Life in MA

I have come to a realization these past couple of days. 

Life is a whole lot like driving in Massachusetts/New England. 

And here is why. 

-Sometimes you have no idea where to turn. 

-The whole time you are anticipating a turn you are trying to figure out if it is a one way street and if you turn on that one way street are you going the right way? 

-Will you be able to turn around if there is no place to park? 

-Is there enough room for two cars to fit if you have to avoid a parked car? 

-What even is the speed limit here??? 

-How do I not run over this person that chose to jaywalk in the middle of a really busy intersection? 

 

Just like in Life. 

-Where do I turn to get to the place that I want to be? 

-Where do I turn to get to the place that I am expected to be? 

-If I turn here and I don't like it, can I come back to the point that I am at now? 

-How do I not exhaust myself by running too hard without the right amount of sleep/energy/whoknowswhat? 

-What do I say to people who are lost and cross my path?

 

BUT! What I have also found is that the Gospel is a lot like a GPS. It magically has all of the answers and if your music is too loud or you aren't listening or paying attention you can end up in a ghetto or entering a street with big old letters that say *DO NOT ENTER* or just really lost. 

Now, luckily very little of the literal driving part is from my experience. BUT, I have noticed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ answers ALL questions a person could have. Missionaries are kind of like cops. They pull you over and help keep you on the right path. Except we can't write tickets for people who are too busy to go to church or to pray and read their scriptures. Too bad ahahaha. 

 

Anyway. Here is how my week went!

Monday- We had dinner with the S's. They are super nice and they have a cat #Whatsnew. We tried to see an investigator that the Elders have been working with but the Elders gave us the wrong address and so when we found him he was busy ahaha. 

Tuesday- We visited a lot of less-actives. We also had dinner with the L's, who are Thai and Israeli, and they are opening a Thai restaurant in May. She makes the best food ever. Then Sister L came out with us to visit a less-active family that has been through craziness the past couple of years. We were able to read some scriptures with them and the spirit was really strong! 

Wednesday- We did a whole bunch of service. We work at Habitat for Humanity in the Re-Store... store and we clean things that come in and then price it and then shelve it. Then we also helped a member clean her home. 

Thursday- We did more service by helping a member take down her Christmas stuff. Then we went and saw a Sister that is in the hospital and we sang her favorite hymns. It was actually really funny because her medicine started to kick in and we could just feel her get loopier and loopier, I mean she thought that us singing was amazing and quite honestly... it was terrible. But, the Elders were able to give her a blessing and I learned that we can get free parking and valet parking because we are ministers... what what??? 

Friday- Was District Meeting, Elder B brought cereal and milk... It was awesome. Then we went to a retirement/rehab center and made snowflakes with the elderly. It was super fun. they were so grateful and cute! 

OH! we had a lesson with one of our investigators that went... well crazy. In short, he thinks that he is God in human form... it was a really sketch. 

Saturday- We were red-dotted all day. 6 inches of snow... it was so boring... 

Sunday- 2nd ward was cancelled because of the ice not being cleared up on the road to the church. Then we had a lesson with J, who is being baptized on saturday along with R. Then we taught in Young Women's and in Gospel Principles. Then we had sacrament meeting with both wards combined. It was great! So many people came! It felt just like Liberty Ward ahaha! 

Now, for the moment that you have all been waiting for. Tonight we are going to be red-dotted and tomorrow for sure. There is a blizzard headed our way and we are excited but wierded out because our apartment consists of an Arizonan, a Chilean, a Utahan (no red squiggle, it is a word :)) and a Nicaraguan. We have no idea what to do ahaha.  #whatisthiswhitestuff #2feetofsnow #itisgoingtobebig #itevenhasaname #juno

Also... Elder B has the same cat shirt as me... and like 2 others... #webeawesome.

 

Well, I love you all and I hope that you have a wonderful week! Please pray for R and J so that the roads can be cleared in time for their baptisms on Saturday. Also pray for M to find a home and for Z to feel the urgency to be baptized! Oh and for our safety in the storm ahaha. But we should be fine! 

Be good! Remember to pray and do the things that help you to feel the spirit! 

