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!~!!!!