Hello again!
Weeks keep speeding up as I go on. It feels like I just wrote you all! What else do I have to say? Yikes!
Well first of all, transfer calls came and I'm staying at least another 6 weeks! Woo! Haha It'll be nice to actually have a chance to settle in to the area and everything. And I love Sister Thomas so much! I definitely would have cried my eyes out had I had to leave so soon. I just love this everything. I love being here and doing this.
This week I finally got to use a bit of Spanish! Thank heavens! It felt like coming home haha. There's a lady named Yaneri who is actually out of our area but because I'm the only Spanish speaking missionary for quite a ways they're having me teach her! She was baptized into the church when she was younger but her family fell away and she doesn't remember hardly anything except what she felt when it was in her life and the strong emphasis on family values and the principles that build families within the church. Yaneri is from Honduras so I'm getting used to her accent but it's way fun! I really do love the Spanish language so much. I wish the Elders over the Buffalo South area would hand some of their people over! Come on!
This weekend there's an amazing broadcast being aired that you all need to see! It'll be at 8 PM (Eastern) on Sunday, May 6th. It talks a lot about the Sacred Grove and the historic sites in my area! President Christianson is in it, as well as a few Elders serving with me. We're all watching it out here! So if you're watching, you'll know that we're both seeing the same thing at the same time! That's kinda cool, eh? I'm so pumped for this. Let me know what you think! It'll be on BYUTV and I assume you can find it on lds.org? Not sure internet wise.
Probably the most eventful theme of the week was Donna. Donna needed help moving this weekend, saying she was moving to England, so a group of us went over to help her! She lived at an assisted living center, but was extremely peppy and healthy looking. Slowly but surely we started to realize what the issue was. Donna informed us that she died on the Titanic, she was pregnant at the time by the way, and now has been brought back as a being similar to the Dalai Llama. She calls herself an "ascended master." She is moving to England because her family has 5 castles there. Although everyone keeps saying she only has 3, she KNOWS there are 5. I would be concerned too: wouldn't you? While in England, she will have to choose between the two males vying for her hand in marriage. She suggested that we keep tabs on the news because the wedding will be on it for sure. The most interesting thing with Donna was that her manner was so collected that a few times I questioned myself- was there actually anything off with this woman? Maybe she DID have 5 castles! All in all it made for quite the confusing weekend. She insists on paying us in cereal boxes, so I'll let you know if that comes through.
Something I've been learning recently in my studies...the idea of unbelief because of iniquity/wrongdoing. We generally think of people who do good and are good as those who are Christians- that they do good things because they have an understanding and belief in the character of Christ and have a desire to follow Him. I've found though that it works both ways. Those who follow the example of Christ and do good things will see their faith build- they'll find it easier to believe. So what that means for the rest of us is that if you're having trouble with an aspect or principle of the gospel of Christ, try being good! Try changing something that you're doing to be more in line with what your conscience (aka the Holy Ghost) would have you do, and watch your faith grow. I've been reading in 3rd Nephi this past week and there is example after example of how people start doing wrong things- being prideful, tricking people up, etc.- and their faith in the Savior dwindles as a result. Do the right thing- it just makes everything better.
Ok I'm done!
Bye :) Have a good week.
Hermana Ray
Monday, April 30, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Leila
I am so grateful to be a missionary!
You know I wish that I could describe exactly why, but honestly I can't! It's not that everything is perfect and it's not that we're having a lot of "success." It's just that somehow every day is a good day! Logically that makes absolutely no sense. I'm away from all those I love, away from any place I call home, my schooling, my job...even my clothes haha. I really do feel like Peter and the apostles in some ways when Christ says for them to leave their nets and follow Him. It's taken a lot of faith and a little heartache, but once I got on the road very little has obscured the way. That doesn't mean that things don't go wrong. I think it just means that we're given the extra strength to handle whatever it is we've got going on.
Mosiah 24:14
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."
So...this week! Haha. Even just considering what I should write for this week kind of makes me laugh. It was...a strange one. We spent Thursday evening through Saturday afternoon in Palmyra for a Visitors Center training, got back, and I spent the rest of the weekend throwing up in the bathroom. No clue what that was about. However! Now that I am all cleaned out, I feel a lot better. Just spending today rehydrating and whatnot. It'll be a good week. It was really good to see everyone in Palmyra! I really love the people who serve here. I am so blessed to have gotten so close to so many so quickly! (Too many "so's"- duly noted).
A little ray of sunshine for this coming week and the weeks to come will surely be Leila! We just started meeting with her and she is an absolute gem! Leila is giving, faithful, loving, positive, happy...she's just wonderful. She talks a lot about how she's always looking to learn more and is grateful for her Catholic roots and how they've gotten her through so many things! She is a breast cancer survivor as well as some of the other beautiful and strong women we've met, and it's been such a blessing to talk with her about her experiences so far in her life. She also reminds me a lot of Donna, so selfishly it's been really nice to have that! You both even talk similarly :) Woo!
President Christianson offered some really great advice this weekend that I feel like I should share. It stung a little bit when I realized that it was exactly what I needed to hear, but hey that's how I've grown, right? Reading in Doctrine and Covenants 117:11, it says to get rid of "littleness of soul." Kind of a strange phrase, isn't it? What does "littleness of soul" mean? For me in most cases it's seemed to mean pettyness. Comparison, envy, even self hatred? I'm cringing as I write this. It means coming to understand what my Heavenly Father created me as and what he intends me to be! In those times where we (meaning I) belittle ourselves- we question our purpose or our potential- we can diagnose ourselves as giving way to "littleness of soul." This week I am trying to stay away from that! Instead, I want to be strong, capable, focused, happy, and grateful. Truly, there's no reason to be anything else. Don't be little this week! Be big! Do something great!
