Happy Birthday to Me!!! =)

Hey everyone!

So this is my one and only birthday in the mission... and guess what I am doing.  Bet you can't guess...  It's p-day.  And my favorite place is Enterprise.... so we went to Enterprise!  Yup!  Fun stuff!  We are going to go mini golfing with the sisters, and have dinner with Gene and Larry and see people and just have fun.  I love fun!  Thanks for all the birthday wishes!  I really appreciate them all.  They make the day so much more special!

So for this week... it's been crazy stressful.  Because we are putting on the Living Christ Fireside again in La Grande so we are stressing to get all the musical numbers and readers and such.  It is coming along pretty good.  Though we are still waiting to hear back from some people.

This transfer really is flying by.  It's already week 4.  Every transfer gets shorter. I'm tellin ya... it's not cool!  Only 7 months left... can't hardly believe it.

Last Monday we went shopping around La Grande.  They have a small JC Penny and Bealls.  I kinda spoiled myself a bit since it was kinda my birthday.  haha.

On Tuesday after visiting people we were able to go to an Elgin Relief Society activity.  We don't get to go to many of them.  We thought it would be a good opportunity to get to know the members better.  Making friends with the members really has helped us in doing missionary work.  We have had many more opportunities to serve and teach and share our talents.  

Wednesday we went to Elgin again.  We went to lunch with an investigator that we thought was super not interested and didn't like talking.  Turns out... she wants to get baptized as soon as she can.  And she talked to us for a good hour and a half.  We didn't really say anything.  Her husband goes to Alaska to fish every summer.  He is the captain of a ship. So he is gone from August to December.  She wants him to baptize her, but he isn't worthy yet.  So in the future some missionaries will be working with both of them.  But for now, we are just working with her and trying to get her in the habit of reading scriptures and going to church.

Thursday we kind of had a birthday party at the Chandler's house.  It was his birthday, and they sung to him, then sang to me too.  So it was a joint party!  It was great.  Then we went to a less active's house and committed her to go to church.  She was totally going to go.  And we even went to remind her on Saturday night, but she had to go to the hospital for heart problems :P  Poor girl.  So she didn't go yesterday.  But hopefully she is feeling alright and nothing is wrong so can go next week.  

Friday was rough.  Seemed like no one was home.  Probably because school started today.  So it was everyone's last weekend.  We practice our organ piano duet a lot that day because no one was home.  We had dinner with a super cute couple though.  Then she trapped us at her piano.  Made us play some songs for her.  haha.  I wasn't complaining=)  It was raining pretty hard outside.

Saturday morning we went to the broadcast of the Meridian Temple ground-breaking at the stake center.  It was good.  Elder Bednar talked about how the dedication of this ground is like the dedication of our lives.  We dedicate our lives to the Lord.  We promise with him to keep his commandments.  And when it gets easy (when the temple is close) don't procrastinate.  Don't slack even when it's easy.  Always go to the temple.  Always do your best.  It was a great message.  And it probably made no sense.  haha.  sorry.  Also on Saturday I got a package from Grandma and Grandpa Thompson!  thanks!  We helped a less active lady clean her house.  That was good.  She has the cutest 4 year old boy.  Hyrum.  He is a doll.  Such a lover.  Just loves hugs.  Wish I could give him one!  Then, after dinner we went to the wedding of Gloria.  The lady we helped lay sod in her yard.  She invited us to the wedding.  We felt so out of place.  And not comfortable at all.  We actually showed up late.  So didn't even get to see the ceremony.  We got there and they were still on their drive around town so we waited there with the elders.  Would have talked to people, but most everyone was going to the coolers to get the beer :/  So awkward.  We just stayed long enough to give Gloria a hug, then jetted out. (After we took fun pictures in the picture frame)

  Note to self... Weddings are super awkward as a missionary!!!  Luckily there were some members there, and the bishop that married them.  So we hung around them.

