Christmas and Thoughts of Home

The past few notes have been about school and what Sis Cole's plans will be after she returns home.  Right now her hope is to attend Snow College in UT, starting Fall 2015.  Until then she will try to get a job and work to save money.

Hey mom
So it like 6:41 am and the missionaries should "just" be getting up... Well I woke up at 3 in the morning to take Sister McMurtry to the airport and to see her go off into the halls after she was scanned and everything. It was very sad to see her go, but she told me something that hopefully it will be with me forever and no longer will ever come back :). "You are beautiful Sister Cole" couldn't made my day :). Hopefully i finally learned to love who I am when i come home and not worry about the "society says"

Last week i mention about our adventure with a puppy and so far what i have been hearing he doing really good and they renamed him Joesph for an ironic name of LDS missionaries saving him :), with a help of little kids waving us down :) I will forward the picture of him from the people we gave him to, to be taken care of. Turns out he is also potty trained too ;) ;) ;) lol.  
This week was kinda a blurred moment but we were able to accomplish many things. 
We even met the johns family who owns both Big John Burger and Boogalies also (we met them the same day as the dog rescue) and caroled to them. They loved it so much that they posted it on Facebook and everyone they know saw us caroling to the johns and people commented how we too came and sang to them. It was a wonderful experience and a great blessing was when we lost Sister Thompson purse (which was on top of the car while we were driving and it fell out) 
Someone commented on the Facebook page that they had our purse and they took it to the Sheriff department. What they didn't know that at that same time we were freaking out about what to do and prayed to heavenly father for some miracle, the Sheriff Department just called and told us they have our purse and we rejoiced with the wonderful miraculous day. we then came back to see them and sang again and they love us :) 
 Friday night our church had a White Elephant party and I won a camera for a smart phone i might mail it home as a Christmas gift ;) Or possibly keep it till i come home.  
 Sunday Sister McMurtry gave a talk about the new video "he is the gift" and also mixed it n as her goodbye talk too. Well my mind is blank and i should possibly try to get some naps here and there but i will be back on possibly and hopefully :) I can't wait till Christmas love y'all bye!

Dec 30, 2014
I was so happy to see y'all and now i really can't wait to come home. :) I forgot to tell Tariyah "thank you" for the watch and perfume and lotion i love it :), and thanks everyone for the gifts and pictures and many more! I am soon going to write to the church for the gifts too. Well things been a bit hectic and not many wonderful things had happen but I am glad for a wonderful last mission christmas and see you all soon bye

Movin' on...

When the age change was announced in 2012 there was a great increase in Missionaries, especially with the Sister missionaries.  18mos - 2yrs is now rolling around and a lot of that influx of missionaries are going home and numbers have balanced out in different areas.  The number of missionaries over all is still up around 80,000, but with new missions and Visa's finally being accepted, some missions have lost a lot of missionaries.  Mississippi is one of them.

Hey mom we got permission to email cause Sister McMurtry had important emailing to do plus I thought I should give you a heads up on something... Wesson is closing down and me and Sister McMurtry together will go to Winnsboro together!!! with another Sister there! Apparently there is a very lack on Sister Missionaries and we are losing alot of them these upcoming transfer so Wesson has to go down. :( we will be very sad bu ti am grateful I will go back to an location I am familiar with and hopefully the last area i be in so i can settle down and think about what to leave behind or get rid of and what to keep and take home.... Speaking of take home I may need some cash to mail things home...I got something for the family and it was given to me as a gift and I can't leave it behind...but I am not going to share what it is ;) haha. So I will be in Winnsboro so mail things over there ok??? And can you tell Meema for me??? We won't have anyone bring mail to us cause nobody will be there and the Elders says they will check but chances of getting those back are rare. I love you and I will write my weekly report!

This week was sorta full of miracles and I can't remember them very well and I don't have my booklet with me with those Miracles but i must say it was a Miraculous Week.
Well I don't have much to say but see y'all till Tuesday

Misunderstandings and Pictures

Here are a few pictures she took for me, she was trying to get a good one for her Missionary Plaque at church, but I had already settled on another picture.

Oct 27, 2014

This week was really good but it was destroyed by someone who wasn't very nice but I will "shave" it for later (thought I pull some jokes on this report.) 

Anyways! It was a really good week, we met a wonderful lady we were blessed to meet when we and my companion were at a apartment complex park making phone calls and deciding what to do cause we didn't know what to do since everything was falling apart. And this lady was watching us and reading a book and soon ask us to have a glass of something to drink, and we gladly accept it. while we sat and talk she really "mustache" a question to us and ask us what were we doing. 

We explain what we are doing and she broke down a bit and told us everything about her life (which I will not go into details about) but she was having a hard time with life and we stayed and talk to her and shared some thing with her. She was grateful for our stay and gave me a Mary clock (which i needed a clock for my bathroom) and Sister McMurtry a really cute Quote picture :). We are going to see her today in fact later actually :) so Pray for us! 

