week 31

i'm copying Elder Go this week and doing a word vomit... I have no idea what I am even going to write about. here goes nothing!

First things first: SISTER OLSON AND JUDKINS ARE COMPANIONS AND OPENED A THIRD AREA IN TAMPA 2 AND LIVE WITH US. I know that doesn't mean much to anyone but me...but let's just say all three of the sisters I have trained all live with me know, and I am one happy camper. I love our little apartment, even if things are a tad bit crowded, it's wonderful!

Second: Sister Harper, 19 (but her birthday is this week) from Ajo, Arizona and she is probably the most driven, hard-working trainee I have ever met. Half the time she has no idea what's going on but she roles well with the punches and its up for anything and everything. I am really excited for this transfer and for the things we are going to accomplish!

Jaylen update: So Jaylen has meeting with his uncle this next Sunday to talk about his baptism, so his date had to be pushed back a week. He's 18, so technically doesn't need parental permission, but it's always nice to know that your family supports you in what you do, so we are taking an extra week so that his mom and uncle will support the whole thing. He's amazing though. Every time we teach him anything, he soaks it right up like a dry sponge. Keep him in your prayers.

This week I think I realized I got stuck in a rut and didn't even realize it. The first few months of my mission were filled with change which kept me on my toes, but these last couple months, everything has been the same. This week, Sister Harper joined in and I decided that change needed to come. Her first night we met a man who invited us to come back and teach his family, so we did just that. On Saturday we taught the whole family, mom, dad, and three kids. I have tried to change a lot over the past week, including how I teach. IT WAS THE BEST LESSON I HAVE EVER HAD. The whole family was engaged and interacted the whole time. They all wanted to share something and the dad asked that we return to share more. I feel like over the last couple months, I stopped letting myself change. The rut was comfortable and I thought life was going great, but by stepping back and asking for help from the Lord, it's been an amazing couple of days. I use to hate change, every thing about it, and now, change has become my new best friend.

Love you all!

Sister Mal

sister harper and I on her first night riding bikes... it was a blast

sister olson and judkins took our car for the day and the next day we got in it and hermonie was being hung...

the night Kate Cusick (The Mission President's daughter)  slept over :) sister olson and i bought matching grandma nightgowns for her birthday... kate thought we were freaks hahaha

week 30

Hello family!

Sooooooooo-- transfers.
Sackley, Mallory....... Stay and train

Sister Olson is headed out and we are just a tad bit sad over here,
but we aren't dwelling on it. Mainly because Sister Olson turns 20
tomorrow, so we're trying to enjoy our last couple days together. We
have had a splendid 18 weeks together and it looks like it's time for
this chapter to end. I just pray that my new trainee is just as
wonderful as Sister Olson!

But since she's leaving me, I've been thinking a lot about what she
has taught me over the past three transfers. From the very beginning,
she realized that I am not sympathetic and my communication skills
need serious improvement... So she took it upon herself to change me.
Sister Olson is one of the most caring people I've ever met. She truly
cares about everyone she meets and is real good at the whole sympathy
thing. I can think of countless times that when she was upset or
frustrated she would say to me, "Dont you dare say to me, 'What are we
going to do about it? What can we change?' I just want you to listen
to me". She kept me inline and helped me understand what it means to
offer help out of love instead of offering help just to solve the
problem. And by doing so, I feel like I've learned to love the people
we encounter every day. She's taught me so much. We communicate openly
and the second there is a problem, it's brought to the table. She's
honest and loving, and because of it, she's got the world at her
finger tips. I'm grateful I could spend some time learning from her
greatness. I feel so blessed with every companion I have had, can we
pray they just keep coming??

Jaylen update: we went over yesterday and he is doing so well. He
wants to be baptized to be able to follow Christ for the rest of his
life. It's so cool to hear him talk about long term as he recognizes
this truly is changing his whole life. Every time we ask him a
question like, "how would you feel to be able to have the Holy Ghost?
Or how would you like to live with your family forever?" Or anything
like that, his response is always, "Blessed". I think that sums it up
perfectly. We are SO blessed. He needs lots of prayers this week as he
is now having family members question the decision he is making. Pray
for Jaylen!!

