week 28: somos las REDNECK hermanas

After studying outside all day Tuesday and forgetting to reapply sunscreen, my neck got a bit sunburnt...but it was only painful until the zone leader called me a redneck and then I couldn't be a prouder wannabe country girl hehe. 

Speaking of the ZL and his trio...the prank war still continues!! They covered our car in sticky notes this week to get us back haha. Then we got a pepperoni pizza for dinner one night and decided to eat off all the pepperoni and drop it off at their place. Sadly, their windows were open and we got caught, so a few hours later, that same pizza was on our porch but with all the cheese taken off and replaced with rice, ramen noodles and seasoning, hot sauce, a ranch heart, and a single Dorito. Dumb elders We got them back by covering the drivers seat of their car with confetti and the elder in the back seat got a HOOT out of that which made it all worth it lol. Saturday night, they dropped off a disastrous box of Crumbl for us, so now we need a way to get them back!! Send prank ideas por favor and gracias!!! (Prank pics to follow bc it's about all the pics for the week haha) 

Also with transfers last week, we got a new district and it is the two of us sisters and 10 elders so it is a full on elders quorum and I am so pumped for all the fun we're gonna have! Our new DL, Elder Heilner, leaves for Aguascalientes, Mexico in 3 weeks though, so that is exciting, but a big sad for us! :( This transfer is going to fly w all the changes! 

  

On Wednesday, I hit 6 months as a missionary! 1 year left. Holy. Cow. Seriously time flies when you're on the Lord's errand!! It has been awesome to see all the growth I've made already, so I'm excited to see what is in store next. Let's see where the next 6 months take me (England maybe?)! I also finished 1 of 3 journals I brought to the field, so as Hna Gomez would say, "it's perfect!!"

We started teaching a new girl named Annabelle who turns 9 in 3 weeks haha(throwback to vernal??)! We were on a walk and got a call from a ward member saying she knew a girl that wanted to be taught by sister missionaries. We were right by her house, so we stopped in and set up a lesson on the spot! We are teaching her the restoration tonight at 6, so more to come in the next weeks. 

Also, funny for the week! I elbow bumped Brad Wilcox at a baptism!!!! I totally recognized him and his voice, but it didn't click in my brain until after he left. So sadly no photo evidence, but perks of serving in Utah haha!

MILAGRO: On Wednesday night, all of our plans fell through and we had 3 hours of nothing. We said a prayer to be guided as to how to spend our time and we both felt like we needed to heart attack a family in the stake that we had visited earlier that week. As we left their house, we saw some kids outside of a house we had been trying to contact. We talked to the mom and had a really good convo about Jesus Christ. And then set up a lesson for Friday(didn't actually go through, but we don't worry about that oof). Later that night, I reminded Hermana Holt that earlier that evening she had prayed that we would find ONE person to talk to that night. And we did just that! Heavenly Father answers prayers!! 

mucho amor a todos!!

hermana dougall :)

Bringing back the planking trend 

Our pizza to the elders

My mission daughter and her papa 

Pizza from the elders

The post it note car

The elders were so kind to bring cookies and a card

week 27: somos las hermanas MOJADAS

Mojada= WET!!! It rained a ton this week and I'm not even in England yet so the practice was good lol...

We started teaching Victor's sister, Yeribeth, and her roommate Dora! We called Yeribeth last week, before knowing that it was his sister. She invited us over happily and then in Victor's lesson that night, he told us we were visiting his sister later that week!! Small world! We went to her place and both Victor and Dora, her roommate, were there and excited to learn more. We gave them both a Book of Mormon and are looking forward to teaching them more about the Restoration tomorrow. Keep Dora and Yeribeth(and Victor!) in your prayers!! 

Oh and also, Santo Rio and Joseph came to church yesterday!!! Santo Rio is his bright red coca cola hoodie and sweatpants haha, but they came! And the ward just scooped them up with open arms. They sat in the back and had a family invite them to sit in the second row with them instead to sing with and answer their questions. Bishop spoke on goal setting and learning the gospel so it could not have been more perfect!! Keep them in your prayers as we invite them to baptism again this week!! 

