Email from September 16, 2013

I got the best surprise for a missionary mom on Tuesday, the 10th of September. I received a text with pictures attached of Sarah and her companion! So I asked in an email if it was an investigator who sent them, because I forgot to ask that evening.

No, an investigator didn't send that picture. It was a lady in the ward. We go and visit her a couple of times a week. She's active but her husband and kids aren't. However, we're the first set of missionaries her husband has let in the house and has sat and listened to us talking. So hopefully we can get a little further with them. She's a really really sweet lady and she just loves us!

Also, the name Elder Zerilli sounds super familiar but I can't put a face to the name. Hahaha.

I haven't gotten the stuff you sent yet, but it'll probably arrive today. Mail doesn't show up until around 2 or 3. Oh, and since transfers are next Tuesday you might want to mail stuff to the mission office if you send it later in the week. Because who knows if I'll be here or off somewhere else!

Hmm, so this week. We finally got to teach the two children of the inactive woman again! But she canceled our second appointment. Typical haha. The bishop gave us permission to set them on date for baptism though! Because the mom is consistently bringing the kids to church and is trying to change. So we'll see how the lessons go this week, if they happen at all haha. We had set appointments on Wednesday with potential investigators but they both canceled. Sigh. BUT they both rescheduled! One, a young woman named Shannon, we saw on Saturday. We had a good long discussion/lesson with her, just standing outside her door. At one point she asked us when and where we meet for church! She was pretty interested in coming, and we were about to give her a Book of Mormon when her husband comes up behind her and is like "I don't mean to be rude, but we're Catholic. I've met plenty of Mormons and they're just not good people, blah blah blah, I don't want my family to become like that, have a nice day bye." So we left. And it was really sad because she was genuinely interested! And Sister Jensen and I found it interesting that HE was like "We're Catholic bye" while SHE said she was raised Catholic but doesn't practice and is just generally Christian now. We're going to keep praying for her and see if we feel inspired to stop by, and hope her husband isn't home. We also started teaching a 12 year old girl. Her 14 year old brother got baptized about a month and a half ago and she wants to be baptized but she wasn't taught. She's very sweet and eager to learn. Also, we had a less active at church yesterday who I hadn't seen at church before! Her 6 year old daughter sat next to me and I let her draw in my little notebook and she gave me a fruit snack and 2 hugs and I melted inside. Hahahaha.

Yesterday, Sister Jensen and I were up in the northernmost part of our area, Paradise Hills. It's a little development that like 1/2 the ward lives in haha. We were up there for dinner and after dinner we decided to try and see Brother Keller, a member of the bishopric who we don't know very well at all, but his wife sits by us in church sometimes and she just ADORES us. I love it. Anyways, they weren't home but their 18 year old son was. He told us he had a friend living down the street who might be interested, so we decided to tract it. Found said friend, wasn't interested, but kept going. We knock on this one house. WAIT before I go further: it's been raining a TON here lately, and there's a ditch up above Paradise that flooded on Friday night. The streets were filled with water and there was a LOT of mud in a bunch of people's driveways and it got into some people's garages. So anyways. We knock on this one house and a 12ish year old boy answers. He looks SO FAMILIAR, and as I start introducing us I'm trying to think "Which member family is he from?". He stops me halfway through my offer to pray with them by saying "I've seen you before!" I hear his mom say "Come in!" We step inside and as soon as I see the mom I know where I've seen them. When I was on exchanges with Hermana Encarnacion we tracted into them in a completely different part of town and prayed with them! The mom (let's call her Laura), was AMAZED that I was brought into her life again, completely by chance, and wanted to pray with us again. So we did and we offered to help them out because their garage was flooded and I prayed for that and yeah. They said they weren't interested in being taught because they have their own church but that they would love to pray with us again so sometime when we're up in Paradise we're going to drop by and start secretly teaching them. Hahaha. But COME ON. There's NO WAY that's a coincidence. NONE. The Lord knows what he's doing. So yeah. We'll work on that.

That's all I can think of for now! I LOVE YOU!!!! I can't wait to get your letters and stuff! Email me back muy rapidamente, por favor!

I LOVE YOU!!! <3

Sister Sarah Noakes :) :)

