3/20/17

I can't believe it's already week 5 of the transfer. This transfer has gone by so fast. I realized this week as I was pondering a Christlike attribute to focus on next transfer that I only have two more Christlike attributes to choose on my mission. Someone in our ward told us that it goes by faster if you finish strong. It's like a weird dilemma. If you work hard because you love your mission and you love the Lord, your mission goes by faster, but if you don't work because you don't want your mission to go by fast then you don't love your mission and really it's hard either way. That means the only logical thing to do is work hard and have the Lord be pleased with you. 

This week was pretty stacked as far as filling the spiritual cup. We had our temple trip. It was amazing. I learned I have to go to Utah after the mission. When I tried to ask further questions the Lord told me to not worry about it and get back to work. #OneStepEnoughForMe.... 

I've been learning a lot lately about taking the one step. I've received revelation several times this week about how I only need to set one goal at a time and work to achieve it until the Lord tells me a new goal. One step at a time. I realized that this is all it takes to be consecrated. You don't have to be some unrealistic ideal or anything you just have to be faithful in trying your best to do the things the Lord tells you to do when he tells you to do them. Sometimes he asks you to do really hard things. Bishop Flora was getting a little flustered in ward council about how nobody wants to commit to responsibilities, even if they are active members. He said that being uncomfortable is the point. Then he said "When things get hard how quickly do we rely on the Lord?" It struck me because the point he was trying to make is that we all think that the Lord want's us to only rely on him when our challenge is so big that it is about to swallow us. We think that we need to rely on the Lord only when something is so beyond our ability that we will fail if we don't call out. 

Something that just came to me is the story of Peter walking on the water. 

Matthew 14:30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him

We read this a lot like "so when your trials are so big you can call on the Lord and he will always save you."That's not false, and the story does communicate this, but if we read the whole thing it's a slightly different message I think.

Matthew 14: 27 But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.
28 And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.
29 And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
30 But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me.
31 And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?

The Lord tells Peter to be not afraid. At first Peter Literally walked on the water. He didn't think it was hard at first.  The only reason that Peter started to be overwhelmed in the first place was because he was afraid because he stopped relying on the Lord. So how quickly do you rely on the Lord when something becomes difficult?

Here are a few promises from a Lord that does not sound like he wants us to wait until we are almost overwhelmed to ask him for help:

D&C112:10 Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers.

D&C88:62 And again, verily I say unto you, my friends, I leave these sayings with you to ponder in your hearts, with this commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall call upon me while I am near—
63 Draw near unto me and I will draw near unto you; seek me diligently and ye shall find me; ask, and ye shall receive; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Proverbs 8:17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.

Elder Tad R Callister came to our mission this week. He was so good! He talked about the atonement and the fall. It was so awesome. My mind was blown like a million times. I wish I could even attempt to say what he said. It would probably take longer time than I have to email though. Sad. Ask me about it when I get home. 

We had two lessons with Amanda. One was a lesson and the other was a church tour / pass off lesson. The thing about Amanda is that she speaks only Cantonese and English. The Chinese sisters speak Cantonese, but the ward is only Mandarin. She was like "oh no I speak English better than Mandarin." So the sisters are teaching her and she is coming to church with us. Random. She's so hilarious and awesome though. 

Also our church tour was kinda ghetto because they were fumigating the priesthood room to get the priesthood smell out so we couldn't look at the font, AND there was a blood drive going on so we couldn't look at the basketball court. She was excited to learn in her own language though. 

We taught our investigator Rita this week. The lesson was going super weird and awkwardly until we were like "Rita do you believe you can come to know God better?" She was like "Well... I think so but I would have to be willing to commit to actually do something." We were like yeah that's true here are the things you need to do. She started out by committing to say prayers with questions in them, something she has never done before, and reading her bible more often. She is really prepared. She said "I don't know I haven't been asking for guidance in my prayers but maybe God heard me... or saw that I was thinking about being more religious and then the next thing I know two missionaries are calling me on my phone." She also explained to US why she thinks prayer, church attendance, and scripture study are probably important to her progress. 

