Emergency Transfer

Hey! So this week was super crazy and super sad and super exciting and just a lot of supers =) Monday we went to the Birch building in Nampa and played pool and fooseball and volleyball.... I totally whooped the elders in fooseball ;) It was super fun to be able to relax, wear pants, and play volleyball. (I've noticed I use the word 'super' a lot lately, sorry. It's a fun word. Haha.)

Tuesday I got a phone call at about 12 from President Cannon. He told me that I was being transferred because one of the sisters had to go home on a medical leave. I bet you already know where I transferred to... word seems to get around fast. I'm in Weiser now. Little redneck town out in Idaho. So Tues after the call we went to say goodbye to all my favorite people in Nampa. Got pictures, exchanged addresses and phone numbers and all the a fun stuff. It was super sad. I felt like I was leaving home again :P And I really didn't want to leave Sister Bowler and Sister Foster. I had so much fun with Sister Bowler! Bishop Minor and Brother Sayre took us out to Olive Garden . That was lots of fun.

 Bishop Minor, his wife, and their dog... Sabella (like the melaluca product ;) Haha!)

 Last supper in Nampa at Olive Garden

 Then we went to a relief society party and I broke the news to everyone there. Gave hugs and went home to pack. Everything fit! I was surprised. Good thing I sent that package home when I did. Wednesday, got up, finished packing.... President and Sister Cannon came at 8. I said bye and went to Weiser. Met my companion got a car (a super nice 2014 car that is so fun to drive) and got to work. Met people, saw people, talked to people, all that fun stuff with people. ;)

Now an explanation of Weiser. Population 5,000 people. 4,500 of which are farmers and old people. The other 500 are.... just other people. Haha. It reminds me of Preston. There are a couple cute little grocery stores, and tiny hospital. It's just really small and old. I live on a hill above Weiser and have an awesome view of the whole town. We are pretty spoiled... we have queen size beds that are super comfy. So I am not complaining at all. I think I live in my dream house. =) My companion... Sister Breen. She came here from Hawaii. She is awesome. She is 23 and loves to work. So it's been good. She is so cute. Loves talking to people and giving them hugs. She is just so sincere when she talks to people. It's awesome. She isn't used to going out and working so hard because her companion before was sick and there would be ups and downs like crazy. So they would try to go out but would have to come back in because her companion couldn't handle it. So she is excited to actually be able to go out and work.

My new companion, Sister Breen

My crazy new district

Thursday we worked... that's pretty much it. Friday we worked some more... met more people, tried to teach but appointments fell through. Saturday we finally taught our first lesson together and it went pretty well. I don't like teaching someone I've never met. It's hard. But I guess It's what I do as a missionary. Sunday was overwhelming. I was trying to hard to remember everyone and it just didn't work. But that's ok. I'm trying to be patient and remember that I can't remember everyone after meeting them once. I just really want to feel welcomed and I want to know people. It was hard, but it was fun to meet people. They are all super nice. I miss Nampa like crazy. Miss all the people, and I miss recognizing things and places. It feels like I left home again. But it will probably be the same feeling when I leave Weiser too. So I guess I should just get used to it. I know Heavenly Father is helping me be patient and calm. Because I haven't been nervous one bit, just excited. I hope I can make a difference in Weiser. It sounds like the work has been kind of slow since sisters got here. Sister Breen and her companion didn't involve the members and didn't get to know them very well, so I think that is going to be our goal. Because in Nampa when we spent time with the members and got to know them we got referrals that were ready to be taught. So hopefully we can get the work going by working through the members. We are here to help them with the work, not the other way around. And we need to rely on the spirit more. So that was my week. Like I said, it was super crazy and all those other super things. Even though I am sad to leave Nampa, I know the lord put me here for a reason. And I am determined to accomplish whatever that reason is, whether I figure out what it is or not. I know that as long as I am obedient and try my best the Lord will place the people that need me in my path. And everything happens for a reason whether I like it or not. God's ways are not my ways. So I'll trust him and do my best to be happy and make it a positive experience for me and everyone around me. I hope you all have a fabulous week! I am going up to Macall in about 10 minutes to see the ice festival with my district. I am so excited!!! I will have pictures next week =) Love you! Sister Radmall

Exchanges, Lessons, and a Trip to the Hospital

Hey!

This week has been very interesting.  I'm pretty sure everyday had something weird or exciting or spiritual happen.  It has been the fastest week so far for me.

