November 18, 2013
Hi family!
What a fabulous Monday it was! Today, Sister Hooker and Sister Parrins came down here and we spent our whole P-Day together! Ah! I want to be companions with Sister Hooker SO bad!
Thanks for the e-mails. Momma, now worries! I know that you had emailed me. I just didn't have time to get on after the morning. We went to the mall. Sister Hooker needed boots and I was trying to find some too. I found some good boots, and they will keep me warm through the winter. I was sad when we had to say goodbye. I hate saying goodbye to Sister Hooker! Luckily we will see each other on Friday. We are having a fitness and makeup thing with Sister Wolfort on Friday with all the sisters in our zone and in the Lilburn zone, so I get to see Sister Carrigan too!
We had dinner at the Holgados' and then we went over to Sister Wareham's ( a part member) and had FHE with her.
When we got home I saw that we had a call from the Collins Hill elders. One of my elders, Elder Calkins, is in Collins Hill, and so is Elder Schmidt (who told me the 'word on the street' thing). They were calling to ask for Kelly Hayes teaching record. She is back on date! They are teaching her again I'm excited for them and her!!! YEA! Elder Schmidt told me that there are more people who talk about me "on the street". Elder Calkins talks about me and so does Sister Carrigan. Oooo! I am up to 3 people on the street but oh how I LOVE those 3 people! I'm just glad that I have good friends here in the mission! :-)
A sign for my uncle!! Love him!
November 19, 2013
Today was exchange day! I got to go to Coal Mountain again, this time with Sister Alder.
District meeting was a little crazy today. It's the first time in three weeks we have had district meeting because of zone conference and zone meeting. I had training and I was the last one. I basically gave up cause no one was listening. We went to Zaxby's for lunch. Transfers are hard because you get so used to who you know and love. Then you compare who you got with who you lost and sometimes they just don't measure up - - at least not at first. I think we all need to be better at giving each other a chance. In the end we all end up loving who came to us, maybe not in the same way, and okay honestly maybe not as much but that may be our own problem and not theirs. Sister Hooker told me that I have lost a little bit of my smile. I am going to try harder!
When we exchanged I asked Sister Alder if Sister Knight said anything on their last exchange. She said that Sister Knight's only thing is that I talk about Sister Carrigan a lot...Oops! Sometimes I notice it and I try to stop it but I know that there are times when I don't notice. She said that that was the only thing, and other than that, Sister Knight loves me! I will have to watch that closer because I would never want to hurt Sister Knight's feelings I really do love her lots. It is hard enough being a greenie without having your companion talk about previous companions all of the time and she is a good missionary. I will so fix that!
We tracted until dinner. At one house the guy opened the door and just said to come in. I looked at Sister Alder thinking it was just a member they forgot lived there. Nope! Turns out it was a JW couple. They talked to us for about an hour. They were the nicest JW's I have ever met! Mostly we just let them talk. We did get into the first lesson with them though! It was super crazy!
Dinner was at the Swifts. A part member family. Sister Swift is a member, all their kids are active, her husband knows everything about the church, he just isn't a member. They were both very nice and dinner was so good! Mediterranean turkey burgers! Yum!
Then we went to the Berg's. They are a family in the ward who let the sisters go over and practice their lessons. I went over there the last time I was on an exchange with Sister Hamilton. It was fun to see familiar faces!
November 20, 2013
I woke up from the worst dream ever! Ok, so it wasn't the worst but it sure wasn't fun! I dreamed that my 18 months were up and they were making me go home! I sobbed and sobbed and I begged them not to make me go home! I asked to extend but they kicked me out. Oh, I was so sad. I woke up pretty sad and it kind of makes me sad just thinking about it! It wasn't the fact that I was going home, it was the fact that they were making me leave the mission.
Sister Alder had a dentist appointment today, so that is what our morning was, hanging out at the dentist office. She was so nervous and I felt pretty bad. The dentist was a guy in the ward, and he was super nice. Luckily everything went smoothly and she is okay.
We didn't have time to eat lunch because the dentist took until one and we had to meet back up with our own companions at 1:30. We ended up meeting them at a place called Panera. It was SO yummy! Sister Alder and Sister Knight went to the bathroom. I don't know what Sister Hamilton did, but Sister Knight has seemed so much happier! She has been joking and laughing today, it's been really fun. I really want her to be happy!
Finding names of Family and People I love!
