2 Months!!!

Hello my beloved friends! 

It has been a while since I've had a chance to email because of transfer craziness.

If you don't already know, I am staying in Gahanna with Sister Garner for another 6 weeks! I am happy with that fact..now. Originally I wanted Sister G and I to both leave. Sister Garner agreed. Now, you have to hear me out. We don't hate each other, or the area. The problem is that we actually love it here too much. At the conclusion of this last transfer Sis Garner hit her 6 month mark in Gahanna. It's amazing that she's been able to stay for so long and meet so many great people, but on the other hand that is a third of her mission. 

During transfer week we switch our P-day to Wednesday, the same day we receive information about whether or not we'll be moved. If you are being transferred you have Wednesday night to say goodbye to everyone and pack, and then Thursday morning you meet your new companion. 

Sister Garner and I hit a 110 on the stress level just thinking about transfers.. I cannot even imagine the real deal.. 

Transfers are a big deal not only for missionaries, but investigators, ward members, and leaders too. Everyone wants to be prepared and naturally they make predictions. By Tuesday night half of the ward members had written Sister Garner off, sad as they may be to see her leave, and the other half were convinced with enough prayer she would stick around another 6 weeks. Honestly, at this point I hadn't really thought about what I wanted to happen, I just knew that no matter the outcome, hearts would be broken. It's a consequence of having a missionary in an area long enough to build the strong relationships that get work moving. Oh what a paradox!!!. 

 After much stress laden deliberation, and anxiety driven discussions, Sister Gee-wiz and I came to the conclusion that the most probable and beneficial thing to do would be to send her off. Here was our thinking: 

Sister G had been in the area for 6 months, so one more transfer would mean 7 1/2, at which point she will hit her year mark. That's not really typical. The members love her so much, and she returns the feelings, that it will be incredible difficult for everyone to move on when she leaves. We thought it'd be best to rip it off like a band-aid. Ultimately we both decided that there just needed to be a change for the area.

We were wrong. 

Late Tuesday night I prayed with all my heart that Gahanna would see the change it needed, and that if that was to have Sis Garny leave, so be it. As an answer I had a dream where we were trying to invite one of our most progressing investigators, Kim, to church. We knocked and knocked but she wouldn't answer the door because I had a new companion. I woke up and I knew that Sister Garner would stay, and that it was because of Kim. Kim is married to a convert who wants her to be baptized very badly. Kim has been being taught by missionaries (originally Elders) for a whole entire year. She is baptist and struggles with the BOM, Joseph Smith, and Priesthood Authority. Looking forward, there were a lot of obstacles to overcome. 

So we made it our mission. Our transfer goal is to baptize John and Kim. WE will be the change that Gahanna needs to see.  

Miracles happen. We had an amazing lesson with Kim and her husband. He bore the strongest testimony and invited her to be baptized, on a date that he had a dream about. SHE ACCEPTED. 

I am reminded of the Bible Dictionary definition for prayer as I write this story. "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God but to secure for ourselves and for others the blessings that God is already willing to grant, but are made conditional on our asking for them."

God knows best. I learned by praying that I can be the change, and that with Faith, we can work miracles. 

I love you all, as does He. 

Sister Mitchell 

New Personal Best!

Ice Cream with Alexis

Ello erry'body!

One word for this week? Eventful.

We had mini missionaries up until Saturday. It was quite an experience. Our Mini was named Sister McMarrow. I liked her a lot. She was a little spit-fire from a town 25 minutes away from Gahanna. She knew most of our teenage investigators and a few of the members. She was a bold little missionary, and had a fun perspective on the work. However, I do not like being in a trio. It's just weird. Watch, now I'll end up in a tri for the rest of my mission. #jinxed

Last P-day we had a Zone Funday where we played Ultimate Frisbee and made t-shirts. Every companionship in our zone had a mini, and the ZL's had two, so in total we were 32 missionaries strong. It was a much needed break.I miss hanging out with my peers in large groups. It gives me a chance to relax, which is something that's been hard on the mission. I love big parties, they're so intimate. #catchthequote?  

