12/30/2013 Christmas!

Dearest Familia,

I just got to see your faces 5 days ago! What a blessing. We had a really good Christmas but I'll get back to that.

Honestly, it's a little hard to be a missionary this time of year! People aren't home, or, if they are, they're with family and don't really want to talk to us. But we still had a good week! We saw our dear Joyce on Friday. She still isn't sure if she's getting the answer she needs, plus she's still drinking coffee. I'm still not too concerned about it because I know she has an answer, she just doesn't realize it. (Maybe next part = confidential?) I am worried about her though. She hasn't been feeling well lately. She has heart failure - water around her heart :( we asked if she needed a blessing but she said she wouldn't be able to come to the door if we knocked! So keep her in your prayers.

We also saw Teaa this week! We taught her, her husband, and her oldest daughter about the Book of Mormon and they were very interested. However, they just put their house up for rent and might be moving to Cortez! I don't want this one bit!! But we'll see what the Lord's plan is, I suppose.

Yesterday we saw a miracle! After church, in our weird gap hour before dinner, we decided to go tracting because we need new people to teach. We kind of randomly ended up in this neighborhood about a mile down the road from the church building. We offer to say prayers, as usual, and the second home we knocked on let us in! Well, the man who answered the door (his name's Sven), was like "No one's ever offered that before, but okay, sure." So we go in, and see a family sitting on the couch watching the Broncos game (what else to do in Colorado on a Sunday evening? hahaha). We say a prayer and then offer to come back and teach them about the importance of families and how families are forever. Sven says (to our shock) "Why not right now?" We're a little taken aback but we agree and he pulls in 3 chairs, they turn off the Broncos game (unheard of), and we teach most of the first discussion and they agree to let us back! The cool thing about Sven is that he's from Switzerland, and, while he was made to take religious classes in school, isn't really religious. But he told us that he had always heard that the best way to learn is to sit back and listen. It was so cool to experience that!

So, Christmas. We woke up and opened presents with the singles ward sisters, then went to IHOP for breakfast with the singles sisters and the 7th ward sisters (aka Sister Cope and Sister Hancock. hahahaha). We came back home for a bit, then went to the Guevaras' for lunch and SKYPING! Well, for me and Sister Donald. Then, home again for a little while. We stopped by the Hollys, a less active family who wanted us to come by and say hi, and then we headed to the Rasmussens' for dinner and Sister Keihle's skyping. Now, if you'll remember back to Thanksgiving when James, a 12 year old Rasmussen, told me my joke was lame... well, ever since then we've had a bit of a rivalry. He ALWAYS wears U of U ties to church (unacceptable), and he likes everything I hate. Not really, but you get the picture. Anyways, I chose to walk into their home wearing a BYU sweatshirt. James took one look at me and ran downstairs to get his U of U sweatshirt. He kept making fun of my "lame jokes", the sports teams I like... and then he tried to say he was the biggest Harry Potter fan. Ohhhh no. So I need some HP trivia questions and lame jokes so I can win this battle. Hahahaha.

I loved Christmas! I'm looking forward to 2014 and my year of missionary work! I love you and can't wait to hear from you!

Love, Sister Noakes

Sister Noakes with her Christmas stocking
(made by her mom)

Christmas Bounty

BYU versus University of Utah

Email from 12/23/2013 -- Christmas coming soon!!

Haven't gotten any Christmas packages but I'm sure they'll arrive today or tomorrow. I won't be opening 'em til Christmas morning anyways. Hahaha.

 

Oh and about skyping. We're having lunch with a member family, the Guevaras, on Christmas day around noon. I can call you and let you know to get on Skype just before I get on there. So probably somewhere between noon and one? I was thinking about Google Hangout and I kind of thought that might be better too, I don't know. Also I realized I'm not sure I remember my skype username for login... is it just my email? I'm dumb and forgot to write that one down. Hahaha.

So, about my week. It's still cold here in Junction and there's still snow and ice on the ground. We're trying really hard not to die every time we're out walking. On Saturday my companions told me I don't know how many times to "BE CAREFUL!" because I kept sliding everywhere. Yep.

 

Oh, so "companions" - yes, I'm in a trio now! Still with Sister Keihle and we're training Sister Donald! She's from New Orleans (actually Covington, LA), and she's super awesome! She just talks to everyone with that Southern drawl and it works wonders up here in cold Colorado. Hahaha! She's a convert and we're loving our time together, even in our tiny apartment.

