Down with a Sickness: 10/19/15

Tuesday, my normal health problems acted up and lasted until Thursday.  Then Saturday, I caught one of the stomach bugs going around. I don't think I've been that sick since Bird Flu last year! Nasty. Luckily I'm feeling a million bucks better today and this week will be better.

We were still able to get out and work. BIG NEWS: Tim has not smoked since last Saturday and we have a baptism set up for him! We are so happy it is finally happening. He's stoked. This week threw us off, so pray we can teach everything we have left before then!

My ponderizing scripture this week was actually pretty fitting. 2 Nephi 2:24

"But behold, all things have been done in the wisdom of him who knoweth all things."

I picked it in conjunction with a quote I wanted to understand a little more by President Uchtdorf,

"Being grateful in times of distress does not mean that we are pleased with our circumstances. It does mean that through the eyes of faith we look beyond our present-day challenges... acknowledging that we do not always understand the trials of life but trusting that one day we will."

We may not unstand all we have to go through, but God does. And he can help us through everything.

p.s. This is from last week, but this is our biggest fan Dorris! She is so sweet.

A Different Kind of Year Mark: 10/12/15

​This is one of the amazing people we meet with! Don't you just love his sign. I finally got a picture with it! It's spring and it's amazing. The work here is really booming. No complaints. So much happens in one day and it's all a blur! So I'm not really sure what to write.

Monday, I sprained my pinky playing a game entitled Oompa Loompa Ball. I went up for the football, my comp went up behind me, my hand shifted and my pinky took the full force of a football across the court. At one one point my companion goes "That's not too bad..... Your pinky is gonna fall off man!"

Other awkward thing I have done this week: I thought a guy named Randy was named Brandy. So close.

We also did service at a foodbank and taught Tim to bear his testimony. He made us so proud! Collin is on date and things are good in the Hot springs.

Tomorrow is October 13th and marks a year since I was sent home from my mission for medical. It feels like yesterday, but so much has changed and happened since then. I never imagined then that I would still be on a mission now. I wasn't even sure if I would be able to come back. I didn't know anything. I am so happy about the decision I made to return. I cannot imagine how many experiences and relationships I would have thrown away if I hadn't of made the decision to follow the Lord and come back. I know I am at the right place at the right time. Anything good comes with sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice worth making.

Love you all and hope you have a great.

New Companions and General Conference Weekend: 10/5/15

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This is my new companion Sister Keil (pronounced Sister Kyle. It's German). One of the first things she said to me was "Do you think my rollerblades allowed? Will they fit in the car?" HAHAHA. Then I just pulled out the camera and said "We got to take our first selfie with the blades!" and that's a good summary of the week. Life has become significantly more hilarious with her around. Here are some of our funny moments:

-Random referral contact for Paula and Butch Baker. A man answers the door.

"Hi, are you Butch?"

(man totally confuse)"what???"

"Hi.. Are you Buuutch?"

(Man disgusted) "Excuse me!!!!!!!"

"No, no, like Paula and Butch Baker!!!"

"Oh, you are those guys that keep leaving those sticky notes! No, they moved away"

Moral of story, I asked a man if he was butch. Haha. Not a good door contact.

-We had a less active give us a Costco case of brownies. So much! We were running to an appointment but someone SUPER excitedly waves to us so we had to stop. We had a quick conversation and offered him a brownie. Before we walked over this guy quickly got in his car to avoid us. Obviously he had watched everything go down and in total disbelief and outrage he exclaims to himself "What the HECK! What do I need to do to talk to two fine ladies and get a brownie!!!!!!" Naturally we had to talk to him too!  

There's a lot more, but I would like to take a moment to talk about Conference. This week we got to hear from the Prophet and Apostles. During the last 6 months three have passed on. I think this was the first conference I was aware and knew the apostles that have passed on and realized the significance of the calling of three new apostles. It was very touching. A sober spirit persisted through the whole conference.

  Something from conference I intend on applying: Elder Lawrence's and Hale's challenge to ask "What Lack I Yet" and then act on what is received. It's a scary concept  because I know I lack and there's a lot. However, (as one of them mentioned) the Holy Ghost knows what we can handle and probably won't ask us to be perfect all at once. I know he can tell me what the next step is. I also plan on ponderizing. I got my scripture and everything--Helaman 5:43! 

My favorite line from conference was from Elder Hale--"Because of the Atonement, the power is in you". I would like to add the power is already in you. Christ suffered. He already payed that price. Through him we already have the power in us to change. We already have the power to be healed. We already have the power to do all that is required of us, because he did all that was required of Him.

Hope you all have a great week!

Shelby's Baptism and Transfer News: 9/28/15

This is one of my investigators from the Carson River ward :) She wins the most improved award. She has come such a long way. There is no depths or pains that the Savior cannot heal. She has conquered the seemingly impossible to be here. It was such a good day.

Transfer news: I am staying in Hot Springs ward! Sister Haight is returning to temple square and I will be getting Sister Keil. She came out in May. I've never met her but I heard she's a hard working missionary and hilarious.

We had an AMAZING lesson with this guy who just randomly showed up at the church to get a prayer or just talk to someone. Thy were in our area but they were Hispanic so we unfortunately had to hand them over to the Spanish elders and he accepted everything and agreed to baptism the first lesson!

We worked at a food bank this week and contacted a LOT of refferals. Most interesting line from this week:

"My religion is American, U S of A. We believe in drinking and fighting for what we believe"   .... He was from Mexico. Interesting man. haha

Women's conference was this week. My favorite quote was "forever Is composed if NOWS". I love that. We have to make the most of our nows.

Have a great week!

