Well, since we talked on Saturday, there really isn't a lot more to say. With Sis. Davis and Sis Miller sick, we haven't really done a lot these past few days. So, I guess the most to report was the events of our Christmas dinners.
Well, we had three dinners planned, at 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm. We thought it would be fine, but most of them started an hour late so we felt a bit rushed to not miss the next appt. and each of them served us a big turkey dinner. Wow, do we feel stuffed!! It was a lot of fun though! Each family was different in style, so we were able to get a different taste of Christmas from each family. The more I have holidays here on my mission, the more I want to make sure I invite people over whenever I prepare a holiday meal in the future. It means so much to us as missionaries when families invite us over to share in their holiday traditions. Also, I've seen how it blesses members, less-active, recent converts, and investigators to have a home to spend the holidays.
Another blessing we received was having one of our investigators text us last night to tell us that he wants to be baptized in two weeks! Yay!! We are all really excited!! That was the perfect ending to our Sunday evening!
Thanks so much for emailing a tender mercy a week! I look forward to reading them when I sign on to email. I'll be sending off an envelope today that has my Christmas card scrapbook pages, our mission Christmas gift, and a photo cd. Enjoy!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Monday, December 20, 2010
Email Home: The First Week
Let me introduce you to our "treesome". That is our new nickname from the Elders in our district. We have some funny and interesting facts about each other.
Sis. Davis is from Pocatello, ID. Sis. Miller is from Orem, UT. I am from Mesa, AZ. Straight line ID, UT, AZ. It's funny! Also because Sis. Davis is always cold, Sis. Miller is typically cold, and I'm rarely cold. Odd because of our hometown typical weather.
Sis. Davis has three siblings, I have five sibling, and Sis. Miller has ten siblings. It's fun to answer people's question about how many kids in our family. Start with 4, then to 6, then to 11! It's fun to watch the shock on their faces!
We have very similar hair color, I'm the tallest, Sis. Davis is the shortest. We all are laughing 24/7 about the randomest things. Tracting is quite fun!
I am the oldest mission age at 15 mo, Sis. Davis is next at about 12 mo (I think), and Sis. Miller is a greenie at 2 mo.
Sis. Miller knows very basic signs, Sis Davis knows a little more than Sis. Miller, and I am the ASL missionary for Oviedo. But Sis. Miller wants to learn, so we will be doing 5 min. teaching each day during my language study.
Sis. Miller is a 1st grade assistant teacher, Sis. Davis is a Special Ed. teacher, and I'm just trying to learn how to be okay with teaching people.
Sis. Davis is 22 yrs old; I am 23 yrs old, and Sis. Miller is 24 yrs old.
The companionship is going great! At first, it was a huge struggle for me because the transfer started awkward with everything coming out of my mouth making me feel like a complete idiot. For some reason, last week was a bad self-criticism week. But, I'm getting over it. I think it's because I have no idea what my purpose is for the ASL program. It always throws me off when I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm still confused, but I'm working it out.
I'm not sure if I am going to "die" here in Oviedo. Sis Davis has only been here for one transfer and Sis. Miller just came to the mission last transfer. I'm not sure what Pres. has planned because he said we'd only be in a threesome for one transfer. It just seems weird to move any of us out so soon. It's not typical. So, who knows if I'll be here for my last two transfers or if he'll move me again.
Our apt is so cool! Sis. Lovejoy's mom had sent her a tree that she left in the apt, and Sis. Davis had hung Christmas lights all over the place. Also, Sis. Davis' mom sent each of us stockings so they are hung on the wall next to the tree. It's very festive in our apt. We're always playing Christmas music and each of us have a lot of gifts under the tree (thanks to Sis. Davis' mom). Sis. Miller is still waiting for her family package, but it'll be here soon enough. My gifts from you are still wrapped and also under the tree. I love it! I'm glad to have decorations! Also, we have a Christmas Eve dinner w/ members and three members we will be visiting on Christmas day. It's going to be a great holiday!
