Week 4: ONE MONTH OUT, SOUTH CAROLINA BOUND

Hey y'all! I'm writing from SOUTH CAROLINA! AHHH! I flew out here on Wednesday, and I love it to pieces already! My pdays are on Mondays now, so don't worry I'm still keeping up with the weeklies! A lot to say, but kudos to those who read all the way through!

STRANDED

Sister Horman had some retainer issues the 2 days before we left! We were blessed to squeeze in an appointment. We took a shuttle over to an ortho office. We were really early but they finished so fast! They gave us slushies, and they wanted to know all about us! They get missionaries all the time! The problem was leaving. In the MTC we don't have SIM cards so we can't call. We gave the ortho office the number so we could call the MTC, but something went wrong! After 3 different numbers failing, we gave up. Our master plan was to connect to the Wifi at the ortho office, call our roomies, have them run down to the travel office, and send someone to SAVE US! After 40 minutes we were safely returned to the MTC. We just enjoyed our slushies and talked to the sweet receptionist! But quite an adventure!

GOODBYE TO THE MTC

Since all our classes ended at the MTC, the last days of the MTC we packed, did laundry, played games, and made lots of memories! It was SO hard to say bye to our first 4 leaving elders. They gave us blessings, tears were shed, but it was a happy goodbye and we still keep in touch! The remaining 8 of us made random videos and played the piano and had some devotionals and Helping Others appointments! We took lots and lots of pictures. The last night the Barney's sent me a box of donuts! Ahhh they are TOO sweet! We woke up at unspeakable hours to go to the airport, all 17 of us South Carolina people! Sister Palmer over here definitely had an overweight bag... but they waved it! Very generous of them. We grabbed Cafe Rio and off we flew!

MEET MY TRAINER

Okay, my trainer is superior to alllllll other missionaries out there! Her name is Sister McGhee and she's from Wyoming. She also has a twin sister! What are the odds! She is super smiley and her laugh is the cutest. We compliment each other so well, and I'm just so excited to make more memories with her! She just finished her training and is training me now!

MY AREA

At some point on my mission, I wanted to serve near Myrtle Beach. And as God's plan would have it, my FIRST area covers Myrtle beach! I'm in the Conway Zone, with Elder Whittaker as my Zone leader! Seriously out of the few elders I know from Arizona, I didn't expect to see him my first transfer! His dad coached me in little league baseball, I played baseball with his brother, and danced with his sister! The people here are so genuine and kind. And we are fed by members almost every night! I have been trying hard to remember names, I'm sure it'll get better with time! I serve in the Surfside ward and the Georgetown Branch. They are over an hour apart so it's a little hard sometimes! But it's worth it in the end!

MEMBER MOMENTS

-Sister Ballard made AMAZING fish tacos and and lots of mexican food! Complete with Mexican music! Still miss mi madres food though... I would rather have hers any day.

-We visited the Insches for dinner and they have 2 little boys! It made me miss my dance babies and my sunbeams! AH I love their sweet fam bam.

-We were able to go to the wards silent auction to raise money for the youth. One member flies a private plane, and auctioned off an acrobatic plane ride. It ended up selling for $750! Not sure if his wife knew that....haha! I met a lot of the ward members there!

-After church on Sunday we had a linger longer pot luck! I had so many things in my hands I was telling everyone I thought I was going to spill. Guess what happened a moment later? Good thing I didn't put the dressing on the salad yet!

MIRACLE MOMENTS

-I had my first lesson with Pat! She had committed to be baptized just before I arrived. We taught her about temples and the plan of salvation! She mentioned how strong a bond me and Sister McGhee and I, even though it had only been 3 days! While we were teaching her, she said everything is falling into place as she is learning. AHH she is absolutely amazing and I'm so proud of her and her decision to be baptized!

-On our way to do some service, we were SUPER low on gas. So we looked up the nearest gas station and it was FIFTEEN minutes away, plus we missed a few turns. So through God's hand we didn't run out of gas!

-For lunch we decided to go eat at a park in hopes that we could do some street contacting afterwards. But Sister McGhee for some reason couldn't find her regular spot! After eating we wondered over to a community garden and met Regina!! If we hadn't gotten lost, we wouldn't have found her! I think sometimes God controls google maps, he directs us in ways we don't understand at the moment. But in the end it always blesses us!

RANDOM MOMENTS

-I cleaned out/organized the pantry mainly because I wanted to know what food we have. There were lots of pesky fruit flies and I knew there had to be a source! Some missionaries before me neglected some piece of fruit that was ROTTEN in the bottom of the pantry. But it's thrown out now! Problem solved!

-We met a man named Karl at the community garden. He said that when he was in DC, the temple there looked like the Wicked Witch of the West's castle. So someone had put up a sign "Save Dorothy!" He thought we'd get a kick out of it!

-Pday this week we were able to walk on the beach! No swimming for us though! ;) BUT we saw 2 dolphins close to the shore jumping up out of the water! We also saw a massive dead jellyfish! I also had a pocket full of seashells... I'm obsessed!

-Elena is a beautiful girl in our ward from Russia. A member in the ward offered for to pay for Elena to do our nails! So she did a neutral color for us sister missionaries and we feel all pampered and beautified now!

-My lovely lady MaKena opened her mission call and is serving in NORTH CAROLINA CHARLOTTE mission! Neighboring missions! We have the potential to see each other when she gets out into the field!

SCRIPTURE THOUGHT

Moroni 7:13 "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." We were asked at a devotional to replace "thing" with missionary. And WOW it changed the meaning for me! Now read it again: "But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every MISSIONARY which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God." This gave me the confirmation that I AM here as a representative of Jesus Christ and His gospel. I have Him on my side, and with him I can do anything as long as it aligns with His will. Miracles will happen, testimonies will grow. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and all that they do for me. I bear to testimony in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

This has already been such an adventure! It's hard learning how to use areabook and live on our own and to always put ourselves out of our comfort zone. BUT, this work is one that moves line upon line and precept upon precept. Just because we don't see any progress, doesn't mean its not happening! God is preparing his people always.

BIRTHDAYS!!!

March 14 Elder Shank is now the big NINETEEN!

March 16 SMYLIE is FINALLY an adult!

March 18 Jacqueline Douglass, my bestie and wifey is now 19! AHHH! She starts her mission in 2 weeks and I couldn't be prouder!

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