Monday, June 25, 2012

New Adventures



What a week.
We had a special new missionary training which I was really nervous about but it ended up being so great! Friday morning I woke up smelling smoke, I felt like I was back home. The fire was pretty far away from us but the wind was so strong it pulled all the smoke into the valley. We didn't get any ash but we did have the smokey smell and orange sky for a day. It brought back strange memories and it was weird to not really be worried, like I would've at home.
Saturday evening I did an exchange with a sister in the ward while Sister Stander went to an old area for a baptism. I was scared to death and was really struggling hard through the day. The time finally came and it was amazing she was so sweet and caring and gave me an encouragement I've been needing. I have to be myself while I'm out there, and I've been giving myself too little credit that myself is okay. After that exchange we had another exchange with the Coordinating sister. I was going up to Sandy to her area for the night and whole Sunday and she was to stay here with Sister Stander. The other sister isn't certified to drive yet, So I got to drive a car! It was so nice!  The area of Sandy they are in is beautiful! Open spaces, hilly, closer to the mountains, suburban areas on winding roads all that good stuff. It totally reminded me of home, and getting to drive was such a treat!  It was the perfect refresh that I needed. I also brought no expectations with me so my fears didn't seem to follow me as badly and I was able to see how much I've grown and was finally able to see that I will continue to grow as long as I keep having faith and trusting in my heavenly father. I can do this, slowly but surely I will continue to grow. You too, in all that you're doing, keep positive thoughts and heavenly father can help you through anything. :)  Transfers this week, that's when I will know for sure if I'll be in the South or Central mission. Exciting changes are coming up I have no idea what to expect.
I love you all so much!
Keep smiling.
-Sister Young



Monday, June 18, 2012

Lots of Meetings and a Big Hole in the Ground

Sisters Stander and Young by the HUGE tire at the copper mine.




 Haha Oh fun times with computers. It won't let me attach anymore
 pictures. Reminds me of home. hehe

 I hope everyone had a great Fathers day. I could feel everyones
 missing me yesterday, it was hard day. But I made it through. :)

 The copper mine was really fun. It was fun to go see a bit of Utah and
 that hole was crazy, they had a little visitors center too with lots
 of fun history. :)

 This week was full of meetings. Sisters Training, Mission Conference
 with Elder Ballard, (I said the opening prayer. Yes I was nervous
 haha), we also were invited to the Stakes Priesthood Leadership
 meeting because it was on missionary work, and my companion was asked
 to bear her testimony. Now we can say we've been to a Priesthood
 Leadership meeting. Never thought I'd be able to say that, it was
 awkward. We were very glad to have the Spanish sisters with us as well.
 haha

 So yes its been a fun exciting week.

 That is sooo awesome about Cody! Tell him a big congrats from me! He's
 going to be a great missionary!!

 And thank you so much to Erin,Tati, Kari and Sister McDonald for your
 letters last week! They brightened my day! And I hope to have a letter
 written back by this week or next week. :)

 Love you and miss you all.
 -Sister Young

President Millers message on the SLC S mission blog is about the Mission Conference with Elder Ballard,  check it out.  Link in top right corner.




Tuesday, June 12, 2012

HIGH HOPES



Thanks so much for all the love and support.
  We had dinner at the Dayes this week, they have two missionaries out and signs around their house that say, "Missionary: Someone who spends time away from their family so others cans spend an eternity with theirs." Or something a long those lines. I really liked it. :)
Today we got to do shopping on our bikes, but its not too bad, we only needed bread and a few other things, so with my basket it worked out great.
We're going to the copper mines today. Its a big huge hole in the ground with tracters that have wheels the size of houses. Whoo! I don't really know what to expect but I'm excited because we're going with a member in our ward and her kids, and its a 45 minute drive away so I am so excited to get to be in a car and see more than the tiny boundaries of our area. :))) hahah
This week was extremely challenging. We were hit with cancellations (every appointment), headaches, stomach aches, and some harsh winds that tried to blow us away.  But did we get down?  No!!!  Because we've got High Hopes!
When I was feeling really down one day Sister Stander found the lyrics to High Hopes in one of President Miller's annoucements from last year, she had never heard the melody so I sang it for her, and it cheered us both up and became our theme for whenever things were hard. We'd sing a line to each other and laugh.
Just imagine us riding by on our bikes hearing....."He's got high apple pie in the sky hopes!~" and "Oops there goes another rubber tree plant!"
:) It helped us a lot.  And we have started to teach someone so please keep us and them in your prayers. This family is a referral we got and knocked on their door the first day we arrived here and just now it's finally all worked together for us to teach them. I'm definitely learning lots about patience and the Lords timing. :)
Love you all so much!
Love,
Sister Young



Monday, June 4, 2012

California Poppies


 Busy but fun week!
 We had zone conference so be sure to look at the mission website for
 pictures. :) (May 31)

I found some California Poppies! That was a highlight on a warm day.
It got really warm the end of this week but we're doing well and I'm
glad to know my sunblock is doing its job well because the sun is very
very hot. :)

At an appointment with a less active this week the TV was playing in
the background when we first arrived. I was bad and peeked at the TV
before it was turned off, but can you imagine what was playing? An
episode of Little House on the Prarie, but not just the that - It was
the same episode that was playing when I visited my Gram before I left
on the mission.
The episode stuck out to me just as much now as it did then. The
mother was about to have a child and she was disparing over how it had
to be a BOY. To the point that she was jealous of others, and just no
one could console her. Her family needed a boy, she was nothing if she
didn't bare her family a boy, it just had to be a boy!! She finally
had the baby and it was a little girl and in that moment all her
worries where gone and she couldn't have been happier.

 I really struggle with worrying about what I think I have to have,
what situations I have to be in to be okay. Forgetting that all the
things that my Heavenly Father has to give me will always be good,
will always bless my life, and will always end up being 10 times
better for me than the things I dreamed about for myself. Some days I
really struggle with why am I here doing this in Utah right now? I
become jealous of others, in other missions or going about their
lives. Some days I really don't understand, but I know that one day I
will understand and I also know that if I just up and give up, I really
will never understand. So I keep moving forward, and something good
always comes of it, even if it only lasts a moment. Just a cool breeze
or spotting a pretty flower or we find someone really nice who wants
to talk to us. I know that that is a blessing and a sign to just keep
moving forward.

I love you all and I know that as you just keep moving forward and
put your faith in your Heavenly Father he will help you through the
hard times and lead you to amazing happy times. :)

"Hold tight to your hearts desires, never ever let them go - Tend
your own fire, lay low and be strong."


 Love,
Sister Young