Week 28 Teaching on the Fly

Hey everybody!
 This week was a good week.
Really the highlight was yesterday after sacrament the Sunday school
 President came up to us, and asked us if we would teach. Well of
course because we are the missionaries! I have learned, that when you
do not know what to teach, teach the Atonement. The Atonement is just
a big word for the three major events that Christ preformed. He
suffered in the garden of Gethsemane, his death, and resurrection. For
those of you who are unfamiliar with the word Atonement.
Let's just say I am glad I am not 16 anymore.. They were a talkative
bunch! Luckily I have learned the art of redirecting the conversation.
Haha one time in a lesson we got off topic, and for some reason we're
talking about facial hair, and, so to get back on topic I said Jesus
had a beard... Then I kept going about the lesson. Haha super funny.
Maybe it was a had to be there moment...

Not much to report back this week. Going to the stake center, and
playing mafia with the zone today. That should be fun.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Three "generations" of missionaries!

Week 27: Eventful week!

Sister Depew is home now! I killed her for good! I love that girl so
much! I went from murderer to mother all in one week...
Well I got my new missionary! Her name is Sister Cosette Mandin and is from Calgary Alberta, she doesn't have an accent. She is super fun, and spunky! I love her a lot!
We are already seeing greenie miracles! She felt inspired to knock on
a door, and sure enough we got a new investigator! Wo, how does that
even happen?! God does not do random! Remember that people. Doesn't
matter who you are, God is so aware of you.
One her real first full day out we we walking, and we see this guy in
a wheelchair at the bus stop. We go talk to him! He's missing some
teeth, and says after a few minutes of talking with him that if we
push him, he'd talk with us. Why not! I pushed him down the longest
sidewalk of my life! All the while talking with him about the gospel.
Afterwards Sister Mandin said that she wishes I could have seen some
of the faces we got. Haha life of a missionary. Good way to break her
in right?

One night we made a fort in our living room, and played clue. That was
fun 😀 I think we are going to have a free lemonade and Book of Mormon
stand on Saturday! We will see how it turns out..

Wow, I thought I would have more to saying this week...
Just know that I am doing well, and that I have a testimony of the
restored gospel.
Love,
Sister Slattery

Our first day together.

Kelly Creek Sisters

Pday fun

Week 26: I'm having a baby!

This is missionary slang for training a new missionary. Just so you
know I'm not really having a real baby. #apostate I am going from
being a murderer to a mother. Wow talk about the two ends of a
mission!
I don't know who she is yet. I will go to the mission office on
Wednesday to go get her. Today I only get a few hours with Sister
Depew. Then after that I will be the Kelly Creek sisters for tonight,
and all day tomorrow. That will be so much fun! All week it has been
hard to stay motivated. Talking about plans, and home for Sister Depew
ect., and I do not like changing companions. Just the unknown of who I
will be with kinda still scares me. Well Sister Depew does not cry,
and I have been really good about not crying. In fact I am kinda
jealous that she gets to go home. I am excited for her! Well today we
started companionship study, and I said the prayer, and I cried. I was
totally fine until I prayed.

This week has been an adventure! Let me preface this story with that a
couple of weeks ago we were heart attacking some members. We did that,
and the same members we heart attacked, Sister Depew wanted to say
goodbye to, so we go over, and knock. Then we knock again. Well then
this lady who we do not know is above us on her balcony, and asks how
she can help us. We had the wrong house haha! She then asked us if we
were the ones who left the hearts. Uhhh yep that was us! Haha she was
cool about it. Seriously always awkward stuff happens to us. Do not
worry we then looked in the ward directory, and found the right
address.

I will send a video of when Depew was packing, and the other two
sisters were playing with the suitcase. Haha one bloody nose later...

We made music videos while we were driving this week. Haha super fun.

I love you all!
Sister Slattery

 

Makin' Jam!

 

Week 25: Challenges

Okay so two challenges come to mind that happened this past week. Okay
so I forgot if I told you about President Taylor's challenge. He told
all the zone leaders to tell all the companionships that he received
inspiration that everyone can find one new person to teach by the end
of Sunday night. (This being last Saturday when they are telling us).
Well guess what? Sister Depew, and I found two people to teach that
Sunday. They are pretty awesome ladies! One has accepted the
invitation to be baptized September 19th! I am honored that God has
enough trust in us to do missionary work. Really if you think about
it, He could do missionary work by himself.

Okay so the challenge that happened last night... Let me preface this
with that Sister Depew, and I had parked the car, and we were walking
trying to contact some people. It started to rain on us! Luckily I had
my umbrella. Sister Depew tells me she needs to go to the bathroom.
Good thing that members lived in the apartment complex where we were.
They are this cute young couple. She is a ward missionary, and he
teaches the gospel principle class. They let us in, and we are talking
about these black bean chocolate cup cakes she made. (Really good),
and they were showing us the type of beans they used. Well next to the
beans was this jar of apple cider vinegar. Brother Sharp was telling
us how every night he has one spoonful of it. He was talking about how
good it was for you, and all this stuff. He offered if we wanted to
try it. Depew didn't want anything to do with it. I said sure,
thinking okay this is a good way to earn member trust. Bahaha it was
awful! It burned going down my throat, and I am coughing, and tears
are coming out of my eyes. After I composed myself Brother Sharp said
that I was the first to take him up on his challenge, and that he was
very impressed that I did that. Haha so now we are friends.
Then we shared a spiritual message with them because that is what we
do, and we were back into the rain.

