Anniversary!!!

A year ago in the MTC

WHOA!!!!!! Tomorrow marks the day, one year ago that, I left for my mission!! How did this happen?

A year down the road

Well... Christmas is finally over!! Bah Humbug! hahaha
I tried... I really did. But to no avail!

This week went soooo slowly because we didn't get to teach a lot!  That sucks!!  But Christmas was a fun day! We got permission to watch our Christmas movie on Christmas Eve because we were invited by members. So we watched Elf!! Aaaah!!! I just love that movie! I think my lack of movies in the past year made everything seem hilarious! I laughed so hard through like 90% of the movie!! So good!

Christmas started with breakfast at a members home. It was cool!  Sausages! mmmm! I like sausages :) Then we went to visit a member from my previous area (with permission from Zone Leaders to leave the zone) to see her and her little boy on his first Christmas! He was so cute! He has gotten so big it's crazy!

That was followed by dinner and funsies with our Bishop and his family! We had steak.... I love steak! I could eat it all day, everyday! Then we all chatted and played a game where we just asked a bunch of questions... it was pretty funny. Then before we knew it the day was over!! Just like that it was time to return home!

The day after Christmas was ok... we had a lunch with a member and her family was all there! The rest of the day we spent at home because we were both sick and I felt it was better to spend that day at home getting better rather than spend another day where we might have to cancel appointments to get better!


This email is going to be really short actually... like super short! Sorry.

But it's been a good week!

Funny story from the week... We visited with a less active member, we went to Chick Fila to have lunch since we can't teach him on his own...  He is a good dude for sure, but he was telling me a story of how he had recently been rather rude to the Bishop... well, you know me, I don't care where I am... so I told him how that was rude and not very funny... his response was "Sister Botts, it feels like you are indirectly scolding me" I said "no.. no don't feel like that... because I'm DIRECTLY scolding you!"  He appreciated the honesty and we moved on haha!!

Honesty is so underrated! Just be honest. Don't ever let people wonder where they stand with you. Be sincere... even if you sincerely dislike someone...don't be mean, but don't be fake!  Wish I had learned this a long time ago! Honesty brings real friends that stick around, not ones that don't like you and you don't like but you both suffer through it because honesty is too scary!

I have learned very much to love honesty on my mission. I feel sorry for my companions being around me as I learned this. Sorry to all my companions who had to witness me learning to say "No" I'm sure that was frustrating... haha.  but now... people either like or dislike me for who I am, instead of liking me for who I think people want me to be... so that's nice.

  Probably a lot more on the dislike side... but it's all good! haaha.  Jesus likes me, so we cool.

Anyway.... I'm rambling right now... so I shall leave you.... but I love you all!!!

Looking for the Muffin Man who lives on Drury Lane

 

Thank you everyone for the Christmas wishes and so on!! BYEEEEE!!!!!!

Exact Obedience

New Companion and Ugly Christmas Jumpers

Well this week has been amazing!!  

Dropped on our butts into a new area!  Went and bought a new GPS on Tuesday morning... 10 bucks! Bargain bai!! I was so grateful for that!!  Members are wonderful!

New apartment :)

Luckily it's winter so the pool won't be a temptation

So Tuesday night we had 2 appointments... one was with the Relief Society president for dinner and then we met with another sister afterwards... it was so awesome... The last appointment we shared a message after getting to know her and her daughters... and then we helped them decorate their Christmas tree!  It was so great!

Wednesday was a weird one... we had some more appointments and went to choir practice with the ward... that was cool, it was a good way to get to know the ward a little faster!

We spent most of Thursday planning... it was a long hard planning session but we got ourselves pretty figured out!! It was good!  Friday we had district meeting.... I shan't say anymore about that! lol  

Saturday we had more choir practice, and then went caroling with the youth and primary at an assisted living home... Well imagine my surprise when, as we are singing this lady walks out and sits down to watch us... I know her! O don't know how but I know her.   Before we left we went around greeting all of the people there and just before I got to her... "Mary!" That's Mary! A lady who fed us lunch once when I was in the 6th ward...   met her once and then never again... until Saturday. What are the chances? It was great! We will be going back to see her regularly!

We spent Saturday contacting some people in the ward and making appointments with those who were about to head out of town!  It's kinda hard at this time because everyone is getting ready to go away... but we kept ourselves busy. It's been a good week!

This week I wasn't "Pretty obedient" like usual... I was EXACTLY obedient... and exact obedience brings miracles... and that miracle this week came in the form of 2 new investigators.... yeah... 2!

It really has been a week where I've needed to show my faith a lot more! But when we are faced with those experiences... we grow so much!!
This week's growth has been more than a whole transfers growth previously... except for when I was in training.... that was scary! hahaha ...


But yes... Missions are just so freaking great!! Seriously! And they are so fun! I've worked my butt off all this week and it's been fun! This is how the rest of my mission is going to be.... next week I will reach a year that I've been out.... that's disgusting!

