Holla Family!
First and foremost this is the address that will forever work to send me stuff:
888 Oakwood Rd. #310 Charleston West Virginia 25314
It has been a crazy week and I don't have much time to email today. I'm just going to start off how awesome Conference was, and having it in the perspective of a missionary. Do you know how many times they said Member Missionary work in there?! aahhh!! I was like c'mon ward GET WITH IT!! haha we will see.
We started the 7 day Quit Smoking Program with Jaylene this past week. We introduced the program and started it in a members home, the Shermans. The program is SUPER cheesy! Jaylene kept saying throughout the program "I am ready to quit - it is time and I'm going to do it!" the 'hardest' part of the program was when Jaylene had to crush her own cigarettes. I just want to say how nasty cigarettes are... they are, ugh, They are so creepy and the tobacco falls out on you as you even touch them. So breaking them all of the tobacco goes all over the place! ew. so nasty. I don't know why people smoke - It makes you smell bad, and all of those who are around you smell bad as well! I know because we have to sit around people smoking all of the time! So if I smell like smoke when I come home I promise I am not a smoker. Anywho, back to Jaylene. She is such a trooper. She was having a crappy day/week to start off with. She lost her job, had a headache, didn't feel good. Yet she was willing to take the steps to a better life. She knows what she is doing and she is willing to do it! I wish there were more people so willing to change. The people here are so 'set in their ways' . they have been for generations, and they feel no desire or motivation to change. That is probably why they are so laid back in everything and their economy is collapsing. It is really sad to watch and hear of all the problems of things going on around you. They don't think they can do anything, but most of all they aren't willing to try anything new or fix anything.
The Bradley's also started the Quit Smoking Program. Ronda is having the Hardest time! Caleb told us last night before we came over that She was having terrible Nicotine Fits and that we probably shouldn't ask her how she was doing or she would give us a line of cussing. haha Thanks Caleb for the heads up! on the other hand, Shane who was the Chain smoker, crushed his cigarettes and hasn't had a problem yet, he hasn't even complained or had a raised temper. So we hope to be able to help Ronda and be more comforted and calm. Ronda was supposed to start the program the same time Jaylene did. But Ronda kept putting it off till Shane could do it with her.
We had Zone meeting on Friday and the focus was: Trust in the Lord and Move On. we watched the video of Joseph Smith- well bits and pieces of it. The trials he faced, and yet he pushed through them all. The part that stuck out to me was when Emma asked him if he ever doubted in the Lord or thought the Lord asked to much. Joseph replied that he did not allow himself to think such thoughts. he never allowed himself any time or room to doubt what he was doing. we need to believe in ourselves and our purpose here! things are going to push against us at all times - but we need to Trust in the Lord and Move On. Which I know is easier said than done during times of trial, but that is when we need the love of the Lord the most in our lives. We can either choose to come closer to Him, or we can choose to distance ourselves and become cold. In our final district meeting together we talked about the importance of boundaries. How our ward has given us boundaries, our mission has given us boundaries, and how our daily life should have boundaries. These life boundaries are what we make them; they can either follow God's Commandments and make it easier to follow him or we can choose different boundaries. Elder Williams gave an analogy of a video game he played (not going to lie I was totally thinking of Fable): How the character could perform light and dark abilities at the beginning. The more he did dark things the less and less light abilities were there for him to preform and eventually he would not have any ability to do light things. The same went for doing light abilities the more and more he did the light abilities the less and less dark abilities were available. Eventually dark abilities could not be performed. That is how we should all strive to be. Continually performing "light' abilities. Doing good to our fellow beings. The more we do them, the more we Choose the Right; the harder it will be to do the wrong things. We are continually moving towards the one or the other. there is never a moment of stillness.
After the Meetings Sister Richards and I rushed to the Church to attend a funeral. the Lady was 106 years old!! She wasn't a Mormon, but her son was; so the viewing and stuff was at our church. Bro Urbach spoke/gave her memorial. He is the one with a very mechanical voice. So it was interesting when he would try and tell jokes and stuff, because you couldn't tell, because his voice didn't change at all. He did give a good story though - how we are all beautiful white masted ships. That to all who are standing on the shore (family, friends, etc) we are moving toward the Horizon. They continue to watch us as we get to the edge of the Horizon and slip out of view. We are gone to those who were standing on the shore. on the other side of the Horizon, there are those who are waiting - waiting on the shore for the beautiful white masted ship to arrive. You come over the Horizon and get closer and closer to those who have been waiting for you. As soon as we leave this 'Horizon" it is not the end. There is the other side that we will join. They are waiting there for us. Arms open, waiting and excited. The Idea of a Spirit World brings me comfort. I find it much more comforting than going straight to Heaven or Hell. I don't know maybe that is just me. but knowing that there is still time; time to work - time to remember.
