Tis the Season and I LOVE it!

December 9, 2013

Hannah, Happy Birthday.  Happy birthday baby girl!!!  I’m glad that you are mine.  I hope that you had a great day.  And school was cancelled?  You lucky duck.  Guess what?  Your new boots look like mine.  We are twinners, sweet!  Daddy said you like your name tag.  Good, I am glad.

Today was pretty dang fun.  E-mailing was great.  That is the fastest e-mailing that I have ever done.  Just think, next week when I have e-mailed there will be less than 2 weeks until we get to see and talk to each other.  Ah!  I am so very excited!  For now, we are planning on doing it at Sister Fullwood’s.  I’m not sure what time yet.  We will get it figured out.  It sounds like everyone is doing really great!  You all sound happy.  Good.

So the elders borrowed our car today to get groceries.   This is a vital point in our day.  Just remember, they took our keys in order to drive the car.  When they got back we headed over to Gainsville.  Whoot!  It was and adventure driving over there.  It was pouring rain.  I had my windshield wipers on as fast as they would go.  No worries.  We got there safe and sound.  Then, we hopped in the car with Sister Hooker and Sister Parrins and went to their member’s house.  I have always wanted to learn how people do the roses out of frosting.  Guess what?  She taught us.  I think that mine turned out the best.☺  We had a blast laughing talking and decorating.  No worries.  I took pictures.  You will get those before you get this letter.

 Me

 The ever lovely Sister Knight!

 Me and my heart's friend Sister Hooker!!

 Sister Knight, Me, Sister Hooker, Sister Parrins

Sister Knight and ME

After we were done, we went back to their apartment and sat on the floor and just talked.  It was SO nice to just feel like a regular girl for a moment!  Not that we didn’t talk all missionary stuff cause we did.  It was just fun to have it be more than just Sister Knight and Sister George.  Although we are pretty awesome when it is just us!!  We all just had a great time!

We headed home for dinner at 6.  We ate with the Cooks tonight.  They are a sweet older couple in the ward.  It was fun.  Boy, can they talk your ear off. ☺  They talked about their kids and the ward and everything in between.  We had a blast with them!!  When we left Brother Cook handed us presents.  They got us cute fuzzy socks and chocolate.  Brother Cook kept asking us if Elder Hales was okay?  Brother Cook is worried that he may have some lingering effects from his crash and a concussion.

Ok, now on to why the elders took our car.  So we get back home and start to plan.  I look over at our tree and there is the little gold box we had given the elders yesterday that had the heart in it.  We looked but the heart wasn’t in the box.  Finally we found it in the fridge.  Those sneaky buggers.  We were laughing hard though.  All in the name of good fun I guess.

December 10, 2013

Holy Cow!  Can you believe that I have been out for 5 months.  I sure don’t feel like it has been that long.  It is crazy how time can fly by when you’re busy.   I’m glad that I am still in my first area and that I haven’t been booted yet.

Today turned out to be one of those unplanned days.  It started out with zone meeting.  I had to give a training :\  “How to get investigators to come to church”.  According to the ZL’s we have had the most consistent number of investigators coming to church.  Well great.  So we get in there and before we start, in walks President Wolfert and the AP’s.  OF COURSE!  The one time that I have to give a training in zone meeting, the president shows up.  I hate giving training.  I really do.  So I had a training to give and President Wolfert was there.  I was a wreck.  But it turned out okay.  President told me it was good (even though I think that he has to say that, like when your parents have to compliment you).☺  The rest of zone meeting was just long.

We went to lunch at Panda Express.  I got to be with Elder Harmon and Sister Hooker.  So that was fun.  Our meeting ran late so everything was pushed back.  The elders didn’t come to lunch with us because they had a lesson with an investigator.  They did text us later and said “Investigator with a baptismal date? Check!”  I’m really excited for them.

We were getting ready to head to Marni’s when the elders called us and said they had a broken bike.  Sisters to the rescue.  We borrowed Marni’s husband’s bike and took it to the elders.

We went back to Marni’s , cleaned, and then went to get our dinner from Sister Rodriguez.  We had to drop it off at home.  We didn’t have time to eat because we were headed over to the Qureshi’s to help them move.  Sister Queshi has cancer and they decided to move back to Arizona to be by family.  None of their family knows, they just think that they are coming home for Christmas.  We showed up and knocked, and rang.  Nobody was home.  The McKennas live next door so we called Sister McKenna and asked if we could come over and visit.  She was making sugar cookies for our ward Christmas party on Friday.  So we helped her with that.☺  It was lots of fun.  

Making cookies with Sister McKenna - doesn't get better than that!

We listened to Christmas music and made and ate cookies.  Daddy!  The song that David Bowie and Bing Crosby sing together was on.  You know the Little Drummer Boy?  I know that you like that song.  It made me think of you.

December 11, 2013

Oh my goodness.  At the rate this week is going we are never going to have a normal day!  So this morning was a little crazy.  First, our elders came over to get some materials from us and then the Buford Spanish-speaking elders came over.  They are getting transferred and President is shutting down the Buford Spanish area for a little bit.  President is changing some sisters over to Spanish-speaking and they will probably open that area back up later.  So they came over so that we could sign each other’s books.

After lunch, we decided to try and go see Mary and Arianna.  They still haven’t moved.  They weren’t home though.  We didn’t have any appointments so we went tracting.  Ugg!  Nobody was home today.  We tracted for over two hours and only got one stinkin' contact.  Last week our numbers were amazing.  This week, not so much! 

There was one house that we thought was really cute.  It had a bridge to the front door.  We knocked and nobody answered, so we rang the doorbell.  Nobody answered.  Sister Knight wanted her picture taken on the bridge and I thought that would be fine because nobody was home.  I was taking her picture when a lady throws open the door.  Sister Knight turns around and says “Oh, hi!”,  and starts talking.  The lady turns around and starts doing something at the entry table.  She whirls around and slams a paper on the door, yells at us to read it, and SLAMS the door.  I didn’t even bother reading it, we just turned around and started walking away.  Suddenly we hear the door fling open and she starts yelling at us again, telling us that we woke her up, that she is a Jew, and that nobody wants to hear us, and that they were going to put up a no soliciting sign.  Then, she SLAMS the door again.  I have never seen someone with such an ugly countenance before.  It was really sad.  I guess that just goes to show that our mood and actions really do show on our faces.  It was 2 in the afternoon and how would we know someone was sleeping.  What does it matter that she is a Jew.  They need Christ in their life too.  People do want to hear us!  Our families, the members here, the Lord, our investigators.  The list goes on and on.  And as for having a no soliciting sign out in front of the neighborhood.  A) we are not soliciting  B) it’s actually illegal for subdivisions to put that out and C) a sign isn’t going to stop the Lord’s work.  

