My family is Awesome.
There is also someone else who is awesome. They have earned the nick name “Journal Phantom” from Sister Bruner and I. It all started when I received a package from Staples shortly before Christmas. I figured it was from my family and saved it until Christmas. It was from someone who knows me well because there was a very nice leather bound journal inside. It was not from my family. Since I won't be able to send them a thank you card for it I have decided to thank them here in my weekly e-mail, since it will be posted for the public. Thank you so much. It meant a lot to me.
Eric was able to go on the youth temple trip. He loved it and is trying to find a way to go again as soon as he can! I can’t blame him. I miss being able to go to the temple when ever I want. I’d live there if I could! The spirit is so strong within those walls. He also helped prepare the sacrament on Sunday for the first time. I love it. He loves it! He really is one of those one-in-a-million people who has gained a testimony and never looked back. There is nothing stopping him. He is how every baptism should be. He is so stellar. We taught him about priesthood and gave him a True to the Faith book so that he can continue reading and studying on his own when the recent convert lessons are over. He loved it. He absolutely loves the gospel.
Sam is heading to Louisiana to go to school. He has a testimony. He knows Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and he knows that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. He doesn’t want to be baptized right now. It was hard. I think he will make it though. God willing he will make it. He has promised to write and to find LDS services to attend while at school as well as meet the elders there. He is a great kid.
The investigator that we gave to the elders still comes to our ward and from what she says and the elders say she is doing GREAT!!! She is amazing. She’s reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover as well as all her assignments that she’s given by the missionaries and then after reading she goes back and marks all the verses she like and writes what she’s thinking.
We finally got in to teach a family that we’ve been trying to teach since we got here. They love the missionaries. They are feeding us on Wednesday and are already familiar with the spirit. They are newly weds and are excited to learn more about the gospel. We are excited to teach them.
Things are wonderful and Christmas was great. I absolutely LOVED talking to my family on Christmas and was ecstatic that they were all together when I called. We were also able to go visit people in the area that were having a hard time or were spending Christmas alone and share little thoughts with them. We loved it. I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day.
We love it here.
Prayer is the best. I know that God answers prayers. In his own way and in His own time, but he answers. It is one of the greatest expressions of love I know of. I love Him. He loves me. He loves each of you. I hope all your Christmases were wonderful. There is much in the world to be rejoicing about.
Luke 2:13-14.
Sister Bailey
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Monday, December 21, 2009
Merry Christmas!!!
It is almost Christmas time and Liberty Lake is warm. Very warm. The mid to upper forties! Sister Bruner and I still find ourselves bundling up though because layers mean that we stay dryer longer. And dryer equals warmer. We are both VERY grateful for the packages we’ve received from our families. Christmas time is a wonderful time of year. Everyone wants to give. I hope that in all our giving we can remember what the birth of that little babe in those humble beginnings meant for each of us. It was the first day of the rest of eternity. He truly lived up to His potential so that we could live up to ours. Let it not go to waste.
Eric is still amazing but no longer can be considered an investigator. He is now a full-blown member and is attending some of our lessons with other investigators to help us teach! And he is absolutely elated about it! Sam is struggling a bit as his baptismal date approaches. We don’t want to rush it. If he doesn’t get baptized here I believe he will in Louisiana. He just needs more time. I have had a lot of peace about it. I don’t know what will happen, but we’ve been fasting and praying about him and with him and I have peace about the situation. That so typifies of the gospel in general. It doesn’t fix problems, it doesn’t promise that things will turn out the way them seem they should, but there is peace. A peace you can find nowhere else and a peace that lingers. It will stay with you as long as you let it.
We gave up one of our investigators to the Elders in the other ward because that’s where she lives. She’s amazing. It was very hard. I hope to see her all in white before I leave. The members are still amazing and Sister Bruner and I are on the edge of a lot of stellar investigators. We just have to get in and teach! We love it here. A member brought us a fruit basket the other night and it was a total Godsend!!! We almost never get fresh fruits and veggies.
Things are continually looking up for Sister Bruner and I.