Hello's and....

Goodbye's at transfer meeting

Anyway... time is short this week... but I just love this gospel!

I love you all!! Have a great week and.... lemme see if my Grinch heart will say it......  Merry Christmas!!!

This is the time of the year where we remember how it is a plan of Salvation.... and not one of Damnation... for without Christ... we would all be damned!!

LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!

Hard Goodbyes

So my teeny tiny heart is a little bit broken today and so I have but a small desire to write this blog. Sorry.
This has been the hardest area to leave... I hardly cried leaving home to come on my mission, but I sobbed like a little baby leaving this area! I could have happily stayed here for the next 7 months! But there ya go, missionary life and all that jazz!

And all that jazz....

This week has been eventful!
Tuesday we had zone conference in Pueblo. It was a really good conference, I enjoyed it!

Zone Conference in Pueblo

Wednesday... well that day just flew by so fast that I can't even remember what we did... how bad is that?  We did, however, have a really great lesson with some investigators!! Sad days that I have to be leaving... but you know.

Then Thursday we had to go to the Springs for a "Train the Trainer" meeting... which really... just made me feel more like I have no clue what I'm doing... it was mostly about how we will affect the rest of their mission... great... that's not good hahaha
After we got back to Monte, we stopped real quick to see our Ward Mission Leader and his wife. They were leaving the next morning  really early, so I was going to say goodbye to them. The first of the goodbyes.  Yuck! I hate goodbyes!  I used to be the type of person who wouldn't even bother with goodbyes... now though... now I say goodbye... and it sucks!

Friday we had district meeting and then we went and helped one of our members clean her new house that she's moving into. Then she fed us a really great bbq pork dinner! So good!! Then we had an appointment with one of my fave couples in the ward!! We read Jacob 5!! Best!!!  I love that chapter and I love those people!!

Saturday was one of those weird days that flew by too fast too! We went out and then it snowed a bit and we got parked... sad days!! But then we got unparked and went to our dinner with one of the best families in the universe! It was great!

Sunday... My last Sunday... so so sad.   I was asked to bear my testimony in Sacrament meeting... I knew it was gonna be bad because even while I was just sitting thinking about what I would say, I was getting all teary!  Sucked! Then I got my ugly cry face on in front of everyone. Great!

Later we had dinner with the Bishop's family! They are so great! I love them!

We went and made another visit, and then back to the Bishop's house. We forgot to put petrol in the car on Saturday night so we didn't have enough gas to get us to Alamosa for the Christmas Cantata, so they took us! :) It was awesome! Really enjoyed it!

After that we headed back to the same family we had dinner with on Saturday. They fed us again and we said goodbye! Freaking one of the hardest goodbyes ever... saaaaaad!!! Then it was home and bed!

Now I'm on my last day here.... I remember the Monday before I came here... I never thought I was going to love it as much as I do!!
I'm sure I'll be giving you the same schpeel when I have to leave Mesa Ridge cuz I'll love it just the same... but waah waaaah waaaaah hahaha

But there ya go... that has been my week... also... chopped off my hair... cuz ya know... that's how I handle stress hahaha!

Cry Cry Chop Chop...

Chop, chop!!!

Well... I'm trying to think of some spiritual tid bit for this email... but I've been such a whiny baby this week I may have missed all the good bits.  Shame on me!

So there... stop being a whiny baby and be grateful!!!

Haha sorry... I suck today!

Love you all! Have a good week!!

Festival of Miracles

So this week was... well it was crazy!  Remember how I said I thought I was leaving, but I really didn't want to... well... I'm leaving haha... I say "haha" but really it's more like "wawa"  But, I'll be training a new missionary so that's kind of exciting!  We will flush an area so we will be on equal footing as far as knowing the area and people! I always said that if I was to train I would want to flush. So... I guess I got that wish!

Also... remember how I said I wanted to extend my mission... well... that one did come true!! Haha happy days!! Because of the MTC time being now 3 weeks... I get an extra week on my mission.... you can not understand how happy this makes me!  Do you know how many new people you could find in a week?!   LOADS!!!

Happy!!!

Oh happy days!!!!

So besides finding out that I'm leaving and maybe crying for the whole night again... it's been a wonderful week!

Tuesday we headed up to the Springs to spend the night for our meeting in the morning... my last one! haha

On the road again

 So we got to stop by and visit with some of my favourite people in the world!!  We ended up staying a little too long at our last visit but it was so great and long overdue!! Rebecca, I freaking love you! (I know you read these now! hahaha )

So it kinda just made my week awesome!!  I wish I could still be your missionary! haha ...I just wanted to publicly let people know how great you are!! :)

For Rebecca

We had our Festival of Nativities last night and it was so great! I think if they do it next year it will be even better!  There were a bunch of non members there! Either family members or friends of members... and one person that we found while out tracting!

