Tuesday, December 10, 2013

(130) alrighty. BRAZIL!!

Alright. So last week I only really had time to email about the freaking crazy driving here, and it really is just the most ridiculous thing ever. But let´s see what´s the next thing that you notice about Brazil... oh, the smell. It smells funny here. Not like a bad funny, but just a different kind of funny... it´s probably all the pollution/smog...It took me awhile to get used to it... But yeah it smells weird... Ít might also just be my companions deodorant...they have weird deodorant here... I haven´t figured it out yet... hahaha
     Anyways but yeah those were the first two things that I noticed... you know, other than the Portugues... Yeah I still don´t really have any idea what people are saying... I just kind of nod my head and smile and hope they aren´t asking me a question... which they usually are. Seriously, I am just not getting it yet... It´s getting better, but I am still just so lost all the time.  And I swear half the time it sounds like they are speaking straight up chinese... And I don´t mean like the phrase or whatever, I mean they straight up sound asian sometimes and it´s just weird... but you know whatever, one day i am going to be one of them! =D
    My companion´s name is Sister Viana. I don´t remember if I talked about her last time or not. She´s Brazilian and speaks very little english and is pretty cool.
    Oh! and we have a dog! Well the people we live behind has a dog. A big ol´black lab named Bobby.  I have to manhandle him everytime we go to leave our house cuz Sister Viana is scared of him, but he´s a sweety.
    Let´s see what else....?? Oh yeah. The sidewalks here. Ohmygosh. They all slant.  they all slope down towards the road and are uneven and everybody used different cobblestone for in front of their own house and I can´t even count the number of times I've almost twisted my ankle a day. It´s so ridiculous. Seriously, I am going to be so buff by the end of this thing. I´m gonna have the greatest looking calves ever. I´m gonna come back and people are just gonna stare at the legends that are my calves. =]
     But yeah. So now for a rundown of this past week.  So this past Tuesday was pretty awesome. I got to hear from all of you guys and finally figured out how to flush the toilet properly.  That was a pretty big deal... only took me a week. haha.  Wednesday was pretty much the worst day of my life.  I don´t think I have ever been more miserable or lonely in my life. Seriously. You don´t know misery until you are sitting in a tiny bathroom in Brazil trying to sob as quietly as possible so your companion wont hear, all the while drenched and dripping with sweat, to the point where you can´t tell the diference between your tears and your sweat. Seriously. You know that saying that floats around the internet,´Í love the rain cuz no one can tell I´m crying´... yeah that was me. except the rain was my sweat... so yeah that was great. BUT it was later that night that I met Claudia. I honestly just spent the whole day praying, just praying with every step.  I didn´t really know what I needed, I just needed something (not to die, really, if we´re being honest, but that´s beside the point...) And we end up at this house and I figure out about 10 minutes into it that the lady is a member and that her daughter speaks english. and so I talk to her a little bit and that was nice, and then they all talked together and then Sister Viana starts in with the teaching. And I really do try to pay attention. I really do. It´s just so incredibly hard to be interested in a conversation you cannot understand, but I was trying and then Claudia, the daughter who speaks english, interupts Sister Viana in the middle of her, I mean, our, lesson and tells me that she is worried about me and felt bad that I couldn´t understand and had been praying to know what she could do to help me, to help me understand and she said that if I read the book of mórmon out loud it would help a lot. Which I already knew, but I´m not gonna lie, i kind of completely lost it. I tried so hard not to cry in the middle of that lesson in these stranger´s home and I failed. Just the fact that this lady who didn´t even know me, had seen how hard it was for me and how much I was trying and had been worried and praying for me... She was the answer to my prayers all day. It was the most love I had felt since getting to Brazil, other than from President and Sister Tanner.  Heavenly Father answered my prayers and gave me the comfort I needed through Claudia and she made the most miserable day of my life so much more bearable.
    But yeah, so that was Wednesday... Thurday it was super hot (It´s been fairly cloudy the whole time so far... they must have known I was coming =]) and so I just kind of offhandedly prayed for rain as we were scaling this street. And about 20 minutes later the clouds started rolling in... and it stormed. Basically, I´m a prophet. hahah no. never. But yeah, it was quite the storm. The wind was crazy. My skirt was all over the place. All these people seeing my knees. It was quite the show. =]
    Hahah oh and speaking of shows, I saw my first Brazilian prostitute on Friday. And let´s just say she was showing a little bit more than just knees... as in she had no pants on... yup. no pants. a shirt, but no pants. Welcome to Brasil. hahah
    But yeah, those are the highlights of this past week. Pretty dang exciting huh? But I guess to move towards a more spiritual side, I´ve been thinking a lot about the condescension of God lately and His atonement... is that weird? Maybe it´s just because it´s close to Christmas or probably more likely because I´ve been needing His help more than ever lately, but it´s been on my mind. And I think I am finally starting to have a baby understanding of it.  It really is just mind-boggling and just incredible to think of what the Savior did for us.  The choir diretor in the MTC told us one night that he had heard somewhere that if you took all the intelligence and creativity and just goodness of every single person on the Earth, who has ever been on the Earth or will be, and put it all together, you wouldn´t even be able to begin to touch the glory and majesty of the Savior.  And then when you think about Him having all that glorious power, and choosing to be born on this Earth as a small mortal baby to live a mortal life... it´s not really fathomable. He was a small child. He got sick. He went through puberty. He had to go to the bathroom...  The Creator of this world and everything in it and all of us, had to use the bathroom because of His mortal body... And then He was tortured and killed.  That alone is too much to take in and understand and then when I think about the reason why He did all these things, it just really becomes even more unbelieveable beause He did it all for me. And for my Family, and my friends and everybody on this Earth. He did it all simply because He loves us. And I think learning Portugues and walking up some hills is hard... I have a very basic understanding of the atonement, but I have felt it so much in my life these past two weeks.  I have felt that love so much these past two weeks. His love and your guys love.  There are days (everyday) where all I do all day is pray. Just pray with every step because I really honestly don´t believe I am going to make it through. But yáll believe that I can and He believes that I can and so I pray for that strength. The strength that everybody else believes that I have and He gives it to me and I have never been more grateful in my life. 
     Thank you all for your prayers and support. I feel it everyday. I love you all so much . I´m gonna try to send pictures real quick in the couple of minutes I have left. Love you so much! Talk to yáll next week!

