Hello darlings! :)
This week was crazy... CRAZY AWESOME!!! Holy Cow! Being out here in the field is wonderful! Who knew I liked harvesting so much? (Missionary joke xD https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/4?lang=eng#3)
Wednesday was a load of ridiculous travel. But 'tis good! It got me here :D The rest of Wednesday consisted of training by the mission president, President Snow, and the APs (Assistants to the President) and the MSTLs (Mission Sister Training Leaders, the AP female counterpart) at the Mission Home which is just where President Snow and his family lives. Then at six we went to the Mission Office (a church building with a little extra section attached to handle missionary mail and so forth) to be assigned to our new companions who will be our trainers for the first part of our time in the field! The twenty of us new missionaries walked into the chapel and all of the trainer missionaries were already there. We walked past them and I saw this young woman with beautiful, thick brown hair and glasses and I got the strongest feeling that she was going to be my trainer. 15 minutes later I was right, I was assigned to serve with Sister Emma Foulke as my companion! :D SO crazy!
Afterwards she took me to our apartment to drop off our stuff and then we went right to work! :D We had some appointments that we needed to go to and then we dropped in on Institute to see if any of our investigators were there (they weren't :( ) and there we saw Lauren Grondel! *waves enthusiastically!* One of the wards that I am serving in is the YSA (Young Single Adult) ward that Lauren is in!!!! XD SO COOL!!!!! Such a miracle for me! The one friend I have already in this state and my first area includes her! Coincidence? I think Providence! :D
Thursday Sister Foulke and I were in training ALL day and that was when I got my iPad! It was being difficult with us which is why it took all day instead of most of the day. :P
Friday was a REALLY good day! A lot happened! It was my first REAL day as a missionary since Wednesday I was at the Mission Home and the Mission Office. And then yesterday we (Sister Foulke and I) were at a new missionary training ALL day because my stupid iPad wouldn't work the way it was supposed to. But that's okay! XD Anywho... FridaySister Foulke and I followed the schedule: exercise, breakfast, shower, dress/grooming, personal study, and then companion study. It was a lot of fun! :D I really like Sister Foulke, she's an AWESOME companion!
Since it was Friday we had Weekly Planning after companion study. We went to the nearest church building in order to finish up everything with my iPad (not bitter... Not bitter xP) and then did Weekly Planning. It took a loooong time. But it was really helpful for me because we were able to talk about all of the investigators individually so I was really able to start getting myself orientated with the area.
After lunch we hit the dusty trail. We went out and tried to contact some referrals, we didn't catch any of them. However while we were at one apartment complex we met two really interesting people! The first was Bobby, fifties with loooong black hair. While we were knocking on a door he got out of the complex swimming pool to ask us what we were soliciting for. We told him that we weren't soliciting but that we are Sister Missionaries and he started to talk about how he didn't believe in God and that we were brainwashed. But he was actually rather kind about it, I think he was genuinely concerned for us so that was sweet in a very strange sort of way. :) He was very polite and was just talking about how we needed to take care of ourselves.
The second person we met, as we were wandering through this apartment complex trying to find the building of a referral, was Tim Veazey Oh. My. Goodness. He was the sweetest man ever! He was in his sixties and a devout Christian. He isn't a member of any particular faith right now. But when he came across us and we said "hi" he started talking to us about his relationship with Christ and he was so inspiring! He's a musician (plays the piano and sings and writes his own songs) and he was telling us about how developing a relationship with Christ helped him over some a lot of his challenges. He then gave us cold water and three of his music CDs! How wonderful is that?! It was actually a tender mercy because I tried to use the SD card adapter thing with my iPad that Mom sent me and it didn't work. I was really disappointed and frustrated because I wanted to listen to music and we had already listened to the two CDs that Sister Foulke had about forty times in a row. So Tim and his music really brightened up my day! And his music! The lyrics and the tune were SO inspiring!!!
