Well, not much has happened this week except for christmas. I was
overloaded with presents this year and I was not expecting it at all.
:) Thankyou Ralph family for sending me all the great things such a
blanket, hot chocolate mugs, hot cocoa, candy.... That was a pleasent
surprise. I got to talk to you all on saturday and that was just the
best ever! my stomach was in knots because I was so excited. I just
miss you all like crazy. I am sorry that I started crying right before
I hung up the phone. I was just emotional at that time. Maybe because
I didn't want to stop talking. Oh well, I will talk to you in no time.
Only five months til I talk to you again. This time maybe on scype if
anyone has it around here. I am excited for all the great news that I
recieved this past weekend and can't wait for this next year and all
the great things that will happen. :) I don't really have anything
else to say so I am going to get going. I love you all. Have a great
week.
Amanda
Our Wonderful Life Together
Monday, December 27, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
December 20, 2010
Well, I have gone through the week and I have survived!!! I am a survivor! It was really crazy this week. We got an ice storm on wednesday and when we woke up, the roads and our hill were ice. We decided not to go anywhere that morning and afternoon and we did our planning a day early. we went out that night though and we were blessed to get a new investigator. I hope we will be able to see her again. We witnessed a miracle this week. We went to a members house and stayed for a while. I thought I parked it a good enough spot but when we got in the car and I stepped on the gas, I was going nowhere! I had my foot all the way down on the gas pedal but didn't go because I was on ice. I put it in reverse and I went somewhere and then I went forward and again went nowhere. I stopped and prayed that we would get out. I put the car in reverse and somehow someway, the car hit the ice just right and the car traveled sideways until it straightened itself out. I was amazed. Then I put it in gear and went on our way. i was so happy to not get stuck. So now, when we know that we will not get up a hill or out of someplace, we park on top of the hill and walk down even if it takes a while.
Here in Beattyville, the roads are nothing but curves. There is not one straight road besides the highway. And everyone lives on top of a hill or in a holler. A holler is when you are down a hill and around a mountain. Mostly just at the very very bottom of a hill. It is kind of frustrating in the winter. We want to go to so many places but we can't because we will get stuck. Oh how I wish we had four wheel drive. That would be great.
My companion is a great worker. She has such a strong testimony and she is just great. She has lots of great ideas. :)
I have to get going but I love you all. I can't wait to talk to y'all on saturday. WOOHOO!!!!!!
Love sister ralph
Here in Beattyville, the roads are nothing but curves. There is not one straight road besides the highway. And everyone lives on top of a hill or in a holler. A holler is when you are down a hill and around a mountain. Mostly just at the very very bottom of a hill. It is kind of frustrating in the winter. We want to go to so many places but we can't because we will get stuck. Oh how I wish we had four wheel drive. That would be great.
My companion is a great worker. She has such a strong testimony and she is just great. She has lots of great ideas. :)
I have to get going but I love you all. I can't wait to talk to y'all on saturday. WOOHOO!!!!!!
Love sister ralph
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
December 13, 2010
Wow. what a week it has been. I forgot my journal at home so I am going to try to remember all that has happened this week.
Tuesday was a strange day. We woke up at 5:00am and getting ready to leave for Louisville for transfer meeting. My suitcases were packed to the brim. I was afraid that my zippers were going to burst. I still did not get everything in because I got extra winter clothes and my bedding I did not even pack the first time. It was interesting. We left at 7:00 and I was not ready to leave. I loved Tell City so much. My stomach was hurting. But we got to Louisville safely and we waited for the news of who our partners were going to be. I had a hunch on who and where I was going to serve. I was thinking that I would be with sister tanner OR I would be in Beattyville with the new sister that came out the transfer earlier. We waited and President called my name and Sister Goodman's name and where we were going to serve. My stomach jumped and had butterflies in it. I could not believe it. I was going to beattyville and I was going to be doing followup training with Sister Goodman who has been out for one transfer. I was a little more than...nervous. Then we waited for all the other places to be named. I got to see Sister Graham again and I sure did miss her. It was a joyous experience. After it ended, I met my companion, look at a sheet of paper to tell who was driving and who the Senior Companion was (I am the driver and SC) and then I hugged my dear Sister Moyes goodbye. I definatley did not want to say goodbye to her at all. Sister Goodman and I went to the mission office to get mail that we had then I loaded all my stuff in the back of another Senior Couples car and we were off.
Sister goodman is a great missionary. She has the 'greenie' attitude that I have lost and she is wonderful. When we got to Beattyville, we started to tract and then visit with people. I met the Snowdens and that was a hoot. <--- that word is a word that is commonly used by people around here. The Snowdens make dinner for us and I was surprised when I got there. They don't eat with us. I guess they eat before hand. The just sat at the table watching us eat. They told me I was a way to proper eater. I felt like it too. Then we went into the living room and had conversation with them. They told me they were going to train me how to talk southern language. It was funny. I am excited to learn. I am going to come back a changed person. :) haha.
Driving was a fun experience. I have not driven for 6 months and i definatly had to get used to it. Sister goodman, bless her heart, is NOT good at giving directions or remembering where to go at all. I was praying that we would get to our destinations. We have been lucky so far this week. I have been able to remember where places were and also remember people's names. It has been a blessing. If I could describe sister goodman in one word it would be...worriesome. It almost drives me crazy how much she worries but it okay. I have been able to get to know her well. One thing that bugs me a little bit is that she talks sososososososososososos much. I can be reading and I will only be able to get one paragraph read because she is talking to me the whole time. I don't know how she does it. I feel a little bad because sometimes I don't even really listen. That is bad of me. I have to write in my journal now during personal study in the morning because I find myself rushing through the details because I am trying to listen to my companion. I prayed for a non-quiet one and I sure did get it. man. :)
The second day here, we lost our phone. Sister goodman puts it in her pocket and sometimes it falls out of her pocket. when that happens, I usually see it but not this time. We got out of an appointment and she realized she lost the phone. I was just saying in my head, "For real?" then I took a breath and then we went back to see if it was at the appointments house. it was not though. So throughout the rest of the night we retracted our footsteps and we still couldnot find it. I had faith that we would find it though. I called one of the mission office people to tell them about the phone and they seemed alittle bit frustrated at us because it was a newer phone. After we hung up (we were using the Lloyds phone who are the Senior Couple) I had a thought to have them call our phone and I would go check outside their house. So he did and while I was looking for it I hear a strange ringing in the distace and voila, there it was. I found it. Phew. So it is all good and I am in charge of the phone now. :)
Um, it is cold! It is alot colder her than Tell City. It is the coldest place in the mission I believe. The most hick and the most cold. Wonderful. This morning was very very fun. We got up to go exercise. I decided to make a snowman and a snowangle and I cleared off all the snow off the car. Then we went in and we were going to go back out but then I decided that we really needed to shovel the drive off. We had about 8 inches of snow. So, I get dressed in jeans, three shirts, two socks, leggings, and boots and I go borrow a shovel from a neighbor. I then start shoveling the long drive for my first time ever. It was not so bad except for the part that it was cold, the drive was long, and the driveyway was on a hill. So it was...horrible. I am not going to like it I don't think. I need some pointers on how to drive in snow. So, if you could tell me that would be great. Especially because everywhere around this area is hilly and curvy. There is no flat places.
We have 10 investigators. We got 5 this week which was very cool. I met most of them. we only get 1400 miles on the car so we have to be careful with the miles. That will be hard because everywhere is really far.
Some phrases I hear alot is honey and "that just tickles me to death." Some people say both those in one sentence. "Honey, that just tickled me to death." haha. We only have 25 members but that is alot compared to how much the had a year ago. They only had 8 people a year ago. Can you imagine that? only 8 people in the ward/branch? I am so used to wards and this is different. I am going to be teaching someone how to play the piano. I am the piano player now. Lucky me. And the best part is that they have an ORGAN! that was so cool.
I have to get going soon. But, I have lots more to tell y'all. I hope you have a great week. I love you.
Sister Ralph
Tuesday was a strange day. We woke up at 5:00am and getting ready to leave for Louisville for transfer meeting. My suitcases were packed to the brim. I was afraid that my zippers were going to burst. I still did not get everything in because I got extra winter clothes and my bedding I did not even pack the first time. It was interesting. We left at 7:00 and I was not ready to leave. I loved Tell City so much. My stomach was hurting. But we got to Louisville safely and we waited for the news of who our partners were going to be. I had a hunch on who and where I was going to serve. I was thinking that I would be with sister tanner OR I would be in Beattyville with the new sister that came out the transfer earlier. We waited and President called my name and Sister Goodman's name and where we were going to serve. My stomach jumped and had butterflies in it. I could not believe it. I was going to beattyville and I was going to be doing followup training with Sister Goodman who has been out for one transfer. I was a little more than...nervous. Then we waited for all the other places to be named. I got to see Sister Graham again and I sure did miss her. It was a joyous experience. After it ended, I met my companion, look at a sheet of paper to tell who was driving and who the Senior Companion was (I am the driver and SC) and then I hugged my dear Sister Moyes goodbye. I definatley did not want to say goodbye to her at all. Sister Goodman and I went to the mission office to get mail that we had then I loaded all my stuff in the back of another Senior Couples car and we were off.
Sister goodman is a great missionary. She has the 'greenie' attitude that I have lost and she is wonderful. When we got to Beattyville, we started to tract and then visit with people. I met the Snowdens and that was a hoot. <--- that word is a word that is commonly used by people around here. The Snowdens make dinner for us and I was surprised when I got there. They don't eat with us. I guess they eat before hand. The just sat at the table watching us eat. They told me I was a way to proper eater. I felt like it too. Then we went into the living room and had conversation with them. They told me they were going to train me how to talk southern language. It was funny. I am excited to learn. I am going to come back a changed person. :) haha.
Driving was a fun experience. I have not driven for 6 months and i definatly had to get used to it. Sister goodman, bless her heart, is NOT good at giving directions or remembering where to go at all. I was praying that we would get to our destinations. We have been lucky so far this week. I have been able to remember where places were and also remember people's names. It has been a blessing. If I could describe sister goodman in one word it would be...worriesome. It almost drives me crazy how much she worries but it okay. I have been able to get to know her well. One thing that bugs me a little bit is that she talks sososososososososososos much. I can be reading and I will only be able to get one paragraph read because she is talking to me the whole time. I don't know how she does it. I feel a little bad because sometimes I don't even really listen. That is bad of me. I have to write in my journal now during personal study in the morning because I find myself rushing through the details because I am trying to listen to my companion. I prayed for a non-quiet one and I sure did get it. man. :)
The second day here, we lost our phone. Sister goodman puts it in her pocket and sometimes it falls out of her pocket. when that happens, I usually see it but not this time. We got out of an appointment and she realized she lost the phone. I was just saying in my head, "For real?" then I took a breath and then we went back to see if it was at the appointments house. it was not though. So throughout the rest of the night we retracted our footsteps and we still couldnot find it. I had faith that we would find it though. I called one of the mission office people to tell them about the phone and they seemed alittle bit frustrated at us because it was a newer phone. After we hung up (we were using the Lloyds phone who are the Senior Couple) I had a thought to have them call our phone and I would go check outside their house. So he did and while I was looking for it I hear a strange ringing in the distace and voila, there it was. I found it. Phew. So it is all good and I am in charge of the phone now. :)
Um, it is cold! It is alot colder her than Tell City. It is the coldest place in the mission I believe. The most hick and the most cold. Wonderful. This morning was very very fun. We got up to go exercise. I decided to make a snowman and a snowangle and I cleared off all the snow off the car. Then we went in and we were going to go back out but then I decided that we really needed to shovel the drive off. We had about 8 inches of snow. So, I get dressed in jeans, three shirts, two socks, leggings, and boots and I go borrow a shovel from a neighbor. I then start shoveling the long drive for my first time ever. It was not so bad except for the part that it was cold, the drive was long, and the driveyway was on a hill. So it was...horrible. I am not going to like it I don't think. I need some pointers on how to drive in snow. So, if you could tell me that would be great. Especially because everywhere around this area is hilly and curvy. There is no flat places.
We have 10 investigators. We got 5 this week which was very cool. I met most of them. we only get 1400 miles on the car so we have to be careful with the miles. That will be hard because everywhere is really far.
Some phrases I hear alot is honey and "that just tickles me to death." Some people say both those in one sentence. "Honey, that just tickled me to death." haha. We only have 25 members but that is alot compared to how much the had a year ago. They only had 8 people a year ago. Can you imagine that? only 8 people in the ward/branch? I am so used to wards and this is different. I am going to be teaching someone how to play the piano. I am the piano player now. Lucky me. And the best part is that they have an ORGAN! that was so cool.
I have to get going soon. But, I have lots more to tell y'all. I hope you have a great week. I love you.
Sister Ralph
Monday, December 6, 2010
December 6, 2010
Well, this week was good. Monday night we got an investigator!!! We were tracking an area and we felt good about this area. We talked to a guy named Jesse and he was super nice. He wanted to learn more but did not give us a certain time to come back so he is not a 'gator yet. Then that same street Melanee answered the door. She invited us to come back on friday so she was an investigator. The only bad thing is, is she did not show up for her appointment. :( That was pretty sad. But a miracle happened on tuesday! A couple months ago we knocked on a lady's door named Amy. She was somewhat interested and we told her we would come by another time soon since she was really busy at that time. Amy works as a home care assistants person. Well, on tuesday we felt really good about 23rd street. We start to tract it and guess what? We knocked on the very house Amy works at! This is not coincidence. We talked for about 40 min. We talked a little about young womans and how it helps build the values in the young women. She has a fifteen year old daughter. She started crying. She felt the spirit so strong and we are excited to start teaching her some more. She is going to love it. Then on saturday, we were going out and we were knocking on doors of the former investigators. We knocked on one and the person didn't live there anymore. But we did meet Jeff, the now owner of the house. He was really nice. He wanted to learn more right then but we were not allowed to go into his house. So we set up a time for the next day. We were so excited. ANOTHER INVESTIGATOR...almost. unfortunately, he did not show up to his appointment either. Bummer. Oh well, we still have high hopes. Saturday night we got transfer news. it turns out, I am leaving Tell City and entering a new world on tuesday. I have no idea where I am going but I will send word soon. I am excited for a new area but not at the same time. I love Tell City and love everyone here. I love my companion and don't want to leave but it will be what God wants. I think one of the worst part is that i am leaving two weeks before christmas. Oh well. I am exctied to be with new people. Mom, Sister Jewell told me to tell you that I am a good daughter and that I work hard. I think Sister Jewell and her family is who I am going to miss the most. It will be hard but worth it. :) I am going to be sending another box home but this time is just full of random things that I didn't really need to carry around with me.
On sunday something of a miracle happened. We were getting ready for the Christmas Broadcast. We were giong to try to get the TV up on the stage area. The TV was on one of those stands and we were going to be buff enough to lift all of that metal up 6 inches onto the stage. Well, it did not work as well as we thought it would go. We lift up the stand, and we can't lift it up all the way, we were just to short. all of a sudden the stand tv is tilting and was going to fall all the way to the ground! Something happened where the TV went back to the starting position. But then it started to tilt forward again as we try to get the TV on the stage. While all this was happening I was just thinking about "oh no. The broadcast won't be able to be shown if the TV fall to the ground. What are we going to do if it falls? Oh no, maybe I should grab on to the TV. Hey, that would be a smart idea!" So I let go of the stand and grab the top of the tv to keep it from falling. Quickly sister Moyes goes in front of the tv to keep it from falling and we get the TV on the stage. Phew. That was a very funny, very great miracle. I can't believe the TV didn't fall. I can't believe that the DVD player stayed on the stand. My goodness. Afterwards, my thumb and finger was killing me. I was laughing so hard of the experience and crying because of the pain. I didn't know what to do. My thumb got squished by the TV and I thought it might have been broken. Luckily it was not. It is fine now. I learned my lesson. Do it with three people and taller people next time. :)
I have to get going. Very very busy packing, visiting people day to day. I love you all. Have fun this week. :) Jaden, What going on in your life? I want to know. :) You are all the best! Sister Amanda Ralph
On sunday something of a miracle happened. We were getting ready for the Christmas Broadcast. We were giong to try to get the TV up on the stage area. The TV was on one of those stands and we were going to be buff enough to lift all of that metal up 6 inches onto the stage. Well, it did not work as well as we thought it would go. We lift up the stand, and we can't lift it up all the way, we were just to short. all of a sudden the stand tv is tilting and was going to fall all the way to the ground! Something happened where the TV went back to the starting position. But then it started to tilt forward again as we try to get the TV on the stage. While all this was happening I was just thinking about "oh no. The broadcast won't be able to be shown if the TV fall to the ground. What are we going to do if it falls? Oh no, maybe I should grab on to the TV. Hey, that would be a smart idea!" So I let go of the stand and grab the top of the tv to keep it from falling. Quickly sister Moyes goes in front of the tv to keep it from falling and we get the TV on the stage. Phew. That was a very funny, very great miracle. I can't believe the TV didn't fall. I can't believe that the DVD player stayed on the stand. My goodness. Afterwards, my thumb and finger was killing me. I was laughing so hard of the experience and crying because of the pain. I didn't know what to do. My thumb got squished by the TV and I thought it might have been broken. Luckily it was not. It is fine now. I learned my lesson. Do it with three people and taller people next time. :)
I have to get going. Very very busy packing, visiting people day to day. I love you all. Have fun this week. :) Jaden, What going on in your life? I want to know. :) You are all the best! Sister Amanda Ralph
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
November 29, 2010
Well, this week has been pretty good. It was so weird to not have thanksgiving with any of you. I am very very happy that you did service that day. It brought great excitement to my heart to hear that you served Sis. Quershi (SP). :) Thankyou very much for doing that. I am sure she appreciated it as well. For thanksgiving we went to Sister Skeens house. Over in the south we call grandma Mamaw. So we call sister skeen mamaw. She is such a sweet lady and she is always first in inviting us to her little-big family parties. It was fun going there. We spent two hours there conversing with people and eating all the yummy delicious food. Then we left and we still had to plan for the week so we did that. We took a nap though and that was different. I didn't mean to sleep so long but I slept for an hour. That turkey did it for me. :) I love that family so much and I am going to miss them alot.
