Hello (Week 20)

Hello!!!

 It was so great to read your emails and to hear what all is happening at home! We got some more snow on friday as well so it's been crazy! Mostly though it has just been so freaking cold!! I wouldn't mind it but being out in the cold tracting and wearing a skirt is something that I would not recommend as fun! ha After a few hours we have to stop or take a break because it's like we are walking on ice cubes and our hands and faces are numb! We layer so much (3-4) layers but with it being cold and the wind cutting right through it doesn't help much! That's ok though. It's still fun. We've learned though that more people invite us in on rainy days than on cold days which doesn't make sense because I would much rather be invited in on cold days. Once you get cold it seems like you're cold all day and can never warm up until bed time. But the work moves on and so do we! Although it doesn't help that it is supposed to snow again this week! Lame! We like watching the temperature in our car to see how cold it is. The coldest I have seen it when we were in the car was 14 and that was at 3 pm when we were out tracting! Yay us! ha

 

Mom- thanks for all the fb updates! I absolutely loved it and was freaking out when I was reading through everything!! SO, so exciting!!! I love missionaries! I think like all my friends are going on missions! ha Will you tell Claire congrats for me and that I'm so excited for her. Also, please let Mary know that I am so excited for her and that she will be an amazing missionary! Thanks! Do you know which mission she is going to or when she leaves? So excited for Cam as well!! I am happy that he wants to serve the Lord now. Is he going to the Busan Korea Mission? That's where Sarah Taylor is. It seems like everyone is going somewhere cool or foreign! Virginia is good though. I can't help but laugh at some of the crazy things that happen here. The Lord knows exactly what we need though and puts us in the right places at the right time!

 

Let's see what's been happening here. The days just all mesh together I feel like. The most important thing is that we have a baptism on Saturday!! Wohoo!! That's been exciting! Sis Tuckett and Edwards were teaching her and then I came in, but since I've been here it has been absolutely amazing to watch her grow and change! There is such a difference in how she acts, looks, and what she wants to learn. She has such a brighter glow about her than when I got here, so it has been really neat to teach her the principles of the gospel, watch her apply it to her life, and become better each day. She just has such a hunger to know more and wants to do what the Lord asks of her. She knows the Book of Mormon is true because of the peace she feels when reading it and the happiness she has because of it. I'm grateful that I have been able to play a part in her conversion to the gospel. She makes me want to become better each day because of how she is getting stronger. I'm grateful for the little things in life that play such a huge role in how we progress and who we are. Reading the scriptures especially the book of mormon each day, earnestly praying each day, going to church, and choosing the right MAKE A DIFFERENCE! If we start to let the little things fall through the cracks we lose the big picture and start to slide a bit and aren't on the path that the Lord asks of us. I love the Book of Mormon. There is such power and peace in it when we read it, and there are always exact answers to what I need when I read it. It was written for each one of us and gives us answers to what we need.

 

We had a wonderful lesson with one of our investigators I think on thursday that was so neat to be a part of. He has been investigating the church and meeting with missionaries for about eight years now, but won't be baptized even though he knows that what we're teaching is right. From the moment I met him I felt like I could help him in some way to improve his life and bring him to a better relationship with his Savior. I knew that the gospel is special to him because he won't let it go, but that something wasn't clicking all the way because he doesn't realize how it can apply to him all the way. He needs to see how it can apply to him personally and why he needs to do it for himself. We have started teaching him the lessons in a slower way and really talk about how it can apply to him. One lesson we taught about prophets and then moved onto the atonement (my turn to teach it). He got all excited and came to the front of his seat. I thought he loved the atonement so I asked him to explain it to me. He said he didn't know what the atonement was. All this time he said they have talked about the atonement, but he didn't really know what it was. So, then I had the opportunity to talk it through with him and really help him understand that the Lord took our pain upon himself because he loves us so much. His face was just in awe and he said that a lightbulb just clicked on in his head and that it makes sense to him now. I bore testimony to him about the atonement and later about the book of mormon and it was just amazing. I stopped and then started speaking and tried to discern the thoughts that were in my head. It turned out to be so powerful and of course I started crying! ha He knew that it was coming from my heart and he said that it really touched him. It helped me know even more that I am an instrument in the Lord's hand and that He will help me to say what is needed to be said.