After that we had dinner with a YSA ward member named Ryan. He took us to a Mexican restaurant call "Chile Caliente" He was pretty cool, served his mission in San Francisco and is majoring in Construction Management at BYU where he met his girlfriend who's family is in Missouri. We talked a lot about missionary work and about how we need to be continually holding fast to the Iron Rod. It was a lot of fun. :)
When we finished dinner we went over to Cynthia's house to teach a lesson about the Holy Ghost. It was AWESOME! It was my first REAL missionary lesson! It was pretty cool! Cynthia is a convert as of two weeks ago and so we're teaching the rest of her family. We were able to meet with her and her two older boys Elijah and Aquarius as well as her nephew, Tyler. They were pretty dang cool! And so was teaching the lesson!
Afterwards we tried contacting more referrals but weren't able to . :( So at 8:30 we drove back home, getting back by 9. :)
Saturday was an AWESOME day! XD 'Twas super super cool! After our daily routine (exercise, breakfast, shower, dress/grooming) we then had personal study and companion study. So during personal study I started moving all of my scripture markings to my scriptures on my iPad because as we were teaching Cynthia's family on Friday I realized that ALL those scriptures that I had found for the lessons during my MTC stay were all in my paper copy and none of them were in my iPad copy. So I started to transfer all of them and it was a really neat experience as I did so because in the iPad version I can tag scriptures in genres, so I can go to my list of tags and click on Holy Ghost and all of my scriptures that I've tagged about the Holy Ghost are listed! And a single marking can be tagged with multiple things! So it's pretty darn cool. :) I managed to get through all of my markings in 1 Nephi so that was productive! While I was going through 1 Nephi and reading all of the things I had marked I began to truly realize how much the Book of Mormon and other scripture can really teach us about who Christ is and how we can more fully align ourselves to His character through faith in Him. It was really cool. :)
After personal we had companion study and that was fun, I LOVE Sister Foulke! XD She is the best companion EVER I am sure! And I love discussing the gospel with her because it is very apparent that we are teaching one another as we do so and that we both enjoy it! :D
We went to an apartment complex and it was AWESOME! We tried to get a hold of a referral but he wasn't at home, so we went to find the other referrals that we had planned as backups that were also in this apartment complex. As we were walking we met Juan, who was walking his dog, and talked with him and he accepted a pass-along card! Then as soon as he turned the corner we met Barbara! And she could only speak a little English but she accepted a Spanish pass-along card with the Spanish Missionaries' phone number! So hopefully that will go somewhere! *fingers crossed* We were then able to find a referral named Khrystal who was so sweet and so kind. She didn't have any time that day but we scheduled a return appointment with us this week so I'm excited to learn more about her!
We then walked to another potential investigator's apartment in this complex... They. Were. AWESOME!!! THEY ARE TOTAL AND COMPLETE NERDS LIKE ME! We talked about everything nerdy under the sun and it was amazing! We really bonded! I can't wait to help them become nerds about the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the best fandom in the history of the earth! :D
After lunch we dropped in to say hi to a recent convert name Patrick. He's had a really hard life even though he's only 24. :( It makes my heart sore to hear Sister Foulke tell me about the lives of our investigators. And I know that Christ could help them overcome everything if they would let it! But that is why I am out here, to bring hope to those who have none, to bring God's love to those who have known very little love in there lives. It is a privilege to be serving on the Lord's errand and being a receptacle of His love for very one around me. :)
Later we met with a girl named Carli, she's going to be a senior in high school this Fall. Her Mom is a member but she is not so we try to fellowship her and show her our love. So we stopped by and it was so sad! Her mom had been in the hospital for the past week and no one had taken her to see her mom! And on top of all of that, it was her birthday! All I wanted to do was roll up my sleeves and bake her a cake! What a terrible birthday she must have been having! But she was so sweet and so kind! We ended up talking to her for a little while which was really cool because by the end we were talking about how the scriptures can really give us comfort and how she had started reading the Book of Mormon a little bit on her own since her mom went to the hospital! Even if our trials are consequences of our actions or just a consequence of living in a fallen world, Heavenly Father still wants to help us! Isn't that incredible??? The God of the universe wants to help us through all of our trials!!! And one of the biggest ways He helps us is through the Spirit, and so if we're doing the things that invites the Spirit in our lives God can bless us a hundredfold!