-Sister Rice

(123) SO BRAZIL!

I am in Brazil yáll! Freaking Brazil! I have a Brazilian companion, Sister Viana, who only speaks portugues! I have no idea what is going on at all times and I never have any idea where I am, or who anybody is... hahah pretty much I walk when Sister Viana walks, and stops when she stops and testify of what I think we might be talking about in broken horrendous portugues when she stops in the middle of a lesson and looks at me...  It´s the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life... But it is getting better. Honestly, in just a week I see improvement. I am understanding people more and I can walk faster and I´m not playing nearly as many movies in my head anymore... =] hahah No but honestly Sao Paulo is so different! It´s crazy! I can´t believe the thing I was worried about the most was flying here over actually being here! The flying was a breeze! The hardest part was trying to ignore all the movies everybody around me were watching... The guy next to me was watching World War Z and the people in front of me were watching Monsters University and they had the Great Gatsby! The Great Gatsby! and Midnight in Paris and pretty much every movie I have ever loved... the worst. 
     No but seriously Sao Paulo. Goodness. How do I even begin to describe this city...?? It is crazy. the first thing you notice riding from the airport is the driving. I now understand 100% why the missionaries down here do not drive. We would all be dead in seconds. Seriously, this is some of the craziest driving I have ever seen in my life, and I lived in Utah for 2 years... =] I think I´ve seen a total of like 10 stop signs here and pretty sure I have never seen anybody use them.  Pretty much if your car fits, you go. Doesn´t matter how many cars the road was originally made for.  I have almost gotten run over by many a car and bus.  And ohmygosh! The buses here in Sao Paulo are just as bad! I have never experienced something more terrifying than zooming through Sao Paulo, up and down these ginoremous hills at like 80 miles an hour in heavy traffic... you think I am exaggerating. and the hills here are killer. It´s like this group of people saw a mountian range and thought to themselves, hey let´s build the 5th largest city in the world right on top of that! yeah that sounds like a good idea... ughhh seriously...
But I am out of time. I didn´t even really get to any of the good stuff and have so much more to tell you guys but it´ll just have to wait until next week! I love all of you! Thank you so much for your support and love and prayers! I can feel them all. Sorry this is so short! Talk to yall next week!

-Sister Rice

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Letter Sydney sent us in the mail...

Alright,                                                                                                                      November 11, 2013                                        

Sorry about not having time to send an email today!  I had so many emails and I just ran out of time...and sorry if my handwriting gets crazy.  I'm probably gonna be writing most of this in a car...on our way to Mesa Verde!  I AM SO EXCITED!

So, I totally did not write on the way there...but, it was so AWESOME!  I can't wait to send you guys pictures!  The main section (the big one) was closed for the season, but I got pictures.  It was so cool!  And then we took a tour down to the smaller one.  We got to go down into one of the rooms!  It was amazing!  haha!  I really don't know how else to explain it.  I am sending pictures next week! :)  It really was a dream come true.  I was freaking out all day!  They kept having to calm me down.  haha   OH!  And the ride up there, it was horrible!  I thought driving through the Colorado Mountains was hard!  This was the worst.  And it went on forever.  I was pretty convinced we were going to go off a cliff and die in a fiery car wreck!  But, Lincoln did a great job...yep, Lincoln drove us there.  Well, not just him, obviously, he brought a friend.  It was a fun day!  :)  I'll send y'all pics next week, get excited!  But, now onto the big, BIG stuff!

 NOVEMBER 25TH!!  I don't even know what to say or think!  Seriously, I don't think it's completely set in yet, or maybe it's just the fact that I completely have no idea what to expect and so just don't feel, I don't know.  I do know that I am extremely sad to be leaving these people here in Kirtland.  I have met so many wonderful people here.  And I love them so much.  Like Fern Harris.  I love Fern.  She's 100 years old as of a couple months ago and is like everyone's grandma.  She's lived through so much, 100 years!  She has so many awesome stories and doesn't know what pretzels are!  Pretzels!  haha   And then Brother Bond, who was in Vietnam and has a story about everything and we always end up staying way too long.  But, it's just because his stories are way too good!  He washed a lepers feet in Vietnam!  How many people in this life can say that?  And then Bishop Hoffman, Brother Sherwood.  So many other people and of course the Benally's.  I love that family.  Their house is home.  They are all so strong and such wonderful women and I can't imagine my life without them.  I am so grateful for my time here in Kirtland.  I am already planning all my road trips back!  :)  But, I am excited to be in Brazil, kind of scared of course, but excited.

Lets see...what else happened this week?  I finished the Book of Mormon again!  That was fun and I'm already almost done with 1Nephi again.  Oh, and I've decided that I like tracting.  Shocking, I know.  It's just so awkward.  And it just gets to a point where you are just like "yes, this is awkward, just accept it, and let us talk to you."  There are so many funny things that come w/tracting.  Like this guy we tracted into the other night who when he realized we were missionaries was all like "oh, what up Jesus?!"  And I totally just wanted to turn around and be like "What?!  Where?!"  haha, but obviously i did not...sadly.  Or how when we're knocking on doors we always knock a standard two times and then a third for Jesus.  :)   Oh, and being tracted by Jehovah's Witness while on your mission is kind of the funniest thing ever.  That just happened! haha!  I don't know...it's just all fun.  You have to let go and accept the awkwardness!

Also!  The Carr's are moving?  I'm so sad!  Why the heck are they moving to Nebraska?  What on earth is in Nebraska??  Seriously.  Lame.

