6-10-13

It's weird, during the week I think of all these things I want to write about, then when I actually get the chance to write them on Monday's, I can never remember them!

Tuesday: I was pretty anxious all day. We had lunch at Cracker Barrel again to celebrate Sister Fullmer's birthday. I didn't get any sleep that night. Basically just laid in my bed thinking all night long. I was so nervous to meet my trainee. Literally terrified that I was going to ruin her.

Wednesday: We had to wake up at 5 to make it to the transfer meeting on time. We were supposed to ride with a member with the North Vernon sisters, but there wasn't enough room so we ended up driving our own car. All of the missionaries who train meet with President Collins before. During that I felt more confidence. We talked about D&C 121 which is quickly becoming more and more meaningful to me. Sister Donaldson wasn't in the meeting and I was very confused. As soon as I walked out of the chapel to take a quick break before the transfer meeting started I saw her. I pretty much started crying haha. We went over and talked for a minute. She told me I was totally capable of training and that she loved me very much. I really needed to hear that at that moment.

There was a different feeling during transfer meeting. Probably because the mission is getting split in two weeks. It stinks because some of my friends are in the new mission and there is no guarantee of when I am going to see them again. During transfer meeting I started crying again. Sis Farr and Sis Cordner were sitting in front of me and noticed. Then I looked across the chapel and saw Sis Clark. I was very surprised to see her, because I figured she would have stayed with her trainee for the second half. She was talking to me (well I was reading her lips of coarse). She reassured me I could do it. I was literally fighting back tears the entire time. On the stage there were 15 sisters and one of them I would be responsible for. I just felt very overwhelmed. Finally we got our companions assigned.

My companion's name is Sister Jones. She's from Orem Utah, 19 and graduated last  year. She is very eager to learn and we've had a lot of fun so far.

Anyways after transfer meeting I went and talked to Sis D and Sis Clark. Sis Fullmer is now in a trio with Sis Clark in Indy YSA. Sis Clark asked me how the last transfer had gone and I told her it had been very difficult. Then Sis D talked to Sis Jones and I. She told me that I was going to make mistakes and not to be too hard on myself. She told Sis Jones that she had a fabulous trainer. I wish I could have spent an hour talking to both of them. When I left Indy I had no idea how much these two sisters would mean to me. It's lame that I can't see more of them. Luckily I will get to see Sister Clark on Thursday at a specialized training.

Then we had another training after transfer meeting. Once again I started crying (you've probably noticed a pattern haha-I blame it all on Sister Clark). I just felt this huge wait on my shoulders. I have been entrusted with a missionary who doesn't know anything, and I'm supposed to teach her. Yeah that's a huge responsibility. It's been very humbling. There is still so much about missionary work that I don't know. Teaching another missionary is hard. I sort of know how to do things, but she doesn't know. Trying to get what I know into her is difficult. It's incredibly humbling and I just have to take it one day at a time. Anyways that night we had a lesson with the Gasaway's. When I told Sis Jones we were teaching an investigator she got a little nervous, but I told her there was nothing to worry about. They are probably the coolest people she will ever teach on her mission.

Oh one of my favorite moments happened during transfer meeting. After the opening prayer we all stand up and recite our purpose and the Standard of Truth. The chapel was packed with missionaries. The Spirit was so strong as 100+ missionaries stood and recited those words. Nothing gets me more excited about the work than being surrounded by other missionaries.

Thursday: Personal study was a little rough. I wanted to study for our investigators, but also for Sister Jones. I had no idea how to teach her during companion study. We taught two lessons that day, one was with a member family, and then we did weekly planning. I felt bad during planning because I was throwing so much information at her. But she took it pretty well. Thursday seemed to last for an eternity.

Friday: We had zone training which I was very grateful for. We did a role play on working with the ward council. Working with the ward is probably one of the most frustrating parts of missionary work. I have no idea how to do it.

Saturday: We didn't have any appointments except at night. So we walked around and tracted a lot. I was exhausted by the end of the day. Our lesson was with the Gasaway's again. They told us for sure that they were going to come to church. So I was really excited! However, they ended up not coming. I was so disappointed yesterday!

