Tuesday, December 31, 2013

A New Year Approaches

Well! Another week has come and gone! But lemme start with a joke from Bishop Weeks. We had a throw-down lesson yesterday in 3rd hour. He basically said that if Pittsburgh ever wanted a temple they better step up home teaching/visiting teaching and temple attendance. A brother raised his hand and said that people should set a date as to when to get to the temple next, whether it be NEXT week, NEXT month or NEXT year. Bishop stared at him and said "Well, that doesn't matter because all 3 of those things are the same. They are all next week." hahaha! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

So this is our week (:

Tuesday was Christmas Eve and frigid! And we spent the day trying to see some people. We saw Alice and shared a Christmas message. She might be able to come to church after the new year because she has to get permission from her doctor; her leg has been injured for a while. Next we went to Char's and had a lovely visit. We talked about the Priesthood and the organization of the church (which is AWESOME by the way). I know I know blonde moment, but I had NO idea that the Stake Presidency/High Council was modeled after the 1st Presidency/Quorum of the 12! How awesome! I love how organized the Lord's church truly is! Then we went to Susan's house. She has breast cancer and hasn't been able to come to church for a while but she really loved us stopping by and sharing a Christmas message. Finally it was time for our dinner appointment. We went to the Bishop's house and it was SO much fun. We just hung out for a while and they were so sweet! They got us some gifts (i.e. a terrible towel and Pittsburgh ornament). I am so astounded by how sweet this ward has been to us this Christmas. We finally left after reading the Christmas story.

Wednesday was SO much fun!! It was a crazy Christmas for us! I can't say that it truly felt like Christmas, but it was definitely a special day! We got up and opened presents (: That was really fun! Then we went to the McBride's for brunch. They got us these stockings with silly little things in them it was cute haha! But we were super anxious to get to the Green's. We left about one and started to skype home. Oh how sweet!!! I loved talking to you guys! I wanted to be with you so badly, yet I feel so drawn to be a missionary! It's a catch-22 and I know this will all be over too quickly. I only cried for 5 minutes after hanging up and then went on my merry little way. We stopped at the Burson's because she asked us too. We ate a quick dinner then headed back to the McBride's. We just talked and hung out for the remainder of our holiday. It was fun!

Thursday was back to work day! But I got sick-ish. At 7:30 am, Sister Larsen got in the shower and I was freezing so I hid under my new warm blanket and slept for 3 HOURS!!! It turned into a tender mercy because apparently we had District Meeting and no one told us d: So we high-tailed out to Cranberry and had District Meeting. Then Sister K Neeley took us to Midland to visit Rasheda. We had an awesome lesson with her just talking about covenants and things like that.By the time we got home it was time for dinner at the Wright's house. It was cool but we COULD NOT leave. It took forever and our day was over by the time we got home.

Friday was weekly planning and it didn't take us a year and a half to complete haha! We got to meet with Rasheda and talked about the things she should expect before and after her baptism. We dropped off her baptismal programs at Staples and then headed home. We ate dinner then went to Wendy's house. She is so sweet. We tried to have a good spiritual discussion but her husband wouldn't turn off the tv. And they have a huge tv. I hate how sucked in I got; I realize how pointless tv is now and how filthy as well. I didn't think I would get to this point but it is very real right now.

Saturday we had a pretty average day. Not much happened.

Except, you know, another child of God entering in "at the strait and narrow gate"!!

We went to Elsa's in the morning and talked with her and returned her book "Faith proceeds the Miracle" by Spencer W. Kimball. We tried to contact some referrals but then it was time to head to the church. We grabbed a quick lunch then headed over! We cleaned the font and began filling the font. It felt SO surreal! I watched the water fill up and read "The Infinite Atonement" *mind blown*. That book is AMAZING. I never realized how little I comprehended of the most important event in the history of the universe.
The time finally came. At 6 pm, there weren't a lot of people there, but you know how Mormon standard time works. We took pictures with Rasheda and when we came back there were a ton of people in the Relief Society room!! We were ecstatic! Then the time came and Rasheda was baptized! Rasheda got up and bore her testimony and I nearly cried I was so happy! I can only imagine how happy Heavenly Father is when we are obedient to His commandments and make correct choices. I truly felt the incomprehensible joy associated with missionary work! D&C 18:15!!

