Never Drink Slushies

We were able to go to the zoo today with one of our members for p-day.... Oh my goodness. There were camels. That's about all I cared about once I saw them. They had a deal where if you have a slushie cup (which our member who took us had cups for us) you can get free refills all day long... So we had a competition and I did 4 with my companion. The headache that I have now was totally not worth it. Especially since I lost. I feel like I'm going to die in a slushie coma. I got a zoo shirt though! I have been wanting to go to that zoo since I got to the mission!

We saw Joe this week and he said being Mormon wasn't for him. He said he's not ready to convert and make a huge life change. We said "we're not here to convert. We're here to bring people closer to Christ" then Sister Lefevor got him to let us come back next week to show him the restoration and answer questions he's been having about the Book of Mormon. So he tried to drop us but we wouldn't let him.

We haven't gone back to Lexi's yet. Her sister is the one who took us to the zoo. Apparently Lexi got married to the boyfriend she just met and moved in with.

Sister Christensen’s mom sent her a picture of the snow on the mountains in Utah from that cold weather this last week. I wish that would happen here. It's glorious when it gets down to 85!

I had so much to say about this week but I can't even think right now. Oh but 2 cool things real quick. Gwen set a baptism date for August 2 - my birthday!!! Haha best day ever! And I don't know if I told you about Dan. He came to church one

Sunday with a member and we taught him and he agreed to be baptized! It was going to be July 5th but now it's going to be the week after. He didn't make it to church yesterday. Ok I have to go lay down. Never drink a slushie ever again!!!!

Remind me next week to tell you about a study I had yesterday. It was so cool! I feel like the last two weeks on Sundays during studies I've just recommitted myself to the work and got pumped about it.

I love you!!

~Sister Rokovitz~

                                                                             

Zone Conference this week.

Hump Day (Amber's 1/2 Way Mission Mark)

I loved your box soo much! I've worn the shirt every single night. I've also slept with Pohako the camel each night. Yes, his name is Pohako. I died laughing with all the "camel" treats! I lined the bottom of my journal pages with camels. We also threw them at each other so there are random camels ALL over the apartment. Thank you so much! And I about died when I saw the Nashville Tribute Band CD!!! I've heard rumors that Nashville Tribute Band is going to do a concert here... They did last year and the whole mission was able to go. Fingers crossed!!!
                                                                           

Me with my Hump Day camel, Pohako.

Opening the Hump Day box that you sent me.

I love my Hump Day t-shirt. "What day is it?"

"Hump Daayyy! Woot Woot!"

I did love the Facebook post!! I wish I was allowed to comment on it... Just "liking" it is lame. But I loved it.

Haha sorry I was so rushed last week. I'm calmer now.. So about my wonderful companion: This is her first area and she's been here for 5 months, as of yesterday. She is from West Jordan. She is 19 and went to BYU-I same time as me!!! Ah! And she has 5 siblings and she's the baby. Any more questions?

I did see Larry's posts. He is so sweet! So I told him that when I come back, I'll bring y'all to meet him. So we have to go see Larry next year. Did you know when I get home, that will be his 1 year mark?! Then he can go through the temple!! How cool would it be if he went when I came back? Oh and he wants to do baptisms soon, and if he goes to the Nashville temple, he wants me to be baptized for his Mom!!!

Ok so about this week... we had a good one! We got lost several times. In fact after institute I was driving and driving and driving and it was a dark road with lots of trees and really windy... Sister Lefevor said "this doesn't look right" so she pulled out the GPS and we were WAY far away from home! Haha we barely made it by 9:30 p.m.

I've really fought to stay focused. When I get up I'm trying to remind myself why I'm here, who I'm here for, what my purpose is and how I can conquer the day. I really focus during my prayers and try to focus during studies as well. I'm trying to think about Heavenly Father throughout the day. It's helping.

The Lord has also been teaching me a lot lately. He's has taught me about humility, patience, and diligence. I guess that's what I get for studying the Christ-like attributes chapter lately. But I've learned a lot. Mainly... This time is precious and very short. I can't hold back and expect to go full throttle later. I have to work my hardest now. And besides, I don't want any regrets. So I'm working on just giving it my all every day and not wishing I was somewhere else. I'm going to be positive, appreciate the moment and enjoy the work.

We found 2 less-active's who we've been trying to contact for a while and they seem excited to come to activities!!! Heavenly Father placed so many small puzzle pieces together so we could find those less-active's. He delayed us by visiting someone, he delayed us at stop signs, and put us at their homes at the exact time we needed to be there. He also did that with an investigator named Joe. We were just lifting our hands to knock and he came up the stairs. This was our second visit. We asked if he had read the Book of Mormon and he said "yeah I'm only through the first book of Nephi though ..." AH! He's read all the way to Nephi in a week! He loves it and keeps feeling like God is trying to give him a message but he's not listening close enough.  Well... I think we can fix that. It's amazing to see how Heavenly Father has prepared him.

