Hey! So transfers happened on Wednesday. Sister R, my new companion, came to the area on Thursday. She is from Brigham City and is very focused on the work. She has had a great amount of success in the year and 3 months she has been out. I needed some one with her drive. Hopefully things will start to pick up around here and we can start getting things done.

Nothing really happened this week, Sister P wanted to see everyone before she left so that is how we spent Monday, and Sunday. . . Tuesday was P-day. Wednesday I was in for exchange. I really like Sister J. I don't think I could be companions with her for a long time but she is a great missionary and is fun to be around. We had an interesting experience. We were tracting before 8 and we were let into a house. The family was very nice and VERY Catholic. While we were there the husband started asking what we were expecting to do there. We started to tell him a little bit and he got very argumentative and everything Sister Johnston said he just shot it down, and everything I tried to say he shot down too. Then I thought of the advice B gave me many times. And I testified to him of Christ. I felt the spirit and I know he felt it too. He stopped arguing with me and Sister J. We left the house shortly after that. Thursday Sister Ream and I got to work in this area. Friday the same thing just preaching the gospel. Saturday was pretty fun and busy.

Anyway, that is about all for the week. Nothing too exciting. Just trying to work hard and serve the Lord. I am excited to speak to everyone on Christmas.

This scripture has been bouncing around in my head for a few days, 2 Nephi 19:6 "Unto us a child is given and he shall be called Wonderful, Counseler, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Remember as we go through this season that Christ is the reason for the season. Because he was born he could die and rise again so that we may see God.

Love you!
Sister D

Transfers

So it is transfers this week. I am staying in G F, and my companion is moving. This is a good change and a bad change. I was actually praying for a change, and then President called me and talked to me about what I felt was best for the area, me and the mission. Then he asked me to pray about it. I did and I felt like something needed to change. Sister P and I talked about the talk I had with President, and we decided that it would be for the best if she moved. We called president talked to him. . . this happened a few times. . . we decided we could figure it out, and then President came up with the option and then we found out that evening. I am a little worried about the new companion and taking over the area but I know it will be for my good and I know this is what is supposed to happen.

This week. . . Monday: Pday, Sister P was sick so we didn't go out. . . Nothing big that day. Tuesday: We had district meeting, then we went to a Recent Convert's house had dinner and watched Mountain of the Lord for a lesson, we then met a new Less Active and got to know her and gave her a thought. Wednesday we kept ourselves busy in spite of sickness. We met with a few less actives and a few investigators. I don't think the investigators are going to go anywhere. . . One has a list of concerns that are a mile long and 20 feet deep. She isn't reading the Book of Mormon so she doesn't have a testimony in Joseph Smith. I finally looked at her on Tuesday and said, I can tell you over and over that it is true, but until you study and pray for yourself you won't believe it. The other one, just doesn't seem to have a desire and he won't read either. The only way to know the church is true is to read the Book of Mormon and study it out for yourself with prayer. . . I wish people understood that. Then we got to go with the Youth to their activity. I am loving the families in the Ward. Thursday, Sister P was sick again. . . this time with reactions to the medication she was taking, we stayed inside all day and we had a 3 hour planning session. . . Friday we met with another Less Active (one that we've activated) took it easy, because we were told to, and we went to see another investigator. He is awesome, but not progressing, he won't come to church and we aren't sure he is reading. Hopefully we can help him and get him and his family to find the peace in the gospel soon. Sunday: Church. Then we taught our one progressing investigator, he comes to church every week. We just need to get him reading the Book of Mormon and the scriptures. We watched Testiments, and I know he felt the spirit. . . it was leaking out of his eyes. I am really excited to see what happens with him in the next few weeks. Hopefully we can get a baptisimal commitment.

