The Week We All Knew Kentucky Was Going to Smash WVU

March 30, 2015

It's interesting to finally be in an area where people care about sports and I hear about things immediately. I LIKE it!

I woke up this morning with a bout of food poisoning...................

But mostly I want to share something important. Cheryl, Ashley, Alyssa, Taylor, Marilyn, Andrew, Johnny, Grace, Jess, random stranger on my blog, family who glances by, 

PAY ATTENTION!

http://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_FR_3-27-2015_dMIS_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

Now, go be happier. Go change something today.

I love you all.

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. Someone payed me $1.50 to be their friend.

2. The Women's Broadcast was empowering and wonderful.

 https://www.lds.org/church/news/2015-april-general-conference/2015-april-general-conference-at-a-glance?cid=HP_SA_3-28-2015_dCN_fCHNWS_xLIDyL2-1_&lang=eng

3. It's almost April!

Worst:

1. I don't want to throw up ever again!!!!!!!!!!!! Make it STAHP!

The Week That I Became a WVU Fan For Life!

Lets start with p-day. There's a regular group that gets together from the zone but it's not everyone. The Zone Leaders, University Elders, First Ward Elders, and us. It's a good-sized and lots of fun group. We played kick-ball in the church field and had lots of fun! But we all felt like we were running so slow like we were WAY out of shape. Then we realized first base was up hill........

BUT there's an awesome climbing tree on the property so we all had fun climbing the trees and getting scratches (the weather was 72 and slightly cloudy so we were all in t-shirts and barefoot!).

We got to teach Jeanne this week and it was such a powerful lesson. We've been really focusing on making sure we're saying what the Holy Ghost wants us to say, not just spouting information. So we've been focused on making sure the right person is saying the right thing. It's really helped because Sister Banks is very quiet and can "disappear" from the lesson if we're not careful. So this has helped her really open up and start talking more. It's been interesting to feel the urge to start talking and then realizing I'd just be talking to hear myself. So I don't. And one of my companions says something 10 times better. I love them. We're really learning how to work together.

Jeanne has a daughter with a dairy allergy, not intolerance. It is very severe so she never gets to eat cake or chocolate treats and it makes her really sad. It broke my heart to hear her talk about how sad she is when other kids are eating treats at school and she can't. So we went on a mission to find her dairy free recipes. This week we made her some brownies from scratch with modified ingredients. They were so good! Her face, was worth everything. When she first saw the brownies she looked at her mom and was so apprehensive, but when her Mom said yes she started squealing and then.......that chocolate tasted so good to her. It's been 5 years since she's had anything chocolatey. They didn't realize there were options. 

I also felt inspired to make her some pulled taffy like Grandpa, but using vegetable oil instead of butter to keep it from sticking. It was the first time I've done it in years, let alone the first time by myself. But it worked! And it was yummy. And I felt like he was laughing at us the whole time. We weren't strong enough to pull it as far as we should, but what can you do?

St. Patrick's day was nuts. By noon the streets were filled with drunk students dressed stupidly....... So we spent lots of time indoors. Frat row looked like a bunch of green ants crawling everywhere. Everyone just walked from house to house because everyone had drinks, music, and food. It was definitely interesting. Apparently Morgantown is FAMOUS for burning couches. We found a few burnt up the next day so it must have happened when we were long asleep.

I've been getting bad headaches again so we thought it was allergies from the weather getting warmer. I took some of my medicine Thursday morning and we went to Ruth's house for our lesson. I got very tired right before and they all laughed at me, then realized I was serious. I fell asleep. Absolutely and completely asleep. A trio can be a big blessing sometimes :) I woke up at one point and felt like I needed to talk about how no other church on the earth holds the power and authority to act in Christ's name. I had no idea what they had been talking about but I went for it (the prompting was that strong). That happened for a minute or two, and then I don't remember anything else until we got up to leave. So I guess I fell back asleep. We were laughing as we drove away. I said exactly what was needed. And they were going back and forth not knowing how to say what was needed and felt like I needed to say it. And that's when I woke up and started talking! MIRACLES!

