Hello Everyone-
So this week was a great and cold week. There is so much to say, I hope I have time to get it all in.....
On Monday, Sister Gaggini got attacked by a cat during our lesson. She went home with both of her hands covered in scratches. It was kind of funny.... she kept letting the cat "play" with her hands, but I knew the whole time that it was bugging her. I had to laugh, so did she.... after the pain. haha
Tuesday we had to go to our church to let the Elders (zone leaders and all the district leaders in our zone) in for a meeting. Our church was the middle spot. Well they invited us to go have lunch with them after their meeting so we went..... The zone leaders, E. Campbell and E. Smith made up a story about me, that they decided to share with everyone. So they think I'm "mean", because of my sarcastic remarks. (Really they just like to say I'm mean, because it gets a reaction, because I am NOT mean). So they made up this story about how the whole zone was going to take over the Mission office, and I was the one they choose to take lead.... well I went crazy, and was destroying everything, so they were going to "take me out", then, like a vampire from Twilight, I appeared behind them, and killed the zone leaders....... WHAT IN THE WORLD???? Yeah, this is what I have to deal with every week.... haha.... no, actually it was really funny. They were going to make a movie of it too, but they decided not to after all. Then they decided to tell me, "We only give you a hard time, because we care about you, like if you were our sister." Oh great, I can't get away from "brothers" teasing me, even when I'm on a mission. haha..... :P
On Wednesday we were out tracting, and we found a new lady that we are going to teach tonight. Her name is Chrissy (spelling???). We asked her a simple question of, "How would you feel to know that your family could be together forever?" She said, "That would be AMAZING... my father died 2 years ago and my mother is dying." WE asked if she wanted to learn more, and she said, "Yes!!! Come back on Monday!" We were so excited!
Thanksgiving was weird. We had a super fun district meeting that morning. It was more of a Thanksgiving party (we were all A.D.D.), then we tracted for like and hour, then we went to dinner at a members house. The weird part was that we had Thanksgiving dinner, and there was only 7 of us.... and there was NO PUMPKIN PIE.... who has thanksgiving with no pumpkin pie???? After dinner we stopped by a couple of other members, then called it a night.
Saturday we survived our first day of tracting in the snow. The only place that really got hit was the town we were tracting in. One min. it was us just walking in the snow, and the next it was a blizzard.... Oh boy. Then it stopped, and then like and hour later another blizzard came. We actually had a lot of fun that day. We were writing in the snow in the roads "MORMON.ORG", and throwing snow at each other. I say this now (and it will probably change when we get colder weather and more snow...), but it wasn't that bad to tract in the snow!!!! It was probably our funnest overall day in the week!!
Also on Saturday, the Assistants called me and told me that Bro. Crispin was getting baptized that day!!!!!!!!!! :) Oh my goodness, I was SO excited!!!!!!! I think they told me, only because one of the Assistants was in my district for 3 1/2 transfers while I was teaching him. So that news made my day!!!
The man who called us, Jonathan French, has a baptism date of Feb. 6th!!! We have taught him twice now. He wants this so bad.... we have some... challenges... that we have to work around/with, but he is pretty solid!!! So that is exciting.
This week Sister Gaggini and I get to go on a road trip to Manchester. Tomorrow (Tues) we are driving down there for a 3 day training. It will be fun. All of the sisters in the mission are going to be there, along with some elders. But it will be fun!!!
Well that was my week! Love you all
Love, Sister Rankin
Monday, November 29, 2010
Monday, November 22, 2010
another cold week in New Hampshire
Hello Everyone-
This week was an interesting one. On Wednesday morning we had to take our car into the shop, because it was making horrific sounds. We had to get a ride to district meeting. BUT no one could take us home... we didn't know what we were going to do. Luckily Pres. and Sister Wilkey were at our district meeting, so they took us home. Oh, what a special treat that was to spend that extra time with them. They gave us some great ideas of things we can do for our area, and it was just good. I really have the best mission president (and his wife) ever!!!!!!!!