It's cold

I keep commenting on the cold here and people ask me, "Doesn't it get cold in Utah?" I described it this way, in New York the cold seeps into you and your clothes. In Utah it just sits on top of you. I thought it was a great description of the difference. We have had a couple of rainy days last week and today is matching that, but it is about 10 degrees colder this week than last. . . it seems as if the snow is going to come.
Sister Pr's foot has been hurting the last few days. We had been doing a lot of walking and trying to find people so under doctor's orders we had to stop that last week. . . kind of frustrating because we are having a hard time finding. But, the Lord gives us blessings. One of the first days after her foot we were taking it easy and we decided to just focus on the lessons we had scheduled, by the end of the morning we were pretty booked. . . then one of the Less Actives (who had cancelled on us earlier in the week) had asked us to come over and we could teach her and she would give us pizza. . . I can now say I have eaten New York pizza. . . we got there and we were about to teach her and her brother (who isn't a member came over) so we taught him the first lesson and we found a new investigator. We will be teaching him on Wednesday and maybe things will work out for him.
I also met one of the other investigators, he found the missionaries a few months ago. They have been teaching him and I got to teach him for the first time this week. He was great! And so wonderful. He could be a great member, but his family is pretty important to him and if there is any problems on that end he probably won't get baptized. He said over and over that since he has been studying the gospel his marriage is better, his family is better, and his business is better. I am praying for him to see that if he joined the church everything will be better.
I'm trying to focus on the work and enjoy every moment I am having, and every experience I am having. When I do my study in the morning I spend 30 minutes in the BofM, and 30 minutes in Preach My Gospel. When I study "Preach" I focus on the lessons, because I really need to learn them, and then I focus on another chapter. Right now I am reading the scriptures in the Christlike Attribute chapter. As I was reading about what faith is I was reminded it is a hope for things not seen. Even though I can't see the good I am bringing here I just need to have faith that I am and that I will be able to do bring about good. It seems kind of frustrating at moments but everything will work out the way the Lord wants it too. I am here for a reason and I will serve the Lord and full fill my purpose for being here.

This is Miss D sister Ms B. She asked that I post her litter for you all to read. If you like to leave a comment I will send them her way.
This week has been interesting, I have learned so much about the gospel, teaching, and myself. My district is awesome! There are 7 elders (at least through Wednesday) and 4 sisters. 4 of the elders are going to the same area with my companion Sister S and I. 2 of the elders and 2 of the sisters are going some to A. And one elder is stuck here with medical stuff and finding out today if he gets to leave this week to D. We get along really well I haven't laughed so hard everyday in my life. I've had some oppertuinities to teach other missionaries a few times. . . it always seems so scary to teach then we get in there and trust in the spirit and we are blessed and able to say things that make a difference to our investigators. We actually get to teach a community volenteer on Wednesday. We will teach him a couple of times. That is going to be a lot of fun. Sister S and I are pretty planned for it and we are going to spend some more time planning today. Sunday was amazing! It was really nice we got to walk up to the temple after sacrament and sit around talk, take pictures, write whatever. . . and was such a beautiful day and so worth every minute. Then we had a Fireside on the Atonement and it was what I needed that day. Relief Society was just nice and great, we had a memember of the General Primary Presidency speak and we sang the cute primary song.

Most of what happens around here is sitting in class. We get street contacted as we walk around campus all the time. in other languages. . . Spanish, Portegues, English. It is so neat to walk around and hear all the different languages. Anyway, not much else to tell you about. Things are good. It is tough and a little stressful but I know it will be worth it in the end.

Love Ya! I hope to hear from you soon. A letter might get to me quicker, and I hope I have an email in my inbox next week!

Love,
Sister D

Tomorrow

Tomorrow at this time I will be in Provo at the MTC

Excited. . . yeah.

Scared. . . yeah.

All of these emotions are there and I can't describe it. I know I am doing the right thing. I know every hard time I went through in the last 8 months was leading up to this. I know the mission isn't going to make life better. . . it might actually be harder. I know I will be blessed for going. So, I am going to finish cleaning my room and getting my stuff organized so it is out of the way, pack. Spend sometime with family and get set apart. Wow! So much to do.

Writing

**I wrote this during The Wasatch Range Writing Project. I thought it would be something good to share before I left I hope you enjoy. P.S. All names have been changed.**

Six Words
by Allison

My first three years of teaching have been anything but ideal. With experiences ranging from unsupportive team members who left me on my own one month into my first year, to parents who wanted to sue me in my second year, having the two “hardest” classes to ever go through my school, and changing from the ease and comfort of sixth grade to the scary unknown of third grade for my third year. Every bad experience however, cannot take away the happiness and joy I have felt in many teaching moments. I have learned many life lessons from the sixth and third graders who have been my life the past three years. There are six words that remind me of why I teach and why I continue to go through the unfriendliness of the world of teaching: be nice, surprise party, and Matt Jones.