:)

Luckily Ruth has been meeting with missionaries for years now, and I'm sure she's seen weirder things :)

Friday we all got very sick. I got the cough, Sister Banks got the runny nose, and Sister Wonnacott got the aches and pains. We're so unified! It's been rough and we're still feeling it but we're getting better. It was just hard because no one wants us to come over and we don't have the energy to do it anyways. Just dead tired. So we've been creative with our time and making sure we're still doing SOMETHING. 

But Friday night we got to drive to Teays Valley for the conference in Charleston the next morning. We all slept terribly, but Saturday was worth it.

We were so excited to meet Elder Christofferson. He had us all come up one at a time and shake his hand. So us three used lots of hand sanitizer before going up. So if he has a cold at Conference you know where it came from. He was accompanied by Elder Kacher and Elder Gerard. They were all wonderful speakers, but I'm running out of time and can't put it all down here.

My favorite thing talked about was how we can serve with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength. Our heart is our desires. We must have our desires be towards God and doing his work. Our might is our physical strength. Our mind is devoting our intelligence to studying the Gospel. Our strength is our talents and quirks that make us, us! 

He also talked a lot about Eternal marriage then said, "Write that down. Then put it away and don't think about it." It was funny :) 

IT WAS SO FUN TO SEE EVERYONE AT ONCE. It was also weird though because it seemed like such a small group.....

We are all out of money already this month. It's been expensive! One of the hardest things is budgeting your money. Especially when you have to pay for laundry. That's a pain. So we'll do better next month. So many times you just don't control how many times you eat out. And the members don't feed you at all for a spell. And then people invite you out to eat and you really need to see them. Ugh. We're figuring it out. But having enough money always feels like a struggle.

Also, I'm working on making sure everyone gets the attention they need. I always complain when people don't email me, and I haven't been emailing anyone. Sorry. This library has a time limit and will lock you out when it's up. It stresses me out. And I'm running out of time right now! I'm working on being better. Sorry if my responses are lame and short.

-Sister Packard

Not sure if she meant for this one to be included, but oh well :)

Best:

1. The Sisters in the University Ward told me I'm just like Elder Cowley but shorter and prettier. I made him take a picture with it, without him looking. It's pretty great!

2. Taking funny pictures late at night.

3. Seeing my whole MTC district again!

4. Elder Combe was just as excited to see me as I was to see him!

5. Lunch with a big group of Sisters. The waiter thought we were all nuns. And asked for a pamphlet or something about our church :)

Worst:

1. We're sick. It's rough, but we'll get over it.

2. Elder Clawson's visa for Taiwan went through and he'll be leaving us soon.

The Week of Sunshine, Rain, Sunshine, Rain......and Charleston!

March 16, 2015

This week went pretty good til we all got really emotional and tired and stuff. But it was still fun, just not the most productive week.

Our investigator John is now being taught by the Elders. We put it off for a few days but then the impression came so strong that he needed to be taught by the Elders. It was really hard to "give him up" but we already can see how much better he's doing with the Elders.

Jeanne thought we were on a hunger strike til she came to church. WHOOPS. We talked it out and it was actually wonderful. She and her husband were able to have a real conversation and they are going to take a while to come around. Like maybe 10-20 years. But I know she wants to be a member of this church.

This week I still felt like everything was my fault, I felt like I kept messing things up, and I felt like a really big dummy and failure........... 

I have no specific instances to make me feel that way. I just did. And I cried all week. MEH.

I got to go to Charleston to get training from Brother Donaldson about teaching and being "Preach My Gospel" missionaries. Brother Jackman gave us training about ipads just in case we ever actually get them (p.s. they have no idea if we ever actually will). 

That was probably the most spiritually filled day of my mission thus far. It felt like being in the temple again. And I miss that feeling. 

But I know that Joseph Smith saw Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father in a grove of trees. I know that they called him to be their Prophet on the Earth. I can testify. 

Oh yeah. And astonish!!! :) I'm so grateful I was invited to that meeting. I needed to be there. And it was wonderful. Plus I got to see Elder Bingham and Elder Clawson again!

Christina is doing awesome and is totally on track to be baptized on the 11th of April! She's had her questions about whether or not the Holy Ghost is actually speaking to her or if she's just crazy, but yesterday I think all of her questions about that got answered in Sunday School. Our Ward Mission Leader was inspired with how he taught his lesson. The Spirit was so strong and so special.

