December 26th, 2016

The Best part of Christmas was getting to skype everyone at home.  

I'm so happy that you wrote me:) I told y'all not to and the moment wehung up I was like, what the heck! Haha so I'm glad to still hear fromy'all :)

It was seriously the best thing ever to talk to you guys!!!!!!!! Iknow I cried a lot but I think they were happy tears so please don'tworry too much about me. I really have just come to understand howawesome our family is and it just makes me want to be with y'all allthe freaking time! Haha needless to say I'm more than excited to seeyou guys which will be in 4 short months!!!!!:)

Anyway, thanks for your letters. I really loved it! I'm seriously sohappy that I can make you guys proud. That's literally all I want, tomake you and mom and Heavenly Father proud. It means a lot to knowy'all are:)

Yes my mission has been hard, but it's also been so much fun! Iseriously love it! Parts of it are so much easier than normal life andI am a little nervous to go back to "normal". lol I really won't knowwhat to do with myself! But I'm definitely SO PUMPED!

Yay! I'm so happy that you are gonna do the D&C challenge! :) I feellike it will be so good and that we will learn a lot! I believe I have127 days so you might have to play catch up for a few days! 😐 sorry,but it's really pretty easy:)

And hey, don't worry! I'm sure you'll get sick of me within those 3months! Hahah but yeah, I'm pretty sad I don't have more time at home.But we will just make the most of the time I do have! And yes, we willget to talk and text and skype everyday so that will be nice!:)

Well I love you so much and miss you tons!!!!

Have the best week ever and please pray for me because I'm so stressedout! Haha

How long are you guys gonna be in Oregon for? When do y'all go home?Also, make sure to take pictures of your week! I LOVE all the onesyou've sent today:) thanks!

LOVE YOU 😘XoxoSister Batey

McKenzee as she is skyping us...

The family getting to see and talk to her...

Got her Christmas PJ's...matching all the girls in the family.

Missionaries who went out caroling.

Christmas morning.

Christmas socks.

December 19th, 2016

Hello hello, 

Oh my goodness, THIS WEEK IS CHRISTMAS!!!! Which means I get to talk to you guys in LESS THAN A WEEK!!!!! I AM SO EXCITED!!!!!!! I seriously cannot wait to see and talk to you guys! I've been waiting for this moment for months!!! :) 

I just can't believe that this will be the last time we get to talk before I go home! Literally the weirdest thing ever! But I'm pumped! So I'm confused about what time works for y'all. Both mom and dad said y'all have church at a different time and I'm confused lol. We are pretty much open all day, but I think y'all should go to church lol. It's Christmas after all... although my companion pretty much calls the shots so I may be over ruled on what time... but we only get an hour to skype:( same as the last two times. So PLEASE make sure that you have written down what questions you have so that we don't forget about anything! :) also, I heard that this year if any of my siblings aren't there when we call that we get to have a 10 minutes skype call with them! So that's exciting! That means I can talk to Kazdan since he won't be in Oregon! Unless you figured out a way to have all of us in the call? Let me know! 

Oh also, I'm so happy you got the pictures from my members this week! The one that sent you the picture on Saturday is my new Ward mission leader, Brother A and they were having us over for our meeting and for breakfast. Him and his wife think it's so crazy that you will be coming to Portland for Christmas! They are really sweet though and said if you have anything you want to drop off for me that you can take it to their house! I'm sure I could name a few people who would do the same. Plus I know a few who want to meet y'all and that I want you to meet! Speaking of, all I really want for Christmas is a box of letters lol. Literally just words on a page from people I love and miss would be so great. Also, bag balm. Haha other than that I'm good:) Dad are you gonna make another video of Christmas in a minute? I WOULD LOVE THAT:) 

Also, when are y'all flying to Portland??? And how long are y'all staying here? What are your plans?

Alright so this week was insane! You know all about Monday! We had the Mission Christmas devotional which was great because I got to see so many other missionaries that I miss so much! It was especially great to see Sister Hibbard and get caught up with her! Oh and I got to see Sister Okerlund before she went home which was on Tuesday! But it was such a crazy Monday because we had like no time to do anything! So I'm grateful that this Monday is a little less crazy! Although we are still running so many different errands because we are trying to get ready for Christmas! 

