22 October 2010

Hello Everyone,

Sorry for the delay in posting. The last few weeks have been really crazy for me. I actually flew home about two days ago temporarily while I try to work some medical issues out. I am hoping that it won't be too long though before I'm back out again...

I'll still try to keep this updated while I'm home... at least to let everyone know when I'm going back out.

Thanks everyone who has read the blog while I've been gone, and those who have sent me letters of support! I look forward to going back to Virginia to continue the Lord's work!

Belmont News

Well, I'm glad to hear at least that the family is still alive and doing well. I have to say that it was mighty strange to get on the computer last week, but I know that not every missionary gets emails every week, so I should consider myself lucky that I do actually get those emails most weeks!

It's rainy and cooler in Richmond today. We had a really hot week last week, and we were longing for the cooler weather... well, here it is. The leaves are starting to change, and I'm really excited to see the fall. Of course, that just means winter is coming, and it will probably be really cold! Either way, it's a sign that time is passing. I came out when summer hadn't even started yet, and now it's over. I can't tell right now if my mission is passing slowly or quickly. Just time I guess. I hit my 4 month yesterday! It's so crazy to think that I've been a missionary for four months! I think of all the things that have happened in the four months that I've been a missionary. Both things that have happened here, and things that I've heard about from home, and I'm amazed at how much can happen in such a short period of time. Four months is not very long, but yet, it's an eternity! It will be anxious to hear about all the other things that happen in the next 15 or so months! More so though, I'm anxious to see how things change here in the next 15 months and how I learn and grow and develop. It's so exciting to see how people learn and grow, and how I learn and grow the longer I'm out here. I've been here approximately the length of a semester at school... I've learned far more than I've ever learned in a semester of school. Now part of that is probably due to my own lack of willingness to apply myself, but I also know that a large part of that is due to the increased measure of the spirit, and the experiences that I'm having. I know that I never could have learned this much this fast were it not for this decision to trust 18 months of my life to the Lord and His work! I'm so happy to be out here and to see people learning about how they can be together forever and how they can develop their relationship with God, and rely on the atonement to relieve them from their struggles.

Saturday we had a beautiful baptism! Unfortunately it was only one baptism, but we rejoice in any success we have. It's sad when people back out on their baptismal dates, but we have to have the faith that everything is in the Lord's hands and if we do all we can do to follow the spirit and invite them to really understand the gospel of Christ, then we've planted that seed, and they have their agency to choose what to do with that knowledge that they have. We haven't given up on this wonderful sister. She will be baptized as she really comes to realize how the gospel can bring her family together! But... back to our amazing baptism! This was the 15 year old. Her older sister who was baptized in July was there and gave the talk on baptism, and no one would ever have guessed that she was a recent convert! She gave a beautiful talk! The spirit was so strong, and everyone in the room could really feel the Love of Heavenly Father, and His stamp of approval on what was taking place. The grandparents came also. They are Pentacostal, and are really excited that their one and only grandchild is finally baptized and they said that they wouldn't miss it for the world. They thought that it was a beautiful service, and said that they were very impressed at the friendliness of the people there! A seed was planted, and they now have a continuous example through their granddaughter! What an exciting time to rejoice in the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Yesterday we had the ward primary program! The children each had a part in writing what they would say in the program, and so it was a program of testimonies from the children. Simple, beautiful, amazing testimonies! If only we could all take the gospel so beautifully back to the basics. If we could all bear such simple and sincere testimony, then I can't understand how anyone could turn away from the gospel and all it has to offer. The primary children are such an example to me as to how to share the gospel with others. How to bear simple testimony of the truth so that anyone can understand it, and anyone will feel that spirit bearing witness. It doesn't have to be complicated! Why do we make it so complicated so often? I hope that I can really apply what I learned yesterday. This ward is also a great example of missionary work! So many families invited friends of their children to come to watch, that instead of the chapel feeling empty because of the program, it was actually filled more than an normal sunday! We are now teaching one new family all because of the willingness of members to extend an invitation. A simple invitation!

Well, thats about all that I have to say about my week! Those are the most important things to say anyway! I'm so grateful for this gospel in my life, and I'm grateful for the sacrifice that the Savior preformed in my behalf! Thank you all for your support that you provide to me, and for all you do! You are all such an example for me! Continue doing what you're doing!

Love,

Sister Boston

20 September 2010

Well, I guess that it was a boring week on the west coast... Fortunately for me it was not so boring on the east coast.

Sister Ibey and I are still working on getting to know the area. I mistakenly thought when I got the call to move up here that it would be more city, and the roads would make more sense. Funny. It's really beautiful here though, and I am really excited for the fall to start and the trees to change. I guess it's been a really dry summer though, and so things aren't as green as they should be. This whole half of Virginia is on mandatory water restrictions right now... something I only thought happened in desert climates like we have at home. regardless, There is still much more green here than any place i've ever lived.

It's been an exciting week. We're working to get in the homes of members so we can get to know them, but it's been surprisingly difficult... nearly impossible it seems. But we have a dinner calendar now, so maybe that will help us. we have two baptisms this weekend that we are really excited about. One of them is a girl who is YW age. i talked about her a little last week. She has started to attend seminary which i think is really admirable. I hardly had the energy to get up for seminary when I was in high school! They are both really good girls, and it's really cool to see how close they are even though they are 5 years apart! maybe someday the mom will get baptized too. she is really cool too! The other baptism is an older woman. she has been meeting with the missionaries since may, and has had a baptismal date before, but things have never worked out. earlier last week, she told us that we could come back for our appointment, but that she didn't want to study with us anymore. we went for our appointment, and talked about her fears, and then had a really powerful lesson. the Spirit was so strong that it was undeniable! instead of us leaving and saying good bye, we left her with a new baptismal date. The change that we can see in her since then is incredible! She is happy and excited for her baptism this week! it's amazing to see how the spirit can work on people and change their attitudes in such a short period of time. but, at the same time, satan can work on people just as fast, so we have to be really careful not to let anyone slip through our cracks! Unfortunately i've seen it go both ways.

we had mission conference last week. Elder Sybrowski of the seventy came, and he gave some really wonderful trainings! he really helped us to see where we could improve as a mission. Only about 4 percent of the people that we find that accept return appointments make it to baptism. retention of investigators is almost none. So, we are focusing on really making sure that we have daily contact with our investigators, and that we use the spirit to teach so that they really understand what we have that the rest of the world doesn't. if they understood that, then our percentages would be so much better!

Well, thats about all I have to say today. i hope everyone has a great week!

Love always,
Sister Boston

Hello from the Belmont Ward!!!

Greetings from the other side of the mission. That won't mean much to most of you, but it's quite exciting for me. Sisters have been strictly in the tidewater area of the mission for years, and it's only been five transfers since they started bringing them back into this side of the mission. There are now four sets of sisters on the Richmond side! It's really exciting. Our ward has not had sister missionaries in six or seven years! They say that they are really excited for the change!

It's a great ward! Our mission leader is so on top of things, and everyone is willing to help out with rides and exchanges. We've had several people offer to come help us clean our apartment too as we are taking over after years of Elders in the same apartment, and the Elders who left here did no cleaning before they left. Elders are disgusting! That is about all I have to say! Regardless, the work goes on, and we are doing our best to get to know the area! It's quite a challenge to be shotgunned into an area and to have been left with little information about whats been going on the last while. The elder that left here was mad to be leaving, and so he refused to give us information. Hopefully we will be able to learn fast! We've met a few of our investigators. One is 15 and her older sister was baptized about a month ago. She saw how much her sister had changed since starting to learn about the gospel, and she wanted to learn more and have that same happiness that her sister has felt. That is what the gospel is supposed to do for people, and that is the type of example that we are supposed to be to those around us! It is so wonderful to see when people really have been blessed by the lives of those around them, and when people really are living up to the covenants they made at baptism to be an example to the world of the Savior Jesus Christ! I love the gospel!

Another one of our investigators is Cambodian. She speaks almost no english, and her friend who introduced her to the church has to translate for us! We're trying to figure out how we can teach her effectively. She wants to get baptized, but she hasn't really had any of the lessons yet, so we have so much to teach her. Hopefully we will be able to get some of the pamphlets and things in Cambodian so that it will be easier to teach. I've heard though that the Cambodians like to feed the missionaries lots of good Cambodian food. I'm excited for that! I'm still hoping that I'll start to put on some weight while I'm out here. Not much luck yet, but I still have a good long time left yet!

