Hello all,
I'm doing pretty well here in the field! There are
some frustrating aspects and things to get used to, but I'm sure I will adjust
and be fine. My companion keeps asking me how I am doing and I tell her I'm
doing fine, but I think she doesn't believe me all the time. I really am doing
fine, the things that are frustrating are things I can't change (like my lack
of independence) or things that I know will come with time (like knowing the
people in the two wards I cover and getting to know the investigators we are
teaching). It is hard that my companion has been in this area her entire
mission (4.5 months) and I just got here. So everybody knows her and she knows
everyone and can better serve people because of that. Sometimes it's hard for
me to get a word in edgewise when we're teaching as well and that is hard for
me because I feel like I have a lot of great things to say (as per usual. I
always feel like what I have to say is the most important). We talked about it
this morning and she apologized and said that most new missionaries don't want
to talk or contribute and she figured I was the same. So I will get to talk
more now hopefully.
I haven't gotten your package yet! Some of these
other missionaries didn't read the package fully and they took it because they
thought it was for a sister in their apartment. I am so annoyed. I have called
them and texted them and will be tracking them down today so that I can get it
before the end of the night. I was trying to be understanding for half a day but
then I just got annoyed at their inability to read the shipping label that
clearly said Sister Poppe and not Sister Pulley. I was also bothered that they
haven't made any attempt to rectify the situation and try to get it to me. I'm
still bothered, but am trying not to be and repent for my mean thoughts every
day.
I am in Kyle and Tammy's stake! So my companion and
I are in the Salt River Stake. The mission leader's wife is actually related to
Tammy as well so he talked to me on Sunday about that. It's crazy! I live in an
apartment complex with another companionship of sisters (my friend from the MTC
is one of them)! We are so excited that we get to continue to be roommates. We
live off of XXXX on XXXX in a complex called XXXX. You can google maps it and creep
me. That might be fun.
Well I arrived here on Tuesday and we had some
orientation and interviews with the mission president. President Jenkins told
me I am a very accomplished young woman and he doesn't doubt that I will be a
leader among the sisters in my mission. My trainer told him our first day out
that I don't need to be trained, I came prepared and that I will be ready to
train someone at the end of this transfer. I don't know if that will happen,
but I hope it will. I would love to train new missionaries and help them learn.
Most people don't train at six weeks, but she has said that I will be ready at
six weeks to train and that I am ready now. So pray that will happen, because I
am really struggling with not being in charge. It's hard for me. Maybe that's
the lesson I'm supposed to be learning; that it's okay to be a follower.
The one ward we are in has a lot of work to do;
we're teaching a less active lady and her non-member boyfriend who has a
baptismal date. We are also working with a family that has three boys who
aren't baptized and the mom just came back to church. They're professional
skateboarders and are so legit. The little boys are crazy little Tony Hawks. We
met a lady last night that we set up a first appointment with and we have a few
other less active members we meet with here and there. This ward is so
successful because the members are all so involved. It is wonderful the support
we receive and how open the members are with their nonmember neighbors. It
really works miracles.
The other ward is struggling. I think it's because
it's an affluent ward so the people in the area are very comfortable with their
lives and don't see the need for religion. The members are great there too and
involve their neighbors, but it just isn't working as well there. There is a
part member family that we stop by and meet with in that ward as well. I think
I was sent here to work with them because their situation is a lot like ours
was before dad joined the church. He is supportive and goes to church with his
wife and teenagers, but has some doctrinal issues. He loves American history so
we talked about that last night and I am praying for ways to help him. One of
these nights I will tell him about my childhood and dad, but I want to get him
to trust me first and want him to know that I love him before I try and talk
religion with him. He also grew up in the Midwest (Sioux Falls) so we have that
in common as well.
We stopped by a lady's house a few days ago who was
taking the lessons and then stopped. We just wanted to check back in with her.
