Natalia is able to email friends if you would like! She is not able to respond a whole ton...but feel free to send her a note if you feel so inclined!
Hello wonderful people whom I love so dearly!
This
has been an eventful, exciting, exhausting, and awesome week! I don't
even know where to start! Wednesday morning we woke up at 2:30 to
finish cleaning our MTC residence and packing, down to the bus by
3:45...and were on the road with about 100 other elders and sisters by
4:15! At this point, I honestly was pretty nervous and anxious...but as
we were pulling out of the MTC, we all starting singing "Army of
Helaman" ...holy cow the spirit was SO strong, and all my worries just
went away! I have never heard that song sung with such sincerety in my
life!..especially at 4:00 in the morning! haha. Made it to Iowa safe
and sound after a layover in Denver for a couple hours...it was SO SO SO
good to talk to dad, mom, taylor and tasia on the phone for a little
while and hear their sweet voices. :)
We landed in Des Moines, and were immediately met by President
and Sister Jergensen...and I LOVE THEM! It was so good to finally meet
them, and have them know exactly who I was...maybe known a little too
much about me from the Hawes's! Just kidding...we went straight to the
mission home in Des Moines and had training for a couple hours with the
APs and office people, ate a delicious dinner that Sister Hawes prepared
(P.S. I LOVE THEM!!!) They were so welcoming and loving, and treated
me like their own granddaughter! After dinner we had a testimony
meeting where all 30 missionaries stood and shared their
testimonies...it was amazing to hear from everyone and I couldn't help
but think that we really are as the army of Helaman...sent to bring the
truth to the people of this great mission. I was able to play the piano
for a little bit before getting ready for bed which was fun! ...then
everyone slept at the home and woke up at 5:00 Thursday morning to make
our way to Iowa City for the transfer meeting!
I think the transfer meeting, and waiting to know where my
first area would be was more nerve-wracking than waiting a week to open
my call on Christmas! haha! I AM IN IOWA CITY!!!! and....I HAVE TWO
COMPANIONS!!!! :) I guess they figured they would need to have me in a
trio to keep me under control...or two companions in return for my one
amazing MTC companion! ...Somethin like that! ;) Sister Thompson and
Sister Wiest are incredible though! I immediately knew we would be
great friends, and work well together...pictures to come! S.T. has been
out just over a year, and S.W. came out just 6 weeks before
me!...oh!...and she went to Cardon and knows Amazing Oswald, the
Timmins, and Cache Guzy! Such a small world right?! Anyways...I love
them both so much!
My first day (Thursday) in Iowa City began right after the
transfer meeting...we grabbed a quick lunch, then had a couple
appointments to get to. The first and second appointments, however,
weren't there when we stopped by :( so that was pretty sad. I thought I
was bad luck or something! ...Then we went to a part-member families
home to teach two kids, Amber and Nick who are supposed to get baptized
the end of this month! It was a great first lesson on the 10
commandments and we taught them the "sign language" to remember them!
I'll have to teach everyone when I get home...cuz it works! We went to
the apartment and got settled in a little, then had a dinner appointment
with the ward mission leader! It made me miss dad...and it was a
little weird being the missionary in the home, instead of having the
missionaries in my home; but I'm sure I'll get used to it pretty fast.
After dinner.....yep....we went TRACTING!!! They had me choose where to
go...gave me a map, told me to pray, and then pick a road! haha...so I
did just that! I ended up choosing a road called Brookwood....after
walking and knocking, and no one being interested we were finally going
to stop then decided to knock on one last door. It was this sweet older
lady named Roberta. She said she didn't think she would ever change
religions, but wanted to hear what we had to say. She is very much into
family history work which is great, and we invited her to read the Book
of Mormon, and will hopefully be able to start teaching her next week!
It's amazing how the Lord inspires us to be in the right places at the
right times is we just listen! It was a great first experience that's
for sure.
Friday was so exciting! A BAPTISM ON MY SECOND DAY! Jeremiah
and DeShawn are two adorable little boys who have been taught by my
awesome companions....and I feel so blessed to have been a part of their
baptism! The three of us taught a short restoration lesson, and sang
Joseph's Smith's First Prayer...and now I guess the whole ward knows I
sing...haha.
Saturday I got to meet Bora, a recent convert from the
Congo...oh my goodness she is so cute! We are helping her with English,
and I think I want to start learning Swahili...because it would be very
helpful in this area! ...so we'll see how that goes and I'll keep you
posted!
Yesterday, Sunday was crazy! at meetings from 7-3, gave the
opening prayer in the Iowa City 4th ward sacrament meeting, then the
closing prayer in the Married Student Ward, sang in Relief Society as a
quartet to help with a lesson...then had an awesome St. Patrick's Day
dinner at a recent convert family's home! Brother Flynn hadn't ever
wanted anything to do with the church, but still supported his wife and
kids in it...and finally, after 13 years, he was baptized about 2 months
ago! I love hearing these stories, and learning of people's
experiences in coming to know for themselves that it is the true
gospel.
I know that I am here in this area for a reason, and I am so
grateful I have 2 incredible companions to help me learn the ropes and
get used to the mission field. I know that Heavenly Father will help me
understand and learn all that I need to, if I have a willing and open
hear and mind. He never ceases to amaze me...I was reading in Alma 41
today, how happiness is the product of righteousness AND desire to do
what the Lord would have us do...that we can permit the Lord to change
our nature if we give ourselves to Him and to His work. He can't work
on what He does not have, and He can't have you, unless you give
yourself to Him. I'm so glad I know this NOW...I know it was hard to
make the final decision whether or not to come on my mission, but I
truly to know that it is the Lord's plan for me, that if I submit myself
FULLY to Him, He will change and shape me into the woman that I am
meant to become. I love this gospel with all my heart, and hope all of
you know how much I love and appreciate you! Thank you for your
support, love, and prayers....I feel your prayers working every single
day. I LOVE YOU!!!!
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