Monday, April 27, 2015

Girly Girls and Biker Dudes

Hola peoples of the world... and by "World" I mean.... the few people that read this...
This week was great!

Once again we taught 22 lessons this week, despite being cancelled on more times than we can count! We had interviews with the Mission President on Thursday. After that we had 2 hours of service at a thrift store. It was pretty fun actually! Then we had a day full of cancelled appointments... it was great! Seriously though!! We got to talk to some other people that needed us that day a little more than the people we had planned to see! It was a great day!  We've been teaching so much again this week! I love being kept busy.  We also had to clear out the furniture from the old apartment... that was so sad I could have cried! Seriously! So sad! We've had a lot of fun this week too!
  The best thing about having a car is that you can joke around and laugh like an idiot without looking crazy ... most of the time! Haha I feel like this blog is going to be super short because I actually cannot remember a single thing from this week!  Shame on me!  My brain is fried!

Friday we had this amazing lesson on the Restoration with this big biker dude! He's such a nice guy and he's read the Book of Mormon, Pearl Of Great Price and Doctrine and Covenants!
LDS scriptures
My eyes almost popped out when he said that!  He is part of an organization called B.A.C.A which is Bikers Against Child Abuse.. so cool!!

Saturday we had a lesson in the same area, and as we were leaving we saw these people loading stuff off of their truck! We walked over and offered to help. Usually people take one look at us and think we're too girly to help
Too girly??
... but they said yes.. so we carried sofas and all sorts of stuff for them to their new apartment! They were really grateful! It was nice!

I've learned a lot this past week! It's really been a good one!

The Gospel is so flipping great! Seriously!!!!!

I keep learning new stuff every day! I still struggle with READING the Book of Mormon and not just skimming it... So I've started reading it in Afrikaans to make sure I'm paying attention to what I read!! It's great!! There is so much in there to learn!! And every time it's different!! The other day during our companionship study I came across a scripture and was like... ahh... I never thought about this... and then realized I must have because I'd highlighted that same scripture when I was in seminary and yet I had forgotten about it! That's why it's so important to carry on reading! Once is not enough!!!
Spiritual and temporal feast

 I love you all so much! And I love this Gospel! It's the greatest and truest thing on the freakin' planet ok!!! 

Well... this has been my week. Slightly shorter and possibly less interesting but still enjoyable!!
Elder Cook's birthday poster

Have a great week!
Make Good Choices!!

<3

Sister Botts

Monday, April 20, 2015

By His Grace - In the Right Place at the Right Time

Jakob 4:7 Desnieteenstaande, die Here God toon aan ons ons swakheid, dat ons mag weet dat dit deur sy genade is, en sy groot neerdalendhede aan die kinders van mense, dat ons mag het om hierdie dinge te doen. ( Book of Mormon Jacob 4:7)


This week has been amazing!  We have had so so so much work to do that I won't, or rather have no time, to give details about all of the lessons that we taught! We taught 22 lessons this week as well as putting in a couple hours here and there of service... and going to the Chiropractor... Flip! Weirdest feeling ever! But yeah! Busy week!

My companion, Sister Grow and I have fun together. We work too... I promise!
Sis. Botts and Sis. Grow


We taught Seminary this week again! It's so much fun! I love teaching Seminary!

We also had Exchanges this week! I stayed in our area and Sis Glew came here! We had a good day! None of our plans went as they should have but it was a good day!

Sis. Botts and Sis Glew




As we were stopping by a less active member... she turned us down and we were heading back to the car when from down the road we hear "Sister missionaries!! I need you! I'm so glad to see you! I prayed for help and here you are!" Haha it was a less active sister that we had been planning on visiting later in the day. She needed help with a very high ladder and a very heavy mirror... I was so happy! Haha I love that kinda stuff! So we went in and helped around there and then shared a short message with her!
High on a ladder top!

The rest of the exchange went well too!

Another night we went to visit a sister and she had a bunch of light bulbs that needed changing! Happy days! I will take anything that I can get! Haha even changing light bulbs! :)

This week we also got to do some gardening and help a sister from another ward move some stuff.
I love hard physical work!! I miss it sometimes!
This week has just been full of situations where we find ourselves in the right place at the right time!

