August 29th, 2016

Hi my sweet family,

Man do I miss you guys so much! I hope you kiddos enjoyed your first
week of school! I can't believe you guys are already back in school!
It's crazy because I'll be home before you finish this school
year!!!  So weird to think about but time literally flies! And omg I
can't believe Kylee is going to BYUI in 10 days! Oh my lanta! What
the! Lol I'm so excited for her and all the amazing adventures that
are waiting for her! I love BYUI:) it will be exciting to go back one
day!

Well I'm so glad the cat is out of the bag with Kylee ;)  I'm so pumped
that she told you guys! And I'm so excited that she wants to go and
that all of her friends want to go! MISSIONS ARE THE BEST!!! It's the
best thing I've ever done and it makes me so happy to hear other
people want to go! Fun fact: You will never regret going  :)

Alright well this week has been SO GREAT! I really enjoyed my last few
days with Sister Foster! We had a lot of fun and got to spend a lot of
the time with members which is always exciting! Monday we got massages
from B and I was able to spend time catching up with her which
was AMAZING! Love that woman! Monday night we went to the S
family's home and said goodbye. They are the family I'm with in the
picture I sent y'all. And then the other one I sent with the blonde
girl is K (super weird that we have the same name, I feel like I'm
talking to myself when I call her name haha) anyway, K is about
to go on her mission to California and so we've been spending a lot of
time with her. We've been taking her out to lessons and she's been
driving us around and we went shopping with her like 2 weeks ago. It's
been a lot of fun! And she even went to BYUI for a year so we have a
lot to talk about! It's great!

Tuesday we were able to go to the Portland temple visitors center with
a lady who we've been teaching. Her name is Sister T and she's
coming back to church after years and years of inactivity. It's been
such a wonderful experience working with her and seeing how far along
she has come:) it makes me so happy to see her making such great
strides. Anyway we went and toured the grounds of the temple and it
was such a great experience, the spirit was so strong! I just love
sister T! Oh and her bff came with us, Sister H, so that
was a fun girls trip:) sister T is the one with the black glasses
and short grayish hair. She's a cutie. She gave me a cute journal a
few weeks back and this week she gave me a cute necklace set. I'll
have to take a picture and send it later. After we walked around the
temple we went out to lunch at some teriyaki chicken place, fun fact I
love teriyaki chicken and rice.   haha   Then we went to the Deseret
bookstore. I literally love that place! It's so cute and they have the
best stuff! I just want to buy it all haha. After that we got home and
spent some time with P while Sister Foster started packing. Me and
P kept her company though, P was taking pictures hahah and I
was jumping on the bed lo lol. It was a grand old time hahaha. Then we
went and said our goodbyes to more members that sister Foster was
going to miss. We stopped by Grandma B and got some Popsicle which
are my fav with it being so hot!!!

Wednesday was transfer day and usually we go to the mission office to
switch companions and such but since Sister Hibbard was just up in La
Center and Sister Foster was going with Sister T, they just picked up
sister Foster and dropped off sister Hibbard here at P's house. So
it was didn't even feel like transfers! Haha but it was kind of easier
that was. Anyway, so Sister Hibbard is awesome! I just love her
already! And it's so crazy because we are so much alike! Like a lot
alike. We keep finding more and more similarities between us, and they
are weird similarities haha not that we are weird, just random. Lol
but it's been so much fun with her! So Wednesday she began unpacking
and then we went to the grocery store with K and her mom.
That was fun. I love them, they remind me of how me and mom react
around each other! Lol it was fun to watch. Then we had some lessons
that afternoon which went really well. That evening we were going to
be on our bikes and I was just so nervous for her because I remember
my first time on the bike and how awful it was, but she did really
well! Thursday morning we went on our bikes again and haha poor thing,
she told me how much her body hurt and I felt so back because I
totally remember and there's seriously nothing that can be said or
done to take away the pain. I felt so bad! But she has been doing a
really great job!