 

Transfers are next week so p-day won't be til wednesday (they changed it because it's the first wave of lots of missionaries coming in.) They have one day to have a crash course from president about the field since they had 2 weeks in the mtc, so transfers are now on thursday. I have no idea what is going to happen yet and as far as I know I'm not training yet, but I could find out this weekend. So we'll just see what happens! We have six sisters this time and so far six and counting for next so it will be soon! Just keep those prayers coming!! haha I love you all and hope you are all doing wonderfully!! I'm learning so much!

 

Love, Jenna

Hello! (Week 19)

Hello Family!

 

Well another pday has rolled around. Crazy how fast time is flying although the days take forever! haha This will probably be a shorter email cause we are headed to Blacksburg with our district in a bit. Yes, we did get snow this week! Thursday was crazy and we ended up calling it a day at like 2 cause the weather was just going crazy! There were huge snowflakes and it just covered everything! We ended up getting like 9 inches of snow or something like that. We wanted to go out and shovel for people the next day but we didn't have any shovels, but we did have two brush/scraper car things so we went around our parking lot and cleaned off everyones car. It was hard, but really fun. It felt good to do that! The snow is still here but melting although now we have to watch out for black ice. We've been safe for the most part though! But on saturday we found out in the morning that all the water in Pulaski County (our whole area) was contaminated! Yay!!! haha We had both drunk the water that morning but seemed fine. I've heard lots of different stories of what happened, but something like 2 plants had problems with the storm and the water got contaminated. I don't know. All I know is to drink bottled water until we hear anything different and that people still don't like us here. ha! People though were freaking out about the water like it was the end of the world, and it was so funny to watch everyone. Lots of restaurants have closed and everything because there is no water.

 

So, we have a baptism coming up on February 2!! Sister Tuckett and Edwards (who I replaced) found her through a media referral and were teaching her. We have been teaching her this whole time and she is so excited! She is in her 30's and has a 7 year old son who has lots of energy. She has gone through a lot in her life but knows what she feels when she reads the bom (Book of Mormon) and comes to church. She absolutely loves it and loves feeling peace and happiness. She is giving out so many bom's and talking to like all her friends! It's been so neat to watch her change and have a greater light come around her just since I've been here. She truly wants to change her life and do all that is asked of her and keep learning about the church.

 

You know how last week I was complaining about myself a lot - well this week was awesome! It was really hard in the work aspect because we didn't have much success and we were both just like ok, when is pday?? It was a struggle to get through yesterday because nothing was working out right. Usually when bad things happen though then something good will happen after to build us back up! :) Anyways, I read my patriarchal blessing each morning before personal study and then just really said more diligent and personal prayers. I just kind of laid it all out on the line and asked for help. This week I wasn't phased about anything. I just knew that I could do it and that I needed to do it and I just didn't look back. I realized that I can be that awesome missionary and that girl who is strong. It was really cool and I'm so glad that happened. I feel more confident in myself and that I can be a good missionary. Sis. Tuckett said I had a cocky attitude this week! ha! For me, it was a good thing and she said it jokingly! We had one lesson and there were two times that just blew me away because when I was talking, immediantly the Spirit just flooded into the room and I just felt so much peace and love. It was a wonderful experience to know that I could do that and bring that much power into the room by what I said!! No one can stop me now!!! Muhahaha! Ok, yep, that's about it. Crazy week with lots of ups and downs, but it's a good thing and a learning experience! I love it! sorry this is short but today is kind of packed! So much for a restfull pday! I hope you all are staying safe and warm and doing well! I love you all!!!

 

Love, Jenna

 

HI!!!! (Week 18)

Howdy Family!!!

