Forth of July

It has been another long week and I'm exhausted! I think the real reason the Lord give us companions is that he knows his missionaries wouldn't get up at 6:30 if they didn't have a companion telling them to. :) Oh and the other reason he gives us companions is that we can have off the hook companionship 4th of July parties. It looks like we'll probably have to be in early on the 4th, so sister Turley and I are going to have a party, and let me tell you, this party is going to be like no other! We're talking red and blue pancakes and bacon, dollar store decorations, and 3 hours of watching The District missionary training... :)

               We had our first exchanges this week. I stayed in Oak Harbor, and at first I was a little bit nervous because that meant that I was mainly in charge of planning the day, teaching, and driving the STL and I everywhere. I developed a new appreciation for how hard it must have been for Sister Turley to up and start training after being out only six weeks! I surprised myself and actually did pretty well though. I knew my way around the area at least. :)

               On Tuesday President Wilson decided to have a last minute training meeting just for the sisters, so we drove to Everett for that. There are about 40 sisters in the mission right now. There are 2 more coming in this next transfer, then 17 more coming in in August.

               I realized that I haven't really told you much about the area I'm in! I've given up on making my letters sound organized or even fluid, so hopefully you can get used to just reading whatever comes to my mind next. Which results in me writing a novel. Anyway, Oak Harbor is mainly older retired couples with lots of money that are happy with their life and Navy personnel- this makes things tricky because lots of people we have met either are moving out and the transition time is very short, or being in the military have caused them to have a stigma against religion- they tell us that religion is just a way for people to judge each other and start wars. Which in some ways I can understand their viewpoint, but it's still sad to me that they feel that way. The other thing about Washington is that it's the second least church-going state in the Nation. I can't tell you how many atheists we've met. And for how conscientious everyone is about the environment here, it's interesting that when it comes to smoking nobody could care less about their own bodies. It's true what they say about Washington being a very liberal state. The good thing about that is sometimes we'll meet someone who is super open to experimenting and learning new things, so we've had a few times that we've gone back and taught a first lesson just because people are curious. The spirit will be very strong, then without fail they'll either drop us or they'll purposely set up a second appointment where they won't be there. It's always when someone feels the spirit and they realize what that means and they start to get scared and they immediately back out.

               The strawberries here are sooooo yummy! We have strawberry shortcake at members houses after dinner all the time, it's the best! Poor Sister Turley doesn't like strawberries. But that just means more strawberries for me! :) There are huge planes that fly over the island all the time, and when they do the sound is absolutely deafening- it's so loud that everyone has to stop talking and you can feel that rumbling in your chest. I think of you every time, dad!

               Even though we're still struggling to find progressing investigators, we did have a few awesome lessons this week!

               We finally had another lesson with Bennett H.!!! I'm not sure if you remember but I think I told you about him in the first letter I sent. Sister Turley and I planned to teach about the Plan of Salvation this lesson, but I'm afraid we didn't get around to much teaching because Bennett is so outgoing and talks so much. That's ok though, because we learned things about Bennett that absolutely amazed me and helped us understand him a lot more. When we came to visit Bennett told us about how he had an older brother, Bobby, who died about 10 years ago from cancer. The night that Bobby died, Bennett had a dream where Bobby appeared to him. He said that in the dream he couldn't quite hear the words that Bobby was telling him, but he could understand what he was saying. Bobby told Bennett that he was safe and happy and that the transition to where he was now was almost instantaneous and he shouldn't worry about him. Then Bobby pulled out a pad of paper and told him, "They're teaching me so much here. I have to go learn some more" then he left. I wanted so badly to just tell Bennett all about the spirit world right then and there! Bennett shared with us that he's had numerous dreams in the past where loved ones who have passed on have come and he's had conversations with them. Bennett's wife Verna, who joined us for part of the lesson, told us that sometimes he'll wake up laughing and tell her that Bobby came again and he told him something funny. Bennett also told us how his dad used to casually say, "I'm gone" when he was walking out the door to work. When Bennett was in the Navy he was walking across the deck of a boat and out of nowhere a very strong feeling came across Bennett and the words "I'm gone" came very clearly to his mind. Later that day he was called to talk to one of his supervisors, and before the supervisor said anything Bennett asked, "My dad died, didn't he?" He said that the supervisor was so stunned and beside himself that Bennett somehow already knew.