At 3  we went over to the Qureshi’s to help them pack to move.  They have been packing all week and are moving back to be by their families.  Sister Qureshi said that everything just fell into place for them in the space of a couple of week since they found out about the cancer.  So we helped them pack everything.  The elders came over too.  We will miss them they are a great family.

We had a relief society activity tonight, “The Christmas Social” oooh, fancy.☺  We invited Brittany and she came!  It was really fun.  Sister Gertson took our picture and sent it to you.  She is a funny lady.  She kind of reminds me of Jenny.  There was shrimp but it was still a little frozen.  So Sister Gertson stuck hers on a toothpick and put it over a candle so that it would thaw.  It was pretty funny.  Oh!  Just so you know that was Brittany with Sister Knight and I in the picture.  Have you sent any photos to the sister’s families in your ward?  I hope so.

 Me, Sister Knight, and Brittany

December 12, 2013

Good heavens, December is just flying by. 

Last week we had made an appointment to see Richard for today.  We called him to just make sure.  He didn’t want us to come.  I haven’t told him that I will probably be leaving soon.  I’m afraid he won’t let the missionaries come any more once I’m gone.  He is pretty leery of missionaries that he doesn’t know.  I am the only one left that he knows.  I will try to stay in touch with him when I leave.  He has made so much progress!

We went over to Bro. Hiers today with Sarah.  Because of the rule, we don’t get over there much anymore.  Tomorrow is his birthday so he really wanted us to come.  The elders still go over there and they had told us that Brother Hiers didn’t have any ornaments for his Christmas tree.  We all ended up writing on an ornament.  He was pretty pleased with the ornaments.  It was the elder’s idea, pretty good one too.  Good job elders!!!

After Brother Hiers we met up with Kiaundra at the church.  She is leaving for North Carolina for 3 weeks.  This is probably the last time I will see her.  Someday she will be baptized.  Another seed has been planted.  She will get there, I know she will.  Heavenly Father has a plan.  I don’t know what the heck it is, but He has one.  I did my part in His plan and I will continue to do so…

We went and helped Marni after that.  Ah!  I love her and her kids and her husband!  They are all just amazing.  I cannot wait until I get the call that they are getting baptized.  I know that it will happen.  I will do my darndest to be there when it happens.  I love that little family.  I am amazed to see how intricate the details of our lives are and how Heavenly Father works little things into our lives to make big differences.

 

We tracted before dinner and then headed over to the Watkins.  They were coming with us to visit our family, Wes and Julie.  They took us out to eat.  They are funny, those two. ☺ I sure do like them.

We went over to our family’s house but Julie said to come back later.  Hopefully they really do want to learn.  It would be a bummer if they don’t.

December 13, 2013

Momma!  I forgot to tell you.  I got your letters Wednesday and the one from Sister Allen too.  That one letter was from forever ago.  It was fun to get though.  I like having you send it straight to me.  They get here so much faster!  So you said to write Lindsay Kuhn.  I e-mailed her a letter but if she wants a hand-written letter then I need her address.  She said she would give it to me and never did. Thanks for getting me Trevin’s address from his mom.  I can’t believe that Boston and Tanner are home!  Crazy.  Have you seen either one of them yet?  Have they changed at all?

I got quite teary when you said you had talked to Zach at Thanksgiving.  I don’t think he will ever really know how much it meant/means to me that he would be so nice to me in high school.  He will forever be one of my favorite cousins!  He probably takes the cake for the George side (though I do love a lot of my cousins on that side).  I so wish I could be at his wedding, I pray that I can be at the sealing!  I would love a wedding invite.  Even if I can’t make it.  I got one from Wes a few weeks ago.  That was fun! 

Missionaries can have headphones for the computers when we go on P-day and are all watching different  Mormon.org messages….(totally random).

Today was grand ole’ weekly planning.  Nothing eventful happened there.  Afterwards we got ready and headed out.  The elders had texted us and asked us if we wanted to do service.  We had an hour until that so we headed over to the church to make copies of a few things.  The elders bikes were there and we saw them in the family history center.  The door was wide open so we said hey.  Turns out they were having a lesson.  :\   I felt so bad.  They should have shut the door though.  It was with their investigator that is getting baptized on the 28^th.  I’m excited for them.

We got a media referral so we headed out to see her.  Her husband answered the door and told us that nobody with her name lived there.  We double checked in the phone book.  She does too!  We will try again later.

Tracting was pretty boring.  We did knock on one door and the lady answered and when I told her who we were she said, “Oh!  Well you had better get out of here because I am a pagan.”  I still talked to her for a few more minutes.  She was pretty nice.  It was like she was warning us that something bad was going to happen.

Sister Watkins had asked if we would help her with the food she had to cook for our ward Christmas party tonight.  She was cooking turkey and they had asked people to make gravy out of the drippings.  Sister Watkins was looking at and she kept saying she had no idea how to make gravy.  Well, Momma, I had watched you make it enough times that I figured I could do it.  I told Sister Watkins last time she wasn’t allowed to call and talk to you while I was there.  Darn that lady!  I’m making gravy and next thing I know she is on the phone with you.  I don’t think it is bad for her to call and talk to you when I’m not there but it’s another story when I’m RIGHT THERE.  She just was so proud that I had watched you enough times to make gravy and she wanted you to know it…oh boy!  She's a stinker but a stinker that I love.

Before we left for the party we got on the topic of stockings and I said that Sister Knight and I had some hung up with our names taped to them.  Sister Watkins rolls her eyes, grabs my arm and pulls me to the hallway.  Hung up are 10 stockings.  On one of them it says “Molly”,   The  other missionaries also had stockings as well as Sister Fulwood.  I just lost it.  I couldn’t stop crying.  I just kept thinking how grateful I was to Heavenly Father for placing this amazing lady in my life!  I got a stocking with my name on it.