Bro. Marsh accepted another baptism date. Dec. 15th!!!! (hopefully I don't get transferred this time, or else, I will leave the day before his baptism...... :S)
We have been doing a lot of finding.... well looking. We haven't found anyone new to teach.... But the man, Jonathan, that I have written about the last two weeks is really interested. We went to teach him last night, but ended up just answering a lot of his questions. He loves the idea of baptism, and is already willing to give things up, and live the way Christ has commanded us to! It's really exciting, when people are willing to change after just the first visit!
We got news this week that we are now allowed to use a GPS... only problem is we have to provide our own. So mom, if you aren't using yours anymore, I would be more than happy to use it. :)
We had stake conference yesterday. It was weird to go to stake conference and see 10 other missionary companionships plus 2 Sr. couples..... and that was only half the stake. Some of the elders had to travel almost 3 hours to get to stake conference. I definitely took for granted the amount of members we had back home!
Thanksgiving is this week. We are having district meeting that morning, and then eating with some members some time that day.... don't know when yet. It will be weird having thanksgiving away from the family, but we will make the best of it. It's funny, because in Switzerland they don't have thanksgiving, and so Sister Gaggini is like, what is the point of this holiday?? What do you do??? Um... you eat and are grateful for things. haha.
Well thanks for all the letters I got this week!!! It was a nice surprise!!! :)
We are trying to stay warm, and have fun while doing it. We do a lot of tracting, and not a lot of teaching right now, so that is why my e-mails have been kind of boring. sorry!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Love, Sister Rankin
This week was an interesting one. On Wednesday morning we had to take our car into the shop, because it was making horrific sounds. We had to get a ride to district meeting. BUT no one could take us home... we didn't know what we were going to do. Luckily Pres. and Sister Wilkey were at our district meeting, so they took us home. Oh, what a special treat that was to spend that extra time with them. They gave us some great ideas of things we can do for our area, and it was just good. I really have the best mission president (and his wife) ever!!!!!!!!
Bro. Marsh accepted another baptism date. Dec. 15th!!!! (hopefully I don't get transferred this time, or else, I will leave the day before his baptism...... :S)
We have been doing a lot of finding.... well looking. We haven't found anyone new to teach.... But the man, Jonathan, that I have written about the last two weeks is really interested. We went to teach him last night, but ended up just answering a lot of his questions. He loves the idea of baptism, and is already willing to give things up, and live the way Christ has commanded us to! It's really exciting, when people are willing to change after just the first visit!
We got news this week that we are now allowed to use a GPS... only problem is we have to provide our own. So mom, if you aren't using yours anymore, I would be more than happy to use it. :)
We had stake conference yesterday. It was weird to go to stake conference and see 10 other missionary companionships plus 2 Sr. couples..... and that was only half the stake. Some of the elders had to travel almost 3 hours to get to stake conference. I definitely took for granted the amount of members we had back home!
Thanksgiving is this week. We are having district meeting that morning, and then eating with some members some time that day.... don't know when yet. It will be weird having thanksgiving away from the family, but we will make the best of it. It's funny, because in Switzerland they don't have thanksgiving, and so Sister Gaggini is like, what is the point of this holiday?? What do you do??? Um... you eat and are grateful for things. haha.
Well thanks for all the letters I got this week!!! It was a nice surprise!!! :)
We are trying to stay warm, and have fun while doing it. We do a lot of tracting, and not a lot of teaching right now, so that is why my e-mails have been kind of boring. sorry!!!
I hope you all have a wonderful week!
Love, Sister Rankin
Monday, November 15, 2010
2nd week as a Senior Companion
Hello Everyone.....
I don't know why people want to be senior companion ever..... I would be perfectly happy to be jr. companion my whole mission.