Wednesday we had a lesson with Alexis where we read stories from Christ's life, talked of faith, looked at paintings of him, and shared our testimonies of how he has helped us. The spirit was incredible. Sister Mickey (mini), our favorite teen-member Lucy, and I all started crying. Can I just say that I have never cried so much in my life! It's ridiculous! Crying has never really been the way that I've felt the spirit before now. Normally the spirit speaks to me through a special kind of enlightenment/understanding in my mind, but now I feel it much more outwardly. Rarely do I bear testimony without crying, and I think it's all for the people I'm teaching. My strongest testimonies are always accompanied by tears, and maybe that's because my investigators need to see that. It's a very tender experience when they start crying, because I am.  It's amazing how if we hand ourselves over to God, he will mold us into what we need to be to benefit ourselves and everyone around us. I Sister Mitchell am a cry baby and proud of it!

The best part of our lesson with Alexis was her Grandpa, Homer. We have tried several times to invite him to sit in, and he's always turned it down. Not this time! He sat in, told us we made a lot of sense, took a BOM, and agreed to continue meeting with us! the power of Christ... you don't even know! We started talking to him and found out that he is TOTALLY PREPARED for the Gospel. I can't wait to see what happens!

Thursday may have just been the craziest day of my mission. Confession: I struggle with tracting. It's just SO WEIRD. Teaching? Awesome. Service? Sweet. Street Contacting? Party-time. Door Knocking? Immediate dread.

I just can't get over the fact that I am interjecting myself into someone's personal space, pushing a message not widely received, and not backing down when doing it. I was having a hard time envisioning tracting actually working. So, I prayed about it. I told Heavenly Father that I would invest every bit of faith and confidence I had into knocking doors that day, and see what happened.  

We found 6 New investigators that night. That doesn't happen here.Long story short: FAITH. You can't just have it, you gotta use it.

Overall this week Sis G and I won our zone competition for having someone on date, and led the zone in New Investigators, with a weekly total of 9. Our zone is leading the mission. We are so blessed......

.....But there is still opposition in all things.  We had to drop a family that missionaries have been working with for almost a year because they just have no desire. We found out about some tough hurdles Alexis is going to have to overcome, and John's parents are nearly stopping him from having any contact with us.  

Alas, all is well. 

Funny moment of the week: That one time we sat in front of an African American
investigator family who chanted "shots, shots, shots!!!" When they were passed the sacrament. The mom whispered behind me, "ooh. They messed up, they must have run outta wine!" Needless to say it was they're first time at church, and no one warned them. BUT, now they're baptized. #atonement

LOVE YOU ALL!!!! 

Sista M

Alexis and John

Zone Conference

Why hello there my darling loved ones! 

This week was Biz-A Cray Cray. 

Monday there was a leadership conference, so we didn't have P-Day until Tuesday. Those two days flew by. And I have no idea what happened at the beginning of the week. A mission has not helped my memory. At all. 

Wednesday we had (Multi)Zone Conference. It went from 8:00am to 4:00pm with a half hour lunch break. Besides lunch, we were in the chapel THE WHOLE TIME. It was as bad as school, and even the MTC! The upsides? It was pretty inspirational and uplifting The best part though was that I got to see my old MTC District!!! Man do I love them. It's funny how seeing them feels like seeing old friends when they were strangers a little over a month ago. But any familiar face feels like family. I think that some of us will stick so close to each other, you might as well call us that. 

Later Wednesday night we put Alexis on date for baptism!!!!! Holla! Now, before I get too carried away, you should know there's still a lot to do with her. Alexis is the 15 year old (former) Pagan. We've come a long way from the beginning. You never know what could happen, but she definitely has a desire to make a change!

Thursday was normal but Friday we had New Missionary Orientation. All of the new mishies and trainers got together at OSU campus to practice contacting, do roleplays, and basically just have the President make sure we aren't scoundrels. This means I got to see Sis Corbett, and the others again!!!! Out of everyone I've met on my mission, I want to be Sis Corbett's companion the most. She's the greatest and I just love her. We talk about praying to become each others companions all the time. I've never met a sis who gives such great hugs.  

