Road Trip To Reno!

Hi yall! (as Elder Moyle, one of my Zone Leaders, would say--he's from Arkansas :) )

This week has been somewhat eventful--last week on P-Day we did our shopping, went to dinner, & visited a few people. 

Tuesday, we had our weekly District meeting; the other Elders in the District are Elders Siddoway, Moyle, Hall, Santillan, Watson, & Wiley.  We're the only Sisters, and I'm the only greenie (new missionary).  Tuesday was also Elder Siddoway's birthday, & Elder Moyle's birthday was the previous Saturday, so we made a cake for them & had it after our meeting.  We met with Melayna, an investigator in one of the Wards.  Her dad is a member & she wants to be baptized--she knows that going to church, praying, & living the gospel are important and she sets a great example by encouraging her dad to do so.  Can't wait to help her progress toward baptism!  We also met Sean & Beth--Sean is a member & Beth, his wife, is not a member but expressed a desire to be baptized.  We're excited to meet with her more & teach her :)

Wednesday, we split up and Sis. Frost went with a ward member to one area while Sis. Felagai & I went with another member to a different area.  We met several people in that area, mainly ward members. 

Thursday we tried contacting people, but none of them were home.  Later that afternoon, we went on a road trip to Reno/Sparks!!  There was a Leadership Training on Friday, so everyone who is a Zone Leader, District Leader, or trainer had to go and Sis. Frost & I got to go with my trainer, Sis. Felagai & our Leaders on the trip!  We stayed with Sis. Gifford & her trainer overnight and during the leadership meeting on Friday, Sis. Frost, Sis. Overson, & I went tracting with Sis. Nunn in her area (3 greenies & Sis. Frost, haha).  We met a couple people that Sis. Nunn & her companion are teaching, one of them being Steve.  Steve is a funny, sweet guy--he is a member who hadn't been to church since he was 9.  He suffered a neurological disease a few years ago that paralyzed him & damaged his memory a little bit.  At that point, he started praying a lot more for help & strength in his recovery and decided to change his life for the better.  He gradually recovered & walked again, and he loves learning as much as he can about the gospel :)  He has this hope & brightness about him and I know it is a result of him following our Savior--I can't wait to help others experience that awesome change in their lives!!! 

Saturday, we were back home & tried contacting as many people as we could--most weren't home or didn't answer the door, but we did get to visit with the Ray & Howes families and invite them to church.  Their families are awesome :)

Sunday, we did another split--I went with Sis. Frost while Sis. Felagai went with another ward member.  We tried finding & meeting more people, but most still weren't home.  But that's ok!  We have this week to try contacting all those people again :D

That's about it for now--hope all is well with every one of you!

Be strong & faithful because He was!  Take care!

~Sister San Diego

First Week In The Field!!!!

Hi all!

This has been a pretty crazy week--last week on P-Day (Tuesday), the day was spent preparing for our departure to Reno: laundry, packing, saying goodbyes, etc.  Early Wednesday morning, we reported to the MTC Travel Office at 5am & got on a bus with several other missionaries to go to SLC airport.  Upon arriving, our group of 16 Reno missionaries made our way through the airport & got to make some calls to our families before boarding our plane. :) (that plane was the tiniest one I've ever been on!  The ceiling was barely 6 feet high!)

At the Reno airport, we were greeted by President & Sister Hermansen, my Mission President & "Mission Mom", along with the President's assistants, Elder Sparks & Elder Marks (I laugh every time I say their names--what's funnier is the Mission Office is in a place called Sparks).  We all went to the mission home, ate breakfast, took pictures, & went to the Mission Office to start training.  After training, we met our new companions/trainers; it was sad to say bye to everyone from the MTC group (I'll miss Sister Moore!!!), but at the same time exciting for all of us to start our work out in the mission field!  My new companion is Sister Felagai from Samoa (that is pronounced feh-LONG-hi).  We were assigned to a Zone in Eastern Nevada, so we had to stay the night in Reno with a few other Sisters, then we made the long journey out here the next morning.