OH yeah! Something really exciting happened and I totally forgot to write about it last preparation day! I don’t remember it all that well so it wont be as good, but it will still be worth it. Basically, wolves almost ate my district leader. It was dark (which means it could have been anywhere from 4:00pm to 9:00pm because it gets dark that early here) and Elder Bertoch and Elder Howell had to walk to a member’s home for an appointment…or to drop something off I can’t remember. They don’t have a car so they decided to take the short cut and walk through the wheat field by their house to get to the development on the other side. They kept hearing noises and the noises kept getting closer, but they had no lights so all they could see was the wheat in front of their faces. They said the noises sounded like a hurt animal. This gave them the willies and they stopped to look around. Elder Bertoch said he saw three sets of glowing amber eyes not too far off in the distance, kind of up on a hill. When he asked Elder Howell if he saw them he said no and they kept walking. As they reached the end of the field Elder Bertoch said he got the distinct impression that something was watching them and looked over his shoulder just to calm his nerves. This time, “about a stone’s throw away”, He saw those Amber eyes moving through the wheat but this time the eyes were connected to big black figures in the wheat. He told Elder Howell to turn around and whispered, “You see those right?” Elder Howell responded quickly with, “of course I do!” and at the same time the figures stopped moving. The elders than made a plan. One faced the fence and one faced the creatures in the dark and they shuffled back to back over to the fence. Once they had it unlocked and opened they took off for the road. They re-told this story to the member once arriving safely at their house and she and her husband just said “Yeah, they were probably wolves”.
So there you have it. My District leader and his companion were almost eaten by wolves in a wheat field in the middle of the dark. It was pretty exciting. He told us on my birthday and it was awesome! He called us later that week to tell us that on the way home one night they decided to avoid the field due to their previous experience and take the (still dark) service road. As they approached it they heard the distinct call of a wolf coming from somewhere up the road. They prayed and one of the members randomly drove by and picked them up. God loves His missionaries.
I love all of you. I will be thinking of you a lot as Sister Bruner and I visit families on Christmas and share the Christmas story with them. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Thank you for your love and support. If I haven’t written you back yet know that I will. Things are just crazy.
Sister Bailey
Mormon 9:27
Give Him your whole heart this year.
Eric is still amazing but no longer can be considered an investigator. He is now a full-blown member and is attending some of our lessons with other investigators to help us teach! And he is absolutely elated about it! Sam is struggling a bit as his baptismal date approaches. We don’t want to rush it. If he doesn’t get baptized here I believe he will in Louisiana. He just needs more time. I have had a lot of peace about it. I don’t know what will happen, but we’ve been fasting and praying about him and with him and I have peace about the situation. That so typifies of the gospel in general. It doesn’t fix problems, it doesn’t promise that things will turn out the way them seem they should, but there is peace. A peace you can find nowhere else and a peace that lingers. It will stay with you as long as you let it.
We gave up one of our investigators to the Elders in the other ward because that’s where she lives. She’s amazing. It was very hard. I hope to see her all in white before I leave. The members are still amazing and Sister Bruner and I are on the edge of a lot of stellar investigators. We just have to get in and teach! We love it here. A member brought us a fruit basket the other night and it was a total Godsend!!! We almost never get fresh fruits and veggies.
Things are continually looking up for Sister Bruner and I.
OH yeah! Something really exciting happened and I totally forgot to write about it last preparation day! I don’t remember it all that well so it wont be as good, but it will still be worth it. Basically, wolves almost ate my district leader. It was dark (which means it could have been anywhere from 4:00pm to 9:00pm because it gets dark that early here) and Elder Bertoch and Elder Howell had to walk to a member’s home for an appointment…or to drop something off I can’t remember. They don’t have a car so they decided to take the short cut and walk through the wheat field by their house to get to the development on the other side. They kept hearing noises and the noises kept getting closer, but they had no lights so all they could see was the wheat in front of their faces. They said the noises sounded like a hurt animal. This gave them the willies and they stopped to look around. Elder Bertoch said he saw three sets of glowing amber eyes not too far off in the distance, kind of up on a hill. When he asked Elder Howell if he saw them he said no and they kept walking. As they reached the end of the field Elder Bertoch said he got the distinct impression that something was watching them and looked over his shoulder just to calm his nerves. This time, “about a stone’s throw away”, He saw those Amber eyes moving through the wheat but this time the eyes were connected to big black figures in the wheat. He told Elder Howell to turn around and whispered, “You see those right?” Elder Howell responded quickly with, “of course I do!” and at the same time the figures stopped moving. The elders than made a plan. One faced the fence and one faced the creatures in the dark and they shuffled back to back over to the fence. Once they had it unlocked and opened they took off for the road. They re-told this story to the member once arriving safely at their house and she and her husband just said “Yeah, they were probably wolves”.