So when we got assigned in the same group for our rotation, and were made roleplay companions, I about died! We got to roleplay the first lesson together. It was a roleplay, but we were assigned a legit nonmember who has been taking the lessons but won't commit to baptism #pressurewason. Long story short, we all cried. The spirit was so strong. I think we made a difference for her. It was the first time she'd been taught by sisters. Me and Sis C will be companions some day, I have a good feeling about it!

Also, at New Mish Training I was called on to explain how to run a productive comp inventory, and prez and his wife got up and gave me a High-five because they liked my answer so much. No big deal, I just about fainted. 

Saturday we got our Mini Missionaries! It's a thing that they do in Ohio where they send teens that are 16-19 on "a mini mission" to shadow us for a week. Our mini is 16 and SASSY. She'll fit right in. 

Love Sister M

THE ATTACK

To begin, I have to introduce you to the Crouse Family. They are the craziest, funnest, most bizarre, genuine family I know. I love err'y one of 'em. Kelly, the mom, converted when she was 17 and then fell away. 16 years in the future, Kaitlyn, the oldest daughter (16 yrs old)  gets invited to church by a friend. Long story short, all 5 kids that are of age get baptized. Jarett, Kelly's fiance is taking the lessons and is getting baptized after their wedding on June 21st. Yes, that means I get to go to a wedding on my mission!!!! Holla! Not only that, but we've got to do service making crafts for the big day. Best service ever. We are teaching Katie's friend Alexis, so we spend a lot of time with the Crouses.

Yesterday, we are doing service with Kelly, Matthew(13), and Avery(12). Kelly's friend Brandy moved to a new house where she can't keep the her pool so she tells Kelly if she can pick it up, she can have it.

We get to the house and see that it's one of those inflatable 6 foot by 6 foot pools. It's deflated and is full of dead leaves and nasty water. No one else really wanted to touch it, so I volunteered to roll it up. A few seconds into rolling it, my companion screams "There's a snake!" Matthew is gone before the rest of us start screaming. Fearing for my life, I jump back. Naturally, there was a snake twice the size of the other one behind me, and I stepped right back onto it, while wearing sandals. We all panic, and I throw a brick at the smaller snake. Both snakes slither back into the pool.

Our screams were loud enough that every neighborhood kid within three blocks came running over and the next door neighbor came out onto her porch. 

This is the point where Mary Mitchell would've gone home and taken a shower. But, Sister Mitchell decided that they could still get the pool out if they lifted each fold carefully enough, found the snakes, and killed them. My companion was already looking for a shovel. 

The three of us looked for sharp weapons that we could take the snakes heads off with. We even asked the kids and neighbors watching the show if they had anything. We ended up being armed with a brick, a blunt metal pole, and a pogo stick. 

For 45 MINUTES we chased them. Every time we found the snake we would stab it with our sad sticks and they would slither into another freaking fold of the pool. Finally we found the 2 foot long baby snake. We trapped it and Sister Garner went at it with the metal pole. It wasn't sharp enough to cut the head off, but it gave Kelly an opportunity to smash it's brain with a brick. The entire time this is happening the neighborhood kids are chanting "KILL IT, STAB IT, SMASH IT." I felt a little bit like Steve Erwin.

We flick the baby snake out of the pool, and put a brick on top of it. A while later we find the 3 foot snake. Sister Garner was tried to stab it, but it was so big it wasn't getting anywhere. The snake needed to be held down so Kelly starts smashing it with the the pogo stick, but the snake JUMPS at her and wraps itself around the pogo stick. She spazzes out, I throw a brick at the snake and Sis Garner finally kills it. The pogo had blood all over the foot pedals.

We get the second snake out of the pool and Avery runs up screaming with a brick and chucks it at the dead snake. 

I kid you not, the snake popped. It's skin splits and it's guts spill out. along with a BABY SNAKE FETUS. Kelly starts retching and throws up. I have never been so traumatized.

The neighborhood kids start chanting "PICK IT UP AND SHOW US." So we walk over and meet them all. They love us. They even asked to sign my shirt. That is what you call a creative finding activity. 

From this all we found 5 new investigators, What up!

We didn't get back to the apartment until 9:45 at which point curfew was broken and we hadn't eaten dinner. So we ordered a pizza and took showers. 

