I am CRYING!!! It took forever for me to open the video because we are on ANCIENT computers and I had to download Quicktime but I got it to work before I read anything about where he is going.. I am not mad at all, Shane!! I am so so so so so happy for you! I am crying for complete and utter joy for you! I know that Salt Lake is the exact place that I need to be and I know that Paris is the exact place that you need to be!! That is sooo awesomee!!  I loveeee you!

I don't have enough time to read your other email so I just printed it out to read later. I hope that's okay. I definitely got the email about Shane's mission call. I have been waiting for it and talking about it all week! He is going to the exact mission that I wanted before I received my call! How amazing is that? Out of the 405 missions in the whole entire world, he got the one that I thought I wanted! I am so so happy for him! I think it's kind of like how you want your kids to accomplish the things that you couldn't or didn't as a kid. It might be like that, but I'm not sure.. haha. I am so proud of him and happy for him and so scared for him because that will be such a hard mission!! haha. I am mostly just very excited for him to be in the mission field!

What an eventful week here, too! Last Monday, our Park City district spent the day at the park. That night we had a lesson with the guy we contacted from the media referral. He is definitely the elect! I am so excited for him to be taught and for him to receive the gospel. He was so open minded. He said that he had heard many thing about the Church and about Joseph Smith, etc. but that he had an open mind. He compared it to the saying, "Innocent until proven guilty.." haha.

Tuesday was our last district meeting before transfers & the mission split. We had lunch outside in the beautiful sunshine with the Johnsons on their deck. They are so so sweet. That night, we had dinner with the Park City East sisters and their landlord, (my old landlord in Park City East!!) Frank and Kathy Richards. We had a lot of fun. Afterward, we went to an activity at the church pavilion. They have a reading activity every Tuesday for mostly Hispanic children and children who need to practice their reading. We did some activities and read children's books to them. I helped a little boy named George read "Hop on Pop".. haha.

Wednesday, we had a party in the morning at the Family Tree. During our shift, Sara McLaws, who I absolutely love, came in with her friend that I have been hearing about for nearly 7 months! They were so sweet and wonderful. While they were in, we did sneaky things and found out what was happening for transfers the next day!! We were all flipping out and running around... I'm sure that they thought we were crazy. Well, we found out that I was getting transferred to Cottonwood, replacing Sister Zeiner, and being companions with Sister Summerhays. All of the other sisters and the District leader and his companion stayed in PC, but some of the companionships got shifted around. Anyhow, it was wild. Then we visited some of the families that I love so dearly and we shared a message. We visited the Williams, the Stecks, and the Thorums. (All of them sent me emails this week, too!! So sweet!)

Sister V and I at the Jordan River temple

Sister Willis and I

Thursday, we drove to South Jordan to do a session with our whole mission in the Jordan River temple! It was a beautiful day and it was completely perfect. After the temple, we went to a mission conference where President and Sister Miller spoke. They announced the names of the elders and sisters going into the new mission... I'm one of them! I am officially a Salt Lake City East sister missionary! Wild. That night, Sister V and I spent 20 crazy dollars on chocolate because we were feeling spontaneous and rich... haha.

Friday, was transfers. I said goodbye to Park City. Sister V cried. Sister Willis and I drove down to pick up her new companion and to drop me off. We got so so lost! What a complete gongshow.. But it was really fun and it all worked out. I will miss Sister Willis and Sister V most of all!! They really supported me in Park City and we all grew very close. I miss my district leader and his companion already, too! I think that they are one of my favorite companionships for leadership that I've ever had.

Summerhays and I.. Our picture for the Ask the Missionaries poster

Well, Friday was my first day serving with Sister Summerhays. I knew her from Park City and I have always wished that we'd be companions so I am so so excited to serve with her! We laughed all day long and worked so hard. I honestly LOVE serving with her. She is so natural and genuine in everything, including her teaching. She is so so full of the Spirit and has such a strong testimony. I know that I am going to learn so much from her! 