So there you have it. My District leader and his companion were almost eaten by wolves in a wheat field in the middle of the dark. It was pretty exciting. He told us on my birthday and it was awesome! He called us later that week to tell us that on the way home one night they decided to avoid the field due to their previous experience and take the (still dark) service road. As they approached it they heard the distinct call of a wolf coming from somewhere up the road. They prayed and one of the members randomly drove by and picked them up. God loves His missionaries.
I love all of you. I will be thinking of you a lot as Sister Bruner and I visit families on Christmas and share the Christmas story with them. I wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Thank you for your love and support. If I haven’t written you back yet know that I will. Things are just crazy.
Sister Bailey
Mormon 9:27
Give Him your whole heart this year.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Let it snow
December 14, 2009
Sam, another one of our investigators has decide to be baptized on the 29th of December. He wants to be baptized on his birthday, which Sister Bruner and I think is just perfect. We’re hoping to hold that date. He struggles to get off work and come to church, but he was there this past Sunday and has been putting forth effort to make it. He’s a good kid. We love him.
We have found some really neat people to start teaching this Christmas season. We’re excited for it.
This past weekend we were able to bear our testimonies about Christ to the Micah Peak Ward Christmas party. It gave us time to reflect on the things that are really important. Our message began with Enos 1:8. This verse is the Lord teaching Enos about the miracle of the atonement and the grace and peace that it brings us. Sister Bruner then shared 2 Nephi 25:26, “We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ and we prophesy of Christ and we write according to our prophesies, that our children may know to what source they may look for the remission of their sins”. The people in the Book of Mormon were a people that loved Jesus Christ. They loved Him, they loved His message and they loved to learn about Him and to teach about Him. We asked everyone to focus on what this holiday really means, that because Jesus Christ entered this world, we may exit safely. I love what Howard W. Hunter said about Christmas. I don’t have the quote with me and I don’t know it by heart, but he talks about how we give in remembrance of how he gave, about how a gift of oneself is a holy gift and that during the Christmas season we should strive to give as he gave. To let go of grudges, to reconnect with an old friend, to forgive, to apologize, to think first of someone else, to examine our demands on another and to gladden the heart of a child.
I love this Gospel. I love this work! I love you all and think of you often. Thank you for all that you do.
Sister Bailey
JOHN 3:16
FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY!
December 7, 2009
My family spoils me on my mission. They have written me EVERY week. Have not missed one. And on top of that they send me packages, more than one letter a week and give me more support than I ever dreamed of having. I am VERY blessed with a family that has given me all support that I need if not more, temporally, spiritually and emotionally. I know that not every missionary has that. I try not to take it for granted. Thank you so much.Liberty Lake has gone from a bit chilly to down right cold and the locals say that this is the best of it. The work is moving forward. Sunday morning started off with one of the most heart-warming scenes of my mission. Sister Bruner and I looked down the hall to see Eric Sande vacuuming up a mess that wasn’t his. He is 17. Eric is going to be baptized this Friday!!! We are all excited, Sister Bruner and I, Eric, and the ward members. This past Sunday they announced it over the pulpit: Friday, December 11 at 7:00 pm. I don’t know what that translates into Eastern Standard Time, but that is what I’ll be doing. They asked Eric and Makade to bear their testimonies at the end of sacrament. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong and I loved it. I was sitting in my little bench with the biggest smile on my face. We had a teaching appointment with an investigator right after church in a member’s home. She had been in sacrament meeting and when asked about all the testimonies Eric and Makade were the ones she brought up. She loved them! We taught Eric later that night and he mentioned that through the whole meeting he felt like they were going to call him up. Makade said that he felt like he needed to get up and bear his testimony, but that he should hold off. The spirit was so involved in the bearing of that testimony. Divinely inspired. Our week is chuck full of teaching appointments. It’s going to be awesome. We have a lot of investigators who said tentatively that they would come to Eric's baptism. We’re hoping for a big turn out.
