pioneer Day week

Hello Everyone--

To start off, this week had some WICKED hot temps!!!!! We didn't have our car on Wed afternoon- Thursday afternoon.... It was so hot! It was in the high 90's with HIGH humidity.... Friday it was 104*!!!! I took some picture of the temp. thing, but i forgot my camera cord in the car..... yeah. On Thursday it was hotter here that it was in St. George, UT... (someone looked it up for us)! CRAZY!!!!!!!

Monday we had a good lesson with Jackie. She loved church, and is super excited about everything. We are just trying to help her gain a firm testimony now.... But she is coming a long great!!!

Wednesday we contacted the Mormon.org referrals. It was a 17 year old girl and her dad. They found the web site randomly, and clicked the thing that said get a free book of Mormon. The daughter seems really interested, but just wanted to read the book first. Her dad we think was just doing it for her. He was asking us so many hard/weird questions. He definitely dominated the conversation.

Thursday we had district meeting, and then at the office complex for the mission office they had a big lunch party thing for all the people who worked there. So us missionaries in the area got to go. They had way good food, and then a photo booth. That was fun! But it was SUPER hot outside. Thursday night we went to the RS activity. They had a pool party. We just went and had dinner, and talked to the few people who weren't swimming.

Friday was the 100+* day. We taught Kelly that night............ she had a baptism date of..............AUGUST 20TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are hoping and praying that she will be able to make that date!! She said when she was praying about it, the date couldn't have been more clear to her. So that was exciting. She is doing soooooo well!!!

Saturday we went to the Joseph Smith Birthplace memorial again. We went with Rob, Sarah, and Becca. First off, Sarah is in 3rd Nephi!!!! Her and Becca had been listening the the first part of the Book of Mormon... after each chapter they would stop and talk about it, so Becca could understand it. They would also, apply it to their life!!! So cool! Sarah really enjoyed the JSM, we didn't get to talk to Rob and Becca much after, they went and jumped in the air conditioned car... (the ac in the main building wasn't working that day. :S)

I can't believe I only have 4 weeks left.... It's weird.... But with that said, I might not write everyone back, like I used too... We are trying to get some fun things in on P-days, and/or naps.... so I will probably just talk to you when I get home... but I might still write back sometimes... but if I don't write you back, it's not because I don't love you! :)
Hope everyone is doing well!!!

love, Sister Rankin

Crazy Week

This week was CRAZY!! So last Monday we had to go to the airport 3 times.... and wait there for like an hour and a half the second time. The new sister that we were picking up, her plane got cancelled, but we didn't know that until she was supposed to have landed the first time. So she was on stand by. No one knew if she was on the next flight or not, so we had to go and see. She wasn't... so we had to wait there, until the next plane boarded so they could tell us if she got on or not. Well at 8:45ish pm they said she didn't' make it on the plane... So we went to the Wilkey's for dinner... (She was supposed to get there at 4pm). At like 9:20 we get a call saying she actually made it on the plane, and would be getting in at 10:20pm. So Sister Wilkey asked us if we would stay around, so we could go with them to pick her up. So we picked her up at about 10:35, and loaded the car, and went home. We didn't get home until 11:06 pm.... Missionary bed time is 10:30.... WE WERE EXHAUSTED!!!!

Tuesday was equally as crazy! When we got to transfer meeting, one of the Elders had left something at the AP's apartment that they needed. No one was able to go get it, so after they announced all the transfers, S. Walter and I had to go to the AP's apartment and get the things they forgot. then after transfer meeting was gone, we stayed and cleaned the church. The rest of the day we had 2 other sisters with us. They are changing up things with training. Now they do a long training the day after transfers with the new missionaries and trainers, so we have to keep them busy on Tuesday. We had a couple lessons, and stuff that we did, along with service. It was fun... but weird!!!