On Saturday we get to see EVERYONE in the mission at one time and Elder Christofferson. It's very exciting and we're doing our best to be prepared for all that the Lord has to tell us. It's not every day I get to shake the hand of an Apostle of the Lord. Hopefully. I don't even actually know if we'll get to shake his hand. We'll see.

At the end of this transfer there will only be 20 Sisters left in the mission.......20! That's only 10 companionships. My options just got limited drastically. So many more areas are going to close still (or be absorbed by the Elders as President likes to call it).

Saturday night the Ward had a chili cook-off and a member invited her neighbors, who all came. And brought their Sister and her daughter. And the Grandma. All from Bogota Colombia. They had a 3 year old named Camilla and she thought my glasses were cool so we became good friends really fast. It was fun to mix from Spanish to English and listen to her giggle. She was ADORABLE. Hopefully they come to church next week because they looked like they've been in this Ward for years, and not people who have never met members before and have only been in the country for 6 months.

We had a missionary booth on campus at WVU. We basically set up a table with a bunch of stuff and blitzed the area on campus between the cafeteria and the classrooms. It was pretty cool. We also had a giant Bible and Book of Mormon. 

We were able to get over 100 phone numbers of people who wanted to learn more about the Gospel, and then hundreds more who took cards and actually listened, but didn't want to give out their number. Which I get, I wouldn't give my number to us...........

It was awesome. It's so much fun to be able to talk and interact with other people my age. But also kind of dangerous. You never know what weirdo is going to think it's funny/cool/awesome to say they asked out the Mormon girl. Bums. It was really awesome though.

I finished my first journal and now I get to start my second!

Saturday night people were pretending it was St. Patrick's day already. Everyone was wearing green and drinking like crazy all over town, on every porch. So tomorrow night should be interesting :) We get to stay inside!

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. Seeing Sister Sullivan at Charleston, and then the Spirit there. Loved it.

2. No more snow. Sometimes it's sunny. But then it rains. Lots of areas have been flooding.

3. Wearing flats again and NO LEGGINGS OR TIGHTS. Spring is here!

Worst:

1. I burned my thumb on the oven. It's pretty gross.

The Week We Became Unified

March 9, 2015

So, we love each other.

If one of us was gone, or someone different took the spot of one of us we would not work. But we work together.

Sister Wonnacott gets her foot in all the conversations and likes to be a part of everything. She is a bit dominating but can see when it's time to step back. She needs lots of love and personal attention but is always looking for ways to serve others. 

Sister Banks is a little more quiet and can sometimes get over-looked but she is a FIERY little Russian girl who loves to dance and the people here love her. 

I can also be dominating, but I mostly mediate and make sure everyone is saying what they need to and try to make sure everyone gets heard. New ideas are always beneficial and I often make dinner.....they call me Mom (not in a derogatory way).

We laugh. Sometimes I think too much, but is there really such a thing as laughing too much? I have never felt this close to a companion, never-mind two, and we've only been together 2 1/2 weeks!

I got invited to this month's Missionary Leadership Conference, and representatives from the Missionary Department in Salt Lake are coming to teach us about "changing the culture of our mission". I'm excited except for the fact that I have to leave at 5:15 am which means waking up even earlier....... But I'm sure it will be worth it. They said it should take from 9-4. That's a long time.

Sister Wonnacott and I hit our 1/2 way mark on the 4th and that was a little weird but still cool. It doesn't feel very fast til 6 months and then it's gone!

We had an investigator come to Stake Conference and then we taught him Friday. He wants to be baptized March 28th. He came to Sacrament meeting (Fast and Testimony meeting) and cried the whole time. When he introduced himself he shared that he was doing whatever it takes to be baptized. He's a pretty special guy. We're excited to see him keep moving forward.

