Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Happy late Memorial Day weekend! I hope you all had a fabulous time enjoying the nice weather,I know I sure did.  Sorry that this letter is a little late, all the libraries were closed yesterday, and sadly this letter is gonna have to be a short one because we only have half the time to email and I already spent half the time trying to read everyone's emails. If I didn't respond to you this week I am sorry, I promise to next week.

    The last week was a really good week for my companion and I lesson wise.  We finally hit 20 lessons this week which is the standard of excellence(only 20% mission is suppose to hit that mark each week).  This is the first time I have hit since all the changes and clarifications on the lessons.  We were both super excited to have met that. 

    To be honest this week was a blur to me.  We went on exchanges with some sisters this week which went pretty well, we also went to lunch with another set of sisters that we are over that were struggling.  To be honest this is the one thing that I love about being over sisters, is that they feel like they can trust me and I am able to help them out or give them advice when they need it.  As much as a strain it takes to go on exchanges I love being able to meet so many different sisters and learn things from them. 

   Things have been going really well with me becoming bold, we have done a little bit of tracking each day but not too much. I have gotten a lot better this week just opening my mouth and being bold with everyone even members and less actives.  Its really been great, and its like how Nathan explained it to me, I feel totally different as a missionary.  I was always nervous to not "upset" people but it hit me a few weeks ago that I am here to cry repentance and was reading in the Book of Mormon that the words that I am here to give are not suppose to be smooth, that it is going to upset some people but that is just the way it is.  I really try this last night with the Wilson's. They are the family that we are working with where the wife is a member and he is not. My companion and I were just bold with him talking about the blessings that he could bring to the family.  There has been a lot of concerns that they both have that we have been trying to over come. The wife made a comment that was so directed by the spirit that hit him.  We had a good conversation about his desire and acting on that and we asked him if he sees himself getting baptized in the near future or down the road.  He said near future so when we asked him when he said sometime in June, we told him to pick a  day this week and really pray to know how we can help him to be ready and he said he would. So we are super excited about that.

   Well I am out of time, I am so sorry, i would love to write a longer email but I am trying to be as obedient as I can so I am respecting my Mission Presidents wishes on our shorter emailing time.  I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week. I know I will because I will be going back to my old area for a baptism. I will have to tell you about it next week! Keep being awesome.

Love

Sister Metcalf

Monday May 19, 2014

Does anyone know how to slow down time?‏

I can't believe that it is already Monday again, i feel like these weeks have just been flying by here.  This week was a busy one for us and a pretty successful one as well.  This week we met with our golden investigator, Elvira.  She is seriously so awesome! We taught her the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation, it was great! The spirit was there so strong and she accepted everything that we had to tell her.  We extended the baptismal date of June 21st which she accepted.  When we met with her again yesterday we asked her about that date and she feels so right about it and she prayed about it.  She talked about the feelings she gets as we teach her and when she prays and we explained how it is the spirit.  I am just so excited for her!  The lesson on the Plan of Salvation was so amazing.  She lost her husband a year ago and she hopes to be with him again.  At the end of the lesson I just bore a simple testimony to her about how she can be together with her family forever through the gospel.  We both started to cry, i can not explain the feelings I have for her.  All the pain, hard-work, and tears are worth it for this one person that I have been able to teach in this area.  I can see how much it has already changed her life and how much more blessed she will be.

   This week my companion and I also did some training at Zone Conference.  We were a little nervous the morning of because the night before we kind of switched up our game plan and were a little unsure about everything.  But overall it went so well and our Mission President was so appreciative of what we talked about he said it was what the missionaries needed to hear and set the tone for the rest of the conference as well as lead in perfectly to what he talked about.  Sister Hatch and I talked about our purpose and I started out with talking about the reason why we all decided to come out on missions and borrowed someones call letter to read.  We talked about what we committed to when we accepted the call as well as the blessings that are promised to us.  We then went through faith, repentance, baptism, holy Ghost, and enduring to the end to us as missionaries and how that applies with us.  We talked about how we are hear to invite others to come unto Christ, which means we first have to be there.  We ended with a video clip of elder Hollands about Missionary Work and the Atonement.  It was so good and talked about how missionary work is not meant to be easy. Overall the Zone conference was really good.  President and Sister Winder talked to us about the families and the importance of us standing up for our beliefs because of what is happening around the world.  And it just really hit me that we will most likely be the last one standing on our beliefs about the family and marriage.  It is crazy how much everything is changing out there in the real world, I feel like I am stuck in my missionary bubble.