"Welcome Missionaries" chalk art when we showed up for a lesson!

Saturday, we did zone workout and had a zone meeting. We had a gongshow church tour with this 10-year-old investigator that we are teaching. There were so many people there and everyone was talking and her 10-year-old cousin kept interrupting. Summerhays and I just laughed about it afterwards and were like, what just happened!

That night, we got a referral from one of the ward mission leaders. He and his wife were sitting on their porch reading their scriptures so we asked if we could visit their non-member neighbor. They were so skeptical about referring their neighbor and kept saying things like, "They are staunch Catholic!" and "The wife will be the one who is very uninterested." etc etc. Well, we went over anyway... and it was so good! The wife answered the door and allowed us to talk to her for a few minutes and explain the promise given in the Book of Mormon. She even said that we can come back later this week! We went back and reported our success and the WML and his wife, who are so sweet, were practically crying, telling us that they had said a prayer when we went over! It was such a miracle. That night we went to dinner with the Stake President's family. They were so generous.

Sunday, we went to a million Ward Council Meetings. We had linner with some members, where a crazy quail bird flew in the house! Sister Rawle went inside and caught it right away. She said, "I honestly just said a little prayer and asked Heavenly Father to help me catch it and then I caught it!" Little miracles all along our way. We went to the mission office with our entire SLCS mission for the WorldWide Mission Broadcast.. It was sooo good! Afterward, the mission went through, shaking hands with President and Sister Miller. It took forever, so everyone was standing around talking. I was sitting in the pew, and people were walking past, moving up in the line to talk to President. I hardly ever cry, but I was bawling!! It was such a gongshow. All of my SLCS friends would come up to shake my hand and I would start crying again!! I hated saying goodbye :( I was an unexpected mess.

Well, I am so excited for all of the new changes to take place! I love you so much! I am so proud of Shane! Hope all is well! Love you!

The Larson's drop in!

I am so excited for Shane's mission call! Make a video... Practice beforehand!! ;)
You will have so much fun on Trek! You will be the best ma ever!
I really like what Marshall said! He's so great..

Last Monday we went quilting at Sister Thorum's again. We had 2 dinners that night! I really love the members here. Sometimes they get depressed if we say that we can't have dinner, so we just said yes! haha. That night we had a miraccclleee.
Sometimes we get "media referrals," which are referrals through a text message, from Mormon.org, another visitors' center, or something like that. Well we received a media referral a couple of months ago that we went by SO many times, and he was never ever home so we stopped going. Well last Monday we were walking down a street, contacting a completely different referral, and we heard 2 people talking on a balcony above. I stopped and OYMed them; it was 2 guys. We were talking for a minute and I asked their names. Long story short, it was the same media referral guy we had been trying to contact forever ago! His address was the exact same address as the house across the street that we had been trying to contact! I didn't even know that that was possible! & he was actually really interested and
we are meeting with him this week. (Sorry if this whole email doesn't make sense, my brain is a gong show today! So many changes are coming in the mission!)

Tuesday, a girl preparing to serve her mission in London this August, came out with us. I love her and her family soo much!! She is a great missionary already. She called her non-member friend and asked him if we could come teach him on the spot...and he said yes! We had an amazing lesson with him! That night we were supposed to have a lesson with a member and her non-member friend, but the non-member wasn't home when we went there. So the member called her teenage daughter who was having friends over, and asked if we could come play a gospel game with them. When we went, there were like 10 people there and a few non-members!! We played gospel charades with them and they loved it! It felt like it was a real mutual activity, haha.

Wednesday, we went to the Valley for Sister V's last new-missionary-training. We did a roleplay for OYMing and at the end, the group gave us feedback. One of the comments was that it was a "Cute role play," haha. I don't know how often roleplays get called cute!
When we got back from the Valley, we worked at the Tree... That's when the Larsons came!!

The Larson family!

Oh my goodness, what a complete surprise! Angelia was completely wild, but it was so good to see familiar faces! And thank you SOOO much for the packages!! Sister V and I are so grateful! 