Sunday was weird and super stressful but cool at the same time. Rasheda literally walked in as it was being announced that she was being confirmed. Other than that it was smooth haha! Denise, Rasheda's mom, said that some day she'll join the church...maybe in February?? (; We visited Sister Smego and then went to our dinner appointment at the Schmucks. They had the Tame's and the DeBaker's over for dinner too so we talked to Shyanne and her friend Nicole the whole time because they are our age haha! After dinner, we felt like we should contact this referral we recieved. It turned out that Sara, the woman who requested the missionaries,is actually a member and her husband is interested in the gospel so we were able to pick him up as a new investigator last night! All because of a prompting from Heavenly Father! Goodness! He is too good to us!!!

So that was our week this week! Craziness, but I realize how sweet those tender mercies of the Lord actually are! Don't forget to write them down because they are answers to the silent prayers of the heart! I am so grateful for the gift of the Holy Ghost and the things He teaches me from my Father in Heaven!
I hope you have a safe and fun New Year!! Here is to 2014!! See you next year! (;

Love,
Sister Kaitlyn Crockett

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Christmas Spirit

Well Merry Christmas ya'll!! I don't know if I'll even get a white Christmas here 0.o Sad day!! But it is supposed to be cold after this warm push we've had. Our week has been as weird as the weather. Good, but weird haha! Lemme sum up.


We had correlation but because lack of communication, it was pushed back an hour and we had no idea. So we sat in Brother Yovich's house for a good hour and a half with NOTHING to do. So we napped d: haha! We went to Grandma Neeley's and shoveled her walk way...in skirts...like a boss. We then helped her make some Christmas cookies which was difficult because she is VERY particular about it haha!

Wednesday was district meeting. The zone leaders came before to help us with our maps then stayed for the entire DM. Elder Waddoups was there too because he still didn't have a companion. So our district nearly doubled haha! It was a lot of fun until lunch when the Elders had a gross eating contest. Chicken feet and mussels GAG!!! boys. We had to race back to Chippewa to meet up with Sister Goettman so we could meet with Rasheda. We had an awesome lesson and she marked the Book of Mormon up!! She is better at studying it than I am!! haha! She is amazing. It was a long drive back to Midland then we high tailed it to Sister DeBaker's. Her daughter is home for Christmas and she is hilarious. It made it ten times less awkward with some one our age there haha!

Thursday we did some planning because we had team-ups on Friday morning. We got to plan for Rasheda's baptism and it was so weird! I never thought I would get this opportunity! After planning, we went to the Green's and did some baking. It was so much fun and helped us get in the Christmas season!

Friday we helped Sister L. Neeley with her Christmas decorating, which again helped with the Christmas spirit. Then we had a lesson with Rasheda and covered the "big" commandments: The law of tithing, the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity. It was good and she didn't have a problem with anything. Which is even better haha! Then we traded off and went to Sister K. Neeley's and baked some more cookies. She asked for our favorite recipes which ended up with her texting Mom and asking for Krinkle cookies 0.o that was a weird experience...so close and so far haha! We didn't finish so we made plans to come back the next day. And I got 2 awesome packages!! I was a really happy camper!! (:

Saturday Sister K. Neeley joked about not hearing from you, Mom, and said she was going to text you and tell you I was back but didn't want to send you into a frenzy haha! We spent the entire morning coordinating for Rasheda's baptismal interview then finally the time came for us to meet with her! We blitzed the commandments and Elder Vassallo showed up for the interview. She passed with flying colors!! We then went to the LaFond's for dinner and it was delicious. We finally got to meet the new Elder. He is from Gilbert and his name is Elder Cox.