Wednesday we had to go to Concord for S. Walters final dentist appointment. That night we taught Kelly!!! Oh my goodness, she is doing SO well!! She committed to praying about a baptism date, and told us she would have it by this week!!! Yay!!! She is so happy and said she had NO doubt about the church!!!!! Also later in the week, we found out that they weeks she hasn't been at our ward, she has been going to church up in VT!!!! She is so AWESOME!!!

Sarah is doing so well too. She is already in Alma. She had a break through this week. She said she is finally learning for herself, and not because she know it will help Rob and Becca. She is loving the scriptures.

Jackie and Ines Delcid were at church yesterday!! That was super exciting. They loved it!!!

We had some cooler days this week, and then Saturday and Sunday were like 95*!!! It was hot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, this week we found a really cool couple. It was the last door we were going to go to before going to our lesson. A lady answered and talked about how it's a really stressful, crazy time for their family. We talked to her for a while, and then she said, "My husband and I, we really don't know what to believe anymore...." We talked to them a little more, prayed, and are going to back tonight! They want to support and family feel... they have no family around. The church is PERFECT for that!!! :) It was excited!!!

Well I think that is all....

Love you all!!!

Love, Sister Rankin

We had to cram 4 beds into our bedroom.. the rest of the apartment was WAY to hot, and our room was the only one that gets cool at night... haha.

My 2nd to the last, week 6

Hello everyone--


This last week was crazy.. and this one is going to be too.... so this will be highlights of the week....

Saturday we had a WONDERFUL trip up to the JSM with Kelly and Lauren. After doing the tour and watching the movie, we went and saw the door step. Kelly stopped and bent over and touched it... had a little moment of her own there. Then we were walking up to the memorial, Kelly broke down into tears. It was a really special moment for her. As Lauren and S. Walter were walking around it, Kelly turned to me, and said, "When you know it's true, you know it's true. I can't deny it!" AH!!! The old Kelly is back. She wants to take her boyfriend and other people up to the memorial.

This week we are going to try to talk to her about setting a goal for baptism again! That was a great experience to have with the Walter family!!!

Then on the way home we (S. Walter, Lauren, and I) were taking lots of silly pictures in the back seat. It reminded me of the times Ashley and I would do that. It was so fun. Kelly said at church, that Lauren had so much fun!!

ROB, SARAH, BECCA, KELLY, AND LAUREN were all at church yesterday!!!!!!! It was so exciting!!!!! They all stayed for all 3 hours. Sarah and Becca seemed to really enjoy it. We didn't really get to talk to Rob. The ward did a good job with them as well. We are still so excited about that. I think that is the most people I have ever had come to church on my mission!!! Crazy!!! We were so excited... they all came in a few minutes late. We went into sacrament all sad kind of. We had 7 people commit to come to church, and no one was there.... Then all 5 of them flooded in at once. We were like giddy little school girls.

sisters-- Farr, Walter, Rust, Rankin -- 4th of July lunch

We found a couple of really cool people this week. First Cindy. She was a referral that S. Walter and S. Farr got on their exchange. We went to see her, and she said like 8 times that she is searching. She's always wanted to call after seeing our commercials, and that it makes her more interested when churches are persecuted... she said, "That means that there's gotta be something there..." She has a really great family. She became a new investigator, and this week when we go back, her 2 daughters probably will too. It was a miracle, and we would barely wait to get back to the car before we exploded with excitement.

The other one was a potential that S. Page and I found 2 months ago. We went and stopped by. She let us in, but said she wasn't interested. We started to teach her the restoration (to answer some of the questions she had asked), and by the end she took a Book of Mormon, and set up a return appointment!!! :) Yay!!! it was cool to see the change in her after just a few min. of talking. We shared a simple lesson on the Restoration. She was glued to us. When S. Walter said the first vision, I don't think Teressa even blinked. It was super neat!

Leah dropped us, we don't know why. :( She left a message telling us she didn't want us to come to her house anymore. Which was weird, because we had seen her twice earlier in the week, and she was so excited about everything, especially coming to church on Sunday.


