Thursday, November 27, 2008

Nov 24

Well hello there!

So tomorrow is zone conference, I am exciting because it is so motivating and inspirational. On Thursday we went to Rico which is a small small small town up in the mountains and it's about 50 miles away so the missionaries don't get up there very often but we thought we would give them the opportunity to hear to gospel too, so it was fun. It was a gorgeous town, very small, mostly summer homes. Someone said that about 200 people live there all year- round, but about 500 in the summer. They also said that we came at the ugliest time of year, so I can only imagine what it is like in the summer.

Well after I e-mailed you on Tuesday we had an appointment and I started feeling sick while we were there so we left, and as we were walking out I threw up all over the lady's sidewalk :-( It was so gross but kind of a funny story! She was so sweet about it though. We have been working to get her to the temple and she just loves us and she's such a sweetheart! So it definitely could have been worse.

We met a new family that were former investigators a couple of years ago and we started to teach them again. They are an awesome family and I think they will get baptized, so that's exciting! They were in a cult and so they have a hard time trusting religion and stuff like that, but hopefully they will pray and read the book of Mormon. It was kinda cool because he was talking about how there are different levels of intellect, such as plants, then animals, then us and he believes that there could be something higher, such as aliens or something (I dunno). Then we were reading Jesus the Christ (Sis. Sorensen and I read Jesus the Christ during lunch... what an experience haha) and it was talking about different levels and that God is obviously on the level higher than us. So, I thought that was amazing that he was talking about it and then the next day we found something about it! I would have never guessed, especially on a topic like that!? Crazy different dimensions!

Well last week was pretty uneventful... we were sick on and off all week so that was a bummer, but hopefully we will be good for the rest of the transfer :-) I thought of more Christmas present ideas (haha) I would love some "return address" labels, church cds (talks and music) anyways I am trying to think of stuff, I know it's hard :-)

I am getting so excited for Christmas... a lot of people want our help decorating and putting up lights so that should be really fun! There is this family that is going to cut down trees on Friday and they invited us! I really want to go, but I dunno if we will be able to... bummer!! That would be sooo much fun.

For thanksgiving we aren't allowed to proselyte so we will be visiting less-actives and investigators and members... and we have had a few people invite us over for dinner so we are going to get really really fat! I am glad you invited the elders over... but I am really sad that they took the sisters out of the ward :-( Elders just aren't as cool!

Today is pina colada pday, so we are going out to the church and making pina coladas (virgin obviously) with the elders so that should be fun... last Monday was "puke" pday, because at least one person in every companionship in our district threw up last Monday :-( Wednesday was "wacky tights" Wednesday and I wore my blue tights (everyone loves those btw, there is a family in the ward that calls me the hard core smurf, because I am from Detroit but not hard core and my tights look like a smurf) Anyways... we try to have themes to make district meetings and stuff more exciting haha.

Hope all is well! I miss you guys and send some pics from thanksgiving... I don't have any pics of the fam to hang on my wall (now I have a couple of abs but other than that... you guys don't exist) Love you and will be thinking about you all through the holidays. Dad, that would be really hard to be sent out on your mission 2 weeks before Christmas!!! There are new missionaries arriving on Dec. 22 or 23 crazy huh?
That would suck!!!!

Love you all so so so much! Xoxo

Lizzie

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Nov 18

Hey guys!

This week was probably the best week of my mission so far! We are having a lot of fun. Sister Bateman is gone, which is sad, but Sister Sorensen is a lot happier. We have some really awesome goals that we have set to help us work hard and have fun while doing it. When we are tracting we wave at people. We started counting how many people wave back, and setting goals for every day haha. We also started doing a "scripture of the day" and Sister Sorensen thumbs through the book and I close my eyes and point at a scripture. It has been going really well so far... some of our scriptures have been: Omni 1:26, Alma 1:25, 3 Nephi 15:1, Omni 1:3 and today's is Alma 30:51!  So look them up they are all really good and we believe that God is guiding our fingers haha!!!

So we went to Farmington last week to drop sister Bateman off, and it was really fun. We stayed with the sisters down there and they were living with a member. The member was a single lady (her husband died 13 years ago) and she had the feeling one day that she should have the sisters live with her. So she fixed up her basement and they now live with her. She loves it! She said that her house isn't so quiet. The sisters love it too because they feel more like they are living with a family rather than being so isolated from everything. The lady was a really awesome person and she was really fun, and reminds me of Aunt Sherry. She made us grilled cheese and then we made fudge and went to target (I really miss target, Wal-Mart just doesn't cut it haha) I hope I get to serve in that area. :-)

We were driving down the road the other day and we saw a bear! I have never seen a bear in real life, so that was pretty exciting :-) And Sunday we were going to church and there were people moving their cows down the highway! They probably went about 3 miles down the highway with their cows! Haha only in Cortez, Colorado! (Well maybe in Wyoming too haha)

