August 30, 2011

Ckemi!

Holy moly- the leaves are starting to turn. The temperature is dropping fast and so I am saying goodbye to summer :(

So a TON has happened since my last preparation day. I had one last uber fun one, and then got moved to the boonies... Literally.

President called an emergency mission meeting for transfers. It was huge, the whole mission came and he revealed the new plan. We are to read the entire book of Mormon with our companion in one transfer... that's 13 pages a day or 7 chapters. It is A LOT of reading. And we are not to do it during companionship study but in our lunch breaks and dinner...which we get very few of. It is definitely hard to fit in, but we are managing. It was a neat conference and he had one missionary get up and sing on spot which was fun.

I won't lie I shed some tears when I said goodbye to Sister Carver, and she really did become one of my best friends. It's hard because I was the ONLY one in my zone leaving, I will not be seeing them for a long time. It felt like being ripped away from Albania. So I moved my cornucopia of stuff from car to car and said goodbye to the elders I started with because they did not get transferred....

So Shortsville, its COMPLETELY different. It is the country, it is a house, it is only 5 mins from the sites. The people that come to church have cars for the most part, and they have clothes to wear. It is a whole new atmosphere here. We have people to teach, and we are working towards a family baptism on September 10. After last night though we don't know. I think he was on cocaine again....The family is so ready, he gave us like 20 cartons of his cigarettes and gave them up.

Working with Sister Correia is different because her trainer just left, so she is in the stage of not being told what to do. Apparently me and her trainer are complete opposites...so she is trying to get used to it. We have worked at the sites almost every day, which is nice. Our hours change back on Thursday to fall hours, which will be nice so we can have dinner appointments.

Wednesday we had a Site meeting and The Site sisters asked me and Sister Carver to get up and bear our testimonies as we would at the sites. It was a very neat experience. I had the whole room in tears......just kidding :)

Friday night we had Sis. Carver and her new Greenie Sister Green come and sleepover because they had to work early. It was SO much fun to see Sis. Carver again, and Sister Green is 23 and from Jarom, ID, and played Basketball for ISU.

I can't remember what day, but we had the Adams family come to the JSF and we took them on a tour. It was really cool, Sis. Correia has never asked someone to be baptized. So she told them at the beginning that we were going to ask at the end. When we reached the part on Stafford road where you can see the temple, I stopped them and explained baptism is the first step and the temple is the real goal, and then eternal salvation....The dad turned to me and said you should have given us at least a 72 hour notice to baptize us today! Haha.... we had to explain we were only going to ask them to be baptized on Sept 10. So when we reached the Cooper Shop, we asked them and they all said yes! Then we took a stroll through the grove and at the end we looked over the bridge and we SAW A HUGE TURTLE! I'm pretty sure it was a snapping turtle.

This Sunday we worked at the BOMPS. We get to leave church early...I remember Mitch saying "When you go on a mission you will have like 3 wards to cover"...in this mission we barely make it through an entire meeting without leaving to a site...You can imagine my thrills of getting out of Sunday school :) Just kidding!

At the sites we have been trying to get our tours down to about 20 to 30 min tours, some senior couples have made them 2 hours....

Today we got to go on a "special tour." It is very rare to go. Bob, the grove whisperer took just me and my companion to the Hill Cumorah, and he showed us trees and pointed out and talked about things that are very rare for a missionary to hear. After that was said and done, he told me he thought I didn't like him, but I am like a pine cherry tree. He said things change and also I am not a surface person- you have to dig deep.I thought it was cute..... we are friends now...don't worry, then he took us on the Indian trail around the temple. I am finding some cool things I know Mom and Dad are going to love...when they come pick me up right? :)

Anyways the life of a missionary here is great, I can't wait to send pictures of the leaves. My scrapbook is coming along, my knowledge of the things in this sacred place and my testimony .

Clare

August 8, 2011

Hey-

Well another week has come and gone....We got a lot done I feel like. We worked at the sites only like 3 times so it was weird, and we actually had to plan for a day, not my favorite thing.


We enjoyed a day in our area on Tuesday. We blogged I think, and then we went and tried to contact our referrals, then we ended up going to a members house to help them move. I painted their stair railing on the outside of her house. I still have paint on my hands. It was really fun though, because she was a foster parent and that's how they got their little black girl, and I am totally interested in it now.... She also served a mission in Korea and so we got to hear
all of her mission stories. It was really fun.


After that we went to the Larsens who are from Logan and ate dinner. We were praying that it would not be hamburgers, they last like 14 appts have been. Thank heavens it was not and it was even what we were craving- LITTLE CAESERS PIZZA :) We enjoyed their company and then went out to tract some more....


Wednesday we worked at the BOMPS and it was fun; I got to take an EFY group, which was the highlight of my week. I really loved it! I felt like a counselor again, and was a little sad that I was not. They had some good youth, and crazy because they get to go to the cradle of the restoration......

Then we went to site meeting; it was really good. We are having what is called "Invitation to a Miracle" Did I come up with the name? Maybe...at the BOMPS


We are going to hand a a BOM to every family who comes in so they can give it away before they get home....We are pretty excited. They will send back postcards to us with their experiences, a good way to see the fruit of our labor I guess...

After that we decided to stay in Shortsville for the night to save the 60 miles it takes to get home. So we slept on some nasty mattress with one blanket. We got up and then went and worked at the JSF.

We ended up working there the AM shift and then no sisters showed up for the afternoon shift, which was when we were going to go check up on my Albanians. We ended up staying and working, because of the sister with Chicken Pox..... I was kind of sad, and I was feeling uber sick too. However the Shepards senior couple are so nice they gave us some money and we went to dinner and had Subway!!!! It made up for it, other then that we had some good tours.


Friday we got out of working at the Hill, and went and worked at the CARNIVAL at CAMERONS. It was so fun! We got see a lot of kids who have nothing and work with them. Naturally I was at the putt putt with Elder Larsen and we had a good time. After that we went to Brother Kies for a GOOD dinner. We had ribs. He is so funny, and the assistants are great. I love Sister Carver because she is very VERY witty..... And so we get into to some good conversations those nights.


Saturday we had a lot of teaching appointments. We taught a man named Hector. Usually he is high, and so this time was our last. He told us that he was the creator and that he thinks he made the world. We loved it. However, probably not the most effective person to teach. It was pretty funny though.


Then we taught district meeting on asking questions, and then we went and worked at the Hill. I gave a great tour to two nonmembers who were really nice. Then someone donated a pizza to us so we loved that....The site trainers like the female AP's came to re-leave us so we could go home at a decent time, so we decided to try and see the Albanian. I was SO NERVOUS. But don't worry they were not home....Soon though we are trying again this week.



We have been teaching Daniel a lot this week. He is getting closer and closer. He made it to church! Because no one has cars we were freaking out. His ride brought him only to Sunday school, but hey, that's a start. We had the elders come and give him a blessing to quit smoking, and drinking coffee and beer. Since then he says it tastes gross and so he can't...How cool? Blessings work!!!! He has made this week fly;its so funny when you start to love the people, when he doesn't doing anything we are really devastated....



I have been able to study PMG a lot this week and its helping. I have been abnormally tired. To the point that I may or may not not have been falling asleep in lessons....I have a doctors apt on Friday so we will see. My stomach has been awful as well, I have been throwing up almost every day this week...good diet I guess. We have zone conference tomorrow and then sites the rest of the week.

I am sorry to hear about Gretal, and am uber jealous and I want to come play rockets with my mom. I hope the bee sting goes away, at least it's not bed bugs. We have a few missionaries with them...that's New York for you. I hope that the hike goes well, don't get eaten by a bear, and I can't tell if your serious about bear bells??? ha ha and I am stoked about my package...I've gotten maybe a letter or two in the past three weeks.....hint hint to my siblings.....even Max writes me..... We'll from the cradle of the restoration all I can say its true....
and I won the blog bet against elder Wilcox. I am up to 2253...can you believe it?


I love online work its my favorite!
love CLARE

August 1, 2011

-- well hey girl....

Here is a great commercial for you.....

15 weeks of Albanian
2 Different Mission Calls
$10 on my MasterCard
1 face book referral...
= two Albanian families who live in Palmyra!

So I will get to it.....

The week started off okay. We had a fun preparation day and then we ended up working at the sites pretty much the entire time. I had found out that I was going to be going on exchanges on Wednesday to Thursday. I don't know if you know me, but obviously that stressed me out TOO MUCH! It was awful, I dreaded it so bad. So we work and seriously I was having like anxiety attacks because it was not something I was used to.

