Oh, the Life of a Missionary

The weeks fly by and the days fly by even faster!  I feel like I was just sitting here typing my letter for last week.  I guess that just means I'm havin' fun!  This week was pretty great.  We had a lot of good lessons and people were actually home, which is always nice!  It was also a very eventful week filled with strange happenings.

I'll start with the best one.  So we had just gotten home for the night and we get this phone call from a number in Oregon.  I answer it and this guy tells us that he just moved here and found our card with our website and number on it on the ground.  He wanted Jesus in his life and wanted to make some changes with where he was, so he gave us a call.  Well.  It didn't take long before I realized that he was very much drunk.  So we talked about God for a little and how He can help us overcome those things in our life that we are struggling with and then mid-sentence he asks if I like hot dogs.  It told him yeah and he says "you sound pretty, do you want to come over for some hot dogs?!".  Super funny!!  And then he asked me what my name was and I say "Sister Rae" and he gets really confused and talks about how he is the only child and doesn't have any sisters so how could I be his sister?  We had some interesting conversation, but it always came back to God and how he wanted to make some changes in his life.  We haven't been able to get a hold of him again but hopefully it planted some seeds and he'll find whatever he was looking for!  Gave me a pretty good laugh too.  Drunk people are definitely interesting! 

Also, I am pretty sure I am allergic to birds.  Or something.  A couple weeks ago we were at this house where there were a lot of birds and the house was closed up because it was chilly.  Well, halfway through our conversation, I completely passed out.  Dead and gone.  Well, I was fine once we got outside and in the fresh air and I didn't really think anything else about it.  Well, this week, we were contacting some people and were let into a house that...wasn't very clean....and had lots of birds again.  We were talking and my vision started going all funky but luckily I was able to get outside before I full on blacked out.  Pretty sure they thought I was going crazy;  scared Sis. Irwin to death.  So I am not sure how we are going to handle those situations because they are both interested in learning more.  We might just have to bring blankets and sit on the front porch!  Or someone else house.  Oh, the fun experiences you have on a mission.

The last thing that was pretty cool about this week was that we got to go with some of our investigators to the BYU dance show The Living Legends.  It was a dance performance about Native and Latin American and Polynesian culture, basically outlining the Book of Mormon but instead of saying "God" said the "Great Spirit".  It was kind of a story about how their father in a dream was told to come to this promise land and as they followed the Great Spirits guidance they prospered but then they started thinking that their prosperity was from themselves and they fell into war and then they were humbled and relied on the Great Spirit once again.  Each culture "told" a bit of the story through dance and song.  It was so amazing.  Beautiful dances, costumes, song and a good message.  At the end they sang I am a Child of God and related it back to the stories of our Ancestors and ultimately how we are Children of God and that is our heritage.  It was so amazing.  

So those are my stories for this week, next week will be more spiritual ;)  The church is true.  God is good.  Mission life is the best.  

Love,
Sister Rae

This was a LEGIT sword that an investigator showed us.  And Amanda and Madison wanted to get on the picture too :)

The Elders left us a present on our door step.  Random lamp lifted up to reveal BEANS.  Touche, touche.

What To Say?

Man, I really don't know what to say about this week.  It was really slow.  We had lots of meetings and then people were sick so we did a lot of walking around because it is so nice outside!  It feels like spring.  Hard to imagine that it is only January!

We went to the temple with the Hartze's this weekend!  It was so amazing.  We walked around and sat outside (it was SO nice) and then went in and sat in the foyer and talked about the meaning of the temple.  The Temple President came out and talked to them and then had them just sit in silence and feel the Spirit.  Their little boy actually fell asleep!  It was super cute.  But while we were in the temple, Scott turns to us and says, the 15th.  That's when I want to be baptized.  So happy!  It was nice he finally picked a day that he felt comfortable with, and the best thing?  It's before transfers :)  Funny how your life starts to revolve around those things!  

That was definitely the highlight of this week.  The rest of the week was kind of tough; we had 3 people drop us and then we had a day where absolutely NO ONE was home.  How does that even happen?!  I was really thankful that it was warm and that I have feet to walk though ;)  But that just means that y'all better be ready for a dang good email next week because there is going to be miracles happening this week!!  

Oh, and funny story about Sis Irwin.  The other day we had dinner with an investigator and she managed to call both of them old, not once, but TWICE in less that 30 seconds.  At first I couldn't believe what I heard (was a little horrified haha) then started laughing so hard!  Good thing, they are super cool and gave her grief about it the rest of the night.  And the next day at church, they still gave her grief and ended up telling most the ward about it ;)  It was super funny.  Now the whole ward give her a hard time about it; Sis Irwin is a good sport about it too and now can be part of the ward family.  Only tease who you love, right?

Anywho.  Hope everyone has a great week and make your missionaries day and give them some referrals!