This week was basically really awesome. I love this ward and I love my mission. I had my first argument with Sister Gage. Except not really we didn't even argue we just got kinda saucy during planning for like 15 minutes because we were saying the same thing but in different ways and then got over it and were best friends again. 

"We were having the spirit of contention." -Sister Gage

"Satan was there ok." -me 

"Planning with Satan." -Sister Gage. 

Ok side note that I'm a bit (a lot) salty about lately: 

I hear probably every single week a comment/joke in relief society about how husbands are dopey and they leave their socks all over and what would they do without us probably just die and if you want to know how the church really feels about women just look at how the church would run without the relief society etc etc. I can only think of one single time in relief society when the women expressed their love and appreciation and admiration for their husbands and it was in response to a direct question about the topic. I just think that's such a shame considering how your husband is the only person besides your Heavenly Father that you are commanded to love with all your heart. Ironic considering that we are the gender that's supposed to be know for our ability to love and to nurture. 

The Elders said "I wish you could come to Elders Quorum and see how hard we are on ourselves. Honestly every week it's like we could really be doing a little better guys." 

Here's some quotes: 

"I have the belt my dad beat me with! I wear it as a trophy!" -Elder Gunn

"What!?" -Sister Hunter

"My dad got beat with the belt then he beat me and my brother with the same belt and all four of us have worn it!" -Elder Gunn

"Now you have to beat your kids with it. Keep up the tradition." -Elder Gee

"I'm not fast with it like my dad is. He's fast. I'm not fast." -Elder Gunn

"Well I mean... neither are your kids when they're young...." -Me 

"Dude Elder Pack is judging you so hardcore right now." -Sister Gage

"Yeah that happens a lot everyone thinks I'm weird." -me 

"Miles didn't think you were weird!" -Elder Gunn

"Yeah this kid at our dinner was hitting on Sister Atchley really hard. He was really bold. He said he had two girlfriends." -Elder Williams 

"Three now!" -Elder Gunn

"I didn't birth my mom though!" -Elder Gee

"It happened to her 6 times though!" -Sister Gage

"Well some people get married 6 times and I'm pretty sure they remember most of them." -Elder Gee

"I made protein shakes with whole milk and weight gainer protein and I still didn't gain weight." -Elder Keith

"He was slaying when he had long hair too. The problem is he started slaying the other dudes so we had to cut it." -Brother Affleck about son 

"You're the most hick person I know" -Sister Gage

"I'm not that hick! I'm city folk! My parents sell insurance!" -Elder Gunn

"He's not even the hickest person in this mission." -me 

"Who is it?" -Sister Gage

"Center" -me and Elder Gunn in unison 

"Come on honey you're like Adolf Hitler for missionaries" -Brother Affleck

"You're a mean robot." -Sister Gage

"You blame everything on Robitussin" -Sister Gage

"Did you get a chance to read from the book of Mormon?" -Sister Gage

"yeah I read in the middle it's easy to understand! Earthquake everything!" -Amanda

"You can't love anybody! Don't love stranger! You only love mother father boyfriend and the cat and the dog!" -Amanda 

"You have lost tons of weight! your face is slim and everything!" -Sister Clark

"Uhh probably just because my hair is pulled back." -me 

"yeah right! Nice try!" -Sister Clark

"Did you ask President for job leads?" -Sister Seegmiller

"No I trust Heavenly Father to take care of me temporally what I need is boyfriend leads." -me 

"Sister Gage put these life savers down Elder William's shirt." -Elder Famboroug 

"Mamma Atchley is fixin to confiscate these right now and y'all can be reverent." -me

"Sister Atchley can I have those lifesavers?" -Elder Mann

"Yeah here you go. Redistribution of confiscated goods. I'm like Robin Hood. I steal from the annoying and give to the slightly less annoying." -me 