Yes I do have transfers coming up. I don't know if I will be transfered or not but secretely, I hope that I do get transfered. I love Tell City a whole bunch and I love my companion to death but I am ready for a change. I will have been in this area for 5 months on thursday. Time has gone by so fast. I have a feeling though that something big is going to happen to one of the sister areas. We have three sisters leaving for home this transfer. One sister due to medical and two sisters because their time is up. We only have 1 new sister coming in. This worries us because there is no way that all the sister areas can be covered. So we are thinking that one area will either have to be closed or elders will have to be placed into the area. We are thinking that maybe our area will have to change. There could be elders moved back since it has been three years since there have been elders. OR the area may close because we have not had very many lessons lately and we have not had a lot of investigators. I hope the area does not close though. I wish I knew what was going to happen.
On saturday I got to go to the temple. I was very excited to go. One of the families sister moyes taught and baptized was going to the temple for the first time. It was so exciting to see them. It was such a great experience for myself to really feel of the love of God even more and to see the family get sealed for time and all eternity. They have 6 children and it was neat to see all of them gathered around the alter. It made me want to remember what it was like to be with you, mom and dad, when you went to the temple. It was exciting. After the temple we went to eat lunch with some of the ward members and they were so funny. Then we went to this candy shop and got some red hots that are so so so good. I have never tasted so good of red hots in my life. This store was like the See's candy shop but it seemed better. :)
Saturday night, one of the people the Foote's were teaching was getting baptized. We went to that and it was a great experience for him. He is going to be a great member. We did a little tracting that night and went to bed a little early. We were so tired after having to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to get ready to go to the temple.
That is pretty much all that happened this week. It was such a good weekend. A much needed time to go to the temple. I feel so much peace there. I know what I am doing is what God wants me to do. No matter how hard it may be, I will accomplish what I need to do. I have been gone for 6 months on thursday and it is just the beginning. One more year of learning and I am excited for that. :) I love you all and I can't wait to hear your voices soon. Tell me what time you all will be together. Does jaden work on christmas? You all have a great week a head. You are the bestest ever!
Love, Sister Amanda Ralph
Yes I do have transfers coming up. I don't know if I will be transfered or not but secretely, I hope that I do get transfered. I love Tell City a whole bunch and I love my companion to death but I am ready for a change. I will have been in this area for 5 months on thursday. Time has gone by so fast. I have a feeling though that something big is going to happen to one of the sister areas. We have three sisters leaving for home this transfer. One sister due to medical and two sisters because their time is up. We only have 1 new sister coming in. This worries us because there is no way that all the sister areas can be covered. So we are thinking that one area will either have to be closed or elders will have to be placed into the area. We are thinking that maybe our area will have to change. There could be elders moved back since it has been three years since there have been elders. OR the area may close because we have not had very many lessons lately and we have not had a lot of investigators. I hope the area does not close though. I wish I knew what was going to happen.
On saturday I got to go to the temple. I was very excited to go. One of the families sister moyes taught and baptized was going to the temple for the first time. It was so exciting to see them. It was such a great experience for myself to really feel of the love of God even more and to see the family get sealed for time and all eternity. They have 6 children and it was neat to see all of them gathered around the alter. It made me want to remember what it was like to be with you, mom and dad, when you went to the temple. It was exciting. After the temple we went to eat lunch with some of the ward members and they were so funny. Then we went to this candy shop and got some red hots that are so so so good. I have never tasted so good of red hots in my life. This store was like the See's candy shop but it seemed better. :)
Saturday night, one of the people the Foote's were teaching was getting baptized. We went to that and it was a great experience for him. He is going to be a great member. We did a little tracting that night and went to bed a little early. We were so tired after having to wake up at 5:00 in the morning to get ready to go to the temple.
That is pretty much all that happened this week. It was such a good weekend. A much needed time to go to the temple. I feel so much peace there. I know what I am doing is what God wants me to do. No matter how hard it may be, I will accomplish what I need to do. I have been gone for 6 months on thursday and it is just the beginning. One more year of learning and I am excited for that. :) I love you all and I can't wait to hear your voices soon. Tell me what time you all will be together. Does jaden work on christmas? You all have a great week a head. You are the bestest ever!
Love, Sister Amanda Ralph
Monday, November 22, 2010
November 22, 2010
THis week has been a better week. Although chris and katie are not back yet from their "vacation." We went to see chris and katie one night this week and it was horrible. I was very quiet and sister moyes asked lots of questions. We just visited with them. Katie was very 'fake' this time. She was not acting like her normal self at all. She was overly excited about her kids and hardly paid attention to us. We had a good conversation. There were a couple funny things that may not seem funny but they were. The first: When we first got there, we were invited in by the grandma. She was very hospitable. She went to go get chris and katie. That took a long while. Chris walked passed us without saying hi and without looking at us. Then the grandma had us sit down and we started to talk to her. We heard chris and katie talking in the background. I believe they were debating on talking to us or something like that. So that was the first funny thing. The second funny thing happened was at the end. We asked if we could come back. Then Chris and katie go behind a wall and start whispering. I know what they were deciding. They wanted to decide whether to tell us to never come back or invite us to come back. After much debate, and them trying to figure out if they had something to do on each day, they invited us to come back thursday. So that was pretty funny. Then we got a call on thursday morning telling us that they did not want us to come over. they didn't want to waste our gas. So, guess what we did? We sent the Footes. :) They Footes did a good job. They talked to them and got some things sorted out. Chris and Katie gave ALL the books they had to the footes. I was afraid of this. But, they gave back katies quad, chris' book of mormon, all the pamphlets and everything they borrowed from the library and every other thing that we let them keep. It made me sad. We are going to keep them because they will be back. I feel that they are going tocome back. One day soon or perhaps in the future.
So, on another note besides Katie and Chris. We found an investigator last night! She is such a cute lady. I believe she is in her 80's. She is from Thailand and she speaks english and only reads Thai. So need to get a Thai Book of Mormon. I love her name the best. Her name is Buppa Ieaiden. It took me a little while to remember her name. She is searching for somethings and she does not know where to get what she is searching for. She is searching for her feelings again. She wants to feel sad, feel happy. We will get her feelings back. We are going to have to teach real simply. She does not remember very well. She says she has a sickness. She has a sickness of tiredness. I don't think she was joking either. She wants to be able to stay up all day and not have to sleep all the time. I feel bad for her. I am so excited to teach her though. I was very excited when she let us in. She was the first one in weeks that has let us in. She is our only investigator right now. We need more investigators and I hope we find them soon.
We are taking some pictures for a special something and we were going to a members house. In the members backyard there is this pond and there is also a dock. The sun was perfect setting. So, we got our camera out and made our way to the dock. Sister moyes jumps onto the dock and the dock starts moving out to the middle of the pond. Luckily it stopped. It was so scary. I thought she would be stranded in the middle of the pond. But we took the picture and were very careful. You will see this picture soon. :)
I am getting a little overwhelmed with the holiday season. This branch out here is way to dependant on the missionaries. We just found out that we were in charge of the christmas party as well as the christmas program. We were upset at first and that was the first time I actually said no to one of the members. I didn't want to do all of that. We shouldn't do all of that. But then I felt horrible afterwards and the spirit was not with me. I then got a better perspective on it all. We will do the christmas party. But it won't be like they had in the past. There is not going to be any santa clause. It is going to be focused on our Savior Jesus Christ. Just like the season calls for. :)
I have been opened to christmas. And I don't like what christmas has turned out to be for the world. We were talking to a members granddaughter and she said something about getting all these 'things' for her children. Which I am not opposed to getting 'things' for christmas as long as there is a limit to what you get and how much you spend. But, this christmas, it makes me sad to think that all some people think about is getting stuff for their children, some going into debt. Christmas is all about our Savior. Anyway. That is my thought for the day. It may be scrambled but that is okay. I know what I want for christmas.
This want is not a material want. I would like each of you to think about some kind of service you could do for someone around you. To someone who is in need. When you do do the service, will you write about it and send it to me? Anyone can do it. I think if we are more focused on the savior, christmas will be tens times better.
I am going to get going now. This coming week is going to be great. Give thanks for everything you have. :) Sister Amanda Ralph
So, on another note besides Katie and Chris. We found an investigator last night! She is such a cute lady. I believe she is in her 80's. She is from Thailand and she speaks english and only reads Thai. So need to get a Thai Book of Mormon. I love her name the best. Her name is Buppa Ieaiden. It took me a little while to remember her name. She is searching for somethings and she does not know where to get what she is searching for. She is searching for her feelings again. She wants to feel sad, feel happy. We will get her feelings back. We are going to have to teach real simply. She does not remember very well. She says she has a sickness. She has a sickness of tiredness. I don't think she was joking either. She wants to be able to stay up all day and not have to sleep all the time. I feel bad for her. I am so excited to teach her though. I was very excited when she let us in. She was the first one in weeks that has let us in. She is our only investigator right now. We need more investigators and I hope we find them soon.
We are taking some pictures for a special something and we were going to a members house. In the members backyard there is this pond and there is also a dock. The sun was perfect setting. So, we got our camera out and made our way to the dock. Sister moyes jumps onto the dock and the dock starts moving out to the middle of the pond. Luckily it stopped. It was so scary. I thought she would be stranded in the middle of the pond. But we took the picture and were very careful. You will see this picture soon. :)
I am getting a little overwhelmed with the holiday season. This branch out here is way to dependant on the missionaries. We just found out that we were in charge of the christmas party as well as the christmas program. We were upset at first and that was the first time I actually said no to one of the members. I didn't want to do all of that. We shouldn't do all of that. But then I felt horrible afterwards and the spirit was not with me. I then got a better perspective on it all. We will do the christmas party. But it won't be like they had in the past. There is not going to be any santa clause. It is going to be focused on our Savior Jesus Christ. Just like the season calls for. :)
I have been opened to christmas. And I don't like what christmas has turned out to be for the world. We were talking to a members granddaughter and she said something about getting all these 'things' for her children. Which I am not opposed to getting 'things' for christmas as long as there is a limit to what you get and how much you spend. But, this christmas, it makes me sad to think that all some people think about is getting stuff for their children, some going into debt. Christmas is all about our Savior. Anyway. That is my thought for the day. It may be scrambled but that is okay. I know what I want for christmas.
This want is not a material want. I would like each of you to think about some kind of service you could do for someone around you. To someone who is in need. When you do do the service, will you write about it and send it to me? Anyone can do it. I think if we are more focused on the savior, christmas will be tens times better.
I am going to get going now. This coming week is going to be great. Give thanks for everything you have. :) Sister Amanda Ralph
Monday, November 15, 2010
November 15, 2010
I just have to say, I am glad to be able to serve the Lord at this time in my life. I am growing lots. I have a year and a month left on my mission and I still have lots to learn still. I am grateful that I am able to serve fulltime and find people to teach. I will now tell you about a very eventful, very long week.
This week has been one of the longest weeks of my life. I don't know if anyone did this but I am going to ask you. When you pray that I have an eventful week, be more specific and pray for only good eventful weeks please. :) This week has gone crazy. Monday night, is what started it all. Sister Moyes has had a stessful couple days in the last couple weeks and monday, she said, "Do you want to color my hair? I usually get something done with my hair when I am stressed." I agreed and so we went to walmart and got some hair dye. Probably not the smartest idea. She wanted to go lighter and so we got a blonde. I went to work and colored her hair. it seemed to be turning out okay. She had LOTS of hair and really thick hair so I didn't know if we were going to run out or not. Luckily we did not. When we washed it, it looked okay. Sister Moyes was starting to freak out though. It did not seem to bad. I blew it dry and I think it turned out to more golden blonde than she was thinking it was going to be. She did not like it. So, tuesday we went to go get it fixed. We went to Danna's and she is interesting. I don't think Danna knows too much about hair color. When I got my hair done with her, my color did not stay very well. So, danna goes to work and her hair. After two hours, it is finished and it looked...bad. It looked better before she touched it. It is starting to grow on us now. Except for the bang part. The bangs are so chunky. There is some brown and blonde in it and it does not look very good at all. When the bangs are pinned back it looks pretty good. So that happened.
Tuesday night was very scary. We were praying and kneeling on the floor and in the middle of the prayer we heard a bang! and the floor moved up and down. 'it scared the snot out of me' (That is what some people here say). I went and sat next to sister moyes. I did not know what to do. So, we called elder foote and he said to do what I didn't want to do. He said to go down in the basement and smell for gas. The furnace probably did something. So, I get my new snow boots on, a jacket, and a flashlight, and I am in my Thumper Pajamas. I then grab a golf club that we have in the apartment. I was so scared and Sis. M was even more scared than me. I told myself, "I have to be brave for my kids one day, might as well practise now." Haha. So I go to the door of the basement, take a deep breath and open the door. Then (keep in mind that is dark) I slowly go down the stairs. My heart is pounding so much. I get halfway down the stairs and I go no furthur. I smell for gas and then I start going up the stairs backwards. I then run out the door and into the apartmnet. Basements get me so scared. I guess I just watched way to many scary movies. :) We ended up calling Brother Hamilton to check it out for us. There seemed to be nothing wrong. When he left, the noise happened again and we decided to leave it alone and get some sleep.
Tuesday, for enrichment, we had some fun things to do. We made some tile things and I will send them home sometime to show you. You just get a real cheap tile, some paper and some mogepoge. However you spell that. Very simple.
Wednesday was a day. It all started with sister Moyes getting pooped on. We were standing in the middle of nowhere. There were no trees around us and she got the nasty bird poop on her arm. Very interesting. The next horrible thing that happened was this. Chris and Katie have been sick with the flu so we have to seen them. We called and got hung up on and we thought that was strange. I called a little while later and they talked to us. Chris was actually talking. In that converstation, was the worst news that anyone could tell me. Chris said, "Yeah, I was going to call you after I got the kids off to school. I wanted to tell you, I don't believe it anymore." I got confused and asked what? He said, "I don't believe anything that you have taught us." I did not believe what he said. I kind of laughed a nervous laugh and said, "You are joking me aren't you?" He said no. I could not believe what he was telling me. AT ALL. We had a conversation about things and I don't remember what all was said but it ended up this way. I told a story and then he was talking after that and all of a sudden, the phone went silent. He totally hung up on me. I didn't know how to take that. I wanted to cry so hard but I couldn't I was just laughing and saying that just did not happen did it? I was very distraught after that. We had to do some service and so we pretended to be happy. I found out later that he hung up on me because he could not stand the sound of my voice. I guess he knew that I was sad and he was about to cry. He knows that he hurt us. They have an appoinment with the Footes today and I hope all goes well. i am hoping that they will come to their senses again. The footes saw chris on thursday and they said he did not look happy. We was chewing tobacco and his eyes were all swollen shut for some reason. He does not seem happy. He is not happy. It feels like someone died. I know they did not die physically. They died spiritually and it hurts so much to think that they are lost. I pray that they will be able to come back.
That is pretty much all that has happened. We have not ben very successful in getting new investigators. We try and it is just not happening. Eventually our obedience will pay off. :) I am praying so hard that things will work out for the better. I know that I am doing the best thing right now and that is, inviting people to come to christ so that they will be able to have a better life. I know that people in different faiths have belief in christ but they are missing something that can greatly influence their life and that is authority. When everything is done in the authority of God, it is better.
I think it is funny. I am really starting to talk like people here. I don't have an accent but I do say funny things that sometimes don't make sense. In other words, my grammer has gone down the drain it seems. It is pretty funny.