Tuesday we did exchanges. Our new sister training leader, Sister Nickaliason (Sista Nick) came to our apartment and I went to hers.  It was the first time I had ever been anywhere else! Pretty exciting.  It made me very grateful for where I live.  Because they have a tiny little room about the size of my room at home.  So I love our apartment even more now!  Because I hadn't been in that area I wasn't very helpful because I didn't know anything or anyone.... But I was senior companion because Sister Clark that I was with came out with Sister Foster.  So I got to drive... a minivan.  It was great.  Haha =)  The area I covered for that day was partly in the country.  It was fun to drive around in the country... but the houses are a lot more sketchy out there. haha.  Real redneck farm houses ;)  It was fun.  There are so many John Deere mailboxes here.  I've seen at least 5.  It's great.  On exchanges we wandered around trying to visit less actives but not very many were interested in us.  Not much success that day.  Later, after dinner, we went to teach an eternal investigator (eternigator) who just likes to debate with the missionaries.  They have been teaching him for 4 years or longer and he really isn't progressing.  No one is really sure why the elders have kept him for so long.  Anyway... there was an elder that finished his mission and went home on the 8th and flew back to live with this eternigator the 14th... So I saw him there.  It was super weird and awkward to see him in normal clothes, not as a missionary, with a scraggly beard.  Not sure why he came back so quick. Don't worry, I wont be coming home then leaving the next week.  I'll stay for a little bit. Haha =) So that was my super weird Tuesday.

Wednesday wasn't super weird, it was super awesome =) I will tell you a little bit about our investigator, Kristine.  She has made a lot of bad decisions since she was 19 because her brother died and she was mad at God.  She ran away and stayed away from her mom for a long time.  But she finally turned around (she is 50ish now) and decided to try living with her mom.  Her mom is so grateful to have her there with her and is always teary eyed when she talks about Kristine.  It's super cute.  Kristine is very open to anything and everything we say and is just an amazing women for being willing to change so much.  We taught her on Wed. about the plan of salvation and Sister Bowler committed her to be baptized! She accepted and is going to get baptized at the end of February =)  We are so excited!!!  She is going to have to stop smoking and drinking tea, but I think she will be able to stop those pretty easily. She is so accepting and willing.  We are praying for her =)  We also met a nice guy accidentally who says he isn't interested but totally is.  So we are going to hopefully start teaching him.  Gave him a Book of Mormon and was happy for it.  Brother Sayre is picking up his game as ward mission leader.  He is doing so much!! He is doing awesome.  We went over there to wash off Sister Foster's shoes (she stepped in the mud) and he told us to follow him to his old neighbors who aren't interested in the church.  He visited with them and introduced us and it went really well.  They still aren't interested in the church but they said we could come back anytime. Progress!  We are really proud of Bro. Sayre for being awesome.  He is helping his ward be missionaries, which helps us help them =)  IF that makes any sense at all.  haha.

Thursday was great. We went to a couple people's houses in the afternoon then after dinner we went to the Emergency Room with Sister Foster.  That was exciting.  She had the lap band surgery a couple years ago and ever since she has gotten here she has been throwing up everything she eats.  This week she couldn't keep anything down so we went to the ER to make sure her band hadn't slipped or anything.  We got there about 6 and they hooked her all up to the IVs and all that (we had to follow her around everywhere of course).  They took some X-rays (I have now seen X-rays of Sis. Bowler's skull and Sis. Foster's Ribs... just shows how close I am to my comps. Haha!!!) then we hung out in the room while the doctors tried getting ahold of people and while Sis Foster tried to keep water down.  We played Disney Pictionary, My Ship Came Home from Italy, and we sang some hymns.  We were trying to make sure Sis. Foster stayed happy because she was worried she would have to get the surgery again.  Finally President and Sister Cannon came at like 10:30.  Sister Foster got admitted to the Boise hospital and Sister Cannon went with her while me and Sis ter Bowler went home.  Got home at like 11... I have no idea how I stayed up until midnight at home. haha =)  I was so tired.  Sister Foster came home in the morning and she has been doing fantastic ever since.  They fixed it and it's all good =)  It was a fun experience.

 ER.  We are pretty happy for being in there for 4 hours.  We had the giggles really bad.  The nurses kept telling us we were having too much fun.  And we really were.  But it was fun =)

Friday was weird.  We taught Lillie.  She is getting baptized!  She is 9 years old and her mom is a recent convert... who doesn't really know a lot.  We aren't sure if the missionaries taught her everything. Haha.  Oh well. We taught the plan of salvation and it went well.  I really like teaching little kids the plan of salvation and the gospel of Jesus Christ because we have little charts and interactive things we use.  Lillie is going to be baptized on Feb. 15th and we are super excited.  Later was the weird part.  But it was fun.  We taught a less active member who doesn't know a lot.  JoAnn.  She wanted to take us to her neighbors house where she does bible study with some other people.  She wanted to make sure we new that she wasn't being taught something wrong or something against what we believe.  So we went over there and her friend started teaching us out of and amplified bible.  It was so hard not to laugh while she was reading a verse that was totally different then ours.  There were a LOT of extra words in there that made it more complicated.  It was fun =)  Then we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ to her and JoAnn.  I don't know what she thought of it.  But I thought it was a pretty good lesson.  

