First Week in Sandusky South

Hello Everyone!

 

I have been transferred to... Sandusky South! It's still in the same stake as my last area, but in the neighboring zone (Cleveland West zone). My companion is Sister Bennett, and we've both been out for three months. We live with two other sisters, Sister Planer (who was in my MTC district!) and Sister Turpin. They are serving in Sandusky East, and Sister Planer is finishing Sister Turpin's training. Also, the two elders in our district (and ward) are Elder Nielson and Elder Cuestas (from Guatemala), and they entered the MTC a month before me, but have only been in the field for as long as me. So, basically, the Sandusky ward has six missionaries, all of whom have been in the fields for three months or less. Yikes. But, I'm sure we'll do great things. There is SO MUCH work to be done here. Sis. Bennett and I cover three towns: Bellevue, Monroeville and Milan (pronounced bell-VIEW and MI-lin), and we have hardly any members or less actives, one progressing investigator, a few more investigators, and NONE of them live in Monroeville. Granted, it's a tiny town, but we are running out of streets to tract, because that's close to all she and Sister Planer did last transfer. This area needs a miracle, and we're going to try to be strictly obedient and work our hardest so it happens. (Even though being "letter of the law" may kill me...) I haven't tracted so much consecutively my entire mission, and the weather just barely decided to stop raining and get hot and humid. Perfect. But, once we're out there, I catch the "tracting bug" and it doesn't seem so bad. We had a "front porch lesson" wtih an AWESOME potential investigator yesterday, and we hope to see him again.

 

For transfers, they have everyone who is being transferred come to Kirtland. We meet in a stake center right next to the historic sites. The trainers meet their trainees in the Primary room, and the rest of us meet in the chapel. During the meeting, they have the new missionaries introduce themselves, their trainer, and their area; then the departing missionaries say where they've served and where home is; then the zone leaders stand up and list off all the areas in their zone and the companionship in each area. You have to listen and hear where you're serving and who you're companion is. Then you either meet up with your companion and you go together to your area, or (like in my case) you hitch a ride with missionaries in a nearby area and your companion meets you with the missionaries she's been spending the day with. It's kinda complicated... Our mission now has 240ish missionaries. CRAZY! We already have 22 more scheduled to come in August. We'll be above capacity... We'll see how that works. :P

 

Well, there's not really a ton to write about this week... Oh! My address is 246 W. Main St, Apt D, Norwalk, OH, 44857. We live a little ways out of our area, which is very spread out. I finally am out of suburbia and into small towns among farm fields! I was beginning to feel claustrophobic. :P Also, Cedar Point amusement park is within our ward boundaries. *evil grin*... Don't worry, I won't go. I want a miracle, remember? ;)

 

I love you all. Have a wonderful week!!

Last Week in Lakewood West

Hello everyone!

 

Yep, the "subject" line is correct: I'm being transferred! I have no idea where I'm going, and I've only been here for three months! But, since Sister Dahle is training, they have to boot me out to make room for the new sister. ;) I'm excited, but I'm sad to go. I've met wonderful people here who I love very much. It's true: Transfers are a very bitter-sweet experience. This one is unusual because we were called Monday night, but transfers aren't till Friday. So I have lots of days to see people. That's nice, but it'll be hard to be focused, especially when I weekly plan for an area that won't be mine next week...

 

We went to a BBQ with our favorite single members (and nonmembers :D) for the 4th. It was so fun! We still had normal curfew, though, and we couldn't see any fireworks from our window. :P Oh well, the holiday was still fun. :)

 

We didn't see ANY of our progressing investigators this week. Grr... Hayley and Sienna supposedly have a baptism date for two weeks from now, but unless Mom is on board it won't happen. It seems like this happens every time... Eventually they will get baptized. They want it and the Lord wants it and their grandma wants it, so that team can't be beat. ;)

 

The lady that was originally a "Do Not Contact", Kathy, is now one of our regular lessons! She woudn't commit to reading the Book of Mormon when we saw her a couple weeks ago, but when we saw her the other day she'd been reading!!!!!! I'm so excited; there is such an incredible change in her. I'm sad I won't be able to see it through. I wish I could stay and see a lot of these people reach their potential, but I've seen them change and begin on that path, so that's OK.

 

I'm sitting here in the library... and I really want to give a mormon.org card to the volunteer who's memorized my name to give me my guest pass every week (we come here a lot :P). I don't know if we're allowed to give them away in here... I'll let you know if anything happens. :P

 

I love you all. Have a fantastic week!!

 

Love,

Sister McKayla Richards

 

 

7/1/13

Hello Everyone!

 

This week was more eventful in the investigator department. Most weeks we end up focusing mainly on less-actives, but this week we had five lessons with investigators or other nonmembers, plus we actually got referrals! We met Bob, the crazy guy on the phone from last week. He's... interesting. Sister Oliver and I saw him while on exchanges. When the Spirit started getting strong he got fidgity, then grabbed a random 5-pound weight and started doing bicep curls! What?! I've never seen so many people uncomfortable when feeling the Spirit as they do here. I just want to tell them, "Stop! Sit down. Feel. It's a good feeling, trust me. But, don't move!!" But, as a missionary, we have to be a bit more reserved than that. We're hoping to see him again today. I'm not sure he's really interested, though. Still, who am I to judge?

 

We had a lesson with Hayley this week. She didn't go to girl's camp, and hasn't been to primary in two months or so. I think there are some hard things going on with her (she's the eleven-year-old, Sienna's sister, and their mom is always out of town and they are living with her boyfriend, etc) and so she's struggling a bit. She still says she wants to be baptized on the 20th, but I wouldn't be too surprised if she backs out at the last second. Sienna, however, LOVED girls' camp, even though it rained the entire week and her tent was flooded. She is rock solid, and I hope her testimony can help her sister.

 

We also taught the Seljan family this week. Denine is reading the BoM ON HER OWN!! She is GOLDEN, but her husband is stubborn and completely not interested. He must know it's true deep down inside, because he comes up with all sorts of reasons NOT to read the Book of Mormon. Silly reasons, ones that should convince him not to read the Bible, either. Oh well. We'll keep working on him. The only problem is, Denine may not be baptized without him. But, if she does get baptized, her kids will, too. Her eight year old (who is CRAZY, but super cute and a mini Mozart on the piano) wants to be a missionary. :) They've always lived by Mormons, whenever they move, and they are friends with the best member missionaries in our ward. We have a lot of hope for that family. Actually, Denine counts as a progressing investigator now! So, we're up to THREE!! (Our area is a little slow... can you tell? :P) I love it here, though. Transfers are next Friday (so, in a week and a few days) and Sister Dahle and I are both anxiously waiting to see who gets transferred... I hope I get to train, though. It would be so fun, and you know how much I love to teach. Plus, I want to love on a scared new missionary and make them feel like they can do anything and help them learn that they can continually improve. Sis Dahle thinks I'm weird for wanting to train, but I do! Does that surprise any of you? ;)

 

Have a wonderful week! I love you all! We are all part of the same amazing redemptive work. Press forward, Saints! :D

 

Sister Richards