That is all that really happened this week. The previous week I remember what happened. There was the funeral for Grace McClure. They found out that it was a drug overdose that killed her but I don't think that is what happened at all. Grace would not do that. So, maybe she just fell asleep and the lord took her. She was such a sweet sweet lady. She will be greatly missed.
I hope you all are doing great. I pray for you. Good luck on school and work and your callings. Youa re all amazing. :) Love Amanda
This week has been one of the longest weeks of my life. I don't know if anyone did this but I am going to ask you. When you pray that I have an eventful week, be more specific and pray for only good eventful weeks please. :) This week has gone crazy. Monday night, is what started it all. Sister Moyes has had a stessful couple days in the last couple weeks and monday, she said, "Do you want to color my hair? I usually get something done with my hair when I am stressed." I agreed and so we went to walmart and got some hair dye. Probably not the smartest idea. She wanted to go lighter and so we got a blonde. I went to work and colored her hair. it seemed to be turning out okay. She had LOTS of hair and really thick hair so I didn't know if we were going to run out or not. Luckily we did not. When we washed it, it looked okay. Sister Moyes was starting to freak out though. It did not seem to bad. I blew it dry and I think it turned out to more golden blonde than she was thinking it was going to be. She did not like it. So, tuesday we went to go get it fixed. We went to Danna's and she is interesting. I don't think Danna knows too much about hair color. When I got my hair done with her, my color did not stay very well. So, danna goes to work and her hair. After two hours, it is finished and it looked...bad. It looked better before she touched it. It is starting to grow on us now. Except for the bang part. The bangs are so chunky. There is some brown and blonde in it and it does not look very good at all. When the bangs are pinned back it looks pretty good. So that happened.
Tuesday night was very scary. We were praying and kneeling on the floor and in the middle of the prayer we heard a bang! and the floor moved up and down. 'it scared the snot out of me' (That is what some people here say). I went and sat next to sister moyes. I did not know what to do. So, we called elder foote and he said to do what I didn't want to do. He said to go down in the basement and smell for gas. The furnace probably did something. So, I get my new snow boots on, a jacket, and a flashlight, and I am in my Thumper Pajamas. I then grab a golf club that we have in the apartment. I was so scared and Sis. M was even more scared than me. I told myself, "I have to be brave for my kids one day, might as well practise now." Haha. So I go to the door of the basement, take a deep breath and open the door. Then (keep in mind that is dark) I slowly go down the stairs. My heart is pounding so much. I get halfway down the stairs and I go no furthur. I smell for gas and then I start going up the stairs backwards. I then run out the door and into the apartmnet. Basements get me so scared. I guess I just watched way to many scary movies. :) We ended up calling Brother Hamilton to check it out for us. There seemed to be nothing wrong. When he left, the noise happened again and we decided to leave it alone and get some sleep.
Tuesday, for enrichment, we had some fun things to do. We made some tile things and I will send them home sometime to show you. You just get a real cheap tile, some paper and some mogepoge. However you spell that. Very simple.
Wednesday was a day. It all started with sister Moyes getting pooped on. We were standing in the middle of nowhere. There were no trees around us and she got the nasty bird poop on her arm. Very interesting. The next horrible thing that happened was this. Chris and Katie have been sick with the flu so we have to seen them. We called and got hung up on and we thought that was strange. I called a little while later and they talked to us. Chris was actually talking. In that converstation, was the worst news that anyone could tell me. Chris said, "Yeah, I was going to call you after I got the kids off to school. I wanted to tell you, I don't believe it anymore." I got confused and asked what? He said, "I don't believe anything that you have taught us." I did not believe what he said. I kind of laughed a nervous laugh and said, "You are joking me aren't you?" He said no. I could not believe what he was telling me. AT ALL. We had a conversation about things and I don't remember what all was said but it ended up this way. I told a story and then he was talking after that and all of a sudden, the phone went silent. He totally hung up on me. I didn't know how to take that. I wanted to cry so hard but I couldn't I was just laughing and saying that just did not happen did it? I was very distraught after that. We had to do some service and so we pretended to be happy. I found out later that he hung up on me because he could not stand the sound of my voice. I guess he knew that I was sad and he was about to cry. He knows that he hurt us. They have an appoinment with the Footes today and I hope all goes well. i am hoping that they will come to their senses again. The footes saw chris on thursday and they said he did not look happy. We was chewing tobacco and his eyes were all swollen shut for some reason. He does not seem happy. He is not happy. It feels like someone died. I know they did not die physically. They died spiritually and it hurts so much to think that they are lost. I pray that they will be able to come back.
That is pretty much all that has happened. We have not ben very successful in getting new investigators. We try and it is just not happening. Eventually our obedience will pay off. :) I am praying so hard that things will work out for the better. I know that I am doing the best thing right now and that is, inviting people to come to christ so that they will be able to have a better life. I know that people in different faiths have belief in christ but they are missing something that can greatly influence their life and that is authority. When everything is done in the authority of God, it is better.
I think it is funny. I am really starting to talk like people here. I don't have an accent but I do say funny things that sometimes don't make sense. In other words, my grammer has gone down the drain it seems. It is pretty funny.
That is all that really happened this week. The previous week I remember what happened. There was the funeral for Grace McClure. They found out that it was a drug overdose that killed her but I don't think that is what happened at all. Grace would not do that. So, maybe she just fell asleep and the lord took her. She was such a sweet sweet lady. She will be greatly missed.
I hope you all are doing great. I pray for you. Good luck on school and work and your callings. Youa re all amazing. :) Love Amanda
Friday, November 12, 2010
November 8, 2010
this week was pretty uneventful. I don't know what to write. I got a package from mom and dad and it was great! I loved the package. There was so much fun stuff in it...chocolate and more chocolate. :) We got a new investigator only thing is, we have not been able to see her again. She was not home when we set up the appoinment. bummer. Hopefully we will find someone soon. :) I actually have to get going now. I know it is a small letter. I love you all very much. My testimony is growing and I hope that you are all reading your scriptures everyday to avoid the grasp of Satan. (not to scare you or anything. haha). I love you all. Have a great week. :) Amanda
Monday, November 1, 2010
November 1, 2010
Phew I survived this week. It has been a pretty crazy week as far as 'almost life threatening' things have happened. I will tell you what happened. On monday, we were on our way to FHE. FHE is 20 min away and in the country. We were rounding a corner and all of sudden, a deer was in the middle of the street! My hearrate increased and I didn't have control of the car so I was praying really fast that sister moyes knew what she was doing. I don't know how she did it. This instance seemed to go so fast yet so slow. I will give you two view points I had. 1) I saw the deer and his head was turned toward us just looking at us. I am sure the deer was thinking, oh no. i am going to get hit. what am I going to do? Then the deer decided, "well maybe I should get out of the street." So at that point, the deer was scrambling to get out of the road. It seemed to have troubles doing that. Almost like he could not get his feet to move very well. 2) while all that was going on I was thinking about us. There was a car behind us and I hoped and prayed he would stop. Sister Moyes she stepped on the brakes really hard and made a screeching sound. It was really loud and (how she did this I know not) she honked her horn. To me, that would not be my first instinct to honk the horn. Later she told me that the spirit overcame her and she did not know how she honked the horn either because that was not her first response. Phew. We were saved. We did not hit the deer. We did smell the burnt rubber of the tires though. :) Later that night, as we were coming home, we almost ran into another deer. It was crazy.
Tuesday, it happened. TORNADO!!!! Okay. So, we got up at 6:30 to go exercise and it was really really hot. It was weird and the clouds looked weird and it was pretty windy. We got in and got ready for the day and at 9:00 our district leader called and said to stay in because there was a tornado warning/watch. I could believe that because shortly after we hung up, there was a HUGE storm. Rain was coming down in sheets. Sheets and sheets of rain was pouring down. It was quite an amazing sight. We had a basement so (we should have been better prepared earlier) we gathered up some blankets, food, first aid kit, flashlights and headed for the basement. When the siren sounded we rushed to the basement. Although I thought it would be so cool if I could go outside and see the tornado. I was not really scared. They siren went of and went back on soon after that. We were cautious and stayed in that morning. When the winds died down and the clouds were not so dark, we went outside and worked. It sure was cold though after all that rain and wind. It was pretty awesome.
Wednesday, we saw a old house and hiked to it. On the way we also saw an old cemetary. While looking at the headstones, we were walking and I looked alittle ahead of me and saw a...snake! (and no mom, it was not a turtle haha). I was scared. Once I saw that snake I darted the other direction. I said, 'Well, no more exploring this area anymore." It scared me.
Sad news though. To me at least. Grace McClure is a member and she was less active for a while and she (when I got here in this area) has been making great strides to make her life better. She has been doing great. She is such a cute lady of 50 years. I saw her on monday and she was just cute and bubbly as ever. Well, yesterday morning at church we heard the most unfortunate news. Grace had passed away two days previously and they just found her body laying in bed that morning at 2:00am. I thought someone was pulling our leg when they said that. She seemed to be okay earlier this week. Something must have happened. They don't know what happened though. An autopsy is being done on her and hopefully we get some news. I don't really understand why it took so long to find her body. She lives with her daughter. Granted they don't have a great relationship at all. So, it is pretty sad. I want to cry but I don't think it has hit me that she has passed away. Not til the funeral I don't think it will really hit me. But I am doing great still. Just a little sad. :)
Sorry to leave on such a sad note. I have to get going though. I love all of you very very much. I will talk to you this week. christmas is just around the corner. :)
Amanda
Tuesday, it happened. TORNADO!!!! Okay. So, we got up at 6:30 to go exercise and it was really really hot. It was weird and the clouds looked weird and it was pretty windy. We got in and got ready for the day and at 9:00 our district leader called and said to stay in because there was a tornado warning/watch. I could believe that because shortly after we hung up, there was a HUGE storm. Rain was coming down in sheets. Sheets and sheets of rain was pouring down. It was quite an amazing sight. We had a basement so (we should have been better prepared earlier) we gathered up some blankets, food, first aid kit, flashlights and headed for the basement. When the siren sounded we rushed to the basement. Although I thought it would be so cool if I could go outside and see the tornado. I was not really scared. They siren went of and went back on soon after that. We were cautious and stayed in that morning. When the winds died down and the clouds were not so dark, we went outside and worked. It sure was cold though after all that rain and wind. It was pretty awesome.
Wednesday, we saw a old house and hiked to it. On the way we also saw an old cemetary. While looking at the headstones, we were walking and I looked alittle ahead of me and saw a...snake! (and no mom, it was not a turtle haha). I was scared. Once I saw that snake I darted the other direction. I said, 'Well, no more exploring this area anymore." It scared me.
Sad news though. To me at least. Grace McClure is a member and she was less active for a while and she (when I got here in this area) has been making great strides to make her life better. She has been doing great. She is such a cute lady of 50 years. I saw her on monday and she was just cute and bubbly as ever. Well, yesterday morning at church we heard the most unfortunate news. Grace had passed away two days previously and they just found her body laying in bed that morning at 2:00am. I thought someone was pulling our leg when they said that. She seemed to be okay earlier this week. Something must have happened. They don't know what happened though. An autopsy is being done on her and hopefully we get some news. I don't really understand why it took so long to find her body. She lives with her daughter. Granted they don't have a great relationship at all. So, it is pretty sad. I want to cry but I don't think it has hit me that she has passed away. Not til the funeral I don't think it will really hit me. But I am doing great still. Just a little sad. :)
Sorry to leave on such a sad note. I have to get going though. I love all of you very very much. I will talk to you this week. christmas is just around the corner. :)
Amanda
Monday, October 25, 2010
October 25, 2010
Well Family,
I have been emailing you all seperatly today and I just wanted to say one this that happened this week. KATIE BOWMAN GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited. I did not think it was going to happen. I am glad it did. Everything has been going crazy this last week and a half and now she has the holy ghost. She had a marvelous experience with the holyghost yesterday. The talks in Sacrament was about the atonement. We saw her after sacrament crying. We did not know what was wrong. She said, "It hurts." I was thinking, the Holy Ghost hurts? Then she said, "the atonement hurts." Wow. She got a spiritual confirmation and the holy ghost spoke to her. She has a better understanding of the atonement and all the Jesus Christ did for us and it will continue to grow. :)
I know that this gospel is true. I know it with all of my heart. My faith has wavered a bit this week, I confess, because of the unfortunate events that have been going on. But then I thought that was silly. God can do everything. We need to ask. What we ask for may not happen right then and there but it will happen. I know when we have the faith, no matter how hard the situation, God will not let us alone. He is always there. Always. I love you with all of my heart. This is a big growing experience for me and I love it. Have a great week. Amanda
I have been emailing you all seperatly today and I just wanted to say one this that happened this week. KATIE BOWMAN GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited. I did not think it was going to happen. I am glad it did. Everything has been going crazy this last week and a half and now she has the holy ghost. She had a marvelous experience with the holyghost yesterday. The talks in Sacrament was about the atonement. We saw her after sacrament crying. We did not know what was wrong. She said, "It hurts." I was thinking, the Holy Ghost hurts? Then she said, "the atonement hurts." Wow. She got a spiritual confirmation and the holy ghost spoke to her. She has a better understanding of the atonement and all the Jesus Christ did for us and it will continue to grow. :)
I know that this gospel is true. I know it with all of my heart. My faith has wavered a bit this week, I confess, because of the unfortunate events that have been going on. But then I thought that was silly. God can do everything. We need to ask. What we ask for may not happen right then and there but it will happen. I know when we have the faith, no matter how hard the situation, God will not let us alone. He is always there. Always. I love you with all of my heart. This is a big growing experience for me and I love it. Have a great week. Amanda
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
October 18, 2010
Are you ready for the roller coaster of Katie and chris? That is all I am going to talk about I think because they have been the highlighted event for the week. So, on monday (11) was the start of the week. Chris and Katie have been trying to find a house to rent because the preacher they are renting from was kicking them out. They needed to be out of the house on friday (15th). So we were trying to look up some house for them. Friday they still did not have anyluck with finding anything. There are plenty of houses just too expensive and they could not afford the down payment and the first month of rent. Chris has been out of job for about a month and got a two day job so had some money. The money he got form that job was all that they had. They got that money in cash and put it in Katie's wallet. (that is significant. Remember that). So, friday came and went. They slept in the house friday night and still had not found anything. So, Saturday morning...haha...Oh boy. We get ready for the day. 8:00 comes and I am doing my hair and Sister Moyes is studying and we get this phonecall. I go to where sis. m is and I start listening to the conversation. I try to listen to it actually. All I heard was katies voice all frantic. Sis. M gets off the phone and says, "The unthinkable has just happened. Weston has started a fire in the kitchen." What?? Really? Weston went downstairs and got hold of some paper and a lighter and started to play with the fire. The fire got close to his hand and it was burning him so he got scared and threw the fire and paper in the trashcan. That was not good. That just got more fire. He rushed upstairs to tell Chris and Katie and they went down and they quickly gathered the kids. They only had one way out and that was the kitchen door where the fire was. So they went through a window. Luckily they were all safe. We did not know what to do. What to say. Now we had tons of problems in our path. They definatly needed a house to live in. Katie was freaking out. we didn't know what to do. We called President Hardman (bishop) and asked what we could do. They had no money to buy/rent anything. President Hardman offered to have the church help pay for something. That was a relief. When we went over and told katie that she started crying for some sort of relief. Um, so they money that they did have...guess where that was? In the kitchen and the fire got it. So the money they did have, that was supposed to go for a downpayment, was gone. Miracle though. On top of the fridge, there were gas cans. Why? I don't know. But everything on the fridge melted and got damaged but the fire did not touch the gas cans. The fire could have been lots more dangerous than it was. So...we had to go do service for someone at 10:00 and so we did that. Before we did that we called three priesthood men that had trucks. We asked them to go a help Chris and Katie move out. So they went and got all the big appliance stuff packed. We got back at 11:30 after service and finding some boxes.
From 11:30 to 4:00 we packed all of their stuff. Katie was not doing good. She was in shock I think. She was so out of it. The medicine she took was not helping anything. Anyway, The Foote's got a hotel room for the saturday night and sunday night. Katie's Grandma took the kids. They are still looking for a place to live. They have no house, no money, no job, no nothing but family. Their faith is being tested and they are persevering. Somehow the lord will provide a way. I know it. They are still going to get baptized this weekend. :) Could you pray for them? They need the prayers.
I have to get going. I hope you are doing great. I am doing great. Have fun this week.
Oh, grandma ralph. You answered one of my prayers. I really did not want to buy stamps and so I prayed that someone would send me some stamps and then I got your letter and there wer stamps. I thankyou so much for that. I love you.
Have a great week. Trust the lord in all things.