Sunday: I made the stupidest mistake of my life! I told Sis Jones we should take a picture before we went to church, it being her first Sunday in the field and all. So we stepped out on the patio to take a picture. When we were done and went to open the door.....it was locked! We locked our keys, cell phone, everything inside. So after trying to pick the lock with a bobby pin (no luck) I decided we better walk to the Jones'. They are the family who we do laundry at and they live like two blocks away. So it's like 7:30 and we go knock on their door and tell them we locked ourselves at of our apartment. I was humiliated! I'm pretty sure Sis Jones thinks she got stuck with the dumbest trainer in the mission. Anyways she called our Bishop who had the number for our landlord. Luckily she was able to come and unlock the door for us. I have never felt more stupid. So that's how we began our Sunday! And then of coarse the Gasaway's didn't come.

Oh we had a dinner appointment with a member on Thursday. Her husband is from here but she's from Arizona. All of her kids were born her and last time we were there she told us her husband makes fun of her because her kids are all Hoosiers. She hates Hoosiers. So during dinner I said something along the lines of her kids being Hoosiers and she called me a "Hoosier lover"! And then said we might not get invited back to dinner (joking of course) haha it was way funny.

So basically I'm just taking it one day at a time. All the thinking that I have to do is exhausting. I'm constantly having to make plans for upcoming days, thinking of phone calls we need to make, and then of course remembering that Sister Jones is not following my train of thought. Pretty much I feel very overwhelmed all of the time. Even on P-day. You never stop thinking about missionary work. That's why it's so hard I think; because you never get a real break. But oh well! My time to serve the Lord is very short. It's weird to think that when I'm done training Sis Jones I will have completed 1/3 of my mission.

6-3-2013

Tuesday: The exchange with Sis Bunnell went pretty well (she was one of my mtc companions). We had one of what I thought was a solid investigator drop us. So I was pretty disappointed. So we hit up some doors.

Wednesday: We had our last district meeting of the transfer :( We actually had some fun this time. We got dropped again.....We were having a lesson with this guy named Charlie. His wife came out once and said she needed to talk to him and he said in just a minute. Then she came back like 10 minutes later so he went inside. After a few minutes he came outside and said that he was really sorry but he needed to ask us to leave. What??? Yeah I was really disappointed. He said he would give us a call; I'm still hoping he does.

When Sis Fullmer met with President on Tuesday he told her that she was getting transferred, which meant I was staying. So basically I've had that idea since Wednesday, but it wasn't set in stone.

Thursday: We got dropped again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Three days in a row. That night we had made plans to go tracting. Sis Fullmer made a comment about how she didn't want to go. So I said we were going to sit in the car and sing "Called To Serve" with an added third verse

Called to serve Him here in Indiana

Blessing Hoosiers with the truth restored

Mighty servants here in Indiana
Testifying of the Lord!

Yeah it's probably my favorite song. I've picked up a habit of singing whenever I get frustrated or down. I know it's WAY cheesy, but it helps.

Friday: Was filled with a lot of tracting. I've reached the point where I'm not really scared/nervous to do it anymore, thank goodness. However I have no idea if I'm being effective. That's what's frustrating me. We haven't really found an investigators from knocking doors, so it does make me wonder if I could be doing it a better way. Now I just want to have an opportunity to go tracting with Sis D again and watch her work her magic. BUT I can't, so I'm just going to keep doing it.

Saturday: We went a did some service out a member's house, the same one whose house looked liked it belongs in "The Man From Snowy River". Anyways I got like 10 bug bites, awesome. But it was fun to be outside and do some manual labor (yes I think Edaleen's converted me). We had to fight tooth and nail to get a member present with the Gasaway's that night. We showed up with the member and Shannon told us Courtney had just left but she would be back in like 45 minutes. I told Shannon we were going to leave and then we would come back. I literally dragged the member with us to go try some potentials (she was ok with it though). We went back 35 minutes later and Shannon told us Courtney had just left! I was about ready to blow a cap. But then he quickly said she would be back in a few minutes. So we ended up having a pretty awesome lesson with them. We taught them the beginning of the plan of salvation, mostly just pre-earth life. Shannon has a lot of questions. Other people have been telling him anti material, but luckily he has enough sense not to listen to it.