Love you all!
Sister Mal

exchanges!

the whole family! They are seriously my favorite (the de Oliveiras) 

this was my miracle to president this week: So last Monday, I decided not to bring water because we weren't going to be out for very long. We headed out, and by the time we had an hour left in our night, I was dying of thirst. Normally I would just be a big girl and ask someone to fill my water bottle, but I didn't even have that to offer. I prayed SO hard that someone would offer us water.... The hour went by and still nothing. The last house we knocked on, we talked to the guy for awhile and he wasn't interested, but then he offered us ice tea. Immediately I thought, "faith without works is dead, you have to ask for the water!" So I asked... He came out with four water bottles. God answers even our smallest pathetic pleas for water. 

setting up dinner for the departing missionaries at the mission home.

sister olson just wanted an ice cream cake for her birthday... so her mom sent money so we could get a DQ ice cream cake. we have 48 hours to eat it all before transfers... WE CAN DO IT!!! hahaha

we set up our new air mattresses in the spare room for a sleepover!

we pass this every week on our 40 minute drive to church hahahah

 The Nielsens! a couple in our ward that lives next door to the other sisters. they are the best

Monica and Kasey Hess-- our WML. They are the most incredible people. I don't think we would survive without them. 

week 29

Hello family!!

 

So this week was just dandy. First off: Jaylen is doing so well. We talked all about the word of wisdom last night and he said, "I've never had coffee or tea in my life, so I think we're all good". He's golden. We're pumped for him. Pray that he can receive answers to his prayers. 

 

We went to two zone conferences this week... out of pure luck. We live a very good life here in Wesley Chapel :) but anyways, President shared this story at both and I am going to butcher it so you should probably google it to find the real thing. But it basically went like this:

 

One night a man awoke and Christ appeared to him. Christ told the man that there was a large rock outside his home that he needed to push. The next day the man pushed and pushed, but it just didn't seem to budge. He did this day after day with no such luck. Years went by and discouragement set in. He began listening to the advesary and thinking he was doing no good. One night, he cried out in frustration asking Christ why the rock won't be moved. In response, Christ said, "When I asked you to serve me, you accepted. I did not ask that you move the rock, but rather you push it! Your calling was to be obedient and to push the rock". Christ went on to expalin to the man, how the man had changed over the process. He was strong and had a firm determination. Christ then said to him, "I will now move the rock ". 

 

This story struck me. We have to exercise faith to move mountains, but we must recognize that Christ will move the mountain. The Lord is creating us to be the servant He needs us to be, not who we want to be. But really, go google the story, because I'm sure google can tell it better than me :) I love this work.

 

Love

Sister Mal

happy hour at sonic on a 105 degree day! it's moments like these that i thank the Lord I'm still in the states :)

crazy storms. i'm just about ready for storm season to be over! but i don't think i'll ever get over these clouds!!

my fav apartment to knock in... mad it looks just like the ivy!

this guy gave us a cup filled with ice water because he could tell we were sweating so bad.... 

sister olson forgot her nametag after changing one night after dinner... because we were so sweaty. IT'S BEEN SO HOT THIS WEEK

President called us one day at 4:30 and told us to meet him for dinner at 5 at chilis :) we are so lucky. it just happened to be my 7 month mark as well. I LOVE THIS AREA. we may have been covered in sweat and looked frightening... but it was fabulous

air mattresses came in the mail yesterday for when we go on exchanges... so we decided to have a sleepover in our spare bedroom and try them out.

week 28

First off- it's been raining non stop. Floods are happening left and right and our weather alert system goes off in the middle of the night... we play in puddles all day and contact EVERYONE on the streets.... which is basically no one. We're having a blast though.

 

Second: So yesterday I walk into the chapel after ward council. Sister Olson and I start talking to people. In the midst of a conversation, I turned and scanned the back of the congregation. I recognized a couple sitting up front that I didn't recognize. The woman turned and I thought, "Woah. She looks JUST like my aunt Leanne". Then I continued to scan the crowd, but looked back at her and noticed she was starring at me. This time I thought, "Seriously! They could be twins!!" And in that moment, the man turned. UNCLE DIXON. I literally died. My phone dropped open and I just started crying. I ditched my companion and ran up to the front. I was so confused, but oh so happy to see them! It was great having them join us for church yesterday. I was extremely grateful and VERY happy. Thank you Uncle Dixon and Aunt Leanne :)

 

Third: Story of the week!! About two weeks ago we prayed with a couple named Mark and Kathy. They are heavily Catholic, but no one can turn away prayer, so they happily let us pray with them. As we started talking to them, they told us about her dad who had cancer. We prayed for him very specifically, and she was grateful when we left. About 99.9% of the time, we don't see anyone after the first time we pray with them. Especially, when they are as dedicated to their religion as these two were.