We are #fearless and #bold. 

Feel free to be impressed.

Love you all

Sis M.

week 3- memorial day

Disclaimer: I have 15 minutes left to write emails. I will get better at this!

Anyhow, hello everyone! 

How was your Memorial Day? Mine was great! I am SO SUN BURNT.

Now, the theme of this week: The MIRACLES that come from obedience. 

In our weekly district meeting we had a lesson on obedience. It was surely needed for my companion and I. I don't want you thinking I'm out partying on my mission or completely just losing my head, but my companion and I may or may not have overslept almost every day last week. Oops. My trainer is stellar, and I love her. we are sort of like twins. Which is great for the most part. It also means that we both suck at time management and following the little (what would seem) inconsequential rules. Long story short, we commited to follow the schedule exactly, and also all the silly little rules that we'd been ignoring. 

BEST DECISION. Period. We have seen so many miracles in the lives of our investigators. There have been breakthroughs where normally we've been hitting walls. All because I wear my seatbelt, and wake up at 6:30 instead of 6:45. Some specific examples and a little introduction to our investigators.

John: The unbaptized member. But seriously. He is the coolest 15 year old kid who was refereed to us by his member girlfriend. He accepts and believes everything we've taught him. He has a strong testimony. He has gone to church for almost a month straight. He accepted the invitation to be baptized, but or some reason said "not until July." This is bad news. Waiting on baptism is inviting Satan into your life to mess everything up. 

So, no surprise, John's parents googled the church and found ANTI. From the Baptists. *eye roll* I'll let you know more about my feelings towards baptists later. Now, things could have turned out disastrous. Whenever our investigators usually get their hands on anti-lds literature, they start doubting and things go downhill. BUT John answered all the questions his parents had, bore his testimony about the church, and invited his mom to come to church with him. He says he has a greater understanding of what it will be like when he's a missionary. Now, all we have to do is get him baptized. 

I have to go now, but just know I love you all!!!!!!!

week 2

Why Hello!!!!

First things first: My last week at the MTC.

Probably (fingers crossed) the worst part of my mission.

My sweet, poor, companion struggled all week. To make an incredibly long story short, Sis Humphries struggled with every medical glitch she could find, and was delayed flying into Ohio for a week.

 Her heart started hurting her randomly and her arm went numb off and on. On Saturday she became so nauseated we sat inside the residence ALL DAY. It was so quiet. Man, do I hate silence. 

We walked off campus twice to go get lab work done, and we spent at least 3 more hours in the clinic. In short, I missed nearly half the class periods I was supposed to attend. I wasn't able to teach my investigators the last two lessons we had scheduled, and I missed out on district bonding time. 

BUT, I learned something. Heavenly Father doesn't always call us to do work that is comfortable for us. Instead he calls us to work that we are capable of doing.  

It was so difficult for me. I felt nervous, and sometimes still do, because I missed classes that I knew I needed to be the best missionary I could be. I missed opportunities to practice teaching that I'll never be able to recreate. I just felt disadvantaged. 

What helped me past this was my Savior. Also Joseph Smith. What I realized while watching the long Restoration movie (definitely recommended) is that God let's his people suffer. Sometime more than they can imagine they are able to overcome, or bear. Joseph Smith was the greatest prophet we've ever seen, and he became discouraged. Our Savior was literally the Son of God, and he reached a point in his suffering that he asked that his cup be taken away from him. BUT they did what the lord asked of them. Out of love. For the people around them, and for their God. 

Please don't think I'm comparing myself to these incredible men. I just draw reparation from their faithful obedience. I promise you that as we try to follow their example in this kind of obedience, we will be blessed. More than we can imagine. Heavenly Father strengthens those who are on his errand. 

That was sort of heavy. Haha. On a lighter note, the universe has a pretty wicked sense of humor. 

Guess what I caught at the MTC? Bed bugs. 

The one thing that scared me about Ohio.... In the provo MTC. 

We believe they got tracked in from another sister's room, when that sister had to move in with us because her companion went home. We found out the afternoon before we left at 4:00 am. WE WASHED EVERYTHING. THEN TOOK SHOWERS. AND WASHED EVERYTHING WE WERE WEARING. That was our last day. 