After we did everything and exchanged back, we went tracting. Ah! It's so much more fun! Laughing, joking, and smiling, while tracting really makes it kinda fun! Training is so much more fun and it really is all in your attitude. The first house we knocked on the lady answered the door and let us in. I was shocked, first the JW's let us in and now this lady. She was super cute! She is a schoolteacher and a parent of one of her students was supposed to give her a Book of Mormon, but never did. Sad. They missed a great missionary moment. Maybe if they had given it to her, she would have been ready when we got there. We gave her one and talked. As we were talking her dog, a big dog, just crawled through my legs! That's a little awkward with a skirt on. I was laughing and she was so embarrassed. I hope that she will read the Book of Mormon and feel the spirit testifying to her.
We tracted and then once it got dark we went and got dinner. Then we went to the Watkins'. She had printed out all my emails. Sorry I stressed you out Momma. I don't know why it doesn't send sometimes. Give sweet Gina a hug from me. I will write her a little note and you can give it to her. The sisters should totally go to Thanksgiving with our family! You are so right when you said that the company would be out of this world! It makes me a little teary eyed thinking that I don't get to have my out of this world family with me for thanksgiving. I'm oh so excited because we are going to a soup kitchen in the morning. It will just be a little hard to wake up and know what is going on at home and not being able to be there! So I would hope very much that they will go! Because if I can't be there, they should be! I just get so excited when I think about skyping or face timing with you on Christmas! Though I love this work with all my heart, I sometimes just want my family! I can't help it!
I'm so jealous you got four tickets to the Tabernacle Christmas Concert! Fun! One day I will get to go to that! I love your boo hiss song, Momma! I totally think that you could write the President Monson song! You are quite talented but just won't admit it, but go for you!!!
Sister Watkins gave us each a claddagh ring! :) I have always wanted one!!! They are so cool, and I will wear it forever! It is a gift that I will always treasure. She is just so cute and thoughtful! It is beautiful!
November 21, 2013
Sarah Holgado came and spent the entire day with us. From 6:30 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. She got to be a missionary right along with us! She is going to BYU-I in January again and she said she wants to come and visit you and meet you guys. I though that might be kind of fun! She is a cutie and will make a fabulous missionary when she goes.
We tracted in the morning after studying and lunch. For a Thursday afternoon it was actually pretty productive. We contacted quite a few people!
Then we went over to Brother Heirs. Since Sarah was there, we could go over. We helped him put us Christmas lights. He is a little quirky sometimes. . .and sometimes he says things that, well that I just have to fight not to laugh at. We love him and Brother Nevins (his roommate) they are funny guys.
After that we went and dropped off some stuff to Sister Johnson. I love the Johnsons! Gabe, you need to become friends with their son Jordan. . . you should try to find him on Facebook. He reminds me a lot of you! You guys would be instant friends. We had dinner with the Olsons tonight. Sister Olson is probably one of my favorite women in the ward. I love going over there and she likes us over there.
Sarah was so tired. She kept telling me, I don't know how you do this every day!!! I smiled and said "I don't know either! It's exhausting!" It is all a gift of being a missionary. I think Heavenly Father gives you just enough energy to get you through the day and then collapse into bed each night!
The elders texted us and asked if we wanted to go to a JW Bible study tonight. Heck yeah! So we went. It was pretty interesting. Their bibles are different. They have changed quite a bit in them. They were pretty nice to us. We had to leave early but the elders stayed and said after the meeting like 20 people came up to them.
We had to leave early because Sister Knight had a package waiting for her at Sister Watkins. So we went and got that for her.
It was so much fun to spend the whole day with Sarah. Poor girl was exhausted but she like it! ☺
November 22. 2013
So this morning, the Surgar Hill zone (my zone) and the Lilburn zone (Sister Carrigan and Sister Paepaetaata’s zone) got together all the sisters and we just hung out with Sister Wolfert. We worked out together and had breakfast and had trainings on hair and makeup and sat around and just talked. It was pretty fun! I got to see all my favorite sisters and I was happy. I absolutely love being a sister missionary. I am surrounded by the most amazing women and being a part of a group like that is just the best. ☺
When we got home it was about 12:30 so all we had time to do was shower, eat lunch, and head off to Marni’s. She is sweet. One day she and her family will be baptized. I hope that I can be there! They are going to go pick up their tree tomorrow and said we could come over to help, so we will probably do that. ☺ I’m just sad that I don’t get to decorate the tree with y’all at home.
We went and tracted for 2 hours before dinner. That is getting better. Nothing is coming out of it lately, but we do it cause we have been asked to.
We went over to the Paxton’s for dinner. I like them. ☺ They were the ones who found us Kiaundra and I am so grateful for that!