Alma 36:17-21 ----The importance of bearing our testimonies!
Sister Bailey
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Shhhhhh! Someone's got a birthday coming!
This post is from Sister Bailey's Mom. Sister Bailey has a birthday coming up on December 10th. If you are so inclined, I am sure it would make her day to receive some birthday wishes from some of her favorite people. Her current address is:
Sister Anne Bailey
Washington Spokane Mission
820 S. Pines Rd Ste 101
Spokane Valley, WA 99206-5420
Washington Spokane Mission
820 S. Pines Rd Ste 101
Spokane Valley, WA 99206-5420
December 11th. Get. Ready.
We got our transfer calls last night. Sister Bruner and I are glad to be staying in Liberty Lake! This is an incredible area and we still have SO much to do here. The whole District came in on Saturday to help us contact people and we have a lot of return appointments with people who want to know more! I think it has really set us up for a good transfer. Our District is wonderful. They’re a good group of elders and we are even more blessed because there were actually no changes made to our District. The only thing that changed was the AP’s are not in our District anymore. They will be missed.
We got to help Eric plan the program for his baptism. It was so fun. It let me think back on my baptism: how it felt, what I thought, what made me decide to make those promises with God, the blessing it’s been in my life etc. He is such a stellar young man. He keeps telling us that he’s been “trying to slowly make the thing [we] are teaching a part of his life”. His biggest fear about baptism is having a desire to share the Gospel with his family and jumping the gun, introducing them too quickly. I think that’s a fear that a lot of us have as members of the church. Loving two things so much, wanting them so much to be together and then messing it up by moving too fast and making them resent it. He answers his parents’ questions with the scriptures and has decided to start the daunting process of cleaning out his music collection. What feels best about being able to see my first baptism is knowing that I don’t have to worry about him at all. When I leave, it won’t matter, because it has nothing to do with me. He is rock solid and completely self sufficient in his testimony. (Helaman 5)
Another one of our investigators wants to hear EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING before settling on an answer. But, he is keeping commitments and recognizes that there is truth in what we are sharing with him, so we are going to continue teaching him the lessons and hope that our time together will stick out in his mind as he attempts to look for truth elsewhere. Sister Bruner and I often feel that teaching him is more for those that attend the lessons than it is for him. We’ve been bringing a good friend of his, who is going into the MTC on the 9th of December. It has been very cool to have him teach his friend and then we also have a young girl come with us. She is soft spoken and unenthusiastic about church and the R.S. president has been worried about her. As she has come to the lessons she has opened up more, to everything: to us, to the gospel, to bearing her testimony. It has been really cool to see her gain more confidence in the things she has been taught all her life.
Sister Bruner and I have high hopes to this next coming transfer.
Today we are field tripping out to target with a member to get some sweaters and other needed items. It’s going to be so fun. The members here are so great. They feed us food, get our hair done, drive us places and give us free make up. They are all getting excited about missionary work too. We could not ask for better Wards.
I still love this Gospel and I still Love this work!
