1st week of new transfer

Hello from Maine-
That is so fun seeing the pictures of all the seminary graduates in our ward. Cameron is SO tall... I forgot! I hope he gets a hair cut before graduation though!!!!!! That is so neat that Brady got to walk across the stage. He is my little hero!

Cameron and cousin Brady after their Seminary Grauations

Tell Nash congrats on his mission call!!! That's exciting. We do e-mail from the library so I don't know about next week. if the people in our ward's shop is open then maybe email from there???? I'm not sure though.


Well this week was a crazy week! My trainer got transferred to Westport, NY. She is now follow up training my companion, Sister Hatch, from the MTC... and Sister Hatch's trainer is now follow up training me. :) It was SO good and fun to see Sister Hatch at transfer meeting!!!!! I forgot how much I missed her! :) Well the first couple of days in the area with my new companion, Sister Brovont, was crazy. I felt so scatter brained, and so not ready to "know" the area. We also realized that there was some information that I did forget to get from Sister Nelson..... but oh well now. I had my first full day of tracting. Saturday we tracted from 10-12, 1-5, 6-8. It was so crazy!!!! I get too A.D.D. during it. It was not my favorite thing to do. But that is basically how our whole Friday from 2:45-5, 6-8pm went, as well as Sunday from 2:15-5, 6-8pm went as well.... All of our new and potential investigators dropped us, so we had nothing else to do than tract. Our progressing investigators couldn't meet those days either. Pray that this week will be better!!!!
Wednesday was rainy and freezing all day, then Thursday was almost 80* all day. The weather in Maine is worse at being bipolar than Utah's weather. Tomorrow is supposed to be 85-90* with high humidity... :S I'm not looking forward to that. I don't know how I will handle humidity. The only bit I have had so far was not very much, and it was gross. haha.... I guess that's what I get for being a Utah/California girl! :P
Well this week I grew so much as a missionary! The first day I was talking more in contacts than I did my first 6 weeks altogether. I think I was using my being a "greenie" and in my first transfer as a terrible excuse. But as soon as I was with a new companion and not the greenest greenie any more, I finally stepped up! and guess what.... IT WASN'T EVEN SCARY! Sister Nelson did rub off on my big time.... I was the one running back and forth across the street to go stop people. I was always so embarrassed when Sister Nelson would do that.... and look at me now. I'm still not totally comfortable, and don't really know what to say, or how to say things, but it is coming. I do miss Sister Nelson a lot, and the comfort level I had with her... but I guess that took time to build up, so I just have to wait.
Sister Brovont is from Kansas. She is the youngest of 4. Her parents and 2 oldest siblings are converts. She sings, and played soccer. She has a very different way of doing missionary work than Sister Nelson had, so I'm still trying to get used to it, and find the way I like to do it. Now that I have seen 2 (well actually 3) ways of doing it, it's easier for me to find a way I like to do things. Instead of just relying on how my trainer did it. It is interesting to see how different people approach things differently. I have found ways I do want to do it, and ways I don't know. But this really has been a great experience for me. It has boosted my confidence more, and made me think... "I really can do this!" I still have SO much to learn, but I don't think I will ever stop learning!
I can't believe Cameron is graduating on Friday!!!! My little brother is going to be all grown up. :P I can't believe I am that old... I have been out of high school for 3 years now, CRAZY!!!!

Well I'm still trying to figure everything out as the "area trainer", but it's coming, and soon enough Sister Brovont will know just as much about this area as I do, and then it won't have to be as stressful for me..... Also from this transfer change, I realized how much Sister Nelson did!!! Holy cow, I was so not helpful for her. She did so much, and I never realized it. I feel bad now, because it is stressful when you are trying to do everything.... Sister Brovont is great though. She jumps in and makes phone calls, even when she doesn't know who she is talking too.... I still DON'T like making phone calls, but it's getting a little better!!!
I love you all!!! Hope you all enjoy your last week of school, and stay safe!!!!

Love, Sister Rankin

I made it through my first transfer.....