 My Name on my Stocking 

 Don't look at the date cuz it's a little confusing

This is REALLY Christmas Day

But I wanted you to see the stockings

Sister Knight's Stocking!

Sister Watkins let everyone know about the gravy.  Tons of people came up to me and talked about it.  It was pretty funny.  Ben came.  I’m so very excited for him.  He is so elect!  I almost feel like we are not really teaching him.  I’m just grateful that I get to be his missionary.  I just hope that he know how much I love him and what it has meant to me to be blessed with the opportunity of teaching him.   The primary put on the nativity for the program.  It was pretty cute.  They did a good job.

We helped clean up and talked with people.   As we were leaving we got handed these huge pots of mashed potatoes.  They wouldn’t not let us take them.  I am not sure what we will do with all of those potatoes.

Happy Friday the 13^th!

December 14, 2013

We did a bunch of stuff this morning.  Service and a luncheon.  We stopped at the Galts on our way home to drop off some extra decorations Debbie had that were being given to Brother Hiers.  We ended up talking with them for about an hour.  Momma, Sister Galt is very excited to meet you.  Do you remember Theresa?  She was the one walked into the church needing some help.  Well, she hasn’t been meeting the elders anymore.  That is sad to me.

 

We had dinner at the Adams tonight and we taught Ben.  He is just super awesome!  I am so excited for his baptism.  It is going to be awesome!  Then we went to the stake choir’s Christmas concert.  It was really good.  I was super tired though and trying to stay awake.  We get to go to it again tomorrow night too.  So I can pay attention better tomorrow night.

December 15, 2013

Only 9 more days.  It’s weird to think that I haven’t talked to you guys in almost 6 months.  Lately it seems to me like I just left.  Sister Knight and I are getting along great we really love each other, both us and the elders are picking Suwanee back up, we are all friends, I love my ward, the list goes on. ☺

Today we were at the church all day long!  We had ward counsel at 9:15 this morning.  We got out to the car and the battery was dead.  Oops!  We had left a light on.  Luckily Brother Pickett was picking up the elders so he came and jumped our car for us.  Of course, all we did was drive to the church so we had to get it jumped again later.  Both Ben and Will (the elder’s investigator) came to church.  They are both great.

After church, Sister Johnson asked if I could play the piano for her family while they sing at sacrament meeting next week.  So we practiced that.  Then we helped set back up for the Christmas concert and all the props.  They had a stable made out of birch.  

 This is how I found out I am allergic to birch.

Kinda glad you can tell I am allergic yet.

We set that up, and then the itching started.  My arms and neck and face.  I was red everywhere!  I couldn’t stop scratching.  Sister Galt looked at me and said, “O, sweetie!  I think you are allergic to the birch!”  It was about 5:00 by this time.  One of the ladies went and got two Benadryl.  We went over to the John’s for dinner and that is when it hit me.  Man, was I tired!  Then we went straight back to the church.  We got there and President Galt had saved us 2 seats.  So, we were in the front AND by President Galt.  I was SO tired!!  My eyes were closed for more than half of the program, I wasn’t sleeping but I was on the verge.  Sister Knight kept feeding me candy to keep me awake. She was a life saver!!

After the program we ran into the elders and they “kindly” told me I looked just about dead.  Elder Rahman said something and I couldn’t even respond.  He laughed and told me that is how he knew I was tired, because normally I don’t have a problem talking. 

We got home and I got straight into bed.  I would fall asleep and then someone would call us and scare me awake.  Ah well!  Life as a missionary on Benadryl.

I love you fam!  I can’t wait to talk to you.  Make sure you get me the facetime information by Monday.

Love, Molly

The New Me!! RM - - Means So Much More To Me Now!

December 2, 2013

Hey my favorite people in the universe!

Oh P-day!   How I love them.  Getting e-mails from you guys just makes everything brighter.  We started off today by going to the ENT specialist.  UGG!  The doctor that I had an appointment with at 11 didn’t even get to the office until after 11.  We had to waste an hour and a half of our P-day waiting!  I wasn’t too pleased about that!  When he finally came in to see me at 12:30 I was just about done.  At that point I didn’t care what I had!  I was just ready to leave.  He asked me some questions.  Does it hurt, itch, swell…yada,yada,yada…  No, it’s just weird and I want it gone.  Well, he looked and hummed and hawed for a second.  Then he asks if it changes and how it looks when it changes.  Yup!  Well, turns out I have a common case of geographic tongue.  Well!  Is that all?!?  Really?  There isn’t anything that you can really do about it.  Just let it run its course.  Well, okay then.  So there ya go.  All this worrying and wondering and all I have is a tongue map.  Haha.

After that we went and e-mailed, and hung out with the elders.  Sugar Hill is the ward next to us.  They are getting sisters next transfer so they kicked one set of elders out.  I would love to be one of the new Sugar Hill sisters.  Me and Sister Hooker!  We could white-wash Sugar Hill together.  That is what I am praying for.

We had to end P-day a bit early.  Last Sunday we announced in relief society that we would like to give families lessons and help them with visiting teaching.  Well, people are taking us up on that.  Along with dinner we had 2 other FHE lessons.  We asked the Holgados if we could eat a bit early in order to fit all the lessons in.  So we had dinner at 5:30 instead of 6.  I love the Holgados.  They are a fun family!  Sarah says she would like to come meet you when she stops in IF on her way to BYU Idaho.  That could be kinda fun.

After the Holgados we went to the Tuley’s.  They got baptized a little over a year ago.  Sister Tuley is divorced and has two sets of twins.  Rachel and Nick and then Scott and Daniel.  When Rachael was in high school she wanted to find a church.  She searched and searched, finally she found us and got baptized.  A little while later, Sister Turley and the rest of the boys got baptized too.  Pretty cool!  Rachael and Nick are both at BYU now.  You would never think that they are converts.  They are pretty main-stream.  

Then we went to the Willsons.  I like them.  We taught them the first vision.  They pretended they were investigators.  It was kinda fun.  And good practice too!