So then we get to site meeting and its super super long. I think because I am so exhausted by emotions are like UP and DOWN....So by the end of site meeting at 9:30 President was like I would like to talk to you after these sisters. So then I was okay..... We waited while he solved a lot of drama between 3 other sets of drama and then it was 10:30 and he talked to me...No big deal... So finally the sisters were like, "We don't have time for exchanges tonight. We'll have to do it another time." I was like PHEW! Then they called the next morning and said we are doing it.

I was going to have to go to Palmyra and stay in the white house or now known as the Barbie Dream House. I DON'T really ever want to live there. Six girls? Really? So then it comes down to Sister Sultanian from Iman Jordan actually has the chicken pox and another virus, I told them I did not want to stay there because I catch weird things like worms in the MTC.

So then Sis. Maughn came to Henrietta on Thursday. It was not as bad as I thought it would be of course, but I will stick with my companion. We had gone to Cameron, and it was pouring water by the gallons. I couldn't see a foot in front of me while driving, totally guessed...ha ha... We worked there for awhile and then we went to the JSF and did a shift there. It was different; she had me give a tour with her, and the whole time I felt like she was coming up with all of the criticism. but at the end, she was like, "You are the most unique sister here!" It was pretty funny, and I know Mitch is already thinking I think the worst first.....

So after that Sister Carver and I were reunited, and we decided to go check up on my face book referral.

SIDE NOTE: I had met this girl in the pageant from Palmyra and she said she had known about all these Albanians that lived there, but she had to run and so I gave her my card and then she ran......

FINALLY last week, she emailed me and said that they all worked at the same restaurant that we drive by ALL the time. So Sis. C. and I decided to go eat there. Sorry- I had to put it on my visa..ha ha. But we sat down there were two different races there. I couldn't tell which one was which, so finally I was like, "Do any Albanians work here?" And then like six or seven ran over and started to talk to me.

Two of them speak no ENGLISH at all. The dad, Janny, said he gone to church in Albania but not here, and he told me to come and meet his wife. So this Wednesday I will....seriously how cool though!

The other half were Greeks, who happened to be anti. The Greek owner said to the two boys my age, looks like your wife just walked in...AWKWARD....but funny...then the Greek who had gotten our number from them texted us, "You two are the cutest Mormon duet I've ever seen." So now I have some Albanians, they want me to come translate for them at church.....I foresee a transfer to Palmyra soon, which blows because white house and no carver...but I guess for Albanians I will...

Pray for me to have the gift of tongues for sure!!!! I am so happy, I know that it is only through Heavenly Father that I have remembered the language well enough, and can use it....I say I guess its a pretty cool mission miracle...

Next day we went and had district meeting, seriously the funniest thing ever. We have the ASL missionaries in our branch... One elder got up and gave seriously a 35 min talk about teaching records.

Here are some of the highlights:

I was crying because I was laughing so hard, and at the end he asked what did I see that was so funny....

1. Please do not write cuss words on the teaching records (while a sister is gasping and saying NO)

2. Please do not abbreviate things like P.O.S, or W.O.W for all I know it is world of war craft...

3. If we are not supposed to go back over please write that give us a warning like, YOU'RE GOING TO GET SHOT, or GET CUT - the sister said in back or just don't back

5. Last line, that I almost lost it completely... " THERE IS A SERIOUS EPIDEMIC IN THIS MISSION when it comes to teaching records and it disgusts me"-while banging his fists on the table..
It was like Dwight's speech skills for Michael on The Office...too good...

Then we went and taught the Wingates again. Second lesson to a LA family the brother said he would get baptized on Aug 20 his birthday and right before transfers... YES...we were so excited!!!!

We were able to pick up a few new people and it has been good. The best was last night, Sis. Carver and I had no dinner appointment and that's when the Suppernaughts had called because they heard we were going to celebrate Harry Potters birthday, they said they were too. They had us come over and have ribs and play with their son's Hogwarts Express....So fun.....

Then we went to go check on some formers. It was like 8:30 and we knock on this lady's door, we know she is a widow, she opens the door she is in all white, just her underwear, kind of awkward. She's like, "No. I have a barmitzfa coming up." And then we said, "Well, take our card. If you need any help, even cleaning." And as she was about to slam the door she said "Really?" She then let us in and we talked to her. She has thrown her back out and she is like 65 and husbandless...She said, "Is this for real?" So we are going to go back to clean on Saturday.

We have been praying for miracles, and that's what we have been getting.....It has been really good and so we are loving it!

I set a goal to pass 2,000 hits by the end of August, and today I have 2,105 on my blog....I am soo glad I reached it. If I do 1,200 a month I will be happy...keep giving to people out there :)

Well, other than that the work is good, I am trying to mail things, but I have been out of MSF so sorry.....

I am glad to here that girls camp was fun. Seriously that sounds ten times more epic then when I went....I am going to best honest....The hike alone was sweet, if you send me a good write up and some pictures, I will post it! Anyways, we are going to play in a park all day, and I also met another boy going to Max's mission in two weeks. And a Krystal was looking for me? Which one? any idea? From our stake...

Tell LVD and Joe that they are doing great missionary work, but tell them to get the missionaries there too!

I hope you are all clean now and that you get a nice week of rest, I'm excited for a package.

love y'all
CLARE

July 25, 2011!

On my mission:

Well, things have slowed down almost to a stop. We got the totals in this week, in just the Grandin building we had over 20,000 people come through and in the Smith Farm I think over 25,000. This last Tuesday after pageant we only had like 40 people come through the hill. It was quite the difference. We can not believe it....

I have started something new because we have so much time. I have started a mission
scrapbook slash journal. It is going to be sweet. In this mission we do what is called "sign journals." Pretty much its like writing H.A.G.S. when they leave. So it a mix of other missionary stuff and mine. It has kept me busy at the low times of the sites.

So we are still at the sites 4 times a week. So with that and P Day and then Sunday we get one full day a week in our area. SO still a lot of driving.

It has been an interesting week. We had about 6 self referrals come from the pageant in Henrietta...So Saturday we went out tracting to them, and I actually walked some and not only that but I got sweet shoe tan lines. It was awful though for one reason: every referral (remember they were self) said they were not interested and one was a fake. Sis. Carver was really down because of it, and I thought it was pretty funny and ironic. So we celebrated our failures with some McDonald's and then went to Brother Kie's for our weekly dinner. It was just us and the AP's. Brother Kie thinks it's so funny to try and set us up.....He made steak burgers..(....not public. but why WHY would you ruin a steak?) hahaha...

Then we went home and tried some others and then went to plan. It turned in to quite the evening. We decided to sleep on our deck, and set up our new DVD player and watch Mr. Kruger's Christmas. It was SO much fun until we were about asleep and it started to rain. So we brought our couch cushions back in and went to bed.

Then Sunday came, and we've decided to celebrate a holiday everyday. Yesterday just happened to be Pioneer Pancake day for dinner at our house, Parents day, and Christmas Eve in July. So today is Christmas in July....Celebrate.ha ha We have had SO much fun together. It is so different when you get along with your comp and you like each other. I am loving it finally.....

So after are failing Saturday we prayed for miracles. and we got them yesterday. We went to visit the Wingates, who are less active. The dad got baptized and then stopped coming. We called him and for the first time he was like this is the perfect time come over. It was so cool, he sat down and said, 'I want to come back to church." So we are working on them going to the temple. Then his brother was hiding in the corner he had listened to everything and then we saw him, and I said, "Hey do you want to learn?" He was like, "Yes." So we have him with soft Bap. date. Sweet! Then we went to visit a black lady who lives on the most dangerous street...sketch. She has been a member for 8 years, but when the church moved she stopped coming because she didn't know where it was. She has 5 kids, we will have to find rides for them to get to church, but we are now teaching her 13 year old daughter named Quniece. So we ended up having some sweet things happen.... Its all about your trial of your faith...

So yes, we have been working at the sites, we finally went back to our ward, people think we are inactive..hahaha with pageant.

I had to buy a new pair of shoes for pageant because one broke, so that's the 20....Its crazy how fast MSF runs out. My companion is making me run sometimes..

And I am just living the life of a missionary.

BUT CRAZY.. I forgot
On like Friday I think, a man from Switzerland came in with his family. He saw my name and we made the connection that he and dad served together. Pashkeo or something. I will have to get his name. I left it at home. He was known as the swearing DL..ha ha! That was so much fun though, they took a two hour tour... Seriously what are the odds that it would have been me!!!!