Sunday: Best Sunday yet. Sacrament meeting was awesome! The theme of testimony meeting was definitely about missionary work. My only disappointed was that only one of our investigators were there :( But I got up and bore my testimony about missionary work (cliche I know). In R.S. we talked about the priesthood and the roles of women. Luckily our president is very aware that we bring investigators to church and she planned this lesson specifically around Sis Magellon because she had questions. We had a lesson with her afterwards. She's progressing so well! She told us she wants to start reading the Book of Mormon with her kids and to get more involved in the ward. She's going to Texas this week, so we won't see her at all.

That night we went over to the Bishop's and talked about less actives. I didn't really know what he wanted us to be doing, and I was feeling a little lost. I also didn't know how he wanted us to be counting numbers. So after talking to him I feel a little bit more direction.

Then we waited for transfer calls. This was really my first time because last time President called on Saturday unexpectedly. Our DL called us and literally gave me a heart attack because I thought it was President Collins. Well actually we didn't know if we were going to get a call for him. If President calls it means that one of us is in a leadership position. If one of us is getting transferred the assistants call and if both of us stay then we just get a text. But a little after 10 the phone rang and it was President. We put it on speaker and he told Sis Fullmer she was getting transferred (which was already knew) and he asked me if I would train.

As soon as a hung up the phone I about lost it. I've been expecting that I would train because there are so many sisters coming out and only so many who are available to train. I thought I would be able to handle it. BUT, once the call actually came I feel very inadequate. Yes I've filled the role of a senior companion this transfer, so I've learned how to make plans, etc. However I have no idea how to help another sister become a missionary. I am very nervous. However, President did assure me I'm capable of doing it.

Time is finally starting to pick up. It's hard to believe I've been in Indiana for 3 months and that my mission is 1/6 over already. In fact when I'm done training this sister I will have completed 1/3 of my mission! Hard to believe. It's also very sad to think that President and Sister Collins will be leaving in just a few weeks. I've really grown attached to both of them.

5-13-2013

I thought I would write an e-mail, even though I did talk to you last night, but some people didn't get that wonderful opportunity:)

Yes bed bugs are real and they can be a problem in Indiana and I'm terrified of getting them. Sis Fullmer will usually tell me before going to bed "don't let the bed bugs bite" and I freak out. Basically we're told not to sit on coaches in people's home and not to put our clothes on our beds....In fact they had a training on it before I got here. Basically the stake president in Lafayette is an entomologist and specializes in bed bugs and trained all the missionaries.

Monday: I have become quite the wood worker, I spent last p-day building two bookcases, I only made one mistake.

Tuesday: We had four member present lessons lined up and three of them fell through! I'm still not used to lessons falling through. We ended up tracting and looking through formers for the rest of the day. The only awesome thing about that day was we were still able to teach Bro. Rollie. We started the plan of salvation, but didn't get very far. He had a lot of questions because we were teaching him things he had never learned before. Basically about the pre-mortal world and he had never though of the Fall the way we explained it.

Wednesday: District meeting was good, I realized that I need to be more focused on the work now. It's been hard because I keep thinking of my last transfer. I took my first nap in over two months during our dinner break. That day I realized I'm no longer afraid of tracting. I just get frustrated when I feel like we are not being effective because no one wants to listen to us.

Thursday: Zone conference was so good!!!!!!! We combined with the Bloomington zone and were trained by President and Sister Collins and the assistants. President Collins was teaching us about the story of Abinadi. At first glance he didn't seem like an effective missionary, I mean he didn't baptize anyone! But what he didn't know was about Alma and the impact that Alma had on generations to come. Likewise I have no idea the impact that misisonaries can have. It may seem like we aren't doing any good. I just have to remember that part of the work is planting seeds to be harvested later....

I was pumped after this training....seriously so excited to go to work. Unfortunately my companion felt the opposite way. She felt overwhelmed because of having we need to work on.

Friday: We had two meal appointments in one day!!! haha we gave service Friday morning and then went to the Jones for lunch. Super awesome couple and now we are doing laundry at their house on p-day. That night we went to the Hales, she was the one who was saying she doesn't want her kids to be called Hoosiers. It's definitely a negative term if you are not from around here.