So Thursday we went tracting a little bit and we talked to this one
lady, E, and she was super nice and we talked a little about
Christ and gave her a restoration pamphlet with our card but she said
she wasn't interested. Well later that day we were riding our bikes
and Sister Hibbard heard the phone ring so we pulled over and answered
the phone and it was E! We were so surprised but she asked if we
could come back to share more with her and so we are going back
Tuesday!!! We are so PUMPED! Please pray for her and that things will
go well!!! I'm so excited because things like that hardly ever happen,
but we are really hoping for good things to come!:) for lunch that day
we went to a lady we've been teaching, she wanted to feed us and so we
had grilled cheese which was really good. Well she has the cutest
little son and he came up to us while we were eating and he says,
"Sisters, can I give you a kiss?" And he slowly takes my hand and
gives it a gentle little kiss on the back of my hand like Prince
Charming would do and then he does the same to my companion. Oh my
lanta, It was just so PRECIOUS.  Then he runs up stairs and says,
"love you sisters". Oh wow, it's seriously the little things like this
that make me happiest. Haha

The rest of the day however was kind of hard. Our lessons kept
canceling, my companion got some bad news, and it was just so so hot
and we were out in the heat. Well after dinner we got a call from
Elder and Sister Burgyone, they work in the mission office and I love
them to pieces, and they wanted to take us out to ice cream! We were
so excited because this literally never happens. So they come and pick
us up and we go and hang out and eat ice cream for like 40 minutes and
it was so much fun because they've helped me so much on my mission.
When I was in Hazel Dell I got to see them almost every day which was
amazing and so it's been hard not getting to see them all the time. So
this was a real treat! And so towards the end we ask them if someone
told them that we were having a hard day and they said no they just
wanted to take us out and it was just an evidence that GOD IS REAL and
is aware of all of His children and their needs! It was such a
testimony that Heavenly Father loves us all so much!!! Such a tender
mercy!

Friday was planning day, we went to lunch with the S family and
then did some more weekly planning haha. Then we had some pretty good
lessons:) omg then that night we were tracting and we knock on this
guys door and he use to be a member and he says, "I've baptized 33
dead people, I'm good". Hahahaha omg me and sister Hibbard were dying...
lol it was so funny because I've never heard that one before! It was
just so random hahah. It was hilarious though, omg lol
Saturday we had lunch with Grandma B and she made us chocolate chip
pancakes!!! Haha they weren't anywhere near as good as moms but it was
really nice to have them!!
Then that night was the Ward bbq which was a lot of fun. Lots of
people showed up and it was so great to spend time with the Ward!
Sunday we had a missionary homecoming and farewell talk and the spirit
was so strong! And we had 10 less actives at church!!!! Omg it was the
very best! We were just so happy! And they all stayed all 3
hours!!!!:) yay! It's so amazing!
Oh and Sunday night I got to see B!  :) love her tons!

Well I'm so happy to be with Sister Hibbard, she's from Chandler,
Arizona. She's 20yrs old. She went to BYUI, she has 5 siblings and I
just love her!

I hope you all have a great week! Miss y'all tons and love y'all to
the moon and back!   Love hearing from y'all and so grateful for all that
you guys do for me!

Don't forget to remember me;)

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."


Xoxo
Sister Batey

Kenzee, Sister Foster and the S Family.

Kenzee and Sister Foster and Sisters T and H.

Kenzee, her new companion Sister Hibbard and Elder and Sister Burgyone.

Kenzee and Grandma B



August 22nd, 2016

Hello hello,

So sorry for the delay, I just got done with my massage:)

I'm so happy to finally hear from you guys and see pictures of your
cruise! It looked like so much fun and I bet y'all had a blast! Compared
to y'all, my week seems very boring hahaha. So bare with me.

So yes my hand is finally healing and looks a heck of a lot better,
thank goodness. Although it's in the healing stages and is super itchy
all the time!!! But it's definitely better:)

 

Okay, so transfer news!!!! I will be staying here in the Nehalem Ward
and my new companion is going to be Sister Hibbard. She is currently
serving in La Center which is only 30 minutes away. She is from
Arizona and she also went to byui before her mission. I'm excited to
get to serve with her! Oh and Sister Foster is going to La Center, so
basically they are just switching places! Kinda crazy!