We were visiting with one man on his doorstep and we had passed the home of someone I thought I knew... I couldn't remember if it was the right house or not, when Sis Grow said... 'Let's stop at that guy', it was someone they'd spoken to before. As we were finishing  talking with him, the lady that I thought lived at the house across the road came home! So we got to visit with her for a little bit too! If we hadn't stopped at the dude's house we would have missed her! Schweet!


So it was a very busy and productive and fun day!

Saturday night we mixed almost an entire gallon of milk with the chocolate milk powder I got from Mom!   We were only using the milk for that anyway so it seemed smart!  It was the night before Sis Grow's birthday so we sat drinking chocolate milk out of very tiny cups!! It was great .... 21 and 25 years old, and there we are giggling on the floor drinking tiny cups of chocolate milk!!

Chocolate Nesquik in tiny cups


Sunday we had Ward Council at 7am... and then church from 9 til 12 and from 1 til 4... We were so tired by 3:30 that we had to go home and take a quick nap before our dinner and lessons in the evening! But it's a good kind of tired because we know we worked hard this week!

Oh.......

We have a Baptismal date set! May 16th! We had a lesson with our new investigator at 10 am on Saturday morning and she wants to be baptised! Awesome! She's so lovely, and excited about the gospel! We are excited for her!

So all in all it's been an amazing week!!


We also found out that the apostle coming to our mission conference is


dun dun dunnnnn

Elder Holland!
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland - Member of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles

Schweet!

Although they all hold the same priesthood... so it doesn't really matter who comes. They would all have told us the same thing!

But I'm excited!



Have a great week!!

Die Kerk van Jesus Christus van die Heiliges van die Laaste Dae is die enigste kerk op die aarde wat 100% waar is! Ek weet dit! Ek weet dat die  Priesterskap waardeur Jesus gedoop was is dieselfde Priesterskap wat ons nou in hierdie Kerk het!! Wonderlik!!!
Today we baptize with the same Priesthood authority that Jesus was baptized with

 

Love you all! The Church is true!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Byeeeeeeeeeeee

Monday, April 13, 2015

Tackling double duty - head on!!

Monday after e-mails... we totally just spent the afternoon playing Volleyball. We didn't want to do shopping knowing that we'd be moving and have to carry all our crap with us! (Can I still say crap?) (twice?)
After volleyball we had two appointments, and my companion got to say goodbye to some people, and then home to pack like our lives depended on it... I hate packing! It was sad spending the last night in the apartment!... And in our companionship!
And so their companionship comes to an end :(


Tuesday we decided to go have lunch with the Sisters from 15th ward for the last time that it'd be us four! We met one of our investigators there too since she wanted to say goodbye to Sis Aukuso.
Sisters from the 15th Ward

After and before that we had just been packing !!!! Then we got a ride with Sis Grow and Sis Hall to the transfers meeting. Both Sis Aukuso and  Sis Hall were going to be Sister Training Leaders and then Sis Grow and I became companions, covering two areas because we're boss like that! #skillz!
New companion - Sis. Grow


Transfers are so much better when it's not you in front of everyone being all new and stuff! Haha!!

After transfers we went and had dinner together... Sis Grow, Sis Aukuso, Sis Bates (Sis Aukuso's new comp) and I! It was nice! It's funny because Sis Bates trained Sis Grow, and  Sis Aukuso trained me... so our trainers are companions and we're companions. Lol... that was a useless little fact!

Later we went to Mutual in the 6th ward, and Volleyball with a less active member and others from Ridgeview ward! Busy busy!

Wednesday we spent most of the time packing because the 6th ward Sisters had been staying with one sister but were due to move to another member's house on the Wednesday. So we packed up Sis Grow's stuff and moved it, then we went for lunch with a member, then we went and loaded the car with all my stuff and moved it in.  We had appointments afterward... then we had dinner and then some more teaching appointments! It's good to be so busy!
Busy bees!!