Sister Bailey
A thought from the Bible Dictionary: Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith. (Romans 10:14-17)
We got to help Eric plan the program for his baptism. It was so fun. It let me think back on my baptism: how it felt, what I thought, what made me decide to make those promises with God, the blessing it’s been in my life etc. He is such a stellar young man. He keeps telling us that he’s been “trying to slowly make the thing [we] are teaching a part of his life”. His biggest fear about baptism is having a desire to share the Gospel with his family and jumping the gun, introducing them too quickly. I think that’s a fear that a lot of us have as members of the church. Loving two things so much, wanting them so much to be together and then messing it up by moving too fast and making them resent it. He answers his parents’ questions with the scriptures and has decided to start the daunting process of cleaning out his music collection. What feels best about being able to see my first baptism is knowing that I don’t have to worry about him at all. When I leave, it won’t matter, because it has nothing to do with me. He is rock solid and completely self sufficient in his testimony. (Helaman 5)
Another one of our investigators wants to hear EVERYTHING about EVERYTHING before settling on an answer. But, he is keeping commitments and recognizes that there is truth in what we are sharing with him, so we are going to continue teaching him the lessons and hope that our time together will stick out in his mind as he attempts to look for truth elsewhere. Sister Bruner and I often feel that teaching him is more for those that attend the lessons than it is for him. We’ve been bringing a good friend of his, who is going into the MTC on the 9th of December. It has been very cool to have him teach his friend and then we also have a young girl come with us. She is soft spoken and unenthusiastic about church and the R.S. president has been worried about her. As she has come to the lessons she has opened up more, to everything: to us, to the gospel, to bearing her testimony. It has been really cool to see her gain more confidence in the things she has been taught all her life.
Sister Bruner and I have high hopes to this next coming transfer.
Today we are field tripping out to target with a member to get some sweaters and other needed items. It’s going to be so fun. The members here are so great. They feed us food, get our hair done, drive us places and give us free make up. They are all getting excited about missionary work too. We could not ask for better Wards.
I still love this Gospel and I still Love this work!
Sister Bailey
A thought from the Bible Dictionary: Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith. (Romans 10:14-17)
Monday, November 23, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
The work in Liberty Lake is picking up and we have been able to meet and contact people that we've been trying to get a hold of for a long time. Miracles are all over. The Lord blesses us everyday. I love it. I am so grateful for this gospel and so grateful for this work. I love it.
We have been teaching two of our investigators together, Sam and Nathan. It has been interesting because they both have different needs and are both progressing differently. They are meeting with us and their friend Brandon who will be leaving for the MTC ( Missionary Training Center) in December. He helped us plan and teach the lesson. It was so cool. The spirit was so strong. He’s going to be an amazing missionary. We asked Sam to read Moroni Chapter 10. In order to gain a better understanding of it he decided to read the whole book of Moroni! Nathan and Sam are both really sharp young men. It has been so good to talk with them and to teach them and to learn from them.
I feel incredibly blessed to be able to associate with and meet all the people that I do. Here in Spokane and back in Nauvoo. (no Dr. Seuss rhymes intended) I have learned so much. Grown so much. And (hopefully) changed a lot too. For the better.
Eric prayed about the date he wanted to be baptized and has rescheduled for December 11th! He has chosen his friend Makade to baptize him. Makade is 16. What an experience! What a building block for his testimony! We are so excited for him(Eric)! He is wonderful! He, without us even asking, asked for his parents’ permission. They said yes. And when his mother started asking questions he pulled out the book of Mormon and started to read to her. And she listened. Not that it matters, but he will be getting baptized that day after my birthday! That is going to be the best birthday ever! I am going to be so excited and so anxious.
We had interviews this past Wednesday and I can hardly believe that at the end of this week I will have been here for a transfer and a half already. I’m hoping to stay here in Liberty Lake. Sister Bruner and I are planning on it. We love it here.
People love missionaries. They also like to buy missionaries stuff. Last preparation day we saw a member in the store who refused to let us pay for our own groceries. Another member took us out and paid for us to get our hair done. They all give us food. Fruits, veggies, and pasta. Most of it is all homemade. Even people who don’t want to listen to anything we say love us. They consent to listen to us if we will at least come out of the cold and have some of their hot chocolate. Not everyone is so kind, but more often than not we get a smile and some fresh pears, a cup of hot chocolate and anything else that think we can carry home. I don’t want to sound pompous or blow my own smoke, but sometimes I wonder if it is because, even though they do not want to here what we have to say, they like the feeling they get. As missionaries we are set apart as representatives of Jesus Christ. I think people can feel that. And even if they don’t want to listen, they love that Lord and when they feel that love as they open their door, they want to serve, they want to give, and they end up doing things they would not normally go about doing... like giving things away to complete strangers. It usually happens right as we’re deciding it’s too cold to stay out, or the afternoon when we run out of fresh fruit. Miracles are all over. The Lord blesses us everyday. I love it. I am so grateful for this gospel and so grateful for this work. I love it.