Sunday was our duet. It went well.  It was scarier to play the organ than the piano!  But it was fun and challenging too.  Skills you learn on the mission... I already knew how to play, but now I can use the pedals better.  We played "Oh, How Lovely Was the Morning"  such a pretty song.  And I had to use the pedals, and both keyboards.  it was pretty intese.  Plus I had to adjust the volume throughout the song. =)  Fun stuff!  

That was the week.  Crazy!  Now off to some fun activities =D  Seeing old friends and doing fun stuff.

I wanted to do a challenge.  I sent some pictures to go along with it... I started reading the Book of Mormon again, this time I am drawing pictures on every page showing what the scriptures are about. 

 It's really quite fun!  I'm going to try to finish it before Christmas.  So you should too!  Then when we call on Christmas we can talk about it!... you don't have to do pictures.  You can just read it if you want.  Or another good one is marking 'commandments and blessings'  That is pretty cool.  Or marking Christ... or whatever else you can come up with =)  I've found that it's a lot of fun, and very effective, to get a new paperback BofM and just have one theme marked in it =)  So I issue this challenge.. starting now!  haha =)  have fun with it!

Thanks for all your support!

love you!

~Sister Radmall

Free Market, Polynesian Culture, and the Temple Trip

Hey everyone!  So this week flew by.  And it was a lot of fun.

The heavens opened

On Monday while we were at Walmart, a lady came over the intercom and said, "If you own a silver Toyota, your dog is hanging out the window.... distressed."  It was the funniest thing ever!  I laughed so hard.  Of course, poor dog, but it was so funny!  It was even funnier when I tried to tell other people. =)  Made my day.

Our Teddy Bear:  Bruce.

On Wednesday the church had a free market.  They have everyone bring their stuff in that day and set it all up in different rooms.  Clothes in the gym, toys in the primary room, crafts in a sunday school room, etc.  Then at night everyone came and took what they wanted.  Then they put all the left over stuff in the DI trailer.  It was pretty cool.  We made a poster board and put it above our table full of free materials... we were practically invisible.  No one wanted free 'salvation' but everyone wanted free 'stuff' :P lame.  haha.  We seriously gave out almost nothing in the 2 hours we sat there.  Talked to some people.  But most of them were members.  But what I have learned on my mission is that no effort is wasted.  If you try to do missionary work, you are doing missionary work whether you see it or not.  So we did something by sitting there trying to talk to people.  Probably got some of the members excited to do missionary work because they saw us doing something. =)

Thursday we went to a relief society activity.  It was a Polynesian cultural luncheon.  Learned about Hawaii, at good food, and talked to some less actives and non-members that went =)  I love when we can do missionary work and play at the same time ;)  It's the best.  haha.

Friday I went to the temple!!!  It was better than I remember =)  I want to go again.  Haha.  But can't until April.  I learned so much there.  And felt the spirit so strong.  None of us missionaries wanted to leave.  We just wanted to bask in the spirit all day long.  We probably would have if the next session didn't start coming in.  It was great.  And what made it even more special is that I was able to go on the same day that I went last year for the first time.  And I got to go with 3 of my companions (3 out of 8).  So it was super special.

It was so fun to see Sister Bowler again.

We slept at the mission home Friday night so we could drive home Saturday morning.  We got to celebrate a sister's birthday who also stayed the night there.  That was fun =)  Then we made a quick stop to Walmart to get road trip snacks and went on our way back to La Grande.  I was exhausted after that!  So we practiced our organ piano duet for a while, then visited some people.

First time in my whole mission that I wasn't the driver!

Sunday we got to speak in the Elgin ward.  First time I've been to that ward.  It went well.  Sister M talked about 'the why' of missionary work and I talked about 'the how'.  Then the high councilman that we spoke with talked about following up.  It flowed great!  I decided to be brave and not write down what I was going to say word for word.  I had 1 sticky note with 5 bullet points and went off of that.  Used "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" a lot.  It went better than I thought it would.  I was able to listen to the spirit more.  It was very cool =)  Never been brave enough to do that!

