Monday, August 25, 2014

Do What He Would Do

First of all, Thank you so much to the Stake Girls Camp for sending me a bunch of letters. They absolutely made my day! 
This week was crazy, and yet there is barely anything to tell y'all! 
On Wednesday we had "Return & Report", the new missionary fireside thing. It was in Belmont MA, so the drive was a good hour and a half. It was cool though because we drove through fog the whole time. And we saw a tire that was on fire. That was cool too. My District was all there (My MTC District will always be MY district). I just about cried when I saw Sister Thompson. They are all doing awesome, which was a tender mercy, because I have a tenancy to stress out about how other people are doing. It was good to know that we are in the exact place that we are supposed to be. President Packard talked about how we are supposed to represent the Savior in EVERYTHING that we do.
"Go where he would go. Say what he would say. Do what he would do."
We should do what He would be doing if He was the one wearing the name tag.
President Packard also talked about how at baptism we promise to Choose the right, or CTR
Keep the Commandments
Take upon us His name
Always Remember Him
Clever right? 
We then went to the Boston Temple.
I LOVE THE TEMPLE. 


 
 
 
We taught both of our Investigators this week. F has started to pray again! GAH! We were so excited! 
We also got another Investigator named A, from the New Haven sisters. We are going to take him on a church tour tomorrow, We are excited to see how that goes. 
Saturday we had exchanges. It was a blast. I stayed in Madison with Sister Slater, and we learned how to stack wood, we went to a summer BBQ for a LA in the ward, who said that he wants to come back to church, for the first time in over 20 years.
AGAIN, SO EXCITE!
We also taught a lesson and knocked on some doors. It was over all a really good week.
Yesterday, we saw this little frog on the church door. It was precious. I would have kept it but we aren't allowed to have pets. He would have died in my pocket but still. 
I loved getting all of your emails and your letters! 
Have a fantastic week and remember to be examples of those who Believe in Christ. 
#Sharegoodness :)
Love,
Sister Alexander

Monday, August 18, 2014

One Month???

This morning during studies, I realized that I have been a Missionary for 1 whole month and 2 days! WHAT!?!?!
And I just realized that means that I only have 17 months left. I don't like that. Too fast! This week went by so fast! We had a bunch of member lessons! Honestly was great! Our ward is wonderful and everyone is actively searching for ways to share this wonderful Gospel! The world definitely needs the good news that we have.
We were at the post office when we saw a newspaper about Robin Williams. I pray for his family. E, our recent convert and the coolest person ever, said that, "The gospel just brings comfort and answers that you really can't find anywhere else." How true! We were able to teach her mom and grandmother on Wednesday! The spirit was so strong!
I love being a missionary because before... I hated humans. Okay, I really didn't like humans. Just the whole talking and being social thing was just, ugh. But now! I could probably talk to everyone!  I dont know how much they would understand and how correct it would be, but hey, I'm talking! People are great here too. They just wish you well with the cause and politely close their door. I don't really like starting the conversations though. I am trying :)
There is a song that I found on my iPod by Mindy Gledhill that I think is called Garden Walls. Look it up. It is phenomenal. 
I think I am going to do like a one good thing about the day thing for the week just so it is easier to sum up. 
Monday- I ate my first Canoli. Mmmmmmmm! OH! and I got a dress at a thrift shop! It is a Ralph Lauren button down dress with a collar and I got it for $15. Booyah!
Tuesday- We had dinner at this families house that has 4 blonde boys all under the age of 9. They were all showing off and it reminded me of the boys when we were younger and guests would come over. Their 2 year old reminded me so much of Anna (my 4 year old cousin) He was very independent haha. 
Wednesday- Teaching My first lesson! Sister Giblette says that it is rare to have your first lesson actually be the first lesson. It was great! 
Thursday- We visited a less-active family and they were great! They also have a little black cat that is named "Totes supe's adorbs" and they call him Soup. Love it. Everyone here has cats. It is glorious. 
Friday- At district meeting we had a get to know you question that rocked! 
It was to look at the hymn "More Holiness Give Me" and to choose a line that you most want to work on.
I LOVE THIS.
Mine is personally, "More purpose in Prayer," because I know that prayers are 2-way conversations with Heavenly Father but I often pray at Him rather than to Him. So that is what I have been working on. What do y'all want to work on? Let me know! 
Saturday- We went Less-Active Hunting in Old Saybrook, the town east of us, and we met a bunch of wonderful people! 
Sunday- Sacrament meeting was fantastic! One family gave all of the talks and he is the new Institute director for Yale (The building that we meet at for district meetings is on Yale campus woot!) so he knows so much. It was fantastic! Then we went to their house for dinner too. It was a spirit filled day. The Best. 
And last just some random things: 
1) Dont worry about emailing me long emails, I have plenty of time to read them. I might not reply long but I will read it and it makes me super happy! 
2) Did you know the all of the apostles (I think that it is all of them) has a Twitter account. I was dying when I found out. Just the thought of Jeffery R Holland tweeting make me giggle. 
3) Watch "We are One" on Lds.org. It gave us goosebumps, what a wonderful time to live! 
4)I thought a lot about my primary kiddos this week. Give them my love! 
I love you all, and I love it out here! The Lord is hastening His Work! Be good! 
Love,
Sister Alexander 