Thanksgiving sounds like it's going to be fun :-) We don't have any super exciting plans, we are going over to a member's house for dinner and probably help at the soup kitchen, so it should be fun. We aren't allowed to proselyte, so we will have to bug people :-) We already started listening to Christmas music. Haha we couldn't wait until after thanksgiving because we are so excited. There is a less active member that wants us to help her decorate for Christmas, and we are really excited for that :-) I love the holiday season!! Dad, I am glad you are getting some use out of that tie haha! I got it at Wal-Mart (we don't have any other stores in Cortez haha) but I thought it was funny! That paragraph you wrote was like a professional writer! You should enter it into a contest or publish it or something :-)

You can say that going on a mission is the greatest way to strengthen your personal spirituality. I have noticed that the scriptures talk a lot about enduring to the end, and if you endure you will receive the kingdom of God. I didn't realize how often it was said in the scriptures, before I came out. I think that as you read your scriptures and pray, your thoughts and actions will align with God's and you will accomplish His plan for you, and you can be an instrument in His hands. Right now that is what I am focusing on, is being an instrument. I want to submit fully to God so that he can guide me and speak through me, because obviously I don't know who is ready and what I need to say to catch their attention, but as I submit to God's will fully, he will use me to accomplish the things he needs me to. Broken heart and a contrite spirit are the sacrifice that we need to offer up. (Those are just a bunch of random thoughts. They may or may not be helpful)

Well I love you and hope that "lake woebegone" is doing well haha Thanks again for the package I am all warm and toasty now :-)

xoxo
Lizzie

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Nov 10

Well we got transfer news on Saturday... are you ready...??? Sister Sorensen and I are staying in Cortez! So do you know what that means? You can overnight me a package of warm clothes :-) Haha, it's started snowing and I don't have a coat or anything, so it's kinda cold... so if you could send my coats and scarves ASAP I would greatly appreciate it! Oh, and my ear muffs!
Sis. Bateman is leaving tonight. We are taking her down to Farmington, NM and staying the night while her and another sister take the truck down to Albuquerque. So it will be fun to be in Farmington tonight. We get to go to the mall and target yay! (I still LOVE to shop :-) so some things are never going to change)

The young men have one-upped you guys! I got a package from them the other day. I will write them a thank-you note.

This week we were really spoiled... we had a lunch and dinner appointment everyday! Haha we ate so much :-( but we were talking to the elders and they didn't even have a dinner appointment every night. It goes to show that everyone loves the sisters so much more! Mom, I am glad you are helping the sisters... we really appreciate the "member present" lessons :-) We have to sneak the commandments in the different lessons so we don't just teach them all the commandments at once, that is over-whelming, and people already think being Mormon is hard. Haha, so I guess the sisters are doing what they are supposed to haha! I know they really appreciate what you are doing for them. Are they teaching anyone exciting?

We had stake conference this weekend and it was a broadcast from Salt Lake. Elder Hales and Pres. Eyring spoke and Sis. Dibbs (pres. Monson's daughter) it was really good. They talked about how important the small things are and that we need to fellowship those who have gone astray and do all we can to bring them back. The Saturday night session was in Durango, so the Nielson's took us to dinner down there and to the meeting. We went to a nice restaurant. It was weird because I haven't eaten at a nice restaurant in a long time. It feels like I am becoming a hick!!! ahhhhhh, but the stake president talked about popcorn vs. crock pot cooking and how the crock pot takes longer but is filling and nourishing, while popcorn is quick but doesn't satisfy you. He said things that we can put in our crock pot are... going to the temple, reading scriptures, praying, missionary work... etc, just making a sacrifice from leisure activities to help build up the kingdom of God. So, I really liked the crock pot analogy. And he challenged us to all add something to our crock pot.

There is a family in our ward. The largos, that went up to salt lake this weekend and asked if there is anything we wanted, and their son said Jamba Juice, and we were like yum! So they are bringing us back Jamba juice! Haha they took a cooler up to bring it back with them haha. I thought that was really cool of them! He is Navajo and he has a foster family that lives up in Salt Lake! I thought that was cool, I told him about Barbara and how she was your foster sister. Haha I dunno I thought it was cool... what is her last name? I couldn't remember...

There is a lady that owns a salon and on Friday she threw a going away party for Sis. Bateman, and got a cake but accidentally wrote Good Luck Sis. Sorensen! Haha we thought it was funny because everyone mixes up their names. Even President and the AP’s! Haha we make a joke out of it now :-)

We found some extra ties in our apt. so on Thursday we had "Tie Thursday" and wore ties to district meeting and actually all day! It looked really cute! My tie was really cool. I will send some pics.

Well this week wasn't super exciting. I am starting to get the swing of things, although the last 6 weeks seems like an eternity haha everyone says the first transfer is the longest. so time is going to start flying and before you know it... the new and improved Lizzie Marchant will be home... better than ever! I love you guys and miss every one of you! You are all awesome. Hope all is well and if there is anything I can do from Colorado let me know :-) You are always in my prayers!

Xoxo Lizzie ( I have gotten a lot of feedback about signing my letters "Sister Marchant" so by popular demand I will stop)

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Nov 3

Hey!! Well we didn't get any trick or treating in, but we went to the ward Halloween party for dinner, which was fun. We dressed up as 60 year olds that were reminiscing on the good ol' days when we were companions. We got t-shirts made that had a picture of all 3 of us and we got some wigs from an investigator. I will send pics home on my card, I have no way of putting pics on the computer which is a pain, but oh well. I am glad you got my package! It’s awesome :-) I put some of my summer stuff in there but there is also a present in there too... enjoy!! So that ghost was pretty intense :-) You guys went all out this year! What did you end up going to the party as?

