November 29th Email Excerpts

"I can't believe I have been here for over a week! So my district is actually staying WAY longer than most english speaking missionaries. We are here for an extra week. So I leave for California at 2:30am December 9th. But yeah they sent us here a week early because they didn't want us coming the day before Thanksgiving...weird. But anyway. It is a little overwhelming but I am getting used to it."
"I'm not perfect obviously but I am happy and a lot less stressed now that I've started relying on the spirit to teach! I study and write a lesson plan with my companions and then teach with the spirit."
"So yup...it's been great. Teaching has been hard with two companions because we aren't on the same page yet but last night it finally clicked that I was right so maybe tonight it will go better with our teacher as our investigator."

Brooke had talked about how sister missionaries sound but...
"Sorry but when I teach I do sound like a sister missionary but hate to say it...that makes me happy cause it means it's not me talking...it is the spirit. I promise. I love it so much!"

 These are the sisters going to California Bakersfield! (from left to right: Sister Apelu, Me, Sister Barder, Sister Wille, and Sister Marshall in the white.)

 My mission on the famous MTC map :)

 A hideous picture of us doing service! We packed dry ingredients for meals for hungry kids in Utah. It was so great!

 At the temple with my companions!

 My name tag!

 Sisters in my zone visiting the temple.

November 22nd Email Excerpts

"There was over 840 missionaries that entered the MTC the same day I did. Crazy. That's not normal. This is my third day here and my love for the gospel has already grown! I have never been more nervous in my entire life than the beginning of the 20th and then I got dropped off at the curb and (yes everyone was right) it went great from there! I went off with the sister that was helping me, she was from Arizona. She took me and my bags and showed me where to sign in. When they put my badge on I almost lost it. I was crying a little because I guess it finally hit me that I'm actually here and I'm officially a missionary!"
"I found out I was part of a tri-companionship! So, I have two sister companions. The whole classroom has two girl companionships and two elder companionships. They are all going to the California Bakersfield Mission the same time as me...so, they all arrived the same day as I did. My companions names are Sister Apelu who is from Hawaii and Sister Barber who is from Boise, ID. I already have a great love for my first companions!"
"So, my diet can be scary but they have a dietary room where they have Gluten-Free food we can just go in and get it whenever! I seriously feel so spoiled!"

Receiving My Mission Call!

I received my mission call last Friday. I have never checked the mail so many times in my life. I was so excited! It took exactly two weeks to get here...which is what they said "around two weeks," but really? I've heard of people getting it sooner so of course...I checked every day just in case! 

So I made sure my whole family was able to hear it when I read it! I had my dad and sister on Skype, my mom was on a business trip so she was on the phone, my brother and his family were on Oovoo, and my other brother was on the phone. I was with my sister and my niece in Florida when I opened it. We recorded it so my dad could understand since his connection on Skype wasn't that great.

Next to my own baptism and receiving my Patriarchal blessing, there is almost nothing that has made me more spiritually excited than this mission call made me! I bawled before I could even start reading it. As soon as I saw the words, "Sister Sawyer," I completely lost it. 

As I read the words on the page, I couldn't deny the truthfulness of them. I knew they were inspired and that where I was assigned to go was the exact place I need to be. Whether it's for me or someone else, it doesn't matter, but it was inspired. Heavenly Father is so amazing. He knows there are specific people that will only be able to accept His word when they come from specific missionaries. I truly believe that. So Bakersfield, California, HERE I COME!

I know that as I prepare for this mission, if I am not gaining a better testimony and my faith and strength isn't growing each day, then I'm doing it wrong. So far, it is! So that's good! There is a website we are asked to log in to. I almost cried again when I saw my page. It says my name, the mission I was called to, and how many days I have left until I need to report to the MTC (Missionary Training Center). Underneath that they have things like a Pre-MTC training list. Seriously. I thought all I had to do was read the Book of Mormon again, read Preach My Gospel, and I don't know...just study. I was so wrong! Ha! But anyway...there is this one thing they ask you to do that I have adored. It may sound stupid of me to love...but they ask you to watch "The District." This is a show that follows around real missionaries and real investigators. Anyway...it helps to teach about what missionaries do every day and what they go through, I love it and I'm learning a lot!

So yup...that's been my first few days after receiving my mission call. I've just been reading a lot and watching those awesome videos! I've been talking to people about the gospel a lot too since non members see it posted to Facebook. I love talking about the gospel and I love questions about it! I hope I'm helping some people become interested:) Questions are just always welcomed!!!

Till next time ;)

~Sister Sawyer