Loving Eagle Mountain

Nov 11

Hi family!
I got my first letter in about 4 weeks yesterday!! :)I was so grateful to finally get a letter even if just from my last companion. But please send mail!
I have lots to say again. I have probably written about 12 pages in my journal this week.
Monday we went shopping at the Walmart 20 minutes away. Haha. We then went to a chapel with our district and another with special permission and we played volleyball, poison and slaughter ball! It was a blast! Poulima about killed all the elders though! It was scary! Holy cow! He kept attacking them! I may or may not have slammed him in the head with a ball though...haha. In the evening we went to an appointment where they fed us this yummy chicken chili and then went to the M’s and burned my shirt for my 6 month mark! And then had FHE with them. It was great!

Tuesday was really cold!! Because we hadn't figured out our dinner calendar yet the Ms fed us again. We shared a spiritual thought with them. It was the video of I’ll go where you want me to go from the work of salvation broadcast. Those crazy kids didn't say one word as they sat and watched attentively. There have been few times I have felt the spirit so strong. There was such a reverence. At the end brother M said with tears in his eyes. The feeling in this room right now is no different than in the chapel. I wish we could have held on to that moment a minute longer but he then rushed them off to bed.
Wednesday the elders had scheduled us booked from 3:30 to 8 so we planned to eat at 8 and ate a little at 3. We were just going to feed us but then Sister M talked to one of the fellowshippers so we could have a meal to take home. His wife wouldn't be home so we couldn't come in. So earlier in the day all but one appointment cancelled but we still had our dinner plan til 8. So we went out contacting and met a lot of people which was awesome! And then Brother M scheduled something for us at 8. For not eating I felt great! The Lord really does bless us as we just go and do the work! It feeds us spiritually. When Bro M and the man we taught at 8 found out we hadn't eaten yet they were furious!! Holy cow! They told us to never go hungry again and to make sure we are taken care of. They wouldn't believe me when I told them I wasn't even hungry! But needless to say we are being taken care of here!
Thursday we had ZTM which was really good. And then in the evening we taught this girl and her family.

Friday we got to go to the temple which was a blessing. The temple is the only time I get for myself. The elders and us waited outside for about an hour for the Spanish sisters wondering why in the world they were taking so long. We had fun taking a bunch of pictures including awesome jumping ones! Haha. It was super fun! And there was this adorable bride and groom! :)

At one point we were tracting and didn't know who to go see and so we said a prayer and my comp said that we should go visit a certain family. We went over there and no one was home but across the street a family was sitting on the porch that we wouldn't have thought to go see. Normally I would just kind of say hi and walk off but I have really realized that The Lord works in mysterious ways and puts us in the path of people so I just told my comp. Let’s go talk to them. She was really hesitant but we walked up and said hi. They were really open and he had to leave but that gave us the opportunity to sit and chat with just the grandma. She was really open about the situation her daughter in law was offended and she and the son were inactive as well but trying to return and we shared a thought with her and she said it’s really ironic that you shared that because of what has been going on this past week. The next day I heard that same comment. It is really ironic. I just wanted to tell her that it wasn't ironic. It was the spirit that knew what she needed. Nothing is a coincidence. The Lord cares about her and he provided that way for him to talk to her!  She told us she wanted to have us back and even invited us to go to thanksgiving point with her when she found out we had never been and said we had to. I hope we can get permission for it!

Saturday we started off the day by going to a primary presidency breakfast. The stake president talked to all of them but I felt like it was just for me! A couple of things he said were first "Sometimes we get caught up in the little things and lose sight of the purpose we are called." And the second is "Don't compare yourself. We each have our own talents and are called specifically for who we are and our personal strengths and talents".
He also talked a lot about the influence that we have on children. He said "Children are like wet concrete.  A feather can make an imprint but an elephant can't once it is hardened." It is so important that we teach our children. I am so grateful that I have been taught since I was young of the truth so that I could have that strong testimony now! He also talked about how every fast Sunday it is the children that you see lined up to share what they know with no fear! They don't care that they don't know everything but they share what they do! Lastly, president Hinckley dedicated our stake center! That doesn't happen every day that the prophet will dedicate the stake center! He and other apostles since have said "This area will be a great training ground for the future leaders of the church" That is incredible! This is an amazing area! He also said "Your youth are better than you, they are stronger than you, but you are meant to train them!"  And went on to say "They are training us as much as we are training them" we are meant to be as little children! Homework watch the Mormon message the Christmas spirit. It again just demonstrates the influence of children! Sister A fed us dinner that night! She is going to be one of many moms in this area. She is Elder Niuia Tofa's mom! This was his first area! He keeps texting her and asking if she's taking care of me! I really feel a connection with her though! She is seriously the sweetest lady! We then taught one of the hardest people I think I will ever teach and do not have time to go into!  And we knocked lots of doors.
Sunday we spoke in two sacraments and met with the stake president. We then had a delicious dinner at one of the bishop’s homes! I love them! One boy has the most energy I have ever seen in a kid which means a lot! Haha. And then the oldest boy was adorable and calm and just taking care of the baby and picking up all of the toys the other was throwing around! We then had an appointment with a sweet family out in the boonies! Haha. And then we came home and went straight to bed! There is the week! :)
Please write me! I love you!