The area is beautiful! This is the Virginia everyone was talking about when they talked about how beautiful it is out here! Norfolk was alright, but to be honest, it's not really any different than other places I've lived. It's not nearly as beautiful as it is up here! This area is so green and lush! I've never seen anything like it. There are no direct routes anywhere because of the water and the trees, but it means that to get anywhere in our area we get to view the beautiful scenery! I'm excited to experience fall here! The weather is definitely starting to cool off, and it's sometimes a little nippy when we go out to run in the morning. It shouldn't be too long before the trees start to change, and everything is in color!

my new companion is going to be great! We are learning to work together, and I think that we are going to have a lot of fun this transfer. I think that part of the way you can judge how well you are going to work together as companions is b how companion study goes in the morning. If you study well together, and have a lot that you can talk about and learn from each other, then I think it will be a great transfer. I don't know, I guess we'll see how this transfer actually pans out, but I'm confidant that it is going to be enjoyable, and that we will both have lots of opportunities to learn from each other! I think that it's going to be a time that I have to stretch myself which is so good for my growth! I'm grateful for this opportunity to strengthen my faith in Christ and my reliance on Him! Sometimes when we aren't challenged, it's easy to slip back into relying on ourselves and what we think we know. I'm grateful for new companions, and that we have so many sisters in this mission so that we can learn so many ways to view and teach things. We can learn so much from everyone we are around, but there is so much that we can learn from people that we have to be around 24/7. We should always find ways to learn and grow. Sister Ibey is going to be an amazing companion for me! I'm grateful that I get to serve with her! Though, since she is the last Sister from her MTC group for me to serve with, I have no idea what they are going to do for companions for me after this!

I love the Book of Mormon! I love the gospel of Christ! I cannot say how much my understanding of that, and my faith in Christ has increased since coming on my mission. I cannot think of a better way to learn about Him, and how we can be more like him. I hope that these experiences change my life forever! I'm thinking of so many things I want to do when I get home that will make me a better member missionary, and a better help to the missionaries who serve in the areas that I'm in! In that way, I'm excited for when I go home (even though it's so far away), and I don't imagine that it will be weird or awkward just because we should take the thigns that we learn here, and then apply them in our lives where ever we've come from!

If anyone wants it, my new addess is:
5832 Handel court
Richmond Virginia
23234

Yes, our address is actually in Richmond, but we aren't in inner city or anything, we're kind of out in the country a little bit. We've heard that there are only a few sketchy neighborhoods in our area, and one of them is where we live, so I'm not too worried. The place we live in doesn't seem too bad. I'm pretty sure that I saw worse in Norfolk :) I'm not worried about it.

Love you all!

Sister Boston

One Last Hello from Norfolk

I am sorry that I did not email yesterday. P-day is not changed, and I'm still alive and doing well, so don't worry about any of those things, but since yesterday was labor day, the libraries were closed, and we were told that we could email home today instead. Unfortunately they didn't tell us that until yesterday morning, so I didn't have the opportunity to give any advance warning!

Well, there is so much to write about this week. It feels like it's been absolutely ages since I wrote home, but I feel like that is mostly because so much has been happening this last week. Norfolk is on fire. Between the Elders and the Sisters in the first ward, I think there are more than ten people set for baptism! The most recent one is someone that the sisters have been teaching. His name is Jake we've taught him twice and he has been to church three times. He is friends with one of the sisters in the ward, and we've really been able to see how much faster people can progress if they have good fellowship in the ward, or even just member friends that they can talk to about the gospel. Rose and Jake have gospel conversations all the time, and so both times we go over we've been impressed what he already knows or has heard. They even read in the Liahona together! Talk about a good member missionary! I'm so grateful for the examples of people in this ward! Jake should be baptized at the beginning of October! Unfortunately I won't be around for that one.

But! BROTHER CLEMENS WAS BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!! It was an incredible service, despite things not exactly going as planned. We had to have the baptism at the stake center because the font at out chapel is being redone. There were some baptisms saturday morning for other wards, and the day before at mission conference we had told the elders in those wards NOT to let the water out of the font. Well, they did. I guess every missionary has to have a baptism where things don't go exactly as planned. We got there half an hour before the baptism, and discovered a very dry font... Brother Clemens would have liked that as he is terrified of water, but we panicked! Fortunately we had some people there who could help us, and we used all the faucets, drink coolers, and clean trash cans in the church to get the font completely filled in half an hour! It was incredible, and quite a miracle! On top of that little mishap, about half of the people who had planned to attend the service went to the wrong chapel, including the ward mission leader who was coming with the programs and the opening prayer, so we had to wait for him to get there before we could start. Despite all these challenges, Brother Clemens was able to get baptized! The first thing he said when he came out of the water was "I didn't die!" It was a beautiful service and the Spirit was so strong there! The sacrament meeting where he was confirmed was beautiful also. It was such a weekend of miraculous events! Faith has not ceased because miracles abound! I'm so grateful to be a part of this gospel and to have the sure knowledge that God has not ceased to be among us and to help us in our hours of need. Seeing the Clemens family finally on the path to being a forever family was the most touching thing in the world. Brandi Clemens, Ed's granddaughter came up to me after the service and told me that she and Ed would be able to go through the temple at the same time because she is planning to put her mission papers in about this time next year. What a wonderful experience that would be! I wish that I could be there for that, but I'm content in knowing that he has started his journey and that the ward is strong, and that he will not fail. He will make it, and i know that his wife is watching, and so proud of him for finally making this decision to be baptized in to the true church of God. He should be getting the priesthood in a few weeks, and I can't think of anyone more deserving! I think that Brother Clemens is the epitome of a good man!

Well, as you all may have guessed already, transfer calls came this weekend! I wasnt' really expecting to go anywhere this transfer because we thought for sure that Sister Case was going to be leaving... .thats what president perry had told her anyway... But well, I guess that the Spirit trumps all, and told President that Sister Case is staying, and I'm leaving. I head out on Thursday, so no more mail to Dell st. Please :) I'm going to the other side of the mission (other side of Richmond) and reopening an area in the Chesterfield stake to sisters. The ward is Belmont, and the coolest part of it is that it is the ward that Brother Clemen's Son and Daughter in law live in!! Brother Clemens is going on Vacation, and will actually be up there for the next two Sundays, and so I'm going to show up and surprise them all on Saturday! I'm really excited. It should be a good change for me. My companion will be Sister Ibey. She is the last sister that came out with Sister Case and Sister Jacob. Weird. I don't know whats going to happen when they all go home, and I don't have any options left for companions! I guess they'll have to start me on a different group of missionaries or something. I'll let you all know my address next monday... but if someone were to want to send me something in the mean time, there is always the mission office address. Of course, it's been long enough since I got a letter in the mail that I'm not really worried about it. I think I'm probably safe!

I've been studying in the Book Of Helaman lately. I love the Book of Mormon! I've been amazed lately at how every time in the Book of Mormon that a person, or people are converted, as soon as they are converted, they dedicate themselves to preaching the gospel. The equation I've seen is this. Conversion=missionary. Interesting isn't it? It doesn't mean that to be converted we all have to come out and serve full time missions, or spend 14 years as missionaries like Ammon and the other Sons of Mosiah, but I do think that it means that we need to look at how dedicated we actually are to serving the Lord! We can be missionaries in the smallest ways... by being an example, bringing the gospel into everyday conversions, and in 2010 it's easier than ever to be a missionary because of the internet, and the new Mormon.org :) We can do so many things to show our dedication to the Lord and to help others to come to know what we know. To have that happiness that we have through the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ!

I love you all, thank you so much for your support! The Sannar family is in my prayers, and I hope that the people are really coming together in a Christ-like spirit to help and support them in this time of need. We definitely can't make it through this life alone. we all need the help of everyone around us to find our way back!

Sister Boston

PS Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, we didn't get hit by the hurricane. They made us get all prepared, but we hardly even got rain from it. It was a little disappointing after all the work we did to prepare, but it did mean that Brother Clemens baptism was able to happen before I left which made it well worth it. Maybe I'll be back in tidewater for hurricane season next year!