Amanda
From 11:30 to 4:00 we packed all of their stuff. Katie was not doing good. She was in shock I think. She was so out of it. The medicine she took was not helping anything. Anyway, The Foote's got a hotel room for the saturday night and sunday night. Katie's Grandma took the kids. They are still looking for a place to live. They have no house, no money, no job, no nothing but family. Their faith is being tested and they are persevering. Somehow the lord will provide a way. I know it. They are still going to get baptized this weekend. :) Could you pray for them? They need the prayers.
I have to get going. I hope you are doing great. I am doing great. Have fun this week.
Oh, grandma ralph. You answered one of my prayers. I really did not want to buy stamps and so I prayed that someone would send me some stamps and then I got your letter and there wer stamps. I thankyou so much for that. I love you.
Have a great week. Trust the lord in all things.
Amanda
Monday, October 11, 2010
October 11, 2010
Okay alot has happened this week. I will try to fit it all it. My fingers are going to be on fire at the end of this letter. Here it goes.
Tuesday was just a scary day. Explanation: We went to go tract on tuesday morning. We were walking to a house on the other side of the street and we were talking and all of a sudden we here this dog barking. we look up to see this dog. This dog was on the verge of attacking us. It was growling and barking like crazy. So the good companion that I am steps behind my companion so that she would get bit first. haha. Besides she had the dog mase. :) Well, we kept walking very caustiously and a police officer drives by and does that help us. Then this random person riding a bike saves our lives. He asks if the dog is bothering us and if he was going to attack us. We say yes. Then he calls animal control. We then start to go down another street and we see the guy again. He said that he lost the dog. Oh great. I hoped it was not after us again. But we never see the guy or the dog again. I thought it would be cool in the dog was Satan and the guy was one of the three nephites. That would be AWESOME!
So tuesday night we went over to Sheila's house. We have not been able to see her for a very long time. She is always gone when we try to see her. Well we go over and her car is not there. There are no cars there. But we saw that the door was open. so we get out(it is dark outside) and knock on the door. No one answers. We call sheila but she does not answer. We thought it was weird because sheila is very very good at locking her doors when no one is there. We just thought it was weird. Then we get this eery feeling. Like someone was watching us. We rush to the car and get out of that very dark place. Sister Moyes drives and I pray as she is driving. We get to a street with light a couple miles away and pray and read our scriptures. We kept calling sheila. I just had a feeling like somethign bad happened to her. So scary. We went home afterward and shortly after getting home we were able to get a hold of Sheila. I don't know why we were so scared at that time. Just scary. We will now never go to her house at night. It is way to scary.
We tracted on wednesday and we left a passalong card at this guys house. He came home and he saw us walking down the street. He calls out to us and says, "Hey, you left your trash" and then he throws the pass along card on the lawn. We didn't pick it up. Some day, he will know that he had the opportunity to accept the gospel.
Friday night was strange. I got sick. My glands were swollen in my neck. It was not just under the neck glands but some where on the side of my neck was swollen. It hurt so bad. I went to sleep at 9:30 and what felt like forever was only one hour. I woke up and tossed and turned. I was so cold. I went to sleep again and woke up an hour later and was still cold. I desided to go check my temperature. I was running a fever of 100.5. Weird. then I went to bed slept for an hour and woke up so so so hot! Then by some miracle I was able to sleep for the rest of the night after that. It was just strange because it happened really fast. We took a half a day sick day. So I went to sleep for two hours after we did companion study. I felt better after that because I took Tylonel and I did not feel achy anymore.
Saturday night = AWESOME!!! We went to the adult session of Stake Conference and Katie and Chris were able to go. We listened to the talks and guess who was there? Elder Anderson of the twelve. An apostle was there. So afterward we made it happen. We took Chris and Katie up to the stand to say hi to my mission president and his wife. Then...they were able to shake hands with Elder Anderson. They were so excited afterward. They said that it felt like shaking Peter's of James' hand. Oh, I also got to shake hands with him. Elder Anderson talked to Chris and Katie for 2 min about how worth it this gospel is going to be to them. Then he looked at Sister moyes and I, shook our hands, and told us we were doing a great job. So COOL!!!!
Last thing. I did something silly yesterday. I forgot what it felt like to touch boiling water. So...I tired it. and it hurts. The story? we don't have hot water in our sink so I was boiling water to wash the dishes that were piled up. Usually I put half cold water half boiling water and that usually is great. Good temperature water. I guess I got the proportions wrong yesterday. I dumped in the boiling water and it seems as if my mind was very slow. it lasted for seconds. okay. the first second: my hand goes in the water to test if the water is hot 2nd second: my brain is trying to decide if the water is hot. the third Second: my brain decides that it is hot. way to hot for my hand. the fourth second: I pull out my hand. Four seconds is alot of time for boiling water and a hand it it. I burnt my hand unfortunalely. It does not hurt too much today thankgoodness but it did last night. The worst finger it hurt was my ring finger on my right hand barely beneath my fingernail. It is all good though. Next time: BE CAREFUL. :)
I love you all. I hope this week goes great for you. Pray that I don't get really cold. :) Although it feel really good right now. :) Have a good one. Sister Amanda Ralph
Tuesday was just a scary day. Explanation: We went to go tract on tuesday morning. We were walking to a house on the other side of the street and we were talking and all of a sudden we here this dog barking. we look up to see this dog. This dog was on the verge of attacking us. It was growling and barking like crazy. So the good companion that I am steps behind my companion so that she would get bit first. haha. Besides she had the dog mase. :) Well, we kept walking very caustiously and a police officer drives by and does that help us. Then this random person riding a bike saves our lives. He asks if the dog is bothering us and if he was going to attack us. We say yes. Then he calls animal control. We then start to go down another street and we see the guy again. He said that he lost the dog. Oh great. I hoped it was not after us again. But we never see the guy or the dog again. I thought it would be cool in the dog was Satan and the guy was one of the three nephites. That would be AWESOME!
So tuesday night we went over to Sheila's house. We have not been able to see her for a very long time. She is always gone when we try to see her. Well we go over and her car is not there. There are no cars there. But we saw that the door was open. so we get out(it is dark outside) and knock on the door. No one answers. We call sheila but she does not answer. We thought it was weird because sheila is very very good at locking her doors when no one is there. We just thought it was weird. Then we get this eery feeling. Like someone was watching us. We rush to the car and get out of that very dark place. Sister Moyes drives and I pray as she is driving. We get to a street with light a couple miles away and pray and read our scriptures. We kept calling sheila. I just had a feeling like somethign bad happened to her. So scary. We went home afterward and shortly after getting home we were able to get a hold of Sheila. I don't know why we were so scared at that time. Just scary. We will now never go to her house at night. It is way to scary.
We tracted on wednesday and we left a passalong card at this guys house. He came home and he saw us walking down the street. He calls out to us and says, "Hey, you left your trash" and then he throws the pass along card on the lawn. We didn't pick it up. Some day, he will know that he had the opportunity to accept the gospel.
Friday night was strange. I got sick. My glands were swollen in my neck. It was not just under the neck glands but some where on the side of my neck was swollen. It hurt so bad. I went to sleep at 9:30 and what felt like forever was only one hour. I woke up and tossed and turned. I was so cold. I went to sleep again and woke up an hour later and was still cold. I desided to go check my temperature. I was running a fever of 100.5. Weird. then I went to bed slept for an hour and woke up so so so hot! Then by some miracle I was able to sleep for the rest of the night after that. It was just strange because it happened really fast. We took a half a day sick day. So I went to sleep for two hours after we did companion study. I felt better after that because I took Tylonel and I did not feel achy anymore.
Saturday night = AWESOME!!! We went to the adult session of Stake Conference and Katie and Chris were able to go. We listened to the talks and guess who was there? Elder Anderson of the twelve. An apostle was there. So afterward we made it happen. We took Chris and Katie up to the stand to say hi to my mission president and his wife. Then...they were able to shake hands with Elder Anderson. They were so excited afterward. They said that it felt like shaking Peter's of James' hand. Oh, I also got to shake hands with him. Elder Anderson talked to Chris and Katie for 2 min about how worth it this gospel is going to be to them. Then he looked at Sister moyes and I, shook our hands, and told us we were doing a great job. So COOL!!!!
Last thing. I did something silly yesterday. I forgot what it felt like to touch boiling water. So...I tired it. and it hurts. The story? we don't have hot water in our sink so I was boiling water to wash the dishes that were piled up. Usually I put half cold water half boiling water and that usually is great. Good temperature water. I guess I got the proportions wrong yesterday. I dumped in the boiling water and it seems as if my mind was very slow. it lasted for seconds. okay. the first second: my hand goes in the water to test if the water is hot 2nd second: my brain is trying to decide if the water is hot. the third Second: my brain decides that it is hot. way to hot for my hand. the fourth second: I pull out my hand. Four seconds is alot of time for boiling water and a hand it it. I burnt my hand unfortunalely. It does not hurt too much today thankgoodness but it did last night. The worst finger it hurt was my ring finger on my right hand barely beneath my fingernail. It is all good though. Next time: BE CAREFUL. :)
I love you all. I hope this week goes great for you. Pray that I don't get really cold. :) Although it feel really good right now. :) Have a good one. Sister Amanda Ralph
Monday, October 4, 2010
October 4, 2010
Another week has come and gone and I don't even know what went on. It was such a fast week and I don't know what happened. Good thing I write in my journal so that I can remember what has happened. Keeping a journal is really helpful. :)
THis is small but kind of funny. We were done with FHE and we were trying to get out of the Wilson's yard. We had to back up and we were kind of trapped. We only had a little room to get out. There was a car in front of us and a clothes line behind us. I had to stand outside, as always, to back Sister Moyes out. We had to go back and forth 20 times before were able to get out. Slowly but surely we were able to be free and be on our way. It seemed pretty funny. Perhaps only to me. :)
I called myself sister Foote this week. I called elder foote and was going to say, "Hi Elder Foote this is siter Ralph." I didn't do that though. I was thinking about sister foote and why she didn't answer (she usually does answer) and said, "Hi, this is sister Foote." Oh boy. That was funny. Then after that incident, we made an unneccisary trip to do service but silly me forgot that we only did it one the first and third thursday of the month. It was the fifth thursday. I forgot. :) Then that night we were putting some pictures on some packs of big red gum to help Chris and Katie with no smoking. Only silly me forgot something. I taped the pictures on and realized that a taped the pictures to the side of the flap. SO now they won't be able to get into the gum without taking the picture off. Oops. Thursday was just funny and I did silly things. :)
I went to Rome this week. Okay it was Rome, Indiana. I thought it was pretty cool though. The drive there was so pretty. I met the former Mayor of indiana in Rome. His name was Mr. Widkum. He was 92 years old. Before we left (they invited us to share our message) they wanted me to play the piano for them. So i did. I played a grand piano to the Mayor in the Mayors home. :) How fun. :)
General conference was amazing. There was a different spirit to it. President Monson seemed different. He was alot more sorrowful and sad and his face drooped more than usual. He just was not the same. Then there were lots of talks about Faith and following the prophet. I thought maybe Pres. Monson was going to tell us to do something really hard and we had to have the faith to do it. I think he was just trying to say that this world is going really bad and that we need to stay true to what we know and have faith in HF and JC and trust that you can get out of the trials you face. Conference was just amazing and I can't wait to read the talks again. :)
Special experience. Chris and Katie have stopped smoking. Yesterday was the first day they went without cigarettes. Chris was struggling. We felt prompted to go to their house last night and so we did. I am glad we did. They were not doing so well. The spirit of contention was there. Big time. We discussed what was going on. Sister Moyes offered up a prayer. Then we thought we were done with prayers but...we wern't. Paige wanted to say a prayer so she sat next to me and I helped her to pray. Then we thought it would be a great thing to have everyone pray. So, Katie prayed. Even Weston (who really does not care to do anything with us) folded his arms. After Katie, Weston prayed! Then after Weston Chris prayed and then after Chris Paige wanted to pray again so i helped her again. The spirit was so stong in that room. There was no room for contention. That was perhaps the best lesson ever! I loved it. There is power in prayer.
I have to get going. But just know that I love you very much and that the gospel is the most amazing thing ever. We need to do all we can to get people to join. No effort is wated. Trust me. Do all you can to spread this AMAZING GOSPEL. I have a christamas wish for all of you. I will tell you about it in another letter. I love you all. Love Sister Amanda Ralph
THis is small but kind of funny. We were done with FHE and we were trying to get out of the Wilson's yard. We had to back up and we were kind of trapped. We only had a little room to get out. There was a car in front of us and a clothes line behind us. I had to stand outside, as always, to back Sister Moyes out. We had to go back and forth 20 times before were able to get out. Slowly but surely we were able to be free and be on our way. It seemed pretty funny. Perhaps only to me. :)
I called myself sister Foote this week. I called elder foote and was going to say, "Hi Elder Foote this is siter Ralph." I didn't do that though. I was thinking about sister foote and why she didn't answer (she usually does answer) and said, "Hi, this is sister Foote." Oh boy. That was funny. Then after that incident, we made an unneccisary trip to do service but silly me forgot that we only did it one the first and third thursday of the month. It was the fifth thursday. I forgot. :) Then that night we were putting some pictures on some packs of big red gum to help Chris and Katie with no smoking. Only silly me forgot something. I taped the pictures on and realized that a taped the pictures to the side of the flap. SO now they won't be able to get into the gum without taking the picture off. Oops. Thursday was just funny and I did silly things. :)
I went to Rome this week. Okay it was Rome, Indiana. I thought it was pretty cool though. The drive there was so pretty. I met the former Mayor of indiana in Rome. His name was Mr. Widkum. He was 92 years old. Before we left (they invited us to share our message) they wanted me to play the piano for them. So i did. I played a grand piano to the Mayor in the Mayors home. :) How fun. :)
General conference was amazing. There was a different spirit to it. President Monson seemed different. He was alot more sorrowful and sad and his face drooped more than usual. He just was not the same. Then there were lots of talks about Faith and following the prophet. I thought maybe Pres. Monson was going to tell us to do something really hard and we had to have the faith to do it. I think he was just trying to say that this world is going really bad and that we need to stay true to what we know and have faith in HF and JC and trust that you can get out of the trials you face. Conference was just amazing and I can't wait to read the talks again. :)
Special experience. Chris and Katie have stopped smoking. Yesterday was the first day they went without cigarettes. Chris was struggling. We felt prompted to go to their house last night and so we did. I am glad we did. They were not doing so well. The spirit of contention was there. Big time. We discussed what was going on. Sister Moyes offered up a prayer. Then we thought we were done with prayers but...we wern't. Paige wanted to say a prayer so she sat next to me and I helped her to pray. Then we thought it would be a great thing to have everyone pray. So, Katie prayed. Even Weston (who really does not care to do anything with us) folded his arms. After Katie, Weston prayed! Then after Weston Chris prayed and then after Chris Paige wanted to pray again so i helped her again. The spirit was so stong in that room. There was no room for contention. That was perhaps the best lesson ever! I loved it. There is power in prayer.
I have to get going. But just know that I love you very much and that the gospel is the most amazing thing ever. We need to do all we can to get people to join. No effort is wated. Trust me. Do all you can to spread this AMAZING GOSPEL. I have a christamas wish for all of you. I will tell you about it in another letter. I love you all. Love Sister Amanda Ralph
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
September 27, 2010
So, this week has been a great week. Nothing absolutely huge happened. Katie and Chris are doing amazing. On monday last week, they talked to there minister from the other church. They were so nervous about that. Katie called us monday night and was freaking out. She was on the brink of tears. We said a prayer over the phone. It was different but it helped them. We then said a prayer when we got off the phone. Then we called members to pray for them right then and there. We had so many prayers going out for Katie and Chris. THe minister was pretty mad and that was their answer. They didn't think he should be mad and that he should let them make up there own way of happiness and when the minister expressed anger, they knew it was not the church they needed to be in. They told us the feel the spirit whenever we walk into the room (YES) and they could not feel it with the minister. So that was great. Throughout the week they have been awesome. They set up there own word of wisdom rules and are following that so closely. They are amazing. They set up there own diet plan before we even talked about the WOW. THey drink so much caffine it is crazy. Chris especially. He drinks two pots of coffee a day, a two litter of mountain dew a day, three energy drinks a day, some tea, and at least 2 packs of cigarettes a day. HOLY SMOKES!!!! that is alot. He told us he was going to take all of the caffine out. He did. I was nervous for him. I was expecting him to crash hard core but he has not done that. Maybe it is our prayers asking heavenly father to keep his energy up. :) He is jittery though sometimes. He also is now working on the cigarettes. He is doing great. He said he wanted to be done by last night and we forgot to followup on that so we will know tonight. :) Katie got hit with the spirit last night. We put togehter a visitor center at the church and Chris and Katie went and we watched the Testaments. Sister Moyes and I didn't stay for the movie and so Katie watched it. It got to the part of christ being crucified and when that scene was over, she came out of the room crying. Her face was so wet. She told us, "I don't have any doubts anymore." We didn't think she had any doubts but there is always that tiny voice in the back of your head. But she is converted. She has converted over and it was an amazing night. I loved it. I love their kids. There are the best ever. I really wish I could hug them and play with them and let little Paige sit on my lap but I can't let her do that. Bummer. We will be friends for life so I will be able to see them after my mission. :)
Sister Moyes and I are doing amazing. We keep finding things that we are interested in and we are pretty much twins with different personalites. It is crazy how much we like the same things. Do you know the Moyes' mom and dad? They have 10 children all togehter. A BIG family.
