September 30, 2014

Hey Mom,

I am doing great except for the fact that my allergies have been super bad this past week.

Bike riding has definitely gotten easier than the first day that we rode them. There is a hill from our apartment, over the freeway, and into our area. It usually takes us like 15-20 minutes just to get in to our area.

This past week has been both good and bad. Sister Johnson has been sick with who knows what. So on Tuesday, Sister Soumphol and I went out in the car and saw some people. As we were out visiting people we saw a white squirrel, which is not normal! (See picture attached). We just got the first 2 ward missionaries that the ward has had for a while. They are awesome!

We had dinner that night with Brother Kunzler and his wife, members from our ward, but he is originally from Willard. His sister still lives in Willard. Donna Kunzler?

We are teaching a new investigator on Sundays. Her name is Kylie. She is in the Air Force and just got back from deployment in April. She is super nice and last week we taught her about the Book of Mormon, and the Restoration. She is super excited to learn and she has been on a spiritual search, but she hasn't found the right church for her yet. Hopefully, we can keep teaching her and help her come closer to Christ.

We have also been helping a returning member get her patriarchal blessing. She has invited us to go with her when she gets it. Our bishop has said yes, but he is going to call our mission president and ask if we can go with her.

We have been doing LOTS of service lately. We have been helping one of our investigators do some projects around her house. On Saturday, we went and cleaned her house and started painting a room for her. She was so grateful that she has been coming to church the past 2 weeks.

I was able to go to the women's broadcast, and it was amazing. I especially loved when President Uchtdorf spoke. He said that "we can't pick and choose which commandments we follow, they should always be a part of who we are." He also said that "no matter what we do, or what choices we make, we are ALWAYS God's children."

Today, we had our Zone activity, and we played kickball, and soccer. I HATE Soccer!! But, kickball was fun even though I haven't played it since elementary school.

I have my root canal on the 7th and hopefully they can just knock me out, because everyone has been telling me that it is really painful. I don't do pain very well!

Also, the mission vehicle coordinator called me and he said that my driving record hasn't been turned in, but I am pretty sure I sent it in before I left.

Sad to hear that you are getting released from Primary, but I know that it is for the best! You will do great as the Relief Society Compassionate Service Leader!

Thinking of you ALWAYS,

Sister Jennifer Rose

September 22, 2014

September 22, 2014

Hey Mom,

I got the package you sent this week! I loved it, and I shared the candy corn and cookies with the elders and sisters in my district.

We have been doing a lot of finding new investigators in the past week. Unfortunately, we have only found 1 new investigator this week.

Starting on Wednesday, we will be riding our bikes for a week, have the car for a week, and so on. I am kind of excited about it, but my allergies have been acting up really badly the past couple days.

On Friday, Sister Johnson and I had the opportunity to go to Sister Davis and Sister Soumphol's apartment, and go on exchanges with them. Sister Davis has pneumonia, so Sister Johnson stayed with her, while Sister Soumphol and I went out and taught the lessons they had for that day. It was a lot of fun! Sister Hansen was there at one of the lessons that we had.

I haven't gotten a coat yet, but I will continue to look out for one. I will need some bike shorts and some more leggings.

My next dentist appointment is on October 7th for my root canal. It will cost about $325 for the root canal. I have been put on 3 ibuprofen and 1 amoxicillin 3 times a day until my next appointment. It has been exhausting trying to deal with that pain and my allergies acting up really badly.

That is so awesome that you got to go to the re-dedication and the cultural celebration! Wish I could have been there to see it.

Hope all is going well with your job!

There is nothing that I really want for my birthday, so I am good with anything.

Hope to hear from all of you soon, and I love and miss you all lots!! Tell everyone hi for me, and I will get papa a letter written this week, but don't tell him about it.

Each and every day my testimony continues to grow stronger and stronger. I know with all my heart that my Heavenly Father is watching out for me. No matter what I do, I do it for my Heavenly Father. I have been continually striving to overcome my fears and so far I am working on talking to everyone and I am working on not hating riding a bike. It is hard, but I know that with His help I can do anything!

Love and miss you all,

Sister Jennifer Rose

 Beaver Creek Library - September 17, 2014

Back Row (Left to Right): Elder Spaulding, Elder Baldwin, and Elder Simkins

Front Row (Left to Right): Sister Soumphol, Sister Davis, Elder Brown, Elder Bowler,

 Elder Peterson, Sister Johnson, and me

Transfer Week

Jennifer refers to some pictures on Facebook under #socialmediasplit.  I couldn't find her in any of the pictures.  There were a couple pictures of the Beavercreek missionaries (Sister Davis and Sister Soumphol).  Sister Soumphol was Jennifer's companion in the MTC.

