My week has been fantastic! It went actually really fast!!! I felt so loved here right away! My teachers are amazing! There names are Bro. Crosby and Sis. Spence. One of my favorite things here is to teach our teacher like an investigator. My companion and I (Sis. Cortello) teach Bro. Crosby. But, Bro. Crosby is actually George, who Bro. Crosby taught on his mission! Bro. Crosby changes his shirt and whole personality when we teach him! He talks in a southern accent and when we first taught him, he was really depressed. It was quite a shock at first when 10 min ago we saw the bubbly Bro. Crosby.
When
we teach George, it is like a spiritual high! I know the church is true
because it makes me feel so good to teach others about the gospel. My
favorite thing to teach is that God is our Loving Father who will help
us in our trials. An important thing I learn is to always remember that
as long as I prepare as much as I can, there is no reason to doubt
yourself. ALSO never ever think that the Holy Ghost can not direct your
thoughts. Sis. Cortello and I thought this about the Restoration. We literally studied and practiced teaching this ALL DAY and we were still
nervous!! It ended being our best lesson ever. The lesson wasn't in
order how it was directed in Preach My Gospel, but it didn't matter. We moved one
topic to the next in the 1st lesson. Sis. Cortello even extended the
invitation to George to get baptized!!!! But he said no, but I
respected his answer. He wanted to make sure that this was the right
church 1st before he accepts to be baptized. But, yesterday on our 4th
lesson he said yes to get baptized!!!!!
Ok a little about our district!
I
am the only sister out of the 4 of us to be going Washington DC. And
there is a set of elders (Elder Tuffly and DeMill) going to DC. The
other 3 sis. and the other set of elders are going to San Deigo. It is
sad and interesting we are going on complete opposite sides of the
country!
My
Companion is Sister Cortello. She is from SLC. I love her spirit about
her. It was been amazing to watch her ability to teach when she first
thought that was wasn't a good teacher. I never for once thought that
she struggled! I love our honesty between us. When i get frustrated in
the way we evaluate things, I tell her. Then we come up with a way that
is positive and constructive instead of saying while that sucked!
Sister
Carolsen and Whitcomb is the other sisters in our district. Sis.
Carolsen is from Provo and Sister Witcomb is from Mass. I love seeing
this companionship together. It reminds me of Michelle and I. They
are.....um close! haha. Sister Carolsen while just make these goofy
faces to Sister Whitcomb and all of us. We just can't help but laugh!
Sister Carolsen the other night scared us with her famous creepy
grandma voice. I was kneeling down for my night prayer then I hear,
'HEELLLOOOO!" She then starts rumbling off. We were all dying!!!! She
then precedes to keep scaring Sister Whitcomb with staring at her while
she is trying to sleep! hahaha. in all seriousness, I admire their
companionship. They seem to know when to laugh and when to really get
down and work! BTW all the girls are 19!!!
Elder
Tuffly and DeMill- Elder Tuffly is from good ol Midway! It was fun to
say I know where that is! He explains Midway to be Hidden Valley Ranch
and I agree! Elder DeMill used to live in West Jordan, but his family recently moved to Michigan. Elder Tuffly's in-laws know our Mission President in DC. So it will be really fun to see them be together when we get there when they make the connection with each other. What really fun is that Elder Tuffly went through boot camp before he turned his papers in, so he has that military connection with my Mission President too! He has so much information about things. You can learn a lot from him! The most fun thing he has done was mimicking Mufasa's voice (Simba's dad from the Lion King) It was so cool!!!!
Elder Archambault (pronounced Are- Sham- Bo, like the athlete I think...haha) and Elder Bryant (like Kobe, funny fact he never heard of his name before!)- These elders are so fun! Elder Archambault is from Minnesota. He such a quite and spiritual guy. He reminds me a lot like Jarom Gerber. He is really nice and give you words of encouragement when you feel down on yourself. Elder Bryant seemed really nervous the first day! It has been fun to see his persona change through the days. It is awesome to hear his insights on things. He is definitely a thinker. The funniest memory so far of Elder Bryant and Elder Truffly is when we were suppose to be studying. All the Elders went out of the room to see the fountain of inspiration (The water fountain). It was all quite..... then we see these two elder laughing as they are sliding in on their new found desk from the computer lab. We had some good laughs!
People I have seen: Sean Whitnah on the first day! He was in the book store. Sister Skankey multiple times!! A girl from institute and she is going to Korea! Brother Eggett because he was directing the MTC choir. It was really nice because I was sitting in the second row. I was hoping that he would noticed me. in the middle of rehearsal while were singing. I looked up and he was saying "Hi sister" with his hand stretched out to shake my hand. It was so great! The opening prayer was given by someone who was a convert and the closing prayer was his friend who baptized him!
An important thing I always want to remember is to not for get about the children They are listening and they can feel their spirit. Sister May, wife of 1st councilor in our branch presidency, taught us this time and time again. She was 7 when her dad was being taught. Her dad refused 3x to be baptized because he wanted his daughter to know for herself.
Lots to say, but got to go:(
Love you all!!! Next time I''ll be in DC!!!!
Sister Parker
Elder Archambault (pronounced Are- Sham- Bo, like the athlete I think...haha) and Elder Bryant (like Kobe, funny fact he never heard of his name before!)- These elders are so fun! Elder Archambault is from Minnesota. He such a quite and spiritual guy. He reminds me a lot like Jarom Gerber. He is really nice and give you words of encouragement when you feel down on yourself. Elder Bryant seemed really nervous the first day! It has been fun to see his persona change through the days. It is awesome to hear his insights on things. He is definitely a thinker. The funniest memory so far of Elder Bryant and Elder Truffly is when we were suppose to be studying. All the Elders went out of the room to see the fountain of inspiration (The water fountain). It was all quite..... then we see these two elder laughing as they are sliding in on their new found desk from the computer lab. We had some good laughs!
People I have seen: Sean Whitnah on the first day! He was in the book store. Sister Skankey multiple times!! A girl from institute and she is going to Korea! Brother Eggett because he was directing the MTC choir. It was really nice because I was sitting in the second row. I was hoping that he would noticed me. in the middle of rehearsal while were singing. I looked up and he was saying "Hi sister" with his hand stretched out to shake my hand. It was so great! The opening prayer was given by someone who was a convert and the closing prayer was his friend who baptized him!
An important thing I always want to remember is to not for get about the children They are listening and they can feel their spirit. Sister May, wife of 1st councilor in our branch presidency, taught us this time and time again. She was 7 when her dad was being taught. Her dad refused 3x to be baptized because he wanted his daughter to know for herself.
Lots to say, but got to go:(
Love you all!!! Next time I''ll be in DC!!!!
Sister Parker
