I'll Answer your questions first:
- Soooooo, how are things with Sister West?
Things with Sister West are going fantastic! I love her! I'm sad that we'll only be together most likely for this transfer since we both go home together. Either of us could leave this area... I'm loving her though!
- It’s funny, I remember where Sister Evans was from and Sister Leavens but can’t remember where Sister West was from. Tell me about her. Even though she was an MTC roommate, I’m sure you’ve learned more.
She is from Kaysville UT (which I forgot too....) Something I didn't really know is how loving she is and how obedient she is. We don't see much real missionary action in the MTC, so this week has been amazing! She is SO obedient and she just loves everyone and is so generous. She always thinks of others. She ran the whole super p-day because I didn't know what we were doing and the other sisters just kinda sat around haha. She always picks up trash that is lying around and is just wonderful! I love her so much.
- How long has Sister West been in the area?
She has been in this area for 4 transfers now. (A transfer is six weeks long)
At transfers with my new companion, Sister West (in the red.)
- How is your area/ward/people?
The area is so great! And I love the ward! The people are wonderful! One of my YSA's from Nashville was here yesterday. His name is Charlie and he got home from his mission a year ago and started going to the YSA. He just got home from school and is taking a semester off so it was fun to see him! Also... Brad Hull from the Nashville Tribute Band and from Due West is in our ward. I met someone famous! And we're going to their house for dinner tonight! I'm trying to contain my crazy fan status... but I'm so excited! Maybe he can teach me how to play guitar!
Amber with Brooke Hull, Brad's wife. (A fun fact: After Amber's email came today, I got a message this evening from our neighbor, Diana. Diana said her niece Brooke had just had the missionaries over for dinner at her home in Tennessee. When Brooke asked where each missionary was from and Amber said, "Spanish Fork", she asked if Amber knew her Aunt Diana....turns out Amber certainly does know Diana....she's our friend and neighbor. I got this picture from Diana tonight of her niece Brooke with our daughter, Amber - Small world!!)
We just had a baptism for a lady named Debbie who is in a wheelchair and has MS. She is so sweet and amazing! She had to give up coffee and tea and that was so hard for her but she's done it! She is such a happy lady! Her baptism was a lot of fun! Other than that I don't know a lot of our Investigators real well... So stay tuned for an update on that.
The members here are amazing! Several families have given us referrals and the family we ate dinner with last night prayed specifically to find those who are ready. I was blown away at ward council yesterday because it was SO productive and we have an amazing ward mission leader.
Also when I was talking to Charlie yesterday, Brother Sims (ward mission leader, already my best bud) came by and I said "Look! A YSA! Someone I can communicate with!" Haha, he said "Oh... I've wondered why you've been so quiet. We'll have to break you out of YSA mode." So many times when I'm hearing about our Investigators and Sister West says "family" or "children", I pause and think "why are we teaching them then?" Haha YSA mode....
New Years day, one of our Investigators took us out to Olive Garden for lunch. Her name is Tawnya and that was our first official meeting with her. Then we went to the church with almost all the sisters in our Zone and played 9 Square and wrote letters and ate fruit and fondue and watched Frozen.
Playing 9 Square with the sisters.
Watching Frozen on New Year's Day
Hermana Dansie, (one of my roomies) named us all as characters before it started and as we watched, it was so accurate! I was Sven, the reindeer. The clutzy one who always wants food Haha .
- How were transfers....tell me, tell me (I saw transfer pictures and you looked so happy in every single one. Even where you were in the background talking to someone else and didn’t know a picture was being taken.)
I was glad to get a new companion. I thought I wouldn't be as exhausted this week because I didn't stay up too late to pack, but I'm still so tired! The first week of transfers is always rough. I was falling asleep in lessons and in church and last night I guess I was really hyper and loopy. I was out fast last night!
Hermana Dansie, one of my roommates.
Hermana Stokes, our other roommate.
So this week encompassed so much! Saying goodbye to the YSA just broke me... but it wasn't too hard because I got to see them all again Saturday when we went back for Jaykob's baptism and then I'll see them soon again for Calvin's baptism and when we all come back here in April too. Calvin does have a date set for the 16th and I already have permission to go back for it. I'm so excited for him!
We didn't have District meeting this week and we don't have it this next week so I have no clue who's in my District. We have MLC and Zone meeting this next week instead. On New Years Eve we were allowed to watch Ephraim's rescue and 17 miracles. AW I BAWLED LIKE A BABY!!!! We pushed our beds together and watched it on our little portable DVD player.
I'm feeling much healthier too! Sister West and I get up at 6 a.m. to read the Book of Mormon and then we workout hard core for 30 minutes. Ah it feels so good! I'm so glad I have a companion who's good and motivated.
On Saturday after we had Debbie's baptism, the Penningtons took us out to lunch with Sister Williams and Brown who also serve in our ward.....PAUSE!! I forgot to tell y'all.. so we cover Goodlettsville and Hendersonville, we just got elders in the ward who cover Madison and Old Hickory, and there are also 2 other sisters who cover Joelton and Ashland City. So we have 6 missionaries covering the ward!..... RESUME. So we ate at O'Charley's and it was so good! Our appetizers came and after a few minutes Sister Pennington goes "Oh we forgot to pray!" So we all bow our heads and it's silent... we thought Brother Pennington was going to pray... then we thought they were waiting for one of us... Us 4 sisters were looking at each other so confused! Then we saw their lips kinda moving and they were saying their own prayers HAHA!!! I just smiled and said a quick little prayer. I'm just in love with this area and my companion and I think that if I hadn't gotten transferred to such a great area, I would really have a much harder time leaving Clarksville...
We went back to Clarksville on Saturday for Jaykob's baptism. It was so good to be there and see everyone. I'm so proud of Jaykob and so glad I got to go back for his baptism. He's going to be a great member.
With Jaykob at his baptism.
I finally got Aaron to smile!!
Being in an area for a long time, you forget. I forgot a lot - How much I needed God. I was getting down on myself because I thought after 3 days of being here that I would never know where anything was and I would never know the people. False! I've had to do it 3 times before and I was fine. I learned the area and the people and I survived. As long as I relied on God, I would be fine.
I'm trying to work my hardest. It seems like the minute I decided that, Satan tried to destroy me. He tried to use exhaustion and fasting and getting sick to slow me down. I'm feeling much better now that it's p-day. I'm so excited for everything that's coming up. It's going to be a great transfer!
I think that's about it.... More info will be included next week. Also, we have computers to email on and so you might get an SD card soon. Maybe. If you do, it will be your last time getting one and I'll wait till I get home to show you the rest.
I love y'all and hope you have a fantastic week!
~Sister Rokovitz~