Sunday was hectic as we were asked to participate in the ward choir by Sister K. Neeley 0.o so we did. We sang a song that really got me thinking. It's called "Were you there that Christmas Night?" and there is a line that Sister Neeley emphasized..."did you gaze upon Jesus' face or touch the infant hands?"

We went to the Neeley family party for dinner after visiting with Sister Smego. We visited some other peeps and finally called it a night. It's been a long week but so good.

I hope you remember the TRUE meaning of Christmas. Please, before unwrapping the wonderful gifts that have been lovingly wrapped and chosen, take time to remember the Gift that God lovingly chose and Mary wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manager. Remember our Savior and His birth in this wonderful season. Remember what the shepherds saw and heard that caused them to seek out the Child and to pay homage to Him. Remember that those infant hands would one day calm the sea and heal a blind man. Remember that those infant hands would one day write in the sand and lift a daughter to her parents. Remember that those infant hands would one day lift your burdens and carry the cross. Remember that those infant hands will one day greet you and will welcome you back home.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Love,

Kaitlyn

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

The Roller Coaster

Oh the joy of being a missionary!! Really nothing compares!!!! This week has been one big roller coaster and I can't wait to share it with you!!! (: Fasten your seat belts ladies and gents because this here is the wildest ride in the wilderness!!! (;

So Tuesday we had correlation which was normal. But it was weird when our zone leaders showed up to do exchanges with Elder Waddoups/Brother Allread/Brother Yovich...talk about being the minority. haha! We then went to Char's and talked about baptism and the Holy Ghost and got into a pretty deep and awesome discussion. You can always count on Char for that!! We then rushed out to Midland to see our AMAZING investigator Rasheda. Sister Goettman came with us and we talked about the plan of salvation. It's amazing because she kept saying "this is so familiar, I love it!" It was awesome! She really loved and explained that she wants to get baptized on her terms and make sure she gets baptized for her and for no one else. Which is totally fine haha! So we went home, packed our bags for Butler and then headed to our dinner appointment at Sister Rambo's. I was so stuffed it wasn't even funny haha! The ZL's were there and got the tour of the "Man Cave" with Brother Rambo's guns and Cobra. I think there was some drool on the front seat when we left d: Silly boys..I'll never understand. haha! We drove to Butler to stay the night and get ready for zone Conference!

Wednesday was zone conference and that was super weird! I saw some missionaries that I haven't seen in a while! Elder Coke from Pitt 2nd is up in Erie 1st ward with Bishop May *jealous!* But it was cool to talk with people and get some training on being a better missionary. We did an interesting Role Play on revelation through church attendance. As we were teaching, I really pondered why church is so important. I mean it is so rote and we do the same thing every week, but isn't that the beauty of it?? We get to partake of the sacrament EVERY week. We get to remember Christ EVERY week (although we should be doing that every day). As simple as it is, church is SO important. After Zone, we went with Sister Hays to try and see some people but no one was home. She kindly drove us to Sister Neeley's for dinner. We had a great dinner and then came home for some planning!

Thursday we played the role of bold missionary. We saw Alice and she kept giving us excuses why she couldn't attend church. So zone conference training kicked in and reminded her how important partaking of the sacrament is! I mean it's a commandment for goodness sake haha! She said she would try and we are going to continue being upfront with her. We went to the matriarch Sister Neeley's house for dinner and then on to our lesson with Julian!! We took Cindy with us because she is preparing to serve a mission. We shared the Restoration with Julian. He said he was afraid of water so I am not so sure about how baptism is going to work. But we both decided that it would be better if Elder Waddoups taught him and so we passed on our investigator ): but, it'll be best for him.

Friday was crazy!! We met with Rasheda again at the church! She asked if her mom could come and we wholeheartedly agreed to that! We gave them a church tour and I talked with Denise. She expressed her disappointment in other churches and we told her that ours was different but she would just have to come and see. She took us up on that challenge. We talked with Rasheda after the tour and asked if she was comfortable with her baptismal date of January 11th or if she wanted to push it back....or move it up. She told us that she wanted to be baptized as soon as possible.

