New Adventures with a New Companion

"We decided to make weird faces so we would have pictures to send home"

Sister Fratcher went home this week.  I hope she is enjoying her family and adjusting quickly.  She will be missed in Manchester.

My new companion is. . . . Sister Smedley!  She is from Nibley, Utah and has been out for almost a year. 

So this week has been so great! Sister Smedley is and amazing missionary! Everyone here already loves her! She has already connected a lot with the people in the ward.   She is a hard worker and is trying to get to know everyone really fast.

We have been working on ways we can improve the area and coming up with new ideas on teaching, tracting, working with the members, visuals, and helping the people we are teaching. I can tell that this is going to be a great transfer filled with miracles. 

We've already seen one miracle. Our investigator, J, has a baptismal date! She is super excited and wants to be baptized so bad. She plans on coming to church next week and yesterday we gave her a church tour. One of the hurdles that she is facing is trying to find a job and stay in her apartment. But she has great faith that if she follows God that she will be able to make it through this tough time. 

Sister Fratcher and I had been working with the YW Presidency Previously.  Sis. Smedley and I would like to take that work even further.  We are going to try to set up a day where go to lunch with them and have them bring a friend.  I am so excited to work with them and help them come closer to our Savior.

We are working really well together.  When we took Sister Keigley with us for the day we had a few lessons scheduled. Even though none of us knew each other and none of us had ever been in a trio we were able to teach in unity and bring the Spirit to these people's home. We have had some amazing lessons this week and have received a lot of revelation and we also did not get sprayed by a skunk the other night.   I would love the rest of the skunk story.  Maybe next week.

So both my companion and I are shorties and so far everyone has commented on it and has teased us about it. The bishop asked who was driving and then asked "Can either one of you see over the dashboard?" HA HA very funny... But hey by small and simple means shall great things come to pass.  The Bishop also said he thinks we will be together for two transfers.  I would love that, however, With the eight sisters who just came to the mission and the ten who are coming next week, I think they will be calling Sis Smedley in to a leadership position.  She would make a great trainer.

We were also invited to a member's house for lunch.  She ordered a huge pizza for us.  We had a nice chat and got to know her better.  We sang to her and shared a message.  She was so grateful that she made the appointment.  She was having a rough day and felt really lonely but we were able to cheer her up and help her feel loved.  She seemed so much happier by the time we left.  That joy was still with her when we saw her at church on Sunday.

Sad day:  The Keplingers are moving to Indiana next week! :(  We had lunch with Sister Keplinger on Thursday and we had a nice talk.  Before we left, she gave me extra encouragement and a big hug.  I am sure going to miss her!  Thank you, Sister Keplinger, for watching out for Sister Collins.  Also, thanks for the sweet email and pictures from a couple weeks ago. 

 This week's Whitney Randomness:

 There is a "blueberry" that drives around here and ever time I see it I think of my car.  (yes, she calls her car the blueberry)

 I made scrambled eggs for the first time! (She really can cook, she has just always made over-hard eggs.)

 I saw Sisther Fram, Elder Cook and Elder Thomas at transfer meeting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (They were all in her district at the MTC and entered the mission together.)

Love You!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Last picture with Sister Fratcher

 

 

Sister Smedley and Sister Collins

This is what I came home to tonight.  Somehow the picture fell off my wall and landed just like this. . .  Maybe I needed the reminder that through Christ, I can get through anything.  Quote on the bottom of the picture, "If the Lord leads you to it, let Him guide you through it."

Brighton Friends:  Yes, those are tiki men you see.  Sox was so kind and hid them in my suitcase.  I kept them all, except the one I had hidden in the bathroom at the MTC.  Oops!  I love how the one tiki man looks like he is looking right at Christ.  Reminds me of a Nephite on his knees when Christ visited them.