 

Sorry about yesterday! We had zone conference and president interviews and didn't find out about it til late last week and couldn't email you to tell you. sorry! It was so good to hear from you all and get your emails. I love it!! Thanks for all the pictures!! That stalactite was awesome and so big! And mom, I didn't even know Sierra got married so thanks! Also, Lindsey, when Kason loses his tooth I want a picture of his smile!! Mom- yes you told me about the cruise and I'm so jealous! That will be so wonderful and I know that you can be ready in time for it! Just stay focused and work hard. You have a goal and now work for it, and you have control over all the food you eat, which I am jealous about! Sometimes we get lunch and dinner and it can just be crazy. I lost some weight this past week so that's good! Having a treadmill and working out each morning I think is helping, and also trying to just not eat. Ha Everyone here loves southern food and big portions. We do service at this man's house and he was going to get food for us at a restaurant and I said I wanted a salad because that's what I wanted and it sounded good. He was like, 'a salad! What! You can't get a salad! ' So, he ordered something else for me! ha It was so funny! Some people just don't like vegetables around here! I did get that package mom and it was wonderful!! Thank you!! I like the gps too! Also, I love those pants and the white and flower sweater is sooooo cute!! I am sending back though the plaid shirt because it is cute but I just don't think I will wear it with a skirt. The blue shirt is cute and fits me, but I'm not sure if I will keep it. It isn't the most flattering on me ;) I will send that today. Thank you so much though!! Did I tell you aunt linda sent me a christmas package!! It was nuts! She sent me so much stuff! That was so nice of her and I was really surprised to get it!  I don't need notecards yet either. I don't think I need anything else right now but if I think of something I will let you know :) I got the other package yesterday too. Thank you!!! Isaac- according to the bits I've heard it sounds like you dominated at the interviews!!! Nice work! I knew you would be great! When I tell people out here that you are going to grad school at University of Oregon and for economics everyone loves it and kind of freaks out! They are so impressed by that and start giving me tons of compliments for you! So just know that you are looked up to out here! When you start getting interviews just keep an open mind to all of your options and take it to the Lord. Take it as a compliment that all these schools want you to be on their staff!! They recognize how smart you are and the potential that you have and will reach! I know you will do great! Good Luck!

 

This week was good. I hit my 4 month mark! Can you believe it! Crazy! I had my interview with President and just kind of broke down with him, but in the end it turned out to be so good. I can see that I am getting better and that I am learning so much.  It's tough but I'm trying so hard. Mom- that paragraph in your email about remembering what people think of me and that I can make a difference was EXACTLY what I needed!! I started crying in the library! ha I feel like so many times I look back to past experiences and think of that and that maybe I can't do so much here. Maybe others are a lot better than me. I feel like maybe I'm not going to be able to say what people need here because other people are better than me. But that's what Satan wants me to feel and think. He wants me to think that I don't have worth and that I'm not a good missionary because then when I think that I won't do as well out here. I won't be able to make the big impact out here and change people's lives and give them hope and happiness. So, it's been a struggle but I'm working through it. Sis Tuckett banned me to our study room for my nightly prayers and I have to stay there for 15 minutes. I really have to earnestly pray and pray for healing, for the truth about myself, and for the strength I need and for knowing that it is ok. That is helping. I guess I thought the Atonement was just things that I did that I needed healing for, but it is also getting healing for things that have happened to me! Christ doesn't want me to keep reliving and focusing on the things of the past because that's not what matters now. It's the present and the future that I need to focus on because I can make the most difference there. The past just gave me expereiences to shape me. President was just awesome and listened to me and gave some great counsel. That man is truely inspired and knows exactly what I needed to hear. Gosh I love him and Sis Pitt!! My mission is a fresh start and a new beginning for me to change. It's a clean slate. Prayers would help though :)

 

The weather here has actually been pretty awesome! Saturday and Sunday it was like 73 degrees and sunny. It was so great and made it wonderful to go out tracting! Yesterday and today it has been raining non stop so I guess that's the cold weather hitting us. We really haven't gotten that much snow at all which is fine with me cause I'll take that. Tracting in the snow is no fun, so that is definitely a blessing although some of these hills out here can be killer! Also, did you know how much roadkill there is out here? I feel like we are always passing dead skunks, possums, and squirrels! Sad! Life here is pretty great and just going along. Just trying to help people in any way we can and tracting a lot. We need to find more solid investigators. That's about all I've got for today. Just know that missionary work is amazing and is helping me soooo much! It is so hard and challenging at times, but oh so worth it! I love it and am learning so many principles and habits that are going to help me so much when I get back home. The Lord knows what he is doing and will help us along the way, but we have to be submissive to the things that He wants to change in us. He isn't doing it to frustrate us, but to help us and let us get closer to the potential that we have. We have to see ourselves through God's eyes and not the world's eyes. Oh, could you pray for D***, B***, and R*** please? They need lots of prayers! And, I am sending pictures in a few hours!! I am using a members computer when we do laundry so pictures are coming soon! Yay! Love you all!!!