Oh!  Happy news!  Ben Willard is for sure getting baptized on the 4^th of January.  His cousin is LDS and lives in California.  She told him she would fly here to be at his baptism!  He let us know tonight that he talked to her and she is for sure coming!  Ah!  What a great way to end the transfer!

December 3, 2013

Today wasn’t too eventful.  It rained all day long! Man, today was rainy!  Our first district meeting since transfers was today.  Have I mentioned how much I hate transfers?  They change everything!  Everyone in our district has new companions except Sister Knight and me.  It’s weird.  Do you remember Sister Stott from my MTC district?  She was Sister Hooker’s companion.  Well, she is now in my district again.  Sister Macedone got transferred out and Sister Stott will finish training Sister Jones. 

After district meeting we went and did our usual, off to help Marni.  Someday I hope that I can attend her baptism.  It will happen!  She gets so bored being home while the kids are gone.  We always end up just chatting with her before we clean.

It’s been pouring rain all day.  We got to tract in it!  I actually like tracting in the rain…  Which is good cause it is supposed to rain every day this week.  We went to one street and just weren’t feeling it.  No one was home.  So we headed to another street, still not too many people were home, but we felt okay about it.  So we tracted until dinner.

We ate at the Kemps tonight.  I haven’t eaten there since I first got here…  That may have been my first dinner here, I’m not sure.  It was fun.  I like the Kemps, we don’t get to interact with them a lot, but when we do it is always a good time!

We try to do some small acts of random kindness.  We decided to leave some flowers on Sister Azizi’s front porch.  I hope that she liked them.  But more importantly I really hope that she knows that we love her.  She is really a good lady.

I got 2 little packages in the mail.  One was from the stake YW presidency.  Did you put mine and Michelle’s (Tavener) pictures up on the wall?  Good.  I’m glad people cans see that one!   They wrote a really nice note.  So that was a fun little present.  Then I got one stuffed full of KitKat bars from Shawn Nance.  Funny man.  I sent him a thank you note both times he has sent to me in the past.  I hope that he is getting them.  I am grateful that people are thinking of me.

December 4, 2013

Well, if you had asked me how I thought today would turn out, I wouldn’t have predicted correctly.  So we get a text from the elders saying “congratulations district leader Elder Kilmer”.  What???  Elder Hales is the district leader.  Nope!  Turns out the AP’s told them wrong and they have switched it.  So Elder Hales kind of got demoted.  Not really I know that but sometimes it feels that way.  He is kind of bummed about it.  But he was district leader in his last district.  Kind of weird for both of them.

Then during 12 week we got a call from Elder Residori telling us we needed to come down to Lilburn to get our car checked out for the mirror.  So, we drove down to Lilburn.  We got to grab our mail and didn’t have to wait for it.  I got your two letters Momma, a wedding announcement from Wes and my new missionary tags that I ordered.  I got one for my scriptures!  Whoot!

We got our car looked at.  Elder Residori said there was no need to fill out an insurance claim for it!  Yah!  Only a small repair.  He had gotten our car mixed up with one that had a bigger problem.

We drove home, had lunch, and dropped off some Christmas invites to the elders.  We headed over to the other side of our area.  We parked and got a call from the elders.  Elder Rahman asked if we had any band-aids and napkins in our car.  They said that Elder Hales had crashed pretty bad…  We went to Walgreens real quick and got some band-aids and Neosporin thinking it was just a scrape or something.  Oh no!  We pulled up and Elder Hales is holding a little napkin to his chin, blood all over.  They said, “Sister George, you are in nursing, does he need stitches?”  Haha, kinda, sorta, and maybe on that.  I couldn’t really see because there was too much blood.  We got it cleaned up a little and oh ya he needs stitches.  His chin looked like someone had taken a big chunk out of it.  It was like 1:00 on a Wednesday, with no male members around or home to give them a ride.  I told them to get in our car and we took them to Urgent Care.  Five stitches later Elder Hales was all taken care of.  We got him home.  The doctor told them to take the rest of the day off.  I don’t think he could have done anything anyway. 

We had dinner with my darling Sister Watkins.  Oh how I love them.  She showed me that she had been texting you Momma.  I love that y’all talk to each other!  It makes me happy.  She said that she will text you every Tuesday once I’m out of Suwanee to see how I am doing.  I’m so very grateful that Heavenly Father sent me here to have the Watkins and the Galts and the Johnsons and well, everyone here in Suwanee!

So that was our crazy adventure of today…  Oh wait!  There is one more part to the crash story.  So while they were waiting for us a cop pulled up by them.  He just sat in his car texting.  He could see that Elder Hales was hurt and did nothing.  Elder Rahman asked if he had any napkins or anything.  He gave them napkins, rolled up the window and wouldn’t help!  So when they told us that I was so mad.  Dumb cop!

December 5, 2013

Well today wasn’t as adventurous as yesterday.  But, not every day can be an urgent care, blood filled mess of a day.  For that, I am glad though.  Oh boy!

I dyed my roots this morning.  Now I’m very auburn again. ☺  It’s weird how just your roots can make you look like you have a totally different color!  I miss dying my hair a different color every time.  Eh!  It’s only a year and a half that I have to do that though. ☺  No biggie!  My purple is going back in after my mission though!

So I don’t know why I was thinking this or why it’s such a weird thought to me.  In 2 months I will have had my mission call for a year, cause I got it in February.  A year after that I will be an RM.  It’s strange to me probably because I always used to associate RM’s with guys, but soon I will be in that group.  An RM just used to be someone I wanted to marry; now it means so much more.  It’s weird to thing that this has and will continue to be my life for only a year and a half.  I’m not the same person I was when I came out.  I like this new me better. ☺  This new me is more patient, loving and caring.  This new me is confident and feels good about herself.  This new me loves this gospel even more than I thought possible.  This new me has met some of the most amazing people in the world.  This new me understands the Atonement and how it can work in people’s lives more than ever before.  Yeah, I like the new me.  When people say that a mission is a sacrifice I want to shake my head.  They don’t understand.  This is not sacrifice.  Yes, some days I want to sit down and cry, some days you get door after door slammed in your face, but those are the days that Satan is getting really worried, because something great is just around the corner.  It is a privilege to be her.  I’m on the Lord’s errand.  I love how many scriptures there are about missionaries!  During personal study I came across one in 3 Nephi 5:13.  It says, “Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I have been called of Him to declare His word among His people that they might have everlasting life. “  I just can’t seem to wrap my head around it.  But I don’t see it as a sacrifice.  There is not sacrifice in getting to wear a little black name tag with my name right next to Christ’s.  There is not sacrifice in finding and teaching people about the gospel who are ready.   Okay, I guess there is one sacrifice for me.  Y’all.  Not getting to see and talk to y’all is hard.  But we will talk in a few weeks. ☺  This time next year you’ll be able to say, “See ya in a few weeks.  Kinda crazy!