 Now what made this week a bit sad was on Saturday me and Sister McMurtry didn't know what to do so we tracked in one of our members area and we did and everyone ignore us since the Mississippi Football game was going on and we been shooed or slammed on and it was very dark but we were behind on tracting. 

We saw a family come home and we hastely run over and knocked the door to find out the family was someone we met at the Flea market and he wasn't kinda nice a bit and told us he wasn't interest and he ask us to visit his church and left us at the doorstep. Well just to say short... On Church on Sunday, one of our members pulled us aside and shared a very unhappy Facebook Status from her Neighbors (the family we met) and how we didn't want to listen to there message and many more lies. She wasn't very happy with the post her neighbor gave to everyone to see.  And it made my week a very bad week in fact. But I tried to move on and forgive the man :). well I don't have anything else, I love you :)

Wesson, MS

The move to Wesson, MS

 Oct 8, 2014 
 So my address is 1020 Hill St Lot 26 Wesson MS 39191. And I am living in a TRAILER PARK with a trailer named Benny, and I will say I was freaking out a bit cause I am literally in middle of nowhere, and there are ROACHES not really everywhere like here and there. I was told to be more grateful cause it used to be even worst before and I have the best time period with Benny. Haha. 

My companions are Sister McMurtry who from Idaho and she really funny and awesome and happy go lucky we got along really great after doing some quotes and funny stunts :), and my other companion Sister Quilty who from Canada yay. Sadly she doesn't go "eh" lol but she really cool too and showed us the new Canadian money which is made out of PLASTIC!! Whoa America needs to pick up our game. It was cool and it seem like to be alot better living environment cause image if you fell into a river with your wallet well your paper money is toast.. but not your plastic ones :D haha. 

Guess what who emailed me??? Jolena! Haha nice to hear from her and how she is doing :) I remembered I still have her sticker which is a memory token of when she was showing us something and I remember what anime show that was and laughed my butt off while my poor companion were confused what was going on. ( I think I shared that story before) Well I will do alot better Weekly updating y'all love ya. 

Oct 12, 2014
 It is like Newport (mom insert - she really means Northport, WA where I grew up, Newport WA is small too, but not as small and she wouldn't know, ha ha), very small and unlike Newport there is really no Walmart around here (mom insert - there is no Walmart in Northport either, I think at this point she is thinking about Colville which is about 40miles away, it's been a while since she has been there, ha ha). We have great food places and antique shops around here but nothing else. I am slowly learning to just squish the Roaches with my hands but i am working on stomping them haha. 

President McDonough is traveling around with Interviews and also bringing the movie with him so we can watch the movie since we are not allowed to go to the movies and the closes movie theater that has the movie is Vicksburg which is a 2 hour drive.... not worth the miles and I am not biking here in Wesson... Hills are certainly not a biker friend...lol 

 I notice you haven't updated my blog...please do. 

 I am doing well so far and I will :) with a few jokes along the way. Btw we are sadly losing Sister Quilty. Apparently a Sister in West Monroe companion never showed up at T-point and turns out her companion left the mission for medical reason. we were so sad but I got a memory token of a Canada keychain :) now I never forget Sister Quilty :).  

 So remember that Nerd Minnie pen you got me??? well it is falling apart and I can no longer fix it anymore as much as I can and I was wondering if I can have a new one :) since you love me??? can it be a different character??? and I was wondering if I can have a new camera too?? if not i understand and I wait till I come home and afford one of my own. The members here are really lovely and very nice and i love them alot. I got some pictures you can choose and I will email them next week cause i don't have my flashdrive that has them with me atm.  Well My mind is blank and I love you lots, Please pray for me I been having trouble not being Full-Missionary with worries about college and school supplies and buying a laptop and stuff :( heh so pray for me. 

 Oct 20, 2014 
We recently lost sister Quilty, who had to go to West Monroe due to a sister who lost her companion for medical reasons. We had to give her up last Monday actually :(. Me and Sister Mcmurtry were really sad about it. 

We met Elder Zwick again (of the 70). We had to sleep over at the Sister training leaders house so we can make it to our ride at Brandon to see Elder Zwick.Well we nearly got lost and almost lost our ride to the meeting but we finally found it and turns out a different set of missionaries were even more late so we had to wait for them. 

The most cool thing is that we are finally allowed to have iPad's, hopefully by the Lord will, I possibly get one (wink wink Mama and Bapa lol :).
But I still got a long wait before then, we possibly get them on December. 

 We help a Lady bring her books in for the Flea market Festival and in return she bought us Ice Cream and we talk a bit, and thanked her for the ice cream :) 
Another thing that had happen was the Flea Market Festival! it was awesome we had help the Boy scouts before the day started by making "chicken on a stick (looks like a Kobob to me) but they were delicious.

A little More of Biloxi and then on to Wesson.

Her time in Biloxi was short, but here a little about what she had to say, sounds like it is a beautiful area.