Wednesday we went to Meals on Wheels again and we helped serve the people there which was so fun as always:) As we were cleaning up though we could see snowflakes falling outside and I was not happy! Lol we went home and had lunch and by the time lunch was over it looked like a blizzard outside! It was seriously so bad! But the worse part was that we had to keep working in it! And it was so snowy and so windy! It just burned so bad! I thought I was gonna die! And all night it just kept coming down like crazy! And we didn't really have any lessons so we had the pleasure of being out in the awful snow storm all night long! Haha

And then Thursday we woke up and everything was still covered in snow! There was so much snow! I felt like I was in rexburg! And we weren't allowed to drive in the snow  so we had to walk everywhere. So for hours we literally just marched around in the snow! But we did see some miracles which was really exciting! I was not too happy about having to be out in the cold especially since I was still getting over my cold. Well anyway, we were just walking around town, and it was more like a waddle because I had soooo many layers on to try and stay warm haha. (I had on a thick sweater, my north face fleece jacket, and my black coat. Two pairs of tights, 3 pairs of socks, toe warmers, hand warmers, two pairs of gloves, a scarf, and two hats. Haha, and I was still freezing). Oh and it was super slippery because of all the snow that actually turned into ice... Anyway, we were walking around talking to people and no one really was too interested. Then we talked to this one man that we couldn't really understand because of his thick accent but we did ask him if he knew anyone in his neighborhood who could use an uplifting message and he told us that it was for  us to find out. So then we went across the street and knocked on his neighbors door, and mind you I was still freezing and still not happy about being out in the awful weather. So we knock on the door and a lady answers the door and invites us right in! She was so nice and told us without us even asking that she is interested in religion right now and is searching for a church to start attending with her family. Oh. My. Goodness. Hahah I literally felt like I got slapped in the face by Heavenly Father. It was like He was telling me that I need to trust in Him more because all things are possible through Him. Then we started talking to her and we were able to bare our testimonies of Christ and having faith in Him. It was a really cool experience, and a very humbling one too lol. We are going back Tuesday for a lesson and we are so pumped:) 

And then that evening we were able to have a few more cool experiences where we were able to teach a few more people on the streets! Although my body was completely numb it was really cool! 

Friday Sister Michaud came with her parents to take me and Sister Crawley out to lunch. We went to cartlandia which is a place with a bunch of food trucks and it's just a ton of fun! We ended up eating crepes which were so good! It was really fun to see Sister Michaud again! And especially nice to catch up with her and to meet her parents! It was fun and I was happy to see her before she went home! 

Then that night we had our Ward Christmas party! It was really nice. We had a nice program and dinner and had a lot of people show up for being a small Ward! It was cute!

Saturday we had a few lessons which was really nice to be out of the snow! We were pretty busy! Oh and the sun came out for a little bit which was nice because it melted some of the snow! But it's still all over the place. Omg but get this! Because of the ice and snow church was canceled for our whole stake! It was so strange! Yesterday didn't even feel like Sunday because we were just out and about looking for people to teach! It was insane! It felt like the longest day ever haha! I'm sure for other people it was nice but as a missionary I just look forward to church and was really sad when it got canceled! Haha. Although I do have a story for y'all for skype so remind me:)

So this week during my studies I felt like I studied a lot about missionary work as I was reading from the scriptures. I also read quiet a few talks that had to do with sharing the gospel and I just truly believe that missionary work is so important and that it's up to the members to help us missionaries. In all actuality we as missionaries are here to help the members of the Ward and I just know that when we share the gospel we are helping God with the greatest work ever!!!! I came across a quote by Robert D. Hales that I just LOVE! 

"For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior has promised that He will make us equal to His work. “Follow me,” He said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” As we follow Him, He blesses us with gifts, talents, and the strength to do His will, allowing us to go beyond our comfort zones and do things we’ve never before thought possible. This may mean sharing the gospel with neighbors, rescuing those who are spiritually lost, serving a full-time mission, working in the temple, raising a child with special needs, loving the prodigal, serving an ailing companion, enduring misunderstandings, or suffering affliction. It means preparing ourselves to answer His call by saying, “I’ll go where you want me to go; I’ll say what you want me to say; I’ll do what you want me to do; I’ll be what you want me to be."

Whatever you take from that quote, do it. I wish I was better at expressing my thoughts haha. But seriously LOVE THIS GOSPEL:) Makes me so happy and gives me so much joy and hope! What more could you want from life?? :)

Well anyway, the craziest thing of the week was all the snow! So you guys are in for a treat when you come up! Haha it's so freezing, so mom make sure you pack warm clothes and lots of gloves:) 

Like I said, IM SO EXCITED FOR CHRISTMAS ❤ 

I miss you guys more than you'll ever know! It seems to be more strong as the days go on. 