Well today we did the usual.  Went and helped out Marni.☺  The rain let up while we were there.  For a little bit.  Poor elders.  Sometimes I feel guilty that we have a car while they are on their bikes.  Not so guilty that I want to switch them places though!  There is a fine line on my guilt. :-/

After Marni’s we went tracting.  Our mission really needs to get Korean speaking missionaries!  Holy cow!  So many Koreans!  I’m putting in another request for them this Monday.  Even our members ask about them.

We had dinner at the Tolivers to night.  Bother Toliver is the 2^nd counselor in the bishopric.  I have never been over there before.  It was fun.  Sister Toliver went to France for her mission and Brother Toliver went to Bulgaria.  Man!  He had some wild stories!  His mission was rough!

After dinner we tried to go visit some less actives.  No one would answer.  It was about time to go home so we started heading back,  the heavens’ opened, and poured down rain.  LOADS of it!  My windshield wipers were going as fast as they could and I still couldn’t see!  We texted the elders, hoping they were okay.  Next thing we know they are calling us.  They were at the Glenn’s but needed us to come get their bikes, so we headed over.  All the DL’s and ZL’s are in training for today and tomorrow so Elder McMurdie, Elder Kilmer’s companion is with our elders,  so we had 3 bikes to load.  We got there and I just started putting bikes in the car.  Elder Hales runs out and told me he would put them on.  He said in his family his sisters say, “Jump.” and his dad say, “How high?”  I just laughed, I was fine with putting them on.  He told me when we got to the apartment we weren’t allowed to get out of the car.   We beat them by 10 minutes.  I got out of the car.  When they pulled up, Elder Hales kinda threw up his arms and said, “Sister George!  Why are you out of the car?”  I had a raincoat on . . . they didn’t.  They are good guys.  I sure do like those elders of ours.  I think so far I have served with some pretty amazing ones! ☺  Heavenly Father has been oh so nice to me!!

December 6, 2013

Depending on who you talk to I only have 19 more days until I get to talk to y’all! ☺  If we are going by the way we count in our family though there are only 17.   Today doesn’t count, Christmas Eve doesn’t count and Christmas doesn’t count. ☺  I like how we count better!

The elders came over for a minute during planning.  They came to get a back fender for Elder Hales bike.  We took it off of Sister Knight’s bike. ☺  We talked with them for a minute, Elder Hales reached into his bag to grab something and out fell a heart.  Like the Halloween decoration ones, the anatomically correct ones.   He picks it up and says, “Here.” And hands it to me.  I looked at him and said, “What is this?  I don’t want it!”  Elder McMurdie pipes up, “Sister George!  He is giving you his heart!  You’re denying it?!?!”  Whatever!  They are silly.  It was kind of a thanks for helping with stitches and such.

Oh! Random side note. . . I forgot to tell you when I found out. . . Sister Hooker knows the Beckhams!  She knows Brayden and Brittany!  Kinda fun!  Oh!  And speaking of Brittany. . . was she in the Philippines when the storm hit?  What about Kade Bodily!  I know all the missionaries are safe, but how are they?  Also, do you remember me telling you that one of our YSA guys, Scott White, knows Matt Monk?  Well on Sunday Scott comes running up to me to tell me that Matt is engaged!!  FUN!  Some sister that he served with.  I am really happy for him. 

We met with Kiaundra today.  Oh I love that girl!  I know she will eventually get baptized.  I just wanna know when. . . her family makes her feel guilty for coming.  She has been going back home to North Carolina a lot.  I don’t know if I will see her again before I leave.

LOVE HER!

Tracting was quite the adventure today.  We knocked on one door and a lady answers the door, looks at us and says, “Oh no.  This is a lesbian house.  You need to leave.”  Well, alrighty then!  At another house the guy answers and we start talking and he goes, “No, I’m Catholic.”  Okay, well then I asked him about family history (our family history center is having an open house tomorrow and I was going to invite him).  I said, “Do you like doing family history?”  His response, “No, I’m Catholic.”  Umm, okay but I’m pretty sure Catholics do family history. 

When we were getting ready to head to dinner we decided to do 2 more houses.  The first, the guy looks out the window and tells us to go away.  So we go to the next one.  Suddenly I hear, “This is a no soliciting neighborhood!  There are signs all over!  You get in your car and leave!”  I said, “Yup, okay.” and kept walking.  I told Sister Knight we were going to do the next door even though we had decided that was the last one.  She looked at me like I was crazy.  She asked, “Do you want him to call the cops?!?”  Yes actually I did!  He was rude, we aren’t soliciting an the cops can’t arrest us.  He didn’t call the cops

We had dinner at the Moores.  But you know that cause Sister Moore sent you a picture.  More and more families are doing that!  I love it!

Thank-you Sister Moore for the picture!!

After dinner we tried to go see less active again.  None of them want to talk to us :-/ bugger!

December 7, 2013

Oh boy!  What a crazy, fun day!  Missionary work during the holidays is for sure not the same as the other times of the year!

Today we went over to help the Galt’s neighbor, Debbie, put up her Christmas light.  Do you remember Tim, the guy who died in September, we helped set up his memorial service?  It’s his wife.  Us, the elders, and Galts.  You already know that because Sister Galt sent pictures.☺  It was way fun!  We had a good time.  Debbie said she really wants to learn more so we are going to tag team teach her!  It will be fun!  We are excited.

We had lunch with Brother Pickett and talked  about what was going on with all our investigators.  I think the elder’s pool is picking up so that’s good!  They have had a VERY rough week.  I hope this next one is better for them!