Love,
Sis Rae

Conference

This week was really long...and I don't remember most of it so I apologize in advance.  That means we were busy though so that is always a pretty fantastic thing!! 
We met several new people who expressed some interest so we'll see this new week if things pan out or not.  It's always exciting though when you met new people that will actually let you back!  Woo!  One of the guys is a big hunter (like everyone else in Nevada; but seriously, I have never heard so much talk of hunting, even in Missouri!) and has heads mounted everywhere in his house.  The best one is of a bear, the size of a big dog, that he has placed peaking around the corner right when you walk in.  I did a double take and jumped a little when I realized it was a bear!  Mini heart attack right there.  He has some really cool stories though and finds ways to relate everything in the gospel back to guns and hunting!

This week we also had some great lessons with the Hartze family.  We are going to the temple with them on Saturday just to walk around the grounds.  I am so excited.  The family that we have been having lessons with the Hartze's at their house is going to be out of town the weekend of their baptism so they asked if they would be willing to move it.  I really hope that it goes before they leave town and not after (because that's transfers!! dreaded things) and that the temple trip will help them receive that assurance to move it up.  Fingers crossed!  They really have been making leaps and bounds though; they come to lessons with questions written down from reading the Book of Mormon or anything they heard at church, it makes teaching them and talking with them very enjoyable!  Being a missionary is seriously the best.

We also had Stake Conference this weekend and, for the first time ever, we missionaries were invited to attend the Saturday night session with all the youth.  I don't know if it's a church wide thing but our Stake President said he got a letter from Pres. Packer instructing them to do a special Saturday Conference all about Missionary work!  It was amazing...not that I am biased in any way.  But very inspirational talks and President Hermansen spoke and several converts to the church, including a man that just got sealed to his family last week.  Make me want to just jump up and give a big hurrah! for missionary work!  haha  We have an amazing Stake that is very missionary minded and has seen some pretty incredible miracles this last year.  One-fifth of all the missionaries in the mission are in the Sparks Stake.  Crazy, huh?  Must mean it's the best stake in the best mission in the world ;)

Also, I have found my transfer motto.  Took me long enough.  But I thought I would share it because it's super good.  "Cheerfully do all you can and leave the rest to the Lord".  Really, that is all there is to it!  Pretty simple.  When we try our best, God comes in and makes up the rest.  That's the beauty of this gospel and the Atonement.  We are not asked to do anything that we can't do...with His help.  A positive, diligent attitude is the most important things to have and enables God to come and lift us when we fall short.  

Well.  I hope everyone has a fantastic week and stay tuned next week for more adventures from Nevada!

Love,
Sis Rae

Shakin Things Up!

This week has been a crazy week!  Super busy with lots of new things happening.  First off, I met me little Greenie (picture included)!!  Her name is Sis Irwin from Kaysville, UT!  She apparently went to Davis High and we know a couple of the same people, small world!  But it's been interesting.  This is her first time out of the Utah Mormon bubble and has never talked to someone who wasn't a member about religion, I have a hard time even comprehending that! haha  She is really sweet though and has that greenie fire and loves talking to people.  It's weird being the only person that knows the area and the people... and getting to drive!  That's the best part ;)  But I haven't killed her yet, we haven't forgotten any appointments and I haven't called anyone the wrong name, so life is good.  Sis Ward was my memory so I actually have to start writing things down now ;)

The work is going fantastically though!  Saturday, we took the Hintz family up to the temple to walk around and had a little lesson in the lobby.  Since Karen was just baptized she can now go and take family names for baptisms and we hopped that seeing and feeling the spirit in the temple would help Earl get that extra little umph to pick a date to be baptized on.  It was fantastic.  We didn't know but most of our ward works there Saturday mornings and they saw us so they came out and talked to them and testified about how important the temple was to our families and the amazing blessings we can have in it.  Only through the temple can our families be together for all eternity.  The spirit was really strong and you could tell even the little ones could feel the difference in the temple.  So we have been praying and fasting for Earl for a really long time and the next morning (Sunday) as I was saying my personal prayers, I imagined Earl waving us over after church and telling us he wanted to be baptized.  I thought, well wouldn't that be cool and then didn't much more of it.  THEN!  After church...he waves us over.  Still didn't think much of it until he said, can you keep a secret??  Oh man, I almost started crying (ridiculous I know) because I knew what he was going to say!  He wants to get baptized on his wife's birthday and keep it a secret from her until the Bishop announces it in church the week before!!  It is moments like that that make missionary life worth it.  Bestest most amazing feeling ever!