I love y'all to the moon and back! 

Don't forget to remember me;)

SKYPE IN 6 DAYS!

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

Xoxo

Sister Batey

Having lunch with Sister Michaud and her family.

Christmas Elves...

The sisters...

December 12th, 2016

Hello hello!

This past week has literally been insane! But first, this upcoming
week I hit my 14th Mark!!!! HOLY COW! My mind is blown because time
seems to be zooming by! It totally blows my mind that I only have
about 4 months left!!!!!

Alright so yes, I'm feeling a whole lot better, although I'm not
completely better. I ended up going to the urgent care on Tuesday and
they were honestly not very nice or helpful. The doctor was pretty
sassy and seemed a little afraid of us two missionaries. Haha. He did
give me some medicine though which I was happy about and it's been
helping me a little. So hopefully when we skype I will be all better:)
Speaking of skype(SO PUMPED) I need to know what time will work for
you so me and my companion can schedule it out:) we have church at 9
and should be done by 10:30 or so. So please let me know what time
will work, I can't believe I get to talk to y'all in less than 2
weeks!!!!! :) Are you guys as excited as I am??? :)

So Monday was pretty uneventful. I felt so sick that I just laid in
bed all day haha. I felt bad because poor sister Crawley just stayed
inside with me and was going pretty crazy. Lol

Tuesday we had district meeting and I had to go and I was just so not
feeling well, I didn't even put makeup on! Lol. It was a scary sight.
Luckily I didn't have to do anything but pay attention. Haha. Then we
went home and I napped and then went to urgent care, and well, enough
said about that one lol. The rest of the night nothing great happened
lol.

So Wednesday I decided that despite not feeling great I would still
get up and be a real missionary. Haha. And we didn't really have too
hard of a day so it wasn't too bad. In the morning we went to Meals on
Wheels, which is always fun. (Except for the old Russian lady who
always slaps my hands when she wants me to do something for her lol)
But I seriously love going there! The people there are always happy to
see us too and are so appreciative of our help so it's amazing. I'm
telling you people, service heals the soul!!! And I just love that the
Christmas initiative is all about service and helping others. I think
it just really helps us get into the spirit of Christmas!  Oh and then
we were able to go help a family in the Ward put decorations on their
Christmas tree:) it was so exciting!!!! They bought a real tree and it
was HUGE! I can't even begin to describe how giant it was! It was
amazing and a ton of fun! Oh and the tree just smelt like Christmas
which was a great plus! Haha

Thursday was a crazy day because there was an ice storm warning so we
were all prepared for the worse. So we wake up and nothing. Everything
looks fine and dandy so we were pretty bummed because, who doesn't
want a snow day? Lol. So we go to our 10 o'clock appointment and the
only thing we notice is it's absolutely freezing!!! Like my bones were
just aching. We have a great lesson and still no snow, no rain, just
super heavy duty wind. So after our lesson we still have an hour until
we go home for lunch and we stop by our potential investigator, M
and she finally lets us in(mostly she felt bad for us because it was
soooo cold). Haha. So we end up having a really great lesson with her
about the plan of salvation and also about who God is to her and what
not. Oh and I forgot to mention that she had us sit on chairs that
were facing the window so the whole time we were able to see outside.

Alright so during our whole lesson we notice that little specks of
snow start falling, cute right? Ha no, within our short little visit
the snow just keeps coming and coming and it starts sticking and
before you know it everything outside is covered in a blanket of snow
and our lesson was done. M wasn't interested at this time (which
was really sad and disappointing) and now we had to go outside and
face this monster haha. Just kidding, it wasn't that bad. It was just
freezing and the snow was coming down directly into our eyes. Haha but
luckily for us the other sisters came to our rescue and picked us up!
So then all day it just keeps snowing and snowing and getting colder
and colder and they told us that we still needed to go out and work
and we were like, what the heck? Haha but we kept working even though
I thought I was gonna freeze to death haha. And we actually ended up
getting a new investigator, P, and we had an amazing lesson with
her about the plan of salvation too! It was so great! We were so
happy! Then we went to dinner at some Chinese place with this cute
older couple in our Ward. It was fun. And then the best news yet! Lol
they told us to go inside after dinner to be safe and get out of the
storm!!!:) lol we were so pumped because we were so cold and tired! So
we go home and somehow I ended up dying both Sister Nilson & Sister
Jarmans hair! Hahahaha and Sister Crawley decorated a ginger bread
house! Lol it was a good snow day:)