Welp that's pretty much it for this week! I'm just so happy to be able to spend all of my time helping and uplifting anyone who will let us. There is no reason to walk in darkness at noonday! The gospel of Jesus Christ is on the Earth- the fullness, the joy, the understanding. And I get to share it with people! So good. I hope everyone reading this is looking forward to a good week, too.
Love, love!
Seester Raines
You know I wish that I could describe exactly why, but honestly I can't! It's not that everything is perfect and it's not that we're having a lot of "success." It's just that somehow every day is a good day! Logically that makes absolutely no sense. I'm away from all those I love, away from any place I call home, my schooling, my job...even my clothes haha. I really do feel like Peter and the apostles in some ways when Christ says for them to leave their nets and follow Him. It's taken a lot of faith and a little heartache, but once I got on the road very little has obscured the way. That doesn't mean that things don't go wrong. I think it just means that we're given the extra strength to handle whatever it is we've got going on.
Mosiah 24:14
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."
So...this week! Haha. Even just considering what I should write for this week kind of makes me laugh. It was...a strange one. We spent Thursday evening through Saturday afternoon in Palmyra for a Visitors Center training, got back, and I spent the rest of the weekend throwing up in the bathroom. No clue what that was about. However! Now that I am all cleaned out, I feel a lot better. Just spending today rehydrating and whatnot. It'll be a good week. It was really good to see everyone in Palmyra! I really love the people who serve here. I am so blessed to have gotten so close to so many so quickly! (Too many "so's"- duly noted).
A little ray of sunshine for this coming week and the weeks to come will surely be Leila! We just started meeting with her and she is an absolute gem! Leila is giving, faithful, loving, positive, happy...she's just wonderful. She talks a lot about how she's always looking to learn more and is grateful for her Catholic roots and how they've gotten her through so many things! She is a breast cancer survivor as well as some of the other beautiful and strong women we've met, and it's been such a blessing to talk with her about her experiences so far in her life. She also reminds me a lot of Donna, so selfishly it's been really nice to have that! You both even talk similarly :) Woo!
President Christianson offered some really great advice this weekend that I feel like I should share. It stung a little bit when I realized that it was exactly what I needed to hear, but hey that's how I've grown, right? Reading in Doctrine and Covenants 117:11, it says to get rid of "littleness of soul." Kind of a strange phrase, isn't it? What does "littleness of soul" mean? For me in most cases it's seemed to mean pettyness. Comparison, envy, even self hatred? I'm cringing as I write this. It means coming to understand what my Heavenly Father created me as and what he intends me to be! In those times where we (meaning I) belittle ourselves- we question our purpose or our potential- we can diagnose ourselves as giving way to "littleness of soul." This week I am trying to stay away from that! Instead, I want to be strong, capable, focused, happy, and grateful. Truly, there's no reason to be anything else. Don't be little this week! Be big! Do something great!
Welp that's pretty much it for this week! I'm just so happy to be able to spend all of my time helping and uplifting anyone who will let us. There is no reason to walk in darkness at noonday! The gospel of Jesus Christ is on the Earth- the fullness, the joy, the understanding. And I get to share it with people! So good. I hope everyone reading this is looking forward to a good week, too.
Love, love!
Seester Raines
Monday, April 16, 2012
Abbey!
Ok this is an apology in advance because I'm really having trouble coming up with anything to say for this week! It was a pretty good one, but nothing I would call to chat about. I must be really pensive or something the last few days.
One thing for sure though- Niagra Falls was great! It was one of the best pdays I've had! It was BEAUTIFUL and so nice just to walk around outside and feel the spray on our faces :) I'm sending a few pictures! The transfer is over in just a week and a half which means it's likely that some of the people in the group will be moved! So sad. But I'm pretty sure I'll be here for at least 4 transfers. My money is on Sister Thomas getting transferred first. We shall see.
I've been reading a lot in the end of Alma and beginning of Helaman in the Book of Mormon this week which has really got me going back to my history teacher thought processes. I've realized that so much of this life is given to us to learn moderation! Consider it. Heavenly Father created this vast, astounding universe. And He created it so that we have to sleep and eat correct amounts to sustain life. Why?? Why can't we just dispense of those frustrating responsibilities? Why do we always have to make sure we eat but never too much or the wrong type? Why do we have to take time out of our lives to sleep so often? But when we sleep too much we are groggy for the day. In government it takes the right balance (which we are forever searching for) of providing help to those in need and making sure that people are self-sustainable. In the eternal plan, we learn that through Jesus Christ, God has created a system wherein we are weighed in the perfect balance of justice and mercy. It seems that our entire existence is spent in seeking moderation. Those who come closest are happiest, and those who are furthest are the most miserable.
We've been teaching a lady from England, Pauline, and she just helps us so much. Sometimes in helping people it seems like we are surrounded by unreliability, bitterness, heartache and pain. And although Pauline experiences all of those things, in the end she is just so sweet and considerate. I love teaching her! I'm grateful to have her in my life. We had some interesting experiences this week with other people we were teaching or who we met on the street. One man suggested that we move to Iran or Afghanistan "since they shoot Christians there," the man we were teaching who was affliated with the Italian mafia in his younger years (oh, the stories) suddenly decided that he didn't want to talk religion anymore and preferred that we didn't come back. One lady we're teaching is convinced she's under a satanic attack. It's strange to be thrust in the middle of all of these varying life problems! So many people are afflicted with problems outside of their control, but the majority recently seem to be the result of poor decision making. In those times, I want to introduce the entire world to people like Janice Wills or Deborah Tilley who I wrote about last week. It's strange to want to explain to so many people that their decisions are bringing them pain and those decisions are childish! I know I'm only 21 but I have figured out that good decisions lead to a better life.