So we had a Transfer Scare this week. Our area has been really struggling... Well mostly we have been having a really hard time working with the ward. We had a meeting with the Bishop and he finally told us the feeling that the ward members were having toward us how we were being too Pushy. That they were feeling Pressured and he doesn't want them to have any pressure. I'm not going to lie.. Everyone needs a little Pressure in life. If there isn't Pressure than nothing will get done. There is Good pressure and Bad Pressure, but I don't feel like we have been giving the ward any pressure. We don't really do anything with them. So we finally settled our concerns with the Bishop, and he set some boundaries for us to work within. Our Mission President has been hearing of our struggles and didn't know what to do with us and our ward. it was a tough situation. He called us on Sunday and told us that he was thinking about transferring the both of us out and putting two new sisters in. We were devastated to hear this. Our area would completely crumble. we shared our concern with Him, and he said he would continue to pray and figure out what needed to be done. In the morning he called and asked to speak with me and asked me what I thought. I'm still really terrible at expressing feelings and thoughts and all of that fun stuff, but I let him know that having this change would not be good for the ward or for the area. That change is what the ward was having a hard time with, and that by switching out all of the missionaries it would make the matter worse. He thanked me and then told both Sister Richards and I that he had come to a decision in the matter. Sister Richards would be transferred out and I will be staying in Wheelersburg. I'm so happy with the decision. but I am also sad to have Sister Richards go. She is the only companion I have had so far. I don't know how my new companion will be. But yah know what, change is awesome! and I am going to love my new companion to the max!
The one quote that stuck out to me during General Conference this week that has really applied to all that has been going on. Given by president Uchtdorf: Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith
Never EVER doubt your faith. well I have to go now, much to do before transfers tomorrow and not much time!
I love you all and I hope everything is going well!
Sister Karen Call
First and foremost this is the address that will forever work to send me stuff:
888 Oakwood Rd. #310 Charleston West Virginia 25314
It has been a crazy week and I don't have much time to email today. I'm just going to start off how awesome Conference was, and having it in the perspective of a missionary. Do you know how many times they said Member Missionary work in there?! aahhh!! I was like c'mon ward GET WITH IT!! haha we will see.
We started the 7 day Quit Smoking Program with Jaylene this past week. We introduced the program and started it in a members home, the Shermans. The program is SUPER cheesy! Jaylene kept saying throughout the program "I am ready to quit - it is time and I'm going to do it!" the 'hardest' part of the program was when Jaylene had to crush her own cigarettes. I just want to say how nasty cigarettes are... they are, ugh, They are so creepy and the tobacco falls out on you as you even touch them. So breaking them all of the tobacco goes all over the place! ew. so nasty. I don't know why people smoke - It makes you smell bad, and all of those who are around you smell bad as well! I know because we have to sit around people smoking all of the time! So if I smell like smoke when I come home I promise I am not a smoker. Anywho, back to Jaylene. She is such a trooper. She was having a crappy day/week to start off with. She lost her job, had a headache, didn't feel good. Yet she was willing to take the steps to a better life. She knows what she is doing and she is willing to do it! I wish there were more people so willing to change. The people here are so 'set in their ways' . they have been for generations, and they feel no desire or motivation to change. That is probably why they are so laid back in everything and their economy is collapsing. It is really sad to watch and hear of all the problems of things going on around you. They don't think they can do anything, but most of all they aren't willing to try anything new or fix anything.
The Bradley's also started the Quit Smoking Program. Ronda is having the Hardest time! Caleb told us last night before we came over that She was having terrible Nicotine Fits and that we probably shouldn't ask her how she was doing or she would give us a line of cussing. haha Thanks Caleb for the heads up! on the other hand, Shane who was the Chain smoker, crushed his cigarettes and hasn't had a problem yet, he hasn't even complained or had a raised temper. So we hope to be able to help Ronda and be more comforted and calm. Ronda was supposed to start the program the same time Jaylene did. But Ronda kept putting it off till Shane could do it with her.