 

So this week has been a lot of fun. We picked up Sister Donald on Tuesday afternoon. We had dinner at our bishop's house, and we got pancakes with blueberry syrup! Yes!

 

On Wednesday we went over to our recent convert Debbie's apartment to help move her stuff in with the elders. Debbie wasn't there, but her roommate Dixie helped us move everything in. It's been kind of a long week, because of Christmas. You wouldn't believe how many people have told us we can come back "after the new year". Sigh. But it's still been a good week!

We taught a new investigator, Robert. As we taught the first lesson, I remember being so impressed by his willingness to learn about the gospel. He was so accepting! I hope he remains that way. We, sadly, didn't get to see Joyce this week, as she's been sick, but she still came to church and we can still see her exercising her faith. She was sick, and she asked her boyfriend to give her a blessing. She texted us and said "[boyfriend] just left and did give me a blessing so I know I'll be fine." I love her so much! Her faith is so inspiring to me!

 

I also went on splits with Brittanie Steele. We went tracting while Sister Donald and Sister Keihle went to visit some other people. Brittanie and I saw a miracle, as we found a new investigator. His name is Francisco and he's super awesome! He really opened up to us and I felt the Spirit very strongly as Brittanie and I taught him. I'm really excited to teach him again.

 

I've also been forced to use what little Spanish I have in my vocabulary lately. We keep running into people who say "No habla ingles" so I try out my "pocito espanol" on them... unsuccessfully. I'm pretty sure they just play along and are like "Let's see how bad this white girl is at this." Hahahaha. But it's been fun.

 

We've been Christmas caroling to people we see on the street and we are having fun, even with the cold and all the people who don't want to see us for two weeks. Sigh. But it's okay, we are trying and that's what's important.

 

I hope you all had a great week! I love you and I'll see you in TWO DAYS! :) :)

 

Love, Sister Noakes

Sister Noakes uploaded a ton of pictures to Dropbox, clearing off her SD card (she couldn't find the second one she took with her). Some of those will be posted separately. But here are some pictures she sent to Spencer. The dad in a family in the ward collects souvenir swords, so Sarah took some pictures for Spencer to drool over.

 

The "Heronmark" from The Wheel of Time

Bottom sword is Arwen's sword from Lord of the Rings.
Middle blue-sheathed sword is the Heronmark.

Sister Noakes wielding The Heronmark.
(Sword of the spirit, perhaps?)

 

Email from December 16, 2013 (very, very late ...)

I had written to Sister Sarah that our ward was getting sister missionaries the next week. Obviously, she thinks that's super awesome!

 

I'm so excited you're getting SISTERS! Because obviously sisters are the best.

This week was a really good one! Sister Keihle and I have been taking what we learned on exchanges and applying it 100%, and we're seeing the benefits! It's been really wonderful. Debbie, our investigator, was baptized on Saturday! Saturday was a crazy crazy day at the baptismal font - there were 7 baptisms in the stake! Debbie's baptism went really well. The spirit there was so powerful. More than anything I felt the power of God's love for her as she made this choice to draw nearer to Him. It was wonderful. Sister Keihle and I sang "Amazing Grace" at the baptism. I hate singing in public. Hahaha. The single's ward sisters were supposed to sing with us, but their baptism was right after ours and they ended up having to rush out. Sad. The baptism was great and then we went over to Debbie's for homemade chili right afterwards. Mmm, delicious! The elders in our ward also had a baptism on Saturday. It's just a testament to me that the Lord is hastening His work!

Also this week, we taught Joyce again! Twice, actually. Joyce is amazing! She's so prepared and ready for this gospel. When we taught her on Friday, we brought the bishop's wife, Sister Thornton, with us. Having Sister Thornton there was perfect. Sister Thornton is a convert and we were able to have a really good discussion about God answering prayers. Joyce is concerned that January 4th is coming up really fast for her baptism, but we know that if she prays about it she will feel that it is right and be ready. Sister Thornton gave a beautiful example/testimony of God answering prayers quietly, and Joyce said that she felt that God has really been answering her prayers! HOORAY! I love Joyce so much! That lesson was incredibly spiritual and it was great to know that Joyce is feeling more and more ready.

So, transfer news - I'm staying! With not only Sister Keihle, but a 3rd sister as well! Sister Keihle and I will be training a new sister together. So send all your packages to 246 Belford Ave #7, everyone!

