Familia!! como estas??
Just kidding, don't answer
that in Spanish! :)
So, my first week in Show Low! At about 8:00 tonight I will
have been here for exactly a week. Crazy. Most of our first week was calling
ward members and leaders to meet with them and find out about the wards. There
is a lot of work going on here! The bishoprics are nice and the stake just
finished a 40-day fast for missionary work, and they seem very missionary
oriented! They have systems set up to work out splits and dinners.. of course
we need to rearrange it some, with the two wards, and with the fact that we're
sisters :) But I'm excited!
What is crazy is that our wards are a bit far apart. They
did it so the wards we and the other sisters cover wouldn't meet at the same
time and we could go to the meetings. go to lds.org and look up the boundaries- Rainbow Lake Ward in
Lakeside AZ, and Show Low 1st Ward in Show Low, AZ. In Rainbow Lake we are
right next to the reservation! Technically it takes in a chunk of it, but it
all belongs to the Fort Apache Branch, so I don't know why it's in our
boundaries. A lot of the people in the Lakeside area live in houses that look
like cabins to me! Super nice cabins, but in the middle of the woods with a
wood stove and everything. And apparently in Show Low 1st, out in the boonies
some people literally live in tents. I thought the trailers were bad enough!
The elders who used to cover 1st ward now just cover 2nd, so
they are introducing us to a lot of people and helping us out a ton. They left
us really good records and lists of people to see. The other elders.... they
did okay. Some of the teaching records are completely blank on the back side!
We have no personal information about the person or how they received what they
were taught. But we'll get through, and make sure to leave awesome records for
the next people!
On Sunday, we talked in the Rainbow Lake ward, and it was
awesome! I prepared a talk, but was stressed about it and what I would say. But
I know that the Holy Ghost would lead me in what to say when I got up- and it
did! I just went up there and talked like an awesome person. I referred to my
notes a few times, and stuck to my general outline, but I think I spoke
powerfully because I followed the prompting of the Holy Ghost. It is a great
feeling! That evening we spoke at a youth fireside for the Show Low 1st ward,
in the first counselor's home. There were 15 to 20 youth there I'm guessing,
and that went great too. We were driving there and I said to Sister Knight, "Now
what are we supposed to do here again?" We talked about why we came on
missions and how we prepared for them, and how they can be missionaries now by
being friends with everyone. I tried to involve the youth and keep them
interested- and awake! You know, drama in high school was a blessing, because
now I know how to fake it til you make it. Which is all a mission is: doing
things you don't know how to do, but relying on the Lord to get you through.
And He does!!
Yesterday we met at the Rainbow Lake Building- I think it's
the stake center for the stake I'm in, Pinetop-Lakeside stake- for the mission
tour! Elder Teh of the Seventy was there, along with President and Sister
Sweeney and the Stake President, President Shumway, although he could only stay
for a little bit. Show Low Zone, Snowflake Zone, and Payson Zone all met for
it. They are doing it again today and tomorrow for the other zones. We all got
to shake Elder Teh's hand, and he and the others spoke to us. It ended at about
three, after starting a bit before 10 with a lunch in the middle. After,
President Sweeney came up to me and said Elder Teh wanted to meet with me!
There were six of us he wanted to meet with after, including Sister Hubmann and
Sister Sanchez over in Snowflake. He asked about my family and life, and asked
if I had any questions for him. I told him there are always questions I could
ask! but I didn't ask any. He then spoke to me for a minute or two, and gave me
some advice. It was pretty cool! He took my picture, and said he would send it
to your email, Mom, so you would know I'm still alive :) So you'll have to let
me know if you get it!
I got to see a bunch of people I know at the tour yesterday,
since I've been in both of the other zones :) Sister Hubmann, Sister Crowther,
and Sister Rasmussen all come up to me and soon as we walked in the chapel and
gave me big hugs, and totally made me cry. I miss them all, and they miss me
too! But Maybe I'll see them at Walmart today :)
Being on a mission is the hardest thing I have ever done.
But it is rewarding. I know it may not seem the best right now, but I know I
have things to look forward to in the future. Sean in Taylor is due to get
baptized on the 9th of November and President said I could go! That will be
amazing! I'm so excited. And I'm excited to get the work moving around here
too!!!
Thanks for all your support and love- I couldn't do it
without you!!!
Love, Sister Brown
or, as you guys know me, Hailey :)
picture-- me and my companion, Sister knight
Mom’s questions:
is your area much different than it was in taylor? how many
wards do you cover? are there any elders there? what is your apartment like?
the area feels a lot different and a lot the same at the
same time- there are sure a lot more trees, especially pine trees! I'm
definitely in a forest up here, not a ton of farmland to be seen, but there's
still some! We cover two wards- and there are a lot of elders around here! I'm
not sure how many, but I heard there are 7 companionships in our district- 14
missionaries! and only six of us are sisters. there are a lot of missionaries
in the area! Our apartment is pretty nice, now that they fridge and washing
machine are working :) We live on the second floor, and each companionship has
it's own bathroom. I'll try to send some pictures when I get a chance!!
Love you!!!
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