Wadsworth & Batsuuri: How Farm a Foundation

Dear Fam!

I can't NOT start this off with the most hilarious thing ever. So I finally gave in and let my companion start using the phone. Up to this point I had been pretty protective because I let her text once when she first got here and she totally screwed it up cause she doesn't do the whole English language thing quite yet. Might have offended some people haha. Well I told her to text a member and say we were on our way so she texts her: "we're almost there! ):" I looked at the text and was like, why did you put that? She's like "smiley face?" No honey, that was a frowny face, it means your sad. We laughed for like ten minutes, and then laughed some more with the member when we got to her house and explained. I seriously can't handle it. Sometimes it is so hysterically annoying how easily we misunderstand each other. We both know we don't mean to offend by anything we say to the other but sometimes I forget she isn't like us and say something sassy and she gets all defensive, or she'll tell me I need to wear more make up and I get my feathers ruffled. What is it with Asians and paint? I'm a spring chicken I don't need makeup! Haha. Anyway it is going great and we had an awesome week!

On Monday we went and saw a girl who is leaving on her mission next week, she knows G dog and Big Dude cause she was in their ward at BYUI...her family was so sweet! It was weird to be in a family setting again. Her mama taught me how to make papa a la huancaina, this Peruvian sauce that is seriously to die for! I can't wait to make you all these new things I'm learning, they are so great! One of the elders from the Dominican Republic taught me how to make these KILLER tacos. Y'all are gonna get fat when I get back. 

Tuesday and Wednesday we had so many appointments! Plus our finding activities with our district and meetings and everything. We taught 5 lessons during prime time on Wednesday! I hate that saying "prime time." I feel like it makes it seem like the hours from 6-9 are the only ones in which you can be productive. All time is prime time! You seriously can't waste a second of your mission, or your life! There is so much to do! I sound like Trenton haha. Thursday we had a lesson in Jamaica with John. He is so cool! He is in the army and has gotten shot like 4 times, no big deal eh. He has such a strong testimony. I love being ale to see the spiritual side of people in lessons. I feel like in regular life we always see the funny or the quirky or the serious. It's cool to take time to see what people believe, and why they do what they do and live a certain way. People are honestly fascinating.

Friday we had an exchange with the STLs. We taught some lessons and got ready for JeongAh's baptism. I made chocolate eclair dessert..yesssss. Why is this whole email about food? Oh probs cause we haven't eaten today. Whatever. We went to FHE and they did make-it-yourself pizzas (food again. Oops.) Saturday we tried to do service with Dave. It snowed so Sister Lugo and I went to Dunkin Doughnuts and did online proselyting instead. Best decision ever. We did some other preparations for the baptism and went and saw a member. The baptism was sooooo good! The spirit was so strong and after JeongAh got out of the water she turned around to the guy who baptized her and held out her arms and they both got back in the font and gave each other a hug. It was so presh, it meant so much to her and she felt so good. I love baptisms because it's a time for us to reflect on the covenants we made with God and the good feeling we have when we repent. I gave a talk about the Holy Ghost and Sister Batsuuri gave one about baptism. The Director of the company JeongAh and Min work for came! He was looking at the font afterwards and so I started talking to him and basically taught him the restoration and Plan of Salvation in 10 minutes and then gave him a Book of Mormon. He was extremely grateful and I think he could really feel the spirit. 

I have such a strong belief and conversion to the Book of Mormon. One of our investigators wants to read it through before he makes a decision about baptism. We talked to him about real intent and I was so straight up with him, I told him if he reads it for intellectual or scientific reasons that's what he'll get out of it. If he reads it to get closer to Christ he will get closer to Christ. Reading the Book of Mormon for intellectual reasons is like trying to measure gravity with a measuring cup. It can't be done because we aren't using the right tools. We must listen to this gospel with our hearts, not our intellect (although it does require that to make a decision if it is true). I feel like there is such great harm in relying on the "arm of the flesh." I trust God so much more than I'd ever trust a scientist. I know that that book and this church are truer than anything else on earth, and if we put our all into this church it will give us all the blessings we need in return--and then some. I am so grateful to be a part of the hastening of the Lord's work, this is a marvelous time to be alive and especially to be a missionary. This is the greatest privilege I have ever had. 

Love you all, thanks so much for your love and support, I couldn't do it without you. 

Sister Wadsworth

Pics:

1. Don't tell president, but this is my boyfriend on the mission. WHY ARE KIDS SO CUTE.

2. Doin some chalk art in the park! Love Sister Grass, she's the best!

3. Jamaica Ave at Sunset.

4. Freezing to death!

Turn on the font!

Dear Fam:

You're probably tired of me saying that every week was the best week yet, but that's just how it pans out. No matter what hardships we go through it is always satisfying to look back at all the wonderful things that happened, and there were a lot this week! 

