December 16, 2014

     This week has been good! I got a new companion! Her name is Sister Gass and she is from Circleville! I remembered Sadie's first roomates were from Circleville and if their names are Megan and Marci, Sister Gass totally knows them. I really like Sister Gass, she reminds me a lot of Kelcie which is weird but great! She has been out 5 months and is really nice and a hard worker. I hope I get to end my mission with her.

     So Wednesday and Thursday it was snowing like crazy. Even more crazy, transfers still happened on Wednesday even with bad weather. Luckily I didn't have to go anywhere. Instead I spent the day in Fayetteville with another Sister while Sister Gass traveled down here. Then on Thursday there was like 2 feet of snow outside so we decided to try snow shovel tracting. We were excited to do it but as we made our way to the car to get out the shovels we noticed this old lady in our apartment parking lot which hadn't been plowed trying to get her little Camry our of the parking spot. She is just spinning her tires and ruining her engine so we help shovel her out so she's not stuck. We then are gonna head to the streets but the lady immediately pulls into another snow-filled parking spot and gets stuck again! So the pattern of us shoveling her out and her driving into another parking spot continues for 45 minutes! Finally we shovel out a whole parking spot for her to park in. So she gets into the spot, the whole lot smells like gas and burning rubber, and then she gets out and goes back inside. We were like are you kidding me?! why were you even out here?! so yeah. we are super tired after that but we didn't even get to leave our house. but there was one person I remembered meeting and telling her that we would shovel her driveway for her. so we walk over to her street and she and her husband are out shoveling! I was so happy my idea worked out! it had to have definitely been inspiration. So we got to help them shovel and get to know them. it was great. they still aren't interested in learning but they know us now and like us! also the husband was so appreciative he gave us each some money for lunch. Its awesome when the Holy Ghost tells you where to go. 

     We also visited a crazy lady this week. She and her mom are in our area book and we have stopped over and called a bunch and finally we set up a time to come over. I was so excite to finally be able to meet with them but it did not turn out as I had hoped. the mom let us in and gave us gross Chamomile tea and said we could talk to her daughter. The daughter is nuts! She talks nonstop about random stuff! I think there must be a mental disability there but I was like nooo dang it! I wasn't too disappointed because listening to her and talking with her were very entertaining. I kept it together pretty well but Sister Gass was dying. So we listen to her for a while and try to share a spiritual message but then we left, never to return. Then on Saturday we had a Christmas Caroling blitz. We invited the whole ward to come but it was only us 3 sets of missionaries and our Ward Mission Leader. 

     So not a fantastic turn out but we made the best of it. Our ward mission leader is awesome. So it was awkward at first because singing randomly while walking down the street is awkward  but we handed out about 15 copies of the Book of Mormon so it was a success. That night was the ward Christmas party though so we could have picked a better day for caroling but oh well. And a couple weeks ago our Ward Mission Leader asked us and the elders to do a musical number for the party. So after our voices are worn out form caroling, we have to sing at the party too. it was decent enough but the only other musical numbers were done by this amazingly musically talented family so we were showed up real bad but oh well. except Sister Gass and I also had to do a song in sacrament meeting the next day! I also caught a cold this week so you can only imagine how my singing voice has been. Sister Gass was also super nervous to sing but its over and done with. Also, Paul passed his baptism interview so he is being baptized this Saturday! So exciting! He is really ready for this and the changes that will come with it. So that's the most exciting events of the week...I'm excited for Christmas!

      I will give you details about it next week. Hope it snows in Utah! Tell Kelcie hi for me! I love you all! Keep writing me please!

Love, Sister Quinn Nilsson

December 3, 2014

hello!!

     horay i'll keep my eye out for the package! I will give you more details about Skype and such when I have them. super excited!! Pali better cut his hair before I see him!

this week was super good I will tell you about it

     So last Monday we picked up a new investigator! Her name is Krissy and she is so cute! We met her while teaching another investigator. Our other investigator's name is Stephanie and she is a sweetheart. She has some brain problems and seizure problems so she has a 24/7 staff. We have been teaching her ever since I've been here and she's not progressing so at first I was like ok I get that we are doing a nice service to her by seeing her but is this really going to go anywhere? we still visit her anyway but on Monday we went over just with a plan to share the stripling warriors story. So we read it and talk about faith and learning from your mother and Stephanie loved it as always and then Krissy started participating and we were not expected it because usually her aids just ignore us but we were like ok sweet she likes this. So then she picked up Stephanie's Book of Mormon and started flipping through it asking where the chapter was. We were discussing the story with Stephanie while Krissy read intently. Then she asked if we had any extra copies she could have! I gave her one with my testimony in it and we explained a little bit about what the Book of Mormon is. She told us she feels that this could be something that will fill the hole in her life and that she has a warm feeling when we are there. She is married with two young kids and we are so excited. Talk about being in the right place at the right time. So we also taught her the Restoration this week and she loved it. Pray for her and her family so they can be baptized !:) We also go to lead a sing-a-long at a retirement home this week. Its a super nice retirement home and the elderly were so nice! Especially the activities coordinator girl. She thanked us with tears in her eyes :) We are going back on the 22nd to lead a Christmas Carol sing-a-long. It kind of reminded me of when we sang at old folks' homes in choir. We've been talking a lot about Christmas this week, of course, and using the holiday season to talk with people. Going up to a person and asking them if they like Christmas is a lot easier than asking them if they have heard of the Book of Mormon. Also, we found out this week that Sister Hale is transferring to Gouverneur! It was a surprise to hear that she is leaving because she has only been here 2 transfers but an even bigger surprise to hear that she is going to the best area ever!! She is going to freeze up there but Ithink she will love it! 

     My new comp's name is Sister Gass. I kind of know her so I'm excited for her to come. I think I will spend my last 2 transfers here with her. So weird. Time has flown by for sure. Except not really. Paul is still on date for the 20th. He's really excited. He just needs to be better at coming to church! I'm kind of nervous to take over this area but I think I will be able to do it. This is a really good area and obviously, miracles are happening!! I hope things are going well at home! I miss you all a lot but I'm loving life over here. Please keep writing me! I will see you in 12 weeks!

L8r,

Sister Quinn Nilsson