Ever since the missionary president seminar last June I've had this mentality that it is the member's responsibility to find people to teach, which is true. However, I've also used it as an excuse to avoid finding as much as I possibly can. Last month we did a mission wide finding fast. Which means we do certain things the week prior and then fast to find new investigators. Well, one of the blessings that came from that was an increased commitment to find new investigators. In the last couple of weeks I've been consciously changing my mindset to find more and more. My desire to tract has changed dramatically. I'm learning what is means to endure to the end.

Wednesday night we had a relief society activity. Basically we sat around and ate chocolate and got pampered all night. Luckily our investigator and the elder's were both there. It was fun to continue to build relationships with the sisters. A fun activity indeed! These members really feel like my family. I love it when a member will call me by name instead of just "sister". It's a good feeling. 

It was a VERY good year mark on Thursday. We tried by a potential's house and set up a return appointment for this week. Then! I got beef and noodles for lunch for the first time. A Hoosier classic and very delicious. We did weekly planning and then did a lesson with a less active sister. That night we met at the church with President Kelly and Chastity and set a baptismal date for her of March 16th! I'm super excited because I didn't think she would get baptized this transfer and I was afraid I was going to miss it. Then we went with the R family to teach Sis. R's niece and her family. They haven't have attended church, have five kids and were pretty open. I get nervous teaching member's family/friends because I'm so much more nervous that I'm going to say the wrong thing. I never thought I would have the privilege of teaching families that members invited them to take the lessons from the missionaries. It's a whole different feeling in those lessons! The Spirit was so strong. When I was reciting the First Vision I know they felt something, but probably didn't recognize was it was. There wasn't a place I would rather be then right there in that living room. Thursday was a bit nostalgic as I thought back on the last year of my life. I have such wonderful memories, only a portion have I been able to write home and share with you. My favorite part is all the people that I have been able to meet. There have definitely been some regrets but I'm working hard to improve myself, especially in my commitment to find, teach, and baptize. I still have so much work to do and I'm excited! That night I felt like the happiest girl in the world. 

On Friday for service we got to clean mold off old books. Definitely not something I thought I would do for service. It actually takes a lot longer than we were both expecting. 

We had our district meeting on Saturday because it was a new month so we actually had miles to drive. I was asked to give a training on developing faith through the Book of Mormon. It was such a blessing! I got asked to do it kind of last minute so I was worried about it coming together. However, as I was studying for it Friday morning the revelation just flowed. I definitely think I learned more by preparing for it then the missionaries in the district. The key to developing faith through the Book of Mormon is being able to find doctrine within the book. Yes it's a story, but it is doctrine understand that changes who we are. I love the quote in PMG that says "The Book of Mormon is a springboard to testimony and personal revelation".

As we are diligent as we study the scriptures the Spirit is then able to teach us the personal revelation that we each need. The commitment I left with the missionaries was to read the paragraphs under "Faith in Jesus Christ" on page 61-62 of PMG and for every sentence find a scripture that teaches that doctrine. It's very tedious but well worth it. I started it last week while preparing for the training and continued it this morning and I'm still not done. I also made the decision I'm going to do it with every sentence found in lesson three (the Gospel of Jesus Christ). This quarter we are focusing on revelation through the Book of Mormon. Finding and understanding doctrine in the Book of Mormon is how it becomes the springboard for personal revelation and the tool for conversion.

After district meeting we went out to eat at Hacienda (Mexican). It was my choice and in celebration of our year mark. One of the ladies working came up to us and asked where we were from. She then explained how the Niles elders had helped with some things are her house because she had recently moved here from Arkansas. She was really impressed and so grateful for the service that we do. I'd like to think it was the Spirit was made me choose that restaurant :) 

We went tracting in Lakeville after that and used a lot of the Indianapolis Indiana temple cards. They work wonders! We usually get a better response out of them then the normal mormon.org cards. We were supposed to see Chastity at 5 that night but she texted us about an hour and a half before and she cancelled on us. So we just tracted for longer than we were planning on. Well we got in the car a little after 5 and we had a miss call from her. We called her back and she told us that she realized meeting with us was more important than what she was going to do so she cancelled her other plans! I was so proud! We taught her about fasting in preparation for the next day. 

Fast Sunday was wonderful as usual. There weren't very many people at church because it had snowed the night before, but the Spirit was still strong! After mission correlation we headed up to the R's house for dinner and then a lesson with their neighbors afterwards. It was a great way to end the week! 

This week was a bit surreal. Tuesday marked a year since being set apart as a full time missionary. Wednesday was the day I left home and Thursday was a year since reporting to the MTC. It's been the best and hardest year of my life. I've definitely changed a lot and my testimony has grown immensely. My understanding of what the gospel of Jesus Christ is....well it's everything! 

WE GET TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!!​!!!!!!!!!!​!-February 24, 2014

Missionary work is so wonderful :) Sister Bunnell and I are having a blast together and having a lot of fun while working hard. I've faced the fact that we are going to need to spend a lot of time finding and I'm getting more comfortable with it each passing day.

Wednesday we had a good chunk of time to find. The sun came out and it was very warm and we enjoyed ourselves a lot. The snow started melting like crazy so the road we were tracting became a river. There is nothing better than wet feet for five hours! Really though it didn't bother me at all. Wednesday night it was about 8 and in our plans we had to stop by a potential, Oliva. Sister McDowell and I met her over a month ago and had given her a Book of Mormon. Every time we had stopped since she either wasn't home or couldn't talk. So to be honest, my hopes weren't really that high. Well she was home and we got to talk to her! She hadn't read yet and we offered to bring her a Book of Mormon in Spanish which she really appreciated (we dropped it off last night). I've realized sometimes it just takes awhile to get things going. 

ZONE CONFERENCE ON THURSDAY WAS SO AWESOME. Man I wish we could repeat it. Well first, President Cleveland told us WE GET TO GO TO THE TEMPLE!!!! This was a rumor we had been hearing about, but obviously didn't know if it was true or not. We can go once every six months. President Kelly offered to take us and the elders sometime this transfer. I GET TO GO TO CHICAGO!!! Obviously, I'm WAY PUMPED. I think Sister Bunnell and I will say "guess what? we get to go to the temple" about 10 times a day.

So I had been asked to accompany an elder and sister for the musical number at conference. The sister was running late so I only got to run through it about three times before the meeting started. I was a nervous wreck! There were parts I couldn't play and I my hands were sweating like crazy (disgusting I know). I got up there, messed up, but just kept playing. Sweet Sister Saunders said I did a wonderful job. I'm learning to shrug off the mistakes and move on. That's also a principle I need to apply in life, not just piano playing. I make mistakes all the time, but instead of worrying about what other people think it's just better to move on and try again. 

I was so pumped to find new investigators after the meeting. We talked about how to use the temple pass along cards for the temple in Indy more effectively. Then we talked a lot about the Book of Mormon. At the end of conference President Cleveland was talking about how important it is that we ourselves are converted by the Book of Mormon. As a missionary I've seen how so much of the Book of Mormon talks about missionary work because that is my mindset. Taking time to ponder what I am reading is crucial. The Lafayette stake patriarch spoke on patriarchal blessings which was really neat. He said that we will find surprises in our blessings. I definitely agree; being on a mission is an example of that. 

We didn't leave Lafayette until about 5:30 and it's a two hour drive home. As the sun set it got really foggy. So bad that there were a couple of times I couldn't see either line. For awhile it was just me in the lane and every once in awhile car would drive going the other way. I was a bit nervous. My eyes were strained on the road. Mostly I was nervous I was going to hit a deer. Anyways, for a short distance a car was in front of me. I could see the road much better and I was no longer scared. But then the car left and I was on my own again. The next morning during studies I was studying the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit taught me a new definition of repentance. Repentance is living in a way that allows God to direct my life. I thought about my experience in the fog the previous night. Prayer is what allows me to come to know God's will. However, I must be willing and worthy for Him to direct my life. I trusted the driver in the car ahead of me even though I had no idea who it was. I can't see God, but I can trust Him enough to follow Him through the mists of darkness (Lehi's dream?!) We will each be much less nervous about life if we choose to follow our Heavenly Father's plan for each one of us. He's given us everything we need, prophets, scriptures, leaders, family etc. It's a cheesy missionary analogy, but I love it!

We got prayer rugs at mission conference! There's so cute and they sit next to our beds. I get REAL excited to pray at morning/night on my prayer rug. Also, we recorded our morning alarm to a song on "The Work" CD. Now I get really excited to wake up in the morning and go to work. 

