seen how living the commandments can bless your life?  And the less active, Krista thought she was asking if she had seen the movie, how living the commandments can bless your life.....what?! She was like, oh the movie?!

Another awesome experience this week.  When it gets dark here, around 8:00, we will usually have appointments or have a list of Less Actives to visit that either bail on us, or don't let us in.  And President Mecahm is hard core, do not go back home until 9:00.  So when it is 8:30 we call people on ward council and see if there has been anyone on their minds that we could go visit or anything we could do to lighten their load.  In this process we were told to visit the Ruegeseggers.  We go over there and we meet Becky and Sean.  Becky is an MSU student who grew up in the church with active parents but since then has fallen away.  She lives with her fiance Sean and her brother.  THEY ARE AWESOME! She let us in and just chatted with us and we got to know them.  They were super open and nice to us.  She even said whenenever we need dinner to just come over and they would feed us.  Even as we were leaving they both said, come back, we would love to have you.   Where were these people all of my life! 

The houses here are adorable, there are green houses, yellow houses, blue houses, pink houses and they are all that vintage Victorian style.  We got a referral to a family, the Arujo's.  The husband and wife are not members but the husband is from Brazil and low and behold, Sister Greenfield is going to Brazil.  We stopped by and introduced ourselves and Sister Greenfield explained that she is in need of some help with her Portuguese and asked if she could practice the lessons with him.  :) ohhh yeaaaahhhhh.  We will see where that goes.

Also this week we had New Missionary training in Helena.  I got to see most of my MTC district there except for my companions in the MTC.  But it was sooooo good.  They talked about how companionships should be, the schedule, and exact obedience.  I also got to meet with President Mecham one on one.  I grew to really love him in that meeting. Before I didn't feel any connection to him and didn't really feel anything personal for him except that I was going to obey what he said because he was the President.  But after the meeting with him I know that he is an inspired man and he truly cares about each of his missionaries. 

Speaking about President, they made some new changes to the mission rules. They made a list of music we can listen to as well. Which means all my music has to be sent home. I know with obedience we will be blessed and really what is music in the grand scheme of things. 

After the New Missionary Training we brought home with us Sister Ward.  She is a Sister Training leader for our zone and goes on exchanges every other week.  She is awesome! I loved having her here.  Bozeman was her first area and so she was able to help us out. Anything to make us better.  And we have been doing well.  The Standard of Excellence each week is to teach 20 lessons and we taught 24! That was amazing.

I am jealous you have awesome weather! It's only going to get worse from here on out.  But that's okay!!! Because we have a car and I am buying warm things today! Haha

I love hearing from all of you! I am sorry if I didn't touch on the things you are doing at home.  But I love hearing about it all! It is so much fun! Keep it up! You all are great! And I appreciate all the prayers, I know God is hearing them! This is hard and every once in a while I have a hard time, but I am determined to do my best and be my best!

LOVE YOU ALL!

p.s. send me my coat please please :) Annnd I would love a package :))))

Oh! And here is my address for anyone and everyone, it is just the mission home address.  It is safer to get things that way.  1848 Rimrock Rd Billings Montana 59102