 

Honestly, this is going to be a pretty boring email because nothing
very exciting happened this week. Lol SORRY!

 

Let's see, I had a meat ball sub sandwich for dinner this week. I'm
gonna be honest I thought I wasn't going to like it but it was
actually very good.

 

I was finally able to get back on my bike this week, although it still
was uncomfortable with my poor little hand haha. Oh and holy heck,

it was so so so HOT this week! Thought I was going
to die a little bit. And it was just so painful to be out side! I was
just a big hot mess and it was not fun. I totally forgot how hot it
gets. I'm gonna die going back to SA! And it's annoying because
everyone is like, well you're from Texas so you're use to this....
Well I've been here for the last 10 months so now I'm not use to it! Lol

We had stake conference this week which was really good! It's crazy
how much I actually enjoy it now. They spoke all about families which
was really cool. They talked about how we need to really turn to
Christ in this day in order to raise our families. Really interesting.
Also we really need to keep the Sabbath Day holy. The whole day, not
just part of it.

 

Oh also, we were out knocking doors one night and we came across this
lady and at first she wasn't really interested but then she started
asking about our missions and we talked about that then she started
asking what we believe and before long she came out and we sat on her
front porch and taught her the restoration and about prophets and the
priesthood and the Book of Mormon. And she was really interested in
learning more which was amazing. And she kept telling us how she would
get chills as we were talking, which is of course the spirit and it
was just really exciting for us to teach her! It was amazing:)

 

Well I am so grateful for this gospel and the joy it brings me. I know
that my Savior lives and that Heavenly Father hears and answers our
prayers. I love my family and all these amazing people I've met on my
mission.

 

I hope y'all have a great week and enjoy going back to school!!!!
Miss y'all tons and love y'all to the moon and back!!!!!!

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."

Xoxo
Sister Batey

 

McKenzee, Sister Foster...and P

 

McKenzee hates cats...

A tired, working missionaries feet...

Resting those tired feet...

 

McKenzee and her new companion Sister Hibbard...on the far right.

 

August 15th, 2016 - Front Brakes...what??

Hey, what up, hello family,

Omg so little did I know that you shouldn't use your front breaks
alone when riding a bike! But no one has ever told me this and I
haven't ridden a bike since I was like 10 so how am I suppose to know?
Haha well needless to say I found out the hard way why. So Tuesday
night we are biking home after our appointments and it's pretty dark
and it had rained earlier that night so I was wearing my sweater and
rain coat(blessings) oh and I also had on boots because it was colder
than most days. So we are booking it home because we don't want to be
late. Well P lives at the bottom of a hill so we coast as we bike
downhill. And I've been practicing riding my bike without my hands for
a while and I've gotten pretty good. So as I'm coasting I let go and
ride with no hands for a good 10-12 seconds. Amazing. It felt great
and I was so proud. Then I noticed I was coming up to an intersection
and there are no stop signs in this town so I needed to be ready so I
grab hold of my handle bars again. As I get closer I know I need to
break and I usually break with both my left and right breaks but for
whatever reason I decided to only use my left break(which I didn't
know at the time but I now know is my front break). Well as a result I
get thrown off my bike over the handle bars, I belly flop and skid on
the street, and my bike gets thrown over me and lands right next to
me. And because I'm launched to the street I get the wind knocked out
of me and couldn't breathe and my hands get all ripped up and bloody.
So there I lay, breathless and bloody in the middle of the street on a
dark night and I know my companion is behind me and I start to panic
because I hear her breaks screech to a stop and I'm just praying that
she doesn't run over me. Lol thank goodness she doesn't. Then I limp
home and wash and ice my hands because they are killing. Lol I was
super lucky though because my hands were all that really got hurt. My
knees got a little scraped up but not too bad, mostly my knee got
bruised. Oh and also my ribs/insides got bruised because the following
day any time I laughed I thought I was going to die because they hurt
so bad haha. But other than that nothing. My clothes didn't rip, my
teeth didn't fall out, which would have been the worse part lol. I
didn't even hit my head because my hands broke my fall. And I was just
so happy I was wearing two jackets and my boots because it really
protected me. So haha yeah, that's been my week. I've just been trying
to recover. It's been tough because we've been on foot all week
because my hand has been in a lot of pain so we haven't been on our
bikes.