Sept 2, 2014
So being here in Biloxi is really neat it so peaceful and the ocean not that far at all! we went to go shopping at walmart and I look over only to see the ocean in the Distance. It was really pretty and I loved it, but having gotten to there yet :). Biloxi looks like a nice place to move possibly ;) haha   The Members here are really great they feed us really good and they really take missionary work very seriously so i am happy to see such great work taking action :). Me and my companions been having a hard time finding ayone but we won't give up that easy :). I am super excited :) 

At Sis Riley's home

Oct 7, 2014
Well guess what...I MOVED!!! I am going to Wesson Mississippi, I don't have the address yet, but ya :)
I am sorry i didn't given you weekly reports about Biloxi it just not that great of things happen and me and my companions didn't do so well (well one of the companions and me the other was ok) So I didn't have good stories to share but I will share i went to a confederate house of Jefferson Davis house :) I want to take you guys there when we do a family road trip, and see other things too since i didn't stay in Biloxi long enough there was so much i wanted to do that i never got to do. Hopefully i will stay on top of my mission cause it was hard being with tons of missionaries who were leaving the next upcoming transfer so they been talking about home :) thanks for keep on reminding me who i need to be right now :D well i still don't have the address i promise I will give it to you or mail you it cause i was told the Library in Wesson closes at lunch.. stupid huh??? well I love you

On to Biloxi, MS

5 more months...she is feeling the pressure of the Mission winding down.  At this point, part of her interviews with her Mission President are to help prepare her to come home. Help her to plan and to think about what she will do when she gets here.  I am told it is a big adjustment and sometimes they feel lost.  I hope to learn how to help her in the process.

She has decided she wants to attend Snow College in UT, so we have been doing a bit of correspondance on that subject.  She will need to be prepared to take her SAT and ACT when she gets back, in preparation.

She has been transferred...
her new address is:
1995 Popps Ferry Rd
Apt. Q1091
Biloxi, MS 39042

So many things had happen but i will start with... i was called to Biloxi North with a bunch of the members as Military, so I need a renewed ID :). But my new companions are Sister Banidawa and she is from FIJI wow that a culture shock to me my first out of this country companion :p haha. She really awesome and it is hard to understand her but if you listen well you can understand her :), Then i have Sister Carter from Utah, as usual lol.

So our apartment is really beautiful and even has a island in the kitchen i was so happy and everything was so nice and new :) but this morning I was getting out of the shower and sister Banidawa was getting ready so i decided to get ready in the closet and i close the doors and realized i left something i needed so i turned around to leave the closet real quick and there was no door knob.... I locked myself in the closet.... I called out and Sister Banidawa heard me and laughed ask me if i locked myself in. I had a good laugh at it :). Well since i am in a new area I really don't have other stories but please write and email me :) and 5 more months!

Back to Bastrop

So I been ET (Emergancy Transferred) Back to BASTROP!! Serving with Sister Baker :) Apparently our Sister, Sister Benjamin hurt her back and was sent home to go heal and take Pyshical Thearpy, So I am taking her Spot til transfer and I be leaving Bastrop, the weird part I was prompted a few days before President called me and told me i was leaving that i needed to leave Winnsboro. Oh how our Lord prepares his servants to be ready for the future. It was Sad to leave Winnsboro on such a short Notice and try to see as many people as i can but I coming back for the catfish Festival next Year :) yep. So I will be having a great time with Sister Baker again and Bastrop at the same time.
I sorta came in to a Missionaries Depression (before coming back to Bastrop) so I trying to help and bring it up and fight the Depression to not get to me. But I am glad to see everything Progressing good :) Everyone in Church remembers me and told me I changed a lot and you can feel it and see it but I feel like I am the same but somehow different.

I told her that it was really neat that she had a spiritual experience with her feeling about leaving and that the Lord had a reason for her to go. I think it was good for her to meet up with her MTC companion, Sister Baker.  I am sure it meant a lot to both of them to see the growth they had made from their MTC days.

Clean Apartment...continuing to search

July 28
So this week was really and truly the Best week ever happen!
We recently found a wonderful family that husband "claimed" to be a Mormon but he was never baptized but always with Mormon so he called himself one. lol. So we found them Knocking doors and we were on the bridge of dropping Le and L due to lack of keeping commitment and President ask us to drop L. We were happy to meet them and our church was featuring a Pioneer Day that Friday we met them so we invited so they can meet the members faster than waiting to church and possibly disappointment that they didn't come. So when Friday came around we were so happy when we saw their faces and their car seeing that they came to the church activity and everyone in the church loved them and H was talking to our Bishop Pres. Hathcock how he misses the church and never felt like he was home and wanted his family and himself to be baptized and always knew this was the true church. His wife felt the same and too agreed she never felt so much love then other churches gave to them and wants to be baptized. So we are now teaching them and the kids have a baptism date which was a total surprise cause there kids says they weren't gonna get baptized, well mainly the boys they have a little girl who 8 dying to be dumped in the water, So the more surprising part was that one of the boys the oldest actually took a baptism date :) but we are working with the other two so far but we are glad God helping us :)

Aug 4
So we have been teaching the T's and they came to church like they have promised and later in the day we were going to meet them at 5 with Derek Earl. I have been having problem paying attention cause the boys plays Video Games and I can't seem to stop myself from watching them. Well Apparently while I been glued to the TV but trying to escape it I heard S (the mother) Blew up and was cussing up a storm about being baptized and that we are not thinking about her and stuff and then switch about she will never change till the Earth pick up their crap and stuff and if the Book of Mormon have the answer then why isn't there an answer to save the world. Me and the Sister were at a lost what to do but thanks for Derek being there he was able to pick up some things :). But apparently S will not be baptized for a while till we help her. 