With my online stuff I have loved it. I have gotten more emails of changing lives, and I really feel that is one of the reasons I'm in this mission... Mom that is a great idea the B's. I will look into them. I am almost to 1900 I want to hit 2,000 by August. You should take my blog to those Girls Camp girls...

tell everyone hi, that I'm loving it and that I am doing well...Serving it up in the ghetto..
Now we are all going bowling!!!! The whole zone...fun!!!!!!!

Loves, Clare

Letter 24 July 18, 2011

On my mission.....

ITS OVER!!!!

Okay, so you know how elves prepare all year for Christmas and then it comes and goes. Well that's how I feel. We prepared all year and now it has come and gone. Kind of sad! I have honestly met over 15,000 people.

It was a long week. Most people don't think that this is a real mission, but let me tell you, you have to be so good at having the same conversation over and over again like a million times.

So here are some highlights-

Elder Costa came and he talked to all of the missionaries. It was quite the event, he told the same stories that he did in the MTC, which is total fine. Then he went off on how he was about he wanted to use the sword of LABAN on some of his investigators as a missionary..

So that's our new motto.....He gave the perfect visitor center quotes though....

"You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can't count the apples in a seed"

It is so true......I am so happy we are Facebooking missionaries. I gave out probably a few hundred, and I have been getting lots of emails from youth who have said different things...

ready..

1. One told me that she decided not to kill herself after I talked to her.

2. A boy said he was going to leave the church and after I talked to him he wants to go on a mission.

3. A future sister missionary said she hated her call, but after we talked she was sooooooo excited.

4. 13 people self referred themselves.

There are some of the miracles...

I know I am not baptizing, but I get to help so many people who will go out and do that! I like this work better anyways :)

So this week we worked at the hill, and I had been praying all week ALL WEEK to find an Albanian....I thought I could just get it over with...

It was Saturday night, we had our two investigators with us 5 mins till pageant. When Elder Lenker came up to me and said, "Do you want to meet an Albanian?"....I SAID YES! I can't explain to you how happy I was..We hunted through hundreds of people to find him again....When I did I just yelled out:

"CKEMI! SI JENI JU!" Hey how are you! We got to talk for a few mins in Albanian and he did correct me, which was fine, but he said

I was really good for not going there at all. he was impressed. He was already a member, so I don't think that he was "the one", but it was a nice answer to a prayer.

Then our investigators sat through the pageant with us and MEMBERS. They have been being taught for TWO and half years. WE did not even tell them to stop smoking, and she came with the patch on. I think they are starting to change! We are so excited. The next day one of the volunteers from England said her son wanted to talk to me on the phone, you will never guess where he served his mission...ALBANIA!!! So I talked for another 10 mins with him and he said the same thing. That I did great....I was so excited!

It really is weird to have pageant over with. We are going to have to have a schedule again, Not to excited for that. We had only a two week transfer as well..... So everyone got switched again. but us

We got a new sister named Chatterton ...any relation?

I had a member come into the hill yesterday, he was a professor at Harvard, and he in a very SERIOUS manner, said that our mission president needs to allow us to watch Harry Potter because it had to deal so much with the veil, and he said that he was going to email President......funny.....

My blog hits are almost up to 2,000! I am so excited for it. I need more to read it though, I am working on it.

The Harry Potter man also brought up a good thing, he said its not all about you, its those Albanians, maybe they are being prepared......it was a good thing he said that I never thought of it that way.....I am starting to practice even more...

Anyways we are back in our area part time, we are still at the sites 4 days a week! Which I am happy about, because one shot summer....I will be home by this time next year crazy.....

I also ran into one of my EFY counselors- fun! Jazmine Baer..? Well life is good, companion is great, and question, what do you think about sending me my external hard drive.....sending cds now is too expensive but I would need it soon ish....I have a full card and my other one broke....

well I am happy to hear you saw the movie that shall not be named, and I hope dad has a HAPPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!

I am working on gifts this week, this past two have been nuts!

Well anyways, you're hot!

love CLARE

July 11, 2011 Letter 23

Hey

So it might be a quick email!

Anyways, PAGEANT IS INSANE!!!!!

I can not even tell you how exhausted I am. We work on our feet from about 10:30 am until midnight. These times are sweet though because we can sleep in until whenever...haha catch up on sleep! Seriously, the farm is crazy, and I have probably told the same story a million times. We have one more day there ( tomorrow) and then we go to the hill.

I have seen the pageant every night and will see it every night. It is really good. I like it because it is super short. Its only an hour and 15.

I really do run into a ton of people that I know. Emily's friend, EFY participants, kids from USU. I have run into Matt a few times, pretty funny. The first time happened to be in front of all the sister missionaries, and he was just so excited....I have met his whole family, that has been way fun! Having Staci and their family was so nice. It was so good to have them at pageant, and they were so nice to. They provided dinner and tons of food. I think I will loose like 10 pounds because you just don't have time to eat here. Really, it was nice to meet their cousins.... I have seriously talked to over like 9,500 people. I am pretty tired of people but I still love them. We related it to when Christ came and had all the kids come and talk to him in 3 Nephi so Sis. Carver and I are trying to be like him and enjoy it......

I love Sis. Carver. She is great. I honestly can't find something wrong with her.... so I am loving it. She may whip me in to shape, because she loves to run. so I guess we will..... after pageant though because I am so tired!

We had Elder Costa and his wife come last night. That was fun. They gave pretty much the same talk they did in the MTC so it was review for me. I got a letter from Max!!! And all other mail is held pretty much until next Monday.

I met a man that grew up with Alan, Valene, and Rodney... Owen Harris? From Preston..that was a fun reunion..

Then I met a Gloria Jones that knew the Quayles....and Emily's friend... and some boys who have offered to date me when I get home. I can not tell you how many parents offer for us to date their young men...crazy.

We have only three small children fall down on our watch in the log cabin. idk I think you would like to come non pageant time, because you don't get a tour....

Anyways, I am doing fine,....sooo sooo soo tired, and they were right- this is like Christmas of our mission and we may have nothing to look forward to after? hahaha oh well.

Okay it sounds like Boise is great and that the cars just all need to go! Keep up the good work out there and good luck to Joe!

oh and I met a boy from Alex's mission.... a Mike Thomas (?) rom AZ and a boy that just got called to Max's mission- he is really excited!!!!

loves

Clare

Letter 22!!! July 5, 2011

Great news! Sorry it's late. I got my new companion. I think I will really get along with her....

Her name is Sister Carver. She is pretty and you would pull the best friend thing with her because she loves to run marathons. We are in Henrietta still. We will move into Shortsville with two other sisters for the next two weeks starting tomorrow. I will be at the JSF for the first week, and then the HILL the second week.

I don't think we will have a preparation day. Its going to be nuts and crazy.

You can give Staci our number. 585- 415- 9643. I have been told I can go with them for some time for a dinner or pageant.

So this past week has been crazy. We got to work at all the sites for Wilkinson's last time. We were at the PWF the whole day- that was long. I gave me first tour there, and it consisted of 35 youth from HEARTFORD CN- like Gilmore Girls... It was a good Gilmore Girl experience, and I knew Emily would be jealous.

We had training on Friday and Saturday at the Hill with three head men from SLC. It was intense. There was so much contention. They were prepping us for pageant. We were out of miles and so we ended up staying in Brighton, and we were a little scared because someone had gotten stabbed the night before outside their window. There was still blood everywhere...But we rocked it for two nights so it was fine. SO I live in the ghetto and that's fine....

We played Bananza so many times- the bean game, I am obsessed. I am sad though because Sister W. took it with her....withdrawals major.

P-day was so FUN! President told me to sleep in so I could catch up, so I did. and Sister Wilkinson packed. Then I wrote some letters and cleaned the whole apartment. We went tracting with Sis. Sneddon and blitzed some doors with pageant stuff. Then we we to the church and played some Zombies and Eternal Lightening. So fun!

Then the big GAME.... We went to the baseball game, and it was epic. There were like 20 missionaries there. We ended up stuck in traffic for ever downtown.

So Sister Lowe who I love just went home, got out of the car and handed out pageant cards. Some boys took the card right behind us. She got back in the car and they ran back up and said, "Is this Mormonism?" We said yes, and they said we are freakin' Catholics. We felt weird...So Holm and Lowe got out of the car and walked to the stadium. About 10 mins latter the boys in the car behind us hit our car. I could see them swearing in the back. I got out and saw that no damaged had happened. SO Sister W. went and introduced herself and was super nice, and then said this must be humbling haha and they were by the end we were all best friends and things were good. Kill with kindness- it works.