Love,

Sister Alexander

 

 

 

Picture- The Worcester English Missionaries... oh yeah. ahahaha. 

Elder P(District Mom), Elder B(District Leader), Sister L(Cutest Comp ever!) and Me(District Spaz #whatsnew)

Toto, We Aren't in Conneticut Anymore...

Hola mi familia y mis amigos!

I really don't know if that is grammatically correct but HEYYYYY!!!! I am reporting to you live from the Chapel in Worcester Massachusetts! But before we get there, let us travel back in time to last Monday, when I was still in CT!

Monday- We had dinner at A's with his family and then we had our last Book of Mormon Night (with me there). It was great! A said the opening prayer... it was beautiful. I had to hold back a tear or two ahaha. 

Tuesday- I said my goodbyes to a whole bunch of people. Like a whole bunch of people. We went to E's and I said bye and it was super hard. But she gave me a cat scarf.... like a scarf with cats on it... not one made out of cats.. that would be nasty. I love that family so much. 

Wednesday- I said farewell to my beloved Madison Ward. We had transfer meeting and I learned that I indeed am the designated driver #righton. I was actually pretty scared and I was thinking that maybe I shouldn't do it but then as I was praying in my mind during transfer meeting a thought popped into my head, "Doubt not, Fear not" which is from Doctrine and Covenants 6:36. I knew what I needed to do, so before we left I asked for a blessing and I was instantly comforted. 

OH! My companion!!!! Sister L, from Nicaragua! She is AWESOME!!!! Also- Our Ward, is actually 2 wards! Worcester 1st and Worcester 2nd! The 2nd ward also has a Spanish group connected to it and so our roommates, are Hermana C and Hermana R. They are awesome and everyone in the apartment speaks Spanish so... it looks like I am learning Spanish ahaha. It is almost like everyone is all "Run that way" but in Spanish and I am all "Oh! We are running, okay!" It is great!

Thursday- We had weekly planning with our Elders... Yes that is right! there are English and Spanish Sisters here and English and Spanish Elders here too! 4 sets of missionaries in area! Anywho, we then went around and visited some less actives and set up times to have lessons and then we went out to dinner with the Brother and Sister B, who are in 2nd ward and they are wonderful. 

Friday- We had district meeting, which was the BEST. The Worcester missionaries are all a District and the English Elders, Elder B, the District Leader, and Elder P had it all set up with couches and sushi and it was just great. Then we went and visited more people and guess what? More Excitement! We went home and picked up our Mini Missionary!!!! Her name is M and she was staying for the weekend for like a mission trial run and she was awesome!

Saturday- We went to one of the Spanish Groups Baptisms after going to Correlation for both wards. Our ward mission leaders are on point! We then had a couple of lessons with investigators, So we have 3 baptismal dates here in Worcester. J and R are being baptized on January 31st and then M is being baptized on February 21st. They are all AWESOME!!!! I am so excited! 

Sunday- We were at church from 8:30 until 4:30 #twowards Then we went and had dinner at the N's and they are pretty much our parents. Oh my goodness I love them so much. Also, in 2nd ward, the mini and I taught the 16-17 year old class and then in 1st ward we taught a primary class of the cutest kids in the world. They were the best!

I am loving it here in Worcester. The work is super fast and crazy and the driving is too! But I am keeping up! God is great, He KNOWS each of us personally. 

You are all so loved! 

Be good! 

Love

Sister Alexander

 

 

Picture 1- Our District Meeting set up. #zion 

Picture 2- Me, M our Mini Missionary, and Sister L :)

 

Last Minute Miracles in Madison

Well this week was just the most bomb diggity week EVAA!!