Thursday we started the day at the library doing extra study. We're allowed a certain amount of time every week to study online which is awesome so we can print out talks and stuff like that!
After the Library we went to lunch and then straight to lessons!! After our lessons we went to a Relief Society activity and had food... happy days! After that we went and taught more lessons, as well as visiting a member where a missionary sister was who was travelling with her parents before going home was visiting, so we got to say goodbye to her.

Friday we started with district meeting which was kinda weird since the whole district was so different! After the meeting we all went as a district and did some service. We helped a sister do her garden and her garage... While the sister was taking a whole load of stuff to Goodwill some of us stayed in the back yard and ... may or may not have played on the cars that are totally kid sized.. Then we played baseball until one of the Elders hit the ball away... Then we played touch rugby... although one of the Elders forgot the no tackling part of that and I went flippin' flying! It was hilarious!!
She got her rugby skills from her Dad


After service we were straight back in to lessons. We stopped by a less active member from Ridgeview and then had dinner with a family from 6th ward and then a lesson with a recent convert from Ridgeview! BUSY! I love being so busy!
Then home to schleeep!!

Saturday started off with a baptism... it was pretty cool because someone that we had planned to visit from Ridgeview, but haven't been able to set up an appointment with... (so I've never met her)... was at the baptism at 6th ward! So we got to talk to her and set up an appointment! It was awesome!  One of our investigators was having a hard day so we went and bought her a smoothie and dropped it off for her on our way to visit a family who were in town for a few days clearing out their parent's house.. sad.

After that we went to the chapel to get some planning in so we can fit in both wards in our week! When we had finished our planning we went and got pizza and candy so we could be ready for the Superbowl with the kids! It went really well! Lots of youth showed up and 2 sets of Elders came as well, which was great cuz one of the kids said he wanted missionaries to come play! There was a trophy and everything!! It was great! We had an awesome lesson and then played football and soccer together!! Following the Superbowl we had a lesson in 6th ward, then a dinner with the Winklers and another lesson in 6th ward! And we still made it home in time for a nice jog!!  Flipping sweet!!!

Sunday.... Double duty Sunday!

Church started in 6th ward at 9am! One of our investigators joined us! She loved it!  After church finished at 12 we hopped in the car and went to Ridgeview for church at 1pm! Luckily we were on our best behaviour because the Mission President and his wife were there! Haha.
After church we had another lesson with the kids! After the lesson we had dinner with a family and a really awesome lesson with them! Then we headed over to another member's house where we taught a non- member friend of theirs!After that we headed over to another sister and shared a message with her and made it home in time for a meeting.... I shall say nothing of that meeting! lol
This companionship is sure to be a 'hit'

And looky looky! Here we are... back to Monday, a whole week later!

This week has been great! I love how busy we are and how much we are able to get done with a car! I'm going to miss biking and will probably get huge but the work is good and I love it!!

The church is true!!!!


Love you all! byeee

Monday, April 6, 2015

Change!!!!

Neal A Maxwell once said "If everything is going perfectly for you, just wait a while"

On Monday I got a package from home! Happy days!! Thank you Trav!! Mmmm Chocolate and all sorts of stuff! It was a good evening.

Tuesday began with lessons and then some service! We went to the Winkler's and did some garden work! It was great!  We then had dinner with a non-member and her friend, who is a member, followed by volleyball at the chapel with another non-member and some YSA and members of the ward. It was fun!  We had to leave early and get home in time!

Wednesday we had a referral to contact so we went to the place where she told the Elders that she lived. We didn't have an apartment number for her though, so we parked our bikes and gave her a call... she wasn't home and was driving so she said she'd call us back.  We waited and waited, and walked around talking to those around us while we waited. We decided on a time when we would leave and go to the next person that we were to teach ... that time came and so we headed back to get our bikes. As we began to unchain our bikes, someone walked out of the apartment next to where our bikes were. "Are you the sisters?" she asked! IT WAS HER!
She had just headed back to the car to get her phone. She invited us in and told us that she had attended church in California before moving back to Colorado. She told us that she wanted to be baptized and agreed to have us teach her the lessons again. WOO!  How exciting! 1 new investigator!
Next we headed to go and visit someone we had met while trying to contact someone else. We talked a little about the restoration of the Gospel and asked if he would like to learn more. YES! He said yes! So that's 2 new investigators in one day! It was a wonderful day!
Happy Days!!
How exciting!!  We had dinner with a sister in the ward. Sis Flitton. WE LOVE HER!!
That was our Wednesday.