Friday morning I was reading in my actual scriptures instead of on my iPad and for some reason I was looking at the maps. Random right? I looked at them for probably 10 minutes, and I honestly didn't know why I felt like I should. That afternoon we set up a table with free materials to give out to people. This one guy bashed us so hard but we just stood there and smiled. He made such a fool of himself, saying quite a few things about our church that weren't true, but he would NOT be interrupted. It's funny because most Christians believe that all you have to do is believe to be saved, so technically (by their standards) Mormons will make it to heaven #terrestialkingdom. ANYWAY. This one guy came up and was actually friendly! I invited him to church and he said he would come if I could guess where he was from. I blurted out Lebanon because for some reason that had stuck out to me from my study of the maps that morning. Haha. He looked at me utterly shocked..."how did you know?" He asked. Anyway he is coming to church on Sunday. 

Tuesday we did another singing-on-the-train gig and I didn't loose my comp this time! I talked to a lot of different people, and on one train people actually clapped! Elder Turley brought his guitar and we would sing 2 verses of "Nearer My God to Thee" harmonizing it. Our district is pretty talented guys. It's actually so fun. Where I first got here I would sing without moving my mouth cause obviously if you sing people look at you and it's so awk when everyone is staring at you. But you get over it and talk to people and it is so great. If you're ever grumpy just talk to someone, it will change your attitude almost immediately! 

Wednesday we had a meeting all day for new missionaries and their trainers. I got to sit by my trainer, and now that I am training I appreciate her so much more. She was just a wonderful friend to me, and that's what I needed when I first got here. God always knows what we need better than we do. Macy, my girl from Canada, took us out to Chinese BBQ and after we ate this lady fearlessed US and we got her info cause she wants to come to church! And then at institute one of the guys that a member has been bringing came up to me and we had a really good talk and he wants to start the discussions! Cha Chang! Members are the keyyyy to missionary work. We can't do anything without them. 

Thursday was weekly planning of course, and some less-active lookups (there are always lookups, every day) and we had transfer interviews with President. After interviews we went to Erica's house. She thinks she's gonna marry big dude cause she saw the family pic on FB, if you knew her it would be way more funny. Mostly cause she wears 10-inch heels all the time and the thought of her on the farm just kills me it's so funny. Her and this other girl fight over whose gonna marry big dude everytime they are around me. They're always like "who would you rather have as your sister-in-law?" Haha don't make a black girl jealous, it ain't pretty. But she is a good missionary and she is trying to get her Jewish friend to come to church! Then we went to Zarahemla's (Zara) house for dinner. They are from the Philippeans so whenever we go over I think of Big Dude. And half the guys in the branch served in Brazil so that reminds me of G-Dog. Basically everything reminds me of my awesome family cause I'm obsessed with them. It's fine. 

The most exciting thing from our weekend is that JeongAh decided to get baptized here before she moves back to South Korea!!! We had the most amazing lesson with her, and the spirit was so strong. I absolutely love her as well as Min, the girl who introduced her to the church and to us. It doesn't matter if I never see them again in this life, I will always feel that they are some of my closest friends. Her baptism will be this Saturday(: 

I have lots to tell you as far as gospel topics this week. I have been studying "hope" because sometimes we get so wrapped up in faith and charity that we forget that the 3 are all divinely connected. I was looking at the opposites of the three: fear, discouragement, and selfishness, and the way I see it if we use the 3 attributes interchangeably we can conquer those three negative qualities, thus enabling us to have faith, hope, and charity. Faith conquers discouragement (PMG 10), perfect love (charity) casteth out fear (Mor. 8:16), and hope makes an anchor to the souls of men, making us "sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works" (Ether 12:4) enabling us to be selfless, not selfish. I know that these 3 things are connected for a reason, and that is to help us be successful and happy in life. Something else I have been thinking about it that our reality is so relative. We see ourselves in a certain way because we can only see where we have been and where we are now. God, however, is from all eternity to all eternity. He sees us as we were, are, and can become all at the same time. He knows our potential and he knows our past transgressions. He also knows we will overcome the things we are going through. Whenever you have doubt about your abilities, TRUST GOD. Because when we trust him we gain trust in ourselves. Our level of faith in Jesus Christ is equal to the level of faith we have in ourself. If you struggle with self-esteem, strengthen your faith in Christ and you will see a positive difference. 

Thank you for your support and love, I am so grateful for such a wonderful family and for the gospel to bind us together for eternity. I'm so proud of Brent!!! He will make such an amazing missionary. I love you all!

Sister Wadsworth

So the week went by really fast and I just realized I only took a few pictures, but here they are!:

1. Our sister training leaders come over for dinner every Sunday so that I have an excuse to cook haha

2. Took a nice little selfie since I forgot to take pictures. Lucky you eh.

3. We went to a Korean cultural thing with Min and JeongAh, it was the weirdest thing of my life. I don't understand Asians ...not even a little. 

4. Had to take a celebration photo because JeongAh said YES to being baptized! 

5. Happy birthday to Elder Hartley!!! And of course Rebekah but you already know what she looks like...#hotmama

Remember when I thought Rexburg was cold?