               Listening to Bennett tell us these experiences he's had gave me chills. He has been so prepared to receive the gospel. Not only that, but I know that his ancestors have been preparing him!!! I get the feeling that Bennett's conversion process might take longer than we think, but I want this for him and Verna so bad! I get along so well with Bennett, he is absolutely hilarious. In some ways he reminds me of grandpa Les, and I can't quite pick out why that is. But I wish Grandpa Les was here so that we could have a member present lesson with him! As always, keep Bennett and Verna in your prayers.

               We had a first lesson with another African American man named Shannon, who is in his 40's. We found him tracting as well. We took Brother Bullock, our ward mission leader, to the lesson and all sat out on the front porch. During our first lesson he told us a lot about his struggles ever since his wife and daughter left him and how he's struggled with his self worth in the past few years but he is trying really hard to become a person who he can love so that if he can love himself, other people will love him too. We had a very powerful conversation about Jesus Christ, and after the lesson Shannon told us "I feel so blessed that you guys came. I feel happy. Not in a hyper way, but in a calm way." Wow! And that, brothers and sisters, is what we call the spirit! Shannon will be in New York for the next two weeks, so we're looking forward to having another lesson with him after that.

               We had a second lesson with Chuck Q. He told us, "I don't want a world based on faith." I think deep down he knows it's true, he's just scared to take that leap. Right now might not be the time for Chuck, but we are still hopeful for him and his family. If anything softens his heart, it will be his beautiful baby boy, and his little 4-year-old girl who changes into a skirt and jewelry when we come over and says, "Look, I'm a missionary like you!" and his wife who is one of the strongest converts I have ever met and is preparing to go to the temple.

               Then there's Sandra. She never called this week like she said she would. Both Sister Turley and I feel strongly that we shouldn't give up on her yet. Nobody really knows what happened that turned things around for her so quickly. We tried stopping by her house a few times this last week, but she was never there. She could use lots of prayers too.

               Well I'm sure I missed something, but I guess those things will have to wait for a future date when I come home. Until then, I love you all a huge heap!

Can't wait to hear from you and learn about all of the missionary work you are doing! It makes my week!

Love, Sister Slade

Help the Missionaries

I'm sorry that I didn't write yesterday- I felt bad when I realized that I forgot to tell you that our P-Day is on Tuesday this week! I hope it wasn't as disappointing to wait for you guys as it was for me! The wait was well worth it, though, as we had the chance to go to the Seattle temple this morning- turns out, we get to go every 4 months!!

               Earlier this week we had a big zone conference meeting, as this is the last time that we will be seeing President and Sister Wilson- their time is up on July 1st! They came to do a little bit of teaching, as well as share their testimonies with us, and the entire meeting was so spiritually uplifting! I'm going to miss the both of them, which is amazing since I've only known them for 3 weeks- they just have so much love that emanates when they speak to you! I remember when I first did my interview with President Wilson my first day here in the field he told me that he believes one of the main reasons that the Lord is allowing his sister missionaries to come out is not simply to further the work in all these different areas of the world- but to further missionary work in homes. The Lord is preparing stronger mothers for his next wave of children that he has coming. I could feel the spirit testify that this was true when he shared this with me!

               Going to the temple today was absolutely incredible- exactly what I needed! When I was in the Celestial room I tried to go through people I knew both by name and by face, all individually, that I wanted there with me and picture what it would be like for each of them to be sitting next to me. I felt like I needed to ask Heavenly Father to please watch over my kids, and I felt so warm when I did. Sometimes when we have district meetings or zone conferences, I like to think that maybe my kids are attending important meetings right now too- being trained and prepared to come to Earth while I am being trained and prepared to be their mother.

