Another week bites the dust...

Dear fam bam,

Well transfers were on Wednesday and I got my new companion, Sister Toria Michaud(mi-sh-aud) from Meza Arizona. She is 20 years old, she's been out 7 and a half months but has been serving her mission in Oregon this whole time, so it's her first time in Vancouver. Oh and she is the youngest of six kids and all of her siblings have served missions! Isn't that cool? Kind of reminds me of our family, hopefully that can happen with us(**cough cough, Kylee) ;) anyway, I'm gonna be honest, I was not happy to be getting a new companion, I had a bad attitude and judged sister Michaud, mostly because I was disappointed that sister Finn got transferred. I really had such a good time with Sister Finn and I wasn't ready to have a new companion after only 6 weeks. But I have to say that I definitely was wrong about Sister Michaud, I'm really starting to like her and have fun with her as well. Maybe not as much fun but it hasn't even been a week yet so I'm trying to be positive! Just another thing that I need to work on, I suppose that is why I'm here on my mission, and put with the people I am. So yeah, we are getting along pretty well and working so hard. She is an amazing missionary and I've already learned so much from her.  She makes me want to work harder and she said that about me last night, so it's good that we are pushing each other to become better!

Rewind to Wednesday, we watched a worldwide broadcast for missionaries and it was super good. Then we found our new companions and started to put our suitcases in our cars and such, well I was talking with elder and sister funk, senior companions in our mission, and well he asked his wife if she was hungry and at the same time sister Finn and I told him we were starving hahahah. So anyway we pretty much invited ourselves to go eat with them and he was all on board. So me and my new companion, Sister Michaud, and Sister Finn and her new companion, Sister Neilson(she was in the MTC with me, she had glasses) all went out to eat. It was so fun, and it was nice because I was not ready to leave sister Finn. You know, I'm absolutely thrilled that I had sister Finn as a companion and had such a good time with her but it's hard too because now I'm only 3 months into my mission and I've experienced a really awful transfer and also the very best transfer so now I fell like nothing can be as good. I'm not sure if that made since but I just know it's not going to be the same with any of my companions and it's just hard not to compare but I'm working on it. Ok anyway, after lunch we all said good bye :( and then sister Michaud and I had to go to Portland to a doctor appointment for her hand. She was in a cast because she had broken a bone or something, I'm not entirely sure it was a difficult story to understand haha. But yeah we went there and it was so strange being at the doctors haha. Then we get a call from the mission office about a box for me and so we go and pick it up, and omg! So it was a box from pawpaw and Gigi!!!! I was so excited!!!! They gave me such cute stuff! And the pajamas are so comfortable and I love them, but my favorite part are the millionaires!!!!! Thank you so much pawpaw and Gigi!!! I love y'all!!! I have like 5 millionaires a day!! Haha and I just love them! So thank you!!!

Then Thursday we went out and had some lessons and stuff and sister Michaud is not very shy, she was talking to everyone! Which is awesome, something I definitely need to be better at! Then we had a relief society activity and that was a lot of fun to get to visit with a bunch of the lady's in the Ward.

Friday we put someone on date!!! So that was exciting! Sister Michaud wants to put everyone we have a lesson with on date for baptism it's pretty funny. She is just so on fire it's great! So that was exciting.

Saturday we had breakfast with our stake president which was very delicious. We had waffles with syrup and blue berries, strawberries and bananas. Oh man it was so good. Then we had lunch with Sister's S, M and K. We went to red robin and then to M's house to help her take down her Christmas decorations. It was great because I got to wear pants and then also because she had the radio on and so I was jamming out to all my old favorites:) I was pretty happy! Haha

Then Sunday we had a bunch of meetings, and it was weird because I was answering all the questions which was strange because that was sister Finns job, but now I'm suppose to know everything so it's different lol. But I'm not the driver dad so don't worry. I guess since she's been out longer she drives, but it's weird because I have to tell her where to go! Oh well, I don't mind that much I guess.