Her baptismal date is December 28th!!!!!!!

Saturday it was NASTY outside. We couldn't get a whole lot done except try and arrange a ride for Rasheda and her mom to come to the Christmas party that night! We did our best and God filled in the rest! We got ready to go and it took us 45 minutes to get to the church. 0.o We don't have this problem in Arizona haha! So the Christmas party commenced and Rasheda and Denise and Aniyha showed up and the ward welcomed them with open arms!! It was amazing!! We had a great time!

Sunday was stressful because Denise said she didn't want to come to church and basically left Rasheda stranded. We called in some favors and arranged a ride for her. Much to our surprise, Rashseda, Aniyha, AND Denise all walked in to sacrament meeting. 0.o After an amazing meeting, several questions, awesome coloring pages *thanks mom!!* and amazing ward members, Church was over. Denise said it was the friendliest church she has ever been too!!!! Rasheda loved it and Aniyha is a ward favorite! (: Oh how merciful the God of Israel is!!!! After Church we visited with Claire and Sister LaFond and the Green's invited us over for some Christmas goodie making before the stake devotional. We visited Sister Smego then hightailed it to the Green's. I made toffee (: All by myself...ok with the help of an eleven-year-old but it was pretty good for a beginner!! haha! We ate dinner and then headed over to the devotional. It was really good and was a fantastic ending to a crazy week!!

I hope you know how awesome you are!! I really feel your prayers and they keep me going on a regular basis! Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and that should be our goal as well: help others be happy for this is when we forget our own trials and our happiness increases! Merry Christmas!! I love you all!!!

Love,

Sister Crockett

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Hola! Hello!

Dear familia!!


What a wonderful week this has been in Beaver!! Man it was absolutely insanely amazing! We had so many ups and downs and laugh-out-loud-moments, I can't even begin to write them all. But I'll try! (;

Monday, to celebrate Gracie's birthday we went out to Texas Roadhouse. (; The McBride's wanted to thank us for helping out while they were moving, so they took us out to Texas Roadhouse. Well, they have teenage sons and Elder Waddoups has been here as long as I've been on my mission so some interesting things happened. The boys were throwing peanuts and one of the boys went and told the waiter that it wasn't Elder Waddoups' birthday but he needed to be embarrassed. (Dad style - "oh, Bishop is calling, I'll be right back"). So outcame the saddle and plastic cowboy hat. BLACKMAIL. haha! It was hilarious!! We couldn't let it die.

Tuesday we had to fill out our accident report from the hit and run before correlation. I have decided I don't like paperwork. We had stuff like that to do all day then went to the Green's for dinner. We told Brother Green that he should pretend it was Elder Waddoups' birthday. So out came the cupcakes and candles haha! There kids were so excited it was his birthday, I don't think he could tell them it wasn't haha!

Wednesday I was so tired I could barely see straight. I was so ready to just go out and work though, so we did! We had DM and met the new sister. She is really nice and perfect for Sister Morphy. After DM, Sister Neeley went and picked us up for our lesson with Mary. Their histories are so similar but the reactions are so different. Sister Neeley turned to the Lord and is stronger than ever, where as Mary is struggling to know how to pray and study her scriptures. It's heartbreaking but I know how I want to react to adversity. We played mediator for the Priesthood the rest of the night because a member called us asking us to ask the Elders for a blessing but the Elders didn't answer so we called the Bishop who called the Elders' Quorum President who, in turn, called us, then called the High Priest Group Leader and then called us again to see what we had heard. It was a mess. I guess their phones only connected to ours! (;