Alma 41:10
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Ok I think that's all I've got for this week. I'll try to be more organized n stuff next week :)
Oh and one more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! I miss you and I hope it's great!
Kbye!
Hermana Ray
One thing for sure though- Niagra Falls was great! It was one of the best pdays I've had! It was BEAUTIFUL and so nice just to walk around outside and feel the spray on our faces :) I'm sending a few pictures! The transfer is over in just a week and a half which means it's likely that some of the people in the group will be moved! So sad. But I'm pretty sure I'll be here for at least 4 transfers. My money is on Sister Thomas getting transferred first. We shall see.
I've been reading a lot in the end of Alma and beginning of Helaman in the Book of Mormon this week which has really got me going back to my history teacher thought processes. I've realized that so much of this life is given to us to learn moderation! Consider it. Heavenly Father created this vast, astounding universe. And He created it so that we have to sleep and eat correct amounts to sustain life. Why?? Why can't we just dispense of those frustrating responsibilities? Why do we always have to make sure we eat but never too much or the wrong type? Why do we have to take time out of our lives to sleep so often? But when we sleep too much we are groggy for the day. In government it takes the right balance (which we are forever searching for) of providing help to those in need and making sure that people are self-sustainable. In the eternal plan, we learn that through Jesus Christ, God has created a system wherein we are weighed in the perfect balance of justice and mercy. It seems that our entire existence is spent in seeking moderation. Those who come closest are happiest, and those who are furthest are the most miserable.
We've been teaching a lady from England, Pauline, and she just helps us so much. Sometimes in helping people it seems like we are surrounded by unreliability, bitterness, heartache and pain. And although Pauline experiences all of those things, in the end she is just so sweet and considerate. I love teaching her! I'm grateful to have her in my life. We had some interesting experiences this week with other people we were teaching or who we met on the street. One man suggested that we move to Iran or Afghanistan "since they shoot Christians there," the man we were teaching who was affliated with the Italian mafia in his younger years (oh, the stories) suddenly decided that he didn't want to talk religion anymore and preferred that we didn't come back. One lady we're teaching is convinced she's under a satanic attack. It's strange to be thrust in the middle of all of these varying life problems! So many people are afflicted with problems outside of their control, but the majority recently seem to be the result of poor decision making. In those times, I want to introduce the entire world to people like Janice Wills or Deborah Tilley who I wrote about last week. It's strange to want to explain to so many people that their decisions are bringing them pain and those decisions are childish! I know I'm only 21 but I have figured out that good decisions lead to a better life.
Alma 41:10
Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness.
Ok I think that's all I've got for this week. I'll try to be more organized n stuff next week :)
Oh and one more thing...HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!! I miss you and I hope it's great!
Kbye!
Hermana Ray
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Hey! Gimme somadat!
My public!
We had an interesting week. I am still madly in love with Buffalo and serving here, but not gonna lie we ran into a lot of random issues this week! I don't know. Consequently I've had a LOT on my mind and the week flew by. Each week passes faster and faster I swear.
First item of news: We have two new Elders in our ward! Elder Wilson and Elder Vasquez. They are GREAT! It's nice to have such a big group taking care of the Buffalo ward. This also means our district is up to 8! Look at us go. Sister Thomas and I now live with the Amherst Sisters (Brown & Lee) and it's been way fun! It's different living with 3 instead of one, but I've always liked having roomates so this really isn't any different. It does make it a little harder to focus during study in the morning though :)
Sister Thomas and I spent Easter dinner with a lady in the ward who has been through so much. She's in her 80s now and her husband passed away a few years ago. She and her husband joined the church in their 30s. The thing that kills me is that before she joined the church decades ago her house caught on fire and she lost her two youngest children- both little girls. She says she could hear them screaming as it went down. I don't know all the details, but she did what she could to get to them but wasn't able to reach them before where they were collapsed. Oh one other thing- she's had breast cancer and a stroke since losing her husband. It was a priviledge to be able to help her clean her house and make dinner. Sister Thomas and I both talked about how we really wish we could fix everything that is injust in the world, but then it's probably a good thing that God is in charge instead of us because those lessons are what make us who we are and keep us going along the path. The dinner group was essentially made up of a collection of life's misfits- all single, afflicted, forgotten and scarred. In some ways that even includes Sister Thomas and I ha. How kind they were to want to invite over two young gals. I'm grateful for their courage to make it through the past- they are some of the most Christ-like people I've ever met, and very few people even know their names. It astounded me that their entire focus was based in others. This Easter dinner was really the crowning event in my thought process for the last two weeks: The epitome of humility.