Well, time is going fast. I have to get going. That was pretty much the best new I had. Nothing stressful happened this week and I am glad of that. The RS Broadcast was amazing and I really hope that you all watched it. General conference is coming up and we finally get to participate in an activity together. :) I love you all. Have a great week. :) Amanda
Sister Moyes and I are doing amazing. We keep finding things that we are interested in and we are pretty much twins with different personalites. It is crazy how much we like the same things. Do you know the Moyes' mom and dad? They have 10 children all togehter. A BIG family.
Well, time is going fast. I have to get going. That was pretty much the best new I had. Nothing stressful happened this week and I am glad of that. The RS Broadcast was amazing and I really hope that you all watched it. General conference is coming up and we finally get to participate in an activity together. :) I love you all. Have a great week. :) Amanda
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
September 20, 2010
This week has been an amazing week and I don't even know where to begin. I guess with my companion. I love my companion. Her name is Sister Moyes. It sounds like Noise but with an M. I have question for mom and dad. I found out that she lives in Magna Utah and has been their her whole life. So that means, we were in utah at the same time. Do you know her parents? Jim and Jill Moyes? I think her Dad has been part of the Stake Presidency. It would be totally awesome if you know them. They have lived in Magna for about thirty years. Sister Moyes is pretty much amazing. We are totally alike. She could be my twin I think. We like the same things and we just work well with each other. It feels like I have known her for my whole life but it has only been less than a week. It is fun.
Okay. Chris and Katie. This is the cause of so much excitement this week. I don't remember what i told you about them but they are amazing. Lets see...We first saw them a week from this past thursday. We had a real lesson with the a week from yesterday so that would be Sept 12th. This family is amazing. We taught them the first lesson on sunday. We left them with a Book of Mormon the thursday before and they said they started reading the book. The spirit was so so so so so strong in that lesson. They were accepting everything that we were teaching them. They read the pamphlet we gave them that past thursday as well and they pretty much knew everything. They would have been able to teach us. Well, near the end of the lesson we had a strong impression. President Glende is always telling us to ask people to be baptized the first lesson we teach them. SOOO we did. Sister Graham asked them if they wanted to be baptized. As soon as she was done with the saying, the BOTH immidiatly said, "YES!" Say what??? you want to be baptized? Okay. We set a date with them for the 16th of October. They are so very excited for it. They asked us, "What do we need to do to get ready for this baptism?" They asked us that question? Yes. We told them to read and pray.
Okay, the next visit Sister Moyes was here. We watched the Restoration movie with us. They accept it still and are very excited. Katie is very excited and Christ is very excited. I am very excited. Sister Moyes is very excited. There is just alot of excitement going one. Friday (17th) we were able to bring a member with us to the lesson. It was very good. Katie is just amazing. We handed her the Plan of Salvation pamphlet the lesson before and one of the first things she told us was that she answered the questions on the back of the pamhlet. There are about 7 questions on there. She told us her answeres and she was correct on every single one! Who just does that? Obviously people who are ready to hear the message we have to share. She also is looking in the book of mormon for question that she has. She looked up about children and baptism and how they don't need to be baptized til later in their life. Moroni chapter 8. It was amazing. They are both in the 2nd nephi already and they are loving reading the scriptures. I think everyone needs to have this excitement. They lesson went graet and they want a temple marriage. That night they went to a branch party and they loved it. I have lots of picutres of it. :)
Sunday, they wanted to go to church but they didn't make it because their alarm did not wake them up. They were so "depressed" as chris put it. They so wanted to go. I wish they could have. Next week they will for sure though. Something amazing happened in the lesson yesterday. We wanted to go over The Word of Wisdom (WOW) but we thought it might have been too soon. So we were planning on doing leson three. WE got there and the spirit told us otherwise. WE answered all their question. They had lots of them. We talked about the temple and eternal marriage. Then at the end of the lesson we talked a little about the WOW. Chris asked us why there was not a designated smoking spot at the church. He wanted to smoke and asked a member where he could smoke but the member told Chris that he could not smoke. Chris asked why. We were so so so nervous to answer that question. We thought that maybe he would have a hard time with this. I anwered and said, "Well... God has given us a law of health." Then I explained a little about the WOW. Then he surprised us and said, "Well, that just gives me a reason to quit. To allow me to get baptized." Did he just say that? Yes. I was surprised. THey are just amazing and wonderful. WE come out of those lessons with no words to describe out excitement. Amazing.
I have to get going. I love this gospel and am excited for it. Read your scriptures and try as hard as you can to do good. :) I love you all.
Sister Amanda Ralph
Okay. Chris and Katie. This is the cause of so much excitement this week. I don't remember what i told you about them but they are amazing. Lets see...We first saw them a week from this past thursday. We had a real lesson with the a week from yesterday so that would be Sept 12th. This family is amazing. We taught them the first lesson on sunday. We left them with a Book of Mormon the thursday before and they said they started reading the book. The spirit was so so so so so strong in that lesson. They were accepting everything that we were teaching them. They read the pamphlet we gave them that past thursday as well and they pretty much knew everything. They would have been able to teach us. Well, near the end of the lesson we had a strong impression. President Glende is always telling us to ask people to be baptized the first lesson we teach them. SOOO we did. Sister Graham asked them if they wanted to be baptized. As soon as she was done with the saying, the BOTH immidiatly said, "YES!" Say what??? you want to be baptized? Okay. We set a date with them for the 16th of October. They are so very excited for it. They asked us, "What do we need to do to get ready for this baptism?" They asked us that question? Yes. We told them to read and pray.
Okay, the next visit Sister Moyes was here. We watched the Restoration movie with us. They accept it still and are very excited. Katie is very excited and Christ is very excited. I am very excited. Sister Moyes is very excited. There is just alot of excitement going one. Friday (17th) we were able to bring a member with us to the lesson. It was very good. Katie is just amazing. We handed her the Plan of Salvation pamphlet the lesson before and one of the first things she told us was that she answered the questions on the back of the pamhlet. There are about 7 questions on there. She told us her answeres and she was correct on every single one! Who just does that? Obviously people who are ready to hear the message we have to share. She also is looking in the book of mormon for question that she has. She looked up about children and baptism and how they don't need to be baptized til later in their life. Moroni chapter 8. It was amazing. They are both in the 2nd nephi already and they are loving reading the scriptures. I think everyone needs to have this excitement. They lesson went graet and they want a temple marriage. That night they went to a branch party and they loved it. I have lots of picutres of it. :)
Sunday, they wanted to go to church but they didn't make it because their alarm did not wake them up. They were so "depressed" as chris put it. They so wanted to go. I wish they could have. Next week they will for sure though. Something amazing happened in the lesson yesterday. We wanted to go over The Word of Wisdom (WOW) but we thought it might have been too soon. So we were planning on doing leson three. WE got there and the spirit told us otherwise. WE answered all their question. They had lots of them. We talked about the temple and eternal marriage. Then at the end of the lesson we talked a little about the WOW. Chris asked us why there was not a designated smoking spot at the church. He wanted to smoke and asked a member where he could smoke but the member told Chris that he could not smoke. Chris asked why. We were so so so nervous to answer that question. We thought that maybe he would have a hard time with this. I anwered and said, "Well... God has given us a law of health." Then I explained a little about the WOW. Then he surprised us and said, "Well, that just gives me a reason to quit. To allow me to get baptized." Did he just say that? Yes. I was surprised. THey are just amazing and wonderful. WE come out of those lessons with no words to describe out excitement. Amazing.
I have to get going. I love this gospel and am excited for it. Read your scriptures and try as hard as you can to do good. :) I love you all.
Sister Amanda Ralph
Sunday, September 19, 2010
September 13, 2010
Hi, I just wanted to say that I am very busy today and I really have to get going. My companion is getting transfere and we have so much to do. I will tell you everything next week I promise. I will tell you that we have two awesome investigators named Katie and Chris. I get a new companion tomorrow and I am excited/nervous. It will be a good change. Now I have to go and do laundry and say goodbye to everyone. I will tell you everything next week. I promise.
Love Amanda
Love Amanda
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
September 7, 2010
Transfer calls area already happening this weekend. It has gone by so fast yet so slow. I believe that my companion is leaving. I prayed for it to happen. She needs a new area. I love her to death but she needs a new one. Do you know what is so exciting about this weekend though? We are going to the TEMPLE!!!! Woohoo. I am very excited about this. I can not wait for it. I have to tell you an experience I had this past weekend. It happened on Saturday.
Pretty much all of our appointments fell through except for 2 of them. We tracted a street for 2 hours (it was a long steet) and the street had houses on hills. I definately got my workout. There was this one house that was huge and it had a post with a hoop on the top and a figure of a horse. I was thinking that this house was built when they drove with horses and buggies(?). Anyway, we get to the door and a lady answers it but doesn't want to hear our message. I thought it would be funny if the door was answered by a person that wore a black dress and white apron. haha. It was very old styled. :) After the tracting we went for lunch then more tracting. Then had 2 lessons and then tracted another hour and the next hour 7:00 we went to an appoinment that fell through. at 7:05 we did not know what to do. We could not think of anyone to teach or visit and we didn't want to tract again. We drove around a little bit and found some paintings on the flood wall. We took pictures of it and the flood wall and paintings were huge! It was fun to take pictures of it. Well, then we decided to get back in the car and with some reluctance, went to tract again. The last time tracting that day, we went and knocked on a door and Jeri answered. Jeri is a girl. She is amazing. It was my turn to initiate the conversation and I gave her the book of mormon pass along card and she looks at it and almost immidiately tries to give it back to me. I was refusing to recieve it. In my head I said, "Oh no you don't I am not taking it back." :) We some how got on a conversation of how we need to appreciate the little things in life. Then she said, "Oh, where are my manners. Come in and sit." YES!!! We got in the door. Then we got to talking about temples and how she could not go in and she wondered why. We told her and then showed her the picture we had of the baptismal font and then she asked to look through all the pictures. She started in the bible pictures then it got to the book of mormon picutres and we were able to tell her about the book of mormon and then we got to share the story of JSmith. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong and she was askiing so many questions and listening to us. Then she picks of the BOM passalong card and says, I guess I will have to call this number for the book. *music to my ears* We then says there is no need. We have a boook of mormon for you right here. We had to leave shortly after and I could see a different light in her eyes. I really hope and pray that she reads the book of mormon. We are seeing her soon and I am very excited for it.
That was perhaps one of the hardest days so far on this mission. We tracted at least 6 hours and not one person let us in to hear our message except for the last person. That last person was so worth the wait though. It was amazing.
I am doing a challenge with the scriptures. You all should do it with me. Daily study in the scirptures is not optional. I am doing all the standard works in 6 months. So, 8 pages of the OT, 3 pages of the NT, 3 pages of the BOM, 1 page of D&C, 1 page of Pearl of Great Price. It is about 1 1/2 hours of reading but it is so worth it. :) You should try it. :)
I have to go now. This gospel is turely amazing and I can't wait to experience more while on my mission. :)
Love you all. Amanda
Pretty much all of our appointments fell through except for 2 of them. We tracted a street for 2 hours (it was a long steet) and the street had houses on hills. I definately got my workout. There was this one house that was huge and it had a post with a hoop on the top and a figure of a horse. I was thinking that this house was built when they drove with horses and buggies(?). Anyway, we get to the door and a lady answers it but doesn't want to hear our message. I thought it would be funny if the door was answered by a person that wore a black dress and white apron. haha. It was very old styled. :) After the tracting we went for lunch then more tracting. Then had 2 lessons and then tracted another hour and the next hour 7:00 we went to an appoinment that fell through. at 7:05 we did not know what to do. We could not think of anyone to teach or visit and we didn't want to tract again. We drove around a little bit and found some paintings on the flood wall. We took pictures of it and the flood wall and paintings were huge! It was fun to take pictures of it. Well, then we decided to get back in the car and with some reluctance, went to tract again. The last time tracting that day, we went and knocked on a door and Jeri answered. Jeri is a girl. She is amazing. It was my turn to initiate the conversation and I gave her the book of mormon pass along card and she looks at it and almost immidiately tries to give it back to me. I was refusing to recieve it. In my head I said, "Oh no you don't I am not taking it back." :) We some how got on a conversation of how we need to appreciate the little things in life. Then she said, "Oh, where are my manners. Come in and sit." YES!!! We got in the door. Then we got to talking about temples and how she could not go in and she wondered why. We told her and then showed her the picture we had of the baptismal font and then she asked to look through all the pictures. She started in the bible pictures then it got to the book of mormon picutres and we were able to tell her about the book of mormon and then we got to share the story of JSmith. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong and she was askiing so many questions and listening to us. Then she picks of the BOM passalong card and says, I guess I will have to call this number for the book. *music to my ears* We then says there is no need. We have a boook of mormon for you right here. We had to leave shortly after and I could see a different light in her eyes. I really hope and pray that she reads the book of mormon. We are seeing her soon and I am very excited for it.
That was perhaps one of the hardest days so far on this mission. We tracted at least 6 hours and not one person let us in to hear our message except for the last person. That last person was so worth the wait though. It was amazing.
I am doing a challenge with the scriptures. You all should do it with me. Daily study in the scirptures is not optional. I am doing all the standard works in 6 months. So, 8 pages of the OT, 3 pages of the NT, 3 pages of the BOM, 1 page of D&C, 1 page of Pearl of Great Price. It is about 1 1/2 hours of reading but it is so worth it. :) You should try it. :)
I have to go now. This gospel is turely amazing and I can't wait to experience more while on my mission. :)
Love you all. Amanda
Thursday, September 2, 2010
August 30, 2010
Good morning to everyone. I don' t really have that much to write today. It has been a great week though. We are pushing strong and are working hard. We got a new investigator and he has lots of mis-conceptions of this church. Lots and lots. We told him to make a list of things that he has questions about and I am a little nervous about how many questions there are going to be. What plays in my mind is seeing a scroll and having that scroll be 10 feet long and being full of questions. There are probably not that many questions but there are alot. Wish us luck in trying to clear up and answer questions. :)
We have a "golden" door approach. We go to the door and ask people this question. "Why do you think that Jesus Christ was baptized?" Then they think about it and give us either a really good answer or a bad answer. One guy was funny. We asked that question and another question after and the only response he would give is "to show us the way?" obviously he was not interested. With the door approach, we got maybe someone interested and that one investigator up above. It is pretty exciting.
I told you I would tell of the differences I see in a Branch and a Ward.
Branch:
Very very small
Hardly any children
The church is maybe the size of the chapel and gym.
The children stand out when they talk because the church is so small
There can be more judgemental people
Everyone has at least two or more callings
sometimes there is no one to play the piano so I get to do it.
Ward:
Very very big
Big building
Lots of children
There is always someone who can play the piano.
When the kids are noisy you can't really tell and noone turns around and looks at the children making the noise.
This is a cute story. We were going out of our house and we see this cute little 4 year old girl playing in the grass of our nieghbors house. We don't know where she came from. She took us by surprised and asked us, "where are you going?" We said, "To visit some friends." She said, "Oh that is cool. I am just smoothing out this person grass." I said, "That is fun." I get in the car and leave the door open and Sister Graham is about to get in the car and the girl starts talking again. This time she said, "Bye. I love you." I learned alot about love that day. You should always love unconditionally and it does not matter who the person is you still should love them no matter what they do. I got my answer to a prayer. I asked HF this..."Do you love Satan even though he has took away so many of your children and he is doing evil things?" I knew the answer I thought but now I know the answer.
Well, time is short and I have to get going. I love you all very very very very much. Stay strong and be steadfast in everything that you do.
Love Amanda
We have a "golden" door approach. We go to the door and ask people this question. "Why do you think that Jesus Christ was baptized?" Then they think about it and give us either a really good answer or a bad answer. One guy was funny. We asked that question and another question after and the only response he would give is "to show us the way?" obviously he was not interested. With the door approach, we got maybe someone interested and that one investigator up above. It is pretty exciting.
I told you I would tell of the differences I see in a Branch and a Ward.
Branch:
Very very small
Hardly any children
The church is maybe the size of the chapel and gym.
The children stand out when they talk because the church is so small
There can be more judgemental people
Everyone has at least two or more callings
sometimes there is no one to play the piano so I get to do it.
Ward:
Very very big
Big building
Lots of children
There is always someone who can play the piano.
