November 4th, 2013
Okay first off, thank you, thank you, thank you for the e-mails! I loved them all :) I'm so very grateful for technology and that we can communicate so very easily! P-day was great! It was also kind of a bummer because they made another new rule that the elders can't come play b-ball at our church anymore. It was a very, very quiet P-day. I got more stuff done though!
Ok, so now for the "I'm a complete idiot" story. So we had dinner at 5:30. Bummer, cause that means our P-day is cut short :/ Anyways, I was pulling up to our complex so that we could change. I pulled out our key to open the gate and it fell out of my hand into the deep dark abyss of the crack and went was under my seat. Well, there was a car right in front of us and I figured that we would just go in with them. The sensor always stops the gate form closing...well not this time it didn't! By the time I realized that the gate was closing, we were already partly through and had no choice except to keep going. The gate knocked the passenger mirror and cracked the mirror. The mirror got knocked out and was hanging by the wires. I was freaking out (and still am). I called the office on the verge of tears. Sis. Atkins answered and I sort of got out what happened and all she kept asking was "Sister George, are you and your companion okay?!?" She asked us three times until she was sure. Then she sent me over to Elder Residori who is in charge of the cars and stuff.
OOPSIE!!
I told him what happened and after he found out that none of us were hurt, he said that he would look at it tomorrow at zone conference. He was super nice and kept telling me to calm down, that it was fine. I told him that I felt horrible he chuckled and said "Well, you're going to feel that way for a while Sister George. But don't worry. It's not the worst that has happened." Yeah, but that still doesn't make me feel better.
We had dinner at the Qureshi's. Their kids are psycho energentic! Oh my heck they were bouncing off the walls! I had the biggest head ache and so that did not help it! But we truly have the nicest families ever in our ward. It is amazing how awesome everyone is!!
Then we went over to the Watkins. I just needed a hug! We told them what happened and Bro Watkins went out to see what he could do. He was able to pop the mirror back in but it is super loose. Better than nothing though! That side of the car looks super beat up. It has scratches and dents in it ...Not from me though! They were all there before. I just broke the mirror. Not that that is okay cause it's not! I just get sick feeling every time I think about it. I feel horrible! I'm just gonna go to bed. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.
November 5, 2013
Well, if we to compare yesterday to today, I would take today! Today has been a great and amazing day! I'm so very glad for tender mercies!
First off, I got to see some of my most favorite people here in Georgia!! We combine with the Lilburn zone with our zone for zone conference. So, I got to see Sister Carrigan! I miss her! She made me a book! It is so very cute! I love it! She put pictures in it and then wrote memories! It is one of the best presents ever! I MISS and LOVE her so very much. I was given the best trainer ever. She is really a good missionary and the best of friends!!
Darling Sister Carrigan and Sister George
Then I got to see Sister Hooker! LOVE HER! I will never be able to thank Father enough for sending her to me. I believe that we were great friends in the premortal world. I think that we were probably very sad when we got separated and I'm sure that Heavenly Father just smiled and promised us He would let our paths cross. I'm so very glad he did :)
We hope Sister Hooker loves Sister George at least half a much as she is loved by Sister George!!
Last but not least, I got to see my darling Elder Harmon! I just love him! They fed us lunch at the end of zone conference. I walked into the gym and he was at a table. He caught my eye, pointed to me, and then pointed at the chairs beside him with a face that said "No buts!" I laughed :) I just so love Elder Harmon! He told me everything that was going on. He told me how his girlfriend was and how his family was. He said his girlfriend (Janessa) picked out the day she wants to get married. September 1, 2015. I told him that was pretty quick after he gets home. He said he knows. He says he wants to marry her but feels like he will end up getting a "Dear John". Janessa would be a dumb girl if she did that to him though!
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Sister Hooker, Sister George, and Elder Harmon keeping it proper!
Elder Harmon was teasing me that my time to go home was creeping up. Little punk! I told him that I was happy that I would get to come to his homecoming because I would be home before him. So Elder Harmon's trainer, Elder Schmidt, was there. he was sitting next to us during lunch. He turned to me and said, "So Sister George, word on the street says that you are one of the coolest sisters in the mission!" I laughed and asked him who the "street" was. He pointed to Elder Harmon and said, "He talked about you a lot!" and then said, "But I've actually heard form other missionaries too!" It was one of the nicest compliments I have ever gotten!!!
