So I have almost been out in Idaho for a week! It's so beautiful here, I really am blown away. The flight was short and sweet, and I happened to sit by an Elder Harwood from the Olathe Stake! He's going Spanish speaking, and it was just so great to talk to someone who knows the same people and places that I do. We found President Nelson right away, so that was such a blessing! We spent that first night in the mission home, did some training, and were assigned to our trainers and first area that night.
I've been assigned to the Sugar City Stake with Sister Crandall as my companion! Sister Crandall is simply amazing- she has been out for a year, and is also a Sister Training Leader. She's from San Diego, California, but grew up in Utah. She's really organized and likes to be productive, which I just love because we get a lot done!
The people in Sugar City are amazing and so incredibly kind! The only downside is that we white washed the area, which means that they took the two missionaries who lived there before and put two new ones into the area. The previous missionaries were only there for a transfer, and before that they didn't have any missionaries serving in the stake for awhile. It's really hard white washing, but Sister Crandall has assured me that even though it's really slow at first, things will pick up. It is also pretty crazy since we are not only white washing and training, but since Sister Crandall is a Sister Training Leader, she has to do a lot of exchanges and attend a lot of meetings with the zone and in the mission office. So, I've already been on a few exchanges, so that has also made things a bit difficult to really get started here in the Sugar City. Last night I was out on a short exchange with Sister Dodd, who flew out with me from the MTC and is here on Visa wait, so we were both driving out and contacting people together- after just being here! But it was good, and we have both gotten pretty close over the flight and seeing each other often because our companions are the Sister Training Leaders of the zone.
Another thing about Sugar City is that it's very rural, but the people are so crazy nice! I'll have to send a picture of all the food members and less actives alike have given us straight from their garden! So we live in this basement to this wonderful Sister who has quite a few cats and some adorable kittens! The kittens are so uplifting to see after a long (but good!) day.
So we do have a few appointments for this week, which I'm super excited for! We also met a fifteen-year-old girl who really wants to take the lessons, so I'm so grateful for that. We also have a pretty good list of referrals that are from the last missionaries in the area, but we have to clarify some more with the Ward Mission Leaders, because a few of the referrals we tried were actually not referrals, but just less actives. But things like that apparently happen when you white wash, so we'll sort things out. :)
Saturday we got up a little bit before 5am to help at a Marathon in Ashton! Our District was asked to help out, but only Sister Crandall, myself, and the Elders who are in that area were able to make it. We stayed and helped out from 6:30 to around 1:30, so it was a pretty long service! We were also asked not to wear p-day clothes, but luckily all Sister Crandall and I did was prepare the food, set up tables, and help the really nice non-member lady who was sort of over the whole thing with odd jobs. People from all over the U.S. came, which was really neat! Also, one of the Elders we worked with, Elder Christensen, was trained by Elder Garcia, who is from the YSA ward back at home in Kansas!
Unfortunately, the computers at the Family History Center are not like the MTC computers, so I won't be able to send in pictures from my camera today without a cord, but hopefully next week!
There is just so much to tell, but everyone should know that I love the work and I feel that I'm learning so much everyday!
Love,
-Sister Hayleigh Cottrell
I've been assigned to the Sugar City Stake with Sister Crandall as my companion! Sister Crandall is simply amazing- she has been out for a year, and is also a Sister Training Leader. She's from San Diego, California, but grew up in Utah. She's really organized and likes to be productive, which I just love because we get a lot done!
The people in Sugar City are amazing and so incredibly kind! The only downside is that we white washed the area, which means that they took the two missionaries who lived there before and put two new ones into the area. The previous missionaries were only there for a transfer, and before that they didn't have any missionaries serving in the stake for awhile. It's really hard white washing, but Sister Crandall has assured me that even though it's really slow at first, things will pick up. It is also pretty crazy since we are not only white washing and training, but since Sister Crandall is a Sister Training Leader, she has to do a lot of exchanges and attend a lot of meetings with the zone and in the mission office. So, I've already been on a few exchanges, so that has also made things a bit difficult to really get started here in the Sugar City. Last night I was out on a short exchange with Sister Dodd, who flew out with me from the MTC and is here on Visa wait, so we were both driving out and contacting people together- after just being here! But it was good, and we have both gotten pretty close over the flight and seeing each other often because our companions are the Sister Training Leaders of the zone.
Another thing about Sugar City is that it's very rural, but the people are so crazy nice! I'll have to send a picture of all the food members and less actives alike have given us straight from their garden! So we live in this basement to this wonderful Sister who has quite a few cats and some adorable kittens! The kittens are so uplifting to see after a long (but good!) day.
So we do have a few appointments for this week, which I'm super excited for! We also met a fifteen-year-old girl who really wants to take the lessons, so I'm so grateful for that. We also have a pretty good list of referrals that are from the last missionaries in the area, but we have to clarify some more with the Ward Mission Leaders, because a few of the referrals we tried were actually not referrals, but just less actives. But things like that apparently happen when you white wash, so we'll sort things out. :)
Saturday we got up a little bit before 5am to help at a Marathon in Ashton! Our District was asked to help out, but only Sister Crandall, myself, and the Elders who are in that area were able to make it. We stayed and helped out from 6:30 to around 1:30, so it was a pretty long service! We were also asked not to wear p-day clothes, but luckily all Sister Crandall and I did was prepare the food, set up tables, and help the really nice non-member lady who was sort of over the whole thing with odd jobs. People from all over the U.S. came, which was really neat! Also, one of the Elders we worked with, Elder Christensen, was trained by Elder Garcia, who is from the YSA ward back at home in Kansas!
Unfortunately, the computers at the Family History Center are not like the MTC computers, so I won't be able to send in pictures from my camera today without a cord, but hopefully next week!
There is just so much to tell, but everyone should know that I love the work and I feel that I'm learning so much everyday!
Love,
-Sister Hayleigh Cottrell
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