Ok so pretty much this week was crazy! So crazy. The first few days I was still trying to get everything ready for the Sisters who will be in my last area! Sister S. was feeling really sad to leave the mission and leave me.. Honestly it was hard. I loved my missionary family there. I miss Sister S. and my DL(District Leader) Elder R. was pretty much my best buddy. He lives in Australia and he just went home. But he emailed me today. I was so glad to hear from him. It was sad to leave but it was a good change.

So, my new area… 🙂 I love it here very very much. The first day here I cried and cried. I think because it was a change and stuff. I realized that the previous Sisters that were with Sister W. had not been the best examples in being obedient, diligent missionaries… So I now see my purpose here. The first day I was like shoots, I may have to be unliked here for a while because of my firmness. The first days I just layed everything on the table. I will be more faithful to my Father in Heaven and his leaders then I will to the people I am around. It is a long story! I will tell you in a few months all of the details. But just know that I am in good hands and I know why I am here and I am grateful for that. Something that is great is that I have yet another opportunity to train.. Kinda.. I asked Sister W. what she feels she was not properly trained on and so we have been working on lots of things!! It is awesome. God is good. I am glad that I am able to be an effective instrument in his hands.

I LOVE my new area. There are many prepared people here. Seriously this place feels like heaven. Things are going a lot smoother than they were in my last area. I think I needed that clean slate! We are working with great people. E. is a 14 year old inv. with a baptismal date in a couple of weeks. She is amazing and came to church yesterday it was great.

My Sister Training Leader stuff is going great. I will be traveling back to St. L. to do trade offs and help the sisters there. Sister W. will be with a temp for a couple of days! Everything is going so wonderful!! No I do not feel overwhelmed because I know the Lord is lifting me higher. Otherwise I probably would feel stressed a lot. Just like my plaque scripture says. My strength is weak but I do not rely on my own strength I rely on the Lord and he helps me everyday!

I love being a missionary, so much. The gospel is my rock and I realized that I have become converted to the Lord so much so that even when I am required to do hard things or be persecuted because of the gospel I will take any beating. And with a smile on my face.

Here we get warm showers!!! HOT SHOWERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have not had one of those in a long time. Our car is like amazing! No keys.. Push to start! Seriously. It’s cray.

Welp. Here is a birthday shout out! Dad, Happy Birthday my pops! I am ever so glad that you were born 🙂 I am grateful for your example of Christlike love and service. You are such a humble and wonderful son of God. You never cease to amaze me and because of you and your love for mama I know what I want my future marriage to be like. I want to be just like you guys. You are such a dear friend to me and I know I can always count on you. Whenever I had a problem at home I knew I could call you and you’d be there to help me. Thanks for being the best dad ever. I love you so very much.

Well! That is all for this week! Sorry no individuals time is scarce!

I love you all. Have a great week. Go out and be like Christ!

Love, Sister Emily

Welp. I am so glad to hear about all the fun you guys are having. You are all the best!

Mahm. Thank you for sharing that experience with me. That is very touching. I am so glad you had that wonderful experience 🙂 Sometimes I forget how similar we are. I feel that way often! You are amazing.

Tell Natasha Bear that I say Happy Birthday and that I love she bad.

To answer your questions: Side story: Right now I am emailing here in my area, then I leave… Never to return again. So everything has been really busy and crazy..

When I come home: Transfers take place on Wednesdays and so I will spend a day at the mission home and come home on a thursday!!

So my new companion is Sister W.! I am an STL for her right now.. So I know her very well. She is a doll. I cannot wait to get to St. V. and get to work!!! We are going to tear it up. My new area is called C. I will let you know the address when I get there. I will still be STL for where I am going, Suriname and St. Lucia. I will be able to come and help the Sisters coming here because they are blanking the area!! So that is a blessing.

This whole week I have been trying to prepare the area for them. It has been hard!!!! Because I pretty have to do it all by myself. There isn’t much Sister S. can do to help! So it has been a pressure filled week! But awesome!

Yesterday Elder R. (my DL(district leader), who is going home) Sister S. and I all spoke in church! It was nice. We were saying goodbye to a lot of the members and our investigators. It has been really good.

Ya know I am so glad that I am a missionary! Sometimes it is a wild experience but I have to rely on the Lord completely. Which I love! I am grateful for all the lessons I learn daily and hourly.

