11/28/2016

Good morning!

Sorry if you're not reading this in the morning. 

So transfer calls were this week. I've only been here for four transfers and I've only been Sister Ward's companion for one transfer. Staying with her makes a lot of sence from a logical standpoint since Sister Baker is going home. Also I really like this ward. There's a lot of really cool people in this ward that I like serving around so I was pretty sure I wasn't going to move anyway. And I was COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INCORRECT! I'm doubling in the University Park ward in Newport with Sister Call! Also I don't have a ward share. Meaning there are no Elders in that ward. Meaning there is no one to tell us what's up with the ward. I'm incredibly excited! 

Also kinda sad because a lot of really cool people are coming to the zone as soon as I'm leaving. For example Elder tall Mann is going to be in MV2 and Sister Suchanski is going to be in YSA. Bummed. Also this means I only get to see Elder Kennedy today before he goes to his real mission. So sad! Visa waiters! >:( 

I've learned on my mission that I have separation anxiety. I'm like 500% sure people forget I exist within 2 weeks of not seeing me. I know that's not true because all these people like Elder Burk always come up to me after like 5 transfers of not seeing me and be like "KSDJFHA IT'S SISTER ATCHLEY!!" 

Elder Radeke is going to Oak Creek. I love Oak Creek. miss it sooo muuuuch. 

I'm in the Newport Beach zone, but I'm technically still in the city of Irvine. Irvine is in 5 different stakes and one of them is not even in our mission. There's the Irvine Stake, then parts are in the Racho Santa Margarita stake, the Newport Beach stake, and the ORANGE STAKE?? The California Irvine Mission does not even contain the entire city of Irvine. Neither do the Houston missions though so I shouldn't be surprised. 

Still think it should be the California Mission Viejo Mission..... 

Anyway!!! 

Some good stuff happened this week. We went to the temple and I learned some crazy stuff about myself. I was praying for an image of where I'm at right now. I felt the spirit like crazy the whole session. I was in the celestial room praying and it occurred to me that Heavenly Father is a teacher. We come to this earth to learn and progress so we are students. The earth is like school. So I was thinking about this when I suddenly remembered this one time I was in like first grade or something reading like "see spot run" or whatever and being so frustrated at the lame books I knew how to read. I remember trying to go straight from like learn to read books to chapter books in one go. I remember reading this one book "Pickle Pizza Pie" I couldn't tell you what it was about because for me it was like the hardest thing to understand and I just did not have the skills necessary to read it despite it being a really easy book I'm sure. I realized that I'm trying to graduate too fast in the gospel. I need to slow down and pace myself and learn line upon line. 

Here's some quotes: 

"I wish you were faster at putting intestines together." -Elder Radeke

"I will be totally appropriate from this point forward. I'm a new Sister Atchley"- me 

"I don't believe you." -Elder Mueller 

"I'm embarrassed on behalf of everyone in this room" -Elder Heiner

"He tell us we believe in Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father but also Heavenly Grandpa and Heavenly Great Grandpa." -Elder Vaipulu 

"Wayne's World did it we can too." -Elder Rasmussen 

"Hey buddy, I'm a lady." -Elder Foutz

"I'm not a piece of meat!" -Elder Foutz

"Christ is going to deny that whole building." -Elder Rasmussen

"To the MV2 mobile!! Except the sisters they can go to the mv2b mobile" -Elder Rasmussen

"DON'T HIDE YOUR BEEF FROM US!" -Sister Baker

"The most melodramatic person I know: Madeleine Atchley" -Sister Wimmer

"I'm wearing a track suit... I look like some old creep!" -Brother Rose 

"You need to behave because the missionaries keep a record of things they don't want to name their children based on kids they meet on their mission." -Brother Mackay 

Here's the reading assingment: 

3Nephi18: 16 And as I have prayed among you even so shall ye pray in my church, among my people who do repent and are baptized in my name. Behold I am the light; I have set an example for you.

Pick your favorite of the gospels and read it prayerfully considering how Jesus Christ is an example for you. 

Love You Guys!

Sister Atchley

This is my best planner cover yet.

.

The Mackays are really sweet. Sister Mackay is like the most beautiful human being ever and their kids are REALLY HILARIOUS! Cole Mackay is one of my favorite kids on my whole mission. Morgan sprinted upstairs to get these bunny ears so she would be more noticeable in this picture. Please notice Morgan. 

Everyone was super into this thing. This is Elder Foutz

Elder Radeke mainly helped build it, but he's not in any of these pictures. 

Elder Kennedy: lowkey kind of weird. I thought he was really normal. I was pleasantly surprised.

#potatoShapedMen  Thanks dad

11/21/16

Hello Adoring Fans,

I'm just coming at you with some spiritual experiences this week. We didn't get a lot done in terms of teaching our investigators, but I learned a lot and felt the spirit a lot. Sister Baker had all her going home stuff this week, so we've been doing a lot of busy things. So ok, I just need to make a list.

Sister Baker's departing dinner was this week. It was really cool because all the missionaries who are going home and their companions get together and have dinner with the Clarks. Then we sit around and bear testimony and say nice things about eachother. Sister Baker said a lot of really nice things about me and I just sobbed aggressively because I <3 Sister Baker, but we had a really rough 3 transfers before this really good transfer. This transfer has been really cool because it's like all the progression we've been supposed to be doing in the last 6 months all crammed in to the last 6 weeks. Whatever works I guess.