This has been the longest week of my life! Not in a bad way, but we just had so many things happen! We didn't really have a p-day, since we have a car we took 3 sets of missionaries to Costco (separately)...I'm actually tired of being in Costco at the moment. We also took a member to the hospital cause she broke her leg. Ok that's something I have a problem with as far as city life. Most people don't have cars and NOBODY has a truck. How do you live? What if you bought a couch and you can't just put it in the back of your truck and take it home? I'll tell ya, you have to pay $100 for them to deliver it to your house that's 2 blocks away. I think that's RIDICLOUS! People pay so much to live here and none of them are even that happy. Haha

Tuesday it snowed for real, and again on Friday, so we have been shoveling for about 2 hours a day. I seriously love it. Other than the fact that you freeze to death no matter how many layers you put on, it just feels so good to do actual work for once. I've made chicken noodle soup for like 7 different people this week cause everyone is sick. Oh my I have a funny story! So my comps favorite is octopus soup, and ain't nobody got time for the way that stuff smells when she cooks it. So I made chicken noodle soup for her...I'm just sayin I pretty much outdid myself...it was really good. Well she LOVED it. She loved it even more than octopus soup. I am slowly converting her to American food and she is cooking fewer and fewer things that make me throw up when I smell them. She also gave me this Asian facial cause she was like "sister, your skin looks really bad." So she rubbed the heck out of my face for like an hour and then she was like "there, now I can stand to look at you." It was hysterical. She is really straightforward, the other day she called one of the elders fat and I was like "you probably shouldn't say that." But haha I guess it's not offensive in her culture. 

So Thursday night was probably the worst night of my life. My stomach is having problems still and so I couldn't sleep. At 11 I finally decided to eat or drink something so I could hopefully sleep. I went into the kitchen and turned on the light and there were literally 15 cockroaches in the sink and other ones walking all over the counters. Insta-gag. I sprayed the heck out of them and obviously lost the appetite I never had in the first place. Which was good cause my comp liked the chicken noodle soup so much that she ate all of it so there wasn't any left anyway.  I got back in bed and just felt itchy all night and might have cried myself to sleep. I love our pad. So one of the girls on the MTC told me that you burn more calories when you're cold...awesome! The guys never came to cover our AC units so we are still freezing away! For studies we huddle up to the heater decked out in all our winter gear. It's nice though cause when we got outside we don't even bat an eye cause we're used to it! Canada is gonna be a can of corn after this. 

Backtracking to Elder Hartley's palm-reading experience a few weeks back, the exterminator came to kill our cockroaches and he saw a pic of me and Travis on the fridge and was like "your husband?" I was like sure, why not. Give or take a few years. He looks at me and says "he is a very good man, he will make a good living and you will be very wealthy" I was like how do ya figure? Apparently this fool had studied psychology and knows people by looking at their face. He prolly should have stuck with psychology cause we still got cockroaches comin out the walls. 

Hardly anyone wanted to meet with us cause it's so cold, but somehow we got 3 solid new people to teach! They even came to church! We did have some awesome lessons..we talked to Neil about the temple and he is SO excited to go. We also had a new feller from Florida move in (Melissa Hartley knows him!) and he is excited to go back to the temple and do some family names! We are so blessed to be serving in this branch. Even though the living situation kinda blows it is more than worth it to be able to know these awesome people! I love them so much and they teach me more than I feel like I teach them! Also I can't believe how fast the time is going! It's already been 8 months! :( it's going by too fast. I love being a missionary SO much! 

I have been thinking a lot about why I KNOW this church is the only true church. We have an investigator who is really "scientific" and likes to "prove" things to us. He is so unhappy though! He doesn't know where truth comes from. It doesn't come from the Internet, and even if science can prove something that honestly means nothing to me. My faith is in God and His word, but it is manifest in the RESULTS of living the gospel. I know the church is true because of the way I feel. I am happy, peaceful and hopeful. This young man has none of those emotions because he refuses to act on what we teach. The worst part is I'm just a homeschooled girl from Nevada but he will trap himself in his words and realize that what I said was right all along... Not that I'm smart by any means but because I only testify that what I know is true, and it really is TRUE. I wish more people would go to God and His prophets as their source of finding truth, He(they)will never lead us astray. 

I love this gospel and the reason it is so important to live it is so we can all be together forever! I love you all, you're the most awesome family a person could ask for. Have a great week!

Sister Wadsworth 

Pics: 

1&2: tryna get on their level and be Asian...#forevesaskwatch 

3: one of our 3 Costco trips..I love these girls!

4: most awkward picture ever taken but it snowed so who cares.

5: the other sisters in our district. I'm basically the mom. Yep.

Life on the LIE (Long Island Expressway)

Cause lets get real, we aren't doing missionary work, we just drive all day. HAHA.

This week (year) started off with a bang! My comp almost burned down our apartment twice and we've had some AWESOME lessons this week. I think the thing I'll end up missing the most from my mission is teaching the gospel so frequently. I love it. It pushes me to study more effectively and pray more fervently. PS this is my attempt to write a shorter weekly update cause ain't nobody got time to read the ones I've been writing. Let's be honest I don't even have time to write them. Okay so here goes: 

Monday we had a zone activity and I got to cook so I was automatically happy, we had lesson with Eduardo and did a look-up for a YSA who just moved in. She couldn't come to the door cause she was with her 9-week old baby. Totes awk. Like, I hope she's not YSA. Cug.