Teaching English this week was fun. We tried to teach the days of the week and months. WOW, I will never be able to a ESL teacher. It is hard work!!!!

I got to see S. Hatch and S. Page this week. S. Hatch had a temple square companion who was going back this week.... so she had to bring here down. That was fun. Then S. Page had her last dentist appointment. We got to go out to dinner with them on the days they came! :)

I also got to learn how to make paposas this week, an El Salvadorian food... Our investigator, Ines taught us how. 

So something is wrong with me. For like the last week and a half I have been getting super stressed about everything. Things that shouldn't even stress me out. I know there are like a million reasons that go with it, but it's super annoying. I am even having stressful dreams because of it. I can't believe this is my last transfer. I'm looking back now thinking about all those things I coulda, shoulda, wish I woulda done.... it's too late now to change it, but it's stressing me out. Then having all the thoughts flooding into my head about going home and that transition.... Then all the normal stress of missionary work and trying to help these people come unto Christ!!!!! AHHHHHH!!!!! My body is tired, it aches a lot, my mind is exhausted. I'm drained, but.... That's when you have to push yourself and sprint to the finish line. So this week S. Walter and I ran a mile straight, without stopping, for morning for exercise. I haven't done that since like jr. high. My body was tired after the second lap... but I told myself I was going to do 4 laps (similar to transfers 1-7 minus transfer 6). The 3rd lap it got a little easier (Transfer 8-11) , but was still a little challenging. By the time it was the 4th and final lap, we "sprinted" the last 100-200 yards (transfer 12). I want this to be a sprint to the finish line. Tell myself that I AM going to make it!!! I ran a mile with out stopping, days before my final transfer.... I think that was a real life, hard core, visual aid to tell me how I can finish out my last transfer.

I CAN DO IT!!! I WILL DO IT!!! The final chapter of Sister Rankin serving in the NHMM starts today. Let's make it a great and happy ending!!!

Love, Sister Rankin

 Here is the damage to the car, when we were rear ended when I made a quick stop at a red light.

Rainy week in Bedford

Hello Everyone--


Today is a good day... the sun is out. We haven't seen the sun in a week or so. We had days this week that we were in sweaters and long sleeves.... But don't worry it was super humid the whole time, and today the sun is shining, and it feels like June!!!!

So last week I think I forgot to talk about my close call with a dog. (and if I did, then skip this paragraph.) We had been standing on this persons porch and their dog was laying there. It didn't move when we got there. It looked at us, but didn't seem to mind. We knocked, no one came, so we rang the door bell. Well when we rang the bell this scary dog came running and barking at the door. It scared us, and then the dog on the porch started freaking out. So we started to leave and head down the drive way. Well the dog from the porch almost bit me. It bit my skirt, and scratched my foot. After church I had changed into a little longer skirt, because it was windy. If I wouldn't have changed after church, I would have gotten bit hard core on the leg by that stupid dog... LUCKILY it only got my skirt. It was a VERY close call...

Mom, I got a letter from S. Page this week... She said that the area she went to knew who was coming. They had looked up her and her companion on line... and guess what picture they found of S. Page... which became their first impression of her.... They found my blog, and the picture of us in the huge dress...... haha. She said it was super embarrassing, and not what you want as your first impression... haha. So it seems like my blog must be open for the whole world to see.. :S

This week we found 4 new investigators. We are starting to teach a mom and her 3 daughters. (The family the Manchester elders were teaching, but now we are.) They are really cool. It was kind of awkward though. When we went to their house they let us right in, and we started talking to them. When we were about ready to leave the mom, Ines, asked if we wanted some french fries. Before we could respond she was off to the kitchen to make them. While they were cooking she brought us some... ice tea.... It was very kind of her, but we had to reject it. They kids were like, "Oh yeah, Mormons can't drink this... I'll drink it instead." We didn't know what it was when she handed it to us. Good thing we asked before we drank it!!!! That would have been bad for us to break the word of wisdom, and then in the future have to teach them about it. I've never had that experience before. Usually if someone just gets us something to drink with out asking us, they just give us water. We were afraid that we offended Ines, (she doesn't speak very good English, so we don't know if she really understood what we were saying completely.) but then she came back with 2 cups of water and said, "Here, it's 100% water! :)" haha. it was funny.