Saturday: Thank goodness for companionship study. Every time we have it I am humbled. Sis Fullmer was able to realize that she is running out of steam. Then there's me who has "greenie fire" and is pumped about life, most of the time. I have noticed the past couple of weeks that Sis Fullmer hasn't been as excited about everything as me. *Mom, you probably know exactly what I am talking about. Like when I get really excited about things*. Anyways basically everyday I try to get myself hyped up so I can enjoy the day. Usually it includes singing "Called to Serve" the Indiana way...."Called to serve Him here in Indiana, blessing Hoosiers with the truth restored". Yeah I usually sing it between houses. ANYWAYS, I love my companion to pieces, and it's very common for missionaries to get laid back when they have been out for that long. So basically I'm working on helping her being excited about the work. But it's definitely difficult.

Sunday: Yep Sacrament meeting was hard. First I feel way overwhelmed because there are so many faces that I don't know. I'm at the point where I can go introduce myself to a person on the street, but for whatever reason church is just way overwhelming. Then I got a tad homesick during sacrament. Basically all this talk about mothers really got to me. I told you this on the phone but I had my first last minute lesson. Yay for teaching gospel principles without reading the material before had! It wasn't so bad, not that I want to make it a habit. Then in RS we talked about eternal marriage.....it never goes away, seriously. After church we knocked some doors and this lady let us in. She's older and doesn't have any family. We talked her the Restoration and briefly introduced the idea of the plan of salvation. She said she was going to talk to her preacher about it. We quickly made an appointment for tomorrow, hopefully to help her understand more BEFORE she talks to him. Because once she does we may lose her. 

Monday: So we are going to start doing laundry at Sis Jones home' to save money. And she feeds us. She made pumpkin soup! I was one happy camper. And she sent us home with the left overs.

It was great talking to everyone!!! I have to admit it felt pretty weird....and I started crying afterwards haha. But once we started studying I quickly snapped out of it. Sorry if I was way awkward or anything like that, sometimes I feel like I am and I have no idea what to say. Even in these e-mails. Like I have no idea what you actually want to hear from me. So basically I just summarize each of my days and I don't remember what I put in previous e-mails. Something that I have come to realize is that I think this mission is more about me changing. Yeah maybe I'll be able to affect someone else, but I think I'm the one changing. That was something that was specifically mentioned in the blessing that I got from my district leader, that the people need me, but God is making something out of me right now. I try to remember that when no one is interested in listening. Luckily even when people don't want to hear about the Church, they are curious to learn about us as people and they are usually pretty kind. That's always a blessing.

Sister Mayberry

5-28-2013 Week 11 BTWs I'm 2365 miles away from home....

....It takes approximately 36 hours to drive from Seymour IN to Lynden WA.

We didn't e-mail yesterday because the library was closed, hopefully you figured that out.

Tuesday: We went and gave service, sometimes it's kind of boring. It is just really slow so we don't do a whole lot. Then we had a lesson with Donita. Sis Fullmer met her the previous week so it was my first time meeting with her. We reviewed the Restoration, talked about the importance of baptism and being able to do baptisms for the dead. Both her and her 11 year old son said they would be baptized. It was great! Unfortunately they said they would be able to go to church, but then they could last minute. We were also supposed to have a lesson with them right after this, but she just cancelled.....

We also had another lesson with Bro Rollie. I got frustrated because we ended up talking about the Godhead again, and I couldn't answer his questions. We are teaching him again tonight and we are going to talk about faith....

Then we taught the Gasaway's again. We watched the Restoration DVD and talked more about prophets, etc. They still want to get baptized which is great.

Wednesday: Sis Fullmer and I gave the training at district meeting. We trained on Christ like attributes in finding. So we talked about faith in Jesus Christ, hope, patience, and diligence. It was great to be able to spend time studying for this training. As we were up their talking I realized just how much I need to apply them. My finding skills have been tanking. Basically I need to focus on asking the people questions and making sure I'm bearing my testimony. That's one thing that I've really learned. The Holy Ghost can only testify of truth, so if I'm not sharing what I know to be true, they can never start the process of conversion.