At the beginning of my talk I shared an analogy that I randomly came up with about missionary work... I love chocolate!  If I came across someone that had never tasted chocolate I would want to go buy them a bunch and have them taste it because it is so good!  Because I know they love it.  I love the gospel!  If I came across someone that had never heard it I would want to share with them as much of it as possible!  Same concept.  We might even be a little scared to share chocolate because what if they don't like it?  What if they don't like the gospel?  We still want to give them the chance to taste it... to hear it. Because it just might change their lives! =)  

Hope you all have a great day!  Don't be afraid to share what you love =)

~Sister Radmall

Elder Maximus... the only Elder I can hug.

Week 8 in La Grande

So... on a mission you learn a lot.  You learn your strengths and weaknesses.  You learn about other's strengths and weakness.  You learn what you love.  And how to love.  And you also learn what your pet peeves are!  haha.  I learned mine this week.  So to put it in one sentence... I really get annoyed when someone starts doing a project without knowing how to do it and wanting to do it perfectly, which in turn wastes their time, my time, and their money.  Yup, that's it.  haha.  Let's just say.... if you ever lay sod, make sure you level the ground BEFORE you buy hundreds of dollars worth of sod.... and then, after you lay it, don't step on it!  =)  yup, that's what I learned this week.  haha!  So, this week:

It was really quite a tough week for teaching.  A lot of our appointments fell through.  My companion got some sad news from home so she was pretty down, which made me kinda down.  It was just tough.  But we did our best anyway =)  We did a lot of yard work!  If you didn't already guess.  The whole week all we really did was visit a lot of people.  Actually, in reality, all we really did was knock on a lot of doors and talk to a few people.  Welcome to the world of missionary work.  I have a feeling this email isn't going to be very long.  Sorry. Or maybe that's a good thing. ;)  Won't get bored.  

So, highlights...the members love us! Yay!!  love it =)  Next step, get referrals everywhere!  (Side note, if you haven't read "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" READ IT!  It's fantastic)  We went to a less active lady's house with a recent convert who is just so super excited to share the gospel.  At first we thought she wasn't a member, but turns out she is.  She has just been a member of the baptist church for a while and that wasn't enough for her.  So this less active lady we went with, Sabrina, has an awesome story. She met with the missionaries for years but never got baptized until just this last year.  She was living with her boyfriend, so they got married then she got baptized on the same day!  Crazy.  She is an awesome member missionary.  Not afraid to talk to people about the gospel all the time.  She took us out for frozen yogurt after we met with her friend.  She is only 20 or 21, so my age.  And she invited me to come back and do horse stuff after my mission.  That will be fun =)  So that was all on Thursday.

We taught Kaydon on Saturday and had dinner with his family.  Because he is a recent convert we try to get members there to teach him instead of us.  But no one was available then so we just did a review game.  It was a matching game.  We thought it would be too silly for him but we played three rounds with him and his non-member sisters.  So that was kinda cool.  We just made some cards with a gospel question and then the answer on a different card and played memory.  Simply brilliant.  haha.  

Sister Mackelprang spoke in sacrament meeting today.  That was fun.  She spoke with a returned missionary.  Then we had dinner at a fun family's house.  Funny people are awesome =)  just fyi. haha.  Later we taught Colton with two of his friends.  Wow are they in-tune with the spirit.  And so gospel oriented.  It's so fun to watch.  We were planning on having a lesson on Thursday but thought Colton canceled.  Turns out he didn't.  So his friends taught him about the Book of Mormon.  The one, David, said that he gave Colton a rock and said that if you just read the book of mormon it's kind of boring like the outside of the rock.  But if you pray and study and want to learn something from it then it's like the crystals in the inside of the rock and it's beautiful.  What 13 year old boy comes up with an analogy like that!? Seriously.  It's awesome!  Colton is a lot like that too.  It's so cool to see him growing.  He was ordained a deacon today!  So he gets to pass the sacrament next week.  Super excited for him.  And he gets to go to the temple in September.  Wish you could all meet him!