The other one we found is a 20 something year old named Mike. He says he is Atheist, but after talking to him, we don't think he really is. At the end of the contact, he committed to read the Book of Mormon, and meet with us again.

haha, while teaching a family named the Shimmels this week, we extended baptismal dates to them. The dad and daughter said yes, then the fiance asked a question. She said, "I thought you can't get baptized if you are living together and not married." We told them that was correct. Then the dad said, "Well there is no way we could afford 2 households." So I said, "Well you could just get married!" the dad gave me this look that I couldn't read, and then said, "You are telling me I have to get married with in the next 40 days..." we replied, "Yes! :)" Wow, that was an interesting conversation after that. They said they have some things they need to talk about, but they still agreed to meet with us again! We left, sort of in shock that we not only extended a date for so close, but also straight out told them to get married (but we did offer the bishop and church for free! haha)

We had a super cool miracle with a less active this week. S. Walter felt like we really needed to go see someone on the ward list. We had tried seeing the 2 we had planned but they weren't home. There was someone, but we didn't know who. We sat in the car, pulled out our ward list, then prayed to know who we should go visit. We picked Sis. Constantine. Neither of us knew her or knew anything abut her. We went. She let us in, and the first thing she said was, "I'm surprised to found me home, I'm not usually home very much at all." Then she said, "Why are you here?" We told we had come to meet her. She was baptized about 7 years ago, and something happened and she feel away shortly after. She said she hasn't seen anyone from the church (other than the one member who lives in her building) in at least 5 years. She still reads the Book of Mormon and prays. She wants to come back to church so desperately. She missed the brother and sisterhood!! She asked us to come back again, and also pray that her fears will be gone so she can come back! That was a sweet miracle! It helped strengthen my testimony that God does know us all so perfectly. He knew her some much to know when she would be home. That she was going to be there at that time, and He lead us to her.

Another thing that was strengthened for me this week was the importance of carrying the Book of Mormon in your hands while walking around. We were able to have some very good contacts because of that. It was in my hands, so I used scriptures. The spirit came, and the what would have become contentious (because the people we were talking to were trying to argue) turned into very wonderful contacts. The Book of Mormon had more power in it than we know. We must study it daily, have it available! Use it!!!!!! That is a goal me and S. Walter have now, is to get back into the habit of using it for me, and for her, using it in contacts. She never has shared a scripture in a door step contact. I know the Book of Mormon is true!!! It has the answers to our prayers and life questions!!!!! If you have never read it, READ IT. If you have, READ IT AGAIN!!!! Read from it daily!!!

thanks for all the letters:)

love, Sister Rankin

Last week in bedford

Hello Everyone---

We had an interesting week....

Our super awesome investigator, Renee, got a job at a summer camp for 8 weeks... so we won't be seeing her for that long. :( But she still is committed to read from the Book of Mormon.

On Wednesday we did service for a couple of people. One was for a member. I got to do some sewing... with a computerized sewing machine. It has no foot petal... you just push buttons for it to start and stop. It was weird, but fun. Then we went to a members non member friends house to help clean up. We sorted through clothing. Oh my goodness, this lady had SO much clothing, it wasn't even funny. Then we went and saw Kelly....

Thursday night Sister Walter taught me a new game.... You put whip cream on your wrist and try to hit it off your wrist into your mouth... lets just say, we got a lot of whip cream on the kitchen floor... and once spot on the ceiling. It was so funny!!!