Sister Sarah Noakes, 09/10/2013

Sister Noakes and Sister Jensen

Email update, September 9, 2013

Okay so about my week! On Tuesday we went on exchanges with the sister trainer leaders. They're kind of like zone leaders but specifically for sisters, and there's a set out west and one in metro. So I was with Hermana Encarnacion. She's from Spain and she's AWESOME!!! We spent the whole day tracting because we have like, 3 investigators hahahahaha. BUT we found a lot of potentials and we just had a lot of fun. Oh and... she taught me Spanish. And apparently the promise in my patriarchal blessing is true... I have "the ability to learn languages".... because she taught me Spanish and she said I did so well, picked it up so fast and had such a minimal accent that she would recommend to President Murdock that I have the potential to become a Hermana. Well, this weekend President and Sister Murdock came out to GJ to take a tour, etc. Sister Jensen needed to talk to Sister Murdock about some health things, and so when we met up with them, President Murdock turned to me and was like "Sister Noakes, I hear you want to become a Hermana." HAHAHAHA. So yeah. I might be a Hermana. They want to open new areas but all of them are Spanish areas, and they don't have enough Spanish missionaries. Oh dear! Anyways, Sister Murdock said that you called her! hahaha. And she said that you found her on facebook too. She says you sound very sweet and like a good missionary mom :) ALSO when the mission office called me to tell me you had called about that package, I about had a heart attack. I thought Grandma had died or something. So yeah. Hahaha. BUT I GOT THE PACKAGES. Boots, coat, Hawaii picture book, all that fun stuff.  (Mom disclaimer: I *thought* the number I had was for the mission office, but no. It was for Sister Murdock. But she gave me the mission office number so now I won't make that mistake again! And Sister Murdock sounds very nice and just the sort of mission mom you'd want for your daughter!)

 

I'm trying to think if anything else happened this week. well, when we were with Sister Murdock, she told me that Hermana Encarnacion spoke very highly of me and that she is impressed with how I've been doing. So that was nice to hear :) Um right now I can't think of much else, BUT i'm going to send you some pictures. I LOVE YOU!!!!!! Hey this Wednesday will actually be 17 months until reunification. YAY!!! Love you bunches and bunches!! Oh also. If you got pics from the mission office of me and Pres./Sister Murdock and then my whole transfer, I got them too, so don't worry about sending those. If you don't have them... you'll get them one day hahaha.

 

Okay so first picture is Sis. Duprey, me, Sis. Turner, Sis. Gregerson, and Sis. Beck, at the MTC pointing to Denver (well, that was the goal haha) Second is my whole MTC district. hahahaha. Back row is Brother Evans (teacher), then Elder Oldham (Emily's boyfriend's cousin (small world)), Elder Campbell, Elder Austin, Elder Rosequist and Elder Matson. Next row is Sis. Beck, Sis. Gregerson, me, Sis. Turner, and Elder Welck, with Sister Duprey in the front. None of the smiling ones had everyone's face in it, so you get a weird one. Hahaha. also what was the name of that CO mission moms thing? Sister Jensen wants to tell her mom about it. Oh and in answer to your "what should I do?" question - keep up what you're doing!!!! I love getting little letters during the week and having an email or two as well :) LOVE YOU!!!!

 

 

First is me and Sister Warner in the DENVER AIRPORT!!!! (Sister Warner is a missionary that Sister Noakes "met" on Facebook originally and saw a few times in the MTC as well.)

2nd is a nice picture of my MTC district sisters :)

 

3rd is a goofy one :)

 

 

 

 

WARNING: SNAKE PICTURE AHEAD!!!!! We found one outside a member's house. (It's file #1483, hahaha. I'm trying to NOT SCARE YOU)

 

 

Me and Sister Jensen! And I'm wearing makeup?? Yep! hahaha. (Confession: I've never been a makeup wearer, so I utterly failed to teach Sarah how to wear it. So her mission companion has done it for me. ;D -- And she looks fabulous, doesn't she?!)

 

 

And then a deer! I thought dad would appreciate that one. It was outside a member's house when we left from dinner.

 

 

Me and Sister Jensen again~

 

 

And look, I hung up all the stuff you sent me :) (I send her random things I find on the internet, LDS quotes, scriptures, things that I think she'll like or be inspired by. And a few pictures to round things out.)

Also, no idea if we have a mission scripture. Hahaha. We have a bunch of stuff we have to recite every day! Those are our purpose (in PMG), D&C 4, D&C 20:37, the Standard of Truth (a quote from Joseph Smith) and Work Ethic, a quote from... Kimball I think. It starts with "One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work!" Etc. Oh, also, homesickness update: I'm doing way better!! I still miss you guys, obviously, but I feel a whole lot better about everything. I pray for you guys every night!!! I love you bunches and bunches, forever :) LOVE YOU!!!

(That quote is actually from Ezra Taft Benson, "I have often said that one of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work! If a missionary works, he will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, he will teach by the Spirit; and if he teaches by the Spirit, he will touch the hearts of the people and he will be happy. Work, work, work—there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary work." September 1990 Ensign)

SPIRITUAL MESSAGE TIME! John 16:33 :) the singles ward sisters gave us brownies with that scripture on it, and I LOVE IT! "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. in the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." IT'S SO TRUE! And I just love that scripture. Christ overcame it all, so we can too! Heavenly Father is never going to give us a trial we can't handle. I love knowing that.

Oh we've been getting a TON of rain here again. It just started yesterday and it's been dumping buckets on us. I am enjoying it because it's cooled off and i don't feel like I'm turned into a pile of sweat the second I step outside. hahaha.