 They got another Clean Apartment Award!!  YAY Girls!

4 weeks of letters

I was on vacation for the month of July, so I got a little behind on Teighlor's notes, but hey, now there are 4 ;)

June 30
So this week I couldn't share as much but I will try sadly our numbers weren't this great as these past week and we don't know why but we were able to make it up with member present with Derek Earl (the Boy who was going to serve a mission in Argentina but came home due to sickness, sadly it doesn't seem like he going back :( but I pray he will). But other than that Derek been gladly coming out serving with us so we can have member present he a really good guy and really good at being a missionary too. Anyways we been taking him out with us and our Investigators and we were able to make up enough to cover for our small number of "Other Lessons".
I don't know if i mention this but i guessing it soon my time up to be here in Winnsboro President told me that in Interviews so i am sad to leave and no more free Farm Eggs that the members get from their chicken, or free just freshly grown veggies or more :( and the Members too i miss them all but who knows maybe i wound up serving for 8 months in Winnsboro? Na time to move on :)  Well My mind is going blank and i try to make this week a better and more memorable week :) Bya 

July 7
I was sitting in church and I gain a terrible habit to read old new era or church magazine in church though I listen here and there and I was reading a 2010 January issue on New era and as i was reading I came across a article that the pictures look so familiar to me. I was thinking "Wow that look like Ali Smith from Washington, and that's Nicole and... and... wait a minute...is..is that ME?!" I study the pictures harder than ever and saw everyone from Washington and started bawling missing everyone. How the Lee's (remember they are married) and how they are my Models, my friend and hope they were my friend and everything there. I showed my companions and they were flipping and we tried to stay quiet about it cause being in a room of only 15 members wasn't hard to tell who sleeping or not or focusing or not. I eventually read into it trying to hold back the tears and think of everything that has happen to me. I am Glad to have such wonderful people in my life to make me who I am now :) Thanks for everything 

July 15 
So this past 2 weeks been kinda crazy and most memorable thing alive. We may drop (or stop teaching) L. He been acting very weird and possibly hitting on Sister Dalebout, making her very uncomfortable and making us worry about leaving her alone. I don't know if I shared this but 3 weeks ago we taught the Law of Chastity to L so he understand and hopefully his attitude will change but something was very wrong with L, he was very rude and wasn't into the lesson that much and what was even worst we had a member with us and the member felt very mock by him. Before we left his mom grab Sister Totterer aside and whisper "please pray for him he been weird lately and he never like this."
So we got a call that L was in a Mental hospital and he called us here and there to keep us updated about him if he can make it to church and ask us to visit his family. (which we did on 4th of July and the food they give us was so good) But finally L is home and nothing change but we hope that the new Medicine he'll be taking will help him and we are giving him a last chance before we can't see him and President already concern and asking for us to not see him possibly for good. and that what going on with L so far. 
On the July 4th we worked as usual and as i said we went to L's family and enjoyed a good meal with them :) we did planned with Sister earl to help her shells peas as we eat Hamburger but that didn't happen at all. But we were told there was Firework at the nearby park so we planned to have dinner watching the Fireworks but nothing happened, turned out they were at a different place. 
We lately been teaching a wonderful man name Le and I must say he really outstanding man. Le has 4 kids and his wife, who he loves to death, in jail right now or in Rehab we got lost on that but that all we know. He doesn't do drugs so far and he is a very loving man. also the 6th child of 19 Brothers and 4 Sisters (Crazy huh and all the same parents.) He been really awesome on the gospel and we know it would help him alot and he practically lives it, one day a old friend of his came to pick up the kids and in the back we heard him telling her off and she left with the kids and he came back a bit frustrated and said how she wants a really good relationship with him but he has a wife and kids and can't mess up like other men do. 
We have been very bless to have Derek come out with us more often since he the only young male and it been really nice to have him come with us :). Derek has really open up to us and hearing his Short stories he had on his mission and it great to see how Derek is trusting us and love to tell us things :). Well My mind gone blank :) have a great day :)

I received this picture from a member of the Stake RS Presidency in LA.  I was so excited to see it.

