Monday, March 10., 2014 - Rocky Mount, North Carolina - Sister Amber Garvin

'Zone Meeting'

Whew-wee!!!!

How incredible is it that it is already March?  We've already had Daylight Savings? It's been 11 months today that I've been a missionary?  That time flies so, so fast!

It's amazing.

Well, here's the status update for this week:

We had Zone Meeting on Friday with just our zone, and set a goal to have 25 baptisms in the month of April.  It's a really high goal, but we are SOOOOOO wanting to see the miracles that come from working towards a high objective. :)  Sister Felt, and I have really been praying fervently that we'd be able to contribute to God's Kingdom by inviting someone to be baptized in April.

I just want to SEE someone that I teach get baptized SO much! 

It's not my golden ticket or anything..... I know that I've done good here, but sometimes I just want to ya' know.... do something that is everyone knows that misisonaries do-- help someone accept the invitation to be baptized.

I'm trying to continue to maintain the faith and hope that it will happen.  But sometimes I think "Ahhh!!!  Only 7 months left!!!  There isn't enough time left for someone to be baptized!"

But there is.  Because those who are ready have been prepared before I even got to talk to them.  So.....I just keep praying, and trying to be active in following the Spirit to put me in the place that I need to be in order to be a helpful servant of the Master of this lovely, and ripe vineyard. (Poetic right?)

Just in case I don't get to the emails that people have sent me to say about my birthday, I just wanted to send out a generalized 'Thank you!' I'll try to send out a more personalized one next week.

I know that sometimes I ramble on, and on about things in these emails, but I think that I'll like to look back at them someday, and see the progress that I made, and the changes in me.  And that will make me happy when I have some of the "woe is me" syndrome that seems to be infiltrating the minds of many these days.  If I'm ever in that mode and don't catch or correct myself (which I do fairly well at) please help me.  Permission granted. :)

The sun is finally shining regularly, and this summer promises to be really hot, because it's already 70 degrees in March.  I hope that I don't die, because then it would be "woe is you" syndrome, and I really wouldn't want to cause that big of a problem. :)

So yeah, that's the status update.

I'm out of things to say today.  I'm going to try to catch up on some letter that I need to write. 

And laundry.

And clipping my toenails.  Although, you probably didn't really need to know that really interesting fact....

I was going to get my haircut by someone in the ward, but we had to reschedule.... there is a nasty bug/virus that is hitting all the people here. (And I love everyone, but I do not love being sick, and I'd like to avoid that if at all possible.)

Oh!  Sister Felt and I are singing at Zone Conference this week.  So I'll let you know how that goes.  I'll probably be sharp, or flat, or something since we only found out Saturday. :) 

Okay, Bye!

I love you forever!

-Sister Amber

Monday, January 27, 2014, Rocky Mount, North Carolina - SNOW

Sister Garvin and "Chester, the snominary'

This week there was a snowstorm.  We went to the Bishop's house to eat dinner, and we came outside after about 40 minutes and there was snow on the ground!  About 3 inches!  Whew wee!

 

We were "grounded" for lack of a better term, and had to stay inside from that point on until the next afternoon about 4:00 because we are not allowed to drive with ice on the road.  We built a little snowman in record time, and most of the snow on the roads had melted by the next day. 

 

Everything was mostly shut down though for a little while.  They cancelled school, and people tried to stay home, and stay warm. 

 

The wind chill is fridgid!!!!!!

 

We stayed warm, and were able to get permission to move our weekly planning day, so we did that while we were inside-- which was great!  We were able to stay productive and do the things that we needed to be doing, so the day wasn't just lost.

 

We did feel a little bit bad about cancelling some of our appointments, but people were very understanding, and didn't want us out driving either! :)  So everything worked out.

 

Sister Watt and I spoke briefly in Sacrament Meeting yesterday.  Our topic was Hastening The Work.  From the First Pres. Message in the Feb. 2013 Ensign El. Uctdorf gave a talk for "... The Hesitant Missionary..." it was really good, and I based my talk off of the things that he presented there.

 

One of the other speakers invited over 100 people to come hear him speak, and 30 came!  So amazing! 

 

It's possible people! :)

 

Love you! 

Beautiful Snow and Sky

First Snow of Season

Beautiful Sun between the branches

Gotta go!

Sorry for the rushed message this week.  I was looking at pictures of all the craft things that Ashley has been doing.

Do you all know that I have an amazing talented pair of siblings?!

(I do. :)

 

Love you all forever!

 

(Possible snow-day again this week!) Pictures to come again next week!  And transfer calls!  I forgot about that.

Call are next Sunday.  Surprise! :)

 

Love,

Sister Amber Garvin

Monday, Dec. 30, 2013, Rocky Mount, North Carolina, LDS Sister Missionaries

I suppose that I ought to write an incredibly long letter about each person that I talked with on Christmas, everything that we did, the wonderful time that we had, and all the food that I ate.

 

But it's easier to write it in one generalized, unspecific paragraph.  So there ya go.

 

We had a Christmas Mission Conference on Christmas Eve, which I may have mentioned last week... I don't remember.... But it was great.

 

I had a cold.  Which was gross.  I lugged around an entire box of tissues in my purse, and had to stuff the used ones in an empty purse pocket.  Don't worry.  It was dignified.  Because I'm a missionary.  Also, one of the things that makes me feel the most self-conscious is blowing my nose in public.... So I tried to keep that to a minimum.

 

The conference itself was really great!  President Baker put on 'Muppet Christmas Carol' movie, and we ate some good food, and there were many talented, and courageous people that performed musical numbers for our enjoyment and benefit.  So we had a good time.

 

It was weird though because it was sunny and 80 degrees.....also, the grass is still green.  But it's the spirit of Christ that makes it Christmas, and I was feelin' it.

 

Being able to talk with you my family (including all of you that I spoke with) Was the best Christmas present that I could have asked for!

I hope that it wasn't too demanding to pick a time for me to call, but I loved it.

 

Also, sorry if me crying made you uncomfortable.  It's a new part of me that I'm trying to learn to embrace, but sometimes it makes people uncomfortable.  So, uh..... yeah.... That happened.  I was crying all over the place.  What a new experience-- to go right along with the green grass and 80 degree weather I suppose.

 

In conclusion, and summation (which I'm hoping that word means is another form of summary---sometimes I use words that I don't know the meaning to.... I have a dictionary though and will look up the proper definition of that word when I get home, and if I'm off base y'all have permission to laugh....) Christmas was good.  I don't have a cold anymore, and I learned much from people about focusing on what the true meaning of worshiping the Savior's birth is: following His example, service, love, compassion, charity, doing things of eternal value, developing meaningful relationships, and being kind to all those you meet.

http://www.lds.org/bible-videos

These attributes have a much greater value than material possessions, and that is what made my Christmas here special.  LOVE.

 

I hope that we can make everyday in this new year a Merry Christmas, and I propose that it can be.  If the Spirit of Christmas is feeling the love of our Savior Jesus Christ can we not feel it year round? 

 

We can! And we should.

 

Now add it to yer'  New Years' Resolutions, (but really stick with this one for the whole year. :)

 

I love you, and wish that you will each feel the joy that comes from feeling love, and loving others in this next phase of "our" lives.

 

Talk to you next year! ;)

 

Love forever,

Sister Amber Garvin