Pictures from the MTC (finally) and more...

Our MTC Dorm Room

My MTC group

Sister Smallcanyon and I

Pictures of my name tag.

7-21-14

Mama:

what was the most spiritual moment you had this week? Last night we were at a members house talking and we got on the topic of the temple and we didn't share anything we weren't supposed to but the spirit was sooooo strong as we talked about how we loved the temple. the lady who's house we were at didn't have a good experience and is getting sealed to her husband in about 2 months or so and is so scared to go back. so it was an amazing experience to be able to comfort her and talk to her about the temple and sister Stewarts experience as well as mine :}

when did you feel the spirit teach you? Sister Stewart and I get to teach the Book of Mormon class tomorrow night and our topic is on "the Light of Christ vs the Holy Ghost" so I have been preparing for that all week and just having the Holy Ghost testify to me of the truth that I was reading about was amazing :}

when did you laugh out loud? and typing about it now makes you laugh again? Nothing really happened that made me laugh out loud but there was a crazy moment this Saturday haha. We were at the Bishops house for dinner (Bishop Francis) and we were talking about where we were all from and what high school did we go to (the normal questions) and I found out that Bishop Francis was Quincy Lewis' roommate in collage haha! so I am gonna take a picture with Bishop Jason Francis and send it to you so you can show Coach Lewis sometime haha :}

Do you always have dinners with the elders? and do you trade off who does the thought?  we don't always have dinner with the elders but most nights we do :} they are sooo fun! And we do trade off who has the message :} we do have a theme for each month so sometimes they are repeat messages but we do swap every dinner appointment that we have together :}

have you had any more rain/ thunder storms?  that is why the NBA team is the Thunder right?  All last week it rained. the highest the temperature got was 75 degrees. it was soooo nice haha. I guess that would be why they are called the Thunder. their thunderstorms here are crazy! it will be blue sky for one minute and then it is just dumping rain all over. and then it stops like 10 mins later haha.

how about bike riding? have you had another chance?  I haven't gotten to ride a bike in a while. we try not to because our apartment is in the middle of no where and we would have to bike 5 miles to get to somewhere and then bike around, then bike back and that just takes a lot of time haha.

do you get to visit with your neighbors?  Our neighbors are crazy! there is a less active (Kelly) who lives kiddy corner from us who comes over every day and ever night. it is just crazy!  then across the way from us is a lesbian couple... and they think sister stewart and I are gay as well because we live together haha. so that is fun.

do you ever cook or bake or is it just quick stuff like sandwiches and cereal?  We have done pizzas and chicken but usually its just fast stuff so we can get out of the house faster haha. I switch off each day between cereal and apples/PB :} so good

So how many missionaries are in your mission?  there are 260 missionaries in our mission right now and about 42% are sisters :}

How many are from Utah or Idaho?   I am not quite sure how many are from Utah or Idaho but I know the ones in my district, there is one sister from Cali and elder Beus (who goes home next week :{ ) is from Idaho, but everyone else is from Utah haha. Its crazy!

So transfers are on Wednesday and sister Stewart and I are staying in Quail Creek together!!!! WAHOOOOOO!!!!! we are also getting a new zone leader and the other sisters in our district are becoming STL's (aka: Sister Training Leaders) which is like a zone leader but just for the sisters :} so we will have the zone leaders and the STL's in our district.

 Our song went soooo well. we did sing "one Voice" and it was awesome! we didn't coordinate with the elders but elder Beus and I were matching. His tie was mint green and peach with light blue plaid and I was wearing my mint green skirt and the gaundi shirt (which is peach) and sister Stewart and elder Collins were wearing light and dark blue. elder Collins tie was checkered while sister Stewarts dress was striped, but we still matched a little bit haha.

It was an amazing song and we all blend well together :}

Colton looks the exact same haha. I hope he is doing well. when did he go home? I know it was sometime around the 16th ish....

The mission is going well, still don't have anyone new to teach but we have been working with Less Actives and Recent Converts which is still fun ;}

Love you tons and I hope you have an amazing week!!!!

Love Sister Meagan

7-14-14

I actually did not feel an earthquake and as far as I know, every one is good. it was supposed to be right in the middle of studies but we didn't feel or hear anything. Our less-active neighbor came over later that day and asked if we had felt it and if we were ok. Sis Stew and I just looked at each other and told her that we didn't feel a thing. God is definitely looking out for us. :}

Oh I have to tell you all the weird and funny nicknames I have from the other missionaries:

Sister Boulter,

Sis Bolt,

Bolten,

Troy (troy Bolten from High School musical),

and Boulder :}

I Love you and miss you tons!