July 21 So this week was really good :) and many things. I thought I was being transferred and I was saying my good-byes and everything but we wouldn't get the calls till Saturday (they changed it from Friday to Saturday which drag alot cause Saturday are perfect days to see everyone and then you leave, Sunday good for saying bye to the members and the Last actives members. Monday Cleaning day and Tuesday your off.) So I said my good-byes especially to J and she was really sad. Well turns out I wasn't leaving! So it was embarrassing to see J who thought I was leaving wasn't gone but we were happy that i get to stay longer and so was she but the more hard part was we couldn't see her as often as we did due to she not progressing and she doesn't want to be baptized yet. Sigh I didn't want to stop cause i know she has the Potential in her it just need some nourishment a bit. but I pray that she will get it.
We are also on the brink to drop L which is even sadder cause he not keeping his commitments and when we ask he be an honest man and tell us what he did instead and we be very sad and he missed the invitation to church alot and we don't know what to do. He too has Potential but he wouldn't do his part of the bargain. But as we know God always have plans for those who do good and that good was meeting M, she is a mother of 4 boys and hoping that her baby she currently pregnant with will be a girl. Well we walk to her and ask her about the gospel and everything and she said her son who is 9 years old found that book and took it home and trying to reading but couldn't understand it so he would ask her and she couldn't understand it either. So we pray that we can help this family and they can be baptized into the church.
Now I have some funny things to share about. So one night I was having a dream that I was hanging out with my companions Sister Totterer and Sister Dalebout, we were in the car and Sister Totterer was driving the car and they were just being plain mean to me and rude and more (not in real life) I was irritated and tried to ask to please stop or knock it off but i couldn't talk till i finally yelled "STOP IT!!!" It woke me up and I realized i was sleep talking and literally did yelled "Stop it!" I quickly pretend to sleep hoping no one woke up to that till I heard Sister Dalebout moved and realized I woke her up but sister Totterer was still and I remember she said she was a heavy sleeper so i couldn't tell if I woke her up. By morning I was eating breakfast and Sister Dalebout was eating with me and i look over and said "Did you hear me scream last night?" Sister Dalebout laughed and ask what happen and i explain my dream and she laughed and shared that she thought someone was "messing with me" that kind of deal so she didn't know what to do, and Sister Totterer had a dream I was talking but I was mumbling till I yelled that and she couldn't tell if that was real or a dream. Haha remember people don't sleep talk and say "Stop It". Well after that dream I had another one when i went back to sleep that same night that I was having a Mission Reunion and everyone decided to come to Florida and use the Disney rooms and hangout. Well we are in there and Elders were playing video games (Dragonball Z) and the Sisters were chatting away and I notice i had to go to church for an activity and i been asking for a ride but nobody will so I went out only to meet my neighbor who lives below in Winnsboro, the Bates. I nervously ask for a ride and they kindly agreed but once we got to the car worst driving ever! the Bates were driving to fast for me to give instruction to home and we were driving in the river and then a volcano lava it was like those 3D roller coaster games I was freaking out holding on to anything to stay alive and then I woke up. haha I couldn't help but laugh that night away. Well my mind is Blank and I have more to share next week :) Love y'all

Willie

She was able to send me a picture of her and Willie :)

Big Smiles!

Dynasty

SO this week was kinda Interesting :)

We were teaching many new people and we had a new rule on the mission if our investigators weren't looking like they were progressing and they have a Book Of Mormon you can give them a last chance and kindly ask for the book back. Sadly some gave them back without a thought but we are still having some we didn't check up lately.

L stories cont on.. We recently discover we cant baptized L with that fine and community service he has on his hands. We been teaching his Uncle who was slowly showing interest and been reading the Book the Mormon, but once he heard that L couldn't be baptized he thought it was wrong and stop everything. We trying our best to tell him why and stuff but he rather want to hear it from President McDonough, so we gave president his number and we hope he will clear everything with his Uncle. But L understand why and is not complaining about it. So we at least know L is Humble, I think??

We are also meeting a lady name J who thinks the Lord abandon her long time ago and she doesn't know what to do but to keep on with life. So we pray she is a broken heart and a contrite spirit :)

ok So the best day was Saturday when we had Interviews with President McDonough. Everything went really good :) President and I made a goal to learn to be Charity and love :). 
After Interviews we went somewhere and stop at a gas station and went to use the bathroom when i was the last one to come out I saw a man with a great big beard. My mind thought it was Willie a bit from Duck Dynasty but then I thought possibly a wannabe follower but as we left the Gas station a great big custom made truck with Duck Commander all over it, it was no doubt it was a Duck Dynasty. Sister Totterer ask if he one of the Duck Dynasty and he said "What gave it away the beard?... Yes I am Willie." 
WOW we met Wille! I have a picture but the stupid computer won't let me email it to you so I am making sure I have this picture with me for good cause lately my pictures been randomly deleted and I am very sad I lost good pictures of my mission and cant handle to lose more. :( 

Well my mind draws a blank and I will share next week my week report Love you!

Pictures from District Interviews

Rough Moments & Sis Eschler

I received a couple of updates from Sis Cole, some pictures and a story about her companion, Sis Eschler.

