Katy's email from Wednesday, February 3, 2010
How's it going in AZ? Things are picking up here in VA. When I say picking up I mean literally. We had a snowstorm start Friday night and the snow is still around, but people are actually braving it now. It was a lot of snow actually for this area. Someone told us they haven't had this much since 1997. When this happens the city shuts down pretty much. They've been out of school all week, they cancelled church, and we were apt. bound all weekend. We were in Sat and Sunday and then Monday they said we could go if we felt safe. After being inside for 2 days, we felt safe enough! Haha. Monday was so warm and sunny, so it was a good day to be out. The roads are still covered in a lot of areas, but it's stayed warm enough that there hasn't been too much ice. People have freaked out about the snow, it's been so hilarious. When they hear I'm from AZ, they always are just like "oh this must be a lot of snow for you!" Haha, well not exactly.
So I have this curse I spread to my District Leaders or something. My first DL was emergency transferred out of Hampton and then my 2nd one went home sick. Now I'm on to my 3rd...Elder Frampton (from 1st Ward). Hopefully I don't curse him too. But I am back in my old district now!!! Yay! This is because my last one went home last week, so they combined our districts instead of bringing a new one in. So my first assignment from E. Frampton was to train at a meeting on how we can center our teachings on the Restoration of the gospel. I think it went pretty good, but I have never trained before in that setting.
I cannot believe transfers are already next week. I swear we just had them. I hope I can stay with Sis. Dickson...we think it would be fun to be shotgunned into Hampton. We love going to Hampton! We are teaching the wife of a member. She is from the Philippines and so cute. Here in NN2 we are teaching this woman named Latisha. We meet so many people whose name starts with La, it's hilarious. Latisha is awesome. She wants to find a church and to find the right one. She is really excited about learning and coming to church. She was so bummed they cancelled church last week! We love her! We are also teaching the boyfriend of a less active member. He is eating this up and doing so good. He wants to be baptized, but he said he thinks he might wait a year or so. Ahhhh! No way Jose! They are so cool and um younger than me. I just realized I am going to be 25 this year! Why didn't someone warn me I was getting old!?!
We are having Zone P-Day today. Volleyball and basketball. Too bad the sisters cannot play b-ball though!!! We can't play with the elders, which makes sense...but it's b-ball season! Haha
Love you all like Neely loves snowboarding. Have fun!
Sister Talbot
Friday, February 5, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
New driver's license. Horrible picture of course! Why can't we smile?!
Jamestown sisters and us. Sis. Schorzman is in brown and my comp Sis. Dickson is next to me.
Cool sign I saw that Sis. Marvin had.
Cool gold plates I thought would be cool if dad could make some for the seminary.
Keara's cousin who is dating a recent convert of the singles branch. We had a zone breakfast and she was there and recognized my name and I recognized her.
Me in front of some river on one the cold days!
All the missionaries that finished the year in 1st Ward: Spanish-Lusk, Zobrist...Timmons, Bishop Hamilton, Frampton, Me, Sis. Cox
Email on January 27, 2010
Hey how's it going? It's another one of those weeks that feels like I just wrote yesterday. Will I ever get used to how time flies? Sounds like you've all had exciting weather! Well we've enjoyed a long stretch of sweet weather! We had one day of rainy, but a lot of really nice days. We heard it was supposed to snow this weekend though. Everyone tells us we've had a weird winter this year. It's not as bad as I thought it was going to be actually, so I'm doing good!
I'll try and send pics this week. My hour runs away from me! Today has been the most relaxed P-Day ever. We took a nap and it was great. I've been so exhausted every night...I'm not sure I've stayed awake in personal prayers in days! Haha. There is a lot of work to be done here, so it keeps us busy. We are going to Hampton all day Friday, so that will be fun. We LOVE going to Hampton!
Last week we had exchanges. I went to Jamestown for 2 days with Sis. Schorzman who was Sis. Dickson's comp in the MTC. It was soooo different. It's the richest ward in the mission and so there really isn't anything ghetto. People with a lot of money aren't necessarily open to talk to missionaries, so we got a lot of doors slammed in our faces in Jamestown. I think I can count the number of door slams in NN on one hand. The sisters weren't teaching any investigators-they taught Less Actives all day every day. Well that's not how a mission should be, so we hunted down about 8 investigators over the 2 days. I hope they can keep teaching them! They were really cool people.
Last night we went to Ft. Eustis for FHE and we actually had soldiers there this time. The senior couple (DeLaneys) taught a lesson and then we played Apples to Apples. Well that was fun and so awkward at the same time. Imagine 2 sister missionaries and a handful of single soldiers playing a game like Apples to Apples.......hahahaha
Well we are building up a good teaching pool here and we're lovin it. I'll have to tell you about some investigators next week. We've got some real solids.