We went to go visit a lady named Deborah who lives downtown who had a stroke about a year ago and had lost movement in the left side of her body. Deborah is the sweetest and most hysterical lady! We came to see her in between sessions of conference on Sunday and she was so sad because she missed the AM session. When we told her there's a PM session she hadn't missed she lit up! She said, "Well what are we waiting for?! Get me dressed wouldja! I need help with mah bra!" bahaha. Sister Thomas got her RN before the mission so she kind of assumed that responsibility haha. At one point Deborah, with her back to me wearing only an adult diaper, turned her head around to say something to me and created a picture in my head that I will never lose. There she stood- a woman in her 60s who had provided for children and grandchildren for years. Now she was completely stripped of pride and needed help fulfilling some of her most basic needs. We had been complete strangers half an hour before, and yet all she was concerned about was looking halfway decent so she could get to hear the words of our modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. My heart was touched. Deborah joined the church 4 years ago. What have I ever even gone through? At times I imagine myself afflicted or treated unjustly. But not only can I take care of myself, I can take care of others. As another one of the people we're teaching said (who, I'm sad to say, is speeding towards death in her 50s- she's less than 100 lbs and stands at 5'6") "I have food in the pantry AND in the refrigerator. I have heat. I have a roof over my head and faith in my heart. What else do I need?"
WAY TO BREAK MY HEART, WORLD.
If I ever tear up here in Buffalo it's because I've been touched by those who show me who Christ was in their every action. I am blessed to be in the company of such noble souls who the world leaves untouched. We understand so little about priorities and worth.
Another thought- if nothing else, being on a mission has taught me how to be a better member after my mission! The work here would be so much more effective if the members of the ward would take some responsibility! As missionaries, we try and do whatever we can to help, serve, find and teach. Yet so many people refuse to take an interest in those around them, so as we teach them and bring them to Christ they are left in the dust when we leave. Faith is an incredible thing, but I believe that God works through people. Yes yes He can do whatever He wants- comfort, lead, teach, whatever- but in my limited experience I've seen that the way He prefers to work is through our neighbors, family and friends. If we refuse to step up- step up and serve, love, remember, empathize, consider- we are confounding the work of God.
As for other news...let's see.
-Today we are going to Niagra Falls! So I'll have an update about that next week.
-Some of the missionaries in my district are starting a mini campaign to get me to like onions. Fools!
-I'm getting to the point where I actually like to run again! I don't feel as good when we don't run, and I'm getting better about distance and speed. We kind of...got lost...one morning this week and ended up running between 4 and 6 miles and I still felt pretty good when we got home! I just hope I can keep up the will power to continue to do it when I have a companion who doesn't like to run as much. Fighting people to get them out of bed is not my cup of herbal tea.
-My address for my entire mission will be at 100 Perinton Hills. It's not worth changing the address because I am never really sure when I'm going to move, and the mission office is great about forwarding things. So. Yeah. Same address.
-I've been somewhat considering going into nursing? Obviously I would finish my degree, but still it's been in my head. We'll see. Plenty of time. Maybe I just want to be Alaina.
Ok that's it bye! I hope everyone's Easter was good. Ciao!
Hermana Ray
We had an interesting week. I am still madly in love with Buffalo and serving here, but not gonna lie we ran into a lot of random issues this week! I don't know. Consequently I've had a LOT on my mind and the week flew by. Each week passes faster and faster I swear.
First item of news: We have two new Elders in our ward! Elder Wilson and Elder Vasquez. They are GREAT! It's nice to have such a big group taking care of the Buffalo ward. This also means our district is up to 8! Look at us go. Sister Thomas and I now live with the Amherst Sisters (Brown & Lee) and it's been way fun! It's different living with 3 instead of one, but I've always liked having roomates so this really isn't any different. It does make it a little harder to focus during study in the morning though :)
Sister Thomas and I spent Easter dinner with a lady in the ward who has been through so much. She's in her 80s now and her husband passed away a few years ago. She and her husband joined the church in their 30s. The thing that kills me is that before she joined the church decades ago her house caught on fire and she lost her two youngest children- both little girls. She says she could hear them screaming as it went down. I don't know all the details, but she did what she could to get to them but wasn't able to reach them before where they were collapsed. Oh one other thing- she's had breast cancer and a stroke since losing her husband. It was a priviledge to be able to help her clean her house and make dinner. Sister Thomas and I both talked about how we really wish we could fix everything that is injust in the world, but then it's probably a good thing that God is in charge instead of us because those lessons are what make us who we are and keep us going along the path. The dinner group was essentially made up of a collection of life's misfits- all single, afflicted, forgotten and scarred. In some ways that even includes Sister Thomas and I ha. How kind they were to want to invite over two young gals. I'm grateful for their courage to make it through the past- they are some of the most Christ-like people I've ever met, and very few people even know their names. It astounded me that their entire focus was based in others. This Easter dinner was really the crowning event in my thought process for the last two weeks: The epitome of humility.
We went to go visit a lady named Deborah who lives downtown who had a stroke about a year ago and had lost movement in the left side of her body. Deborah is the sweetest and most hysterical lady! We came to see her in between sessions of conference on Sunday and she was so sad because she missed the AM session. When we told her there's a PM session she hadn't missed she lit up! She said, "Well what are we waiting for?! Get me dressed wouldja! I need help with mah bra!" bahaha. Sister Thomas got her RN before the mission so she kind of assumed that responsibility haha. At one point Deborah, with her back to me wearing only an adult diaper, turned her head around to say something to me and created a picture in my head that I will never lose. There she stood- a woman in her 60s who had provided for children and grandchildren for years. Now she was completely stripped of pride and needed help fulfilling some of her most basic needs. We had been complete strangers half an hour before, and yet all she was concerned about was looking halfway decent so she could get to hear the words of our modern day prophet, Thomas S. Monson. My heart was touched. Deborah joined the church 4 years ago. What have I ever even gone through? At times I imagine myself afflicted or treated unjustly. But not only can I take care of myself, I can take care of others. As another one of the people we're teaching said (who, I'm sad to say, is speeding towards death in her 50s- she's less than 100 lbs and stands at 5'6") "I have food in the pantry AND in the refrigerator. I have heat. I have a roof over my head and faith in my heart. What else do I need?"