SORRY ABOUT THE SNAKE. but I thought it was cool and that maybe dad/Spencer would like it. Oh and I got dad's story and cried and yeah. I'll write him about it. you should pester Spencer to email me back!! Short is good. maybe through some espanol in there. Also sister Jensen is a fake redhead ;)

LOVE YOU!!!!

hey have you seen the church's new "intro to mormons" video series? I've been watching them while i'm waiting for emails/for sister Jensen to finish up. they're cool! i found them on lds.org.
LOVE YOU LOTS!

have to get off now! talk to you next week!

LOVE YOU LOTS!!! SEE YOU SOON!

Sister Noakes :)

 

Also, I've sent her a few pictures of our new kitten, Angus. Our older cat, Apollo, isn't sure what to think of the new little guy, but so far they're tolerating each other. Sarah's disappointed she's not seeing the kitten stage, but I'm trying to document it for her with pictures like this one, of a totally exhausted Angus sleeping in a very awkward position on my knees.

 

 

Email from August ... oops, September 2, 2013!

MOM!!! This is my weekly email for this week :) a reply :) and yeah, emailing on Monday instead. My companion and I have exchanges tomorrow, so normally we would just email tomorrow but we can't since we'll be with a different companion tomorrow haha. SO right now I'm at a member's home, doing laundry, and emailing. 

 

I don't actually HATE Fast Sunday. Just sometimes it makes me really emotional and this past week was one of those kind of days. So I vented to Sarah a bit!

You're not an awful person for hating fast Sunday! It's a toughie hahaha. I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting yesterday. And just thinking about dad writing down his story/bearing his testimony is making me cry. Haha I'm a wimp. Anyways, we were in sacrament and the bishop (Bishop Moses, hahaha. Sound familiar? :)) finished up his testimony and I FELT from across the chapel Elder Austin (MTC district, now in my ward) turn and stare at me, because a missionary's first fast Sunday in a ward... you're kind of expected to bear your testimony. So he's gesturing to me "hey, you, go up there!" and I was already thinking about it and I HATE IT when people tell me I should. Because then I feel like I have NO EXCUSE hahahaha. So anyways, every time there was a break he would be making faces at me to go up there. Finally I stood up and he did too. So I went first and called him out for forcing me to go up there hahaha. It was great. So that was my fast Sunday.

 

Alright, so news about the rest of the week. On Wednesday I might have accidentally locked the keys in our car... Oops. So we had to walk to our next appointment and then home from there... Then we got a ride to dinner, then to our lesson with the Beckers, then Sister Becker took us down to a corner and we walked to visit a lady in the ward then walked home. Fun times. But on Thursday we got a locksmith to come down and open it up and we rejoiced. And the church paid for it, so don't worry about that hahaha. But anyways.

 

Taught a few lessons this week. We have 2 new investigators! They're the children of an inactive woman in our ward. They're 9 and 11 and very sweet. We also taught two lessons to this "eternigator"... catch my drift? Hahaha. On Tuesday we had a very good, spiritual lesson with her, she was praying and feeling the spirit, it was GREAT! And then.... we went over on Wednesday.... and she had done a 180. She still wants to see us and have us read the Bible with her, but she doesn't see why baptism needs to have proper authority. And she doesn't want to follow any man besides Christ. GAH. SO that was interesting.

 

So we'll be trying to find more people to teach. And teaching the ward mission leader's family has been a TON of fun. They're adorable.

 

I have been feeling better about being away from home, but it's still hits me hard every now and then. I'm probably going to suck it up and ask for a blessing soon. Hahahaha. But I was feeling really good for a couple of days, and then it  just hit me hard again. So we'll see. Grandma Noakes wrote me a letter and it got to me last Monday and I BAWLED, because she said she missed me. And she doesn't really say that.... I got your card! And I loved it! I hung up the pictures :) ... (Mom note, some really private things followed that I'm not going to include on this blog!)

 

Anyways, doing better! I love you guys! Tons tons tons tons :) :) I'll be sending you a letter, as per usual. Oh, and Kourtney sent me pictures she had printed out of Samantha's wedding, so don't worry about sending me, if you haven't already. I love you guys!!!! OH hey, since yesterday was fast Sunday, only 17 more until I'm home!!

 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!!!

August 26, 2013, Email Bonanza!!

I had written a bunch of random emails to Sister Sarah Noakes, hoping they would make her smile a little when she opened them! One of them was a series of questions, which is the first one she responded to in this list. Enjoy the random conversation!! I put in a few comments where I thought it might help clarify the conversation.

August 26, 2013

HEY MOMMY!!! :) :) I figured answering these questions would be a good email because Sister Jensen has been sick all week soooo we didn't really get to do much. I read a LOT of Preach My Gospel and Jesus the Christ hahaha.  Okay SO:

I asked Sarah about where they were living, an apartment, etc. And about funds, because being new to the mission parent business, I didn’t know how it all worked.

1) Yes we are in an apartment. Just a 1 bedroom, 1 bath thing but it's well updated inside in terms of new carpet/paint. Appliances/bathroom not so much but whatever, it doesn't have to be fancy :) And yeah, I have that MSF card that we use for pretty much everything. We have like $140 a month, which isn't a ton, but we always get dinner from members so it works out okay.

