License Plates, Knocking, and Service - Oh, my!

Hi all!!!!

This week was pretty great! We had all sorts of craziness and miracles and fun things! On Wednesday, we had interviews with our mission president, which was actually really nice. I didn't know what to expect from this interview, but it was amazing to be able to communicate about my struggles and my successes! He gave me some amazing advice, and it really just strengthened my testimony of the priesthood and increased my gratitude for worthy priesthood holders!

For Thanksgiving, we ate dinner with our Stake President and his family. That was fun and delicious! I love the holiday, especially as a missionary! Everybody is so much more willing to talk to us haha, and the members try so hard to help us feel loved this time of year! Our members are amazing!

We visited a TON of people this week, which was so nice!! We asked a member family for a recommendation of a street to knock, and the street they suggested was so ready for us! We handed out a Book of Mormon, and I think we got permission to come back from a few people!

We had a friend on date for baptism, but it didn't work out. That was really sad, but we had a feeling it might not. But that's okay!

On Sunday, we had a return missionary speak in Sacrament meeting, and he asked us who we wanted to be on the airplane ride home. That question has stuck with me. He also asked who we want to be at the judgement day.

But yeah. That was my week! We had lots of meetings and lots of little miracles. My trainer says "TM zone" whenever we see a little blessing, and I thought she meant like trademark... But it's tender mercy zone! we saw lots of those!

We've also done lots of service this week, which I LOVE!!

And then the license plates. My trainer has been looking for a license plate with her initials, and she hasn't found one in the 17 months she's been here. I've found 10 in my first month!

But we found one today! We laughed so hard when we saw her initials! Maybe now she'll feel ready to go home haha.

But yeah it was a good week! Thank you for the emails and for the love! Church is true!!

Love you all!!

Sister Davis

Pictures:

1. the snow!!

2. a Jeep with LOTS of rubber duckies

3. My companion's initials and a weird sticker.

Also... ha ha

I forgot to give you all my email! I love emails from you! Please email me! I can get them and receive them throughout the week, but I can only respond on pday! I loove emails and look forward to them! So don't hesitate! I want to hear from you!!

davis.chloe@missionary.org

 

First Official Day of Rain!!

  Finally!!

   You guys! I woke up this morning and was like "oh, is that rain!?!?" And my companion was like, "i think it's the shower" and I ran to the window, and guys. It's actually raining! This is the first time it's rained since I've been here! 

   I'm sure I won't get excited when it's been raining everyday for a few months, but it's actually rain! It's so weird.

   Just kidding.

   Kind of.

   Anyways, this week was amazing! We're actually going to the temple this morning which I am super excited for! I love the temple! Have I already said that? I must've because I love the temple!

    Anywayss... this week was pretty good! We met some of our friends! Yayyy! A couple of them weren't actually interested... they were just meeting with the missionaries to be nice, but that's okay! We're looking for the Lord's elect that have been prepared by Him!

   One of our friends is on date for baptism! It's a maybe-baptism, like we're hoping to be ready by that day, but who knows. The adversary is really working on her and her family, so prayers for Jessie! She has a strong testimony and a desire so the Lord will help us figure out the rest!

   Another cool thing from this week was Zone Conference. Basically, we drove an hour to Olympia(?) and spent all day in training and didn't get back until like 6. I learned a lot, and I was definitely exhausted afterwards

   We also had transfers this week, but our sister training leaders live with us so we didn't have to do the overnight thing. That was fun! My STLs have sooo much energy and sometimes I just stare at them and wonder why. They're hilarious!

   Okay so I've kinda had a few spiritual thoughts in my head this week. 

   The first is about Nephi. I remember in primary, the teachers would always ask, would you be willing to give up everything that you have, leave it all behind, and follow the Lord? For the longest time, I wasn't sure. I had the realization this week that I did!

   I looked at my companion and was all excited and they thought I was crazy.

   But to a certain extent, I gave up my comfort and my life (two years of it) to go and do as God commanded! It was a pretty cool thought!

   My second thought was what I wanted for when I get home. As a missionary, you see a lot. You see families that are progressing on the covenant path, families that are lost, families that are broken. I've seen what I want and what I never want to see in my own life and the life of my future family.

   I've also been asking other missionaries what they want for the future, especially those missionaries that are going home soon. For example, I want a Foosball table! I won't explain why... I also want to make sure to visit the elderly, or at least those in my family that will be elderly one day... 