That was pretty much our week.  I get to go to the Boise temple on Friday the 15th!  I am so excited!  Usually we go at our half mark, but I'm going a little later because I'm so far away.  For some reason I get to go this time though.  I'll be driving down with Sister Duncan.  Sister Bowler and Breen will be going with me too.  I am so excited! =)  It's a special day.  Last 

August 15th is when I went to the temple for the first time.  So that's cool.  And it's also my cousin's wedding.  I love little coincidences like that, that aren't actually coincidences but they happen for a reason.

I know the temple is so special.  And everything that is done there is done by the power of God.  We learned about temple marriages this week.  And it made me so grateful that mom and dad were sealed in the temple so I can be with them forever!  I hope to do the same someday.

Be safe!  Listen to the Spirit!  And SMILE!

Love you all

~Sister Radmall 

The La Grande Zone

What I do when my companion is practicing... do you recognize it?

To be... Transfered... or not to be...

Hey everyone!

So today is tranfers... but it's just another normal day for me.  Cuz I'm staying another six weeks in La Grande with Sister Mackelprang!  I am so excited =)  Love her to death!  She is like my little sister!  It's the best.  Enterprise was the best area... this transfer and last transfer are probably going to be the best transfers!

La Grande District

So for my week... Nothing exciting really.  But I'll talk about highlights =)

On Tuesday Elgin had a barbecue.  So we got to go to that.  And we got to play volleyball for a bit.  That was fun.  A good way to meet the members ;)  I was very proper while playing because we were in skirts.  haha, but it was still fun.  I miss that sport!

Wednesday we taught our newly baptized member, Kaydon, the first new member lesson.  My first time teaching a new member lesson.  The Hurst's friend, Meg, came with us.  It was great!  She helped out a ton.

Thursday we made brownies!  Chocolate, with chocolate chip, and chocolate fudge on top, and we added some m&ms.  haha =)  It was great!  But we did do missionary work too.  haha.  We also went to the ward mission leaders house for dinner.  That was a blast.  We made carnival treats.  haha.  First we had real food, hamburgers, then we made ice cream and cotton candy, funnel cakes, and snow cones.  Crazy sugar.  But it was fun. And they invited a non-member who seemed somewhat interested in the message we shared.  So that's a bonus!

Cotton Candy made from a Jolly Rancher

Friday was August!  Ah! Best month of the year ;)  We went to a potential investigators house to invite her to a relief society thing.  The first couple times we have gone she hasn't been very talk-a-tive or friendly.  We had to scrape the bottom of the barrel to get conversation.  But this time it was much easier.  She was much more friendly.  And she commented on the message we shared.  It was awesome! Made us so happy.

On Saturday we went back to that lady's house to help her clean out her freezer and defrost it.  That really opened her up.  She asked about our missions and about after the mission.  We asked her about her son and his plans to go on a mission.  She was so much more friendly.  That shows what a little bit of service really can do!  It can break the ice.  No matter how thick =)  (I didn't mean that as a pun since we were cleaning out the freezer.  haha;) )  We also did some yard work for a lady that is getting married.  The elders actually asked us to help.  So she wasn't even in our ward.  Her yard was really bad and they are trying to get it ready for their wedding.  Looks good.  Getting there.  Still a lot to do.  So that will probably be our weekly yard work for the next 4 weeks.  Fun stuff =) 

Sunday we played our duet in 3rd ward.  It was a little odd playing a musical number on fast sunday.  But the bishop wanted us to play it and we weren't sure if we were staying or not.  So it was his only option.  It really set the spirit for testimony meeting though.  So that was fantastic!

Sister Miller:  Cutest lady ever!