This is my last week with Sister Depew! She has reached the end to her
mission. I sure am going to miss her. I will find out who will be my
new companion is on Friday. It will be a great last week to send her
home!

I love you all.
Sister Slattery

Singin' in the Rain.....!

Week 24: Horsetail Falls

Who is ready for a hike?

Only a couple of weeks left together.

Beautiful Columbia River

Waterfall

Behind the falls

Pretty brave, balancing on rocks

Look Mom, Sister Olsen is crazy fun!

Photo bomb? Sister Depew are you there?

Week 23: Sacrifice

Well friends, it was one of those less than enjoyable weeks. We are
finding a lot, and no one seems to want to listen. Yesterday, we
knocked on this one house, and we introduce ourselves, and he tells us
to "keep moving, he's Jewish" and quickly closes the door in our
faces. While he is doing this he snapped at us in a 'get out of here
motion'. Oh boy the Shelbylyn was almost unleashed! That is the first
time someone snapped at me. I think in that instant all I could do was
be polite, then once I turned my back I had some negative thoughts.
All is well though! Christ, prophets, and apostles have suffered much
more than what I have. I need not complain. My venting tangent is over
now.

We had a zone companion study with President Taylor this week. The
topic we discussed was sacrifice. We read the talk sacrifice by Elder
Oaks from the April 2012 general conference. Basically what I got out
of this meeting with President: my sacrifice is a sacrifice, but
comparatively, not a big one. Plus I will be overly compensated for my
sacrifice. I am sacrificing my family, my time, my everything to serve
the Savior. It is a small thing I give. I am in debt to my Heavenly
Father. I was born in the gospel, I have a good family, I know simple
truths that many do not know. God has given me so much. I can
sacrifice 18 months of my life to strengthen His kingdom. I think of
the scripture D&C 82:3 much is given, much is required. I have been
given the gospel. I want to share what I know to be true. Why would I
want to do that? Because of the great joy, and peace I have in this
life because of it.

To those who read this, know this. I love God. I am proud to be His
missionary. I would not subject myself to this lifestyle if this
gospel was not true. If I did not know it was true, I would have gone
home months ago. I will sacrifice with a willing, and loving heart. I
desire to share this true gospel with those who have desires to come
closer to Christ. I just pray my shortcomings will not hinder this
great work to which I am called to do. People ask all the time why do
I do this? Because it is true, and because God prompted me to do so.
It is my testimony that Jesus Christ lives. I know this is His work
that I am doing. He loves us! God loves us! They are so aware of each
of us, and our personal circumstances. The gospel that Christ taught
himself is in fact upon the earth once more. I say these things in the
name of my Savior, and Redeemer Jesus Christ amen.

The only real mail for this week.

Got my hair cut off.

I cooked a real dinner.

 

Week 22: It's a small world after all.

Okay so this week I found out that a member in my last area, his mom
works at this old people home next to the church building. We went
there to see if we could volunteer there. She came out, and started
talking to us, and asked us how long we have been out, and I told her
that I was in St. Helens. She told us that her son lives out there.
Well turns out that it just so happens that her son is the one who
made sure that the missionaries did the hula hoop contest at the ward
Luau. It was nice talking with her for a little. Then later in the
week I was talking to Sister Olsen, and I found out that her cousin
was my friend in middle school. Yep the one and only Brianna Bell.
Haha crazy right? And then... So let me preface this. The first day I
got here I met Brother and Sister Nordstrom. That name sounded
familiar, but I couldn't put a face to the name. Well fast forward to
when we went over for dinner the other night. They had their
granddaughter's senior announcement out. I looked at it, and I
recognized her! I was like I know this girl! Brianna Nordstrom from
Las Vegas. Yep that's the one. Then I asked if they knew the
Ellsworth's. They said yep they sure did, and showed me a picture of
them at the temple from a couple of weeks ago. Aww it really is a
small world especially if you are Mormon, just saying.

Happy Fourth everyone! It was hot here. We didn't have any set
appointments that day, so we were out knocking on doors. Which was
kinda silly because everyone was gone. After dinner we just stayed in,
and did some planning because by then everyone was enjoying their
festivities. Then we went with the other sisters that we live with to
their ward block party. We had permission to stay out, as long as it
was with members, and we texted the zone leaders when we were home
safe. We had until 11:30, but we came home at 10:30. Boy yesterday was
a struggle! I took a lunch nap. I love bedtimes. I do not think I
would have ever said that in my life, but I did.

Haha okay side tangent.. I have gotten so tan that people are starting
to ask me what nationality I am. I mean seriously? I am not even that
dark. I just tan easy. I tell people white. They look at me with this
oh expression on their face haha kinda funny.

This was a good week. We are out working hard. I know the area a
little bit better. Which makes me feel better. I am in need of some
light summer tops though. The struggle. It's real. I would much rather
have the dry heat of Vegas compared to the humid heat of Oregon. It's
kinda hard to look happy about the gospel when you are all sweating.
Just saying. I keep having to remind myself that I do not sweat, I
glow. People are always amazed that we are out in the heat. Then they
tell us not to work to hard. No, I can not do that! That would mean
people wouldn't have the opportunity to hear this great message I have
to share. Oh how I miss the rain!

I love you all! Hope everyone has a great week ahead of them.
Love,
Sister Slattery

The Nordstroms

 

Are we not just so cute!

Silly Sister Olsen

Seriously?