Then we were all out by our cars and everyone was saying goodbye, and one of the sisters who EVERYONE loves, Sister Paepaetata, (she is Tongan and I'm pretty sure that I didn't spell that right!) saw my name tag and said "Oh! Sister George!" Now side note, I know who Sister Paepaetata is! I know she is an amazing missionary, she had never actually met me though and I've never actually met her. But she goes "Oh! Sister George! I have heard so much about you and how great you are! You need to ask President with me if we can be companions!" I told her that I would LOVE to be her companion, and that I had also heard great things about her too! And then I said "But who have you heard about me from?" She just shrugged and smiled and told me quite a few other missionaries. Then Sister Alder and Sister Hamilton said "Sister George, ALL the Sisters want to be your companion!" It was just one of the nicest things ever! I'm sure they were exaggerating, but it made me feel so good to know that other missionaries know about me, in a good way. :) Feeling loved is the best thing ever!!
After saying goodbye to Sister Hooker, Elder Harmon, and Sister Carrigan, I said goodbye to Sister Knight and went to Coal Mountain with Sister Hamilton. So I forgot to tell you something funny that happened during out meeting. Elder Residori called me out. Not meanly or by name, but everyone knew it was me! He was talking about some of the things that have happened and the cars and then he says, "And we had someone try and beat the gate." (Okay, not fully true!) All the Elders turned to me and started laughing. I'm pretty sure that my face went three shades of red as I sunk down more into me seat. The Elders got a good kick out of that one! It serves me right! Everyone keeps telling me that it is alright but I know that its not as okay as they say. I have learned my lesson though! There shall be no more accidents with cars for me!
Going on an exchange was SO MUCH FUN!!! I love Sister Hamilton. She is amazing and it was a nice break to a) not be the senior companion and b) not have to worry about being a trainer for the day. I had a blast with Sister Hamilton. She was asking me how everything was going, how training was, and how I was doing. I told her that the only thing that just drives me nuts is Sister Knights whole thing about being older. Come to find out, Sister Alder does that to Sister Hamilton except opposite. Silly companions of ours! Sister Hamilton is 22 and Sister Alder is 19 and Sister Alder is always telling Sister Hamilton how she is so old (22 is SO not old) and how she should have taken advantage of the change. Even though she couldn't cause she was 21 when they did that! It drives Sister Hamilton crazy too. It was just nice to have someone understand exactly how I feel! I would love to be Sister Hamilton's companion! I know that we would just have a blast! I met some of her investigators, Annie and her mom Barbara. They are so cute! Sister Hamilton says that Sister Alder wants to give up on them but Sister Hamilton doesn't want to. I don't blame Sister Hamilton! I wouldn't give up on them either! Sister Alder is just the cutest thing too. I will get to have her probably when we do exchanges next time. Which will also be fun. It is kinda like getting to have a sleepover with a friend. Always fun but always good to come home to what is yours!!
When we got home tonight we just had a long talk and a whole bunch of fun! They live in a member's basement and it is HUGE! Our apartment is one of the smallest in the whole mission! Ours could fit in theirs probably 3 times!
November 6, 2013
This morning we did service. We moved mulch for two hours. It was actually really fun! Ya, ya, I would have never said that in a million years at home. I guess I'm changing and maturing in lots of ways :) Haha! Hopefully I will stay this way when I come home!
We went home, ate lunch and then went to the members house that was driving us to the half way point where we exchange back. Sister Knight said she missed me. That was nice! I am sure that she had a great time with Sister Alder though because Sister Alder is so cute! And to be honest even though I had a great time it was good to see my Sister Knight again! She is a cutie.
Then we drove back to Suwanee and Sis. Knight caught me up on everything. It's amazing what can happen in the space of 24 hours! We got back, I threw my stuff inside, and then we went tracting. We had a fun time. No one was super interested. Well, this girl Cassie actually was, she stood and talked with us forever, But her parents are Asian and the older Asian generation is just stubborn! We gave her a card, - - she wanted to take a Book of Mormon but she said her parents would freak out. Dang it! Well, a seed has been planted!
After tracting, we went to the Ketchems for dinner. They had their neighbor come over dinner too. His wife just passed away. We didn't have sushi. :( Oh well! We had spaghetti and meatballs. No sushi, but not too bad! ☺ After dinner we talked about the Plan of Salvation. I think he was interested but maybe not to the learning more about it extent. We will see, hopefully he will be interested in learning more!
When we left, there was a message from Sister Watkins, she said she needed to talk to me. We called her and she said she had gotten a text from Momma saying it was a nutella day. :-( Dang it! I hate nutella days! Sydney, I love you! Have Momma give you a big hug from me! I'm so very proud of you and I will take you as my president any day, any time, anywhere! I love you cute girl! I'm glad you are mine!!
