De-Stressing Mission Shopping

Wednesday, September 25, 2013 0 Comments

Preparing for a mission is stressful, and I mean big-time stress. You go back and forth between studying Preach My Gospel (where do you even start? does it ever end?) and getting your paperwork together to trying to buy everything you could possibly need for an eighteen month period of time.

Like I said: big-time, major league, gargantuan stress.

The blessings far outweigh the pains, I can testify of that, and some days that's the only thing that can keep you going between trips to the store and picking the perfect profile picture to represent you for the next eighteen months of Facebook blackout.

Probably the most stressful of any preparation, at least for us sisters, is clothes shopping. So, from a fellow stressed-out ex-preparations expert and full-time stressed-out missionary, here are some tips on how to de-stress your clothes shopping adventures.

1. Research, research, research.
    Before you shop, research! Take it from me, it's pretty hard to shop when you don't know if the weather's going to be a Russian winter or a California summer. Once you have your call, start researching. What's the average temperature? How much does it rain? Will people have air conditioning? Is it humid? In every call packet there should be information on what to pack that is mission-specific, and that's a great place to start. Check out blogs, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest boards, anything you can get your hands on. Even email people currently serving in your mission, if you can!

2. Fashion vs. Function
    I know, I know. Those grandma clogs may be ugly as sin, but your mom keeps telling you over and over that you need to have comfortable clothes. Finding the perfect blend of fashion and function is nigh-impossible, but I promise that it can be done. Once you've done your research (and once you know your mode of transportation) you can get to work. If you're driving in southern California, you probably won't need those grandma clogs. If you're walking in the Himalayas, though, your body will be so grateful if you give your feet support.

   What I will say is that you want to feel your best in the clothes that you wear. Stay within the guidelines the church has established, of course, but don't feel like you need to wear baggy sweatshirts and clogs every day. If you don't feel good about yourself, it will affect the work that you do and the way people feel about you. You need to do everything you can to have a positive day, and feeling good in your clothes is important to that.

3. Pinterest
    Pinterest is a big deal. I still daydream about going on Pinterest and finding the perfect hairstyle inspiration or the cutest cardigan that I just have to have, but unfortunately Pinterest will be a thing of the past once you're a missionary. So, from sister to sister, print out those Pinspirations. Seriously. Hairstyles, ways to tie a scarf, cute outfits, anything that you think you might want around in three months when you're desperate for some fashion inspiration. And trust me, you will get desperate.

Random tips:
- no-show socks are the bread and butter of sister missionary fashion. Stock up.
- Bring more outfits than you are told to. 5-6 skirts and shirts get pretty old, pretty fast. I have double that and I still get bored!
- Accessorize! When you're a missionary, you get pretty keen on finding new ways to do old outfits. Necklaces and scarves are a big deal; so are cardigans (Sister Missionary Fashion has a ton that you should look into). Don't be afraid to bring more jewelry than you think you'll need. I've been more into jewelry than ever before in my life since I've become a missionary.
- Don't forget the basics, either. A black or white tee can go a long way when you mix and match with scarves, cardigans, necklaces, or belts.
- Check before you buy anything that it is machine washable. You won't have the time or money to get things dry-cleaned. P-day can be spent in better ways than picking things up from the dry cleaner's (or trying to figure out a way to dry-clean your clothes in the jungles of Brazil).

Most of all, don't stress! The clothes are important, yes, but not the most important part of being a missionary. You have the most wonderful opportunity to share the joy of the Gospel with individuals and families in a very special part of the world; focus on them, and everything else will fall into place. You will be blessed for your work!

On to Transfer 3!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013 0 Comments

First of all, I think the guy next to me has a mild form of Tourette's. He keeps mumbling curse words under his breath as he does whatever he is doing.

Isn't the world great? :)

I'm sure you're wondering what my fate is.

1. I am NOT training. Thank the heavens!
2. I'm staying here in French Valley!

Yep! Lucky girl that I am, I get another six weeks in the best ward in Temecula (sorry, everyone else). I am so excited about the work that is happening here and the people that we are meeting with! I've been very lucky to be trained here and to be able to start my mission off with some of the kindest, most open people in the whole wide world.

I have no idea who my next companion will be. We don't find out until transfer meeting tomorrow. For Sister Saxton, who is both training and going to a new area, this means that she has no idea where she is going and with who until we show up to transfers tomorrow. Yikes! She'll be great though, I just know it.

I'm pretty sad that Sister Saxton and I won't be companions anymore. When you're with someone every minute of the day, you get to know them really well, even if it's only for three months. She's one of my very special friends now and I'm just so glad that I've had the chance to meet her.