Friday we had weekly planning all morning which was nice because we
didn't have to go out in the ice! But then that night they told us
that we had to go out but that we couldn't drive! It was so sad! So we
spent hours just tracting in the freezing ice cold. Literally there
was ice chunks all over the street! I thought I was gonna be a
Popsicle haha. But we made it.. Barely lol;)

Saturday, omg the craziest thing happened to us but I feel like it
would be best to save after the mission.... ;) or maybe I will tell
y'all on skype:)

Oh and so I have a few updates for y'all, okay so all the snow/ice is
melted now but it's still freezing haha. And now about the ET
(emergency transfer) so me, Crawley, and Nilson, are all staying but
sister Jarman got ET'd to woodland and Sister Reeves replaced her! So
I'll be staying here in Portland for Christmas:) So that's good news!
We were freaking out about what was gonna happen and we are happy we
get to stay together, for at least a little longer.

And now I get to tell y'all about today. So it's been a crazy day and
we have to be done emailing by 9:( but anyway, today was GREAT! The
whole mission got together and had a big Christmas celebration which
was the first time that the whole entire mission got to be together!
So I got to see all my old companions and I was so happy! It was
honestly so great and just what I needed! So the morning we had a huge
talent show, and it was really funny! Lots of people did so many
different skits and it was great. Then we did a white elephant
exchange with our zones and then we had lunch and got to mingle and
talk and all that jazz. I just seriously love my old companions so
much. It was like a big family reunion and I just realized how much
love I have for these people, it's insane! After lunch we had a
devotional sing along thing and it was so great and spiritual. We
talked all about Christmas and Christ and a few people were asked to
share their testimonies about the challenge our mission president gave
us which was to read the 4 gospels and read 3 Nephi before Christmas
(btw I'm almost done:)) so it was such a great meeting! My testimony
of Jesus Christ and Christmas and missionary work grew so much!
Seriously it was such a great meeting! I just LOVE this gospel and I
LOVE my Savior so much. He has done so much for me and for everyone
and I feel so lucky that I get to be out here sharing my testimony
about Him everyday. Life is GOOD and God is GOOD!
Then after the meeting we took a huge photo and then we went shopping
for groceries and now I'm home and trying to email as fast as I can!

Just know that I love you all to the moon and back and I seriously
can't even put into words how much I miss y'all. Some days it hurts so
bad, missing y'all, but I think of my Savior and the pain He felt for
me and I am so comforted and I know that things will be okay and that
in just a few short months I can be with my loved ones again. :)
Seriously, LOVE YALL

Don't forget to remember me;)

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


Xoxo
Sister Batey

Christmas trees in Oregon.

Dr. Batey...or trying not to get others sick??

You'd think she's never seen snow before.

Having too much fun in the snow.

Sister Crawly and McKenzee...enjoying the snow.

 



December 5, 2016

Hello from my deathbed,

Well I am currently in my bed feeling pretty miserable with either the
flu or a really bad head cold. Either way, I feel awful so please bare
with me as I try and write this letter. Lol

First off, what time do y'all want to skype on Christmas? I have church
at 9am, so I think I'll be free anytime after that:) what will work for y'all?

Oh and before I forget, this is important information about next
week!!! So next Monday we are having a Mission Christmas Conference
from 9-4 so my Pday won't start until 4pm my time on Monday and it
will end at 9pm. So I just want to let y'all know so you don't freak
out when you don't hear from me until later!

Also, their are a bunch of Sister missionaries going home on the 13th
(they are done with their missions and want to get home before
Christmas) and they are leaving mid transfer and because of that we
are guessing that there will be a bunch of ETs (emergency transfers)
happening and I'm pretty sure that since there is 2 sets of sisters in
the Mt. Scott Ward that two of us will be leaving... So I'm nervous
that next week will have some big changes... I'll keep you guys posted
if I stay or go!

Alright so Tuesday we had a lesson with a little girl that we teach
and as I walked in the little girls grandma looks at me and tells me
she has something for me from my mom and then she proceeds to hug me.
Haha so mom, I got your hug. How in the world did you talk to this
lady? My guess is Facebook but who knows! Lol

Wednesday we went to Meals on Wheels again which I really love
doing.  It's been such a great experience being able to help out the
community. So we usually help prepare the food and get everything
ready and then about 11:30 the bell rings and all the old folks start
lining up and we get to serve them lunch. It's a lot of fun getting to
see them and how happy they get when they get to eat a warm meal:)
Makes me very grateful for all the dinners I get every night as a
missionary. I really feel so blessed:)

After Meals on Wheels we went over to do some service for a lady in
our Ward. She hates wrapping and has 3 kids and so she asked us and it
was great! It totally put Sister Crawley and me in the Christmas
Spirit! It also makes me remember all the times I would help mom wrap
and it made me so happy! So that was fun!