I had sent Sarah a couple of emails/addresses.

2) and 3) Thanks thanks :)

Asked her about clothes needs and a skirt we’d considered making but hadn’t gotten around to doing before she left.

4) I need to remember to do measurements!! Maybe later today. Or something. Hahaha. You'll get them eventually :)

I reminded her she could mail her SD card from her camera to me and I could pull the pics off and return it to her.

5) Yeah I figured :) These computers at this library just don't have SD card slots (at least, not all of them do haha), so I'll send the SD card to you when it's a bit closer to full. I haven't taken a ton of pictures yet, because there's not a lot of time for that and yeah. 

This was about Courtney, Sarah’s roommate her freshman year at BYU.

6) Well I already mailed off my letter so hopefully it got to her. If not her parents can probably forward it. And you sent me her email so I can bug her too ;)

I applied for a job that I thought I’d really enjoy, but didn’t get it. … and I griped about my upcoming root canal.

7) I've been praying for you guys every night. I hope things get better. I know no matter what you will be blessed for having a missionary, but I can't tell you what those blessings might be. But you're always in my prayers.

I said I missed having her sit on the end of the couch watching Say Yes to the Dress and So You Think You Can Dance with me. It was our “girl” time …

8) Gahhh I miss it too! But when I get closer to home, start savin' up some Say Yes's, okeydokey? :) :) And I approve of the final 6, even if I can't remember who some of them are hahaha.

And in response to one of your other questions that I remember: Grand Junction is a lot like here. Hot and dry, but a much higher elevation. There's not really mountains, but there are mesas all around. Sometimes I forget where I am because the climate is so much like home, but then I see a mesa and I'm like "Oh yeah, Colorado" hahaha. But it's been raining a TON here the last couple of days. Colorado's been in a drought, so they need it.

Uhhh yeah. This last week we didn't teach anyone, because we basically spent Sunday-Thursday in our apartment. We had zone conference (two zones, trainings taught by the mission presidency, the AP's, etc etc) all day long. Oh and at that meeting we were informed that all sisters in this mission are going to be required to wear makeup. Oh boy hahahaha. So Sister Jensen taught me and I'm getting better, I think. I'll figure it out. Also our zone conference wasn't even our zone, because we couldn't go to ours because Sister Jensen was sick. So that was interesting.

What else?? I feel like I had thoughts haha. OH! Could you send my sparkly flats? Please and thank you :) not right away just eventually :) Also could you burn/get the EFY 2012 cd for me? We borrowed it from another sister in our district and there's this one song that I adore. I don't know what it's called but a guy sings it and it's about going on a mission. It makes me cry. MOM NOTE: This song is called "Give It All to Him," sung by Tel Dyer. And it made this momma cry, too.

https://soundcloud.com/mom2mykids/give-it-all-to-him/s-hXhBO

I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!! You guys are the greatest. I got your two packages on Friday - the pictures and the VP cd and the hot tamales and the LETTERS :) :) which made my day. I'm doing better homesickness-wise, but it's still hard (I'm not crying everyday about it, so that's good haha) I'm just scared that as Sister Jensen and I get back into teaching and disappointments it will be hard again. If I keep feeling this way I'll definitely ask for a blessing. They're lifesavers :) But I've been getting better at it. I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU but I get to talk to you every week :) :) and if you could keep snail mailing me letters I would love that :) I don't need packages every time!! But the notes make my day and honestly make it a little bit easier. You guys are the most amazing family :) :) I love you so much. Thank you for praying for me :) I can tell!!

I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

**********

I emailed Sarah about the wind/rain/thunder/lightning at our house. I took a picture and sent it, tried to send a video also but it was too big and didn’t go through. I’ve also been finding quotes subway art and scriptures online, printing them, and sending them off to her.

MOMMY!!! This came at the PERFECT time :) :) I think I answered all of your questions in the other email I just sent. We have had some thunder and lightning here too, and it is AWESOME!! Love it. Also I think we might be able to do the monument on pdays, but we haven't done anything like that yet. It's a bit damp out so I don't think today is a good day hahaha.

I really like the scriptures you sent!! I've always liked them. Thanks for the reminder :) And I had forgotten but now I remember you talking about your homesickness too. It really is getting better :) Pday is a little tough because I feel closer for a bit and then suddenly, back to missionary life! So it's hard but I'm getting the hang of it. I feel bad for making you cry :( I won't ever quit. I know without a doubt I'm supposed to be here. It's just really hard to "forget myself and go to work" sometimes. But, I don't know if you've read my patriarchal blessing yet, but it tells me a couple of things. 1) I responded quickly to my Heavenly Father's call. So I KNOW He called me, without a doubt. And 2) There are people who ONLY I CAN TEACH!! That is both amazing and TERRIFYING!!! Hahaha. But if I came home now, I would for sure be a better person. BUT I would feel SO ashamed. I know I haven't found those people yet. I'm going to spend the next 18 months looking. It's promised to me that if I find those people, teach them and bring them to the gospel, and then remain faithful for myself, those people will enjoy the highest degree of the celestial kingdom and call me blessed. That part always leaves me in awe. Can I really do that for people??!? I guess if Heavenly Father says I can, then I can! What an amazing blessing. I hope you've read it. You should tell me your thoughts :) :) I want you to know that you guys are AMAZING. I wouldn't be who I am without you for my family. Always remember that!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!