Friday morning we were out trying potentials and some JW's PCed into us! It was kind of fun to be on the other side. They actually saw us and pulled over and started talking to us. She actually travels because she visits all the ASL Kingdom Halls. She immediately recognized who we were and told us she had met ASL Mormon missionaries before. After we were done talking to them Sister Bunnell and I evaluated her according to the things we learn about how to contact people. She did a pretty good job! 

Friday night we went out to some member's house for dinner. They live on a farm and so we got to go see their goats and hold their pigs! When I told Sister Johnson that my family raises animals she was sure to take me out there. AND!!! She gave us bacon from their pigs. I'm really excited to eat it. The best part was when Sister Johnson asked us how she should go about giving a copy of the Book of Mormon to her friend. I love when members ask us those kinds of questions! 

Saturday afternoon we went country tracting! It was my first time but Sister Bunnell has done it quite a bit. Surprisingly a lot of people were actually home even though we had to walk a bit of a distance between houses. Eventually we reached this "neighborhood" (a street with about eight houses). There was even a burned down house! (Conversion of a Catholic :). I like these kinds of streets because they have so much character rather than a normal street. I should have taken a picture so you know what I mean. Sister Bunnell and I went on a "date" Saturday night to Bob Evans. We had gotten a gift card from a member for Christmas. We are both going to work on being more confident in our ability to be missionaries. Simply all we must do is make a conscious decision to believe that with the help of our Savior we can do all things. Making a conscious decision is choosing to overcome temptation. 

Church was great! All the talks were on prayer. We got to go to YWs and helped them role play. They spent the entire month learning about the plan of salvation. So then the adults acted like their friends asking questions that can be answered by the plan of salvation. It was fun to interact with the girls (there is only five) and help them be missionaries. Its taken awhile to build a relationship with the branch members, but it's finally coming. I know feel like a member of this branch. It's great when the members come up to you and say "sisters, give me a hug!". The woman, obviously. 

Well still be finding a lot on our own, but it seems like each week members are beginning to understand a little bit more that it is their role to find. Exciting things are happening in the Plymouth branch! I really love it. There are still hard days, but I'm really beginning to LOVE MY MISSION!!!!

Pigs, country tracting, and prayer rugs!!!

Week 51-February 17, 2014

Monday after e-mailing we went to the church and watched 17 Miracles with the elders in the district. Such a good movie. I'll attach a picture of our awkward district picture taken that day. 

Tuesday consisted of goodbyes for Sister McDowell. I'm attaching a picture of us and the elders at Tim and Chastity's Tuesday night. Chastity was so cute, she just started crying in the middle of the lesson. I promised here that she would love my next companion. 

I have to admit, transfer meeting was kind of lame. Usually there is a lot of energy, but not so much this time. I got to see Sister Clark! She told me she would put in a request that we be companions :) My new companion is Sister Bunnell!!! MTC COMPANIONS UNITE!!! I was WAY excited. She knows how to work hard and what to do. We know each other pretty well after spending the MTC together and serving in the North Vernon ward together for three transfers. But before transfer meeting started I was talking to the sisters who have been serving in Seymour and they were catching me up on the area. Sister Jones and I found this lady, Mary Louden, right before I left. I love her! They are teaching her which I was VERY excited to hear about. Talking with them made me miss it a bit. 

Wednesday night we had another dinner appointment with the wonderful R. family. After dinner they took us to go meet one of Sister R.'s high school friends. Had we been tracting, they would have definitely not let us in the house. However, since we were introduced by a member they let us in and said we could call to come back! Members introducing us to people is the best way to find. We are having dinner with the again tonight and teaching afterwards! 

Thursday we were out tracting and no one was answering. Until! Alejandra. She's in her young 20's and is open to learning about any different religion. She didn't have time so we asked if we could come back again on Friday, which we did and she had company. A similar story when we went back on Saturday, but we will get to teach her! 

The favorite elder from my district last transfer is now serving in Plymouth with Elder Oram. All four of us are PUMPED!!! We get along really well and are working as a team together. I'm really excited for our district this transfer. District meeting on Friday was pretty fun. We spent Valentines Day with Sister Smith; the same sister we spent Christmas Eve with. She was so cute; she bought us a card and cookies. 

Sister Bunnell is helping me love role plays. Saturday morning we practiced for the lesson we were going to teach Tim and Chastity. I was so excited all day and really looking forward to it. Well, they were sick and we couldn't teach them :( I was super bummed. 

Church was awesome! A brother spoke about the doctrine of Christ in sacrament. Definitely a RM who studied PMG a lot. I was inspired to study the doctrine of Christ in my studies this morning. He gave a definition of doctrine that I really liked. Doctrine is a truth revealed by Heavenly Father that pertains to our salvation. That's what we must focus on in our scripture study and at church. The principles and the doctrines that will help us become more like our Savior. After church I was talking to a member in the branch presidency. I made a comment about reverting back into my shell. He said something like "you were shy before you came out?" I told him indeed I was and that I found it a huge struggle to talk to people. He couldn't believe it. That made me happy. I've fooled people into thinking that I'm talkative and outgoing. I told him it was probably the mantle placed on me. I like that I recognize change in myself. 

Last night I was studying in Alma 37. Verse 41 talks about the danger of lack of diligence in the small things. "They were slothful, and forgot to exercise their faith and diligence and then those marvelous works cease, and they did not progress in their journey". This verse is talking about Laman and Lemuel and their journey in the wilderness. However, if I allow for "spiritual slippage" (President Cleveland) then I will no longer progress. It requires diligence throughout life in order to progress and change into what Heavenly Father needs us to become. A little fear in the back of my head is that when I get home, I will quickly revert back into who I was before. Then I thought of the principle of setting goals and making plans. As a missionary we set goals and make plans every.single.day. There's a reason. Goals help us stretch and improve. If I plan on spiritually progressing for the rest of my life, then I need to have goals and plans of how I'm going to do it. Self mastery is everything. 

ZONE CONFERENCE THIS THURSDAY!!! I'm way pumped. Randomly throughout the day I'll tell Sister Bunnell "zone conference this Thursday". The assistants called last night asking if I would play the piano. Then last night I had a dream where the piano bench was only about a foot off the ground and the piano kept moving forward, so I messed up a lot. Hopefully that won't happen on Thursday haha. Yes mother, I'm not hiding my candle under a bushel :) 

We've got more potentials to work with this week. I'm really excited about the progress Sister Bunnell and I will be able to see this transfer. The important thing that I'm trying to remember is to always do everything out of love. Love for my Heavenly Father and love for the people. Thanks for all the prayers!

Sister Mayberry 

Week 50-February 10, 2014

This week was so exciting!!!

Ok after e-mailing last Monday we drove up to South Bend to spend our preparation day with the zone. Tuesday was President Cleveland's birthday so we took a group picture and the ZL had it framed for the next day. We weren't supposed to start our exchange with the sister training leaders until Tuesday after interviews but we started Monday night instead. I LOVE SISTER FULLMER!!! I was PUMPED to be able to spend another 24 hours with her. I'm firmly convinced that it me that she was called to be a STL in South Bend (selfish? yeah I know). Monday night I didn't really get any sleep, those race car mattresses aren't too comfy. I laid there staring at the ceiling thinking how grateful I am to be here and how my life is going to be so much different now that I've served a mission. I thought about some regrets, wishing I could have learned to love being a missionary sooner. But I recognize I wouldn't be where I'm at without all those experiences.

The next morning after studies we had interviews with President. President Cleveland likes to talk, so he's always running late. We played a little corn hull in the gym while we waited. Anyways, interviews with President always go different then I expect. He told me he didn't know what he was going to do with Sister McDowell and I because he hadn't pray about it. I asked me my opinion about training a new missionary in Plymouth. The best news!!!!! I CAN STAY ON MY MISSION AFTER MY BIRTHDAY!!!! I explained the situation with my license expiring and he said they send missionaries home with expired drivers licenses all the time. When the time gets a little closer I'll just need a copy of my birth certificate, etc. I was was excited after that! So now I'll probably be coming home around the 26ish. Who knows.

Being with Sister Fullmer was great. I had missed her a lot. After interviews we got to go teach two lessons. Originally we weren't going to go home until Wednesday morning after studies, but a storm was headed our way and President told us we had to come home early :(. I was super bummed. But in Sister McDowell's interview he told her she would be leaving and training and that I would be staying. So that's what we were thinking for the entire week, however, President is known for changing his mind, so I wasn't really banking on it. Some elders made a cake for President and at one point the entire zone was there, so we went into the room and sang happy birthday and gave him his card, cake, and the picture. I think it made him pretty happy. He told us it would be a birthday he would never forget....so precious.