WAY TO BREAK MY HEART, WORLD.
If I ever tear up here in Buffalo it's because I've been touched by those who show me who Christ was in their every action. I am blessed to be in the company of such noble souls who the world leaves untouched. We understand so little about priorities and worth.
Another thought- if nothing else, being on a mission has taught me how to be a better member after my mission! The work here would be so much more effective if the members of the ward would take some responsibility! As missionaries, we try and do whatever we can to help, serve, find and teach. Yet so many people refuse to take an interest in those around them, so as we teach them and bring them to Christ they are left in the dust when we leave. Faith is an incredible thing, but I believe that God works through people. Yes yes He can do whatever He wants- comfort, lead, teach, whatever- but in my limited experience I've seen that the way He prefers to work is through our neighbors, family and friends. If we refuse to step up- step up and serve, love, remember, empathize, consider- we are confounding the work of God.
As for other news...let's see.
-Today we are going to Niagra Falls! So I'll have an update about that next week.
-Some of the missionaries in my district are starting a mini campaign to get me to like onions. Fools!
-I'm getting to the point where I actually like to run again! I don't feel as good when we don't run, and I'm getting better about distance and speed. We kind of...got lost...one morning this week and ended up running between 4 and 6 miles and I still felt pretty good when we got home! I just hope I can keep up the will power to continue to do it when I have a companion who doesn't like to run as much. Fighting people to get them out of bed is not my cup of herbal tea.
-My address for my entire mission will be at 100 Perinton Hills. It's not worth changing the address because I am never really sure when I'm going to move, and the mission office is great about forwarding things. So. Yeah. Same address.
-I've been somewhat considering going into nursing? Obviously I would finish my degree, but still it's been in my head. We'll see. Plenty of time. Maybe I just want to be Alaina.
Ok that's it bye! I hope everyone's Easter was good. Ciao!
Hermana Ray
Amherst
I'm getting moved again!
Kind of. Ha.
I'll still be in the North Buffalo area with Sister Thomas, but we're getting kicked out of our apartment! Come on! We're getting a new Elder who had to wait for his visa to come through from Mexico and so now he and his trainer are taking our apartment in Kenmore and we're moving in with...the Amherst Sisters!! Sister Brown (from Utah) and Sister Lee (from Hong Kong). It's gonna be a party erryday! After we're done moving...again :)
So first- sorry that last week I left the email on a weird note! Looking back that was a strange place to stop but I found out I only had 20 minutes cause other people needed to use the computer and we had a ton of stuff to do last week. It was really one of the best weekends I've had since being on my mission though! A group of us in the Buffalo area all rode down to Palmyra for an activity at the Book of Mormon Publication site. We gave tours and everything- there were hundreds of people who came through! It was really fun and it was also good to get to know the other missionaries serving around me. Just in a few short days we became like family! We got to stay at the mission home for two nights, too so it was really great to be able to spend some time with the Christiansons. Love them!
Can I just say if it was up to me I would stay in this area with Sister Thomas the rest of my mission? I really do love it here. I wish we could focus more downtown than having to divide our attention all over the place, but every single day we've been able to talk to such amazing people who are going through incredible things. One of our most recent and most memorable I'll mention really quickly has to do with General Conference that happened this past weekend! For any who are unaware of what General Conference is, watch this rill quick:
http://youtu.be/KL_rO6Z3n4c
Ok now that everyone is caught up, in between the AM and PM sessions on Saturday, Sister Thomas and I and also Elders Harris and Pascual (serving in our ward as well) decided to pray and then walk around downtown to find anyone who would want to come back with us and watch the afternoon session with us at the chapel. The very first person we really talked to was named Heshem from Egypt. Heshem was so sweet! His English was pretty good, but his native tongue is Arabic. As we talked to Heshem he opened up about how many questions he has about life and life after this one. His father had passed away a couple years ago, he found himself in a strange place, and everyone seemed to have contradicting and confusing ideas. It filled my heart to be able to honestly tell him that we could help him find answers. Not even just our opinions, but that we could teach him to pray and ask for himself- give him the tools of the Book of Mormon and the Bible to search and find. He kept apologizing for having so many questions. Apologizing! The most common scripture in all of the standard works is a variation of "ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It's such a joy to continue to learn and receive that peace. I'm so grateful I get the opportunity to teach anyone who is trying to find answers, and I'm grateful that I've found so many already. I'm grateful that we have the tools to continue to find more answers, because life is so full of questions.
Random:
-This week we'll start volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House! http://www.rmhcwny.org/new-
-It got cold again this past week! Lame. But the quick stint of summer brought the holes in my wardrobe to my attention so today we're going to snoop around looking for a few short sleeve shirts. So with that said anyone around my size looking to donate short sleeved shirts or something of the like should consider sending items to me :) No need to buy anything though I'm quite happy with hand me downs!
-Seester Thomas and I have been running around 3 miles in the morning! It feels good to be able to run again.
-Happy birthday to Calvin this past week! He's not a teenager anymore! Mom can't say, "Hello teenage boy!" anymore! Which means...LOOK OUT, RC! I hope it went well, brosef :)
-I'm sending pictures this week since I was robbed of tiempo last week. Hope you like them!
-Trying Buffalo wings is on our bucket list for the transfer, and we're trying red hots today! I'll let you know how that goes.
-Happy Easter, everyone! If I've forgotten anything I'll...write it next week :)
Love,
Hermana Ray
Our apartment, me with Sister Potts and me with Sister Haushauer, Sister Thomas in our crazy messy apartment trying to sort through area books and get our feet under us!
