Lots of Goodbyes‏

Well, I think I'll start at the beginning of the week.  I don't know if any of you knew this, but our area in Boise East, was actually the 3rd biggest area in the whole Boise mission.... the only thing is, 90% of it was uninhabited.  There is a big chunk that we spend all of our time in, and then 20 miles of desert and nothing, and then at the very tippy bottom of the area, there are like a couple dozen houses that no one ever visits.... ever. Anyway, we had a few extra miles this week, so we decided to venture out.  To sum up the experience, now we realize why no one ever goes down there.  I'll attach some pictures, so you can see what I mean.  The most exciting parts of the trip were getting lost, running out of road, and meeting some livestock.  It was actually a pretty good day. Also, I decided where I want to live.  I all but picked out my lot.

   The rest of the week was relatively uneventful.... at least compared to Saturday and Sunday! On Saturday, we waited around for transfer calls.  When they came, I found out that I was going to STAR!! (I don't expect you to know where that is.)  I also learned that I was going to be in another tripanionship... I guess I'm such a trouble missionary that one companion can't handle me ;)  Kidding. We have a few theories about why they put us together. We'll just have to see.  Anyway, right after we got the call, we instantly became super busy.  We knew we were talking in church in both wards, so we would see all the active members, but we wanted to let the less-actives know that I was leaving. It was wonderful because I got to bear my testimony so many times of the truthfulness of the gospel. It was a great day. Then, Saturday night, we went across the street to the Accordinos to help them with yard work, and I found a new friend! His name was Humphrey, and he was a caterpillar/inchworm.  He was adorable, and he ended up getting his own photo shoot in the daisies...........

   Sunday, we spoke twice.  It was ok.  I also announced over the pulpit that I was leaving, so everyone was trying to catch us after the meeting to ask where I was going and who the new sister would be.  It was intense.  Thankfully, there was a Linger Longer for the Oregon Trail ward, and I got a lot of pictures with people before I had to leave.  By this point, I was getting stressed out thinking about packing and everything, so a family invited us over in the evening to sing.  It was awesome. We just stood around the piano and sand hymns for like 30 minutes. It felt just like home and helped calm me down a little so I could concentrate on packing.  

   This morning I got shipped out to Star with my new companions, and I love it already.  I know that I am going to have so much fun. Sister Roundy was actually in the MTC with me, and Sister Kingsolver was trained by Sister Thompson!!  Crazy connections. I think we're gonna get along great.  Also, I had an epiphany today that each of my areas have bordered the mission. Odd. I've never been in the middle.  Oh well.

Love you dearly,

Sister Pratt

Temple Trip pictures

the edge of our area....

we made some new friends....... llama or alpaca? 

"Don't you think daisies are the friendliest flower?"

 

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.‏

 Honestly, I have absolutely no idea what this quote means. Someone got it from a fortune cookie this week.  If anyone has any ideas or insights, let me know!

   So... this week I have really been working on writing in my journal every night. I don't know if any of you have seen the movie Mountain of the Lord. You should watch it. It's awesome. Anyway, we saw it during lunch one day, and it really inspired me to start keeping a journal.  Right now, I've written 10 days in a row--pretty impressive if I do say so myself!  I was also hoping that my journal keeping would help me organize my thoughts for the week in my email, but apparently not. I still don't really remember what happen much during the week.

   One thing that was awesome, was we were able to attend a baptismal service on Saturday!  It wasn't for someone that I had taught, but we brought an investigator to come watch it with us, and she loved it!  She is a little 10 year old girl that wants to be baptized with all her heart, but her parents (who are members) won't take her to church.  It's really sad, and we're doing everything we can to encourage her Mom and Dad to make the gospel a priority. We've gotten to a point where we are trying to organize someone from the ward to give her rides to church on Sunday.  We don't really know yet how the parents will react.  Anyway, that was something cool that happened. It hasn't been too long since the last email.... so I guess I shouldn't feel too bad that I don't have much to say. 

Hay Que Tener Fe

Sister Pratt

 

I don't have a whole lot of time left, but I'm stalling in hopes that I will get a name for the new baby boy! (and maybe a picture?)  Let me know as soon as you can!

 

 

so.... this week while we were out proselyting, Sister Capitan and I decided to do one of those "Well, let's see where this trail leads to....." This is what we found!

                                                              Also.... this is our district from the Temple haha

HEY6/19/2014

  This week has been weird.  We didn't have P-day on Monday because we're going to the temple today! It just throws everything off. Then again, it's so worth it to get to go to the temple. I love it so much. I wish we could go more often.

  Anyway, I don't have a whole lot of time because we have to fit in a lot today. I just mainly wanted to send this email to let you all know that I'm still alive! I'm doin' great! Workin' hard! Lovin' life!

  On another note, transfers are a week from Monday, and we both have an inkling that I will get moved! I don't know--we'll see. Hope you all are doing well. I love you more than baby pandas!

Sister Pratt 

Picking Cherries

a cute dog!

The only pictures we take on a regular basis--car pics.