Ok. Lastly, a story to brighten your day. Once upon a time a member's sister moved out without telling her. The sister, Lexi, moved in with her boyfriend. The member knew her address and asked us to tract into her. So we tried last night. We pulled in, prayed, and then I asked which car was hers. Sister Lefevor pointed one out and then a jeep pulled in. She said "THAT'S THEM!!!" And we laid our seats back so fast and laid there. I sat up a little and watched them go in. Then we called the Fort Campbell sisters and asked them to help us. As we're on the phone, I see Lexi walking back inside!!! Haha she came back out for something so we threw ourselves back again! So we're freaking out hiding in our car. The sisters tell us to come to their complex. We see Lexi's door open again... She came out and walked towards our car!!! (We realized later that our pass-a-long card in the windshield was a dead give away.) She was pacing on the sidewalk looking at our car. We decided to drive to the building where the sisters were so I had to sit up..(randomly appear from nowhere) turn the car on, and drive away pretending to be just one normal person in a car! HAHAHAHAHA she totally saw us! Anyways, it was close to 9 p.m. so we had to leave. But it was a fun adventure! Stalking missionaries. It's our job.

Oh and we're keeping all our cereal boxes from the transfer. We have 5 boxes 2 bags down. We buy 2 boxes and a bag each week and 2 gallons of milk. I love my companion.

We've had a blast finding people and being in the rain. It's getting really humid! Possibly a cause of the migraines. I have 15 minutes left of p-day. We just finished a birthday party for Sister Hess. And we ate cheesecake and played cards and I win every round..... cuz I cheated at the beginning. I learned that from my poppa. HAHAHAHAHA it was fun.

Ok I love you!

~Sister Rokovitz~

P.S. I got a Facebook message from the Illinois elders yesterday and Terry contacted them!! Do you remember Terry? The golden investigator?! He contacted them and said our testimonies touched him and he wants to join the church!!!!

                                                                           

Missionary Minion.

Out by a field.

The fields are alive......with the sound of music!

Creepy place in the middle of no-where.

Major football fans.

Cleaning the car on p-day.

My companion, Sister Lefevor, eats bread, cheese and cereal.

Cereal party, a nightly thing.

Loving Clarksville

Hi!

To answer all the questions you asked:

- How did transfers go? What was the day like?
Oh my... Transfers. I had such a bad migraine that I almost threw up that night in my new area! We missed the whole meeting and I was sweating like none other and I was tired but I found my companion finally and it went well after that.
                                                                             

- Who did you find to take you to transfers?
Sister Kimmel and Sister Young took us. We got a hold of them at 11:00 p.m. the night before. Sister Kimmel had to replace a tire so she couldn't come get us until 8:30 a.m. and then she had to tie my suitcase to the roof of the car so we didn't leave until 9 a.m. and we got lost in downtown Nashville. So we got to the meeting a half hour after it was over!
- What is your new companion like?
I love my new companion! She actually spells it Lefevor. She is so much fun! She loves pranking people and she loves milk and cereal too!!! We are keeping all our cereal boxes from the transfer to see how much we eat. We eat it for a lot of our meals... She's from Utah and she's been out for 3 transfers, this is her 4th.
                                                                             

- Do you go to FHE and institute with these Young Single Adults too? 
Yes!!!
- How do you like the ward?
I love it! It's actually not even a branch yet... But we're getting there.
- How do you feel about being in another YSA ward?
I'm so stoked. It's honestly a relief to not have so many people to take care of and not adults... YSA is just where I belong!
- How is the teaching pool in your new area? 
We have a few investigators. We have a new one named Gwen who has been taught for a while by other missionaries. Her concerns are she doesn't like the idea of eternal punishment for anyone, as in outer darkness. She likes reincarnation. And she believes all churches are good and right.
- How did Sister Schenk feel about being transferred so soon into her mission?
She was not happy. She was so sad and stressed but I think she is going to do just fine.
- How far is your new area from your old area? 
2 hours. It's 40 minutes from Nashville.
- Do you have a car?
Full time. I've been so spoiled!
- Do you use the library for emails or the church or what?
Church or McDonalds. Church today but still on ipads.
- What is the town like and the area?
It's like a smaller Nashville. Populated, 2 sets of missionaries in our complex and 3 sets close by. We get to see other missionaries!!! It's so much fun here! We live right next to the Fort Campbell military base so a lot of people are military. One of my Nashville YSA's lives there and I saw him the other day!
- What time does your ward meet on Sundays?
9:00 a.m.... But for the weirdest reason they have a meeting at 7:15 a.m.. It's terrible.