At the very same departing dinner I saw Sister Dinning. She asked if I knew Matt Johnston, because apparently he recently moved into her ward. Brother Johnston was a ward missionary in my first ward and we really only ever saw him in church because he's recently married and works 50000 hours a week. So I was like yeah why? Sister Dinning said "He love you so much. As soon as he moved into the ward he was like 'do you guys know Sister Atchley? She's my FAVORITE. She's like a powerhouse man. She's a really great teacher!' He talks about you literally all the time." I was SUPER flattered but mostly SUPER SURPRISED because I didn't even know I had been around Brother Johnston enough to like even influence him in any way. In fact, the only time I was ever around him was in gospel principles. So that just goes to show that WE NEVER KNOW who we are going to touch very powerfully. That's why it's so important for you to not only always be in your church classes, but always participate because if you do Heavenly Father will use you to bless the lives of others. 

I gave a training in district meeting this week. Basically I went through all the chapters between Mosiah 27 and Alma 36 and picked out all the bad/hard things that happened to Alma on his mission. I wrote it down on a timeline on the board of these basically 20 years that he's having really difficult experiences. We talked about all the negative words he uses to describe how he feels. Then I was like "So Alma sits his son down and tells him 'my mission was sooo hard and missions suck and all my converts got thrown into a fire and Ammon is a way better missionary than me' right? WRONG!?" and we read Alma 36: 

24 Yea, and from that time even until now, I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste; that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

 25 Yea, and now behold, O my son, the Lord doth give me exceedingly great joy in the fruit of my labors;

Then we talked about how even though Alma's mission is really hard and he wasn't happy for a lot of it he still found joy through bringing souls unto Christ and having the companionship of the Holy Ghost, because those are the things that bring you joy. Later Elder Kennedy came up to me and told me that he really needed that training.

Then later this week we were visiting people in Sister Baker's old ward so she could say goodbye. We were in Nellie Gail all day. If you don't know about Nellie Gail it's basically a huge neighborhood of houses that I'm too poor to even look at in a magazine. So we were walking up the steps to this huge McMansion and I was thinkin to myself like "man all these members of the church how dare they use all their money to buy a house. If I was this rich I would live in Nebraska and pay for people's missions or something man... wast of money... man" and the spirit was like "Settle down Judas!" and I was like "... oh my bad whats up?" and the spirit was like "If nobody lived in Nellie Gail, who would share the gospel in Nellie Gail." My testimony was strengthened of the fact that Heavenly Father puts you in specific places around specific people to fulfill his purposes. Basically I learned that like 50 times this week. So I would say it was a good week. 

Here's some quotes: 

"Ok new number between one and ten." -Elder Heiner

*everyone guessing*

"ELDER HEINER! IT'S NOT FAIR IF IT'S NOT A WHOLE NUMBER!" -me 

"I used to know Pi really far." -Elder Kennedy

"I'm not surprised." -me 

"WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" -Elder Kennedy

"What's the derivative of x^2" -Elder Heiner

"2x duh" -Me and Elder Kennedy in unison 

"Yeah I'm gonna major in art."-me 

"mmm You seem like that kind of person." -Elder Kennedy

"We picked up a new investigator!" -Sister Baker

"How did you do that?" -Elder Blue

"uh... by teaching a lesson and setting a specific return appointment." -me 

"We dropped your stuff off... we didn't come here just to tell you that." -Elder Heiner

"We just found out taht there's an Outback in the mission and we were talking about how good Outback would be etc. etc." - Sister Baker

"Hear that! sounds like they're fishing for dinner." -Brother DeGraw

"I don't know anything about makeup! Except eyeliner... I only had that for like.... a week.... with my.... green Mohawk...." -Elder Foutz

"Secret agent man!" -Elder Foutz

"Secret Asian man? what?" -me 

"I thought we all agreed that was Sister Baker" -Elder Foutz

"Now that I'm companions with Elder Boggess we can utilize all the cupboards, even the ones over the microwave." -Elder Everett 

"My closest relative in the mission is my 5th cousin, Elder Burk." -me 

"hahaha I can definitely see the resemblance." -Elder Everett 

"because I'm so hairy right?" -me 

"How tall even are you?" -Sister Baker

"6' 5"" -Elder Boggess

"People just think you're way taller because you're like 6 feet legs 5 inches torso." -Sister Baker

"ahah true" -Elder Boggess

"How many ants would it take to lift this couch?" -Sister Ward

"SEVEN." -Sister Baker

"Guess what guys! My fourth great grandparents are Jewish!" -me 

"Ah really? Shalom!" -Elder Vaipulu 

"Me and Tyler became best friends when I started ignoring him" -Katie (they're siblings) 

"We gotta check out just swerve . org" -Sister Baker

"Did you have a my little pony phase Sister Atchley...... are you still in it........ is it not a phase?" -Elder Kennedy

"Sister Baker you look good with a cheese beard." -Brother DeGraw

"I have space for like 4 feelings at a time but when my bladder is full it takes up all 4 spaces." -me 

"Hey how's it going?" -Sister Baker 

"FULL BLADDER" -me 

"God made America the promised land and then he remembered every body needs a rectum so he made California." -Brother Betty 

"Of all the His and Hers items out there refrigerator is a new one." -sister Baker

Reading Assignment: 

Go to the index and look up Joy. Read all the scriptures in Alma under Joy and learn how people have Joy in tough situations. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Sister Atchley

 I saw the Ocean for the first time this week. Have some pictures.

