So week two has been awesome!

We had 7 people we've taught so far-including investigators and less actives. So multiple lessons for each one for the most part. They're role play but at the same time, they don't tell us if our people are members or not. Some of them we could just tell that they're LDS - others we really think are volunteers. Its been great teaching them and having "teach people, not lessons"- basically not being a robotic missionary but meeting people's needs with different parts of the gospel. 

We've had 3 guest speakers ( no apostles :( ) but we had the guy who helped produce the "District" movies - Stephen B. Allen- and a member of the seventy- Lawrence E Corbridge. So that was neat. 

I was in the MTC choir for the Tuesday Devo and it was SO COOL! HUNDREDS to THOUSANDS of missionaries all singing at once. I got goosebumps every time. That's what I imagine the angels to be singing like in heaven. 

I've seen RYLIE twice here and attacked her with hugs! I've seen Elder Deppe and Elder Kealer (who is in my zone) and Braden Taylor who got back from his mission to New Zealand (I believe) not too long ago and he's working here in the mailroom! SUCH a small world!! :D I also saw my FHE Dad from BYU and like half of my BYU ward here. 

I got sick twice since being here. Its a melting pot of sickness but I went to the doctors and got a blessing from the zone leaders, so I'm on the uphill. I got 3 other people in my district sick though, so I feel bad. And my comp fears for her life because she has gotten sick from me yet and its just a matter of time. She's with me 24/7.  I quarantined myself in the corner of our classroom with tissues and everything to maintain myself pretty much. Haha. Our branch prez joked about keeping me here a few extra weeks and I said NO WAY. I love this place and all but I'm ready for the real deal. I'll just be the sickly sister in Montana. :P Haha.

I LOVE my district SOOOOOO much. Our two elders going to CA already left this morning and us sisters are leaving tomorrow, so the Canadians are going to be the last ones left. I. am. going. to. cry. We've bonded SO much both in class and when we eat together everyday. And when you bond over the gospel and you bare your testimony to everyone constantly, its a whole new kind of connection.

We get to go to the temple on Sundays (just to walk and take pictures there) and then we went in on Tuesday.

To end on a spiritual note, here is something I gained a greater testimony on this week! The Atonement! Having grown up hearing and learning about the Atonement, I really took it for granted. Having learned about different struggles people face in life from both missionaries, teachers, and investigators- I've really come to understand how much it can really change someone's life. And to imagine that people out there in the world don't know what it is just blows my mind! Christ really did suffer for our sins and sorrows and made it so that we can live again in perfected bodies. He is the reason that we can start over and become a WHOLE new person. I cannot thank Him enough for this gift and I cannot imagine the amount of pain he went through to give each of this the opportunity to change. Elder Talbot, in my district, said in a sacrament talk that even if everyone else in the world was perfect and didn't need an Atonement- so you were the ONLY ONE who needed it , Christ would suffer that same amount of pain just for YOU. I really do love our Savior and hope to bring this message of hope to everyone who's in the range of my voice. 

The church is true everyone! 

Love, 

Sister Ney :)

Hey, family and friends!

Excuse the typos. These keyboards suck and the shift bar basically doesnt work unless I jab it). This week has been one of the longest yet shortest weeks of my life. The first day was mass confusion and chaos. We were kindof just thrown into everything. Um. My companion is Sister Crosland. She's 23 and from moroni, ut and her family has a turkey farm up there! She's awesome. So out district consists of me, Sis. crosland, Sis. Wach (from Orem), and Sis. Thacker (from Kaysville, Ut). So I'm the only Arizonan out of the sisters. All the Sisters are going to the MBM (montana billings mission) but the elders are going to Winepeg, Canada and 2 are going to Bakersfield, CA. We have the canadian- bound elders: elders romeril, quinton, mcneil, and talbot. The Californians are elders Iribe (from AZ too!) and patterson. We've all become so close and its gonna be sad to leave them.

