Thursday, January 22, 2009

January 19, 2009

This week has been really good! We are working with a lot of good people. One of the less active families we are working with, the dad is quitting smoking and some prescription drugs. We read Joseph Smith's History with him and he said that he is on a "spiritual high" and is excited to quit everything so he can be more a part of his family. Then yesterday we went over to see how he was doing and he said that he knows he is doing so well because of his faith! He has tried to quit before, but now he has faith that he can do it! It was so exciting to hear him say that!
Dale, one of our investigators, isn't progressing and just wants everyone to throw him a pity party. We called him and he was yelling on the phone about something his neighbor did and he called her the "B" word and that made Sister Pond mad! She said "Dale, don't EVER talk like that when you are on the phone with me" and we proceeded to drop him. He hasn't come to church in over a month and we even bought him church clothes with the $50 gift card. So we told him that we will see him at church on Sunday and if not, then he can give us a call when he is ready to make the changes he needs to in his life. It was really sad because he knows the church is true, but he hasn't been progressing since I have been here (about 4 months). He needs to realize that if he wants something different than what he has, he has to DO something different than what he has been doing.
We did service for one of our investigators the other day and she totally made us pick up dog poop!!! With one glove no shovel! it was so gross because her yard was COVERED! ha-ha ew... but good story :) We were supposed to go to Mesa Verde today but our ride called and canceled this morning :-( so we are just going to play volleyball with the elders. The zone leaders are coming up too so it should be a good ol' time... NOT! ha-ha I am terrible at volleyball, no wonder I didn't make the middle school team!
I got dads pics and I love them! they are so awesome... Dad, you should be a professional photographer. My fav pic is the one of Al, Lauren, Mom and Abby on the bench in front of the blue building! it's awesome with mom's bright red sweater! And I love the one of Mom and Dad (Abby is in the background ha-ha). So, I hung them up so I can never forget your beautiful faces (jk I never could forget them) .
Mom I got your thank-you note! Thanks! it was so weird because when I read your handwriting it makes me feel so comfortable... I am weird I know !
Things are going really well here. Yesterday an RM gave his homecoming talk and it made me realize that I don't want to be home. I want to be right here doing what I am doing! every day gets easier and easier! he was talking about how a mission is like a mini life. you have your trainer who is like your parents and "trains you for life" and you know your purpose and you strive to be obedient and follow the commandments and then you "die". But it made me realize that I am so grateful for the veil, and that we forgot what it was like to live in God's presence... could you imagine knowing that glory and then living in this earth! We would all be miserable! Anyways I hope that made sense. I love you and hope everything is going well.
xoxo
Lizzie

Monday, January 12, 2009

Jan. 12, 2009

Hey!
It sounds like things are slowing down over there. I am really glad the holidays are over. They are hard while on your mission. Yesterday Sis. Pond was sick so we stayed home from church- it was pretty boring. We played Skip-bo and I made a calendar until march 2010, which I might send home so you can count down the days until I come home. It is technically called a "trunky calendar" (don't worry I am def! not trunky), so I made the outside look like a trunk! It's really cute.

Sister Pond she wanted a yellow straw, so she called the Elders and asked if they had one, and they came over with a whole bag of straws! We were like... "did you go buy those on a Sunday!!!!" ha-ha Stupid Elders went to the store on a Sunday to buy straws for my companion! It was kind of funny and luckily they took their missionary clothes and name tags off, but still!!! lol

Lucy and William (Barber) are fun; their kids are soooo cute!!! Bro and Sister Nielson are obsessed with them. Every time we talk to them they talk about their grandchildren. It's really sweet!

This week has been pretty boring. All of our investigators stopped progressing. Dale is still being "Negative Ned" and he just wants everyone to have pity on him, which I do, but you can only do that for so long. Then you get fed up and want to tell him to do something about it instead of sitting there and complaining! ha-ha It's so frustrating.

We had zone conference on Tuesday, it was just a mini one because we had 2 last transfer. It was about Companionship unity and District unity. Our District is pretty unified, I mean we make snowmen and play on the playgrounds! ha-ha Today my district leader and I are having a skip-bo tournament! I will totally win :-) Sis. Pond told him to pick his battles because "apparently" I am competitive when it comes to card games... ha-ha!

