Week 22: Goodbye Surfside, Cleanliness is Next to Godliness, Brooke and Brooklyn!

...after 5 months of serving in the Surfside ward and Georgetown branch, the Lord has called me elsewhere. It was so hard to leave my new home, and those who took care of me. I will never forget the many nights at Sister Darden's, sneezy in the apartment complex, and the precious memories of my beloved mission mama Sister McGhee and my cutie and gorgeous MTC comp Sister Horman. It was so hard to leave the people I'm sharing the gospel with. But there are others in the world that Heavenly Father knows need me more. On to my transfer news!

Transfer News!!!!

I have been transferred to the Simpsonville 1st area in the Greenville Zone! I am PINK washing! ***when 2 missionaries are moved to a new area neither have been before, it is called white washing. But pink washing us when it changed from 2 elders to 2 sisters. This ward hasn't had sister missionaries since 2013 it looks like from the records we have!!! President Monson asked that we really start helping the work move forward here. I'm excited to bring more to Christ!

MY NEW COMP

Sister Brooke Dayley is my new companion! (Yes, we are now Brooke and Brooklyn). She has only been a missionary for 6 weeks, so I am finishing up her training! It's insane, I don't feel ready to be with someone who's been out less than myself, but the Lord is helping me. This girl is so spunky! She is from Washougal Washington! She had a basketball scholarship, and is so strong! She's on her 3rd area and 4th companion already! And even though she's an English sister, she was a Spanish sister for 4 weeks! But we have already had so many good laughs and memories. I LOVE HER!

Cleanliness is next to Godliness

Okay. Anyone reading this. Please learn to clean. If you don't know how, learn now. Clutter detracts from the Spirit. Coming to an apartment where elders have been for years was, well... nasty. From a scummy shower to greasy Tupperwares to dirty underwear and clutter in every drawer and cupboard and a roach and millipede and fruit fly infestation, we've seen a lot. We stayed up into the next day cleaning this mess. Even washed the couch cushions. We had to go purchase some cleaning supplies, because surprise surprise, thats not what elders spend their money on, so there was next to none. But we made the trip, we cleaned, and now we can live in peace! The only issue now is the buggies, but thankfully extermination comes Thursday. After our first night of vacuuming, a tender mercy is that no bugs have set foot in our bedroom! The Lord is ensuring we can sleep in peace 😇 I'm thankful for this apartment and the Spirit that can now reside.

Odds and Ends

-People thought Sister Dayley and I were joking when we told them we were Brooke and Brooklyn

-My bag strap broke... I weighed it later that night... 15.2 lbs. So many journals and water and media in my bag! Whoopsie! Brought it down to 7 hehe!

-We have a roach and millipede count, and in the process of writing this very email, we have killed 3 more roaches and 2 crickets.

-Sister Dayley's chicken nugget had a piece of metal in it

-Sister Dayley scrubbed the shower for an hour

-After we were announced in the ward as the sisters instead of elders, the meal calendar instantly filled up

-We found Gru's real life house

-President and Sister Newhouse took us out to Chick-fil-A after an inspection and gave us MAD wisdom.

Miracles

---Before I left Surfside, i wanted to take pictures at the Blake sign Ive seen and also the Surfside mural. We had no time to make extra detours. Miraculously, coming back from an appointment we passed the Blake sign and stopped for a pic. Then after not being abke to find the Surfside mural, Sister Horman found it. These memories and pictures mean so much to me

---I was able to almost fit all my stuff in my suitcases. One couldn't close all the way. I've accumulated a lot of T-shirts... Sister McGhee, I learned from you...

-I saw ELDER SCHLERF AT TRANSFERS! I told Sister Monson that I knew him and I knew he was RIGHT inside getting training. She said "follow me..." and walked me through the church building to an open door, where the new missionaries were watching a video. And BAM in the middle, ELDER Schlerf. He looks over for a second, and then does a double take and I wave and he waves back. I walked away so happy to see a piece of home! Didn't get a picture... but next time I see him I will!!!

---We were knocking on the Grogan's home. We were about to turn away when we knocked ONE more time. Then miraculously Bro Grogan answered! He expressed how he wishes his kids would learn more about the gospel. And then POOF Jake came out to talk to us! A few minutes later POOF Justin came out too! We had a mini lesson and it was soooo good! We have a return appointment and we have a feeling these boys are going to be added to the Lord's kingdom REAL soon!

---Elder Kingsford had just transferred from this apartment. He told us he left his chocolate in the freezer and wanted to get it. So at transfers, we gave him our apartment key, and I felt off doing it. After a while, we come back and see them rummaging through the car. We ask if they lost the key, to where they respond, "no, we know it's in the car." Come to find out he put it on a Book of Mormon and it slid into the transmission... and 3 elders are trying to squeeze their hands in this crack to grab it. Thankfully the housing coordinator found another key... but we were almost homeless missionaries. Thanks to some beloved Hersheys chocolate. But Elder Kingsford won't get it back. Clearly that's not in God's will haha!

Spiritual Thought

Elder Newhouse told me and Sister Dayley some wisdom that I want to share.

ANYTIME you're struggling and having a hard time, open the Book of Mormon and read about the Atonement. Read Alma 7:11-12 if you need a place to start. Learn all about the Atonement now, so when you are in time of need, you know how you use it. I know this will bless your life forever by doing this. He is almighty, he is Jesus Christ.

Birthdays

Hannah Mounteer turned 19! Ahhh she's such an accomplished woman who's going after all of life's milestones!

My cute cousin turned 18! Love ya Andrew!

My lil munchkin Paityn had her birthday tooooooo! She's too sweet... love her!

MY TWIN BAHLAHKAY SUBMITTED HIS MISSION PAPERS! Pray that the Lord will send his wisdom to the prophet so he will be sent to the place he can bless most with his beautiful testimony. Love you Blakey!

Sorry I didn't respond to extra emails this week, it's been crazy 😅 ill be better! Love yall!

Pictures