Padiwans and Christ-like Emotions

Me familia y chickos!

I am so sorry for not writing you all last week! My P-Day was cut in half because we went to the temple and I didn't have enough time to write a family and friends email! Don't worry I have plenty to tell you this week to make up for the past.

Dear Everyone,
Welcome to my email journal to catch you all up to speed. Just before I start our journey, I apologize in advance for the crazy order of everything, misspelling, and the lack of proper grammar.  Please remember that I only have a half an hour to write this so please strap you seat belts on.  Or as Papa Daddy-dre would say, Buckle your beat selts!" I first would like to tell you a little about my amazing companion.  Sister Bishop is a sweet girl who grew up in Manti, Utah.  Her family consists of her parents and TWELVE CHILDREN.... Ya that explains her a bit.  I am sorry whoever wants that many kids is cray, cray.  I am sure they are lovely people though! Anyway she is so kind and being one of the oldest did her good because she is very responsible and keeps me always focused in the work.  She is the sweetest person and it seems like we never stop talking.  Well I am that way anyway but she actually talks back instead of just listening to me ramble on forever. Ok I am rambling on again.  She and her family had a tractor that she would drive if there were no cars left at home.  She keeps up on all our her family and writes them all individually every week. Oh by the way sorry I am so bad at writing you all back. I promise I am slowly playing catch-up. Anyway I will be sending pictures of us shortly! I have also learned many amazing tricks from her like how if you wear a garbage bag under your skirt, it keeps the humidity out. She is pretty stella' just sayin'.

Oh I have to tell you all! I WILL BE TRAINING at the end of my training! One more transfer and then I will have a little padiwan of my own! I feel so bad for the little sucker... haha I am so scared! I feel like I have grown so much but I am still at the beginning and I have so much to learn still and I will be training some poor girl who doesn't get an experienced missionary like Sister Bishop! Pray for me.... haha  I have so much work to do...

Well I just found out that us Mormons are the fastest growing church and that is so cool but we are only .0008% of the world population so there is plenty work to do! It sure puts the weight on our shoulders to help bless as many people with the gospel as we can! Life is stressful but I honestly haven't had a break down yet and President Holmes, my mission president, couldn't believe it when my comp told him.  I guess I am the first sister to not crack in the first transfer, that he has ever heard of.  Yeeyee... I rock! haha jk I know that it is all of your prayers that are literally carrying me and giving me strength.

So this is where my letter gets to be all over the place :)
It is pretty awesome because my relief society president up at Utah State is in the same district as me! Her name is Emily Decker. -If you Aggies remember she is the most intense person! In her lessons it felt like in the "Singles Ward" movie when the guy was teaching the sunbeams like a ruby couch would couch his team. Her lessons were scary but always so fascinating so I would love to see her teach an investigator! haha
-So it has gotten a little warmer. Not quite as warm as the good old 801. I heard you guys were living in paradise! What 70s?! I am gettin ripped off! It may not be the normal cold where you freeze within a couple of minutes from being outside but still not fair that we are still in the 40s.  Boo you...

Shoot I have to leave soon but I will give you a quick run down of the week. I promise I have a page full of bullet points to tell you all so I will start off where I left off last, next week. Here is this week though!

Last week we were in kind of a rut with all of our investigators. They all seemed to be in a state of not progressing. Feeling stressed on planning day, we decided to be prayerful every minute we could for our investigators. I personally made a goal to not talk in a lesson unless the spirit told me to. Ya, it got a little awkward sometimes during lessons. It was sooo worth it though! Everyone that we taught at the beginning of this week was taught by the spirit not by us! I really didn't understand the TRUE meaning of teaching through the spirit until this week. Sorry I know, I promise that I will from now on! haha All of our investigators learned so much from themselves! We tried asking only questions and teaching by them. It was amazing to see that light bulb go off and then see it shine brighter when it was confirmed by the spirit! Exchanges were pretty tough though. I love Sister Hee and I don't blame our experience on her at all. Our day was just filled with people not being able to meet with us or members not able to come to our meetings. So a lot of our day was spent on the phone. I don't think I have ever wanted to be outside tracking so much! We worked well together but because I was frustrated (on the inside), with how our time was slipping out of our fingers the spirit was not with me during the lesson that worked out that night. It was the best learning experience though because I got to be the senior companion and being in sister Bishop's shoes. I realized so many things that Sister Hee would do that was hard on me, were similar things that I am sure I put Sister Bishop though. I learned that I must always work my hardest and how important to keep my emotions Christ-like! The rest of the week went very well and it ended with a cherry on top because we had the opportunity to listen to Mario Faccioni. The Mafia to Mormon guy. Oh my goodness he was just incredible! Hearing his experience built my testimony and I am hoping the our investigators that came grew from it as much as I did. Ya sorry I just have to brag for a bit! I became best friends with a celebrity! He loves me so much that he calls me Sister Smiles! haha Well enough with the bragging cuz I have to run! So much love everyone! Have a wonderful week this week! Thanks for putting up with me! haha

Love,
Sister Sirstins

Still in the MTC with my girl!

I'm not dead yet!

Alrighty.... Where to start?.... Pe pe pe... Welp I am wearing my new skirt! Thanks mom! It is sooo cute! Honestly thank you friends and family for all that you do! I would be in a sad place if it weren't for each and everyone of you! I want to tell you that before I die.  My comp is a crazy suicidal driver! I am terrified! She goes the speed limit but she is just a bad driver! I am tuuurrrified up in hurrr! You thought I was I was bad on the gas and brakes.... Well lets just say I feel that I am in Mafalican shape ship (you know the one that han solo drives.) Liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiggggghhhhttt Speed then stop. Yep, having neck problems! Haha

So guess what! In July we are getting a new misson president. Scuuury because we have heard through the grapevine that he is super stick but way funny so I am not quite sure how that is going to work out! haha Oh I also heard some incredible news! The church has opened 58 new missions with all the new missionaries coming out! So cool right? Just here in good old Michigan, Detroit mission there used to be 80 missionaries and in june it is doubling and there will be 180 missionaries! The work is unstoppable now! Mwahaha! Jk  The work is amazing! It is crazy because it is so hard but it is like whatever because it feels so good at the same time!

It is amazing because I want to obey exactly, study, and pray all the time because I am blessed with the ability to love everyone and I've learned that how dedicated you are to the work effects the people you teach and the spirit that they will feel as you teach them! I honestly have been praying all day long. Really that has been the biggest strength in my life recently! I actually encourage all of you to do the same! Actually as a missionary would say "Will you commit to praying all the time everyday?"  It is so easy! You know how when I first got here I told you that I am running out of things to pray about? Since I have started doing this I always have too much to pray about! It helps me realize all the little things that happen hourly that are the biggest blessings! Like for example not dying in the car! haha But it has made the biggest difference! I am always thinking of my Father in Heaven or Christ and that helps me to always be me best self! It is super easy and the prayers on our hearts are always the most meaningful! "Give you life meaning the easy way! PRAY!" My slogan I just invented! haha

Please try it at least for a day! For me? Pretty Please! I know that your life will be enriched because you are not strengthening your relationship with God and Christ just once or twice a day, but you are walking with them hand in hand and they will lift you up and strengthen you through your trails and with happiness!  Ok I am done with my lecture! haha I love you all and I am so sorry I ran out of time to tell you about the many miracles! I promise you on my life that next week I will tell you so much that you will be sick of them! haha Love you all so much!

Tootles!
Love, Sister Sirstins