YSA and Clear Lake Week 2 November 18 letter

This week has been another building week for us.

Sister Wolfgramm and I are working on a lot of different things and slowly we are becoming more unified in our work. 

I forgot to mention last week that I got my Tiwi card! So now I can actually drive the mission vehicles. I have been driving all over Houston. From Sugarland to Clearlake.:) It is super fun I wonder why I didn't try to get the card earlier! :) 

This week we got to teach a girl named Krista. She has a Baptismal date for the 14th of next month! We are excited for her! :) 

We had Zone Conference this week and it was an answer to my prayers. All the things we talked about really address all the things we need to be better at in our area. I was grateful for the help. God really understands what I need. Its awesome. 

This week I talked Sister Wolfgramm into going biking for an afternoon. We actually talked to a lot of people who were interested in learning more! Sometimes all God needs is for us to make an effort. When we try then he can really bless our efforts so that we meet the people who are really searching. :) I am so glad that I am here and that I have the blessing of being a missionary. People really need this gospel. It makes all of life so much better. I love my Savior. :)

Sorry this is short! Not much time today!

I love all ya'll! Have a great week!

-Sister Earl

November 11 Letter YSA Ward Transfer

So last Tuesday  at 8 30 pm Sister Bearnson and I get a call.

Sister B grabs the phone to silence it since we are teaching at a members home, but changes her mind when she saw that it was the Assistants to the Mission President.

"Hello, this is Sister Bearnson," she says a little wary of what was going to be said in the next couple minutes.

"Hello Sister Bearnson this is Elder Case. How are you doing tonight?"

"uhh Great! What can I do for you?"

"Actually is Sister Earl there? We need to talk to her."

"Uh yes. She is right here..."

I heard this whole thing and at this point I am trying to figure out what might be possibly happening. Getting a call from the Assistants is either really bad news.. or just something crazy. 

"Hello Elder Case! This is Sister Earl!..." (trying not to sound super nervous or anything.)

"Sister Earl I am sorry that this is super last minute, but you will be transferred tomorrow. Please be packed up and at transfer meeting by 12:45pm tomorrow."

WHAT!!!! The first thought I had was pure excitement. Then I started to feel really sad that I would not get to say goodbye to anyone in Silverlake. I had been there for 3 transfers and had really grown to love that ward. I still feel a little sad when I think of Megan Aikens and her family getting so close to baptism!!! AHH! 

So we sped home on the bikes, so I could start packing up my life! 

The next day I found out that I was going to be moved to the Clear lake 2nd ward and the Armond Bayou YSA Branch. I am now Sr companion and my companion is Sister Wolfgramm. She got here last transfer and that is when they added the Armond Bayou Branch to this area. Needless to say they are still trying to figure out what is going on when I got put here. 

I had an interview with my Mission President after transfer meeting and he told me that this area is having severe obedience problems. He had been praying on what to do, but couldn't quite figure it out. When he prayed for who would be able to help Sister Wolfgramm the only person that kept coming to mind.. was me. No pressure right?

I said that to President and he laughed and said that all I needed to do was to be myself and follow God. So that is what I am going to do. Hopefully God shows me how to be the kind of missionary I need to be in order to understand and effectively lift this area up. 

My companion is really awesome. She is Tongan, but mainly grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. She loves to sing and can do all the traditional Polynesian dances. (I told her she needs to teach me sometime :)) She came out the same day as me and I am glad to be her companion. :) 

Ever since Wednesday life has been moving at a different pace. I am in an entirely new area with new people and I am trying to be the Sr. companion. :) It is interesting, but really fun. God knows me better than I give Him credit for. This will take more prayers and faith, but I am willing to give it if that is what will help this area and show these people how much God loves them. 

So, here goes nothing. :D

-Sister Earl

602 Eldridge Rd

Sugarland TX 77478

write me!! 

November 4th Email Transfers again??

Yes, another transfer is happening this week. I can hardly believe it!! It comes so fast. I found out this morning that both Sister Bearnson and I are staying in Silverlake!! This will be my 4th transfer here and this is her 6th!! haha And now this will be our 4th transfer together! :) Good thing I like her because if I didn't this would be a little hard! I am so happy to be here still though! There is so much that needs to be done and we get to do it together!! YAY!

This week was Halloween!! At first our Mission President was having everyone go inside at 7, but then we were told to do a training at the church on Sunday. The training took about an hour so afterwards we got to play board games! It was actually really fun! Our district is really cool. 

One of the highlights of this week was the chance to have interviews with our mission president. I know everyone says that their mission president is the best, but our president is one of my favorite people ever!! He knows when to work and when to relax and he always makes you feel like you are doing good, but helps you know where you can improve. President Ashton is awesome!!

I don't really talk about it very often, but since it came up in my interview and a bunch of people are probably a little curious I will give the update on the status of my Visa. President Ashton said that he had his people contact the travel people and they said that recently the travel office had to send out for updated documents (since the last ones I sent were in January!!!) The travel people predict that since this recent set back there will be no Visa in the near future. President also asked me to start thinking about and praying about staying in Texas. If it takes much longer he said an option would be to just choose to stay in Texas. I don't know how I feel about that.. He said I didn't have to make a decision now, but that I should just keep it in mind and pray about it.... So ya. That's where that sits.

So there you go. I will be here in Texas at least for a little while longer! :) Its a good thing I am doing pretty good. I truly love Texas. I love my companion and I trust God. I don't know why He would give me a call for Brazil and then send me to Texas.. but He knows. I guess it is always the safer decision to trust Him and make the best of what comes along. :) So I am doing my best and allowing the Atonement to take away all the disappointment. Since I really turned over my feelings to Him I can honestly say He has taken the sting away. Some days I find myself thinking about what Sister Lillian is doing in Brazil.. or Elder Bybee.. or Elder Miller.. Elder Park .. Elder Nielson, Elder Crapo, Sister Peterson, Elder Stilson, Elder Sewell...or Sister Parks and Sister Jones (Moyle)... But mainly I am just curious as to what wonderful things are going on in their lives. Most days I feel excited and ready! God can do that for us. Even when things are not 100% easy He can make up the difference. 

Sigh, Thank goodness for that. 

This week we got a HQ referral for a girl in high school. She was just researching religion online and came across some Mormon blogs. From there she went to Mormon.org and somehow requested the missionaries to come visit her! She is very cool and has a lot of questions. She actually grew up in an Atheist home and so she decided that she wanted to check out the religion thing for herself. We are excited to teach her and know that God is really looking out for her. :) 

We were teaching this older guy who really does want to know more about the gospel, but this week he actually asked Sister Bearnson on a date.. :/ So now we are letting the Elders teach him. Hahaha. Poor Sister B went bright red and we both didn't know what to say. What makes it even funnier was that it was after church.. in the hallway... with a bunch of members standing there. It was so painfully awkward, but now it makes for a great story. Hahaha.:P

Anway, This gospel is true. There is nothing else I would rather be doing. I love being a missionary!! Have a great week everyone! Eu Amo VOCES!! 

Oh and Happy Halloween!

-Sister Earl