Jeanne is from an Asian country and her husband thinks she's being brain washed. We fasted during the week for her to be able to come to Church and have his heart softened. When she asked him he told her we were trying to guilt trip her into coming to church and said she has to keep her distance. I took this very hard actually. It's pretty much been eating away at me because I was so certain she would be there Sunday. She's letting us come over tomorrow and hopefully it won't be for the last time. I've never met anyone who could comprehend and love everything I've had to teach so quickly. Before we left the lesson last week she asked when we would teach her the commandments that would make her happy.......she's special and it's so sad to see her struggle. I don't know how else to explain about her. I've been really hurting from this.

We're also teaching an awesome lady from Geyana (spelling?). I met her last week and asked her how she feels about everything she's learned so far. She bore her testimony to me for 15 minutes about the Book of Mormon and how it's been the greatest blessing in her life and she loves sharing it with others......but of course she won't be baptized. GUASDIOHAOIGDAHGOKKKK.

Ruth has been meeting with missionaries for YEARS. The Sisters were finally able to get her to agree to the date of April 5 (General Conference...they figured that out after the lesson) but she won't pray about it. She doesn't want to be pressured.....by God?

There are lots of other investigators I haven't met yet. 

It's 60 degrees today. It's LOVELY!!!!!!!!! The snow is melting.

The roads here are TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pot holes like you wouldn't believe. And sometimes you just can't avoid them. Like the one I hit and it broke our hubcap and bent our rim. So we're going to have to get the dumb thing replaced. Which stinks because I'm sure it will happen again.

Seriously the worst.

I learned that our area is the area that gets to go to Pennsylvania!!!!! The little dot of Pennsylvania, but still. And our District Leader is in Maryland, so I should get to go there for a District meeting at some point. In Point Marion, PA there is a bridge that goes to the next town over the big river. If you cross that bridge you are no longer in our mission boundaries. So we obviously drove over, took pictures and came right back!

JUST KIDDING. Grandma. Take a chill pill. As tempting as it was, we were obedient.

Since I've been here, we've eaten at a members home once. And no one is signed up for us this week either. And we have to pay for our laundry out of our budgeted money and it is ridiculously expensive! So, it's been a very costly few weeks here in Morgantown.

Everyone had babies and is getting married. SIGH. 

Newest nephew - Xander Cage Leue!

I'm grateful to those who are waiting for me to get back :) Because I'm sure you're doing it for me right??????????

-Sister Packard

Best:

1. The sunset after all the snow. The pinks and reds against the white were absolutely stunning.

2. Chair soccer with the Elders. Sister Banks just stood there at first, but then she started tackling people. Literally. It was awesome.

3. When you're teaching someone and Heavenly Father tells you
the things are true.

4. Teaching.

5. My companions are such dorks but I love them.

6. Laughter truly is the best medicine.

Worst:

1. When 3 girls get emotional at one time.

The Week That It Became Beautiful In My Eyes

March 2, 2015

We woke up nice and early (Thurs) to drive for transfers. We met all the other missionaries at the church at 5:15. Transfers were delayed by 4 hours. So we went to the Appomattox Sisters' apartment and slept for a bit. Finally it was time and we got to follow the bus from stop to stop. It was so much fun to see all my missionary friends! We rolled into Charleston, so many missionaries, but so much fun.

 

Then I got on a bus with 9 Elders and we drove to Clarksburg. I got off the bus to see Sister Wonnacott (MTC companion) and Sister Banks running up to me. I thought that maybe they were just close by and wanted to say hi? NOPE! It was decided 3 days earlier that I would be in a trio with them and not the STLs. In Morgantown not Fairmont. Everyone else knew that, except my Zone Leaders and I. It was definitely a surprise. A slight relief. But hectic and really threw me off.

 

I'm in Morgantown! Like, on campus at West Virginia University. It's pretty awesome. I've been looking for the basketball players everywhere, and then found out they were playing Baylor on Saturday, so that's why I hadn't seen them yet :) 

I'm still keeping my eyes peeled ;)

 

I also feel slightly trunky because it makes me miss living in Provo and being around a college campus. I also find it interesting that I've gone from Radford University and Virginia Tech, to Liberty University, and now West Virginia University. I'm destined to go back to College when I get home......bummer.