So... advice... get to know your missionaries!!!!!!! =D  They will love you and thank you for it!  It helps.  I promise.  As a missionary it is our goal to make best friends with the members--especially the leaders.  Because that is the best way to get investigators.  So make friends with the missionaries and then think of someone you can introduce them to.  I promise the introducing part wont go wrong if you do it out of love.  Just a thought I had at church.  We have been working for weeks to make friends with the members.  And we finally are getting somewhere.  So make it easier for your missionaries to befriend you =)  That's my advice... don't think I'm being bossy though.  Haha =)

Have a fabulous week.  

Love you!

Sister Radmall

Last Week of the Transfer in La Grande

I can't believe another transfer is gone again.  This coming week is the last week.  The new transfer will begin on August 4th.  Time flies when you look behind, but is daunting when you look ahead... solution: look now =)  Then it's in between.  haha.  Not that I'm counting, but I have 6 more tranfers.. Which equals 8 months. :P  Yuck!  haha.

So this email will probably be shorter because I had so many pictures this week.  So I'll just do awesome highlights.

Monday was probably the best Monday on the mission!  We got to go to Enterprise as you know.  We had so much fun up on the tram.  

Then we went to the chocolate shop and did some window shopping (cuz we were all out of money)  then we saw Larry and Gene =)  Spent like two hours over there.  Just talking and laughing.  It was so fun.  Adopted grandma and grandpa they are =D  Then we played the piano at the Hipples for a bit, then went to Ranzie's baptism.  

Very good!  So fun to see so many of my dear friends there.  I felt so welcomed.  It was awesome.  It really felt like I was going home.  That's how welcomed I felt.  Then we had dinner at Hunters.  That was nice too.  Relaxing.  Then drove an hour and a half home =)  Great day!  Totally want to do it again.

We practiced the piano a lot this week.  Because we played in Sacrament meeting yesterday.  We played a really pretty duet by Sally Deford, "My Heavenly Father Loves Me"  It is super pretty.  If it wasn't so long I would send the video.  Guess you'll just have to wait till I get home to see it.  

Thursday we were able to go to girls camp for dinner and testimony meeting!  That was so awesome.  So fun to see all the girls and feel their spirits.  We bore our testimony.  It brought back fond memories.  If I went to girls camp and a sister missionary bore her testimony I would be so influenced... So, that's what I was hoping for as I shared my testimony of God's love for us.  I really hope I helped someone's testimony grow.  Saw some Enterprise people there again too, cuz I was a stake girls camp.

There was a 4 ward pioneer celebration on Friday.... no one celebrated on the 24th, it was disappointing.  haha! Utah thing ;)  There was fried chicken dinner... and a lot left over, so we have a bunch of fried chicken in the fridge.

Saturday one ward had another pioneer celebration.  It was a blast!  Not very long.  Just a pot luck and some games.  But we participated in the games.  haha.  A watermelon eating contest.  Lost that one.  But it was fun.  A water balloon tossing contest... me and Sis. M won that one.  And a seed spitting contest.  Also lost that one =)  It wasn't the same as Trenton's celebration.  Not even close.  But it was still a lot of fun.  And the members really love me now that I participated in their games.  haha!!  Saturday was also Colton's baptism!  It went really well.  We were on top of things this time.  Now that we are 'experienced'  from our previous mess ups.  Haha.  He is so excited!  He definitely felt the spirit multiple times.  It's amazing just how much the gospel can influence someone so strongly to the point that they are excited to get dunked in water.  It is a saving ordinance.  I know that.  And that is why the spirit is so strong when there is a baptism.  Angels are rejoicing because Colton can now have the complete opportunity to live with God again.  It's a beautiful thing.  Don't know if any of that made sense.  haha.

Sunday was our duet.  It went really well.  That song really brought the spirit =)  I love being with a companion that plays the piano! It's the best!

That was the week =)  Well, the best parts.... hope you all had a fantastic week as well.

I read this scripture in sunday school yesterday... Mark 2:27, "And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath."

We shouldn't take the sabbath day for granted.  It was made for us, for our benefit and enjoyment.  It should be important to us.  Don't take the sabbath lightly.  It's a gift from God just like the Holy Ghost. =)

Love, Sister Radmall