Hello Everyone!!
PRAY FOR ME!!!! My trainer is getting transferred in the morning. I have to area train! I'm FREAKING out!!! I'm not ready for her to leave, or to take over this area. I know I will still be the jr. comp. and being trained, but I am going to be having so much more responsibility here. We are pretty sure that she is going to be Sister Hatches companion (my comp. from the MTC), so that will be fun! So this week was pretty crazy!
On Tuesday we drove to Manchester, New Hampshire to pick up Sister Worlton. her companion is a temple square sister, so she left a week early, and we adopted her for the week. It was an adventure picking her up. On our way down there, we got a little lost, but it ended up being a good thing.... we avoided the 2 tolls we were supposed to go through. But on the way home we got way lost..... We ended up going through the same toll 4 times in a row, and being 30 min. in the wrong direction!!!! I felt so bad because I was in charge of the directions. I guess I read the exit signs wrong, and that's where all the trouble came. We also didn't have a map of New Hampshire, so it was interesting trying to find our way. People here give terrible directions. it was a fun adventure.... But Heavenly Father really does answer our prayers. After we said a prayer, we only went through the toll one more time, and we were able to find our way!!! At the first of the week I was really apprehensive to have another Sister with us, because she has been out for over a year, and knows her stuff.... But this week was awesome! We had 11 member lessons, 9 new investigators, and 8 or 9 other lessons. It was so much fun! I sort of sat on the back burner, listening, and soaking up experienced missionaries ways. Now I wish I hadn't!!!!!!! Well I'm glad I was able to learn from them, but not that they are both leaving me, I wish I would have done my goals for the week and talked to more people. I did teach a lot more in the lessons this week though... That made me nervous all day knowing that I would be teaching more principles in each lesson!!!
On Wednesday I gave my first training in District Meeting..... I was so nervous for that. I had like no time to prepare for it. I guess it went okay, but I didn't say much more than what is in Preach My Gospel already. haha.
So the man Richard that we are teaching is doing so awesome!!!! He has already cut back on his coffee intake and smoking, and we haven't even really taught him the Word of Wisdom yet!!!!! He knows he wants to be baptized, but doesn't feel he will be ready by June 26th, which is the date we gave him. He thinks some time in Aug. he will be ready, so we will give a date then, and move it forward as he progresses more!!! We are so excited! He came to church yesterday, and his mom was SO excited to see him! She almost started crying when she was him standing in the lobby talking to us!!! It was so fun! Well like I said I am really going to need some extra prayers of comfort and confidence this week! Well I know this is sort of short, but I love you all, and hope you have a great week!!!!
Love, Sister Rankin

ps, bug bites stink!!! I have so many, and I keep getting more! :(

week 5 in Maine

This was in my Mother's day card. I loved it

Hillary in Maine

Maine country side Hillary at the MTC What is on her head???

Hillary with a bug net on her head to keep the bugs away. A member had her try it on after she kept waving her arms all over the place, to keep the black flies away, while they were they talking to him so he ran into the house to get this bug net hood so she could stand still and talk at the same time.

Got a new picture today of Hillary and Pres. and Sister Jensen

the day she arrived in New Hampshire on 4-5-10

Hello everyone-
It was so good to talk to my family yesterday. It was funny because they wanted to know how things are going here, and I wanted to know how things were going there, so our conversations kept switching back and forth! haha. So this was such a GREAT week!!!

First off, I spoke too soon last week about the rainbow thing.... I saw my first rainbow here on Tuesday evening. So I guess they do have them, if the sun comes out after it rains, but that doesn't usually happen, so they don't have them as often as I was expecting. :)On Tuesday we were on our way to tract a street. We walked past a house that had kids out front. We asked the little girl if her mom was home. She went in to get her mom, and a few minutes later came out with a huge smile on her face. Then her mother came out. the first thing she said to us, with a really concerned look on her face, "Can I help save your souls from deception!" We were so confused. The she went off about how we have been deceived and asked us how we knew our church was true. Sister Nelson said, "I have studied and prayed, and asked Heavenly Father." then the lady asked, "How did you get your answer?" Sister Nelson said, "through the Holy Ghost......." The lady stopped her and said, "The Holy Ghost is NOT how you get answers. Everyone says the Holy Ghost told them their church is true, but it isn't. The Holy Ghost doesn't give you answers, it is what God and St. Francis say in the Bible... That's how you know things are true." First off, St. Francis is NOT in the bible, and second off, what the heck!!!!! She gave us these books that were called, "How the Bible proves the Catholic Church is the only true church." We took them, and walked away and found a garbage can. We couldn't go tracting with those books in our hands. It was really funny, and we had a good laugh about it all day. But it did strengthen my testimony of this church. We found a family this week who is interested in learning. We were going out to tract a street, but on our way we saw some people outside on a side street. We went to talk to them, and they weren't really listening our answering our questions. Before we left we asked them if they knew anyone who needed the gospel. They started laughing and said their neighbors do. so we went and knocked on their door. And guess what... they are interested. It is a mom, dad, 16 year old girl, and 14 year old boy. They are very family oriented, and we are so excited to go and teach them this week!!!!! Our whole mission fasts every fast Sunday to find families that are being prepared, and have a means to get to church. Also all the Bishops in my whole mission have been asked to remind the members each fast Sunday to include the finding of families in our mission in their fast! So it was even more exciting when we found a good family who is interested!We have started to teach a member in our wards son. He is in his 40's and says he is not ready for a church yet. But he really is. We can see it in his eyes. He started reading the Book of Mormon this week, and after one day he told his mom that some of his questions are already being answered. Yay!!!! But he is so cool. He totally reminds me of Bro. Brisk in my home ward. Everything about him. They way he looks, talks, and his sense of humor. I have to keep reminding myself that it is not him!