30 Aug 2010

Hello again from Norfolk!!

Once again, it seems like it's been so long since the last email that I hardly even know where to start. This was an incredible week here for us in the Norfolk 1st ward! It seems like there is so much to talk about, and at the same time, nothing at all to talk about. I just want to start out by saying that I know this church is true. I find myself so grateful at the end of everyday for this knowledge, and I see witness of this every day! One thing that has really stuck out to Sister Case and I this week is that if we were not united in purpose, if we did not both have strong testimonies of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the desire to share that knowledge that we have with everyone that we know, then it would be impossible for us to work together. We are completely opposite people with completely different ways of thinking, and different ways of handling situations. Sister Case described it last night that it is as though she says something to me in spanish, and I respond in japanese. Our brains just function completely differently. We are also both very independant people, and so co-depending on each other is sometimes difficult for us, however, because our purpose is united, and because we both have the desire to serve each other the best we can despite not understanding each other's needs perfectly, we make things work, and we have success. We have times where things don't work out as smoothly as they perhaps could, but God didn't call us out here to be perfect, but to rely on the Spirit to carry our message to the hearts of the people. It will make up for our weaknesses if we have all faith and dilligence and do everything in our power to cultivate for the people we are serving, an atmosphere in which the Spirit can manifest himself, and testify the truth of the thigns that we are speaking! If the chruch were not true, then the saying that the missionaries would have destryoed it a long time ago is so true. There is no way that this missionary program could function if it was not sanctioned and guided by God!

So, this week started out somewhat frustrating. Our investigator pool was dwindling and, with everything that has gone on in the last few weeks, it was starting to get discouraging. Well, we exercised some faith and decided that we were going to make sure to do everything we could to plan effectively, show Heavenly Father what our plans were, where we were going to be, and what we were going to do with our time, and then trust Him to put those people that were ready to learn about the Gospel in our paths. On Wednesday when we went out, we went out with that in mind, and with the dedication to work hard all day until we found someone to teach. We came home that night with 6 new investigators, and with a grown testimony that God answers prayers! One of those investigators that we met one wednesday we met with again on thursday and as we met with him, the spirit was so strong that we gave him a committment for baptism and he and his 8 year old son accepted. They are planning to be baptized on the 18th of september!!

This week we are getting ready for Brother Ed Clemen's Baptism. He had his baptismal interview last night and passed with flying colors! Then he called us later that night to see if his granddaughter could say one of the prayers at the baptism! We keep trying to tell him that he can have pretty much whatever he wants at his baptism, but I'm not sure he really understands that we really mean it. He will be baptized with another child of record from our ward which I think will actually be really good for him. maybe I just think that because I thought it was really special when I went through the temple for myself and I got to go through with a really old man. I don't know why, but I thought that was really special to see someone at the end of their life, still able to make those covenants with God. It was further proof to me that the gospel of Jesus Christ is an invitation to all. It doesnt' matter who you are, how old you are, or where you've been, but it matters that you give all you have. There is a recent convert in the other ward... he is in his 80's and is working on composing a song. I only know a few of the lyrics, but they say: He may be old, but he can still be saved! It goes for anyone, it doesn't matter who they are, they all can come to Christ and receive that joy that comes from knowing how the atonement can ease their burdens. Of Course, there has to be desire there first. We taught a couple this week whose hearts are so hard that they don't even acknowledge anymore that there is a God. They say that if there was a God that He would stop bad things from happening to people! It reminds me of the book of Mormon where the Nephites are humbled because of their afflictions, but the lamenites are hardened and turn their hearts more away from God. We each have the opportunity to choose how we are going to let life affect us!

I am so sad to hear about the Bishop in 2nd ward. My heart and prayers go out to his family and all those that know him. As the work moves forward, Satan is going to do everything in his power to stop us! The church is true, and we have to hold firm to that testimony that we have. It is only on that rock that we can stay strong in the midst of all the turmoil in the world. It seems to have been a week of tragedies. A little boy here in Norfolk died the other night. He was run over by a car at his birthday party. It's really affected all the people in both wards, as it has only been about 2 years since the ward split. In times like this, it is important to remember to let our sufferings bring us closer to God! Let him heal us, and mold us into what he would have us be! And, be grateful to know that whatever happens, we all have a church family to be there for us in our times of need. That is what Christ's church is all about... being there for others in times of need.

Thank you all for the encouragement and the love that you send to me! I know that I am blessed by your prayers of faith! I am so grateful for this gospel, and I am so grateful to know that Christ came, and he suffered, and He did it because He loves us. I know that none of us are perfect, but that through Christ we can be good enough. We can give all we have, and then trust that He will make up the rest. I am grateful that I have this knowledge in my life. I'm grateful that I have been blessed with friends and family who support me in my desires and who assist me in doing what is right. I am grateful for missionary work, and this chance that I have to dedicate my time to my Father in Heaven and teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I'm grateful for a living prophet. I don't know how anyone can think we don't need one in our day in age. I'm grateful for prayer and faith. And, I'm grateful for trials that strengthen me and allow me to grow closer to my Savior and my God. There "must needs be opposition in all things" Or truly, I would not know what happiness or joy was!

Much love,

Sister Boston

23 Aug 2010

Well, it's been quite the long week so much has happened, and in many ways it's been quite the rollercoaster ride!

We almost had a baptism this weekend. Sister Campbell had decided that she wanted to get baptized before she moved this coming weekend, so we changed plans, stepped everything up into gear to get things ready for Saturday, but she called us Saturday morning to tell us that she had talked to her husband and that he had told her that he really didn't want her to get baptized yet and asked her to wait for him to start coming to church so that they could join a church together. Since she is trying to mend the problems in her marriage, she didn't feel like she could justify getting baptized without giving him the chance to keep his promise and to change his behavior. I just hope that he does, and it's not just a sugarcoated excuse to keep her from getting baptized. She deserves the best. She bore to us though an amazing testimony though about how now that she knows what she does, it would be really hard for her to just go check out other churches because she knows that they are just going through the motions, and it's not getting them anywhere. She said that she will for sure still get baptized, she just wants to give her husband the chance to prove himself first. It's sad that we won't be able to see it happen because she will be in another Stake, but it really doesn't matter. What matters is that she has a testimony, and that she finds the peace and joy and happiness that she is looking for in her life. I can't wait to hear about when she is finally baptized and the happiness that she finds from it! So the up down, yes no, all week was quite the emotional ride. It's impossible to describe how much your emotions become involved in helping others to know Christ and make covenants.

Brother Clemens is still scheduled for the fourth next month, and then, to be honest, when he gets baptized, I feel like everything I've been working for in Norfolk for the last 10 weeks is taken care of. There are other people that we are working with, and others that I feel will come to know that the church is true for themselves. There are some that I have no doubt will be baptized someday, but for some reason, I'm starting to feel like the reason I was sent here to Norfolk has been taken care of, and it's alright now for me to leave. Of course, who knows what will happen in th next 18 days. every day on a mission seems like an eternity, and so much happens, that 18 days could bring a complete change in the way I'm feeling. I doubt it though. I just feel like the area needs new people. I feel like it's time for something to change so that the work can explode here! It's just waiting for the right time and the right people.

It's amazing all the things that you can learn on a mission in such a short amount of time. I feel like I'm aging a year every day I'm out here. Not that my body is aging that much, but that really, I'm learning enough everyday for it to be a year. I'm definitely learning patience and dilligence, but most importantly I'm learning to rely on the atonement to bear me up in times of trial. I know that is the only way that I'm making it through the trials that I've faced out here. It's amazing how strong the influences are that try to stop us from doing this work. I really feel like it is almost a physical presence. BUT, I know that it's our turn to stand in satan's way... to not stand aside and let him stand in my way. A great and marvelous work is happening, and we are all a part of it... regardless of where we are in out lives right now. We are all called to be examples to the world. I loved Elder Ballard's talk in the August Ensign... I think August.... I'm not really sure, but the article that talked about sharing the gospel without being defensive. That is something that I'm still learning to do, but I see how vital and important it is. Yes, our beliefs are important to us, but if they are that important, and we have strong testimonies, we shouldn't be afraid to share those beliefs. I want to be so much better at that. I want to be a better missionary. I still have so much to learn, and I know that that learning comes through practice! In the mission we role play a lot. During meetings and companion study... we practice situations in which we can share the gospel. It helps us to have the courage to go out and to do it! Any one can!