"I want to share how am I doing and so far I admit I was in a huge downfall but I kept quiet from my companions and pray for help what is wrong with my soul? I was finally prompted to tell my mission president but I have no what I will say but i hope that when I rambling to him I get my answer and a Blessing from him.
I finally learn that I don't love myself as I should be doing and i was afraid i hadn't changed at all and I will go home as the same person I was in the beginning either too. Then President assured me that my new goal needs to be I need to learn to Love myself because i am a child of God and everything I have should be loved, then he really assured me that i was a total different person then when he had first seen me as so i was kinda happy to see a little change since I had been out :) Plus the Sister have assured me even more about me and how if it wasn't for me our investigator Joleenya and if i didn't tell Joleenya i was a a Anime Freak she never open up as she is now and I kinda feel it was true cause Joleenya has quoted familiar Anime I seen and I was the only one who knows it and laughs so crazy that Joleenya will laugh along too leaving poor Sister Eschler and Sister Shaw clueless on why we are laughing about till i explain later though it hard to explain without going on youtube and showing them the clip :T speaking of it I gotten better at drawing that I may think about using spare time to making Comic books so i can still keep up practicing after all like the Parables of the talents (in the Bible Jesus Shared) if you hide your talent (or not using it alot) it can lost and given to someone esle and i dont want 9 years of practice to go away haha not fun :)  Well my mind is drawing to a close blank and I think i shared enough and hope this Week i have something to share these past days nothing was good enough to share but i still journal incase :) Have a Happy mother Day :D Love Sister cole"

She has been doing some running her companions, but that was put on a back burner because of an accident Sis Eshcler was in.  One week all I got was a one sentence note asking to pray for her companion and that she would explain later.  Here is her story:

"She now fine, she had surgey here in Monroe just Monday, and turns out she not leaving the Mission either she just be in a better area where she can be more helpful till she heals. It was pretty fast but i was the only one who saw what had happenthankfully. We were biking on Thrusday to our investigator house who lives on a sorta highway street (but it was a little mile farther then it is a highway) we were biking with the flow and it was a blank street andwe had to turn so we can go into the driveway of our investigator house. We looked both ways and crossed but I notice Sister Shaw petal faster and I look over and saw a motorcycle i petal faster to and looked back again seeing Sister Eschler may have not notice him but he notice her and tried to turn his bike on the side to stop it but it was to late to put his bike at a halt and crashed into Sister Eschler. sister Eschler flip into the air and landed on her back ad started moaning in pain and i scream running to her and knowing that  you must calm your patient before you do anything esle (plus i didnt have any first aid kit on me so i used a skirt which got blooded and toss and I was lucky to just buy a bandna to use) as I was calming her down cause she wasnt fully there but cried "Am I dead?" over and over till i was able to assured her she not dead and slowly freak out. Thankfully in a blink a man stop his truck and pulled out his bag and says he was an EMT and sister Shaw was a EMT too and work together to help her. As for the Motorcyclist he rolled and called 911 as fast as a he can. we were shock he was so fast on how to do things and learned he used to be in the army and thats how he was good at some things. Sadly he had a bad Road rash and turns out the Motorcyclist (named Jamie) that his Grandpa was a Mormon and Served a missioned too!!! so there was a bright side on everything :)
After the Surgery we met Pres. Pena and he insisited we stay at his house and wait for sister eschler to have her 72 recorvery over and since he is a Neourogilst he knows his things if Sister eschler came across anything bad happen to her. So I hadnt been a missionary for nearly a week! ugh and I learned Sister Shaw is gonna be a STL and she no longer a visa waiter and she a perment MJM missionary :) and i be left in winnsboro with new companions lol so wish me luck :)"

 Sis Eschler (above) after surgery, Sis Eschler and Sis Shaw below

A few more random pictures :)

It's Been a while

Sometimes it is hard to get stories from Sis Cole, I fear that there is not much going on in her part of the mission. She is still in Winnsboro, LA. She is being well taken care of by the branch members, a couple of the sisters even got together and bought each of the girls a new dress.  Sis Cole was really excited because she said that they took time to get to know them and bought them something in their style.
They have also been hit by some road blocks, here is an excerpt from a note that Sis Cole sent to me:

"Mom this week was very very....indescribable....
I don't remember if I told you this, but we had a really awesome person names L and it was a "never judge a book by its cover" faze. He really showed us off and we had a baptism date for him on April 5th, during General Conference when there was that break, after we have help him quit smoking, so the week we did a Quit Smoking program with him. But Satan won the round for a little while, when we discovered our poor L was in jail for a "DWI" that was nearly a year ago and missing a court date which apparently L himself didn't recall a court date. Thankfully he was able to get out of jail before church and sad to know he started smoking all over again. Tho L was very smart and somehow knows how things work before we even told him, he knows he cannot be baptize in time and surprisingly he was honest to tell us he wasn't really ready yet but he will soon get to that point where he will be. :)
The only reason I didn't want to talk about it last week is cause we been hit by a huge road block and very random so spirit was with us and then Saturday and Sunday hits us the most where we are crying.
Well I will finish the rest but we are being kicked out of the computers, Love you, bye"

Really, she couldn't finish her story??  lol...I don't think I got a follow-up on it later either, guess I will need to check in on that one.
At this time her companions are Sister Shaw and Sis Eschler.
This is a photo of her district, it looks like one set of Elder's and two sets of Sisters. Sis Cole and her companions are the only ones in Winnsboro. She and are companions are the 3 on the right.