Saturday I guess was pretty normal.  Taught the plan of salvation to a 10 year old again.  That's always fun.  Especially when they get into and enjoy learning what we are teaching.  Went to Sayre's and Sweet's of course... just like every Saturday.  Probably spent a little too much time at Sayre's though. Haha.  They always tease me about the etch-a-sketch.  They say "you have way too much time on your hands... it's because you're homeschooled."  It's funny.

Sunday we taught Kristine again.  Taught her the gospel of Jesus Christ.  One of my favorites to teach everyone.  She is so excited to get baptized... but I think her mom is even more excited for her.  We had dinner at there house and she is an amazing cook!  Had some really good spinach artichoke wantons.  She said she has felt the spirit while we are there.  And she also said that we are an answer to her and her mom's prayers.  As a missionary that is pretty much the best compliment anyone can give us.  Because that is what we strive to be... answers to people's prayers.  It shows that we have been following the spirit. =)

Today we are going to play games with some of the Elders and Sisters.  Hopefully there is a foosball table at the church we are going to=)  It's gonna be fun.  

I hope that everyone has been have a great January.  I have no idea where is has gone, this has been the fastest month on my mission so far.  They say that it gets faster and faster as you go along... I really am going to be home quick if that is the case.  I love serving the Lord.  I love serving the people in the Nampa East Stake.  I have made some friends that I will remember, and hopefully keep in contact, for the rest of my life.  I have learned that happiness comes from serving others.  And I am so happy!  Missionary work is super hard but it's pretty much the best thing that has happened in my life so far.

I have probably said this already but oh well.... remember that missionary work is love in action! =)

I love you all!

Have a great week

Love, Sister Radmall

Transfer Week!

Hi =) This week was interesting. Haven't quite had a week like it. Started out with an odd P-day cuz it was transfers. Then we had a training meeting for the trainers that night. Tuesday we picked up our new companion and were at that training all day long so we got nothing done that day either. Sister Foster is our new companion. Straight from the MTC. She is from Boulder City Nevada so she is pretty cold (even though it has been in the high 40's low 50's). She is part Hawaiian. She has a strong testimony, and loves sharing her experience on how she became a missionary. We are trying hard to get used to a threesome. It's kind of hard, but we are adjusting!

Sister Foster, Sister Radmall, and Sister Bowler

Wednesday was a lame day. I had the flu. So we couldn't really go anywhere even though Sister Foster needed to email and go shopping. Sister Cannon invited us over to the mission home so the new missionaries could email. And President Cannon gave me a blessing. Then the others sisters went to walmart while I took a nap in a super comfy bed at the mission home. =) 

Thursday I was feeling better. Just getting my strength back. Nothing exciting or spiritual happened... Friday was better. We taught a really good lesson. The spirit was super strong. I just hope the person we taught felt it! We also got a new investigator. Another 9 year old. Lol.... we have noticed a pattern here. We teach either 9-year-olds or people with really bad health problems. It's great. Guess they are the people that are most ready.

Oh yeah!!! I forgot something big that happened. We lost a ward :( Our area split last minute. Other sisters took 34th ward. So the Stokes aren't our ward mission leaders anymore. We are super sad. But I guess it's good. We can focus better on the 2 wards. Now we don't have to go to 8 hours of church. Just 5!

Yesterday went by so fast because we didn't have as much church and our night was full. Last night we had a really good night. I have been struggling to know if I have been growing or not. It's hard to see in myself. So I prayed to be able to see a change in myself. We taught a family where the dad is inactive and his wife and two boys are not members. I was able to explain the restoration very easily when before I have struggled. You all know that I have a hard time getting what is in my head, out. But I was able to get everything I wanted to say out smoothly. The spirit was really strong and I could feel the spirit working not only on me but on the people we were teaching as well. It was a really good feeling. After that we went to a pie and ice cream social at Bishop Minor's house with some other members. Bishop Minor asked us to share a message so we decided to share our missionary plaque scriptures and our journey in becoming a missionary. Again.. I was able to share my experience with great boldness (not bragging, I promise) and I could feel the spirit radiate from me. Another amazing feeling. And one more time that night it happened. We taught Sandra. We have been worried about her because she isn't progressing. She hasn't read the Book of Mormon passages we assign to her. But this time she read.. just didn't remember it. We feel like she isn't interested in the gospel, but the service and friendships the church provides. She doesn't understand the gospel part. So we went back. We talked about the importance of baptism and the celestial kingdom. It was another very powerful lesson. She is like a roller coaster, it is actually very frustrating. She will feel the spirit at one thing we say and start tearing up, then the next minute she will be talking about how tired she is and only be interested in our sympathy. Then she will feel the spirit again. It goes up and down and It's lame. We are going to have to drop her if she doesn't come to church this next week :P It's sad, but it needs to happen.