 

The Houses here are like Hobbit holes. SO CUTE!


 
 
Essentially all of my time spent in the car consists of becoming nauseated, making appointments and eating pretzel crisps.
 If I get fat out here, it is 100% because of pretzel crisps.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Blessings!

First, so that I don't forget, find the cheesiest/weirdest version of the Hymn "Scatter Sunshine" and send it to me on a disc. You will see why in due time.
Sister Giblette just got the email telling her her departure date in December and we just... NO. 
I love it here in Madison! It is BEAUTIFUL! The people here are so nice. We have only had the door slammed in our faces like 3 times! Out of like 100! Wooohoo! That is pretty much all we did this week. We were asked to go around to all of the women who are less active and see what they think about getting Visiting Teachers. Granted out of all of those people maybe 20 opened their door and like 4 let us come in and share a message. On Wednesday, we volunteer at the high school in Branford 2 towns over, but alas still in our ward Boundaries and we do the free summer lunch program. I made like 72 custom sandwiches. It was a blast! School doesn't start for these kiddos until the 28th so we get to still do it on Wednesday. Then we will be working at a soup kitchen.
 Guess what they have here?
 Rita's.
I introduced Sister Giblette to it and now it is a mandatory Wednesday occurrence. We just gotta have our Italian Ice. MMMMMMMMMM! Don't worry haha I have legitly not gained a pound since I left home and I don't really plan on it. 
Thursday was President Interviews and Training which was cool. Our AP's are Elder Wright and Elder Carvahlio and they are fantastic!
Then, on Friday was a Zone Meeting which was hilarious. They invited a bunch of recent converts from the New Haven Ward and had us role-play different finding situations with them and the Spanish-speaking sisters had to speak in English which they know perfectly but they are so used to speaking Spanish that it was soooo awkward and one of them just ended up blurting "Can I get your number?" and the kid just like fell on the floor laughing. We all learned a lot and we get along really well too which is good.
Then Saturday! AHHH Saturday! we woke up and got ready to help a less active Sister P but she never answered our calls about when she wanted us to come over so we went finding instead. Then, we had another appointment and she cancelled because she wasn't feeling well, so we were bummed because we had asked E, our Recent Convert, to come out with us. We still picked her up and we continued Less Active Hunting, then we got a text from the Sister we were going to help move, that said that she was sick too and she didn't want us to get sick. We said that she was fine and that if she needed anything we could help. She replied that she had been feeling a pull towards church and then we showed up on her door step and that it was an answer to her prayers and that she really wanted to meet with us when she felt better. It made our day! Then E asked a question that was exactly what Sister Giblette had studied that morning and that was awesome.
Then we went to Robert's House, he is a convert of like 1 1/2 years, and we had the feeling that we needed to talk to him about revelation and receiving answers through the Book of Mormon.
AND GUESS WHAT?
It was exactly what he needed. The spirit was so strong and we were able to answer all of his questions. The Lord is Wonderful! R is like 85 and he is still working as a civil engineer and he keeps on getting asked to retire and he just says "No thanks" and goes back to what he was doing. He lives in this tiny little house that is like a Hobbit Hole with his cat Max and he is just darling. 
Sunday, we had Ward Council and church was just fantastic. Then, we had dinner at a family's house that seriously could have come straight out of Pinterest. It was so cute. OH! And on Sunday, E told us that she asked her Mom and Nan to take the Discussions and they both said Yes! GAHHHH!!!! We are so excited!!!!! Life is GREAT!!!! 
I heard about the Phoenix Temple being Dedicated on Nov 16th! How cool and wonderful! 
Send me letters! I love letters! 
I know that our Heavenly Father listens to our prayers and answers them. I know that through the Book of Mormon we can receive answers for ourselves about anything, we just have to ask.
Share this truth with others if you know it to be true. If you dont, try it out. I dare you ;)
I love you all and I love this Gospel. 
Be good 
Love, 
Sister Alexander
PS. All of the houses here have siding, and the furthest west Emily has ever been was Pennsylvania. So we spent like 15 minutes in the car trying to describe houses that have stucco and I just thought that it was funny...
PPS Yes, she is wearing a cat shirt. This is why we are besties
 