Okay, the Lord knows us individually! I have a FIRM testimony of that. So, every since getting into the MTC I have been craving Costa Vida and have not been able to fulfill that craving. But tonight for dinner, a member named John took us out for dinner at Cafe Rio! The ONLY restaurant like Costa Vida in the state! *cries tears of joy*
After dinner we went toon apartment complex called the "Villas" and we got to meet with a new investigator named Reggie. He is in his forties and is a burly African American, and a complete teddy bear! He is SO sweet! He recently had surgery on his knee and is recovering. We talked to him in the doorway since it was just the two of us and him. We were talking and we started talking about Moms. And his mom passed away a year or two ago and he was talking about how his mom had been his best friend and I started tearing up when he said that he didn't know what to do with himself now that her couldn't call her and talk to her three times a day. And I was SO grateful that I could tell him with all the certainty in my soul that we CAN see our loved ones again, that death is NOT the end of our cherished relationships, and that he could be her son for the rest of eternity! How powerful is it to promise someone that??? Powerful. And what a wonderful feeling it was to see his eyes light up a little at the thought of being able to see his mom, his best friend again! This is why I am out here! To promise those blessings to people who keep the commandments of God.
The rest of the evening was pretty cool! Sister Foulke is a multi-fandom nerd!!! Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Jane Austen, Star Wars, sbiggosdghsdfhfnlsbdgkh!!!!! So as we were street contacting around this apartment complex we were talking about some of our favorite movies and books and adaptations! Mingled in there were gospel discussions and it was really cool! I really feel like she's one of my people! :D
Sunday was loooooooooong but good. :) Since Sister Foulke and I are over 2 wards we have to attend both. The first one, the family ward, starts at 9 am. And every other week we have to attend meetings beforehand that start at 7 so yeah... Then we have an hour break to eat lunch and then at 1 pm we go to the YSA ward. So it's basically 7 hours of church. Yahoo. The one redeeming factor is that Sister Foulke and I get to partake of the Sacrament twice! :) The Sacrament is such a wonderful blessing! The Sacrament is where we get to renew the covenants we make at Baptism. So each week it is like being baptized because through the sacrament and the renewing of those promises, our sins are washed away once more! What an incredible miracle to partake of every week! :D
It was really cool to sit behind Lauren Grondel during the YSA ward! XD I love seeing her beautiful face and hearing her beautiful soprano harmony that she always makes up during hymns! :D And then hugging her! It's fun to hug her when she's not hugging my organs out of me. :P
After dinner we went and we tried to find some referrals but none answered. We quickly went and checked in on Patrick because he wasn't at church.
We then went to the Bishop's house in order to have a lesson with Victor Ranga and his member girlfriend Ashlynn. Victor was born in Bulgaria and moved to the US with his parents when he was about eight. He's been a dedicated Baptist the last ten years of his life. But he's been dating Ashlynn (a member) for seven. So this has been a while in the progress. HOLY. COW. He is so knowledgable about the New Testament! And he asks really deep doctrinal questions concerning everything but tonight his questions were on the Godhead and priesthood and the fullness of the gospel. Holy cow. Some of the questions I really had to think about. Alright... Confession time. I was getting really annoyed with Bishop because he wouldn't stop talking and never gave us missionaries the opportunity to answer the questions! But it's okay, it's fine. :P I need to get over it, it's mostly my pride talking. :) But it was a really neat opportunity to talk to someone on, not only a spiritual level, but an intellectual level. It's something I've missed, I haven't had the opportunity to discuss the gospel on an intellectual level since I left home #scriptorianparents!
Today is Preparation Day which means that today is the day we clean the car, clean the house, do the laundry, go grocery shopping, and email friends and family. And that's what I've been doing all day. Preparation day from 6:30am to 6pm is to prepare for the coming week so we can focus completely on our purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ more fully than they already have. :)
I know I'm a slacker since I haven't taken any pictures other than one of my companion. But I will repent! Next week there will be a plethora of pictures for you all! :D
I love you all SO much!
Sister Longo
(MOM NOTE: Here are a few pictures that have been sent to me and one from Moriah of her companion.)
