January 27, 2014

Hello!!

First off I just want to say my condolences to Liz and the family. And that Margarat is in a way better place then this horrible world. She is no longer suffering through her pain and has gone to live with her Heavenly Father.

Mom, I seriously don't want anything to happen to Lucy. She is an amazing dog. I love her and I know I am on a mission, but I will come home sooner or later. I'm not dead  haha.

ok, sorry about the picture. the shirt is in the wash today, and I will definitely get the picture sent into you next week. But it won't be till Tuesday because transfers are Monday.

Dad, yup Dee will definitely grow up on his mission. he has lots to learn and it will be an eye opener.

Garrett! I know you are super antsy to get this wedding done and over with. Just Keep Swimming!!! I love you so much!!!

Well, its been a slow week.

Since transfers are next week, and president told sis. Rodriguez she will be leaving the area, and I will be taking over for her, we have been super stressed. My comp has been in this ward since May and she is so depressed that she is leaving. The ward was her home and there is this joke about her moving her records in the ward since she has been here for so long. haha. But she is just preparing herself for the next transfer :(

So couple of funny stories:

There is this one couple that had gotten baptized over the summer, and this woman has picked up smoking again. She has been smoking for 30 years and has to quit cold turkey, and is having a rough time trying to quit. So sister Rodriguez the awesome missionary that she is, demanded that she give her the cigarettes. it ended up with my comp chasing this poor lady and pretty much tackled her and ripping the cigarettes from her hand (don't worry. they were both laughing). But she knows that she can't smoke anymore. She's getting better, but is still smoking. ugh!

The other funny story is, we were tracting one day, and this guy opened the door and I introduced myself but before I could finish the sentence of "we are from the church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints", he all of a sudden said "I don't have time for you babe." and slammed the door. Aaaalrighty then. The joys of being a missionary.

That is it for the week!

Love you all!

Sister Rook

P.S. Hug Liz for me   

HaPpy BiRtHdAy Paige!

Hello everyone!

First of all thank you guys soooooo much for the birthday wishes!!!

Mom, I got the box. thank you so much! I actually love the shirt by the way. its super cute!

So I am a little worried about your feet. That's really scary. But I sure hope it will be okay.  

Don't worry about the money. Take care of the wedding and don't worry about me.

Dad, Scott Pingel got released? did he get called to something else?

I like that quote. its really cool.

Garrett, thank you for the birthday wish!!! and I really hope you feel better soon!!! I love you!

So this week has been pretty busy.

Lets talk about the temple for a sec. THEY DID A NEW VIDEO!!! yes, an even newer one from the new one that they did in July or August! I can't really talk about it much, but I REALLY want to. why did they do that???? Somebody tell me! I don't know if I like it.

So we went to the Ker's (the ward mission leader and his family) house yesterday. Since Sister Rodriguez is half Columbian, we made Empanadas, which were soooo good! and sister Ker also made a cake for my birthday. It was super awesome. I love that family. They have seriously been my support through Christmas, which is probably why I didn't feel homesick :) They have 5 boys and they all sang happy birthday to me. They are an amazing family :)

So Randy got baptized!! yes mom it was the husband of the Relief Society president. :) It was the most amazing baptism. The night before he was really overwhelmed, but he knew that it wouldn't last. So when it started, half the chapel was filled. There were missionaries and people from other wards, family that flew in from out of town and people that Randy didn't even know came to his Baptism. We had to basically cram everyone into the little room where he got baptized. It was an amazing thing and the spirit was sooo strong

I am so grateful that he and his wife after 7 years of investigating the church are finally, after another year, are going to be sealed for time and all eternity. He even gets to baptize his son when he turns 8 as well. We are all so happy for him :)

I love you all!!!

Sister Rook

P.S.
picture 1: the Ker boys singing Happy Birthday to me. They didn't have any candles for the cake, so they made it where I had to blow out some kind of candle. haha

Picture 2: thumbs up picture

January 14, 2014

Hey Everyone!!