September 17, 2014

Hey mom,

It is transfer week so today is actually our p-day. 

So yeah... My lower left jaw has been giving me problems and I found out that I have to have a root canal. I go back in on October 7th. I have called the dentist and asked for an estimate, but they haven't gotten back to me yet, but I will let you know when I find out.

Also, a member in the ward actually gave me a bike to have for free because she wasn't going to use it. So no need to worry about buying one. YAY!!

Last Monday (the 8th), we went to a park and played sand volleyball, ultimate frisbee, played on the playground, and had a picnic. It was awesome!

Last Tuesday (the 9th), We got 2 new investigators! we taught them about the Book of Mormon. We are also re-teaching a less-active family, and re-teaching them the lessons.

Last Wednesday (the 10th), we went to the dentist and that was when I found out I have to have a root canal. They put me on antibiotics, to lessen the damage it has done to my tooth.

Last Thursday (the 11th), we watched the "Testaments" with a recent convert and Sister Johnson fell asleep halfway through it!

Last Friday (the 12th), we had our weekly planning and it was super productive. we also played "commandment Spoons" with an investigator of ours.

Last Saturday (the 13th), was our Social Media day, where we have members follow us around and take pictures of things we did that day and post them on social media websites.. To see pictures, go to facebook and type in #socialmediasplit. We also got a new investigator that day. We did a service project where we knocked down an old shed. It was fun hitting it with a sledgehammer!!

Last Sunday (the 14th), we had church and we learned about communicating with our families, and not just yelling through the house at others.

On Monday (the 15th), we did FHE with a lady and her 2 boys, we had a lot of fun!

Yesterday, we painted birdhouses with a member of the ward as a service project.

Today for our district activity, we went bowling (pictures to come next week).

 

I always look forward to getting emails from you! They are always so helpful and they help me get through the week.

As soon as you get Jessica's address let me know! I want to write her!

Glad to hear how work is going...you and dad both. Hopefully the Lord will bless him with a job!

I have really enjoyed being here in Ohio, except for now the weather stays between 45-70 degrees. I have had to pull out my scarves and jackets. I am not getting transferred this time, but you never really know when you are going to get transferred.

Hope all is going well there and make sure to tell everyone hi for me!

Love, Sister Rose

September 8, 2014

Hey mom!

This week has been okay. Last Monday, we had dinner with a family in the ward. Sister Johnson knew them from back home, and we helped them set up a family mission plan. We also went to another member's house, and they gave us a picture of the Brigham City temple, that the husband took, and it looks like a professional picture. They also gave us a study journal, because they had just gotten back from a trip to Nauvoo.

On Tuesday, we were heading to our dinner appointment, and we drove past a street called Johnson Rd. We stopped to take a picture, and Sister Johnson forgot to keep the keys with her, and we ended up locking the keys in the car. After a big hassle, and having to call AAA, we found out that the passenger's door was unlocked!

On Wednesday, we had Zone meeting and we learned that at the start of next transfer, which is next week, we will be sharing cars. So now, I am going to have to buy a bike. I am so NOT excited to be riding a bike!! For dinner, we ate with a member at a restaurant, and the food was really good. We also taught a lesson to an investigator, and we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was a really spiritual lesson that we had.

On Thursday, we had exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders. I went to Xenia (zeen-ya) with Sister Bowie and we taught 2 lessons: one to a recent convert, and another to an investigator couple. We taught the recent convert more about the Word of Wisdom and tithing. The investigators, we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I had a fun time being on exchanges!

On Friday, we had a very productive weekly planning session. We had dinner with a member, and we had pizza. That was the 7th time in the past 2 weeks that we have had pizza, and I am getting tired of it! We also met with 2 of our investigators, but we ended up just getting to know them better. Meanwhile, one of their neighbor's almost died of a drug overdose.

On Saturday, we taught some less-active members the Restoration as review for them. We went to a baptism for the YSA branch, with some of our recent converts. It was a good reminder for me of my baptism.

Yesterday was another eventful day! We had church and I got up and bore my testimony! I learned about missionary work in the wards, and about forgiveness. We got a new investigator, whose name is Vicki. She is awesome!

We had a lesson with a recent convert, who just moved back to the US after being in Japan to teach English. We taught her the Restoration, and I really felt the Spirit there with us.

After that, Sister Johnson was getting something out of the trunk of the car, and locked the keys in there, but the rest of the car was unlocked.

I look forward to hearing from you!

All my love,

Sister Jennifer Rose

Jennifer's Wall - Fairborn, Ohio

Jennifer's Bed - with Quilt mom made in memory of Nana