For phone calls, Sis. Davis' family is going to do a conference call w/ her and her brother who is serving a mission as well. They haven't confirmed when yet. She just told them that it can be any time except 3pm and 5pm our time. We have dinners planned for those time. So, I don't know when I'll be calling. But thanks for reminding me of my home phone number. I do actually remember it. Randomly, I've accidentally given out my old cell number to people, except I'd put the 407 Florida area code on it. Weird.
All is well here in the mission. We're continuing ever onward. I'm glad the whole family can be together for Christmas. I want pics of my nieces and nephew! Totally jealous! Lots of love!
Sis. Davis is from Pocatello, ID. Sis. Miller is from Orem, UT. I am from Mesa, AZ. Straight line ID, UT, AZ. It's funny! Also because Sis. Davis is always cold, Sis. Miller is typically cold, and I'm rarely cold. Odd because of our hometown typical weather.
Sis. Davis has three siblings, I have five sibling, and Sis. Miller has ten siblings. It's fun to answer people's question about how many kids in our family. Start with 4, then to 6, then to 11! It's fun to watch the shock on their faces!
We have very similar hair color, I'm the tallest, Sis. Davis is the shortest. We all are laughing 24/7 about the randomest things. Tracting is quite fun!
I am the oldest mission age at 15 mo, Sis. Davis is next at about 12 mo (I think), and Sis. Miller is a greenie at 2 mo.
Sis. Miller knows very basic signs, Sis Davis knows a little more than Sis. Miller, and I am the ASL missionary for Oviedo. But Sis. Miller wants to learn, so we will be doing 5 min. teaching each day during my language study.
Sis. Miller is a 1st grade assistant teacher, Sis. Davis is a Special Ed. teacher, and I'm just trying to learn how to be okay with teaching people.
Sis. Davis is 22 yrs old; I am 23 yrs old, and Sis. Miller is 24 yrs old.
The companionship is going great! At first, it was a huge struggle for me because the transfer started awkward with everything coming out of my mouth making me feel like a complete idiot. For some reason, last week was a bad self-criticism week. But, I'm getting over it. I think it's because I have no idea what my purpose is for the ASL program. It always throws me off when I'm at a loss of what to do. I'm still confused, but I'm working it out.
I'm not sure if I am going to "die" here in Oviedo. Sis Davis has only been here for one transfer and Sis. Miller just came to the mission last transfer. I'm not sure what Pres. has planned because he said we'd only be in a threesome for one transfer. It just seems weird to move any of us out so soon. It's not typical. So, who knows if I'll be here for my last two transfers or if he'll move me again.
Our apt is so cool! Sis. Lovejoy's mom had sent her a tree that she left in the apt, and Sis. Davis had hung Christmas lights all over the place. Also, Sis. Davis' mom sent each of us stockings so they are hung on the wall next to the tree. It's very festive in our apt. We're always playing Christmas music and each of us have a lot of gifts under the tree (thanks to Sis. Davis' mom). Sis. Miller is still waiting for her family package, but it'll be here soon enough. My gifts from you are still wrapped and also under the tree. I love it! I'm glad to have decorations! Also, we have a Christmas Eve dinner w/ members and three members we will be visiting on Christmas day. It's going to be a great holiday!
For phone calls, Sis. Davis' family is going to do a conference call w/ her and her brother who is serving a mission as well. They haven't confirmed when yet. She just told them that it can be any time except 3pm and 5pm our time. We have dinners planned for those time. So, I don't know when I'll be calling. But thanks for reminding me of my home phone number. I do actually remember it. Randomly, I've accidentally given out my old cell number to people, except I'd put the 407 Florida area code on it. Weird.
All is well here in the mission. We're continuing ever onward. I'm glad the whole family can be together for Christmas. I want pics of my nieces and nephew! Totally jealous! Lots of love!
Monday, December 13, 2010
Transfers
We are moving out of our mansion house and back into a humble apartment. I had the address, but I accidentally threw it away as we were organizing our house getting it ready to close. So, I'll get it to you next week.