Friday we went on exchange with the Derry sisters again. that was fun.

Saturday I was asked to speak at a baptism for the AP's investigators Diane and Eddy. It was a mom and her 12 year old son. Wow, that was a neat experience to see them get baptized, and then confirmed on Sunday. The spirit was so strong, and they look SO happy!!!!!

Yeah, I forgot to bring my planner, so I don't really know what else to write about. My brain isn't working well today. Sorry this is a lame e-mail.

love ya!

love, Sister Rankin

hot and cold week

Hello everyone--


So this subject identifies a few different parts of the week. First, the weather.... Oh my goodness, it was SO hot a few days of the week.... we got a little sunburned, and were really hot and sweaty all day... then the last 2 days of the week we were in coats, lots of rain (rain boots one day).... It was crazy. One day it dropped 20* after a 5-10 min. rain storm. From the mid 90's to the mid 70's. Saturday at one point we could see our breath.... It's supposed to be cooler until friday! But it's nice to not be drenched in sweat all day! :P

Then with the investigators. So Kelly isn't getting baptized this Saturday as planned. She needs more time with the Word of Wisdom issues. We are still teaching her, and she still wants to get baptized, she just needs more time.

Monday night we taught a new investigator Renee at the Wilkey's. She is awesome!!! She is 20 years old, has her LPN, going for her RN. she is SO prepared, and we are excited to start teaching her. The Elders had started teaching her, because she was friends of one of their investigators, but they turned her over to us this week. The lesson was funny though. We show up to the Wilkey's and President ask's her if she wants a tour of the house. She said yes.... well ONE HOUR later it was finally over. So normally we have to be home by 9:30 pm at the latest. WELL.... at 9:20 President said, "I know these Sisters need to leave, but one more thing..." We didn't leave his house until almost 9:40..... Oh President. haha. But we had a really great lesson with her!!!

Tuesday we taught Rob, Sarah, and Becca (the family we taught the week before at the Wilkey's). That lesson went really well. Rob said he is the one that has been holding back his family, and he is making the commitment to change. Sarah and Becca said they have been ready to move forward since last summer when they first met missionaries, but Rob has been holding them back. Rob and Becca came to church yesterday! That was exciting.

We weren't able to teach Chris or Joann this week... but we did get to teach Bryan and Leah.

Leah is going to take some time. She has an ex-husband who is trying to control her life still.... but she really wants it, so we are still working with her.

Then we had a super awesome lesson with Bryan (the 24 year old). We talked about the Atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ. He accepted a soft baptism commitment. Said if he feels that it is right for him, then he will be baptized. He wants a fresh start in his life. The spirit was SO strong.

Also while tracting this week we found a lot of really cool potential investigators. We met this really cool kid named Andrew yesterday. The only bad thing, is that he lives in CA, and was just here for the weekend for his little sisters high school graduation. We walked up and immediately he was interested. He had a really obnoxious friend who was making it hard to teach and testify, but we were still able to... and guess what is SO weird (but totally not a coincidence), he is living in San Jose, CA.... where I was born. Crazy!!! Basically S. Walter was dealing with the obnoxious friend while I taught Andrew who was interested. But at one point Andrew asked, "So is this even worth it? I bet you meet a lot of people that are rude and ignorant. Most people probably don't even listen to you or accept it." I told him, "Yes, most people are like that. But in the scriptures it teaches us that 'The worth of souls is great in the sight of God' .... and that even one soul saved brings great joy to God. (D&C 18) and that even if we only help one person draw closer to our Savior, it is totally worth it." He got the hopeful look on his face, and said, "Really, for just one person it makes all this worth it!" We said "YES!" (previously we had told him that we are volunteers, middle of college can come out for 18 months, non-paid.... So I think that is partly where his question was coming from.) But that was super cool!!!! It's amazing how we can be placed in the right place at the right time!