Have I ever talked to you guys about Hank Smith?  Hank Smith is a LDS motivational youth speaker and we listen to his CD's all the time.  He has a bunch and they are all fabulous and I highly recommend them to everyone!  But!  Funny story...So, it was week 3 or 4 of last transfer and we're driving around Kirtland listening to one of Hank's talks, enjoying myself, when a thought pops into my head.  So, I turn to one of my comps and ask "Hey, do you know if Hank Smith teaches at BYU?"  and she says "Yeah, in the Religion Dept"...and it hits me.  Hank Smith is Brother Smith, my 2nd semester Book of Mormon teacher my first year at BYU!!!  My mind is blown.  He is so awesome and knowledgeable.  We all love him out here, and he was my teacher!  Now, I feel so bad, cuz I totally squandered that wonderful, wonderful opportunity...his class may or may not have been super early in the mornings and I may or may not have taken full advantage of them...aka...wasn't fully awake for the majority of them.  I feel like such a loser!  I just want to beat myself up for it and then when I get off my mission go and apologize to him profusely for not appreciating him!  haha!  The last CD we just listened to he ended it with this quote  "God is anxiously waiting to answer your prayers and fulfill your dreams, but He can't if you don't pray and He can't if you don't dream...In short, He can't if you don't believe."  I love that.  Go and listen to them/buy them.  Seriously.  Do it.

Alright, I'm done.  haha   I love all of you so much!  Y'all are the greatest!  Thank you for all of the support.  I can feel it and I can feel your prayers!  Love you!

Sister Rice




(119) ONE MORE WEEK!!!!!

 Only one more week until I leave!! AHHH! I am freaking out! And there's no one else from my mission going with me so I am going alone... ALONE. I am flying into a foreign country ALONE. It's ok. I'm not freaking out. It's gonna be great. hahah =] Oh and I am working on getting my passport holder today... I was told walmart has them... if not I don't really know what to do... but I'm sure they do. Oh and when you send packages to Brazil put "Vai com Deus" on them. It means "Go with God" and is a little more effective than just the pictures of Mary or Jesus, since they've apparently started to catch onto that one...
      But yeah, this week has been pretty good! I went to Mesa Verde Monday! But I already told you about that... It was awesome! Hope you like the pics that I sent! =] Let's see what else happened... Oh we found out transfer news this past weekend. We're all staying in Kirtland! Well, I mean I'm leaving in like a week, but there was still a possibility of them doing something crazy and sending me somewhere else for a week.... I am so happy. It's an answer to my prayers. Last fast Sunday, after finding out that I had my visa, but I didn't know when I was leaving, I just sat in Sacrament Meeting praying the whole time. I was so full of love for these people here in Kirtland 1st I did not want to leave them at all. I wanted to stay. I love each and everyone of these people so badly and I wanted to stay longer.  I prayed that Heavenly Father would please let me stay just a little bit longer, I couldn't leave just yet... And then President called me that Tuesday and told me that I was leaving on the 25th, a week after transfers and when I expected to leave... Heavenly Father answered my prayer. I am so grateful for this time that I have spent here in Kirtland, and for this extra time that I have been given. I can't wait to come back and introduce all of you to everyone! hahah =]
     Ok, enough of that. What else has happened?? Oh! I am officially finished with the 12 week program and out of training! Thank goodness! I thought that would never end! Don't get me wrong, it's great. It's just so tedious. We also found two new investigators this week! Reno and Natasha! We tracted into them on Wednesday and they let us in and said that they've been looking for a church and we had a lesson and invited them to church on Sunday and they came! They actually came! I've always heard that there's nothing better than the feeling you get when new investigators come to church and I agree! It's awesome! We have another lesson set up with them this week! 
     Hahaha also! So I was totally going to email Shane and call him a pansy in portugues for not writing me, and so I look up pansy in portugues, and its "amor- perfeito"... which translates to "perfect love".... yeah... I totally decided to not do that... hahaha plus i can't find his email address... hahah
     But yeah I only have three mintues left! I love you all! Abby please log into my laptop and actual email address periodically... thanks! Also, I know i say this everytime but y'all need to write me. k thanks bye! =] hahah oh and i don;t know my flight plans i'm sorry just be by the phone all day on monday! sorry love you!! and yes please do not send abby to school that day!

-Sister Rice

its MESA VERDE!

 first off. look at these. i had to get them and make everyone try them! they were so gross. they tasted like pancakes...



 there it is!! all of my dreams coming true! this one, the big one, was closed for the winter but OHMYGOODNESS. it was amazing.



                                                  BOOM.  DREAMS COMING TRUE.



                               up close and personal... with uncle sy... hahahah seriously. it was him.



                                                          isn't it beautiful?!?!!!??!!



                                 we got to go down into one of the round rooms in the ground!!



                         all of us down inside it! Also can we please talk about how long my hair is! crazy!



                                                   Sister Paramore, Sister Jeffery and I

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

(112) Pictures first today, just in case I run out of time...

So yeah I had a BUNCH of emails today and am running out of time, so I am going to send all the pictures that I need to and then email after, if I have time, if not I'll write a fatty letter today, and I'll have the time to do it cuz WE'RE GOING TO MESA VERDE TODAY!!! Dreams are coming true in like 4 hours! hahaha I can't wait to tell you all about it! but first pictures!! Also before I forget, please tell the Landgraves thank you for emailing me and that I really appreciated it a lot. I just don't have the time to email them back now!!

 Ok so yeah I definitely do not have time to send an email today but I loved all of your guys emails and all the pictures that you sent!  They are the best! I love you guys so much and will be writing you a letter in a couple hours on my way to Mesa Verde!!! AHHHH!

(112) PICS!!!

           all my name tags in all the languages of my mission! Portugues, English, and Navajo!



                                                                Tracting on the Rez!!



                                       My "iLove being a missionary/tracting" picture! haha



                               We loved your package and had fun at the Trunk or Treat!! haha

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

November 6, 2013

                  A member in Sis. Rice's ward posted this picture with the following caption...
 