The family history center had an open house today so we all went over there.  We talked with the sisters that work there for a while.  The family history ladies blame EVERYTHING that goes wrong on us.  President Galt just rolled his eyes when we talked about it. ☺  He just says to ignore it.  Thanks!  Cause all we do is e-mail!

Then we went to the Watkins…  Kelsey Barrett used to be a sister here and is back visiting so we got to meet her.  She’s cute, I like her!  She is an Aggie.  She might Facebook me.  We hung out there for a bit and then the elders came over to give a lesson.  They just followed us around all day. 

The Collins Hill ward was having their Christmas party at our building.  Sister Paepae asked if we would come, she was doing the hula.  I told her we wouldn’t miss it!  To the end of the night we went over to the Smith’s.  Sister Smith was doing the Forgotten Carols.  Michael and Brittany came and so did Ben and Casey.  It was fun.

Poor Casey.  She is having a really hard time with her mom being gone and it being the holidays.  It breaks my heart.  She feels pressure with school and learning the gospel.  Ben told us last time the whole story of Judy’s death.  It is way sad.  They are absolutely awesome and I love them so very much.  I know they love each other and that is the only way to get through something like that.  Well their love for each other and the gospel of course.

December 8, 2013

Ben came to sacrament meeting today.  He didn’t feel too good though so he left.  But he came to the most important part!

After church we hung around for a while.  Because of tithing settlement a whole bunch of families were there.  We talked to them for a while.  Then we went tracting.  We had to contact 22 people to get our 70 for the week.  It was SO cold!  Luckily we had our gloves and stuff thanks to Sister Fullwood!

We had 5 more until we hit 70 and then we got a call from Sister Galt.  We were supposed to have dinner at 6 with them and Debbie.  There was a mix-up though and Debbie was coming at 5.  So we tracted back to our car, just barely getting our 5 other contacts!  Whoot! 

It was a good dinner.  Debbie so needs the gospel.  She is ready.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said “Oh, I am so excited to read this!”  It was awesome.

She had to leave so we sat and talked with the Galts.  Sister Galt got the videos that you sent me to work!  They made me cry!  I’m glad I got to see them.

President Galt loves that I like to be up there doing stuff with the guys.  He loved that I wanted to go up on the roof to hang lights.  At dinner he couldn’t get a jar open so he handed it to me.  It tickled him silly when I popped it open on the second try.  I’m not as strong as I pretend to be, but nobody needs to know that!

We got to watch some of the Christmas devotional, so that was fun!  We did have to leave to do numbers, but what we saw was great.

Well, I love y’all.  I can’t wait to e-mail.

Love, Molly

The BEST Thanksgiving EVER!!!

November 25, 2013

Hey People!  Listen up you dogs!  Haha!  Remember when Sydney used to say that all of the time?  That just popped into my head…Oh Sydney.

So today was quite the day.  I went to the doctor for my follow up about my tongue.  Guess what?  It’s not thrush.  There is no yeast present.  The doctor has no idea what it is.  She said they could either do a biopsy on my tongue or  I could go see a specialist.  I asked her what a biopsy would entail.  Well, they would stick a needle in my tongue and numb it up.  THEN! They would take this little cookie cutter tool and cut out a chunk of my tongue and then stitch up my tongue and do a test on the part that is no longer attached to my tongue.  Nope, I do not like that idea!  I called Sister Atkins (the mission nurse) and she called Dr. Rhodes (the mission doctor).  Now I am going to see a specialist at Emory (the big gigantic hospital they have here.)  The doctor lady wants to keep in touch because she wants to know what the heck is up with my tongue.  It’s like this weird, unknown entity!  So that is my life right now…Next week on Monday I have an appointment with the specialist.  Oh the life that is mine!

So yup.  There is that fun stuff.  Then we found out about transfers today.  Sister Hooker and I are the only ones staying, with our greenies.  Everyone else is getting switched around.  Elder Howell is leaving.  I’m sad about that.  We’ve been in Suwanee the whole time together.  I’m going to miss him.  He is a good missionary.

Elder Howell

Since it is transfers week we had zone p-day…sorta.  Sister Hooker came and the Hamilton Mill Sisters came.  We just sat and talked and had fun together.  I won’t see Sister Hooker for like two weeks.  So it was fun to see her.  It always is!

We had dinner at the Holgados.  What?!?  I know, crazy.  We never have dinner there - every Monday!  I love ‘em.  I figure this is probably my last transfer here.  So, I’m going to start taking pics with all the families I love, then I will print those pictures, write a note and give it to all of them.

We got a call from the Tomberlins asking us when we would be home.  We told them 9.  They showed up with a huge box full of toilet paper, food, and treats.  It was so nice of them!  Our freezer has never been this full!  I’m so glad for my ward.

November 26, 2013

What a sad day.  I don’t like saying goodbye!  It really stinks.  It is the day before transfers, all my friends are leaving!  Elder Henderson, my favorite Spanish-speaking elder is leaving,  Sister Iketau is leaving.  (I like talking to her), and Elder Howell is leaving.  I’m probably most sad about him.  It is most comfortable to have someone who has been in the same area the entire time as you.  We have journals that everyone writes a note in…kinda like a yearbook.  Elder Howell’s was so sweet.  

 

I don’t like transfers.  I think I will not like them even more when I am the one leaving.  Yeah, it will be exciting to go somewhere new but it will be the worst thing ever to leave!  I have 6 weeks and I’m going to make the best of them!

We had lunch together and just sat and enjoyed each other’s company.  It has been pouring rain all day long!  So we said our goodbyes inside and then all ran to our cars.  Luckily we will all see each other in a few weeks at the Christmas party.

We went and helped Marni.  Her tree looks really good.  I told her she must have had some amazing help with her tree!  She laughed.  I’m going to miss her.  Heavens!  I’m acting like I’m being transferred!  I’m just sad cause I know this is most likely my last transfer here.  I’m so glad I get to be here for the holidays.

After Marni’s house we went and got cupcakes, cause we were planning on meeting up with the elders to say goodbye to Elder Howell.  We also had to run over to our office because we thought our floor was wet by the window.  Turns out it is not.  By the time we got finished with everything it was time to go to dinner.