It gets dark really early here, and when it gets dark EVERYONE goes to sleep.... We have been having a hard time coming up with things to do. Last night we had to go to our 5th plan.... just for a one hour time period. haha.... I'm trying to keep a smile on my face!
So we had 3 "warm" days last week. It was in the 50's while the sun was out. that was nice! We were able to work with out our coats on in the day light (we still had 2 long sleeve shirts on and a sweater, but no coat) :P
On Tuesday, Elder Walker from the 1st q. of the 70 came to our zone conference. It was so good!!!! Sadly, I didn't get a picture with him. :( But I got to meet a general authority, and hug his wife. haha. I also got to see Sister Nelson, my trainer there. That is the first time I have seen her since my 6th week in the mission. It was so fun!!!! And it is her last transfer, so I was glad that I did get to see her.
So I have an update on our miracle from last week. Well the man who called the church saying he wants to learn more, is the same person that was behind the very first door I knocked on in Plymouth. It took almost 8 weeks for anything to happen, but because we gave him a card, he had a way to contact us. We will be teaching him this week!!! It's so cool. Most people that you meet and give a card to, you never hear from again, but he called!!!! HOW COOL!!!!! I was super excited!!
On Friday my ankle started hurting again. So I called the mission doctor, and he told me some things to do, and so we will see if it helps. Why did I have to fall down the stairs back in May???? haha.
We had another miracle this week. We have been wanting to get involved with the college some how. Well On Friday at our branch thanksgiving dinner a member came up to us and said that a former member of the church called him. She works for the college, and they want info about the church. We have been playing phone tag with the lady all weekend, but we are going to have an "in" at the school!!! We were very excited about that.
So one funny story. Remember when Cory was on his mission, and his car fell into a big muddy puddle, and there is a picture of him in his gym shorts and white shirt/tie by the car..... Well yesterday we had a similar experience. We went to park on the side of the road, and all of a sudden the car starts sinking. Immediately I go back to drive and try to get out. The car kept sinking in more, and sliding around like we were on ice. After a few minutes, I was able to get the car out. If not, we would have had a big problem. Two sisters (one with a hurt foot), with their car stuck in mud, in the middle of no where. Needless to say, our car needs a mega car wash today. haha. It went way deep down into the mud. It was kind of scary at first, but fun too! We also saw two big moose on the side of the road yesterday while driving. I tried to get some pictures, but they were starting to walk away by the time we pulled over, and got the camera out. But I was excited to see a moose!!!
Well my 8 month mark is this week.... CRAZY!!!! I think that means I need lots of letters (my mail box has been pretty dry the last 2 weeks.....) :P
Although I don't always understand what my companion is saying to me, and vice versa, we are making it work, and laughing a lot. :)
Well I love you all, and hope everything is going great!!!
Love, Sister Rankin
I don't know why people want to be senior companion ever..... I would be perfectly happy to be jr. companion my whole mission.
It gets dark really early here, and when it gets dark EVERYONE goes to sleep.... We have been having a hard time coming up with things to do. Last night we had to go to our 5th plan.... just for a one hour time period. haha.... I'm trying to keep a smile on my face!
So we had 3 "warm" days last week. It was in the 50's while the sun was out. that was nice! We were able to work with out our coats on in the day light (we still had 2 long sleeve shirts on and a sweater, but no coat) :P
On Tuesday, Elder Walker from the 1st q. of the 70 came to our zone conference. It was so good!!!! Sadly, I didn't get a picture with him. :( But I got to meet a general authority, and hug his wife. haha. I also got to see Sister Nelson, my trainer there. That is the first time I have seen her since my 6th week in the mission. It was so fun!!!! And it is her last transfer, so I was glad that I did get to see her.
So I have an update on our miracle from last week. Well the man who called the church saying he wants to learn more, is the same person that was behind the very first door I knocked on in Plymouth. It took almost 8 weeks for anything to happen, but because we gave him a card, he had a way to contact us. We will be teaching him this week!!! It's so cool. Most people that you meet and give a card to, you never hear from again, but he called!!!! HOW COOL!!!!! I was super excited!!