Then we went to the game, and I got to sit with my favorite elders so it was so much fun. We lost but saw like 3 home runs. The fireworks came and it was sweet, and I love FIREWORKS.

We ended up teaching a few lessons after the game at like 1130...late...we got home about midnight and then Lowe and Holm spent the night- it was way fun! We were told to just get ready for transfers and so we did...and here we are.....Hopefully I can write you at some point again.

Anyways, I hope your 4th was good.

Sister V.

June 28, 2011 Letter 21

Hey Hey Ckemi!

Well holy moly, we worked 6 days at the sites this week. It was pretty nice though. I absolutely love working at the sites because you don't really have to plan anything....at all. You just study it up. I gave a tour to a family from Norway this week. They came right at 6:30 and so we got out late, but it was fun! They came all the way here just for the sites, so it was pretty big trip.

I gave quite a few tours. Wednesday we worked at the BOMPS and it was so slow, I did not give one tour, I went up to the "sisters room" ha ha and took a two hour nap on the couch because I literally am exhausted. So that was nice. However I did make up for that on Friday. We worked at the BOMPS again and did not sit once. Over 250 people came for tours. At one point we did not even have a "main floor man" on the first floor- which is a requirement. People were just going around and looking and trying to find a tour.

No way! I came back and re-organized and then took a tour of about 35, and our investigators had shown up to0! So that was pretty sweet. I got to take them there and JSF. We had four youth bus tours come that day. ... I love youth, but its crazy.

So after getting out an hour late, we headed over to the JSF because the MOTAB was coming. Apparently they didn't know they were just surprised by getting to go to the Sacred Grove.

So 6 of the 12 buses came and sang Joseph Smith's First Prayer in front of the Frame home. We had about 1500 people come, including our investigators. It was so cool, people of all walks of life were able to come, and it was such a blessing because it got people to the sites! After that JS song they sang God Be With Us Till We Meet Again. All the missionaries came too with the people they are teaching, it was truly a serene event.

It was also nice because we got to go into pageant mode as a practice run. SO during pageant we are not doing any tours, we will be standing for hours guiding and directing. It is going to be a long interesting two weeks!

SO the chioir was on their way and some of their buses broke down so they were super late. We ended up being an hour late to Brother Kies. It was not very happy, and the ap's were even 20 mins latter then us...It's okay though- he got over it. He likes to try and set us up with the ap's here all of the time, we get quite a few laughs out of it.

Trainers got called yesterday we think, so I am pretty sure I am not training, which is completely fine with me.. I will hopefully find out my new companion soon though, I think I will be in Henrietta until at least November. Most sisters here only have 2 or 3 areas, seeing how I have less time, I will probably have to.....

So after president had finished the sister's transfers he got a call saying that they are sending one more out...ha ha he had to re do them all- the AP's were ticked.

I got to go to the temple finally we did initiatories and an endowment. It was so nice, The window in there that you see through is SWEET! One day you will have to come do a session...If dad is still SP he can come an release me after I give you tours and a temple session...then we can do the sweet stuff ....just kidding- but seriously. I am formally letting you know that it is customary to come...for site sisters.

SO when are you heading to Cape Verde?!

Max might be jealous of what we did for ward correlation. The W.M.L banked free tickets to the Rhino's soccer game, so we went on Saturday night. It was fun, and I had bet one of the elders of the win, the team scored in the last 10 seconds and I won a frosty! Haha we are having lots of fun. We kind of think its okay because we work so hard at the sites. This Monday we are going to a Red Wings baseball game with everyone before pageant, and our president approved it...it's sister W.'s last day so we are living it up....

We have taken up the Bean game, or Bonanza, and you would love that game. Mom, buy it. It's sad though.... Sister Wilkinson is leaving with it, so we are playing it as much as we can before she has to go.

I have been losing weight this week I ran out of MSF, so I am living off rice about two meals a day.....haha I will need to better manage the money...

I talked with a doctor here and I need to have a recommendation to get in to him so we are working on it. Pageant will be too crazy so I am waiting till after to actually see one.. Getting my thyroid checked is probably a good idea... idk though. I am just tired though, because we leave at about 6:30 or 7 in the morning to sites and get home around 10:30.....we work too hard I think..just kidding....

Anyways the Garmin is great! Thank you so much!

Pageant time is here, and I don't know if we will get to email for awhile, because of the 4th, and pageant...The cast comes this Friday and then the fun starts! I am sooo excited.

Highlights- I LOVE SENIOR COUPLES- I was teaching Elder Watts how to beat box and I call Sister Colledge my female stallion and she calls me her little duck...she is a fantastic woman....

Nothing really else has happened. We are not teaching anyone really right now because of sites. Waiting on transfers, and working on health....loving it.

We might go golfing with Sister Price today. They just converted the golf course owner. Good thing, he has a 73 hole GC..and she found out I golfed so she has committed me! I am excited!!!!

We had TWO HUGE storms this week. Lightening was hitting in our parking lot, and it woke me at 3:30 and I did not go back to sleep. Because my comp. was talking in her sleep after that and yelling, "Jesus doesn't love me....." It's been a long week of no sleep.

The other storm came while we were working the hill it flooded the whole parking lot, and then 4 bus tours showed up at 9:00 p.m and we still had an hour to drive. so we peaced.....I love CROWDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It sounds like you are staying active on the bike, mom you're not a wimp, you're a stallion....The kids sound fussy! haha make them come eat at Cameron's, they usually have bugs in their food...

Emily sounds like she is living the life for sure. and I have not heard from Alex in years......come on team! Just kidding...

Yes, keep up the good work, mom!!!

I love you all and hope things are going good!

CLARE

June 20, 2011 Letter 20!

Hey Girl and Boy-

Well, another week down the drain as Madison would say. That's pretty funny! Well I have lots to tell you and because we are in New York and I have a crazy mission this letter is a little bit rated R. First, your week sounded like alot of fun! I am glad to hear that the monster in the basement is still thriving, but did he check out the lawn mowing room!? Haha...

Lauriann would be utterly jealous that I sat and talked with the senior couple, the Wilyerds. He lived through the Teton Dam Event. His whole house was gone, and his dad was fishing at the time and made it out just in time. Crazy, huh?

That will be nice for Joe to have a break! I can not believe Ky is one years old! I met another baby Kyden out here. Weird I guess. Emily sounds like she is living the life of a stallion and Alex is having bad luck haha. I heard Mitch's date went well.

Well, yes I see TONS of people on vacation, and it's weird because I feel like I am on vacation, well one we have to do like hard work...haha...

I have met people already from all around the world. We had people from Scotland come in this week, we tried to see how long we could get them to talk so we could listen to their accent. I had about 4 families from Boise this last week. We worked at the sites only 4 times. I am getting very very TAN.

I had some good tours, and some fun kid ones and youth. Those are my favorite for sure.

Some teaching appointments: I don't know if I told you about the Wingates. The mom is a member and she is active sometimes. The husband said he wanted nothing to do with it about a year after they got baptized. That was in 2002. We went over to see her, we got her son and his baby momma to the first kid (she has two more-and she is engaged to another man just living with them- awkward I thought they were brother and sister). And then Will, the dad, we got him to sit down and read and he loved it, and we think he will come back to church! But they have a two year old girl who looks like Dakota Fanning, she said- remember she's two: "It's the freakin' missionaries!" Then a few more words came out. It was crazy sad that something so little would just use words like that all the time.

At Lisa's lesson I can't remember if i told you, but her 18 month old son was crawling around and there was just a gun lying on the ground, that's fine.....mhmm..

So FRIDAY was our first day in the area of the week. It started out awful. My companion and I were so annoyed with each other and we could not figure it out. SO we were in bad moods, and then we knew our president knew because he called and said he wanted to meet with us. So we canceled our appointments and set the time aside for him.

Then we went to Cameron and did our service, we got along okay there grant it the elders were with us so that was fun. After, we get a call from President and he cancels on us. So then we bicker a little more and it was honestly like okay we couldn't figure out WHY we were so off. SO then I said, "I need a break- let's go paint the Arabic girls fingernails." SO we went to Myrtle Wood and found them. That was fun- it calmed us both down. I painted DuHu's and Miriam's nails lime green.

Then we had this feeling to go visit our Nigerian less active. We walked over and we knocked on the door. Right as we knocked she started yelling...We didn't understand her. She looked out the window and saw it was us. The yelled, "Wait!" So we did for about 5 mins. She then came to the door and said, "I want to be Muslim now." Welp, I was not expecting that one at all.

