The Big Dogs

Monday, June 24, 2013


My week's been crazy!

I get to go to the Missionary Training Center {MTC} tomorrow.
I’m so excited and so nervous at the same time!

Sister Wilson’s going shopping today for clothes.  They're so strict with our clothing that it's crazy!  The lady who's in charge of the missionary clothing standards came down and talked to all of the girls.  She told us that no one could wear what they had on that day.  I thought I had a cute vintage outfit on!

Transfers are coming up next Tuesday.
I hope that I stay in this area.
I don't want to leave.

Monday’s the one-year anniversary of the Utah Salt Lake City West Mission {my mission} being opened.  We’re going to party!

You won't hear from me again until next Thursday!
Thursday will be our p-day because of the Holiday!

On Saturday we had a Missionary Blitz.  We knocked on every single door in our ward.  We recruited some missionaries and ward members to help us.  Each missionary was tagged up with a couple of ward members and we went and updated the records of the ward.  I’m so glad we're not a tracking mission.  I went with our senior couple missionaries {Elder and Sister North} and it was hard work!  It’s not my favorite thing to do!

I watch a hoarder crawl out his window!
I did what any normal missionary would do!
I cornered Him and shared the Gospel!
Go me!

This past week, we had exchanges so Sister Alegria came to my area for the day!  We had so much fun!  We taught a lot of people on the streets.  In my neighborhood, everyone acts like they don't speak English, but they really do. They are always like, “Habla no English!”  Especially this one guy!  Sister Alegria is from Honduras and speaks Spanish!  We're going down the street and I went up this guy and started talking to him.  Each time that I bring up the Gospel he says "Sister! I told you!  Habla no English!"  I told him, "Don't worry!  Hermana Alergria Habla Espanol!" 

Muahahah!
His face was priceless!
Sister Alegria taught him the whole first lesson!
She purposely made it a long lesson!
I just sat there smiling from ear-to-ear!

I’m in a really fun district!
We get along really well!
Everyone thinks I’m a violent person!
Not sure why!
They asked me if I was the girl in high school that made fun of people and got into fights!
They also think that I’m too competitive so no one will challenge me to anything!
They're just scared!

My poor companion is such a trooper!  I don’t know why but she puts up with me!  I like to embarrass her, especially at dinner tables or in meetings. I'll say something to make her laugh, because when she laughs she stops breathing.  When we are at the dinner table I’ll ask her awkward questions like, "Why were you crying last night?"  She laughs and then she stops breathing.  If we're near an Elder I'll say, "So what kind of dream were you having about Elder {so-and-so} last night?”  If I don't like the food we are eating, I always put it on her plate when the people aren't looking.

She laughs at everything I say!
I sing really loud when we are riding our bikes!
I play marco-polo with her!
I do funny dances!
It's great!

President Swain talked in one of our wards yesterday.  He talked about how we need to talk to everyone.  I told Sister Wilson that I needed to work on being more bold and outgoing as a missionary.  I was totally serious and she said, “Please don’t!”  Sister Wilson had to talk too.  That was my fault though.  The Bishop called and was talking to me about speakers and some other things, so I volunteered Sister Wilson to speak in church!

Welp!
I’m off to a birthday party for Elder North!
I made the pies!
Banana cream and key lime cheese cake!
Sister Wilson also thinks that I’m a pretty good cook! 
I made her mega tacos, steak sandwiches and nachos!

I better get going!

Pray for me tomorrow!
Pray that I won't make a fool out of myself in front of the big dogs; Mission Presidents', their spouses, Quorums of the Seventy and {Possibly! Eeks!} Quorum of the Twelve Apostles!
I’m so excited!

I love you all!
Thanks for all your guys support!
The church is true!
I am having a blast!

I'll write you all next week and tell you how everything went!

Oh, Sweet Adelaide

Monday, June 17, 2013

I haven't written an email in a while!  Serving the Lord keeps me really busy!  Crazy things have gone on this week!

Some highlights of my week.

As most of you know, I ran into my Mom this week.  Super awkward!  I've apologized for "slightly" raising my voice at her and pretending like I didn't know who she was.

I told President Swain about my race with Elder Goober.
I didn't get in trouble.
He laughed, but he also told me never to do it again.

Do you remember that really big fireside that I've been talking about?!  Well it's not as exciting as I'd hoped for.  It's still way cool though!  My mission is spoiled and we got to know ahead of time what's so historical.  I still can't tell any of you!

On the twenty-fifth of this month I get to go to Provo and teach Mission President's, their wives and General Authorities about Facebook!  Ten companionships were chosen from my mission and I'm one of them!  I'm doing Facebook teaching, some Elders & Sisters who have iPads are doing training on them and some other things.  It's pretty cool!  It's called the Mission President's Seminar.

