Kait in Colorado: Still in Steamboat Springs

HI HI HIYA!

Well I have a new companion and there are two new elders in Steamboat! My companion is Sister Tew! And she is from Hawaii! And she is so excited all the time! (That is why I am using exclamation points after everything). She's the best. She has 4 siblings and all the kids in her family were adopted. She has the cutest little five year old sister from China named Amy. She is the senior comp because she has been out for 7 months. She got her license to drive on her mission so driving with her has been less than ideal hahaha. She's really jerky and really nervous and we all know how nervous of a driver I am. Plus she has never driven in snow, so we decided we are going to ask president if I can drive in winter haha. The nice thing though is she knows she is a bad driver so I can tell her when we are going to hit something or someone and she won't get angry.

Last week we drove to Rifle on Tuesday for transfers. My companion was in Rifle for 6 months and so we met right at transfers. We waited to leave until later when the other elder got there so we could "caravan" back to Steamboat. I got to see one of my MTC sisters too! Sister Duprey is the best. It was bittersweet to be parted with Sister Rem and Sister Moser. Sister M went to Glenwood Springs as a Sister Training Leader (woot) and Sister Remington went to Falcon Park in Denver. They really are the best and were the exactly right companions I needed for my first transfer in the field. Apparently Sonic is owned by a member in Rifle so of course we hit that up and got free food! Sister Tew and I had a good three hour drive to bond on the way back.

On Wednesday we had to split the area. Which basically meant I had to split the area because no one else knew anything about it. I was just at tad bit stressed about it but I think it went okay. The Elders are super eager and hard-working, which is exactly what the area needs because they need to gain the ward's trust. Our supper on wednesday cancelled on us but we got a miracle! Sister Locke, the YW President, texted us and asked us if we wanted to come eat pizza with them for mutual! Woot! We had a lesson with four Spanish men: Misael, Omar, Jorge, and Pascual. Because there are only two of us sisters we needed another sister from the ward to come with us. Sister Muhme came and was totally awesome in the lesson. She was whipping out the Spanish like a champ! When sisters first came into this area, Sister Muhme was pretty against them coming to her home and sharing spiritual thoughts. Now she thrives off of it. It is incredible to see the change the gospel has made in her life. Her husband isn't a member but I know he recognizes too how much their family has changed for the better.

On Thursday we got to head over to Sister Locke's for lunch for leftover pizza! She's our neighbour so we just zipped on up to her house. And we went running in the morning too! Woot! I'm going to be able to run for miles when I come home because I am so high in elevation here. Sister Muhme and her family went on vacay this weekend so they came and dropped off their leftovers. They are great chefs and so we love it! We taught three sweet Spanish ladies on vacay to CO. We also taught Rodo (where I fell asleep for two seconds. I tried not to, I really tried!), Juan, Arturo and Lucia. Yay for people to teach!

Friday we attacked the ward list again. We finally got an updated ward list and were able to figure out who it is we can go visit. All the missionaries ate at Locke's and we had the most delicious chicken chili!

Saturday we had a great day! We met so many great Spanish-speaking people and I wish I could tell you what happened in the lessons. I will someday! It's really cool that though I don't know much of what is going on, I can still feel the Spirit so strongly! I've gotten really good at just smiling at our investigators haha. One thing I've realized on my mission is that I am not very good at showing that I love people. And it's even harder when you can't say anything. Sister Tew is an incredible example and I know that is one reason she is my companion. Saturday night we ate at Fred and Don-Ela's. I just love them so much. Betty was also there! Betty is the sweetest little old lady. However she is a hoarder and won't let anyone help her. Last week though, our good friend Valerie called her and Betty invited her over! Valerie convinced her to clean up her house and Betty decided to move to California! It really was a miracle. After dinner at Fred's we had a meeting about the Just Serve presentation we did in church yesterday. Just Serve is a pilot project by the church in 3 or 4 missions in the US, mine being one of them. It's a website where a committee posts volunteer opportunities in the community. You can go on and quickly see where and when you can volunteer. As missionary volunteers we don't proselyte, we just serve and be happy. People are naturally interested when they see who we are. It's really awesome! We've seen it at Lift-Up as we have served there.

Sunday our just serve presentation went well. Fred was a little angry because the technology wouldn't work to see the powerpoint. He told me he just cannot trust technology! Fred reminds me so much of Dad sometimes it's scary. In sacrament meeting all the new missionaries bore their testimonies. I played the organ so I just went up a couple minutes early and bore mine too. I couldn't let them show me up! haha. After church we ate waffles at Freds. Or rather, I watched people eat waffles because I was fasting. Good times. But we took the leftovers home with us and ate them this morning with the sisters in Craig. And Don-Ela gave us some of her fabulous homemade syrup to boot! On Sunday we taught Carlos in Dream Island and then headed to Sleepy Bear (another trailer park) which was a gold mine! We taught six lessons there and one of them was in English! WOOT! haha. We taught Sol, Hilaria y Edgar, Carlos, Jose, Ramona, Florencio's brother (we don't know his name but he had 10,000 kids), and Roxy. Then we drove to Craig where we are now teaching the Spanish people there because there aren't any Spanish missionaries there. We made a bunch of appointments for next Sunday which was awesome! We also got to eat with the Craig sisters at a members' house. That was interesting hahaha. It's always good when the members say they have the worst ward in the entire world. That night we went with them to a member's home, the Prescott's. We had a testimony meeting with a new convert who wasn't able to attend his first one that day because he had to work. The Prescott's had the funniest little son who kept shouting "AMEN!" and "HALLELUJAH BROTHER!" during testimonies. It was rich. Ooooh also on Sunday we got to scrape the ice off our car. WINTER IS COMING. wahhhhh.