Tuesday night we got dumped with about 5 more inches on top of what we already had. Wednesday morning we went out trying potentials and 224ing, no luck. But this lady did let us shovel her walkway for her! I always like when people let us serve them. We had dinner with a single sister in the branch. Her husband had a stroke about 17 years ago so she's been on her own for awhile. I may have said this before, but I think my favorite dinner appointments are with the single sisters. They are just so sweet!

I don't really like Thursdays that much because we don't have a lot of proselyting time. We do service and planning which both take a huge chunk out of our day.

Friday we had zone meeting in the morning. It was kind of sad because I knew it was going to be the last time I would see Sister Fullmer. The entire zone went out to eat afterwards, expect the sisters. I started freaking out because they weren't answering their phone and I didn't get to say goodbye. Finally after lunch was over Sister Hain called and I told her I needed to say goodbye. So we went over to their apartment. She got out of the car and I immediately started crying. Gosh dang it! Anyways I told her how much I loved her and hugged her about three times. Luckily I don't have to say goodbye to anymore companions! I will be forever grateful for that transfer. When we were on our exchange I told her that that transfer was a really hard one, but I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. She taught me so much! I kept crying after was said goodbye, good thing sunglasses hide tears :)

Saturday morning we drove out to Knox to see Sister Jackson in the nursing home. She recently had surgery down in Indy and is now recovering. After being there for a few minutes she told us how just that morning she was thinking about us and asked Heavenly Father for us to come. Who knew a little inspiration during a planning session the night before would answer someone's prayer?!

We got two new investigators Saturday! Wahoo! So it was snowing ALL DAY LONG!! But we tried a potential that we had met about three weeks ago. She had told us that she was sick and had a lot of doctor appointments so she wasn't home much. She let us in and invited her husband to listen as well. I have to admit, the lesson was all over the place because I wasn't quite sure what they needed. In the end we touched on some aspects of the Restoration and left a Restoration pamphlet for them to look over. He looked at the back of it and said "Mormons? You're Mormons?". Funny how some people still don't make the connection. He asked if he could read a Book of Mormon. We were more than happy to give him a copy. Because their lives are kind of crazy we don't get to see them for two more weeks.

Sunday morning it finally stopped snowing. I don't even know how much snow we have now. I need to remember to take a picture. It's funny because I thought this is what winter would be like here. But all the members say this is the worst winter they've seen in years. So I guess I adequately mentally prepared myself for this winter. The problem is none of it melts so it just keeps building up. So one of the elders started the rumor that he and Sister McDowell would be leaving so they asked both of them to bear their testimonies during sacrament meeting. Everyone was so sad! I told Sister McDowell it was going to be really funny if she showed up to church next week. After the block we had a linger longer (potluck). It was fun to continue to mingle with the members.

Then it was the waiting game........President was correct! I'll be staying in the area and be "training a missionary how to work here" and Sister McDowell is leaving and training a new missionary. President Cleveland is so funny, he thinks Plymouth is so different from any other area in the mission, it's different but not that different. During my interview he said he would never double transfer Plymouth again. I thought "thanks for putting me through what you wouldn't put another missionary through". It's all good, I'm so grateful to have been placed in this area, I've learned so much!

The other elder that is staying came out with me. So we'll be celebrating our year mark in a couple of weeks. I seriously can't believe time has gone that quickly! This transfer five sisters are going home. I remember when I came out I thought how when those sisters go home I'm not going to have much time left. That's why I'm so grateful I can stay after my birthday, it will add on another two weeks to my mission.

I'm excited for another transfer, of coarse always nervous for a new companion. I've set some goals for myself of things I'm going to do differently. All I know is this last transfer has flown by! We were sitting in mission correlation yesterday and President Kelly was telling us how we needed to call him as soon as we knew who was leaving. It literally felt like a week ago when he was telling us the same thing. Time is exponentially getting faster and I hate it!

Week 49-February 3, 2014

I woke up angry Thursday morning. I tried to talk myself out of it all morning. The anger melted away as I studies the scriptures. My testimony of the scriptures really has grown as I have seen how my attitude changes as I read them. In one of the talks I had read previously it said that a mission should be holy ground. What do I need to change to make my mission holy ground? 

Friday I allowed myself to by happy, it's a choice right? In district meeting we talked about principles from chapter 10 in PMG and teach people not lessons, always my favorite. Friday was the last day of the month and we still had over 600 miles left because our cars had been grounded so much. We joked about how we had enough miles to go to Nauvoo and back, our district leader even gave us permission. Instead we decided to contact some names our branch president had given to us. 

Before our dinner appointment Friday night we stopped by a RC/LA that we've been trying to get in contact for like the last 10 weeks. When she finally had time to meet with us, we only had 10 minutes because of our dinner. So we scheduled to come back on Sunday...more on that in a little bit. 

Saturday morning we woke up with about five inches of snow on the ground, on top of what we already had. So we were on foot all day. But shortly after we went out it actually turned to rain, so then everything iced over. For the first time ever people pulled over to offer us rides, three times actually. We declined each one. Anyways, Chastity is back. We met with her twice this last week and she has a new date for March 2nd. The second time we taught both her and her husband the word of wisdom and both accepted to live it. Chastity simply amazes me by her real intent. She pretty much has every reason to not get baptized, but she's determined to. She's made plans to quit smoking within the week so she can make her date. I love teaching them....actually I love teaching in general. 

Sunday was incredible, I love fast Sunday's especially. We did a mission wide finding fast yesterday so we spent the week studying finding. It was interesting, at the end of mission correlation President Kelly asked one of the elders to bear their testimony. This elder spoke about how this was a hard area to come to because he had been in the city the entire time and in order to find investigators out here you have to be really diligent. He spoke about how he has come to learn how important reaching out to less actives is in this area. As he spoke, I realized the same thing. I hadn't worked much with less actives in my previous area, but it has been a majority of what we have done since coming to Plymouth. It's been a struggle, it still is a little bit. But inviting people to come closer to Christ doesn't mean to just finding people who haven't been baptized. In this area I've learned the importance of rescuing and strengthening a unit.

That moment led up very nicely for our less active visit. This sister was baptized last Mother's day. She sought out the church on her own and was just a sponge when it came to learning the gospel. Last fall she fell away and returned to her old life style habits. When we went over there we just talked for the first little bit to get a feel for where she's at. She's lonely, she's divorced and wants to feel loved again. Unfortunately that's her number one priority right now instead of living the gospel. She knows the church is true. She's loves to study. I was simply amazed at how much material she has read. She told us she isn't ready to give up her habits, that she likes being miserable and she doesn't have the patience to wait for God's blessings. As I've met with people, I've come to realize that we all have similar trials and struggles, they are just a little bit different in how they are portrayed. She's struggling with giving her will to God, I've struggled with the same thing as a missionary. I was thinking about her this morning during my studies. I thought of Ether 12:25 (I think I've shared this scripture before) "we behold our weaknesses and stumble" and then of course in verse 27 we learn about when we turn our weaknesses over to God, He will turn them into strengths. It's natural to stumble in this life, but what each of us must decide is whether or not we are going to turn them over to our Heavenly Father. 

I love being able to pray for people. That's something I learned only the second day in the field, prayer if a powerful way to show someone that you care about them. Here's this woman that I've only spent about an hour and half with, we are 30 years apart in age and have lived very different lives, but I've come to learn that people are deeply touched when you pray for them. 

On the way home from the lesson I got a little teary- eyed, not enough for my companion to know though. I remember one time in the car my trainer just started crying out of the middle of nowhere about how much she loves the gospel and being a missionary. I thought how I would never, ever do that. Well, it may have not be full on tears, but yesterday driving home I was deeply touched. Touched that my Heavenly Father has given me this opportunity. There are an endless number of times when I have been frustrated with myself, but I can't deny the way I feel when I know that I'm being an instrument in my Heavenly Father's hand. There is no better feeling in the world and I'm beginning to feel like I'm running out of time. I'm realizing that I'm not going to be wearing this tag forever, and it's beginning to hurt. I'm so grateful that many months ago President Cleveland straight up told me I'm a sensitive person, because I know that if I wasn't I wouldn't be able to cherish these kinds of moments. I so badly wish I could adequately express on paper on I feel. My greatest desire is that my heart never well. That I will never forget what it feels like to help someone else come closer to Christ. 