Since we didn’t have time to weekly plan this morning we went home at 8 and planned. It was kind of a weird day with all the stuff that was going on. Not much to write about. The best part of the day was this morning and getting to see Sisters Hooker, Carrigan, and Paepaetaata!
November 23, 2013
Oh boy. Today was a homesick day. This morning we had to finish weekly planning. Then Marni texted us and told us they were on their way home and we could come over. Since we did weekly planning, 12 week, and our personal studies, it was about 2:30 by the time we headed out to Marni’s.
Her husband Michael was home. It was great! He is super nice. He is in construction so we talked about that and how daddy builds houses out of the styrofoam block, ICF thing. I helped him put the lights up on the tree. It was really fun! They have a 14 ft. tree so it was quite the task.
The homesickness came when they started taking out he ornaments. I got a little choked up. I was thinking about how I don’t get to do this at home. When we got done and driving to our appointment before Michael and Brittany, I started crying. I couldn’t help it. I was thinking about home and I didn’t want to go to Michael and Brittany with puffy eyes. Sister Watkin’s called and I told her how I was feeling. She told me that before we went in to give them a lesson she wanted us to give a grateful pray and ask that their hearts be softened. So we did. We didn’t have a team up and that was scary because Michael asks such deep questions and we can’t always answer them. During the prayer I started crying (again) and Sister Knight started crying. It was a good crying though. I felt the spirit so strong and I was so calm. I knew it would be okay. It was. Michael told us he truly wanted to know the differences in our beliefs. He wants the truth. He will figure it out eventually. He may go through tons of missionaries, but he will figure it out. And I will be there. I will be there when he and Brittany are baptized and I will be there when they are sealed.
Sister George, Sister Knight and their Brittany at a Relief Society function.
Then we had our weekly meeting with Brother Pickett. To tell how everything is going. It was so nice to report about our lesson with Michael and Brittany!
We decorated our apartment tonight. We have a Christmas tree that is missing it’s top and we have lights strung along the wall. It isn’t much but it is what we have got. We even have stockings hung, though not as cute as my one at home. ☺ Eventually I will have a box from home under our pathetic mission tree. ☺ And it will be nice. Only 32 days and counting until I get to talk to you! ☺
Our Little Christmas Tree and ME!
November 24, 2013
There are 2 reasons why I love Sundays. #1-Because it is Sunday and we get to go to church, have the sacrament, see the ward and it’s usually just a good day. ☺ #2-Because tomorrow it's always P-day!! It’s really just one of my favorite days.
I taught gospel principles today, the gathering of Israel. Pretty intense. It went well though. I’m just hoping I’m not preparing to be a gospel principles teacher when I get home. I loved being a relief society teacher but I’m good now. ☺ Whatever I am called to do I will do it with a smile on my face.
We went into Young Women’s the last 20 minutes of church. We talked about what is important to learn before your mission in order to be self-reliant. I told them budgeting was a big one. Last month I didn’t do so hot and had only 76 cents for the last 2 weeks. Bummer! This month I have done great though.☺ For the last week I have $55. Sister Leifson told me at the end to just text her “76 cents” if it gets that bad again. ☺ She said when she was on her mission she was bad at budgeting. I won’t ever text her but she was cute! ☺
We went tracting after church. We started on one street and just weren’t feeling it. So we left and went to another. That was good. We talked to a lot of people. No potentials, but we had some good conversations. It’s supposed to be cold this week. It was pretty chilly today. I had a hard time warming up! Yucky humid cold!
We went to the Willson’s for dinner and the Gertsons were there too. There were a lot of us but I liked it. I felt a little like it was Thanksgiving with everyone. It was fun and you can never argue with free food. ☺
After dinner we went over to the Egg’s (Yup! That’s their name! ☺) and gave a thought. Their son, Tyler is on Easter Island right now. He has been out 6 months and has gained 40 lbs! Crazy! I’m glad that’s not me! I’ve done good so far. I lost the weight that I put on with Sister Carrigan. So I’m back to normal. ☺ Sister Paxton said her son is doing “6 months to sexy,” meaning he has 6 months left of his mission and is working on getting rid of all he has gained. I thought that was funny. ☺
Well family, I love you! I’m so very grateful for all y’all and the support that I have from you.☺ I hope you have a fabulous Thanksgiving! I will be thinking of you all day long!
♥
Molly
P.S. Daddy, I got your letter. ☺ I can’t remember if I said that or not. Thank you. ☺ I love hearing stories from your mission. We don’t hear about your mission a lot but I love it when I do! ☺
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