Tuesday my companion was finally able to call her family since she didn't get to on Christmas! She was in heaven speaking her language and whatnot. I decided while she was taking it would be a good time to get our headlights fixed on our car. 5 hours later... we missed most of District Meeting and then exchanged with the STLs. I really like our Sister Training Leaders and so it was a good time. 

Wednesday we exchanged back at 2 and went straight to a zone flash mob on the subway. We sang a song and then I started talking to a really sweet lady. The train stopped and I saw a man get off with a black hat and suit. Our district leader obviously. So I said goodbye and jumped off the train, grabbing Sister Larsen's arm so she didn't get left. The doors closed and all I see is Sister Batsuuri's shocked face barely peeking through the window cause she's so short, banging on the door and screaming. All the other missionaries were still on the train so I pointed to them and she looked and stopped screaming. I'm probably the worst trainer in this whole world for accidentally leaving her, but as soon as the train shot away Sister Larsen and I were rolling with laughter for probably 15 minutes. My comp's face was the most priceless thing of my life. Sticks how everybody wears all black everything here so you can easily mistake a common business man for your District Leader eh. 

On Wednesday night I couldn't sleep but the moon was shining outside my window really brightly. I stared at it for a while since it's the closest to nature I can get. "I guess I'm not that far from Elder Hartley if we are both under the same moon!" I thought about the time difference for a while and realized that it was high noon and summertime in Australia. I guess we really are THAT far away from each other. Haha. I never thought I would be happy waking up to sirens instead of roosters but sharing this gospel is really exciting and I love waking up each day because you never know what's gonna happen! 

On Thursday we baptized 57 people into the YSA. Okay probably not but we weekly planned and did some finding as a district. Friday we taught one of our investigators twice! Haha the first time we answered all his questions and never got to the lesson, so we agreed to meet a few hours later since we both had stuff to do. He's a really cool but honestly the most frustrating person to teach. He wants explanations for everything and struggles with faith. I know he'll get baptized eventually. He is reading the Book of Mormon so that should help things out a bit haha. Saturday was the usual service with Crazy Dave and we taught a bunch of lessons and had some super awkward lookups..my personal favorite. Seriously. We would be fine if people would just tell us they don't want to meet with us, but they have to go and make up all this stuff to get around meeting with us. Hysterical. 

Sunday we had an awesome branch council and I had to play for sacrament meeting again. It's so hard cause I want to sit with the investigators and make them feel welcome but somebody has to play. I'm sure it's all good in the end. We taught gospel principals and had an awesome lesson! We had 5 investigators at church again, we have for the last month or so and its been great! We had lunch with the STLs and did our studies since we didn't get to them in the morning. I am learning Spanish while my comp learns English. My favorite term so far: "lay patía el clutchè" probably didn't even get close to spelling that right, but it means that you put the clutch in but the tranny is still spinning...(eng. "your clutch is spinning) basically it means you're crazy. 

I had a dawning about real beauty this week. I was laughing at the thought of my pre-mission self, so worried and caught up about my fitness abilities, hair, make-up, and wardrobe. I realized that I have never felt more beautiful in my life as I do now. I spend less than 10 minutes on my hair and makeup most days, and I don't think I've worn an outfit that has actually matched for 2 transfers because all I care about is not freezing to death. I also realized how happy I am that I don't care about those things so much now as I did then. It seemed that I was always trying to buy something new, spend more time at the gym, or take longer to do my makeup, but those things simply made me more unhappy with how I looked. My confidence level has also risen and I no longer compare myself to others or try to put them down for how they look. Seeing people as children of God and recognizing their true potential has helped me to see myself for who I really am. The only way to find ourselves it to lose our lives in the service of others. 

Going along with that I have been thinking a lot about individuality. Isn't it funny how we try so hard to be unique by COPYING styles or celebrities in order to be a certain person? God's love for us doesn't change based on anything external about us. Or internal for that matter. Low self-esteem often comes to us when, in a struggle for identity, we try to be someone we aren't. We can't forget that our identity is that we are children of God. Whenever we try to become something we aren't, through sin and disobedience, we are going against our true identity, and automatically lose self-esteem. On the other hand, when we obey our Father and act in our true nature, as His children, the result is greater self-esteem and enhanced individuality. 

Well that was a sad attempt at a shorter letter, better luck next week! 

I am so grateful to be here...it is such a blessing, as is this gospel. 

All my love!

Sister Wadsworth

PS I hate how everyone talks about the new year like it's gonna make them a new person. The only thing that'll do that for ya is the atonement Jack. 

Photos:

1. Steve and Terry came and took us to lunch last Monday! Such a treat to see them(: 

2. With Sister Larsen after ditching my comp on the tube. Hysterical. You're probably wondering why my skin looks so incredible. My comp made me do this weird Asian mask thing...straight slayed me for like half an hour and got in my eyes. Works wonders though! 

3. Illustration from the above-mentioned outfit scenario. I can't match to save my life. 

4. This just makes me laugh cause crazy Dave always gets the most awkward photos. I look like I'm dying but actually I was really happy about being in -97 degree weather picking up other people's trash. 

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!

