Week 13: August 23, 2016: Almost done with 1st transfer!

Hey Fam!

Ya! It was good to take the Dennis' around the VC and finally meet them! I had heard of them before but it was good to give them a tour and talk to them! 

I got a letter from the YW this week and it was super sweet! They all did a great job and were so cute! Tell them thank you and that I loved reading them!

We had exchanges from Friday night to Saturday before shift at 3 so it was pretty short but it was crazy! Sister Gonzalez went to North Kansas this time and I stayed here with Sister W. She helped me a bunch and I loved being on exchanges with her. We typically have more English appointments than Spanish here but of course the time that I am here without a Spanish speaking companion is the time that we have all these Spanish speakers trying to talk to us. We had an appointment at 1:30 on Saturday, so we showed up just a little bit before and as we were waiting at the door (which they didn't hear us knocking on for a while) this blue van was sitting at the house next door and 2 people get out of the back seat and break open the window to the house and climb in and were robbing the house. I have gone finding at that house before so I know who lives there and it definitely was not them. So we call the cops and tell them everything. We go into our lesson and we are teaching them when the cops show up and start talking to the people. They were just telling a bunch of lies about everything and the cops just got right back in their cars and left. So frustrating. Then the people robbing the house knew that we had called the cops so they starting yelling at us to come out of
the house and were videoing us through the glass door and were going crazy. Then they jumped in their cars and left. But don't worry I'm safe. And we got through the lesson and it went really well! I gave an entire lesson in Spanish and could speak and understand! (at least I think so...) Sister G got a training call again which means that she is  probably leaving Riverview to train a new Spanish speaking sister so I don't know what is going to happen to me. That's awesome for her though! We finally had a solid comp inventory this week and we are getting along so well! We find out tonight who leaves and who stays but it's after pday is over so it'll be a week before I can let you know what happens.

We had to drop 2 of our top investigators yesterday and while it was super hard, it was also one of the most powerful experiences I have had on my mission.   We have had quite a few lessons with them and they seemed really interested at first but then they seemed like they weren't progressing very much towards baptism. They haven't kept any of their commitments. After explaining to them that faith requires action and that if they want to be baptized they have to act on our invitations, they started getting upset. They finally told us that they just wanted to do fellowshipping and study the word of God together but not be a member of our church, so we bore more testimony with more power than I ever have and I told them that we couldn't keep meeting with them. It was a great bonding experience between Sister G and I and the spirit was so strong. They just weren't ready and we could have spent all our time together with them, trying to teach them, but there are so many other people in our area ready to harvest (D&C 4). The importance of investigators keeping commitments

that will bless us in our harvesting efforts going forward. Eventually they will understand, but for now, we have to move on to other people.

This past week was spirit week at the visitor center so we got a new "mission call" everyday and we would have to wear the colors of their flag that day. Then we would have food from that country brought in to us and it was great. We also had to do a scavenger hunt which was awesome! We finally have started taking more pictures! They are all random and awkward and weird but still! (Photo in a separate post so you'll need to scroll down to Week #13 Photos.)

Thank you so much for everything you
do! I love and miss you all! Thanks for all the pictures this week!

The photo I sent Erin of Jason and Rachel on first day of 2016-2017 school year.

Rachel is looking so grown up and pretty! I love her saltwater sandals... I miss sandals so much. Tell her to email me about how school is going and sports and everything! Tell Jason to do the same

now that he is a senior! Crazy! I look forward to hearing from you all!
Hermana Greenwood

Week #13 Scavenger Hunt and Other Photos

Week 12: August 16 Vodka and Tomatoes

HOLA!

Sounds like you guys have been having a good time with family and friends! That's fun that Allison came down and it was a cute picture that Rachel posted on Instagram! I'm sure Jason and Rachel are not ready to go back to school yet. That's great that Jason got a job! Does he just use the truck to deliver all the food? I have never eaten there. I'm sure it will be a good thing for Jason to have since he isn't doing football or anything right now. When does he take the ACT again? Tell him to study hard because it really does pay off. Has he been using the books that I got when I did my ACT class? 

Glad to see that the US is doing well in the Olympics! I wish I could be watching them because I love the Olympics but oh well, it'll be on again in a few years. Those are cute pictures of Sophie and Halle! I can't believe that Sophie is already 6 months old! I miss all of you so much! And that was a funny story about Jason being able to sew haha not many teenage boys do. 

So today, we were planning on renting bikes and riding around the plaza but we had to spend 4 hours of our p-day doing service so that didn't happen but its okay. We will probably go and do it next week instead. Ya running around the stake center parking lot is pretty terrible but it is better than nothing. I will definitely be running a lot when I get home. I forgot that you and mom signed up for another Ragnar in October! That'll be fun! Who are you doing it with again? The same people as last time? 