 

Monday- We went to woodbridge and we went bowling! It was super fun! Then we went to the Yale Bookstore so that I could get a t-shirt and a keychain for my collection :)  We also had a lesson with A, where we talked about his baptism, which is still set for July, and he finally opened up to us about the things that are holding him back so now we actually know how to help him #itisamiracle 

 

Tuesday- We had dinner with the ON's and Sister ON invite her son to join us and he did! We also went to the S's, and P, Sister S's non-member husband sat down and watched "Finding Faith is Christ" with us. He loved it! They gave us a list of addresses that we could drop by and see and we didn't even ask! #miraclenumber2or20

 

Wednesday- We had dinner with the T's and H, their daughter who is normally at school was there... with her ferrets... I was ecstatic! They are so cute. We also had Book of Mormon night with our usual crew and It was great reading Alma 32 about faith :) Then, THEN we got home and we get this text from our investigator M that is all, "Oh by the way, who do I talk to about getting Baptized?" We were all, "UHM US!!!!!" So we set up a time to meet with him and the LR's on Sunday. So exciting! #miraclesreallydohappen

 

Thursday- We had a Mission Conference/Zone Conference all about renewing the faith that we had in order for our November Miracle to happen. Our new mission goal is to have 420 baptisms by the beginning of July(when President Packard goes home) and that means an average of 70 baptisms every month. Elder Holland emailed President and told him that 70 should be our monthly minimum. So now it is! We are so excited and we are working our tails off to help 420 people make covenants with their Father in Heaven and come closer to Christ. #MBM420 We each chose something else that we can sacrifice for the goal, so that we can be better and stronger missionaries and I chose to clean up my language. Obviously I am not going around cursing or anything like that but I have always been fond of make-shift cuss words, so I am giving them up, for life. It is really hard, especially when you mess up and then you mess up when you notice that you messed up haha but I am working super hard on it. If any of you have any advice, send it my way :)

We also went on exchanges so that Sister T (One of our Sister Training Leaders) could get to know our area before her companion goes home on Wednesday. Sister W went to Bridgeport(lucky duck I love that area!) and then Sister G and I stayed in Madison. It was so great! We had dinner with the G's and their daughter E was there and her son loves us. He is darling. We walked up and he was looking through the window and we just see him get all excited and we hear, "They are here!!!!! They are Here!!!!". I love that family so much. 

 

Friday- We drove into New Haven for District Meeting and it was snowing like crazy! We got there and then we were red-dotted so we stayed there until like 1:00. We switched back around 4:30 when the roads were cleared haha. Then we went and visited A and it was her birthday! Then we went and had game night at the VDM's with E, K, J and E. It was super fun!

Saturday- We went and saw L M. and L P. It was really nice to see them both. Then, then we got T-Texts... and guess where I am going??? The polar opposite area to Madison. I am going to Worcester Massachusetts! I currently have no idea my new address or even my companion but I am 99% sure that I am driving.. in Boston... in "the worst place to drive" it is going to be good. I just keep on repeating 1 Nephi 3:7

" 7 And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them." in my head and I am actually getting excited! With God, I can do anything! 

 

OH hey! On that note!  Here is a story that I saw on one of my good friend's facebook wall that we have been sharing with some of the families in our ward!

“A basketball in my hands is worth about $20.99. A basketball in the hands of LeBron James is worth $19 million per year; it depends on whose hands it's in. A tennis racket in my hands is worth about $17.00. A tennis racket in the hands of Serena Williams is worth about $20 million per year; it depends in whose hands it's in. A baseball in my hands is worth about $3.00. A baseball in the hands of Derek Jeter is worth about $35 million per year; it depends on whose hands it's in. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in my hands would make a few fish sandwiches. Two fish and 5 loaves of bread in the Savior's hands will feed 5000 people until they're full, and still leave 12 baskets leftover; it depends on whose hands they're in. Some nails in my hands are worth about 5 cents. Some nails in the Savior's hands will provide eternal salvation for each person who has ever lived on this earth, and all of Heavenly Father's children. It depends on whose hands they're in. When we put our lives in the hands of the Savior, we can achieve infinitely more than we ever could on our own. It depends on whose hands they're in.”

 

Isn't that wonderful!?!? I think what I like most about it is that I really don't know who the sports players are... like I have heard of them in passing but I really don't know anything about them. I realized that there are soooo many people out there that don't know who Jesus Christ is, or they have only heard of Him in passing. That is why I love missionary work. We are helping people come closer to Christ, even if they don't want to listen, we made it so that they know a little more about Him! 

 

Sunday- Ahaha I almost forgot! After church we went to the LR's and we had a lesson with M, he set a baptismal date for February 21st! I am so happy! It was such a great day! 