               Missionary work is hard work, and if it weren't for experiences like this, and all the other amazing little moments that make it all worth it, I'm not sure anyone would want to do this! I must be crazy. :) This was a rough week. Sandra called to tell us she had to reschedule our lesson. She also told us that she wants to meet with us one last time, but after that she wants to discontinue the missionary lessons. It was so heartbreaking to hear this. Sister Turley and I have been praying for her nonstop. We fasted for her on Sunday, and we've been studying and talking to the bishop about how to best approach this situation. What’s frustrating is that she is so ready! Something has to have happened, and Satan is working hard on her. Sister Turley and I have a few ideas on how we might approach our lesson this week, but I can tell that in the end this is going to have to be one of those lessons that is absolutely guided by the spirit. Keep her in your prayers.

               We had another investigator- a 10 yr old- fall off date because her parents don't think she is ready as well. A number of our appointments have been falling through, and as a result we've spent an awful lot of time tracting. While I actually enjoy tracting in some ways- it can be so frustrating because it brings so little success. I have to keep reminding myself that no effort is wasted. On Saturday we tracted for a good 4 hours, and man was it a tough crowd that day. Although the highlight was probably when a hippie, after saying no, said goodbye by saying "Namaste! Love you guys!" After a while Sister Turley said, "There has got to be a better way." We discussed how we could work even harder to get the ward helping us. We actually have an amazing ward! Most of our ward is over 65, so we have nicknamed them the "Geriatric Ward." (Is this area perfect for me or what!?) The ward is lacking in the missionary motivation, though. Needless to say, the missionary broadcast on Sunday was absolutely inspired. Tell everyone you meet that they need to help the missionaries!!!! There is nothing more frustrating then tracting fruitlessly all day, then going to a member dinner where they tell you that they don't know anyone you can share the gospel with, then going to bed feeling like even though you're exhausted and you worked so hard, it was a waste of time. I look forward to hearing all of the incredible missionary stories that come from Rye in the next week- I want people to write me and tell me about them directly, in fact! :)

               One thing that did make me feel better is that today after the temple Sister Turley and I were talking to the AP's, and they mentioned that President Wilson has been saying great things about us, and is really proud. That felt awesome to hear! Our numbers definitely aren't what is making him proud, but we must be doing something a little bit right.

               Two other quick highlights from this week are Kelsey and Chuck. I told you about Kelsey last week I think- we said goodbye to her last night, and she was almost in tears, telling us thank you over and over again and how she knows that coming to Washington wasn't a coincidence. We are sad that we don't get to keep Kelsey, but sure happy for the missionaries in Arizona that will get to finish teaching her! We also took pictures, but I accidentally left my camera in the car so I will try to send them next week.

               There is also a woman in our ward named Samantha Q.- she is married to a nonmember and has two adorable little kids. She is preparing to go to the temple, so she asked us to come and teach her husband. We went over on Thursday. Chuck has taken discussions in the past, but he warned us that they haven't really stuck, and teased that he was a rough one to crack so the lessons ended a while back. Before we began the lesson Chuck told us a little bit about his beliefs- he is an Atheist, and he is very logical and philosophical so he explained his reasons behind this. At first listening to Chuck made me nervous because I wasn't sure how we were ever going to approach the lesson, but Samantha was in the corner quietly smiling the whole time, and as he spoke I said a little prayer. I realized that one commonality every investigator is going to have is that their Heavenly Father loves them, and wants them to feel his spirit. I knew that the only way the lesson was going to mean anything to him would be if he did feel the spirit.    The lesson went great- we shared things in the moment that we hadn't planned to say, and the spirit was very strong! It was amazing- afterwards Sister Turley and I both agreed that we opened our mouths not having any idea what was going to come out, and just like it says in D&C- they were filled! It is obvious that Chuck and Samantha have so much love for each other, and I want this for them so bad!

               Anyways, I think that’s about all I'll share for now. We might have to sit down and talk for a couple weeks when I get back from my mission- letters don't quite cut it! I just hope I remember it all by then!

               Feel free to share parts of this letter with the rest of the family, I've been wanting to write them individual letters but I feel bad because I always run out of time. I do love hearing from them though, and let them know that I love them!

               Love you both bunches!