We had dinner with the Pedersens tonight.  I had never met them before, our ward info says they are less-active.  It turns out that they are not.  They come to church but they travel a ton.  They go to church wherever they travel to.  They took us to a little Italian place that I have always wanted to go to.  Ippolite (or something like that).  It was a lot of fun.  They made us get dessert too.  I got a cannoli cause I have always wanted to try one!  They look so good on Cake Boss.  It was pretty dang yummy!  

We had ½ hour before we were meeting with the Elders.  We went to a place called the Fresh Market.  Not like the ones in Utah.   This place is fancy!  Gabe, I found your Christmas present there.☺

Then we met up with the elders.  I was pretending so hard that Elder Howell wasn’t leaving.  I’m really sad that he is!  He has really been a good friend.  We just talked with them and right before we left we took pictures.  It was a fun but a sad day!

November 27, 2013

Happy month until your anniversary Momma and Daddy!  Only 28 more days until I get to talk to you!!!

Today was SO cold.  It was windy and 34 degrees without taking into account the humidity.  Oh my yuck.  And this isn’t even the worst of it.  It is going to get colder.

We met Elder Hales today. He is who took Elder Howell’s spot.  He seems nice but I don’t have a feel for him yet.  Mostly I’m bitter cause he took Elder Howells’s place.  I think we will be friends though.

We went and visited one of the very few, if only, widows in our ward.  Her name is Sister Cross.  She is so cute!  Her daughter lives in the ward also so that is good for her.  She is from Mexico and met her husband there, though he is from Salt Lake City.  That is why they ended up in the US.  She is this happy little thing!  It was fun just visiting with her for a while.

Then we went tracting.  It was freezing.  People were being rude too.  Georgians do not like the cold!  People would crack open their door a crack, look at us, and say, “It’s too cold”, and shut their door.  We know it is cold.  We are the ones on the outside of the door!  One  of the last doors we  knocked on I got a little snotty with the guy.  I started talking and he interrupts me and says, “This isn’t a good time.  It’s just too cold.”  I looked at him and said, “Yeah, we know.  We’ve been talking to people for the last hour and a half and will continue to do so.  Have a nice day.”  Not a good missionary moment, I know.  I was cold and tired and he was one rude person too many.

Sister Fullwood took us to dinner tonight.  Red Lobster!  Whoot!  She ordered for me and before I knew it I had a big pot of king crab legs in front of me.  Holy cow!  Those things are massive!  Tons bigger than the snow crab that you get once in a blue moon daddy.  I ate and ate and ate.  I had one leg left and I felt like I was gonna puke.  Sister Fullwood was so concerned.  She told me, “Yeah, they are really rich, if your stomach isn’t used to rich foods it can make you sick.”  I didn’t finish the last leg, but I was close!

As we were leaving we were looking at the lobsters in the tank and a lady asked if we wanted to hold one.  I got to hold a lobster!  It was pretty fun.

Then Sister Fullwood was appalled to find out we had no hats, scarves, or gloves so she took us to WalMart and got us some.  Funny lady.  Our ward takes such good care of us!

Daddy, I showed Sister Fullwood the letter you sent about people getting money from the church.  She had a lot of questions about it and I thought that it would help.  She said she might just have to come visit so y’all can chat some more.  She is very impressed with my daddy!  I can’t blame her…  So I am.

November 28, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!!!  I’m so thankful for each and every one of you.  I can’t believe how blessed I am to be part of such an amazing family!  I hope everyone had a splendid Thanksgiving!!  Mine was one I will never forget.

Sister McKenna and her family always try and volunteer for a soup kitchen.  She looked on-line and found one close to us.  It was fun by a Baptist church.  They put us on parking lot duty.  There was us, the McKenna’s and their youngest, Mary, and Sister McKenna’s parents and her brother.  For the first half hour or so no cars came.  It was a dirt parking lot, so Sister McKenna drew a hopscotch thing and taught us how to play.  It was a blast!  Every time a car would come, we would get them parked, talk to the people, and then continue our game.  Guess who won???  Me.

 Here I am trying to win!!

 My cute companion trying to take over Queen of Hopscotch!!

 Our Mary trying to wipe us both off the hopscotch map!

When we were done with the game we talked some more.  I had picked up a stick and was playing with it.  Sister McKenna looked at it and said that would make a cool bow!  There was some surveyor tape on a tree, she took some, and tied it to the stick and we made a bow.  Then we got other sticks and made arrows.  It was so fun.

We thought about acting out Nephi's Bow and Arrow Story

Or maybe we could join up with the Stripling Warriors!!

We are such the archers!!

When our parking lot shift was up they told us to go in and eat.  It looked to us like there were  only a few families who needed the food, the rest were just volunteers and members from the congregation of the church…  Sister Knight and I walked around and talked to people.  We got some good contacts and lessons in.

Coolest Thanksgiving EVER!!  And I love the girls I am between!!

We went back to the McKennas and had pie.  Sister McKenna and her brother made their dad raisin pie.  I guess every year he talks about how his mom used to make raisin pie…  They made it for him this year.  He was SO happy.  It was pretty cute.  After the pie we played a game called Quelf.  Oh what a game.  It was tons of fun!  I think not being a missionary it would be even more fun.  There are some things you just cannot do in a skirt.

LOVE THE MCKENNA'S

After that we went to the Galts.  They had Theresa (the one who needed help) and her kids there.  Technically, the elders took her as their investigators but we kinda taught her a lesson…  Man!  She has a ton of misconceptions.  She is getting there though. 

I’m glad Sister Galt sent you a pic.  I missed you guys and even if it is just getting a picture sent that is communication with you and it makes me happy.

We ended our night with the Olsons.  Ah!  I just love them!  They are some of my favorites.  We talked about how this would probably be my last transfer here.  Sister Olson asked if they could be my last dinner.  Of course!  I’m so grateful for the people who love me in this ward!  I adore the Olson's!

November 29, 2013

Only 26 more days!!!  Ah! Yay!  So today if you were to look at our number, you would question what we did.  Well, weekly planning for one.  That is getting better in our companionship.  I miss Elder Howell.  It is weird having to report numbers to Elder Hales.

We went and tried to help Sister Watkins.  One of the missionaries who used to serve here, Kelsey Barrett, is coming to visit and stay with them.  Sister Watkins asked for a little help getting her house ready.  While we were there we helped her make dessert for the elders.  She has this 3-D skull cake mold that we used.  It was sweet! 