But oh man, so I just washed my hand with soap and water the first
night it happened, not thinking much else of it but as the week went
on it wasn't feeling any better, it kept getting worse. And I tried
not telling many people about it because I am so embarrassed haha.
Well anyway, Saturday night at dinner somehow we told the members we
were eating with about what happened and they asked to see it and they
said it didn't look to good so they asked if they could clean it out
and put some stuff on it and so they did and it was the opposite of
fun lol. It just kept bubbling and all that gross stuff haha. But it
felt a whole lot better! Then they bandaged it up and I felt so stupid
because so much attention was being drawn to me now. Lol and it was
awkward because people I didn't even know were commenting on it and
when we would knock on people's doors they would ask me. I was not
liking that haha. So I wrapped my jacket around my hand. Hahaha

So that was basically my week hahah. Kinda lame I know.
Hmmm, fun fact, every night this week we had some sort of pasta.
Had lasagna twice. So that was fun. Lol

Oh and one night for dinner this man was wanting to find a cd to play
some music and he couldn't find it so he and his wife went in their
room and started fighting legit fighting and yelling at each other
while we were just sitting in the other room. It was so awkward. Then
when we gave the spiritual thought he started crying and the wife
looks at us and says right in front of him, "it's okay, he's very
sensitive" omg we were dying and trying not to laugh. It was the
weirdest dinner haha.

Then another night, we went to see this lady we met earlier and she
was so sweet and gave us scarves, hats, and gloves and that hand kit.
They are so cute and I was so excited because they look cute and are
so warm! I'll be ready for winter which I know will be here before I
know it! Oh and I got to see B for a little bit this week which is always a
highlight:)

Wow. What a week. Lol Hopefully my hand is on the road to recovery.
And I hope you guys have fun on your cruise! I'm so jealous! Take lots
of pictures!

I love y'all to the moon and back and miss y'all tons!!!!
Have a great week you guys!

"Have faith, have hope, love like His Son, help others on their way".

Xoxo
Sister Batey

The before...

The after...

The sad face...

The look at me I'm hurt cuz I don't know how brake...

 

New hats.

August 8th, 2016

Helloooooo,

So Tuesday we did a lot of knocking on doors and trying to set up
lessons. We spent along time at this one apartment complex and we
ended up talking to this one couple who ended up becoming new
investigators which was pretty exciting! Hopefully we will be able to
meet with them soon! After that we stopped by a few members and then
we went to a former investigators house and she was outside working on
her garden which is just beautiful! Her front and back yard are just
covered in so many different kinda of gorgeous flowers and plants. It
was like an image out of a movie! So we ended up chatting to her
awhile and she took us on a tour of her garden and showed us her
different fruit trees and greenhouse and all her flowers. It was
really amazing. She picked some Asian pears and some honey crisp
apples and let us eat them and they were so good. Then she insisted on
giving us a bouquet of flowers from her garden and it was just so
awesome! She gave us so many and I was just loving it because I love
flowers:) lol and our kitchen looks so cute now with all our flowers!
It was a lot of fun!

Wednesday we had interviews with our new mission president, President
McAteer. They were at the stake center which meant we had to bike all
the way their and it was hot and not much fun at all. We were both
dying by the time we got there! But the interviews were really good. I
really enjoyed getting to talk with him and ask for advice and
whatnot. It was really nice. He's a great man and I'm excited to get
to know him more and learn more from him. After our interviews we had
a few lessons that afternoon which resulted in us biking all over town
which is never fun lol. It was a busy day though, so that's always
good.