BONUS PICTURE:

Wedding Week and Other Mayhem: 9/21/15

Look at where we are! Melinda and Timothy were married. They were going to do a court house wedding but after a member offered her house. Between Sister Haight, our member, and me, we made it a day to remember. Due to turning their life around, they have had to get rid of a lot of people in their life. It was a small wedding. Sister Haight and I were bridesmaids! I also did Melinda's hair. It was a very special day.

This week has been crazy. Here's the Highlights:

1. Sunday through Tuesday I was having some more than normal complications with my health. I went to the doctors on Tuesday in Sparks. He pressed on my abdomen and as before, I started to cry. It hurt so bad. At the end of the appointment, he pretty much said, there is nothing I can do for you. You can go home and see your specialist or you can tough it out until November. I got so upset and sad. Missionaries go home a transfer early a lot so it wouldn't be unheard of but I had come so close to finishing, I didn't want to give up now. But I didn't want to be dumb. I decided it needed to go back to prayer. I recalled the multiple blessings I had received counseling me to "follow the counsel of your doctors". I read a few scriptures then I made the call to my doctor back home. She told me not to worry, it wasn't too big of a deal. "Just continue what you're doing and see me when you get back. There's no need to come back any sooner." It came as a shock. I took my scriptures and just let them fall open:

"Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren...and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success" -Alma 26:27

Then, Thursday, all the problems disappeared. Everything just disappeared. Miracle.

2. Thursday was nuts. We went with a couple to the hospital to give a prayer to tim's uncle in the ICU. But.. they picked up this homeless guy from AA who was having seizures and it turned out that we couldn't leave him waiting alone. He was very interesting. I saw a Watchtower on the table and pulled out a Plan of Salvation pamphlet to match the efforts of whoever left the opther pamphlet. Tony says "Who's that on the cover?" "That's Jesus Christ. Have you ever heard of him?" "No" "Have you ever heard of God?" "I've heard of him but I don't really understand who he is." We continued to give on of the most powerful lessons of my mission in hte middle of the hospital ER. I few people took out there ear buds and were unabashedly listening to the conversation. It ended with Tony giving the first prayer of his entire life. In the middle, he started crying, knowing it was real. It was so powerful. Ofcourse, people have agency and choose to go against what they discover with us. The hospital offered to find him a bed in rehab. Mid them filling out paper work, we walk away for a little bit and he tries to walk out of the hospital wth IV's in his arm! I still don't understand people, but they have agency. He found something good and decided to walk out in it.

3. Wedding :)

4. We had stake conference and I got to see SO many people from Gardnerville! The Harrisons, Snyders, Byingtons, Millers, Swensons, Funks, Lolies, Sturgess--I love them all so much. I saw even more people. I also got to see those from the Carson River ward that I rarely get to see. 

Hope you all have a great week! Love you all!

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Jim's Baptism and Camel Races: 9/14/15

I don't know if any of you remember the story I told of literally chasing someone down the street--something I generally am against--because I felt very prompted and I did it. Well, We have good news.

Guess where we are? Yep. Behind us is the baptismal font. Jim was baptized. Those are always the best of days. Nothing is better. They make all the referrals that are never home (aka most of this week) and empty doors worth it. I didn't realize how much I missed serving in the Carson River ward until that night. I'm grateful for the time I spent there and all the fun I am having in Hot Springs.

We spent a lot of this week helping Melinda and Tim work towards their wedding. We got permission to take time out of pday to go to the camel races at Virginia City with them! It is always an adventure with those two. 

I hit my two months left mark! I'm still in shock that it's been almost a year ago that I was sent home from my mission. So much has happened so quickly. It's been a year of humility and change and healing for me.

In Virginia City for Sister Haight's Birthday!

Me with the Camels! I fed them carrots and everything!

Love you all and have a great week!






More pics from the baptism:

Happy Labor Day: 9/7/15

Today is Sister Haight's birthday! We have plans to go to Virginia city. The lady we are living with look us up a mountain so we could run down for our morning exercise. So it has been a great start!

This week has been funny and amazing and great. One of the many reasons--I actually got letters from EVERYONE is my family! But here are some more missionary related good things:

We got a call in the middle of the day saying they were all nonmembers but needed help moving and it happened to be on split night so I went with 3 other members and we made an amazing contact! 

A man in the hospital knew one of our members and friends that worked there and asked us to come over because he's ALWAYS been interested in learning more about our church.

 We prayed with an older guy who wasn't really interested but when I asked if there was anything he wanted to be included in the prayer he said "Pray that all my buds can keep living the good life and just keep rockin baby!". 

Dorris is just the sweetest thing and is our number one fan. She even talked us into singing her two songs. She was too sick for a full lesson but we taught a short lesson on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. 

Melinda and Timothy are really working on coming into the church and giving their lives to God. Timothy smoked his last cigarette and even bore his testimony at church! It was really neat. Of course this was AFTER the opening song. Tim may not sing the best but he does sing loud and with a lot of enthusiasm. It makes life fun. We had a lot of fun during the opening song "Scatter Sunshine" and may have gotten a few looks. 

Another Highlight: Look at who I got to see this week!

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It's Sister Lolies from Gardnerville! My Gardnerville mom! It was a breif visit but it was so nice to see her again. One of the Elders that replaced me the transfer a few weeks after I was sent home was there as well. She is such a sweet lady AND she said she gets her temple recommend in a month. I am so ecstatic! 

I love you all and hope you have a great week! I know that through Christ it is possible for everyone to change and become better. That is something I've seen over and over again both in the life of others and myself. I'm grateful for charity, the pure love of Christ--Love for Christ, Love from Christ, and being able to love like Christ. The scriptures tell us that without charity we are nothing. But then the opposite must be true, with charity we can be everything.

Our hike this morning