On Friday my ankle started hurting again. So I called the mission doctor, and he told me some things to do, and so we will see if it helps. Why did I have to fall down the stairs back in May???? haha.
We had another miracle this week. We have been wanting to get involved with the college some how. Well On Friday at our branch thanksgiving dinner a member came up to us and said that a former member of the church called him. She works for the college, and they want info about the church. We have been playing phone tag with the lady all weekend, but we are going to have an "in" at the school!!! We were very excited about that.
So one funny story. Remember when Cory was on his mission, and his car fell into a big muddy puddle, and there is a picture of him in his gym shorts and white shirt/tie by the car..... Well yesterday we had a similar experience. We went to park on the side of the road, and all of a sudden the car starts sinking. Immediately I go back to drive and try to get out. The car kept sinking in more, and sliding around like we were on ice. After a few minutes, I was able to get the car out. If not, we would have had a big problem. Two sisters (one with a hurt foot), with their car stuck in mud, in the middle of no where. Needless to say, our car needs a mega car wash today. haha. It went way deep down into the mud. It was kind of scary at first, but fun too! We also saw two big moose on the side of the road yesterday while driving. I tried to get some pictures, but they were starting to walk away by the time we pulled over, and got the camera out. But I was excited to see a moose!!!
Well my 8 month mark is this week.... CRAZY!!!! I think that means I need lots of letters (my mail box has been pretty dry the last 2 weeks.....) :P
Although I don't always understand what my companion is saying to me, and vice versa, we are making it work, and laughing a lot. :)
Well I love you all, and hope everything is going great!!!
Love, Sister Rankin
Monday, November 8, 2010
Plymouth, NH week 1, 6th transfer- new companion
Hello Everyone-
Well good news.... I didn't get a greenie from the MTC, but a temple square sister. She's not, everything is new to her, but this kind of missionary work is. So I am still training, but it's not as scary, because she knows how to talk to people already. :)
She is from Switzerland, and is 27. She has been on her mission for almost a year, but in the "field" one transfer more than me. Oh, her name is Sister Gaggini! Her native language is French, and she has a HUGE french accent, so it is kind of hard to understand her a lot of the time.... but we are working with it. We both have to say things lots of times, and I have to explain what things mean. :S that's the scary part. haha.
Well this week was FREEZING. It was in the 30's all week. If we were lucky it got up to like 42-45*. I don't want to pull out my full on winter coat yet, because I know it will just get colder, but I might have to so I don't freeze.
We had a pretty slow week. Most of our lessons got cancelled, so we spent a lot of time tracting. Unfortunately a lot of our area is weekend homes, and i seemed to pick all those area's this week. Needless to say, we didn't talk to too many people. haha. So our miracle for the week was we were able to find one person who let us talk to him. We gave him a Book of Mormon. He wasn't interested in us coming back, but he said he would read the Book of Mormon.
On Sunday we had a big miracle.... We were sitting in Sacrament meeting, and a lady in the branch came in and got me. She said, "I need to talk to you in the hall." We went out there, and she said that the phone in the hall had just rang, and she answered it. It was a man who said he was interested in the church, and wanted to learn more!!!! She got his name and address, and we will be stopping by this week to meet him!!! That was so cool!!! I have never experienced that before! It was so cool.
At transfer meeting on Tuesday I found out some GREAT news.... Bro. Richard Crispin is getting baptized at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy to hear that. Also Elizabeth Earl who I started teaching in Sanford is getting baptized Dec. 4th!!!!!! Also, both of their kids are starting to learn. And a couple that I found in Sanford who we had to drop because they kept canceling their lessons, is learning and progressing towards baptism too!!!! Oh my goodness, it was such great news!!! I was so excited to hear that!