Yesterday we locked our keys in the car. It was FREEZING cold out, and really windy. It was 6:40 when we got back to the car, and we were supposed to be in at 7 for our phone calls.... Well after 20 min. and a prayer, the next member we called was able to come and help us. He got the keys to a point where we could try to push the clicker button to unlock it (because the car had a security things, hitting the unlock button on the door didn't work), the keys fell off the wire and under the seat. We were like, "Oh no, what are we going to do now." 45 minutes had past by this point. He looked in the window and saw the trunk release button. He was able to pull that. Sister Nelson crawled through the trunk, pushed the seat forward, and we were able to get out car unlocked! Heavenly Father answered our prayers, and it was amazing to see how has He did. This week we are going to be in a three some. A temple square sister that has been out here is going back to Utah, so her companion is going to be with us for the last week of the transfer. We get to drive 2 hours each way to Manchester tomorrow to pick her up. I'm excited to see how a different missionary works, to help me figure out the way I will approach things! Well I hope everyone is doing well! I love the letters.

Thanks for all the love and support!!! Love you all!

Love, Sister Rankin!

A tracting we will go and go and go some more.

Hillary sent some pictures last week so I added some new pictures to this blog.
check out some older post

Hello Everyone!!!
Holy cow, I have been in Maine for 4 weeks now, and on a mission for 7! That is so crazy to me! I feel like I haven't done anything yet, yet I have done 4 weeks worth of work. Before I left I was afraid I was going to have problems sleeping, but at the end of the day I am so tired, that I fall right a sleep. There have been a couple nights that I have woken up a lot during the night, but only a couple. But you can really feel it the next day. There is no time out here to catch up on sleep. But it's okay!

So I made up a little song/poem to describe my week to you all.... "A tracting we will go, a tracting we will go, all day loooonng, a tracting we will go! "We did a lot of tracking. Between Sunday April 25th and Tuesday April 27th we had 9 planned appointments.... 7 of them canceled or didn't show up. And that is about how the rest of our week went. Our pretty solid investigator Steven Hilton, that we found tracting one Sunday evening, dropped us on Monday. He talked to his sister who is Baptist, and decided that he thought he should try out her church, and wasn't ready for a commitment to our church. We were so sad, because he LOVED everything we taught him, and he really enjoyed church. Then we found a few other cute mom's and they dropped us too.... So we did a lot of tracting.

A funny thing that happened this week was on Wednesday morning. We went out to our car at 6:30 am to drive to the track, and our car had Macaroni and Cheese all over it.

(okay it was probably only half a box, but still). We had to clean it off, and by the time we got it all off we decided we would just stay inside to exercise.

Well a member happened to call us while all that was going on. She started freaking out, and blew it way out of proportion. she told us we needed to call the police and all this stuff. It was the morning of district meeting, so we were already having to cut everything shorter to be able to get there in time, and so with this it made it a frantic morning. She called us like 10 times telling us what we should do and everything. In the mean time we called the office Elder who is in charge of the cars and told him. A few minutes later we get a call from President Jensen laughing about it, and asking us what happened. He thought it was funny, but wanted to make sure everything was alright. Well one of the members in our ward has a shop on Main Street, so he washed our car for us, and we went to district meeting.

It was a really hectic and funny start to the morning.

One thing I have noticed out here, is that it rains alot!!!! And so you could expect to see a TON of rainbows.... well there aren't any! I have not seen a single rainbow out here, but I have seen tons of rain. it is so weird to me. I didn't know it could rain with out having a rainbow after. haha! (This picture was take by our friend Pam Zundel on May 15, 2010. This is was Hillary is used to seeing after a rain shower)

There are a ton of black flies and mosquitoes out.... The black flies bite and it hurts, then you are left with an itchy bump too.... so needless to say we are going to have to start wearing

a lot of bug spray all the time. Yesterday was the first pretty humid day! it was 87* most of the day. This morning it was already 67* and humid at 6:30 am. I don't really like humidity. It makes it hard to breath. I feel like a ton of bricks are pushing on my chest at all times..... but maybe I will get used to it and then I won't feel like that anymore. haha :)We have a Bible reading challenge right now. We have to read Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, and the Acts. While reading we mark in blue the 5 doctrines of Christ (faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, and ETTE). It's really cool to read it and see all the miracles Christ did on Earth. It makes me love and appreciate Him so much more!!! I don't know how anyone could deny that He is the Son of God!!! Well I love you all, keep me and my area in your prayers!! Hope you are all doing well, and I would love to hear from you!!!love, Sister Rankin!! :)

Met the first real mean person

Sister Nelson and I on our way home from Stake Conference.