Thursday: Sometimes I just really enjoy eating dinner with members. We went out to the Lykin's house. Bro and Sis Lykins are an older couple who own and tobacco farm, and their youngest daughter, Talara now runs it. Anyways, Bro Lykins has quite the sense of humor, and Sis Lykins just glares at him. Afterwards we taught them the Restoration lesson. At the end Bro Lykins made a comment that really changed my perspective. A lot of the people we meet are really concerned with the world we live in. There are definitely scary things going on around us. However, with the gospel these are very exciting times. Not only does it provide us with peace, but we are able to see all the miracles happening around us. There has never been a more exciting time to live on the earth.

Well a little miracle happened that day. We got a text that afternoon asking if Sis Donaldson could call me that night. I had no idea why she was calling. I had mailed her a letter on Tuesday, but there was no way it could have gotten to the mission office and than forwarded to her in Kokomo. So all night I was wondering how she knew to call. So after planning was done I waited around until she called. As soon as I heard her voice I got very excited. She said she had gotten me letter!!!!! I really have no idea how it happened. Anyways, basically she read my letter and then called Sis Collins to get permission to call me. That phone call was exactly what I needed. She was able to provide me the reassurance and support I need right now. I was able to tell her a little bit about what I have been feeling. I was also grateful that she was able to share some of her struggles with me. Sometimes I think missionary work is just easy for her because she is such a pro. However, she told me that she has also had a difficult time. She asked me if I had gotten her letter, and I told her no. But it came today!!! Anyways, I definitely didn't take advantage of the time I had with her. I miss her like crazy now that she's not around. But I always know that she's thinking about me....

Friday: Sis Magellon fed us really Mexican food. I don't know if I've told you about her. Basically she's an eternal investigator because she doesn't have a birth certificate. She has five children and some of them like to go to church. She is way sweet and has a testimony, she just has a lot to overcome because her mother is a devout Catholic. Anyways we toke it as a good sign that she wanted to feed us. She made this soup with bacon and huge pieces of pork. I could have eaten about 10 bowls, but I didn't.

Saturday: I was dreading Saturday because we didn't have a single appointment scheduled, that's the worse. We had mission correlation and PCed around Seymour and then we headed out the Brownstown. We went to a member's home for lunch. Sis Peter's husband passed away 15+ years ago and basically built her house by herself. She is completely surrounded by trees and when we build up to the house I immediately thought of Spur's house in "The Man From Snowy River". It was so cool!!! Anyways, she is super nice and very chatty because she lives by herself. After we went and knocked some doors with no luck.

Saturday morning I got this REALLY bright idea. I knew that it was going to be a difficult day because we didn't have any plans. So I thought to myself "we should go to Cracker Barrel for dinner". So that's what we did! It was a great way to end the day.

Sundays: Ok I miss home the most on Sundays. Basically I just go to church and miss our little branch, I hate it. Then we go out tracting and everyone is eating with the family, BBQ, etc, and taking naps. During Relief Society we talked about Pres Uchtdorf's talk, "Of Regrets and Resolutions" and the importance of family, that made it even worse.

That night we went and ate with another Lykins family (they make up about half the ward). They have two younger kids and he's a police officer with a lot of sass. He got home from work the same time that we showed up. Sis Lykins had made chile. He turned to her and said "what kind of random meal is this? Don't you know that our blessings are dependent on the quality of the food we feed the Lord's servants?" Sis Fullmer and I about died laughing. Hopefully you are feeding the missionaries :). Anyways then later he asked us if we would be disobedient and watch their favorite television program. Sis Lykins got after him for that comment.   It was certainly a great dinner appointment.

I'm learning a ton about the kind of person I want to be when I get home. Unfortunately as missionaries we hear more ward gossip than we would like to. It makes me realize how important it is to be Christ like at all times. Visiting teaching is important, meeting new members is important, and just talking to ward members is important. I think it's very possible that I'm on a mission to learn how to talk to people. It's definitely true that if I'm the only one converted then there has been some success.

Well transfers are in one week.....who knows what is going to happen. Basically I'm scared of every single option: both of us staying here, me leaving, or me staying. Training is a very real possibility because there are 15 sisters coming out. However, I don't want to tell myself I'm going to train and then get disappointed.