 

It's weird being with Sister Wonnacott again. We already know each other so there's no awkward time getting to know each other and being over the top nice to try and show off. We've gone straight to the nitty gritty. It's actually been wonderful. All three of us say exactly what's wrong and what things need to change. Because there's already been one complete blow-up with yelling, pointing, and crying, and we DO NOT want another one of those. But Sister Banks and Sister Wonnacott told me they prayed me here. So we're taking it one day at a time and making sure everything works well. Communication is key.

 

We had Stake Conference this weekend and the Area Seventy spoke about the importance of counselling and not arguing. In homes especially. It was perfect for us. My favorite point was that when everyone has the same information they generally come to the same conclusion. So we need to be sharing information and not conclusions. All three of us have been focusing on charity and praying for it.

 

These are the smallest "boundaries" I've had yet but there's lots of people. There is a set of University Elders who focus on young students so we get to work closely with them. They handed off an investigator to us on Saturday and he is so ready. He just wants to be baptized. It felt so good to teach again! I love teaching.

 

Back to Stake Conference. My patriarchal blessing talks about my mission being beautiful to me. And for the first 7 months of my mission I kept wondering how many years down the road it would be before I could look back and see this as a beautiful experience.

 

And then during a lesson on happiness I thought it again and realized how stupid I was for thinking that. If it'll be beautiful one day, it's beautiful today! I'm just not seeing that. So I made it a focus to recognize the beauty today.

 

And I feel like Saturday it finally clicked. I was thinking about my mission so far and the people I've been able to teach. There truly is no greater joy than seeing others come to understand and live the Gospel as taught by God's prophets. And I was overcome with this immense joy and gratitude.

 

And I realized how much I truly love my mission. I LOVE IT! It can be so hard at times, and I wouldn't do it again without an eternal companion, but I love it. And I wouldn't trade it for the world. And since then I feel different. I feel this intense desire to go out and truly share. To talk to everyone and help them understand that life can be different. I finally feel like I get it. Like I've finally had that change of heart.

Yeah.

 

The apartment is so small! I went from having a whole room as a closet to three feet of a closet, no dresser or drawers, and no desk or chair for me at the table. I've got a mattress on the floor between their beds and it's really crowded. It's taken me quite a while to find a place for my things and it's still a slow process. We bump elbows a lot. It's FUN!

 

Having two companions isn't too bad because there's someone else to take the edge off and talk to. But. THERE. ARE. SO. MANY. EMOTIONS. Girls. Yikes.

 

And we spend a lot of money on food. We discovered that today.

 

We've got some really cool investigators, but I've only met two so far :) They were such good lessons. I really really really really really really love teaching. It always slightly irks me when people say, "The secret to Missionary work is WORK." Eh. When I'm "working" (ie tracting and other "labor") I am not the happiest or feeling the best. But when I'm teaching.

 

We're called and set apart to be full-time teachers. "The secret to Missionary work is TEACHING." So dear friends and family wherever you are. The missionaries are not there to tract or beg people to listen. We're there to teach. Members are full-time finders. We really truly need you. Ask the missionaries what you can do to help. And then actually do it.

 

People at home are getting married and having babies. I love you all. But I also am slightly upset that you're not waiting for me to get home.......

BUT THE BABIES ARE SO CUTE! 

(Newest niece- Ainsley Marie Packard :)

Keep making more for me to love :)

 

-Sister Packard

 

Best:

1. We crossed the West Virginia state line and with in five minutes came across "Possum Hollow Road". I love West Virginia. We're much more in the Rolling Hills and the roads are nuts. Potholes everywhere.

2. I saw all of my MTC Elders this week! Elder Bingham was only for like 2 minutes but probably the most exciting. He literally jumped up and down. It was real manly.

3. Hot water that lasts for days. It is so wonderful.

4. I'm in the same ward with Elder Zazueta!

5. I had 2 1/2 whole hours on a bus with all Elders and no Sisters. It was a slight piece of heaven. Why are girls so different?

 

Worst:

1. Still so much snow. It's cold! But not unmanageable.

2. Tears.......so many tears and "hurt feelings". Girls need too much attention.

 

If you want to send anything send it to

112 Wedgewood Dr #8 Morgantown, WV 26505.

Or as always you can send anything to

888 Oakwood Rd Suite 310 Charleston, WV 25314 and it will get to me.