Week 48 1/2-January 29, 2014

Wednesday we got a new investigator! Audrey was found by elders last March and we were finally able to teach her the Restoration. Such a sweet lady. It felt so good teaching the Restoration again...it's like coming home. We are seeing her again today after we get down e-mailing, grocery shopping etc.

Thursday was flippin cold, my face hurt. But I kept reminding myself I would rather be cold than sweating to death. BUT! I kept smiling the entire time.

Friday was super weird. Our district meeting was all about attitude. Afterwards we had planned on tracting in Lakeville for awhile. Well we got a call from a member that lives there and they told us to come over because the elders were over there. I told him that we had plans to knock some doors and he said he would give me some doors to knock on. Sweet! Member referral! so we headed over there. Long story short, I had some serious repenting to do afterwards because we spent WAY too long at the member's house because then they wanted to feed us dinner. However, a little miracle happened in the end. When we first got there they gave us too referrals. After dinner we convinced them Bro and Sis R. to go contact the referral with us since she lived right down the street. Donna let us in right away. Luckily Bro R. had talked to Donna about the church before and even brought up the idea of meeting with missionaries. We taught her the Restoration. The R.'s bore powerful testimonies of how they came to know the church was true and how the gospel has blessed their family. Bro R. emphasized the importance of praying about the Book of Mormon to know that it is true. It was such a wonderful experience. The first time ever a member introduced us to their friends and it was everything I imagined and more. Donna told us she would read and to give her a call in a week to set something up. The best part was on the way home. Sis. R. said know she understand how important it is for members to be involved in missionary work!!! I just wanted to jump for joy!!!!!!!

So while we were at the R.'s house it started snowing. There was already snow on the ground and the wind started picking up. The R.'s live on a county road and it started drifting pretty bad. Bro. R went first in his car, then the elders, and then we followed. I was terrified that our car was going to get stuck in the foot and a half snow drifts, but we made it home alive! I lost traction a couple of times but had to just keep moving. After this winter I will now be prepared to drive in Rexburg haha.

Saturday morning we hit the pavement to knock some doors. Everyone told us to go home because it was too cold. In fact, this one lady started swearing at us telling us it wasn't worth getting pneumonia. She was definitely a mom. After lunch we walked to see a LA. After her we continued to knock. The second door, this older couple let us in. She said we were crazy for being outside. They made it very clear they were Methodists but were more than willing to let us warm up and talk with them for a minute. A couple houses later another woman invites us in because it was cold. Definitely a tender mercy. In fact she gave us both a huge hug, I think because she was so impressed that we were outside. For those returned missionaries she reminded me of Jynx, unfortunately she didn't want to be taught either :( 

Sunday church was cancelled and cars were grounded. I didn't want to stay inside all day. We made the hour walk to our RS president's house and did a lesson with her. By the time we were done the wind had picked up again and we didn't want to walk all the way home. She drove us home and we stayed inside for awhile until we went to see two other members later than evening. I hate when church gets cancelled. I love the fact that I'm in Indiana during the worst winter they have had in 10 years.

With the extra time spend inside I've been blessed with a lot of studying time, something I've definitely taken advantage of. I was writing a letter on Monday, and a thought entered my mind. I was telling her how I have really struggled with comparing myself to other missionaries and being frustrated because I feel like being a missionary doesn't come naturally. I realized that if it came more naturally I probably wouldn't rely on my Heavenly Father as much. I wouldn't search the scriptures diligently, seeking the spiritual strength to fulfill my calling. Feeling inadequate is helping me consistently improve. I immediately thought of 2 Corinthians 12: 9 - 10

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. There I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distress for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

A kid shared that in a class my last semester at BYUI. Paul is happy for his trials because then he relies on Christ. Right now, I'm grateful missionary work is a struggle because it causes me to grow more. Then last night I was reading a general conference talk and found this quote, now written in my PMG.

"The Lord doesn't promise to removed our handicaps when we become missionaries; but by making the extra effort it will take, we develop more ability to cope with individual short coming and that coping ability will be needed throughout our lives in our relationships with others, in our employment, and in our families. Everyone has something they must learn to master....a missionary faces many challenges that he has not dealt with previously. Giving the best he knows when he arrives will not fulfill the calling. Enduring requires doing better than your best of today by developing additional gifts as granted from the Lord...of course it is difficult. That's what makes it such a gift and why it has such great rewards". Elder Robert D. Hales May 1998 

That little revelation and that quote were an answer to a prayer. There's a very real possibility that missionary work will never come naturally. I'm grateful because then I will never feel comfortable. I'll be able to continue to refine my skills even once I am home. I'll be able to continue to progress every day. Because I feel inadequate I will always turn to my Heavenly Father for guidance. Now in the last year has my confidence grown? Surely. I've learned a ton and have noticed a huge change in myself. I'm learning what it means to endure to the end. Elder Hales also said "Often we do not know what we can endure until after a trial of our faith". I like that. It isn't until usually after the trials is over that we look back and recognize how much we have grown.

While we didn't have many "missionary experiences" this week, I learned a lot through my studies about myself. Personal revelation certainly is a powerful things. Every day I thank my Heavenly Father for this once in a lifetime opportunity. How grateful I am that he trusted me to be one of His servants. I still feel so unworthy, but grateful for the potential He sees in me, one of His daughters.

Sister Mayberry

What a missionary wears when you have to stay inside all day.....

January 20, 2014

Monday evening we went out to Dinner at an older couple's house in the ward. We had never met them because Sis Furnival had a stroke last summer and hasn't been able to get out much since. SWEETEST COUPLE EVER. I enjoyed every minuted of being at their house.

So confession (don't kill me Sis Donaldson) I haven't had a single member present lesson since I've been in Plymouth. Every single time we have one set up it falls through. On Tuesday we were supposed to have a lesson with our investigator, a member was driving like half an hour to come with us. Like five minutes before the investigator cancels. I was so mad! But we went with the member to see a less active instead. We haven't had any luck getting into this LA's door but the member is pretty good friends with her. Well! She let us in! I was pretty excited and felt like it was meant to be even if we didn't get out member present. Tuesday night we went out to Culver to teach a member the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was the German lady who had has over on Christmas Eve. We showed up and she had made us pumpkin pie and hot chocolate....figures. She's always trying to fatten us up haha. We had a very positive experience being able to teach her.

Wednesday morning I was studying about hope. Hope is trusting that God will fulfill His promises. I'm promised as a missionary that I will find people to teach if I'm obedient and diligent. That is what motivate me to keep knocking on doors. For the first time I'm really having to work to find new investigators. In Franklin the baptisms just kind of fell into our laps.

Thursday we went tracting in a neighborhood I had never been in before. No one answers the first few doors. Then we knock on this particular house and this older gentlemen lets us in without even introducing ourselves....always a little weird. Well he acts like he knows who we are and then after talking to him and his wife figure out they are actually in the process of getting ex-communicated. He's a preacher of a 7th Day Adventist church now. I never know quite what to do in these kind of situations. Luckily they were both super nice and willing to talk and let us warm up (it was snowing like crazy). On a side note it snowed Saturday night again and we are supposed to get more this week. The members keep saying this is a real Indiana winter, that the last few have been quite mild. I'd much rather have a rough winter and a mild summer any day! That's what I'm hoping for.

Our district meeting on Friday was all about finding, ha that's why I got to train! Afterwards we had to go get our oil changed, etc. :(. Lakeville is a pretty small town up north so it's on our way home from Mishawaka. We stopped there and tracted for a few hours until it got dark. It was freezing cold and no one let us in. But! I kept a very optimistic attitude which may have included some dancing and goofing off on my part, while maintaining my calling as a representative of Jesus Christ of coarse. Sis McDowell asked me how I keep a positive attitude. I told her I think of positive experiences that I've had on my mission and remember why I'm out here. I also tell myself that one day I'm going to miss tracting out in the snow and freezing (which I know I will). I guess I'm starting to realize how important it is to make the most of every moment. So even when my situation seems miserable, I'm trying to make it into something positive. I also sing "The Work" songs in my head. Sister Donaldson....I did not like the cd when we listened to it during my first transfer....now I can't get those songs out of my head! And I love it!

Friday I got a letter from a member down in Seymour. Man it was what I needed. This particular member had us over for dinner quite a bit and she would come teaching with us all the time. She told me how before we starting spending time with her she didn't really have a strong testimony of the gospel, but as she spent more time with us her testimony was strengthened. She also said it became so easy for her to share the gospel (she's awesome at it!) because we came in and taught her and showed her how to do it. I never thought I would have made a difference in the life of a member. I guess everyday I learn that you don't know who you are going to change.