We've been doing a lot of finding this week. We have a list of 600 Less-active Young Single Adults in the area that we're finding and we've been tracting. We have a new game for tracting where we knock, I'll say a random word, and Sister Lefevor will have to use it in the conversation. Oh we laugh so hard! We switch at every door and you never know if your door will be answered or not.

Last night we were Less-active hunting and we met a girl who is active in the family ward.  She is a nanny for her relative. The relative she is staying with is named Amy and she is moving to Hawaii soon. Well.. not soon, when she finds a job. Her husband is in the military and is getting transferred there. She is a nurse and will have to work and so she needs a babysitter for her 4 month old boy. She's moving to Oahu and so I told her I might be able to help her out with that because I mentioned that I had family there.... She said "oh this is such an answer to my prayers!!" So maybe Terri has some teenagers in her family or older daughters who could babysit. I've been praying that there is someone there to help her.

Here's a miracle from this week that happened while tracting: We met this really cool guy the other day. His name is Caleb and he has heard of the church before. We gave him a pamphlet to read and when we went back yesterday he had read it!! But he said he didn't believe Joseph Smith was a prophet and the Book of Mormon wasn't necessary. We asked questions to understand his views... And he ended up saying he thought we were wrong but he didn't have evidence to say that and he's never read the Book of Mormon so he can't say it's wrong. We asked if he believed that God answers prayers. He said yes. So we asked him to take a leap of faith and read the Book of Mormon and pray and ask God if it is true. He asked if we had an extra copy of the Book of Mormon. I was shocked and slowly handed him the one I had. HE'S GOING TO READ THE BOOK OF MORMON!!!!! It felt so good to testify by the spirit and to have him accept. We are giving him 3 weeks to "bake" and read and pray. I'm so excited. That was such a miracle.

Things have been going good. It is so nice to have a fresh start. I had a commitment renewal yesterday. I studied sacrifice, repentance and accountability. I felt so renewed! I renewed my commitment to serve. Sister Lefevor and I are doing the 40 day fast together and ever since we decided that, we have seen miracles. Like with Caleb. The Lord spoke through us... The spirit was there and we asked inspired questions and testified by the spirit! It felt so good!!! Yesterday we made goals as a companionship and one of them was to dedicate 15 mins of every meal time to the Lord, to read scriptures or study etc. I'm reading Jesus the Christ and I can't put it down! I love it! I feel closer to my Savior already and I know this transfer is going to be full of miracles.

Also... There are Piggly Wiggly's here. I shall shop there one day haha. I'm sorry this is so short. Thank you for your support and advice and all you have done for me. Have a great week!

I love you so much!!!

~Sister Rokovitz~
       
 (Amber did not give explanations for these pictures so I can't really tell you what they are about. Also, some look a little fuzzy or blurred because she takes a picture with her iPad of pictures that are on her camera and sends them to us while we wait for another SD card in the mail.)
                                                                             

It's Transfer Time Again - Surprise!

Our day has been beyond stressful. Ok.. Here's why I'm stressed. WE ARE BOTH GETTING TRANSFERED. Yeah. Didn't see it coming at all. I have never been wrong with a transfer call. I knew we were staying. Nope. Both leaving and elders are coming in. So we have to pack, prepare the apartment, leave info about everything, and find a ride... and it's stressful. We have to find a ride that has a man coming so the elders can ride back and someone who can fit 6 suitcases and a bike.... so far we have NOTHING!!

So I'm sure you want to know where I'm going. You'll never believe it. Clarksville YSA!!!!! AHAHA Back to a YSA! It's in Tennessee right on the border of Kentucky. I thought I was finally making it to Kentucky. YSA is in my blood! I'm going to be with Sister Lefevre. She's only been out for 3 transfers. Sister Schenk is going to Columbia Tennessee with Sister Pingston... Don't know who that is, but she's only been out a short time too... So we leave tomorrow morning at 7:00 am. If we have a ride that is... I can't believe it. It's been weird.

I had such a bad migraine yesterday because I fasted breakfast, ate lunch, went to choir practice and had to skip dinner because of the performance. The headache made my ears buzz and I was close to getting sick. I was so grateful that our members were so hungry and decided to stop at DQ even on a Sunday. They had to get just a small something to hold them for the ride back. I got a water and sipped it the rest of the way back. The migraine is gone now though. I rubber-banded a warm cloth to my forehead last night. Genius!
                                                                             