 

Love, Jenna

 

 

Amazing!!! (Week 17)

Well hello there family!!

Thanks for all the news and updates! I loved reading the emails. Daddio!- thanks for your long email. I loved reading it and hearing about all that's going on with you. Take a pic of the stalactite, I want to see it! Sorry it's so cold there...just be grateful that you don't have to wear a skirt in that everyday! ha That's so sad about the older man that fell. Fill me in on what happened cause I think I just got the overview. Stake conference sounded awesome, and I am eagerly waiting for your letter because it sounds really good and will definitely help me. So many meetings, but it just shows that the Lord trusts you and is so grateful for all that you do. You are an example to the stake because you are always willing to help others, and that's why you're so busy and why so many people come and thank you. Keep up the good work! And, I'm glad President Pitt said that about me cause sometimes I feel like he may just shake his head and laugh when he reads some of my emails; so glad I have him on board with me! :P Mom- Sounds like you had a fun and good trip. Thanks for the pictures of Devery! I've now decided to go to the Jerusalem Center when I get back because it seems like the rumor is true that everyone meets their husband/wife there! haha I have heard of that a lot and Devery is now another one to add! ha That's exciting for Casey as well! (Friend who recieved his mission call) My coat is black. (Mom had asked) Sorry, you all got a second email from me last week. That's weird. When I tried to send the first one on monday it would not go. It would just freeze or say that it was still processing, and it never said that it sent. So that's weird. Isaac and Lindsey- I hope everything went well for you guys and that you survived there! (job interviews) I was thinking of you and praying that things would be good for you! Kellie- How is school and the job going?

 

So, right now it's supposed to be in like the 50'/60's but yesterday it was definitely not! We really haven't gotten any snow here either because we are in the New River Valley between the Appalachian Mountains and some other mountain range and we are at a lower elevation, so we don't get as much bad weather here I guess. That's fine with me right now because just the wind and cold air we get is enough for me. Life here has just been chuggin' along filled with studies, walking, knocking, more walking and knocking, some dinners, and exhaustion...but it's awesome!! These past few days we have both been soooo tired but we are doing our best and just rolling out of bed and doing what we are supposed to. One day I could barely force myself to get out of my warm comfortable bed to go work out cause I was so tired, but then a few hours later in studies I forgot how tired I was. It's crazy! If you do what you're supposed to and keep moving the Lord definitely sustains you and gives you energy until it comes to bed time again and you realize just how tired you are. Everyday is so full and we tract a lot here especially because these past few weeks and the holidays. A lot of people are gone still or didn't want to talk till after, so that forced us to go out everyday and just tract. That was exciting! ha But, it's good here. I am learning lots and getting into the rythym of everything and am getting used to the schedule and how to do everything. Can you believe that this week I am going to hit my four month mark!?! Crazy!

 

I titled this email amazing because these past two days really have had some amazing moments that I've experienced! I've also had some really crappy experiences too, but that's ok. Two of the bad ones that I want to share before the good came yesterday when we were tracting. One lady came onto her porch and talked to us for a bit, and had heard about us. She didn't think we were Christian. She wanted to know if we even believed in a heaven or a hell. Then she kept saying that we believed in manmade beliefs because the book of mormon was written by a man and what he believed. She said the bible was the only true word of God and that she believed that, and if you go by that then you're ok. She kept shrugging and doing this annoying face the whole time that kept putting me off, but we kept being nice. She kept bashing what we believed, but we didn't want to teach her that the bible was added to as well, and about the book of mormon because she wouldn't listen to us. She just kept on going, so we were being polite and doing our best. Then in a round about way she pretty much damned us to hell. It was so funny. We said bye and left, and I felt so bad for her.  She said I have a lot of repenting to do though right now or else I may not even get in to hell.  :)  Then, a few doors down we knocked on a door and the people didn't answer although we knew they were in there. We left and as we were walking to the next house they opened their door and let out a huge dog that was barking at us. Then a bit later they let out an even bigger dog who was barking at us as well. This time I made eye contact with the guy and he promptly shut the door. But then one of their dogs got out of their broken fence and started chasing us down. That pushed both of us over the edge. We had finished the street but weren't doing another because we were both so mad about that. Yes, you don't have to answer the door, but then when you blatantly let your dogs out right as we are leaving knowing they can get out of the fence was just mean.  Ah, so that was fun and exciting! That was one of the worst and mean streets I have tracted so far! At least they could have been nice about saying no. But, oh well, I've moved on because that's not my problem anymore.