This week we have more progressing investigators than I have ever had before on my mission. It is awesome. Then the Manchester Elders just gave us the names and address of a family of 3 who they have been teaching, that actually lives in our area! So we are going to go and try to contact them this week, so we can start teaching them!!! The work is picking up like crazy here!!! It's so great! Sister Walter and I laugh a TON!!! We tend to have a lot of laughing attacks... it's awesome!

One last thing... on our way to e-mail, I got pulled over... for the first time in my life!!! I was so ticked, and was like, "I don't even know why I'm getting pulled over." Luckily (in a twisted way) it was just because the car has an expired inspection.... which apparently you don't get done the same time as when you register it, which is totally stupid.... So we only got a warning, and just have to get the car inspected. The weirdest thing is, that usually the office doesn't let things happen like that... so it was weird....

Well keep the letters coming! I'm getting slower at writing back, but I will write back, I promise!

love ya all!

love, Sister Rankin :)

ps.

Start of transfer 11.....

Hello everyone--

So I am still in Bedford. My new companion is Sister Walter from Santa Clara, UT (right by St. George). She is also a nursing student. She finished one year at BYU before coming out. She came from Plymouth, where she had spent her first 3 transfers. So I am only her second companion. She is a great teacher, and will definitely teach me a ton!

We had a pretty AWESOME week!!! So last Monday S. Page and I went and taught Kelly. She surprised us with dinner! It was so kind. We had a really good lesson with her, and then they got to say their goodbyes to S. Page. (S. Page is now in Wolfboro, NH... which is neighbors to the Plymouth area.)

Tuesday was transfer meeting. After it was over, S. Walter and I went back to our apartment, and planned our lesson for that night. We did some tracting, then headed to the Wilkey's for a lesson. We taught some former investigators, who are now investigators again. Rob, Sarah, and Becca. It's a dad and his daughter Becca, then his fiance Sarah. They had dropped S. Page and I went we first got to Bedford. But we had a AMAZING lesson with them. It went so well!!! President text us the next morning and told us we "NAILED that lesson." Then on Thursday at district meeting he told our whole district that if they were making a District 3 (a video to help teach missionaries), that our lesson would have been one of the featured lessons in that video. Which is a HUGE compliment. I have heard him talk about other lessons that he has been at with missionaries, and NEVER has he made comments like that! That was SUPER exciting!

Wednesday we had a good lesson with one of our newer investigators, Joanne. In the past she would talk a lot, and we wouldn't get to teach much. Well this time we taught her the restoration, and she was tuned in... it was really neat. When we recited the first vision, she went silent and was really listening. It was so cool! Also on Wednesday there were tornado warnings in our area. Some tornadoes hit in Mass... but we were fine. it didn't even rain very much.

Saturday we had a miracle. On Friday I called this guy that S. Page and I had met the week before General Conference, and who we had been playing phone tag with since then. We set up a lesson with him for Saturday night. We got a member, and went to the lesson. When we first got there, he said (Oh, his name is Bryan Brown, 24 yrs old.), "So tell me about your church!" So we were teaching him, then during the lesson he told us that he wanted to come to church. When we were telling him about it, and explaining that it is 3 hours, he said, "I think that it's cool that it's 3 hrs. I like that!" We were freaking out inside... no one ever says that. And guess what... on Sunday he came to church!!!!!!!!! WAHOO!!! While he was there, he told some members that they would probably see him next week too!!! Yay! On Saturday we also got a referral from the Elders for a girl named Renee who is 20, and a nursing student. We are teaching her tonight at the Wilkey's house! So excited!!!!!

These last 2 weeks have been super awesome!! I'm really excited!!! After 4 months of hard work, and not teaching very much, we had lot's of exciting things happening here in Bedford..... Oh, another exciting thing is, we moved from our dungeon basement, but to a super nice and big apartment. It took, almost all day Saturday to move, but we are up there and excited to have a clean, mold free apartment to live in!!!

Love ya all!