Love ya!
I'll try and send pics this week. My hour runs away from me! Today has been the most relaxed P-Day ever. We took a nap and it was great. I've been so exhausted every night...I'm not sure I've stayed awake in personal prayers in days! Haha. There is a lot of work to be done here, so it keeps us busy. We are going to Hampton all day Friday, so that will be fun. We LOVE going to Hampton!
Last week we had exchanges. I went to Jamestown for 2 days with Sis. Schorzman who was Sis. Dickson's comp in the MTC. It was soooo different. It's the richest ward in the mission and so there really isn't anything ghetto. People with a lot of money aren't necessarily open to talk to missionaries, so we got a lot of doors slammed in our faces in Jamestown. I think I can count the number of door slams in NN on one hand. The sisters weren't teaching any investigators-they taught Less Actives all day every day. Well that's not how a mission should be, so we hunted down about 8 investigators over the 2 days. I hope they can keep teaching them! They were really cool people.
Last night we went to Ft. Eustis for FHE and we actually had soldiers there this time. The senior couple (DeLaneys) taught a lesson and then we played Apples to Apples. Well that was fun and so awkward at the same time. Imagine 2 sister missionaries and a handful of single soldiers playing a game like Apples to Apples.......hahahaha
Well we are building up a good teaching pool here and we're lovin it. I'll have to tell you about some investigators next week. We've got some real solids.
Love ya!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sister Dickson - January 21, 2010
Sounds like you've had yuck weather. We've had 5 days of amazing weather. I haven't had to wear a coat! It's been great. Before that though was frigid. The boots I got helped a lot. We heard it's supposed to dip down again tomorrow. :(
My new companion is Sister Dickson. We were in the MTC together actually. She is from Gilroy, CA and went to BYU-I for a year and then went out to BYU-Hawaii and was there before her mission. She is a fun spunky girl. She always wanted to go on a mission too! Her first 2 transfers were a lot different than mine that's for sure. Her trainer had only been out 3 months and so they had a lot of struggles together. I don't think she pictured a mission being like her first 3 months, so she was glad for a change. We've changed the area a lot and are in the process of building up a good teaching pool. It may take us all transfer, but she should be able to see a baptism. This area has been pretty dormant, so it's taking a lot of work and late nights, but soon it will be awesome!
Sister Dickson and I have been having a lot of fun. She missed out on a lot of fun, so we are making sure we have extra. Talking to everyone is yielding crazy results, but showing the Lord that we want people to teach. We are still teaching our neighbors downstairs (the Africans). I don't think they really understand what we are talking about, but it's fun to try! We are also teaching a LA member's fiance. He gets 100% of what we are saying, but I don't think he is spiritually converted yet though. We will teach him tomorrow and may set him for baptism!
That's so cool grandma is getting baptized. I bet Elder Arntsen is bummed it wasn't before he left. Oh well. Don't all the missionaries in Eagar go to Chandler? Haha.
It's crazy that this transfer is half over. I will never get over the time warp on the mission.
Well I love you and miss you!
My new companion is Sister Dickson. We were in the MTC together actually. She is from Gilroy, CA and went to BYU-I for a year and then went out to BYU-Hawaii and was there before her mission. She is a fun spunky girl. She always wanted to go on a mission too! Her first 2 transfers were a lot different than mine that's for sure. Her trainer had only been out 3 months and so they had a lot of struggles together. I don't think she pictured a mission being like her first 3 months, so she was glad for a change. We've changed the area a lot and are in the process of building up a good teaching pool. It may take us all transfer, but she should be able to see a baptism. This area has been pretty dormant, so it's taking a lot of work and late nights, but soon it will be awesome!
Sister Dickson and I have been having a lot of fun. She missed out on a lot of fun, so we are making sure we have extra. Talking to everyone is yielding crazy results, but showing the Lord that we want people to teach. We are still teaching our neighbors downstairs (the Africans). I don't think they really understand what we are talking about, but it's fun to try! We are also teaching a LA member's fiance. He gets 100% of what we are saying, but I don't think he is spiritually converted yet though. We will teach him tomorrow and may set him for baptism!
That's so cool grandma is getting baptized. I bet Elder Arntsen is bummed it wasn't before he left. Oh well. Don't all the missionaries in Eagar go to Chandler? Haha.
It's crazy that this transfer is half over. I will never get over the time warp on the mission.