 

We have an investigator named R*** who has been meeting with missionaries for eight years now. Sis Tuckett didn't know what to do with him because she had tried so many things with him but nothing has worked. I had met him before but this time we wanted to teach him and she wanted me to get a feel for him and see if I could figure him out to know what to do with him. I was already thinking of asking about a testimony and truly doing what he has been taught, then mom you sent that amazing talk by Sis Graves and that did it. I felt like we needed to take that in and read him some of the things from it, and talk about it. Because I knew that something wasn't clicking with what he had been taught; he wasn't progressing because he wasn't taking action; so he hadn't received an answer for himself. We talked for a little bit, and then finally we got into it and things just came out and we learned so many things about why he wasn't doing things and what he needed. It was so neat to be a part of that. I was talking sometimes and was kind of surprised at how bold I sounded at times and different thoughts that I had. But then he would make like an ahhh face because that answered something for him. He has been taught everything, but it hadn't been applied to him and he hasn't been able to build upon each little thing for himself because it has all just kind of been thrown at him. We helped him see some of his issues and he sees it now and wants to do something. He wants our help and is willing to work through things. It is going to take time, but we can definitely help him. I said the closing prayer, and when I opened my eyes his face was just kind of in shock. He looked at me and then sis Tuckett, and said 'she needs to open her mouth more.' It was so cool because I guess he was thinking that since I am more quiet (sis tuckett is very red personality wise so she likes to talk and have control) maybe I didn't have as much to offer, or I was just there. But it showed me/him that I do have a lot to offer and that I can really help him learn. It was cool!

 

Church was also just so amazing! The spirit in all the meetings was so strong and I felt so good! I learned so much and was glad to be here because church was awesome! I love the spirit! Then we visited an active woman so I could meet her and because she has a non-member husband. I didn't know anything about him going in except that he was a non-member and that he was really nice. I shared a scripture that was pretty out there and about Christ, and the woman started crying. In the car I learned that he isn't really religious, so my scripture was there, but he turned down the tv and listened. We just need to keep visiting! It was so cool!

 

I keep having breakthroughs all the time now with myself and teaching and I absolutely love it! I feel more confident and strong and happy! It's an amazing feeling! :) I have to go though but hopefully this email has been good! Will try to send pictures today at the member's house. I hate not having it at the library. HOpe you all are doing well! I love you and miss you all!!!

 

Love, Jenna

Hello!!!! (mid-week)

(Confusion abounds - this email is very similar to the previous post - the days must be blurring together and Jenna forgot she already wrote us.  Got some more details in this post though, so it was nice - we'll take all we can get!)

 

Well hello again!!

 

Sorry I didn't email on monday. The library was closed, and the member we usually ask was gone with their laptop and we couldn't get any other members, so that's why we are emailing today. Hope you haven't been freaking out about it. Mom! :P It was so wonderful to talk to you all on Christmas!! I absolutely loved it and wish it could have been longer!! To hear how you all are doing made me so happy even though you all were together and I wasn't there. But, just to hear your voices was so comforting and just put me at ease, and made me feel like I was with you! Only 5 more months til mother's day and we can do it again!!! haha Thank you so much for the christmas presents as well! I love them! Mom- I'm looking out for that package. Also, could you tell Devery congrats for me if you haven't already!? And, if it's not to much trouble could you maybe send me a picture so I can see what he looks like? Looks like her missionary didn't make the cut! ha That's so exciting for Erin Elmont!! We have like 5 people here who went to that same mission and they loved it! Could you possibly get me her address as well? I would like to write her a letter! :) Tell her congrats though and that I'm so excited for her! I love missionaries!!! Dad- the $33 charge was for some black boots that I got. I was wearing my brown ones every day and didn't want to kill them off already, so I finally found some boots I liked. They were $90, then on sale for like $45-50, then the lady pulled out a coupon so I got them for $33!! Score!! So, I guess it comes out of my money? I don't know. Also, pictures will hopefully be coming on monday! The library here is very small, and doesn't allow you to hook up to the computer I guess to prevent viruses?? I don't know. annoying though! We do laundry at a member;s because we don't have our own machine, so when we do that on monday, I should be able to use their computer to send pictures. If not, we might be able to go to Pulaski or Radford to try and send pictures. Just keep your fingers crossed! I am excited to share some of them with you guys!! :)