That night, we decided to visit a part-member family. When we showed up, the non-member mom asked us if the bishop was almost there. We didn't understand why we would know where the bishop was, but she explained that the bishop made an appointment with the family that night and she thought that we were also invited! haha! So many non-coincidental happenings! Well the bishopric showed up and we talked to the family and it went really well.

Thursday, we went out to eat for district lunch. The district was going to Subway, but Sister V only likes Asian food, so we went to get food from Panda Express to take to Subway. Well anyway, a man ran up right before we paid for our food and paid for us! Soooo nice. I will really do that for missionaries when I get home. It's just so unexpected and unnecessary but
generous. I have been so fortunate on my mission to be taken care of!
The night, the elders (district leader and companion) came to a lesson with us for one of our investigators. It was so so good. I love seeing the way that other missionaries teach! Well, we obviously rode in separate cars, but Sister V and I were heading back to the Family Tree and the elders were heading back to their area.

Running gas to the elders!

On the way there, the elders called us and told us that they ran out of gas!! We turned around and saw them sitting in a turn lane in the middle of the road. hahah. We went to the gas station to help them out, but I had never been in a situation like that so I asked the clerk what to do about buying a gas can to fill up. He told us that if we gave him a $20 deposit, we could borrow a gas can and we would get our money back when we returned it. So we ran out to the car, only to find out that we had about $14 in dollar bills and spare change!!  We were laughing so hard as we realized what a complete gongshow we are. We went back in and I laid out all of our change. I was like begging the guy, "Please! I prrromiseee we will bring it back!" He just laughed at us and took the change.
After the fiasco, we went back to the Family Tree and Main Street was having a firefighter parade. Sister V and I stood outside the door with Clark, the parking ticket man, and we caught flying candy.

My my my, what a full week! And I'm not even done yet!

Friday, we had a mission conference. Elder Cook and Sister Cook came and spoke. Sister Cook conducted the entire mission in singing an intermediate hymn, haha. One thing that I really loved about Elder Cook's words was the witness and blessings he gave at the end. He said that apostles are called to do those 2 things: be a special witness of Christ, and leave special blessings. Our mission president explained to us that the blessings he promised us were only available to us because we were there, in that place, at the time that he was giving them... How special! He blessed us that our families and loved ones would be taken care of and blessed according to our service. At the end, I was feeling nostalgic to leave because everyone I had served with in the Valley was telling me that I would be sent to the new mission and they would miss me...
That night, Sister V and I went to Tari VanLuewen's and talked to her for about half and hour! She is so nice and was telling me all of these stories about Russ. She told me about the first time she met you and what a good person you are and etc etc. It was really good and we are definitely going to go back and get her to come to church again! She knows a TON of the members that I am really close with here.

Saturday, we were working at the Family Tree and my second trainer, Sister Mikki Stone came in!!! I was SOOOO excited. I love love love her and I miss her so much. It was such another wonderful and unexpected surprise!

I am sort of really sick of typing at this point, but I will write briefly about Sunday. haha. Happy Father's Day! To all of my fathers and father figures and friends... Happy Father's Day.
We went to the McLaws for dinner, whom I absolutely love. (Their daughter Sara, the future missionary is the one who went out with us on Tuesday).

Sara McLaws & I

We wrote letters to their daughter on a mission, following up with their missionary experiences that they tried to have for the week. We decided that Sara had the biggest and best missionary experience because she went out with the missionaries (us) and taught a missionary lesson to her friend! The family asked for an extension so they could look for more missionary opportunities this week. haha.

Welllll. I love you with everything that is in my heart. You are the very best in the whole worlddd!! Have a great time at Trek!! MWah!

Pres Uchtdorf comes to Park City!

Well, last Monday, Sister V and I started our quilts with Sister Thorum. 

Sis Villoso and Sis Thorum working on quilts!

That evening, we had our first New Member Lesson with Morgan and the Ward Mission Leader, Brother Vincent. We had the lesson at the Peters' home and then they made us crepes (Mm!). 