We had Zone meeting on Friday and the focus was: Trust in the Lord and Move On. we watched the video of Joseph Smith- well bits and pieces of it. The trials he faced, and yet he pushed through them all. The part that stuck out to me was when Emma asked him if he ever doubted in the Lord or thought the Lord asked to much. Joseph replied that he did not allow himself to think such thoughts. he never allowed himself any time or room to doubt what he was doing. we need to believe in ourselves and our purpose here! things are going to push against us at all times - but we need to Trust in the Lord and Move On. Which I know is easier said than done during times of trial, but that is when we need the love of the Lord the most in our lives. We can either choose to come closer to Him, or we can choose to distance ourselves and become cold. In our final district meeting together we talked about the importance of boundaries. How our ward has given us boundaries, our mission has given us boundaries, and how our daily life should have boundaries. These life boundaries are what we make them; they can either follow God's Commandments and make it easier to follow him or we can choose different boundaries. Elder Williams gave an analogy of a video game he played (not going to lie I was totally thinking of Fable): How the character could perform light and dark abilities at the beginning. The more he did dark things the less and less light abilities were there for him to preform and eventually he would not have any ability to do light things. The same went for doing light abilities the more and more he did the light abilities the less and less dark abilities were available. Eventually dark abilities could not be performed. That is how we should all strive to be. Continually performing "light' abilities. Doing good to our fellow beings. The more we do them, the more we Choose the Right; the harder it will be to do the wrong things. We are continually moving towards the one or the other. there is never a moment of stillness.
After the Meetings Sister Richards and I rushed to the Church to attend a funeral. the Lady was 106 years old!! She wasn't a Mormon, but her son was; so the viewing and stuff was at our church. Bro Urbach spoke/gave her memorial. He is the one with a very mechanical voice. So it was interesting when he would try and tell jokes and stuff, because you couldn't tell, because his voice didn't change at all. He did give a good story though - how we are all beautiful white masted ships. That to all who are standing on the shore (family, friends, etc) we are moving toward the Horizon. They continue to watch us as we get to the edge of the Horizon and slip out of view. We are gone to those who were standing on the shore. on the other side of the Horizon, there are those who are waiting - waiting on the shore for the beautiful white masted ship to arrive. You come over the Horizon and get closer and closer to those who have been waiting for you. As soon as we leave this 'Horizon" it is not the end. There is the other side that we will join. They are waiting there for us. Arms open, waiting and excited. The Idea of a Spirit World brings me comfort. I find it much more comforting than going straight to Heaven or Hell. I don't know maybe that is just me. but knowing that there is still time; time to work - time to remember.
So we had a Transfer Scare this week. Our area has been really struggling... Well mostly we have been having a really hard time working with the ward. We had a meeting with the Bishop and he finally told us the feeling that the ward members were having toward us how we were being too Pushy. That they were feeling Pressured and he doesn't want them to have any pressure. I'm not going to lie.. Everyone needs a little Pressure in life. If there isn't Pressure than nothing will get done. There is Good pressure and Bad Pressure, but I don't feel like we have been giving the ward any pressure. We don't really do anything with them. So we finally settled our concerns with the Bishop, and he set some boundaries for us to work within. Our Mission President has been hearing of our struggles and didn't know what to do with us and our ward. it was a tough situation. He called us on Sunday and told us that he was thinking about transferring the both of us out and putting two new sisters in. We were devastated to hear this. Our area would completely crumble. we shared our concern with Him, and he said he would continue to pray and figure out what needed to be done. In the morning he called and asked to speak with me and asked me what I thought. I'm still really terrible at expressing feelings and thoughts and all of that fun stuff, but I let him know that having this change would not be good for the ward or for the area. That change is what the ward was having a hard time with, and that by switching out all of the missionaries it would make the matter worse. He thanked me and then told both Sister Richards and I that he had come to a decision in the matter. Sister Richards would be transferred out and I will be staying in Wheelersburg. I'm so happy with the decision. but I am also sad to have Sister Richards go. She is the only companion I have had so far. I don't know how my new companion will be. But yah know what, change is awesome! and I am going to love my new companion to the max!
The one quote that stuck out to me during General Conference this week that has really applied to all that has been going on. Given by president Uchtdorf: Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith
Never EVER doubt your faith. well I have to go now, much to do before transfers tomorrow and not much time!
I love you all and I hope everything is going well!
Sister Karen Call
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