   This week we also had our Stake BBQ and it turned out a lot better than we thought it was going to.  It was pretty much my companion and I that were spear heading it.  Not a huge turn out like I am use to for stake activities but about 175 people came out.  There were a lot of non members as well as some less actives.  Over all I feel like it was a pretty successful event.  As well as at church yesterday we had a couple of less actives that we are working with come out to church, it was so awesome to of seen them.  I feel like the week was really successful for us.  I can not believe that it is already a new transfer.  My companion and I ended up staying together which we were excited about.  (But we have moved apartments so it kind of still feels like transfers to us.  I can't remember what our address is but I promise to send it in my next email so just keep sending my stuff to the mission office and they will forward it to me.)We sat down last night and set some goals for us this next transfer, we are really hoping to see a lot of success.  I also have decided to fully give up my fear to the the Lord and we are gonna do some productive tracking every single day.  We do track but usually not everyday so I have committed to do that.  I know that there are people out there just like Elvira that are in a famine and are thirsting to hear about the gospel.  I loved this week, I felt like our Zone Conference re instilled my drive and desire and made me want to kick everything up a notch.  

   I am glad that everything is going so well with all of you! I love you all and am glad to hear that everything went smoothly for the funerals.  Sorry that this is a short email again. I love you all! I feel so blessed to be out here serving a mission right now. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I have of the Gospel and the opportunity that I have to share it with those around me.  I am so grateful for family and the love and support that I receive from all of you!

Love

Sister Metcalf

Monday May 12, 2014

"Every little thing is gonna be alright"‏

Wow, I feel like it has been forever since I have last written you all.  This week was a long one for me and to be honest was probably the toughest week for me since I have been out on my mission.

   This week we had MLC (Missionary Leadership Council), this is where all the leaders in the mission get together to receive training as well as talk about things going on in the mission and changes that need to be made.  It is hard to explain but by the time it came to this meeting I was kind of at my wits end with somethings that my companion and I had to deal with and just stressed.  The meeting was really good, this month our mission is focusing on Christlike attributes.  I encourage all of you to study those in preach my gospel this month as well.  As we we taught, I just sat there and thought "Do I like the Missionary I am right now?"  And honestly I didn't, it is funny how the lord humbles you and shapes you to the potential that he sees in us.  There are so many little things I want to become better at and develop certain characteristics as well.  It hit me how far along in my mission I am and how there is so much I still need to accomplish in this short period of time.  I honestly love meetings like this because they motivate me and instill a desire in me to want to change to be a better missionary and person.  A lot of changes have been happening in our mission, and this time our mission president is changing up our preparation days now.  He feels like we aren't using our preparation day to prepare for the week but we are seeing it as a play day.  It is difficult in our mission since it is the 3rd smallest one in the church.  We have gone from mission wide p-days to zone p-days(20ish missionaries).  But I honestly I felt like that was good.  So every Monday we get together with our zone and last month an area seventy told our mission president that we shouldn't be getting together with our zone every preparation day.  So our mission president decided we can only get together with other missionaries every other week.  It was hard for a lot of missionaries to take that, but it really made me step back and think.  As I listened to the what ifs and the arguments going on, i really thought about what my purpose is being out here.  Yes preparation days are great and they are a way to relieve stress for the week, but were people up set about the change for the mission sake our their own.  My main reason of being out here is to serve the Lord and to invite others to come unto Christ. 

    This lead perfectly into our Zone meeting, my companion and I were asked to train the missionaries on whatever that we felt inspire to from our MLC meeting.  We decided to focus on Our purpose and why we all decided to come out on missions.  It went really well and I felt like the spirit was so strong as we taught.  I love teaching others, wither it be missionaries or others.  I love the preparation time that goes into it because I learned so much more when I am studying for others.  I guess the Lord is really testing me on what I can handle because my Mission President this week asked my companion to train at our Zone conference, (where about 80 missionaries will be there) on Our purpose as missionaries and the Doctrine of Christ.  I am excited, but at the same time am a little stressed out.  I have been praying to know how we can better inspire and help these missionaries that we will be speaking to.  As well as I really do not enjoy public speaking, i am fine with small groups, but when it comes to large groups and speaking in church I do not enjoy that.  I know that everything we be fine, but I really want to help these missionaries out here to live up to their calling and see the potential that they have.