11/14/16

This has been a good week. None of our investigators made it to church but Veronica is reading the Book of Mormon and marking in it now. Almost all of our investigators are reading the Book of Mormon. It's exciting because that's what leads to lasting conversion. It's also exciting because I never read the Book of Mormon as an investigator. I did come to church every week though. It's just a different process for different people I've learned. It's a good thing Heavenly Father understands all of His children a lot better than we understand each other. 

I never update y'all on my life. Sorry. We have a bunch of investigators. 

They're all single ladies over the age of 40. 4/5 of them live in the same complex. We found all of them by contacting. Except Veronica. She tracted the Spanish Elders basically. #PlotTwist. 

We found Helen 500 weeks ago when Sister Baker and I were first companions. She's really nice. She just agrees with everything we teach her. She agreed to live the word of wisdom most recently. It's hard for her though. 

We've also got Therese. She's the employee of the bishop of the foothill ranch ward. She's super Catholic, but she agreed to pray about the great apostasy. 

We're picking up Peggy and Eleanor. Peggy is the daughter and Elanor is 96. They're super friendly. 

Veronica was feeling a little sick this week. We went over and she was like "come on in but we're sick!" So we came in and were like "Want a blessing?" So we got Elder Foutz and Elder Blue to come give her a blessing. It was amazing because Elder Foutz is super in tune so he was saying all this stuff that there's no way he could have know she needed help with. She said while she was getting the blessing that she felt "that feeling like a breath of fresh air!" Veronica describes the spirit so cool. 

It was super cute because when the blessing started Wes, her 6 year old, kinda stopped being squirmy and looked really hard at Elder Foutz. Then he kinda slid off the couch onto his knees and folded his arms. He said a really good prayer the other day after our lesson. He's a cutie pie. He got a blessing too. That was really interesting. It sounded a lot like he's going to be a really good missionary in the future. We talked about the priesthood and about how Wes could have the priesthood if he's raised in the church. 

Elder Hamula came to the mission again and blew everyone's mind again. He talked about how when Adam and Eve first found themselves in the lone and dreary world they CALLED upon the name of the Lord and HEARD the voice of the Lord. He talked about how you have to pray but sincerely and you must also listen for direction after you pray. 

He also talked about how miracles come AFTER you exercise your faith. He said a miracle is something you can't explain. That's why it's a miracle. It was pretty cool. 

So uh... California made recreational marijuana legal and plastic bags illegal. So now you have to bring reusable bags or pay like 50 cents per bag at every grocery store. Needless to say we carried all our groceries by hand. 

Jk there's a bunch of Trader Joe's bags kicking around in our apartment we just forgot them. 

I saw Elder Anthony this week! He's super happy to be back in Chinese. I also saw Elder Burk. Everyone's always so happy when I see them. It's the best. 

It may be the President Orgill effect. President Orgill always was like I'm so glad everyone in this mission is happy all the time. Elder Dayton pointed out that President Orgill probably had an inflated sense of how happy the mission was because everyone was always super happy to see him so he never saw anyone be unhappy. 

now the main part of the e-mail: 

"It's the little MORMON BOYS! Don't worry, they're harmless." -lady standing directly behind me at Target

"I'm buying PANTS!" -Elder Foutz

"Elder Kennedy are you a reader of doctrine?" -Elder Mask 

"I read the scriptures if that's what you're asking." -Elder Kennedy

So I don't usually give context but I think this one is funnier with context. So Elder Mask was trying to swerve my conversation w/Elder Kennedy and initiate a conversation about Talmage or something and Elder Kennedy wasn't having it. Except Elder Kennedy always has a friendly tone of voice. So basically this conversation sounded like bad acting from a movie about Mormons. 

"I can see Elder Chain wearing eyeliner." -Elder Kennedy

"If I was a cartoon I would be Wanda from Fairly Odd Parents." -me 

"I can see it." -Elder Kennedy 

"Wait no I would be Velma." -me 

"My sister was Velma for Halloween." -Elder Kennedy

"I was Velma for Halloween." -me 

"You must be my sister." -Elder Kennedy

"How dare these people exercise their constitutional rights!" -Sister Baker

"I feel like if you give it to her now the spiritual thought will last like two minutes and you can maybe get it back but if not you will probably not be able to have it for a longer period of time." -me 

"Wow that totally worked. Sister Atchley is going to be a great mom." -Brother Pinon 

"We were going to live in Idaho but it was just a way different lifestyle." -Brother Pinon

"Aren't you a surf coach? That would be kind of hard to do in Idaho." -Sister Baker

"Yeah CTR. Choose The RICH!" -Sister Sinclair

"I'm never going to be able to look at a potato shaped man again without thinking of you!!" -Sister Sinclair 