Well heck, I'm surprised I am writing this and not napping right now! This has been such a busy week! Poor Sis Batsuuri, we haven't had a lunch or dinner hour all week cause there just wasn't time. I think she thinks I'm anorexic which, if she knew me better she'd know I ain't got that kinda self-control. 

Monday we had the best lesson with JungAh (chong-ah). That was a straight miracle in itself because my comp gets here straight from Mongolia and feels so lonely because no one speaks her language or understands her. Well into church walks some girl from Korea who is a member of the Harlem ward, but her friend who lives in Queens is seriously this golden investigator and so she came to church and obvi my comp is freaking out and they're just doing their Asian thing in the corner and they're in straight heaven. So the lesson was good and this girl is SOLID. Then we went to the RS President's house. They are from the Philippeans. They (her, her brother, and her dad) invited us but they had forgot to tell (haha *mom* jk) we were coming so we get there and they felt so bad but Sis Batsuuri had prepared something to share so she shared it and did SUCH a good job. She is such a sweetheart. Then their dad started going off about how keeping the commandments is what makes us happy. And then he asked Sister Batsuuri to say the prayer. She did but she was crying and I think it really touched the family. When we were walking away she couldn't stop so I asked her what was wrong and she said that the dad reminded her of her father, who had passed away from cancer. Never have I felt so helpless or heartbroken in my life. I didn't know what to say or how to console her. She cried the whole way home. She is so strong and rooted in the gospel. We might have our differences in food (I finally asked her to put the octopus jerky in a ziplock bag cause I gagged everytime I walked into the kitchen), but I have much to learn from her solid focus on the things of eternity. I know we are together for a reason. 

Tuesday we practiced our song for the Mission Christmas Party. We also put together a quick musical number by myself and 2 other sisters of a primary song medley. We had district meeting and then went to one of the huge malls in Queens to wrap presents and give away free hot chocolate. We shared the "He is the Gift" video over 500 times! President challenged us to share it 100,000 times before the end of the month, so we are really trying to share it as much as possible. We were supposed to teach Terresa (the really cool girl from last week) but her house is 2 hours away and it took us 1 hour to go 10 blocks on Queens Blvd because of the traffic so we told her we couldn't come that night. We went home and called her and ended up talking for a solid hour. Phone lesson? Nice. I've convinced her to go to LDSBC!! Haha she loves Mormons and she knows this gospel resonates in her soul, she just hates putting a label on her spirituality. I seriously love her and I feel like we're gonna be friends forever, especially once she gets baptized and we can be in the Celestial kingdom together. Haha. 

Wednesday was so great. It was the mission Christmas Devotional so there were lots of musical numbers and President talked to us about our vision for the coming year. It was so fun to see all the other missionaries and to feel the true meaning of Christmas. President and Sister Calderwood got us temple recommend holders that have the mission logo on them, they are sooo cool and it'll be fun to see it every time I go to the temple and remember how awesome my mission was. Our musical number went really well! Side note: I'm seriously obsessed with the other sisters in our zone. We see them a lot and they are so sweet. I'm so grateful for all the friends we've been able to make on our mission. On the way home we went and saw Terresa. She was upset because she had just talked to her biological parents and they weren't very nice to her. We tried to cheer her up and it worked! We talked about the atonement for an hour and then she busted out her guitar and we all sang Christmas songs together! It was such a fun night and it's good to feel like you were needed by someone else. I love her so much, she is an incredible person. We also said goodbye to Devin who is leaving on his mission, and saw a guy in the branch who is home for break from BYUI..he knows Rebekah and a bunch of people in my Brookside ward. They fed us Indonesian food. Yum! They gave us these fried shrimp cakes and I tried a bite and just about threw up and they saw my face and so I didn't know how to get out of it except by saying I'm allergic to shrimp. Actually I really am, cause I throw up every time I try and eat it. And I know I joke about my comp's food but she was eating seaweed the other day when I walked into the kitchen and I literally went to the bathroom and threw up. I have the weakest stomach for that kinda stuff. It ain't fun. Anyway Christmas Eve was sooooo awesome and we loved every minute of it!

CHRISTMAS. Wow greatest day of my mission so far even though that's like every day. The other sisters came over and we opened our presents together. I think I got more presents this year than I ever have haha. Thanks everyone who sent me stuff, I am enjoying it all and am really grateful that you thought of me and put so much work into such nice gifts. I feel so blessed. I just couldn't NOT cook something, so I ended up making omelets for the entire zone and we all played games while we took turns calling our families. The call was probably the best thing of my life. The video of Ada and Jed screaming over their presents was a close second. I have never felt so much support and love in my life and am so grateful for everything you do for me. We went to dinner at a family's house in the Astoria ward with the other sisters and the sister who fed us is an INCREDIBLE cook. The food was sooo good. We played some Christmas games and then went home. Mission Christmas=best Christmas yet. There is nothing better than wearing this nametag and talking about what you love all day long. 

Friday we did yet another free hot chocolate stand and got a lot of new contacts! We meet such cool people! We got ready for Neil's baptism. Oh and I threw up because I think I'm allergic to seaweed. My comp eats the weirdest stuff guys...