Everyone loves my bike!  Geez!  Everyone rides their bike up next to me and asks, "How much will you sell if for?!"  I just say that it's not for sale but they keep following me!  The Elders say it's like riding on a cloud because the seat is so nice. I think more people have ridden my bike then I have!  Every single Elder takes it for a ride ALL. THE. TIME.

I named her {the bike} Adelaide!

I did a lot of service projects this week!  One of them was cleaning the Elders' home.  Oh my gosh!  That's the most disgusting thing that I've ever done in my whole entire life!  There was black mold everywhere! They were moving out so that the church can refurbish them.  Ugh!  They were gross!

We have this kid we are teaching.  He's about fourteen.  All day long I felt like we needed to go see him.  We went over and he was not home. We went over another time and he was not home. Then the third time we saw him.  He was on the sidewalk and we talked with him. I asked him to baptized and he said YES! That was such a crazy experience!

I have lots more stories, but I don't have much time!
I'll try next week to write more!
Love and miss you all!

A Little Of This And A Little Of That

Friday, June 7, 2013


How is Grandma Gert doing?
Let me know how everything goes.
Call President Swain with an update if you need to.
Tell Gert I love her!

It has been a crazy week!

We just got back from Walmart and a sweet lady bought us McDonalds!
 And, I saw Sister Joseph!

Oh…
…I am getting a new Sister tomorrow,
so I am going to be in a trio!

There are a lot of missionaries being moved around so Sister Joseph will not be in my zone anymore.  I am so sad!  My new Sister had been sent home for medical leave and she wants to finish out her mission so they are going to send her to Salt Lake City West.  It is because we are the best mission ever!  Our mission is full of missionaries like that.  We have tons of visa waiters, trial missionaries and service missionaries. 

I LOVE MY NEW HOUSE!

I need a bike...
...by Tuesday!  A vintage bike!
Is anyone coming to Utah this weekend?
If not, I may just have you guys ask Lisa to bring me her bike.
I need a helmet too!
Touch base with President Swain or the Brickey's for drop-off at the Peachwood building.

Oh…
…I would love a soccer ball!

And, packages!
Feel free to send me packages!
Write me letters!
Lots of letters!
  
I am not in the filming area but with some recent changes to our mission, I do not think they are filming right now.  It has just been crazy.  Lots of switching around so I doubt the video will be ready. Who knows, it might be but I do not think so.

I should be getting off of the computer and clean up!
I am ready for some P-day time!
I think we are playing soccer or volleyball today!   

The Elder that I raced has been avoiding me since the accident.  I am going to corner him at the P-day building and go Batman status on him!

I asked Sister Wilson if she thinks that I am too competitive?
She just laughed.
She laughs at everything I say.
She and Sister Muldowney think I am the funniest person ever!

I promise to make wiser choices this week!

Talk to you next Monday!
Have a great and safe week!
Love you lots!

Challenge Backfire


I had to put an Elder his place this week but in the process I got put in my place as well!

The Elder is such a goober!
We were talking about track and I told him that I ran hurdles in high school.
 He did not believe me.
He said that I did not look like I would be very fast.  

Gasp!
What?!  

I am a little too competitive so I challenged Elder Goober to a race and this was the outcome.




It is painful!
I am sore!
I have not washed that side of my body for three days!

The Lord has really humbled me and I am hoping that President Swain will have some mercy on me.
Originally, I was not going to tell President Swain but I meet with him tomorrow and the scars are nearly impossible to hide so I figure that I might as well confess.

Please pray for me!

I am not too scared,
he will probably laugh,
roll his eyes,
shake his finger at me and 
tell me that I need to be a little smarter!

Does it help my case that Sister Wilson encouraged me to do it?

After challenging Elder Goober we met up in the parking lot after a meeting.  I was in a dress, with no shoes and the race was on.  Elder Goober cheated!  I would have won if I had not fallen two steps before the finish line.  Right at the finish line I stepped in a dip and I went "gracefully" flying. 

I actually have the race on video but I am not showing it to anyone!
Maybe after my guilt goes away I will send it to you! 

You know,

the Lord keeps humbling me,
over and over.

I was reading the Book of Mormon and the scripture that I happened to open to right after the accident was Mosiah 4:27.

27  And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength.  And again, it is expedient that he should be diligent, that thereby he might with the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.

Then I read my Patriarchal Blessing and it talks about how I need to be wise in my choices and in my actions.  

Then in the handbook that I had to read it talked about safety and wisdom in my actions.

And finally, I asked Elder McNeil for a blessing because I have not been sleeping and my headaches are bothering me and in my blessing I was told to make wise choices!


I think I got the hint!