I think that was pretty much my week. It was a good week. Just really weird. But that's okay. It's good to mix things up a little bit so it doesn't get boring.

Have a fantastic week full of the spirit!!
Love, Amber

2014!

I cant believe it's 2014. Weird!

I've been out 12 weeks now.  I really can't believe that either! I've been told that the first 3 months goes by the slowest.  Then it flies by.... I'm in trouble then because the first 3 months have already flown by!  So the rest of my mission is going to... idk, turbo by?  Haha

 This past week has been pretty good. All week we were really anxious for the transfer calls.  And by the way, I'm staying! =) Sister Bowler and I will still be in the Nampa East stake in the 34th 30th and 9th wards!  So we still have all our investigators, all our ward mission leaders, and our car ;) We are training a new sister who is coming tomorrow.  So there will be three of us again.  I've been praying for her because I know how scary it is to go from the MTC to the mission.  I remember feeling rushed and thrown into something I didn't know how to do (still don't know how to do).  Hopefully she likes listening to music all the time (cuz me and sister Bowler do) and having nerf gun wars.  Haha.

For New Years Eve we went to Bishop Minor's house.  He is the one you met when I was face timing you.  He is super funny.  Loves to throw parties.  There was only one other family there because he planned last minute, but it was still fun.  We talked for a long time about missions and different experiences.  Someone there had gone to the Philippines so he told his stories.  It was fun.  We went to bed at the same time. 10:30.  But the world started exploding at midnight and woke me up!  There were fireworks everywhere.  So I got to hear the fireworks, didn't want to get out of bed to watch them.  Sister Bowler slept through them because she had taken muscle relaxer.  

Our district left to right top row: Elder Davis, Rodgers, Rahman, Streeter, Sis Bowler, me... bottom row: Elder Brimhall, Jones.

New Years Day was district meeting.  Our last one with everyone because of transfers.  So we took some pictures.  My district is crazy =)  My district is going from 2 sisters and 4 elders to 5 elders and 7 sisters!!!  Crazy huh? =)  Our district lunches are going to be crowded!  Hopefully we will still go to lunch every week.  I can't imagine why we wouldn't though.  One of our wards got a new relief society president.  So we went to her house to let her know that if she ever needed anything that she could ask us.  She is going to be great!  Hopefully we can help her with some of the sisters in the ward.

We have gotten to do a pretty good amount of teaching this week.  We still had a bunch of appointments cancel because the flu bug and the cold are making their way around everywhere.  It was kind of a weird week.  We felt productive with what we did, but we were having a hard time finding things to do, and at the end of the week when we calculated our numbers we didn't have a lot.  So it was just weird.  But I know we did productive stuff =)  I'm pretty much just rambling now.  Haha.

Brother and Sister Stokes took us to Applebees.  It was yummy. And fun =)  We saw them almost every day this week.  It was great.

All our ward mission leaders were really happy that we are staying.  We went over to Sayre's to tell them but they weren't home. So while we waited there on the couch and texted them to see if they were on their way home I found an etch-a-sketch.  Everyone was pretty impressed with it.  But it seriously took like 5 minutes.  Haha.  I even put my initial on it.  When we came back later we acted all sad and told them we needed a picture with them.  We acted like we were leaving and sister Sayre was so close to crying. haha.  I'm pretty sure Brother Sayre would have cried if we acted it out a little longer.  It was great.  Then Brother Sayre did the whole suspense thing when he told everyone in ward coucil... and he got up to bare his testimony and acted like we were leaving.  He is crazy.  A 50 year old that acts like a 15 year old.  We really have too much fun with them =)

Sorry this was probably kind of a boring letter.  Not much happened other then transfers. I am trying to think of something profound but I honestly can't right now.... I had something yesterday but I forgot.

How about this thought that I have been telling people this week..... If you want to speak to God, Pray.  If you want God to speak to you, read the scriptures..... don't remember who said that or where it came from.  Oh well =)

I hope everyone has had a great start to the new year!  My new years resolution is to be better at making and keeping goals.  Because goals are what make us grow.  So that is what I am working on =)

Love, Sister Radmall