"That's high praise coming from her." -Elder Mann

"Did you know Sister Atchley is a stud with the scriptures? She knows every scripture" -Elder Lemon

"Sorry Sister Clark I need to stop your progress. I wanted to pay my regards before my companion and I leave. Sister Atchley I wanted to ask if you had anything for me to study?" -Elder Chain

"Oh gosh I don't know what are you trying to accomplish?" -me 

"Nothing I just wanted to know if you thought that I could benefit by studying anything in particular. You know a lot." -Elder Chain

"Now this is so interesting you're the second person that has come up and said that to her in the last 60 seconds!" -Sister Clark

"Just try to be really nice to him." -Elder Williams

"I usually get along with people that no one else gets along with." -me 

"That's good." -Elder Williams

"Wait! She said she likes me though! ):" -Elder Gunn

"There isn't a song in the hymn book about weasels!"-Sister Gage

"So uh.. DVD player." -us

"Shoot..." -Elders

"When do you want it?" -us

"I feel like they can tell when it's you texting because you're very... short." -Sister Gage

"WHAT'S THAT GOT TO DO WITH ANYTHING?!" -Me 

"I like orange juice with my meals it's more festive." -Brother Astle

"And the acronym for the ward mission plan is .... PuhHuhGuhBuh." -Brother Storm

"Every time I see you I think of this vine where this guy is running through the store and he's like oh no they're gonna get me and the camera pans around and he's being chased by an army of midgets." -Elder Gunn 

"Oh Sister Atchley! You wanna hear a joke!?" -Elder Gunn

"Um.. yes!" -me 

"What's funnier than seeing someone kick a midget in the face?... ... ... ... nothing!" -Elder Gunn

Here's a reading assignment: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/well-ascend-together?lang=eng 

We'll Ascend Together 

Sister Burton 

Don't talk trash about your spouse in 3rd hour 

Have a comp inventory with your eternal companion 

Help each other out. 

 There was some sick fog

 WE GOT THE GOLDEN PLUNGER FOR A PERFECTLY CLEAN APARTMENT AND MY COMPANION IS NOT EVEN A NEAT FREAK
​

 Zone Leader Elder Rosenow

 Yarr I be a pirate. 

 I don't know but this sign is super hilarious every time I see it. 

 Our candle light dinner with a tall glass of Robitussin.

 The sky was pretty sick the other day. 

 No one should have to draw their own spirit animal. 

 Zombies and stuff.

 I have the happiest companion 

 #Seriousness

 #TheOpposite

 #TheDopestWardshare

 Elder Thompson went home and was replaced with Elder Lemon #SoRandom

"pretend like we don't like eachother." -me 

Literally can't 

 Every day of this companionship

 Whatever's going on here

 I said we needed a selfie

 This is what I actually meant. 

 Elder Will-I-Ams drew everyone's spirit animal. It was so awesome. He drew his own though and I don't think that's right

 So there's this.................. 

 Been working on my stache 

 This is my spirit animal. Multiple cats
​

 There wasn't a single picture where we all looked good out of fifteen. How does this happen?

 The STLs 

 "I have never taken a picture this weird before and I am an Elder!" -Elder Gunn

 Zone Leader Elder Jones the piñata 

 She was trying to block my selfie

 Missionaries in their natural habitat

 This was like 5 minutes before he wrecked his ankle and had to go to the ER

Zone Leader Elder Jones looks just like that piñata 

3/13/17

Hi guys. 

I want to report that two people this week said "WHAT! NO! YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!" to me. One of them was like a 60 year old guy and the other was a 4 year old boy. That's cool guys but I'm looking for someone in between your ages. 

Luckily I have the members of the ward to hook me up. Some members are literally planning to set me up with an Elder that served in this ward. One of the most hilarious dinners of my entire mission. So awkward. Then they were like "but don't think about that right now you have missionary work to do. Just wait until you go home." My favorite is when the members are just really open about what missionaries they thing would be good together. It's funnier when I'm not involved though I think. #staaap #ImShy   

We worked much harder this week and saw many more results. Imagine that.

