Little Dot's Big Move. . .

How do you feel about leaving Augusta?

I am super sad about leaving, but I know the Lord has prepared something else for me in my new area.  I know there will be challenges as I start working as a Sister Training Leader.

Did you do anything special to say goodbye to people in your ward and investigators?

We mostly said our goodbyes at church.  We visited a few members that we didn’t get to see but other than that we mostly did normal missionary work.

How was your testimony strengthened the week?

I think something that strengthened my testimony was a lesson we had with some potentials.  We met this sweet Iraqi family while tracting.  The two men we knew from the food bank.  Only one of them speaks English.  They said we could share a message with them so we shared a message of the Restoration.  The one man interpreted for us.  The Spirit was so sweet in there!  They said we could come back and said that they would love to read the Book of Mormon.  We ordered an Arabic copy for them.  At the beginning the woman gave us water bottles and a little while later brought us some tea.  I was very grateful that the Spirit was there so strongly and that their hearts were softened so they understood when we rejected the tea.  As we were leaving, the man who interpreted for us said that if we ever meet another family from the Middle East he would be happy to come and interpret for us.  It was amazing!  Especially since we found another family a few weeks ago that speaks Arabic.

Also, we had a great conference with Elder Hallstrom, President of the First Quorum of the Seventy,  Bishop Causse of the Presiding Bishopric and Elder Bennett, the area Seventy.  There were a lot of prayers answered and a sweet spirit there.  They are definitely men called of God!

What was the hardest part of your week?

The hardest part for me this week was just saying goodbye to the people here I have fallen in love with.

Any new potentials or investigators?

We have found three potentials this week and one of them is a family!

Any word on IPads for your mission?

No word on Ipads, but I am okay with that

More details about the conference last Saturday?

I forgot my study notebook so I will write more about the conference next week.

I also forgot my miracles book where I write down all of my awkward moments. . . I’ll just have to draw more pictures.

After the conference there was a meeting for some of the priesthood leaders in the area so I got to see Brother Young, Brother Spencer and Bishop Dickson!  I also got to see all of my friends who are still in the mission.  They also took a mission picture and I got to stand by Sister Smedley since we are both short.

Sister Bee will be staying in Augusta!  I am hoping I end up being the Sister Training Leader in Yarmouth, Maine.  If so, I will be able to come back to Augusta for exchanges every once in a while.  I hope she gets a great companion.

The following is a great scripture for those times you start to question your faith:

Doctrine & Covenants 6:

22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things.

23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter?  What greater witness can you have than from God?

The following is a video with a renowned scientist that testifies of the gospel and Eternal life.  Science and the Gospel DO work together.

Have a great week! Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was also surprised by an email from Sister Bee:

Hey becky, haha Momma Collins…  It’s Sister Bee.

I just had to write you a quick email to say thank you for having such an amazing daughter.  I feel so blessed to have been companions with her for three transfers.  I have learned so much from her testimony and from her kindness towards others.  She teaches the gospel SO beautifully and brings such a spirit in to the room.  Thanks for raising such a great daughter.

I know we haven’t officially met in person, but I love ya and can’t wait to meet you.

Sister Bee

Mia, Emily, Abby and Megan

Their picture with the First Presidency.  Whit, Armando, Bro. Walker and Elliot

The Elders with the First Presidency

Signs of spring!!!

Sister Harrington

Goats and Geese and Turkeys, Oh My!!!

Are you planning anything fabulous for your last weeks as a companionship?

You know it! We are planning to do . . . wait for it. . .  MISSIONARY WORK!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!! We are going to try and meet as many of the less active families that we can this week so we can establish which ones are interested and so we can see how we can help them come back.

Tell us about your investigators and lessons you have had.

All of our lessons and investigators fell through this week.  So many people have been sick.  We were able to have one lesson with a potential about the priesthood and the Restoration.  We also had a lesson with our other investigator and she had been having a rough day and almost cancelled on us, but we were already at her door when she called so we got in and showed her the 20 minute restoration video.  She loved it!  We then testified of Joseph Smith and the restoration and how it can help her.  We committed her to pray to know if Joseph Smith was a true prophet.  Oh, and we had a lesson with our other investigator and that went really well and she is going to pray about baptism.