"Sister Rice's nametag, her mission calling is in Brazil, but she's here in the Farmington Mission til she goes to Brazil, because Heavenly Father knew I needed her in my life before she goes to Brazil  :)"

(105) hey y'all! :]

So I should have enough time for this, we're emailing in Farmington today at the Library, and apparently if there are too many people here wanting to use the computers they kick you off after half an hour no matter what, which uh needless to say is stressful. But I have 16 mins left so hopefully it will all be good. But I might not get pictures in today... We'll see.
     Anyways... I LOVED you package! I got it last Tuesday! It was super lame, but it was perfect and I loved it so much! The cardinals chap stick was perfect! I gave one to Tiarra cuz she was keeping me updated on the games and rooting for the red sox and I knew she would love it hahah I'm a little disappointed with our cards... hhaha and I totally knew that you had talked to Lincoln when I saw the subway giftcard! =] thank you so much! And I have a confession.... I totally told Lincoln what you said about him marrying Abby! Well, I mean I told everyone, not just Lincoln, but it's just so funny cuz almost every missionary here in Kirtland has told him he needs to marry one of their siblings or cousins and it was just hilarious.  He says he'll have to go tanning everyday to keep up with our darkness... hahaha But yeah, thank you so much for the package, it was wonderful! Oh and I love the pens that you sent! So cute!
     But yeah, Halloween was pretty fun. Or well, the day before Halloween was. They had their stake Trunk or Treat that day and we went and passed out candy and it was a lot of fun! I have pictures to send you guys! IT WAS SO COLD!  But we survived. And then Halloween we had to be in by 8 and we ended up going to this family history training for like two hours before that, which was super interesting but, a lame way to spend halloween, especially compared to what we usually do with the elders and stuff, but it was good. Oh and speaking of family history, I realized on Family Search I have some names that I reserved like 500 years ago, 2007, and never did anything with... I don't know if you want to get onto my account and try to see if you guys could go do their work or not, but I felt bad when I realized they had just been sitting there since 2007... Idunno... I guess if you could just get on and look at it that'd be cool. thanks! =]
     Oh and then on Sunday we had this really awesome lesson on Family History. Our Bishop, Bishop Huffman, was asked  to teach pretty much everybody in the ward this lesson about FamHist and it was recorded and apparently is being sent to Elder Tad McCalister! (I have no idea how to spell his name... whatever...) So that was pretty cool. Everybody from 12 and up was packed into the Relief Society room and there were cameras and microphones and guess who was on the front row... that's right. ME. hahaha That was a little intimidating but it was really cool. And they passed out these really neat new famhist pamphlets, I don't know if you've seen them, but I'm prob gonna send mine home and you can look at it then. I'm planning on probably sending a package home before I leave for Brasil, of all the stuff I don't want to take down there.... It's not much but it's added weight. 
     But um anyways, this week wasn't very eventful... nothing really happened... Oh! I realized that that little Taco Bell dog from those commercials all those years ago was always saying 'I want Taco Bell" in spanish in the commercials! "Yo quiero Taco Bell" !!! Who knew!?! Not me. hahahah Sister Toyn said it the other day and I finally realized what he was saying, cuz it's so similar to portugues. Who knew learning portugues would be so beneficial?? hahah
     Oh and we might be going to Mesa Verde next week!!!!! I AM BEYOND EXCITED. Lincoln might be taking us! So look out for pics of all my wildest 3rd grade dreams coming true soon! =] 
     But yeah that's pretty much it... Um one shout out... Rachy Rach I have no idea if you read these or not but if you do could you send me your address so I can write you?? =]  OH! and also! If I get any Thor 2 spoilers from any of you at anytime I am going to be very unhappy and it will not be good for that person in 14 and a half months when I get off and come and kill you.... =] hahah oh and speaking of Thor, Elder Sutherland is going home this week right???! Tell him I say hi when you talk to him and that I hope he enjoys the movie and that I am super jelly!  
     LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! Talk to y'all next week! Write me! Seriously, no one writes me! Get it together y'all! =]

-Sister Rice
    

PICS (Oct 28, 2013)



                                                        the first casualty of my mission....  :[





 annnnd my top notch sewing skills! I now call this my frankenstien skirt.... just in time for halloween. booyahh




                                                                                abby  :)





it's us down in gallup with our sister trainer leader sister issacson! and my frankenstien skirt! you can't even tell! my skills are phenominal! =]

(98) APPARENTLY I HAVE MY VISA!