Picking up trash this week, I found a handful of Pokémon cards. I remembered that @hermana gentry had given some kids a Jesus card to add to their decks, so I pulled a similar move in our member lesson that night w some young men. I showed them the Pokémon cards I had and we talked about the powers each one had. Then I showed them Jesus and we talked about why his priesthood power was the best power because it is power from God! It went over so well and I'm now basically best friends with all the deacons haha. And bishop was dead when I did it for his family the next day. Too funny!!

Speaking of funny, our elders are the best!!! The English elders covering our stake always seem to be crossing paths with us and it has become a sort of joke where we go out of our way to follow them if we know where their lessons are at and it has turned into a bit of a prank war. Elder Thomas gave me 2 dumb parking tickets in a day(see pics) and thought he was so funny until we covered their backup camera w jesus and stuck plastic water bottles under their tires. They said they have a big one coming, but our next plan is to butter them up with homemade enchiladas and then get them good when they least expect it hehe. So if you have good prank ideas, please let me know!!! 

Hey @Ty and Jake, I'm delivering flyers again!! We had English Connect English classes this week and that is like Christmas day for Spanish missionaries!! We spent all week delivering flyers to all the Spanish speakers we know in the area and inviting everyone that we met! When the Sunday evening class rolled around we had 4 friends come!! Rebecca(who we actually had to drop this week...but then she came to church and English class soooo that's cool haha) and Paulo, Julian, and Saul who we met when we were knocking doors this week that are from Peru and visiting Utah until the end of the summer. Julian and Paulo(cousins) are in their 20s and super cool and pretty good at English! Saul is Paulo's dad and his English is very basic, but he is such a sweet guy and calls me Kaitlyn every time he talks to me since we message on FB, so that is kinda tender. I'm excited to see what comes from the English classes, but it will seriously be such a good finding source the next few months!!! 

Also transfer news came for everyone but for ONCE I heard nothing! First time to stay in the same area for more than a transfer haha. The only change is that we are getting roommates in our apartment and it's the 2 loudest sisters in the mish, so wish us luck haha! 

Milagro: Our members to knock doors with us cancelled 2 days in a row. We had the same route planned each day and it just kept being pushed back, so finally day 3 we got to go. When we got to the first door, I realized it was a door Gomez and I had knocked before and the lady was not interested and very rude about it. But we were there, so I just bit my tongue and hoped she wouldn't be home. But bad news and good news! Bad news, she was home. Good news, she was so NOT rude! Maria opened the door hesitantly at first, but after I threw out all the get to know you questions and introduced ourselves she started to talk, like really talk. She told us her whole back story and finally invited us inside to talk for the next hour. She connected so well with our fellowshipper and was so friendly, even if she was not ready for the church. She is from Mexico and her husband is from Venezuela and trying to learn English, so we invited him to English classes and it was overall so so good. We went the right night, had the right fellowshipper, and just happened to catch her in the right mood. Miracles my dudes! None of that was a coincidence!!

☆Mosiah 26:11-12,16 - god is so good!!!

con amor, hermana dougall

(sorry this email is kinda long and all over the place haha, but it was a wild week!!) 

p.s. send mission "bucket list" ideas!!! spiritual things as well as fun things to accomplish in Utah and England!!

p.p.s. if you send your address, I'll send you a letter!! :)

 us looking like wet dogs after delivering flyers in the rain 

all 3 runners can't touch their toes lol

hiked the Y on P-day!! (basic Provo mission activity lol)

Parking ticket from the elders...got 3 throughout the course of the week haha 

Box of sunshine ... thx madre :)

week 26: somos las DOS hermanas

hey gang!! 

This week started off kinda sad...Hna gomez left for Mexico!!! My buddy:( But it's ok and she is loving it, so we're happy for her!! 