Oh but at dinner last night we had it with a family that had 6 kids under the age of 9!!! So it was total chaos! And let me tell you, first we had enchilada soup which had beans, it wasn't too bad but definitely not my favorite. But this is where I was dying haha. The little boy took the bowl of cheese and was just eating the bowl of cheese, so he has this mouth full of cheese and I guess he didn't want it anymore so then he decided to spit it all back into the bowl, mind you this bowl was for everyone to use haha. I definitely did not have any cheese.  Then he decided to spread all the cheese over the carpet floor. I was dying laughing at this little punk, oh and he was only like maybe 5? Plus he kept screaming at the top of his lungs. I was the lucky on that got to sit next to him. Hahahah what a night. Lol before my mission the noise probably didn't bother me, but now I'm just not use to it! It's so crazy! Haha

Oh and it was funny, one time while tracting this week this blonde super tall Russian Jehovah's Witness answered the door... It was pretty awkward. She's like I know what y'all are doing, because I do it too, I'm a Jehovah's Witness. We were like, oh okay well do you want to learn more about our faith and she did not... Hahaha

Mom we had a lesson with M and K on Tuesday before sister Finn left and it was good. Our two baptisms are on February 20th:) and trust me, I definitely laugh every time we get yelled at! Lol it's the only thing we can do! Why did kaz and Tatum get another new dog? What kind is it??

Dad, I'll have to find out about the insurance, I'm not driving so I don't know. But yes definitely save your money so we can go on a trip when I get home!!!!:) maybe like Hawaii or New York? Or y'all can come up here so I can show you all my friends haha. And about Sister H's dog, it was cute but that's about all, I still don't really like dogs haha. Sister S's dogs always try and lay with me, it's so annoying! Haha the weather has been raining off and on. But I think one day the sun was actually out and I really loved it because it was so beautiful! I love the pacific north west! Haha when it's not
raining that is! Lol

Hmmm so I really love the emails throughout the week, it's totally not distracting! Makes me happy :) helps me get through the next day! Thanks for the exercise routines mom, I'll for sure be using them! Also me and my companion are going to try and run 2 times a week, sister Finn and I slacked off toward the end.

And dad, my iPod..... I don't think you added ANY of the songs I asked you. It's the exact same as when I sent it home??? What's up with that?  Sounds like y'all are having a pretty busy week. That's how it is for me allllll the time! Haha

Oh and mom I keep forgetting. But Sister S is mad that you didn't tell her that you were in the area that one time you dropped the boxes off. She said she would have liked to meet you and show you around! Lol so there's a thought for next time maybe? Idk she just keeps telling me to tell you! Haha

So how is everyone doing? Anything else exciting happening? Oh also, did you send my jeans and blue purse yet? Well I love y'all and miss y'all like crazy! Hope you have a great week!!!!

Xoxo
Sister Batey

One last photo with Sister Finn and friends.

McKenzee's new companion, Sister Michaud

Sister Michaud, McKenzee, Sister H and the dog.

3 months down and transfer week

Hi fam bam,

Well this week was the best and worst week. Funny how the mission works like that.  But first a few things, you guys rock for emailing me throughout the week!!!! I loved loved loved seeing the new emails everyday, definitely felt some love this week! And I just got the box on Saturday mom! Thank you thank you thank you! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THE SKIRT YOU GOT ME!!!! In fact if they have one in other colors I want more! Haha it is super comfortable and matches with just about everything! So yeah I really loved it!!!! And everything else was way nice too, although I was looking at my iPod and I didn't see any new music?? Let me know. But why'd you send it to the mission office and not my address? Just wondering? Oh and also, I got a package from aunt Vicky and uncle Jason!!! I was so happy!! They sent me a skirt, a vest, and some lotion and perfume! So thankful!!!! Oh and mom why didn't you send me my Texas ring? I did send it to you right?