 

As for the way I got to Dublin, that is a crazy story! We were in Charleston at the 'transfer church' and I got onto the 15 seater van which is essentially the 'south train.' You have a north train and a south train, and these are just vans that take the missionaries who are farther away in the mission to their area or closer to their area. I thought I was going to have to be the only sister on the train, but found out there was one other sister coming with me!! She is with Sis. Kimber (one of my mtc buddies) and they are kind of close to us. They are actually in our zone so there are two sets of sisters in the zone!! I am excited cause I have never had two sets of sisters in a zone before. It's always just been me. So, we got to Beckley, WV at 11:30 AM to drop off some missionaries and pick up a few more, and then we were going to keep going. But the truck with all of our luggage in it wouldn't start. So, we ate lunch there and waited for a guy to come from the truck place to try and fix it. We waited a few hours and finally he came, worked on it for a while, and was doing all sorts of stuff, but didn't know what was wrong. So, he called a tow truck so we had to wait another few hours before a tow truck became available for us. Then he got there and had to hook everything up, and we were finally ready to get on our way, and it was only 7 pm at that time! haha I was supposed to be in my area at 2:30. We started driving, but I had about 2-3 more stops before me. Finally at about 8:30ish, we got to Blacksburg where I was assigned to get off. Since the tow truck and the truck were about 75 feet in total length we couldn't go through the streets, so I ended up just getting dropped off on the side of the interstate! Sis Tuckett and Sis Kimber were there as well as the zone leaders and we piled our luggage in and were off. The tow truck driver said he has done a lot of crazy things, but never has he dropped people off as he's gone to the destination. We got to the chapel, and then had to wait for our ride to come and take us to Radford. She finally got there, took us to Radford, and then we had to get everything in our car and drive to Dublin. We ended up getting home at about 10 and were so tired that we went straight to bed. We had both gotten up around 4:45ish to get everything ready and make the rides that we needed to make, so we were exhausted! I went from like the very top of the mission to almost the very bottom, so it was an exciting day to say the least but we made it!! At least, we were all safe though and no one was hurt.

 

These past few weeks though have been pretty hard because noone has wanted to talk to us because of the holidays and say come back after the holidays, so it's been rough. We have just been trying to do service, plan things out, tract, visit members and less actives, and just find random things to do. Then from about friday nightish to monday morning I basically sat on the couch and read a book because Sis Tuckett got sick. She was in bed all day because when she would get up, she felt like her head was going to explode and she just felt terrible. So, those were exciting times, but I got a lot read and learned a lot, so that was good! On sunday they had all the missionaries speak, so I finally had to give a talk :/ It went well though I think. We weren't sure we would make it to church becuase of sis tuckett, but that morning she felt ok and took some medicine that helped too, so we went. She gave an awesome talk that needed to be said about member misionary work. Then by the 3rd hour she felt terrible again, so we went back and she went to bed. Someone must have needed to hear that though! I went first and talked about why missionary work is so important and our purpose. I wasn't sure how it was, but reading it saturday night Sis tuckett said it was a dynamite talk!! She said if her talk could be that good, then she would be so excited, so that made me feel good.

