Sister Kierra Wadsworth's Mission Blog: June 8, 2015

Hey everyone!!!

So this week has been full of changes!! It has been so crazy!

So, Monday after emailing we did sports at the church and then went home and had some dinner. I packed a little bit. After that we went and saw the Cagnons and said goodbye to them. Then we went to Sarris's candy and Sister Smith the relief society president bought us ice cream!! Then we went home and I finished packing. We ended up staying up late because we waited for some sisters to come to our apartment because they were staying the night so they could drive with us on Tuesday to transfers. So it was a pretty late night!!

Tuesday, we got everything loaded in the car and headed to transfers. We had to be there early, 9:30AM and transfers started at 2, because Sister Landa had to be at a training meeting. There was a group of missionaries that were there and so we decided that we would go to Pittsburgh because it wasn't to far away. So I got to go to Pittsburgh!!! It was awesome. We went to a look out so we could see the entire city!! After that we went to the Cathedral of Learning and on the way we saw the building that was in Batman, it's called the Melon Building. After that we got to the Cathedral of Learning, it has 42 floors so it is HUGE!! It is part of the Pittsburgh University. We got to go through these themed rooms that were decorated in different cultures. I have pictures that I will send. After that we went and had lunch at taco bell. Then we went back to the church for transfers. We had transfer meeting and I came to Ephrata Pennsylvania!!! Exact opposite side of the mission. I am the furthest east I can get in the mission. CRAZY!! So I was the driver.. We had to go to the mission office to drop some Elders off so they could get a car to drive. We were going together because we were going to the same place, the Harrisburg chapel. We had to stop and get gas and we went through the light and the Elders couldn't go because it turned red so we lost them... But we drove for 4 hours. It was a long drive!!! We got to the Harrisburg chapel at like 9:30PM... When I say we Sister Oliver and I were going to the east. She was in my last district. So we got there super late then we had to drive to Elizabeth town where Sister Oliver is serving now. We got to their apartment and my comp, Sister Blake, was there and so was Sister Olivers comp. So we met up then we got all of Sister Olivers stuff unloaded and Sister Blake and I decided to drive to Ephrata. I am the only one that can drive because Sister Blake doesn't have her license. So we got in super late!! Like 11:30 and then I made my bed and slept!! I was tired!

Wednesday, we had to get our oil changed in the car so we went and did that. While we were waiting we went to the Burlington Coat Factory that was right next to the place we were at. I found a super cute skirt for $13!!! After our oil change was done we went and saw one of our less-actives, Sister Lewis. She actually just got reactivated this Sunday!!! But she is still working towards the temple. She is in her 70's and she works so much, like 50 hours a week!!! She is a hard worker!! She lives in Lancaster so we got to see a ton of Amish and Mennonites!!! They are riding in their buggies, it awesome!! I am in Amish country for sure!!! And driving past the houses with all the clothes hung up outside and the little boys out working, it's so fun to see :) After that we went and saw Sister Eberly. She is the ward mission leaders wife. We stayed there for 3 hours because she talks a ton!!! But I love her so much already, she is lots of fun!! After that we went and had dinner at our apartment. That night we went to Young Women's. I forgot to tell you, we went and tried this potential her name is Taylor and her dad came out in his boxers and said that they weren't interested!! haha..

Thursday, so I actually have not been feeling very good lately and I woke up feeling super sick. My stomach has been having lots of issues.. So I slept forever!! I was able to go out a see a couple of people. I was feeling better. We saw Sister Hackman. She is a recent convert and her son Austin who is a less-active, also just got reactivated!! Then we went back home and had dinner. That night we went and saw the Potters. Sister Potter is the Relief Society president.