Trying to get rid of my migraine

The piano songs went great! I had all of them down except one that is painfully hard. Not even Elder Alarcon could play it. Sister Schenk tried and she couldn't get it either. So we played it for him before and he suggested dropping a lot during the key change. He said he didn't care what I did for the right hand as long as I had a steady bass line. I wish he had told me that earlier. So I had 15 minutes to rewrite the song and practice it. He also gave me the option of just playing He is Risen out of the hymnbook instead. It just sounded so dull because the piano song added SO much to it. I knew that it would be ok to play the hymn or have him play it... but I also knew that I would feel like a failure to myself. So I had to just play it. And I DID IT!!!! I did it! I slaughtered it but it was singable and beautiful and it worked better than I had ever imagined it would!!!!!! Prayers were said every time before I sat down to practice all week. And they paid off. It was such a miracle. I knew that Heavenly Father would guide my fingers and ease my mind so that the spirit could testify to the audience and that we could praise Him through song. It was the coolest miracle ever! Then we had a notebook signing party after. The whole zone is getting swapped around.
                                                                             

Our missionary choir group (Amber is 3rd from the left.)

Ok so now a tiny bit about the week. Jully came to church yesterday and didn't even sit by us, she has her friends in the ward now, which is fantastic.  We went over and taught more about the restoration and watched the video and her husband Greg was there and he watched it.  I was pretty nervous for him to see it since he doesn't do religion but he didn't say anything negative. Hopefully he felt something.  It was sad on Sunday because we told everyone we are leaving. That is mission life. Amber and her fiancée came to church with their daughter Bailey. I hadn't met Amber's fiancée before so we were a little nervous. He seems nice though. Cathy came to church as well, bless her heart.  She is sad to see us go. I want the best for her.

Now for the sad news of the week. We went to see Roxanna during the week and we scheduled an appointment with her and when we got to the door there was a box with all the scriptures and videos we had given her, outside the door. I started saying, "oh no she is dropping us." We knocked and knocked on the door but she didn't answer. We tried calling her but nothing. We left a note on her car. It was really hard. We thought everything was going great with her and she had a baptism date and Brother Cardin had been coming to her lessons. The worst part is we don't even know why she won't see us. I can tell you now that Satan is real and he works hard on those who are making good choices. He doesn't want us to progress and follow Christ. I am sad that we have to part ways with her like this. Keep praying for her.

The humidity is starting to peek it's head out. It rained a bunch the other day and then it got humid, like a rain-forest.  I could see the moisture in the air, seriously.
                                                                         

Big black rain clouds.

It's getting so green here. I love it.

Tonight we are going to go see a bunch of investigators and less actives and teach them one last time. I will try not to cry. I really do care about these people especially our investigators and I want them all to be loved and taught the gospel. If any of them get baptized I can go though, which is great. I bore my testimony on Sunday and basically cried and said "I love you all so much" That about sums up my whole testimony......... I said I knew the church and Book of Mormon was true too though.

Oh and the fireflies are everywhere out here!!! There was a field with about 80 flashing! And one night while riding bikes we were trying to catch them mid-air with one hand. That was so much fun! I love it out here!

And now I know that my summer is going to be even hotter. Going more south. Whoopee. Time for buns!

Ok I have to go. I love y'all so much!!! I will write a better letter next week!

~Sister Rokovitz~

                                                                               

A donkey....right in the middle of no-where.

Last district picture together.

Giant Cats, Snapping Turtles and Ant Covered Cookies

For this week, it was quite adventurous, let me tell you. I don't even know where to start. We had dinner with the Crawfords and I love them! They're a really sweet young couple who both went to school at BYUI and they have a GIANT cat! He weighed a ton.

                                                                             

Sister Rokovitz with the Crawford's giant cat.

We got to teach some lessons with Sister Paul this week. She came with us and taught Jully. I can't remember if I talked about Jully. We met her last week when we were tracting. She is from Columbia and came here to marry her husband. She was outside and we talked to her and her husband came out. She said she would come to church last week but couldn't find it and she didn't call us. Anyways, we taught her the restoration and then on Thursday she went to a Latina night at a member's home. Sister Behan speaks Spanish and has Latinas in the area over once a month for a party. There's another lady from Columbia who goes, named Adrianna, who is a member but her English isn't very good. We didn't think Jully would go but she did!! And we would have gone to support her but our phone broke and we didn't realize that we weren't getting texts for 3 days. She loved it and stayed at it way late! Then Jully came to church yesterday! She was so happy and she had friends already. Sister Behan and Adrianna almost stole her to teach nursery with them instead of coming to Gospel Principles with us. After church Sister Behan's son got baptized. Perfect? I think so. It was funny because Jully offered to film it and Sister Behan explained why we don't film those events. And then during the baptism Jully sat next to Adrianna and Adrianna was taking pictures the whole time! Oh my. So we have to make sure we teach Jully correct and then maybe she can help Adrianna understand. And Adriana took Jully out to lunch after church. Haha oh man. Oh well.