Honestly I am going to miss this place a lot. It seems that being here has built me more into the person Heavenly Father wants me to be and so a piece of my heart will always stay here.. I also am going to miss the missionaries I serve with, they are like my family. And Sister S. and I are best buddies. She knows things about me that not a lot of people know. I tell her everything. Hahah the other day I said “man I feel like I am losing my other half…” And she goes “I feel like I am losing my soul!!” Haha! It is funnier if you know her. She is so much fun. You’ll see MANY videos when I get home.

Well! Do you have any other questions for me?? ALL IS WELL IN THE WEST INDIES!!!

Anyway Mom I hope you have the best week and keep being the great person you are. I am grateful for your example you constantly set for me. Thanks for always pushing me to be better and loving me. I love you wiff all my heart! I know Heavenly Father is proud of who you are and the things you do.

Daddy! Hey My Pops! I am glad to hear the garden is going well. What’d you plant this year?! You should send me some! 😉 I have been doing a lot of gardening here! I can help you out when I get home. I bet you did great in your lesson with the kids! You are so good with kids. You and mom both. No wonder you have the best kids ever right?! Anyway I love you Dad. You are awesome. 🙂

Well that is all for now. I will have lots to tell you next week.

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!! 🙂

Keep reading from your scriptures everyday, that’s our armor!

Love always and forever, Sister Emily

Kelsey Jo! It’s your birthday and I love you so very much!

Ok so thanks for the email everyone!

And thank you so much for the pep talk! You made me cry! Honestly I needed it this week even more than last week so I am glad that you sent me those things.

SO this week was quite good. We are still unable to get members out with us… It’s a process! The work this week was slow.. Suddenly lots of tings (things) are falling through and a lot of our progressing people have decided to drop us or not progress and stuff. It’s been a little bit tricky! But nevertheless, there is always good in everything!!! The Lord is blessing us and I feel of His love everyday. I am so absolutely grateful for the gospel in my life. It is my rock.

Something really interesting happened this week… And by interesting I mean sad… So! We were teaching this family, A man named L. and D. and their kids. We love them bad and saw so much potentially in them. Everytime we left we’d always say “awww they are such a fun family, I can picture them being such a strength in the branch and the dad being the new BP(Branch President)” and stuff like that! Their cute kids would just come gather around for lessons (which is rare here)! Anyway long story short there had been a couple of miss communications and we went to see their family and we knocked on the door. The mom came around to the side and started yelling at us and said some mean things and said that we had offended her and that we were vicious people. She then came after us and threw the Book of Mormons/Books of Mormon/Copies of the Book of Mormon at us and then threw them on the ground………. We didn’t get the chance to say anything. Honestly and truly we cried for a little while. Then I decided we need to discuss what we can learn from this..

Things I learned from this experience: We always have to be really really really careful the things that are said. Even if you don’t say something bad it could be taken that way. From this situation it broke my heart to know that we had hurt her. It didn’t matter that she was saying mean things. I was sad because I know she needs the gospel. It broke my heart to see something I love so much as the Book of Mormon, the word of God to be thrown on the ground. I will always remember this experience and I am grateful to Heavenly Father for giving me so many opportunities to learn and grow and to become better through Him.

I am so grateful to be a missionary! There is nothing more in this world that I’d rather do than to serve the Lord. I was reading from Alma 8 to Sister S. after our experience and we were like “hey Alma was feeling the same way as us… And at least we have not gotten spit on yet like he did!” Haha! What a blessing. Also every night we say five things we are grateful for and that helps us remember the good things through out the day!!!

Ok so update: There are still sisters coming here and I am for sure going to St. V.! I will get you the address and let you know all of the details when I find them out!

Sounds like you guys are having a blast up at Bear Lake and I am glad you brought me along! (Kelsey has a shirt with a picture of Emily on it)

Mama thank you so much for your words. You are the best mother I could ever ask for. I always say when we find young people here whose parents don’t take care of them “I wish I could take them home so my mom can help them” You have always been, are and always will be a wonderful light and example to me. You really are my special friend. I love you always! Have a wonderful week and keep being amazing.