"Get his number for Sister Atchley." - Sister Baker

"Sorry my hands are covered in tears." -me 

"It's ok my tears are covered in hands." -Elder Radeke

"ok well..... giving blessings to sisters..... always awkward afterwards....." -Elder Radeke

"I'm watching my carbs." -Elder Rasmussen 

"I'm not..... as you can see." -Elder Kennedy

"Holy Grail is a Catholic term I shouldn't have probably used it." -Elder Hamula

"You right Sisters Probably dead RAT! You take car to Pep Boy!" -Elder Chao 

"This is the nastiest cabin air filter I've ever seen." -Pep Boys guy

"I'm on track to becoming a weremagu." -me 

Stinkin Magu bit the snot out of me for the second time. Tropical bird lookin, weird tongue havin, green feather lookin, fire alarm soundin little

"Nobody has more pride in their heritage than Brother Mortensen"-me 

"Well! Idaho is a wonderful place!" -Brother Mortensen

"Oh Andy! That's why you've spend most of your life in California!" -Sister Mortensen

We had dinner at the Mackays' Cole brought out this pirate muppet. He's actually really good at muppets for being an 8 year old. 

"Me name is Scurvy Jones of the 12 seas!" -Cole/Scurvy

"12 Seas!?"-me 

"I also go to Mars!" -Scurvy

"And my worst enemy! Captian Space Underpants!" -Scurvy

"I think I know that guy!" -me 

"Yes! He knows you too!" -Scurvy

"Oh yeah? What does he know about Sister Atchley?" -Brother Mackay

"He has a HUGE CRUSH on her!" -Scurvy

"COLE!!" -Brother Mackay

"And SCURVY SCURVY BEARDS!" -Scurvy

"That just means your beard doesn't have enough vitamin C." -me 

"That is correct fair maiden!" -Scurvy

"Fair maiden!? Jeez kid!" -Brother Mackay

And that's a story about how I got hit on by an 8 year old via hand puppet. 

"So Scurvy what's the most interesting thing you've learned being a pirate?" -me 

"Baby Koalas have to eat the mom's poop-" -Scurvy

"COLE!!" -Sister Mackay

"WHAT IT'S TRUE!" -Cole 

The reading assignment is:

Thoughts About Thoughts by Dean L. Larsen

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/dean-l-larsen_thoughts-thoughts/ 

11/7/16

 

This week I want to talk about something very important to me. 

We as members of this church have something that no one else on this earth has. We have a knowledge of the nature of our Heavenly Father and his perfect plan of salvation. We know that his plan, the plan of happiness, is CENTERED on his son Jesus Christ. Because of our savior we do not have to fear justice. Our Heavenly Father has given us very clear guidelines on how he wants us to live our life in order to return to live with him. He KNEW when he sent us here that we weren't going to be perfect. In fact, we learn from Ether12:27 that our weaknesses are actually GIVEN TO US BY HEAVENLY FATHER. They are a gift from him. He knew that he would have to provide a way for us to overcome sin, temptation, and weakness. Because of the atoning sacrifice of our savior, we do not have to be controlled by our bad decisions. We are able to repent and be changed by His atonement. This great privilege is not just extended to us as members of the church, but to EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE of our Heavenly Father's children. Even the ones that have different weaknesses than us.

Alma 5: 33 Behold, he sendeth an invitation unto all men, for the arms of mercy are extended towards them, and he saith:Repent, and I will receive you.

We know that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God. We know this. It is an eternal principle. Through latter day revelation we are aware of many eternal principles. Condemning groups of people or individuals who struggle with same sex attraction is the same as judging someone for struggling with ANY OTHER COMMANDMENT that our Heavenly Father has given us. I personally do not understand people who have a hard time fasting, paying tithing, and attending church meetings. I don't understand it because those things are not hard for me. They just make sense. I can fast twice per week if I want and I always see the blessings. So I don't understand when people stand in the foyer and talk about how they're starving and they can't wait to get home from 8:00am chruch and have a sandwich on fast Sunday. However there are A LOT of people who can not even comprehend how incredibly difficult it is for me to keep my thoughts clean. When I bring it up to people they are SHOCKED that I would struggle with something so easy as always having virtuous thoughts. I feel so much guilt and shame over this weakness that I have. It's even harder when I hear things like "well I feel like girls just don't struggle with that sort of thing."

However, there is someone who understands it. My savior Jesus Christ understands exactly what I am going through. He also understands how hard it is for you to pay 10% of your income and he understands how hard it is for people with same sex attraction to go through their entire life. I'm sad that we are so quick to condemn people who struggle with same sex attraction and at the same time so quick to laugh it off when people make jokes about how "incredibly difficult it is to attend three hours of church / give 10% of your income / go without food for 24 hours." When we as missionaries teach about chastity we teach about the LAW of chastity. We also teach the doctrine of the LAW of the fast and the LAW of tithing. They are all laws. We will be judged based on how well we lived up to all of them. The person we will be judged by is no one other than our perfectly merciful and just savior. How lucky are we that we will not be judged by one another, we don't know what each other have been through.

3Nephi14: 1 And now it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words he turned again to the multitude, and did open his mouth unto them again, saying: Verily, verily, I say unto you, Judge not, that ye be not judged.

 2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

 3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

 4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother: Let me pull the mote out of thine eye—and behold, a beam is in thine own eye?