This morning we had our first district meeting as a new district. We learned a lot about being bold. I really do think I have lost all my fear when it comes to being judged by people. Growing up that was a huge deal for me. I thought negatively about myself because I was so afraid of not being what other people thought I should be. And now I walk up to people and I have no problem chewing their ear off (I'm turning into Dad). I even do it with Spanish people with what little Spanish I know. Then I have to reveal to them that I really have no idea what they are saying. It's the best. With my boldness, what I need to do is boldly show my love. It's hard because I don't know the language yet but I'm working on it! After district meeting we hit up Safeway in Craig. It's closing so everything was incredibly marked down. I saved 54% on my purchases today! Woot!

As I said, the Elders are really eager. So as companionships we are reading the Book of Mormon in a tranfer. We are reading 8 pages in englais and 4 in espanol. As Sis Tew and I share what we learn in personal study while reading the same material, we get such different ideas and emphases out of it. It's realllly cooooool!

So obviously my new comp is Spanish-speaking and is incredible at it! In the past week we taught 31 lessons and 27 of them were in Spanish! I am trying to learn but it's hard. I know quite a bit of religious vocabulary and I pray in our lessons but I definitely have a hard time with verb conjugation. But it's fun! I better learn quick or my companions vocal cords might give out on her!

Wish me luck en mi espanol! Hasta Luego!

new companion

First sign of winter

OOPS! SKIPPED A WEEK -SEPT 23

I'm staying in Steamboat for another 6 weeks! (AKA so send me all the mail you want because my address is the same...) And I couldn't be happier about it! (Actually I would be happier if my two comps weren't abandoning me but that's beside the point).

On Friday night we got a call from President that Sister Remington is training a new sister in a new area. So we for sure thought Sister Moser and I were staying and we were overjoyed. However, Saturday we got another call and Sister Moser is becoming a Sister Training Leader (woot woot) and leaving me! So I get to welcome a new (luckily) older comp and the new set of missionaries all by my lonesome. Should be a good time. Yikes.
Tomorrow we're heading to Rifle to transfer meeting to welcome all these new changes. I'm just a little bit stressed about it. But I'll be fine.

This week was a great last week with my two best comps ever! We kept just as busy and taught a whole lot of lessons.
Last week in Comp inventory, Sis R told me how she noticed I wasn't falling asleep as much. Well she totally jinxed me. This week has been the worst. I fall asleep everywhere!
Tuesday we headed to Lift-Up. We volunteered with people who are here on vacation from Cali. It's awesome to see good people just want to give back.
Wednesday we went to Lift-Up again. This time we started in the clothing store but they had dire need for us in the food bank again so back we went. We volunteered with the sweetest old lady named Helen. The manager of the food bank abruptly quit so things over there have been kind of crazy.
Thursday we had supper at the Weik's. They just moved to Steamboat about a month ago and are both retired from the Air Force (although they are both like 40). We had the best thai food! And for dessert we had mango sticky rice. I love members of the Church who are also good at cooking. YUM. They had friends, a young couple, from UT visiting. They were nicest and both served missions. They were also hilarious. They provided some great advice on being bold and not comparing ourselves, which is what I do far too often.
We had a Stake Women's Conference to help at in Craig on Saturday so on Friday night we headed to the Craig sisters. One of the Craig sister is heading home (temporarily) to mend some health issues so we had pizza (like I need any more food). I was a little bit miffed because they had two kittens they found outside in their house. We all know how much I love cats, plus I am allergic to them! Then on Saturday I woke up with a ridiculous cold contracted courtesy of Sister Robinson. I'm trying not to be miffed at her too for this but life would be easier without this thing. Then again, I'm just being ungrateful. At least I get so many blessings from sneezing so much!
The Women's Conference was awesome! It was great to see so many of our ward members there. I slept through most of the first speaker but what I heard was pretty great. We were served lunch too! (Yay for more food).
Sunday we had FIVE investigators at church and then our investigator, Anna, randomly came halfway during Relief Society. She is an ordained minister who believes she has the gift of prophecy. So In RS when she randomly interjected and asked if she could introduce herself, it was semi awkward. I think she thought everyone would recognize her as some great spiritual giant and invite her to preach but everybody just said hello.

I walked into church on Sunday and who did I see but Warren and Cheri Depew! Say what?! hahaha. Such a shock. Apparently they come here every year for a vacay. Small world. Cheri told me Grayden and Claudia were going to come to but they decided not to at the last minute. Now that would have been hilarious. It would have been a good old 6th ward reunion for crying out loud. Warren helped pass the Sacrament (because the ward is so small) and afterwards the bishop thanked him over the pulpit and told him he really liked his suit jacket. Only in Steamboat.

Also on Sunday Sis R sang with an investigator in church. I played for them and it was awesome.

On Sunday we ate five meals. FIVE MEALS. gah. We had breakfast, then in RS we had an awesome lunch/lesson on visiting teaching, then we had waffles at Fred's, pancakes at Stephanie's, and finally sandwiches at Darlene's. WHOA.

Saturday and Sunday were just full of good byes. I just get to stand there and be like "yep, I'm the one who's staying" and then watch as everyone is so sad to see the other two go haha. It's been a good time.

It was incredible to me on Sunday the change that has taken place in the ward just since I have been here, especially in RS. When I got here, it was all business and not much friendliness. Well yesterday we didn't even get out of the church building until 1:00 pm (church ends at noon). I couldn't tell why things have changed but it made me so happy to see all the bonding going on!