Well it is kind of stressful to "train", especially when I had only been here for 6 weeks. So things are moving slow, but we are doing our best. The nights come way too fast (it is getting dark at 5pm), and we don't have many street lights in our area. We are trying to get creative in the dark hours, but for now we are trying to brave it out, and tract among the dark forest and wild animals. haha :P
Keep praying for me, and I would love some letters!!!! :)
Love, Sister Rankin
Well good news.... I didn't get a greenie from the MTC, but a temple square sister. She's not, everything is new to her, but this kind of missionary work is. So I am still training, but it's not as scary, because she knows how to talk to people already. :)
She is from Switzerland, and is 27. She has been on her mission for almost a year, but in the "field" one transfer more than me. Oh, her name is Sister Gaggini! Her native language is French, and she has a HUGE french accent, so it is kind of hard to understand her a lot of the time.... but we are working with it. We both have to say things lots of times, and I have to explain what things mean. :S that's the scary part. haha.
Well this week was FREEZING. It was in the 30's all week. If we were lucky it got up to like 42-45*. I don't want to pull out my full on winter coat yet, because I know it will just get colder, but I might have to so I don't freeze.
We had a pretty slow week. Most of our lessons got cancelled, so we spent a lot of time tracting. Unfortunately a lot of our area is weekend homes, and i seemed to pick all those area's this week. Needless to say, we didn't talk to too many people. haha. So our miracle for the week was we were able to find one person who let us talk to him. We gave him a Book of Mormon. He wasn't interested in us coming back, but he said he would read the Book of Mormon.
On Sunday we had a big miracle.... We were sitting in Sacrament meeting, and a lady in the branch came in and got me. She said, "I need to talk to you in the hall." We went out there, and she said that the phone in the hall had just rang, and she answered it. It was a man who said he was interested in the church, and wanted to learn more!!!! She got his name and address, and we will be stopping by this week to meet him!!! That was so cool!!! I have never experienced that before! It was so cool.
At transfer meeting on Tuesday I found out some GREAT news.... Bro. Richard Crispin is getting baptized at the end of the month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was so happy to hear that. Also Elizabeth Earl who I started teaching in Sanford is getting baptized Dec. 4th!!!!!! Also, both of their kids are starting to learn. And a couple that I found in Sanford who we had to drop because they kept canceling their lessons, is learning and progressing towards baptism too!!!! Oh my goodness, it was such great news!!! I was so excited to hear that!
Well it is kind of stressful to "train", especially when I had only been here for 6 weeks. So things are moving slow, but we are doing our best. The nights come way too fast (it is getting dark at 5pm), and we don't have many street lights in our area. We are trying to get creative in the dark hours, but for now we are trying to brave it out, and tract among the dark forest and wild animals. haha :P
Keep praying for me, and I would love some letters!!!! :)
Love, Sister Rankin
Monday, November 1, 2010
Transfer 5 is now over
Hello Everyone---
Good news... I'm staying in Plymouth!!! So Sister Hill is going home on Wednesday... I am super sad. She was so much fun! I love her. This transfer flew by..... :(
So our District Halloween party was a hit. We all dressed up, and then we had soup and bread bowls for lunch. The Elders all had funny costumes. Sister Hill and I were a salt and pepper shaker, there was a moose and a hunter, a boxing trainer (he is training) and his boxing trainee, and then a hit man (he killed his last comp. the one he has now, and her goes home this next transfer) and a tie bandit. It was so much fun. We were going to carve pumpkins, but we ran out of time.
On Friday we went to our branch Trunk or Treat.... We dressed up as tourist that time. It was so fun. We had on our NH shirts, ME/NH sweatshirts, camera's around out necks, and maps coming out of our backpacks. It was so fun!!!!!
Tuesday Rita took up to a beautiful waterfall!!! It was so pretty. She is so sweet! Yesterday she accepted a baptismal date for Dec. 12th..... So that was really exciting.
Yesterday was also the branch primary program. Oh boy, it was a hoot!!!! the primary is really small, but it was good. I loved it!