Overall she has been doing well...here are a few more fun pictures:

Open House, a Concert, Shoes & Awards

Feb 10 

So this week went really awesome. :) The Spirit had been really powerful and we saw many miracles and many more. We went to a lot of other churches cause people invited us to come and visit and join some fun activities. Yesterday we went to a Booth Brother's Gospel Concert, it was really amazing and we were able to talk to them afterward.  They were thrilled we came and especially since we are Mormon, cause they went to Utah, but not  a single Mormon (or so they assume) came to their concert and it really did hurt them a bit.  We told them we enjoyed it and maybe one day Mormon's would listen to their songs.  After leaving the place, me andmy companions had a huge talk about Gospel songs and more that we should listen to other Gospel songs cause we all worship one God, so why should we not listen to other Gospel music. Place that in your mind a bit :)

We met a really awesome guy named Tony, and when we first visited him he was at his mom's house and we tried to teach his mom but she wasn't interested and a bit rude to us and as soon as I was about the do the whole "well we gotta go" thing, he asked so many questions like "What does Mormon's have that other churches don't have? or What did mormon do that everyone would want to hurt them (back in the 1800's)?" 

We happily answered all his questions and we was really curious and we pray he is a legit baptism person. ;)

Feb 18

So last week we are getting more prepared for our church Open House :) We have flyers and our faces should be on the papers tomorrow (Wednesday 2/19) and many more things to get ready. (mom insert - I had a clipping of the story in the paper but I can't find it now, when I do find it, I will add it.) 

Our members were really pressing on about how our food budget was going and make a list of food we need and is buying some of our food for us. We don't know why but some of them are returned missionaries from their time and understand the whole food budget and life of a missionary budget. (mom insert - Sis Cole was telling me how they are in a ward that is mostly elderly with one couple that has younger children.) 

Valentine's Day was a day I will never forget! Everyting went really well, till it was time to rest for the day cause on Saturday we were going to visit a referral that someones Aunt asked us to visit. But...I somehow managed to get really sick that I threw up all night! I was so suprised cause it had been 12yrs (mom insert - I didn't know she was counting) since I last threw up when I was little. I had no sleep until 4am and finally fell asleep and ruin our day be having to be inside healing, someone of our church members were able to set a time aside to drive to our apartment to give me a blessing of healing.  I felt so bad for everyone who we missed to see. I am finally better but my appetite changed to a whole new level! I am not as hungry as I used to be and at times I don't feel like eating at all, but I try to anyways. I think the Lord answered my dieting prayers and hope my new appetite will help me slim down and build up a new body. :)

Mar 3

So I got a few very awesome stories :)

One day I had a very weird feeling that we needed to go inside a bouquet store. My companions were sorta skitish about the idea since it was a shopping store but for some reason we went in anyways, after a talk about following your companions prompting even when it looks stupid. So we went in and left a HUGE impression on them that they in turn gave us an awesome discount. The discount was "free", Sis Eshler got a haircut and while she was busy with that, Sis Giddens and I looked around and I found these two pair of really cute shoes that happen to fit me, (they are a cute pink looking tap shoe and a black set too) and I was sorta drooling over them when we first came in. So I got them for free. ;)  Turns out that an Elder Earl (who lives in Winnsboro) left for him mission recently, to Argentina and the training track Coach who was confused as to why his best track runner would serve a mission, and the owner of the store was impressed to see girls out and about "serving the Lord." (mom insert - I don't know if the track coach and the store owner is the same person or just friends, I was confused about this.)

People here in Winnsboro spoil us mom. We went to a different church that was having a program called "The Woman I see", it is sorta like a version of "Time Out for Women" for them. It was amazing, I cried listening and they too were amazed with the power of the talk.

Stake conference was really awesome though long for me (still can't handle sitting for that long) :(  and what was worse was being up in the pulpit area, cause the Missionaries were the choir, and people can see me fidgeting around.

There is a chance Sis Giddens is leaving us, we are gonna make as much memories as we can and so next time I keep up with making more memories, I love you.

I asked Sis Cole how many people are in her branch and she said about 10, there is the young boy they are trying to teach, he is 14.  I think it is Justin whom she met when she first got there.  He is another one who wants to learn but the mom is not at all interested. But is dad is an in-active member and ok with him learning.

We also discover that she sent home a flash drive with pictures in it and it never made it. :( Sad day for her and for me, I was looking forward to all the pictures she had taken.

I received this email that said Sis Cole and her companions received the Highest Awards for a Clean and Organized Apartment!!  Way to girls!  On another note, look at her hair, it is long enough to put into a ponytail, has she really been gone that long? 7mos now.