 5 Thou hypocrite, first cast the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

The most important thing that we have as members of this church is our testimony of our savior. It is more precious than any earthly title, than any temporal blessing, than any possession you can have. Brothers and Sisters I want to invite you, please, if you must spend any of the time you are at church speaking of something besides our savior and his atonement, let it be your own weaknesses. The church is a hospital. There's no reason to be there except to seek healing and help. That healing is available to all people, please take advantage of it for yourself. 

I've learned a lot about this lately. I've been realizing over the course of the almost 6 months Sister Baker and I have been together that I am a very judgmental and prideful person. We were talking yesterday about how we've been together for so long and we've had a rough time getting along up until like 3 weeks ago. We talked about how we've been feeling like we haven't been changing at all or learning from each other, but we've just learned things that have taken this long to fall into place. I'm really glad I've been able to spend so much time with Sister Baker because she's an amazing person. It took so much for her to be out here serving the lord. She is super strong and just submits to everything the Lord wants from her. It's even more incredibly impressive because Sister Baker is very strong willed. So to see her put her will aside and just go and do is very humbling. We talked about how we've both become way more humble since being each other's companion. I'm so blessed. 

Ok. I'm less fired up now. 

Comin at ya with some quotes: 

"I'm a bit worried about my son... he's rather.... entrenched in the gospel." -Brother Trippe

"I'm William Trippe, I'm ACTUALLY from Texas." -Brother Trippe

"Oh yeah well on MY mission I contacted a lady in the shower through her doorbell." -Sister Baker

"Is this what Elders are like? They're like.... 18 year old boys..." -Kira Farris

"We probably should have ASKED if you wanted to come to lunch with us." -me 

"Are you kidding I'm starving." -Kira

"I told my family your name is Jamal." -me 

"So you told them the truth." -Elder Kennedy

"My name's Ignacio like... nacho." - this guy

"I'm a perfect triangle. I have the perfect boy figure." -Sister Baker

"Elder Foutz probably gets up at 5 and works out for an hour." -Sister Baker

"No... we literally did that this morning." -Elder Foutz

"Where the heck is Elder Kennedy?" -me 

"He's been gone a long time"-Sister Baker

"Maybe he got his visa." -Sister Ward

"How did we get from talking about our strengths to Young Frankenstein?" -Sister Baker

"If I was a dog what would I be?" -me 

"Probably a Yorkie or like... a Pomeranian." -Elder Kennedy

"We decided you're a beagle so we gave you all the bagels." -us

"Thanks I'll take it." -Elder Kennedy

The reading assignment is Alma 60 and 61. Ponder how Pahoran responds with incredible humility to his friend Moroni's short temper instead of becoming offended. Pahoran is the real MVP. 

10/31/16

 

I have officially become so fat that I can be mistaken for a pregnant lady. Awkward. Also just kidding I haven't even gained weight on my mission. We were out tracting and this guy asked if I was going to have a baby. There have been hundreds of pregnancy jokes. Clearly I need an exercise program. #prancercise 

This week was really really long. I don't even know the highlights. We did a lot of stuff with members I feel like. We went to our ward's trunk or treat. That was the first time I've ever been to a trunk or treat. Burger King was there. So was Colonel Sanders. #fight The all time best costumes of the whole night were Brother Garcia as a millennial  hipster in second place and the Pinion kids as Wayne and Garth. Excellent. 

District meeting was good. I got answers to questions. Sister Ward is an awesome lady. She helps out a lot. We also had DISTRICT BREAKFAST AND STUDIES!!!!! They are my favorite thing, but we haven't done them since like my 4th transfer. They help me learn so much. It was awesome. I serve around a lot of really awesome people with strong testimonies. Also I learned that Elder Mueller is lowkey really good at teaching simply. We were practicing the points in Preach My Gospel during companionship study. It was great. 

We taught our investigator Veronica. She is going through a divorce and has a lot of questions for God. We talked to her about how all questions of the soul and regular questions about life can be answered in the Book of Mormon. She said she's not usually a crier, but she always cries when we teach her. We also asked how she feels when she reads the bible and she says she feels a lot of different ways depending on what she's reading and her mood but she said she always feels "that feeling you get in your chest like when you go to church or read the scriptures" We testified to her that that feeling is the spirit and she feels it because what she's reading is from God. We testified that the Book of Mormon can give her comfort. It was pretty cool. I could definitely tell we were speaking by the spirit. 

We had another really cool experience happen this week. We were trying to visit our investigator, Helen, but she wasn't home. Both times we ran into this lady. The first time we introduced ourselves and shared a little. She was walking with her 95 year old mother and they invited us to come back. The second time we bumped into her she had been thinking about us and remembered that she used to have a really close LDS friend that she lost contact with. She asked us if we could find this friend's information. Luckily the friend is still in the laguna hills 2nd ward. We got the contact info super fast and gave it to her. She was really thankful and said she was going to call this friend and tell her about us. She also invited us back. 

We taught primary. Junior primary is way more reverent than senior primary. Also there are like five girls to one boy in junior primary and five boys to one girl in senior primary. Coincidence? I think not..... 