We finally got to see Peggy again. I don't know if I've talked about her either. She is toothless and lives with her ex-husband. She hasn't come to church yet and is real skeptical about coming because she doesn't know what it's going to be like. She understands what she reads in the Book of Mormon but she hasn't prayed about it. She's just kind of stuck. I feel like I can't get my investigators to feel the Holy Ghost. I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

We also finally saw Cathy. Last we had heard from her, she was in the hospital. She came home and we got to see her. She had kind of gotten in a fight and the guy punched her and broke her nose and ripped out basically half of her hair. This guy has been a problem in the city for a while. She's hoping they catch him. Anyways, ready for the miracle part: CATHY CAME TO CHURCH! This has been such a struggle and she finally came. Finally! She only stayed for Sacrament meeting because she had to go do some haircut but hey, at least she came. She wants to change her life so badly and she's finally making baby steps of progress.

So we had a total of 4 investigators at church yesterday!!!!! That's crazy! It's a miracle! And Sister Newnum came and Brother Hamilton! ( Sister Hamilton was sick) So we had Cathy, Jully, Abbie, and Cena. Only Jully stayed for all 3 hours but still... We've never had 4 in this ward at one time.

We did see Amber this week and we're going to see her again tonight. Found out she is engaged to the boyfriend she's living with but their wedding date is next year. So we're stuck on what to do. And she didn't come to church yesterday. So more progress update on her is yet to come.

No real update on Roxana this week. Her baptism is going to be postponed because she didn't come to church yesterday. Our Investigators are really struggling with testimonies right now for some reason. We tried to teach her the commandments but she talked the whole time. So... Yeah.

The festival... Didn't go. No one was willing to help and turns out we never did get a booth. We were told that we had one but come to find out, the application never got approved because it was about 2 months late when it was turned in. So it bombed. We drove by the festival a few times during the week on our way to lessons and it looked like it would have been a great place. Everyone laughed too when we told them we were doing it. They said the festival is like trash and they said good luck.

Thanks for the cookies... This story will make you laugh. The day they came, we were gone all day. We got home and Sister Schenk checked the mail and pulled out the little box. She said it was for me and I was like "Ooh! Yay! Maybe it's CDs! *shake* *shake* nope it's a treat!!!" get inside and set it on my desk... And then realize we had an ant hill in our mailbox a few days ago when I checked the mail. I panicked!!!!!!! I tore that box open so fast! Sister Schenk said "they probably haven't gotten very far though if they got in" I said "I bet they have... They've had all day to get to my treat!!!" I open it up and ants come pouring out!!!!! I screamed and ran outside. I was FURIOUS! We got a bag and I inspected them and threw the non infested ones in the bag. Only 2 bundles were covered in ants. I left the box outside for the night. I put the other four bundles on the kitchen counter and then we did our planning for the next day. When I was done I grabbed the can of Raid in a furry and went out and soaked the whole mailbox in it! Those ants died immediately! Sister Schenk was laughing at how much I sprayed on that mailbox. Then I went inside to eat cookies.... And ants were crawling around my cookies! So I got a plastic bag and put it on my hand and just started squishing. I squished probably 30 ants. Then I took one bundle at a time and open it and shook the cookie and inspected it and set it on a plate. I repeated the process and when I finished I looked at the plate and I saw 3 more ants! I was getting so frustrated!!!!!!! I squished them and got another plate and inspected each cookie more thoroughly and put them on the other plate. And then I warmed two up and ate them in anger with a glass of milk. I have not had any reports of other cookie ants. Haha I was not going to give up!!! You made those special for me! And I intended for those cookies to make it into my tummy! And it happened. 

Ok, are you ready for the funny animal story of the week! So we were headed to an appointment and I saw this turtle crossing the street and thought "we have to help him!!" I pull over and get out and I explain how we're going to pick him up and carry him to his destination. Sister Schenk forbid me!!!! It was a snapping turtle.... So I thought... "Let's push him!" I found a water bottle and poked him and he almost took my hand off! I had no clue how fast those beasts can move!! Oh.. And we named him Silencio. So I knew I needed a longer and stronger pushing stick. Off to the trunk to get the snow scraper! .... And my camera. Yeah... Two Mormon girls in skirts on the side of a busy road trying to document the poking of a large snapping turtle. He kept snapping at me and he was strong! It was like a mini rifle kickback!!! He wouldn't grip onto the snow scraper so I could pull him across the street and eventually he stopped jumping forward. He stood up real tall at one point and then sat down. He was MAD. Then I look up... And traffic is backed way up on both sides... How embarrassing. People slowly went around us and we just stood there and smiled. Eventually we gave up. He stopped progressing. He was so close to the side of the road! We were 20 minutes late to our appointment and on the way home... Silencio had become truly silenced. He was also so flat I could have put him in my journal! I didn't though, don't worry. Animals are crazy out here. ......

