Treasures

April 20, 2015

How is life back home?! Mission life is the best life. I literally cannot believe yesterday was 5 months since I left home. I tried not to think about it all day because it made me a little sad inside. Missions literally fly by. I didn't believe anyone when they said that but now I do... :( This week was great. We had two really long, all day meetings this week. I love receiving instruction from President and Sister Bonham as well as other leaders. I love to be taught not just to teach. But speaking of teaching we were able to have lots of good lessons this week. Some with investigators and some with less actives. We also did a lot of tracting this week and we found lots of really solid potentials. This upcoming week we are GOING TO get lots of new investigators we just aren't sure who they are yet... but they will show up!

On the down side of things... One of our recent converts (who just finished chemotherapy- and was doing extremely well) just found out that her cancer just spread. EVERYWHERE. kidneys, lungs, spine, thyroid... and they gave her a year to live. So now we are on plan "GET TO THE TEMPLE ASAP".  They are amazing people and they have really positive attitudes.

This week I heard a hymn (# 229)

"Today seek the treasure better than gold,

the peace and the joy that are found in the fold.

today week the gems that shine in the heart;

while here we labor, choose the better part."

When I was singing this it made me think of the scripture in Luke 12:34

"For where your treasure is there will be your heart also."

I love that because where we spend our most time, what we think about most, and what we truly treasure is what and who will we become. This week in church we talked a lot about willing hearts. If we have a willing heart our hearts can change. We can either gain/improve in some aspects or in other aspects our desires can go away. For example, I loved soccer. Soccer was my treasure (just in case someone didn't already know) but as I had a change of heart, I was able to focus on things that probably mattered a little bit more like prayer, scripture study, helping others... and that's why I am on a mission. As I had a change of heart and as I found my treasure (AKA the gospel) my desires for worldly things slowly went away. Soccer wasn't as important, neither was shoes, or stuff like that. Okay not all the desires went completely away but they definitely died down. Our progress stops when we have no desire.

Welp that's what I learned this week. lol

Hope all is well! Love and miss you all! xoxoxoxo

Love, sister rodda.

Success vs Failure

April 13, 2015

HELLLOOOO FAMILY! I love you so so so so so so much. This week has been pretty amazing that's for sure. I was going to go day by day but I'm thinking I need to just cut to the chase as fast as I can. C WAS BAPTIZED THIS WEEK! It was so amazing. She was baptized Wednesday night because she wanted all the youth to be there so we figured mutual night was best! At first I didn't think it was a good idea because all the youth were kinda... youth-ie. Like rowdy and not very reverent. But as soon as she was in the baptismal font the spirit was immediately there. I probably would be lying if I said I didn't BAWL through the whole thing. After she was baptized she was changing and Sister De Arman (my new comp- I will talk about her in a second. I can't get ahead of myself here) went into the bathroom and C ran up to us saying, "I know it. I know that feeling that everyone is talking about! I can feel it! I know the church is true!" She just kept saying it over and over and that's when I realized the most profound thing that has ever been put in my head.... WITH ONE SUCCESS A THOUSAND FAILURES ARE FORGOTTEN. Hearts can be changed by acts of love and kindness. That was one of the most amazing experiences I have had on a mission. And it isn't just the stat of getting to put a one next to baptism and confirmation but the ability you have as a missionary to see someone change. Watching one person change is worth a year and a half of door slams! PS: we did get some of those this week. Bless my trainee’s heart in her first week - slam on, shut on, slam. So now about my companion. Her name is Sister De Arman. I don't expect to know how to pronounce it because I am still trying to get it down. Hopefully it will just roll off my tongue by the end of the 12 weeks that we will be together. She is from West Valley, UT. UTAH REPRESENT! And she likes crafty things. So yep, she is making me a hippo stuffed animal. It's gonna be super cuteeeeeeeeee. And she is awesome. I love her. We get along really well and I am just praying and hoping that I can get her mission off to a good start. My goodness, if I didn't have the Lord on my side this whole training thing could have been a trainwreck. But all is well in Zion. I got a new car. 2015 corolla. It had a grand total of 15 miles on it when I got it. lol. It is really nice.