I'm SICK! and I'm deaf in my left ear part two! Except this time it's not going away. It's been way longer.  

We helped clean out a hoarder's house. So scary. I like can't even about it. Sister Gage has been telling me the whole time we've been companions that I'm like the most clean freak companion she's ever had. I'm kinda stressed because I heaven't mopped the floor today and my bed is unmade. I was on exchanges with Sister Hunter and her mind was blown at how much cleaner the apartment was than last time she was on exchanges here. So like the mission changes you. 

We contacted a lot of our potentials and less actives. We set up an appointment with a lot of them. Everyone in our area is really kind. I have not had anyone be mean to me. I think the only thing that's keeping people from finding the church is the idea that "people in Nellie Gail are too well off to want to learn about the gospel" I've called people out on this opinion a couple times since I've been in the ward and they say "well... you know... people in more affluent areas tend to be less likely to accept the gospel...." That's also what they said to Alma and the sons of Mosiah about the Lamanites, but we all know how that story goes.

Alma26:

23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren in the land of [south OC], we go up to the land of [Nellie Gail], to preach unto our brethren, the [people who live in south OC], and they laughed us to scorn?

 24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the [People of south OC] to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the [People of south OC] of the incorrectness of the traditions of [Mariners Church], as stiffnecked a people as they are; whose hearts delight in the [building of large houses]; whose days have been spent in the [acquisition of lots of money]; whose ways have been the ways of [rich people] from the beginning? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language.

basically.

On the other hand the members here are not afraid to talk to their neighbors. They're pretty solid member missionaries actually. They work really hard at it they just don't believe it will work. Also we got a part member families list from our ward clerk and it is literally the longest part member families list I have ever seen. There are also a lot of unbaptized children of record. It's so interesting. Anyway, almost every member we talk to has some friends that they're working with. They have something good to report to us every time. 

The ward council is super missionary focused. There's a huge missionary work push in the stake and from Bishop Flora. Our ward mission leader, Brother Storm, is on fire. He is so awesome! He had two really good missionary opportunities this week that he shared with us. I love Brother Storm. He teaches so simply and he's incredibly energetic. He is not going to have any problem getting the ward excited to do missionary work. He's also really humble. If we suggest things or bring things up in gospel principles he doesn't shut us down. Sister Gage is having a bit of a hard time with him though. He has a strong personality. 

I love this ward and I love my companion. We literally are never upset at each other and we are totally unified in purpose. I think I haven't been happier my whole mission. It's so great. I feel a little bad though because I'm not struggling very much except that I'm a little sick and I can't hear out of my left ear. My mission feels kinda easy which seems wrong. 

Anyway I'm not complaining! D&C 58:4 For after much tribulation come the blessings. 

Here's some quotes: 

"I'm single so  I spend all my time where you can find single men, the temple and the hardware store." -Sister Mortensen

"Are y'all going to service?" us 

"Well everyone wants us to come, but nobody will flippin give us a stinkin freakiin flippin crud time.. .Sorry I feel better." -Elders

"Did you see the disintegrated mouse?" -Elder Williams

"Ew no do we want to?" -Sister Hunter

"Yeah! Follow me!" -Elder Williams

"Somebody had a funeral and they didn't take their flowers." -Sister Hunter

"I feel.... super high right now..." -Sister Hunter

*adjusts seat* 

"Elder Jones, sorry I was mad at you for the last 10 transfers." -me 

"wow... what... did I do?" -Elder Jones

"you were mad at him for 10 TRANSFERS?" -Elder Rosenow

"Yeah when I was a greenie I met you for the first time and it was my birthday and you called me old. So that's all I think about every time someone mentions you." -me 

"It's the first thing she said about you when I said you were our zone leader." -Sister Gage