Saturday we didn't do anything too notable, just service and taught some lessons. But I took my comp to McDonalds for her first time and guess what??? She likes burgers! The only reason she said she didn't like them before was because she didn't know what they were. I'm gonna convert her to American food so that I don't throw up every time I open the fridge and see her little fishes in their container staring back at me. 

Oh man here comes my sermon of the week. My mind has been on covenants (or promises) that we make with God. It's funny cause we think that if we obey certain commandments we will receive related blessings for the ones we are obeying. Example: If I obey the law of tithing I will be blessed financially. God doesn't work that way. We have to obey ALL the commandments and trust that He will bless us in the way we need it the most. He is bound when we keep His commandments, and we can hold Him to that agreement. Not that God was ever one to withhold blessings...    

I KNOW that if we are obedient we will be happy. Obedience isn't a pick-and-choose thing, it's an attitude. I think choosing to be obedient can save you big bucks at judgement day. 

Neil got baptized last night! It was such a great evening and the spirit was strong. Oh and Sunday was funny, I saw the lovely Grace and her fiancée Chase in Sacrament Meeting as well as a young man that moved here from the Florida YSA who knows Sister Melissa Hartley! Small world haha. I'm pretty much the ward organist by now as well so everybody gets to hear how horribly I can play the piano! Yayyyy. 

Well it was an awesome week, I have really felt a lot of love from home and I am so grateful for all of you for supporting me and helping me, I feel so lucky to have the squadworth (nice word eh) behind me cheering me on! It means a lot to me and I appreciate it. 

Love you all!

Sis Wads

Culture Shock for Christmas!

We hit the ground running at 5pm on Monday, we went to dinner with Neil which included having to unexpectedly walk 20 blocks in heels so that we could eat chicken gizzards. I was a bit more subtle about gagging this time but I'm still alive so we're all good. He is getting baptized on Sunday!!! After that we drove an hour and a half to meet a referral from AZ. Whoa. She is probably the most legit miracle of my life. Literally a walking miracle. To start off, she was an "offering baby" which means that from the time her parents knew they were having her, they also knew they would be giving her away as soon as she was born. She liked her "mom" but she passed away a few years ago and she doesn't get along with her dad. She has no clue what "love at home" means. And then she met some missionaries and they introduced her to Mormons; they didn't drink or smoke so she liked hanging out with them. She moved back to NY 2 months ago and she felt something missing. She realized it was visits from the missionaries. Was had an INCREDIBLE discussion with her. I've never connected with someone so instantaneously. She opened the door and I immediately felt a bond with her. She said she was walking around in the city the other day and some fashion major yuppie came up to her and gave her the vertical stare and basically asked her how she could wear something so out of vogue. She said she laughed inside but was mostly hurt that people are so vain as to care about that kind of thing. She's been in third-world countries where people don't have showers or bathrooms and this guy was asking her why she is wearing a baggy sweater and leggings. This is only a millionth of the conversation we had but if I tell you the whole thing this is gonna be a really long letter (as always, sorry eh).

Alright so I literally don't know where to begin with my new companion. I guess her name would be a good place. I still can't say her first name but the English translation is Naomi. I just call her Sister Batsuuri (bat-sir). She is from Mongolia and is 23 so it's chill. So when I met her and I could immediately tell she is incredible. She clung to my coat or hand most of transfer meeting. I can't imagine what it must be like for her. On our way home I was being an idiot and asking about her family. I looked over and she had tears streaming down her face. She joined the church 6 years ago and is the only member in her family. To top it off both her parents passed away in the last few years so she is completely on her own. She has her BA in international relations and speaks 4 languages. Above all is her testimony and humility. I have never met someone so converted to the gospel, and so willing to do everything that is asked of her. To be honest I feel like an idiot training her because she is so solid. Ps her last name literally means "firm foundation." Like top that guys...you literally can't. Okay and not only that but she is hysterical and she doesn't even mean to be! Probably the funniest thing was when she told me I was skinny. Actually no the best was when I put a picture of a longhorn cow on the screensaver of our phone and she saw it and she was like: "oh, it's a yak!" I seriously can't even write this without bursting with laughter. I think it's just the cultural difference but oh man, we all think she's the funniest thing alive. There is one elder in our district who just can't seem to elevate his vocabulary so he's just going off all of district meeting about nothing of import and out of nowhere she innocently asks: "what is your favorite subject in school? Literature? Mathematics?" And he just gets this awk look and is like "does PE count?" We are all just rolling with laughter and she kept pressing, "what is it?" Finally he just admitted that he can't read. I seriously had tears coming out of my eyes. 

After Transfer Meeting they had about 50 missionaries go to the mall to show people "He is the Gift." It was awesome we marched in, showed it 150 times and got 11 contacts and marched back out in an hour. Sis Batsuuri and I showed it 16 times! She was so cute, I let her take the lead and whenever we walked away from someone she would say: "Sister, I just felt the spirit so strong!" She has such a strong desire to share with everyone. That night when we were eating dinner (I gave her the Nepali food leftover from our dinner with Neil) I was trying to get a feel for what she ate. I guess boiled sheep head and horse and seaweed are her favorites. I asked her if she liked cheeseburgers cause those are my favorite and she said no hahaha so we each are kinda doing our own food thing. She's been teaching me some Korean dishes though. She'd never had cinnamon rolls or doughnuts so she's got a lot to try. On Saturday one of the members bought us a Crounut (croissant/doughnut) with hazelnut filling. Seriously the greatest thing of my life. Everyone should try one and the world would be a happier place. 