Monday, I got the letter about Shane turning in his mission papers. Since then, I've been telling EVERYONE! :)

Tuesday, we did studies with the District Leader and his companion. My DL tells me that I have "Legit teaching skills". 

We had district meeting with the Zone Leaders and then all went out for lunch. We had a waitress from the Philippines, so Sister Villoso talked to her in Tagalog and invited her to the Family Tree. 

In the evening, we visited a wonderful family with a less-active father. The night before, I couldn't fall asleep because I kept thinking about them. I figured that I could not sleep because I needed to remember to visit them the next day. When we visited, we played a gospel game and they gave us some treats. Before we left, I hugged the mom and when I went to let go, she kept holding on. She was crying and said, "Thank you for bringing the Spirit into our home."

Wednesday, we got our first Ward Mission Process!! (Referral that the ward auxiliary leader has contacted and the family has agreed to meet with us). More information on that to come. 

Thursday, we did some more service washing walls. I love service activities!

In the evening, we worked at the Family Tree. When we left to go home, we had a ticket on our car! We opened it and it was a note from Clark, the parking guy. haha.

Friday, the elders came and helped us "double-work" our area. We went tracting in an apartment complex and met a few potential investigators.

For dinner, Sister Walk (an amazing woman) took us to Panda Express. While we ate outside and talked, tons of people walked by that we knew! I think it's getting obvious that I've been in this area for 5 transfers... haha. I love it though.

Saturday was a SPECIAL day. Sister Villoso and I started this thing called the 40-day-challenge. It's from a talk by Elder Cook. We made a list of 10 things that we can avoid or start doing to feel the Spirit in greater abundance. The talk says that the things don't have to be ways that you are bad or even ways that you are being disobedient, but the point is to cut out even the most minor distractions. I'll send a photo of our lists. Of course we made them creative and cute :)

Our 40 Day Challenge Program!

Well, Saturday from 3 to 9 we worked in the Family Tree. It was a pretty regular shift, actually going kind of slow. The other sisters, Sister Willis and Sister Marlow, were on their way to the Family Tree to have a lesson with some people. When they came in, they said that they had seen President Uchtdorf on Main Street. We weren't sure if they were joking or mistaken, but they promised that it was him. Well, we went around and straightened a few things and then waited. We figured that if he was on Main Street, there was no way that he wasn't going to come into the Visitors' Center. So we waited and helped some people and then suddenly, President Uchtdorf and Sister Uchdorf walked in the door. I was standing right in the entrance way! It is all kind of a blur because my heart was exploding and I was so nervous, but I remember saying, "Hi! How are you!" I was the first one to greet them, so without any example of how I was supposed to be, I am sure that my eyes were wide as I hugged Sister Uchtdorf. When I shook the hand of President Uchtdorf, the room was so warm; I was so excited and nervous! Immediately behind them were 2 visitors (members), so I stepped to the side and greeted them. President and Sister Uchtdorf walked by me to talk to the other missionaries. As I said, it's all a blur, and I'm sure that I was blacked out because I can hardly remember it at all. I do remember standing beside Sister Villoso and talking to President and Sister Uchtdorf about where we are from and things like that. What a completely wonderful and miraculous experience!

Well, here is the general idea of what our week consisted of. Last week, Sister Villoso and I made a list of all the finding ideas we could think of. We'd been following the Preach My Gospel section on "Finding Through Your Own Efforts" (including OYMing everyone we see). Finding through our own efforts hasn't proven to be very successful, so we decided to focus on working with the ward leadership and ward members. Among many other things we: visited auxiliary leaders and taught them about the Ward Mission Process; we met with 3 bishops and 3 Ward Mission Leaders to prepare for 3 Ward Council meetings; we visited members' homes who have children serving missions and committed them to have a missionary moment this week to write their missionary about; we attended social events and asked members for referrals multiple times. We received and contacted many referrals who are interested in having lessons this next week. Also, the Ward Council meetings were completely wonderful! Previously, we haven't been able to attend because of our Family Tree schedule, but I am so glad that we changed the schedule so that we can attend. The leaders allowed us to speak first in the meeting so that we could leave after we discussed missionary work; we set goals with them to begin the Ward Mission Process; we made assignments with specific leaders that we will follow up on this week. Overall, I am so proud of Sister Villoso and myself for the work that we put in this week. Every moment, we have been focusing on finding. 