Kind of. Ha.
I'll still be in the North Buffalo area with Sister Thomas, but we're getting kicked out of our apartment! Come on! We're getting a new Elder who had to wait for his visa to come through from Mexico and so now he and his trainer are taking our apartment in Kenmore and we're moving in with...the Amherst Sisters!! Sister Brown (from Utah) and Sister Lee (from Hong Kong). It's gonna be a party erryday! After we're done moving...again :)
So first- sorry that last week I left the email on a weird note! Looking back that was a strange place to stop but I found out I only had 20 minutes cause other people needed to use the computer and we had a ton of stuff to do last week. It was really one of the best weekends I've had since being on my mission though! A group of us in the Buffalo area all rode down to Palmyra for an activity at the Book of Mormon Publication site. We gave tours and everything- there were hundreds of people who came through! It was really fun and it was also good to get to know the other missionaries serving around me. Just in a few short days we became like family! We got to stay at the mission home for two nights, too so it was really great to be able to spend some time with the Christiansons. Love them!
Can I just say if it was up to me I would stay in this area with Sister Thomas the rest of my mission? I really do love it here. I wish we could focus more downtown than having to divide our attention all over the place, but every single day we've been able to talk to such amazing people who are going through incredible things. One of our most recent and most memorable I'll mention really quickly has to do with General Conference that happened this past weekend! For any who are unaware of what General Conference is, watch this rill quick:
http://youtu.be/KL_rO6Z3n4c
Ok now that everyone is caught up, in between the AM and PM sessions on Saturday, Sister Thomas and I and also Elders Harris and Pascual (serving in our ward as well) decided to pray and then walk around downtown to find anyone who would want to come back with us and watch the afternoon session with us at the chapel. The very first person we really talked to was named Heshem from Egypt. Heshem was so sweet! His English was pretty good, but his native tongue is Arabic. As we talked to Heshem he opened up about how many questions he has about life and life after this one. His father had passed away a couple years ago, he found himself in a strange place, and everyone seemed to have contradicting and confusing ideas. It filled my heart to be able to honestly tell him that we could help him find answers. Not even just our opinions, but that we could teach him to pray and ask for himself- give him the tools of the Book of Mormon and the Bible to search and find. He kept apologizing for having so many questions. Apologizing! The most common scripture in all of the standard works is a variation of "ask, and it shall be given you, seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you." It's such a joy to continue to learn and receive that peace. I'm so grateful I get the opportunity to teach anyone who is trying to find answers, and I'm grateful that I've found so many already. I'm grateful that we have the tools to continue to find more answers, because life is so full of questions.
Random:
-This week we'll start volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House! http://www.rmhcwny.org/new-
-It got cold again this past week! Lame. But the quick stint of summer brought the holes in my wardrobe to my attention so today we're going to snoop around looking for a few short sleeve shirts. So with that said anyone around my size looking to donate short sleeved shirts or something of the like should consider sending items to me :) No need to buy anything though I'm quite happy with hand me downs!
-Seester Thomas and I have been running around 3 miles in the morning! It feels good to be able to run again.
-Happy birthday to Calvin this past week! He's not a teenager anymore! Mom can't say, "Hello teenage boy!" anymore! Which means...LOOK OUT, RC! I hope it went well, brosef :)
-I'm sending pictures this week since I was robbed of tiempo last week. Hope you like them!
-Trying Buffalo wings is on our bucket list for the transfer, and we're trying red hots today! I'll let you know how that goes.
-Happy Easter, everyone! If I've forgotten anything I'll...write it next week :)
Love,
Hermana Ray
Our apartment, me with Sister Potts and me with Sister Haushauer, Sister Thomas in our crazy messy apartment trying to sort through area books and get our feet under us!
 |
| This was taken a few weeks ago before I left for Buffalo and I miss them. |
Buffalo gals wontcha come out tonight?
Buffalo has been really great! I come home exhausted every night but it's the good kind of exhausted- the kind where you know you did something. The area we cover is MUCH larger than where I was in Shortsville, but that's really just the beginning. We were told it's a Spanish area, but we have yet to meet anyone who speaks Spanish haha. Instead, we spend our time divided between the more upper class area like Snyder and downtown Buffalo. Walking downtown is probably my favorite. There are so many people! It's much better than being out in the country. One of our first days this lady stopped us and said, "What are ya'll doin here? Don't you know this is tha hood?" Nice. Sister Thomas is from Northern Utah. I'm pretty sure this is an extremely different experience for her. All the more fun to watch!
Our first adventure had to do with the apartment. It was...essentially a swamp. I would send pictures but I forgot to bring my cord! So next time I'll do that. Anyways the carpet was soaked because the hot water tank had leaked so someone came in and cut it out and for the last few days the concrete has been drying out. Hopefully we'll be able to get in some new carpet before too long.
The weather was beautiful for most of the week which helped everything, too. People are outside more, happier, and everything is brighter.
The thing that I'm really trying to work on this week is not comparing myself. Sister Thomas is absolutely beautiful- she was a site trainer before she was put with me out here. We both have brown hair, bangs, even parted on the same side. We're both about 5'7". She's a year older than me, much more sweet, always put together and pristine. I'm sending a picture so you understand what I mean. It's been difficult meeting so many new people because you can't help but compare the two of us and I ALWAYS come up short. I can't tell you how many times someone has started talking to us and remarked on how pretty she is. Kind of like...I didn't think my mobile home was so bad until they built a castle next door. Sister Thomas has been out about 5 months more than me and is a good missionary. She sings, plays the piano, runs...I'm really trying to get a grasp on my worth as a daughter of God rather than any of my accomplishments that suddenly seem so silly. Missions are interesting.