November 7, 2013
Oh what a day! This week is a service week I guess! Sister Knight doesn't like it sometimes. She will get it figured out and it will get easier for her. She will learn to love Georgia and all of the people here. What's not to love?!?
We met with Richard today. That was a rough lesson. When he told us that he wanted to get baptized he said he understood it needed to be by someone holding the priesthood. Suddenly, he is saying he needs to be baptized by his son again! Both Brother Wernli and I just sat there the whole time trying to help him remember what he knew before. Poor Sister Knight was practically falling asleep. We knew that Richard knew that he needed to be baptized into this church, we just didn't know what to do. I feel so helpless! Later after the lesson, Bro. Wernli called and said Richard had just called. Richard had said that he was sorry and that he did actually know he needed to be baptized into this gospel. Basically he is just scared what will happen after that, with his wife and family, if he will even be able to make it to church and all of that. I'm at a loss. I don't know what to do. He knows! But I really don't know how to help him. Sister Knight keeps saying he just needs to suck it up and get baptized. Although I want to agree with her she just doesn't understand how hard of a thing this is! I know Heavenly Father has it figured out. I would just like a glimpse of His plans.
We then helped Marni. We ended up staying for about three hours. Two working and one talking. She is so lonely and wants to talk. We helped her with a ton of stuff that her husband hasn't had time to do, with having two jobs and working sixteen hour days. She is such a sweet lady! I just love her :) We didn't have dinner tonight, so we planned on eating and then going to Michael and Brittany's. We went to the church first and ended up talking to Sister Rhodes until we needed to go to Michael and Brittany's. Do you remember her niece, Stephanie, who we were teaching? She is in jail. She stole the Rhode's house payments for this month and drank it away. She had been smoking pot and a whole bunch of other stuff. She sabotaged herself. She had two jobs and a good home with people who loved her. It's so very sad.
Sister Watkins went with us to see Michael and Brittany. Sometimes meeting with them hurts my head. Its a good thing we bring people along who know more stuff than me! Michael asks these super deep questions and all I can say is, "I don't know!" Luckily Sister Watkins knew! We talked about the Plan of Salvation. That is already a deep subject but hand it to Michael and it becomes even deeper!!! I don't think they will join the church until Michael feels satisfied and I'm thinking that that will take quite a while. One day though! :) And what a gift it will be to us and us to them.
November 8, 2013
Not a ton happened today - we weekly planned. That was just lovely and uneventful. Sister Knight stayed with me for most of it so that was nice! I sometimes feel like I am wrangling in a child who just doesn't want to do what has to be done! I love her and so that makes it better. And I get it. Sometimes it seems to take forever to plan out your week.
Then we went to do service for Fae. Remember a long time ago when Sister Hamilton came here to Suwanee for an exchange? We went and did service for the same lady. She called and asked if we could finish up the railings and so we did. We had the elders come too cause she had a few other things as well. Sister Knight doesn't know how to use a hammer. I don't actually know if she had ever used one in her life. I don't think she had, she tried though!!! I'll give her that! I love that she will try, we had fun.
Because of weekly planning and then service we went straight to dinner at the Lowry's after we had changed out of our service clothes. Dinner was really good! We had homemade Cafe Rio. :-) They don't have Cafe Rio down here so I was glad cause I love that place!
We had an appointment with Kiaundra after dinner. She and Sarah Holgado have hit it off really well so that is awesome. :) Of course they are both just awesome. We went and got hot chocolate and talked. In sunday school they had talked about temples. Kiaundra asked Sarah but Sarah felt like she hadn't explained it at all. We told her what we did in the temple. Kiaundra LOVED that! She is so cute! She just kept saying "I want my marriage to last forever!" I would love to see her get baptized. From the first time I met her I got this "vision" ( I think it was mostly a tender mercy) of her in the jumpsuit, walking down the steps, into the water. I know it was Heavenly Father telling me that she would be baptized. It's just a matter of when. I promised Hannah I would try my hardest to have a baptism here while she was being baptized at home. It would be great if it could be Kiaundra.
Sister George and her beautiful Kiaundra!
Kiaundra had a date so she left and we talked to Sarah for a little while. She is scared to go out on a mission. She wants to, but she is scared. She just needed someone to talk to. I told her to just go and talk to the bishop. Don't necessarily start the papers, just go in and talk about how she is feeling. She made the appointment right than and there. I love that girl a lot!