 

Mom, how do you know who the new mission president is?

so this might sound bad, but I don't remember what Ptera is. When did he work there?

thats so awesome that you had somebody come into your class!!

So I met this guy at the church one time that he said he was an ARP missionary. He just said to us that if you know anybody to come to the class then send them to us. He gave us a card. do you have cards? that would probably help. make cards!!!!!!

Scott emailed me about the birthday incident at church with his iPad. super weird!!! I would have suggested that it came from facebook, but I don't know why it disappeared. 

Also why do you think I'm not working hard?

Dad, that is awesome about Nancy clark!!! I'm so happy!!

I actually don't remember the Hill's .

I love what you have learned in High Priests. Its so true.

Garrett! I heard you got the decorations stuff all taken care of. Will you send me a wedding invitation? So I know what it looks like? PLEEEEASE?

I'm so glad that you are working for Ptera full time! When did you work there again? I feel like my memory before my mission has been wiped away. really weird

 

So This week has been really slow. 

We have been working with Randy Straub on his baptism. He is super overwhelmed about his baptism and doesn't like being the center of attention. He really wants to do it in secret but he said  his wife and the whole ward was disown him. haha. We are going to hold the meeting in the sacrement room because there will be so many people that will come. There is an elder that said he was going to invite other people, and there will be other wards that are coming. haha. 7 years in the waiting!!!

So since our investigator is being baptised and we had to drop our other invistigator, we have NO INVESTIGATORS! We are working with the members as hard as we can to get referalls and its really good for the members to be a member missionary.

So really intersting happened this week. We had our zone meeting and this guy walked into the building and these two elders talked to him and he said he needed a blessing on his house (not a member by the way). So we found out he was in our area, and we went with the elders to give this guys house a blessing. Come to find out, he said that his house had evil spirits in it. So the elders said a prayer and if it worked he will call us. But none of us felt anything bad in there. that was last week and he hasn't called us. haha.

Anyway, thats it for the week!!!

Love you all!!

 

Sister Rook

January 6, 2014

This week has seriously been one of the slowest weeks on my mission (the week in the hospital takes the lead)

 

Mom, I'm so glad that you are excited for the new job. I don't know why, but 3 hour meetings, I love. Maybe becuse its missionary meetings. I don't know. haha.

That is so scary about Nancy Clark. This has not been her year. She is seriously in my prayers.

I sent grandma a thank you letter last week, so it should arrive this week :)

Dad, your adventure was quite hilarious. But seriously, that sounds really interesting. But I'm glad your home. :)

Garrett, just endure!!! your almost married!!! :D

Gavin, you always manage to find the golden ones. haha

 

So This week basically sucked!

So sister Rodriguez and I were both really sick with the cold. At the beginning of the week, we still went out, and we realized we can't get better with us running around all the time. Sooooo, we stayed home. So after drinking lots of Emergen-C, taking vitamins, a blessing, playing 2 rounds of checkers and 3 rounds of Monopoly (of which sister Rodriguez won ALL 3 rounds. she's REALLY good at it), we are finally getting better. with still a lot of coughing. I think the Lord has found a horrible way to help us become unified. haha

But with the slow week, we didn't cancel our dinners. There is this one family who the father is a nonmember. He has been coming to church for 7 years straight, and meeting on and off with the missionaries. His wife is the relief society president!

So we visited him a week before christmas and we said make a decision or we can't help you. So that dinner we were going to meet with him that night, and he said "I don't think there is a point to meet tonight." we said "Why?" and he said "because I already told my wife I was getting baptised". Holy crap!!! Our investigator that has been going to church for 7 years is finally going to get baptised on the 18th of January!!!

He is very famous too. All the missionaries are inviting other people and his wife is inviting people from other wards. His wife also announced it in Relief Society and half the room was clapping. haha.

I am so thankful to be able to be a part of this amazing opportunity that the Lord has put in front of me.

 

I love you all!!

 

SIster Rook