Transfer news: I am being sent to Oviedo in a three-some! I will be with Sis. Davis and Sis. Miller and we will be focusing on English work, but I will support and help the Deaf members when needed. I look forward to being around people I love for this Christmas season. That's one thing that is hard about transfers so close to Christmas. Many missionaries are going to new wards where no one knows them. But I've been blessed again to be in an area that I know well. I'm glad to be able to return and help the ward. It's going to be a great transfer. Sis. Snyder is going to Waterford Lakes with isn't too far from where we are now.
Well, we had a good week especially because we are helping the Mission with the Christmas card they are giving to the missionaries. Be excited! We still have some things to do today and tomorrow to get it ready. Yay! I love my talents! It makes me so happy when I am able to use them. It's funny because I thought a lot about you when I would help you out with making the "Generations" picture frames for everyone in the family. Sadly, we did not have Photoshop here at the office, but I'm good at adapting to whatever is available so it worked well enough. Be excited!
Til next week! Loves!
Transfer news: I am being sent to Oviedo in a three-some! I will be with Sis. Davis and Sis. Miller and we will be focusing on English work, but I will support and help the Deaf members when needed. I look forward to being around people I love for this Christmas season. That's one thing that is hard about transfers so close to Christmas. Many missionaries are going to new wards where no one knows them. But I've been blessed again to be in an area that I know well. I'm glad to be able to return and help the ward. It's going to be a great transfer. Sis. Snyder is going to Waterford Lakes with isn't too far from where we are now.
Well, we had a good week especially because we are helping the Mission with the Christmas card they are giving to the missionaries. Be excited! We still have some things to do today and tomorrow to get it ready. Yay! I love my talents! It makes me so happy when I am able to use them. It's funny because I thought a lot about you when I would help you out with making the "Generations" picture frames for everyone in the family. Sadly, we did not have Photoshop here at the office, but I'm good at adapting to whatever is available so it worked well enough. Be excited!
Til next week! Loves!
No Email Last Week
Kristi did not email last week. Instead we received a Christmas card with a handwritten letter. Here’s an excerpt:
“On Monday the internet was down. Sorry I couldn’t write/email. We had a really good week teaching a sit-down lesson almost every day and having a family of four come to church - something we haven’t had in forever! It was a great week full of miracles, but we still had our low points and struggles. That’s normal. . . . We did go to the devotional, hoping to meet an investigator there; but the room was packed! We went to the Windermere chapel - right across from the temple - because they had a ‘Festival of the Nativity.’ Well, S__ found me and asked me to interpret the devotional. It was packed and we didn’t have seats. So I stood in the back near the doors. She was in front of me, and I interpreted the whole thing. It’s funny how I feel rusty during sacrament; but when it’s the First Presidency speaking, interpreting is easy! It proves the power and gift of the spirit.”
“On Monday the internet was down. Sorry I couldn’t write/email. We had a really good week teaching a sit-down lesson almost every day and having a family of four come to church - something we haven’t had in forever! It was a great week full of miracles, but we still had our low points and struggles. That’s normal. . . . We did go to the devotional, hoping to meet an investigator there; but the room was packed! We went to the Windermere chapel - right across from the temple - because they had a ‘Festival of the Nativity.’ Well, S__ found me and asked me to interpret the devotional. It was packed and we didn’t have seats. So I stood in the back near the doors. She was in front of me, and I interpreted the whole thing. It’s funny how I feel rusty during sacrament; but when it’s the First Presidency speaking, interpreting is easy! It proves the power and gift of the spirit.”
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Kristi's email home on Nov. 29th
So, did you get the Picture CD from the package? I do hope all is well with the pics I send. I don't save them on my camera card. It annoys me to have clutter so I swap out between my three camera cards and delete the old pictures. What I send you is the only copy of my pics. If you want me to send a cool florida/disney photo album, I can do that. Just let me know what you think ... or we can just decide after the mission -- of course.