 

So just this last week, we went to teach this boy named Chase. He's in his 20's. (More on him another day). But when we show up, his mom says to us, "I just want to tell you girls that you prayed with my friend Kathy the other day. You prayed for her dad who they thought had pancreatic cancer. Well I talked with Kathy a couple days ago and she wanted me to tell you that it turns out he doesn't have it! She is SO grateful for your prayer". 

 

President often tells us that people will never forget the prayer that the mormon missionaries said for them. And I've thought, "Well yeah, because it's not every day someone knocks on your door and offers to pray for you!" But this week I came to understand the full meaning of that statement. We talk with a lot of people and pray a lot each day, but hardly ever have the opportunity to know what comes of it. It was an eye opening experience and it helped us better understand just how powerful prayer truly is. God lives and He hears your prayers!

 

Love you all!

Sister Mal

 

P.S. The family talked about last week? We went back and the dad gave us a sermon. It was insanity. Needless to say, we are no longer teaching them. We've prepped them a little bit more for missionaries in the future :)

shark biker life!

one of the funnier moments of my life

Oh happy day! Leanne and Dixon!!

hermione went to the doctor today! 

week 29

Hello family-

 

So it's been a very interesting week around these parts of town. Between a lesson with Jehovah Witness and multiple run-ins with born again Christians where we exchanged "tracts", I've been thinking a lot about God this week and the life of Jesus Christ.

 

I have found myself reading a lot about the Savior's life this week and what He taught while He was here. He was bold and clear in His teachings and showed us the way to return to live with God again. He gave us commandments and helped us see how we can truly be happy in this life.

 

We met a man on the street this week who said to me, "What if you're wrong? What if everything you believe, this whole 'Jesus-plus' thing, is all wrong?"

 

Jesus-plus? I was very confused. As we talked more, He explained, "Would if the only way is Christ, nothing else?" I testified that was exactly what we believed. Christ is the center of everything, and we live by the commandments that He has given us. At the end of the conversation he said, "I hope I see you in heaven..." It's stuck with me all week.

 

It wasn't until after we left and he handed me his tract that I fully understood what he was saying. As I glanced over the tract he gave me, I found out that this man believed that as long as we say we accept Christ, we are saved. His grace will save us from everything, no matter how we live. 

 

This scripture immediately came to mind:

the JW are giving us watch towers and juice these days!!

Alma 42:25 "What, do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto you, Nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be God"

 

We fall short, we are human beings and we are not perfect. But our faith and belief in Jesus Christ leads us to action. It is a constant and continuous effort to come unto Him. God knew we would fall short, and so He provided a Savior. We can't make it through this life without Him, but we have to make sure we are putting in the effort. 

 

I love the talk by Elder Holland, "The Cost and Blessings of Discipleship" in it he states, "Sadly enough, my young friends, it is a characteristic of our age that if people want any gods at all, they want them to be gods who do not demand much, comfortable gods, smooth gods who not only don’t rock the boat but don’t even row it, gods who pat us on the head, make us giggle, then tell us to run along and pick marigolds...It is obvious that the bumper sticker question “What would Jesus do?” will not always bring a popular response."

 

This is the work of God and I feel so blessed to be a part of it. It's hard work, but it was meant to be that way, to help us learn and grow and continually come unto Christ.

 

Love you all!

Siste Mal

week 30

family--

it's hot here. not to get graphic, but i think I have forgotten what it's like to not sweat all the time. it's great though, i love it because I've learned I can't live in this for the rest of my life ;)

so last week our ward mission leader thought up a genius idea and it all started last sunday. Our ward has begun a 40 day fast. For 40 days there is a member of our ward fasting for the work to be hastened here and for their own missionary opportunities. on day three of the fast, 5 baptismal dates were set in the ward between us and the other sisters. this ward is INCREDIBLE, they have amazing faith and I love working with them.