Love, Sister Slade

               P.S. I forgot to mention- we invited Chuck to read the BOM, pray, and come to church and he said no to all three. But... he surprised us all and came to sacrament meeting on Sunday!!! My heart about leaped out of my chest I was so excited when I saw the four of them all walk in together!

Prayers needed!

This week has been a rough week as far as numbers go, and there were a few things that happened that we could use your prayers for too. As of right now Sister Turley and I don't have anyone on date for baptism. We went to meet with Sandra on Thursday, and we could tell something was wrong from the minute we all sat down. Sandra wants to wait on her baptism. She said that she isn't trying to find a reason to disprove the church, because she knows it's true, but she just came across something that she can't accept right now….Our Heavenly Father knows us so well, but Satan knows us as well, and he does everything he can to prevent people like Sandra from following Christ. Sandra was very emotional throughout the whole time she was telling us she wanted to wait on her baptism. She wants this for her and her family so badly. Instead of teaching her the lesson we had planned to teach on Thursday, we talked a lot about faith, and we shared with her some thoughts from Elder Holland's talk, "Lord I believe, Help thou mine unbelief." Keep her in your prayers.

We're really struggling to find more people to teach so that we can have progressing investigators too. This is something that we fasted about yesterday, and we decided that there's a single woman in her mid-40's that we need to find.

The highlight of the week was teaching an 18-year old girl named Kelsey. Kelsey is from Arizona, but she came here to visit her best friends family. She came to church with them this last week and the week before. The week before last Sister Turley and I taught the gospel doctrine lesson on baptism. On Tuesday she called and asked if she could take the discussions! We taught her twice this week. There is a special light about her. She said that what we are telling her seems to "make everything all fit together" and she said that she's been thinking a lot over the last few years about how when she has kids she wants to raise them with a strong foundation in Christ, but she's been wondering what is the best way to do that. She committed to baptism after the first lesson, and last lesson she agreed to say the prayer (she was too nervous to the first lesson) and her prayer gave me warm chills, the spirit there was so strong. We're sad that Kelsey is going back to Arizona this week, but the missionaries that will continue teaching her when she goes back sure are lucky!

Writing you guys is kinda frustrating, because there is just too much that has happened and too much emotion involved with the work here, that it seems like my letters don't tell you what it is actually like at all. I had another awesome experience I wanted to share with you, but I'll send it in a letter later. I like writing special experiences in letters, because it makes them feel more personal and sacred- like they're going to be preserved- rather than just typed up and sent over email.

Love you bunches!

Love, Sister Slade

(Note from Nancy: If you want to hear more personal stuff, write Britney a letter!  She just gave you a big hint that she writes really great snail mail letters!  And our snail mail letters have been amazing!)

Pictures of Washington

Companionship motto!

In Washington!

Goodness, so much has happened that I have no idea where to start.

Well I'm in Washington! The plane ride entering Washington was absolutely gorgeous- we flew right past Mt. Rainier, and it's huge and covered in snow. I'll try to attach a picture! The weather here in Washington has been absolutely beautiful, and it hasn't rained once. A few people who live here have been telling me that I'm supposed to write home and way over exaggerate the rain. They say that that's what everyone else does so that they can discourage people from coming so that everyone won't find out that this is the best state and want to move here. :)

It is so green, and there are huge trees everywhere! We found out something interesting when we got to the Mission Office- apparently in July our mission will be splitting so that 4 of the 9 stakes will become part of the Seattle mission. Whichever area President Wilson put us in for our first area would be the mission we would be in, so I wasn't sure if I would be in the Everett or Seattle mission! I kept feeling like I was supposed to be in the Everett mission, but I prayed that President Wilson would be inspired to know which mission had the people I am meant to find and teach.

President Wilson decided to keep me in the Everett Mission! My first area is Oak Harbor, on Whidbey Island!! I'm spoiled! My companion and I live a block away from the beach, where we go for a run every morning. We had to cross this huge bridge called Deception Pass to get to the island!