Well that's all I have time for today because we're heading out early. See you next week.
Hermana Ray
PS I'll send the picture of SIs Thomas next week cause i'm out of time
Our first adventure had to do with the apartment. It was...essentially a swamp. I would send pictures but I forgot to bring my cord! So next time I'll do that. Anyways the carpet was soaked because the hot water tank had leaked so someone came in and cut it out and for the last few days the concrete has been drying out. Hopefully we'll be able to get in some new carpet before too long.
The weather was beautiful for most of the week which helped everything, too. People are outside more, happier, and everything is brighter.
The thing that I'm really trying to work on this week is not comparing myself. Sister Thomas is absolutely beautiful- she was a site trainer before she was put with me out here. We both have brown hair, bangs, even parted on the same side. We're both about 5'7". She's a year older than me, much more sweet, always put together and pristine. I'm sending a picture so you understand what I mean. It's been difficult meeting so many new people because you can't help but compare the two of us and I ALWAYS come up short. I can't tell you how many times someone has started talking to us and remarked on how pretty she is. Kind of like...I didn't think my mobile home was so bad until they built a castle next door. Sister Thomas has been out about 5 months more than me and is a good missionary. She sings, plays the piano, runs...I'm really trying to get a grasp on my worth as a daughter of God rather than any of my accomplishments that suddenly seem so silly. Missions are interesting.
Well that's all I have time for today because we're heading out early. See you next week.
Hermana Ray
PS I'll send the picture of SIs Thomas next week cause i'm out of time
BUFFALO WINGZ!
I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED!
TO NORTH BUFFALO!
We got the call last night and I seriously could not sleep. This is a MASSIVE change. My new companion will be Sister Thomas who I love so much- North Buffalo has been closed for a while so Sister Thomas and I will be the first missionaries there for quite some time. It's a Spanish speaking area, too! Also, Buffalo zone is full proselyting, so I won't be at the Visitors' Centers for at least a few months. I will definitely miss working there and seeing everyone every week...everyone kind of jokes that Buffalo is it's own mission because we don't see people as often as the other 3 zones. Today I'm going to need to get all my stuff together and then tomorrow I'll be in a new area, with a new companion, and I probably won't be driver anymore- Sister Thomas has been out longer than me. Weird weird weird and so GOOD!
Story of the call:
Elder Hallam (district leader) called me and told me I would be moving to North Buffalo and I didn't believe him because I'm not done training so that's not common and North Buffalo wasn't open...clearly a joke right? So after some reassurance I said ok and hung up, but I was staying at a house since we're in Palmyra today so the 5 other Sisters in the house screamed immediately because I didn't ask who my companion was. I called Elder Hallam back and asked who, and he said Sister Thomas, who was sitting in the room with me! I just looked at her and pointed and shouted, "YOU!" and Elder Hallam hung up because he couldn't hear anything over the ridiculous screams of the 6 of us. Way too much for one night, I tell you. Oh and when I realized I will be leaving Sister Fetuli I tackled her and clung for a little while. She's not one for that kind of thing but I didn't much care at the moment. I think she secretly appreciated it :) Haha.
Ok back to this past week! Rita and Paul are progressing, and we hope they will be out of the hospital this week sometime. Sister Fetuli will probably keep me updated on their progress.
We had mission conference on Wednesday and Elder Cook (of the Seventy) came and I really liked what he talked about, but one thing in particular stood out to me. He talked about lawns. How we kill weeds, mow everything to be exactly the same height, add whatever we need to do to make the lawn look perfectly combed and uniform. However! What does God plant? He plants meadows. Full of countless varieties of flowers and plants- different heights, colors, widths, you name it. And it's the same with people. Why is it that we are so bent on making people the same? That if someone doesn't fit into our perception of beautiful that they don't make the cut. Heavenly Father made each of us different and so beautiful! We have different talents and experiences to offer and He expects us to use them the most we can. Enough lawns, eh?
I've also been taught a lot about the Lord's schedule this week haha. There have been so many times where I got frustrated because the plans we made fell through- people cancelled, something would come up...and so often it would yield a greater result. A member cancelled a dinner appointment and I would up at my apartment eating mac & cheese and drinking Dr. Pepper. It was a really nice chance to have a quiet moment. I needed it more than I had realized I think. On Thursday we had 15 appointments to teach people and ALL of them bailed. All. Really? Then at the end of the day someone called and asked us to come- we hadn't met them before- and it was one of the best lessons I've seen since I've been out! Had we been busy with all the other appointments we had, we would not have been able to go over to that unplanned appointment. I'm also reminded of the first day I had in the field when we got lost right out of transfer meeting for like 40 minutes. I was frustrated, but in our pathetic plight someone came up and offered to help (anyone who carries around a map these days is in serious trouble) and now he is actually learning more about the church. You just can never know how things work out. As soon as I start to think I'm in control He nudges everything off just to help me to understand the true status quo ha. Perfect.
Is it strange that I don't consider myself a religious person? And I'm dedicating my life to it? I realized this week that I've never thought of myself as that "type." Ok stay with me here. I tried to figure out why I feel that way, and I think it's because I don't see it as a classification. A while back I talked about how frustrating it is when people say "it's not my thing." I don't think of myself as religious- I don't think about how I'm a homo sapien all the time, either. It's just part of being alive. I don't see that as separating me from anyone else. Maybe it's because I've come to a state of knowledge rather than belief. Do you consider yourself to be a scientist because you know what an atom is?