Love Sister Bean

Family;

This week was a rough week for Sister Stewart and I. I told you how our one investigator said not to come back... well it just kept getting worse for us. all our appointments with potentials fell through and we only taught two lessons: one to a less active and one to a recent convert. the rest of the week we were tracting and trying to follow up on the potentials who didn't answer the door when we got to their houses. On Tuesday, Sister Stewart and I called the Zone Leaders and asked them to come and give us blessings. It was amazing. I forgot how amazing blessings are and how cool the priesthood is. I know that it is the power and authority from God. In that blessing of mine, Elder Beus stated that I already knew and had a testimony of Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and the gospel, and that I didn't need to worry about doubting that I didn't have one. Also in this blessing it talked about how God has always listened to my prayers and will answer them in His own time. It was amazing! because all that last week I had really been wondering if Heavenly Father was really listening to little ol' me. and I got my answer. Blessings are amazing and I know that they are personal and that they are directly from God. It also said that sister Stewart and I would become closer than we already were. after the blessing and we all calmed down from crying, we just looked at each other and all 4 of us just laughed at that statement. not in a mockery way but just in a "how can Sister Stewart and Sister Boulter come closer than they already are?!" we pretty much can tell each others life story in details. but I guess Heavenly Father has a plan/purpose for us that we don't know yet.

Anyway.... this week we met a less-active man by the name of Michael Ives. He is a crazy loon! when we set up the appointment to meet him, he started to cry on the phone. It was so sad. then we got to his apartment with a sister from our ward (sister olsen who is awesome!) and he just started sharing his life story. he would laugh at some points in the story and then would cry at others. he left the room for a few mins to get something and sister olsen just looked at us with crazy worried eyes. we ended us leaving a hour and 45 mins later.... it was really weird. then he came to church yesterday and pretty much confessed all this stuff to us and the elders, then told a shortened version in our Gospel Principles class. All 4 of us missionaries were sooooo embarrassed! he is just a weirdo. Elder Collins and Elder Beus came up to us after church and told us that we should not go over to his house anymore because he is a divorced man who was way too emotionally unstable. Sister Stewart and I definitely agreed!

I has just been a crazy emotional week! haha

 Oh I am so excited to get the quotes this week :} my wall is looking a little dull.

It sounds like you have been having a lot of fun this summer. is it hot yet? has it rained?

 I actually did not feel an earthquake and as far as I know, every one is good. it was supposed to be right in the middle of studies but we didn't feel or hear anything. Our less-active neighbor came over later that day and asked if we had felt it and if we were ok. Sis Stew and I just looked at each other and told her that we didn't feel a thing. God is definitely looking out for us. :}

We get to go to the temple next month (I believe Aug 14th) and I am soooooo excited. I am definitely going through temple withdrawals haha. we only get to go twice a year and we go as a zone :} so that is exciting!

Love you tons and Im glad that you are having a wonderful summer. say hi to Doc White when you have your Partay :}

Hope everything has gone well for you :} Love ya tons!!!! 

Love, Sis Boult haha

Love Ya

Dear Mama Bean,

I have had a chance to ride my bike and it was atrocious! haha we took pics so when my camera isn't being weird, I will send them to you :}

there is a cute lady in our ward, Sister Bentley, and she is our weather contact. because we cant watch TV she keeps us updated on the weather and we would go to her house if the weather got really bad.

Yes mama I am flossing, brushing, fluoriding and wearing my retainer :}

I have know idea where Mads pants might be but the last place I saw them was in my room under my window in a bag still. But it might be too late cuz it sounds like you left really early this morning

I do know I am loved and I am soooo grateful for you guys! Your love and support keeps me going when the work is hard. :}

Love you!

Love Sister Bean hehe

Week after Week

So there is a saying in our mission that goes like this... "the weeks go by days and the days go by weeks"... that is pretty much saying that the weeks are really short but the days are super long! which is sooo true haha.

We're Baaaack

So what did you do on the 4th? The 4th was a crazy day. We had a breakfast appointment with a family in our ward and that was way fun. We then had an appointment set up with a man named Dave, but he wasn't home... so we went to the dollar store and bought some popcorn for our district meeting and then watched the Restoration video as a district. Sister Stewart and I were all decked out in 4th of July stuff and it was awesome! We then went tracting for a little bit but no one was home so we studied instead. Then we went up north to have dinner with a bunch of ward members. Then we headed east to Edmond for fireworks. Our curfew was pushed back to 11 o'clock :} it was sooooo fun!!