 

New Years was crazy. We went out in the afternoon some and then called it a day cause everyone was going to different parties. So we went to Applebee's for dinner cause we didn't have an appointment and it was good. I got some chicken/shrimp/veggie thing. Then we just went to the apartment, planned some, and just wrote letters. Lots of hard partying! haha I can't believe it's already January and 2013! Crazy how fast time goes! Although I feel like I have been in this third month for forever!!! I say I've been out for 3 1/2 months cause those 1/2s are important right now. Mom- you asked what Sis Tuckett has taught me? I guess just following all the missionary rules and being diligent. We have seen some miracles happening because of that. And, she loves tracting so we tract all the time. I still don't like tracting, but this is really teaching me to get a lot better at it and is improving how I talk to people at the door. Just as a whole it's great. This will be a good transfer I think. President is excited to have us together and thinks it will be good for me. In his past few emails he has called me a special missionary and is saying that he always feels my power when I'm around. He also said that I was marvelous this past week! Woot!!! It just makes me feel so good and boosts my confidence and helps me know that I'm doing alright out here! :)

 

Anyways, I've got to go, but I love you all! Hopefully I'll be able to send pictures on monday!! I hope you all are doing well, staying safe from the weather, and enjoying the new year. Mom, have a safe flight and don't go too crazy having the kids and being able to do whatever with them :P Isaac- GOOD LUCK!!!!! You are going to do great!!! You have so much going for you and I know you will impress the interviewers! I'm praying for you!

 

                 Love, Sister Higgins

Ola Familia! (Week 16)

Hello!!!

 

First off, it was so good to talk to all of you guys!! I was so happy and just loved it!! Only five more months to go! ha

 

That is so exciting for Erin!! (friend called to Uruguay Montevideo mission) Wow! Tell her congrats as well! There are like 5 people here in the ward that served in that mission. I'm so excited for her. I will have to write her. Dad- the money I spent was for black boots so I wouldn't kill my brown ones in the first few months! ha They were $90 then they were on sale for $45 and then the cashier had a coupon so I got them for $33!! Score!!

 

So, this week has seemed to just drag on because everyone just wants us to come back after the holidays. So it has been really hard finding people and tracting and whatnot. Everyone is either gone or has family over so it has been challenging. Then the past few days I have just been reading on the couch because Sis. Tuckett was sick. Not sure what she had but she was down and out for like 2 days. So I almost finished a book in that time! She seems to be doing somewhat doing better though so that's good! I am pumping vitamins and hoping I don't get sick. I feel like I have already had my share for the next little while though! The flu is going around here so we'll see what happens i guess. Also, did you know they have something called 'the crud' here? I guess it's something that makes you feel somewhat sick with a runny nose, but you're not all the way sick? I don't know. Weird. Right now I just have a little tiny sore throat so that's a good thing right now compared to all the other stuff going around right now! haha Christmas was really different though this year cause it really didn't feel like Christmas at all. We both loved talking to our families though and were just so happy! We both cried though when we got off cause saying goodbye just sucked. But the members here are great and took good care of us. And I guess everyone knows here that my hands are just feeling really dry because I got like 5 things of lotion, so I am now set for quite awhile! ha

 

As for the drive to Dublin, I meant to tell you on the phone but then I just forgot. So, we got on the 'south transfer train' which takes all the missionaries that were at the transfer church in Charleston and drops us off in the southern part of the mission. We pick up other missionaries and drop off. Luckily I had one other sister with me though so that was good. We got to Beckley, WV around 11:30 AM and dropped some missionaries off. Then the truck with all the luggage in it would not start. So we had to wait a few hours until a guy from the truck rental place could get to us. He worked on it for awhile and couldn't figure out what was wrong, so then he called a tow truck. So, we had to wait another few hours until the tow truck got there and then they had to hook everything up. We finally got on the road at about 7 pm! Yay! We had about 3 more stops until it was my turn in Blacksburg, so we got there at about 9:30. Then we had to wait for our ride to get there and pick us up. Then we had to get our car in Radford and then drive to Dublin. We got in about 10 and were so exhausted that we just went right to bed because we both had gotten up at about 4:45 in order to get everything together and get on the road. That was a fun day!! haha The tow truck driver was so funny! He said he has done a ton of stuff but has never done something as crazy as dropping/picking people up as he was taking something to its destination.

 

We went tracting today and talked to a lady who didn't want to learn more, but invited us inside to get warm for a bit. We talked to her for a bit and she was so nice. While talking she said she might be related to Brigham Young but wasn't sure. I had the thought to tell her about our family history centers and how much information we have there that she could use and find out. She was so excited and interested and I think she will definitely use it. That was just an awesome experience.

 

Well that's about it today. I hope you all have a happy new year!!! We will definitely be partying tonight!! haha Love you all so much and hope you're doing well!!

 

Love, Sister Higgins