This week was crazy... CRAZY AWESOME!!! Holy Cow! Being out here in the field is wonderful! Who knew I liked harvesting so much? (Missionary joke xD https://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/4?lang=eng#3)
Wednesday was a load of ridiculous travel. But 'tis good! It got me here :D The rest of Wednesday consisted of training by the mission president, President Snow, and the APs (Assistants to the President) and the MSTLs (Mission Sister Training Leaders, the AP female counterpart) at the Mission Home which is just where President Snow and his family lives. Then at six we went to the Mission Office (a church building with a little extra section attached to handle missionary mail and so forth) to be assigned to our new companions who will be our trainers for the first part of our time in the field! The twenty of us new missionaries walked into the chapel and all of the trainer missionaries were already there. We walked past them and I saw this young woman with beautiful, thick brown hair and glasses and I got the strongest feeling that she was going to be my trainer. 15 minutes later I was right, I was assigned to serve with Sister Emma Foulke as my companion! :D SO crazy!
Afterwards she took me to our apartment to drop off our stuff and then we went right to work! :D We had some appointments that we needed to go to and then we dropped in on Institute to see if any of our investigators were there (they weren't :( ) and there we saw Lauren Grondel! *waves enthusiastically!* One of the wards that I am serving in is the YSA (Young Single Adult) ward that Lauren is in!!!! XD SO COOL!!!!! Such a miracle for me! The one friend I have already in this state and my first area includes her! Coincidence? I think Providence! :D
Thursday Sister Foulke and I were in training ALL day and that was when I got my iPad! It was being difficult with us which is why it took all day instead of most of the day. :P
Friday was a REALLY good day! A lot happened! It was my first REAL day as a missionary since Wednesday I was at the Mission Home and the Mission Office. And then yesterday we (Sister Foulke and I) were at a new missionary training ALL day because my stupid iPad wouldn't work the way it was supposed to. But that's okay! XD Anywho... FridaySister Foulke and I followed the schedule: exercise, breakfast, shower, dress/grooming, personal study, and then companion study. It was a lot of fun! :D I really like Sister Foulke, she's an AWESOME companion!
Since it was Friday we had Weekly Planning after companion study. We went to the nearest church building in order to finish up everything with my iPad (not bitter... Not bitter xP) and then did Weekly Planning. It took a loooong time. But it was really helpful for me because we were able to talk about all of the investigators individually so I was really able to start getting myself orientated with the area.
After lunch we hit the dusty trail. We went out and tried to contact some referrals, we didn't catch any of them. However while we were at one apartment complex we met two really interesting people! The first was Bobby, fifties with loooong black hair. While we were knocking on a door he got out of the complex swimming pool to ask us what we were soliciting for. We told him that we weren't soliciting but that we are Sister Missionaries and he started to talk about how he didn't believe in God and that we were brainwashed. But he was actually rather kind about it, I think he was genuinely concerned for us so that was sweet in a very strange sort of way. :) He was very polite and was just talking about how we needed to take care of ourselves.
The second person we met, as we were wandering through this apartment complex trying to find the building of a referral, was Tim Veazey Oh. My. Goodness. He was the sweetest man ever! He was in his sixties and a devout Christian. He isn't a member of any particular faith right now. But when he came across us and we said "hi" he started talking to us about his relationship with Christ and he was so inspiring! He's a musician (plays the piano and sings and writes his own songs) and he was telling us about how developing a relationship with Christ helped him over some a lot of his challenges. He then gave us cold water and three of his music CDs! How wonderful is that?! It was actually a tender mercy because I tried to use the SD card adapter thing with my iPad that Mom sent me and it didn't work. I was really disappointed and frustrated because I wanted to listen to music and we had already listened to the two CDs that Sister Foulke had about forty times in a row. So Tim and his music really brightened up my day! And his music! The lyrics and the tune were SO inspiring!!!
After that we had dinner with a YSA ward member named Ryan. He took us to a Mexican restaurant call "Chile Caliente" He was pretty cool, served his mission in San Francisco and is majoring in Construction Management at BYU where he met his girlfriend who's family is in Missouri. We talked a lot about missionary work and about how we need to be continually holding fast to the Iron Rod. It was a lot of fun. :)
When we finished dinner we went over to Cynthia's house to teach a lesson about the Holy Ghost. It was AWESOME! It was my first REAL missionary lesson! It was pretty cool! Cynthia is a convert as of two weeks ago and so we're teaching the rest of her family. We were able to meet with her and her two older boys Elijah and Aquarius as well as her nephew, Tyler. They were pretty dang cool! And so was teaching the lesson!
