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

Kayla's letter 6/24/13

Pictures:

 

Pic 1: Last P-Day we played Lightning with all five of us sisters and these two elders. The brought a HUGE watermelon, and we all had pieces about this big (maybe a little smaller) and we ate like savages. On the left is Elder Graf (our district leader) and on the right is Elder Moreland (my district leader from the MTC).

 

Pic 2: Moosehead Saloon. (I really didn't feel awkward being there, I promise.) Next to me is Hermana Morris, who is waiting for her visa to Argentina.

 

Pic 3: Hermana Morris and me again. We pulled these CRAZY bushes out, and so decided to show them off. The roots were deep and GIGANTIC!!! Some of them were a couple inches in diameter. But we did it with our awesomeness, super strength, a pick axe, clippers, and shovels. :)

 Hello Everyone!

  

(Sorry this letter's so long today. You missionaries can just scan it and pick out what you think is interesting. :P )

 

This week was much better than last week. Not that we had anything extraordinary happen in proselyting, but I relied more on the Lord and focused on how I've improved, rather than how I'm lacking. Everyone falls short. Everyone's inadequate. No one is perfect. But, God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies that called. "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; ...But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:" (1 Corinthians 1:26-27, 30). I put that scripture on my mirror so I remember that. I did that about a month ago, actually, but I actually remembered to apply it this week.

 

We met a crazy guy this week. Actually, not really "met", but anyway... He is a former investigator named Bob. We liked the look of his teaching record and stopped by his mansion on the lake. He wasn't home, but his wife gave us his number and told us to call him rather than stop by again. So, we called him. He had sisters teaching him six or seven years ago, but as far as we know hasn't had any contact since. Well, we called him, and he is FUNNY! He talks really loudly, and doesn't want to set up an appointment, but if we call when he's free we can come over. He asked, "Who gave you my number? My wife? The Filipino lady? She wants me to convert!" Then he asked me, "Where are you from, Utah?" and seemed very interested in my name. We think he isn't hearing the "s", so thinks my name is "Sister Richard", which I think he finds weird. We'll just have to meet him and clarify. :P So, we got off the phone with him, then he called two minutes later to tell us about John, who was just diagnosed with cancer, and was ready to convert a few years ago but lost contact and didn't. "I think he's ready to convert now. You should call him." And Bob gave us his number! It says on his teaching record that he likes to give referrals, and we are seeing that as true already. Hopefully something will come of it, and he'll be converted himself, as well. :)

 

We said good-bye to Brett, the less-active who's become fully reactivated, this week. He and his wife are moving to Utah. So, I'll just have to go visit them when I get home! They took us out to lunch at the Moosehead Saloon (picture attached :P) probably because it's called a "saloon" and they were helping us rebel a little. :P It was fun! I love them both so much. It's amazing how quickly you learn to love the people, but what's even more amazing is how quickly they come to love you.

 

I love this work. Time is so weird out here, and it goes so incredibly fast while completely dragging on... But I love it. I love it! I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week!

 

Sister Richards

 

You're Weekly Update from Cleveland, Ohio!!

Actually, it really is an update from Cleveland, not just the Cleveland mission. My area consists of three of Cleveland's suburbs, so we're the closest a sister will ever come to serving in downtown Cleveland... Exciting! It's very safe, though, so no worries. Elder Graf and Elder Moreland, however, have a sketchy area. What's funny is that we share a ward! So, when we go visit people in their area (which we do on occasion) we try to stay during the daytime. One of the ladies in their area, who we stopped by and set up an appointment with once, is now suspected of illegal drugs, so we cancelled our appointment and NO missionaries are to go see her. Usually, though, we go to Lakewood just to see the single sisters FHE group. We go over almost every Monday. We shouldn't, but we love them so much! Plus, there have been nonmembers coming lately, so it's been good.

 

We met with Hayley and Sienna this week for the first time since their mom left. Their grandma is adament that their mom won't add any more stipulations to their getting baptized. We hope she sticks to that determination, because if she decides to make them do something else, we as missionaries can't do anything about it. We're back to meeting with the girls every Tuesday and Thursday, and they have a new baptism date for July 20th! We're PRAYING that goes through. The only bad thing is that it is the week after transfers, so Sister Dahle is praying she doesn't get transferred (she's been working with them for six weeks longer than I have) and I hope I don't get transferred either. Maybe we can come back to see the baptism if we beg hard enough. ;)

 

We haven't found any new investigators yet, but we did meet a less-active's son's nonmember girlfriend yesterday, and she was very interested in our religion. I gave her a BoM and gave a two-minute Restoration. She didn't commit to meet again, but the less-active said that she could meet with us in their house. If that really were to happen, imagine the blessings for all parties involved! You'd have a less-active (practically inactive) member, her wayward son, and his nonmember girlfriend all coming closer to Christ. It seems to good to be true, so I'm hoping it is. If not, it was great practice for the Restoration anyway. :P

 

I love you all. All you missionaries, have a fantastic week doing the Lord's work! I'm blessed to be part of a huge support group of missionaries all around the world doing the Lord's work. To all of you at home, have a fantastic summer and have fun! I love you all! Thanks for the letters, prayers and support.