So, now for a little random awkward story.  So we have been teaching this other family (the Hartze's, who btw are going to be baptized in February as well!!) and he has an older son from a previous marriage that is about our age and was visiting them yesterday.  We were walking the neighborhood and Scott calls us over to meet his son.  He son walks up to us and I go for a handshake but he ignores it and totally gives me a full on hug!!  I didn't even know what to do with myself.  Do you know how long it's been since I have given a guy a hug?!  So. Weird.  I'm a missionary, I'm a missionary, I'm a missionary. haha.  But it ended up being really good.  He isn't super religious but he was impressed with how much his dad (who hasn't been very religious either until recently) loved the gospel and wanted him to hear it.  So we have a meeting with him this week as well!  

It's so cool to see how God works in each of our lives.  The Church is true!  Well, I love you all and I hope you have a fabulous week!

Love,
Sister Rae

2 More Days!!

Guess what, guess what, guess what!!!!  ....Christmas is in 2 days :)  

This week has been kind of slow; everyone is headed out of town for the holidays.  But before they leave they make sure to give us all of their extra treats!  They sure are good but between the two companionships in our apartment, we have enough sugary goodness to last us for the rest of the year!  It's pretty great.

I guess the biggest highlight of the week was Karen's baptism!  It was sooo good.  The spirit was amazingly strong and everyone in the room could feel it and commented on it afterwards.  All baptisms are good but some just have the more powerful feeling than others.  And this was one of those!  One of the best Christmas presents you could ask for.  When we were walking out, her husband (Earl) made the comment about it being his turn next!  So we are pretty excited about that :)

We also got the opportunity to go to the temple this week as well.  They have a beautiful manger scene in front that we all took pictures by (should be up on the mission blog) and then got to go and do a session.  That was another wonderful Christmas present since we only get to go every 3 months or so and only if we are in the area.  So that was pretty fantastic! 

Anywho.  Nothing much more exciting happened.  Life like always!  Which, when your a missionary, is the best ever!  

Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!!

Love,

Sis Rae

Ginger bread house!

  Karen with her family (and us!)

New Beginnings

Welcome to 2014!!  Sorry I haven't written all year...it's been a little crazy! ;)  To start off with, the big transfer news.  *drum roll*  I am staying in Eagle Canyon (I am just going to stay here my whole entire mission I have decided) with.......an new little Greenie!!  Yup, I am training.  I am nervously excited.  But mostly nervous. haha  Sis Ward is leaving me :(  Which is really sad!  Who am I going to pick on now?!  Everyone at church was cryin and everything when she announced she was leaving (she has been here almost half her mission) and then would turn to me and asked how I would survive without her, tweedle de and tweedle dum we were called.  It's going to be way different for sure!  A new adventure for a new year. 

Other than that, it's been a pretty quiet week.  We didn't really do anything for New Years, came home early, watched 17 Miracles on our tiny DVD player, went to bed early, pretty boring.  Fireworks (unless done by the casinos) are illegal in Nevada so if you can't blow something up, not much point in staying up!  ;)  

Hmmmm....honestly, this week has been a blur.  People are finally coming back into town and so we have been able to actually talk to people.  I saw the fluffiest dog though.  More like a POOF than a dog.  It would jump from the back of the couch to the next back of a couch, so funny!!  And it made it really hard to talk because it loved sitting on my scriptures...can't read through a fuzz ball!  Good thing it was cute.

But yeah.  Sorry this is so short.  Next weeks will be longer.  Promise.

Love you all and have a FANTASTIC week!

Sis Rae

Christmas!

This week was such a fun week.  Have I said before that Christmas is the best holiday ever?  Well it is.  Especially as a missionary!  Everyone loves the missionaries and loves to give them food!   I have never eaten so much in my life.  Christmas Eve, we were being fed (and all of it sweets!) from noon until 9 when we went home.  Pretty sure if I had had even one more bite, Sis Ward would have had to roll me home.  We got cheesecake 4 times, turkey and ham twice, and tons upon tons of chocolate.  The evening was spent with families of the ward; playing games, reading the nativity story and (of course) eating.  Also, in the past 3 days, we have had a traditional American, Philipino, and German Christmas dinner.  So good!  Even stateside you get some good culture in there!

Christmas was amazing.  The definite highlight of the week was of course talking with the family and Elder Rae.  So good!  Best Christmas present right there.  After that though, we had a Christmas party that our mission President threw for us.  We played party games, got to watch a movie, had a delicious dinner, white elephant exchange (I got a puzzle!) and excellent company.  It was a good way to end the Christmas day!

Nothing super crazy work wise this week.  Everyone (and I mean everyone!) was either out of town or sick so we did a lot of knocking on doors.  That's always fun!  But everyone gets back in town this week so we'll have a party!  Transfers are coming up this week as well so fingers crossed I get to stay in Eagle Canyon!  With all the good things that are happening it would be a bummer to leave now.  Come what may and love it though, right?!

Well I hope everyone had an excellent Christmas and has a Happy New Year!!

Love, 

Sis Rae

Sis. Ward and I and our Christmas tree.

The Res