Week #35: Humidity

Wow....so the humidity is absolutely disgusting. I am disgusted not to mention disgusting. You step outside and it is like you are wearing a coat of hot air. You are practically swimming... I'm just a little freaked out that it is only April and it is already this bad. Oh well, I like to think about it as the refiner's fire, all I'm doing is sweating out the bad stuff! lol ;)

Bike week is just crazy and we finally got the car back on Wednesday but the Pine Bluff elders used 1461 miles (the limit is 1200) and.... it was only half way into the month! So, Sister Hicken and I are on bike week until the beginning of next month! The Monticello elders also went over so essentially our entire district is walking right now. Sister Hicken found in her personal study the other day a precious missing gem in the Articles of Faith. Article 2.5 We believe that missionaries should be punished for their own sins and not for Pine Bluff and Monticello elders' transgressions. Ah well, besides the fact that it is character building, if it wasn't easy for him we shouldn't expect it to be easy for us. 

We have been keeping pretty busy which is awesome. On Fridays we are supposed to have weekly planning...but we had an appointment every hour of the day from 9am to 9pm! It was ridiculous, and awesome! We also found a ton of potential investigators.

It is really miraculous how the Lord is able to fill your time. And I have found how important it is to plan. If you don't have a plan for what you are going to do with a certain investigator or you don't follow the Spirit while planning Heavenly Father is going to make that appointment fall through. These are His children and their salvation and He isn't going to let you mess it up, by your lack of preparation. 

There is nothing that I love more than testifying of Heavenly Father's love for our investigators, to our investigators. His love is so real. And if you can help someone feel that in their lives, that is the best feeling in the world. 

Something else I learned was that Heavenly Father isn't going to force us to be happy. He is going to align things perfectly so that we can achieve the most happiness but we still have our agency to choose to accept or to reject that plan that He has for you. 

Oh fun story of the week...we locked ourselves out of the apartment on Sunday afternoon... our landlord was out of town and was driving back but it took him a little over 4 hours to get back... Sister Hicken and I quickly discovered that we could never make a career out of being criminals because we tried and tried to pick the lock and slide a credit card through the door... to no avail... I guess I am just going to have to stick to being a goody two shoes.. 

The Rodgers have a little boy named Joseph that loves the sister missionaries. Apparently they invited the elders over for dinner the other day and little Joseph kept referring to them as the sister missionaries! So cute! We have a little fan!  

Oh hey! Exciting news today is my 8th month anniversary! Can you believe that? My mind is a little blown! Where does the time go? So ridiculous.

What else what else? 

I don't even know. 

I love you bunches more than oats! 

Love,

Hermana Ives

Week #34: Easter

Hola Familia!

What a crazy week! Rod and Erma loved your special gift! (thank you so much for thinking of them and sending that you really don't know how much it meant!) I hope it is alright that I gave your number to sister Bryant. I just think that you two are kindred spirits. Plus she has a son that is struggling with a computer game addiction and thinking seriously about whether or not to go on a mission (She is looking for ideas and suggestions of how to help him.)

Spanish lessons without a Spanish speaking companion are really hard... But the gift of interpretation is SOOO real. My comprehenion has skyrocketed since being with Sister Hicken. And that is only possible through the Spirit. I have decided that after I come home I want to do a study abroad program/internship/vacation, I don't know yet but somewhere, where I can be completely immersed in the Spanish language and really become fluent. 

It is super crazy the things people tell missionaries... do they not realize that we are only 20 year old kids that really don't know anything at all? I mean really we have NO life experience and just barely graduated high school, and it is no secret how silly and dumb high schoolers act. Man oh man, the mission has really showed me how stressed out I get, about things that I can't really fix. Sometimes I wish I weren't a missionary so that there would be more I could do. But then if I were a missionary I doubt I would even know about all of these problems.... so that's the dilemma that I'm facing right now lol. And it makes it super difficult that the branch president doesn't speak Spanish...the language barrier is just so frustrating!

