Back on the Bus!

Hey Family!

My time is cut super short today for a couple of different reasons so I will just try and give you a mini update of the week before I have to run. 

Tea time with Nancy :)

I GOT TO RIDE THE BUS AGAIN!

For starters, last p-day after we were leaving the library from e-mailing we stopped to get gas and noticed that we had an oil leak.  So we took it in to get it checked.  They told us that it would only take a few minutes.  But then they came back out and told us that the problem was a lot worse than they thought.  We ended up having to take our BRAND NEW car back to the dealership to get a bunch of things fixed haha.  

So we have been without a car for the week and still don't have it back yet.  This is nothing new to me though!  Haha we got bus passes this week and have been doing a lot of walking.  Sister Weaver has not been used to it, but I am trying to help her to love it as much as I do.  It is a little harder though because our area is WAY spread out so it is a little more difficult to maneuver on foot.  I really think that because of this whole ordeal there is someone that Heavenly Father really needs us to meet!  There was this really cute old man named Norman that we started talking to at the dealership while we were waiting for the news on our car.  He wouldn't take a Book of Mormon but he liked talking to us and had a lot of questions about the church.  Or maybe the reason is because we needed to meet the guy that works at the dealership named Cable that has been helping us out.  He has been really nice about everything so I am going to give him a Book of Mormon whenever we get to go get our car back.

The cheese factory across the street from our house

But we pretty much just spent the week tracting the neighborhoods around our house since we couldn't go too far and I got to do my favorite thing in the whole entire world- contacting people on the bus!   We talked to some cool people and gave away a good number of copies of the Book of Mormon, but not a lot has come from that yet.  Sister Weaver and I decided that we pretty much need to start this area from scratch.  The sisters that were here before Sister Weaver and I had just had quite a few baptisms right before we both got here.  So we are definitely in finding mode.  We have been working hard at talking to people and trying to find them.  We hope that we will start to see some of those fruits here in the next couple of weeks.

Reunited with Sister Packer :)

This is Sister Askerlund.  She took my place in West Allis when I left.

West Allis represent

The biggest highlight of the week was my first Mission Leadership Conference!  Ok, my first MLC might actually be one of the biggest highlights of my mission too.  Seriously such an amazing experience.  For starters, got to see so many friends from the mission!  Sister Packer was there.  She is an STL down in Milwaukee.  And I got to see Sister Askerlund who took my place when I left West Allis and she is now an STL in Kenosha.  She got to tell me all about a lot of things that have been going on.  Do you remember that less-active named Fred that I worked with the entire 7 1/2 months that I was there?  We taught him every single week so I am sure that I talked about him a lot.  He is also the guy that I talked about when I wrote that letter to the relief society about how awesome the Book of Mormon is.  Anyways, Fred only came to church probably 1 or 2 times while I was there but only stayed for sacrament.  Sister Askerlund told me that he is completely active!!  He comes and stays for all 3 hours and participates and is paying his tithing and got the priesthood!  I just about collapsed when she told me that!  So cool to know that all of that hard work wasn't for nothing! 

Oh no I am running out of time so I won't be able to tell you everything about MLC that I wish I could.  But MLC was all about the priesthood.  The priesthood is something that I have never really understood a lot about. But I have learned a lot about it on my mission.  The cool thing about the priesthood is that even though only men can hold an office in the priesthood, priesthood power affects everyone!  We can have and feel the power of the priesthood in our lives everyday.  That power is God's power.  And it is real.  I know that is true.  One of the reasons that I have to leave so soon is because we have to plan a training on the stuff that we learned at MLC to train to zone on it this week at zone training.  So hopefully I can tell you all more about it then.

Love you guys!  Hope that you have a great week!

Love,

Sister King

In Like A Lion, And (Hopefully) Out Like A Lamb

That is what everyone says about the weather here in March.  It is still absolutely FREEZING cold and it snows everyday and if it doesn't warm up by at least the end of March then I'mma go crazy!  Haha.  Speaking of March, uh..... can you believe it is MARCH????  Time is seriously flying by.

Enjoying a nice 6 inch snowstorm

Really enjoying a nice 6 inch snowstorm

Here is what has been going on in 'Stallis:

Tuesday we had our last district meeting before transfers which are on March 12.  It was sad, but also exciting.  Sad because I really love my district and it has been so much fun and I have learned so much.  But exciting because I have almost survived my first transfer!!!  WHAT??  Weird.  So on Saturday we will get the notorious "transfer text" to see who stays and who goes.  Please pray that Sis Tanner won't get transferred.  We work so well together and she is my best friend.  I need her to finish out my training!  Plus, we have so much ahead of us this coming transfer and I am so excited about it.  So pray that Sis Tanner and I can stay in West Allis together.  We have work to do!