Well I love you and miss you!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Hello hello from NN2 - Jan. 13, 2010
It's been another exciting week in Newport News 2nd Ward. It's been so different here than 1st Ward. When I got to 2nd Ward they weren't really teaching anyone, so the teaching pool was zilch...only people who had no intentions of being baptized. Well I'm used to baptizing, so we decided to red zone to the end zone them (baptize or drop). Since Sis. Dickson and I've been together we've found over 30 new investigators. We had a zone conference yesterday and Pres. Millburn said he is really excited for us and this area. We are excited too! It's weird coming to an area that had missionaries and treating it like an area that didn't have missionaries. Oh and speaking of an area that doesn't have missionaries...Hampton. The missionaries were taken out of there before the end of this last transfer because of some drama going on and so there isn't anyone there now full time. But President informed us that he wants us to cover it until next transfer when hopefully someone will be put in there. Crazy! So we will be teaching the recent converts and the rest of the people they were teaching. So we should have a couple of Hampton baptisms this transfer hopefully. They were teaching a wife of a member and she was really progressing. Now we just need to go meet with her. I'm excited. I really like Hampton and I was actually hoping to get transferred in there sometime, so maybe I will next transfer! Sis. Dickson also randomly thought she would like to be in Hampton sometime too. So this works out pretty cool we get to work there. We'll probably go over there once a week or so.
So I was thinking of getting a haircut today. This ward actually has 2 ladies that do hair, but I think we will play volleyball instead. My hair is so long right now, it's crazy! Luckily my hair is pretty healthy.
We've been enjoying the oranges very much, thank you! Sis. Dickson's fave fruit are citrus and she says these are soooo good. Good as always!
That's awesome that grandma is going to get baptized! I'm really bummed she didn't do it 6 months ago!!! Haha.
Well stay tuned for the good news that will be soon to come from 2nd Ward. With good members and motivated missionaries there should be lots to write about soon.
I love you all and thanks for the letters. I love to get them from you.
Sister Talbot
So I was thinking of getting a haircut today. This ward actually has 2 ladies that do hair, but I think we will play volleyball instead. My hair is so long right now, it's crazy! Luckily my hair is pretty healthy.
We've been enjoying the oranges very much, thank you! Sis. Dickson's fave fruit are citrus and she says these are soooo good. Good as always!
That's awesome that grandma is going to get baptized! I'm really bummed she didn't do it 6 months ago!!! Haha.
Well stay tuned for the good news that will be soon to come from 2nd Ward. With good members and motivated missionaries there should be lots to write about soon.
I love you all and thanks for the letters. I love to get them from you.
Sister Talbot
Saturday, January 9, 2010
NEW AREA - NEW YEAR - NEW COMPANION - JAN. 6, 2010
It has been BUSY in the 2nd Ward these past fews days. Because of weather and mechanical stuff I didn't transfer until Saturday. Not a lot of anything was happening in the area before Sis. Dickson and I became companions. Not sure why because the sister I replaced is a good missionary. They haven't had a convert baptism in at least 6 months and probably awhile before that. But since we've been comps we've found 20 new investigators. That's HUGE! Which means we are so wiped out! I haven't even unpacked my bags all the way either. We plan till 10:30pm every night. It is CRAZY! The ward is so awesome too! We've had members call and leave a voicemail asking what can they can do for us. So once we get these investigators going with lessons we will be using the members a lot more. The Bishopric is so good too. I am really excited to see how this ward grows over the next however many months I'm here.
Saturday and Sunday were freezing here. Oh it was so cold! Sis. Dickson and I are on the hunt for boots today. I don't think I could survive the winter without them. Cross your fingers we can find cute, cheap, warm boots.
We went to Fort Eustis yesterday and taught the FHE lesson. Nobody was really there. But I guess school is justing starting back, so more people should come next week. We talked to them about inviting others to the services and sharing the gospel. It was cool.
The 2nd Ward isn't very diverse. No Africans. No Spanish. But we are hoping to change that. Downstairs from us is the African family that we are going to start teaching. They speak Swahili and Kalundi (I have no idea how to spell that) like the branch I taught in SLC. There are from Burundi and Tanzania. I only know one Swahili word! And they don't have the Book of Mormon in those languages...I already checked before my mission, so that's a bummer.
Time is passing by so quickly out here. People ask how long I've been out and it's weird to say 4 months. I feel like it's been only 1!
I love and miss you all.
Sister Talbot
Saturday and Sunday were freezing here. Oh it was so cold! Sis. Dickson and I are on the hunt for boots today. I don't think I could survive the winter without them. Cross your fingers we can find cute, cheap, warm boots.
We went to Fort Eustis yesterday and taught the FHE lesson. Nobody was really there. But I guess school is justing starting back, so more people should come next week. We talked to them about inviting others to the services and sharing the gospel. It was cool.