   The rest of the week seemed like a blur to me, we went on exchanges on Wednesday with some sisters that were struggling.  It was nice for me to take off the stress of the week and focus on someone else and to help them out.  I just want to testify that a mission is really the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.  Things were great that day and really looking up for me and we just had a good time on exchanges.  It was about right after that we exchanged back that my mission president called me to give me the news at Grandpa Raiser.  Not going to lie it hit me pretty hard and that night it was pretty hard for me to wrap my mind around what had happened.  I am grateful for how my mission president handle it, he had me talk about my grandpa with him and he told me about how he has lost both his parents since he has been out here serving.  He told me about those personal experiences and we had a good heart to heart.  I talked to me for some time and then asked me if it would be okay for him to call back Nathan to see what happened because he realized that this was a sudden thing and wasn't expected.  Nathan he seriously talked so highly of you and how what a great young man you were, which made me cry a little bit more.  After hearing about everything it made me worry about all of you back at home and how you were all doing.  I was a little upset with Heavenly Father because I felt like it was the worst timing ever with mom having her back surgery.  That night I gave one of the most sincere prayers that I have given in a while on my mission, just bearing out my heart to my Father.  I cannot explain to you the feelings in that room as my companion fell asleep(it was kind of a long one for me).  But at that moment it was reconfirmed that Heavenly Father was aware of me, the spirit was so strong and I felt as if both Grandma and Grandpa were there with me as I prayed just hugging me and comforting me.  It was something I have never really experienced before.  After I finished up my pray I really came to terms with things and felt peace in my heart.  I feel like that really prepared me as well for President calling me again Friday night about Grandma Metcalf.  To be honest I was in shock when he told me and it didn't feel to me.  Right now though I am at peace with everything and are moving forward with the work.

   I pray for all of you, it was so good to talk to Mom yesterday as well as with Dad and Megan.  Know that I seriously and doing okay now.  I wish I could be there for the funeral, but I know there is no other place that I am suppose to be then out here.  I love you all! Stay strong, know that you will see them again.  Find peace in prayer, the atonement and the love that the Savior and our Heavenly Father has for each and everyone of you!

  By the way transfers are next week and I may be moving to a different apartment so send all mail to the mission office until you hear from me next Monday.  I love you all so much and am proud of you! Sorry for the short email, i just ran out of time. Did I mention I love you all?!

Love

Sister Metcalf

Monday May 5, 2014

This is not something we do,but become‏

Table rock

Random poster for a ginger fest hahaha 

This might have to be a short one this week, i spent a little more time this week responding to peoples emails individually.  This week has been a pretty good week for us, well we started off strong in the beginning of the week and started to die towards the end, and a little of that had to do with Stake Conference this weekend as well.  We finally got to meet with Elvira who is one of our golden referrals that we received a while back.  We had a really good lesson with her and gave her a Book of Mormon in her native language, she was so excited to begin to read it.  It has been really hard for us to meet with her because her life is so crazy and hectic and she works so much since she is a single mom to two kids.  Her children are just awesome and such good kids, we actually picked up her children this week as new investigators.  She is really trying to look for something religious and something that will bless and help her children as well. I see such great things for her in the future, now if the adversary could just stop getting in the way that would be perfect. But I guess that we don't live in a perfect world.

    We saw the Wilson's this week as well, Sister Hatch and I have been able to be really bold with him which has been great.  I feel like we have a good relationship with him, but are helping him see the blessings the gospel can bring into his life.  We are actually going to teach him the Restoration tonight, he has been visiting with missionaries for so long, but they haven't taught him anything really besides sharing scriptures for at least over a year.   We are anxious to see what will happen tonight, he likes to joke around a lot, so my companion and I have decided that we need it to be serious. And if he is joking about it that we are just gonna stop and explain to him how the things that we are teaching him are important to us and can change his life if he lets the spirit touch his heart.  I feel like he is progressing well though, we just need him to commit and strengthen his testimony.

   We also got to see one of our investigators Kent this week, he is one that the sisters were teaching a while ago, but he hasn't been taught a lesson in almost 4 months.  We usually see him outside and talk with him and his wife about things and they say they are gonna come to church but then it never happens.  So this last time we were straight up with him and sked what he wants from us and if he is serious about learning more or if he has that desire to learn more.  He kind of stopped and thought for a second, and he said that he truly does and he really has been slacking these last few months and been letting little things get in the way.  On the positive side he says he now has Sundays off work(he has been working crazy hours lately),which is just awesome.  He said how he is gonna start making church a priority and we are going to start teaching him again next Sunday as well. 