Anyway, upward and onward! We've spent the past few days making our rounds, saying goodbye to members of the ward for Sister Saxton. It's sort of weird for me, because I know I'll be staying at least for another transfer, but it's also fun to hang out with families that we love and say goodbye.

Last week after emailing, we went to Old Town Temecula to a place called Old Town Root Beer Company. There were at least 200 different kinds of root beer in that tiny, sweltering hot room. I, of course, picked the Olde Philadelphia brand, because hey, I'm always missing the East, and it was so good! Highly recommended.

Dang good root beer.

As always, we're working hard here in French Valley and doing what we can to be servants to the Lord and the people around us. Missionary work is like nothing else in the world. It's the most painful and the most rewarding work that you could ever do! If you have a chance to do it, do it! Be a missionary wherever you are.

Our district. It keeps growing and growing!

French Valley missionaries! As usual, the elders are weirdos.

Love always,
Sister B

Week 12

Monday, September 16, 2013 0 Comments

Everyone, I've made it. This is the last week of my 12-week training crash course! After this, I will be free to roam the earth (aka the Carlsbad mission) with companions young and old! Doesn't that sound exciting?

So basically, after this I could have a baby of my own to train up to be a righteous stripling warrior. Transfers are next Tuesday, but we find out Saturday night what will be happening next transfer. I'm trying not to think about it too much, because I might have a mental breakdown thinking about all that could change.

Here's the breakdown of the week:

1. Zone Training Meeting - Talk about an incredible experience. The beginning was slow (c'mon, it was a training on how to plan) but by 11:30 we were all hit hard by the Spirit. The zone leaders asked me the night before to prepare to share my brief testimony on why I was on a mission and the Savior, so I was thinking about that during the training. We talked about Jesus Christ and becoming the best people that we can be, and helping those we teach to do the same. At the end we left without talking to anyone and sat down in the car for about 10 minutes, letting the Spirit teach us and tell us what we needed to know. It was such a cool experience and I am so glad that I was able to go and partake of that spirit.

2. Banjo-playin' - No, I didn't play the banjo, but a member of our ward who had us over for dinner did. He was KILLER! I wish I could send you the video I took. Just look up Temeku Grass, which is one of his apparently many bands. Oh also, he was chief of police for a lot of years somewhere. And he's a black belt in karate. And his name is Brother Fetherolf and he's the coolest.

3. Sandy - I forgot to tell you about one of our new investigators! Her name is Sandy and she is one of the sweetest women on this earth. She's almost 70 and, on top of her many health problems, lost her husband last Christmas. She's the aunt of a member in our ward, which is how we met her. We absolutely love teaching her! She is so ready to receive this gospel. I just hope we can show her how much God loves her and is waiting for her to see the truth!

4. Service Saturday - So, it wasn't on purpose, but we spent almost the full day on Saturday providing service for others. We did everything from help at a garage sale to running the food and drink table at a blood drive to doing yard work for some women in the ward. I have to admit, it was sort of nice to wear pants almost all day. :)

Me and my buddy Austin, who bleeds by example, apparently.

We were putting down sod and then there was a hose involved and we got pretty wet.

5. Mexicans - I have two stories about Mexicans, so I decided to group them. Yesterday was stake conference, which was pretty awesome. After conference, we were talking to the hermanas and they invited us to eat lunch with them. Two women from the Spanish branch had made the most delicious tostadas and taquitos and although I was terrified because the words that were spoken were 99% Spanish, I ate so so much. Nothing beats Mexican food.

And the night before, we went to Carolina's house, a recent convert from Tijuana. She was throwing a birthday party for her granddaughter, and the whole family was there. Her husband is Filipino, and he cooked this delicious Filipino food, which we ate with Mexican jello pie and cake and ice cream. Carolina is trying to make me fat, so she gave me double the food she gave my companion. I was almost crying, I was so full. But it was SO good!

This is a Mexican party hat. My Little Pony or bust!

Anyway, I love you all! Next week, I will know my fate for the next six weeks. Scary! Say prayers for me and send me hugs and kisses.

Press forward! There is so much joy to be found in working hard for our Heavenly Father.

Love,

Sister B

Aloha from California!

Monday, September 09, 2013 0 Comments

Aloha from California!

A little update about me.

I am hot all of the time. It's been over 100 degrees almost every day for a month. I don't know if I am dead or dying or what, but I am in some state of death when I have to go outside.

My adventures:
1. Winco. Where they have pasta in barrels.