Okay so now for the week, gonna start backwards a little so bare with me. So Friday we got transfer letters, which are not good when you don't want to leave or want your companion to leave :( so I'm staying in the fairway village Ward and sister Finn is leaving we are both so upset. We cried a good amount, but it didn't change anything. It's just sad because we get along and work well together and we are having so much fun but I only got 6 weeks with her :( I just wish we had another transfer :( but we are both planning on going back to byui so we will for sure see each other again! So yeah that's what is happening with transfers. My new companions name is sister Michaud, from what I've heard is she has been out 7.5 months but we will be co-senior companions and that means, from what I hear, I will be the driver since I've been in the area before. So if that is the case, I'm excited to drive but also nervous because I haven't driven in 3 months!!! Speaking of 3 months, THIS PAST WEEK I HIT MY 3 MONTH MARK!!!!! ONLY 15 MONTHS LEFT!!!!!!! Still a really long time but hey, it's progress. Lol

Okay so now rewind, Monday we went to the high school that Sister S works at, she is the counselor and dance coach, (that's why we have those matching shirts) and she had some of her girls teach me and sister Finn a dance routine. It was so fun!!!! I didn't realize how much I missed dancing until then! It was so much fun! But man I am out of shape hahaha, I was dying. But it was so much fun!

Wednesday morning we went to an appointment we had made with this guy and his son, he is less active and his mom told us to visit him  and we already met with him once. So Wednesday morning we went to our appointment and his wife answered (he told us that they were separated) anyway she saw us and started yelling at us and telling us how she doesn't want us coming back and that they don't practice Mormonism anymore. It was so dumb, we literally said nothing and this lady is just yelling at us. And what makes it worse is she is only like 4 years older than me. It made me and sister Finn so mad. Especially since that's how we stared our day!!!

And so this week we didn't do any tracting which was nice and so we were just doing a lot of working with members which was super great. Working with members definitely brings miracles. We actually were able to teach Sister S friends, M and K, they aren't members but we've become good friends, they came to play games with us on New Year's Eve. But yeah so we were able to teach them the restoration which is such a blessing! Then the next day Friday, we were able to meet with a lady and her son that we were trying to get in contact with the whole transfer, anyway we met with them and put the little boy on date!! Which means we scheduled a date for his baptism!!! We were so excited!!!! It's such a blessing!!!

On Saturday sister Finn and I went on exchanges with our STLs (sister training leaders) and I went with sister De Leon to the YSA Ward and it was fun. We did some more service and helped another person move. Haha mom you're right, I have more people on my mission than ever before hahah. But it's different in my mission, it's more fun because it's a special occasion that I get to wear pants. Lol

Sunday, we went to our dinner appointment then after dinner we went to teaching appointment and well I guess they thought we weren't full so they also made us dinner, and not just dinner but tacos!!!!! Oh man, I was so full, and I didn't even like the tacos, I ate two dinners within an hour. I felt like I was dying!!!! But yeah whatever. It's a missionary problem haha.  So that was pretty much my week.

So mom, I don't remember who I was talking to but they said something about its hard being a sister missionary because we wear church clothes every single day and a mom said something about how she tried doing it for her daughter so I was wondering if you'd do it for me?:) haha

Hmmm what else, I really enjoyed yalls emails this week.  Dad, you said y'all talk about me? Like what? I wish y'all would send me more videos! Lol  Well I love you guys so so much!!!!! And miss you a bunch!!!!

Xoxo
Sister Batey

One more hug before they get transferred.

McKenzee is always good with Kids.

 

Apparently it's cold outside.

 

Sisters Batey, De Leon & Finn.

January 11th, 2016

Hello to all,

I miss you guys so much. How is everyone doing? Let me know because all I know about home is what I get in emails and sometimes I think y'all think I know and I don't lol. So much this week woah, I don't even know. Lots have happened, lots I can't talk about. Let's just say missionary work is hard. We take upon us the burdens of others and then we also have our burdens and it's just lots to hold and we are only human and girls at that. And I have really come to appreciate and love the church and gospel that we have. What a blessing it truly is.  I'm so thankful for it and also for the priesthood because it's just so comforting and is truly amazing. Man I don't even know where I

should begin. I feel like all my days are mixed together. Sorry if this letter isn't all that great, lots of thoughts and emotions this week.

