Week 5

Hello Hello-

So I made it here, and I love it. I talked to a lot of you on the phone in between flights and it was aweome so I hope I don't repeat to much of myself.

So I got here Wednesday Afternoon, Here is Central point Oregon. It is right outside of Medford, We actually live about a 2 minute walk from the Medford temple, we go running around the temple in the Mornings. I love it here, It is so beautiful. So So green. So I flew in and was expecting my companion to pick me up. It was actually my District waiting with a sign, a few mini missionaries, and A new convert. They were so awesome. Then we went home, I got cleaned up a bit and we started on our appointments.

It is amazing how much love the Lord allows us to have for these people. I wont lie, when we first walked into the trailer park I was a little taken back. But the Lady we taught that night blew me out of the water, her testimony is so strong and she has no idea. Her father got a blessing while we were there and it was simply amazing to see and hear the priesthood in action so strongly my first few hours here. It just helped me feel and know I am doing the right thing and feel the need to keep working. The experiences like that continue everyday. I am thrown into situations where usually I would be a little cautious of what I was getting into, but its like that wall is gone. God loves these people and has prepared them to hear his gospel, and it is amazing to see the change in them.

So we are serving in two wards, One is geographically the smallest in the mission and the other is Geographically the biggest in the mission. It is so much fun to go out and meet all the members and get them involved in the missionary work. I regret a lot not being more involved in Member missionary work while I was home, Really that is where we are going to bring people into this gospel by helping the missionaries find them, knocking doors isn't super effective :)

Which brings us into when We starting knocking doors. I knocked my first door 3 days into my mission. It was good I mean, ya He was a cowboys Fan. But not a Gospel fan. So he didn't listen. It was good to get over the fear. The best experience we had this week while talking to people I would have to say is when we ran into Sir Jeffery of Kent, He was born in 1390, no not a typo, and he wrote many books. His "Horse" which looked a lot like a bike had thrown its shoe, and he believed Nephi was a book of Fairy tells. My companion said I have now been "Oregonized" after talking to him. It was awesome.

So on Sunday we had our two wards. My companion was supposed to talk in one of them and I was giving her grief. Bad Karma. I was told over the pulpit after sacrament had been passed that I would be speaking in one of them, and giving the closing prayer, then Right before the next sacrament I was asked to speak. It was awesome. Good thing they prepare you for that in the MTC.

But the coolest thing that Happened was One of Investigators brought his Mom to church, His kids got Baptized last week. She wants to see that they didn't just join a cult. She came and Asked so many questions, and she is now a new investigators. I am so excited! Me and my companion got asked last minute to teach Gospel Priciples cause the Teacher wouldn't be there, So we ended up teaching the class and She was in there. She asked so many questions and it was great because the whole class helped answer the questions and really bring an understanding to our basic beginning. That God is our Loving Heavenly Father. It was an amazing experience to see that Woman start to open her heart to the Idea that there might be one true church.

I love this church. I love seeing how it can bless families and enrich the lives of so many people. I am so happy to be in Oregon. I know I would not be here if it were not for the prayers of everyone out there and for the amazing Priesthood blessings I have recieved. I love all of you guys and I hope you are all doing well. I would love to hear from you all to see how you are doing.

Sister Rose

928 Mendolia Way

Central Point Oregon 97502

Attatched are some Pictures from the MTC, and Some of Me and Sister Losee Who is my New Companion Who I totally LOVE!!!

Funny story So I talked in church ya know, and Then I came down and this lady came up to me and was like Sister Rose I am so glad to have you hear. and I was like Oh Thank you I love it here and her next words almost shocked me  " You just have such a sweet spirit, your Aura (SP?) Is out to here , as she put her hands about 2 feet to my side, its just so bright it doesnt get drowned out by the light" Theres Oregon for you.

Week 3

So this week I got shipped out to the Physical Therapist to work on my ankle and knees, apparently if you sprain your ankle 2 times in a week they start worrying about you. So My physical therapist told me "I swear there have got to be little MTC Satans trying to stop the work we see missionaries in here all the time" so that is who I am blaming these injuries on.

 So Last week when I sent my email I said I loved it at the MTC and wished I could have more time, Well the Next day on my Birthday my wish came true and I was granted two extra weeks. So my district left this morning and I became a SOLO sister. I am now in a new district with 12 Elders headed to Johannesburg south Africa. Ya this should be fun. :)

I am actually really excited, there has got to be some reason I am here two more weeks, the Lord knows me better then I do and knows my needs. I love learning and there is so much to learn here.

We are taught to become like little children, I took that too literally and forgot how to walk, but I am learning and will get out of here quickly.

Elder Carlson accidentally got kicked by me and his comment was, " Gee Rose if you could walk with that much Vigor you would be headed to Oregon with us." Probably the truth.

So I have been delayed, Among the sprained ankles Sunday I about passed out in class and ended up in bed all day missing Sis Dibbs Speaking at our fireside. My branch President came up to me and just said " you know when it rains it pours, you can do this" The awesome Elders gave me a blessing. I know this church is true, I know the power of the priesthood can bless us in ways that bring miracles into our lives. My companion said on Sunday when she saw me she thought I would have been out for 4 days, But after sleeping for 24 hours straight I was up and going by Monday morning. The Lord knows and Loves all of us. He is there waiting for us to have faith in him.

