Dear Family and Friends, I am pretty sure I am serving in Seattle Washington. It hasn't stopped raining for 10 days....and of course it just so happened to be the week after I sent all my warm clothes home! Haha. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger right? I am just so grateful for a warm car. #tendermercies. Since we are missionaries, and are life doesn't get exciting very often, we played a lot in the rain on our way to a from appointments. It made the week a lot more enjoyable! Grateful for the
blessings.
It was good week! Just a lot of routine missionary work. We contacted, and taught, and visited the whole week. And we got a new investigator!!! It is a part-member family, and so we are going to start teaching the wife this week, so that was pretty exciting. The bad news of the week....Corey moved! Across the river and to another ward that we don't cover. It was really sad! You never realize how attached you get to these people until they are gone. But he will still get baptized, and that is what matters! We got to help them move and it was a great experience. I love being able to serve people even if it means getting drenched in the rain and moving heavy couches! It is all the Lord's work and he wants us to reach out to his children no matter what!
We also got to do more service and help some members pull weeds in a lightning storm. It was a blast! And I realized that yardwork/cleaning is actually a stress reliever for me. Who knew??? #OCDmaybe? haha. I was just excited that I got to wear pants for a few hours. Kinda tired of skirts. But it was wonderful. Rupert has grown on me and I love the people here.
I got to speak in one of our wards this last Sunday. It went well I think! I got up there, and I didn't even look once at the talk I had prepared. The spirit told me to say something totally different. The talk I had prepared was all about the simple ways members could be missionaries, but the spirit directed me to speak about being genuine, building a relationship with our Savior and reaching out to people as Christ would, no matter who they are. Sometimes we as members think we are better than everyone else because we have more money, or we aren't making stupid choices, or whatever the case may be. But we need to stop judging others and putting on this facade that we are perfect and better than other people. I hate the fact that so many people we work with have fallen away because someone was judgmental and didn't give them a chance. Of course, that is their choice to let it offend them, but we could do better and being a friend and not being fake to people. Hopefully I wasn't too bold! I know I am guilty of this very thing, but my mission has changed that. I have learned to see everyone as a child of God and that everyone matters to him. And I feel really strongly about it! I am grateful for opportunities to speak because my testimony is always strengthened.
I wish I had some really awesome stories for you guys! But for now, we are just wrapped up in the work of the Lord and trying to do what he would have us do. I love my mission and everything about it. It is HARD, I won't sugar-coat it. But it is the most fulfilling thing I have ever done and the greatest happiness I have ever experienced. Every time I get excited about going home, I just remember that this is God's precious and sacred work, and I will never have a time in my life again where I will be completely immersed in it. It is nice to focus on the gospel and other people instead of bills, school, and life. Things are good and I am happy! Thanks for all the love and support! Miss you all. Have a wonderful week. Hurrah for Israel! Love, Sister Bigelow
Another transfer come and gone. 12 more weeks to go! I think time is on hyper speed haha. I have a new companion, Sister Borjas! She is from Kansas and is really fun. Our interests are really different, so I am learning a lot from her. That is my favorite part about companions, is how much you get to learn and love. :) She is great and we have been having a good time so far! She goes home in 5 weeks so I will only get her for 1 transfer! Sad day. I always love transfer time though because it is a time to turn over a new leaf and to recommit myself to work even harder and to be even better!
We had a great week! Really hard to see Sister Kentner go. We got so close and I loved her so much! I might have cried when she left me haha. But things are still wonderful. We are busy and life is good! Brother Cantu got baptized this last weekend and it was amazing! Best part is, the Robinson's are related to him, so I got to see and catch up with my favorite mission family! It was the best. I love seeing people come into the fold and embrace it. I love the faith that these converts have! It is truly an amazing work.
Corey and Zach are still progressing really well! Zach came to church this week and even volunteered to give the prayer in Sunday school! I love that kid! His desire to learn about and follow Christ in incredible and such an example to me. We haven't got any new investigators this week, but we are still searching! I have really enjoyed just getting to know the wards better and helping them to see the blessings of missionary work. Everyone is like, "You're still here???" Haha. Hopefully that's a good thing! They are so happy that I am still here that they even assigned me to speak next week in sacrament meeting! Haha. Good times.
I love Rupert and I am happy that I am still here. I love the people and didn't realize how attached I was to them. Our favorite Sister Faux"s daughter came home from her mission in Africa this week. Her homecoming talk was AMAZING! And it makes me so grateful to be in Idaho. No electricity or any of the modern conveniences we have. We are so blessed to live in America. I am so thankful that on my mission, we get to focus a ton of the people instead of adjusting to a whole new lifestyle or language! She talked a lot about the Atonement, and how she saw that work miracles in the people in Africa who had absolutely nothing. It made me more thankful and made me not want to complain ever again! She talked about if we have seen the power of Christ's Atonement in our lives, then why the heck wouldn't we shout it from the rooftops? Good point! His love is so powerful and the world needs to know!
It was a good week! It rained all week which I guess is good because we need it. I have been praying that some of it would be sent to California:) I am so thankful for the spirits guidance and Heavenly Father's hand in my life. He is always there if we will just seek and ask! Thanks for all the love and support! Have a wonderful week. I love you all! Love, Sister Bigelow
Seriously one of the best weeks ever! We were so busy and great things are happening and the sun is out. I am one happy missionary! Oh and transfer news: so I am staying in Rupert and will be joined by Sister Borjas! The Sister Training Leader Area will be moved to Burley, so Sister Kentner is headed to Burley to be a sister training leader with Sister Pohahau. I am super excited, I love Rupert and I am excited to keep working here!