This week we did a lot of tracting and it was really fun.  I don't mind tracting at all. I am starting to become not quite as awkward, but still high on the awkward scale that's for sure. I love being able to share my testimony with everyone and that's why I love being a missionary.

In my personal studies this week I thought of an analogy of how our testimonies are like a candle flame. If we nurture it and use it well we can create a whole forest fire. But if we let a little wind or a little anything get to it, then it will just be put out. So my goal this week is to bear my testimony to every single person I come in contact with about simple truths of the gospel. Thanks for everythingggggg pals! I love and miss you all! xoxoxoxoxo

Love, sister rodda

Changes

April 6, 2015

TO MY MOST DEAREST FAMILY (and friends, but you technically are family in the long run.):

This week has been just a little titch of INSANE!! haha. This week was full of hikes, lessons, meetings, tracting, SMORES, new companions, general conference, Easter, and a little bit of overwhelming stressing news.  Let me cut to the chase (is that a phrase? idk) but anyways... I AM TRAINING. 1. what the heck is the mission president thinking? and more importantly 2. WHAT THE HECK IS THE LORD THINKING? Not that I am questioning His authority and knowledge or anything... but what...?! but let me back up to the beginning of the week. I am a little frazzle brained, but that has been my life the past week and a half. All frazzle, no dazzle.

On Monday we got to go for a hike and look at a lake and just hang out. It was a pretty good p-day. I mean, busy but fun. Sister Wilkins and Sister Kennedy are awesome.  We have so much fun together.  We mega-bedded it this week. Which means we pushed their two beds and my couch all together and it was a giant sleepover for a few days.  Missions are fun. I recommend them.

Tuesday: let me just say- s’mores. I got a most awesome package from the one and only amazing trainer Sister Wawro.  She is quite awesome and I love her. So there is her shout out. And then GUESS WHAT?! I totally got my first real life campfire s’more of the season!  God bless the members of Mount Vernon 1st Ward.  They took quite good care of me. But something a little more important is the lessons we had.  We got to teach C and M - two of our investigators.  They are doing awesome.  C is getting baptized on Wednesday - so in two days and it is crazy but amazing and M will get there in the near future.

Wednesday: uh, lessons with some of the other sister peeps and lots of finding.  Every day is a good day in the mission field but nothing overly excited to tell about.

Thursday: on Thursday I got to hang out with Sister Tennant and Sister Liffereth (we went to junior high together so it was like a junior high school reunion) and it was really fun.  We got to tract- a lot - and got to teach a few lessons. But then here comes the exciting news. All leadership positions are assigned the Thursday before transfers. So it is like 10:25 and we are about to get in bed and the phone rings. I see it’s the zone leaders and I am like what the heck. I answer it. then it clicks in my head. OH LEADERSHIP POSITION. Now, not once did it cross my mind that it could be for me.  I run into the bathroom where Sister Kennedy is brushing her teeth and tell her the phone is for her (because I can predict the future and I knew she was getting a leadership position). I put the phone on speaker and the zone leaders are like, "well Sister Wilkins is going home..." she rolls her eyes because we all knew that. Then we are laughing and stuff and all we hear is "... is going to train" we are like wait who?! and they "Sister Kennedy and Sister Rodda." and that's when I fainted and had to get stitches in my head. No, I am just kidding but mentally that's what it felt like. So yeah. I’m having a baby. It's a girl.

Friday: on Friday i had to switch all of our plans and go to new trainers training and that's when I got a package from the one and only DARRINGTONS. Love you all. xoxo. And that's where the panic really started to happen. President Bonham says, "you have a really big responsibility. I don't say this to scare you but the way you train is the way their mission is going to be. Their mission is going to reflect the way their life is going to be. Which is going to reflect their children and their families." so that's when I fainted and got stitches a second time. We had some lessons that day again and weekly planning. bleh.