Oh, and mom, since you've been asking, we have a Christmas tree! A sweet lady in our ward, Sister Mayo, fed us dinner last Monday and told us she usually gave the missionaries a little tree, but that she'd have to find it. Well, we got a phone call on Friday and she found it, so now we have a little, fiberoptic Christmas tree that came with preattached ornaments! I'm alllllll set! :)

Let's see, other fun things from this week: Sister Keihle and I went to Cafe Rio for lunch on Thursday, but we had members pay for us! We were also given money anonymously at church. The members here (and I hope everywhere) are so generous and kind! I love the love we receive daily. I challenge you to do something super nice for the missionaries back in good ol' Edison ward. Make 'em some cookies or something.

I love you guys! I hope you had a great week :)

Love, Sister Noakes

Mom note: Alas, no pictures this week. Sister Keihle had an appointment and they didn't have time to send pictures. But the bonanza came the next week!!

Birthday!! December 9, 2013 email

I had a great birthday! And I actually got your birthday package on Monday so I was DYING all week - but more on that later.

This week was really good! It was time for exchanges with the STLs again. I stayed here in 5th ward with Sister Jones and, once again, learned a lot from her. Oh, and here's a fun tale: So, Sister Keihle is the assigned driver, so I haven't driven this transfer. When Sister Keihle was gone, I got to drive. Guess what happened on Wednesday, when we had exchanges? We got somewhere between 6 to 8 inches of snow. Yippee!! I hate driving in snow, but it must be done. I didn't wreck anything or hurt anyone, so we're all good here.

This week we re-put our investigator Debbie on date for this Saturday! She's getting baptized! We're so excited for her. We also put Joyce on date for January 4th. Joyce is a little nervous and isn't sure if she'll be ready by then... She's going to be SO READY! Joyce is easily the most prepared investigator I have ever met. I taught her with Sister Jones on Wednesday, and after we left Sister Jones told me that Joyce was the most golden investigator ever. I love her so much, and not just for that. Joyce has such a desire to learn. She has said that she had been looking for a home and that she thinks she's found it. Oh the joy!!!

Sister Keihle and I taught the HARDEST lesson of our lives on Thursday. It was to this couple who were asking us these deep, doctrinal questions. They were mostly about the nature of the Godhead and the premortal life. oh boy. We were not smart enough to adequately answer them. Brother Groves, our ward mission leader, said that we should take him to our next lesson with them. (Brother Groves is a lawyer... and you can tell. Hahaha.)

So, my birthday was on Friday. Sister Keihle made me pancakes for breakfast, the singles ward sisters took me out for lunch (at this sandwich restaurant called Which Wich?, which is really good!), we did service, and we had our ward Christmas party! Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling too well on that day and was really tired. I asked the elders to give me a blessing. It was really great and I really, really appreciated it. I also realized that that was only the 2nd time in my life I've gotten a blessing of healing. Sadly, on Saturday I had to spend the day in bed. I had a case of stomach flu and I really wasn't able to do much. Which is the WORST as a missionary because all you want to do is work!! But I recovered pretty swiftly and was totally ready for church on Sunday (after seeking some much-needed "mom advice" from Sister Rasmussen, one of our ward missionaries").

Thank you so much for all the love you sent me for my birthday! It was a great day and a great week! By next Monday I'll be able to tell you if I'm staying or being transferred! Stay tuned!

Love you!!!!

Love, Sister Noakes

So, like I mentioned - lot of snow Tuesday night. A little more fell on Saturday night as well. This is apparently very un-Grand Junction like, but oh well. I haven't fallen on ice, at least not yet.

Oh, so funny quote of the week: at the ward Christmas party we sat with the Steeles (that's Brittanie's family, who we had Sister Keihle's birthday dinner with? Yeah? Okay). As they were leaving Sister Keihle mentioned that it was my birthday, and Sister Steele goes "What, it's your birthday? We could have fed you raw chicken!" I laughed a lot.

Birthday pictures! I didn't get to make the brownies you sent yet, but Sister Cope and Sister Joslin brought over that brownie with the candle in the morning, and I blew out the candle that night. Haven't eaten the brownies yet since I hadn't been feeling too great. Hahahaha. (Please ignore how huge my forehead looks in that one picture....)

 

Birthday banner and birthday girl (20!)

Birthday brownie! (Thanks Sister "J" and Sister "C"!)

No birthday's complete without a Princess crown for Princess Sarah!

Sister Noakes and Sister "C"

Sister Noakes and Sister "J"

ONE DEGREE??!! Sigh ...