What is the most exciting thing that happened this week?

We got to pet a goat and also met some amazing people.  We also did service at the food bank.

How has your testimony been strengthened this week?

It has been strengthened through my prayers and studies.  I have written a lot more about this in the letter I am sending.

What has been the hardest part of the week?

I think the hardest part has been having so many things fall through, and one of our investigators disappearing.

If you do get transferred, what things will you miss the most?

I will miss the people most and the friendships I have developed.  Thank goodness for technology!

That awkward moment when…

You are “doorbell ditching” a note on someone’s door and you hear them buzz someone in so you have to hurry and hide and they think someone stole the pin on the door because you accidentally took it with you…

A guy is flirting with you at the library while you are emailing and he knows you are a missionary…

You knock on a door and a guy answers in his underwear… (no, they weren’t boxers)

Your companion accidentally stabs a sharpie into a yogurt cup and gets the lid stuck…

You forget to turn your phone on silent and your cat ringtone accidentally goes off and the person thinks it’s their cat and says, “Oh, what’s wrong sweetheart?” And goes looking for their cat…

You get bit by a dog. . . twice…

A goat tries to eat your skirt…

Whitney will be attending a Mission wide conference on Saturday where they will have the opportunity to hear from leaders of the church including a general authority.  Saturday is also the day she will learn if she is being transferred.  Waiting to hear on transfers is so hard.  You wait to hear IF they are being transferred and then wait another week to hear WHERE they were transferred to.  If she is transferred, I hope a member updates me on where she goes.

Until next week.  .  . 

The sun is setting on their time as companions :(

Soooo ready for spring!

Yesterday we had interviews with the Mission President and they went great! I got a really great blessing from President Stoker.  He asked me how my area is, how Sister Bee is doing, how I am doing and then asked if I am burned out yet after being in Augusta for 6 months.  I said nope, there is still more work to be done and then he said, “Well, we’ll just have to see what happens at the next transfers…”  So we’ll see what happens since transfers are only a couple weeks away.

This week we got one new investigator!  Her name is K__ and she is super awesome!  She is really sweet and is really interested in learning more about the gospel.  She has some friends who are members that she admires and has been to church with them before and loved it.  They moved and she went to a different Christian church with her sister and could tell the difference.  We read the intro to the Book of Mormon and she loved it and is going to read it and come to church.

I can’t wait for warmer weather and more sunshine.  We have been stuck inside and in our car so much because the weather has been so cold.  The other day, just walking to the car made our skin hurt!  I miss being able to walk more.  You know how much I love to walk.  I miss our evening walks around the neighborhood.

I have read a few cool family history stories lately.  Maybe I will be in one of the areas where we had ancestors before I come home.  It would be fun to look for their gravesites while I am here.  One of the elders here found the headstone of one of his ancestors the other day.  It is soooo cool.

There is one reason to be excited for the day we find out if we are being transferred. . . We are having a huge meeting in Exeter with ALL of the missionaries and two General Authorities.  There is a rumor that Elder Packer might be coming!!!  As for transfers, we know something is happening because President Stoker told Sister Bee that some changes are coming.

I didn’t have time to answer your questions.  I will send you a letter to answer them.  (Yep, she did so well last time she tried to write a letter…)

Love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cute house

Too much snow!

Time for a selfie

There was even a candle inside

Don't let the sunshine fool you, the windchill was -25!!!

You call this a letter?????

We won't be hearing from Whitney until tomorrow.  They have interviews with their Mission President today. 

Last week in one of her emails she said, "I am sending you a letter. . . well, kind of a letter.  You will just have to wait and see."  We finally got the "letter" this weekend.  We LOVED what we received, but laughed at the post it not on back saying that she had soooo much to tell us and just didn't have time to write it so she did this instead.  She then said she will have lots of stories to tell us when she gets home in October.  What kind of logic is that????????? 

Oh, that girl!  Good thing we love her. 

Enjoy her illustrated "letter."  She loves her mission, the people she meets and the sometimes awkward positions she is put in.  She may not want to come home in the fall.

Here it is.  You may recognize some of the stories from previous posts.

Whitney loves animals.  The lady with the 13 cats wasn't interested in their message but really wanted them to meet her cats.