Here's some quotes: 

"They're called fingers because you pick fings up with them" -Elder Radeke

"If you make this shot I'll name my firstborn after you...... ooh almost had a Timmothy." -Elder Chain

"Who's Timmothy?" -Elder Payne

"Sorry I mean almost had an Elder Payne. Elder Payne Chain." -Elder Chain

"You tell that Sister that she doesn't have to cry over mil because it comes FROM A GLAND it's like an ARMPIT!!" -Sister Sinclair

"I see you trying to go full 90s. Losing the part and buying a flannel shirt in the same day." -Sister Wimmer

"Oh you didn't want to carve a pumpkin because you didn't want to show everyone up is that it? I know how you Texas people are with your guns and knives." -Brother Trippe, a Texan

"The Elders want to go to Jack in the Box you guys want to come?" -Elder Vaipulu

"What box? Check on a box? What are you talking about?" -Sister Baker

"He's inviting us to district lunch." -me 

"Pay attention this gonna blow your mind." -Elder Vaipulu

"If someone gives you something you don't want to waste it." -Elder Rassmussen

"Can you explain I didn't get it." -Elder Vaipulu

"They walk around in desert FOURTY YEARS not need new shoes! They busy complaining about not have food not have drink of water they miss secret blessings!" -Elder Vaipulu

"man I've been walking around in south OC for 10 months and my shoes are ratchet." -me 

"One day you be Mission President. Then you be President Kennedy." -Elder Vaipulu

"I would be a babe if I wasn't so flabby." -Sister Baker

 

"Boys are too lazy to cut bread with a knife." -Rosie Garcia

"I bet Sister Atchley is trunky right now climbing out of a truck at Dairy Queen." -Brother DeGraw

"Oh Sister Baker, you're going home soon your mission is almost over." -Sister Byrne

"Wow you guys are being brutal." -me

"You want to hear brutal?..... Her parents moved so it won't even really be home." -Brother Byrne

"Can I find a potato shaped man in Idaho?" -me 

"No! We don't look like potatoes just raise them." -Sister Ward

"Exactly. Your parents raise potatoes. They raised you. Therefore...." -Sister Hawkins

"This seat belt is going to damage my baby." -me 

"We need to stand on a chair or these are gonna be some short spiders." -Sister Baker

"You wear the vest because cars are naturally afraid of the color orange." -me 

"Is that only cars in the wild or cars in captivity too?" -One of the Campbells 

"Hey uh.. Elder Heiner actually does know what a termite looks like." -Elder Mueller 

"Hello this is Elder Tree, missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints." -Elder Tree

"Hello Elder Tree this is Sister Baker, Sister Atchley, and Sister Ward." -Sister Baker

"Oh hey Mission Viejo second sisters what's up?" -Elder Tree

"You've had nothing to eat but doughnuts today!" -Sister Campbell

"NO I've had airheads." -freshman son 

"Then they feel like showering 15 minutes before church." -Sister Campbell

"That's not me! That's Dallas!" -Jensen 

"That's not me! I don't shower! That's what I just heard." -me 

"NO! Well.... yeah sometimes." -Jensen

"What is something that's NOT reverent?" -me 

"Don't spill the fishbowl!" -Morgan 

The reading assignment is this: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/10/strengthened-by-the-atonement-of-jesus-christ?lang=eng 

Recommended by Elder Kennedy to go along with developing Christlike attributes.

Love Yall!

Sister Atchley 

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10/24/16

 

Good morning citizens! I'm really happy this week because this is a good week. Nothing really happened, I just changed my attitude. That's the story of my mission. 

I can't say nothing happened because we got Sister Ward. I was a little nerveous because I've never been in a trio before, but it's been really good actually. I've been way less uncomfortable talking about how I feel and we've been more diligent. I'm working really hard to be more in tune with the spirit. Something that has been standing out to me a lot lately is this scripture in D&C 19: 

20 Wherefore, I command you again to repent, lest I humble you with my almighty power; and that you confess your sins, lest you suffer these punishments of which I have spoken, of which in the smallest, yea, even in the least degree you have tasted at the time I withdrew my Spirit.

I think basically Christ is saying that when we don't have the spirit that's a little tiny bit like the guilt we feel when we don't repent of our sins in this life. In other words a tiny bit like the atonement because that's what he's saying we'll have to go through if we don't repent in this life in the previous verses.
I love this scripture.

 Another one that has been standing out to me a lot lately is D&C 50:23 

And that which doth not edify is not of God, and is darkness.

I've been realizing a lot that I'm not always a really nice person. In fact I say so many mean things all the time. My goal this transfer is to not say bad things about people. I didn't think it was going to be that hard but unfortunately it is INCREDIBLY DIFFICULT. I have learned that the extend to which I am always talking mad trash and straight roasting on people is way more than I previously assumed. 

James says in chapter 3:

 1 My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.
 2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.
 4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.
 5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!
 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.
 7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:
 8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
 9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
 10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
 11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
 12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

Basically he's saying that if you can get a handle on your speech and the language you use then you can do anything. I'm learning a lot though. Namely that mean humor is never a way to show love. There's a lot of missionaries that I know who are like "oh sarcasm is how we say I love you in my family." Not one of them NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM has a healthy self esteem. NOT A SINGLE ONE! It's not a coincidence. When President Orgill was here he said that he wished the entire idea of sarcasm could be utterly banished from off the face of the earth. I agree. 

