26 July 2010

Kirtland brings the world together.

Hello!

Another tough week, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world. Despite being on my death bed, not being able to keep morning schedule EVER, Sister Carter and I were able to do some tracting this week and find two new investigators!! Heavenly Father really blesses His children. Especially when we're putting forth our best effort. Sister Carter and I may have the worst numbers in the mission, but we feel really blessed. I know this is where I'm supposed to be. Even if I'm in bed and/or on the toilet most of the day. So many of the sisters here have struggled, like Sister Talbot said, and they have been an enormous strength to me. I really have been so blessed.

Sister Nicole and Sister Talbot - one of Nicole's angels and a great source of strength.  Her mom Stephanie is one of my angels :)

One of the investigators we found this week was a former [member]. When we knocked on her door she was so excited. She said that the sisters just stopped showing up one day. And then Sister Carter invited her to church and she almost cried! She said that the missionaries had never invited her to church so she thought she wasn't good enough. Holy cow. ALWAYS INVITE.

Nicole with Millie and her son Billie - Millie was one of Nicole's much loved investigator's

So I feel like every day I tell SOMEONE that Heavenly Father is very aware of His children. But listen to this story. I was having a ROUGH, ROUGH week last week. I thought my companion hated me, I thought I was ruining everyone's lives. Then I get talked to about hindering my companion and our area. It was totally out of control. Anyways, I just wanted my momma. Well, I was sitting in the phone room when they asked for two sisters to take a tour. My companion was gone on a tour and all the sisters were on the phone except for me and another sister, Sister Wirig (probably one of the best friends I've ever had). So Sister Wirig and I take the tour together. We're in the Revelation Room in the Whitney Store with this tour when a woman, her daughter, son, and daughter-in-law walk in. They join us on the tour and turns out they had just finished being in the Hill Cumorah pageant and were headed home to WA. The woman asked where I was from, I told her, she said she grew up in the bay area, I asked where, she said Sunnyvale, I told her that my mom grew up in Sunnyvale. "What's your mom's name?" "Well, it was Debbie Mendenhall." "You're kidding me." Turns out this woman grew up just around the corner from you, mom! Michelle Thompson? I think that’s her first name. But she said that her mom Betty and Nana still write each other! So she can tell I'm a mess and asks me what's wrong. So I spill my heart and soul to her about the events that unfolded that day. She just hugs me and says all the things that my very own momma would have said. Heavenly Father knew how much I need my mum that day. Tender mercy from the Lord, I'd say. Anyways, Michelle wanted me to know she remembered my mom being so beautiful and Nana, too. She said Nana was always so put together. Yep, that's my mom and my Nana!

Michelle was in a hurry to get out because our tour went WAY late. But I know she lives in Tacoma, WA. At least I think it's Tacoma. She lives in the same city as her mom, Betty. And she said that Nana and Betty still write so I'm sure Nana would have a way of getting Michelle's address. She's such a dream. She has two kids on missions right now and one is really, really sick. Her husband's a cancer doctor. Her oldest son is married to a girl from England and they just returned from living in Rwanda where Michelle's daughter-in-law was the first ever YW's president. Dreamy family. You should write her.

Nicole's 1st Baptism - 16 year old Christy, her friend Val (who introduced her to the church) along with Sister Carter and Sister Hill [Nicole talks about Christy in an earlier post]


Well, friends, the church is still true. Even when you struggle. Learn to rely on the Lord. He has so many blessings waiting to pour down upon us. All we have to do is ask. And be a good girl or a good boy. Elder Bednar said that. Not me.

Sister Golightly (I want that name!!) and Sister Hill.  Can't you just feel the love?

Carry on. Talk to you next week!!! Remember to get to the temple!! Love you forever and ever and ever and ever.

Love,
Sister Nicole

Side Notes:
Glad you made it home safely! Looks like everyone had a grand ol' time. Hippie night?? THAT'S BRILLIANT!!!! I'm jealous. Thanks for the pics, daddio!!!!! I'm glad everyone could be there. Looks like a blast. The pictures made me laugh.

"Hippie Night" at our small family reunion - Nicole was really missed!

I'm wearing the white skirt with black stripes right now. So cute. Thanks for having such great taste. And honestly, I wear my MeToo shoes with the bow everyday and they now have holes in them. But I could probably last a little while unless you REALLY want to buy me new shoes. Size 5-5 1/2.

That's SO crazy that David Dransfield (the son of some dear friends of ours) got his call here!!! Tell him how incredible it is. Even the full proselyting missionaries get to go to the Kirtland Temple there first day here/kneel in prayer in the School of the Prophets and covenant with Heavenly Father. Best thing ever. There are quite a few elders out here from the Sacramento area.
Kirtland must put something special in the water!!

I love that the man I took on tour called you!! Haha. He was taking his daughter on a church history tour because she's going to be a seminary teacher next year.

So went to the doc last week. Wants me to try a lactose free diet for three weeks. Really hard at member dinners. But hopefully it will help and I'll be healed!!!! Thanks for the prayers!! They provide me with strength.

I'm glad you told me that Ryan moved in because I'm writing him a letter and now I know where to send it! Perfect-o. Also, thanks for making that CD for Sister Carter. Means a lot! We got ten new sisters last Wednesday! They're all so amazing. I can't even believe it. Such hard workers. We lost eight of the greatest sisters ever, though. One's that really kept me going. But this is good.

I must be off to Target now. I'm sending you and dad a special present for your anniversary in the mail. I hope you love it.

Thanks for everything you do for me!!!!!!!!!! Gives me hope and pushes me to keep trying. I love you!

Mommy lesson:
When we arrived home from our reunion there was a message on my answering machine from a Brother Bruce Woolsly.  He and his daughter had taken a history tour of Kirtland to help prepare her for her new calling as a seminary teacher.  Nicole and Sister Wirig were their tour guides.  He called to tell me how much he and his daughter enjoyed the tour with Nicole and spoke of her "sparkle", her "enthusiasm" and how well she had communicated her testimony and her love for Kirtland.  He let me know that she looked good (he didn't even know she had been struggling with illness) and that her spirits were high.  He also told of the good relationship he experienced between Sister Hill and Sister Wirig (another of Nicole's angels).  What a beautiful message to come home to!  I returned his call today and the beautiful words a mother loves to hear were spoken once more from both he and his daughter.  People will wonder where I got that spring-in-my-step as I go through my week.  My "take-away" from this is that from this day forward when I have a special experience with one of our area missionaries I will call and share with their parents.  Brother Woolsly has no idea how much I clung to every wonderful thing he shared - THANK YOU Bruce Woolsly for taking time out of your busy day to bring a missionary mom such a beautiful gift!!

Working hard in the call center and loving the work!

3 comments:

Conradi Crew said...

Oh my cousin, i miss her so! I love these emails soooo much, they make me smile & tear up all at the same time. She is truly such an amazing example & the most wonderful person & i am so lucky to be able to call her family :)

Doomphill said...

Sister Hill i love you to death!!!

Shahid said...

oh. very fine pictures....

Post a Comment