*******

Yeah the video was too big to play but whatever, I've been in a downpour myself down here HAHAHA.

Oh my goodness I LOVE that picture of Samantha!!!!!!!!! Who let my best friends get married and stuff?? She looks STUNNING. Holy guacamole. (This is about one of her friends from high school who got married this month. There was a beautiful picture of her coming out of the temple with her new husband, which I snagged off Facebook and sent to Sarah.)

Thank you daddy for the conversion story :) I know bits and pieces but not the whole thing. I look forward to it! Don't worry about the shoes too much!! How about we wait til next transfer :) Which will be September 24th!

OH before I forget! Next Monday you might not get an email from me. It's Labor Day and the library will be closed. We're thinking of asking permission to use a member's computer, but don't be scared if you don't get something, okay? And Tuesday might not even happen because my comp and are doing exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders on Tuesday!! So an email might not come til Wednesday next week. I hope I'll survive hahaha.

Sister Jensen is feeling a bit better, but the cold keeps moving around from head to nose to cough and chest and yada yada yada. I haven't gotten it (knock on wood). But we're going out and doing stuff now, so that's good!

I LOVE all the random emails. It makes me feel more at home, like you just randomly wanted to tell me something.

Haha keep lookin' for my blessing. I actually wrote down a lot of it in my study journal and then my thoughts! I wanted to annotate it. So maybe I'll send you my copy in a few weeks if you can't find yours. Haha.

LOVE YOU!!!!! Miss you. BUT LOVE YOU!!!!

*****

I asked if she minded if I put some of excerpts of her handwritten letters on the blog. Not all of the letters, because some of it is really personal, but I think some of what she wrote would be inspiring to other missionaries/future missionaries/families of missionaries. I know they’ve helped me, as her mom, understand what she’s going through and maybe inspiring us as her family to make sure we pray for her and support her and love her.

Excerpts are fine! Like, I don't want patriarchal blessing quotes on there haha, yeah, but I think it's important for people to know that I'm out here for a reason! :) And I will definitely do as Bro. Finger suggested. I think it's a great idea! Did I tell you the Lindes wrote to me while I was in the MTC? I wrote them back last Monday. And Mark and I have been sending letters back and forth. Also Kourtney Grisham wrote me, and Emily and I have emailed a bit. I was thinking of sending an email to Courtney, but I have to find the email you sent me with her email first hahaha.

LOVE YOU!!!

*****

She said her companion’s been sick and I as a mom hassled Sister Sarah about making sure she stays healthy. And to buy some Mucinex or the equivalent if she starts getting congested. At school she literally had a cold that lasted months because she didn’t get enough rest and didn’t buy the medication. Kids!

Yeah we wanted to buy mucinex for sister Jensen but it's spendy and end of the month and yeah. But I will remember!! I'm listening :)

Hahahaha I'll suffer too!!! And yeah, transfer weeks will be hard because you won't know where I'm at for a week!! But like you said last time, no news is good news. So yeah.

Does Spencer start school tomorrow???

***** 

Yep, Spencer starts school tomorrow! He starts at MCP, anyway. Then Wednesday his Tri-Tech class starts, so he’ll be at MCP 7:30-10:30, then Tri-Tech from 11:30-2. Busy boy! He’s gonna have to lay off the computer when he gets home and concentrate on “real” work. We’ve already discussed this at length, ha ha!

Yeah he is a busy kid! Get his butt to work! Hahaha. He'll do well. Is he doing home study seminary? Because seminary is important!! And we have an indefinite amount of time? I'm kind of just waiting til my comp says she wants to go. Hahaha. As long as we're not here for over 2 hours we're good. WOOHOO! So I'll keep this up and send a quick "goodbye" message when we leave.

LOVE YOU!

*****

OH AND LOVE YOU!!!

(from Sarah)

*****

Talked a bit about Grandma Noakes and family vacations, which would be boring for readers. Told her about Grandma Noakes’s phone biting the dust and that she replaced it with an iPhone.

Oh and you told me that Grandma got an iphone.... HAHA. I can't believe that she actually got one. I'm trying to picture it.

Deleted some really personal stuff that I just want to keep for ourselves.

Okay I have to get off now!! But always remember that I LOVE YOU!!! Talk to you soon :) keep the emails comin'!! :) LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU :)

*****

I mentioned I needed to get off my duff and write to Elder Mark Ingalls, Sarah’s cousin, again.