Was not expecting that at all!! This is so crazy! But before I get into all that I'm gonna answer your questions momma so I wont forget. =]  Yes, I got the letter about ethan, I thought I had talked about it last week but apparently I forgot..., but all I really have to say is he would. that so totally would happen to him. seriously. hahah no but that's so crazy!! Also, yes I did buy a jacket, or more actually a coat... which is funny cuz i totally joked about how as soon as I bought it I was going to get my visa and be shipped off to a brazilian summer... let this be a lesson. don't ever joke about such things... hahaha And yes I do still have a bunch of cash for traveling. So we should be good on that. =]
      But on to the awesome stuff! This past week has kind of been super crazy... It started with me almost getting bit by a pitbull while tracking... that was pretty traumatic. haha We were just minding our own business and all of a sudden this crazy pitbull comes out of no where and Sister Toyn starts screaming and taking off for the next house (all the houses here have fences around their yards aka safety haha) and I'm just kind of like what on earth is even happening and the next thing I know this dog is all up on me, snapping and growling not even a foot away from my legs... I honestly thought I was a goner... or at least that my leg was going to be... but um after the longest 4 seconds of my life it just turned around and ran off  and I managed to get inside the gate and get my hands on some rocks... which are now nestled nicely inside my bag forever/until I need to bust some doggie caps with them. =] haha so yeah, that was pretty exciting.
     Let's see... what else... oh! Abby! So Monday night this family took us out to eat at one of the few eating establishments in Kirtland (there's like 4, two of those being Kentucky Fried Chicken and DQ... you can imagine my indigestion... hahaha) called Country Family Diner, and let me tell you something Abby, I fully 100% expected Sam and Dean to walk through the front door the whole time. Seriously. It was like we had walked into one of the sets. All I could think was that Dean would've  loved this place. hahah They had the best green chile bacon cheeseburger I have ever epxerienced in my life and they sold whole pies. Whole Pies! Apple, Cherry, and Pecan! hahahaha I just thought that you would appreciate that. =] so funny.
     Anyways and so then Wednesday was the weirdest day of the mission so far which ended in us spending the night in bloomfield and I don't really have time to get into it now, I'll probably write you about it later today, but it was weird and slightly terrifying but don't worry everything is a ok. =]
     And then Thursday morning is when Lincoln called me to tell me about my visa..!!! I can't even believe it! Sister Pielstick says that I am probably going to finish out this transfer here so that I can finish up 12week before going down, and cuz that's how President likes to do it, that is if the travel office doesn't get all excited and just send me sooner, which they have a tendency to do... I'm fine with either situation really, and of course y'all will know the second I know. =] I just can't even really believe that it's all done!! It's so crazy!! I'm gonna miss everyone here so much! I love them all so much! But I am so grateful that I was given the opportunity to get to know them all and have them in my life and we are so coming back here as soon as I get off, k?? =]
     We also went down to Gallup on Friday for the weekend for exchanges. That was fun. I love roadtrips! Even though it was only like 2 hours, but it reminded me of driving out to Utah and I love that so yeah it was fun. We met some really awesome people that the Sisters down there were teaching and we tracted into a bunch of awesome people. Gallup is so much bigger than Kirtland and it was cool to get to see a different part of the mission.  We tracted into this one girl named Becky who just let us in no problem and we ended up having the first lesson with her and she told us how we had perfect timing cuz she had been having a really hard day with missing her family and was feeling really down and she said we were exactly what she had needed and that was just a really cool experience. That doesn't happen very much up here in Kirtland.
     Hahahaha oh and guess who gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting yesterday?? Yeah, me. It was horrible. hahah That hasn't changed much. Still a nervous wreck. BUT I totally didn't even write everything out word for word like I always have to... I just kind of had it all outlined, so that was awesome. It was on Family Home Evening as a missionary tool. hahahah coincidence(I have no idea how to spell that word... don't judge me.), I don't think so. =]
     Well, I love you guys all so much. And yeah you can forward this to whoever you want momma,  . As long as it keeps getting up on the blog. =] I'm probably gonna write you guys a letter later today if I don't fall asleep. hahaha love you guys so much!
 
-Sister Rice

Thursday, October 17, 2013

(91) Pictures!!

ok so it has taken me way too long to read all my emails and other things so i am going to send all the pictures to you guys now and then if i have time send an email, and if not a letter. sorry! also i havent gotten your guys letter yet, which is weird. i was looking forward to it all week! hopefully soon! love you!
1. a member gave us green chilies out of his garden. "Oh yeah, this is gonna be a good one."
2. i drank this pitcher full of water in under 4 mins. yes it was the greatest moment of my life. yes, it hurt. yes, i was scared for my life afterwards (cuz of that one story about that one mom, trying to get the xbox you know). yes, there is video. sadly sister cozzens has it and it is too big. but seriously. boss.
3. missy and i on her baptism!
4. us in the caves on the rez on sister cozzens last pday at like 4 in the morning!
5. these are the mountain hill things we climed up to get to the cave... at 4 in the morning... ha
6. us at the temple later that day with Jessi James! She's going on a mission in december!
7. Sam and dean??
8. the james' had a tardis! booyahh oh and that's my new companion sister pielstick!
9.  more tardis!
 
 












(84) Oi!

Alright so first off, sorry that last weeks email was so lame. I had to cut it short a little bit cuz we had kind of a baby emergency (as in small, not child...hahah) to take care of buuuuut it's no prob and all is good now. =] And hopefully today's email will make up for it.  Oh and also before I forget, Momma, do you have Anderson's address?? I found something at Walmart for him that I just had to get and I am super excited to send to him... but I  don't have his address... If that is something that you could send in your letter this week, that would be so awesome! Thanks! Oh and also  I forgot my camera back at home so once again no pics this week... Sorry! But just think next week is gonna be so awesome! =]
     SO the big news of the week is TRANSFERS! And I'm not gonna lie, I kind of hate transfers. They are so stressful. Seriously, it was the worst. Not knowing if you are going to stay or go or where you are going to go and who else is going to go and who is going to come here.... all of it, just a nightmare... buuuut I've got some good news... I'm staying here in Kirtland!! YAY! I'm so happy! Staying here for only one transfer really would've sucked a lot.  There are so many people here that I love so much and want to get to know better! I am so excited. Sister Toyn is also staying! And then we are getting another sister, Sister Pielstick.  Also since Sister Cozzens decided to get her visa to Brazil and leave us all behind... not that I'm bitter or anything. hahah But no it was really hard saying goodbye to Sister Cozzens but I am so excited for her! We dropped her off yesterday at the mission home and she began her 23 hour travelings down to Brazil this morning! It's so exciting and I know that she is going to love it and that they are going to love her!
     And then there was General Conference this weekend!! Oh man it was fabulous!! Pretty much every single talk was perfect! I was trying to think of my favorites but I have too many and it would totally take way too long to talk about them all so I figured I would just write up some of my favorite lines from the weekend! The first is from Edward Dube (wasn't he awesome!! loved him.) and the line "In the service of the Lord it's not where you serve but how."  This was so perfect.  I've been thinking about my visa a lot lately, especially with Sister Cozzens getting hers, and I've realized that I really do really want to go to Brazil.  I mean I love New Mexico and I love Kirtland and I love these people, more than I thought I would ever be able to, and I don't really want to leave them at all, but at the same time there's been this ache in the back of my heart (is that a thing?? whatever. It is now.) of just wanting to be in Brazil so badly.  And I wasn't completely sure what to do with it.  Cuz I've been pretty good for the most part of accepting where I am and that I will get down to Brazil when I am supposed/needed, and then all of a sudden I really really wanted to be down there... and that line was exactly what I needed. It reminded me that all that matters is how I am serving the Lord and the people that I am with now, not where and who. I am so blessed. I get to serve pretty much two missions for the price of one...on two seperate continents! There is so much for me to do here in New Mexico, in Kirtland, and I am so excited to continue doing it and to continue loving these people!
     So yeah, that was one of the first things that stood out to me at conference.  And then of course there was Elder Bednar's talk (I love him so stinking much! haha) and the line: The blessings being poured out in many cases is often a greater capacity to act more to change our circumstances... I paraphrased that, but, that was basically it and it too was perfect. And then there was Jeffery R. Holland's "We are infiintely more than our limitations" and Richard G. Scott's "The Lord sees weaknesses differently than He sees rebellion; He sees them with mercy." Can you tell who my faves are?? hahah All of them were so so good! If you didn't get to see conference this weekend go look it  online right now! It was so fantastic! Oh and the stake center here in Kirtland is pretty much almost an exact copy of our stake center and it was super weird watching Conference there cuz I totally  expected to be able to turn around or walk down the halls and see all of you guys there! It was weird! hahah
     But yeah so that's the big big news of the week. I loved your big news! James is getting married!! That's so exciting! I mean I totally saw that coming like 500 years ago but it's so exciting! And Allie's getting married too! So many weddings! AHH! hahah But yeah I'm really glad everything is going so great back home! I love hearing about it all!
     Oh and I got the Primary's package this week too! I loved it so much! Tell them thank you for me! I'm planning on writing them, but I just wanted to let them know now that I got it and loved it and love and miss them! Also I got the insurance card! Thanks! Also....I was wondering if maybe... it would be possible if I could get another pair of Toms... my red ones have a pretty decent sized hole building up on the bottom (don't worry I haven't duct taped it yet...) and it's making me so sad! I love my Toms! hahah They're easier to wear here just because we have a truck and don't do any actual intense walking yet, which will not be the case in Brazil, but I thought I'd just ask =]
     Love you guys so much! I hope you guys have a great week and I can't wait to write to you guys again Monday! And send pictures! It is so going to happen next week! I promise! Te Amo!!
 