Jaylen was one of the dates that was set this last week. Jaylen is 18, just graduated high school and is good friends with a family in the ward. One Sunday, Jaylen just showed up with them. As we got talking to him, we found out they didn't invite him to come, rather he just straight up asked if he could come to church with them... of course they said, "YES!" We started teaching him that week.

We've had a hard time getting him to open up to us, but we've realized that the more time we just talk with him and get to know him, the more he's willing to share. We had a lesson with him this week and we asked more about his family, to which he said, "They pray and they all believe in Jesus, but I can't wait around for them for something to happen. I need to gain my faith back". He wants to learn as much as he can and recognizes that this is a lifelong commitment. We read 1 Nephi 16 with him that day, because that's where he was at, and talked all about how Nephi left his family to go find food after his bow broke. Nephi didn't complain when times got hard, he moved forward and went straight to God to find help, and that's JUST what Jaylen is doing. 

As we have taught him more and more, I have these weird flashbacks to high school and when we had the missionary discussions in our home. Let me tell you, it's a whole new world sitting in the missionary position then the member position, but oh how grateful I am for that experience. Jaylen is truly teaching me how to seek God's will no matter what life throws at you.

Pray for him? and maybe Becca too? We're really excited about her.

Love ya lots

Sister Mal

matching last pday with my first child :)

these bugs are sister olson's nightmare. she runs whenever we see one of these. 

the craziest chair we found on USF's campus this week. we went on an exchange with the YSA sisters... it was a blast and a half. 

spent all of wednesday down at USF on an exchange with Sister Sutton :) i love her. also i am grateful that I don't serve in the YSA haha

week 27

Here's 3 short stories for you that really hit me this week.

 

#1- Hutch. Hutch was baptized on day 3 of us being in Wesley Chapel. The sisters before us had worked heavily with him and so when we came in, we just made sure that the baptism was still going forward. Hutch had a friend who was a member of the church, 6 years ago, who gave him a Book of Mormon. It took him 6 years to read it, but he is now a member of the church and is there every week.

 

#2- Herbie. Herbie was baptized this last weekend, BY HUTCH. That alone was a really cool thing to witness. But 40 years ago, Herbie's commander gave him a Book of Mormon. He took it with him in combat jumps because he knew it was of value and it had to do with God, but couldn't make heads or tales of it. 8 years ago he was taught all the lessons by elders here, but decided not to be baptized because he wanted to be baptized with his family. The other sisters met him on the street about 6 weeks ago, and him and his wife were baptized on Saturday.

 

#3- The Melendez family. We were knocking looking for a less active. We had the address but not the apartment number, so we knocked every door. A man opened up on the fourth or fifth door and said, "I know exactly who you two are. I would know that name badge anywhere". Within 30 seconds he told us he met with missionaries in New Jersey 8 years ago and asked us to return to teach his whole family later that week. We returned, and taught him and his wife and their two teenage children on Saturday. We asked them to come to church, and THEY CAME. With them, they brought the copy of the Book of Mormon the Elders had given them, 8 years ago. They haven't read it, but have kept it all these years because they knew it was meaningful.

 

Now, why do I share these 3 stories? Because you truly never know how much good you do. I could easily share 10 more from this past week of smaller experiences that peole have had with the church, other than receiving a Book of Mormon. But in every case, these people have had experiences with the church before we met them. We were told about a month ago that it typically takes someone 7-8 times of encountering the church before they come to know for themselves. 7-8. Sometimes we meet peole and we are the first touch, and other times we are the fourth or the fifth. But when it comes down to it, you NEVER know how much good you do.

 

I love you all!

Siser Mal

 

P.S. Pray for the Melendez family? We are REALLY excited for them.

It was a happy day :)

crocs are my new favorite.

Look who I saw at the Ray's Game!!

I went running up to him, but Elder Dance, one of the assistants (seen on the right in the first picture) went to give him a handshake. Elder Tanuvasa just said, "Sorry Elder Dance" dodged him and came up to me. It was hysterical.

Then the other pictures are of our 3 minute conversation haha

I do not know how to work umbrellas. 

CALAMARI