Thursday I wasn't feeling super good so I slept a lot to try and get me over it. It helped to a certain extent. We tried to see a gazillion people but turns out you don't have enough time in the day to see a gazillion people...or the miles for our car. I went on splits with Sister Green and we saw Lorraine. She was in an interesting state but we had a good conversation about the gospel so that is all that matters. We did pick up her grandson, Julian as a new investigator! He is 9 and so wants the gospel in his life! We can't wait to teach him more!! (:

Friday was weekly planning as usual. Blah. We had an amazing lesson with Char. I love that lady so much. She is amazing. She sent us away with some Christmas stuff because our sad little apt is so bare of Christmas you would think the Grinch hit it already! haha! We then talked with a member's mom. The member had passed away this summer and we were following up with how she was doing. She was really nice and tried to give us money for the Church, but we said that she had to go through Bishop and she said she respected that. She might be interested in learning more. We aren't sure yet /: It was snowing really bad so we had to go home and you know...eat dinner. Being mortal is no fun. haha!

Saturday was so chaotic. Sister Larsen starts the day with this statement: "I didn't want you to stress last night but...Elder Mellor went home and Elder Waddoups can't get another companion because all of the areas are in pairs...no trios. He is going to live in Ambridge and we are going to absorb his area." I about fell off my bed. WHAAAT?!? Back up, back up. I was really surprised but calmed down when I realized we didn't really know anything. So, on with the day. We went to help Micheal and Vicki move but they were done when we go there. So we came home and re-evaluated our plans. Meanwhile, we get a call from the mission office asking if we had ever talked with a woman named Rasheda (Rah-she-da). I said we hadn't and Sister Buehner said that Rasheda called the office saying she was meeting the sister missionaries down in Midland at 3. We didn't know anything about it. Later we get a call from the Elders O.o and then Bishop asking about Rasheda. And still we didn't know anything about this lady. ELder Waddoups volunteered to go meet her to save our miles if we could start the water for a baptism they were having that night for their investigator Sarah (man these pronouns are all wrong sorry haha!). We agreed and then went to contact some people; one of which was a less active and his non-member wife who I had met on exchanges...or so I thought. We went to Brendan's (the less active) house and knocked on the door. A man answered and I asked if he was Brendan. He said he wasn't and that they rent from him. I was thrown for a loop. I asked who I had talked to and he said his girlfriend, Francis. He asked if we had anything to give her and I said we didn't at that time but we would love to come back and talk with both of them and he agreed to let us come back this coming week. 2 potentials. wow. Heavenly Father is definitely preparing people! So we went to Sarah's baptism and Elder Waddoups raved about this Rasheda girl. He said the first thing out of her mouth was "When can I get baptized?" 0.o He set her with a baptismal date and agreed to go with Brother Allread (his temp comp) and pick her up for church the following day. We were so stoked.

So Sunday came and we were on pins and needles. We stared at the door for a good 20 minutes. In Rasheda comes with her beautiful 2 year old daughter Aniyha. We rushed to greet her and invited her to sit with us and Char. The ward was so amazing and welcomed her with open arms. Everyone wanted to talk to her and meet her. We scheduled an appointment with her and she is so excited about the gospel! After she stayed all 3 hours for church, we went to Sister Smego's and talked with her until our dinner appointment. We had dinner at the Goettman's and then went back to Char's for the Christmas Devotional. It was way good! Very different, but very good! (:

So this week has been insane but I have loved it! Not every minute, but I definitely appreciate the good moments more now. I have learned so much I can hardly write it down. The gospel is amazing and miracles do come with diligence and patience. Oh the virtues I lack the most haha! I hope you have an amazing week! Merry Christmas!! (:

Love,

Kaitlyn

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Halfway?!

Another transfer has come and gone!! I am in my 6th transfer 0.o this is my halfway point and I can hardly believe it! Time has gone by so fast and we are loving it here in Beaver! There is an amazing family here who is doing a superb job at taking care of the Sisters. The Elders are well established here so Sisters are falling in the cracks if it weren't for the Green's!!