Saturday consisted of a lot of finding time! In the morning we stuck around Plymouth. We were tracting this street and maybe on the 6th door this little Hispanic girl opens (Hispanics are my favorite BTW). We ask if here mom is there and she goes and gets her. We introduced ourselves and begin sharing with her about faith in Christ. She tells us she is Catholic. So the conversations continues and i just got this thought to bring up the Book of Mormon. So I mentioned the Bible and explain how the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ. I pull out a copy and begin to use the pictures in the front to explain what it is. I had never done this before. I flip to the picture when Christ visits the Nephites and explain it. Olive (that's her name) tells us that just that morning her son was asking her about their ancestors. She told us how there is a legend of a white God visiting their people and that one day he would come again. She said that that picture reminder her of it and that the people in the picture looked like her people! AHHHHH! She told us that she was interested to read it. So we left her copy, said a prayer and were on our way. I love doorsteps like that! We'll be going and seeing her this week. After lunch we headed out to Bourbon (about 11 miles outside of Plymouth) to contact a HQ referral. No luck there, they weren't interested. So we started knocking on doors. It starts snowing. No luck. We stop to use the restroom and when we get out we find a voicemail on our phone. The cars are grounded; we have to drive back to Plymouth. I was so frustrated! Here's the deal with me and finding, if I know I'm going to do it for three hours I have to mentally prepare myself for it. That's why I hate tracting if a lesson falls through. We drove back and had to knock close to our house.

On Saturday the assistants came up to do exchanges with the elders and President Kelly and our WML came down and the three sets visited LA all day. President Kelly had told us he would take us all out to dinner. Well once you found out our cars were grounded that put a little chink in our plans. Luckily the assistants were on our side so they said we could drive anyway because "we had work to do here in Plymouth" haha. Eating is definitely work. It was a fun time at dinner. We had an appointment that night but she cancelled on us. She was had to stay inside because it was dark and we couldn't drive. I did a bit of coach tracting (calling numbers for formers) and such. No appointments from it.

Last night during our dinner break we were watching The District. I love it! It's like our own little reality tv show. It's fun to realize that those missionaries make mistakes and they aren't perfect, that they go through difficult times just like us. They just help me stay motivated. This week is going to consist of a lot more finding again. We really don't have any investigators. But I guess my whole outlook is continuing to change.

I thought I would include a picture taken real quick before we came to e-mail of all the lovely Christmas cards we received that are still on our fridge. I'm also including a video of me playing at mission conference. I can't figure out the volume on these computers so I have no idea if it's actually going to work on not. If it doesn't, let me know.

January 13, 2014

Last week was just so weird because we felt like we had lost about half of our proselyting time. Thursday we didn't do much because we have service and weekly planning that day. When we went into service on Wednesday the ladies were so funny because they all knew our first names. I think it's a novelty to figure out missionary's first names. They knew because they had to be printed in the paper. 

Friday we had a district meeting, thank goodness. I woke up in a pretty bad/frustrated mood. Luckily bearing your testimony tends to get ride of those kind of feelings and seeing other missionaries. We went out to lunch afterwards and I reminisced with some elders who also attend BYUI. After lunch we headed out to Bremen to work for the afternoon. It's another smaller town about 20 minutes away. We had some part member families, former potentials, and referrals to contact. No real luck there, but we did talk to a Hispanic guy outside for a little while! I also feel so much better when I have the courage to talk to everyone, something I'm still working on. We had dinner with a family who lives out in Bremen. They made us waffles and ice cream....probably the best/unhealthiest dinner ever. The elders were there too so we had some fun. 

Saturday morning we set out to try some potentials in our area. Well they had all moved. So our back up plans were to go tracting, we tracted Indiana Ave and no one was home, a Washington St. was perpendicular so I figured, let's try that! Didn't work out so well either. We pushed through though until we had our appointment with our investigator. That lesson went pretty well, we taught Chastity the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was snowing again that day, always a pleasure. We went and saw a member that evening. That was a great blessing. It's always a relief to talk to someone who will actually talk to you.  

I've been learning a lot about agency and forgiveness that past couple of days. I've been VERY frustrated this week because of the way our area looks. This has been by far my hardest area and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong/not doing. It accumulated Sunday morning and I had a melt down to say the least. That morning during personal study I was studying about repentance and humility and I recognized that I really need to work on both, especially when it comes to being a good companion. Luckily the power that comes from the sacrament is very real. I've come to cherish church A LOT more as a missionary. I often find myself during the sacrament reading "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul", the lyrics are incredible. Page 112 in the hymnbook, I recommend everyone to take a look at them. A couple of months ago President Cleveland wrote in his weekly e-mail "Christ drank the most bitter cup without becoming bitter". I've thought a lot about the line. While on earth each of us must develop the attributes of Christ, but we are each placed in different circumstances to be able to develop those attributes. I'm realizing that a mission was necessary for me to begin to acquire these characteristic. It's a hard place to learn them! Agency is also huge. Each moment of every day I choose how to react to my circumstances around me. Unfortunately I've made mistakes and haven't chosen to always react in the way that is the most Christ-like. I've allowed myself to have moments of bitterness, something I'm not proud of at all. When you have the Spirit with you, he reveals your weaknesses and a lot of the time they really hurt. It's easy to become like Christ until we allow ourselves to get into the way. 

But I want to end on a positive note. We had gone to get our car washed. Well we didn't see the HUGE hole in the middle. The tire of our car dropped into it and we were terrified Chloe was going to have to get towed. Luckily I was just able to slowly back up and the tire came out. Well then we realized some of the front part (I forgot what it's called) came lose. There was a guy there working and he asked if we needed help. We told him what had happened and he was able to just screw the front thing back on. I was so grateful! Then he recognized our name tags and told us about how he had been to Salt Lake years ago, etc. Very nice guy. 

Sorry this e-mail is kind of lame....just not a whole lot happened this week. Thank you for all the prayers and everything. They are very much needed. 

Kenz I bought this hat just for you. Now we can match when we get home! It even says Indiana on it....and added bonus.

December 30, 2013

For those of you who didn't have the privilege of talking to me on Christmas....

Early Christmas Eve afternoon we went to a lady's house with the elders for German food! Then elders had to leave because her son left but we got permission to stick around and watch The Polar Express! Later than evening we went to another single sister's house. We found out that her family in town hadn't invited her over for Christmas so we kind of invited ourselves over. She made us spaghetti and then we watched Joy to the World.

Christmas was great! It started snowing just a little bit while we were studying in the morning. Then Sister McDowell and I got back into her pjs to open presents. We just chilled for a few hours and then went to a member's house for lunch. Then we went straight to another member's house for dinner. SO MUCH FOOD! At which point I got to skype the fam :) PS Kenz I DON'T appreciate being called awkward....it's only gonna get worse by the time I get home. HA and you have to live with me.

So Christmas was almost the highlight of the week, because Thursday was TERRIBLE. We went tracting for awhile because, well we didn't have any appointments. I think just about everyone on this particular street opened their door, said they weren't interested in a not very polite way and closed the door. This one lady didn't even answer. Through the door she asked what we wanted. We told her. Her reply "we love Jesus go away" haha Sister McDowell and I tried to laugh as much as we could. I felt like Thursday was a complete waste of a day. I was in a pretty bad mood by the end of it. Friday wasn't much better. Well district meeting was pretty good. Remember Nathan? I gave him a call Friday night asking if we could stop by the next day. He said to try after 2.

So after 2 rolls around and we try Nathan, but no one was home! I slipped a fell and scraped by knee and got super wet. So frustrating. On Wednesday Chastity texted us saying she wanted us to come over so we could prepare her for baptism! We had a lesson with her Saturday evening. She had read everything that we asked her to. We taught her the beginning of the plan of salvation, she was soaking it up like a sponge! She was very giddy and excited to learn. At the end we committed her to be baptized on February 15th. She proceeded to fill out all the lines on the back of the pamphlet we left her (probably only RMs know what I'm talking about). Then she said "I have a date, it's like I'm getting married or something!" Sister McDowell and I just laughed at her. She then invited herself to our weddings and said she was going to throw cake haha.  Were way pumped about her. In fact at church the next day she went up to the elders and showed them her baptism date.

Sunday was kind of intense. Both Sister McDowell and I figured we wouldn't be staying together, so that's all we could think about. Church was alright, BUT AFTER!!!! Ok this is exactly what I put in my journal entry last night.