The most awesome thing that happened this week was that Rosa and Yaireth were baptized! We had their baptism during the 3rd hour because branch president was afraid no one would stay for the baptism if it was after church. I can't tell you how beautiful it was to have a baptism on Easter. Plus a recent convert, Bro Jerry Benton (he used to be a preacher) was able to exercise his priesthood, performing the baptism! It was so cool to be able to see everyone progressing in the gospel so much and the spirit was super strong! I am still in shock that they were baptized! FINALLY! =D  They were practically glowing! 

For Easter Sister Hicken and I weren't invited to come to one until after church. Sister Wright was an answer to our prayers because she invited us over for an Easter dinner. It was fabulously delicious! 

Easter was good. I've decided that I need to find someone else who needs to quit smoking so that I can quit eating ice cream...lol, and bread... and marshmallows...

Well, that was pretty much our week... fun stuff. 

Thank you for all the Easter wishes! The food and shopping for bikes sounds like fun. lol, is biking really on our list of activities to do when I get back??? Shoot, I am going to start to be more serious in my bike riding too... lol, this has been bike week and I think I maybe rode it twice... (That's mostly because of Sister Hicken though.)

Yup, well I'm doing good. Probably need to stop stress eating... but a gallon of ice cream just sounded so good! lol ;) 

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Love,

Hermana Ives

Week #33: Re: Icing - Prayer - Repentance

Hola Familia!

Can you believe it is Easter this coming Sunday! I hope you both have a wonderful trip to visit Tyler and Laura and Melody! Tell everyone hi and give them lots of hugs! Thank you so much for your package! It was so much fun to come home and find a package in front of the door! I love you so much and I am sorry that there was such a mishap with trying to get it sent off. 

I am glad to hear you enjoyed conference. Man, I wish I had thought about Gru during that conference talk, or that I could hear it again! That is so funny!

This week, man, so crazy it went by so super fast and yet each day seemed to last forever! Those last three hours right after dinner, the main thought on my mind was, "It's only three hours, I can do anything for three hours..." But it really has been pretty awesome. 

So I have been praying pretty hard that we would be able to find a family of 5 with kids that were all baptismal age... I know now without a doubt that Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. Sister Hicken and I felt prompted to go through the former investigators and to contact some of them. We happened upon Freddie and his girlfriend Christina (she has three kids all baptismal age...) They are so amazing. I have never taught a lesson where the Spirit is present so strongly the entire lesson. We invited them to be baptized and they both accepted and they just looked at each other and grinned as big as can be! I am so excited for the 4th of May!

Rosa and Yaireth had their interview but it became very important to Rosa to be baptized on Easter instead of the 13th. If it was anyone else we would have pushed a lot harder to get baptized on the date they set but the symbolism of the 20th the 2 of them getting baptized is really important and she isn't going to let it slip so it is going to be alright.

We have two investigators that are getting married this week. and the best thing I have ever heard on my mission came out of Anthony's mouth... because Rabbit was talking about maybe having a small cake. And Anthony said, "I not be trippin' bout no cake. I want me some hot wings!" LOL isn't that the greatest? "and Kool-aid I can't have tea but I can still drink Kool-aid, right?"

Church was super sad. We had 8 people coming and only the 3 regulars came. Which is fabulous don't get me wrong but we worked super hard to call everyone to get them pumped up, we swung by their homes, and no one answered or showed up... 

Anywho, life is good, I can't believe that I have been out for over 6 months and that I don't have a year left anymore! Craziness! I am glad that my polka-dots are an acceptable stand-in for right now. I love you both lots and lots!

We get to talk on Skype here pretty soon! Isn't that going to be great ;) Not like either of us are counting down! teehee!

Stay awesome! And I am glad to hear that you won the Albertson's monopoly! That is so cool! You have to tell me what you finally decide to spend your prize money on! ;)

Love,

Hermana Ives

Week #32 - Skittles and M&Ms

Hola Padres! 

Wasn't General Conference amazing?!? We had one investigator show up to the church. We had one watch from their computer. We have an investigator and recent convert all set up to watch it on their computer now. 

 

Wow that is super awesome that there were so many people there! No one really showed up to the church to watch and after our investigator left we went to watch conference with some members (It seemed more productive than sitting in the church with the elders..)