Thursday, we arrived & met our District & Zone Leaders.  We also met our other companion, Hermana Frost from Reno.  We'll be a trio for some time, which works because we have a very large area to cover.  Funny story: Sis. Felagai was serving in the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission & Sis. Frost was serving in the Nevada Las Vegas Mission before the areas they were in got changed to be part of the Reno Mission.  So we have 3 Sisters with calls to 3 different missions, and we have name tags in 3 different languages (Samoan, Spanish, & English).  We met Bro. Mitchell, the ward mission leader from one of our wards (we are assigned to 2 wards and 1 branch, and it's also a new area, so we get to start mostly from scratch!).  He & his sister helped us take our luggage to our house, & they took us to meet some members of the ward (Curtises, Jacobsens, Sis. Jones).  We soon found out that we have a lot of work to do here, and it is exciting!

Friday, we met more ward members (Cordovas, Bro. Howes) & got to know them.  I am loving these people already!

Saturday, we had a training meeting for the 3 of us in our Zone who are brand new (me, Elder Linn, & Elder Sayeed). Everyone else from the MTC met in Carson City; we're too far away..sad!  We met the Stake President, President Shumway--I can tell he is a very awesome man of God & we're excited to work with him!  After training, we all had lunch at Port of Subs, then our Zone Leaders guided my companionship around town to show us where some members of the other ward live.  We spent the rest of the afternoon meeting those members (Braithwaites, Bro. Kelly, Fullertons, Browns).  We had dinner back in our home town with the Winegar family, who are awesome & a fun family.  We met the Prices & Knights later that evening.

Sunday, we split up--Sis. Felagai & I attended the 2 wards, while Sis. Frost went with a Sister from the ward to go to the branch.  We met several more people from both wards and also the Rays family, & had dinner with Sister Gunnels, a sweet widow.

Sum up of the week: we've met a LOT of members who are so excited to have Sister Missionaries in the area again (and missionaries in general), and they are excited to work with us!  D&C 4:1 couldn't be more right for the Nevada Reno Mission and this area!!! Can't wait to see what this week brings!

Fun part of the week--I've been sick ALL week!  I had a cough on Saturday 7/14 which developed into a cough/cold/sinus infection over the following days.  On Wednesday I asked the Elders from my MTC District to give me a blessing; that, plus full nights of sleep after getting settled in our home, really helped & I am almost 100% over the remaining cough :)  Priesthood blessings are awesome and I am so grateful for those who live worthily to hold the priesthood!

Til next Monday, take care!  Love you all!

Be strong & faithful because He was!

~Sister San Diego

Arriving at Reno Airport

Happy & Excited!!

Let's kick things off!!

Group Shot with the APs

Heading to the van

Loading up...smile Sis. San Diego!

The New Sisters

Sisters @ the Mission Home

The first new missionaries to the Nevada Reno Mission!

First meal in the field

President & Sister Hermansen

My Poly-Sista & Trainer - Sister Felagai

Heading out to our first area with our trainers

"The Spirit Filled The Room!"

Well, it's my last P-Day and my last day at the MTC!!!  SO exciting, yet so sad at the same time!  I've loved my experience here at the MTC--when I was set apart as a missionary, it was mentioned that I would love the MTC so much that I would never want to leave.  Boy was that right, haha!  I haven't completed my last two emails, so I'm going to cram & condense as much as I can into this one!

first week:

-got several DearElder letters from mom, dad, & my friend Aimee--Aimee, thank you so much, I love you, & I am so sorry I haven't written you back yet!!!

-met my District!!  Did I mention how much I LOVE them all?!?!?!