"I love being a missionary!!! I wish I could capture exactly the emotions I feel when I teach. After church we walked to see if Nathan was home. He was! He was planning on us just dropping off a Book of Mormon, we had other plans which included teaching him a lesson. We asked him if he had some time that we could sit down and talk to him. We said and opening prayer and did HTBT (I usually forget). Then he told us how it had been a rough couple of days. So we started right into the Restoration. I LOVE TEACHING!!!!!! He was soaking it all in. I did most of the talking...I just get so excited! We went into more detail on the Book of Mormon because that's what he was interested in. Once we got done explaining it and bearing our testimonies, we didn't even have to commit him to read it, he said he was going to all on his own! Then we explained about the restoration of authority and committed his to baptisjm!! Aaaahh...he said yes, obviously. He told us how he had been baptized when he was younger, but he didn't know what it meant. He totally felt the Spirit. He loved the pictures in the pamphlet, especially the First Vision. He looked like he was going to start crying a couple of times. We asked him to pray at the end and he said no because he would start crying. I walked out of his house on clouds! I didn't want to leave. I wanted to stay in that moment forever. When I was committing him to baptism I felt like it was a The District worthy moment for sure. I love being able to share my testimony and watch people be able to feel the Spirit. I really wish I could capture every feeling I felt, but words can't describe it. In PMG it says that sometimes we receive referrals because someone else is prepared. Nathan is a perfect example. It's an incredible experience to see someone hungry for truth. He hadn't heard about anything we shared with him."

Seriously nothing could bring me down after that lesson. All the pain/misery from the past two days were swept away in that 45ish minutes we spent with him.

Transfer calls seemed to take forever. The unexpected happened! We are BOTH staying in Plymouth. I think I'm excited?!? No I am. I felt like my work wasn't done here yet, but I felt like there was a possibility that I would get moved. I feel like I'm just getting to know the area, and even though it's hard I think Sister McDowell and I will finally be able to see some changes.

 So I'm looking forward to the next six weeks and the challenges that lay ahead.

Merry Christmas.​..December 23, 2013

Tuesday we finally got to meet with some investigators after feeling like it had been forever. There names are Tim and Chastity. Her sister joined the church about 5 years ago. Her sister got them in contact with our branch president. This was our first lesson with them and they had already been to church and to our branch Christmas party. So....taught them the Restoration, committed them to baptism etc. Some how transfers were brought up that they were in two weeks. Chastity told us that if she was going to get baptized it would need to be before either of us got transferred. We didn't have the heart to tell her that that couldn't happen. We are meeting again with them tonight! I'm excited. Teaching them the Plan of Salvation, why bad things happen to good people, etc. Stocked!

Ha Wednesday night we had dinner with our landlord and the elders. Our landlord has been housing missionaries for like 30 years and comes to church on and off. He considers himself 80% Mormon. Anyways, a very interesting dinner appointment in deed. What caught us way off guard was when Sister McDowell and I told him that we were both born in the church he said "so you were both born in the covenant?" All four of us just looked at him wondering how he knew such a term. He said I know more about the church than you know. Really funny/interesting guy.

Thursday was probably better than Christmas! So we had to wake up early to make the 2 1/2 hour drive down to Fishers. In the morning we had trainings on Christ-like attributes by the assistants and different sister training leaders. I learned a lot of things about myself that I REALLY need to work on. One is forgiveness. Forgiving myself and forgiving others. Sister Clark (one of my first companions) gave a training on virtue. She talked a lot about how in order to qualify for the Spirit we must be virtuous. She spoke of a delete key. We all know of the analogy of how our mind is like a stage, that only one thought can occupy it at a time. A delete key is a physical thing we can do when we want to delete a thought from our mind. Just like a computer has a delete key to erase words we don't want. We'll, I have to admit. Controlling what I think about is hard. Not bad stuff, just thoughts that take me away from my investigators or my missionary work. We are taught over and over again of how important it is that our minds are centered on our missions. So that's the second thing I'm working on. I've created a delete key and I'm working on it. THEN Sister Cleveland gave the most incredible training of my life. On the projector she showed a picture of Christ. It's a very unique picture. She told us how most of the pictures of Christ he isn't smiling, but in this one he is. It's by Liz Lemon Swindle and it's called Abide With Me (don't know if you that's how you spell it). Mom, if you can track down this picture I want one! Even if it's just googled and printed off on regular paper. This picture literally changed me. Sister Cleveland went on to talk about how we know from the scriptures that Christ smiled. That He smiles when I do the things that I'm supposed to do and when I do hard things. A side note, a new definition for obedience: willingness and ability to do hard things. Anyways, the entire time she was talking I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I've thought a lot about that picture since and that's why I want a copy to carry around with me everywhere. At this point I was crying, just a lot of different emotions I was feeling. Most of it being humility. Afterward a young man performed a song. He had written especially for missionaries. It's called "A Road Less Traveled", that also made me cry. Luckily, he actually created an entire CD for us. All of them are Christmas songs, expect this one. I think Sister McDowell and I have listened to it about 100 times around. Luckily you can all listen to it once I get home :)

Then we had lunch. I was afraid I was going to be a wreck for the rest of teh day. I found some of my old companions and we just caught up. I think I followed Sister Fullmer around most of the time. It may have been the last time on the mission I see her! She's just so dang funny! Picture to follow. We played some silly Christmas games and then it took about an hour trying to get a mission and zone pictures. You wouldn't believe how difficult it is to get 250+ people in a picture when most of them are 19 year old boys haha. Remember the Gasaway's!?!?!? Well Shannon finally came to church!! I was BEYOND excited when the sisters told me that.

The talent show was fun! I messed up pretty bad playing Waterfall because I was so nervous. One of the elders was even kind enough to point out where I messed up, but then he messed up when he played All of Me, so it all worked out. There's a lot of....interesting talent in our mission. Just kidding, I really did have a blast though. I should have taken pictures! Only regret. There was definitely a lot of energy in that gym. Like always, it was just really fun to catch up with other missionaries I have served around. 

At the conference I got a package from Leah Ann. In it was one of the sweetest letters I have even received. She said she is pretty sure God knew it would take me to help them. That she was so grateful for the gift that I shared with them. As I read it, it just made me cry. She also included a necklace that was her mother's. That really touched me. I've already worn it a lot, as a reminder.

I got all of your packages mom haha. So remember that letter your wrote me? How you said how amazed you still are that once they made the change that I decided to go without looking back. That you knew when I called wanting to talk to you and dad it was because I wanted to serve a mission. Looking back, in the moment when I got the first impression I was supposed to go, I didn't want to, at all. Then, when the age change occurred, I didn't want to go that quickly. I wanted to wait and then Dad just told me to go. I think what happened those fourish months was that I was in denial. I have to admit, I don't think I even "wanted" to go, rather I knew that Heavenly Father had told me I needed to go. I was worried I would get homesick during this time. That all I would want to be was be home. But instead, I've had this overwhelming feeling of gratitude this last week or so. It was very strong at mission conference. I recognize that I'm in a very special place right now. That this truly is a once in a life time opportunity. I've been blessed to meet so many incredible people, missionaries, members, and non-members (now members :).

Friday was sweet! So a member had given us four referrals earlier in the week. For this one particular one she didn't have a name, only that she was a Hispanic woman. So we knocked on the door and just acted like we were tracting. This Hispanic guy answered the door. We took the approach of sharing a Christmas message and he was more than willing. Then he started asking us questions about missionary life (what we do, for how long, etc.) I had already pulled out my Christmas scripture and then mentally just said "forget it, we're going to talk about the Restoration". Spirit? Maybe. So somehow I brought up the Book of Mormon and began bearing my testimony. At one point I said that it had changed me life. He stopped me and asked how. The Sister McDowell bore testimony. So cool! ah so then he said we had sparked his curiosity. We didn't have a copy on us, so we are going back today! Little moments like that are what make a mission.

Both Sister McDowell and I spoke in sacrament yesterday. It was probably the simplest Christmas program ever. It felt weird being so close to the audience, because there isn't even a stand. While I was waiting to speak, I had another one of those "I'm so blessed to be here moments". This area has been hard, but I still wouldn't trade being here. I think Christmas Eve/Christmas will be fun. I'm praying for snow so we can have a snowball fight with the members who house we are going to! They have three teenage girls and I mentioned it yesterday at church. Oh! They raise their own pigs, so guess what???? I get REAL ham this year.