                                                                           

Trying to get Silencio to bite the ice scraper so we can drag him across the road.

Silencio, the snapping turtle....before he became Silencio, the pancake.

Sister Schenk and I get along so well!!!! She's also fun to scare too. She got in the car and had an ant on her and I knew she would flip out and flick it off, possibly towards me, so I said "get out of the car quick!" She bolted out and said "why?" I said "there's a bug on you!" She did the ant dance!! Haha she flew!!!! And then she ran to my side of the car and opened the door and threw herself across my lap and screamed "GET IT OFF!" I said "hold still" while busting up laughing! Haha it was gone and then when she found out it was an ant... She was mad! Haha it was a red ant though... She claims she wouldn't have freaked out but I think she would have!

I'm starting to slightly experience humidity out here and I already hate it! My hair poofs real fast and I look like a witch. And I get real sweaty real fast. I feel sticky all the time. Yuck. And the humidity hasn't even started yet. I don't know how I'm going to avoid heat migraines. I drink a lot more water now but I still get bad headaches. Summer will be miserable! I'm glad I only have to be out here for one Summer.

I did get to see fireflies this week! They were in the field behind Jeff and Abbie's house! They are huge and ten times brighter than the Utah ones!!!! And since they're bigger, they're faster too. Jeff caught one and we brought it home and let it out in our room, then we let it go outside. I'm so excited to see more of those!!

                                                                           

The firefly lit up in my hands

Our firefly in the jar

I have a question: If you had the missionaries over and they shared a message, what kind of message or invitation from them would help you get excited and motivated to do missionary work?

  

I think that's all for this week. This is so long!!! You're welcome.

I love you so much!!!!!!

~Sister Rokovitz~

Fire!!!!

                                                                             

I have hit 8 months in the mission field. I love my mission!!

Music, A Bird Funeral and That Special Book

Finally. Time to email you. We were up early this morning and drove to Paducah and then got in a huge van with 8 other missionaries to go to Princeton Kentucky for choir practice. Sister Schenk and I are playing the piano... And the pieces are hard. I had a hard time because I got the music last minute so I couldn't play them and I couldn't even play the two vocal pieces at the same time. It was embarrassing. So lots of piano practice this week.

So we have been talking to our bishop forever about setting up a booth at a festival and handing out the Prepare The Way survey. Finally he said yes, we got a booth at the festival this week, and we only have 3 members who want to help for a little bit but then they expect us to do the whole thing. The purpose of the survey is to have the members get involved and the missionaries come for a few hours each day to help. Ah! Stress level is pretty dang high right now.

So are you ready for a story from the week? I killed a bird. So last night we were about home and this bird.... just flipped out and flew crooked out of a bush and I see him and hear *THUD* on the car. AH! Sister Schenk was freaking out and made me turn around to check on him. I got out and bent over and he was on the ground. So I run to the trunk and find a box... and some gloves surprisingly, and we pick him up and put him in the box to try to nurse him back to health at home. He died in the 27 second car ride home. So we went to our neighbor’s house and asked for a shovel. So Mr. Bird is in a box right now on our back porch and we will make a headstone for him and have a proper funeral. You know... our landlord Dave directs funerals. I wonder if he would have a bird sized casket and headstone, and then he can lead the funeral procession to the backyard. Yes! This will be lovely.

Anyways.....I have a special note for the Butler family. They gave me a Book of Mormon right before I left on my mission. They put in a family picture and their testimony and asked me to give it to someone on my mission. I was saving it for someone special and this week, that special someone was found.

Hey Butler family!
Do you remember the Book of Mormon you put your testimony in and gave to me? Well I have carried that book around with me every day for 8 months and prayed so hard to find the person who needed it. Sometimes I've thought "maybe this person needs it" then I say no. I don't normally think about it during the day. Well this week we met a new girl named Amber. (Great name!) She is 25 and has a really cute little girl who is almost 2, named Bailey. We taught her the first lesson this week which is the restoration. She had so many good questions! We had such a great time teaching her. We even asked if she would like to be baptized so she can have the feeling of choosing for herself and being clean. At the end of the lesson when we talked about the Book of Mormon, she was so excited about it! Unfortunately, we had none with us! We ran out! All of a sudden the spirit said "give her the one in your bag" I thought that was a good idea but then I thought maybe I should save it. My heart started pounding and I knew I had to give it to her. I said "you know what, I have one more Book of Mormon." I told her the story of it and how special it was. She accepted it with such a huge smile and even teared up a little bit. It was such a special experience! We will continue to meet with her and hopefully I can update you more on her progress. Thank you for the book! It was such a great experience to have now!