Saturday: oh general conference. where do i begin. WASN'T IT JUST AMAZINGGGGG?! I don't think I have ever enjoyed it as much as I did this year. Every single talk was just so inspiring and uplifting.

Sunday: ditto to Saturday. We got to watch one of the sessions with C. She passed her baptismal interview and Wednesday is coming way too fast!!! Sister Wilkins left yesterday to go home and now I am with a spanish sister. Hermana Bagley. She is pretty cool. I am only with her until tomorrow at transfers when I pick up my baby. It didn't really feel like Easter. At all. But that's okay. We were able to focus on Christ and that is the whole purpose, right? I do miss all the traditions back home though!

I loved this week and I am happy to focus on Christ. Being a missionary is the most amazing thing in the world. It isn't as hard as everyone says if you can get used to change. lol. That is irony right there. I think some cool church person said that the only thing that is constant in the church is change. Yep. That about sums it up in 12 words. My favorite thing about general conference was the focus on families. It took me until my mission to realize how important families are to Heavenly Father and Satan. Satan has his hands on more families than you can imagine. So many broken families. But it is amazing to me that no matter what, Heavenly Father still loves all of his children. 

I hope you all have an AMAZINGLY AWESOME week. xoxo

sister rodda.

Alone

March 30, 2015

Well hello y'all. First thing is first... I am in Mount Vernon. So yes, I am alive and no, I am not lost.  This has been a little bit of a really stressful week.

Last Monday Sister Covington got her results back that she did in fact have mono again. It was hard for the next few days to get up by myself and exercise and do studies alone. I really just wanted to go back to bed because she was sleeping but hey, I did it anyways. Yes, I am bragging a little. I was able to go on exchanges on Wednesday so I could actually go out and work. Once Sister Covington found out she was going home I started to get a little homesick so I was kinda missing home this week but it's okay. I was so busy I didn't have time to think about it. I did see a really cool painting this week in a member’s home. It was called, "Come Follow Me" by Liz Lemon Swindle and it was really comforting. I really liked it. Before my mission, I would have found 0% pleasure in a painting.

 

So here is what happened. I had to clean the whole apartment on Thursday from top to bottom as well as pack for myself and help Sister Covington because she didn't have a lot of energy. Luckily the sister training leaders (who are my new companions- Sister Kennedy and Sister Wilkins) came and helped for a little bit. We had to be in Millcreek at 7:30 AM on Friday. I went to bed at 10:30 Thursday night and got up at 5 AM.  Yes, I am more tired than a regular already tired missionary. But all is well in Zion, folks.

C came to church for all three hours on Sunday which is perfect because her baptism is next week. Her baptism will be great but it is kind of a crazy time for it. I mean I am the only missionary really doing her baptism and it is the day after transfers next week. Life is a little hectic but if it wasn't hectic I would be more scared. I was able to teach Young Women's in the new ward yesterday as well as mission prep! So yeah... that's life.

Oh yeah, this week we were late to the women’s broadcast.  So mom, can you print those talks off and send them to me? Send them to the mission office and they will forward it to wherever I am.

Hope you all have an amazing Easter and general conference weekend!

Sister Rodda

The BEST!

March 23, 2015

This week has been AWESOMEEEE. Yesterday was probably the best day of my whole life existence. lol. But I will start with Monday. 

Last Monday we emailed and then had to get our oil changed. We are pretty pampered here on the mission. We just drive our car somewhere and the guy who works at the auto shop talks to our vehicle coordinator and then they pay for it. It rocks. But while they were changing our oil we went with some other sisters to the Tulip Festival, which is so incredibly cool. It is just fields and fields of tulips and they have a "garden" which has all these different types of flowers. I got a pin!!