 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Hey There! From Clinton Conneticut!

What? Not Boston? RIGHT!?!
Let me start from the beginning... or at least the last time  I wrote...
I legitly cant remember anything that happened unless I wrote it down. Things are that busy haha. 
So Saturday was a normal MTC day, I think, I didn't write anything and I forgot my planner at the apartment.
Anyway.
Sunday (July 27)  we got a group together and sang in sacrament meeting for our MTC branch. It was AWESOME. We sang "Savior, Redeemer of my soul" the version from 17 miracles.
LOOK IT UP.
It is my favorite song hands down now. The spirit was SO strong. Elder Lortsher was fangirling and we all couldn't look at him or else we would laugh. Then for Relief Society, Sheri Dew taught us. Yeah, like the real life Sheri Dew.
It was so cool, she talked about Women's role in the priesthood and just did a great job.
OH! Friday... haha Friday, after I emailed y'all I went and got my laundry.... The blazer that I was wearing in the Pink Wednesday picture... Is now navy and light pink not navy and white.
I screamed into my pillow haha.
Note to self: don't wash your raspberry pink washcloth with anything else. Yeah.
 Then also in Sunday we watched "The Character of Christ" which is a talk by Elder Bednar for the MTC and it was phenomenal. We all just were silent for a few seconds after it ended because it was so powerful.
If you can find that in document form or something send it to me because I want it.
Monday was like our last hurrah day so we talked about all of our questions and laughed a lot. I love my MTC district so much. That night we had a testimony meeting and we also got blessings which was wonderful.
I will never forget what I learned in the MTC. 
The next morning we got up at 2 am and finished cleaning our residence. We got to the travel office at 4:35 and then we had a 9 minute bus ride to the train station. We then took that about an hour out to the Trax and then took that to the airport. I was the travel coordinator so I had all of the tickets and info about where to go. That was fun. Then we got on our plane, all 21 of us and flew for 5 hours to Boston. The clouds covered the ground the whole time so I didn't get to see any other states, but they left right as we got to the harbor and I got a picture.  
We met the Packards at the airport and they are the most wonderful Texan family ever. His accent is so thick but it is so endearing. We ate dinner and then some of us went to stay the night at the Stake Presidents house, and oh my goodness it was hilarious. So, the Packards daughter Natalie took us there and she has only been around the back of their house and so she didn't really know which house to go to so she guessed with some GPS help and we all walk up...5 sister missionaries and Natalie, all cute with our suitcases and she rings the bell and this, like, 23 year old guy without a shirt on opens the door and leans against the frame and asks what he can do for us...and Natalie, bless her heart, was all, "These are the new sister missionaries, they are staying the night here!" and the look on his face. We all knew that it was the wrong house. He let us know that it was next door and as soon as the door shut we were all practically on the floor dying of laughter... no one even gave him a pass along card hahaha,
Dang! 
The Stake Presidents house was fabulous and we all slept awesome and then had yummy food and studied our scriptures until a giant spider tried to attack us...so, we decided that it was time to go. I honestly forgot that with it being so green, bugs are everywhere. EW. 