-Sister Rice

(77) I miss you sooooooo much!

Ok so sorry about not emailing yesterday, we totally did not have anytime at all since we went to the temple! Which was amazing! We went to the Montecello temple up in Utah, it was great! And it's so baby and cute! hahaa Oh and then yesterday we got up at  4 in the morning and went cave exploring/climbing out on the reservation with the rest of our district! It was so much fun! I thought I was going to die the whole time!! hahaha I am  sending you pictures hopefully! Um and also it gets really cold out here in New Mexico.... who knew right?? I mean I guess it makes sense since it's a desert and everything and those getting freezing at night and in the morning but seriously I was not expecting that... I'm probably going to buy a jacket soon...so don't freak out if you see a bunch of money dissapear. It's just me buying a jacket, especially since i'm gonna need one down in Brazil.
    Oh and speaking of Brazil, Sister Cozzens got her visa!! She's leaving next Monday! She's been out on her mishh for 7 months and waiting for her visa since January... we are all so excited for her!  She's going to the same mishh as me so she promised to send me all the details of Brazilian mission life after she gets down there!
    Oh and Abby.  I cannot tell you how wonderful it was to get your letter! It could not have come at a better time.
 
     And seriously that is so exciting about the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them movie!!! It is going to be fabulous! AHHH! So excited!
     Other exciting things that have happened this week, I am now driving! And it's awesome!!  Sister Toyn was the one who was driving for most of this past transfer, but um it was kind of terrifying... so Sister Cozzens and I may or may not have begged for me to be the driver since I have my driving papers and everything, which is funny cuz I'm pretty sure I am the first/only brazil visa waiter driver in the history of forever.  Apparently none of the other missionaries going to Brazil brought their driving papers since we dont drive down in Brazil... I guess we didn't get that memo.... but that's cool cuz now I get to drive and that's exciting!
    Also tranfers are coming up this weekend! pretty nervous. But it will all be great I am sure. hahah my first transfer! pretty exciting.
Sorry this is so short but I have to go now. I'll send the pictures next week! I love you all so much!
 
-Sister Rice

(70) heey!

                 The moment I fell in love with New Mexico...the picture really doesn't do it justice.


I LOVE YOU GUYS! WRITING ANOTHER LETTER TODAY! SORRY ABOUT NO EMAIL TODAY! LOVOOOOOE YOU!

(70) heey!




So I don't think I have time to write out a full email... I will be writing an actual letter later today though... sorry I spent too much time trying to get in other people before this one and didn't realize what time it was... but yeah, I am for sure sending some pictures though! The email thing is being weird though so I'm just gonna attach them to the email instead of actually putting them into the email... whatever. here they are. =]
1. My distirct here in Kirtland. Back row left to right: E. Jashinsky, S. Toyn, S. Jeffery, S. Paramore. Front Row: E. Kuns, E. Moser, E. Pulson, S. Cozzens, and then ME! hahah
2. Sister Cozzens before trying to break the pancake eating record at pancake breakfast.  She was going for 40... She only did 20... which is the plate in front of her in that pic! hahah
3. We all have the same shirt! Aren't we cute??
4. Sometimes I get bored in the Library while we are making copies....

Monday, September 16, 2013

                                                       Sisters Toyn, Cozzens and Roxane




                                                                       Tiarra and I



Just before the baptism!


(63) hey y'all

Alrighty so obviously like every other week I don't have much time but hopefully I'll be able to get everything in!
     TIARRA GOT BAPTIZED SATURDAY!! AHHHHHH! It was so wonderful! I can barely even explain it, but it was just so wonderful! She is such a wonderful person, and she was so happy and we were all so happy for her! Bishop baptized her and then afterward we asked everybody to write down their testimonies or just a note to her and we're gonna put them into a book for her and it was just so special! OH! and there were 84 people there! 84!!  It was crazy! But we were so happy for her and the fact that so many people came to support her and will continue to be there for her and support her! AHH! I just love that girl so much! (and it has nothing to do with the fact that she plays black ops... hahah well, kinda just a little... haha)  Roxanne is her aunt. I am so excited that you guys are friends on facebook! We love taking pics together for her to put up for you guys! 