I really loved Elder Nelson's talk on increasing our faith. and President Uchtdorf's was completely fabulous (as always)

Wow, I wish I could meet Lee and Austin! They sound completely amazing! As for baptism of course the sisters need to follow the spirit in inviting for baptism, but that really is their purpose - to invite others to come unto Christ by sharing the Restored Gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. 

I understand not wanting to push but knowing (having received that revelation that your investigator really is ready.)that this is your purpose and essential for their salvation.  This is kind of something that I have been struggling with myself for a long while. We have/had an investigator Rosa, and her daughter Yaireth, who have been taught everything and taught everything again, reads the book of mormon, comes to church every Sunday (we were at that point there is very little that you can continue to do as a missionary) We kept inviting and Rosa kept saying that there was something more she needed to know she wanted to be baptized but there was something more. (I believe everyone has some piece of knowledge that is going to hold their interest and really help them accept what they have learned.) For Rosa she received that piece of knowledge during 3rd hour when President Smith talked on patriarchal blessings. At that point she KNEW for herself that she was ready. We were inspired to go over and extend the invitation again and she has finally accepted. Rosa and her daughter are going to be baptized this coming Sunday! I can't tell you how excited I am that they are finally going to be taking those steps. What adds more to my joy is that she is going to come into the fold and she is going to stay in the fold! She is soooooo amazing and her daughter Yaireth is someday going to be the BEST Sister missionary EVER!  I thought baptisms are awesome but what I am really excited for is to see them and my other investigators go to the temple to be sealed together forever as families! 

So after that long story I guess the moral is that you love them, you encourage and support them, and you bear heartfelt testimony of the truth you know and the Lord will handle everything else. And I have full confidence that as Lee and Austin come to church and continue to align their lives with the gospel of Christ they will develop that conviction that they need (it may not be the perfect 2 week conversion like every missionary is dreaming of it may like Rosa take 71/2 months, it may like Brigham Young take 2 years) but as long as the sisters continue to teach in a loving manner, follow up and congratulate for the progress made and keep working and teaching through the baptismal interview questions everything will turn out according to God's will. 

Preach My Gospel is the coolest book in the world besides the Book of Mormon. I am excited to hear your insights from it. Chapter 1, 4, and 6 are my absolute favorites! Way to follow the counsel of Elder Ballard! I see what cha doin there!

Oh my goodness! Temples are so amazing! I am so grateful for all the work you are doing for our ancestors! Thank you for sharing that sweet experience with me! I can't tell you how excited I am to get into family history work when I get back! I have made it my life's goal to work on family history for at least an hour every Sunday when I get home! (pretty neat goal right?) I received that little piece of inspiration from General Conference.

Hahaha, I really like that object lesson that is so cool! I think it is really neat how the missionaries in Spokane use so many object lessons. We really don't use that many...or any... but I really want to try it sometime!

Missionary work is awesome! I absolutely love my new companion! She is a super duper people person and talker but she is so totally herself in missionary work and I really love that about her. I have learned a lot about vision, goals, confidence, and faith from her. 

I am so grateful for all of my many blessings and being able to serve the Lord. I can hardly believe how amazing He is, how beautiful the gospel is, and how many blessing we each receive daily. 

After general conference I have really realized how much I need to up my game and serve. I have been a missionary  but I want to be the missionary that God wants me to be. 

Wow, this has turned into quite a long e-mail. Oh and I wanted to say thank you for the dress! It is super cute with this stretchy red belt that I have acquired on the mish. Not to mention it is an awesome length. The sweaters are a little way to big though... I wasn't sure if you want me to return them or send them to you, or give them to someone here in Warren/Monticello.

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

You are in my prayers and I am glad to hear how much you are supporting the missionaries. If I have learned nothing else from my mission it has been how to be a member missionary. Meals are nice, people to teach are 10 times better! 

We are going to have to have a block party sometime after I come home! That would be such a wonderful finding opportunity for the missionaries! 

Anywho,

Have a wonderful week!

I love ya!

Hermana Ives