Well all, I will let you know my new address when I figure out what it is. Pray for M and A and for me when I drive haha. I will need it ;) 

I love you all, and I hope that you have a fantastic week! Be Good! 

Love, 

Sister Alexander

 

 

Picture 1: Bowling.. or sitting ahaha. My scores probably reflected the latter. 

Picture 2: Book of Mormon Night Crew. A, M, E, Sister W, Me, Sister G and A looking like he needed a new mugshot ahaha. 

Let's See How Many Times I End Up Writing 2014 on Accident...

HELLO!!! Happy New Year! How was your last few days of 2014 and first few days of 2015? I hope that they were wicked awesome! Mine sure were! 

Monday- We Went to the Woodbridge building, our Stake Center, to have zone P-Day but then all of the Elders decided to play basketball so we went to Target. Then we went to the Y's and had a really yummy diner and A was there too!

Tuesday- We had dinner with the S's and then we were able to visit some more people in the ward that live in Branford. 

Wednesday- Sister G was sick and so was E so we couldn't go to the temple like we planned and we had to be in out apartment by 6:00 so that we weren't on the roads with crazies so we planned at the church and then we went home so that Sister G could try to sleep. I ended up writing out my goals for 2015 and catching up on my journal. 

Seeing as I will be on my mission for the entirety of 2015 I came up with these resolutions to be the Best Missionary I can be.

2015 New Years Resolutions:

(or at least the ones that I can remember)

-Stop Biting my Fingernails.#needstostop

-Read the Book of Mormon at least 3 times

-Write one Tender Mercy or miracle of the day in my planner EVERYDAY

-Take at least one picture everyday

-Write in my journal at least every other day.

I have more, but I forgot to bring my journal with me to email haha. Bummer

We also went to bed at 10:00 It was the best New Years ever.

Thursday- We got to go and see our friend P, who lives in the Pemberly Retirement Center. I will have to take a picture of it next time we are there. She is darling. 

Friday- We had District Meeting, which was awesome and then we had a birthday lunch with C because she turned 81 on Saturday. She is hilarious! I got a video of her threatening to shoot us with whipped cream. Good stuff. We also had breakfast for dinner with the VDM's and they all sat in for a lesson! Woohoo! 

Saturday- OH Saturday was just the coolest day ever! We had an awesome lesson with M in the morning about the Plan of Salvation. If you follow me on Facebook you probably saw me post some pictures because it SNOWED!!! Like real snow that stuck! It was like 3 days after New Years and like 8 since Christmas but I still got snow during the holidays!!!! WOOOHOO!!! Needless to say I took a bunch of pictures hahaha. And we built a snowman because we were Red-Dotted ( stay at home no driving allowed). I also did a lot of crafting that night haha. 

Sunday- GREAT DAY! First Sunday of the year and it was wonderful! Church was wonderful, I bore my testimony for probably the last time as a missionary in the Madison Ward. It was a happy-sad moment. On Friday we find out who is being transferred and where. I am like 99% sure that I am leaving. But after church, we got to visit 5 less active families and have dinner with the LR's family. It was a very busy and productive day!

Ahhh 2015 is going to be the BEST YEAR EVER. Are you excited? 

We are working our tails off over here! The Work is hastening! God is Great!

I love you all and I hope that you have a great week! I heard the AZ is cold right now... It was a good 15 degrees colder than Connecticut on New Years #whatthewhat

Be good!

Love,

Sister Alexander

 



 

Picture 1- The Church parking lot... So much fun! I totally ran through it haha!

Picture 2- Our Snowman. 

Picture 3- C is such a punk ahahaha "You wont get a normal picture out of me, Ha-Ha too bad!"

New Years Adam Eve...?

Wello!!! <--- What hahaha I can't spell or type to save my life, but now I am too far ahead to change it back. Oh well hahaha.

Hello!!! How was your Christmas Week? Was it amazing? I sure hope so! 

This week was the bomb.com. Fo'sho. 

Monday- We went to Springfield for a Christmas Family Home Evening with like 3 zones. It was at a family's home and there were like 60 missionaries there. It was fun! We saw T! Gah I love her! 