When the kids are noisy you can't really tell and noone turns around and looks at the children making the noise.
This is a cute story. We were going out of our house and we see this cute little 4 year old girl playing in the grass of our nieghbors house. We don't know where she came from. She took us by surprised and asked us, "where are you going?" We said, "To visit some friends." She said, "Oh that is cool. I am just smoothing out this person grass." I said, "That is fun." I get in the car and leave the door open and Sister Graham is about to get in the car and the girl starts talking again. This time she said, "Bye. I love you." I learned alot about love that day. You should always love unconditionally and it does not matter who the person is you still should love them no matter what they do. I got my answer to a prayer. I asked HF this..."Do you love Satan even though he has took away so many of your children and he is doing evil things?" I knew the answer I thought but now I know the answer.
Well, time is short and I have to get going. I love you all very very very very much. Stay strong and be steadfast in everything that you do.
Love Amanda
August 23, 2010
Wow. What a great week it has been. I really just want to focus on freday and Saturday and sunday because those were the best days ever.
Friday: Friday was zone conference. It was such an amazing experience and I learned so much. In the past two week sister graham and I have been struggling with some investigators who were frustrating. But friday made it seem like it was all okay. :) We got up to go at 5:30 and got ready and did personal study. Then at 7:30 we drove to Evansville which was an hour and 10 min away from Tell City. Elder Foote drove and he is a scary driver sometime because he only has one eye that works. But we made it safely to the stake center. We had missionary olypics at 9:00. Just something fun to do and we will the "title of liberty" which is a beat up jacket. It is pretty fun. We just do activites and a person from each district does the activity to see who wins. Sis. Graham had to direct me to a different place blindfolded and we bumped into a lot of people. (She was a great Holy Ghost though and I followed. It was the others that had the bad Holy Ghost. haha. JK). Then we started the meeting at 10:00. We talked about safety and President Glende is so funny sometimes. He wanted us to know that water and dirt make mud. So now he will sign our papers on being a chemist in the future. He wanted us to know that because some elders drove their car through mud and got stuck and did not get home until 2:00 in the morning. Yikes. There was also an incidence when a car was being attacked by a ferocious dog and do you know what president glende's word of advice to fix the problem was? flatten the dog. (Run over the dog). Haha. Just make sure the bumper of the car is taken care of. :)
Then we had a talk from Brother Doctor Liljanquist. He was such a good person giving talks. I will have to send you the talk. it was amazing. But he talked about three groups of people. the first group of members had a testimony and were converted. the second group of members had a testimony but had no conversion. Which can mean they make poor dicisions, the pay tithing until it is too hard and they don't magnify their calling and much more. THe thrid group of people were one with no testimony and no conversion. Dr. L explained that all of start at group three in our lives and we work our way up. Most missionaries who come out on missions are group two but leave group one. Only a few came out in group one. What group are you? Hopefully group 1. If not, we should work our way up. (I will send the talk to you to make it more sense). But then he talked about the natural man and that was so good! Mosiah 3:19 has more meaning to now. He was relating it to the spiritual man and because he is a doctor he tied in with being healthy and not overweight. What does the natural man like when it comes to food? The natural man like food to taste good. The natural man does not care if it bad for your body just as long as it tastes good. The Natural man does not like the exercise, like to overeat, likes food, doesn't like to work, loves junk food. But what about the spiritual man? The spritual man loves the opposite of the natural man. We just need to exercise our spiritual side and overcome the natural man. So when you are faced with a dicision of, "Do I eat the apple of the candybar," our natural man wants the candy bar but really we should eat the apple.
I just learned alot about what the natural man is and I so want to overcome the natural man. I believe when we do, we will become more stronger and more better in this life than ever before. He also said somethign that interested me. WHen you are only 20 pounds overweight, your heart starts to build up plaque and it takes about 25 years to have that plaque build up to become a heart attack. So, if I were 20 punds overweight right now I would have a heart attack about 44 years old. I just thought is was interesting and I don't want that at all. So, he issued a challenge and I took it. He said to start climbing stairs as the form of exercise. He said to do 100 flights of stairs in thirty min. So, we found stairs saturday and today and their are 15 stairs and we did 100 flights in thirty min. It is not as hard as I thought it would be but man it works. I am so sore and my heartrate is up the whole time. I would challenge you all to do that. :) A flight is up and down.
Then the rest of that day was just learning and learning and learnign on how to become a better missionary.
Saturday was a miracle day. We found someone to start teaching in the morning. Then we found someone to start teaching in the afternoon by showing a movie to a member. It just so happened that this members friend was there and we got her. Her name is Jessica and she is a pretty bashful girl but we like her and can't wait to teach her. Then we saw Jenna who we met last saturday. She was with the girl that yelled that her dad was dead but her mom was here. So funny still. So we went to that house and the mother opened the door and said that she did not know why Jenna even agreed for us to come back. And then the mother said that she did not want us to come in and teach her (the mother). But we found out that Jenna lives in Troy city so we went and found her house and talked to her. This poor girl has gone through so much in her life. She desperatley needs the comfort of the gospel and the comfort of us and the comfort from Heavenly Father. We will show her the way. I believe that we can get her. She has two major problems that we need to fix and through hard work we will be able to do so. :)
Oh, while we were exercising Saturday morning, it was raining!!! It felt like I was sweating so much but it was the mixture of sweat and rain that made it feel like that. But truely that rain was manna from the heavens. haha. It just felt so good outside. It was 75 degrees that morning but unfortunatley it got a lot hotter later. WE also soft committed Trisha Saalman to baptism and she accepted. So Saturday was great.
Sunday was good. We set up a visitor center thing at the church and I have pictures of the displays we did. It took about 50 min to set up and 5 min to take it all down. Crazy how that works out. We didn't get very many people to come though. People just don't like to do things in this city. We will continue to do it though. The more we do it, the more people will come...hopefully. :) There are alot of difference between the branch and the big wards like Bridlegate. I will tell you about some differences next week. I have to get going now. My hands are frozen cold from typing so much. :)
I hope you all are enjoying your day and you better enjoy your week...or else.
:)
Love Amanda
Friday: Friday was zone conference. It was such an amazing experience and I learned so much. In the past two week sister graham and I have been struggling with some investigators who were frustrating. But friday made it seem like it was all okay. :) We got up to go at 5:30 and got ready and did personal study. Then at 7:30 we drove to Evansville which was an hour and 10 min away from Tell City. Elder Foote drove and he is a scary driver sometime because he only has one eye that works. But we made it safely to the stake center. We had missionary olypics at 9:00. Just something fun to do and we will the "title of liberty" which is a beat up jacket. It is pretty fun. We just do activites and a person from each district does the activity to see who wins. Sis. Graham had to direct me to a different place blindfolded and we bumped into a lot of people. (She was a great Holy Ghost though and I followed. It was the others that had the bad Holy Ghost. haha. JK). Then we started the meeting at 10:00. We talked about safety and President Glende is so funny sometimes. He wanted us to know that water and dirt make mud. So now he will sign our papers on being a chemist in the future. He wanted us to know that because some elders drove their car through mud and got stuck and did not get home until 2:00 in the morning. Yikes. There was also an incidence when a car was being attacked by a ferocious dog and do you know what president glende's word of advice to fix the problem was? flatten the dog. (Run over the dog). Haha. Just make sure the bumper of the car is taken care of. :)
Then we had a talk from Brother Doctor Liljanquist. He was such a good person giving talks. I will have to send you the talk. it was amazing. But he talked about three groups of people. the first group of members had a testimony and were converted. the second group of members had a testimony but had no conversion. Which can mean they make poor dicisions, the pay tithing until it is too hard and they don't magnify their calling and much more. THe thrid group of people were one with no testimony and no conversion. Dr. L explained that all of start at group three in our lives and we work our way up. Most missionaries who come out on missions are group two but leave group one. Only a few came out in group one. What group are you? Hopefully group 1. If not, we should work our way up. (I will send the talk to you to make it more sense). But then he talked about the natural man and that was so good! Mosiah 3:19 has more meaning to now. He was relating it to the spiritual man and because he is a doctor he tied in with being healthy and not overweight. What does the natural man like when it comes to food? The natural man like food to taste good. The natural man does not care if it bad for your body just as long as it tastes good. The Natural man does not like the exercise, like to overeat, likes food, doesn't like to work, loves junk food. But what about the spiritual man? The spritual man loves the opposite of the natural man. We just need to exercise our spiritual side and overcome the natural man. So when you are faced with a dicision of, "Do I eat the apple of the candybar," our natural man wants the candy bar but really we should eat the apple.
I just learned alot about what the natural man is and I so want to overcome the natural man. I believe when we do, we will become more stronger and more better in this life than ever before. He also said somethign that interested me. WHen you are only 20 pounds overweight, your heart starts to build up plaque and it takes about 25 years to have that plaque build up to become a heart attack. So, if I were 20 punds overweight right now I would have a heart attack about 44 years old. I just thought is was interesting and I don't want that at all. So, he issued a challenge and I took it. He said to start climbing stairs as the form of exercise. He said to do 100 flights of stairs in thirty min. So, we found stairs saturday and today and their are 15 stairs and we did 100 flights in thirty min. It is not as hard as I thought it would be but man it works. I am so sore and my heartrate is up the whole time. I would challenge you all to do that. :) A flight is up and down.
Then the rest of that day was just learning and learning and learnign on how to become a better missionary.
Saturday was a miracle day. We found someone to start teaching in the morning. Then we found someone to start teaching in the afternoon by showing a movie to a member. It just so happened that this members friend was there and we got her. Her name is Jessica and she is a pretty bashful girl but we like her and can't wait to teach her. Then we saw Jenna who we met last saturday. She was with the girl that yelled that her dad was dead but her mom was here. So funny still. So we went to that house and the mother opened the door and said that she did not know why Jenna even agreed for us to come back. And then the mother said that she did not want us to come in and teach her (the mother). But we found out that Jenna lives in Troy city so we went and found her house and talked to her. This poor girl has gone through so much in her life. She desperatley needs the comfort of the gospel and the comfort of us and the comfort from Heavenly Father. We will show her the way. I believe that we can get her. She has two major problems that we need to fix and through hard work we will be able to do so. :)
Oh, while we were exercising Saturday morning, it was raining!!! It felt like I was sweating so much but it was the mixture of sweat and rain that made it feel like that. But truely that rain was manna from the heavens. haha. It just felt so good outside. It was 75 degrees that morning but unfortunatley it got a lot hotter later. WE also soft committed Trisha Saalman to baptism and she accepted. So Saturday was great.
Sunday was good. We set up a visitor center thing at the church and I have pictures of the displays we did. It took about 50 min to set up and 5 min to take it all down. Crazy how that works out. We didn't get very many people to come though. People just don't like to do things in this city. We will continue to do it though. The more we do it, the more people will come...hopefully. :) There are alot of difference between the branch and the big wards like Bridlegate. I will tell you about some differences next week. I have to get going now. My hands are frozen cold from typing so much. :)
I hope you all are enjoying your day and you better enjoy your week...or else.
:)
Love Amanda
August 16, 2010
Okay. 22 minutes left. What a crazy long long long week it has been. I guess we shall start with bad news first. :) So Keith. He has been up and down up and down up and down all week. I can' t handle it anymore. We chewed tobacco again and we tried to build his confidence up again and it was only working a little bit. He chewed again a couple days later (wednesday). we went over to see what was wrong and got his confidence up a little bit again. Only this time it did not last long because we were over at their house again that night. We found out the reason why he chewed. He said that he could not handle the pressure of people being at his baptism. WHAT?!? He chewed because he didn't want people to be at his baptism. Totally fixable. So now he is trying to build himself up again after he did a whole week without chewing tobacco. Oi. But Friday he was kind of in the dumps again because Preident Glende said he sould wait til sept 4th to be baptized but he agreed with it. Then Saturday came along and it was amazing at first. We had a really good testimony meeting with them, the Emerson Family. The spirit was so strong and keith had a great testimony to share. He knows the gospel is true. They went with us a lesson and we talked about family history and baptisms for the dead. He did not agre with it apparently. He thinks that men can be baptized for men and women. Not just men for men. Well, we asked him to pray about it and he said he would not because he had to much on his plate. So, we were frustrated with him. That night I prayed that keith would go into the Lord's hands. We have done all that we could do for him and now it is up to the Lord. Sunday came and Keith did not come to church. We visited with them twice that day. And we did not address the situation about him not coming to church. We thought he needed space. They thought they offended us somehow when we left so we went back a couple hours later and then we discussed why we were so standoffish that day. We came up with a compromise with Keith. Keith does not do well with pressure. So, keith asked that he not have a baptism date and that he needed to tackle one problem at a time. That was tobacco. So now, keith does not have a baptism date and we are now going with the flow with him. However hard he wants to push himself, is how hard we will give him encouraging words. We hope we will do good.
That was pretty much the only bad thing this week. I don't look forward to answering the phone now when keith calls because it is always something negative but it is going to be a better week with him I believe. We went to the Douglas' house this week and their house is usually messy messy messy. But when we went over, it was imaculately clean. Really clean. It was amazing the difference. They are a less-active members. Christopher is mentally handicapped but has such a testimony of the gospel. He holds his scriptures carefully. It is almost like he is cradleing a baby. He is tackling chwing tobbaco too and he is down to one dip a day which is awesome! He strives to be clean enough to go to the temple and recieve those blessings there. He is amazing.
8 min. I will tell you a funny story about Marie next week. I hope I don't forget but it was a hilarious story at least to me. I will now tell you a funny story about Tracting. We had the best door approach ever!!! We knock on the door and a girl maybe 8 or 9 answers and we ask if her mom or dad was home. She immidately says, "My dad's dead but my mom is home. MOM!!!" Hahahaha. I was laughing so hard in my head. Not at the fact that her dad is dead but at the fact that she would say that. It just caught us totally of guard. We also said under our breath as the girl went to get her mom, "Thankyou for giving us our door approach." We talked about Families are forever. :) The mother did not answer but the daughter, who I think is 21, answered. Her name is Jenna. She explained why her mom couldn't come to the door. The mom has almost no nerve in her ankle so she can't flex her foot. But Jenna was so receptive to our message and we got a new investigator!!!! A new seeker for the truth. We are hoping that we can get her whole family now. :) Jenna is just a wonderful person and she sincerely thanked us for going out in hot weather and sharing such wonderful news. I am excited to go and teach her and her family. :)
Well, time to go now. I love you all very much. Have a very exciting fun filled week. :) Love you!!!!
Amanda
That was pretty much the only bad thing this week. I don't look forward to answering the phone now when keith calls because it is always something negative but it is going to be a better week with him I believe. We went to the Douglas' house this week and their house is usually messy messy messy. But when we went over, it was imaculately clean. Really clean. It was amazing the difference. They are a less-active members. Christopher is mentally handicapped but has such a testimony of the gospel. He holds his scriptures carefully. It is almost like he is cradleing a baby. He is tackling chwing tobbaco too and he is down to one dip a day which is awesome! He strives to be clean enough to go to the temple and recieve those blessings there. He is amazing.
8 min. I will tell you a funny story about Marie next week. I hope I don't forget but it was a hilarious story at least to me. I will now tell you a funny story about Tracting. We had the best door approach ever!!! We knock on the door and a girl maybe 8 or 9 answers and we ask if her mom or dad was home. She immidately says, "My dad's dead but my mom is home. MOM!!!" Hahahaha. I was laughing so hard in my head. Not at the fact that her dad is dead but at the fact that she would say that. It just caught us totally of guard. We also said under our breath as the girl went to get her mom, "Thankyou for giving us our door approach." We talked about Families are forever. :) The mother did not answer but the daughter, who I think is 21, answered. Her name is Jenna. She explained why her mom couldn't come to the door. The mom has almost no nerve in her ankle so she can't flex her foot. But Jenna was so receptive to our message and we got a new investigator!!!! A new seeker for the truth. We are hoping that we can get her whole family now. :) Jenna is just a wonderful person and she sincerely thanked us for going out in hot weather and sharing such wonderful news. I am excited to go and teach her and her family. :)
Well, time to go now. I love you all very much. Have a very exciting fun filled week. :) Love you!!!!
Amanda
Monday, August 9, 2010
August 9, 2010
Okay, I have so much to say this week it is crazy. I don' t even know where to start or if I will be able to say everything today. Here we go...It has been extremely hot this week. There was one day that it was already really really really hot at 6:30 in the morning. I kind of forgot what temperature it is at 6:30 in arizona. All I know is that is was very hot that day and I am glad we had too many appointments to tract that day.
Tuesday we went to Kathleen's house to see how she was doing. She is a 'gator and when we got there I almost threw up. She smokes and her house is sososososososososo stinky and I just could not handle it. We were there for only ten min though thankgoodness. Well, something kind of funny and embarresing to her happened. We read a scripture to her and then we asked if she had our phone number. She looked at Sis Graham, who asked her, and kathleen says no and that mary and larry had the number and that she could not believe that we had not given her the number. So as sis. graham is looking at the planner, kathleen asks if she could smack sis. graham on the forehead and then without an answer from us, does it. I could not believe that she slapped my companion on the forehead! Some people sometimes I am telling ya.