One of our zone leaders, Elder Peck, is leaving this transfer! I'm not happy about it. I'm really going to miss him! I used to get upset in the MTC all the time because people left so often. Now I just get bugged every 6 weeks :) WHY do I like people so much?! I swear it would be so much easier if I just refused to make any more friends.
Ok that's all for this week, folks! Next week I'll be emailing you from NORTH BUFFALO! WOO!
Love love,
Hermana Ray
PS Buffalo is the coldest place in the mission...if you gotta go might as well go in the Spring, right? Perrrfect.
Yesterday we came out of the Visitors' center after a shift and there was a massive rainbow overhead! So cool, right?
The second is just kind of a quintessential picture of the Shortsville/Manchester area. Farmington is more ghetto and Palmyra and Canandaigua are nicer. After a storm the sky is always so nice.
TO NORTH BUFFALO!
We got the call last night and I seriously could not sleep. This is a MASSIVE change. My new companion will be Sister Thomas who I love so much- North Buffalo has been closed for a while so Sister Thomas and I will be the first missionaries there for quite some time. It's a Spanish speaking area, too! Also, Buffalo zone is full proselyting, so I won't be at the Visitors' Centers for at least a few months. I will definitely miss working there and seeing everyone every week...everyone kind of jokes that Buffalo is it's own mission because we don't see people as often as the other 3 zones. Today I'm going to need to get all my stuff together and then tomorrow I'll be in a new area, with a new companion, and I probably won't be driver anymore- Sister Thomas has been out longer than me. Weird weird weird and so GOOD!
Story of the call:
Elder Hallam (district leader) called me and told me I would be moving to North Buffalo and I didn't believe him because I'm not done training so that's not common and North Buffalo wasn't open...clearly a joke right? So after some reassurance I said ok and hung up, but I was staying at a house since we're in Palmyra today so the 5 other Sisters in the house screamed immediately because I didn't ask who my companion was. I called Elder Hallam back and asked who, and he said Sister Thomas, who was sitting in the room with me! I just looked at her and pointed and shouted, "YOU!" and Elder Hallam hung up because he couldn't hear anything over the ridiculous screams of the 6 of us. Way too much for one night, I tell you. Oh and when I realized I will be leaving Sister Fetuli I tackled her and clung for a little while. She's not one for that kind of thing but I didn't much care at the moment. I think she secretly appreciated it :) Haha.
Ok back to this past week! Rita and Paul are progressing, and we hope they will be out of the hospital this week sometime. Sister Fetuli will probably keep me updated on their progress.
We had mission conference on Wednesday and Elder Cook (of the Seventy) came and I really liked what he talked about, but one thing in particular stood out to me. He talked about lawns. How we kill weeds, mow everything to be exactly the same height, add whatever we need to do to make the lawn look perfectly combed and uniform. However! What does God plant? He plants meadows. Full of countless varieties of flowers and plants- different heights, colors, widths, you name it. And it's the same with people. Why is it that we are so bent on making people the same? That if someone doesn't fit into our perception of beautiful that they don't make the cut. Heavenly Father made each of us different and so beautiful! We have different talents and experiences to offer and He expects us to use them the most we can. Enough lawns, eh?
I've also been taught a lot about the Lord's schedule this week haha. There have been so many times where I got frustrated because the plans we made fell through- people cancelled, something would come up...and so often it would yield a greater result. A member cancelled a dinner appointment and I would up at my apartment eating mac & cheese and drinking Dr. Pepper. It was a really nice chance to have a quiet moment. I needed it more than I had realized I think. On Thursday we had 15 appointments to teach people and ALL of them bailed. All. Really? Then at the end of the day someone called and asked us to come- we hadn't met them before- and it was one of the best lessons I've seen since I've been out! Had we been busy with all the other appointments we had, we would not have been able to go over to that unplanned appointment. I'm also reminded of the first day I had in the field when we got lost right out of transfer meeting for like 40 minutes. I was frustrated, but in our pathetic plight someone came up and offered to help (anyone who carries around a map these days is in serious trouble) and now he is actually learning more about the church. You just can never know how things work out. As soon as I start to think I'm in control He nudges everything off just to help me to understand the true status quo ha. Perfect.
Is it strange that I don't consider myself a religious person? And I'm dedicating my life to it? I realized this week that I've never thought of myself as that "type." Ok stay with me here. I tried to figure out why I feel that way, and I think it's because I don't see it as a classification. A while back I talked about how frustrating it is when people say "it's not my thing." I don't think of myself as religious- I don't think about how I'm a homo sapien all the time, either. It's just part of being alive. I don't see that as separating me from anyone else. Maybe it's because I've come to a state of knowledge rather than belief. Do you consider yourself to be a scientist because you know what an atom is?
One of our zone leaders, Elder Peck, is leaving this transfer! I'm not happy about it. I'm really going to miss him! I used to get upset in the MTC all the time because people left so often. Now I just get bugged every 6 weeks :) WHY do I like people so much?! I swear it would be so much easier if I just refused to make any more friends.
Ok that's all for this week, folks! Next week I'll be emailing you from NORTH BUFFALO! WOO!
Love love,
Hermana Ray
PS Buffalo is the coldest place in the mission...if you gotta go might as well go in the Spring, right? Perrrfect.
The second is just kind of a quintessential picture of the Shortsville/Manchester area. Farmington is more ghetto and Palmyra and Canandaigua are nicer. After a storm the sky is always so nice.
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