We went to the Johnsons for dinner.  I love that family!  They are in my top 5 favorites.  I won’t do the list because I know it would be more than 5 families in it!!!  And to make matters worse there is no way that I could put any of them in any particular order.  It is probably like a parent - - all of their kids are their favorites!  I was glad that they sent you that picture.  Their son Jacob is in Twin Falls serving a mission.  We almost just switched places!  Gabe, I am determined to get you and Jordan together somehow!  He makes me miss you so stinkin’ much!  It is crazy to me how similar you two are.

My Johnson Family!!! Love 'em!

We watched a thing on Al Fox (the tattooed Mormon girl).  She is so cute!  She was talking about her story and when she talks about her elders, she says it with so much love.  I want that.  I want someone to just have this huge desire to learn and I get to help.  That is one of my wishes…is to have someone say “my sister” like Al says “my elders.”

How was Black Friday?  Gabe, Lacey, I missed just getting up and going with you guys.  Not cause we wanted anything, but just to see.  I hope y’all had fun.

November 30, 2013

Only 25 more days!!

Today, our alarm didn’t go off.  Oops.  So we accidently slept in…almost an hour.  I felt really bad.  But, I also feel a lot more rested which is sort of a nice feeling.

We had quite the day.  So we went over to a family that for the most part is less-active in our ward.  Their daughter is the only one who comes.  After visiting this family, we went to see Brother Wilson, who lives close.

I’m backing up now for a second.  Two weeks ago I told Sister Knight we were going to pray for a family…  But we were going to be very specific.  We have been praying for a family of four.  A mom and dad and two kids.

 

Ok, now back to our story.  We went to walk up the stairs when a guy opens the door with a puppy.  I asked him if he was Reed Wilson.  He said no, but they still get mail for him all of the time.  I asked if he knew where Reed lived now?  He opened the door and asked his wife.  She came out and said no.  Then their little boy came out.  I figured while we were there, we would talk to them.  I asked if they liked choir concerts and they said yes, so I gave them an invitation to our stake’s Christmas concert.  We started asking questions about them.  Julie (the mom) said their daughter Melissa was at her dad’s house.  Shall we count???  Julie, Wes, Melissa, and Hunter.  I believe that is a family of four, with a son and a daughter!

Julie pulled out a cigarette and said she was sorry, she hated smoking but could only quit when she was pregnant.  I was kind of bold and said “Well, if you really want to quit, the church has a program that guarantees you will quit in 7 days if you follow it and not cheat.”  I told her we could talk more about it and she was all over that.  So we are going to go back.

Then they started asking us about the church.  Wes says that he hates the mega-churches with all of the rock and roll stuff.  He also hates the super tiny churches that you find all over the South.  We invited them to church.  They sounded pretty interested.  As we were leaving Julie said “see you tomorrow.”  I hope that means that they are coming.

Then we went tracting.  We are pretty behind on our contacts for the week.  We were hoping to get  45 contacts because tomorrow with all of our meetings and lessons we don’t have time to tract.  We only got 26.  Dang it!  That is okay though.  The neighborhood we tracted in was really nice, almost all of the people we met were super nice.  One door we knocked on a guy answered the door and invited us in.  He was really nice.  He knows a lot but didn’t bash.  He had me read Ephesians 2:8-10.  He basically said that our works don’t matter.  He knew we disagreed on that point.  He thought that because we believed that our works mattered and Christ makes up for our short-comings that we were saying that the Atonement didn’t matter.  All in good time, he will see.  I told him that I would study that more though and that surprised him.  He said no one has ever been willing to do that before.  Well, I guess I’m just better than them.  Nah!  Just kidding!  He was really nice and I enjoyed talking to him. 

One house a Chinese lady answered the door.  She honestly didn’t understand English.  She was so cute though.  She grabbed her son and pulled him over to the door and yelled “cute, cute” while pointing to us.  So funny!

Actually taken at the Johnson's house the day before!

But the mom putting up the blog agrees with the Chinese lady.

"Cute, cute!"

We had dinner with the Tiszais tonight.  That was pretty fun.  They are one of those families that you see at church and think that they are nice but that they may not be "fun."  But they were way fun and funny.  So much for judging!  

December 1, 2013

Yay!!!  It is December.  It was a pretty spiffy Sunday.  I know I say it all the time, but I love this ward!  I love knowing how much they love me.  There are sisters that used to be here that everyone always talks about, Sister Level and Sister Lapin.  The ward still loves them.  My hope is that I will be added to the list of missionaries this ward remembers, talks about, and loves.  That would be the greatest gift ever!

Church was fabulous.  Ben came but Casey didn’t.  Ben stayed for all 3 meetings.  Our family didn’t show up but that is okay cause we will go and see them this week.

We had dinner with the Adams and taught Ben.  It went really well.  Guess what Hannah?  Remember when I promised you I would try so very hard to have someone baptized on the same day as you cause I couldn’t be at your baptism and cause you were mad at me?  Well, Ben has accepted to be baptized on the 4^th of January and be confirmed on the 5^th.  I believe that Daddy said that you would be baptized on the first Saturday of January.  I am hoping so.  We are so very excited for him!  I’m so very thankful that I have been given the opportunity to teach him.  I hope that one day when he tells the story that I get to be one of his sisters that he refers to as “my sisters”.  That is my hope.  That was pretty much the extent of our Sunday, was teaching Ben.  I’m so very happy!  I don’t think this date will fall through either.  I think it is a keeper.

I love you all family!  I can’t wait to see each and every one of you and talk to you!  I love you!

Love, Molly

P.S.  Oh!  Momma!  In your last letter you said you were confused about my “interview story” with Elder Oaks.  I will try again.

Sister Parrins had a friend who was serving while Elder Oaks came to their mission to speak with them.  When they all got done shaking his hand, he told them that even though they didn’t have a conversation, he had a mini interview with them while shaking their hands and looking into their eyes.  If there had been an unworthy missionary he would have sent them home right then.  So when I shook Elder Oaks’ hand,  he had basically a mini interview with me.  So, I passed he didn't send me home!  No worries!

So I hope that story makes more sense.   If not, I will just tell you when I get home and read all of my journal letters.

I love you, 

Molly