We got her to let us in. We talked to her for awhile and (background: she just survived cancer, has kidney failure) and she kept saying, "No one loves me and I could just die tomorrow and no one would care...." I thought she was referring to her health problems. Sister Wilkinson said, "Do you have thoughts of suicide?" And she broke down, she said was mixing the drugs as we knocked. We, through God of course, had just stopped her from committing suicide. We were the only ones that knew anything, and still pretty much the only ones....I took the stuff from her and we got her to read the Book of Mormon with us and pray. She said a great prayer about how thankful she was that we came so she didn't kill herself. We left and called her like 3 times that night. She had planned it out, she had her dad come take the kids so she could do it without them there and her husband was at work.

Then we went and got ice cream for my half birthday. Through all of this though, I realized Heavenly Father MADE us have AN AWFUL NO GOOD VERY BAD DAY; so that we would end up there. It was pretty neat.

So Saturday we worked at the sites again, went to Brother Kies for dinner and had pizza. He is a professional genealogist? He found he brother after 50 years of being lost in the war they thought he had died.....crazy...he was alive and fine!

President met with us on Sunday. Honestly this is great because now I know how important it is to marry someone I love. Sister W. is great but we just have very clashing personalities and with her going home its hard HARD to work. The one thing I just don't get about sister's in this mission is that they don't feel like the sites are missionary work, but it is our main calling! And I love it! SO he talked to us, and helped us solve some things. Sister Wilkinson said I am just so free spirited and probably the most she has ever met, and president got mad because he thinks he is. (like mad! weird....he's great but interesting)..

We went to church and it was ward conference- so long......Then we ate dinner at the Bucks. He is an EX carni (carnival ride worker) and they told us all about the conception of their child. Pretty awkward- and the elders were there....She had sauce all over her face and it was pretty (white trash) but I LOVED it... They were the sweetest people in the world.

Oh yes Saturday on our third dinner appointment, with Brother Robinson (BROB) he had us over for "ward correlation" which turned into a BBQ and our burning. Sister W burned a skirt, I did a pair of knee highs for six months, and the elders did ties for 6 months. I am the same as them! It was so much fun!

SUNDAY night as we were on our way to our investigators we got a call and she was in the hospital for attempted suicide. She bawled for like 30 mins while sister W. talked to her.

Other crazy thing: One of our LA called and said she could not come to church because she had to go to the hospital and see her brother in law who was in ICU. BECAUSE.... his dad snuck in the house that night before and tried to kill him. I live in a crazy place..............................

Oh yes, we ate dinner at a high council man's house. Super good pork chops with a honey mustard glaze. While he was talking I watched his child lick up every single piece of corn. He did not get caught until the last one, so that one was his, we ate the rest. That was rough..ha ha....

And right in the middle of some story, she just blurts out, "Well, when my sister was murdered......." and then just kept going, like that was totally normal...We also ate dinner at the Gardener's (senior couple)- so much fun. I am truly lucky to serve so close with senior couples. I love them a lot, and some of my favorites know the Quayle's. The Colledges: LuAnn taught at the rest home with her?

Last P-day we had a HUGE baseball game. It was so much fun, and I could still play after YEARS. Today we are playing night games in the church ? It should be fun!!

Okay- I think that's everyone, tell everyone hi for me, and thanks for the support!

love,

CLARE

June 13, 2011 Letter 19

Well hello.

I just checked my blog. I am up to 869 views- can you believe it? It truly is my highlight in life here. I am doing pretty good, except I am still a little bit sick. I did find some top brand Claritin for 3 bucks that has helped a ton.

We have had yet another week of fun. My emails are going to start being the same because I am at the sites 4 to 5 times a week. We worked at the all of them this week but the PWF. I know it's missionary work but in my mind its more like work and fun.

So when summer is over it is going to be VERY hard for me to go back to "real missionary" work like tracking and things like that. We only have 22 more days and I might be training. I hope, I feel like nothing is that hard and I have no responsibility and that my trainer treats me like a child. So it will be nice, to not be a newbie and to be a complete half of a companionship.

I do love driving, because I am like captain now so I don't have to be in back either which is super nice.

Some highlights to tours this week:

Sis. Corriea told us this one I about died laughing.

She was giving a tour to about 19 people and she had a Chinese man in hers. As she was walking to the Frame home, she was pointing out the Alvin Tree which was buried in 1823 when Alvin, Joseph's older brother, died. It was customary to plant a tree when someone died. p.s he died on Max's birthday. So this Chinese man RUNS PAST HER. Her first thought was that he was going to run out into the road and get hit by the cars going by. To her surprise, it was UP the Alvin tree.

He started to take the flowers off of it and eat them. She was shocked. Visitors are not suppose to touch the trees let alone eat them. She just kept saying "But that's the Alvin tree!" hahahahahha! SO he continued to grab more and more he filled his entire shirt with them and then came down and explained that they were totally edible. She was freaking out, because he started given them to the other tour members and they were eating them. He got everyone
to try some and was shoving it in Sis. Corriea's face and she just kept saying, "That's the ALVIN TREE!!" After that she was sending them into the grove and she had to add to the rules: do not eat ANYTHING from the Sacred Grove- even if it's edible. After they left she went and picked up all of the stems and took them to Bob the grove whisperer to make sure they were edible. Bob didn't know and all he said is, "Well, we will find out in a little bit i guess." And he is a serious dude. haha....

So our two new rules are no eating things from the grove and no smoking them. Fletch swears he found weed and was trying to take some..we reminded him of the Word of Wisdom... haha.

My tours- I got to take an elder just coming home from Philadelphia and also Texas. It is always fun to take missionaries. I let them give most of the tour and testify so they can show everyone how much they have grown. Whenever my last transfer is.... Still might be May or June (neat fact: site sisters only serve about 16 months missions in NY) I will get to take you on a sweet tour and give you ALL Of the information. We can only give tours while we are missionaries towards the end....

I got the clear on Staci! All president said was as long as I don't get homesick then it's okay and does not interfere with my work. So I will have to figure out my schedule first. So I will hopefully know soonish. It's hard because transfers are two days before pageant.

As for my rap and cards. I think I might record my rap and do it for music hahaha and then yes my cards I just give out on tours and I give out to people on the streets.

Some lady just wrote me and said it's changing her life and she gave it to her whole relief society! Sweet!!!!

I LOVE BLOGGING.

We had the best dinner last night. STEAK. It was a brand new couple in our ward with two kids. They met on their mission in Fresno, CA. And her uncle was President Gammit- mine from the MTC. Small world.

CLARE

May 30, 2011 #18

Hey Girl-

Ouch, I wont come home unless I get really sick....Or get eaten by a tornado. We had another warning last night. We had lightening hitting our front lawn..It was insane. It went on from about 10 till 11:30. We couldn't sleep because it would light up the entire house. I honestly thought I was going to die. The RAIN never STOPS here. Seriously. It will be so nice and then BAM the world is ending. I kind of like it though. My hair is starting
to get curlier with the humidity. I am already pretty tan too.

I got your package! It was great thank you so much. I needed a chocolate pick me up so it was perfect that day at site. And the Bath and Body Works was great, Thank you! I loved it. I love B &B and I have been using my nail thing you gave me for Christmas like crazy- I LOVE IT. I have a new obsession with painting my nails. I have accumulated a few O.P.I. nail polishes. Its a good thing to do with all the young Arabic girls here that don't get God that much. We are building relationships right now mainly. So, I survived my first real NY transfer.

We had to turn our car in and so we stayed with the Brighton sisters. I went to USU with one of them before- small world. My old relief society president, Sister Michelle Hill is also in my mission. We worked at the Hill until 8:30 and had site meeting during it. We got pageant material, things are starting to pick up. I have given a total of 197 people tours now.

Thursday we went to Bativa for specialized training on Internet proselyting. We were given some more rules about it, my family can be my friends, and I can email occasionally but I cant really write on walls..But we have moved up to 3 hours of that a week. My blog has taken off well, I'm trying to beat the sister with 17,000 hits. Most people are about 500 and have been doing it for months, and I have just started and I am at about 400 hits. With my new schnazzy business cards, I will have 1500 more! I LOVE blogging, and please note the comment that I brought that man to tears. Ha! I love LOVE blogging. We are the ONLY mission in the world to have every one doing it...sweet eh? And Facebook has been so nice. Renee, my freshman roommate has been asking questions about church through it- who would have known? Its a big secret but we might be getting Ipads next transfer...we are a pilot mission. Crazy fun! Also for driving we need GPS. I am starting to drive this transfer but my companion has one. When she leaves I will most likely need one since I will be training. What would you like me to do for that? NY is crazy Mom!