Real quick, Ohio is beautiful. I could live here, and it might just happen. I've never seen more green in my life. I serve in Gahanna, twenty minutes away from Columbus. It's a low-middle-class suburb that shares a ward with the ghetto. We get sent there sometimes for referrals. I've been so shocked and grateful to see people who have so little, give me and my companion so much. The ward is so supportive. 

I teach a TON of families and teenagers. THE BEST! Who knew, right?

Elder Pytlakowsky from my MTC district is in the ghetto (whitehall) in my ward. Holla!

I love you all!!!!!!!

week 1

HELLO!
 All I can say is W-O-W. Just kidding, I have lots to say. To begin with, I just want everyone to know that choosing to serve a mission is the best decision I have ever made in my life, up until this point. The work is SO IMPORTANT. I feel incredibly grateful that I have the opportunity to join the laborers in the Lord's Vineyard. In case you are wondering, I love it here! The people are so great, and the experiences are one of a kind, but the spirit here is priceless. I'm in a district of 2 sets of Elders and two sets of Sisters. That's eight crazy kids, all 22 and under trying to transform into missionaries. We get a little insane. All jokes aside though, I knew from the minute I walked into my classroom and met them that we would all be friends forever. We act like we've known each other for years, and that's because we probably did in Heaven. I've known them for 7 (?) days now, and I already consider them family. We are all serving in Columbus Ohio, so we don't have to say goodbye. How blessed can I get? So a little run down on my homies: Sister Humphries: My companion. She's 22, the oldest of the group, and from Enterprise Utah. She likes Hunt'n, fish'n, and camp'n. You'll hear more later. Sister Wolfe: From Nebraska, my fav to joke around with. So sassy, so spiritual. Sister Corbett: The definition of angel, but with a killer testimony! 19, from South Jordan. Elder Winkler: Kurt Winkler who went to Mountain View. He's our district leader, but still laughs, occasionally..... Elder Pytlawkowsky (pit.la.kohv.skee.): From Mesa Arizona, he's a goofball who keeps everybody relaxed. Elder Miller: Sassy. Sassy. Sassy. He bears an incredibly strong testimony. Elder Barton: My favorite Elder. He's 18 and from Provo. He's incredibly funny and sort of shy. Not to mention really cute for an Elder, if I wasn't a Sister. Haha! Real talk now: This has been hard. I am so grateful for that. Me and my companion have had an interesting few days. The 3rd day into my mission my companion pulled a muscle in the back of her knee, and had to walk on crutches. I spent a total of 3 hours in the MTC clinic. Hours are so precious here. My companion has also wanted to go home everyday we've been here. I'm determined to help her stay. She's a wonderful person, with one of the purest hearts I've ever met. But she struggles with studying, and doesn't feel confident teaching doctrine, or speaking up in lessons much at all. I know I'm her companion for a reason. I just hope I can help he the way she needs it. I have learned to teach, and to be patient like never before. So, the most shocking and incredible thing I've learned: I love. Everyone! So can you! So should you. Strangers, family, friends, enemies; they're all children of God. I had my 1st and 2nd TRC, or lesson with an actor-member/potential-legit-non-member, and I love her. Her name is Carol. She has recently learned from the Holy Ghost and through our invitation to pray, that she is wanted. She is important. Heavenly Father wants nothing more than to have her coma back home to live with him some day. I have had the pleasure of rediscovering this with Carol. I can feel HF's love for her every time I think of her. I love her with all my heart. It's a beautiful thing, my friends. I wish I could say I miss music, TV, Home, Hanging out and whatever, but to be honest, I don't. All I do anymore is crave scripture study and worry over what my investigator's need. I have never been more happy, even though I've never been more frustrated. I have found passion in doing the Lord's work. Do me a favor? Read Matt 29:19. Commit to sacrifice just a little more time, energy, or thought into serving the lord today. I can testify that you will not regret, miss, or forsake it. Instead you'll find love, desire, and joy. I know I have. Next week I'll be in Ohio! LOVE YOU! Sister Mitchell