Wednesday was my very first exchange and I couldn't have been more nervous.  Sis Tanner left to go to Konosha and one of the sister training leaders, Sister Peterson, came to West Allis.  So I had to get us everywhere we needed to go on the buses and schedule appointments and stuff.  But I managed and am alive to tell the tale.  Sister Peterson was so sweet and nice and patient with me.  We had some good lessons and met some great people together.  Exchanges were great but I could not be more excited that they are over and also to have Sister Tanner back!

Hahaha  Sister Tanner and I have fun!

Switching back after exchanges.

Friday we helped our good friend Judy move.  We have been working with her for a really long time.  She has always been so sweet and kind to us and it was so sad to see her go.  But I am glad that we could help her move.

Saturday was AWESOME.  It was ward game night!  Haha I haven't had that much fun in a long time.  I remember walking into the gym in the church building for a relief society activity on my very first day here in West Allis.  I was so scared and nervous and had no idea who anybody was.  On Saturday when I walked into the gym all of the same people were there but this time I saw so many friends and people that I have come know and love.  They truly are my ward family now and I feel so blessed to be able to serve them.

P-day Swag!

Only in Wisconsin!

Having dinner with an awesome family in our ward- the King family!  haha this is their cute daughter.  Looks like we've got a future Sister King on our hands!

We got to wear jeans for once to go do service!  First time I had ever ridden the bus not in church clothes and it was the WEIRDEST thing!

This is our good friend  that we helped move this week.  She is one of the kindest people I have ever met and it was so sad to have to say goodbye.

World Famous Kopp's Frozen Custard with our district after we helped Judy move

Definitely an awkward picture but this is our District plus the Zone Leaders at the last district meeting.

Sunday was fast and testimony meeting.  Sister Stewart bore her testimony and it was the sweetest thing I have ever heard and I felt the spirit so strong.  It truly is amazing that families can be together forever.  I love you guys and am so glad that I get to be with you forever!  Knowing that makes not seeing you for these 18 months a little easier too.

This week I have been reading in Alma about the mission of Ammon and his brothers.  In Alma 26 Ammon is talking with his brothers about the success of their missions.  They converted an entire Lamanite nation for crying out loud!  He talks about how they could not have done it without the Lord's help.  I have always loved verse 12, but I have never understood it and appreciated it as much as I do now.

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

I love the Lord and am so grateful for the strength that He gives me.  If you have time, you should read all of chapter 26 because it is Ammon pretty much freaking out about how awesome the gospel is.  And it is how Sister Tanner and I feel about the gospel every single day!!!  We seriously have freak outs sometimes because our studies in the morning are so awesome.  In fact I think it is in the chapter after that that it says that Ammon was so excited and happy that he passes out.  Hahahaha that is definitely what a mission feels like on good days.

This week was definitely hard, but also totally worth it.  The church is so true and the work in hastening here in Wisconsin!

I LOVE YOU!

Sister King

If the pioneers could do it, then I can do it too.

So happy it is finally P-day again and I get to read all of your letters!  They seriously are the best thing ever!

The bus: Our second home

Not gonna lie, this week started out pretty rough.  Missionary work is HARD.  We started out the week tracting and I kid you not, we picked the meanest street in the whole state of Wisconsin to be the first street I tracted on.  People yell mean things at us and slam the doors in our faces.  It's great.  Then we were hiking through the snow and I totally turfed it on this huge patch of ice and bruised my bad knee pretty good and to top it all off the fall ripped my favorite and warmest pair of tights.  This week was  just freezing cold and we did a lot of walking.  I was tired, frustrated, freezing cold, and starting to get kind of homesick.  But don't worry, my attitude changed.