Tuesday- We got to see S for the first time in a while! I love her and she has had miracle after miracle happen! We also had dinner with the LB's and we had a great Webex with President about King Benjamin's speech. 

Wednesday- Christmas Eve! We went to the Y's Home and the S's and the LR's were there too. We had a wonderful dinner and then we did an Nativity play. Sister W, Sister G and I were "The three Wise Sista's!" ahaha It was great!

Thursday- Merry Christmas! I woke up at 6:00 and I stared at the Christmas tree for a half hour while my comp was in the shower. Then we had breakfast with the R's and we opened presents. I got a Loki bobble head doll from my family... I might have shrieked with joy when I saw it haha. He did have a knife so I had to cover that up ahahaha... Now he is "Elder Loki". It is very likely that he will be in many future pictures. We then went and Skyped our families. It was so great to see them! What a blessing technology is! Good stuff! We then had dinner at the F's. It was fondue and it was amazing. SO GOOD! They showed us the Piano Guys and David Archuleta Nativity thing on youtube... Oh my word. #Obsessed. Oh and they have a fish that is named Mikey Bubbles...(Michael Buble in Fish)

Friday- District Meeting was great! we also got to see a bunch of referrals that have been coming in like crazy! So cool! I also almost chopped off my finger with my CTR ring ahaha... It caught on the trunk and I slammed it down. Needless to say my ring is now on my left hand and it is awkwardly sitting there like a promise ring even though it is from Nana haha. #righton

Saturday- We hoped to be able to Skype some online investigators that I have been talking to but they both cancelled. Sad day. So we went and visited some of the elderly ladies in the ward and it was time well spent with them. 

Sunday- We went to church and it was wonderful! Last Sunday of 2014! A and M both were out of town which was a bummer but they will be here next week! I think the most exciting thing that happened yesterday was about our December goal.

So our mission for the month of December has had a goal to get 100 recent converts (Baptized within this year) to the temple to do Baptisms for their own family names and as of Saturday we have had 96! We only have E, who was baptized in June, and she has been to the temple only once before so we texted A, one of the Youth that is going on his mission in like 20 days, and we are now going to the temple on Wednesday with E and A! So exciting!!!!!! God is a God of Miracles! 

Well, I love you all and I hope that you have a great New Year!

Lets make 2015 THE BEST!!! 

Love,

Sister Alexander

 

 



 

Picture 1: Elder Loki

Picture 2: Everyone needs a Christmas Cat shirt.... 

PS. What are your New Years Resolutions?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Merry Christmas!

How fast has this year gone by! Craziness! It feels like it was just yesterday that I was bugging Bishop Brooksby at the New Year's Party about starting my mission papers and now I have almost been out here for 6 months!  This week was super busy but super awesome! 

Monday- We filmed for our Zone Video... which turned out okay. The elements were hilarious but it was super quiet and choppy... Its all good though. Our scene was good haha. We did a video about how Salt Lake was getting complaints about how Missionaries don't know how to answer their phones when the mission president calls so the MTC created a video on how to NOT answer your phone. For our part we passed around the phone because none of us answered it and then finally Sister Grant did and she just goes, "Hello this is Sister Alexander," and it zooms to my face all half annoyed/half shocked and then down to my name tag. People laughed so it was good haha. What they didn't know was that Sister G has done that to me before hahaha the punk.

Tuesday-We had exchanges and so Sister G went to Bridgeport and then Sister S came to Madison with Sister W and I. We got to visit a bunch of people and we had dinner with the cutest family ever. They own a sewing machine repair shop and she is pretty much Etsy and Pinterest in a house. Oh, and they have two little girls with bright red hair. Precious. 

Wednesday- We finally were able to go back to Service at the Soup Kitchen. I love those people! We also had to get an oil change #milesgalore

Thursday- We woke up at 4:00 am and drove to Boston for the first ever Digital Mission Conference. It was great! The only sad part... no more Pinterest aha. It wasn't as good at finding people as they wanted it to be. It is whatever though because it will be there when I get back. It has been nice being away from it all. 

Friday- We spent the night at the Digital Mission Sister's apartment and then we got to go to the temple and we had our Christmas Conference.