    So yeah Tiarra's baptism was so wonderful! Stacie and Missy's are next! Not this week but the next! We are so excited for them!  It has been so amazing seeing the change that has come over Stacie while we have been teaching her. At first she wasn't sure if she wanted to be baptized, even though she wanted it, just becuase of all the things that she would have to give up... it was to the point where we were ready to back off... but about a week ago, she changed.  She came to us and told us she wanted to be baptized, that she knew giving up these things would be hard but that Heavenly Father would help her and told us about the happiness she has in her life now.  She reads her scriptures every night with her daughter Missy and comes to church and is teaching FHE tonight!! It really was amazing to see that change in her... and I know that it was all thanks to Heavenly Father.  We were ready to back off but He obviously knew better.
     Ah!! I just love it here! I love the people and I actually really just love New Mexico! I'm not gonna lie, I fell in love with New Mexico this past week.  It took me almost a month but seriously I was just standing there one evening, minding my own business, and BOOM! the beauty of New Mexico overwhelmed me! hahah I mean, I will have to admit, it is very, very brown, and rocky and very different from anywhere else I have lived but it is so  beautiful. I don't care what any of you say! =]
     Um let's see... funny things real quick. Oh! We caught a skunk! The elders found us a skunk trap and we caught one! It was just a little baby one though so we are pretty sure there's another one still chillin' with the human under our house.  Yes, we are still convinced there's a human under there, especially since we found a little cellar door thing that leads under there... seriously. so creepy. hahaha
     Alrighty I've gotta go! I'm gonna try and send pics with my remaining time! And then more letters! Thanks mom and dad for the letters you sent! they were perfect! Everybody else... step it up! =] Love y'all!!

-Sister Rice

Monday, September 9, 2013

(56) HEY THERE

Alrighty. So this week was pretty awesome. ummmmm... I don;t know... I'm having trouble starting this email.... which is crazy since I don't have that much time left... so  I guess we'll just dive right into my favorite parts of the week...
      So this week was great. We had 12 lessons and we have 3 people on date for baptism in the next 3 weeks! We are so excited! One of them, Tiarra,  is getting baptized this Saturday!! I think I mentioned her in my last email,  but we are just so excited for her! She's 15 years old and just so awesome.  She enrolled herself in seminary 3 days before she told us and just loves the gospel so much! And we are so excited for her! The bishop got her tickets to go see conference with her aunt up in Salt Lake and then the stake is having a stake youth temple trip a week after that and she is going to get to go to! She is so excited!
      We are also teaching her Aunt and cousin, Stacie and Missy.  They are getting baptized on the 28th, and her aunt Roxane is one of our recent converts that we have in our ward, so basically we are over at their house all the time, and it's wonderful! I love their family so much, and they are so fun! Oh and actually Tiarra and Roxanne added me on facebook, so  if you could accept their friend requests tha would be awesome!
     And it's so cool that you got to talk to Sister Shrum! Her and Elder Shrum were the couple that picked us up from the airport! They are so sweet and nice.  And yes we got all the paperwork done and Sister Shrum sent it out to you.  If you don't have it already then it should be getting to you soon! Yay!! I am so excited to get my visa going again! haha
     We also started teaching a girl named Kashley this past week.  She is so great! Our first lesson we had with her we spent a lot of the time talking about her favorite scriptures, all of which were in the Doctrine and Covenants! She has been going to church for a couple of years but couldn't get baptized until she was 18 because her parents wanted her to wait, but she is so ready and so excited! And we are so excited to get to teach her!
     We had a game night this past Saturday! It was so much fun! There's a baseball field right next to the church building and so all 5 sets of missionaries got together and invited all our investigators and families from our wards to play kickball! It was so great! We had a bunch of people show up! We're hoping to keep doing it and to get more and more people each week.  It reminded me of the volleyball nights you guys used to do... do you guys still do that?? you totally should.
     And can I just tell you another thing, I am loving New Mexico.  The weather here is actually pretty decent surprisingly! It's monsoon season (hahah yeah I know, who knew that new mexico had a monsoon season??) and so it storms here all the time and we get lightning storms and it's just fantastic! I don't think I would ever move here permanantly... especially since the summers here are apparently killer, but I am really enjoying it out here.
     But seriously, I really am loving it here. I love being on a mission.  Every now and then it hits me that this is what I get to do for the next 16ish months (!!! can you believe that it's already been 2 months!! ahhhhh!!!), that I really am a missionary, and that I get to study for 4 hours a day (yes, we study for 4 hours every morning... personal, comp, 12 week, and then lang. our day doesn't start until after 12) and I get to teach people all the time and it's just amazing and such a blessing. I know I've only been out on my mishh for 2 months, but I have already changed so much from the person that I was when I said goodbye to you all and I can't wait to see the person that I am going to be by the end!
    Ok , ahhhh i am running out of time! Alright. Funny stories... So basically pretty much everybody in the town of Kirtland, NM lives in a trailer.  We live in a trailer... it's a double wide and it's huge, but it's a trailer, and it's kind of weird... But apparently it's just the thing to do here in kirtland... but  so we are kind of convinced that something is living under our trailer/house.... and it's either a skunk or a human... We actually almost got attacked by a skunk the other night! It was slinking around in our yard when we pulled up for the night and we freaked out and didn't know what to do and we ended up calling the other sisters who live with us  and told them to make sure that the door was unlocked and made a mad squealing dash for the house.... the squealing probably wasn't the best decision if we were trying to avoid scaring the skunk...(is that how skunks work?? I don't know... hahha) but yeah it was terrifying.  And we  are pretty sure that it lives under our house and sends it's stink up through our vents every now and then... which as you can imagine is just great.... and then there are all these awful loud bangings that go on at night... so I am pretty convinced that there's a human down there too and that they're best friends who've bonded over making our lives miserable... hahah
    I'm out of time... I'm gonna write another letter later today so look for that! It's gonna have all the scriptures that I enjoyed and thought were funny, in it!  I love you guys and love hearing from you and can't wait to talk to you again next week!!
-Sister Rice

Thursday, September 5, 2013

This is an email sent to us from one of the members in Sydney's ward.