It was about mid-way through the week and we were trekking through a bunch of snow to an appointment (which never showed up might I add).  I was really starting to feel pretty sorry for myself.  I don't know why, but as I struggled to put one foot in front of the other into the foot of freezing cold snow in front of me, the pioneers came to mind.  They trekked through the snow just like I was doing but they didn't have a -40 degree guaranteed coat from Land's end, water-proof boots, two pairs of wool socks, and a nice warm apartment to come home to at the end of the night.  But what did they have?  The Lord's help.  I snapped out of it then and there.  Yes, this is still really hard and sometimes it's not the funnest thing in the world.  But I am on the Lord's errand.  This is His work.  I know that He will help me.  Plus if the pioneers could do it, then I can do it too.  I also learned that my entire mission is going to completely depend on my attitude about it.  Please don't get me wrong, I am still so excited to be here!  This really is great.  But it is just going to take some serious work to get the experiences out of this that I am hoping for.  I am grateful that I had this experience at the very beginning of my mission because I think I will need to turn to this and remember this a lot throughout the next 18 months.

Trekking through the snow to a dinner appointment

Another thing that really helps is the love and support from family and friends back home.  Mom- I remember you asking me if I could feel people's prayers.  I really concentrated on that this week.  I really think that I can.  I can feel the prayers helping me here if I focus on what I need to do and then do it.  Thank you for your prayers.  And please continue to pray for me and all the missionaries out there because we really do need it.

weekly planning- it'll get 'cha

Marshmallow wars at a member's house.

I don't really know what the best way is to write these letters yet.  So here are just a couple of highlights from this week:

We got hit on on the bus.  This wasn't the first time it has happened and I am sure it won't be the last.  We are two kind, friendly, professional dressed, WHITE girls.  So we really stand out on the bus... haha.  Anyway, this guy was from France and didn't speak the best English.  So usually we tell people that we are missionaries and that is the end of that.  But this guy didn't understand what that meant. haha.  He asked for my number so I gave him a Mormon.org card.  I told him he could find a way to get a hold of us on that website.  He didn't really understand I don't think.  But if he is as interested as he seemed, maybe he will check it out.  Whatever it takes to plant those seeds, right?  If this is the way that this guy needs to find the gospel then so be it.

This week was pretty darn cold.  And there was another wind chill warning or whatever they are called for this coming week.  It really is as cold as everyone says it is.  One night we got home and my feet were FROZEN.  Like I took off my boots and socks and was shocked to find toes instead of a block of ice.  So Sister Tanner and I filled up the tub with hot water and thawed our feet in it while we did our planning for the next day.  Could you do me a favor and look up when it starts to warm up around here?  Please!  Haha if I could just know when the end is in sight then I think I could make it.  Because we don't have a car we are outside most of the day.  Like when does it start to consistently be above 30 at least.  If you could let me know then that would be great.

We got to play marshmallow wars at a members home again.  It is way fun and sometimes we play with nonmembers.  It is really fun to be able to have fun sometimes.  Plus I went undefeated this week.  NBD.

We went tracting again at the end of the week and I prayed so hard that we would pick a nicer street.  I didn't care if not a single person was interested just so long as people didn't yell and slam doors.  Heavenly Father answered my prayers!  No one was super interested, but we were able to give out a lot of Mormon.org cards and stuff and people were really nice!  They listened to what we had to say for the most part.  So that was DEFINITELY a tender mercy.  I didn't even feel like crying when we were done!  Huzzah!

I got your package on Thursday and I absolutely love it!  It is so fun!  Thank you so much!  I brag to Sister Tanner everyday about how awesome my family is.  Question, how did you get my address?  Just curious.  I sent you a letter with my address on it but I didn't think you would have gotten it by then.  Also, anyone and everyone my address because I WOULD LOVE TO GET MAIL FROM THEM!!! 

Thank you so much for the package!  Loved every bit of it!  I have the best family in the world!

Sorry, this week hasn't been super eventful.  We had a couple of investigators we were planning to teach but they alllllllll cancelled.  So most of the week was spent visiting less actives and trying to find people. 

Mom and Dad- I hope you had an awesome anniversary!  I thought about you guys a lot on Thursday.  I really lucked out getting you guys as parents.  I am so grateful for your amazing examples.  Especially your examples as missionaries.  And your example for what kind of marriage and family I want someday.  I really love you guys and I pray for you everyday.

Also, I love Sister Tanner!  She is an amazing companion and just the kind of trainer I need.  Plus I feel like we have become pretty good friends.  We get along great and we have fun together.

Overall, this week has been hard, but it has also been amazing.  And I know that this is where I should be.  I really just can't believe that I am even on a mission!

I thought I would leave you with this quote from Boyd K. Packer:

"The gospel teaches us to be happy, to have faith rather than fear, to find hope and overcome despair, to leave darkness and turn toward the light of the everlasting gospel."

The church is true!

Love, Sister King

LOVE YOU