    So this week we met again with one of our investigators Ann, she is seriously so amazing! I love her, she is just so hard on herself and feels like she won't be able to live up to the "standards" of the other women in the church.  She thinks they are all so perfect, we had a nice long talk with her.  I feel like this was my week of being bold with everyone.  I kind of laid down the law with her and shared the scripture in Alma 34:32-34 about not procrastinating the day of her repentance.  That really hit her hard, she actually in that moment called the Stake Executive Secretary to set up an appointment to meet with the Stake President.  I really have grown a deeper love for her.  She expressed to me how I really push her, and it is hard, but she says this is what she needs and she is so grateful that I am her missionary right now in her life.  I expressed to her how much I love her and I push her because I know the blessings that she can receive from entering back into the gospel.  She has low self-esteem which is tough but she knows that we can talk to her all we want and build her up, but she needs to see in within herself first.  I told her how I want her to feel worthy when she enters in the waters of baptism, that when the Stake President says that she is ready that she should see him as a representative of the Lord. As if the Lord was there telling her that she is worthy and ready.  It seriously was such a powerful meeting a lesson with her.  This is the first time that she has really opened up to us and expressed what is holding her back.

   Looking back on this week I feel like there have been so many tender mercies from the Lord, we have been able to visit some less active members in the ward that we haven't met before.  Things have been really progressing, slowly, but it is happening.  I am just staying positive on everything.  I set a goal this week to remain positive and I feel like I have been tested on that, with possibly one of our investigators just up and moving somewhere else, running into anti people as well as not having gas yesterday so we had to walk around a bit.  Okay I know we should of been smarter about the gas thing, but I saw it as a blessing because we got to talk to so many people on the street.  Not much came from it, but we did receive coupons from a lady.

    Stake Conference this week was so good, Elder Bats came and spoke and he is seriously so great! HE was so funny and at the same time had some really good things to say. A lot of good one liners. One that I want to pass off to you all is to "Get the missionaries off the streets" hahaha but seriously members need to give missionaries referrals for their friends to see.  God is trusting us that we will take care of his children.  This work is really not that complicated.  We just are to express love to others.  When we love our brothers and sisters, that is what changes lives and we need to continually invite, they have their agency to choose what they may.  Their are members of the church that have fallen away that are just wanting to feel apart of something.  Missionary work is not something that we do, but what we become.  Know that there is no such thing as "no" in hastening the work, when others say they are not interested, they are just saying they need a little more time.  I really like that idea and it is so true when you think about it.  We need to be a light in the world, but that desire to share the gospel has to come from within.  We need to do the little things to strengthen our testimonies, not just church, pray ,and read the scriptures, but bear your testimony.  Say to yourself everyday so you never forget it.  Tell your children, grandchildren, spouses, friends, whoever so often so that they know that you have a testimony of the gospel.  You can't just bottle it up and expect people to know that you have a testimony.  It doesn't have to be done at church.  John 14:18, look it up.  I know there are a lot of random thoughts in here, but this is some of the things that I pulled away from the seventy(Elder Bats) that came.  He made me want to be more bold and just track every house, I am gonna try to be a little more witty at the door when people respond to us. For example if some says they aren't a member, i want to respond "your not? well you seem like such a great guy that you would be a member? Do you want to learn more?"  It is kind of hard to express what I am thinking right now, but overall I just loved it.

   I want you all to know that I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the fullness of the Christ gospel on the earth today.  There is no doubt in my mind that Joseph Smith saw our Heavenly Father and our Savior.  I know that we have a prophet today to lead and guild us, just like prophets of old.  God still loves us, so why wouldn't he still have prophets on the earth.  I know that the message that us missionaries have to share can bless the life of everyone.  I am so grateful for this opportunity that can see the happiness that it can bring into peoples lives and see them change their life around!  There is no other thing nor no other place I rather be then out her sharing the gospel to others. I Promise you that if you kneel down in faith and pray to our Father in heaven to have a missionary experience he will give it to you!

   I love you all and miss you!!! Thank you for all your love and support.

Love

Sister Metcalf

 Random swarm of bees,seriously so gross and like an inch think of bees piled on each other 

      

 Breakfast on the porch

Boise State, got to represent I guess