We've had three investigators so far and there have been disappointments and awesome progression as well. We got all three to commit to prayer, reading the Book of Mormon, and baptism either on the first or second lesson. It's interesting having to go in and really just relying on the Spirit because sometimes we know nothing about the person and basically have to be ready to teach anything. Also, I have a theory. The missionaries going to foreign, non- English speaking missions have somewhat of an advantage over us. Because they don't know many words yet, they REALLY rely on the Spirit in their lessons and are only able to teach simple truths with what little words they know. I tend to get wordy (because I'm speaking my own language) and may end up saying too much and confusing the investigator. So I just have to keep in mind to keep it simple.

I've also noticed how much the Spirit has helped me remember scriptures. I've always struggled my whole life in remembering where scriptures are and quoting them. But now, as a missionary, its way easier remembering them and its been a huge blessing. The church is true!

Also- Sis. crosland and i are the sister training leaders (like the zone leaders but for the girls), and we have to have an orientation for the 2 new districts coming to our zone on Wednesday. and guess what. Trey kealer is gonna be in my zone!!! it just consists of three small districts, so i'll get to see him a lot. it was neat seeing a familiar name on the list of people coming in. There was 2,200 missionaries in the MTC this last week but a huge chunk just left so now we're ready for everyone else to file in, and we get to harrass the newbies by saying "WELCOME TO THE MTC!!!!" whenever we see them on the first day like everyone else did to us.

Oh! And I'm in the choir too! it is the COOLEST thing! There's thousands of us and its sooooo powerful i get chills every time the elders sing. (There's a lot more elders here than sisters which is the complete opposite of BYU). 

The MTC is great and everyone is so nice. you get the hang of of things pretty quick and now I'm just ready to go to Montana but we leave Sept 1st so i got another week. There's 30 of us going!!! So that will be a fun plane ride. 

To end on a spiritual note, i can say that I am being more converted to the Lord and have seen miracles and felt the Spirit more here than in my entire life. this is the real university of the Lord and am so blessed to be able to share what I know with others and make their lives happier by helping them come unto Christ.

Love you all!

Sister Ney

Getting Ready!

Hey, all!
So this is my first test post. I'm trying to get the feel of whether I want to use a blog or just email while on my mission, so here goes nothing! :)

I have 9 days left before I leave to the MBM (Montana Billings Mission) and it's pretty stressful. NINE DAYS. Having to get 5189687214 things packed and getting everything sorted out has my mind all jumbled up. I don't think my brain has registered that I'm leaving for a year and a half yet.
I gave my farewell talk at church yesterday and it is back-to-school time so the chapel was completely packed.... No pressure. I think I did alright though! I got some laughs at some points (which usually doesn't happen when I speak) so I would say it was a success!

I think I have enough clothes too. I probably scoured out Goodwill and Savers at least a good 5 times. Here in AZ, there's hardly anything modest in 110+ degree weather in normal clothing stores- so shopping has been nothing short of interesting. And I just completely gave up on shopping for winter clothes here. It's impossible, so I'm probably just going to get those in the field. I'm nervous though because I have been told by people that went to the MBM before that some towns only have a bar, so I hope I will even be able to find a store to buy a coat and boots depending on what area I'm in.

I'm SO scared for the winter too. I've probably said this to everyone who has ever approached me about the mission but for real. I am terrified. Being born and raised in Arizona and having a mild winter in Provo did not prepare me for what lies ahead. I am 99.9% sure I will be the oompa loompa missionary wearing tons of coats like the kid on "Christmas Story." :)

But I'm excited nonetheless! I love small towns and nature, so I think I will enjoy it there in Montana and Wyoming. I've been to Wyoming and Idaho before, so I got somewhat of an idea of what it will be like. I also heard the people there are down-to-earth real people. The kind that will give you the shirt off their back- which is SO cool. These are my people! Haha.

Anyhoo- hoped you enjoyed my rambling. :)

Till next time!
Future Sister Ney