Keith has desided to stop chewing finally! It was amazing the experience we had with him. Not this past saturday night but the other saturday, we were done with Amanda's baptism and we were in a room with him and two other elders talking. These elders have been so amazing and keeping kieth strong and motivated and they actually got kieth to say that he could. Keith said, 'i can'. THat was the first time I ever heard keith say that. Sunday was even better. We go over to his house and right when we get into the house, he says "I have done something stupid." We are looking at him with wide eyes and thinking oh no! You didn't chew did you? He says no to that thankfully and says, "I took my 20 cans of tobacco and dumped all of them down the drain." We exchange glances and we say, "So, what is the stupid thing???" :) it was such a funny moment and it was awesome. Keith has been going strong and has been tobbaco free for over a week now! He is going to be baptized on this saturday and it is amazing! He just needs to stay positive. Oh, please please please, when ever someone says something to you that is offensive to you, please please please do not take it to heart. Forget about it and still go to church. You really are going to church for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Not neccesarily for the people. Although having friends in the church is really good to have as well. There are just so many people here that take offense to alot of things and that influences them in the decision to not go to church. There are so many less actives like that.
We made keith a priority this week. We did so many things this week. One special thing each day last week. monday was candy day, tuesday was grapefruit day (which helps with tobacco), wednesday was sticky note day, thursday was quotebook day, friday was breakfast day, saturday was serving day for keith, and sunday was mini celebration day. It was really fun. Expecially friday. We did not serve the breakfast. We went to eat breakfast at the Emerson's. As well as the four elders in my district. They don' t have a lot of money and for them to host breakfast was a big thing for them. They were blessed so much that day for serving the missionaries. They were so excited for it too. They made a bright sign and put it in their yard and it said Welcome Missionaries. They were so so so so excited. Keith comes with us to district meeting on fridays he is so excited for missionary work.
Okay, so we have another baptism date!!!! Sheila Masterson has picked out a date to be baptized! She will be baptized on the 21st of August. So much sooner than we or she thought. I don' t know if I told the story yet or not but I will tell it again. I believe in was about two weeks ago and she went to court to recieve disability pay. She has much health problems and she needed help. So, she goes to her court and she finds out that her attorney dropped her case. So she has no lawyer to represent her. She was pretty upset and discouraged but she prayed. Her son danny even prayed and he had not ever prayed in his life. She had that choice to wait for 3 weeks to get a lawyer or just go in to represent herself. She didn't have to time to wait so she represented herself. The Lord was her attorney that day. She won the case and she has her diability pay now. She was so excited. When she told us the story I was very excited because she also told us something else. A week before her case, she told us that she was very dedicated to her religion. Well, after that discussion I was in the car and I said to sis, graham, I hope that her religion offends her somehow or does something that she did not like and end not going back to that church. I kind of felt bad for saying that but I really wanted it to happen. So what does she tell us? Her religion offended her. I was shocked and of course we were sincere and didn't shout for joy...yet. She said she needed a wheel chair for a day and knew that her church had one. She asked if she could use it for ONE day. and they said no. She could not believe it expecially since the reverand's wife told her no. She was pretty upset about that because she had been at that curch for 20 years and they didn't even lift a finger to help her. So...I got my wish. :) We were shouting and excited in the car for sure when we left her house. We were so excited!!!! Now she is going to get baptized if...she stops smoking. Which I know she can do..I think.
Mary and larry were the two other baptisms that were supposed to happen this week but didn't happen. They dropped us. They left a letter on their door and said they didn't want to take the lessons anymore and didn't give us reason. It is very frustrating. Hopefully we can talk to them soon. They are not a lost cause yet.
I get to get a shot soon. I have to go get the Hep A second shot. :( lame. I keep running long distance in my dreams. Which make me kind of tired during the day. I don't think I like to dream on my mission. They just make me tired. I have been coughing for a couple weeks now and it is just not going away. Is that a concern? Someone at church told me to go to the doctor.
Well, I have to get going now. Time to do laundry. I am sorry that everyone was concerned last week. I am alright though. You just have those weeks sometimes. This week is going to be really good. I know it will. We need more 'gators. Our pool is dwindeling. We have lots of finding time so as bubba said, we are going to get out of the car and knock on lots of doors this week. :) Hope everyone is excited for school and stuff. I love you all!!!!
Amanda
Tuesday we went to Kathleen's house to see how she was doing. She is a 'gator and when we got there I almost threw up. She smokes and her house is sososososososososo stinky and I just could not handle it. We were there for only ten min though thankgoodness. Well, something kind of funny and embarresing to her happened. We read a scripture to her and then we asked if she had our phone number. She looked at Sis Graham, who asked her, and kathleen says no and that mary and larry had the number and that she could not believe that we had not given her the number. So as sis. graham is looking at the planner, kathleen asks if she could smack sis. graham on the forehead and then without an answer from us, does it. I could not believe that she slapped my companion on the forehead! Some people sometimes I am telling ya.
Keith has desided to stop chewing finally! It was amazing the experience we had with him. Not this past saturday night but the other saturday, we were done with Amanda's baptism and we were in a room with him and two other elders talking. These elders have been so amazing and keeping kieth strong and motivated and they actually got kieth to say that he could. Keith said, 'i can'. THat was the first time I ever heard keith say that. Sunday was even better. We go over to his house and right when we get into the house, he says "I have done something stupid." We are looking at him with wide eyes and thinking oh no! You didn't chew did you? He says no to that thankfully and says, "I took my 20 cans of tobacco and dumped all of them down the drain." We exchange glances and we say, "So, what is the stupid thing???" :) it was such a funny moment and it was awesome. Keith has been going strong and has been tobbaco free for over a week now! He is going to be baptized on this saturday and it is amazing! He just needs to stay positive. Oh, please please please, when ever someone says something to you that is offensive to you, please please please do not take it to heart. Forget about it and still go to church. You really are going to church for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Not neccesarily for the people. Although having friends in the church is really good to have as well. There are just so many people here that take offense to alot of things and that influences them in the decision to not go to church. There are so many less actives like that.
We made keith a priority this week. We did so many things this week. One special thing each day last week. monday was candy day, tuesday was grapefruit day (which helps with tobacco), wednesday was sticky note day, thursday was quotebook day, friday was breakfast day, saturday was serving day for keith, and sunday was mini celebration day. It was really fun. Expecially friday. We did not serve the breakfast. We went to eat breakfast at the Emerson's. As well as the four elders in my district. They don' t have a lot of money and for them to host breakfast was a big thing for them. They were blessed so much that day for serving the missionaries. They were so excited for it too. They made a bright sign and put it in their yard and it said Welcome Missionaries. They were so so so so excited. Keith comes with us to district meeting on fridays he is so excited for missionary work.
Okay, so we have another baptism date!!!! Sheila Masterson has picked out a date to be baptized! She will be baptized on the 21st of August. So much sooner than we or she thought. I don' t know if I told the story yet or not but I will tell it again. I believe in was about two weeks ago and she went to court to recieve disability pay. She has much health problems and she needed help. So, she goes to her court and she finds out that her attorney dropped her case. So she has no lawyer to represent her. She was pretty upset and discouraged but she prayed. Her son danny even prayed and he had not ever prayed in his life. She had that choice to wait for 3 weeks to get a lawyer or just go in to represent herself. She didn't have to time to wait so she represented herself. The Lord was her attorney that day. She won the case and she has her diability pay now. She was so excited. When she told us the story I was very excited because she also told us something else. A week before her case, she told us that she was very dedicated to her religion. Well, after that discussion I was in the car and I said to sis, graham, I hope that her religion offends her somehow or does something that she did not like and end not going back to that church. I kind of felt bad for saying that but I really wanted it to happen. So what does she tell us? Her religion offended her. I was shocked and of course we were sincere and didn't shout for joy...yet. She said she needed a wheel chair for a day and knew that her church had one. She asked if she could use it for ONE day. and they said no. She could not believe it expecially since the reverand's wife told her no. She was pretty upset about that because she had been at that curch for 20 years and they didn't even lift a finger to help her. So...I got my wish. :) We were shouting and excited in the car for sure when we left her house. We were so excited!!!! Now she is going to get baptized if...she stops smoking. Which I know she can do..I think.
Mary and larry were the two other baptisms that were supposed to happen this week but didn't happen. They dropped us. They left a letter on their door and said they didn't want to take the lessons anymore and didn't give us reason. It is very frustrating. Hopefully we can talk to them soon. They are not a lost cause yet.
I get to get a shot soon. I have to go get the Hep A second shot. :( lame. I keep running long distance in my dreams. Which make me kind of tired during the day. I don't think I like to dream on my mission. They just make me tired. I have been coughing for a couple weeks now and it is just not going away. Is that a concern? Someone at church told me to go to the doctor.
Well, I have to get going now. Time to do laundry. I am sorry that everyone was concerned last week. I am alright though. You just have those weeks sometimes. This week is going to be really good. I know it will. We need more 'gators. Our pool is dwindeling. We have lots of finding time so as bubba said, we are going to get out of the car and knock on lots of doors this week. :) Hope everyone is excited for school and stuff. I love you all!!!!
Amanda
Thursday, August 5, 2010
August 2, 2010
I didn't have time to write about all that happened this past week. It has been good though. Getting over the flu and the cold and having people stop taking lessons and having to drop some people this week. It has not been the greatest week. It will all be good though in the end. I am still here though in Tell City Indiana for another 6 weeks. As well as Sister Graham. My address is stil 1047 14th Street Apt. A Tell City IN 47586. I love you all and hope that 'you all' (common saying here) are having a great day.
Love, Amanda
Love, Amanda
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
July 26, 2010
Hello my beautiful family!!!
What an amazingly wonderful week it has been and such a fast week it has been. It feels like I was just in the computer lab writing to you all. :) The most exciting news for you is all the lessons that we have taught. For the past four weeks we have gotten 32, 30, 29, and 31. But this week we got a whole bunch of lessons. We got 41 lessons this week and five new investigators. It is pretty much exciting news I think.
Sister Jewel is the sweetest member. She has been insistent in doing our laundry for us. I am pretty sure I write about this every week but it is amazing. She does our laundry for us. How amazing is that? She folds them and even irons them for us. I hardly ever iron my clothes. I love her lots. (Sorry by the way if I say something that is repeated from last week. I don't remember what I write every week). This week seemed to go by so fast. It was Thursday and I was wondering what happened to Tuesday and Wednesday. I have no idea.
It has been raining the beginning of last week and it was amazing. Although I got scared of some things. We had a tornado warning one day. It was blowing so hard and the tornado warning came on. I was wondering if I should panic but Sis Graham told me not to. One night there was a lightening storm and thunder storm. I have never been scared of thunder before in my life. This thunder was like no other. IT WAS SO LOUD. I couldn't believe it. There was one that I was sure something was going to fall off the wall in the house. The whole house trembled. It did that 4 or 5 times. I could not sleep hardly at all that night.
Last Sunday we met a guy that was adamant in telling us that he was Atheist. In the first sentence he said to us he said that he was atheist and a couple sentences later he gave us his whole life story of how he was a catholic, then a protestant, then a Mormon, and then a religion that speaks by the gifts of tongues (i can't remember the name but it is such a weird religion) and then that he was atheist. We kind of laughed inside and then said we respect his beliefs.
Keith Keith Keith. We told Keith last Monday that he would be able to be baptized this coming week. He was still having troubles with quitting the chewing so we thought that maybe that would encourage him and get him excited. Did it work? No. Not really. He is trying but he just does not have that confidence to quit. We don't know what else to do for him. Any ideas? He will probably not get baptized this weekend. Bummer. He is just so negative all the time and I don't know how to get him to switch that mindset. Quotes could be good. Any ideas????? But, Amanda is going to get baptized no doubt. I am so excited for her. She is just a really awesome kid and it is about time she get baptized. :)
Sis Graham and I got sick this week and we still are. I just have a cold and starts of a cough. She has had it worse. All Achy and throwing up today. We got a blessing this week and we will get better. We just have too much to do be sick this week. Sis. Graham's B-Day was on Saturday and that was the best day ever! I am so glad that it was her birthday. :) We just got lots of things done and it was good.
Okay. I have to get going. I love you all very very very much. Hope everything is great!!!!
Love Amanda.
What an amazingly wonderful week it has been and such a fast week it has been. It feels like I was just in the computer lab writing to you all. :) The most exciting news for you is all the lessons that we have taught. For the past four weeks we have gotten 32, 30, 29, and 31. But this week we got a whole bunch of lessons. We got 41 lessons this week and five new investigators. It is pretty much exciting news I think.
Sister Jewel is the sweetest member. She has been insistent in doing our laundry for us. I am pretty sure I write about this every week but it is amazing. She does our laundry for us. How amazing is that? She folds them and even irons them for us. I hardly ever iron my clothes. I love her lots. (Sorry by the way if I say something that is repeated from last week. I don't remember what I write every week). This week seemed to go by so fast. It was Thursday and I was wondering what happened to Tuesday and Wednesday. I have no idea.
It has been raining the beginning of last week and it was amazing. Although I got scared of some things. We had a tornado warning one day. It was blowing so hard and the tornado warning came on. I was wondering if I should panic but Sis Graham told me not to. One night there was a lightening storm and thunder storm. I have never been scared of thunder before in my life. This thunder was like no other. IT WAS SO LOUD. I couldn't believe it. There was one that I was sure something was going to fall off the wall in the house. The whole house trembled. It did that 4 or 5 times. I could not sleep hardly at all that night.
Last Sunday we met a guy that was adamant in telling us that he was Atheist. In the first sentence he said to us he said that he was atheist and a couple sentences later he gave us his whole life story of how he was a catholic, then a protestant, then a Mormon, and then a religion that speaks by the gifts of tongues (i can't remember the name but it is such a weird religion) and then that he was atheist. We kind of laughed inside and then said we respect his beliefs.
Keith Keith Keith. We told Keith last Monday that he would be able to be baptized this coming week. He was still having troubles with quitting the chewing so we thought that maybe that would encourage him and get him excited. Did it work? No. Not really. He is trying but he just does not have that confidence to quit. We don't know what else to do for him. Any ideas? He will probably not get baptized this weekend. Bummer. He is just so negative all the time and I don't know how to get him to switch that mindset. Quotes could be good. Any ideas????? But, Amanda is going to get baptized no doubt. I am so excited for her. She is just a really awesome kid and it is about time she get baptized. :)
Sis Graham and I got sick this week and we still are. I just have a cold and starts of a cough. She has had it worse. All Achy and throwing up today. We got a blessing this week and we will get better. We just have too much to do be sick this week. Sis. Graham's B-Day was on Saturday and that was the best day ever! I am so glad that it was her birthday. :) We just got lots of things done and it was good.
Okay. I have to get going. I love you all very very very much. Hope everything is great!!!!
Love Amanda.
Friday, July 23, 2010
July 23, 2010
Baptize!!! Awesome!!! Baptize!!! WHOOOO!!!!!
Okay...I just witnessed my first baptism of the mission this weekend and it was awesome and I am so very happy. I love being a missionary!!!!! Leean Emerson got baptized at 6:00 on Saturday night and what a day it was. I loved it. I took over most of the program it seems like. I took care of the prelude music, I played the hymns, I did a musical number with Mary Burst, and I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. Mary and I played a flute duet and played I know that my redeemer lives. We were good. We even did it for sunday yesterday. :) So, I am playing lots of piano and more flute than I expected. It is amazing to see someone get baptized and see the glow on their face when they are clean and pure and when the recieve the Holy Ghost. I love it. Leean was a smoker and she quit almost cold turkey and has been without smoking for four weeks now. She is an amazing person and she is going to be a great member throughout her life. She is stable. For only knowing for four weeks, I could tell that she cahnged alot in that time. For the better. She is getting her singing voice back and she is just amazing. Her husband Keith is working toward baptism. As soon as he stops chewing tobacco he will be baptized. He so wants to quit but lacks something to make him quit. He is getting so close though and he is very very excited to enter the waters of baptism and to be sealed to his wife. Their daughter Amanda is going to get bapitzed next weekend. She would have been baptized with Leean but her parents did not think she was quite ready for this commitment yet. Sis. Graham and I are working with her individually and getting her ready and the next step is to get her excited for this step and to get her to read the book of mormon. This family is amazing and it is going to be sad when I have to leave.
You want to know something else exciting? We got two more baptisms this week! Well, set dates. We met Mary and Larry james and they are excited to get bapized. They were going to get baptized six or seven months ago but some complications happened and they took care of the complications. Now they are ready to get baptized and we are excited for them. They are the sweetest people in the world and I love to visit them. Their baptism dates are set for August 7th and we can't wait. So many people it is awesome.