Brother and Sister Rice:

Just a quick note, your daughter and her companions had dinner with us last evening.  Which we celebrated their picture on the front page of the local Newspaper.  I asked them to give me their parents email address so I could send the picture, the article doesn't say anything about them, only under the picture.  But it was a cute picture and we wanted to share it with their families.

Sister Rice is new to our area, but we look forward to getting to know more about her.  As we sat around the table, I asked them what the news was from home.  And they each shared the news they received that day.  Sister Rice Loves Her Family!!   What a sweet young women, your daughter is, Kirtland Area is blessed to have her with us.  

We will take especially good care of her while she serves here in Kirtland.

Love,
Sister Colleen Wethington

PICTURES FROM MY FIRST WEEK IN NEW MEXICO!!!!!

                                                                       Our house!!!


                                                    I found this at Walmart...haha!



 Our picture was taken while walking on Main Street on Labor Day and it was put on the front page!


                                                            Sister Cozzens and I


                                                                My two companions!


                                                                  Sister Toyn and I


                                                               Our study area

(49) HEEEEEEY!

HEY! OHMYGOSH! It feels like I have been waiting weeks for this! This has easily been the longest week of the mishh so far, most likely cuz I haven;t heard from any of you, cuz none of you had my address or anything. I am so used to getting DearElders almost every day in the MTC! But that is so gonna change now cuz I can finally give you guys my address!! It's the mission address just because it's the best way to make sure that I get all my mail for sure just in case i get transfered or get my visa... 400 W Apache St. Farmington, NM 87401. Y'all better write me!
     SO! Here I am in New Mexico! It's so crazy! The flight last Monday went really well, just two short, one hour flights into Durango, Colorado and then a 45ish minute drive into Farmington to the Mission Home. President and Sister Batt are so amazing! I love them! They fed us lunch when we got there and then gave us all pillows and told us to pick a spot and nap! It was so fantastic! There were missionaries everywhere just passed out! hahah I got up at one point to go to the bathroom and found the hallway leading to it completely blocked by a sea of snoring elders, completely out and dead to the world! hahah But yeah it was so nice to get to nap, especially since we had been up since like 3 in the morning.
     Well... except for one thing... I was kind of sick the whole time... It was so horrible. I felt like such a loser, the new missionary sick and puking (yes, puking, i know, what the heck??!) on her first day...( yeah yeah yeah laugh it up) but Sister Batt was so nice and took really good care of me so stop worrying mom. Everybody all went to a testimony meeting that night and Sister Batt brought along a pillow and blanket and had me sleep in the back of the room... so I totally selpt through my first official mishh testimony meeting... lame, I kow, but I am so not ashamed... I felt so bad... hahaha
     I also kinda slept throught most of my first full day in the mishh too... Which was totally lame and upsetting but my new companions were so great about it and took good care of me! Yup, that's right, I said companions! I'm in a trio! My new comapnions are Sister Cozzens and Sister Toyn.  Both have been out for six months  and Sister Cozzens is actually a Visa Waiter too!! AND her mission is the same as mine! Brazil Sao Paulo Sul!! We are both so excited about it! But seriously I am so loving havning both of them as my companions, it's so much fun!
    For example. Funny stopry.  So both of them watched Glee before coming out on the mishh (I know right?? blahhh) but neither of them knew that that one guy, Finn/Cory Monteith, or whatever his name is, had died... So I told them and they totally freaked out and were really sad but now we totally talk about him all the time. Sister Cozzens and I actually somehow managed to convince Sister Toyn that he actually died of a hot dog overdose at a hot dog eating contest... as in like eating himself to death with hotdogs... and she straight up believed us for like a solid 20 minutes!!! It was so funny! We were dying over that for so long!
     Sso I'm with both of them in this little town called Kirtland, New Mexico.  It's about 20 mins outside of Farmington.  It's pretty cool. I mean it's really brown and really new mexico but cool. We're in the Kirtland 1st Ward (there are 5! in this little town! it's crazy! and all of them have a set of missionaries, it's so awesome!) But  we have the smallest area in the history of the world... I'm pretty sure at it's widest it's maybe a mile... it basically just consists of only 4 main roads... It could easily be a walking or bike area but we get to drive around in a little truck... I have no idea what kind of truck it is, but it's pretty cool and I love it.
   This past week has been amazing! Even with the being sick the first couple of days.  We've been teaching this 15 year old girl Tiarra who is on date for baptism Sept. 14th,  who is just the most amazing person I have ever met.  And we're also teaching her Aunt Stacie and her daughters. They are such an amazing family and we all love them so much!!
     Let's see what are some other things that we did this week... Oh! We worked in a greenhouse! The Kirtland 1st Ward Relief Society Pres and her husband own a bunch of them and we went over and did service for them helping them pinch flowers and stuff so that was pretty fun.  We also taught mutual and relief society this past week, both about missionary work.  That was pretty cool/nervewracking...
     Sorry I didn't get to email yesterday... the college that we email at was closed for memorial day... but it was so awesome to get to read all your emails today! It was great hearing about all your escapades with Shane this past week, it sounds like it was a lot of fun! The pansy still hasn't written me yet... and EMILEE PUGH! IF YOU ARE READING THIS I NEED YOU TO TELL ME WHERE YOU ARE GOING ON YOUR MISHH RIGHT NOW!!! I NEED TO KNOW!! AND MADISON DENNIS AND MIRANDA MCMAHON! WHERE ARE YOU?!?! I REALIZE YOU ARE STARTING SCHOOL AND ALL THAT JAZZ BUT I NEED YOU TO EMAIL ME RIGHT NOW/WRITE ME SOME LETTERS STAT!.
   love all you guys so much! Can't wait to talk to you again next week!!!
-Sister Rice