My companion is Sister Turley from Mesa, Arizona. She has been out a grand total of...6 weeks! :) She is a little bit quiet at first, but not in a shy kind of way. She is one of those people that you just respect immediately because you can see the depth to her spirit, especially when she smiles and you look in her eyes. She has been through some hard things. Her mom died suddenly about 4 years ago, just 9 days after she found out that she had cancer. Sister Turley has a testimony of the Savior, and you can feel it when she teaches.

I haven't even been here for a week yet, but already the best thing about being here is the the people. There really is something special about being on a mission that allows you to be given this gift to feel so much love for people. Absolutely everyone I meet I feel so much love for! It's been weird to me that even when I have run into people who are rude or want nothing to do with us, it really hasn't offended me. You feel sorry that they aren't ready to hear your message, but then you put a smile on and move on.

Probably my favorite is when you knock on a door and someone comes to look through the glass. We wave at them, then they look at our nametags and we smile at them, then their eyes get really big, and they just walk away and even though we've seen them they don't bother opening the door! What can I say, I'm a pretty intimidating person. I guess I can't blame them either...after all, if they're not careful I might tell them that God loves them and that I love them... :)

There's no way I'll have time to write about everyone that I have met, but I'll try to tell you about a few of them.

Sandra and Alex Smith- Sandra and her 15 year old son Alex are on date for baptism on May 22nd! Sandra is the very definition of golden. She is so solid!!! Sister Turley and her last companion Sister Cromar found Sandra. When they went up to meet her she said, "I'm so glad to see you two! I've been thinking, and I've decided that it's time." Everything we teach Sandra and Alex they just soak up- when we go to teach she tells us that she not only read what we asked her to, but she actually has been reading for hours and hours every day because she can't get enough of it. Sandra and Alex came to church yesterday, and Sandra wept all throughout the sacrament and during Gospel Doctrine class when Sister Turley and I taught about baptism. Sandra's brother has been a member for about 40 years, and he will be flying here to perform the baptism. How cool is that!?

Bennett Harris- I've been thinking and praying nonstop about Bennett ever since we met him. He is another investigator that I can feel has been prepared! We met him tracting on my first day here. He is an African American man who I would guess is in his mid-50's. We had a great conversation there on the doorstep, where he asked some incredible questions about the origins of good and evil, and why God doesn't talk directly to his children. (Golden, right!?) We gave him a Book of Mormon and set up a return appointment. Our first lesson with him was without a doubt guided by the spirit. His questions are outstanding, and while I was teaching I thought of new ways to express truths of the gospel that I had never thought of before. Bennett says he's been studying the Bible for years, and he's been thinking about these questions for as long as he can remember, but He can't quite understand them. It was cool to hear Bennett explain his questions, and answer his own questions using gospel principles without even realizing it! Bennett is intrigued with the restoration, as well as the concept of pre-Earth life, and wants us to come back. Problem is, the next time He is available for us to meet is not for another 3 weeks. That's plenty of time for the Lord to perform miracles in his life, but it's also time for Satan to work really hard on him. Keep him in your prayers!!

Michelle Lachman- A few days ago Sister Turley and I hadn't found anyone to teach all day, so we stopped and said a prayer. I told Heavenly Father that I knew that there was one person that He needed us to find that night, and please would He help us to find just one person. We went to a trailer part to knock on the door of a former investigator, but she wasn't home. Her neighbor had kids toys scattered throughout their yard, so I suggested that we try there. Michelle answered, and she was super friendly, but said that she wasn't interested at that time in hearing more about eternal families. I felt like I should keep talking to her, so I asked her more questions, and we found out that she is moving next month. My mouth just about fell open when she told us that she is moving to Colorado... Pueblo, Colorado. She is a single mom taking care of two young kids, working as an LPN and she is going back to school to get her RN. I was so excited, I told her about this great hospital I knew of that was usually hiring, and how I knew one of the women who could help with employment there because of the STEP program I did there... turns out, Michelle had just barely finished applying for a position at Parkview Medical Center! I told her that I had family in Pueblo and in a town very close by that I would love to help her contact the woman at the hospital, as well as help her move in next month when she comes to Pueblo.