With spring break in Utah, it seemed like practically everyone was gone!! We did lots of service in the area with the nice weather though, taking dogs on walks and picking up trash(@dad...we picked up soooo many masks and hardly any cigarette butts haha, but it's still my least fav thing to do and I'm so sore everywhere!). We met lots of people and got some referrals from that, which was a WIN though!! Also met a guy that asked if I knew "Paul and Sandy" to I finished his sentence with "Rands!! WAIT they're in my home ward!!!" So super small world. I love people haha. 

First time real life in person interviews with President O'Riordan, so I have now, 4 transfers in, officially done a zoom and in person interview with both mission Presidents. President O'Riordan goes home in 2 transfers, so I'll probably only get one more with him before he leaves. Big sad bc he is my Australian bff, but he's going home to family so we'll hug goodbye and then say hey in a year when I go visit them haha. Pres and Sis O'Riordan are the best, so sorry non UPMers!!

Fun and exciting news is that AVERY LOGSDON got baptized!!! Yay! We met her 2 months ago, my first day in Springville and after a COVID scare, a few heart attacked doors, every board game lesson we know, and transfers, that cute girl is baptized!!! It made sister draper and I so happy for her and we were so glad we were able to go back for her big day!! 

Sister Gomez being gone led to our #1 worry. How will lessons go with 2 first transfer hermanas? Probably not so hot, but with our third companion(the Holy Ghost!!), it went surprisingly okay!! We taught Santo Rio and Joseph about the law of chastity and the word of wisdom and it all went well!! They had no major questions and concerns(good thing Silvia wasn't there bc she def would have...) and they are on board to follow them! Santo Rio did mention that he should probably eat less because even though it is a cultural thing, he doesn't always feel healthy and could probably lose some weight off his tum. Facts. That man made us laugh!! Oh also, they loved conference!!! And he is down for church next week when he is off work! Then baptism is the next step!! Woo hoo!!! Pray for our friends!!!

A goal we set now that it is just the 2 of us gringas is to always always always have a fellowshipper in lessons!! A, because we should always do that for friendships. And B, because the members help with the language. Win win right?? Well in Victor's lesson it was a WIN WIN WIN!!! Hermano Avilez joined the lesson and was pretty convinced he could get Victor on date by telling him if he is baptized first, he can baptize his family when they come in October. Not exactly what happened, but he was a fire fellowshipper and made great connections and bore a great testimony on faith leading to actions in the lesson. So good, but that's not all!! After Victor's lesson, he kept us in the chapel a little longer for a lesson of our own. He gave us advice on where to go next with Victor's lessons and with his family as well as giving us a big rundown on Hispanic religious culture and the differences between the catholic church and our church! We learned so much and now we know how we can improve our lessons with not just Victor, but every other person we are or will be teaching!!

Milagro: Analia Gagarza !!! She is the first lady we called from our SIM after we finished calling all the numbers in area book. She picked up on the first ring and talked to us for a half hour! She has a bunch of member friends/family, but she grew up catholic and is kinda stubborn to change. She has read the book of Mormon and has lots of questions, has received priesthood blessings from multiple bishops, and has gone to church in the past, so we were kinda shook she isn't baptized. We didn't have her in our area, so we called around and found out she was in a different ward, so we sent her over to the other sisters who visited her on the spot. This stubborn Latina told them she already had "her missionaries" and a lesson set up for Monday so I guess we are hers now haha. We talked to our bishop and got some more background, but basically she just wants a big faith changing moment in life. We have some good plans for how to focus on priesthood and the importance of faith, so prayers prayer prayers!!! 

love you all :)

hermana dougall 

p.s. mission stories movie comes out in may! go watch it and lmk how it is! (the sisters part was filmed in our Provo apartment and one of them slept in my bed haha!!!) 

Trash picker uppers

The silly goodbyes w gomez

Springville !!!

Walking the CUTEST dog, Rocky!!

5 months!

 Avery's baptism!!!

Trio goodbyes :(

The bishops son, Kendrick, is my BFF!!

week 25: somos las "COVID y CONFERENCE" hermanas

¡hola mi gente! 