Sister Bailey READ: Moroni 7
We have been teaching two of our investigators together, Sam and Nathan. It has been interesting because they both have different needs and are both progressing differently. They are meeting with us and their friend Brandon who will be leaving for the MTC ( Missionary Training Center) in December. He helped us plan and teach the lesson. It was so cool. The spirit was so strong. He’s going to be an amazing missionary. We asked Sam to read Moroni Chapter 10. In order to gain a better understanding of it he decided to read the whole book of Moroni! Nathan and Sam are both really sharp young men. It has been so good to talk with them and to teach them and to learn from them.
I feel incredibly blessed to be able to associate with and meet all the people that I do. Here in Spokane and back in Nauvoo. (no Dr. Seuss rhymes intended) I have learned so much. Grown so much. And (hopefully) changed a lot too. For the better.
Eric prayed about the date he wanted to be baptized and has rescheduled for December 11th! He has chosen his friend Makade to baptize him. Makade is 16. What an experience! What a building block for his testimony! We are so excited for him(Eric)! He is wonderful! He, without us even asking, asked for his parents’ permission. They said yes. And when his mother started asking questions he pulled out the book of Mormon and started to read to her. And she listened. Not that it matters, but he will be getting baptized that day after my birthday! That is going to be the best birthday ever! I am going to be so excited and so anxious.
We had interviews this past Wednesday and I can hardly believe that at the end of this week I will have been here for a transfer and a half already. I’m hoping to stay here in Liberty Lake. Sister Bruner and I are planning on it. We love it here.
People love missionaries. They also like to buy missionaries stuff. Last preparation day we saw a member in the store who refused to let us pay for our own groceries. Another member took us out and paid for us to get our hair done. They all give us food. Fruits, veggies, and pasta. Most of it is all homemade. Even people who don’t want to listen to anything we say love us. They consent to listen to us if we will at least come out of the cold and have some of their hot chocolate. Not everyone is so kind, but more often than not we get a smile and some fresh pears, a cup of hot chocolate and anything else that think we can carry home. I don’t want to sound pompous or blow my own smoke, but sometimes I wonder if it is because, even though they do not want to here what we have to say, they like the feeling they get. As missionaries we are set apart as representatives of Jesus Christ. I think people can feel that. And even if they don’t want to listen, they love that Lord and when they feel that love as they open their door, they want to serve, they want to give, and they end up doing things they would not normally go about doing... like giving things away to complete strangers. It usually happens right as we’re deciding it’s too cold to stay out, or the afternoon when we run out of fresh fruit. Miracles are all over. The Lord blesses us everyday. I love it. I am so grateful for this gospel and so grateful for this work. I love it.
Sister Bailey READ: Moroni 7
Hailing from Liberty Lake.
***Oops. This is last week's email. I'm a little behind. Signed Anne's mom***
Hellllllooooooo.
This week was so good. The Lord has blessed Sister Bruner and I so much! We’re teaching three new investigators! All of them are in the Mica Peak Ward. It's been really cool. One wants to be baptized and we've only taught him twice! The spirit is so strong. He loves church! He is 17. He's a friend of one of the families in the ward. He is such a spectacular kid. I am so grateful that the Lord would trust me to teach him. He definitely recognizes the peace that comes from reading the Book of Mormon and praying for answers. The other two investigators are friends with a boy in the Ward who is going to the MTC (missionary training center) come December. We went to his house last night to sit down and make a lesson plan with him. He is going to help us teach the lesson!!! It's going to be AMAZING! He's going to do a fantastic job.