So....Merry Christmas!!! This will be one I never forget as I'm spent so much more time thinking about others rather than myself. Thanks for the Christmas ornament mom. Instead of hanging up on a tree, it sits on my desk and is a physical reminder to me of the important of working hard. It's perfect. I love each of you very very much.

Sister Kyla Mayberry

EVERYTHING CANCELLED THIS WEEK!!!-December 16, 2013

Not gonna lie, overall this week was kind of discouraging. But there were some good parts!

Wednesday we did exchanges. I LOVE SISTER BARRETT. She is one of the funniest people I have ever met and whenever I am around her I just laugh the entire time. We shared a room in the MTC together, so we go way back :) Wednesday was the first day is got really cold and it snowed a couple of inches. We spent most of the day finding. Everyone we talked to was like "why are you even outside?" My feet were frozen haha. BUT! a miracle. This girl stepped outside to clean off her car. She was late for work so we offered to help her. We just briefly mentioned who we were and she told us she wasn't interested. We left her with her number and walked to our next destination. About 20 minutes later a car pulls up beside us. Hope (that's her name) gets out of the car and walks over to us. She tells us that she kept thinking about meeting us and how it probably wasn't a coincidence. She told us that if she saws us on her way into work she would give us her number. And she saw us! A little miracle. We gave her a call yesterday, no answer. We'll see. Miracles always happen on exchanges.

Sister Barrett and I got to reminisce about our MTC days. We are both praying we get to be companions one day. We had a lot of fun. But we also had some serious conversations between doors and stuff. We are both at the same point in our missions, so we swamped thoughts and emotions.

Thursday morning we headed out into the snow to contact a HQ referral. It was quite a distant and when we arrived at what we thought was the address, we couldn't find it. So we decided to knock on a random door and ask them if we could shovel their snow. The lady was so grateful because her husband was actually sick and wouldn't be able to do it. It was fun! First time ever shoveling snow. Certainly not the last.

Friday in district meeting I gave a training on accountability. We read over Ether 2. A couple months ago I was reading this chapter and realized how one principle we learn from the Brother of Jared is accountability. At first, he wasn't accountable. Then he repents, receives specific instructions from the Lord, and follows through with them. Take some time to study it if you'd like. I'm to lazy to share with you all my thoughts haha.  

I think Saturday and Sunday were some of the longest days of my life...Saturday we got about 8 inches of snow and our cars got grounded. So that meant walking! In the morning we went to see a LA sister. On our way home a mail lady asked if we were walking and if we could help her find a package she had dropped in the snow. We spent about 20 minutes trying to find it, with no luck. After lunch we went to help a non-member move. It's someone that a member of the ward works with. A VERY nice young couple. We'll see what happens. Brother Mcliver really wants to see them get baptized. We had several appointments lined up for Saturday and all of the fell through. I think this week is my new record for the amount of appointments fallen through. I don't even want to count.

Church was even cancelled! Luckily the elders met us at the church and we still got to take the sacrament. Definitely a moment I will forever remember. It made me remember just how important taking the sacrament is. Then it was more walking! My body is way exhausted after the last couple of days. Walking in 8 inches of snow is much harder than no snow. However, I'm gaining a much better appreciation for the pioneers. We often sing "Come, Come Ye Saints" or some other missionary song when we are tried and think we're about to die (yes sometimes we are dramatic). There are multiple little rivers we cross over and every time I think of the pioneers crossing the Sweetwater. I honestly don't think I could have done it. We decided to drive to Bremen to contact a HQ referral that we had tried calling earlier in the week. We drove the 12 miles out there and couldn't find the address! I HATE when that happens. So we saw an older lady shoveling snow and offered to help her finish up. She let us! Then we went in a shared a little Christmas message with her. She takes care of her 96 year old mother. Very sweet people. That was a bit of a blessing. Actually a big blessing. Yesterday was so hard.

I feel like I'm complaining a lot, which I am haha. I don't know what I would have done this week without our exchange. Luckily, this week we get to look forward to mission conference on Thursday. Oh! Sister Barrett and I were talking about the dangers of plateauing. It's something Sister Donaldson talked about all the time. At the time, I hated it because I felt like I was never going to get there. The halfway point of my mission felt like it was never going to come. Now I'm SO grateful I was trained by a seasoned/older sister because I understand what I'm going through is normal and what I can do to overcome it. I never would have been taught that if I was trained by a 3 month old missionary. 

So this week? Concentrate on working hard and forgetting about myself. I'm still trying to figure out how to completely forget about myself and just do the will of Heavenly Father. Hopefully I'll be able to learn a little more of that lesson everyday.

Oh yeah. Merry Christmas!!!!

Fleece lined leggings are the best invention in the world....December 9, 2013

I brought two pairs at Walmart, only have been wearing them for about an hour, and my life has changed haha. It got cold again this week and snowed. We have to walk everywhere because we have a mission conference in Fisher's next week that we have to drive to. It takes about 200 of our monthly miles, so yes a lot of walking this month. I would also recommend the gingerbread m&m's. I walked past them, and kind of like my pumpkin addiction, I couldn't say no.

So some investigator info. Jaylan is a 13 year old who got baptized back in October. Her mom REFUSES to quite smoking along with the coffee, tea, etc. The elders had taught her once before we got her. We have kind of been teaching her. Actually we've been apostate missionaries and just haven't been really bold with her. Last night they had us over for dinner. Earlier in the week we had committed Jenny (the mom) the begin reading the Book of Mormon. We followed up and she had! So then I just asked her "what are you going to start doing when you find out it is true?" She said "we'll I'm not going to quite smoking!" I told her not to worry about that, but what else was she going to do. She said said "we'll I guess start going to church and stuff". I am DETERMINED to set a date with her this week. She's one of the funniest people I have ever met. We are also going to help her paint some of her house this week hopefully.

Our other solid investigators cancelled their appointments with us on Saturday. We'll be meeting with one of them tonight though! We saw a lot of less actives this week. One of them was an older lady in her 80s and she came to church yesterday! From what more experienced elders have said it's hard to meet with investigators this time of the year so key indicators for less actives tend to go up. Also our branch president gives us a list of like 10 names for people to go see during the week.

Friday we had zone meeting. I hate being the only sisters in the zone. The elders treat us like we are a disease or something haha. Not really, but we did kind of feel like outcasts. Luckily one of the elders from my MTC district was at least willing enough to role play with me. One of the elders trained on diligence and left us with a commitment to study why we do missionary work...more on that later.

Friday night was our branch Christmas party. No program, only food! Luckily an unknown member of the ward made sweet potato casserole! Almost like how you make it mom, the only difference was there weren't any pecans on top. I may have had more than one serving of it. I also spent some time talking to a gentleman in our ward. He served his mission in Denmark back in the 1960s. He was telling me how the MTC was only four days and at the end her got set apart by Spencer W. Kimball who was then an apostle. We talked about how much missionary work has certainly changed! I'm starting to like the branch more and more. It's interesting to go to church when maybe a third of the people show up in jeans and t-shirts, but I'm soooo glad they are willing to come. It's a neat opportunity to be able to offer a smile a hug to such humble people.

Something way embarrassing happened on Saturday. For some reason I've been really tired these week....I've been sleeping fine. Anyways, we were teaching a less active and I started dozing off! The minute I realized it the sister said something about it and asked if I wanted to go home haha. Little does she know we don't stop working until 9:30. Unfortunately the same thing happened the week before. I felt terrible, still do. So....Sister McDowell said she's going to start elbowing me during lessons.

Spiritually this week has been pretty hard. I've felt almost no motivation and my personal studies haven't been very diligent. I've been praying multiple times a day to figure what the heck my problem is. I've been blaming it on the fact that I've been out nine months, I'm tired, and I've started to hit a plateau, but I hate that. How do I make myself begin to progress again? Maybe I mentioned this last week, but we've been listening to a lot of talks by general authorities lately. One of them is by Elder Holland and it's called "Remember Lot's Wife", I think. Anyways, he talks about the importance of not longing to live in the past. I've done that a lot lately. Not only premission life, but mostly my first transfer. Unfortunately, there hasn't been a day gone by that I don't wish to be back in the YSA. I think it's mostly because I feel like I didn't learn everything I could have from my trainer. I've realized how luckily I am to have been trained by the one and only Sister Donaldson. I've realized that she was able to teach me things that a lot of other sisters aren't. The one thing I didn't learn from her is how to be strong, how to not be easily influenced by people around me. I haven't figured out how to pass on what she taught me to other sisters. It's SO frustrating.