Friday, we had a zone training on iPads. After that we watched Elder Perry's funeral who passed away last week. That was really hard to watch, I just thought about grandpa the whole time. But I am truly grateful for Elder Perry's ministry he has done in his life. He was truly a great man!! After that we went home and did weekly planning. We took a break and went to this farmers market called the Green Dragon. It is super cool. It is a farmers market but they have a ton of booths everywhere selling different things. It reminds me of the fair but without the rides. They also have auctions going on and we stopped for a second and watched the auction. We had a really good sandwich for lunch that was super cheap!! We just walked around for a little while. We saw A TON of Amish and Mennonites there. It was lots of fun :) After that we went and saw a potential investigator, her name is Mary Anne. We knocked on her door she answered and we started to talk to her and she invited us in!!! That has never happened so far on my mission. We talked with her for a while and she is so awesome!!! She is so prepared for the Gospel. She said we could come back anytime :) So that was pretty sweet!!!

Saturday, we had correlation at the Eberly's that morning. It was a great meeting, they are way into missionary work. Sister Eberly gave us some carrot cake, it was good but defiantly not as good as our homemade carrot cake!! But it was still pretty good :) So I was still having lots of stomach issues and Sister Eberly is a nurse so I talked to her about it. I told her my symptoms, bad stomach aches, like cramping in my stomach, raw feeling in my throat.. and she said that it sounds like I have gastro reflex (GERD). Like heartburn but A LOT worse, so she said that I should get some Prilosec and start taking tums when my stomach is hurting. So I went and got some off brand Prilosec and hopefully that will help.. I am doing ok but my stomach just hurts all the time. I am pushing through though!! So after that we went and saw another less-active, his name is Brother Olszweski (say it like ole-che-ski) he is polish. He has been less-active for about 26 years and missionaries would try to visit him and he didn't want to come back and all the sudden he decided that he needed to change his life around and come back to the church. He wants to be an example for his daughter who is less-active as well, she lives in Pocatello :) But he is super awesome!! We talked with him about repentance and he totally bore his testimony to us about the atonement!! He is truly so awesome :) After that we went the Rodriguez family. There are 2 sisters and their mother and also one of the sisters has a daughter. The sisters are taking care of their mother who is not doing good at all!! They take care of her 24-7, they are so self-less. They never complain about taking care of their mother!! They are a great family!! We only talked with them for a little while. After that we went and had dinner at the Wrights. It was an interesting meal, it wasn't bad but it was different. It sure did tear up my stomach!! They were a little ways out so we got to see lots more buggies :):) After dinner we went and saw one of our investigators Safi. She is 13, from India. She is super interested but she said she can't be baptized. She wants to but her parents don't want her to. She is super sweet and also really smart!!! She was to be a surgeon some day! Then we went home!!

Sunday, we had to be at the Eberly's at 7:30 because they were taking us to church and they had to pick up someone and we had to be early because the missionaries, Brother Eberly and someone from the Elders Quorum meet before church to talk about those who are planning on coming to church. The church is pretty far from our apartment.. Our church building is a really old one, it has 2 stories. Church was good!! Got to meet a lot of new people :) We have about 150 people attend on average. So smaller than my last area but it's fun!! :) After church we had ward council which was really good!! My new ward is pretty awesome :) I'm excited to serve here! After church we did our studies and some weekly planning. We had a late lunch at the Hubbards. Brother Hubbard is form Grace Idaho :)

So more about my comp and the area. Sister Madison Blake is from St.George Ut. She is 20 years old. She is the oldest in her family. She has 2 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. One of her younger brothers is 18 and he just got his mission call to Tiawana Mexico. We get a long super good!! She has been out almost 4 months. I have been out 1 transfer before her so we are both new! haha. So about Ephrata, it is a cute little town. The work is slow right now but we are working super hard to find more people!!! Our apartment isn't as nice as my last one but it is still good :) We are the only ones living in it. I have pics to send but I probably won't have time to send them this week.. Sorry :(

I am doing good just adjusting to my new area. It is a little tuff now but I have faith that it will get better :) I am doing great!! Glad that you are having a fun time at the new cabin!! Hope you are being safe :) I am so grateful for the opportunity that I have to be serving a mission, it truly is such a great experience to learn and grow SOOO much!! Love you all to the moon and back :)

BTW the proactive came to my old apartment. I will probably get it in a couple of weeks at zone conference. Thank you soooo much!!! I also got some shirts today :) I have pics but probably will send them next time.

Well I hope all is good and that you have a great week :)

Love, Sister Kierra Wadsworth