Monday-P-day! Me and Sister Kentner have been ant-social and have just been chilling on p-days haha. We are so worn out by Monday! We just like to get our stuff done and then chill in the sun and write letters. It's the life. We had an appointment with our investigator Zach and he is getting baptized in June! So amazing. We met with the M's, they are trying to quit smoking, so we made a little health plan with diet and exercise and things they could do to help with the smoking. It was a really awesome lesson. Tried gluten-free pizza for the first time today. Not bad!
Tuesday-Our last District meeting of the transfer! Our district is so goofy haha, but I love them! We helped the Faux's plant trees and landscape their backyard and it was fun! I realized that I love doing yardwork at other people's houses haha. But it is always a nice change to wear some pants and get my hands dirty :) We had a day full of appointments with less-actives and some potential investigators! The work is so good here. So many people to teach now! I feel very blessed and I know the Lord is looking out. We also found an abandoned pony so we tried to help it! #idahoprobs
Wednesday-Exchanges with Sister Pinones in Oakley. I love Oakley so much! We had a blast. We did lots of service and walking around talking to people. I got to see one of my converts and some members that I got close to. It was wonderful. Sister Pinones is so awesome and it turns out we are twins in our interests and hobbies. She goes home this week, crazy!
Thursday-Planning day! It was a long one, but it was good to get organized for the week for all our people. Even though I would rather be out talking to people instead of planning, I realized how important it is. The Lord has given me this little part of his vineyard and I need to do all I can to help the people here, and weekly planning really does help us to meet our people's needs. It is amazing what the Lord can work through us as we are prepared. We had a full night of teaching investigators! It was the best! We are teaching someone who has been going to the other ward, but lives in our ward boundaries. His name is Brother Cantu and he gets baptized this week and the Elders who were teaching him barely transitioned him over to us, so that will be exciting. We also got to teach Zach again and Corey. They are doing awesome and are really close to baptism! Miracles are happening.
Friday-Another super busy jam-packed day and I loved every minute of it. We sawed some wood in the morning! I feel very accomplished haha. Then we had appointments the rest of the day! I love days where we are just teaching and teaching and sharing the gospel. There was a huge rain/thunderstorm and we got caught in it as we were walking to our appointment, so we had some fun and played in it for a minute. Except then, we were soaked haha. Worth it! I realized that you have to enjoy the little moments like that in life or else you will just be miserable. Life is all about learning to dance in the rain:)
Saturday-Get stuff done day! We correlated with our ward mission leaders and bishops which was good. We went and visited some members that we needed to follow-up with for the rest of the day. Our members are wonderful. Super spoiled here in Idaho!
Sunday-Happy Mother's day! Skyping with y'all was the best! I loved seeing your faces and hearing your voices. It was the highlight of my day. The rest of the day was spent at church! There were some really awesome talks that the Elder's quorum presidency gave about mothers. It makes me excited because I know how important and sacred the calling of mother is. Before it really scared me a lot, but I know that it is God's plan and if I am following him and his will I will be lead a guided as a wife and a mother. Learning lots of really great things on my mission!
So life is just dandy. Loving every minute of it. I am so grateful for the Gospel and the chance to share it. We are so lucky! Thanks for all the love and support. Don't forget to smile! Love you all. Love, Sister Bigelow
It has been a wonderful week! I feel better, the sun is out, and we got 4 new investigators!!! I am so grateful for the Lord's hand and to know that he is guiding this work. Definitely feeling blessed.
This week we had MLC (missionary leadership council). Our mission focus for this month is based on the talk from conference about hearing the music and not just learning the dance steps. The goal is to change our behaviors that limit our progression, and to experience the true change of heart. It was an amazing training and it is always nice to have a refresher of what I could be doing better. It is amazing that the Lord will help us change our hearts if we desire it. So grateful for repentance and the Atonement. Change is good!
I had exchanges this week with Sister Blake. She is a brand new missionary from St. George Utah. She is awesome and we had a fun exchange! All of our appointments fell through, but we were able to contact some people and have a good day walking and soaking up the sun. I love being around new missionaries because they have the fire! It is so easy to lose that the longer you are on your mission, and I am grateful for the wonderful examples around me that remind me to keep going and to be excited about the work!
Corey is doing amazing. He is awesome and attends church on the road wherever he is. He is progressing and really close to baptism! Our new investigator Zach is amazing too. He is 15 and struggles with some physical disabilities, but his desire to be baptized and to follow Christ is amazing and an inspiration to me. He is totally prepared to hear the gospel! He is amazing, and I hope his family will follow :) We have been blessed so much this week with more people to teach. Literally just fell into our laps, and I know the Lord is blessing us for our diligence. I love this work so much! There is no greater joy than to be in the service of God and His children.
I think that's it for this week! Just working hard and having fun. Sister Kentner is amazing and we spend most of our time laughing. I am grateful for my Savior and to have to opportunity to rely on Him while I do his work. Life is good! I love you all. Thank you for the love and support. Have a wonderful week! Love, Sister Bigelow