Pops: I am glad you are having fun up at Bear Lake! Thanks for your love and prayers! I am doing just fine and dandy! Just keep swimming right?! Anyway all is well. This will be my last week here in this area. I will miss it but it’ll be a nice fresh start for the next sisters! Love you daddy thanks for erything.

As for the rest of the week I will be getting everything ready for the sisters and also packing up my stuff for the second to last time. Next time I’ll be packing to go home!! AHHHHHH what!!?? Anyway it’ll be an awesome week. Thanks for all you do and for your prayers!

Let us all press on in the work of the Lord!

Love, Sister Emily

Well……………………..…………………………………….. this week was very interesting. So we had heard that there was not enough sisters and so he had to send us out. But I just found out that there are going to be sisters coming here to replace us… So he is “blanking” the area… The only sad part is that this whole week we have been trying to figure out how to split the area and I have been getting the area organized ready to hand it over to the Elders.. But now that all changed! That’s ok. Whatever the Lord sees fit.

Ok so honestly now I am not really sure if I am actually going to St. V.. I might be but I am not sure! All I know is that I am leaving. So. I will let you know when I find out for sure. But I wouldn’t write any letters for here in because I will be gone in two weeks.

The Branch is still the same! We are struggling to get members to come out teaching with us… We had one member lesson the whole week. So this week was a little slow on numbers because of how busy we have been. I may or may not have felt a little discouraged last night after totaling up the week. But then I prayed and prayed and read from the scriptures and watched a mormon message and I felt better after that. I know Heavenly Father is proud of what I am doing and I am doing my best under a lot of pressure.

Yes I did get a bag! I don’t know how long it’ll last.. Everything here doesn’t last that long.

Sister S. is from a small town in Guyana . She is a doll. She’s actually not feeling well right now 🙁

Crazy things from this week:

We walked all the way from very far, from one town to another!!!!!!!!!!!!! You probably have no idea how far that is.. But it’s far!!!!!!

Ummm… there really isn’t much to report on this week.

Thanks to one and all for your prayers and things you do for me. I hope everyone has a great week and that we all continue to recognize the Lords hand in our lives 🙂

Love always, Sister Emily

It sounds like you all had a wonderful week! I am gald you got to have a nice 4th of July!

To answer your questions:

Training? It is going very well. I love Sister S. She came pre-trained! I swear they all do. Really I am the one learning from them. Sister S. is not sure where she is going on her mission yet… She just turned 19. We teach well together. We have been working on teaching skills and asking questions and switching off. It’s been fun. Often times we will make lesson plans so we are both on the same page. But we are good at following the spirit and sharing what that person needs most.

Sister Training Leader stuff is going well. I skyped Sister K. and Sister J. this week and had a marvelous meeting and also talked to their ZL’s. I was able to help them work through some problems they have been having and set goals. Also to help them to be encouraged and feel loved. They are amazing Sisters!!!!!!! First ones ever in Suriname. Top notch stuff right there. I love them bad. I also had my first Mission Leadership Council Meeting this week. It was awesome!! Then the Zone Leaders and I taught it to the Zone on Friday.

Oh also something crazy that happened this week is we had another Sister come with us, named Sister S. We were in a trio for a few days. I thought she was going to come and take over the area but surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!! President M. called and said that he needs me in St. V. and that he is going close down the Sisters area here in St. L. for the time because there are not enough sisters… He also then told Sister S. she’d be going to a new area. HOLY CATS! So kinda crazy stuff!!! At the end of this transfer I am leaving to go to St. V. and right now I am just organizing my area trying to get everything ready to hand it over to the Elders.

Anyway things are pretty wild but I am doing great. I am just loving my mission and my life. I can’t believe I will be coming home in a few months. I don’t really believe it! Lately I have been feeling grateful for all that I am blessed with.

A cool experience that I actually had today was that our washing machine broke for some reason and it’s amazing how many things I learned from that. I automatically asked Sister S. if she had done something to it… Which I then realized it sounded like I was sort of blaming her. I need to be more careful at what I say sometimes. Also I decided well! I might as well not sit here, I will just hand wash my clothes… So there I am washing each and every piece of my clothing and thinking wow I am so much more grateful for each article of clothing then I would have been if they were in the washer. I also decided to look for the good, The dryer was still working! Sometimes there are small things that we can learn a lot from. Today was one of those things. I went right to my book of thoughts and wrote down the experience and what I learned from it. I need to be more humble. I need to be more grateful. I know I still have lots to work on. But the Lords knows I try my best!