She is a nice old lady and she broke my heart. She has read the Book of Mormon
and knows without a doubt that it is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet
and she believes everything. EVERYTHING. But she won't be baptized because she
is a Baptist and believes getting baptized more than once is blasphemous. I
talked with her a little and at the end of the lesson she hugged me and told me
that I have a sweet and genuine heart. So at least she knows that I love her
and just want to help her.
On Thursday we got to go to the Gilbert Temple open
house. It was absolutely beautiful. I can't even put into words the astonishing
beauty of every room. The detail in the woodwork and carpet and everything was
phenomenal. The baptismal font has beautiful tile work. That was probably one
of my favorite parts. The stained glass throughout the building is also
breathtaking. I can't wait to make a trip back to Arizona sometime after my
mission and to do a session in that temple. Man it was just wonderful. They've
had a great turnout there as well. A lot of members in the area took their
nonmember friends and it has been a wonderful way for us to talk to people
about the church.
Everyone I meet loves my last name. Conversations go
like this:
Me: Hello, I'm Sister Poppe
Them: POPPE! That is just so cute. What a last name!
Thanks dad, I owe ya.
Then the conversation always takes this turn:
Them: So, where are you from?
Me: Minnesota.
Them: Oh! I bet you're glad to be here then, in this
weather! Man it is cold there.
These Arizonans just think that their state is the
biggest blessing in my life. They don't know me. Maybe I miss the cold. I
really don't, but I can tell you one thing. In a few months I will be missing
it. They really are nice though, even if they believe their state is superior
to mine.
They're also great because they feed us. I am super
excited for this week because on Wednesday someone is taking us to Golden
Corrale (spelling is off, I know...but spell check wants to change it to coral)
and on Thursday our solid investigator is making us bacon wrapped steak.
Mmmmmmm.
So the sad news from my week is that I don't have an
iPad yet and won't have one until I've been out for three weeks. The mission
president wants us to do "real" missionary work for three weeks
before we get an iPad. But when I get one I am allowed to blog again! I will
most likely have to start a new one because they want us to, but I will get an
hour a day to be on Facebook and on my blog. I am really excited because my
letters home are always poor quality because of time restraints, so I am
excited to actually have a lot of time to compose a well written message. It
will be nice to have my letters published on one blog so people can see what
I'm up to and then to have another blog with spiritual thoughts and posts that
aren't related to me as much as they are to scriptures and the gospel.
I thought of a Hunger Games/Plan of Salvation
metaphor yesterday in the middle of a doorstep lesson, but didn't share it
because it was probably slightly blasphemous. But it was really good. Basically
I wanted to liken the creation of Earth to the creation of a new Hunger Games
arena every year. Earth was created so we could live and be tested and try to
be triumphant. The Hunger Games arena was built every year so the tributes
could live (or die) and be tested and try to be triumphant. It's solid. I
encourage you to share that with those who are okay with unorthodox teaching
methods.
I've been really good at scripture study. For someone
who didn't study throughout her entire college career, I am actually pretty
good at scripture study. I am super proud of myself. It's probably just because
Heavenly Father is qualifying me to do His work, but I've never had such a long
attention span in my life! I've been marking every scripture mentioned in
Preach My Gospel in my scriptures and it has really helped me memorize the
references. After I finish that I want to start re-reading the Book of Mormon
with a specific question in mind and only read to find that answer. Elder
Bednar gave that suggestion in a talk we watched in the MTC and I think it
would be good for me and help me focus.
Well, that is about all I've got. Be nice to the
missionaries you see because I am one of them now and people aren't always nice
to me. Feed them and give them water. Study your scriptures because it is
important. I'm not sure if I shared this with you last week or not, but read
Mosiah 27:14. It's a good verse about prayers of faith being answered. It's
when Alma the Younger was in his angel induced coma and the angel mentions that
the faith of Alma the Elder was so great that he (Alma the Younger) was being
chastised by an angel. Good stuff.
Love you all,
Sister Poppe
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