We went tracting on Saturday to hand out some invitations to our "Festival of Nativities" and while we were tracting we met a sister who was a less active member. I had never met nor heard of her. As she opened the door, she let us in straight away! As we were talking about the Festival, and that it would be followed by a Christmas Devotional from the First Presidency, I thought it would be a good time to talk about prophets and what the First Presidency was. As I started explaining, she picked up a manual of teachings of George Albert Smith (the 8th President of the Church) and said "I'm already a Mormon, or at least I was" and so we got to talking with her. We must have spent about 40 minutes in her home talking with her. She told us how grateful she was that we had come, and told us how great her baptism was. I think our visit definitely reminded her of the joy she had felt in the gospel. She told us that if she was feeling up to it, she would come for our Festival. There was no sign of her there... until about 30 minutes in when she walked through the door with a friend!! It was amazing!

That same day that we were tracting we had asked the Zone Leaders for the address of a member that they had said had moved from their area to ours. She is less active and her husband is not a member. Well they hadn't gotten back to us but we just kept tracting and inviting... it was about to be dark, so we tried to get done as much as possible before going home. We walked past this lady getting out of her car. At first we just said 'Hi', and moved on (rookie mistake!), and then Sister Zitting said "Hey!" and walked back to her and extended the invitation, to which she replied "What ward am I in now?" It was her! We found the family that the Zone Leaders had told us about, and they live only a few houses away from ours!

I'm really starting to love tracting... although I really do need to force myself to get out and do it... but once I'm doing it, I love it! I guess it's good timing since I'm going to train.... which is still terrifying me... A lot!

But it has been a good week!! I just feel like my tiny heart is breaking a bit at the thought of leaving here! I could stay here for the next 7 and a half months and be perfectly happy... but then I remember how fast 7 and a half months goes... and that is crazy!

Sad to be leaving Monte Vista

People say that the time goes so fast when you're training... that's not very reassuring!! I don't actually want it to... because otherwise... I'll have like 3 months left when I'm done... nope... nope... gross!  But at least I have that extra week!!

Well.... I think that sums up my week pretty well...

Next time I email I will know where the heck I'm going!!   

Hope you all have a good week.

I was (am) freaking out about all this training jazz... since I don't even know what the heck I'm doing yet... and then someone pretty smart pointed me to the story in the new Ensign,

Ensign December 2015

specifically this part:

“Before you worry,” she said, “trust God first. When I do that and I have faith, everything else is simple. When we trust God, we can move forward in our lives with faith and confidence in the future. When we do that, we can  live as witnesses of God.”

I think that's a pretty good thought for everyone...

Love you all!!! :)

Don't suck. 

Full of Thanksgiving

So... this might have to be a quick one!!  The library is full and so we might get chucked off one of the computers! But this week has been great!

Thanksgiving was a thing that happened.... Freak! I ate so much! It was so good!

And we got to watch a movie... that felt so weird! We watched the new Cinderella movie.  It was pretty awesome... but still weird to be watching movies hahah.

I can't believe how fast the week flew! Yuck! It's already week 5 of the transfer. :(

I feel like I'm going to leave just before Christmas... I really wanna be wrong!

The window decorations at their cottage

So... this is what happened on Friday!

We usually have lunch together as a district on Friday after District meeting... so having nothing left in the house, #endofthemonth, we went to this grocery store to get a pack of noodles. #poor. While we are there, this couple that we visit every week sees us... they manage the store... and the husband is like... what the heck? Go get a cart and get what you need... and we're like no it's ok... and he's like... DO it or you're grounded.... so we did.  And then they paid for it.  Flip. They are so great and nice and wonderful, and I love them so much... and  I DON'T WANNA LEAVEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! NOOOO!

We went on 2 exchanges this week, it was good!  I got to go on exchanges with Sister Tucker again so that was fun!

With Sis. Tucker

With Sis. Talili at the Veteran's Center on exchanges

 

We also got a new investigator this week!! So solid!!  It's exciting!

Have I mentioned how much I don't wanna leave the area?

Anyway! This week has been good!! This Sunday will be our Festival of Nativities! I'm excited to see how it turns out!!  We will be handing out invitations all week!

 

Also... I've decided to extend my mission by like 30 years... I'll have to get it approved by the First Presidency but I'm sure there won't be a problem right?

So.. bye forever! Hahaha!  Jokes.  I wish!

My favourite quote from the week came from the ‘Cinderella’ movie... and it's not spiritual at all, but I almost died!!     

 " I can't drive!! I'm a Goose" Hahahaha

Well....  Unfortunately, that's it from me today... I'm off to go sledding... and if I'm lucky, I'll freeze my butt off... that'd be nice...

Off to go sledding!!

Ok well... have a great week!! Love you all! Be good and all that jazz!!!!

Love you!