2. Baby avocados. I just about cry when I see anything in miniature.

3. Speaking of miniatures... Kittens. We have an army of strays in our neighborhood and one got pregnant and gave birth to the most adorable 5 kittens I have ever held.

4. Baptism! Not "ours," necessarily, but a fun one all the same. An eight-year old girl we love in our ward got baptized on Saturday, and she and the other little girl getting baptized that day asked us to sing "I Am A Child of God" with them during the program. Yes, everyone will assume that if you are a sister missionary, you can sing. I don't have any idea why. Be prepared.

5. Sister B the tattooed missionary. Just kidding. This is actually what happens when you get distracted during nightly planning.
6. Sometimes when you're driving to the library to email your friends and family, you pass a giant herd of sheep. I didn't realize that sheep were a thing in California, but they are.


I have to split! Just know that all is well here in the sunshiney-est place and that I am trying my best to be my best. When you're a missionary, a whole new world of possibilities opens up. You see all of the things that you can improve on and want to be better every day. It's really exhausting and sometimes disheartening, but mostly awesome. 99.9% awesome.

I love you! Keep prayin' for missionary work and don't be afraid to be a missionary right this very second.

Sister B

P.S. THE GREAT AND SPACIOUS BUILDING!



Just kidding. Missionary joke.

But isn't wine country great? So many cool buildings and... grapes. And desert. And stuff.

3

Wednesday, September 04, 2013 0 Comments

Can you believe it? Another week has already passed. I hope that you week was fantastic!

First of all, I got 3 PACKAGES this week.

3 PACKAGES.

YOU GUYS!

THANK YOU!

I have never felt more spoiled/blessed in my life. Seriously! You wouldn't think that mail would be a big deal, but it can be a game-changer for the whole week. And packages?? Man, just one is a guaranteed cloud of happiness for at least a day or two.

To all of you who didn't send me a package, it's okay. I love you anyway. You don't need to buy my love with a package or letter! But, you know, if the Spirit ever moves you to drop me a line, listen to that prompting. Okay? ;)

So, this week has been pretty exciting, besides the packages. We went on exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders from Wednesday night to Thursday. Hermana Lithgoe and I stayed in French Valley and did some work, while my companion went to Vista and tried to pretend she knew Spanish for 24 hours. It was scary to be in charge of the area for a day, but I think I did all right! I can't imagine how I'll survive when I'm done with my 12 week training.

Then on Friday we had Zone Conference, which was awesome. I probably sound like such a sister missionary, saying "awesome" and "amazing" and "fantastic" all the time, but it's just because life here is all of those things! Granted, it's not "perfect," and it's not "easy," but it is sooo great.

Zone Conference: let's see if I can break it down. You have your companionship, which covers an area/ward. Your companionship is part of a district, which covers a larger area, somewhere between a ward and a stake. And then you have your zone, which covers at least a stake. There are probably anywhere between 10 and 15 companionships per zone. So when you have zone conference, you have multiple zones meeting together.

It's the greatest! We got to spend a lot of Friday listening to the Assistants to the President, President Kendrick, and doing trainings. We also had some sweet stake sisters feed us lunch (thank you, Temecula stake!) Basically you learn a lot, feel a lot, and come away feeling so full of new knowledge and excitement for the work.

I hope that all of you reading this get to experience that, even if you don't plan on serving a mission or aren't LDS at all. It's such a great feeling to carry around with you throughout your week!

Other than that, we've just been working, trying to keep up with the elders in our ward. I think I mentioned a few weeks ago that our area was getting split and we were getting another set of elders. Well, their names are Elder Schrade and Elder Rivers, and they're great! They came into the area on fire, and are working so hard to find people to teach! It really motivates me to be a better missionary knowing that we've got such great examples of diligent, obedient, hard-working elders working alongside us in the French Valley ward.

As always, thanks for your support! It means the world to both my companion and I. Missions are so hard. This is by far the hardest thing I have ever done. High school was easy. College was easy. Everything I've ever done seems so easy compared to being a missionary.

But despite all of our setbacks and weaknesses, Heavenly Father is always watching out for you when you're a missionary. He blesses you even when you don't deserve it. He gives you opportunities that you couldn't receive through your own work. I am so grateful for the knowledge that God is directing my path continually!

LOVE YOU!

Sister B


Pictures:

-Sister Saxton, Cambria, and Sister B being crazy on Sunday. Isn't Cam just the cutest?

-Sometimes you go to Salvation Army on p-day and look at all of the crazy trinkets there. Anybody in the mood for a creepy jester mug?