Our list of finding ideas

You asked if there is anything that I need. My shoes are getting scary ugly, but they work completely fine and I don't want to get new ones until my old ones are unusable. I wish that I had more colorful clothing, but I definitely have more than enough of what I need. Today I bought some little footie slipper-socks to wear inside my flat shoes. Perhaps I could use more of those, but I just hand wash the pairs that I have and it works out well. Oh! One thing that I have been craving, (that I obviously don't need), is JuJuCoins! My favorite candy :)

I love youu! Hope all is well! I constantly talk about you and how great you are and how much I miss you!! Mwah!

Corn hole and other funny events!

Two more weeks until transfers. The mission split is supposed to be July 1. We will probably start to see the new mission president and the changes at the end of this transfer, though. Everything is pretty up-in-the-air. We don't know anything yet! But I will for sure let you know when I find out.

 

Last Pday we played Volleyball and Cornhole at the park. There were nets already set up and all of the beanbags for the Cornhole game. Elder Allen and I were the only ones who knew what Cornhole was! We taught everyone else in the district and they seemed to have a lot of fun. When we were getting ready to leave, some guys came over and picked up the wooden Cornhole blocks and the beanbags and put them in their car... We thought it belonged to the park, but it was theirs! haha. They just waited for us to finish and didn't say anything before taking it away.

 

Sister Villoso and I have been studying Preach My Gospel, especially the section on Finding. We have been struggling to find new people to teach, so we have been trying every finding idea that we can think of. During our full day of proselyting, it was extremely rainy and cold, but we worked so hard to find someone. My tights were completely soaked and my hair was a gong show. We visited Former and Potential Investigators from the area book; we knocked on all of the doors around each place we visited; we asked every person for referrals MULTIPLE times; we OYMed any person we saw-- no body would let us in or talk to us! This isn't a story that ends with a miracle, but at the end of the day we were so exhausted and felt good about the work that we put in. It felt like one of those days as a missionary that you just have to prove yourself to the Lord to show Him that you are willing to do everything he asks, even if people don't receive you. It's cool to think about the Savior's efforts, and even though he was the Son of God, I'm sure it was a struggle to convince the people about the importance of his message. We have been working hard every day, but that rainy day felt particularly difficult and fulfilling. I am striving to put in the work so that I can be worthy of the blessings I hope to experience.

 

Wednesday, we had a training meeting. Some of the other missionaries are training TWO missionaries. I hope that I never have to do that!

Later, we were tracting and we OYMed this guy on the street. To remind you, OYM is Open Your Mouth, which means to talk to everyone you see. Well, he was kind of busy cutting the branches off of a tree, but we are really trying to find new people, so we talked to him anyway. He was so nice and open to talk with us. He said that he had met with missionaries before and had a lot of questions. He wanted to know how his family could be eternal; where he came from; why he is here; where he is going... And then he said, "How am I doing?" and started laughing. He was a member! haha. Ughhh. Former Bishop Sibbitts! What a trickster.

 

Friday, we ate Asian food at the Christensens. Cortney and Casey were there! I haven't seen them in forever, so it was nice to hang out with them for a bit. I really love that family. You need to meet them when you visit to pick me up! ;)

Sister V and I have been making gospel games, so we played Gospel Memory with them and had a lot of fun.

 

Sunday, we had dinner with a French family. The dad was born and raised in France; the mom studied there; and the children have all been there and all speak French fluently. It was way cool.

 

Well. That's my week! Thank you for the pictures! I printed them out (in black and white!) I love them. I love you! You're the best! I miss you! MwaH!