We were waiting for a guy to come fix our blinds so we were playing skip-bo and I let Sis. Pond take a card back because she wasn't paying attention. So, a couple games later I accidentally played a card I didn't mean to and she wouldn't let me take it back! I was mad and then she won the game so I was a sore loser... I haven't been that mad about a game in a while! Oops, so anyways that is where the idea that I am competitive came from... ha-ha.
That will be fun to have Abby home! Maybe she can help you get a new TV stand and couch :-) I can't believe your couch is still on backorder! that is ridiculous.

Dad, I haven't gotten your card yet, but if you send it through the Mission Office it takes a while to get to me. You should just send stuff to my direct address unless it's around transfers (which are in 3 weeks). We haven't been to Mesa Verde yet, but we are working on finding a member to take us. I hope we get to go :-) Can you believe I have already been out 4 months! It seems like just yesterday I was at the MTC... Everyone says that once you hit your 1/2 way point it flies by! ha-ha craziness :-)

well I love you guys and hope all is well :-) Tell Abby to check her e-mail. I miss you tons! Yesterday while my comp was sick I wanted to call you so badly and just say "hi love and miss you" then hang up... or just talk! ha-ha It's weird how you would feel so guilty for calling your family! Of all things!! I think it's one of the hardest things about a mission because I used to talk to you almost every day! In college sis. pond went 3 months once without talking to her family... crazy hu!? Well, I miss you tons and I know you are being blessed for my service.

Love you

xoxo Lizzie

Monday, January 5, 2009

Jan. 5, 2009

Hey- Hey!!!

Life is going well on the mission.

I am kind of frustrated with dealing with people's problems... I didn't know I was signing up to be a counselor! Ha-ha One of our investigators, Dale, ( I think I have told you about him before) is so obnoxious! He wants his life to change, but he won't change what he is doing. If you want things to be different, you have to DO something different! lol It's apparently a hard concept.

Anyway, Tuesday was a pretty good day, we met with a lady and she told us she wants to be baptized! Then we met with another lady who said she wants to be baptized. Then we met a family and they said they want to work towards baptism!!!! 3 people in one day! That's a dream day for a missionary (well I guess the dream day would be 3 baptisms) but it's close.

The only thing is that EVERYONE has major problems they have to overcome first... ugh! (hence I am feeling like a counselor). This week has been pretty uneventful... On New Year's Eve we went to the church and played Skipbo with the Elders. If that's not a crazy new years... I don't know what is! (besides getting engaged, that's just crazy)!!!

We have just been plugging away... the work is going well. Sister Pond said that she has never been in an area where there are so many people to teach... which means that my mission is all downhill from here... jk!

It's hard because I always think "I wish I were a better teacher", but then I remember I have only been out for a few months and I still have a lot to learn. At the same time it feels like I have been out forever! Ha-ha craziness...

Saturday is my 4 month mark! I can't believe it... only 14 months to go!!! ha-ha not that I am counting or anything :-) It's already 2009!! It seems like just yesterday everyone was super nervous about y2k. I get to spend this whole year on my mission, I am really excited about that. It's going to be the best year EVER!!!!!!!

We were out finding the other day and we knocked on this door. Well, Sis. Pond like jumps and screams and I look at her like ...are you crazy!?... and then I see a Peacock! Who would have guessed a peacock just chillin' in Colorado. So we asked some lady about it and she said it was a neighborhood pet. Super crazy!

I absolutely love Cortez. it's the first small town I have been in that doesn't have gossip all over and everyone is friends. The people here are so awesome, I just love them all. The members are amazing too. Dart and Yung-son Nielson said that you are more than welcome to come and stay at their house :-) ha-ha! You have 4 weeks before I possibly leave the area! jk

Anyway, I hope all is well in lake woebegone. Thanks for forwarding those letters mom.

Love you all, xoxo

Lizzie

(Today we are playing volleyball with the elders again... not the high school team, luckily! )