Anyway, I'm just about out of time. My letters definitely won't be this long most of the time, but this time I just had so many exciting things to say! It gets a little bit lonely during the middle of the week, so I would love to get letters from all of you... :)

Love you all!

love, Sister Slade

MTC District Pictures

MTC

 I wasn't expecting to have a P-Day for a while, but turns out that P-Days for our district are on Fridays!

I am absolutely loving it here at the MTC! From the moment that I first got off the plane in Salt Lake this has been an incredible experience! It looked like missionaries had taken over the Salt Lake Airport. There were large groups of up to 30 missionaries in different parts of the airport, all heading off in masses to their different assigned areas. I ate shish kabobs and cheesecake with Jeanna and Tammy and their kids, then they dropped me off at the MTC. The initial drop-off was a lot less scary than I was expecting. There were missionaries there to help you with your luggage and show you where to go to get your name badge, meet you companion, etc... May 22nd was a significant report date for the MTC, because it was one of the few times in history that there have been more sister missionaries than elders reporting! The MTC was originally built with the expectation that there would never be more than 7% sister missionaries. Right now the MTC status is 45% sister missionaries. My companion and I sat with a senior missionary here at the MTC for lunch yesterday, and she was telling us that it used to be that when you walked into the MTC it just looked like a bunch of penguins walking around- there's quite a bit more color now that there are sisters. We met our branch presidency last night and they told us that the entire feel of the MTC has changed- there's more laughter, more smiles, just a completely new energy that the church leadership is amazed at! Something else they told us that really surprised me is that the MTC really isn't that crowded right now. They called us the "calm before the storm." There are 2500 missionaries here right now. By the end of the month there will be about 4000, and the number of missionaries will reach 7000 by the beginning of July!!! What an exciting time to live in!!!!!

My companion is Sister Cunningham. She is quirky, sweet, and has a way cute accent since she is from Alabama! I'm getting along well with her, especially since we're still getting to know each other and we're constantly together. One thing I'm realizing is that even if some of these people I'm with aren't people that I normally wouldn't be best friends with or connect with right off the bat, when you're learning the gospel with them and you have the same purpose, that just doesn't really matter. For the time that you are working with them, you just appreciate the things that make them unique and love them anyway. Sister Cunningham and I have our first "teaching appointment" tonight after we get back from the temple. We are teaching a woman named Kristine. She has one five year old daughter and her husband is a member, but he is inactive. The whole family attends a Lutheran church, but they aren't quite feeling "fulfilled" from their church so we are going to pay them a visit. Both Sister Cunningham and I are thinking we will teach Kristine the first lesson, because the lesson has a lot of principles that Kristine will be able to relate to (the gospel blesses families, she already believes in God and the Savior, etc...) but we also want to try to emphasize the restoration and the Book of Mormon in this first lesson. We are going to challenge her to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know that it is true.

The MTC is absolutely exhausting! I've gotten very little sleep in the last two days, and every day is a 16-hour day that is absolutely packed with different activities and workshops. It's so worth it though. There is so much power here. There's power in numbers, and there's power in the hearts of so many individuals all being turned toward Christ at the same time. There's power in prayers constantly being offered at every corner, and there's definitely power in hearing hundreds of missionaries sing "Called to Serve." Regardless of there being so many people, every single one of these missionaries matters individually. I love hearing the different reasons of why each missionary decided to serve a mission. There are multiple sister missionaries in our zone that had amazing spiritual experiences the night before the age change happened. They would have these experiences and be confused because they felt so strongly, without a doubt, that they were intended to go on a mission, but they knew that they weren't old enough. Then the overwhelming age change happened, and here they are! There are a surprising number of elders who are converts, or don't have family in the church, or have part-member families, yet here they are!

Anyways, I wish I could write more. There's just no way to explain everything that has been going on here. A few of the workshops and teaching experiences we have done just can't be put into words either- you just have to be here at the MTC experiencing it to understand. I wish you could come and meet Lawanna and George, and help us try to teach them. You would feel so much love for them if you were here!

I guess that’s about all for now. I can't wait to hear from you next Friday!

Love, love, love, Sister Slade