Yep Mark is still in Council Bluffs, like he's been the whole time haha. There's a sister in our district (Sister Quist), who's been in GJ for NINE MONTHS. Hahahaha. Watch that be me. But that's okay, I like it here :) Apparently when they send you out west they never bring you back ;) but she's getting transferred next transfer.

Anyways.... LOVE YOU!!!!

So that is the stream of consciousness email session I had with Sister Sarah Noakes this past Monday. I don't know if I can handle NOT having a similar session this week, with the holiday and no library access for her. Boo hiss. I will get through it, though!

Weeks 2-3 08/19/2013: More Emails from Sister Noakes! August 19, 2013

Okay so first things first: I'M IN GRAND JUNCTION!! Yep that's my first area. Grand Junction 1st ward. My companion/trainer is Sister Jensen and she's great!! But more on that later.

So we flew into Denver last Monday (wow, only a week ago haha) and then we went to the mission office and did lunch and trainings and interviews with President and Sister Murdock. While they were interviewing me President Murdock said "You're going to a place that ... that needs a lot of missionary work." And boy oh boy does it! We have like, no investigators right now haha. But it's okay! We're trying to connect with members in our ward and get them to give us names and stuff so we can actually teach lessons! We have spent a lot of time driving around the area (it's about 5 square miles), knocking on a lot of member's doors and getting no response, and trying to teach less actives/inactives as well. But no one seems to be home or have time for us a lot of the time. It's a bit discouraging but I'm definitely learning to rely on my Heavenly Father and my Savior. Which is good, I really need that.

So after the crazyness of Monday we had transfer meeting on Tuesday. Transfer meetings are always right after p day soooo whenever I get transferred you won't know until the next week where I am... but you're right, no news is good news! So anyways, at the transfer meeting in Denver I got told my companion/trainer was "over the mountain" so she wasn't there. If you're "out west" you have a mini transfer meeting closer to your area instead of driving 4 or more hours to Denver or "metro". The missionaries are split half and half between the two areas. Anyways, after I got told my companion was out west I knew I would be too haha. I already had a sneaking suspicion hahaha. So then I got told I was going to be serving in Grand Junction and then they packed up all our stuff and off we drove! The transfer train stopped in Rifle first, dropped about half of us who were being transferred off, then went on to GJ. We got to their transfer meeting, they announced all the new companionships and areas they would be serving in, and then we were off to work! Well we got lunch first haha. Oh so right after I met Sister Jensen, she handed me the keys and said "You get to drive." SAY WHAT? Hahaha. But she doesn't have a license so naturally I got to. But I'm a good driver.

Sister Jensen has been out for 6 months and turned 20 a couple of months ago. She's from North Carolina and I had to laugh because apparently I just like my companions to be from NC! She's great, she's been teaching me a lot and has really helped me not be so discouraged with how the work (or lack thereof sometimes) is going. But I miss you guys a lot and that's hard. But I also LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Everyday I think about how much I love you guys and how grateful I am for everything you've done for me. You don't have to worry about me. You entrusted me to the Lord for 18 months and He will take good care of both me and you. Alma 19:23 talks about how because Mosiah entrusted his son Ammon to the Lord, Ammon wasn't harmed. It made me cry because I know you have done the same. So even if the work isn't going as well as I would like or if I'm getting discouraged, I know that everything will be okay because we all have faith and trust in our Heavenly Father.

I've been reading my patriarchal blessing a lot and have started making annotations of it in my study journal. Have you read it yet? I want to hear your thoughts!!

Uh so about the letters you wrote. Keep 'em comin', but we can't get into our mailbox right now. So I'll send off some handwritten letters today too, sorry if they don't respond to what you wrote hahaha. We're working on getting the mailbox fixed but it may be another week or more. However you should definitely keep sending me stuff!! I want an overflowing mailbox when we finally get the darn thing to open hahahaha. Oh and I guess my address is important. It's 1240 Bookcliff Ave #6, Grand Junction, CO 81501

ALSO if you send a package, you should send still send it to the mission office BUT ONLY SEND IT USPS. USPS does free forwarding so it will get to me quickly, but if you do UPS or FedEx, they have to wait til someone from Denver drives out to GJ and remembers the packages haha. So that may be a while. But I would really appreciate my coat soon (it's hot but I still want it just in case. You never know. Just the big blue one would be okay. Maybe stick it in one of the space bags I left?) Also I want my Vocal Point CD! oh and I wouldn't worry too much about the whole CD player thing. If you already got one that's fine, but we mostly listen to music in the car anyways. I don't have many opportunities to use the ipod.

So yeah, our area is small and not a lot is going on at the moment. We share the ward with a companionship of elders, Elder Reese and Elder Austin, so that makes work even more difficult because there's not a lot to do anyways and we have two sets of missionaries in a 5 square mile area! Our zone leaders called today and said they were going to look into expanding our area a bit. Which would be nice hahaha. But I'm getting to know this little section of GJ reaallly well. Oh and Elder Austin is the Elder Austin who was in my MTC district. Fun fun.