Friday we worked at the JSF. That is my favorite by far. I gave quite a few good tours! Then we ate at Brother Kie's with the assistants. We taught Chuck Tiva and Sami. I am going back to paint Sami's nails lime green for the dance on Thursday. She is the one who tried to kill herself because the sister missionaries stopped coming.......

SO this week we start going to the sites 4 times a week.

Mon- prep day

Tuesday-Grandin

Wednesday-hill

Thursday- Cameron community service

Friday- JSF

Saturday- Grandin

SO much driving and work! I love it though and it is such a nice break up to have different people around. It's like we have 4 companions and I absolutely adore my senior couples that we are with a lot! Really neat people: FBI, retired cops, farmers, and veterans. I have been learning some sign language, and it is really easy for me to pick up on it now its crazy, After Albanian nothing can be hard. I had a full conversation with a deaf man today!

I'm trying to think of anything new...

random fact: New York people do not have lights on their ceilings- most use lamps.

Okay, if I think of anything else I will email back. I have to email Max!

I'm glad every one is doing well, and I have the sweetest card for Emily but i don't want it to get lost... Maybe you should go to Mt Rushmore! I'm glad to hear Kayla is good, and Crystal.

You're the best and don't worry I am doing well, loving it, (well when we are with a group of people 'cause our Elders are amazing!
Have a good week. Maybe the garden will come through, and please push my blog to everyone you know especially non members! Referrals can come through Facebook!

Okay Mom and Dad!

I love you and you are stallions!

Sister Vati's 17th Letter! May 23, 2011

We were out of town so this is last week's:

Ckemi!

I hope that you are having fun in the New O! Welcome to my life now. So much humidity!


We are emailing so late BECAUSE, we went to the funeral of Sandy today. It was crazy, it has been a LONG week. Turns out she walked out of the building and died. We were the last two people to talk to her on this earth. And she had just bore her testimony for us for our tour. It was a good last day. The funeral was ALL non Mormons. She had 11 children. We had it at the LDS Palmyra ward building. President Lenker and President Christianson talked. Pretty much gave the plan of Salvation. We showed up and ended up singing Amazing Grace with 6 other sister missionaries. It was very nice. So we had half a prep day.

After that we headed down to the Subways again and played some Subway golf. Totally my idea. About 30 people showed up. It was pretty sick. Pictures to come. It was Elder Wilcox's birthday so we went to Dinosaur BBQ for dinner. I had a FRIED GREEN TOMATO...I did it just because of the movie for Mom and Emily. I also ate at People's Choice Kitchen
PCK. We had Jamaican Jerk. An entire butt load of chicken for 5 bucks.

We went with all of the Elders around before Fletch's baptism. It was a sweet one. We then went and ate lunch with him on Sunday after Stake Conference. Fletch does not cook so the elders brought noodles and cooked for us all. It was really fun. Fletch is an interesting man for sure, he is one of my faves.

Highlights: "Sister Vaterlaus, do you watch Cougar Town...? Maybe you should to prepare..."

He seriously has a 70's den I will send pictures....

We went and tracked in Myrtle Wood on Saturday for a few hours. I came out with about 13 new best friends that were maybe 16. We have found 5 Arabic families to teach. We are waiting until our Arabic sister from Imad Jordan to get transferred into our area.

We found my new favorite lady this week- her name is LISA. She has triplets for grandsons. Since Sister Wilkinson has been upset about Sandy, I have been throwing down lessons left and right for a few days. I committed a life long smoker to stop smoking, and then Sis. Compton, a life long coffee drinker to quite in one week...I guess I am doing well.. ha!


We worked at Cameron again this week. It is so funny, because we treat everyone else like they are white people from the west, but when I come in my friends Archie, Mike, and John seriously start secret hand shakes with me, beat boxing and then they Dougie. I love being one of them, because they treat me that way and it makes it so we can teach them. I love the CITY. We have spent most of week in the city or at the sites.

Oh yah! I forgot. I went my first day at the Grandin, and it was okay except Sandy died. We gave a few tours, still not my favorite site.

Then Friday we left to the Peter Whitmer Farm. That one was pretty good. Still not my favorite. But good. I have given over 100 people tours now! That one's fun because not alot of people come because its so far out of the way.

So we went on a few adventures. My trainer made me climb to the top of the church. How legal it was I have no idea. but I asked and she said no one has ever said anything....Then we sat with a retired FBI agent named James Wright. He wrote a book. He told me some SWEET stories. He worked on the Patty Hearst kidnapping, Una-bomber, and Temple Mass Suicide? His book is FBI.. He made me want to join way bad... He also sang to us all the way home. It's crazy how much we interact with them through out the week. We really get to know them and I love them!


Currently we have an animal of some kind in my wall by my bed. It has kept me up the past week....We finally called maintenance. I am hoping it just died or something. It is so loud. I can feel my body getting tireder and tireder for real. I think I even pulled a muscle when we were doing service in my chest. I have had bad chest pain again, but don't worry. No doctors or EKG's. I thought you would like that though. I wont go until January. I promise... ha


I am glad to hear you are all doing well in and so busy with Rotary. When is dad going to be released as SP? Any big news in life? The mission life is going well.... Loving it most of the time, and it is hard but it is fun. We are turning our car in for 3 days this week so we are going to live in Brighton and Palmyra for the week. Then we start at the sites for the entire summer of a commute of two hours total a day..fun... ha I would except burnt copies of scriptures or CD's with music.....


I am excited for my package! YAY!!
I love it. Dad, thanks for my letter and thank Mitch. My letters will be scattered this week but they will come. I promise...


Okay I better go... your all the best thanks for the support and prayers.
love CLARE

Letter 16 May 16, 2011

Hey Girl,

On My Mission-

So this week has been action packed.

After I emailed last week we went down to the abandoned subways. It was so sick. I loved it. There was so much graffiti it was honestly beautiful. We played capture the flag, it was pretty sketchy, there were some homeless men hiding, we invited them to play though, and some did. Haha. It was so much fun! I love New York!


Tuesday we drove up early to Palmyra (about an hour) for Zone Conference. We started out in the Sacred Grove, and it was beautiful. It had rained pretty much the whole week, but to our surprise it was nice and sunny! We talked a lot about our own true conversions on a mission. We focused on the talks from conference, desires and also the one about men and women a few from that. President got up and gave a great speech, it was surreal to have a ZC where God the Father and His Son really appeared, and it made it so the spirit was strong! After about three hours there, we went to walk through the Grove he gave us more of a tour, and we saw the Witness Trees. It is beautiful now because its all GREEN! I got some good shots I will send. Then we went to the Stake Center and did training there until 5. We watched Elder Hollands talk from the MTC which was great. Overall it was a fun day!

Wednesday we worked at the JSF, and it was super sunny. One of my Elders from Albania wanted me to count how many people I took on tours in 18 months. I am up to 97. It was another super sunny day, thank heavens! I am getting really tan, so that's hot!

That night we had a site meeting. It was another LONG LONG one. We didn't get home until about 10:30, and when we did my companion ended up having a companionship inventory until 11:15. I was done by then, and went to bed. Don't worry it got worked out....

Thursday we went to Cameron's again and we built some portfolios, served some food and met some more great people. My new friend Jamal, he had gotten shot about 4 times, don't worry- he showed me the bullet holes. Haha....

Friday we went and taught a lot of people. We don't have any with baptismal dates really, but some are progressing. We don't have enough time to teach because we are at the sites alot know. They actually might shut this area down for the summer and move us to Palmyra...IDK how I would feel about 14 girls in one house for a summer with 2 bathrooms..... we will see...

We were invited over on Friday night to the Sneeden's for dinner. She grew up in Mexico and now lives a great life with her husband. She had invited her Chinese neighbors over for dinner and another member family. We were able to teach them about God. They had never heard of Him before. The grandma had come too but she did not speak any English. I was able to connect with Rou long or something, because he is a computer programmer. They loved it, and even better we were able to give them two Chinese book of Mormons. You should have seen their eyes light up. They were pretty excited. It was good to, and they made homemade shrimp Chinese dumplings like sushi. Dad would have LOVED IT. They were pretty good.


The next day we taught a lady named Shunthina, and we are going back. It was good! Then we met about 3 more families from Iraq, that we are trying to teach. The parents are really into it but the 10 year old girl is not. She told me I looked like Hannah Montana and that I need to cover up my hair because I have no pride. It was pretty cute about how passionate she was about being Muslim. I wasn't even mad, because I was very impressed with her knowledge of it and loved her!