Tuesday we went to a family in our Ward to try and learn more about the Book of Mormon so we would be ready for our lesson with our new investigator. This couple is so great. They are tour guides and go to Jerusalem a bunch of times giving tours. They have been to Central America and seen so much so they are very knowledgeable, plus this man has taught seminary for 40 years. He's very smart. So he taught us a little about the Book of Mormon and showed us some facts that go hand in hand with stories from the Book of Mormon. It was very nice and very interesting. So then we go have a lesson with another investigator and we use the talk, It Works Wonderfully by President Uchdorf which is great, go and read it. Anyway we use that and it talks about simplicity and such and it apparently was just what she needed to hear because she responded really well to it and even later that day she asked for the name of it so she can study it. I thought that was pretty neat lol. You learn to appreciate all the baby steps people make because even baby steps are steps in the right direction and sometimes it just takes others longer. 

Wednesday night April had her baptismal interview with our district leader and well things came up and we are going to keep working with her and so her baptism is going to be pushed back for the 23rd. So pray for her.

Thursday we helped a lady move out of her apartment. My companion and I actually carried two couches down the stairs to the moving truck! Haha nbd but boy my arms hurt over the next few days lol. It was fun though sister Hobbes and sister brock (ladies from our Ward) were there so we got to talk with them, and plus we got to wear jeans which is great! That night we went to visit a family we usually have lessons with and they weren't home so we went next door and visited Nasy (we had Christmas dinner with her and her family) and she told us that she was praying that we would come by and then we did, pretty cool I thought. But it was funny before we got inside we were knocking and we saw through the window one of her daughters watching tv and so we waved at her and she came to unlock the door then she didn't open it but went back to watching tv... We were so confused so we got her attention again and knocked and she looked at us and yelled, "it's unlocked you dumb dumb"!!!!! Hahaha we were laughing so hard, she's only like 5 or 6 so it was funny. So we visited with Nasy for awhile and it was nice. She told us some things about a family which i can't talk about but it's sad. That's what I'm talking about taking upon others burdens. So now we are trying to help them. So prayer for them as well.

Friday, oh so we have a meeting with our zone and our zone leaders tell us about this new plan they came up with and so this next week we are not allowed to tract(I'm pretty pumped hahaha) so instead we are going to be working with the people of the Ward. They came up with this plan where we are going to teach a bunch of active families in our Ward. We are really striving to implement members and missionaries working together. So we are going to teach them our purpose which is inviting others to come unto Christ. As members of the church of Jesus Christ it's our duty to do this. Everyone. Although I'm a missionary I am still a member, I'm just devoting 18 months into this, but we need the help of the members. Yes that means you too, family, friends, you need to step up to the plate!!! Anyway we explain this and then we tell them we are going to come back in a few days and we want them(the members) to teach us(the missionaries) the restoration. They are going to act as missionaries and teach and we are going to be investigators and ask questions. We are trying to help so they can feel more comfortable if situations come up. Then the 3rd lesson we are going to come back and we are going to have the members bring a nonmember to the lesson and they are going to help us teach their friend or family member the restoration. I'm pretty excited about this because I totally agree that we need the help of members and I think we would be more successful if we worked together. So maybe family y'all can try this haha. Then for dinner, OMG!!!!!! I might throw up having to think about this again! So we have dinner with this older lady and her daughter who isn't all there poor thing. And well their apartment isn't the cleanest... So we are watching her prepare dinner and oh man I almost died. She dropped some of the food onto the floor which is so so dirty, it has crumbs and hair and leftover food. It's bad. She picks it up and puts it back into the bowl and onto the table for dinner. Then she picks her nose and then uses her hands to cut the meat, then we notice our dishes were still dirty!!!!! My Fork had hard leftover food on it:( so we have roast beef and potatoes and well the potatoes were instant ones and they were still crunchy and the meat was cold and the salad that she dropped on the floor wasn't salad but peppers and tomatoes..... And well I had to scarf that dinner down ASAP but I couldn't wash it down with water because the glass was dirty and the water had floatys floating around in it. The whole thing was so bad. I was very not feeling too hot afterwards. So we hurried and ate and left and got ice cream to get the nasty out of our mouth!

So gross!!!!