Thursday we found out that they wanted us to teach relief society
about how to invite others to learn more about the gospel. So we
started preparing that lesson because we literally have no time to do
it. Lol. But then we had to bike to a lesson about a mile away so we
hurry and did that and when we got there they were about to leave to
walk the dogs and walk to the gas station to get milk. So instead of
just leaving we go on a walk with them which is about another mile
there. So we walk with them and their two big pit bulls and I'm like
already dying from the bike ride to their apartment and now I'm still
dying because we are walking pretty fast lol. So we get to the gas
station and they end up not having enough change to pay for their milk
and I felt so bad so I gave them some money and they didn't even say
thank you? I was a little shocked but I guess it's fine. Then we walk
back to their apartment, another mile, still sweating buckets lol.
Then we have to hurry and bike a mile home before 9 and its 8:54.
Needless to say I was absolutely DYING. Hahaha. It was way tough and I
was just exhausted. Lol

Friday, nothing to exciting. Just some weekly planning.
Saturday we were on exchanges and I was with Sister Carter in the YSA
Ward. And it was nice to be off bikes for a day:) we went to the
botanical gardens in the morning and trimmed some bushes and such.
That's always fun. Then we had a few lessons with some YSA girls
telling them about the different activities and such. Then we had a
lesson with a girl who is getting baptized soon. That was really
exciting. Then after dinner we went and TP'd the bikes because we had
a few spare minutes lol. It was honestly so funny because that night
when we saw them again we totally had them fooled that it wasn't us
and they were so confused. Omg so funny.

Sunday was fun because S came to church with us:) it was so fun
getting to see her again because it's been a long time!!! Sacrament
meeting was funny because this one lady got up talking about being a
virgin and mouths were dropping open like crazy. I couldn't believe it..lol.
Then 3rd hour we taught and I think it went pretty well. The sisters
shared their thoughts and story's which always makes for a better
lesson. I'm just so glad it's over with!

Then after church we were going to a lesson with some new
investigators and when we got their they didn't answer which we were
really bummed about but we ended up knocking on their downstairs
neighbor and the cutest old lady comes to the door and before we could
say anything she invites us right in and starts talking out ear off.
It was honestly so amazing! She's from England and so she has the best
accident ever and her dogs name was Lettie Rufus and it was just so
funny. Then we notice she was reading the bible, the King James
Version nonetheless:) and she turns out to be very spiritual and it
was just really exciting because we talked a little about the plan of
salvation and she just seemed very familiar to us and she seemed to
think the same! It was a total miracle:) then she was so sweet and
gave us some scarfs that she knitted and told us to come back
whenever! Omg we were just so very happy:) it was a really good end to
the week:)

Well I miss you all terribly and love y'all to the moon and back.
Hope y'all have a great week and I can't wait to hear from y'all again!

Don't forget to remember me;)

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."

Xoxo
Sister Batey

Sister Foster and McKenzee...

Working girl feet...

McKenzee and Sister Carter on splits...and TP'd their bikes.

Laundry Day...

August 1st, 2016

My dear sweet family,

So this week, what even happened haha? Honestly nothing to big or
exciting around here. Just the same ole same old. So this may be a
little boring so bare with me lol.

So Tuesday we went over to a lady's house and we helped her make a
cake. I sent you the picture of the picture and then how ours turned
out. Hahah needless to say it was an epic fail but it was a lot of
fun. The lady is quite a bit older and is in a wheelchair but she
loves making cakes and so she asked us to help her. It was really fun
and it tasted really good despite looking like a disaster haha.