Don't let the title fool you. Nobody got COVID, but a few of us did get hit with some symptoms for a day after getting the vaccine on Wednesday. All the reassigned missionaries got it and we had to bump district counsel to Friday because half of us couldn't get out of bed from headaches, aches, and nausea. I had about 24 hours of a migraine and chills, but after that I was chilling. Now I have my VIP COVID card and feel like a 2020 celebrity lol. 

Another highlight from this week is the summer weather! It may have snowed last weekend, but it hit 80s this weekend and I am not complaining. I didn't think I would need sunscreen and sunglasses for my mission being called to England, but here I am sunburnt after walking outside all week. Missionary work in the summer is so so nice and the extra outside time makes me feel so alive!!! 

General conference was the bomb.com!!! We had 4 of our friends watch it and pick out certain themes for them which made us so happy!! Our mission has focused on taking notes from the spirit and then choosing a five word summary as to what we feel the spirit was trying to teach us. My five word summary from all of conference was "Christ loves us all individually." Some of my favorite talks came from the prophet about faith moving mountains as well as the lessons we have taken from the pandemic, Rasband talking about miracles from God, and Uchtdorf teaching us that God is among us. It was a powerful spiritual uplifting weekend!! 

In honor of Hermana Gomez going to Mexico tmrw, my dad told me I should send out one of her funnies so that it would be in writing for the world to see. You guys, she is a crack up and the ESL makes everything even funnier!!! Calling us all "buddy," "adorable," and "perfect" with her accent is my favorite thing ever!!! But a few weeks ago she was trying to make salsa, but couldn't find the "liquidora" or "liquifier" as she referred to it in English haha. I was confused and told her we probably didn't have one, thinking it was a food processor or some fancy appliance. She was frustrated because "everyone uses them and you use it all the time!!" but I had no clue what it was. She started opening drawers and finally found the blender and goes, "AHA! A liquifier!!" I died laughing as I taught her the word blender and we both grew a little closer that day. Good times and I'm gonna miss my little buddy!!!!!!!

MILAGROS: We also found a bunch of new friends to teach this week after wiping basically our entire potentials list. All 100% miracles de fe !!! 

1. LETICIA - We knocked her door this week and she was not just happy, but excited to see us and talk to us in Spanish. She is from Mexico and only speaks Spanish, so when she has seen the elders multiple times she can never understand what they are saying. She wanted our number and the address to the church building, so we gave her both and invited her to watch conference with us! We are super excited to teach her because she is ready!!

2. LEONNA & KARLA - When we had a lesson cancel this week, we went on a walk and met Leonna and Karla walking their dogs. They have lived in Utah for work about 4 years each and don't know much about the gospel, but have some family and friends who are members. They had just recently been talking about how they wanted to get together and learn more from them and see if it was something they were interested in. We happily told them we could teach them what we believe and they were excited to give us their numbers to meet next week!! 

3. FLAVIO - I gave this guy a Book of Mormon at a door contact probably 5 weeks ago. At the time we thought he was golden, but then he went to St George and when he came back he cancelled our lesson bc he was tired. I thought it was for sure a cop out and he wasn't interested, but my comps said to try one more time. We went back Saturday night and he let us in to talk about Easter. BUT we did minimal talking in that lesson. He taught US the entire Easter story with energy and was bouncing around the room talking about each detail. This man talked so fast and was so excited about God's love for each of His children! We were like YES YES YES we agree completely!!! He is a golden man too and I'm excited to teach him the restoration next week!!

If you didn't get a chance to watch conference, go read some on churchofjesuschrist.org!!! Spiritual fire all around and I'd love to hear some of your thoughts!! 

lots of love!!

hermana dougall ♡

compás y conferencia

Thumbs up for Utah mtns and trails to sprint down hehe

Sebastian fed us hormigas!!! (aka. we ate ants...they taste like crunchy nothing)

Our district and my dying comp :(

Our neighbors, the llamas? Alpacas? 

Hna Gomez and I hit temple #5 together!! 

COVID who?

Easter chalk art at its finest