-met my teachers, Bro. Christensen, Bro. Pickett, & Bro. Hainsworth (no, Bro. Pickett is not related to the Picketts from Page Ward.  his family is from Washington) ; they are so awesome and have helped us so much in learning how to study & teach with the Spirit!  It's a little funny & weird calling them Brother [So-&-So], considering they're my age, haha.  Michael Oliver might know Bro. Nate Hainsworth--he served in the same mission & had one of the same companions as Mike

-Met President Hermansen, my Mission President, and other missionaries going to Reno: Elders Linn (from Texas), Bailey (from Spokane), Schembri (from Oregon), & Clark (from Georgia), and Sisters Overson (from Gilbert) & Nunn (from Louisiana).  Also met the 2 Visitors Center Sisters in their District: Sisters Gillespie & Butters.  Their whole District is so funny :)

-met our Zone Leaders, Elder Coleman of Mesa & Elder Broberg of San Diego (the most diligent, mature, studious, obedient, humble, sweet, awesome pair of 19-year olds I've ever met.  Or at least they seem that way, haha.  they're going to be Doctors someday, go figure :) ), and the 4 Sisters in their District--Sisters Hunt, Baantjer (she has the same birthday as me!), Hickman, & Hutcheson.  They are going to Indonesia :)

-met District F, another District in our Zone--they are the ones going to Pocatello & Ogden.  Pocatello: Elders Vigil, Clay, Montes, & Edwards; Ogden: Elders Henderson, Quain, Costello, & Totten.  They were a few doors down from us & were very welcoming :)

-met Branch Presidency :)

-Elder Horne called as District Leader (funny because I felt like it would posssibly be him--he seemed like a leader & example before he was assigned)

-first Sunday here--so nice to have a day to rest :)  everyone here says to "make it to Sunday" despite how overwhelming it can be, and then the rest of the time will fly.  So true!  Loved the temple walk around Provo Temple

-met Scott & Damien, our first investigators.  Both are awesome & have been through so much in their lives; both committed to baptism & I am so proud of them relying on our Savior to overcome their struggles :D

-met & taught Bro. Smith & had an awesome experience with teaching him

-Tuesday Devotional w/ Elder Kikuchi of the 70

second week:

--met the new District in our Zone, and one of the Elders is Elder Figgins from Page Ward!  Their classroom is next door to ours :)

-District F took off for their missions

-Independence Day Celebration

-met Lawanna, another investigator; only got to meet with her twice, then she was out of town this last week.. :/

third week:

--taught a lady named MaryBeth, and I had the most powerful teaching experience EVER.  Sis. Moore & I were answering questions of hers concerning what makes the Church different, and the discussion led to us teaching about the First Vision.  As I told her Joseph Smith's account of the First Vision, the Spirit filled the room so strongly that I felt in every fiber of my being that what I was saying was true. I knew it, and I know that MaryBeth could also feel that it was true just as much as I did.  In her own words, she said she had the feeling of "This is important.  You need to listen to this."   I can't begin to describe how awesome it was to have that experience :)

-we had in-field orientation, cool experience :)

-met Jose & shared with him our testimonies

awesome Sunday Devotional with Jenny Oaks Baker

-Tuesday Devotional with Elder Steuer

-Elder Horne departed for South Carolina Monday morning--we'll miss him very much!

-Elder Cooper & his District left this morning

that's all I have for now!  take care, & I love you all!!

~Sister San Diego

"Be Faithful And Strong Because Christ Was!"

Hey all!

It's my second P-Day!! Pretty much my favorite day of the week other than Sunday, because it allows for time to catch up on writing letters & taking care of errands :)

This past week has been so busy & has flown so fast!!! I can't believe in a little over one week most of my district & I will be gone! Elder Horne leaves 2 days before us Reno missionaries since he is going to South Carolina, and Sister Stewart has to stay for another week because she will train for being a temple visitors center missionary...I wish we could take those two with us...I'll miss them so much!

Our friends from District F have left this morning to go to the Utah Ogden & Idaho Pocatello missions--those Elders were a hoot & we'll really feel their absence this week..! On the bright side, our district gets to host the new missionaries coming imnto the MTC tomorrow!!! So exciting! Hosting means we each get to help a missionary by giving them brief tour, guide them through the MTC, help them gather their class materials, & show them their room. I love service!

Update on teaching: Scott & Damien (two of Sister Moore & my investigators) have made awesome progress! Scott accepted the invitation to be baptized! I know that he can make this change in his life & be so much happier--I'm overjoyed for him! :) Damien is really feeling that learning the lessons is a step in the right direction for him; it is exciting watching them both progress because I know what knowing Christ's gospel can do for them! :D We will meet with both of them a couple more times this week.