Afterwards we tried contacting more referrals but weren't able to . :( So at 8:30 we drove back home, getting back by 9. :)
Saturday was an AWESOME day! XD 'Twas super super cool! After our daily routine (exercise, breakfast, shower, dress/grooming) we then had personal study and companion study. So during personal study I started moving all of my scripture markings to my scriptures on my iPad because as we were teaching Cynthia's family on Friday I realized that ALL those scriptures that I had found for the lessons during my MTC stay were all in my paper copy and none of them were in my iPad copy. So I started to transfer all of them and it was a really neat experience as I did so because in the iPad version I can tag scriptures in genres, so I can go to my list of tags and click on Holy Ghost and all of my scriptures that I've tagged about the Holy Ghost are listed! And a single marking can be tagged with multiple things! So it's pretty darn cool. :) I managed to get through all of my markings in 1 Nephi so that was productive! While I was going through 1 Nephi and reading all of the things I had marked I began to truly realize how much the Book of Mormon and other scripture can really teach us about who Christ is and how we can more fully align ourselves to His character through faith in Him. It was really cool. :)
After personal we had companion study and that was fun, I LOVE Sister Foulke! XD She is the best companion EVER I am sure! And I love discussing the gospel with her because it is very apparent that we are teaching one another as we do so and that we both enjoy it! :D
We went to an apartment complex and it was AWESOME! We tried to get a hold of a referral but he wasn't at home, so we went to find the other referrals that we had planned as backups that were also in this apartment complex. As we were walking we met Juan, who was walking his dog, and talked with him and he accepted a pass-along card! Then as soon as he turned the corner we met Barbara! And she could only speak a little English but she accepted a Spanish pass-along card with the Spanish Missionaries' phone number! So hopefully that will go somewhere! *fingers crossed* We were then able to find a referral named Khrystal who was so sweet and so kind. She didn't have any time that day but we scheduled a return appointment with us this week so I'm excited to learn more about her!
We then walked to another potential investigator's apartment in this complex... They. Were. AWESOME!!! THEY ARE TOTAL AND COMPLETE NERDS LIKE ME! We talked about everything nerdy under the sun and it was amazing! We really bonded! I can't wait to help them become nerds about the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the best fandom in the history of the earth! :D
After lunch we dropped in to say hi to a recent convert name Patrick. He's had a really hard life even though he's only 24. :( It makes my heart sore to hear Sister Foulke tell me about the lives of our investigators. And I know that Christ could help them overcome everything if they would let it! But that is why I am out here, to bring hope to those who have none, to bring God's love to those who have known very little love in there lives. It is a privilege to be serving on the Lord's errand and being a receptacle of His love for very one around me. :)
Later we met with a girl named Carli, she's going to be a senior in high school this Fall. Her Mom is a member but she is not so we try to fellowship her and show her our love. So we stopped by and it was so sad! Her mom had been in the hospital for the past week and no one had taken her to see her mom! And on top of all of that, it was her birthday! All I wanted to do was roll up my sleeves and bake her a cake! What a terrible birthday she must have been having! But she was so sweet and so kind! We ended up talking to her for a little while which was really cool because by the end we were talking about how the scriptures can really give us comfort and how she had started reading the Book of Mormon a little bit on her own since her mom went to the hospital! Even if our trials are consequences of our actions or just a consequence of living in a fallen world, Heavenly Father still wants to help us! Isn't that incredible??? The God of the universe wants to help us through all of our trials!!! And one of the biggest ways He helps us is through the Spirit, and so if we're doing the things that invites the Spirit in our lives God can bless us a hundredfold!