I love you all. Sorry for the somewhat jumbled e-mail. I've had a lot on my mind this week, and well, this is how I write when I do... a little bit of everything! Have a great week!

Love, Sister Boston

16 August 2010

(Note from poster, this is the second post within the last 24 hours, I didn't post last weeks until yesterday, be sure to read last weeks also.)

Hello Hello from Norfolk!

This has been an interesting week for me. I can't believe that it is the middle of August already. One happy note on that part is that it hasn't really felt like August... as in, everyone said that August is the hottest month here, but July was far hotter than August has been so far! Hopefully that trend will continue and the weather will be mild. I just hope that doesn't translate into a super cold winter. I guess I could handle that about as well as the heat. We'll see what happens. I'm just excited for fall! I've always loved fall, and I hear this is the most beautiful part of the country to be in for fall... of course, I think that it would be more beautiful if I was in the mountains, but who knows, by the time fall really comes around I could be. President Perry is working to move sisters inland... right now there are two sets of sisters in the richmond area, and he is hoping to have more there next transfer. I don't think I'll be one though yet. I'm pretty sure that I'll be staying in Norfolk for another transfer after this one. I don't know why I'm thinking of transfers already... I guess I just always like to think about the future... and well, I already know that my companion is leaving Norfolk after this transfer, so it's gotten my mind thinking!

This week was interesting. It felt like one of the slowest weeks I think that I've ever had! I think that a large part of that was that we had a number of meetings this week so it didn't seem like we were really out much. We had a sisters meeting all day last tuesday and then district meeting on wednesday. both meetings were really good! Sisters meeting was so helpful! There is so much changing in the mission, and in the Sisters meeting we got a little bit of advance notice on the changes that are taking place. One of the less important changes thats happening is that nylons are no longer required! you can only imagine the reaction that we all had to that! Of course... as much as I've complained about nylons, I'm still wearing them because I don't have any shoes that I feel comfortable wearing without nylons. maybe I'll be brave enough to shed them at some point! But, more importantly, we covered a lot of the things that we learned about teaching in the MTC. This has helped sister case and I tremendously to be on the same page in our teaching, and the lessons that we have taught since then have been really amazing and spiritual!! Sister Case said that the lessons that we've taught in the last few days have been some of the best lessons she has taught since coming to the MTC! It's so amazing, and the lessons have an undeniable power to them! the more we teach with the Spirit as the Senior companion, the more people are going to understand! It's amazing to see people starting to open up to us as we seek to really understand their needs and then teach the doctrine instead of giving them all the doctrine without showing how it can affect their lives and the expecting them to digest it all on their own. We really are the guides to even helping them to understand what they need!

Sister Case and I have been talking a lot lately about what role our missions play in our lives. It's really a fun topic to discuss, and I'm grateful that she and I both have the same opinions as to what role it should play. I've heard of many missionaries who struggle going home feeling that they will never be as close to the Savior as they have been on their mission. I hope that I never feel that way. A mission should be a stepping stone to something greater. It should be an opportunity to learn and grow and to develop those attributes that will make us better able to live our lives and follow Christ when we get home. I want my mission to shape my live, but I don't at all want it to be the apex! Life should only get better. We still must learn and grow when we go home. There are so many opportunities to learn and grow that just can't be experienced in the mission field. As wonderful as it is to be out here, and as much as we can learn, we can't learn it all! Just my thoughts on the matter. I love this work, but the truth is that there are so many ways to do it, and even though ther are still 16 months until I come home, I'm excited to come home and apply what i've learned to being a member missionary and any other callings that I have in the future!

Speaking of ways to be a missionary... I strongly recommend that everyone go check out the new Mormon.org! this website is amazing and it is the future of missionary work. President perry told us that the goal of president monson is to completely eliminate tracting!! How amazing is that. As Elder Bednar said, the responsibility of the missionaries should be to be full time teachers, and that is exactly what President Monson is aiming for. This website is going to make this happen. There is a goal for 100,000 members to have profiles on it so that anyone anywhere who wants to know more about the church and the people in it can find someone that is similar to them, and to see that we are normal people living normal lives. We aren't some cult, we don't have horns, and we have an amazing message to share. Already, many of the media referrals we are receiving are from the website, people who have already seen what we believe, have already chatted with a missionary online, and who have already had a spiritual confirmation that this is something that they should persue. these are people who are ready for the gospel! This is so much more effective than tracting! I'm so in love with the website, and I've only seen it a couple of times! use it! Show it to people! It's such a non-invasive and non-pushy way to share the gospel with people!

Thats about what I have to say for the week! Aside from this one last thing! Miracles happen!!! I cannot even begin with all the miracles that happen everyday in the missionfield. Some of them are hidden miracles... miracles hidden in trials, but I know that they are miracles! When someone gives up her cigarettes and makes the decision that she is really ready to keep her baptismal date because of the trials that she is going through, and the pain that she is suffering, you know that the church is true. You know that Christ lives and that it is through coming to Him that we can all be healed no matter what our pains and sufferings are! You know that this gospel is for everyone, and it is possible for everyone to live1 When Brother Clemens jokingly complains the whole lesson about paying tithing, but then asks at church where to find the tithing envelopes and how exactly he is to fill out the form, it's all worth it! It's worth it to see the light that comes into their eyes as they strive to keep the commandments, it's worth it to see as doubt changes to faith, and as the testimony starts to ignite action! This is why I'm out here, this is what the gospel of Jesus Christ is all about!

have a great week! Love you all

Sister Boston

Norfolk 09 August 2010

I still can't believe it is August already. I'm still getting used to writing may on things... and well, it's not really been may for quite some time now!!

Virginia is great! Of course you hear that every week, but it really is! I love this work and I love the people here in Norfolk so much!! I can not imagine having come anywhere else on my mission. Of course, I have yet to see the rest of the mission, but I'm sure that I would love it all just as much. Missionaries who serve in Norfolk 1 seem to have a special place in their hearts for it, and I was lucky enough to be born here!

Things have been happening like crazy around here, and since I'm still recovering from being sick, it seems like it's been even more of a whirlwind! We are working hard with two investigators to make sure that they are ready for their baptismal dates! I think one with Sister Crystal Campbell might be pushed back as we are trying to help her to live the word of wisdom, but I'm confidant that she knows what she needs to do, and has the ability to do it if she just trusts in the Lord! The great thing about the curriculum that we are learning is that it teaches us to really focus on the doctrine behind a change of behavior instead of focusing on changing the behavior. It goes for any behavior that needs to be changed... whether it's the word of wisdom, law of chastity or something as simple as home teaching, as we teach and understand the doctrine behind the things we do as members of God's kingdom, and as we gain our own testimonies that those are the things that the Savior would have us do, we gain a greater desire to follow him, and to do those things! I really recommend reading preach my gospel to anyone. I don't know if I said that last week, but I really do. Our mission President keeps on emphasizing to us that it isn't just a tool to help us to teach others about the gospel of Jesus Christ, but it's a guidebook to how the First Presidency and the Quorom of the twelve live their lives. It's an amazing book, and it can change the way we live our lives! I love it! I love being a missionary right now! I know that I'm out here at the perfect time, and I know that my call was definitely inspired! I can't think of any place or anything else I'd rather be doing right now than what I am!

SIster case and I have been talking about the Priesthood a lot lately, and it was great that it fell right in with the theme of all our meetings at church yesterday. It's just so amazing to us how incredibly powerful the priesthood is, and how real it is. I know that it is the power of God on this earth, and that through the priesthood we can receive blessings that God has for us! I've been reading through my patirarchal blessing the last few days, really studying it, and i know that it is a blessing from God just for me. many of the things that were said to me in it match up perfectly with my life, and i can see even better now how certain blessings are beginning to be fulfilled through me serving a mission and helping others to come unto Christ and start on the path to eternal life! What is even more amazing is that when I was sick last week and asked for a blessing, the blessing reminded me of many things that were said to me in my patriarchal blessing. It's one more evidance that the church is true if a man 3 thousand miles away who I hardly know can give me a blessing 4 years down the road that reminds me of the promises made before! I love this gospel, and my heart aches for those who don't have that light in their lives!