Saturday we helped another lady move. This time we helped her move into an apartment. She's a nonmember, missionaries in another area told us about her so we are hopeful. So us and the elders got to help her and it was fun because once again I got to wear pants haha. Of course the elders were late so sister Finn and I were doing a lot of the heavy lifting. Nbd haha then we had our lesson with the lady who has a weed plant that I get to sit next to every lesson. Haha then we go to a lady's apartment and well it's so dirty. It's so dirty, in fact she found a mouse in her apartment and the mouse laid babies and so she decided to keep the baby one and raise it as if it were her own!!!!!! Oh my lanta! She feeds the mouse and sleeps with it and kisses it and puts it on her boob so that it can have skin to skin contact. It's quite disgusting. I was so grossed out, what if it has rabies?!? Sister Finn held it but I was not about to touch it! So nasty!!!!!

Sunday, went to church. It was Ward conference so it was good. Nothing crazy happened, although they are making a new stake here too. Oh but for dinner we went to the bates and they made us sandwiches with shrimp? Idk strange... Lol but the weird thing is that their son is named Jordan and he has a son named Liam who is like 5, isn't that so bizarre? I thought so! Lol

So yeah that's my week. Crazy crazy crazy. So sad about president Taylor, we are all praying and fasting for him! Dad I'm glad you sent me those updates because they didn't tell us much. So thanks.  I'm glad y'all got my box! Merry Christmas haha sorry it's late. And dad to answer some of your questions Skipbo is a really fun card game! It's hard to explain but you gotta get rid of your cards, maybe I'll record us playing so you can see how it's done lol.

Transfers are on the 20th, so we should find out this weekend if we are getting transferred!!!!! I'm nervous because I really like sister Finn and this area! Oh I'm praying for us to stay. They emailed us and said presidents heart attack isn't going to affect transfers so we will see! So I'm not sure when our next zone conference is... It's not very often so I'm not sure. And then with the temple we don't do that very often either, so maybe in a few months? I really don't know. I've heard twice a year but I'm not positive. And it's outside my mission boundaries so we have to get special permission to go...

Dad thanks for getting my music ready! I can't wait to get it! I can't remember, did I tell you to put music on it from Katy perry? She use to sing Christian music before she became famous and so I want some from her please:) if it's easier you can put it on a cd and send it to me later?  Mom, I'm so glad you are blood clot free! That makes me so happy! I've been worried about you and praying lots! Sucks about your arm, you are just so old I guess!! Haha, but hey don't wait so long to start trying to fix it. You need to take care of yourself!!! That is so sad about sister Payne! I'm so sorry, wow I can't even imagine. Do they know how? I find comfort in the plan of salvation that our families can be together again and that we will see our loved ones again. I know that people say it a lot but I'm really understanding it now. It's still sad and hard and I'm praying for them!  Haha sounds like fun in sunbeams mom. Haha I remember those days! You got any pictures of your class?

Yep sister Schott and sister Hobbes definitely take care of me, she gave me a hug and kiss on Sunday from you mom, it was sweet. And I can't believe she told you that story of me! Hahah she told me that I need to tell her what I like because she wants me to feel at home so I did after I ate some of the nasty salad hahah. But hey let me tell you, I think I actually like boiled broccoli and I like spinach so I mean I'm moving up in the world! Haha  So are y'all gonna send me any pictures of the week??? Also I don't really feel like y'all told me anything that was happening to y'all???? I would like to know please haha. Did gracee and Reagan make pop show?  What's Eathan up to?  And about my box, i think I want my blue purse.... The one I used before my mission, do you think my iPad mini would fit in it? I really want it because it's not as big and also I get tired of the same one all the time!!!  Hahah I think that's all, hopefully you found me some cute skirts?:) don't tell me, just let me be surprised. haha  

Well I miss y'all and love you guys to pieces.  Oh and dad thanks for sending me emails throughout the week! I literally get so so so happy when I can read the first 5 lines! Helps me know I'm not completely forgotten;)

Love y'all

Xoxo

Sister Batey

Kenzee and Sister Finn

Not really sure....

Um...yeah...crazy face night???

January 4th, 2016 - A new year!