On Tuesday it snowed ALL DAY LONG. Talk about weird haha! Everything was getting cancelled because of the ice on the road! Our Relief Society President, Sister Neeley, asked us to come and help her get ready for Thanksgiving by painting her guest bedroom. She was worried about us driving in it so she came and picked us up, we talked about how to better organize Visiting Teaching and then painted her room. It was a lot of fun because the room was tiny and we blasted some Motab Christmas music!! (: tis the season!! We ate dinner with her and then headed in for the night.



Wednesday we went to District Meeting and well....someone hit our car. AND drove away. We have a nice dent on the passenger side behind the front tire. Such a pain. But no one was hurt and we got a nice cop so it all worked out. We just have to get our car fixed now -__- Happy holidays! We ate lunch with our district at a Chinese Buffet (not my choice d:  ) and the fortune cookie said "A beautiful person is with you, confide your problems." Sister Morphy read it and we both started smiling because of last week. She is an amazing missionary and has really helped me deal with the challenges that we have been facing since getting to this area. After DM, we had an awesome lesson with Char! She is such a doll! I wish you could meet her! We had a dinner appointment at the Bishop's house and they got pizza. The boys just talked basketball the whole time *gag* and so Sister Larsen and I made faces at each other. Mature, I know haha! Anyway, we went and saw Elsa afterwards and she showed us the illustrated copy of "The Infinite Atonement" by Tad R. Callister. It was amazing and I thumbed through it for a bit. Another book I need to read!! (:

Thursday was Turkey Day!! WHOO!!! We visited a member in the nursing home for a little bit and then took a nap before we had to go to the McBride's. We got to the McBride's at 2 and stayed the entire night there. Brother McBride was a cop, a body guard for the General Authorities (like ya know, President Monson, no big deal) and even worked on Death Row. We talked all night about the experiences he has had and how he has seen the Atonement work in the people he has worked with. It was an amazing discussion. We had a good Thanksgiving, even if it did seem off. Family is so important!

Friday we weekly planned...gross. haha! It just takes us a long time. We try and schedule everything and it's really hard haha! But afterwards we went back to the McBride's and cleaned their apartment so they could finish moving. Sister Larsen and I used a lot of cleaning supplies and you could smell it when you walked in apparently. One of the Elders asked how on earth we could breath in there. You gotta do what you gotta do. (: it really wasn't that bad, they were just being dramatic.

Saturday we did exchanges again. The Green's invited us to Ultimate Frisbee and we could really tell that the nonmembers were starting to warm up to us! (: We played in the snow so it was even MORE Ultimate! It was so much fun! Afterwards, Sister Walbourn and I tried a lot of less actives and had some deep conversations. It was amazing! Leadership roles are so inspired! I am so grateful for the missionaries who serve as leaders; they are so prepared and are exactly who I need to help me in my life and times of need. By the way, thanks for the fuzzy socks and Christmas CD Mom!!!! BEST THING EVER!!! (: I was so happy!! It even came early!!! (and yes, the M&M's are still there, if Sister Larsen's sweet tooth doesn't get to em!!)  Then we went to the Green's for dinner while they watched the BYU game haha! They are awesome. Brother Green is going around the ward asking people to sign up to go out on team-ups with us!! Of course his wife is getting volunteered a lot, but she is awesome so we are excited!



Sunday wasn't so great. I didn't feel good when I woke up so that was just rough. We went to church and yeah. We visited Sister Smego after church then went to the Biernesser's for dinner then tried to visit some more people! Such is life. (:

I hope you all had a marvelous Thanksgiving! I really enjoyed mine as I got to contemplate how grateful I am to be a missionary! I also read up on some scriptures that really impacted me. I chose the theme "Still" and looked up everything I could on that. I realized how fast paced this world is and how little time I take to "be still and know that [He is] God." I encourage  you to take 15 minutes this week and be still. Turn off all distractions and contemplate your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Enjoy the moments that we have been given and cherish the gospel we have. I love you all! Stay strong and Carry on!!

Love,

Kaitlyn