Sister Balero

Hello Eagle Mountain

Hi family!

Tuesday was my last day in the area and let me tell you it was so much harder to leave Orem than I thought it would be. In our hectic day I only had about 2 hours to say goodbye to everyone. I first said goodbye to Grandma G which was really hard. She is such an incredible lady and I am going to miss her smile and willingness to do everything she can to help us! We then said goodbye to K -! And then I went to my trainers meeting. Some bold things were said but they were things I needed to hear! I just want to be the best missionary I can and not waste any more time with disobedience or negativity because I have really learned this week that it is such a blessing to be able to serve a mission. There are so many who don't have the chance to serve or their time is cut short and I just take it completely for granted when there are so many who can't and desire it so much. We then came back and I said goodbye to the S’s which was a really hard goodbye. They were the ones who made me feel welcome and loved in Orem when I was having a hard time and didn't feel that way. We then had to rush off to judge a chili cook off.  There were a couple really good ones! We just downed it with homemade root beer which was delicious! We then went to the H’s to say goodbye. The hardest goodbye. Schultz made me a crown and played my favorite song and we just hung out with them!

Wednesday I left Orem. Transfers were crazy! We eventually figured out our ride and how to get all our stuff to our new home. My new companion is Sister Manning. She is from Roosevelt/Vernal (eastern Utah). She is a trial missionary because she was on medical leave and should be headed to the Seattle mission at the end of this transfer. We got lost on our way and eventually made it to Eagle Mountain. It is seriously in the middle of nowhere! Haha. We got to our house and the landlady wasn't home. We had the garage code though so we went in. We then met up with the elders and a fellowshipper took us to some appointments and the elders handed over the people to us. So it took us 20 minutes to drive to one appointment in our stake and we are a walking area...there are two wards way out but luckily the rest is kind of close. Haha. It took us 15 minutes to walk to the nearest neighborhood from our house...yeah... It'll be an adventure.
Thursday was Halloween! :) We went shopping so we had some food. Then we had DTM which was good. I like our district. We then facebooked. I went through and started editing my blog a little bit. So that it all matches and such. And then we changed and went to the chapel for our district activity. It was super fun! There are 4 sisters and 2 elders. All us sisters wore superhero shirts! Haha. And the elders are hilarious. We watched Ephraims Rescue which was good :) at one point there is a kiss and all of us started hiding our eyes and yelling this was approved what was president thinking?? Haha just as a joke and then one elder yelled 11 months! Haha. It was so funny! And then we played spoons which was really fun too.
Friday we tried to do our weekly planning but had no information. That's what happens when you take over an area from elders! Haha. That evening we went to another appointment that the elders were turning over. One of our elders is Samoan and hilarious but he is a great teacher and I have learned so much from just a few times of him teaching. He has a bunch of analogies that just make everything so simple and he is really good at always testifying. Every time he hands them over to us he says " we can't come back but you are so lucky to be getting these wonderful beautiful sisters" hehe. We then ate dinner at an awesome Ward Mission Leader’s house whose daughters are crazy and hilarious!  And they gave us a ton of names! There is so much work to be done here! Oh and it was my 6 month mark!! :)
Saturday we went to a service project in the morning. It was there that I received news that Sister Rees's mom had passed away the night before! It broke my heart and I was in shock. I didn't know how to help her and then I kind of had a break down thinking about what would I have done if it was my mom or someone in my family. I just want you all to know how much I love you and how grateful I am to have been blessed with such an incredible family and to be blessed to have so much time with them. I really hope I can make you proud. And please keep her and her family in your prayers. We then went to Lehi for a baptism in my comp’s last area which was good. We then came back and I rested because I was not feeling well. Then in the evening we had another couple of appointments with the elders.
Sunday we woke up to it snowing. Yeah...We got a ride to church and sat with the WML(Ward Mission Leader) . We then went and had a meeting and then knocked a lot of doors in the cold. We got a couple of appointments though! :) And then the elders wouldn't call us back and let us know what was going on so we basically spent the whole evening with the WML family again. We ate some yummy tacos! I was so hungry that night. And then we had an appointment in one of those forever away towns and we had the wrong address.

Well, That has been my crazy week! I hope I got everything in there!

Love you so much and hope you have a wonderful week!! :)

Love,

Sister Balero