Sister Balero and Sister Harrison

Sister Balero was so happy to see a shining, familiar face in her mission! The one and only Sister Harrison from our home ward!

In The Field: Mission Life in Payson

Oh my goodness gracious! Where to even start! My journal since I last wrote is over 6 pages front and back in small handwriting! I am in Payson South, a new split area, and my trainer is Sister Reynolds who just happens to have come from Roosevelt and is super close with Sister Harrison! I also got to see Sister Harrison! I am so sad I forgot my camera cord so you're going to have to wait another week for pictures! The average weight gain here for Sisters is 60 lbs! The food is so good though! Every time I eat I think of Christa and how badly she would want all these recipes! Yesterday we ate with this adorable family! Sister Reynolds and I basically adopted them as our Payson Mom and Dad! All of their kids are adopted! And they are ADORABLE!! There is an older boy and then two young black twins who are crazy and then a sweet little girl! She was afraid of us at first and hid in the couch but then as I talked to her a little started responding very quietly and then all of a sudden climbed in my lap! I am not supposed to hold children which I think is the hardest rule by far!! There are so many cute kids that want to sit on your lap and have you hold them! So I did keep her there for a little bit but only because I didn't want to scare her off again. It was dinner time and she said she wanted to stay with me so I told her she could sit next to me but they put her at the kids table and she went to her mom and said "I want to sit next to her!" which shocked her because last she had seen she was scared of me so she let her sit next to me at the table and then she was adorably talkative! She said the prayer and prayed that the missionaries would be part of the family! It made my heart melt! We had western chicken burritos and fruit and then we made sugar corn which is basically kettle corn and took it to a neighbor who had just had surgery. She was super sweet and has a gorgeous backyard. Sorry if my thoughts are everywhere because I keep thinking of new things to say! Our mom takes pictures so she's going to do companion pictures of us! We also got to take the popcorn home and there was so much! It was DELICIOUS!!! We told mom (easier to call her that) about the weight gain and now she's making us go running in the mornings...3 miles...it'll be interesting...haha. Our first night we ate with an older couple who were great and we ate this oriental coleslaw stuff which was super good and then salted carmel cheesecake cupcakes which Christa MUST make! My new favorite dessert! They also took us to go see the new temple being built here which is going to be GORGEOUS!! I love having the spirit with me always! I feel like I am constantly floating. Thursday we ate with a ward mission leader and had Black Cherry Koolaid! And this delicious garlic bread and cornflakes and cheese chicken. It was sooo good! And then cheesecake for dessert! We then got to visit a widow whose husband just passed away. It was a neat experience! There is another family we love just down the street and we had ebilskevers! WHY DIDNT CHRISTA USE HER AWESOME MAKER BEFORE!! THEY WERE DELICIOUS! And they have adorable kids and I always want to hold as well. Saturday dinner fell through so we ate with them again and went to an El Salvadorian restaurant in a Mexican store! haha. And I had a pina jarrito just for Katie since she tried the Taco and it was very good! Her turn again! ;) One of the Ward Mission Leaders in our Stake we are covering is President Packers Personal Nurse!! He is seriously the coolest guy and the most excited about missionary work ever!!! We feel like celebrities! Haha we are so popular! We got honked at multiple times on the way down to walmart! Btw we are walking. They are trying to get us bikes in the ward because we are supposed to get a car but its on backorder and we didn't want to buy bikes for possibly less than a month. At Wal-Mart I bought a backpack because we decided there was no way we were walking/ biking with purses. And I guess President has never said anything about backpacks...idk. I spoke in Sacrament Meeting yesterday and speak twice next week! The worst part of the whole thing! haha. But its not too bad because the ward is like half the size at least of the Candy Mountain Ward which suprised me! Well I love you! And I can't wait to talk to you tonight!

Love,

Sister Balero

 

P.S. My companion reminds me so much of Rachel (Cousin)! She even has the same laugh and I have never heard anyone have that same laugh!

 

 

"Being at the MTC is like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant..."

Again, so much has happened this week. I don't even know where to start. Well first HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!! AND HAPPY MOTHERS DAY MOMMY!! I LOVE YOU BOTH!! Also Happy Birthday to Grandma Sant!

Ok, so my tooth (which you are waiting to know about). I waited to see what the doctor said about my tooth at my appointment yesterday. He looked at it (the bottom left) and it is the one that is in and said that food can get caught under the gums and it is really hard to clean and irritates it and makes it swell and hurt so he is having me just swish around salt water 3 times a day to clean it and if it still is a problem I will probably have to take them out. I have only had the chance to do it once but It already feels much better!

 I felt so relieved but then not even 2 hours later I find out that an Elder in our district has come down with the flu and is in Quarantine . The flu shot was geared towards the wrong strain this year so getting it didn't even help me. The whole district had to come in and we got a prescription we have to take. We had the choice but I decided I better because a girl whose companion got it decided not to take it and she came down with it as well. Another sister in my district has stomach problems and has been to the ER and fainted. Basically our whole district is struggling but I think it has brought us closer together and to the Lord. We haven't gotten much sleep though.