“Be nice!” Will Adams scolded. I had made some snarky comment about how I was never going to get married and that was Will’s shocking response. I sat back in my chair, looked at him and said, “It doesn’t matter I was talking about myself and not anyone else. I don’t have to be nice to myself.” To this day my words haunt me. How I wish I could take them back. I’ve thought back on this conversation and this moment thinking how much Will had taught me with those two small words. I just threw those great words away without a second thought. I remember within minutes I had changed my attitude. “What am I teaching my class?” I started thinking, “Who will be nice to me, if I can’t be nice to myself?” I realized right then one of the things I could do as a teacher was help my students to “Be nice” to themselves and their classmates. I also realized my students weren’t the only ones who were supposed to be learning and growing.

“SURPRISE! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MISS. D!” I heard after the lights turned on by themselves. Looking into the face of Tom’s dad, I screamed. Most of my class and some parents were there celebrating my 27th birthday. I looked around and saw the decorations, balloons, hearts, and signs. On the table were buckets of vanilla ice cream, bananas and all the toppings for 8 a.m. banana splits. “Good thing it is Valentine’s Dance today.” I thought to myself realizing nothing would be accomplished all day. The students were walking around the room talking, making cards, and waiting for the banana splits. “Wait!” I continue thinking, “I thought you all hated me. And here you are throwing me a surprise party?!?” From this great group I learned forgiveness. This surprise party taught me that the majority of sixth graders still think their teachers are okay. I also realized I needed to focus on the positive, what I am able to do, and the students I could teach. Rather than focusing on the negative, what I couldn’t do, and the students who were refusing to be taught.

Matt Jones started his third grade year driving me crazy. He was one of the many boys in my class who had a hard time sitting still for more than a minute. One day a bug had entered the classroom and Matt was down on his hands and knees protecting the bug and by extension disrupting the class. By February I had made a change in my discipline plan and started focusing on the positives. Little did I know this would make all the difference for Matt. I watched as he went from being the squirmy, constantly moving, and talking little boy. To a boy who listened, tried to sit in his seat, and drew me many amazing pictures. Matt improved so much I chose him to be Student of the Month in April. I didn’t make this decision lightly, and I made sure my class knew why I picked him, “I know Matt has made some mistakes and is still not perfect, but he has improved so much in the last few months, I picked him.” When Matt’s name was called by Mr. Smith, to get his certificate and backpack, I couldn’t have been prouder. But, the moment that really sticks in my mind was watching Matt during class time later that day. Matt pulled his certificate out of his new backpack, then out of the sheet protector, looked at it, looked at the other certificate from TGI Fridays, put them back in the sheet protector, and then back in his bag. I knew a difference had been made in his life. At a time when I was questioning why I was a teacher watching Matt helped me realize there is nothing more I want to do in my life than teach.

Six words equaling to three lessons that only make up a small amount of lessons I learned in my first three years of teaching. I’m sure there will be many more learned by my students and myself. They may start with words I can add to my list, or they may sneak up on me quietly and wordlessly. No matter how the lessons approach, I know the effort will be worth it.

Thoughts

My sister mentioned that lately all my posts seem sad. I would have to agree. I am at a huge crossroad in my life. The life I wish I had isn't what I have. The life I have doesn't feel like it is going to start anytime soon. (I KNOW October 6th is just 34 days away. 5 Sundays.) I guess I feel kind of lost. And if I was willing to get my one paper finished I think things would be better because I could feel like it was time to go shopping. As of today I am 6 pages closer, just so you know. But, I do have to say I am getting more and more excited as the time moves on. I am ready for a change. And it is going to happen soon. I can't wait until I get to the MTC and until I get out of the MTC and go to Utica.
Besides getting most of my paper finished I missed the classroom bad today. I miss the kids, the other teachers, the office/support staff, my principal. I miss teaching and seeing the lights come on in those cute little faces. I know I will see a different type of light come on in other faces. And I will be teaching something different. But, I still miss my old life. However I keep thinking and reminding myself, I have 27 years to teach when I get back. I can miss 2 years for the Lord.