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???