I love the mail I have received! Especially Dear Elder because I get it the day of! There is just way too much to say! I would love if you could send me my cute mission map thing laminated if you can! Also Fairy- I see powerade everytime I am in the cafeteria and think of you!

One random thing is I wish I had a pitch pipe. We dont always have a piano and we always start off key and it drives me crazy! I hope grandpa is doing better! Oh and has Travis gotten his call?? I'm glad Katie ate a taco but really?? haha. Maybe she should try more things now! :p No more bloody noses! :)

I love all the spiritual thoughts especially the one about Spencer Anderson's talk! It was what I needed to hear! I can't wait to hear from Christa more and get pictures!

Next time I talk to you i'll be in the field! Crazy huh? I am so excited though. Even with fake investigators it is an incredible feeling when they finally understand and get that light and love and joy in their eyes! Hopefully I get the mouth guard soon. That seems like itll help! My teacher the other day said "totes inapropes" and it made me think of Kambria! haha. There is seriously too much! I love this saying "Being at the mtc is like trying to drink out of a fire hydrant. You get some water but mostly it just squirts you in the face." haha. But really it is incredible but just so much! On Sunday we listened to a talk by Bednar given at a Christmas Devo a few years ago called The Character of Christ. I don't know if you can watch it outside of the MTC but I would see if it is available because it will change your life!! I seriously have pages of notes I wish I could send to you! Maybe i'll write a handwritten letter after! One thing he said is to get a cheap paper back Book of Mormon and read it all the way through in relation to a question you want answered and then pull it out ponder it  and write a brief summary of what you learned. He then said you should eventually have 400- 500 copies in your book shelf with important questions from your life. He then said if you be that dilligent you will be fully converted to the Lord. We also talked about miracles. One quote, which I think is Russell M. Nelson's wife, says " Obedience brings forth blessings but exact obedience brings forth miracles!"

Well I'm doing great and hope that I got most of everything written! Love you all and hope life is constantly bringing a smile to your face!

Love,
Sister Balero

First P-day!

There is so much to say and definitely not enough time! First thing: I am here safe and sound! yay! Number 2, so I don't forget I'm just going to tell you who I've seen! I've been surprised to see so many people I know! I saw Jill ( Forte choreographer) in the airport, Elder Hunt, Sister Roberts, Sister Rhoten, Sister Heathcoat?, Elder Peterson, Elder Miller, and Brother Turner. Next, I am actually in the MTC for 14 days which is awesome BUT this means I will be in the MTC for Mother's day and I have been told I am not allowed to call because there are too many missionaries. :'( Maybe my mission president will let me call a couple days late? I guess we'll have to see. So today we have a full P-day. Most people only get half of one and most none at all the first week! Our sister training leader said that she has never heard of missionaries getting a full P day on their first week. So I guess we're just special! haha. Except on Pday I struggle to focus because there is so much down time so besides email priviledges I would rather have a normal day! Also I don't have my mail yet so I dont know if you have written me yet. Only District leaders are allowed to check the mail. Hopefully I will get mail soon. Someone said I have a small package but I have no idea other than that. Dear Elder seems to work good although it's the same idea. Also the food is really good or really gross depending on what you choose to eat. Mostly good though! The other thing is that we get to go to the temple on Pday but our time is at 6:30 so joy! We have to be at the temple when I would be getting up! Perfect for me right? haha...yeah...The Provo temple is incredibly different from both the Rexburg and Columbia River. I love all the missionaries in my district. Especially the sisters! There are 6 of us and all in one room and then 3 Elders. One Elder (Elder Niuia Tofa) is from New Zealand and I could listen to him talk all day! haha. He always will say something and then say " Thats what we say in New Zealand? Ok. so I lied!I was just given my mail which is my skirt and the Dear Elder letters. I will have to wait to read them because of time though. Another thing is tulips are planted EVERYWHERE! Total tender mercy! I think my companion is sick of hearing me go on and on about how much I love tulips! :D My companion Sister Diaz is from Kansas is super sweet! She is from Kansas and quiet but has such great spiritual insights! She is great! She is also a english major at BYU and Loves Doctor who along with sister Lasson! She reminds me a lot of Amelia in interests though. The spirit is incredible here. Although I miss you all I feel so at home here and at peace knowing completely that this is where I need to be! Oh and I keep getting bloody noses. Not so cool.  I wrote 111 on my notes...no idea why...and I definitely needed notes for this! Sunday is fast sunday again but itll be good! :) There is just too much to say. I have really learned that a lot of people try so hard to prove their point that they lose the spirit. The most important part is testifying!! Also really knowing and understanding the investigator personally. Just a couple more things because Elder Niuia Tofa is waiting.  Read D&C 64:33-34, 31:3, and 38:24-25. And one thing I was told: Christ is the reason, Love is the motive, The spirit is the means, and Preach my Gopsel is the method! Awesome right! Oh and Preach my Gospel wasn't designed for missionaries. It was designed so that anyone who would read it would become converted unto the Lord!

Well I love you lots and have definitely spent way to much time but keep me in your prayers as I keep you in mine!

Love,

Sister Balero