Well family! Mom, Dad, Ri, Kels, Janny, Al, and everyone else. THANK YOU for your love and support. It is wonderful to me. I hope you all have a great week and keep being the great people you are. Don’t forget to thank the Lord for all things and be sure to let your lights shine!

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!

Love, Sister Emily

Oh man this week was amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So to answer your questions Mama yes I am learning my responsibilities. I had a meeting with Sister M. and also talked with President M.! Yes I will travel to go and help the Sisters in their areas BUT this transfer I did that at Zone Conference because I can’t leave Sister S. (my temp) in charge of the area… So something cool is President M. asked me to also be the STL for the Suriname sisters which means I get to stay in close contact with Sister K. (the cute sister I trained 2 transfers ago) and help her!!!! When I called her she screamed and was so happy. So was I. But with them the flights would take to long so I will just be skyping them and calling them weekly. While we were in St. V. I got to have some quality time with those wonderful sisters and I interviewed one of them and gave her some encouragement because she was feeling sad. It’s amazing how I feel the Lord strengthening me by giving me more responsibility.. I actually literally feel stronger and more able to handle things than I did last transfer.

There is awesome quote that I read that says “Do not give me tasks equal to my strength but give me strength equal to my tasks” I thought that was inspiring especially at this time 🙂 I am honestly and truly doing so good! I am loving life and no way am I getting worn out from training. If the Lord requires it I will do it for the whole rest of my mission! Sister S. is doing really well! The first few days the people were not being very nice to her. But she is warming up and we are practicing teaching skills and I am doing my best to help her. She is very willing to learn and will soak in everything I say. She is such a goober sometimes but so much fun! I have learned a lot from her already.

The branch is doing well. We are just building up the branch still right now!  Things are looking up. I am glad we have the senior couple to help 🙂

To answer your question about the root of sin: I would say that the root of sin could be any number of things lack of self control, lack of confidence, pride but what it really comes down to is it’s a lack of faith. Not trusting that God bless you for obedience. People here will always say “I don’t want to back slide after I get baptized” and my answer is always simply “then don’t!” Don’t back slide, don’t choose to sin and give Satan power over your life. That is something we have to remember is that we always have a choice… ALWAYS! Satan only has as much power as we give him. We have to keep that eternal trust and perspective that God has given us to withstand temptations. Yes of course we will fall short sometimes but if we live gospel to the best of our abilities we will always have the spirit with us which will warn us of temptation and sin. Anyway I could go on for hours about that 🙂 There is a quote by one of the apostles that says “we never need feel we are alone or unloved in the service of God because we never are” Yes there will be trials but often times those come from our Loving Father in Heaven to bless us and strengthen and test us.

Alright Mommy thanks for all your love and all that you do for me.

THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!

Dad: I am glad to hear that Murph (the car) is doing great and you are taking care of him! I know what story you are talking about! (The Donut Story) I love that one. It’s a good explanation for the atonement. Keep up that garden! You are the best. LOVE YOU!

Anyway you are all amazing and sure do love and admire you all.

Thanks for everything. I hope you have a great week and go out and set good examples for everyone around you!

Love, Sister Emily 😉

Before I get going I just have to warn you that this will not be the longest email in the world because we are on a tight schedule. We are here for Zone Conference which will be tomorrow!!!!!

Ok so new news! I spent most of this last week lounging with the senior couple as you saw… I know she sent a picture. 🙂 My new companion came in, her name is Sister S. and she is from Guyana but she is not Indian she is darker and such a doll! She had a rough start because the members have not been very kind and lots of silly things have happened. She also smashed her finger in the car door 🙁 So pretty much I have been feeling really bad for her. She’ll pull through. I just have to keep reminding myself and also her that there “must needs be opposition in all things”. I have been grateful for that this week. She has taught me much and already and is a very observant and sharp servant of the Lord 🙂 Boy am I glad to have her here!

I can’t wait for Zone Confernce tomorrow. I always feel a great zeal when I leave and want to improve always! I’ll have to sit down with President and Sister M and get some more training for being an STL so that should be nice. Ummmmm…. Other than that we just had a fiasco at church when the ex BP got up and “gave a talk” It was more like a venting sesh… 🙁 Man oh man! I sure hope peoples hearts will start to be softened!