On Tuesday we went on exchanges with Sister Wilkins. I'm not gonna lie - I hate exchanges so much because 1. I feel like they are judging me the whole time and 2. You have to sleep in the same room (but different bed- missionary handbook) with a stranger. But anyway, we got to teach about family history and it went really well. I learned so much. In the meantime, Sister Covington and the other STL, Sister Kennedy, found a new investigator in our area. Her name is Erica. I haven't met her yet. I will meet her tomorrow but if we get her whole family there is 6 that could be baptized. I learned something really cool this day. I now believe in agency, unconditional love, and eternity. You have to allow people to make their own choices, love them no matter what, and you have to believe that anything can happen in the eternities. 

On Wednesday, we had district meeting. I love my district. Sister Covington and I had to give some instruction that went really well. After that we went and did service at the Bishop's Storehouse. I don't mind doing service but I cannot handle all the hoarders here in Washington. I don't mind the stuff- because I have a lot of stuff- but I can't handle the smells. Then we went to mutual that night and played games with one of our formers. It was really fun and I am a lot more competitive than I thought I was. I like to win. No questions asked.

Thursday we had to travel to Seattle. No, Seattle is not in our district, nor is Seattle in our zone. And no Seattle is not even in our mission. But I had to drive in the craziness of Seattle traffic to take Sister Covington to a doctor. She has been really tired lately and she thinks her mono (which sent her home for a transfer) is back. We get the results tomorrow I think. Don't worry I am doing everything in my waking existence to not get it. Let's just be grateful we made it through Seattle traffic in one piece. Car and person. We also had a really cool lesson with a less active family about the plan of salvation that night.

 

On Friday we went and taught a lesson to our recent convert Harvey Vogan. Man, if only y'all could meet him. He is a crack up and there are no words to describe him. lol. Then we went to the Relief Society activity.  Since Sister Covington took multiple naps this week I thought I would use my nonexistent creative skills to make a "hat" for the Relief Society garden/tea party. I will send pictures but I made two flower crowns (?) I don't know what to call them but they turned out really cute. We got a really pretty flower arrangement from a wedding last week and I destroyed it to make these things. Yes, I did it all alone and yes, they are real flowers. Feel free to be impressed. 

On Saturday we visited a lot of potentials and less actives that were either not home or VERY uninterested. It was a little discouraging but at least we had something good to look forward to… that night there was a special fireside with Elder Oaks for missionaries and investigators. You could only go if you brought an investigator so Mya said she would go. We were so excited. We got a member who could drive us. They traveled like 15 minutes and the daughter even missed her basketball game to go and as soon as we got to the door Mya canceled. It was really disheartening and it made us sad. But hey, it is A-okay. I believe in agency, unconditional love, and eternity now, lol. 

Sunday was the best day of my whole existence. First we went to a special stake conference where Elder Dallin H Oaks, and Elder Christensen came and talked. Also President Bonham spoke. It was an awesome meeting. I even got to speak and have a conversation with Elder Oaks. He was happy to see sisters. After that we went to a potential’s home that we found earlier in the week. and GUESS WHAT?!  We got a new investigator! She is so solid and I am so happy that she is willing to learn about the gospel. Right after that we went to a lesson with Caylen (a former investigator who dropped me and Sister Wawro).  We had an awesome lesson and GUESS WHAT?! She is getting baptized April 8th!!!!!!!!!!!! We are so excited. 

So just in case you lost track that was 3 new investigators this week! We fasted yesterday to find people to teach and look what happened.  Prayer and fasting works and they go hand in hand. Heavenly Father hears and answers our prayers. I know he does! We are currently teaching 8 investigators and we are hoping to find more! I love being a missionary and sharing the gospel and my testimony with everyone that I come in contact with! 

I love you all and I hope you all have a wonderful week. xoxoxo

PS: This week we found another pal. He was a snail. His name was George Washington. He was a cutie pie. 

Love, Sister Rodda