Well... I don't have much else to say. I'm just a little stressed with the whole music thing and the festival thing. But it will all work out. Ok.. That's about all now. We're going to get our nails done today. Whoo! I love you so much!!! Have a good day.

~Sister Rokovitz~

                                                                             

We've had soooo much rain. On this day, Sister Schenk decided she was going to just trudge through the flood while we were tracting.

We made an animal feeder on our back porch.....and it works!

Mother's Day Skype and Mission Questions

(We got to Skype with Amber for Mother's Day last night. We were having big problems getting Skype to work on our end and Amber was running out of time before she had to be back in her apartment for the night. She was getting a little stressed and worried that we wouldn't be able to talk to each other. As soon as the Skype connection was made and she saw our faces, she started to cry. It was so great to see her and it wasn't long before we were all laughing, talking and having a great time.)
                                                                       

Amber during our Skype call.

I am so glad I got to see you last night. I was starting to get really bummed out and discouraged and that's why I cried when I saw you. I thought I had no chance at Skyping. I'm so glad it finally worked! It was very needed to see your face yesterday and to joke and laugh and hear your encouragement. I appreciate it so much!!! Thank goodness for technology right? I feel like Skype calls happen right when the missionary needs it. Skype calls... Inspired.

Dad I'm so proud of you for sharing the gospel!!! Yay!! Keep doing that. I have a goal when I get home to always have a Book of Mormon in my car and then always keep one with me as much as possible. You never ever know who you will run into. When we went to Stake Conference, we rode with our District Leader's Branch Mission Leader. After the meeting they stopped at McDonald’s for ice cream. The lady who took his money was so nice. She had accidentally given him back less than she should have but she quickly and nicely corrected it. Brother Johnson said, "She was so nice! She needs a Book of Mormon!" I saw he had one in the back seat where I was sitting. I pulled it out and said, "Here's one!" Haha so he waited till she opened the window again and said, "Have you ever read the Book of Mormon?" She said, " No I haven't." He said, "Would you like one?" She said, "Sure!" With a smile. He gave it to her and drove away. Simple as that. I then restocked his car with a Book of Mormon from my bag. Sharing the gospel is natural and there are SO many opportunities to share it with others. Thank you for sharing it. You never know what kind of seed you planted. Oh! And you can tell people about me and that if they have more questions they can add me and message me on Facebook. I'll teach them everything.

Ok now for all these questions. Hopefully I can remember things!

(~ Since we were able to Skype with Amber yesterday and did most of our conversing for the week on the call, I thought I'd email Amber some questions about her mission and see what kind of answers she would come up with. Here are her answers.)