Ed Clemens is going to be baptized on the 4th of next month! I know that he is going to make his baptismal date, and I'm so excited for him. He is a true example of someone who has come to know for himself, and because of the faith he has developed, he is willing to make sacrifices to be a part of God's kingdom. Last night he prayed with us after we taught him the word of wisdom, and he prayed that our words would be able to sink into his stubborn heart! Then he prayed for us and gave thanks for our desire to help him and be persistant in teaching him. It's moments like tha tthat definitely make our work worth every hard moment! Those times where we get caught 5 blocks from our car in the pouring rain, or when we feel like we can't knock one more door! There are so many great examples of people who make our work worth it!

There is one family we are working with right now. He used to be a member but was excommunicated back in April. My heart truly aches for them. We were talking to her the other night and she mentioned the light that has diminished from her husband since he stopped attending church and especially since the excommunication. She sees the different! She recognizes the presence and absence of the Holy Ghost in her husband and wants that back. We made a deal that we would all three do everything in our power to help him to regain that light. She herself is asking all the right questions, she is ready for the gospel. There are so many people that we are working with that I just wish could understand the healing power of the atonement and apply it in their lives. I know it works miracles! I know it.

I've gotten a few letters from some of you who read my blog. I don't imagine there are too many more than the letters I've gotten, but I'm glad that you are all enjoying my letters. I love hearing from home. It might seem strange, but it's the love that I've gotten from the people I knew before I left that gave me the desire to serve a mission... a desire to come out here and share that love with everyone. The letters give me a greater desire to serve with all my heart and do everything I can to return the love that I've received! Thanks too all of you for your support! I'm so glad to have family and friends who support me in the gospel! We all need those people in our lives!

Love always

Sister Boston

1 August 2010

Hello Everyone!!

Well it has been an eventful week since the last time I emailed. I hardly even know where to start. I am still here in Norfolk, and I have a new companion Sister Case. She is wonderful! I think she is the perfect companion for me right now, and we are going to really get the work going here in Norfolk!

We've had some exciting things happen this week. To start off the week, on transfer day our ride to the stake center went to drop Sister Jacob's stuff off at her new house with Sister Jacob and her new companion, and then Sister jacob wasn't thinking and when they got back to the stake center she just let Sister Larson drive off, so we were stranded at the stake center until we could find someone else to come get us. My new companion's first impression of me... great! Then later that evening, we had an appointment with one of our investigators, Crystal campbell. I'm not sure if I've mentioned this one before because we hadn't actually sat down with her since I've been her... so we had an appointment with her, and it went great! We thought that it was just going to be more of a meet and greet, see where she was at, and where we needed to start with her and things, but as we sat down and started talking, the conversation led to baptism, and the blessings that come from keeping the commandments, and she set a baptismal date for August 28th! It was incredible!! She is amazing, and she definitely knows that the church is true, but she wants to know everything before she is baptized. I think that she can make that date though. It's super exciting for her. Anyway... so there is a funny story that goes along with this lesson too. While we were teaching her, our phone kept going off... it was on vibrate, but it was still distracting, so we just silenced it and kept teaching... it was too good of a lesson to interrupt. Well, when we got out of the lesson, the weather was horrible, and we got to the car to discover that the phone calls had been the district leaders and the Zone leaders telling us that there was a tornado warning for the area and to get inside, and then calls because we'd never called to tell them we were in safe. So... we got to drive home in a torrential down pour, and horrible wind. At one point we were driving through water that was probably at least 18 inches deep. Oh, and by the way... Sister Case doesn't drive. I'm the driver now :) Anyway, we made it home safe and were able to let everyone know that we were ok... It was quite the day to start out the transfer. Sister Case and I are going to have lots of great experiences to share this transfer!!!

Let's see... Ed Clemens finally set an official baptismal date! September 11th! It's so wonderful! I can't wait to see him baptized and going to the temple to be sealed to his family! It's so great to be a missionary and to see people's lives change.

We had an awesome lesson the other day with Steven Mccoy and his girlfriend. He is an investigator that we ran into tracting at the beginning of last transfer. We've taught him a few times, and he is the one who came to the pioneer activity last week, and to church. Well, we were talking to the second counselor in the bishopric saturday morning, and he said that he is pretty sure that Steven paid about 9 months worth of tithing on Sunday. Isn't that incredible??? I can't believe the people here they are so amazing! So we had the lesson at the home of some recent converts in the ward who actually have a lot in common with steven. They are so amazing in their testimonies, and are really evidence that the gospel changes lives. Well, in the lesson Steven had told us that he wasn't going to come to church because he wanted to see if it felt like something was missing if he didn't go. We tried to tell him that he should go and see if he could feel the spirit there, and the brother Medina broke in and bore the most touching testimony, and Sister Medina laid it down and said that she would be there in the morning to pick them up. They were both at church yesterday!

In fact... we had 5 investigators at church yesterday! Isn't that an insane number. Five investigators, and we actually weren't there. What kind of missionaries don't go to church right? We had so many people... and half our investigators asking where we were, but I was sick... running a 102 temperature yesterday. I feel better today, but still a little run down. I got a blessing from some of the members in the ward, and it was a wonderful blessing. It didn't talk much about healing, but about strength, God's love for me, and how I would share that love to help others! Wnat wonderful promises! I love the power of the Priesthood! I'm glad too that I'm feeling mostly better today. I'm so ready to get out and be doing missionary work.

For P-day today we did a really awesome activity. One of the members in our ward took us to tour the U.S. Enterprise. One of the largest aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy. It was pretty cool! It goes on deployment tomorrow morning for 45 days I think. It was way awesome and fun to be on the ship and to see how big it really is! It's one thing to talk about it, but another completely to actually be on it. He said that they could play 4 NFL football games on the flight deck. Full sized football games end-zones and all. Not that that will have any meaning to anyone who reads my blog. Oh well.... I have pictures, but let's be honest... I probably shouldn't promise pictures anymore because I have yet to send any. My poor camera is getting old though... I don't know if it's going to really last my whole mission. I'll take what I can before it dies though!

That's about all for this week! Love you all!

Sister Boston

25 July 2010

It's crazy to think that I've been on my mission for two months already. It seems like the time has flown. But then again, it seems like so much has happened that it is hard to believe that it has only been two months. It seems like long enough that everything will be completely different when I get home. Strange!!

So, I got my first transfer call last night. I'm staying her in Norfolk, but my companion is moving 20 miles away to Salem. She will still be in my zone so I'll see her occasionally. My new companion is coming from Richmond. She is one of two sisters that has served on that side of the mission. She also was Sister Jacob's companion in the MTC, so it should be good. I've heard a lot of really good things about her... she is an excellent teacher and very energetic. Sister J. thinks that she is just what this area is going to need to get people moving and working. I'm excited. It will be interesting too. So.... it should be an interesting next transfer. I'm excited for it, and to see how it changes things here in Norfolk.

This last week was an interesting week because Sister J. spent three days up in Richmond for training. All the leadership in the mission got to go to learn what we learned in the pilot program in the MTC. In the mean time, I was in a trio with the sisters that are in the Norfolk 2nd ward. We spent most of our time in their area, but it was cool to spend some time with other sisters seeing how they work and how different people do things. It's really great to have perspective from more than one person. I am grateful though that I had the trainer that I have had and that she has been as open to learning from what I learned as she has been to teaching me. It has made the transition easier, and she said that it made the training a lot less overwhelming when she went up there.

Despite the lack of work being done in our area for those days that she was out of town, we had an amazing weekend. We had a pioneer picnic this last weekend for the stake, and we were able to get two investigators out to it. One of them... Ed who I talk about just about every email came and made himself right at home. We didn't even find him until almost an hour into the picnic because he made himself at home on the grill flipping burgers. It was so great to see him being involved with everyone! Hopefully he will let us know soon exactly when he wants to be baptized. He really likes keeping us in the dark though :P The other investigator that we got there was Steven. I'm not sure if I've written about him before, but we found him tracting at the beginning of the transfer. He is just moving here, and has actually had a lot of contact with church members before. We have been meeting with him whenever he is in town since then. he is really seeking for something more in his life, and last week when he got back in town, he called us three times before we were able to get back to him. He seemed a little uncomfortable at the picnic at first, but once people started getting him involved I think that he had fun. He participated in the tug of war, and the three legged race. It was a blast despite the HOT weather! It has been really hot and humid the last few days!