Sis. Moore & I have also met with Lawanna, another investigator. We've had a bit of a hard time trying to know her needs through the Spirit's promptings...hopefully things will go better on Thursday when we meet with her again!

Fun stories: last Wednesday was Independence Day (Happy Independence Day, by the way!!) We had a celebration with music & a narration, along with a guest speaker. After that, we all got Magnum ice cream bars & watched the fireworks shooting from the BYU Stadium nearby! It was pretty awesome =D

I love this work & I love being a missionary! I love helping others come closer to our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ ^__^ I am so grateful for the opportunity & hope I can be an effective instrument in the Lord's hands in doing His work!

There is so much more I would like to tell you about, but I am again out of time!

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is indeed His church, and it is SO TRUE!!!

Love you much!

~Sister San Diego

P.S.--I have found a motto like my brother Elder San Diego! It is partly from a quote by Jeffrey R. Holland, with a bit of my own input. "Be faithful and strong because Christ was."

I LOVE THE MTC!!!!!

Hi, everyone!

Hope all is well back home & abroad!

First off, I just want to say: I LOVE THE MTC!!!!! I wish I could stay here, haha, but work needs to be done out in the mission field! I can't believe one week has flown by already! This has been such an awesome experience so far :)

Starting with my report date--at the airport, my parents & I met an Elder named Elder Cooper & his parents; we offered to give him a ride with my relatives from the airport to the MTC, & when we were picked up, my Uncle Clayton & Auntie Krissi asked where we wanted to eat. We were fine with Cafe Rio, but after a while Uncle Clayton suggested Red Lobster (it was so funny because when we got there I realized it was Wednesday & my family has a tradition of going to Red Lobster on Wednesday when my grandparents are in town from Hawaii, hahaha).

After arriving here at the MTC, I got situated & met my District, which consists of 8 missionaries: Elder Horne of Newbury Park, CA--South Carolina Columbia Mission, Elder Funk of Hansen, ID, Elder Chatterton of Pocatello, ID, & Elder Tobler of Little Rock, AR, all going to the Nevada Reno Mission, Sister Stewart of Santaquin, UT--San Francisco/Oakland Temple Visitors Center Mission, Sister Gifford of Columbus, OH, Sister Moore of Memphis, TN, & me, going to Nevada Reno Mission!!! I love my District so much & it is incredibly exciting to be with them & to learn together!

Sister Moore is my companion--I love her!! She is so sweet & we get along so well; lots of fun times :) 

Thursday, we met our Branch Presidency & Elder Horne was called as District Leader--he is an awesome example & leader!

Friday & Saturday, we met two investigators: Scott & Damian; I'll write more about them in a letter home...my time is running out!

There is so much more that happened this past week, but know that I am well & so happy here! gotta run! more to come later!

-- Sister San Diego

The Nevada Reno Mission Is Official!

Update from the Nevada Las Vegas West Mission Blog:

Today has been a historical day.

As of Sunday, July 1,2012 there is a Nevada Reno Mission.

President Black and I, along with President and Sister Neider of the Nevada Las Vegas Mission, went up north to welcome President and Sister Hermansen to Reno and to pass the baton on to them. There are 73 missionaries from the Las Vegas West Mission and 14 from the Las Vegas Mission that have been called to serve in the Reno Mission.

We are happy to see the missionary work move forward in the northern part of the state of Nevada and are excited for those missionaries who will be serving under their direction.

After spending only a few hours with them we love President and Sister Hermansen and know that the elders and sisters in the mission will love them also. Welcome to the Nevada Reno Mission!

Mission Office

The Hermansen's visiting with a few missionaries before 
walking in to the mission office. 

Welcome!

First things first....get the phones working!

Sisters Black, Hermansen, Neider sharing ideas.

The assistants.....Elder Marks and Elder Sparks

Office Couple .... Elder and Sister Lynn

President and Sister Black - Nevada Las Vegas West Mission
President and Sister Hermansen - Nevada Reno Mission
President and Sister Neider - Nevada Las Vegas Mission