That night we went to go make some rice bags because I've been having
lots of back and should pain and we've been sharing one so we decided
to make one for each of us. Although the fabric we ended up using was
apparently not very good because after we took it out of the microwave
it just starting basically sweating... Lol the whole bag just felt
like a wet dog, it was awful. So hopefully we can get different fabric
to fix them lol.

Thursday Morning we went to help a lady in the Ward clean her
apartment. And omg, I just don't understand how people can live like
that. It absolutely blows my mind! I just know that when I get home I
will never keep things that serve no purpose. Like seriously, this
lady had a big calendar from 2002 that she never even opened and also
she has tax papers from the 90s!!! It was ridiculous!

Then that afternoon we helped the lady who we helped last week and her
house was destroyed again! It seriously blew my mind. And this week
she just had us shove things into her closet! Literally shove and then
push the door shut. It's crazy!!!

Then we had a lesson with an investigator and she has like a million
family members living with her and one of which is a little 12 year
old boy and he was wearing an ankle bracelet!!!! I had to do a double
take! It was so weird! I couldn't believe it!

Friday we had planning and all that jazz. At dinner the members wanted
to show us a video and it ended up being that video that we saw a few
years ago, the song is Healing waters or by small and simple things or
something? You would recognize it if you watched it, but anyway it
made me really happy to see it again because I feel like it has a lot
more purpose in my life now. For anyone who hasn't seen it, it's about
a girl who carries her BOM with her and she accidentally leaves it on
her desk after she's done with her desk and the boy she was sitting
next to finds her and returns it and the girl gets a prompting to
write her testimony in it and give it to him. Well the boy ends up
reading the book and then his whole family takes the missionary
lessons and then they all get baptized. Anyway it's an amazing video
about missionary work and how it all begins with a prompting and a
book. (Dad is there a yay you can send me the video?) well I love the
video because missionary work is not just for missionaries. And this
video just goes to show how important members are and especially how
amazing the Book of Mormon and gospel of Jesus Christ is. I just love
them both along with my Savior. I love how much hope and happiness
this gospel brings:) which leads me to Saturday... :)

Saturday was the best day!!!! So I don't know if you guys remember
"I", she was from the Fairway Village Ward (my second area) and she
was baptized the week before I got their but I ended up teaching her
all her member lessons and spent a lot of time with her. Well she's
literally amazing! And Saturday she went to the temple to receive her
endowments!!!!!:) and Sister Finn and I got to go with her!!!! It was
honestly like a dream. It was just perfect (besides me having woken up
sick...lol) So Sister S and P came to pick me up with Sister
Finn! And we were able to be companions for the day! It was so much
fun!!!! And it was so great to be able to go through with P and
B (especially since I wasn't able to go through when P went).

But "I" was just so happy, she was glowing and it just made us so
happy to be able to see how far she has come! She's really just
blossomed in the gospel and I feel so blessed to be able to be apart
of her journey!:) And to make it even better, so many people from the
Fairway Village Ward came so I got to see so many familiar people:)
Like Mama H:) After the temple we went to eat at Applebee's and
it was so great!!!! Ahhh I just can't describe how happy I was! :)
The only sucky thing was how sick I was feeling. When I got home from
the temple I took some medicine and just crashed.

Then Sunday I felt worse but I went to church because I haven't missed
a Sunday in 13 months and I can't stop now. Lol oh and I ended up
giving the closing prayer in sacrament meeting. Haha what are the
odds. After church though I came home and slept for like 3 hours, then
we went to dinner and the Christmas Devotional and then we came home
and I crashed again. I've slept so much the pass two days but I'm
still so tired and sick. It's annoying. Then this morning I woke up
even worse. It's awful. Hopefully I will get feeling better! I'm
staying home today, still in bed in fact. Haha

So that's my week! I hope you guys are doing well! I miss y'all TONS!
And I love y'all to the moon and back! I wear my necklace just about
everyday mom:)  Don't forget to remember me;)

Oh and figure out what questions you want to ask me when we skype:)
Have the best week ever:)

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

Love
Sister Batey

Hot Chocolate and cake pops.

Old friends...

Old and current companions.

With Sister Finn!