Church yesterday was great too! It was a really good Sunday to end the transfer and our time together with. We had four investigators and four less actives there. The biggest miracle in that was Crystal Campbell. She is one that has been talking to the missionaries forever, she knows the church is true, but she gets hung up on the fact that members aren't perfect and she isn't really sure that she wants a forever family because she doesn't really like her husband. When we talked to her on Saturday she had mentioned that her husband had expressed a desire to go to church, but not ours because he is against us even meeting with Crystal. She said she was trying to decide if she should come to our church or go with him. We told her to pray about it, read her scriptures and then do what she knew was right and she needed to do. We didn't really expect to see her there at church, but sure enough she showed up!! It was wonderful!

This work is great! A sister missionary in our mission always sings a song....
I love being a missionary
Don't wanna go home and get married.

That's kinda how I feel right now. I'm so glad that I have so much more time to do this work.

Love you all!

Sister Boston

Message from Sister Boston's MOM

Kaitlin's email from last week didn't come until today, thus two postings this week. Kaitlin is also interested to know if people are reading this, or if she could spend her computer time more effectively. Post here if you are and we can let her know one way or the other.

Thanks

19 July 2010

Well, like last week, I'll state that this has been an interesting week... an interesting first transfer!

This week has been full of a different kind of work for me.

Sister J. has been here in this ward for almost nine months, so the ward knows her as the completely capable missionary that she is. The zone and district also know her as that missionary.

Transfer calls come next week, and I honestly have no idea how things are going to be changing, but I know that something will. I don't know if I'll still be in Norfolk or not. President said that he is planning on moving sisters so that we are no longer just in the tidewater region... I'm excited for the possibility of going inland :) I just know that whatever happens, I want to do whatever the Lord needs and wants me to do. regardless of how hard that might seem.

While we did spend a lot of time indoors this week, that doesn't mean that the work stopped. We still have several investigators that we are working with and that we've been able to make progress with. Brother Clemens, who I've talked about in some of the past emails is growing in faith so much!! It's readily evident at each visit how much he has grown just since the last time we met with him. We saw him twice this last week. Once on Friday night when he was asking all sorts of questions about the church and what would happen after he was baptized. He let the word "when" slip this week instead of the "if" he usually uses. We talked about the brother of Jared and his faith as well as the atonement of Jesus Christ with him. He really has a great ability to learn by the spirit. he has come so far from hating God to nearly being ready to be baptized into his church. On Saturday he came to a baptismal service for some of the other missionaries. He asked us all sorts of questions about the service, about being confirmed and about the priesthood... if he would be able to baptize people once he was baptized. It was awesome to see him so eager to learn! We also got him down in the font with his son after it had been drained so that he could see that it wouldn't be too bad. We arranged secretly with his son for him to drive down from Richmond to do that for us. Ed's family is so ready for him to take this step. So, now it's just for us to wait for him to tell us when he wants to be baptized. He has a date in mind, he just refuses to tell us. He is a little bit of a stubborn old man!!

We've also been working with this really cute little French lady Chantel Kerber. Her story is an interesting one. She was raised catholic and was practicing until just a few years. She came in contact with the church though many years ago in France where she nannied for a young LDS family. They lost touch after the family moved back to the united states, but after several years, Chantel decided that she wanted to get back in touch with her.... she searched the internet for years and finally found this lady... they've gotten back in touch and the friend shares a lot about the church and gospel with her. She said that she has always liked how family oriented the church is, and how we are all part of the services. Her favorite time to go to church is on fast and testimony Sunday when anyone can get up and talk. She has been coming to church every Sunday for a while now, but she has been really hesitant to let us come over and visit her while her husband is home, so we have to be careful about when we go see her, but this week she told the bishop's wife that she really wants to get her husband to come next week. This is quite the improvement! Her poor husband converted to being catholic for her, and she doesn't want him to feel pressured to become Mormon now too! She is wonderful, and has so many talents. When we went over this last week she showed us her garden of Bonzi trees and many other things!! She is always full of surprises. She isn't ready to be baptized yet, but she wants to serve in any way she can, and on Sunday she asked who she could give her donations to! We are really excited to see her grow toward her Savior, and bring her family too. We are especially excited to be able to teach her about the plan of salvation because all she ever wanted to do is be a wife and mother, and she was never able to have kids, so she said the other day that she felt she had wasted her life. :) She is so ready for the gospel! It's amazing how other people can have faith in so many religions that are so incomplete. How sad and meaningless life must be!!

Lets see, today for preparation day we went and saw a light house... I'm sorry to say Kelsey that I beat you to seeing the Atlantic. I tried to give you time. We went to see the cape Henry light houses. It was really awesome... I'll mail home a CD with pictures so that you can see them and put them on the blog for me. :) Next time though... I'm definitely wearing pants! It was still AMAZING though regardless of how hard to climb it was in skirts.

Presidents interviews should be this weekend, It will be an interesting week. My companion is going up to Richmond for a three day training... Tuesday through Thursday, and then Friday should be interviews. Interviews were supposed to be last weekend, but president had some other problems to take care of... so I'll let you know next week how that goes as well as where I'm going to be. :)

It should be a really exciting week!

Love you all!!

Sister Boston.

PS. Sorry last week's email is incomplete. I don't know what happened :S

12 July 2010

Hello Hello Everyone!

Well, my first transfer in the mission has definitely been exciting... eventful, and full of things that I never would have expected. Things have been a little interesting this week!

We have some great things going on here in Norfolk. When I came in, we had one, kinda two progressing investigators, and our teaching pool was pretty small. In the last four weeks though, we've increased our teaching pool a lot, and all the people that we are working with have a lot of potential. Our main progressing investigator is still Ed Clemens. I'm sure that I wrote about him last week, but he is awesome, and he is so close! He has come so far even just since I got here. When we were over there on Friday night, we talked a lot about repentance and baptism. He really has a sincere desire to be doing things right before he is baptized, and i think that is some of his hang up, but I know that he will get there! We also talked a lot about his fear of water. I asked if doing a dry run in the baptismal font would help him with his fear of water and he said that he thought that would probably help a lot. We are working on getting a time set up with his son where he can come down and practice that! It's so amazing to see how the spirit really can work through people! I'm so excited for him and for his family to finally have the chance to be together. It's also amazing to see how different experiences can affect people. Brother Clemen's parents both died when he was really young, and at that time he really stopped believing in anything, but now since his wife has died, he has started to believe again.

We have several other really good investigators that have a ton of potential. There is one that just moved here from over by SVU, and so he has had a lot of interaction with church members in the past. Getting him to understand the word of wisdom and the law of chastity will take some time, but once he understands the reason for them, it shouldn't be a problem. He said that he has quit smoking and drinking cold turkey before. He just doesn't really see any reason not so, so he goes back. He is going through a bad divorce right now, and so he only gets to see his son occasionally which is really hard on him. I'm really excited to see what happens because I know that he is really searching for some happiness in his life right now. He is the one that keeps bringing church up with us, and continually tells us that as soon as he is in town for the weekend he is going to be there... that should be this Sunday :) I'm really looking forward to it. Another investigator that we've met with a couple of times is Diane Pleasant, she is the sweetest woman in the world and is really struggling to provide the best for her 14 year old son who doesn't seem to care. It's heart breaking to see her trying so hard and doing everything she can, and still feeling like she is failing with him. She is an amazing person! The really cool thing about her is that her mom and brother are both ministers, but yet, she is looking for something more. She really wants to go to church for her, and find that place where she has a real connection with God. I really hope that we can get her to church this coming Sunday, and that she will feel the spirit!

We really are working with some amazing people! I'm so excited to see what happens here in the mission, especially with the new mission president, and the new way we are teaching. By the end of the year, all of the missionaries here in the mission should have been trained in the way we were in the pilot program, and it's supposed to change the whole culture of the mission! It's such an exciting time to be here. The new way of training... well not really new... just that they are really trying to teach preach my gospel the way it was intended, and take it above and beyond whats been being done. It's all about teaching by the spirit, and teaching doctrine and then inviting. No nagging, no scolding or lecturing... simply teaching for an understanding of the doctrine and then inviting them to something better. President Perry said that preach my gospel is a guide to how the first presidency and the apostles live their lives. I really recommend studying is and learning how to use it. It's a great tool!!