The pictures that I sent last time were from a couple different times. The one of us in the car where I am wearing the same shirt that mom has was actually from like the 2nd week that I was here and I just forgot to send it. The other 2 were from like last monday. We had signed in to do Teaching Center (where I teach people through Mormon.org) and it said that I was logged in but had a picture of a random elder instead of my picture. We thought it was pretty funny. Its crazy how quickly missionaries are able to find small things like that so funny. 

This week we had Zone Conference and that was really good! We went on Thursday and it was an all day thing. We started out all together and our mission president and his wife spoke to us and those were both good but they were about driving safely and being obedient to all the rules. Then we had trainings. We were all asked to prepare like a 5 minute talk on a character of christ and then the mission president would randomly call a few people up to give their talk. And, of course, I was the first one called up to share my talk. I don't know if its good or bad luck but every single time we are supposed to prepare a talk before a meeting and they randomly choose people, I am always one of them. It has already happened to me 5 times since I have been on my mission. But, I have been prepared every time so that's good. The rest of Zone Conf was great! We did role plays (which I hate, but hopefully will learn to love soon) and we talked about the Atonement and how it is the single most important event to ever have occurred and how we should always strive to learn more about it. We are starting a new Initiative this week which I am excited about. It is a study on the Atonement from different sections of the Book of Mormon. I will try and send a copy of what we are doing so you can see it. Then the elders and sisters who are going home before December bore their testimonies and that was really great!

On Friday, I had shift and then we had 3 appointments and they all went well! We went to our appointment with B and he had invited a friend over to learn too and so now we are teaching both him and his friend (M). They both came to church on sunday and seemed to really like it, so that's good! It was funny though because they had to keep getting "fresh air" in the middle of the meetings to go smoke. 

We went to see a referral from Mormon.org yesterday (A) and she was so sweet! Often, the people just want the Bible that they ordered and that's it but she was so appreciative of us for bringing her the Bible and when she heard about the Book of Mormon she wanted that even more than the Bible. She said that she would start reading it and we set up a return appointment. We like to ask if they need us to do any service for them and when she heard that, she started telling us about how she has been in pain lately and started crying because she was so happy that we could help her do some things. She was so sweet and it was a miracle.

This week, we had some pretty crazy dinners. One of the members in our ward came and dropped our dinner off at the Visitor Center in a Vodka box and that was really funny. We also were given a dinner that consisted of a can of V8 juice, a tomato, and a piece of fried chicken. We always appreciate when anyone in our branch brings us dinner because everyone is pretty poor but some of them we laugh about a little. Yesterday, we were doing our studies at a park and forgot to pack a lunch but we happened to have a bag of Dove chocolates so we figured, why not have a few pieces as our lunch? And the first one we opened said, "Why not?" on the inside. 

Also, new Meet the Mormons came out so I have been watching those! There are only 3 stories and I think that you can only watch them at VC's right now but I'm not sure. I have never seen the 1st Meet the Mormons so I have been watching that during meals or when the VC is slow. Don't worry, we are allowed to. The VC director wants us to watch all of them so that's been cool! They are really good! 

But, overall I have been doing well! Can't wait to hear from you!

Love,

Hermana Greenwood

Sorry I'm so awkward with selfies....not used to taking them. 

This was from MOSPO (Monday sports) and we played chair soccer. You will be proud to hear that I won! It was so fun! 

This was from MOSPO (Monday sports) and we played chair soccer. You will be proud to hear that I won! It was so fun! 

Yesterday was the 2 month mark for all the sisters that I came out with (they were all English speaking) and I'm 9 days away from my 3 month mark (!) so they had me put up a 3   

A picture of the KC temple 

Sent from my iPad

Week #11 We are different but we make it work!

This week Erin's letter was really just answering my questions. 

Hey,

Ya,  P-days are pretty crazy here. We still get up at 6:30 and workout and study and everything and then we have to go grocery shopping and clean and laundry and sometimes we will do some other random stuff. I think next week we are going to the Plaza here and are going to ride bikes around there. It'll be fun! But last week, the reason I had such little time was because we decided to write emails in the Stake Center, which was not a good idea. They were setting up for a stake play and so there were a ton of members and they all wanted to talk to us and we were trying not to be rude but we really wanted to write our families. But ya, that was why we only got like 30 minutes to write. Well all of the elders have their pday on Monday but since we are in the VC, we have to spread out our pdays throughout the week so that we still have sisters to give tours during the day. There are only like 2 other companionship's that have pday with us on Tuesday so we do stuff with them. I will have to start taking more pictures cause I feel bad that I have like nothing to share and I know I will regret it if I don't take any. 