Well on Tuesday we were studying and Sister Sorensen jumped out of her chair and went to the bathroom and we hear a Boom Boom! And I was like are you okay? And she didn't answer, so we ran out and she was lying in the hallway! We were like, are you okay?!? And the first thing she said was "was that loud?" haha! She fainted, it was kinda scary but you know me... I didn't really think anything of it, but Sis. Sorensen and Bateman were kinda worried about it, so we explored what was wrong and we discovered she had really low blood pressure and went to the doctor and stuff and come to find out she has had a sinus infection for about 2 months! Haha she didn't even know it, but apparently that's what made her faint... so we haven't done any work this week. We got a babysitter for Sis Sorensen a couple of times to go to appointments but we haven't tracted or anything. It wasn't the worst week, but it was kinda long. She is feeling better so that's good :-)

So a couple weeks ago we were tracting and we tracted into this kid that was probably about my age, early twenties and we gave him a pamphlet and stuff but he didn't seem interested. So we were at home one night and we get a call from this guy and he was like, hi you guys came over the other day and gave me a pamphlet with your number on it and I want to go to church on Sunday. So I was like okay... what's your name? And he said "Joe” and he goes is this the cute one? And I was like uhhh I dunno??? And he goes is this the blonde one? And I said uhh yea and this is when it started to sound kinda fishy and I was like what street do you live on? And he was like uhhh I dunno? And I was like "you don't know what street you live on?" And he was like uhhh we just moved here and I can't remember haha and I finally realize that I think he is drunk! Haha and I was like ok, and he goes okay c-ya on Sunday. And I was like, do you want to know what time church is at?? And he goes oh yea haha! So I told him. So I couldn't tell if he really was drunk or it was a prank call, so I called the elders and said hey is Joe there? And they had no idea what I was talking about, so I dunno who it was but I think it was the kid that we tracted into a couple weeks ago! Haha so I am getting drunk phone calls on the mission! Awesome huh???

Anyways, there is this couple we are kinda of teaching and they were Baptist for 33 years and one day they were kind of questioning one little thing, and they were asked to never come back to church! So they are devastated because they were very involved and know a lot! So they are looking for a new church, which is awesome for us! Except it's hard for them to grasp some of the concepts. So we made an appointment to talk about the plan of salvation with them and they canceled because they didn't think they could believe in the 3 kingdoms and the godhead. And I was thinking for me that's the most comforting part!!! Haha but we still went over and talked to them yesterday and the wife, Barb, said that she hopes that the 3 kingdoms are true because she likes that concept and they are both very spiritual and so they said that if the spirit tells them that it's true then they will for sure keep investigating, but they are really awesome and I think with some time they will come around. I just hope that we can help them because they are very knowledgeable about the Bible and I am still learning...

We have another investigator who is awesome and she has taken the discussions before but she just got out of jail and we can't tell how long she has been out for, and she is on probation, and she can't be baptized while she is on probation so I don't know if she will be able to be baptized for a while which is hard because she wants to be baptized. So that is kinda frustrating.

Today we had pancake p-day with 2 of the elders. Our district leader and his companion were being lame and didn't want to participate... but whatever! It was fun :-) We made banana pancakes and they were pretty good. Oh speaking of food... I am on a 40-day sugar fast! so no sugar for 40 days (kinda like my own lent at the wrong time of year) but it's not too hard because my companion is teaching me how to eat sugar-free foods (she is hypoglycemic (sp??)) Transfers are coming up next week so don't send anything to my direct address. Don't give out that address because I don't want people sending me mail there and it not getting there until after I have left or whatever... it's just a lot easier to send it through the office unless you want to send a package or something. Speaking of... I can't believe you are already talking about my xmas package! That is not for 2 months :-(

I think the holidays are going to be hard, I think the hardest thing is feeling like I am missing out but still tell me everything that's going on because I think it would be worse if you didn't tell me (maybe just tell me how terrible it was and how everyone sat around and cried because I wasn't there) but I will get to call you on xmas :-)

So every week I pray for a different Christ-like attribute and this week is patience, so during weekly planning I was telling my companions that and they were both like "nooooo!! don't ever pray for patience!" haha but I have to, so they are warned, but I hope God chooses to not try our relationship as companions because it's sis Bateman’s last week and that would be sad if we were not getting along. But we haven't had any problems so far so I think we will be good for at least another week.

We have these things called "conversion schedules" and they go through things we are focusing on that transfer and goals and stuff like that so we are making one for sis Bateman that has goals for her to get married. So it has like go on X amount of dates and Y amount of kisses will get you married it's really funny I will have to make a copy and send it home! But anyways I hope everyone enjoys their presents :-) Miss you all sooooooo much and love you all soooooo much more!! Keep the letters and e-mails coming Xoxo

Sister Marchant