I've been realizing on my mission that sometimes I'm ok with people teasing me and I think it's funny, but sometimes if I'm already feeling stressed or bad at all people can say the exact same kind of things to me and it hurts me really badly. It can even be the exact same people saying the exact same kind of things. If I'm stressed things effect me differently. So my point is that it's dangerous to use mean humor, but using kind words and edifying language is safe 100% of the time. Kind of like my dad always says you will never become addicted to cigarettes if you never smoke a cigarette. You will never hurt someone's feelings if you always use kind language. Ephesians 4: 

  29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

  30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
  31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
  32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.

Shout out to Sister Thacker for being a really good example of always using kind language. She is an angel. 

Helen came to church this week so that was good. We have been doing really well with Sister Ward. I like being in a trio. I thought it was going to be really awful, but it's fine so far. Teaching was a little awkward the first time, but we're figuring it out. Sister Baker is the only one that's been in a trio before so she's really helpful. It rained a lot today and yesterday. 

It's super funny because in ward council there's always this thing on the prayer list "pray for drought relief" and everyone always skips it. Yesterday Brother Garcia was subbing for Brother Mortensen and he said the prayer and didn't skip it. It basically hasn't stopped raining since. Brother Garcia must have so much faith right now. 

The reading assignment is this: 

Preach My Gospel Chapter 6 Developing Christlike Attributes. 

I might not have a super big amount of time for quotes but here's a few: 

*puts dino-nuggets in car* "BECAUSE I'M A MATURE ADULT!" -me

"My policy is that if I've heard a bishop say a joke I'm allowed to say it and my dad was a bishop for seven years so I can say a lot of jokes." -Elder Chain

"Elder Blue came in and made it awkward." -me 

"typical" -Elder Blue 

"Yeah yeah steel blue is a really common crayon color." -Elder Blue

"Well pardon me for being excited there's not very many crayons called Madeleine Atchley." -me 

"I was a wolf in flamingo's clothing." -Elder Richardson 

"I like the way potatoes look." -me 

"are you attracted to them?" -Sister Ward

"Why do you think she's into all these potato shaped men?" -Sister Baker

"This activity is for Laurals. I'm not a laural but I'm invited because I live here." -Marin

"I roll my Rs because... I'm good at it." -guy we contacted

"Seestors bring the car I have two boxes of breads for you." -Rosie Garcia 

"Shotgun, rifle, or handgun?" -Elder Radeke

"Two guns... for hands." -sister Baker

"My name is Elder Vaipulu I from Ephriam Utah." -Elder Vaipulu from Tonga 

"Elder Kieth how many lies to do you tell in a day?" -Elder Radeke

"I don't want to answer this question it might be a lie." -Elder Kieth 

"Did you and Sister Baker know each other before the mission." -someone 

"Believe it or not there are more than two people in Nebraska." -Elder Mask

"We were just talking about how Sister Byrne is 40 tops." -me 

"If she's 40 what am I?" -Brother Byrne 

"Cradle robber." -me 

"My skin is so thin now days I bump into anything and I get a bruise. I guess that's what happens when you turn 40." -Brother Byrne 

"Well I guess I'm a Mormon man and Susan is ONE of my wives..." -Brother Byrne. 

"Rain or shine the Mormons are here!" -me 

"We're like the USPS but more annoying." -Sister Baker 

"I want to run around and play in the rain too but I don't want my shoes to get wet I'm like a practical free spirited hippy ok?" -me 

SORRY FOR THE QUALITY OF MY EMAILS! 

10/17/16

Well we got transfer calls. Next transfer is going to be the first one ever that I'm not in the same zone as Elder Anthony. That's 7 out of 13. Let's not talk about how I'm on transfer 8 out of 13. However I'm exceedingly blessed because my mission is actually almost 19 months long. I have like 20 extra days past my 18 month mark approximately. #Lucky 🍀🍀🍀

I just found out there are a bunch of sick emojis in my email.

Here's some things I care about: 

🌮🌭🍕🍟🍔

🐈🐆🐄🐖🐗🐑🐐🐍🐳🐋

🌵🍉📎😼😽🙀😸🎨

But what I care about the most is:

📦📮📬

Also this thing is sketch I don't know what it is: 

🗿

Anyway back to transfers: 

Elder Center is gone to RSM zone. Elder Anthony is back to Chinese. Our new district leader is Elder Vaipulu. Elder Radeke is still a zone leader here somehow??? SISTER BAKER AND I ARE STILL COMPANIONS SOMEHOW??? 4 transfers together for sisters outside of Spanish and Chinese is UNHEARD OF! I will be companions with Sister Baker until she dies! For literally 1/3rd of our missions? I'm mostly just really surprised. Also she's serving literally half her mission in this ward. However, we're getting a third companion this transfer. Her name is Sister Ward. So that should be good. Hopefully. I've never been in a trio and had to get along with TWO people all the time. I'm disagreeable enough as it is. Just kidding. Be looking forward to pictures of us as the power puff girls in the near future. 

Unfortunately Sister Shumway is being transferred as well. I've never been more sad. Sister Shumway is literally my best friend. I love her so much. She's so loving and Christlike. It's just amazing. I'm gonna miss her. So she's going home and my other two best friends are not in English work. Looks like I'll have to make new friends. 