Thursday we started with a visit to the hospital... no biggy. Someone just needed some blood tests! After that we went and taught an older member of the ward. We re-taught him about the restoration. He has a great testimony of the restoration!
We taught the KIDS!!! I love those kids so much! Seriously! So much love for them! Little Chuck was so cute!
We were talking about obeying the law... we asked her "Why do we obey the law, Chuck?" She's barely 18 months so we knew she wouldn't answer, it was just funny. She just looked up at us, shrugged her shoulders and mumbled what sounded very much like "I don't know" Haha! It was the cutest thing!  It was a great lesson. Have I mentioned yet how much I love those kids?!

Friday started with District meeting!  After that we were all going to have a BBQ together with some others from the other district. It was too windy, so after I cried all my mascara off in the smoke. and smelt like a walking fire pit, we decided to cook it all in the oven. Everyone else had appointments to take care of or someone to help.. so the food wasn't ready in time... Sister Aukuso and I stayed and cooked the food and chips and salad and then everyone just ate in bits as they came back from appointments. It was fun.  A good afternoon. Lovely and sunny. After that we went to visit a sister from 11th ward, and then the Elders came with us to visit a brother from our ward. Then we headed home... the Elders saw that there was a package for me in the closet for packages in the apartment office!! FINALLY!!!! The other one came!
 Have no idea how long it's been there, since we checked in the office a month ago in case they didn't give us the note... and they hadn't given us a note again... but it was there... oh well! HAPPY DAYS!!
I guess we can turn those frowns upside down now!!!!
 We had dinner at a members home with other members! It was nice. They had butternut squash! Mmmmm!! Tasty!

Saturday! CONFERENCE!

We started Saturday off with morning sports. We played soccer! It was flippin' great!
Ok. I know it'a not soccer, but...it's sport!!

Then we had a breakfast with the Winklers before Conference. We totally forgot that we also had a training conference call so we had to leave iHop and start the call in the car.When we got to the Winkler's home and we did the rest of the call outside... As we were sitting on the phone I saw something out of the corner of my eye.. well looky looky! Birmingham Rollers (pigeons), just rolling around in the sky... I was totally distracted by them, trying to figure out who they belonged to! I prayed that they'd land while we were still outside so I could go talk to the owners some day. Boom!! They landed just as we were ending the call! Happy days!
Birmingham Rollers in flight

Rolling!!

One of Dad's birds
After that Conference started and we watched the first session. It was great! Then we had lunch and helped them pack some things away. Then  we watched the second session which was also good... I never sustained the prophet so much in my life as I did when others didn't! I was like NO!!!! He is the prophet!! He was called of God!!! You people are fools!
First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
(L) Pres. Henry B. Eyring , Pres. Thomas S. Monson, Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf (R)

 Anyway! I loved conference!  After it we went to teach and have dinner with another sister in the ward. After dinner the Winklers came and got us, bought us ice cream and took us home... Home to await our doom... transfer calls. They came. Sad days.

I, believing I was staying did not pack anything, and my companion who is leaving, did....

Sunday was Conference and Easter! Both Great!!  We got so many lovely goodies from members! After dinner we went to an Easter Cantata composed and directed by Sally DeFord! That was awesome! The music was amazing... then we went home and got ready to find out who our new companions were.

Monday.... Found out who my new companion is... and that I have only tonight to pack up my goods because they're combining our areas and I'm not staying where I was... bleep.... that has been my Monday. So far!
 So yes... if things are going perfectly, just wait. It'll change.
Transfers this week. Change!!!

Hopefully it'll all go ok. I just don't want my area neglected. I would die!!!

Anyway...


The church is still true!

Sorry it wasn't very interesting this week... maybe next week.

Byeeeee


Love you all!