We had 5 people at church yesterday!!!!!!!!! :) All 4 of our investigators, plus a lady who just showed up, and we are teaching her on Tuesday. That is the second time that we have had a non member just show up to church and let up come and teach them. It's so cool!
On Sat. a couple in our branch took us out for Chinese food with Rita..... Oh man, bad Idea. Yup, don't like Chinese food STILL!!!!
So what have I learned up to this point in my mission. I've learned how important it is to love people. Sister Hill is an AMAZING example of Christ-Like Charity and love. I've learned that things take time. There is opposition in ALL things. I've learned patience....... I'm still working on it. :)
On Halloween we had to come in at 5pm. Sister Hill packed, I wrote letters, and we just talked. All the fun things we had planned to do fell through. But it was good. Today the branch mission leader is taking us to lunch in Tilton, and to Lake Winnapasoki (spelling????). That should be fun. We are going to enjoy our last day together.
It snowed a few snow flakes a couple of times this week. I'm NOT looking forward to the snow. Wow, you already got a lot of snow in UT.... Sister Hill saw the picture and was sad. She doesn't want to go home to snow. ha ha.
Well next week I will have a lot of exciting things to share.....
ps... I'M TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm scared out of my mind. I'm not ready to be a Sr. companion let alone train a GREENIE!!!!
PRAY FOR ME A LOT!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO NEED THEM!!!!
love, Sister Rankin
Good news... I'm staying in Plymouth!!! So Sister Hill is going home on Wednesday... I am super sad. She was so much fun! I love her. This transfer flew by..... :(
So our District Halloween party was a hit. We all dressed up, and then we had soup and bread bowls for lunch. The Elders all had funny costumes. Sister Hill and I were a salt and pepper shaker, there was a moose and a hunter, a boxing trainer (he is training) and his boxing trainee, and then a hit man (he killed his last comp. the one he has now, and her goes home this next transfer) and a tie bandit. It was so much fun. We were going to carve pumpkins, but we ran out of time.
On Friday we went to our branch Trunk or Treat.... We dressed up as tourist that time. It was so fun. We had on our NH shirts, ME/NH sweatshirts, camera's around out necks, and maps coming out of our backpacks. It was so fun!!!!!
Tuesday Rita took up to a beautiful waterfall!!! It was so pretty. She is so sweet! Yesterday she accepted a baptismal date for Dec. 12th..... So that was really exciting.
Yesterday was also the branch primary program. Oh boy, it was a hoot!!!! the primary is really small, but it was good. I loved it!
We had 5 people at church yesterday!!!!!!!!! :) All 4 of our investigators, plus a lady who just showed up, and we are teaching her on Tuesday. That is the second time that we have had a non member just show up to church and let up come and teach them. It's so cool!
On Sat. a couple in our branch took us out for Chinese food with Rita..... Oh man, bad Idea. Yup, don't like Chinese food STILL!!!!
So what have I learned up to this point in my mission. I've learned how important it is to love people. Sister Hill is an AMAZING example of Christ-Like Charity and love. I've learned that things take time. There is opposition in ALL things. I've learned patience....... I'm still working on it. :)
On Halloween we had to come in at 5pm. Sister Hill packed, I wrote letters, and we just talked. All the fun things we had planned to do fell through. But it was good. Today the branch mission leader is taking us to lunch in Tilton, and to Lake Winnapasoki (spelling????). That should be fun. We are going to enjoy our last day together.
It snowed a few snow flakes a couple of times this week. I'm NOT looking forward to the snow. Wow, you already got a lot of snow in UT.... Sister Hill saw the picture and was sad. She doesn't want to go home to snow. ha ha.
Well next week I will have a lot of exciting things to share.....
ps... I'M TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm scared out of my mind. I'm not ready to be a Sr. companion let alone train a GREENIE!!!!
PRAY FOR ME A LOT!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO NEED THEM!!!!
love, Sister Rankin
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