We try to run as often as we can but we have to get up at like 5:40 or 6 if we want to go running and so sometimes, if we are really tired, we just sleep in until 6:30 and then stay in the apartment and will do abs or other workouts. But we do go running most of the time. It's pretty rough though because my companion does not like to run so we walk to the stake center and she does her workout on the side and I run around the stake center parking lot over and over and over again. Its no fun at all but its the best thing I have so I make it work. I really miss the freedom that I had to run whenever and wherever I wanted. And for how long I want. I'm worried about what its going to be like going home from my mission cause I know I will be WAY out of shape and that makes me sad.

I went on exchanges this week and that was fun! I went with Sister J and we went up to North Kansas, by the temple. It was a really short exchange because of zone training and the VC and everything but it was good! I learned a lot from her. It started on Friday and we just went to a couple less actives houses and nobody was home so we just went finding near each house. On Saturday morning we woke up at 5:30 and then ran to the temple from our apartment, did a workout there, and then ran back. That was really cool! That area was much nicer than the one I am in right now though. It probably wouldn't be smart for us to run around in my area. 

My companion and I are getting along well. We are different but we make it work!

 No, we don't do much walking which is really sad. We walk down streets sometimes to get from house to house but its never a far walk and we basically drive everywhere else. We sit a bunch in the VC as well because we are having a lot less people in here to give tours to. We just sit and study and wait for people to come in. 

Halle is SO cute and I love seeing all of the pictures! Please keep sending pictures. And you can send me pictures throughout the week too if you want because I have an ipad and can see them during the week, i just can't respond. Its fun seeing them and seeing how all of you are doing. 

Not many crazy things have happened here lately. I am studying for 4 hours every morning (personal, companion, language and 12 week) and then I go into my area for about an hour or 2 (depending on the day) and then I am in the VC from 3-9 so I don't get to spend a bunch of time out there but its still good.

 One of our investigators told us that he wants to be baptized! So thats awesome! We haven't picked a date yet but hopefully that will all work out! I have been able to teach a lot of nonmembers lately in the VC which is awesome! Typically in the summer we get a lot of history tours and member families, which is still fantastic, but its fun to teach nonmembers too and practice that! One lady that I got to take through a couple weeks ago just got baptized on saturday (I didn't have any part in finding or teaching her, i just gave her a tour of the VC. It was another companionships investigator.) but still great! 

I love hearing from you all and I hope you have a great week!

Love and miss you!

This smile is so Erin! She is a sneaky, silly girl!

Week 10: August 2: Cahoon's came on a tour!

So this is going to be a real quick email cause I'm practically out of time but this week wasn't too crazy here. 

We finally had some lessons (because of VC and studying we don't have much time in our area) and those went well! 

Some of my family friends, the Cahoons, came into the VC and I got to give them a tour so that was great! It was fun to have a little piece of home here in Missouri. 

I love being in the VC and giving tours and such. I have 3 areas (VC, Mormon.org, & my ward here) and the VC is probably my favorite. I never thought I would like it but I learn so much every day and it's so fun to try and apply the doctrine that we have to teach to so many different people. We have had less people here too since school is about to start up and everyone is ending their summer vacations. It's only like 200 people a day now which is WAY less stressful. 

We had some cool lessons this week and some super sketchy ones. Sister G and I were sitting on a bench outside of a treatment home in the middle of the sketchiest part of our area talking to in investigator and he kept trying to get us to go inside cause it was hot and he wanted us to sign some forms but we weren't allowed to go in without another woman so he was getting really mad and started storming around and yelling. So that was interesting.

Oh and we had a gourmet dinner that consisted of an apple and veggie chips while sitting at a park so that was fun too haha. I'll send a picture that we took. 

We've been crazy busy! Love and miss you all! Sorry I couldn't write much more! 

Sent from my iPad

Week #9 July 26: Baby Halle is Sooo Cute

Hey! 

So I bought a GPS so we could be more productive with our time instead of
driving around trying to find houses.

Ya, I noticed that I grew up with so much more than anyone else around here and it has made me so grateful for the things that I had and the way that you raised me.

I love being at the VC! It is so cool to see all the people come in and get to give tours all day. And it's good because it challenges me to try and make the tours a little different each time and think of new ways to explain the history and how what they learned can apply to us today.

Fun fact: the Mission President and his wife, came in on Wednesday (which NEVER happens) and they came up to
me and asked if I would give them on a tour of the VC. They said that it would be a long role play and I had to pretend that they didn't know a single thing about the church. I had to start literally from scratch. It was absolutely terrifying but they said that I did a "marvelous job" and that they loved it. So that was a huge confidence booster. But everyday is different. I am either in the VC from 9am-3pm or 3pm-9pm and then studying or our proselyting for the other. 

My apartment is pretty good! It's definitely not nice but it's not terrible either. We live with 2 other sisters from the VC.