   Their are a lot of elderly people in my area. They're all sad and alone, and they need us. I love the elderly! They're so wise and sweet! They're just the best! So yeah, I want to always do my best for them! 

    Ohh and I want to play the organ in the temple one day! I can barely play the piano, but it's just something I'd love to do someday!! My companion is going to try and teach my to play the piano which I am so grateful for!

   This week, we taught a family about the family a proclamation, and while we were talking about it, someone told me that they don't think it's still in force. It made my sad because I know that it is still valid! God's commandments about the family are still commandments! I'm grateful for my family. I'm grateful that my dad had us sign it and frame it!

   The family is sooo important! It is central to the Plan of Salvation. It is ordained of God. I'm grateful for my family! I'm grateful for the things they've taught me and for the things I've learned from the sweet families here! 

   I love you guys! Thanks for the support and the emails! I pray for you often! Let me know if you ever need prayers! I'd offer hugs, but if you really need one, hit up Seth! I'm sure he'd be happy to give them out

   Let me know if I can do anything for any of you!! Love ya!!

Pictures:

1) our Christmas tree!!

2) zone conference

3) me and my companion

4) Christmas ornaments!

5) fog

6) sagebrush??? I think that's sagebrush - let me know if it's not and I'm just dumb

7) sweet Jesus picture!

Washington!!!!!

Heyy friends!!

I love and miss you all! Thanks for the emails last week and for all the love! 

I am officially in Washington! My p-day is on Tuesday from 8am-6pm so that's when I'm responding!

This week has been pretty good! Last Tuesday, I woke up at 4:45 and cleaned out my room, hopped on a bus, got on the FrontRunner, and then got on a plane. The flight was interesting I haven't been on a plane since I was little, so it was pretty cool! I got the window seat, so it was kinda bittersweet to wave goodbye to Utah.

We spent the day in lessons, and our mission president refused to let us sleep until 9 o'clock because he didn't want us to struggle with jetlag. It was very nice of him, but at the time, I just thought it was mean

On Wednesday, I met my trainer!! Her name is Sister Williams, and she is so sweet and so nice! This is actually her last transfer, so she'll be home for Christmas. The bishop in our area said that I was a newly wed, and she was nearly dead! I'd never heard that before, so that was hilarious! 

We're serving in the South Hill ward in Puyallup, and it's a tiny area. However, the people here are soo nice! The members feed us almost every night, and I've already tried some new foods! 

The sisters that were here before us left us with a few friends (investigators) to meet with. However, it's been kinda tricky to get in contact with any of them. We've been doing a lot of knocking and a lot of Facebook finding.

It's been kinda hard. Since we can't get in contact with our friends, I've had a bit of spare time. It's strange cuz I was busier in the MTC than I am here. I was super excited to get out and focus on my purpose and teach about Jesus Christ and serve, and it's been a little hard to do that. It's just different than I thought it would be, which is fine! I know that by the end of this transfer, I'll have learned something! I just need to be patient and trust the Lord!

Washington is actually a lot different than I thought it'd be. For example, it has NOT rained at all! I've had sunny days every day! It's amazing and weird.

Also, everybody here has a religion already! I didn't expect that. I feel like in Utah, you're a member, you don't ever want to be one, or you don't have a religion. It's interesting how many people already believe in God and go to church. I wasn't expecting that!

Everybody also has a dog. That's been.... fun! I've gotten more comfortable saying "oh, I'm allergic." So yeah. That's also been an adjustment.

Now for a spiritual thought...

I'm reading the Book of Mormon again, this time with the perspective of our friends. I'm reading it, looking for answers to questions they might have, looking for simple truths, looking for the doctrine.

It's definitely different. I'm getting a lot more out of it than I usually do. For example, I've been struggling to understand why the Book of Mormon is my greatest tool as a missionary. I know it's true, and I really want to teach that to our friends. So I'm trying to strengthen my testimony of it. 

I was reading 1 Nephi 13 the other day, and I realized that the whole chapter was about the Book of Mormon. In verse 40, it specifically spells out why we need the Book of Mormon.

The Book of Mormon contains covenants that were lost in the Bible. It truly does answer questions of the soul. I'm excited to see how the Book of Mormon changes lives here in Washington. 