We have Sheila who know that the church is true and is ready to be bapized but she needs the confirmation from the Lord. We asked her if she would be baptized but she said that was waiting for that confirmation. So we issued her a challenge. For her to make the date and take it to the Lord. The Lord will tell her that the date she picked is a good one. She needs to stop smoking and drinking coffee but the Lord is preparing her already. She said that her coffee is tasting bitter now and that she does not like it as much. So, when she gets the confirmation I believe that we will have another baptism soon. The Gospel IS TRUE!!!!
There are so many people in this are that have so many health issues it is crazy. Pinched nerves, cancer, MS, Pnemonia...and so on. Everyone is getting sick with the flu and colds as well and I pray that I will not get sick. It is true about the whole teeth thing. You are not a true southern without missing a tooth or teeth or if you just have nasty teeth as it is. I have now made sure that I floss at least everyother night and that I brush my teeth nice and long.
Okay. There is an Elder here that lives in Gilbert and he went to highland and we were talking about how is going to go home in a couple weeks. Then he asked if I knew Sheila Toolson and I said that I did. Sheila Toolson pushed him to go on a mission and I told him that she was in our ward. Is she? I know I know the name but I can't see the face.
Time is about up and I do not want to stop writing because this week has been so good. But I must stop. I pray that everything is going well for everyone and that they are enjoying the rest of the summer and NOT BEING BORED!! :) JUst kidding. But seriously. Find something to do. It will make you happy. :)
I love you all. Love your favorite missionary in the world,
Sister Amanda Ralph
Okay...I just witnessed my first baptism of the mission this weekend and it was awesome and I am so very happy. I love being a missionary!!!!! Leean Emerson got baptized at 6:00 on Saturday night and what a day it was. I loved it. I took over most of the program it seems like. I took care of the prelude music, I played the hymns, I did a musical number with Mary Burst, and I gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. Mary and I played a flute duet and played I know that my redeemer lives. We were good. We even did it for sunday yesterday. :) So, I am playing lots of piano and more flute than I expected. It is amazing to see someone get baptized and see the glow on their face when they are clean and pure and when the recieve the Holy Ghost. I love it. Leean was a smoker and she quit almost cold turkey and has been without smoking for four weeks now. She is an amazing person and she is going to be a great member throughout her life. She is stable. For only knowing for four weeks, I could tell that she cahnged alot in that time. For the better. She is getting her singing voice back and she is just amazing. Her husband Keith is working toward baptism. As soon as he stops chewing tobacco he will be baptized. He so wants to quit but lacks something to make him quit. He is getting so close though and he is very very excited to enter the waters of baptism and to be sealed to his wife. Their daughter Amanda is going to get bapitzed next weekend. She would have been baptized with Leean but her parents did not think she was quite ready for this commitment yet. Sis. Graham and I are working with her individually and getting her ready and the next step is to get her excited for this step and to get her to read the book of mormon. This family is amazing and it is going to be sad when I have to leave.
You want to know something else exciting? We got two more baptisms this week! Well, set dates. We met Mary and Larry james and they are excited to get bapized. They were going to get baptized six or seven months ago but some complications happened and they took care of the complications. Now they are ready to get baptized and we are excited for them. They are the sweetest people in the world and I love to visit them. Their baptism dates are set for August 7th and we can't wait. So many people it is awesome.
We have Sheila who know that the church is true and is ready to be bapized but she needs the confirmation from the Lord. We asked her if she would be baptized but she said that was waiting for that confirmation. So we issued her a challenge. For her to make the date and take it to the Lord. The Lord will tell her that the date she picked is a good one. She needs to stop smoking and drinking coffee but the Lord is preparing her already. She said that her coffee is tasting bitter now and that she does not like it as much. So, when she gets the confirmation I believe that we will have another baptism soon. The Gospel IS TRUE!!!!
There are so many people in this are that have so many health issues it is crazy. Pinched nerves, cancer, MS, Pnemonia...and so on. Everyone is getting sick with the flu and colds as well and I pray that I will not get sick. It is true about the whole teeth thing. You are not a true southern without missing a tooth or teeth or if you just have nasty teeth as it is. I have now made sure that I floss at least everyother night and that I brush my teeth nice and long.
Okay. There is an Elder here that lives in Gilbert and he went to highland and we were talking about how is going to go home in a couple weeks. Then he asked if I knew Sheila Toolson and I said that I did. Sheila Toolson pushed him to go on a mission and I told him that she was in our ward. Is she? I know I know the name but I can't see the face.
Time is about up and I do not want to stop writing because this week has been so good. But I must stop. I pray that everything is going well for everyone and that they are enjoying the rest of the summer and NOT BEING BORED!! :) JUst kidding. But seriously. Find something to do. It will make you happy. :)
I love you all. Love your favorite missionary in the world,
Sister Amanda Ralph
Monday, July 12, 2010
July 12, 2010
Well, my week has definately been better than all of yours have been. Wow. That was a crazy crazy week. It is almost like you were not supposed to go. But that is porbably the only time you were able to go with Bubba's schedule.
Nothing terrilby exciting has happened this week. But this coming week on the other hand is another thought. This past week...We got two new investigators this week! We went by an apartment that some of the previous sisters have visisted and she accepted to take the lessons again. This 'gator is named Mary James. She took the lessons previously and had a baptism date but then things happened and she decided that she could not get baptized. So, now we are teaching her and hopefully she will be baptized soon. Her husband Larry is taking the lessons also. It is super exciting. We just need to figure out how to get them to church. Hmm... ANy thoughts? Another thing happened yesterday that was super weird.
Lindsay, a 'gator, called us and for some reason she does not like me or she just does not remember my name, but she left a message for us on the phone and asked for sister Graham only. Anyway, She called us and she seemed a bit upset about something and so we call her back and she just seemed very paranoid with something but she never told us what. She asked Sister Graham "do you see? Do you see?" Sister Graham said "See what?" and then Lindsay goes off on a new subject. It is very weird situation. We think that she is possesed by the devil or something because of the things she experiences and the things that she says. She does not believe in modern day prophets at all and she has not openly said this to us but we think she thinks that our church is not true. She believes that when Jospeh Smith was in the sacred grove, he saw Satan instead of HF and Jesus Christ. Hmm. wierd. But then she keeps saying that she is getting revelation upon revelation upon revelation. We think she thinks she is a prophet. But we don't know anything because she won't tell us and it is crazy wierd and creepy. We have senior missionaries and we think that they need to come with us to her appoinments from now on.
So yeah. That was the most bizarre thing that has ever happened so far on my mission. Hopefully we can help Lindsay know the truth of the gospel and that she will accept it. She is very confused woman and she is going to go crazy if things like this happen to her more.
That was pretty much all that happened that week. This coming week is going to be awesome. My First baptism!!!!!!! Leean Emerson is getting baptized on Saturday at 6:00. This is exciting news. I cannot wait for to get baptized. She is such a strong member already. She even sung in church yesterday. Oh, I gave my first lesson in a class yesterday. it was about obediance. And I did pretty dang well. :)
Today was exhausting. We moved today to our new apartment. We moved a whole 3 blocks away. We got up at 6:30 like usual, did one hour of personal study, one hour of companion study, and then we started. 8:30 to 10:00 we were by ourselves packing. We got a car load of stuff to the new apartment and then we started to load the car up with more stuff. Then at 10:00 others came to help. Elder Foote (the senior) came, Keith Amanda and Marie emerson came with their truck, and the Hinckle's came with thier cars. We loaded EVERYTHING up in all the cars and truck. We got two big dressers, two endtables, and table, five matresses, and a couple small things into the back of one truck. It was amazing. I should have taken a picture of it. Oh well. Then everything else was in the cars. We then took everything to the new apartment and unloaded everything. That was so much faster. It only too two hours to do all of that. I was amazed. Everyone left and before the Hinckles left, Sister Hinckle insisted that she do our laundry for us. We tried to refuse but that did not work. She took it anyway. So, we got our laundry done for us. It is kind of weird that someone is doing my laundry. I am so used to doing it. Then Sister Graham and I started to put things away and got ready for the day and now I am here writing to you. I am so tired. Bed is sounding pretty good right now. But I have to go tract some more. Yeah for Tracting!!!.
I gots to go. I hope you all have a great week and better weekend. I love you. !!!!
Nothing terrilby exciting has happened this week. But this coming week on the other hand is another thought. This past week...We got two new investigators this week! We went by an apartment that some of the previous sisters have visisted and she accepted to take the lessons again. This 'gator is named Mary James. She took the lessons previously and had a baptism date but then things happened and she decided that she could not get baptized. So, now we are teaching her and hopefully she will be baptized soon. Her husband Larry is taking the lessons also. It is super exciting. We just need to figure out how to get them to church. Hmm... ANy thoughts? Another thing happened yesterday that was super weird.
Lindsay, a 'gator, called us and for some reason she does not like me or she just does not remember my name, but she left a message for us on the phone and asked for sister Graham only. Anyway, She called us and she seemed a bit upset about something and so we call her back and she just seemed very paranoid with something but she never told us what. She asked Sister Graham "do you see? Do you see?" Sister Graham said "See what?" and then Lindsay goes off on a new subject. It is very weird situation. We think that she is possesed by the devil or something because of the things she experiences and the things that she says. She does not believe in modern day prophets at all and she has not openly said this to us but we think she thinks that our church is not true. She believes that when Jospeh Smith was in the sacred grove, he saw Satan instead of HF and Jesus Christ. Hmm. wierd. But then she keeps saying that she is getting revelation upon revelation upon revelation. We think she thinks she is a prophet. But we don't know anything because she won't tell us and it is crazy wierd and creepy. We have senior missionaries and we think that they need to come with us to her appoinments from now on.
So yeah. That was the most bizarre thing that has ever happened so far on my mission. Hopefully we can help Lindsay know the truth of the gospel and that she will accept it. She is very confused woman and she is going to go crazy if things like this happen to her more.
That was pretty much all that happened that week. This coming week is going to be awesome. My First baptism!!!!!!! Leean Emerson is getting baptized on Saturday at 6:00. This is exciting news. I cannot wait for to get baptized. She is such a strong member already. She even sung in church yesterday. Oh, I gave my first lesson in a class yesterday. it was about obediance. And I did pretty dang well. :)
Today was exhausting. We moved today to our new apartment. We moved a whole 3 blocks away. We got up at 6:30 like usual, did one hour of personal study, one hour of companion study, and then we started. 8:30 to 10:00 we were by ourselves packing. We got a car load of stuff to the new apartment and then we started to load the car up with more stuff. Then at 10:00 others came to help. Elder Foote (the senior) came, Keith Amanda and Marie emerson came with their truck, and the Hinckle's came with thier cars. We loaded EVERYTHING up in all the cars and truck. We got two big dressers, two endtables, and table, five matresses, and a couple small things into the back of one truck. It was amazing. I should have taken a picture of it. Oh well. Then everything else was in the cars. We then took everything to the new apartment and unloaded everything. That was so much faster. It only too two hours to do all of that. I was amazed. Everyone left and before the Hinckles left, Sister Hinckle insisted that she do our laundry for us. We tried to refuse but that did not work. She took it anyway. So, we got our laundry done for us. It is kind of weird that someone is doing my laundry. I am so used to doing it. Then Sister Graham and I started to put things away and got ready for the day and now I am here writing to you. I am so tired. Bed is sounding pretty good right now. But I have to go tract some more. Yeah for Tracting!!!.
I gots to go. I hope you all have a great week and better weekend. I love you. !!!!
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
July 6, 2010 The Emerson Family
Well, this week has been pretty busy. we taught 30 lessons and we were expecting 28 so that was way good. Sometimes days don't go as planned and they don't seem productive but we try all we can. Other days don't go as planned and they are very productive and we see the Lord's had in all things that we did that day. It is amazing how the Lord blesses people and their families. I have especially found that with the Emerson family. They are so amazing. Marie got bapized before I got here. She is the daughter. Now Leean (the mother) is getting baptized the 17th!!! It is so awesome. She seemed pretty happy when I met her but she is just getting more and more happy and I love seeing the spirit in her eyes. We are working on Amanda (the daughter). She is kind of slow when it comes to learning and remembering. Somewhat like me. :) She will be baptized soon. Keith (the dad) has a bit of a trouble. He knows the church is true and he is happier with it but he has a problem. He Chews Tobacco and he has a rough time quiting that. We had a cool experience that happened on Saturday. We were teaching them and just read a chapter in Enos...which is just one chapter...and then we talked about fasting since that was the next day. We said that drinking water was part of fasting and he did not agree with that and he said when he fasted that he drank water. He got real quiet and we knew something was wrong but he would not tell us. You can read his face really well. So we left with a spirit of contention and left for a party thing at president hardman's. We were there for about 45 min and I felt uneasy about being there. I felt we needed to be somewhere else. Sis. Graham confirmed the feeling so we left. We rushed the 30 min drive to the Emerson's house. We had no idea what we were going to say or what we were going to do we jsut felt we needed to be there. So, we got there and asked to speak to keith. We talked to him for an hour on the porch with all the flying bugs around our head. THe spriti was so strong with us. We talked about lots of stuff. He does not have confidence in himself at all and the main reason is that his grandmother verbally abused him so he does not think he can do anything. He is afraid of success and alot of things. We encouraged him and told him that Satan has a firm grasp on him and that he needs to let go and punch Satan in the face. We asked him to start our fast for him. Sis. Graham and I were going to fast for him the next day. So he did and we left shortly after. We found out later that we had been without tobacco for 20 hours and that is the time we fasted him. 20 hours. WE were so happy for him. I just wish he would continue three days and get the nicotene out of his system. But he was good. Maybe Sis. Graham and I need to fast everyday. :)
We made a cake and attempted to make it a three layer cake but we failed. I have pictures of it and I will probably send you some. Especially of our green tongues that one day. :) We play bingo on tuesdays at the nursing home and it is so fun. They are so funny. Some people yell the bingo and you can definatly here it. I get to give a talk on sunday about the life of Christ. So very vague. I am doing something cool that I think you should all do. Go to the Bible Dictionary and there is a graph thing under the gospel, harmony of. I believe that is the topic. There are a whole bunch of scriptures about christ's life. Read them in order. It is so cool sometimes to see the similarity of all the Gospels of Matt, Mark, Luke, and John. It is cool.
1 Nephi 11&12. The angel is telling nephi to look and nephi looks. And 1 Nephi 17:41... how easy the way is before us. If we just look unto him we shall live and have enternal life. 1 Nephi 17:21 is pretty cool verse. Focus on the words Might. They might have know the inheritance would be good. 21:16 we are the prints of his hands. He will never forget us. WE are always on him. He will never forget us....Those are some scriptures that I liked or stood out to me in my scripture study.
Can someone or all of you do me a favor? I can't go on the internet so I need help. Can you all think of ways I can encourage someone to do good? Some sayings? Some activities about encouragement? anything would be greatly appreciated.
There have not been any dinners that I have hated. They are all pretty normal. We shall see what happens this week. I pray that everything is going well for all of you. YOu are all in my prayers every night. I love and miss all of you. Sorry that this letter was not on monday. Appartently everyone was still celebrating 4th of July. :)
Gots to go. I love you all.
Sister Amanda Ralph
We made a cake and attempted to make it a three layer cake but we failed. I have pictures of it and I will probably send you some. Especially of our green tongues that one day. :) We play bingo on tuesdays at the nursing home and it is so fun. They are so funny. Some people yell the bingo and you can definatly here it. I get to give a talk on sunday about the life of Christ. So very vague. I am doing something cool that I think you should all do. Go to the Bible Dictionary and there is a graph thing under the gospel, harmony of. I believe that is the topic. There are a whole bunch of scriptures about christ's life. Read them in order. It is so cool sometimes to see the similarity of all the Gospels of Matt, Mark, Luke, and John. It is cool.
1 Nephi 11&12. The angel is telling nephi to look and nephi looks. And 1 Nephi 17:41... how easy the way is before us. If we just look unto him we shall live and have enternal life. 1 Nephi 17:21 is pretty cool verse. Focus on the words Might. They might have know the inheritance would be good. 21:16 we are the prints of his hands. He will never forget us. WE are always on him. He will never forget us....Those are some scriptures that I liked or stood out to me in my scripture study.
Can someone or all of you do me a favor? I can't go on the internet so I need help. Can you all think of ways I can encourage someone to do good? Some sayings? Some activities about encouragement? anything would be greatly appreciated.
There have not been any dinners that I have hated. They are all pretty normal. We shall see what happens this week. I pray that everything is going well for all of you. YOu are all in my prayers every night. I love and miss all of you. Sorry that this letter was not on monday. Appartently everyone was still celebrating 4th of July. :)
Gots to go. I love you all.
Sister Amanda Ralph
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