We had lunch at the old folks home! Super fun

 

idontknowwhattoputinthesubjectline‏ 6/9/2014

   So I will just start right off with a cool experience that we had! I don't know if it was this week or a week past (they kind of blend together).  As missionaries, we take a couple hours each month to cruise mormon.org, and up until this transfer, I didn't really know why we were supposed to use it.  Obviously, I would try to update my own profile, in case someone wandered on it sometime, but mostly, I just would watch the videos of other people and explore the different resources.  For me, it was kind of just "fun" time.

   Flash forward: We are talking to this less-active lady, and I'm trying to figure out in my mind what she needed to hear.  I just kept listening to her, thinking something would come up.  Then, she started talking about the experience she and her husband had trying to have kids. She talked about how hard it was and explained that her one son was actually adopted.  All of a sudden, I remembered a video that I had watched.... mormon.org/chance 

   The people on the video talked about the very thing she had been struggling with! I knew that it was the right video we needed to show her. After she watched it, we were able to have a great discussion about the hand of God in our lives.  It turned out to be a really productive visit, when at first, I had no idea what we would say to her! You all need to watch the video, btw, it's a keeper. 

   In other news, we have 2 investigators with baptismal dates! Miracles happen! The work is hastening, and I love it. I hope you all have a safe and blessed week.  I was inspired by the reminder of Grandpa Edwards praying for each member of the family, and I have tried to do the same! You all are in my prayers. Hay que tener fe.

Sister Pratt

 

Hey Guys! Sent 6/2/2014

   Sometimes when I get all your emails, I feel out of the loop....... but then I remember that even before my mission, I was still out of the loop! Haha there's something about communication in our family that's really selective, but I don't mind. I know it will get to me somehow--it just might be a few weeks/months later than everyone else.

   For Instance: Since when is Weston going into the Air Force? Did I know about this? The last time I heard about the military is when he wanted to be an aeronautical engineer..... like 4 years ago.  Does this still mean you'll be going to Lubbock?  Also, I knew that Mom and Dad were going to Europe, but it totally snuck up on me! I don't know how that happened. 

   This week was really fun because we had exchanges. I seriously look at exchanges as an awesome time to work your tail off for 24 hours. You're with a different companion and sometimes a different area.  You just have to commit yourself to be your VERY best.  That's why it's so fun! You get so much done, and you always feel good about the day.  I was with Sister Metcalf again, but we were in my area this time.  We had a blast (as always).  The only trouble was, at night, she got a splitting headache and couldn't fall asleep.  It was pretty bad, but we stayed up for a little bit until it got better.  The only result was, we kinda got our tails kicked by the lack of sleep.  Plus, we had to walk all day. I guess you could say I was kind of tired the next night.

   Another reason this week was weird, was because we flooded our goal for RCLAs (lessons taught to recent converts or less-actives).  Normally we have to work really hard to get any lessons in our area, but this week, they just kept coming! We were kinda confused... "What's going on?" type of thing.  It felt good, though, and more people seem to be progressing.  Also, 2 of our investigators came to church!! Wow. What a week.  One of them we couldn't see, though, because she isn't actually in our ward. Occasionally, someone outside our area will want to be taught by Sister missionaries--such is the case with one of our progressing investigators. It's nice to have people to teach, but at the same time, we wish we could help her more to be a part of the ward. Catch 22.

   Well I think that's about all for this week.  I love you so much. Keep the pictures/videos coming! I love it. I makes me feel like I'm there with you.

Sister Pratt

The New Era!  AWWW!

Sister Capitan accidentally sprayed whipping cream all over her face..... at a members house for dinner.... It's safe to say we were laughing for 15 minutes.

 

Crazy Week!

   I guess all weeks are crazy to a degree, but this one was just odd. The great thing about missionary work is no matter how crazy it is and no matter what choices other people make, you can always feel accomplished and happy that you've done your part.  I think that is a gift that our Heavenly Father gives to us as missionaries. We don't have to worry about how other people use their agency. We only have to worry about giving them the opportunity to use it. 

   I've realized that is all that missionary work is about. If you think about it--it isn't our right to make decisions for other people or to take away their ability to choose, and when we don't share and invite others, that's exactly what we're doing!  We need to present other people with the opportunity to make those choices about accepting or rejecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Once we invite or share our faith with others, we have done our part. Even if they don't accept it, we have done our part. We succeed when we invite--not when a friend comes to church or gets baptized or whatever--we succeed when we extend the invitation. 

   Well, that's it for my missionary work lecture for this week. I hope you guys are all having a great time because I sure am! I am so loving life right now! We had 2 lessons on gratitude on Sunday, and I totally soaked them up! I really want to be more grateful in my life.  The lessons were based on a talk by President Uctdorf (I don't remember which one), but he talked about 3 times to be grateful:

1) Being grateful when good things happen--that's the easy part

2) Being grateful on an ordinary day--this one takes a little more focus

3) Being grateful in your trials--this is the hardest part, but if we rely on the Lord, He will help us see the good in EVERYTHING. I know it's true because this has been a crazy week! Haha it really has, and yet, it has been one of the best weeks I have had. It's all about an attitude of gratitude. :)

Love you all!!

Sister Pratt