"It may present a small problem when coming home"? Well isn't that an interesting comment. Well, I can promise I never give things away - the smallest things for me have a lot of sentamental value. You should see the random things I still have at home packed up in the boxes. Most people would just throw them away after a while, but I just can't seem to do it. My future home is going to have shelves full of random odds and ends, each with their own unique and special story. Also, if you can mail it to me, I can always mail it back at the end of my mission. I'm sure I'll have at least one or two more packages sent home before March. A few days ago, I found the paper tree that you had sent me the year before and we have posted it up in the house. Soon, we'll decide what we want to do for decorating it. Also, we live in a nice neighborhood and we are seeing all the houses around us start decorating for the holidays. We are so tempted to go to Big Lots or a dollar store and buy christmas lights to wrap around the trees in our lawn or something to make it look like we also have the Christmas spirit. We probably won't since we don't have money, but it's the thought that counts... maybe we can find some members who are throwing away old lights that we can salvage and use ... :-D
So, my Thanksgiving... well, last week was an interesting week for us. Thanksgiving dinner was a lot of fun! We went to a member's home (the Pease family: Bro & Sis. Pease, Rose, Maggie, Emma, and Becca) and was able to have a potluck with two families from Lake Nona (Sis. Northcutt and the Hahn family: Bro. & Sis Hahn, Allie, Kelsey, and Keaton) and two sets of missionaries (Elder & Sis. Campbell and the Hunters Creek West Spanish Elders). We had a great array of food and were able to play games together and socialize. It's interesting how I grew up not liking sweet potatoes at all! I would just scrape off the marshmellows on top. But since last Thanksgiving with a member making a revised version of the Boston Market sweet potatoes (they added more brown sugar), I've fallen in love with them. YUM!! I can even pop in a sweet potato wrapped in foil in the oven and eat that with brown sugar sprinkled on top. We had a really good homemade recipe for sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving too and we were able to bring home leftovers. That's my favorite part! Since it was a potluck, I had made the recipe of Grandma Hadley's refrigerator rolls (we did it after planning one night. Sadly, we didn't have a big bowl nor a mixer. Let's say, not enough flour, raised to overflow all over the stove, and then in the morning it overflowed in the fridge (but I expected it to happen to I had the bowl on a baking sheet). Also, we still don't own a cookie sheet. We randomly have a turkey pan, though. Well, I got lazy and forgot to do the nice rolling it into a ball, pushing up with your thumbs to get it nicely rounded (I only had an hour of breakfast to get the rolls ready and baked and it was 7am!) so it didn't look as nice. I did pinch off the dough balls from the batch, so it wasn't too bad and it did taste great! But leftover rolls weren't as good. They harden fast. But I learned my lesson. And it's the thought that counts. Oh, so I put rolls in the bottom of the turkey pan, in two small pyrex bowls, and the top of the turkey pan (that was fun because of all the slits, but it worked.) The rolls in the bottom of the pan burned the bottom, but the others worked great. And, that's my Thanksgiving story.
Last week was hard for us. Sadly, our numbers were awful this week and we don't enjoy talking to our district leader about it too much. President told us not to worry about numbers, but the district and zone leaders only care about numbers, so it makes us stressed. They do mean well, but our district leader is better at encouraging Elders to work and improve. It's not the same when you talk to Sisters. Sadly, we cringe whenever he calls for nightly accountability, but we should probably work on that this week. Honestly, I did pray for him here. I was too good at justifying and rationalizing with my last district leader so I asked the Lord to help me get rid of my justifying habit... so he sent me a new district leader who I can't rationalize worth beans. grrrr.... we've got a lot of work ahead of us, but there's only one way, and that's up! Ever onward.