And did your package get there in time for Canada Day? I did get the package at 2:37 pm on July 1st haha so just in time:} 

Were there parades? There were parades but we didn't get to go because they were too far away and we needed to save on miles haha

Are they in your district or zone?  The Hermanas are in the Spanish district but they are in our zone.

How many missionaries are in each?  There are 4 districts in our zone. Ours (which has 4 companionships) the Spanish district (which has 3 companionships) and then 2 Edmond districts (one with 4 companionships and the other with 3)

What is your favorite thing to do or say to talk to people?  Usually when we talk to people we ask how they are doing and go from there. I like to learn where they are from and things like that haha

What was the most difficult thing this week? We found an investigator this week.... and then about 4 days later, he dropped us. Said that he didn't want to go to church and that the book of Mormon wasn't making sense. Sister Stewart asked if we could come back and talk to him about it but said that he needed to work it out on his own and would call us if he wanted to talk again. :{ So sad

What was the most amazing thing this week?

What was the funniest moment? I think the funniest moment that I can remember right now is the day after the 4th (after staying us later than normal) the zone leaders said that we were going to have early morning sports.... which means 6 am.... it was funny to watch those who did show up try to play sports like they normally would but were soooo weak and tired that they could not make a thing haha. That was just so funny

When was the Spirit felt the strongest? Was felt so strong while we watched the Restoration video... being on a mission, the Spirit is with you 24-7 and it is awesome!!! But just having the Spirit testify to me of the truthfulness of what I was watching was just soooo cool!

When did you feel the most loved? I have felt the most love by the missionaries around me. Especially my companion, my district leader and my zone leaders. My companion and I talk about pretty much anything and everything and it is sooo cool to know someone on a deeper level than just spiritual... when our investigator (Fred) dropped us, we were so sad. Not for us, but for him. He was skipping out on the best thing in his life. We got a call from the Zone Leaders (Elders Beus and Collins) and they asked us how the day went. We told him what had happened and elder Collins said something that has stuck with me. He said "the Lord puts people into your path. They may not be ready and they may not know what they have right in front of them, but as long as you gave them a chance to see what could be better, they will always be changed." I can't remember if those were his exact words but it went something like that. Then Elder Tripp (our district leader) called and said that "the hardest part of a mission is having someone reject the teachings of Christ." and I really thought about that and it is soooo true. I mean it is ok if people don't want to listen to me talk, but if they ignore the Spirit and the teachings of Jesus Christ.... that is just so sad.

Anywho.... I forgot to write this last week so I will write it now...

The 27th of June....  was a pretty crazy day. Sister Stewart and I had been tracting all day and then as we walked up to the Carlsons for dinner that night (member in our ward); the elders told us that they needed to leave early and that we had the dinner message. Oh goodie. So dinner went from 5:30 to 6:30 then an extra 20 mins for the message. We then needed to stop off at the apartment to get a few things before going and teaching a recent convert lesion. So we drive up to the Apartment and there are 3 police cars in front of us, one behind us and then on our left there was a fire truck and an ambulance. We walked up to our apartment and the less-active members who live kiddy-corner from us were talking to the police. I turned to sister Stewart and jokingly said, "oh I bed someone got stabbed." well a few minutes later we walk out of the apartment and one of the less-actives (Corey) came over and told us to be careful. Apparently around 6:40, this ginormous black guy was walking around our apartment complexes and asking people for cigarettes. The day before he had asked Kelly (the other less-active) for a cigarette and she gave him 2 just so he would leave. Well then he came back and asked Kelsee (the neighbor across the way from us) for a cigarette and she said no. then he said "give me all your money" and she said no again and started to walk into her house. The guy then jumped her balcony and stabbed her. Sister Stewart and I were totally freaked out. Later that day we came back and saw the police cars parked around the apartment complexes still looking for the guy... he hasn't come back since.

I am fine and Sister Stewart is fine but I learned that God is definitely looking out for us. To think that if we had come home at 6:30 like planned, we would have either seen the whole thing or he would have come knocking on our door and one of us would have been hurt.

I Love the Lord and I am so grateful for my mission. Even though it is really hard, I know I am right where the Lord wants me to be.

Love you tons and hope to hear from you soon :}

Love, Sister Meagan