So all is well. I am just loving being a missionary as usual and I am looking forward to the future and I hope I am given many more mountains to climb… I am certain I will be. This next few weeks I will just have to be sure to help Sister S. find the good in missionary work before so she won’t question if she should serve her mission. It would be so sad. Because serving a mission is the best thing for anyone in the world to do.

Well my lovelies it was wonderful to hear from you! It sounds like you are all doing so very excellent! CHANCHO I NEED TO BORROW SOME SWEATS!!!! No seriously this library is freeeeezing! Hahaha you just got a whole over dose of Sister Emily.

I love you all! Have a great week. Keep being the best human people ever.

Love, Sister Emily

It sounds like each and every one of you is just doing so good! It sounds like you had a very fun week. I did too!!!

How are you all???

I am doing so good!

This week was very challenging and such a good faith building experience for me. I am so grateful to be serving here in this area. I am learning things that I will take with me for the rest of my life.

Hey Mama thanks for that pep talk! I really appreciate it!

Sounds like all is well in the big PV!!! I am so joyously grateful that Janny and Ri have been at church. Best thing ever.

Ok so my brain is all over the place today! I have to hurry because they email shop is closing soon and yesterday was a holiday. I know the Gublers talked to you. They showed me the email you sent as well as the picture they sent to you…. Hahaha I just laughed. You are so sweet. Thanks for your concern.

So I just found out through a random source that I might be training YET AGAIN next transfer… Another temp missionary. WOW!!!!!!!!! Heavenly Father must have trust in me because he keeps sending me his precious daughters! Anyway I know he will provide the strength necessary. I actually am not sure on that but we will see what happens.

So thanks for the update. 🙂

Alright well! This week was awesome. Much learning and growing. Sister K. has helped me so much and is an eternal friend. I feel as though she is my sister and I am sad she is leaving this following week.

Ummm cool things that happened this week are: L. one of our investigators who used to ask so many questions and just would kind of fight against what we said is opening up immensely! She came to church and is doing so great!!

This week we met really cool people but a lot of things have been falling through. I have been doing my absolute best to help Sister K. get excited for her mission. She will do amazing there and after serving here she is ready for anything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week one of the Elders fell off of our porch and had a concussion…. The Elders were all like “You are in nursing! What should we do???” All I could say was that I had no idea but all I know now is the gospel and so I said give him a blessing right now!!!!!! They gave him a blessing and everything worked out ok. It has been amazing to see the Lords hand in my life. I feel as though right now he is carrying me.

Just so you know I am actually doing great. I feel happy and excited for the future. Many things are ahead that I know will continue to be awesome 🙂

Thanks for being the best!!! I love you all so very very much and am grateful for each of you. Please keep praying for me and for the Branch here. Things are getting better slowly and surely.

Everyone have a great week! Remember to rely on the Lord in all things, he is there, always.

Love always, Sister Emily

Yes I got my package! Did you get all of the pictures I sent??

Thanks for all the stories from the daycare kids I was laughing so hard. About Linny bug and Phillip! Hahaha

Ok so I am so glad to hear that everyone had a great week.

My week was really good! Also one of the most challenging. I realized this week a lot of things. Sometimes I think I am stronger than I am. I have always been that way where I think I can carry the world on my shoulders but I stumble. This week I tried to do everything and I had a little bit of a bawl sesh….. Hahah no worries mom I am fine.

Sister K. and I sat down and talked and I realized the real weight I had on my shoulders. She is here preparing for her real mission and I found out that because of the hardness of this area she is questioning whether she really wants to be a missionary, and if she can handle it. Then I realized not only do I need to help her here, but I also think of the people and lives she may potentially touch in Florida. AH!!!!!! I am learning a lot. I know that I can help her but only with the Lords help. These past few weeks have been hard because I have had to carry my area by myself mostly. Sister K. is wonderful and she is not the problem there is just so much going on.

Anyway all is well. I am feeling better!!!!

I am in good hands. The Lords hands.

I am sad to hear about the death of the cute dogs!

Alright I wish I had time to write to each individual but I am short on time from sending pictures. I love you all and thanks for the package and your love.

Have a great week. I know I will!

Love always, Sister Emily 🙂