"It may present a small problem when coming home"? Well isn't that an interesting comment. Well, I can promise I never give things away - the smallest things for me have a lot of sentamental value. You should see the random things I still have at home packed up in the boxes. Most people would just throw them away after a while, but I just can't seem to do it. My future home is going to have shelves full of random odds and ends, each with their own unique and special story. Also, if you can mail it to me, I can always mail it back at the end of my mission. I'm sure I'll have at least one or two more packages sent home before March. A few days ago, I found the paper tree that you had sent me the year before and we have posted it up in the house. Soon, we'll decide what we want to do for decorating it. Also, we live in a nice neighborhood and we are seeing all the houses around us start decorating for the holidays. We are so tempted to go to Big Lots or a dollar store and buy christmas lights to wrap around the trees in our lawn or something to make it look like we also have the Christmas spirit. We probably won't since we don't have money, but it's the thought that counts... maybe we can find some members who are throwing away old lights that we can salvage and use ... :-D
So, my Thanksgiving... well, last week was an interesting week for us. Thanksgiving dinner was a lot of fun! We went to a member's home (the Pease family: Bro & Sis. Pease, Rose, Maggie, Emma, and Becca) and was able to have a potluck with two families from Lake Nona (Sis. Northcutt and the Hahn family: Bro. & Sis Hahn, Allie, Kelsey, and Keaton) and two sets of missionaries (Elder & Sis. Campbell and the Hunters Creek West Spanish Elders). We had a great array of food and were able to play games together and socialize. It's interesting how I grew up not liking sweet potatoes at all! I would just scrape off the marshmellows on top. But since last Thanksgiving with a member making a revised version of the Boston Market sweet potatoes (they added more brown sugar), I've fallen in love with them. YUM!! I can even pop in a sweet potato wrapped in foil in the oven and eat that with brown sugar sprinkled on top. We had a really good homemade recipe for sweet potatoes this Thanksgiving too and we were able to bring home leftovers. That's my favorite part! Since it was a potluck, I had made the recipe of Grandma Hadley's refrigerator rolls (we did it after planning one night. Sadly, we didn't have a big bowl nor a mixer. Let's say, not enough flour, raised to overflow all over the stove, and then in the morning it overflowed in the fridge (but I expected it to happen to I had the bowl on a baking sheet). Also, we still don't own a cookie sheet. We randomly have a turkey pan, though. Well, I got lazy and forgot to do the nice rolling it into a ball, pushing up with your thumbs to get it nicely rounded (I only had an hour of breakfast to get the rolls ready and baked and it was 7am!) so it didn't look as nice. I did pinch off the dough balls from the batch, so it wasn't too bad and it did taste great! But leftover rolls weren't as good. They harden fast. But I learned my lesson. And it's the thought that counts. Oh, so I put rolls in the bottom of the turkey pan, in two small pyrex bowls, and the top of the turkey pan (that was fun because of all the slits, but it worked.) The rolls in the bottom of the pan burned the bottom, but the others worked great. And, that's my Thanksgiving story.
Last week was hard for us. Sadly, our numbers were awful this week and we don't enjoy talking to our district leader about it too much. President told us not to worry about numbers, but the district and zone leaders only care about numbers, so it makes us stressed. They do mean well, but our district leader is better at encouraging Elders to work and improve. It's not the same when you talk to Sisters. Sadly, we cringe whenever he calls for nightly accountability, but we should probably work on that this week. Honestly, I did pray for him here. I was too good at justifying and rationalizing with my last district leader so I asked the Lord to help me get rid of my justifying habit... so he sent me a new district leader who I can't rationalize worth beans. grrrr.... we've got a lot of work ahead of us, but there's only one way, and that's up! Ever onward.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The First Law of Heaven
I think the hardest part about writing a weekly email home is the fact that I have a daily journal that is basically my thoughts of the day on paper. When I sit down at the computer, I have no idea what to write. As soon as I get home, I'll just hand over my journal. That's fine with me, and it's easy. I just go blank when I sit in front of the screen or with a pen and paper in hand. But, I've always been that way. I'm not much for letter-writing, I guess.
Well, my focus for the week is "Obedience". It's one of those things where I notice when others aren't being obedient, but at the same time, it's not like I'm even close to being exactly obedient. It's an instance when "why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" So I've been setting some goals and working on my self-discipline in actually focusing on my own obedience instead of getting annoyed by other's disobedience. It's going well. I've continued to notice a new perspective on the purpose of life and what I can do to better safeguard myself against all the things that this world throws at us. Also, it really does make life better and you find so much more joy in things when you've been exactly obedient. I am always tempted to just photocopy my journal and just send it in. My journal has become my scrapbook, quote collection, daily log, feelings record, venting session, study log, goal book, etc. But honestly, every time I write in my journal, I'm always thinking of how the things I say can impact the future generation. I have turned it into a venting session for a few weeks, but I'm trying to get it back on track. And still, every day I end my journal entree with a "tender mercy" and "something I learned". I fear I'll need to get a new journal before the end of my mission. Hope not! I fit nine months in my first journal. I'd like to fit the other nine months in this journal. We'll see...