Wednesday morning we did some contacting at the park, it was super fun but also scary because they dropped us off with some BOM's and pass along cards and said go get 'em. Yeah. We were all "Aight"
Then we did some training and then we went to the chapel to get our trainers. Then, it was funny when I saw this sister walk in. I was all, "I bet that is going to be my trainer," and it was! So crazy haha!
That is when I found out that we were going to be in the Madison Ward and that we were going to be shot gunning the area...They hadn't had sisters in a year and there are so many older single women who were so excited! We drove for about 2 1/2 hours with a family from the ward and when we got to the apartment... you could tell that elders lived there and that they left in a hurry. We spent a lot of Monday just trying to clean, and we went shopping too. We also met Kaye, the family history center clerk who is fantastic and ecstatic that sisters are back, and we also met the Taylors that night and had dinner with them He is the ward Mission leader and his daughter is dating our only current investigator Matt.
The ward is HUGE! 45 minute drive in good traffic from one side to the next. #cray. But, it is so beautiful. The houses here...they just... I cant even believe that I live here now.
So far we have eaten Baked Tilapia with crab and shrimp topping, grilled chicken with Italian breadcrumb and bow-tie pasta salad...SOOOO good.
 We went to a hoedown where there was a giant whole pig roasting and more varieties of salad than at a Mormon baby shower, and last night we had red chicken curry. Food here is so stinking good. The ward really is fantastic though. Everyone is friendly and there are 30 young women! We are so excited! It is so weird to be driving and see a sign that is all "New York City, Next exit" Like what?  Yesterday we met Emily. Oh my goodness. She was baptized on the first and she is AMAZING. She is full of so many questions but they aren't like faith shaking ones she just wants to know. She seriously drinks the gospel right up it is fantastic. We talked to her about personal revelation and she told us that she wants homework. She wants to learn as much as she can. Probably the best part is her parents. They are so happy that she found happiness and they are so kind and understanding. It is fantastic. I wish that everyone was like them. It would make our job a whole lot easier.
 Oh! She found out about the church from Instagram. The hashtag "#blackkeys" and she started talking to a kid in Idaho about music and then about his life and then about the church and he left on his mission in October and she has written him and she got baptized on his birthday! She is just fabulous and we get to teach her the new member lessons every week! 
There are also a lot of cemeteries around here and antique shops. 
This week I have been loving Jacob 4:4 and Alma 56:48.
I just love that people knew what to do and that they were doing the right thing. I know that I am doing the right thing. The work is hastening, and I love it. 


My new address is 
Sister Lauren Alexander 
6 Harbor Parkway
Clinton CT 06413
 
 
If you find any cute washi tape or sayings send them our way, this apartment really needs some dolling up. 
I love you all and I love this Gospel too!

Hurrah for Israel! 
   
Air view of the trees of Boston
 


 Like seriously??? Look at that! I took that! I live in Connecticut! So crazy!
 
Love,
Sister Alexander