We taught Richard who is investigating and so I told her she could extend the baptismal commitment to him during our lesson. She was about to do it and he was like "when can I be baptized?" It was so funny I guess we need to find some more people to teach so she can practice on them instead haha. She is so sweet when she teaches you can tell she knows it's true with all her heart. Lastly, she doesn't speak that much English so I am trying to help her understand what's going on (basically translating everything). I was explaining a hashtag and she looked at me like I was an alien. It's hilarious because I am trying to help her learn English but I am realizing how bad I am at explaining things and it's just so awk all the time. Like gloriously awk. Whenever she doesn't understand something she laughs which is probably what I'd do if the tables were turned and I was in Mongolia trying to learn her language and eat boiled sheep. It is soooo funny. This whole thing is just such a great experience, it's hysterical and spiritual at the same time. I'm still laughing about when she thought the longhorn was a yak!

So had my first Jewish fearless, and it was hysterical! (What part of a mission isn't?) we were in the Rego Park mall sharing "He is the Gift" and I walk up to these two YSA-age guys and they were super chill. Like it wasn't even awkward. I told them they looked like they could use a little more Jesus in their life and they said they liked Jesus so I started to show them the video. About 30 seconds in the first guy asked how old I was. I said 21 and he was like "you look like you're 12." First time I've heard that one. Usually people think I'm 30, especially if I don't fix my hair. Then the other guy pipes up "are you a model for your church? You're really tall." Ok so I look like a 12-year-old model? Jews are so strange. It was fine and they were nice though! They always look so angry when I pass them on the street, so I guess I need to stop judgin so much. 

Thursday night we stationed ourselves outside of Toys R Us and wrapped people's gifts for free. We had a super good turnout and showed the video 44 times! People are so much nicer at Christmas. You'd think it had to do with Christ or something....

Saturday was great, we went to the temple with some branch members and they took us to Times Square to see the "He is the Gift" sign! It was so cool! And they took us out to Olive Garden, the closest thing we get to a dinner appointment haha. It was Sis Batruuri's first time doing baptisms and she was so scared! I think this is really different for her but she is doing good. 

Something cool that I've realized is that we really CAN'T expect specific blessings when we obey specific commandments. We don't set those terms, God does. It is our duty to obey all commandments and trust that God knows what blessings we need better than we do. I can't obey the word of wisdom and then get upset when I can't run and not get weary and walk and not faint. Obedience should be our quest, and trust should be our attitude. There is nothing better than knowing that God is in control of your happiness. I know He won't ever let us down. In the Book of Mormon it talks a lot about prosperity in association with righteousness. We need not think that we need to have nice things to seem like we are following God. I have met some truly humble people in every sense of that word. They have almost nothing as far as possessions, but they rely on the Lord and they are happy. 

I am so grateful to be here and I love this work! It brings so much happiness and peace. Thank you all for everything you do for me, I am so excited to talk to you on Christmas! 

Love you !!

Sis Wads

Photos:

1. Me and my trainee!

2. Sis Cox...the family fav

3. Just tryna stay warm!

4. Times Square billboard.

Christmas Miracles

Where to begin with this awesome week?! The beginning of the week was pretty chill, as chill as it can get with Christmas, going crazy trying to teach everyone we can, and being with our awesome branch members! So I know I always start my letters off by talking about Neil but he is just so precious! It was raining like crazy and super windy Wednesday night and I don't have an umbrella...anyway he came to our lesson and he had this super cool orange umbrella from his work. I told him I thought it was cool and he was just like, Sister, it's yours! I felt so stupid cause I didn't think he was gonna give it to me! But it was so sweet and so typical of his character. I really can see Christ through him and I hope I can be the kind of person that draws people to God by the way I live my life and treat others. 

So District Meetings are usually just another meeting but we had a really awesome one this week and I thought I'd tell you about it because it was a cool experience. Our district leader told us to find different attributes that we thought best described each member of the district. We took turns going around the room and sharing the attributes we saw in each person. That sounds really corny and stupid but it made me realize how important each of us is in our Heavenly Father's plan. If you think for one second you're not needed on this life, you are dead wrong. God has a purpose, a plan, and a need for each of His children, and it is up to us to figure what that purpose is and fulfill it as best we can. Our district is seriously full of a bunch of characters, it's so funny that we all got put together this transfer but I have grown to love each person and have felt their influence in my life as I see them work with each other and with the people. 