My companion and I are getting along well! We haven't fought or anything but we are just REALLY different. We have different teaching styles and priorities and that has kinda been a struggle. We have started speaking in Spanish more often so that has been good. I did talk to her about that.

Little baby Halle is SOO CUTE. It makes me so happy to see all the pictures but it kinda makes me a little sad that I won't really ever get to hold her because by the time I get home she will be a year and
a half. That's great that they are both doing well!! I hope Dana can sleep some more. I'm sure it's hard to sleep and leave the baby alone.

(We sent her this photo of Dana and Jorden's baby Halle)

As for here:

We have been SUPER busy at the VC. We get about 800 people coming
through each day and it's just tour bus after tour bus so that's fun. We have finally gotten to go in our area a little and teach some people. We got a couple new investigators. One is named B and he is so funny. He literally says "praise the lord" and "sisters in Christ" and talks about he is a prophet of God and so much more. It'll be an adventure teaching him.
It's been great!

Love you!!
Hermana Greenwood 

Week #8 July 19. Her recap of the first few days in Missouri.

Finally out in the field!! So my pday is still Tuesday's here cause they have to stagger the VC (visitor center) sisters so we all have it on a different day.

You'll never guess what happened this week....I don't have a ton of time so here are a few highlights in order of occurrence:

1. So ya know how everyone left me a week and a half before I left, well I had to sleep in another room until I left cause I couldn't sleep alone. Well, on the morning I left, the alarm in the room I was sleeping in didn't go off so I woke up late to go to the airport. Like my bus was supposed to leave at 4:50 and I woke up at 5:30. So then I woke up to 2 security guys banging on my room and NOT the room I was sleeping in. So I ran to my room, shoved everything that I was planning on using in the morning in my suitcases and ran with 3 suitcases to the travel office. Then I got on the next bus to go to the front runner and some elders were late so we missed front runner too. Then I went back to the MTC and a car drove me up to the airport with another girl that slept in too. So I only got there like 5 min after my travel group. But I walk through security and MY MOM WAS WAITING FOR ME ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SECURITY and I was so shocked! It was so good to see her! We got breakfast and talked and FaceTimed my other family members. It was great!!!

2. My trainer is so sweet! She is from Mexico and is learning English but she speaks it really well which actually kinda of bummer at times cause she likes to speak in English more than Spanish so she can learn and I don't have the heart to tell her that I'm trying to learn a language too. It's slowly gotten better though. She's 25 years old which is pretty crazy. She's nice. We teach in the VC and we go to dinner at members houses but I have yet to meet any of our investigators.  I'm in Riverview and in the VC. I give tours by myself all the time but they are in English. I really haven't used my Spanish yet unless I'm talking to my trainer or members of the ward and then they talk to my trainer more than me because she actually speaks Spanish. Hopefully it'll get better. By the way, I really do love being here! 

3. I'm literally in the ghetto. There are certain places I'm not allowed to go cause it's too dangerous and I have yet to eat at a dining room table in a house. We always just sit on a couch or in lawn chairs in their house to eat. I've already been in 2 LITERAL hoarders homes. Like the kind you would see on TV. They were the grossest things ever. My branch that I'm in is TINY and I already had to give the opening prayer in sacrament meeting, give a short talk in sacrament meeting, and teach YW. 

4. ELDER NEIL L ANDERSEN FROM THE QUORUM OF THE 12 came and spoke to us yesterday!! I got to talk to him for a sec and shake his hand and literally sit 2nd row directly in front of him as he spoke and it was incredible! He gave such a good talk! It was all about how we need to set goals, be bold, testify and a bunch of other stuff but it was soo good and such an answer to my prayers. 

I think that's all the main stuff that happened...the mission is great!! 

LOVE AND MISS YOU ALL

Hermana Greenwood

Week #7 Erin Arrives in Missouri

Yesterday was quite the day! It was great to see you mom and I
am so happy that you surprised me!! It made me so happy! I wish I
could have talked to you dad! The flight to MO was great! I sat next
to a bunch of Elders going to my mission that I had never met before
so it was good to get to know them. I love president and sister Vest!
They are so great! After we left the
airport, we went to the Kansas City MO temple and then to liberty jail
and then to the independence Missouri visitors center and that was
really cool! We got tours of all of them and the spirit was really
strong. Then we went to the mission presidents home and had a
welcoming thing. Ate dinner. Had a rules and guidelines orientation
and then went to bed at like midnight cause that's when we finally got
all the beds set up. I'm exhausted but ready to get to work. I get my
trainer at like 9 this morning so that's exciting! I was supposed to
email you last night but I couldn't get my iPad set up cause the wifi
is really bad. Not sure when my pday is cause VC sisters have them
spread throughout the week so there will always be sisters in the VC.
love and miss you!