On Saturday, we were able to gain permission to attend the ASL Thanksgiving Dinner in the Oviedo Ward. The members had called us to see if we could come and help. I was so happy to receive the permission to be able to attend. It was great! We helped set up the cultural hall, and we had over one hundred people show up - fifteen to twenty people were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. It was amazing! I was able to visit with the members and even see people I hadn't seen since I first came to Orlando. I can't believe that was eight months ago! Time flies!!! If one of the interpreters wasn't able to come (she's pregnant and due any time now), I was asked to voice interpret the program. Thankfully, she did arrive; and it was wonderful to visit with her and the other interpreters. I miss Oviedo! I'm curious if I'll be able to serve there again before the end of my mission.
Well, I sent another package - oops! I'm just decluttering my luggage I guess. This package is a parcel post through USPS and it is basically full of old letters people have sent to me. If you want to read them, Mom, I don't care. I'm sure there isn't much to learn from them, but it's got things from my MTC District and past companions, etc. But the main reason for sending the package was to ship home a "painting" that I've had since I first got to Orlando. The box was the right size to fit it. It's "The Judgments of Job". It was a cheap sale at Boyd’s LDS Book. It seemed to fit with my studies and such at the time so I bought it. It's been shown in my apt since I got it, but I had no idea how I'd get it home. I finally found a box that it would fit in safely so I sent it off.
Onward,
Sister Ellsworth
Well, my focus for the week is "Obedience". It's one of those things where I notice when others aren't being obedient, but at the same time, it's not like I'm even close to being exactly obedient. It's an instance when "why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" So I've been setting some goals and working on my self-discipline in actually focusing on my own obedience instead of getting annoyed by other's disobedience. It's going well. I've continued to notice a new perspective on the purpose of life and what I can do to better safeguard myself against all the things that this world throws at us. Also, it really does make life better and you find so much more joy in things when you've been exactly obedient. I am always tempted to just photocopy my journal and just send it in. My journal has become my scrapbook, quote collection, daily log, feelings record, venting session, study log, goal book, etc. But honestly, every time I write in my journal, I'm always thinking of how the things I say can impact the future generation. I have turned it into a venting session for a few weeks, but I'm trying to get it back on track. And still, every day I end my journal entree with a "tender mercy" and "something I learned". I fear I'll need to get a new journal before the end of my mission. Hope not! I fit nine months in my first journal. I'd like to fit the other nine months in this journal. We'll see...
On Saturday, we were able to gain permission to attend the ASL Thanksgiving Dinner in the Oviedo Ward. The members had called us to see if we could come and help. I was so happy to receive the permission to be able to attend. It was great! We helped set up the cultural hall, and we had over one hundred people show up - fifteen to twenty people were Deaf or Hard of Hearing. It was amazing! I was able to visit with the members and even see people I hadn't seen since I first came to Orlando. I can't believe that was eight months ago! Time flies!!! If one of the interpreters wasn't able to come (she's pregnant and due any time now), I was asked to voice interpret the program. Thankfully, she did arrive; and it was wonderful to visit with her and the other interpreters. I miss Oviedo! I'm curious if I'll be able to serve there again before the end of my mission.
Well, I sent another package - oops! I'm just decluttering my luggage I guess. This package is a parcel post through USPS and it is basically full of old letters people have sent to me. If you want to read them, Mom, I don't care. I'm sure there isn't much to learn from them, but it's got things from my MTC District and past companions, etc. But the main reason for sending the package was to ship home a "painting" that I've had since I first got to Orlando. The box was the right size to fit it. It's "The Judgments of Job". It was a cheap sale at Boyd’s LDS Book. It seemed to fit with my studies and such at the time so I bought it. It's been shown in my apt since I got it, but I had no idea how I'd get it home. I finally found a box that it would fit in safely so I sent it off.
Onward,
Sister Ellsworth
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