Saturday we went to a Baptism for member in the ward. We go to these to because its pretty much a huge success if an 8 year old gets baptized here. It's almost like a convert....

We went to Brother Kie's after for dinner. We eat at his house every week because he loves the sisters. The AP's live in his house, so its fun to eat with them once a week too. One of them is a BYU football player (Peck) and the other is a stallion from Seattle (Cook). I really like them a lot, they both do a fantastic job. Usually a lady named Sara and her family comes, she is a less active and we teach her but she did not come this week.

Most of the time I can't eat the food, so I hurt some feelings, but President has asked me to do that instead of getting sick. I really enjoy him though, he runs the Family History Center and is a veteran!

Sunday was good. We went to the Sneedkers for the 2nd time this week. She is so cute, and Emily would love her! She is really into juicing so we juiced with her, and then she fed us home made pizza made from vegetable bread or something. Tell Emily to add Carrie Sneedeker as a friend. Trust me. They would be best friends because she's like Lori L.

We also had a pretty good Gospel Princples. Our anti lady showed up. She is insane. She gets up every 2 minutes during sacrament and any meeting and switches seats. She whispers in people's ears about how the church is bad, especially investigators. We have do what we call Debbi repellent sandwich. We have to block our investigators from her. It is quite entertaining for sure....

Anyways today we are doing half prep day and going to the Lilac Festival, helping someone move in, and then on Wednesday we are taking a GROVE TOUR that's four hours long with Bob Parret in the Sacred Grove, it should be pretty neat. I hear its indescribable....

Well check out my blog SisterVaterlaus.blogspot.com the more hits the better! They are talking about having us blog and Facebook an hour a day now..... we will see. I would love it!

okay I love you all, and thank you for the support!
-Sister Vaterlaus!

May 9, 2011 Letter 15

Well it was so good to talk to you yesterday and the whole family! I love nothing more.

I don't have TOO to much to say today...

Yesterday at church we had the Fletch man come, aka Brother Fletcher. He is straight from the 70's. He is getting baptized soon though, and he likes to wear short shorts and 70s clothes. He doesn't own a phone, and he lives in his moms house and never buys anything unless its for that meal. He rides his bike the store EVERY single day. It's pretty funny. He talks really loud, and wanted to keep asking me about Boise State football. I get asked about it a lot, so maybe I do need a shirt for it! Ha ha.

I am glad to hear everyone is doing so well though. I put some letters in the mail today so you will get them.
I pretty much told you everything that went on this week though..... I am trying to think of things to tell you....

Oh YA! We are having Zone Conference tomorrow in the Sacred Grove. Weird, eh? Its from 9 to 5. I think you should buy some of President Christianson's books, because I hear that they are amazing. We are watching a famous Elder Holland thing and then isn't that neat we are meeting in the sacred grove? Isn't it unfathomable?

I just received a Facebook message from another Albanian who wants to meet. I am stoked. I heard from Elder Merritt again, and they had to find a new house because there was so much mold. Funny eh?

We are still teaching quite a few people, but it will start slowing down now that we have sites. More about that, so we don't have a script necessarily we have key points that we must hit. There's about 6 at each site. In the summer we have to give 20 min tours or less. A regular tour last about 45 minutes to an hour if it's good. We are supposed to teach completely by the Spirit but only using facts, which is hard for me. Haha but I do it. I have realized something about me. I am really good at doing things even if i don't want to because I know I need to. So see I am about 98% obedient.

My favorite part of the week is still working at Cameron! I just love people and can not get enough of them. We were there this week and a lady and her 5 kids came in and started talking to us. She was like, "Oh ya. I got baptized into your church 10 years ago, I have been looking for you again." So 5 unbaptized kids. A few years ago the church redid it self and moved and so a lot of people were lost, so now we have to find them. A lot of work but fun!

Don't worry. I am doing great, loving it, we are playing capture the flag in abandoned subways today in RC. Stoked!

Okay, remember you're hot :)
Love you mom and dad!~!!!!

14th Letter May 2, 2011

On my Mission-

So this week has been crazy!

Last Tuesday we decided to go and check on some former investigators in what is called Myrtle Wood which is government housing. They were investigators from 2008, so we kind of knew that we would meet all new people, and we did.

My first one I totally thought that they were Albanians, they weren't but close. They were Russian. They kicked us out pretty fast! The next house we went to was a Man named Marcus, and he said he didn't have time but he set up an appointment for tomorrow, so my first investigator.

After that it got even better, because we met Emad and his family, and they are from Iraq. We taught him a first lesson and he asked us to come back in a week and set up an appointment, so two investigators my first REAL day in the area.

Then we went to Jose's house who was an investigator. His mom answered the door, and YELLED, "It's the Mormons! COME IN and teach me." However she only spoke Spanish, some English, I tried my Albanian on her it didn't work..ha ha...So we popped in the Restoration video in Spanish and watched it with her. She was tearing up. Right when it was about to do the first vision her cell phone started playing some big booty song and it was right by me, so me being the cunning person I am, hurried and hid it under the pillow next to me and sat on it so she couldn't hear it...She may have missed a call but she felt the spirit for sure!

Haha, after that she said, "I have one question. Do you let dark skin people into your church?" We were shocked, and said YES and replied with a good scripture. After that I just blurted out before I could stop myself, "BAPTISIMO????" and she said, "YES YES YES YES YES please." So we have May 28 set for her but she left to Puerto Rico? for ten days...so it might be pushed back....funny though, it was a little unreal.

Then we drove over to Karen's, who was a former as well and taught her a first lesson and she said she loved it because she could see the pureness in our eyes, it was sad- she really had red eyes....She set up appointment for last night, but called and cancelled. SO four investigators and a baptism commitment on my first day is not bad.....

On Wednesday we had to go get all 4 brakes in our car fixed, then we went to Cameron and did our service and hung out with my hood friends. We cleaned up their huge freezer. We are doing a HUGE service project with them this Saturday with the whole ward, we are painting so it should be fun. I love the hood...Wednesday night the RAIN RAGED and there was a tornado warning, the sky was green, and it's so weird that almost every day there is HUGE dark cloud of Rochester, you can tell it's a little evil...

A man from the Bronx who grew up in the streets of NY city said Rochester is more dangerous then that ever for sure. We ended up going to the RS activity with our investigator Hu Yen (we taught them this week to and her husband Alex). I was soaked from HEAD to TOE. I almost blew away and the umbrella was seriously flying out of my hands. It rains A LOT here. I have only had one day with out rain. It was a good activity though, it's gardening for city girls, I am sending you the papers in your mothers day box...


Thursday we went to Palmyra for our site meeting and training ALL DAY. I am part of a trying thing, so I will be with my trainer for 12 weeks and then I will train on my third transfer. The site meeting was cool, and I think it's a secret they are announcing it on my 15 i think, but they are opening up another HUGE VC in Harmony PA (SCRANTON)!!!.

It is going to be HUGE. Our groundskeeper BOB PARRET? whose not a member but knows everything and is so good about it. He is heading up the project so he came and gave a presentation. It was sweeet! I thought mom would like this because there are archelologist right now digging to find information.

Saturday we worked at the Joseph Smith Farm and on my third time I gave my first SOLO tour to three future missionaries (with calls), two parents, and a person with a baptisim date. It was sweet. SO for the sites we have three site manuals. One for the Grandin (BOMPS) where the BOM was bound and sold, the Joseph Smith farm (JSF) and the the Whitmer farm (WF). Then the Hill Cummoarh (HC) is self explanatory. We have try to do about 5 hours of studying a day. 1 personal 1 and 1'2 of companionship, then 1 hour of sites, then i try to get in as much Albanian as i can!. It is a long time to study. Me being the huge history buff that i am, not, am learning ALOT about early church history. Elder Lenker wants us to read JS history at least once a week as well...Our entire mission. It should increase our testimonies and improve our language and thoughts. It has!

Sunday was great. Some random girl, Senytra, showed up with her son Trinity and said she wants in. The ward was great this week. We had like 3 member dinners this week, one took us to fast food. I was sick for maybe 4 days... I have lost all 12 pounds I gained. Yay!

Anyways things are great in Henrietta and the Hood. The sites are so fun, I have only worked the HC and JSF and I get to do the Grandin this week. But because its an hour drive its long.......

well, love you all you're hot!
Sista V

April 25, 2011 Letter 13

"On my Mission"
WOW, this week has come and gone. It was a pretty long week for sure. Apparently I came at the beginning of the busy time of the year.