Okay, the Lord knows us individually! I have a FIRM testimony of that. So, every since getting into the MTC I have been craving Costa Vida and have not been able to fulfill that craving. But tonight for dinner, a member named John took us out for dinner at Cafe Rio! The ONLY restaurant like Costa Vida in the state! *cries tears of joy*
After dinner we went toon apartment complex called the "Villas" and we got to meet with a new investigator named Reggie. He is in his forties and is a burly African American, and a complete teddy bear! He is SO sweet! He recently had surgery on his knee and is recovering. We talked to him in the doorway since it was just the two of us and him. We were talking and we started talking about Moms. And his mom passed away a year or two ago and he was talking about how his mom had been his best friend and I started tearing up when he said that he didn't know what to do with himself now that her couldn't call her and talk to her three times a day. And I was SO grateful that I could tell him with all the certainty in my soul that we CAN see our loved ones again, that death is NOT the end of our cherished relationships, and that he could be her son for the rest of eternity! How powerful is it to promise someone that??? Powerful. And what a wonderful feeling it was to see his eyes light up a little at the thought of being able to see his mom, his best friend again! This is why I am out here! To promise those blessings to people who keep the commandments of God.
The rest of the evening was pretty cool! Sister Foulke is a multi-fandom nerd!!! Star Trek, Galaxy Quest, Jane Austen, Star Wars, sbiggosdghsdfhfnlsbdgkh!!!!! So as we were street contacting around this apartment complex we were talking about some of our favorite movies and books and adaptations! Mingled in there were gospel discussions and it was really cool! I really feel like she's one of my people! :D
Sunday was loooooooooong but good. :) Since Sister Foulke and I are over 2 wards we have to attend both. The first one, the family ward, starts at 9 am. And every other week we have to attend meetings beforehand that start at 7 so yeah... Then we have an hour break to eat lunch and then at 1 pm we go to the YSA ward. So it's basically 7 hours of church. Yahoo. The one redeeming factor is that Sister Foulke and I get to partake of the Sacrament twice! :) The Sacrament is such a wonderful blessing! The Sacrament is where we get to renew the covenants we make at Baptism. So each week it is like being baptized because through the sacrament and the renewing of those promises, our sins are washed away once more! What an incredible miracle to partake of every week! :D
It was really cool to sit behind Lauren Grondel during the YSA ward! XD I love seeing her beautiful face and hearing her beautiful soprano harmony that she always makes up during hymns! :D And then hugging her! It's fun to hug her when she's not hugging my organs out of me. :P
After dinner we went and we tried to find some referrals but none answered. We quickly went and checked in on Patrick because he wasn't at church.
We then went to the Bishop's house in order to have a lesson with Victor Ranga and his member girlfriend Ashlynn. Victor was born in Bulgaria and moved to the US with his parents when he was about eight. He's been a dedicated Baptist the last ten years of his life. But he's been dating Ashlynn (a member) for seven. So this has been a while in the progress. HOLY. COW. He is so knowledgable about the New Testament! And he asks really deep doctrinal questions concerning everything but tonight his questions were on the Godhead and priesthood and the fullness of the gospel. Holy cow. Some of the questions I really had to think about. Alright... Confession time. I was getting really annoyed with Bishop because he wouldn't stop talking and never gave us missionaries the opportunity to answer the questions! But it's okay, it's fine. :P I need to get over it, it's mostly my pride talking. :) But it was a really neat opportunity to talk to someone on, not only a spiritual level, but an intellectual level. It's something I've missed, I haven't had the opportunity to discuss the gospel on an intellectual level since I left home #scriptorianparents!
Today is Preparation Day which means that today is the day we clean the car, clean the house, do the laundry, go grocery shopping, and email friends and family. And that's what I've been doing all day. Preparation day from 6:30am to 6pm is to prepare for the coming week so we can focus completely on our purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ more fully than they already have. :)
I know I'm a slacker since I haven't taken any pictures other than one of my companion. But I will repent! Next week there will be a plethora of pictures for you all! :D
I love you all SO much!
Sister Longo
(MOM NOTE: Here are a few pictures that have been sent to me and one from Moriah of her companion.)
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| With her mission president and wife, President and Sister Snow on the day she arrived in Nevada. |
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| After meetings on Sunday 7-31-16 Yes, that is an ice cream sandwich!! :) |
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| Sister Foulk (pronounced "folk") Moriah's companion |
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