After we made the cake we came home and had lunch and then we had a
lesson and P was a saint and drove us since it was so so hot!!!
And it was so great that she drove us because our lesson ended up
canceling and I would have been so sad if we rode our bikes all the
way there to find out it canceled. It's like a 20 minute bike ride. So
then we came home and we went and helped P pick some blackberries
so she could make blackberry jam! But picking blackberries is no easy
task! Haha although my favorite thing about living here in the PNW is
getting to go berry picking! It's so much fun and I just love it!
Although blackberry picking so so much harder than raspberries and
blueberries. Haha the thorns are everywhere and come out of nowhere.
We have lots of battle wounds from that day haha. But it was so worth
it because we made so much jam!!!

For dinner that night, haha omg we went to dinner with this new family
that just moved in and since their house is new it took us like 20
minutes to find it, luckily P was driving again so we didn't have
to keep biking around!  So after finally getting to their house,
rather late we jumped right into it. And omg it was so funny/awkward.
They are a younger couple and the man he was trying to be weird and so
he was asking the most random silly questions like our favorite colors
and such. Then he told us he hates salad but his wife makes him eat it
so when he ate it it was so weird like a lizard or something. He
wouldn't even have it in his mouth before he started chewing and it
was mostly hanging out. So weird haha. I cant even explain it well
enough.

 

But cool thing about them is they have a pet chinchilla!! Omg
it was the coolest thing ever! It's like a big rabbit looking
squirrel! And they said that they require like no work! And they are
hypoallergenic, so you guys should look into getting one lol lol.

Then after dinner we had a relief society game night which was a lot
of fun getting to know the lady's in relief society and playing games.
We got to play bowling on the wii (which I'm not sure if allowed but
oh well hahah) and so get this my first turn on the wii and I get a
strike!!!!:) oh man I was so happy!!! Haha it's been so long but I've
still got game lol. Then my second turn(we only got two turns before
we had to switch) I got a split and then on my send ball I got a
spare!!! It was so much fun!!!

Wednesday we went to help this older couple clean their house because
they were getting ready to move. And wow, it was exhausting! Haha I've
never cleaned so much so fast! And I felt like I was getting punished
a little bit because I was cleaning the baseboards, and I just
remember I had to clean the baseboards one time because I was in
trouble so it brought back a memory or two lol.

Then we went to a lesson and we thought we were safe of boobs in this
lesson but sadly right before we were leaving she whipped out her
tatas and I was forced to see nip. Missionary work is never boring...

Dinner was interesting, this family is on a diet and so we had burgers
without the bun, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, and anything else you
would want on a burger. So basically we had the meat patty. And it was
turkey. So that was awesome. Haha

Thursday was a super busy day, we had district meeting in the morning
and I had to give yet another training... Yippee lol. Then we had
lesson after lesson after lesson which was really really nice because
it was so hot outside and we did not want to be outside knocking
doors. And we were able to get rides so no bike riding for us:) after
all our appointments that day we had about 35 minutes until we needed
to go home so we were just about to figure out where to go when we got
a call from the elders. And cool story, they found a lady in our area
who is a member but hasn't been to church in a long long time and has
decided she wanted to come back! So we got a ride to this lady's house
and met the elders their so they could give her a blessing and we got
to know her a little bit. It was really awesome and a little miracle
which makes me happy:)

Friday, planning day nothing really happened. Although it was B
birthday, WOOP WOOP. Shout out to my favorite lady in fairway
village!

Sunday we had a really good lesson with our investigator G. And the
we took a picture in front of his big red truck🚗 it's a pretty
awesome car! Haha

Oh and fun fact, P loves to call me rotten kid hahaha, only
because I love to tickle her ear because she can't see on the sides of
her so she never knows it's coming and then when I do it, she always
gets freaked out and calls me rotten kid. Hahaha thought you'd enjoy
that.

So yeah that's pretty much my week!

Well I miss you guys a TON!
And I love y'all to the moon and back!
Glad to hear y'all enjoyed the lake. I miss that place like crazy!

Don't forget to remember me;)

"Have faith, have hope, live like His Son, help others on their way."

Xoxo
Sister Batey

 

Epic fail on the cake... :/

 

McKenzee getting her cooking on...

 

 

McKenzee picking some blackberries.

 

That's one big truck.