Hey fam bam,

 Happy 2016!!!!! I can't believe it's the New Year, I go home next year!!!!! Crazy that I get to say that! Lol I'm almost 3 months out, time is just flying by! So you guys sound like y'all had a great week! Wish I could have gone to the Oregon game with y'all, I'm pretty jealous. I heard they lost thanks to Siri haha. The lady I live with is an Oregon fan so while we were studying at the kitchen table she had the game on the tv on mute haha. Soooo I got to see a little bit of the game in the reflection of the window lol. I told her that y'all went and to keep a look out for y'all in case y'all got on tv. Haha we didn't see y'all though.

So this week is also a blur for me haha. It was pretty sunny all week though so we were pretty happy, although it was super windy which was pretty bad, my body was aching because it was so cold!!

Monday for pday we went to the church and played football with the elders. It was pretty exciting except for the fact that I was so short and couldn't jump high enough to catch the ball before an elder would jump in my way. Oh well, I did a lot of running which is good because I need to do a lot of cardio to keep the weight off haha. Then Monday night Sister S came home from Utah (she was visiting her daughters and grandkids) so we went out to dinner with her at Sherries, it was fun.

Tuesday we had our lesson with Jxxx and boy oh boy was it intense! He was asking such hard questions which made me question why I was a missionary. But luckily the spirit was able to help me and my companion a whole bunch! We talked a lot about faith and I recited the first vision which was totally the Holy Ghost helping me. But he's a toughie. He kept telling us that there is archaeological evidence for the bible and he wants some archaeological evidence for the Book of Mormon which is sad because that's where our faith comes in and that probably means he won't ever accept the gospel because he doesn't have faith. I mean think about it, if Heavenly Father gave us all the evidence that would require no faith on our part and that just wouldn't work. Idk I can't put my thoughts on paper too well but it's just sad to see him ask for evidence when our answers comes through reading and praying. We have an appointment with him on Tuesday so pray for me and my companion that we can have the spirit to answer his question and pray for him that he will have a soften heart. Hopefully he can have faith, because that is the foundation we need to have in this gospel. Hopefully that made enough sense... Lol

Wednesday we had dinner with this old couple and they fed us tamales and oh my heck, McKenzee does not like tamales!!! Lol that was the first meal that I really just did not enjoy! I was gagging, my eyes were watering, and it was awful! Lol I've been pretty good about eating but I just couldn't get that one down. Then after dinner we went to the church to pee and we ran into President and Sister Taylor and it was so much fun to talk to Sister Taylor because she is like our mission mom. It just made us so happy :) but we had to run because we had an appointment!

Thursday was New Year's Eve and we just went around and visited a bunch of old lady's in the nursing homes that we have come to know. It was really nice! Then we were trying to find one of the ladies and we ran into this other old lady, Nxxx. She is so cute, she has had cancer for 3 years and is still fighting strong. She has no hair poor thing but she still dresses up every day with big earrings and a big necklace and lipstick and she even wears pumps. So adorable. So she invites us in and we start talking and we share a Mormon message with her and then she just keeps talking and then she gives us some bread and she shows us all her art work because she is an artist and then she tells us how happy she is that we were able to visit. Then she was telling us about her cancer and her life and she doesn't complain at all. She was so happy and just so positive and I was just so amazed at her. It was just so nice to talk with her and it just made me want to be better and not complain because I don't have it as hard as she does. Then that night we went to Olive Garden for dinner with Sister S for the new year and that's where the picture is from. Sister S sent it from her phone, she is the best, such a sweetheart. And it was funny, the waitress thought that me and Sister Finn were sisters and that Sister S was our mom so she kept calling Sister S mom. Haha it made us laugh. After Olive Garden we went home and started to play some card games like skipbo, and then Sister S nonmember friends came over and we all played cards and it was so exciting because we got to wear our jammies and just be normal people!!! I loved it. Oh and I ended up winning!!!!!:) then we all made a deal for the new year to lose weight and whoever loses the most will get a free game of bowling because the losers will pay for it haha. So yeah I'm trying to eat in healthy and exercise and lose weight. So this week we've been drinking these healthy smoothies that Sister S makes us, they have spinach and a bunch of fruit mixed together, they aren't amazing but they are super healthy so I'm trying. Oh and I've also been running every morning and doing some ab workouts. Hopefully it will work! That's one of my New Year’s resolutions, I also want to be more spiritual and become closer to my Heavenly Father. Anyway, we still went to bed at 10:30 because we still have to wake up at 6:30 because missionary life never stops.