New Transfer

After being in Gulfport, MS for just one transfer, Teighlor was transferred to Winnsboro, LA.  She seemed excited about the move when I spoke with her.

On the transfer trip, she was able to see her first companion, Sis Stevenson, she was pretty excited. Sis Stevenson is on the right.  She was also able to see Sis Baker, who was her companion at the MTC, when they were doing transfers.  She said she "heard her squealing her name".

Not long after Sis Cole was in her new area, it was time for Interviews.  This is a picture of the Monroe, LA Distrct, her same District from when she was in Bastrop. I think her two companions are on the right of her (from looking at the picture in our view).  They are Sis Giddens (who came from the MTC the same time as Sis Cole) and Sis Eschler. 

In her new area they are the only missionaries for their Branch, there are no Elder's.  This was new for her. It is a "car" area but they do ride their bikes on Thursdays.  They got some snow in Mississippi when the big storms hit that way, it ended up delaying their transfers for 2 days.

We had an Elder in our ward bear his testimony about the "Ah-ha" moments that he has witnessed and even felt since he had been on his mission and it had only been 3mos.  So I asked Sis Cole if she had had any "Ah-ha" moments and here is what she told me:

"I had so much "Ah-ha" moments, especially since touching the grounds of my new area. The sisters are so Obedient (not saying I wasn't, but some I should improve on) that I wanted to break into to tears feeling the spirit from them and their love for me being with them. My knowledge of some spiritually has grown so much, I was like "wow, why couldn't I see this before!!" My testimony is growing at such a fast rate, I felt like I learned too much that I should be alive (like in bible no man cannot live to see God face??) (mom insert - I was trying to decipher what she was saying there and I am not quite sure, but I am guessing she felt like God could show up at any moment. If you have other thoughts, please share them). In my new area everyone is mostly elderly and 1 young couple with a little boy, that is the primary, really small. My companions made me feel more like a friend than a missionary and always complimented my curly hair cause they have curly hair too and taught me to use my curly hair and showed me how to make it look cute. (mom insert - Sis Cole had straight, straight hair until she went through puberty and it changed.  I think she has the best kind of curly hair, big soft curls, but she doesn't like it.)

I finally met our "star" pupil. His Dad is a less active and have no intention of coming back into the the church, but apparently his 14yr old son Justin was curious and the Sisters started teaching him instead.  Justin loves video games like I do and we had Legend of Zelda in common :) I told him I always wanted to play the "Twilight Princess" but never got a chance to.  After saying that he said he has a gift for me and gave me the "Twilight Princess" Wii game, I know, I know, but I was happy. He said he and his brother never played with it anymore and his mom was there saying "yes, yes, please keep it". So now I am carrying around a video game during my mission. He did try to give me more games, but I hope he never remembers to give them to me, especially more embarrassing when his mom encourage me to take the games too!!  Well I hope you enjoyed my short message this week. :D Love Sis Cole.

Gulfport, MS

Sis Cole had a short lived time in Gulfport, but she and her companions did have one baptism ;) Here she is with her companions Sis Ridge and 

Here is story from her experience in Gulfport:

"Last Wednesday in church we came across a random girl in the church building and nobody knows who she is or anything about her. So I was being friendly and walked up and asked if she wanted a tour around the chruch. 'That would be lovely!' her voice was half creepy and friendly, so I showed her around the church till we reached the Chapel and it was just me, Sis Ridge, and Serina (the random girl), she was awed and said 'THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!!!' Me and Sis Ridge were like 'yes, somebody we can baptize!!' After being there with her for 30 min we notice something was very wrong. She was talking about Life and how beautiful life is and many more things, but slowly it didn't seem right cause at time she randomly laughs out of nowhere, a sudden chill went down both me and Sis Ridge and we knew what our thoughts were...She is either high on something or she is Schizophrenic. I ask if she sees anybody in the room, seeing if she thinks someone else is in the room besides us 3, but she ignored my question and asked who I saw.
She was acting really weird and the members in the church were getting freaked out. The Young Women tried to be nice to her but run away crying (mom insert - not sure why they would run away, Teighlor never specified), kids were being kids and nice to her as well.  My companions and I were about to leave and I suggested we take her home because rumors says she lives down the street from a member where the kids saw her and invited her to church, plus Pres was there and I didn't want Pres and Sis McDonough to have any problems with her later on, but that was a complete fail and Sis McDonough said she would take care of it. Last I heard is that she got home safely but she does have Schizophrenia."

She wasn't there long enough really to give me any other stories, although she did say that she loved her "Snow Storm in a Box" and she got some pictures of her and her companions having a "Snowball fight". Can't wait to see them.

Snowstorm in a Box

Gulfport Missionaries January 2014

Not a whole lot of news from Teighlor this round, other than she seems happy and doing well.

I am making her a box and wanted to have record of what I sent her, my goal is to send her a box a month and then do it with each of the children that decide to go on a mission.

For this month, it is "Snowstorm in a Box"

We added this to the box, it is a scarf that her Meema made, thought it went perfect with the theme.

This was a lot of fun to put together.