Fun Fact: The last name of the person that I went through the temple for.. "Bailey" it was cool. The Conference was wonderful. It was Music and some talks from the mission presidency and then we had dinner and our videos. Then, oh my goodness we each got a package from home and I got the cutest one haha!  It was a sunshine package and I loved it. It had so much fun stuff! then we had to drive home the 2.5 hours. Tired.

Saturday- We had our Ward Christmas Party and guess what? there were 31 non-members there! It was amazing! We are definitely going to be busy these next couple of weeks. 

Sunday- I love Christmas Sunday. First off, we woke up to snow. Everywhere. It was glorious!  We had both A and M at church, and it was all Hymns and scriptures. It was beautiful. Our lesson in Relief Society was given by the wonderful Sister S, and it was awesome. Here are some little tidbits that struck me. 

The prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith once said to a group of people, "I pray for the end of the world," and a woman spoke up and said, "I sure hope not!" So Sister S explained that the righteous need not worry. He also said, when asked when the 2nd coming will be, "Tomorrow". 

Then Sister S talked about the holidays and the stress that comes from shopping and cooking and entertaining and how long our lists must be and how we make sure that everything gets done. Then she paused and said, "Shouldn't it be the same for our preparation for the 2nd coming?"

Shouldn't we have a long list of people to see and scriptures to read and things to pray about and repent for and shouldn't we be panicking about those things not being done even more than we are about a commercialized holiday, that is supposed to be a time of peace and rest and thought? Yeah, just some food for thought.

Holiday urgency< 2nd coming urgency.

Think about it. 

I am so grateful to be on a mission, for my Heavenly Father. That I get to share my joy and peace with people from all over the world. I am so grateful for the gift of my Savior, Jesus Christ, and that I get this next year to represent him as though he was here walking where I am. Christmas is such a wonderful season. Take a step back and remember the true meaning of Christmas. christmas.mormon.org  

I love you all and I hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!!!!! 

Love,

Sister Alexander

 

 

Picture: SNOW! Isn't is beautiful!?!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas!

Hello All! This week has been crazy and awesome wrapped in a fun little package. Like a Christmas package ahaha! 

Monday- We had dinner with one of our favorite families, the S's. They have 4 boys under the age of 10 and T, the youngest, gets in trouble for "attempting to kill his brothers with unforgivable curses" Needless to say, they love Harry Potter, and we love them. 

Tuesday- It was raining like crazy but we had a lot of fun driving all over our area trying to see referrals then we had dinner at the LR's and they are a blast! 

Wednesday- We had Book of Mormon night, and A and M both came! We had a great time and the spirit was super strong! We read Moroni 10. Great chapter! 

Thursday- The Digital Elders came down and showed us how stinking awesome the digital mission is! So far I have 3 potential investigators who I just need to have a skype lesson with and then they will be real ones! Woot! OH! And we woke up to SNOW!!! Like on the ground! But it melted by noon but still SNOW!!! :)

Friday- We had Zone Meeting and it was great! Pretty much all of the Elders and Sisters here can play the piano... except for me ahaha. But our District Leader, Elder L (not to be confused with our zone leader Elder L haha) Knows all of the Charlie Brown Christmas songs... talk about memories ahaha. He plays the main Charlie Brown song and all I think of is dad kicking Corben off of the piano so he can play the one song that he knows ahaha. I will have to have him teach me it so both dad and I learned it on our missions :) We also had dinner or "A Christmas Party" with C. I love that woman. She is adorable. 

Saturday- The Stake puts on a Christmas Concert every year (for like the past 26 years) and we got to be the ushers for both of the shows. It was great! One of the men in our ward is super deadpan and monotone whenever we talk to him but when he was singing in the choir, it was the most adorable thing I have ever seen. He was so animated and happy and oh my word I love that man. It is good to know that he gets excited about something. 

Sunday- We had A, M and M all come to church! It was wonderful! I love the Christmas season! We are so blessed to know of our Father in Heaven's love for us and to know that Jesus Christ truly is the Ultimate Gift! 

Well, I love you all, and I hope that you all experience the wonderful Christmas Spirit that I have been feeling! 

Be Good! 

Love,

Sister Alexander