The 2nd Ward isn't very diverse. No Africans. No Spanish. But we are hoping to change that. Downstairs from us is the African family that we are going to start teaching. They speak Swahili and Kalundi (I have no idea how to spell that) like the branch I taught in SLC. There are from Burundi and Tanzania. I only know one Swahili word! And they don't have the Book of Mormon in those languages...I already checked before my mission, so that's a bummer.
Time is passing by so quickly out here. People ask how long I've been out and it's weird to say 4 months. I feel like it's been only 1!
I love and miss you all.
Sister Talbot
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Where to Gumshoe?
Well, I was hoping you all would have emailed me your transfer predictions...but you all would probably be wrong. I know I was! Sis. Cox and I both felt like we would be staying here in NN 1st. But I am being transferred to Newport News 2nd Ward. Sis. Cox gets to stay in the 1st Ward and she will be training yet again another greenie. After me it should be a breeze ;) haha It's really weird that I will be leaving Sis. Cox and this ward. And that I'm only going down the street. This has got to be the closest transfer in the history of the mission. It's breaks my heart to leave the Hamilton's! But I know the 2nd Ward needs me, so I'm excited to see what it's like. This new ward is actually pretty cool because it's the ward for Fort Eustis. I guess there is a branch on post that meets, so we work with them as well. I've heard the members aren't so missionary minded, so maybe I can help with that. Coming from the 1st Ward...they better be prepared for me! After our 2 baptisms tomorrow (technically I'll be 2nd Ward then, but I'm going to the baptism!) Sis. Cox and I will have seen 12 baptisms together. We had a great companionship and I am really going to miss her as my companion. I will be with Sister Dickson who I came out with, so it'll be fun. She's been in the 2nd Ward the whole time we've been out. The Spanish Elders are becoming a trio (I'm guessing that kid from St. Johns maybe...) and Elder Timmons is going to Chesterfield. So Elder Frampton will get a new comp and he was made District Leader. Back to 7 missionaries in the 1st Ward. I know that Bishop was praying really hard that all of us stay, but the new missionaries will be great. Pres. Millburn called us last night and told us the news. Then a few minutes later he called us back and wanted to express how impressed he was with our companionship. Sis. Cox said that's never happened to her before. Needless to say, I'm not really ready to leave Sis. Cox. But that's the mission I guess!
Ahh!! We just got a call and apparently there is a snow storm in SLC, so the new missionaries won't be coming for another day! So I will still be in NN 1st tomorrow! Yeah!
The Barkdull family is finally all baptized now. It only took 3 baptismal services, but they are all baptized. I told you about them on the phone. They are totally awesome and have the cutest kids. Ethan is 11 and he is going to be a scriptorian. He is so darn smart and he wanted to be baptized I swear more than anyone else in his family! The baptism yesterday was so incredible. The ward is doing another Book of Mormon read-a-thon and we read Mosiah 18 (Waters of Mormon) and then went and had the baptism. It was sweet!
I'm overwhelmed with emotions right now, so I don't have much else to say in words. We have seen so many miracles in this ward in the past 3 months it's incredible. I cannot believe how joyous I feel right now. We have truly seen real miracles. Sister Cox and I read in the Bible Dictionary this morning about Faith, Hope, and Miracles. We truly will see miracles based on our faith. I have had a perma smile like you wouldn't believe.
Ahh!! We just got a call and apparently there is a snow storm in SLC, so the new missionaries won't be coming for another day! So I will still be in NN 1st tomorrow! Yeah!
The Barkdull family is finally all baptized now. It only took 3 baptismal services, but they are all baptized. I told you about them on the phone. They are totally awesome and have the cutest kids. Ethan is 11 and he is going to be a scriptorian. He is so darn smart and he wanted to be baptized I swear more than anyone else in his family! The baptism yesterday was so incredible. The ward is doing another Book of Mormon read-a-thon and we read Mosiah 18 (Waters of Mormon) and then went and had the baptism. It was sweet!
I'm overwhelmed with emotions right now, so I don't have much else to say in words. We have seen so many miracles in this ward in the past 3 months it's incredible. I cannot believe how joyous I feel right now. We have truly seen real miracles. Sister Cox and I read in the Bible Dictionary this morning about Faith, Hope, and Miracles. We truly will see miracles based on our faith. I have had a perma smile like you wouldn't believe.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Pics from December 11th to 16th
With Ashley Pauley...December 11th
With Mamawa and Leeshatu...recent convert who we teach
The sisters from Smithfield that we did exchanges with...
Cox, Silotti, Halliday and me
The English elders we serve with attempting to do VA NN
for Virginia Newport News
This was Zone bowling
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