Thursday, March 31, 2016

March 30, 2016 - First day in the MTC


I am alive!!

3/30/16

HI family!! I just have 10 quick minutes to let you know that I have survived my first day! =) We taught a couple investigators and I love it here!! It went so incredibly fast and I can not wait until tomorrow! It is such a strong feeling being here! Everyone is so very friendly and I love how much fun my companion is!! Her name is Sister Bowen and she is like a mix of Emren and Michone it is great!! We get along so very well and we have already had quite the day today...I will tell more on Wednesday =) But just know that I love you all and that I love it out here and I love being a missionary! My Companion is going to Jamaica!!! How cool is that! My whole district is either going to Jamaica or Australia! I have one Elder who is going to Melbourne with me but the rest of them are Jamaica or Sydney North. They are the best! Jaron will love this...I have an Elder in my district who is Elder White...but he is Black! HA HA! I had to contain myself from cracking a joke (me and my companion both) I love it here!! My Zone Leaders are great and are getting ready to head on their missions next Monday so we will probably becoming the new District Leaders and Zone leaders! That is kinda crazy to me! I love you all and want you all to know that I am doing great =) I had a great time teaching the investigators and can not wait until I can actually begin teaching!
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!
Sister Rose =)

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

My Mission Story

Hi Everyone! I am starting this blog to keep people in the know of my 18 month missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints down in the land of Australia!! :) My mom will post my weekly emails and pictures to this blog to keep everyone updated.

To give a little background. I graduated in June of 2015 and my plans had nothing to do with a mission. I began working at a Disability Agency in St. Anthony Idaho and I have loved working there! They are the sweetest people that I have ever met and will always have a special place in my heart! I then began to question whether a mission was meant for me. My friends were all getting ready to leave on their missions and the thought just began to go through my mind. One day, my friend and I had planned to go to the temple one morning before work. As we went, I kept the thought in my mind of serving a mission. We did Baptisms and Confirmations and as we were getting ready to leave, my friend asked me if I wanted to stay and read scriptures or go get ready for work. I asked to stay for just a couple of minutes to read. As we were reading, I had the distinct thought to open the book. I had been reading out of the Book of Mormon and I picked up the Bible and started reading out of that book. I then had another distinct thought that said no, open the other book. So I put the Bible away and picked up my Book of Mormon and let it fall open. It landed in D&C 6. This whole chapter is talking about the field being white already to harvest. I read the chapter and I instantly knew that a mission is what I was supposed to do. I began to prepare myself to start my papers and get ready to go on my mission. My original thought was to leave close to when I turn 19 which is in January so that when I get home it will be when all of my friends are returning from serving their 2 year missions. The Lord had other plans for me. I received my call on November 27, 2015. It was during Thanksgiving break on campus so all of my roommates were out of town or at work. I was ready to rip it open as soon as it was in my hands but my mom told me that I should probably wait for my dad.
Yeah...probably.

So we went to his office! I called one of my Best Friends and got everyone else on Facetime. I waited a total of 15 minutes and if they were there, they were there. (Shows how patient I am) :).


I began to open my call and I had the most overwhelming feeling of joy! I couldn't wait to find out where I was going! Was I going Stateside? Or was I going foreign? When was I leaving? Was I learning a language? All of these thoughts were going through my head as I began to take the papers out. I flipped it around so that I could only see the first sentence...(which doesn't really work out so great, I saw where I was going before I read it). Dear Sister Rose...Oh the suspense!! I just wanted to skip so badly to where I was going so I could share it with my family! You are called to labor in the MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA mission!! WHAT!? I was in total shock! I was going to serve the Lord in Australia! You will report on March 30, 2016! I had so many thoughts running through my head that I wasn't even sure if it was real yet! But I knew for sure that this was where the Lord needed me. :)



Now that you all know my story of how I came to decide on a mission I hope that I can hear from all of you in the time that I serve and hear of your mission stories! Whether it is in your family, your ward, or any places that you feel prompted to reach out to people! :)