Idk I'm just really trying to be ready for when we finally get to teach our friends!

I love my Heavenly Father, and I know that He has a lesson for me to learn here. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and I can't wait to testify of Him and watch other people's testimony grow! I love my mission and I can't wait to share what I experience!

Love you all!!

1) me and my companion

2) Pugent sounds (?) I keep calling it pungent sound...

3) mount rainier (guys I can spell, my brain is just mush right now)

4) cute message!

Washington Tacoma Mission

Dear Parents,

Your missionary has arrived safely!

If you go to the Instagram page there should be pictures of their arrival. Instagram page is listed below. If you do not want Instagram you will miss out on some pictures.  I have attached a picture of them at the Sound.

Follow us on instagram: washingtontacomamission2020.

There is also a parent Facebook page Washington Tacoma Parents that you can request membership.

Please send all missionary mail to the Mission Office addressed to your missionary using their Elder/Sister First and Last Name:

1102 S. Pearl St.

Tacoma, WA 98465

We are so happy they are here, and love them already!

Sister Stevens
Washington Tacoma Mission

Instagram

So grateful for these wonderful missionaries that joined us today to teach repentance and baptize converts! We are so very blessed to serve together! ❤️

Last Day at the MTC!

Guys, I'm so excited!!

I'm leaving for Tacoma tomorrow! At 5 am... I'm super excited though! I'm sad to leave these people but I'm sooo exciting to get out into the field!

I'm in the middle of packing all my stuff, so hopefully this email actually makes sense.

This week went by sooo much faster than last week, and it was honestly a bit better too! I felt like there were less tears, less frustrations, and more opportunities to serve!

We got to help the new missionaries that came in this week move into their residence halls. They were all so cute and nervous and excited, and I can't believe that was me just last week haha. It was raining and snowing that day, so as we waited for them to arrive, we sang Christmas songs! We were probably a little annoying, but it was super fun! It was nice to spend time doing service rather than sit in class, so I had a blast! Even though I did catch a cold...

It's amazing how much service really makes me feel better. We got to help set up chairs for the devotional and that made such a difference! We all came out laughing and skipping and smiling, and it really just changed our attitudes!

We had that devotional on Tuesday night with Elder Mark D. Eddy from the general seventies, and his talk was sooo good! He encouraged us all to make our love for the Savior as the reason we're serving. I've been working on that, and I've felt my attitude and actions change even more as I've focused on my Savior!

Another thing that I've loved about the MTC is the classes! Every morning, we have class with our teacher named Brother G. He is amazing! I've loved learning about the gospel from him! He's also kinda really short so all the Elders in our district tease him for that. They've tried to trick him into telling them his height, and honestly, it's impressive how creative they are. It's sooo funny.

But in Brother G's class, we had the opportunity to teach this girl named Emmy. We had 7 minutes to get to know her and 5 minutes to plan a lesson. It actually went amazing! Me and my companions got to teach it, and it was so powerful! The Spirit definitely guided us on that one. She was so touched and inspired, and it was just an amazing experience. 

But probably my favorite thing about the MTC - definitely not the food - is the Go & Do experiences we get to have each Sunday. Basically, we get two hours to just study. They give us a topic we can study about and some resources, but we're supposed to be led by the Spirit so we can learn what our Father in Heaven wants us to learn. It was amazing!

I ended up studying about the premortal life and the plan of salvation. I'm not going to share too much of what I learned because it does feel a bit personal. However, I just wanted to ask you all a question and invite you to ponder over it:

During that last hug with Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father before you left your heavenly home, what are some things They might've whispered to you? What did you say to Them?

I think about when I said goodbye to all my sweet little cousins who will be so big when I get back. I think about them promising to never forget me. I think about me doubting it since it'll be such a long time but still hoping that they'll remember me.

I know that's how our Savior and our Father feels. They want us to remember, to always retain in remembrance the goodness of our God.

He is good. 

He loves us, and He never wants us to forget that. I know this is true. I've felt it more strongly than I ever have before. 

I love you all! I'm excited to hear from you! 

Love,

Sister Davis <3

Pictures:

1) the snow

2) saying goodbye to my teachers (gang signs)

3) more snow

4) one of those poor souls that's never seen the snow

5) trying to figure out Brother G's height

6) district and our branch presidency

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