"Well... what am I supposed to say? You're really old!" -Elder Jones 

"I'm not a very questioning person. I'm perfect already. What do I do when I'm already perfect?" -Elder Gunn

"Get translated." -me 

"I'm waiting!" -Elder Gunn

"There's a special place in heaven for the people that fold the programs. Forget the bishop ok." -Elder Gunn

"Judas don't know the doctrine! If he knew the doctrine he'd have two shoes!" -Elder Gunn

"Sees the good in everyone especially potato shaped men." -Sister Gage

"Sitting this way makes me look like an egg." -me 

"You say everything makes you look like an egg!" -Sister Gage

"You spicy egg you." -Sister Gage

"Like back when we had a MySpace." -me 

"I never had a MySpace. You age is showing." -Sister Gage

"How old are they?" -Bishop Flora

"older like probably 40s" -Elder Gunn

"WOW THANKS ELDER #SALTY #SALTSALT" -Entire ward council

"Does he have the Melchizedek Priesthood?" -Bishop Flora

"Says here's he's unordained."  -Brother Scott

"Oh really?" -Bishop Flora

"Yes but he's definitely High Priest age.... you know... older." -Brother Scott

"I'm not a little kid I'm FOUR!" -Miles 

"Oh right you're a nice young man." -me 

"NO!.... You're so... BEAUTIFUL!" -Miles

"I'm in Pre-k right now" -Miles

"Do you know what comes after Pre-K?" -Elder Williams

"Middle school!" -Miles

"Yeah basically. What comes after that?" -Elder Williams

"BYU! But that's not for a long week." -Miles

"The longest week of your life." -Elder Gunn

"are you going on a mission before you go to BYU?" -Sister Gage

"Yeah!" -Miles

"That's on Saturday." -Elder Gunn

"Yeah and my baseball game is on Saturday!" -Miles

"That's a busy day." -Elder Gunn

"You're SO CUTE. Your'e so cute. You're SO cute." -Miles like 500 times 

"wait darling!" -Miles

"When I was at home I woke up like 30 minutes before my ride got there, showered, got ready, and left." -me 

"uh.... didn't you forget to put clothes on?" -Miles

The Elders will not let me live it down. 

"Sister Gage how long have you been out?" -Sister Tayco 

"13 months." -Sister Gage 

"Oh wow! So you're about to go home! And you Sister Atchley?" -Sister Tayco

"...... 15 months......" -me 

"Like when you're at a member's house and their kids give them cake in the same bowl that they just killed a spider?" -Brother Tayco 

"She didn't even look sick at dinner or all day so I mean..." -Elder Williams coming around the corner

"WELL SHE LOOKS SICK NOW DANG GIRL!" -Elder Gunn 

I get called mamma Atchley a lot. 

Here's a reading assignment: 

This one is from sister Gage: 

https://www.lds.org/ensign/1987/05/the-will-within.p23?lang=eng 

Have Fun!

Sister Atchley

 We take our weekly goals seriously in this companionship. 

 So seriously 

Sister Gage's ideal man most closely resembles a green onion with a pokemon shirt. Not really but I decided that. 

These guys represent actual people that really exist but you'll never know who. #SoConcecrated #JustKidding #Sad

 This week I learned I'm really short. "There's no way I'm just as long as the short dimension of this rug! DANGIT!" -me 

 This kid is totally wrecking the Elders at Tball. 

 He almost hit them most of the time

 Killer

 #ImDoingSCIENCE

 Sister Gage brought this back from exchanges. It's like she know's who I am or something.

 So I realized that this guy only has one shoe on and it's stressing me out so much. Why? How did you manage to do this? Was it on purpose? Is it an accident? Did I miss something in the scriptures? 

Potato my boyfriend. Love him.

Supposedly he's getting a haircut today. 

I mean IDK why it looks fine to me. 

So we found really huge food

 This is the best day of my life

There's big candy too