(Don't mind the outfit I hate blazers)

Hello Everyone-
It has been another adventures week in Sanford, ME. This week we had Zone interviews and Stake Conference both in Exeter, NH (about 1 hr. 10 min. away). They were both excellent. President Jensen (my mission president) was at both. He spoke at stake conference. He is such a good speaker, and the stake president here is wonderful as well. The two meetings were very uplifting, and a great experience to be at!!! It's weird though, I got to New Hampshire once every week... in the 13 years I lived in Utah, I could probably count on 2 hands (maybe 3) the number of times I went into a different state. So it's pretty crazy!It has been great weather here. We had one day that was kind of rainy, but the big, heavy rain didn't come until we were in for the night! :) I was happy about that. I have noticed the humidity in a different way than I thought. It hasn't gotten to the yucky muggy stuff that will come later in the summer. But I notice it when it says it is in the high 60's and we are having to wear our winter coats out. The wind is really cold, so that makes is feel way colder than the temperature says. But it's good!

We did a LOT of walking this week. We thought we got 1200 miles each month, but we found of a few days ago that we really only get 1100..... Because it was an honest mistake they didn't take our car away from us. But if we go over 1100 again (in March they did), then we won't have a car at all.... So we have been walking a lot to make sure that this month we don't go over in our miles. But walking isn't that bad... we do keep running into people in different parts of town, and they make funny comments to us, but if that's the worst of it, so be it. :)

So I think I am starting to turn into a "Mainer"... they always say "yep" when every you say something. They say it all the time.... and I am starting to say it. Instead of saying yes, or sure, or something else, I just say yep.... :S Also they always say "Oh yeah!" and "I'm all set." I have caught myself saying both of those this week as well.... :S

We ran into our first really mean person this week. We knocked on his door, and he opened his door and said, "I bet you can guess what I'm thinking." We didn't know and then he started yelling at us, and called us Idiots, and yelled at us to get off his property now! It was kind of scary for a second, but then we laughed it off.... Ya know, instead of feeling bad about myself in a situation like that, I have found that I find it really funny. Sister Nelson and I laugh a lot out here! Well one thing I learned in Zone interviews this past week was really good.... so I'm going to share it with you.

How to arise from the dust and come unto Christ.

1. Be active in the GOSPEL and church.

2. Look for the Lords hand in your life EVERYDAY.

3. What you talk about, is what you invite.

4. Have hope.

5. Have an attitude of finding the solution, not looking for the problem or excuses.

Hope you are all having a great week!! Love, Sister Rankin! :)

Well you two are very beautiful for nuns

Hello Everyone-
So I have been a missionary for 33 days now! Wow, I know that's not very long, but I can't believe it has gone by that fast.
I got the packages, but the frame you sent was shattered.... and my boots were full of glass. :S

My area covers one ward, and it is about 17 cities. We have church at 9AM. The elder that went to Cedar Ridge is Elder Richards, but he lived in Pleasant Grove.... I don't know if his family still lives there or not. Sister Nelson has been out since last May.... she goes home in October or December.
How did the Boston Marathon go for grandpa?? [jeana added--He finished slower than normal at 5:04:37. His legs locked up and he had to walk that last 2 miles]