I love what I am doing here. It has been an adjustment, but it has been the most amazing thing I have ever done in my life. I love being here, meeting new people and feeling the Love of the Savior all the time.

I hope you are all doing well, Keep working hard, having a good Summer. I love you all.

Love Sister Rose.

Week 2

I seriously cannot believe it has been another week in this amazing place. I want time to slow down. Every day we learn so much and I feel like my testimony grows more and more every hour of every day. This week has been hard, due to my embarrassing fall last week that has caused a few problems with the knee. It is amazing what the lord can do. I know that with him anything is possible and I have been extrmely blessed and watched over while I have been here, I mean I was wearing jeans when I fell that itself was a blessing.

This week things were going good then one day in class everyone was a little off. I had run into the sisters out in front of the MTC and was a little distracted, a few elders were bugged by someone, one elder had a friend go home. The district just was not quite feeling the spirit like we Usually do. My teacher decided we should have a district testimony meeting. It was by far my favorite moment at the MTC yet. To hear all of us missionaries bear our testimonies when we were feeling weak or unable to do the things we had been asked was so humbling and made us realize how much help we really had. This is the Lords work and I know that no matter how hard I work, Its not really me doing the work it is the Spirit. I love this gospel and I love that I have this amazing oportunity to share it will the people the Lord is preparing.

The MTC is still the MTC though, and I am still Sister Rose. So I am of course working hard, stressing out and loving every minute of it. The spirit here is amazing, You can tell a difference everyday when you wake up and start your day with prayer and when you end your night with prayer. I know that Heavenly Father Loves each of His Children and Knows us each individually.

One thing I have noticed is that I am like brain dead since I got here. I don't remember anything about the real world, I dream about the gospel now and I can't even remember peoples last names when I think of them. It's kinda nice to be rid of all the things that are not supposed to interrupt me for the next 18 months.

Elder Kikuchi came and spoke to us last night, and it was magnificent. He shared his conversion story and it just gets you pumped to go out and listen to the spirit and share this gospel. He is a funny guy too. He is Asian and his opening line was. " You know I was born in Japan, I eat lots of Rice and Fish, that's why I shorter than all of you and don't look like you" Said it with a strait face don't worry. I loved it.

Our teacher also tried to get our district to sing in a choir the other day, put me between the Elders..... That was interesting.

It's weird how little things remind me of different people here. I am pretty sure I think of everyone I know at least once a week here. I love you all, I miss you all and I think and pray for all of you. Keep me updated on your lives.

Love Sister Rose

Week 1

So the MTC is insane, and I love it. This is the best choice I have ever made. I have made a choice that will impact the rest of my life and I love it. There are things that I learn everyday that I never knew. I wish so bad that I could just study and never get tired, but it is not possible, by 10:30 every night I just want to sleep and When that alarm goes off in the morning I feel like I just fell asleep. I love having such an amazing work set before me to do.,

Don't worry I am still the same me, Although I am learning so much about the gospel I am still having my daily jokes. I convinced the Australian Elder at Dinner the third night here I had no Idea who Joseph Smith was. That was entertaining. He started teaching me about the restoration, I just kept telling him everything in class was going right over my head. In his awesome accent he kept saying "you have got to be kidding me." He got me back later when we had to Teach him the discussions to practice and he acted like a midget, " With tiny fingers that cant turn the pages of the bible" Seriously as serious as this place is we have so much fun.

I love my district so much, it is a big district. There are 2 sister companionship's and 4 Elder companionship's. 3 of the sisters and 2 elders are going to be serving in Salt Lake City South, their mission home is in Sandy, I am so excited for them!! I want you guys to take them out to dinner, they are the most amazing people!! I just love them.

So here in the MTC the teachers will role play as some of the investigators they taught on the mission. So Brother dickey takes of his name tag and is Fred, we teach Fred and learn that way, through role play how to teach. Sis Stander, Bless her Heart our second night here was a little tired and does not get sarcasm. Were all sitting in class and Brother Dickey Said he would be here to teach in the morning and I said, So Fred will be here to? Jokingly and Sis stander was like, wait you guys come together, she was so confused, then Elder white was like Ya I think they Carpool, Sis Stander at that point thought that Fred wasn't showing up at all... Poor sister she is now starting to get our sarcasm a week later. But she is still convinced by the cleaning lady there are knife fights at the MTC...

Its been fun to learn the different languages here. I have learned Finish, Albanian, Spanish, and Hungarian. I mean ya I only have learned Hello, but my favorite is recognizing missionaries from other countries and saying Hello in a totally different language and they look at my name tag and see Sister and get all sorts of Confused. It gets awkward when they start talking to you though and you only know English.

I love you all so so so much. The church is true.

My favorite things I have learned this week

Obedience brings blessings, exact obedience brings miracles- Elder Richard G Scotts Wife

A Mans Character can be measured by his last words, go Read The Last verse in 2 Nephi. I can't quote it exactly but I think it's "The Lord commanded and I must obey"

Love Sister Rose