-What is the best food you've eaten on your mission?
Best food... Strawberry shortcake. Until EVERYONE started doing it because it's warming up. There really isn't a big food difference here.
-What is the weirdest food you've eaten on your mission?
Octopus. And southern ribs and weird concoctions.
-What do you usually do on P-day?
Email, clean, shop, then write letters and be lazy.... Well it depends on the companion. That's my ideal p-day. Some companions want to always be out doing something. So today we are going to go make pottery, sometimes we just tour around. In Nashville we would play with other
missionaries or go to the zoo or museums or downtown.
-What service do you do?
Lots of moving people.. Also helping them clean and organize, planting flowers etc.
-What are some things you're missing from home, besides your family?
Lomax!! (Amber's car)My wonderful jobs and the people there, and I miss the dryness. And I miss fry sauce.
-Describe some things you see, hear, and smell as you’re traveling about.
There are tons of trees here! Like movie style. Lots of nature and animals everywhere. The wildlife is just all over! Meaning.. backyard status. There are also trailer homes and mansions, hillbillies and rich people. Birds chirping. Motorcycles. Lots of motorcycles. The morning always smells so fresh and clean! And it smells green too. Another common smell is smoke and animal pee.
-Describe what sort of things go on between you and your companion such as funny pranks, spiritual talks, odd things that your companion does. (Or past companions)
The song game, the road kill game, lots of talking about the second coming, accents are a huge mission entertainment. Odd things they have done... Doesn't kill spiders, waits for me to get up to start her personal prayer... Just kind of stares at me while I'm in the instant grumpy stage.
-What clothes are your favorite that you have out there with you?
My polka dotted skirts, and my tanks and button up shirts. And of course scarfs and belts.
-Describe your church meetings, what you do, where you meet, how many attend, how people get there, how far away they must come or what they go through to get there.
We meet at church... Just a regular building in Johnston City, we have about 150-175 that attend out of the 500 members in the area. Most people drive or carpool and it's at least a 20-30 minute drive for everyone.. Some drive an hour or more. We have church that's pretty normal like Utah. People sometimes come in jeans and a lot of people only stay for an hour.. By the last meeting we've lost half the people.
-Describe one thing you have learned or thought about this past week.
I have learned to never give up. I'm not perfect and it's going to take a lot of time to become the missionary I want to be. But it is possible and that's because of Christ. I've learned a lot about utilizing the spirit in the work and making sure to ask faithfully for His companionship. I forget that a lot or I do it repetitively. The spirit is key to everything we do and without it, there's no point.
-What was the hardest part about leaving on your mission?  The best?
The hardest part was leaving what I knew and was comfortable with and not knowing what was ahead. The best part was being excited to start a new adventure.
-What is the biggest lesson you have learned so far on your mission?
I have learned about the reality of Christ's atonement. It is real and it is so much more than we think. The atonement covers everything. The atonement is there for everyone no matter what your history is. It's there to heal us and change us to become more like Christ. It is there to help our testimonies and to give us hope when we feel it is lost. The atonement is the ultimate love of God. Through the atonement I can change, become better, and conquer anything. We all can. NO MATTER WHAT. Religion, race, habits, it doesn't matter. The atonement is there. We just have to choose to accept and use it.
-What have you learned from your companions or other missionaries?
I have learned that I'm a lot nicer and better than I think. Also I've learned that when you work for The Lord, nothing small matters. It doesn't matter if there are crumbs on the counter, dirty dishes, pens across the room, shoes left out. We all help each other and because we're serving God, we don't mind serving each other and then it emulates to the people. Life is just easier when you are focused on The Lord.
-What have you learned from your mission president?
That we can do it! Nothing can drag us down. Not Satan, not people, nothing. The Lord is ALWAYS there. He never ever ever even thinks about leaving your side. I can feel my Heavenly Father’s love for me through President Andersen. He is incredible. And he is so selfless which makes it easier for him to find solutions to problems. He sees everything in such a Christ like way. He truly knows Christ.
-What are the different methods you use to proselyte?
Tracting, biking, walking in stores and talking to people, Facebook, member’s friends, nonmembers at ward activities, asking for referrals from Less-actives and nonmembers.
-What have you learned on your mission so far that you think will help you throughout your life?
It's easier with Christ. Scripture study and prayer and service are small requirements to gain happiness. And visiting and home teaching is so important and it's so much more than a monthly visit! It can literally change lives!
-What is your favorite mission story so far?
My favorite one is Donnie. The end. Just Donnie in general. (Amber told us some great things about Donnie. Donnie was baptized about a month ago. He has handed out so many copies of the Book of Mormon, that he needs more. He wanted to go "contacting" with the sisters so they taught him pamphlet discussions and the first person Donnie approached, listened to him.)
-How has your mission changed you so far?
It's made me humble and sucked me into Christ. It's opened my eyes and made me love people no matter what. It's set my priorities straight. Everyone is so right when they say to put God first. It's made me more outgoing too!!
-What are some differences about Tennessee and Illinois compared to Utah?
It's humid. And green. And the people here are just nicer and easy to talk to. The homes are small and often falling apart because they're so old. People love cement statues.
-What has surprised you about the people in Tennessee and Illinois?
They let you right in! Even if they just met you! Or they will stand on the other side of the door and yell "who is it?!" And make you yell loud enough for the whole world to hear that the sister missionaries are at their door!
-What is your favorite thing about Tennessee and Illinois?
The clouds. The rain. Town squares and marque signs everywhere!
-What are some words that are pronounced differently in Tennessee and Illinois than the way you are used to hearing them?
People say "warsh" instead of "wash." On a ranch, they can have cows, chickens, horses and "shep." It took me a while to figure out that a "shep" was "sheep." And anything with "ville" on the end is pronounced "vull" like Nashvull, Cartersvull, etc. They also say, "Love yuns" instead of "Love you."
-What were you afraid of before serving your mission that you now realize was really no big deal?
The rules. They're really not as strict as they sound. Getting up at 6:30 a.m. and tracting really is fun. Some of the best stories come from there! Oh and transfers. Transfers happen every 6 weeks but you won't be transferred every one of those times. I thought I would be transferred every 6 weeks. You can be assigned to an area longer than 6 weeks.
-Do you have any advice for those who are thinking about serving a mission?
Prepare. Know Preach My Gospel and read the Book of Mormon. Dedicate yourself to The Lord and trust everything He gives you! Spend time with your family. Just prepare spiritually.


You should ask these again towards the end of my mission. It was fun to reflect and think on these things.
Well, that's about all for now. I hope this next week we'll have some good experiences to tell you about. I just bought Jesus the Christ and it came today so I want to read that. I love you!

~Sister Rokovitz~

At the end of our Skype session, Amber said that she loved her mission so much, that even if she had the choice to come home right now, she wouldn't. Strangely enough, that's exactly what we, as her parents, want to hear.