Well this week we did A TON of tracking.... Pretty much that was all we did. So that means we had lots of funny stories happen. First we ran into this lady on the street. We introduced ourselves, and then she said, "Well you two are very beautiful for nuns." ha ha, it was so funny. We had to explain that we aren't nuns. Another person, we knocked on their door and there was a Chinese man that didn't speak English. His wife came to the door and was talking to us. When we asked if they wanted to learn more the wife said, "No, because he is Chinese.... We can't have people come in because he doesn't understand." We asked if we could give them a card to order stuff in his language, but she yelled NO, and slammed the door. ha ha.
And another funny story was we knocked at a door, and this lady opened it. We told her who we are, and she said, "No." Then as she was closing the door she said to someone in the house, "What do you say to Mormons, I feel bad closing the door in their face." We wanted to say, well if you feel bad, then why are you doing it.
Earlier last week we had a kid tell us he was Jewish, and then when he closed the door he started laughing, and we heard him say, "I was trying to laugh in their face.... I told them I was Jewish..... And they have lots of wives, why would you join that church??!!" We busted up laughing, because their walls are paper thin, and we heard everything!!! some people.... we also had a lot of door where we could hear and see them walk up to the door, see us, and then turn around and not answer the door. Lots of laughs this week, lots and lots of laughs!!!!
Tracking is kind of long and boring, but we don't really have anything else to do. We only have three investigators, and two of them can only meet once a week. So ya... But this Sunday we had two investigators on Sunday. One is a lady named Loral who said she wasn't going to be able to come. But i guess on Saturday she called her neighbor and asked her if they could take her to church. It was so awesome!!!! then we had Steve come. We met him last Sunday afternoon, and met with him once, and then he was at church. He really enjoyed church, and we are so excited!!!!! We are keeping our fingers crossed that it all goes well!
I am hoping we have time today to print some pictures, or send a CD of the pictures. But we will see!!! I haven't really taken any pictures since I have been here. There is no time to stop and take pictures. I didn't realize how busy the days are here. There is no rest ever. I am still getting used to only getting 8 max hours of sleep... I was used to 9+ hours of sleep. But it is coming.
This week was really rainy.... I NEED to get a rain coat. And I think I might want to send my pea coat home, because I don't want it to get gross.... but we will see.
Well I hope all is well with everyone! I LOVE letters, so PLEASE write!!! Love you all!
Love, Sister Rankin!!
PS. Tell Amy congrats, and that I want pictures when the baby comes. :)

First week in the field--Sanford, Maine

Hello Everyone!!!
Well I am in Sanford, ME! My area covers about 17 cities, but we mostly just stay in Sanford, because it is the most populated.... I definitely am not in Utah anymore. Not only are there tons and tons of trees (makes for getting car sick really easy), but it is already greener here than Utah gets. And their mountains... well they are more like hills. and small hills at that. haha. I was expecting it to be cold when I got here, but it was 75*. Last week there was a day that it got up to 87*. then the next day it rained all day.... And yes we walked around outside all day in the rain. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be though... but sister Nelson said that was a light rain. :S eek, I don't want to know what heavy rain is then. The wind here is really cold too. It goes right through your clothes. So we have been wearing lots of layers to keep warm on windy days. Also, pretty much everyone smokes, so that is different too. Well when I got here, we had an investigator named Sheila Goode. She was coming along great. But she has a learning disorder that made it take a long time to cover all the lessons. She was finally starting to understand everything, and then she met a guy.... Well let's just say she isn't getting baptized May 1st anymore. We had to drop her yesterday.... So pretty much right now, we are having to start with only 2 investigators... they aren't really progressing, but we are still going to give them a chance for a little while longer. So that means our days will be full of tracting and street contacting.....Oh boy, Street contacting... you have to yell to people to get them to stop, and then you try to teach them a little something. most people say, "I'm all set." and won't listen anymore. But every once in a while someone will listen. Boy, I had NO idea what the field was like. The MTC was so amazing, and I was so excited, then I get out here, and it is not the same. At the MTC the spirit is so strong all the time. Here you have to fight to even feel the spirit during the day. So it is different. But Sister Nelson is a hard worker, and I'm glad she is my companion. She is letting me kind of get into the swing of things slowly, which I really appreciate! But I have testified during lessons, and each day I talk more and more.... some day I will get it down though. But it has only been a week, so I'm still getting used to it..........

Well I guess I should tell you about my companion. Sister Nelson is from Vernal, UT. Crazy story, we were in the same Anatomy Lab class together. I didn't really know her, but we recognized each other... once again it is a small world!!! Then one of the Elders in my district went to Cedar Ridge. I knew he looked familiar when I saw him, but he doesn't remember me. haha. Sister Hatch, my MTC comp is clear over in NY... almost as far from each other as we can get. That is kind of sad, especially not knowing how everything is going for her. But that's okay, the Lord put us where He needed us. That is something I have to keep telling myself. I was put in the Sanford area for a reason... I don't know why yet, but there is a reason. It is pretty ghetto, especially compared to Utah, so it is a big adjustment for me, but the Lord put me here, so I will take it. PLEASE WRITE ME!!!!! I would love to get letters, Lots and lots of letters. Also I was going to print some pictures, and sent them home today, but I don't think we are going to have time, so next week i will try.....Well I hope everyone is having a great week! Love you all!!!!!

Love, Sister Rankin!

This is a picture I found on the internet I think this is her apartment.