 

Love,

Sister McKayla Richards

Week one of transfer two

Hello Everyone!

 

This week was CRAZY!! We had transfers on Wednesday, which meant we had to say good-bye to Sister Bell (my companion) and Sister Frampton (one of the other sisters who live with us). But, we got Sister Oliver in the other companionship (still a triple-up) and Sister Dahle and I are enjoying working in a duo. You wouldn't believe how much easier it is to teach with just the two of us. We already have more companionship unity in teaching than we ever have felt. Maybe trios are easier when all three of you are thrown in at the same time, but we have learned that adding a third person to an original duo is hard. But, I'm so glad I was able to serve in the trio last transfer, and I'm excited to serve with Sister Dahle now! She is so fun, and together we're focusing on finding someone this transfer. That means more tracting and contacting and lots of praying. This last transfer has been very focused on reactivation efforts, but now that most of them are progressing, we want to expand our focus and find new investigators! :P

 

At transfers I ran into an old friend... Elder Barnes! He's a Zone Leader now (not of my zone, though) so there was no way I could miss him. I also saw Sister Ahrenson, but she had to go back to the historical sites before we could take a picture with her, too. Jon and I didn't get to talk much, but I told him it was weird to see him. Good, but weird. It's true, though! It made home and mission seem way to close. The mission is so different, and then seeing a friend (not even just an acquaintence, but a friend) from home kinda threw me for a loop. It was fun, though. :) I attached the picture we took. (I have to say, taking pictures with elders (who you aren't allowed to touch) can be kinda awkward. What do you do, stand side by side awkwardly? Yep, that's what you do. :P)

 

One of the less-actives we've been working with (and who we love dearly), Kathleen, invited her nonmember son to church, and he said yes!! We are so proud of her. Next week is "Bring a Friend to Church Day," and we're hoping for lots of people to take the chance to invite friends to a nonthreatening sacrament meeting. Kathleen is such an inspiration. When we taught her the Word of Wisdom, she already knew everything but coffee and tea. When we told her that she said, "I don't know why the missionaries who taught me didn't tell me that. It wouldn't have changed anything, but I wish they had told me!" This is the same woman who has had a boyfriend for over twenty years, and has been dutifully living the law of chastity over those same twenty years since being taught and baptized. She is completely incredible and has a stalwart testimony. I hope that her son still comes and he listens to his mom, because she is incredible and can teach him a lot.

 

This week, we tried a new tracting method. We stopped at the Correa (pronounced Co-hey-a; the dad is from Brazil) family's house and told them that we were sharing a message about the Family Proclomation, and asked if there was anyone on their street who's door we could knock on (Sis. Correa is an RM, so she thought that was funny) that would appreciate the message. Even though we didn't get into any more doors than usual, we felt like we had been more productive because we tracted with purpose, not just willy-nilly, "let's knock on this door." We think we'll be doing more of that. At one of the doors no one answered, but their dog came up and pushed the door open! It was just a little dog and it was very friendly, but there was no one inside the house, and when I opened the front door and tried to coax it back in, it wouldn't go. Awkward! Luckily, the family was around back. They did NOT look pleased to see us (in fact, they scared me a little with the look of pure "get the... out of here" in their eyes) but we had to return their dog. Oh well. Hopefully we'll have more successful doors than that. :P

 

Sienna's mother left for her next month-long job this week. So, no baptism till at least July, if not August, and that's if we can get the mom to cooperate. It's so sad to see how much Sienna wants to be baptized, but because she's not eighteen she can't. We're going to see her and her sister this week, though, and we hope we can set up a new date to push for. They are such sweet girls and have incredible testimonies.

 

Sorry to you fellow missionaries that my letters are so long. You can just skim through and read the parts you want. :) Good luck to all of you, and I love getting your letters and hearing about your successes and stories.

 

To all you family and friends at home: Thank you for your love and emails. Keep writing me letters (because I'm selfish and will ask for that ;) ) and have a fun summer.

 

I love you all! Have a fantastic week.

 

Sister McKayla

New Pics

All of us sisters at 6:30 a.m. with Cleveland in the background

Me with our truck. Yes, it's red:)

Me eating with CHOPSTICKS! (I thought Emily would be proud of me.) We went to a Japanese resturaunt with Brother Brady and Sister Hulse, and Brother Brady taught me how to use chopsticks. He's a less active that's been reactivated and who we love very much (and his wife is an angel, too, but she's in Utah right now) and Sister Hulse is an older lady in our ward who is a sweetheart.