So last night I was studying why we do missionary work. We do it so people can become cleansed from their sins and return to live with Heavenly Father again. This week I have continued to pray and ask what I need to do to become a missionary. We'll last night I got my answer, at least the beginning of it. I have to come to not only understand, but feel what the atonement means. In Preach My Gospel it talks about once we understand the atonement we will understand how important it is for EVERYONE to be cleansed from sin, which then provides the motivation necessary to share the gospel. In this moment, I don't feel like I'm there. I feel like I don't have a deep enough understanding of the atonement and what it can do for each of us. I remember before I left President Pringle told me that the reasons returned missionaries come back changed is because they come to understand what the atonement means. So...I've got nine months to begin to figure out what it means. Obviously I realized I'm going to continue to learn what the atonement means for the rest of my life. But I've got to feel what it means so I can continue to progress and help others progress.

This morning I was reading Jacob 1:8

"Wherefore, we would to God that we could PERSUADE ALL MEN not to rebel against God, to provoke him to anger, but that all mean would BELIEVE IN CHRIST, and view his death, and SUFFER HIS CROSS AND BEAR THE SHAME OF THE WORLD..."

The cross reference for cross leads to Luke 14:27

I kept reading. So from Jacob 1:8 I learned we are hear to help people believe in Christ and once we come to believe in Christ we have to suffer to a small degree what Christ suffered. I read Luke 14:27 " and whosever doth no bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" but then continued reading. The following versus talk about not counting the cost. They are very good, I recommend everyone to read them. Which reminded me of another Elder Holland talk. He said we can't count the cost of sacrifices. Why? Because then we aren't doing it with a willing heart. V 33 "so likewise, whosever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple". If we don't give up EVERYTHING, then we aren't a disciple. Counting the cost isn't giving up everything willing. I've been counting the cost of my mission, counting days, etc. And that's why I've stopped progressing to an extent. So what have I learned these past couple of days? I've got to come to feel what the atonement means more, I can't count the costs, and I can't look back. Coming to feel what the atonement means means repentance on my part. Everyday it's a battle between my will and Heavenly Father's. Luckily, He's patient and hasn't sent me home yet :)

On a lighter note....Sister McDowell is pretty awesome. Sorry I haven't said anything about her. She's from Gilbert AZ, 21 years old, has been out 7 1/2 months (one transfer less than me). She's way athletic and people ask her all the time if she's an athlete. She has a twin sister, huh I don't know what else to say.

I think that's about everything. Sorry no pictures...the computer isn't working.

Love you all!
Sister Mayberry

"They went to Elkhart for Thanksgivi​ng"-December 2, 2013

This week was kind of slow, hence the title of the e-mail. I felt like all of the potentials the past sisters/elders left us weren't home this week. A lot of people were out of town. So every time we would knock on a door and they weren't home, Sister McDowell and I would look at each other and say "they probably went to Elkart for Thanksgiving".

Highlight from Tuesday. We were driving through "downtown" Plymouth and Sister McDowell told me to pull over because there was a lady decorating a Christmas tree. So we pulled over and offered our assistance. We ask a lot of people for small random service and it seems like no one ever lets us help them. She did! So we got to spend half an hour decorating a Christmas tree. They line the main street through Plymouth with them every year and then the businesses are responsible for decorating them. 

So Wednesday was lame. By Tuesday night I wasn't feeling good again. I woke up Wednesday morning feeling pretty awful. So I texted the district leader and we stayed in most of the day. I slept off and on all morning. Then I watched Mormon Messages for the rest of the afternoon. Poor Sister McDowell..she was going crazy. It was a good day to be sick though because we didn't have any appointments. The elders were kind enough to make a snow man for us on our porch that day. I'll attach a picture. 

I felt a little better Thursday morning. We did our studies and weekly planning in the morning. And then we were free from noon until 9. We started off by meeting the elders at the church for a snowball fight. Probably not the wisest idea still not feeling totally great, but I didn't want to make my companion stay in another day. It was a very successful snowball fight because it's just a huge field behind the church. The elders had gotten there earlier and built a fort. After running around for awhile we decided to build some snowmen in front of the church. We even stuck mormon.org cards in them! President Kelly wasn't too thrilled to see them there on Sunday. He told us he loves snowmen, but to make it in the back next time haha. 

For dinner we went to a member's home. It was pretty good. No sweet potato casserole though! I found out yesterday that the elders went to another home and they got sweet potato casserole; I may have been a little bit jealous. After eating we just went home, cleaned our apartment, and wrote letters. 

District meeting was good. My district leader chastised me a little bit and told me to just stay in if I wasn't feeling 100%. I kind of ignored him and just went out to work anyways. We met a potential finally. He goes me DJ Wayne. We're both pretty sure he was drunk...about half way through talking with him he pulls out a microphone and tells us he prefers to talk with it haha. Sister McDowell and I just looked at each other and smiled. It was a pretty funny 20 minutes. He said we could come back, so we'll see what happens! 

Saturday we finally had our first appointment with an investigator! Her name is Joann. She first met missionaries back in 2009 and met with them pretty regularly. Then she got lost and started meeting with them two years ago consistently for a few months and then somehow got lost again. Then the elders were walking by her house maybe a month ago and her husband was outside and told them that his wife used to meet with missionaries. Joann told them she wanted to take the lessons again from the beginning. So then we went in there and asked her why. She told us that when she was meeting with missionaries she felt at peace and felt like she was heading the direction that she wanted to. Since then, her life is a mess again. She never developed a testimony of the Book of Mormon, so that's where we are starting. I asked her to read the Book of Mormon and this time to search for an answer. She asked what I meant by that. I asked her if last time she read, if she was just reading it like a novel, just reading words on a page. She said yes. We explained what is means to search for an answer and the definition of real intent. She has two kids; her daughter is five and has been asking to come to church. She wanted to come yesterday, but was sick. I have HIGH hopes for her. There's got to be something there if she's coming back again the third time. 

Last night we had our second lesson with investigators. Their names are Kara and Sabrina and are cousins. The elders met them when they were standing outside. Both have been to other churches but have never felt the Spirit. That's what they are looking for. They shared with us that they both felt the Spirit the first time they sat down with the missionaries. Kara loves the story of Joseph Smith. Their desire to seek truth really amazes me. They were both anxious to get a hard copy of the Book of Mormon. Kara has been reading it on her tablet or whatever, but then it broke. She's also been praying about the Book of Mormon and feels like it is true. We tried to commit them to baptism, but both said they wanted to attend church first. 

I'm really excited about them! They are fun to teach. Oh they are both young, like someone in their 20's. It was good to finally be able to teach someone after a week and a half. We also had some success with less actives this week. One came to church! 

We went out to dinner one night with the Relief Society president. She informed us that only three sisters do their visiting teaching and they freak out when she mentions going on exchanges with us. This branch needs some help haha. We'll see what we can do. Since we can't cold contact at night, we are going to see what we can do to help the branch with their visiting teaching.

Being that I'm at my halfway point; I've been thinking a lot about becoming. A wonderful trainer of mine taught me on multiple occasions about phases and how much she hates them. This week was kind of a bad phase; I wasn't in the mood to work because I felt weak and didn't feel good. Now that I've snapped out of that, I'm ready to get back to work. One of my biggest fears is that I won't truly change on my mission and that I will revert back to my old self. I was reading Alma 17:11 this morning "I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls". Through the Atonement of Christ I can be made into anything Heavenly Father needs me to be. But I have to choose it. Yesterday I was reading through some of my notes from the MTC. During one of the devotionals the speaker spoke about the importance of choosing what kingdom we wanted to go to. Once we've made that decision, then the daily decisions are easier because all we have to think is "is that going to get me to the Celestial Kingdom or not?". I've applied that principle in a smaller scale relating to my mission. Is this decision going to make me the kind of missionary I want to be? Hopefully at least a portion of this is making sense. Sometimes I study things and I want to share, but it doesn't come out the way I want it to. I guess, what I'm working on is being diligent. Conversion is something we have to work at, it doesn't come passively. Becoming a missionary....that's what it is all about. 

Hopefully this week is awesome! Just kidding, it will be if I make it! We are going to spend a lot of time doing service because a lot of people don't want to meet with us because they are busy with the Holidays. We'll just keep getting to know the area and the branch members. 

I love whoever actually takes the time to read these things!

Sister Mayberry 

Our apartment is pretty sweet...I tried to take some pictures, but they don't do it justice. There are some nice 70 decorations in there.