November 9, 2013
Service, service, service! Today was a 'serve the members day! :) Sister Aureshi called and asked if we could come help her. Her cat has fleas and her husband is out of town and she has to vacuum the whole house, top to bottom, and pull out all the furniture and use the hose and go along the edges and have it ready for Monday so that they can "bomb" the house. It had taken her three days to do the upstairs and she still had to do the main floor and the basement. So, after studying and lunch, we went over and helped. It was quite the workout! My body is pretty sore! She was so grateful for the help and I was happy to help her!
We got a call from Mary. She said she was thinking about having a garage sale. I told her we would try to come. I asked her if she had a place yet. She said that she was working something out at the Grand Oasis Apartments. I laughed and said, "Those are great apartments! That's where we live!" She liked that, I think. I feel like Heavenly Father is placing all these signs around her to point to us and she just isn't picking up on them! One day! After I got off the phone with her, Sister Knight said "I don't know why we are wasting out time with her. She doesn't want to talk about the gospel, and we are wasting our time with people like that." It took everything that I had not to say something mean in my frustration. All I said was, "I don't think that it is wasting time. She is a Child of God and needs our love." I didn't say anything else, I just left it at that. Mary will be forgotten when I leave Suwanee. That kills me. She wants to give up on Richard too. I can't have that happen! All I can do is pray. I know that sometimes we need to turn people back to Heavenly Father but not Richard, and not Mary, not while I am here. For some it is just a longer road. I don't know I could be wrong but I don't think so. But if it happens when I leave then I will know that Sister Knight did what she believed is best. She is really a good person and a good missionary and Heavenly Father takes care of all of us the best way he can by bringing the right people into our lives at the right time. Maybe she is more right than I want to acknowledge but . . . . I will let it be in Father's hand. But I can't drop them.
Sister Watkins is teaching Gospel Principles tomorrow for the first time. She is nervous. She asked if we could come and help her out. She is going to do fabulous! She is talking about family history and temples! Two of her favorite things! She will do great! We helped her for a little bit and then headed off to dinner at the Tomberlin's. I like them! We had chili and cornbread! Yummmmm! I love that combination! I think that families are starting to realize that three hour dinners are not okay. They respect that, and I'm so glad. Missionaries before us started that and it has taken time but the chain is being broken!
Sarah just got called to be the YSA relief society teacher. She asked for our help too. We went over and helped her. She will do great! She was telling me some of the stories she kept thinking about and I told her to share them! They went perfect with her lesson!
After that we went over to Brother Pickett's and talked with him about our investigators. That's always fun! he is a great ward mission leader! He takes good care of us! I'm being spoiled, having a ward this great!
November 10, 2013
Oh my goodness! It has officially been four months! I can't believe how fast it has gone!
Church was great! We have Thanksgiving with the McKenna's! That should be way fun for us! No McDonalds for us like poor Boston Murdoch had! :)
Sister Watkins did fabulous on her lesson. I wish I could have heard Sarah's too! Grey Pickett (The Pickett's 16 year old son) gave an amazing talk! It was so cute! He was talking about the love Moroni had not only for his people but for future generations (us). He started crying and had a hard time talking but it was so powerful! He did a really really great job.
After church we went tracting. We got quite a few doors shut in our faces. That hasn't happened to me in a while. We had dinner at the Wiggins tonight. I had met Sister Wiggins a few times but never knew her name. I'm always glad to make a new connection. I really enjoyed dinner! They were really nice! We did have an appointment after dinner but it got cancelled. It was dark so tracting wouldn't have been effective. We tried to go visit some people that Sister Johnson had given us. No one was really home. So at 7:30 we called to Olsons and asked if we could visit. Sister Olson was so cute and said only if we would eat cookies and chips and salsa with them! Brother Olson keeps me updated on the Aggies. He is awesome! He loves that I am an Aggie! Probably because most the missionaries are BYU-ers. So Sister Olson is the one who gave me the skirt, I just love her! I just feel like part of their family! They were heating up the chips in the broiler. They forgot about them and suddenly Sister Olson yells "the chips!" they were on fire!!! The smoke alarms went off! We opened all the windows and doors. We were all laughing, it was awesome. Then we gave them a lesson and I gave Sister Olson a big hug! They were a good ending to the week.
Well family, I love you! Have a wonderful week :) Dad, Lacey, have great birthdays! I love you both! Enjoy your presents
Sydney, I love you and I am so proud of you! You are amazing,.
Hannah girl, have you been getting lots of hugs from my bear? You should! I love you!
Gabey I love you! I hope school is going well!
Momma, I think about you all the time. I love you 20$!!!
Love,
Molly
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