I got to talk to President one on one for nearly an hour last night, and really get to know him as well as open up to him about whats going on here in Norfolk. It is wonderful to see his vision, and to see how much he really cares about the missionaries that he is serving over here!! This experience is not something that I'm going to forget soon! It was a great chance also to step back for a little bit and remember to take some time out for ourselves. Everything is go go go on the mission, but every once in a while, it's healthy to take a step back and remember that we are still human. In Mark chapter 6 the Savior tells the apostles to go and rest and take some time to themselves. It is important to remember that we really do need that time in order to stay sane. I wish that I could go through all the things that I learned last night, but I would be typing here for hours. It really is just amazing to listen to them talk. They have had a ton of interaction with the quorum of the twelve and the first presidency and aren't afraid to share everything that they have learned from them! I could sit in their home night after night and still be learning. It's so nice too that they are very real. The family is a family... they aren't afraid of their imperfections or of learning and growing together. They aren't afraid of stepping back and relaxing a little bit. It's not really what I expected from a mission president, but they really are the perfect people to be here for me!

7 July 2010

Happy Belated fourth to you all! I hope that it was wonderful for everyone. My fourth was pretty fantastic, and I didn't even really get to see any fireworks. The extent of my fireworks display was actually the night before. We live in the top half of a duplex of a part member family. The husband (non-member) had a single illegal firework that he wanted to set off. He let us know when he was going to set it off so that we could watch out the window since it was after we had to be inside... not that we really would have been allowed to participate anyway. It was cool to watch. But the real joy in my fourth came in other ways. On the fourth of July we had dinner with one of our investigators and his family. His family are all members, but despite numerous pushes over the years, he has only started investigating the church in the last several months since his wife died. We've felt the spirit really strong in many of our meetings, but ed has been hesitant to act on any of those feelings because he almost drowned when he was younger and is deathly afraid of water. When they first talked about Joseph Smith, he said that it gave him heart burn, and it's taken him some time to really get comfortable with things. He attends church every week, and reads everything that we give him to read whether it be out of the book of Mormon, or anything else. He is the best investigator! Anyway, so we've been facing this fear of water that he has, and on Sunday, his daughter in law came up to us at church and told us that we aren't really supposed to know until he is ready to tell us, but Ed wants to be baptized for his birthday in September!! I am so excited for him, and for all it means to his family. It will be so exciting for him to finally be able to be sealed to his wife and his son, and to know that he can be with them for eternity. His family is amazing! They really treat us like family, and are grateful for the influence of the missionaries in Ed's life and their own... they all joined the church about 10 years ago! it's really wonderful!

We've had many other miracles this week as well. One of the best came yesterday as we were teaching a sisster in the ward who had been less active for many many years. About 5 months ago, she came back to church and told the missionaries that she wanted to be sealed to her husband. Her husband has been deployed, but they are working on getting to the point that they can be sealed together, and he can baptize his son when he turns 8 next year. It's so wonderful to see the fire of testimony, and the desire to follow Christ's example burning strong in Sister Serr. Her husband comes back in a months time, and i know how much this will bless her life. She has been teaching her youngest son about why we are baptized and go to church and take the sacrament. He is growing so fast, and yesterday he told us that he wants to be an Elder when he grows up!! Really the people out here are amazing... the Lord has richly blessed this area with choice saints who have experienced much of the world and have that plain on which they can relate to others who are seeking the truth. It's amazing to see how much that can help with missionary efforts. These people have amazing testimonies of how the gospel can bless and change lives. The miracles that are worked because of their faith are amazing!

It's amazing too to see the testimonies of these people growing through the things that they have been through and continue to go through. Many have been through struggles and trials that I cannot even imagine, and for some of them, those trials have been caused by members of the church. Yet, they remain strong against opposition, and those that would seek to destroy their faith. These are people that really understand that the church is not made of perfect people, but rather that the church is based on us and our own personal relationship with Heavenly Father. These are people like Abinadi and Alma. I watched a sister the other night who has been through so much with her ex-husband who is a member of the church, and who for the last year and a half has refused to give her son back to her. I watched her as she defended the church against her brother who thought it was absolutely foolish of her to allow any one from the church back into her home after all that had happened to her. This is the Lord's work, and the Lord's church. Nothing will stop this work, and nothing will destroy the faith of those that trust in him and seek ever to do his will and follow his teachings!

There have been far too many miracles in the last week to write all of them here! I am so grateful for the gospel in my life and for this opportunity to serve him. Missionary work is the greatest! It's wonderful too to have been taught to teach by the spirit and to the needs of those we are teaching! This makes lessons fun and exciting sometimes. We have one less active member that we are working with. His wife is active, and we know he has a testimony. He just struggles with some of the things that have happened to him since moving to the united states. The only way that we currently have to reach him is by standing in front of his television and singing primary songs. He smiles every time we do this! How fun this work is! We even made up our own words to Nephi's courage to sing to him! There is no where else I would choose to be in my life right now!!

Love you all, hope to hear about all the good and exciting things going on in your lives soon.

OH.... I almost forgot... Our preparation days are changing to Monday, and most the libraries are closed on Mondays, so I don't know if I'll be able to email after this week. I think we will, but I'm not positive, also... don't be worried if I email on Monday next week :) That also means that anyone emailing back... hopefully it will be easier to remember to email on Sunday nights....

Love ya,

Sister Boston

p.s.

I forgot to talk about my new mission president! Oh no! We met the new mission president on Friday. He is going to be fantastic for the mission! Also, I think that he is going to be just what I need. I was really inspired from everything that he said, and I like his wife a lot too. I'm excited for the things to come in this mission. He was trained in the same type of training that we were in the pilot program at the MTC, and the first presidency wants all the missionaries in the mission to go through the special training as well. Our whole mission is becoming a pilot program, and being taught to really do this work in the Lord's way. It's an exciting time to be a missionary here in Richmond. The Lord has great things in store for sure!! At the mission conference they talked a lot about doing things sincerely and with the spirit. One of the APs also talked about dead works... specifically regarding prayer. It was an inspiring talk and he used Alma 31 to compare prayers of the Zoramites vs. Alma's prayer. We also talked a lot about really knowing and using the scriptures in our teaching. Something I really want to be better at doing. I really wish that I knew my scriptures better.

Norfolk 30 June 2010

Hello Everyone, and greetings from Norfolk!

The work here is going great! I hardly even know what to talk about! I think that I'll start by telling you all a little about the area. Norfolk is just west of Virginia beach. There are two wards here, and 4 sets of missionaries. We have elders and sisters in both wards. I guess that tells you all a little about how much work there is to be done here. There is a lot of military here, and the ward reminds me a lot of Del Norte or Haines ward. Small, struggling and very transient. As much as it reminds me of home, it's strange after so long to be back in a ward like this, and it's been a little bit of an adjustment. We spend a lot of time working with less actives because we need that strong backbone of support to be rebuilt so that we have something to bring people into. It's something that is going to take a lot of work and time, but the people here are so willing and ready to hear the gospel. As wonderful as that is, it also means that satan is working hard against us. A prime example of that is a woman that we met last week. She was so prepared by the Lord to be taught and come into his church. We found her while tracting and sat on her porch and talked to her for nearly an hour about the restoration and the book of mormon. She had heard about native american legends of Christ coming to the people here, and them burying their weapons of war, and was excited when we showed her in the book of mormon where those accounts were scripturally. She said she thought that God had lead us to her, and that she needed to pay close attention to the book. I think I wrote a little about her last week in my email home. Well, unfortunately, she went and was telling people at her bible study about what we had taught her, and was antied really well. She now will not meet with us, she won't even let us explain how we actually believe. She hangs up on us every time we call, but we know that she felt the spirit, and we know that we were led to her. She will come back. It's just a question of when. It's a hard work.... what we are doing, but it's wonderful!

It is extremely hot here in Norfolk. The humidity does make it worse, but for the past several days, it has felt like the temperature is well over 100. On days like that I'm grateful for the car, but at the same times, I still struggle with it because it really means that we spend less time talking to people. I'm learning how to balance that. I'm not sure how I feel about it completely yet. I think I've sweated more in the last two weeks than I have the whole rest of my life combined. Today it's cooled down a lot though, so hopefully it will stay that way for a while :) at least the summer doesn't last forever. I'm really looking forward to fall. I'm excited to see everything in color.

