Week 9: Off to Arizona!

GREETINGS FROM SUNNY TUCSON!!!!!!!!!!

I STILL can't believe I'm here. It's WARM. It's awesome. My companion is heaven sent. Her name is Hermana Jeppson from Logan, Utah and literally everybody who has talked about her has said that she is the best I could possibly get, including the President himself. He told me that in his opinion she is literally the best missionary in the entire mission, that if she was an elder she would be AP. She is the work horse of the area. SHE IS SO AWESOME!!!! She is very down to earth and very "let's stop wasting time and get this done right now." But she is also very kind and understanding and listens very well. So basically, all my prayers for the world's best companion were answered. I can't wait to learn the ropes from her amazing example and experience.

Yesterday President Kilpack and his wife picked us up from the airport, along with the APs. The Kilpacks are incredible! They took us to the Mormon Battalion monument, treated us to pizza for lunch, and took us to their home where we spent the rest of the night having meetings, interviews, dinner, testimony meeting, pictures, and a nature walk. All of the senior couples were also with us. Their home was so nice and the spirit was so strong. During my interview with President Kilpack was when he told me I really have been given the best companion in the whole mission. She also speaks excellent Spanish!

I've been told by everyone so far that this is a baptizing mission. Our goal for each companionship is a baptism every month! They said the people are so humble and the members love and care for their missionaries. I'm in such a good place! We got settled in our apartment this morning, which has grass! Most places around here don't have any because it is so dry. It's a cute little place. The sister who's place I'm taking is Sister Curlee, the CUTEST thing I've ever seen. I'll send pictures. She barely comes up to my shoulder.

Our APs and elders seem so awesome so far. They were all so friendly and had such a strong confidence and charity and respect. I can tell they are good elders.

At the airport yesterday, I thought, "Oh my heck, I'm in public....I have to talk to people...." It was actually the part that freaked me out the most about getting ready to go into the field! We were sitting across from a couple that didn't seem very talkative, but I felt super strongly like I had to talk to them. I kept getting scared and wouldn't do it and when I finally resolved that I would, they both fell asleep. I was sitting there with a mormon.org card in my lap, shaking, waiting for them to wake up. Our plane was coming soon and I was so scared of disobeying the prompting from the Spirit to talk to them that I said a prayer that they would wake up. Not even 30 seconds later they just opened up their eyes and looked at us and started talking to us! Prayers are answered! We talked to them all about their trip and family and everything. Then I said, "Have you heard about the church..."yes"....Well we focus a lot on the family, how to gain stronger family relationships, how to better raise a family these days, how families can be blessed by the gospel...." I gave the woman the mormon.org card and got rejected hahhah but I followed the prompting to open my mouth and felt like that had made me successful. No regrets. Then, on the plane, I sat in the aisle seat next to an Elder. The woman across the aisle from me was traveling with her son to watch her daughter perform in a musical. We kept talking but I could NOT think of a way to bring up the gospel at all. It bugged me the whole flight. Again, while this woman slept, I agonized in my mind about what I should say. I started talking to the woman in front of her, saying anything that came to mind, and then out of nowhere she said, "So are you nervous? You're for 18 months, right? Good luck." I didn't think she was a member. I couldn't tell. But I just tried to have a good conversation with her and make her feel like she was listened to. But I still didn't know what I should say to her. I'm excited to see my companion in situations like this so I can see how she makes the transition.

Yesterday my traveling companion was Sister Blood, from San Diego. Her story is crazy. It made me so humble and so grateful. Her dad was a "jack mormon" who left their family years ago and her mom is an ex-mormon gone anti. Her mom would always bible bash with her and Sister Blood would have to get rides every week with the Relief Society president. She got baptized when she was 12. When she announced that she was going on a mission, her mom was always putting anti-mormon literature on her bed and saying that she would disown her if she went. When her call came in the mail, she came home from work that night and found it ripped to shreds in the trash can. She had to sit there for hours taping it back together and found out that she was going to Tucson, English speaking. Her mom told her that she wouldn't write her a single letter and when she called home from the airport the other day, her mom asked why she was even calling. She didn't want to talk about it at all after. I thought holy cow, I AM BLESSED!!!! My family is all active members and all they ever do is be incredible examples and encourage me to do the right thing! I can't believe how much I have taken it for granted! I love you all so much and I can see how I was put in this amazing family for a reason. I have always struggled with believing in myself and having enough confidence to do what I should, and all my family members have helped me to see who I am, realize my potential and turn it into action. I wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for all of you. I've never really been the type to say "That's what I want in life so I'm going to get it" type, I've often given up and thought that I'm just not great and can't accomplish anything. But that changes now. I am going to set high expectations, have faith in myself and in my investigators, be obedient, and CHANGE through being obedient to all these things daily. I know now that I can change and become who I want to become because of the Savior. I can't wait to tell this to other people who don't understand who they are and their magnificent potential to change their lives and do great things.

Well today is P-day, I don't know if we'll be meeting with investigators or what. I know we're going to go play basketball with the other elders or something. I've gotta finish unpacking a few things. I think my trainer Sister Jeppson is also new in the area, I can't remember. Oh wait, we're covering new areas on top of our own, or something like that. We were told about some of our new investigators by the sisters that taught them. They said there have been miracles worked with these people, that they are very special and we need to take very good care of them. I'm so excited to get started! Hra Jeppson said we don't tract a lot. She said they used to go for 7 or 8 hours at a time but it was found to be pretty ineffective, so we don't really do a ton anymore. It's mostly member referrals, which are the BEST because they have friends in the church who can help them. So whenever the missionaries ask you for referrals of people you know, don't hesitate! This was emphasized to us OVER AND OVER again in the MTC. Members are KEY in missionary work. the best thing you could possibly do to help the missionaries is give them referrals.

Well I guess that's it for now. So I'll be writing again next monday. You can still dearElder me here, I just don't know when I'll get them. Mail and packages don't come directly to our apartment (we're actually not allowed to give anyone our apartment address, including family), they are all sent to the mission office and then given to us once a week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Well I love you love you love you LOVE you!!!! Can't wait to tell you about my first week!!!!

PS: Thank you Kristine SO MUCH for the peanut butter bars!!!!! We all gobbled them up immediately, my district said they were the best thing they'd ever had! I said I know.

Jen--Thanks so much for your letter!!!! President Uchtdorff's talk was also my favorite in conference.

Sister Addis--Thank you so much for your letter! It was such a nice surprise!!! Kimy is doing well at the MTC, it was such a blessing to be with her!!!

Sister Edwards--Thank you for dearElder!!! I heard from Sean recently and it made my whole day. I am sad that Tucker is losing his hearing!! :(

OKay love you!!!!!

~Hermana Wadsworth