So Friday, the New Year, we went to do some service for a less active lady. She asked us to help her clean her dishes and holy heck!!!! So her dishes were overflowing out of her sink, coving all the counters, stacked up high, and she also had a few boxes of dirty dishes that she said that been dirty for five years!!!!!! It was nasty! Some of the food on these dishes were so hard to scrap off, we have like 4different tools to try and clean them!! And this ended up taking us 3 hours to clean most of the dishes!!! It was so gross, I had gloves on thank goodness!! Lol but I also got to wear pants, which is the best so I guess it wasn't too bad. Then we went to Ixxx’s house and watched the Legacy and had Carmel popcorn and it was so delicious. So that's what I did for my new year. Nothing fancy but it was nice.

Saturday nothing much.

Sunday, dang this is when it gets good hahah. So it's fast Sunday and we were fasting for a baptism okay, just keep that in mind. So we wake up and get ready for church (our church in now at 1) so we get ready and I'm about to start studying when I look outside and it's snowing!!!! Everything is covered in snow and more snow is falling! I was so happy I run to get Sister Finn and of course we go outside to take some pictures and play in it a little bit. I was too pumped. Then we get a text that church is canceled because of the snow and we are told we can't drive anywhere which means we get to stay home all day!!!!!!!:) It was like a miracle! Lol so we decide to play more skipbo and also phase 10! I was so happy because I love card games. But we were still fasting so that was kind of hard to be home and not eat. But then, listen to this, we get a text that Axxx has decided that she still wants to be baptized on Saturday!!!!!!!!:) #fastingworks!!!!!! How crazy is that??? We got an answer only a few hours into our fast!!! Sister Finn and I were just so elated!!!!! It was great. So after a few hours of cards we took a nap for two hours and then woke up and then played some more cards hahah. Then the people we were having dinner with came to pick us up since it was still snowing and we couldn't drive. So we eat dinner and then watch the best two years with them! I really appreciated the movie now that I'm a missionary. Lol then we go home and play another round of cards hahaha. We are a little addicted haha. But yeah Sunday was such a blessing because we got to take it easy and relax and also because our fasting worked!!!!!!:) isn't that too awesome???:)

So today(Monday) there is still snow on the floor but we have the okay to drive so idk what we will do, probably play cards haha. Well I love you all so much and miss y'all a lot.  I hope you all have a great new year!

Xoxo
Sister Batey

P.S.
Hey papa,
Sorry to hear about your beloved Oregon Ducks, I was pretty upset as well, I kept asking Siri to tell me the score and they started out so strong!!! Oh well at least you got to go and see them! I was out tracting in the cold cold wind and getting doors slammed in my face! Isn't it funny how you and mom wanted this for me? Y'all wanted me to come on a mission and get door after door slammed in my face and getting yelled at and walking around late at night trying to go into strangers homes to share a message about Jesus Christ. What ever happened to don't talk to strangers?! Haha anyway sounds like the game was still fun, and at least y'all got to go as a family... Oh and Sister S, the lady I live with, she wants to know what high school you went to? Oh and she's a pretty big Oregon fan as well. Pretty funny. Small world. So your questions I'll answer in the group email, just wanted to write you a personal email telling you how much I love you:) and yes dad I got the Christmas in 3 minutes video haha;) sorry I forgot to tell you, I just get so busy on pdays since there is so much to be done. But yes I got it and loved it and show everyone I talk to. It's so great!!!! So thank you, I know that was probably not how you wanted to spend your time but I appreciate it! I wish I could get more videos of y'all, like y'all talking to me like I did that one time. This week I really missed y'all. Oh and also thanks for all the little emails you sent me :) it makes me happy to know you haven't completely forgotten about me! I love seeing the first five lines of your emails and knowing what y'all are doing like going to take the tree down and going to the stake party. It's nice to stay in the loop!

Well I love you and love your emails and pictures. Just know that you can never send too many emails and pictures :)
Xoxo
Sister Batey

Drinking from our matching cups.

 

Excited its snowing!

Happy New Year!

 

Can you tell we love the snow??