"It's a good thing everyone loves you." -Sister Baker

I think this week was really good as far as my spiritual development. I'm kind of hyper though so I can't remember. Let me get reverent. 

So we had zone training meeting this week and it was really good. Elder Chain gave a training. He talked about our weaknesses and how we can overcome them. He talked about how to become consecrated. He said that there are things that keep us from being consecrated and those things are like addictions. Therefore they can be overcome with the principles of the addiction recovery program. That's true I can attest to that. The addiction recovery program is like a 12 step guide to learning how the atonement works. If you've never checked it out I would highly recommend it. It's very uplifting. 

Step 3 is conducting a fearless moral inventory. So Elder Chain invited us to do it. I discovered that the reason I've been so lazy and depressed and apathetic is that I was angry with Heavenly Father. That was an incredibly distressing thing to discover. It was good however because I was able to seek forgiveness and set goals to be better. I feel much better even now. Repentance is awesome. 

"When I went to the temple I remember thinking it was awesome." -Kid in primary program 

"I don't know about you but when I think of adjectives to describe the temple the first one I think of is awesome." -Sister Baker 

"There was a period of time called the great apostasy when people were just guessing what the bible meant." -different kid

"That's a good way of putting it actually. That's true doctrine." -Sister Baker

"that kid needs to come teach with us." -me 

Slightly related: I saw my first primary program yesterday. Talk about cute. I'm looking forward to having children. Looking forward to a date in the distant future that is. On the other hand talk about a little weird if it's the first time you've been at church. A lot of people brought their friends. I guess that's not as weird because it's like "hey my child has a part in this cute program our church does." 

Anyway. I'm sure I have way more cool stuff to say. Here's the reading assignment though: 

I was reading this article in the ensign and it said  “His Atonement … provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us. Like the good Samaritan, when He finds us wounded at the wayside, He will bind up our wounds and care for us (see Luke 10:34).” I have never heard that parable interpreted as Christ being the Samaritan. If Christ is the Samaritan it teaches us that although the world may pass us by our savior will not. He will come to us and heal us and then he will make sure that we end up in a place where we can receive more support and care. He will also bless those who care for us and help us through our trials. 

So the assignment is: Choose your favorite parable. When you read it who do you usually compare yourself to? Read it again comparing yourself to some other person in the parable. How does the meaning change? 

for example: if you like the parable of the lost coin and you usually compare yourself to the coin, ask how you are/can be like the woman instead. 

Plot twist. Here's some quotes: 

 

"Elder Howard's dad drives two fiats depending on the day." -Elder Chain

"the way you said that made it sound like depending on the day he either drives two fiats simultaneously or some other option." -me 

"He's a large man." -Elder Howard

"Elder VanOrden and Sister Baker are arguing about whether corn or potatoes are more deadly." -me 

"The reason I have a hard time making friends is that I just have no idea how to insert myself into such a conversation." -Elder Chain

"Wow Sister Atchley your handwriting is really nice"-Elder Chain

"L-O-L what?" - me 

"Oh yeah it's lovely will you dear John my girlfriend for me?" -Elder Howard

"I feel like everyone is too cool for me." -Elder Chain

"Well you'll never have that problem with me because I'm lame." -me

"I feel like there's this really high level of cool where you're too cool for everyone but the next level of cool is just cool with everyone and that's like you. Plus you can't be lame if you have cool handwriting." -Elder Chain

"I'm worried because everyone in my family is athletic so I'm afraid my children are going to get their genes but i'm like... this... so I'l have all these huge athletic children and they're going to dunk on me or something and I'll just be like *wimper* Shakespeare?" -Elder Chain

"I mean there's the higher law of consecration." -Sister Baker 

"Yeah but nobody can figure that out either. For example if we were consecrating our time we would go knock on Sister Selway's door." -me 

"We don't have real conversations anymore we just say inside jokes back and forth and make no sense." -Sister Baker 

"I don't have as much bread this time sisters." -Rosie 

*Pulls out 3 times the usual amount of bread* 

"All I'm saying is that Rosie Garcia is way better at clowncaring a bunch of bread in a paper bag." -me

"I forgot what I normally do with this knife." -Sister Baker

"Uh.. usually they're for butter...." -me 

"Hey Sister Atchley come be in our group!" -Elder Anthony and Elder Radeke from across the room

I've never been invited to a group from across the room before. I feel like I've made it. I'm finally cool. 

"Can I ask you what your goals in life are?" -Elder Anthony

"I want to be a mom." -me 

"I want to be level 75 in runescape" -Elder Radeke

"Does he even know about rusescape?" -Sister Baker

"Doesn't everyone? Maybe that's just everyone I hang out with?" -me 

"HEY DO YOU GUYS KNOW ABOUT RUNESCAPE?" -Sister Baker

"NEVER HEARD OF IT" -Sister Hawkins

"Well that answers that question." -Sister Baker

"that was basically the entire scientific method." -me 

"Does anyone know how to jump a car?" -Sister Baker

"Elder Fife seems competent." -me 

"He just popped the TRUNK." -Sister Baker

"Wow Sister Atchley... you went to art school for this." -Elder Radeke on the postit notes on our dash