Sister Stewart & Sister Kingston

Sister Stewart & Sister Kingston

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Midlife Mission Crisis

Hey Family!
Ah,  Im sad I didnt get to see Zach. Ask him what color shirt he was wearing so I can find out which Sister took him on tour. Mom, thanks sooooooooo much for the package!!! Youre the BEST! Every time someone gets a package all the Sisters crowd around to see whats inside. They loved hearing about camp and the miracle popcorn and Grandma and Grandpa's missionary experience! Oh and Dad your zucchini bread got eaten right up. The travel cross country did make it a little dry, but it was still really good! Can you do me one last favor Mom?! I promise this will be the last thing I ask you to send! Can you send me a couple copies of David's cds for some of my investigators and my gray Vans (shoes). I need the shoes by Sept 6th for something called zoned out. All of the zones get together at the Johnson Farm and we have competitions between zones. Anyways I need some regular tennis shoes to run around in. Sorry Im so needy.
So Bishop Sharp eh? He'll do awesome! The ward luau sounds like it was a success. Oh and Mom, sorry about your fingers! It sounds like youre healing nicely though :)
Well, today is my official 9 month mark from entering the MTC. Its so weird how time just flies by. Every time there's a new month, I cringe a little. Dont get me wrong I'm going to be so excited when I get to see all of the fam when I come home, but everything else not so much haha. Eight Sisters went home last transfer. Some of them were my best friends out here. Theyve written me since and have made me even more nervous to go home haha. Sorry to be such a debbie downer. I really dont think about coming home very often but today it just hit me. Mid life mission crisis Lol.
Well, moving on. This week we had some good lessons. We have a cool investigator named Michelle. I dont know if I already told you about her. She lives in a group home because she has a physical disorder. She is accountable though. She was a former investigator about a year ago but I guess she randomly didnt want to be taught any more. We decided to stop by and meet her one day. When we met she told us she had been praying for a change in her life and knew that we were an answer to her prayer. On our first lesson we committed her to baptism and she said, "Oh yes, definitely!" We're taking it slow with Michelle because of her disorder. She just started dialysis this week because one of her kidneys is failing so we're not sure how it will affect her progression. In other news we have 2 baptisms scheduled for Sept 4th. Delan (13) and his little brother Dion (9). Theyre really excited! We're meeting with them every day that we're not at Sites so that they'll be ready. Ill let you know how it goes.
Well time is about up. Just know that I love you all so so much and pray for you daily. Thanks for everything! This gospel is AMAZING!
Love,
Sister Kingston
p.s. Mom sorry I havent sent pics lately. I lost my usb chord
so I dont have a way of sending them through e-mail :(

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

13 Bus Loads of Scouts!

Family,
Hey everyone! Wow, a new Bishop. Youll definitely have to keep me posted on who it is! Thanks for sending those garments Mom and Dad! Im glad your having such a nice summer there. Here its crazy hot. Plus we dont have any A.C. in our apartment so its pretty uncomfortable. We have a fan which helps a little but I swear it's more humid in our apartment than it is outside Lol.
We had a cool experience on Monday. 13 bus loads of scouts came to Kirtland that day. 13!!! There were 14 of us Sisters working sites (some had to give up their p-day). We did something a little different. We all went to the Morley Farm, which is about a mile away from the visitor center. Normally a senior couple gives the tour. The Morley Farm is where the 4th conference of the church was held, where the first High Priests were ordained, where Heavenly Father and Christ appeared, and where Joseph Smith prophesied that the Church would grow to fill North and South America and the world. Most of these events took place in or near a log school house on the Morley's property (they had about 100 acres, the church owns 16 of those acres now). The school house no longer exists so the tour is given outside on some benches (pretty much like how they give tours at the Sacred Grove). Well, since there were so many scouts, it would be impossible for all of them to take a tour at the same time. So each Sister got on a bus and we told them about the Morley Farm standing at the front of the bus. I got to use the mic and everything! haha It was a cool experience! After our quick speeches , they all got off the buses and ate lunch there on the grass. It was neat to see all of these young kids, who will become missionaries one day. We told them that as they prepared and eventually served missions that they would be helping to fulfill the Prophecy that Joseph Smith gave there about the growth of the Church.
After the Morley Farm, we all headed over to the Visitor Center and gave them tours there. There were too many scouts for any companionship to take a tour together, so each Sister took multiple tours by themselves. We were all dead tired at the end of the day! It didnt help that it was super hot and humid outside. I think I drank about a gallon of water that day lol.
I had a really neat experience taking the scouts into the School of the Prophets. It was almost overwhelming to see this room full of Aaronic Priesthood holders. I pictured them as younger versions of the men who gathered and studied there. I know they felt the Spirit in that room and I hope they remember that experience.
Well, Im about out of time. Thanks for everything! I love all of you! Have a great week!
Love,
 Sister Kingston