Oh hey did I mention that I love you guys?? BECAUSE I LOVE YOU A LOT!!!! Hahaha I cry every time I type that. I'm a wimp.

So yeah, I LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU AND LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU. I'm gonna go respond to your other emails now. If I think of some good stories I'll be sure to share. I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! And I can tell that you guys are praying for me and I can feel your love all the time. I hope you know I'm praying for you every day and that I constantly think about how much I love you all.

Oh and I can't send pictures on this computer apparently SORRY. I'll figure something out.

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Week 1: 08/06/2013, MTC First Emails and Pictures!

Sister Sarah Noakes was able to email us on Tuesday, August 6. She was also able to send us some pictures of her roommates, the whole Colorado Denver South Mission zone, and the Provo Temple. We're so excited for her to have this opportunity to serve the Lord. (The new Doctor reference is in regard to Doctor Who, one of our family's favorite television shows. Yes, we're geeks. Nerds. All of the above.)

Her email:

Ahhh Mom! Your emails made me cry! In a good way. Also it gave me a preview of the dearelder that you just sent that I haven't gotten yet. About the new Doctor? Haha I don't remember him AT ALL but that's alright.

Anyways, it's been crazy busy here! I was way way homesick the first day, but I prayed and prayed that I would feel better and be able to focus, and so far I've been totally okay! I still miss you, don't think that means I don't miss you, but it just means I can actually focus on what I need to be doing instead of being distracted by thoughts of home and crying like, always haha.

Okay soooo I'm trying to think of all that's happened (a LOT! We have 16 hour days everyday and every second is filled by something.)

I got here just fine, but you got my letter about that. That's cool that the lady who checked me in knows Polly! Anyways I was an "early arrival" so I got to hang out with everyone else who had arrived early and then we got to eat lunch! All the other missionaries arriving at normal times don't get that. And then I went and met my host missionary and we dropped my stuff off in my room and then she took me to get books and then to my classroom aaaand then I was a missionary! Well I had been a missionary since getting set apart the night before but you know what I mean. Haha. I was one of the first few people there and the first sister there, so I got to get to know my teacher and some of the elders in my district. So my district is who I spend all my time with. There are four sisters and six elders. And us four sisters share a room! So we have myself, my companion Sister Duprey, and then Sister Turner and Sister Gregerson. Our elders are Elder Austin, Elder Rosequist, Elder Welk, Elder Matson, Elder Campbell and Elder Oldham. Elder Oldham is actually the cousin of Emily's boy ;) He walked in the first day with the right last name and he looks a bit like Nick, so I had to ask if he had cousins in Minnesota. Small world!

And then that first night we had to go and teach some "investigators" in these huge groups of like 40ish people. They would ask questions and we would have to answer them and try to build their faith. I say "investigators" because the MTC uses actors who may be members or who may be nonmembers, but we have no way of knowing which is which!

So basically we have a ton of class everyday, 6 hours! In 3 hour blocks. For the first couple of days my companion was sick, so it was hard for us to get some things done but we took her to the doctor and she's doing much better :) OH so she is 22 and from North Carolina. Sister Turner is 21 and from Alberta Canada. Sister Gregerson is 19 and from Irvine California. And the elders in our district are babies. Okay not all of them, but so many of them are super young and fresh out of high school! Okay wait, maybe only Elders Oldham, Austin, and Rosequist. But STILL! I just can't believe it haha. So Elders Matson, Welk, and Campbell are 19 and have done some school, but Elder Campbell only turned 19 on our 3rd day here at the MTC hahaha. And our zone (another district also all going to Denver South), is all elders and they're young too! Or at least it feels that way. I can't believe that there are elders who JUST GRADUATED who are already out here in the field. They are babies and I love them all. No but really, I always talk about how much I love the elders and how much it frustrates me that I can't hug them. They're all sweethearts. I probably sound like a freak but I just love everyone here at the MTC! My heart is just overflowing with it.

So yeah, class all day, roleplaying teaching, teaching "investigators" which are our teachers that are playing investigators they had on their missions or people they just know, and we also teach in the TRC. That's the actors. And we just learn so much! It's kind of scary to think that in less than a week I'll be out in the field teaching real people! But I believe that I can do it. But it's still way scary.

Oh so about going to Denver. So we're flying out on Monday morning aaaaand we have to be ready for the bus to pick us up at 430 in the morning. Ewwww. And we're not allowed to go to bed early on Sunday night. So our flight leaves at 830ish. I might buy a calling card but I'm just not sure yet. I would be calling you way early, and I just don't know if I'll have time at the SLC airport. I'm pretty much positive I won't have time at the Denver airport. So I may just buy one and try to call, but I also am not quite sure of the rules about calling haha.

You should be proud of me! During gym time I've been running/walking a mile every time. I walk the first lap and run the last 9. I have no idea how fast I run it though haha. I should time myself next time. I also usually play volleyball with the sisters in my zone (another district in our zone right now is going to Provo UT, but they're leaving today! So we'll get another district here shortly, but I don't know where they are going.)