On Wednesday we did a "Free Hot Cocoa" stand in the middle of a busy triangle in Woodside. It was so fun! It was snowing so it was pretty much the coldest thing of my life but people stopped and we gave out over 100 cups of hot cocoa along with candy canes we had made talking about how Christ is the most important gift. We also shared the "He is the Gift" video. It was a huge success and one of the best finding activities I've done so far. Wednesday night President called and asked if I'd train again. I said no. Just kidding, I said yes, but only if I could train a Spanish elder. But for real, I feel so bad for this poor sister having to spend 2 transfers with me, hopefully I don't wreck her mission haha. There are two sisters, one from Mongolia and one from St. Anthony haha so we'll see which one I get :) 

Thursday I had to go to a training meeting with President and the APs. There are 25 missionaries coming in so 25 people preparing to train. We got in the room before it started and everyone was dead silent. I think they were nervous. I made the joke about training the Spanish elder but everyone looked at me like I am an apostate so I shut up for the rest of the time. I got most rigid AP to laugh so it wasn't for nothing I guess. Anyway it was soo good and I always love the chance to hear from President. The APs kept talking about how if you crush your trainees dreams you're probably gonna do the same thing to your children *gulp*. Good thing I'm not having kids anytime soon. Anyway I meet her tomorrow and I'm excited to tell you all about her next week, cause I know she's going to be incredible! 

Well here's a good story for you..one of the girls in the YSA had us come to dinner cause her friend (ex boyfriend. Awk.) wants to know more. Basically I wrecked the lesson from the get go...she ordered squid as an appetizer and I didn't want to be rude when she offered so I took some and I chewed it for a good 45 seconds. Chewing squid for 45 seconds felt as long as the last 21 years of my life guys. I tried so hard to swallow but I started gagging so I had to spit it out. It was almost as traumatizing as the ER last week. I felt SOOO bad! Everytime I think about it my eyes start to water. Anyway it actually didn't wreck the lesson, we had an amazing conversation with Richard and he read the Book of Mormon! He was super open and it was cool to see how he recognizes that something is missing in his life. On Sunday we had another lesson with him and he didn't understand the Book of Mormon so we went through and read 1 Nephi 1 together, each of us with our own question in mind. I love doing that, it brings the spirit immediately. We also has one of the guys in the YSA teach with us, he is leaving on his mission next week, and he did awesome! He is 22 and his girlfriend making him go..haha. 

Okay so as YSA sisters we are a bit disadvantaged when it comes to street contacting because we are always in a car stuck in traffic. Decided I was gonna turn that around so I adopted the "car fearless." Saturday was my first run and let me tell you, I was jacked on it! So here's how it works. I would pull up to a stop light and obvi the person in the car next to you looks over. It's inevitable. So I'd roll down my window, give them the "He's the Gift" card and explanation, and roll up the window again and gun it! I have 4 VERY successful sweeps! The best one was 2 ladies. I thought one of them was a guy, and I thought he smiled at me from his window. Problem: they were 2 lanes over. Well they needed the gospel so I cut off like 5 million cars and pulled up to them at the next stoplight. I gave them the card and explanation, and they were so stoked! They were like: "we were JUST talking about that! Christmas is about families and friends!" It seriously made my night. And then last night we were with a member on the way to a lesson and she was like "sisters that guy is looking at me creepily" I backed up so I was next to his window and gave him a "He's the Gift" card. Him and his wife loved it! The member in the backseat was in utter shock, it was absolutely hysterical. Omg and before that we were caroling at this rest home and this old guy got up and started dancing just like Pa does and it was the funniest thing of my life!!!! Okay it was just a perfectly glorious day and it couldn't have gotten any better. For serious. 

Sunday night we were going to see a less-active and she had moved but her landlady invited us in and we showed her the video and she cried and told us about how she had found God and was looking for a church and how she wanted to be clean from her sins and we had told her about how families can be forever and she seriously lost it cause she is married and has the two cutest Asian/Columbian kids of my life and she was thinking about what would happen to them just the other day! I know God puts all of us in each other's paths for a reason. She was a straight miracle for us and it was such a cool experience. 

I have learned sooo much this week and I am so grateful for Christ and not only the healing power of the atonement, but also the enabling power as well. I know I am going to need a lot of help from Him and I feel so confident that He will give it to me. I have been trying to think of something meaningful I could give to Him as a "gift" for Christmas. I think one thing we can do is read our scriptures more often. Everyone always says it but why is it so hard to do? I think Satan knows the power that lies within that daily habit so he tries to convince us that it isn't a big deal. I know it IS a big deal though, and I feel so blessed to be able to study every day. I can tell the difference in my life from now from when I used to skim through maybe once a week. Please think of what you can give as the most important gift, to the most important Being this Christmas, and continue to give to Him all year long as you follow Him. I love you all, thanks for your continual support and love! 

Merry Christmas(:

xoxoxo

Sis Wads

Ps I want everyone's Christmas cards plz don't forget about me!

Photos: 

1. P-Day, I am so glad all the other sisters in the zone are staying, we have gotten really close and I really enjoy being around them.

2. One of the elder's birthday so we went to a Paraguay restaurant because he was on his mission in Paraguay but was reassigned here for health reasons. He is a convert, 25, and SUCH a teddy bear(: 

3. It still hasn't snowed too bad, and these fall trees out in Fresh Meadows were sooo pretty! 

4. Our weekly community service gig. Once again, I love my sisters haha #presh