Our mission president left yesterday, and I think the new one came in as well. It will be interesting to see how things change with the new president. I'm not too attached to the old one, but everyone else really likes him and so they are all nervous about getting a new president. The only thing I know about the one coming in, I've heard from an elder that I was in the MTC with. He is from Seattle, and his parents know President Perry. I guess when he was bishop, he took away all ward activities until home teaching and visiting teaching were all done and functioning the way they were supposed to. It will be interesting to see how the work grows with this change. God has a purpose for putting each person where he does, and there is something that this mission, and missionaries can learn and grow from him being here. It is an exciting time to be a missionary in the Virginia Richmond mission. It's the only mission in our area where the number of missionaries is increasing instead of decreasing. there is a great work to be done here!

I absolutely love all the people I meet here. They are so friendly! They are also so humble, and many of them work so hard to provide for their families. I've been so impressed by the lengths that people go to to provide for their families. What an example to me of perseverance and dedication.

The miracle from this week that I'd like to write about comes from a former investigator. She hadn't been progressing, and so the sisters before had stopped working regularly with her. The other day we stopped by her home, and as we were talking, family history came up, and how we as members of the church work hard and place a big emphasis on doing family history. This really peaked her interest, and yesterday we took her down to the stake center and got her started in finding her family. We have plans to to this regularly. It's exciting to see people who are so excited about family history work. It makes me want to get started on mine when I get home... it's a long time from now.

This is the Lord's work. I know that with all my heart. Back about 13 years ago, President Hinckley promised that if we really put forth our efforts, we could double the number of convert baptisms that had been done that year. We have yet to fulfill that promise, but I know that if we do put forward that faith and trust in the Lord to work those miracles, and do our very best to be instruments in his hands, that we will see that work moving forward. We will see the hand of the Lord bringing souls to him. I'm so excited to be a part of this great work. I love the Lord, and I'm so grateful for this opportunity to share with others his restored gospel! Thank you everyone for your support!

Love,

Sister Boston

Is Henry up to mischief again?

Week one in the mission field

First off, I apologize for typos. I'm trying to type fast so that I can get everything written. I feel like there is so much to say, and not really much time to say it all! I understand now why missionaries always write novels home... the work is so consuming and exciting that you want to tell everyone all about it.

My new companion is Sister Jacob. She is great. I was a little nervous about a trainer. I don't really like people who just consider me to be subordinate, but sister jacob has been really great. I'm out in Norfolk Va. Which is in the Va Beach stake. It's a really great area and I love the people. It's been really interesting working with sister jacob trying to mesh together the things I've been learning in the mtc with the things she has been doing and learned through the last year that she's been here. She is really patient and willing to work together and learn though, so it's been really great! I'm still getting used to things here... like the green and the lack of mountains, but I really think that I will love it! I already do love it. Sister Jacob is from Utah and has been out a year she is a great missionary and I'm learning a lot from her. It's crazy that i've only been out here for a week. it seems like much longer.

I'm amazed at how easy missionary work really is. Not that it's easy, or that we aren't busy, but it's so all consuming that I really don't even get much time to think about home. It's also not as hard as I was expecting it to be. Thats probably because we are blessed with cars, but that doesn't mean that we dont' go out and work hard. I'm very grateful how easy it has been for me to transition to the missionary lifestyle. I know that has been a blessing for me definitely! I know that this is definitely the Lord's work and as we are really obedient that he does bless us in ways that we might never think of otherwise! I'm so glad for the opportunity to be out here, and I know that this is what the Lord wants me to be doing with my life right now.

One thing that my companion has opened my eyes to is the fact that there are miracles every day in the mission field. We had one just yesterday when we were out tracting. We actually sat down on this lady Sue's porch and talked to her for almost half an hour, she talked about her quest to find God, and what he wanted her to do. Then she started talking about how she was lead to an american indian chief who had told her about how the natives have a legend about Christ coming and stories about burying their weapons of war. We told her that we had scriptural accounts of that in the book of mormon and she was all excited. She had had contact with the church previously, but she said that she thought maybe she should pay more attention to that book, and we are going back to teach her on saturday! God does care about us, and He is preparing his people!! In just the little amount of time I've been out here, I've seen that, and I've seen how the gospel really can bless the lives of everyone! I know that God wants us all to have an opportunity to accept it.

I haven't actually been to church here yet because last weekend was stake conference, but I'm really excited. I've met a lot of the members, and they are all really nice and helpful to us as missionaries! I think I'm going to make it important when I have my own family, to help the missionaries in anyway I can. I've only now realized how incredibly important it is for the members to be involved... not just in bringing our own friends to the gospel, but in helping the fulltime missionaries with the people they find and bring to church. We really can't do it all ourselves. It's a great work, and it's only through the help of members that we will have any chance in getting anywhere!! I'm so grateful to be out here and learning all I am. I love being a missionary!

Thanks so much to everyone that has written me. I have an hour at the computer now, so it should be easier for me to get back to everyone, but it would still be nice to get written mail too :) Anyway, it's all up to you, but I do expect emails from the parentals every week. :) Love you all!!

Sister Boston

Henry at Kait's Mission Office

Henry just couldn't help it, he was so close and thought it would be fun to get there before Kait. So here he is in front of her mission offices, he looks a little smug doesn't he?

Week 3

Hello Everyone!

Well this is my last day in the MTC! It's exciting and strange at the same time! I can't believe that I'm leaving tomorrow. We have to be out to the busses at 5 in the morning! So early!! It seems like I've lived here at the MTC my entire life... it really is hard to remember anything outside these walls. Except the temple and the exercise fields. Those ever aren't too far outside!

The MTC has been wonderful. I have mixed feelings about leaving! I am super excited to get out to the mission field, but nervous at the same time when I realized that I've commited myself to go out of my wat to talk to everyone I see for the next 18 months. Not only to talk to them, but to talk about religion, a subject that can be difficult out in the bible belt. I'm super excited though, I know it will be great, and hopefully I'll come home with some good stories! I am so excited to see the east coast, and over all just excited. It is time to get out and start working!! It's been a great experience being here though, and it's sad to think that this district that I've spent 10 to 12 hours a day with for the last 3 weeks will no longer exist tomorrow, and we will probably hardly see each other on our missions. We've gotten pretty close. We've also gotten pretty close with the other two districts in the pilot program, which is cool because the majority of the other district is also going to richmond! That makes 16 of us heading out to Richmond tomorrow. We are the largest group in the MTC, and will probably make up nearly one tenth of our mission! Crazy!! So, at least we should see each other some.

Elder Hales came last tuesday night to give our devotional. Three weeks, and one Apostle, I don't think we did too bad, especially since the mission president's are coming in two weeks and we didn't think we would get any while we were here! It was great! He talked a lot about missionary work and really focusing on loving the people. That has been a big emphasis of the pilot program as well! Everyone tells us that the MTC has pretty much shut down the last three weeks and all eyes are on us! We have cameras in our classrooms, and with the right clearance, one can watch us from anywhere in the MTC. They told us that anywhere between 15 and 20 people are watching us at any given time! It's so weird to be the sole focus of the MTC! I really hope that the program is going where they want it to. A lot of people have told us that we already act and think like missionaries so thats good right!! I'm excited to see how things go for us out in the field. I guess as of yesterday though, the program creaters are all locked in a room on BYU campus making revisions, and it will be a number of weeks before they try it again with another group. We really were the ginuea pigs, but I think we will still be good missionaries! I hope anyway. It's amazing to see how much we have changed in the last three weeks. We've all grown a lot.

It was weird to see pictures of Henry in front of my mission office. I can't believe you actually went out there!!! I'm slightly embarrassed. Did you meet my mission pres? I guess I'll find out tomorrow... I had a great birthday, everyone made a big deal out of it, which was kinda embarrassing, but my district is all super wonderful! Well, I need to get around to individual emails, so I guess this is all for the big one.

And, again, if anyone wants longer personal letters, it really is best to writed me, the computer time is so short that I really can just get short emails off, and the more people that email, the shorter they will be. I have been pretty good at responding to letters... just an idea... I know it costs more....

Love you all!!

Sister Boston