I see my friend Sister (Becca) Redd everywhere. Okay mostly just at mealtimes but at EVERY meal time because we have the same one. And I've seen some other friends from school. However I haven't seen Elder McKell yet, although I actually have no idea if he is here or in Brazil or what. Hahaha. So that letter from my mission president apparently says that we can only email immediate family? I suppose that's okay since you're the only one who's emailed me so far, hahaha. And that we're not allowed ipods, only CD players? So I'll clarify that I suppose, since the mission president's wife said otherwise and part of the letter said something about the past president? So I kind of wonder about that hahaha. I will let you know if you need to send me a CD player and some CDs, I didn't bring any.

On Sunday we got to walk around the temple and it was so beautiful outside :) And we had a mission conference which is the whole MTC, and that was super good! Plus sacrament meeting, the Sunday night devotional, and "movies". Our devotional was Jenny Oaks Baker! She played the violin for us at least 4 times. It was so beautiful! And her talk was on spiritual gifts and was way good. And her 4 kids played a song too! It was SO CUTE. Then the "movie" that I watched was an MTC devotional by Elder Bednar called "The Character of Christ". It was probably the best thing I have ever listened to. It made me want to be a way better person. If you can find it somewhere online then you should definitely read it!!

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!

And then Sarah sent another email:

Oops. Okay so.

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!!!!! And I do miss you bunches. But I know I'm where I'm supposed to be and that I'm doing the right thing. It's just really hard when I think about it too much haha. Like right now. But I am learning and growing so much everyday. I feel so much closer to my Savior and to my Father in Heaven than I ever have before. I can't wait to get out to Colorado and tell people about my Savior and how much I love this gospel! I know that I have people to teach and people who only I can teach (like my patriarchal blessing says, have you read that yet?) I am so excited to be a missionary. Thank you for praying for me. I pray for you guys every night too. I hope you know how much I love you. Remember how I said my heart was overflowing with love for everyone here at the MTC? It's overflowing with love for everyone I know back home too. Thank you for supporting me. I miss you and I love love love love love love you. Tell dad and Spencer to send me some emails too!! Or some letters. Tell everyone to send me letters or dearelder me. I got your package by the way, thanks for the hot tamales :)  :) My call packet is by the head of my bed? On those boxes or whatever? Yeah anyways. Thanks for the quotes, I really liked them!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll send an email with some pictures right now. If you're reading this within the next 15 minutes email me back right away? That's all the time I have left. LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I'm doing the right thing. I know that. When I was struggling I read D&C 68:6, and I realized that, as much as I sometimes think I want to go home, what the true, deep desire of my heart is to tell people about Christ and His love for them.

I'll be seeing you so soon!!!! It will fly by.

LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU LOVE YOU

And then, pictures ...

Name tags on the MTC room door

Sister Noakes (left) and Sister Duprey, companions

Sister Turner and Sister Gregerson, the other two roommates

Sister Noakes and Sister Duprey in front of the Provo Temple

The whole zone of Colorado South Missionaries

Sister Noakes and her roommates (Sisters Duprey,
Turner, and Gregerson) and two sisters going to Provo.
The sister in the wheelchair was ill but refused to go home!

Sister Noakes

So these are some pictures of me and my companion, Sister Turner/Sister Gregerson, the four of us, our whole zone of Denver South missionaries, and our district + 2 sisters in our zone going to Provo. The girl in the wheelchair is moving in with us and staying another week because she had some serious and unexpected health problems, but she refuses to go home, which is AMAZING! Sorry I can't tell you about specific pictures, because I can't see them hahahaha.

 *********

So that's her first email! We've actually received THREE letters from her (I didn't know Sarah knew how to write that many letters!), and it's been wonderful to read them. Emotional, but wonderful. I plan to type up the letters and post them later.

I looked up the talk she mentioned by Elder Bednar, and it is really wonderful. It was originally given at a BYU-Idaho Religion Symposium in January of 2003, while Elder Bednar was still in the Quorum of the Seventy. The talk can be found here: http://www.scottwoodward.org/Talks/html/Bednar,%20David%20A/BednarDA_CharacterOfChrist.html.

D&C 68:6 Wherefore, be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you; and ye shall bear record of me, even Jesus Christ, that I am the Son of the living God, that I was, that I am, and that I am to come.

Week 1: 08/06/2013 Off to the MTC and first email home!

Sister Sarah Noakes is off on her mission adventure! I, her mom, will be posting here when she sends emails and pictures. We received emails today, August 6, 2013, in which Sarah updated us on life in the MTC and how much she is learning and growing. I'll post that separately.

For now, here are some pictures of Sister Sarah Noakes as she was getting ready to go through security last week.

Luggage

Ready to go through security

One last glimpse. The girl in the orange top and
yellow skirt was also going to the MTC.

(I don't know why blogger is giving weird formatting, skipping parts of letters, etc. I will have to play around and see what I can figure out. Bear with me!)