I was put in Henrietta? My Trainer is Sister Wilkinson, and she will go home in July. We live in the nicest apartment, so we are the lucky ones but we are so far away from everyone! Our President has us living outside our actual area. This mission is very unique because we are proselyting and site sisters.

So, as what is called "pageant month" comes we leave our areas for two weeks and all of the sisters move into one home ( well at least 14) of us and we will work from like 6:30 in the morning till midnight... That's coming up in July, something to look forward to.

Yesterday (my first time in NY church) a man walked up to me and said, "I don't care if you are obedient at all on your mission, except those two weeks in the summer." He said, "That alone will get you to heaven." Pretty funny.

So we do A LOT of driving- almost 90 to 100 miles a day going from our area to the sites, which is kind of a bummer because I get car sick....Other than that i have been UBER healthy for some reason. Maybe it was just the MTC. I am healthy, still tired all of the time, but good!

We had our first baptism and it was great, not a lot of people showed up which is sad but it was Easter, I guess.

Yesterday at church was different. Lets just say it is NOTHING like a ward you would find out west at all. It is kind of sad, but there is a lot of work to do. We have been doing a lot of inactive work, member work, and not too much with nonmembers yet because they were all out of town for spring break. So this week is jam packed with lessons, service and working at the sites.

Working at the sites is very different. It is like a JOB that you need to show up for. Its super nice, but just a different then what I have expected.

I love reading the scriptures here though because this is were it all started.

It is HARD work, and sometimes not very fun, but I am doing well and trying my best. I miss you all and love you all! Write me at my new "New York" address!!!!!
-Sister/Motra Vaterlaus

Letter 12 April 20, 2011

Hey, Mom! I get to do a quick email today!
Surprise!

So, I am serving in Henrietta! I do the sites like twice a week but mostly proselyting....
no joke. We have a super nice car and we have to drive every were probably a few hundred a day. But I love it.
Today we worked at "Cameron". It is a soup kitchen/After School Club Program. I did food service hairnet and ALL, and then paper work... I am so good at it....I have never seen so many people with hard lives.

I met a guy that is like maybe 35. He has 9 biological kids and like 4 step kids....all different moms. I am mostly working with drug addicted teens at this point. It's crazy. Fun though, and pretty safe. But there are drive by shootings a lot and stuff, cause I work in Rochester too.

My first Baptism is on Saturday. Her name is Kemi and she is Nigerian!!!! I thought grandma and grandpa would love that..... Then she is going to teach us to dance on Monday.

Apparently the ward I am working in is very well different. At the new beginnings the girls brought gangs in and it indeed in a huge fist fight brawl thing so I think I will be able to
help a lot.... lets hope?

I got to go the sacred grove and sit by my self for 20 minutes. I loved it. I prayed for MANY things, it was just so nice.

The weather is FREEZING. Last night I woke up at about 1:30 to a thunder storm slash lightening that would light up the whole house and shake it. It lasted for an hour. We have the nicest apartment in the area though! Anyways, my companion is Sister Wilkson.

I hear I got a package today. We are on our way to do a baptismal interview. This is the place for me....
Don't worry. I will be safe. Say hi and I love you all! I get to email on Monday again! Just a quick check in.. I will try and get you pictures.!
Love ya,
and my president (directors of VC) are the Albanians.... Lenkers.... look it up?
loves kissers
CLARE

Letter Eleven: April 15, 2011

On My Mission.....

Well sorry it feels like it has been forever, I started Visitor Center Training and my preparation day got switched to Friday and its really only a half prep day. First things firsts, I have written many of you but the letters keep getting sent back so ( Mitch, Uncle Bret, Kaitlin) I wrote you like 2 weeks ago and it got sent back don't be offended.

WOW the change into a English district was strange....I am totally grateful for all of the time that I have spent in the MTC because I feel so prepared to go, and I feel bad for the English ones because most of the time they don't get through all of the lessons. For my random 3 or 4 days of English training and had two GREAT teachers. Brother Laubaugh and Brother Hoops (who is from Boise, and we have some common friends). I loved seeing different teaching methods and how they loved the gospel. It was not to hard for me to say goodbye to the English district but it kind of made me relive saying goodbye to mine and so it made me a little bit sad! After they left it was Just Sister Crook and I for two days before we could start VC training. We kind of took it easy, don't worry we still got a lot done but it was nice to make our own schedule for two days!

Sister Crook and I have really developed a great unity. She is a super funny girl, we walk maybe 5 steps without her being stopped and told how pretty she is, (because she is) and asked if they can take a picture of her. It gets a little bit awkward at times with the elders, they love to flirt.....It is also hard to go anywhere because she knows literally everyone, and we get to stop and talk to them. She is a model, she has done the last three issues 9f 'Down East, shes the tall tan one that looks like a quidet (Jersey Shore). She has a great sense of humor and i love it.

So visitor center training has started, and can I just say I LOVE IT! This is perfect for me. We have our own special private room with keypad entrance and everything. Last night was our first Visitor Center Practice. Turns out one of my previous EFY participants Morgan came, and she acted as my non-member! It was crazy to hear from her that she is getting married soon, I only had her last summer! This teaching taught me that I talked WAY to much. SO for the second time I wanted to make sure that I didn't talk a lot, so I prayed and asked to be the listener. Then on my second round I got to teach a real member and we did the real life thing and my prayer was sure answered.

It was by random assignment and I got the beautiful black girl from FL. She had a crazy conversion story about how she had searched for different churches her whole life, and she had known about the LDS but her Grandma did not like it. Her sister turned 18 and got to be Baptized. Long story short during YW's one Sunday she stood up and yelled "Fine! I want to be baptized!" She did and then met her husband. They were sealed in the temple and had two kids. Then one day her husband took the kids and said were leaving and did not give her a reason why. She still talks to him and the kids but to this day she says she doesn't know why. But her testimony if firm and she knows it will all work out. I was amazed. Her plan is to come and do school and get a good job and the fight in court for her kids. I told her that she had such a strong testimony and that she needed to be sharing it with everyone. SO I got my first real referral! (in VC training we are taught that this is our fruit, not baptisms) Any if any Elder or Sister thinks about this in a lowly manner, just remember that most of the people you teach are our referrals :) we are the front line! I love the idea of a visitor center because I will meet people from all nations, I will meet members, less active, inactive, and nonmembers but the purpose is still the same and each person still needs something. We all need something from someone!

Finally, last like Thursday Night I got my Travel Plans, I am LEAVING finally on my like week 15..

I had my final Doctors appointment with Doctor Thorpe. He took me of all my Medicines for the most part I went from taking like 10 a day down to 3 or 4. I feel a lot better, not tired, and hopefully I will lose the weight it made me gain, but don't worry I'm not fat.

I had my last pass of inspection yesterday with Doctor Sampson at the MTC and had him do a quick strep check because my throat hurt, and honestly it would happen to me. It came back negative thank heavens so just another cold. The joke is now that everyone thinks they are going to just keep delaying me and i will eventually serve in the MTC. But weird I have already served a good chunk of it in the MTC!

Overall though, I love the VC training, it is the perfect mission for me! I think I needed the time in the MTC, I needed to meet certain people, and I feel like Its time to go. The packing has started! I still could have another suitcase so I bought another small one just for my Albanian books. Our room is a mess, and we love it because it means were leaving! I get to go to SLC on Saturday at 3 and come home by 9. I get to do the real thing! I am pretty excited! I am praying that I get paired up with the two Native Albanians there so I can use some of my Albanian. I feel like since I have let my brain rest a little bit that I can speak it so much better now.... weird eh?


Anyways, my Preparation Day is super uber short today so If you don't get a letter this week, or birthday card im sorry! I don't know when my next one will be....but i think this is my new address (don't dear elder me after today i wont get it!) unless you send it to the NY Rochester one?

Sister Vaterlaus
New York Rochester Mission
100 Perinton(or perrington-check on that)- Hills
office park Ste. 120
Fairport, NY 14450

And feel free to write me!!!!! I accept packages to, since my companion is famous she at least gets one package a day, one day she got six with about 13 letters, I got to help her carry them back to the room.....it was just funny.....Thank you to all have written me in the MTC and I am sorry if the mail has not been getting to you, I don't know why crazy!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh its frustrating but I am trying!
Okay, well I am out, and so ready to go only like 3 days!
I love you all and you're hot!
Love
Motra Vati/Sister Vaterlaus