We are teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are, first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second, repentance, third baptism by immersion and fourth the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” ---- and endure to the end. The gospel is progressive. Through Christ we can be cleansed from sin and we need to have faith in Him in order to repent, in order to even want to repent, and we need to repent in order to be baptized and make those promises with God that will allow us to be with Him again. But! None of us are perfect and we will all make mistakes. Even after baptism, and that’s why it is so important to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost so that we can more easily live up to those promises we make at baptism so that we may endure to the end. The Holy Ghost is that third member of the godhead. He is a personage of spirit so that he may speak directly to our spirits. He is sent to us to lead and guide us, to be a teacher, a helper, and a comforter. He provides so much strength in our lives. I am grateful for his company while I walk this mortal sphere and SO grateful for his company while doing this work. I know that each of us, not only should, but can have this great gift in our lives, but first we must exercise our faith, to experiment on God’s words and find answers for ourselves through study and prayer. God will assist, of this I can testify and promise! (Isaiah 41:13)
I still love this Gospel and I still Love this work! Sister Bruner and I were looking through the clothes at Wal-mart as we walked by and talking about how weird everything was. I started thinking about what I would buy if I weren’t a missionary at the moment. I didn't get very far. It made me so grateful for my tag and a little terrified of going home. I want to be a missionary forever.
Sister Bailey<3
It snowed this week.
Hellllllooooooo.
This week was so good. The Lord has blessed Sister Bruner and I so much! We’re teaching three new investigators! All of them are in the Mica Peak Ward. It's been really cool. One wants to be baptized and we've only taught him twice! The spirit is so strong. He loves church! He is 17. He's a friend of one of the families in the ward. He is such a spectacular kid. I am so grateful that the Lord would trust me to teach him. He definitely recognizes the peace that comes from reading the Book of Mormon and praying for answers. The other two investigators are friends with a boy in the Ward who is going to the MTC (missionary training center) come December. We went to his house last night to sit down and make a lesson plan with him. He is going to help us teach the lesson!!! It's going to be AMAZING! He's going to do a fantastic job.
We are teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. “We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are, first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, second, repentance, third baptism by immersion and fourth the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost” ---- and endure to the end. The gospel is progressive. Through Christ we can be cleansed from sin and we need to have faith in Him in order to repent, in order to even want to repent, and we need to repent in order to be baptized and make those promises with God that will allow us to be with Him again. But! None of us are perfect and we will all make mistakes. Even after baptism, and that’s why it is so important to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost so that we can more easily live up to those promises we make at baptism so that we may endure to the end. The Holy Ghost is that third member of the godhead. He is a personage of spirit so that he may speak directly to our spirits. He is sent to us to lead and guide us, to be a teacher, a helper, and a comforter. He provides so much strength in our lives. I am grateful for his company while I walk this mortal sphere and SO grateful for his company while doing this work. I know that each of us, not only should, but can have this great gift in our lives, but first we must exercise our faith, to experiment on God’s words and find answers for ourselves through study and prayer. God will assist, of this I can testify and promise! (Isaiah 41:13)
I still love this Gospel and I still Love this work! Sister Bruner and I were looking through the clothes at Wal-mart as we walked by and talking about how weird everything was. I started thinking about what I would buy if I weren’t a missionary at the moment. I didn't get very far. It made me so grateful for my tag and a little terrified of going home. I want to be a missionary forever.
Sister Bailey<3
It snowed this week.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Roughly a month in Washington, Spokane
I can't decide if the time is moving quicker or slower here in Washington. I could go both ways. And really I don't know which I would prefer. It could go both ways.
The work in Liberty Lake reminds me very much of a boat ride on a windy day. There are ups and there are downs and it has a tendency to make you sea sick.
Here in Liberty Lake there is not much gray to speak of, only blacks and whites. People either love the missionaries, or wish it were legal to run them off the road. The missionaries love both. :)
We have been teaching a lot of first lessons, some seconds, and no thirds. We have started teaching two people and then they both asked us not to come back and now we are teaching two NEW people. :)..... and then there is Sister Fenton. She is wonderful. We've met with her twice now and she is a remarkable person. Then Fentons are one of the cutest families you will ever meet. She and her husband haven't gone to church in quite a while and she has wondered now, as her family grows and matures, if the Gospel is something she wants for them. And that has been the nature of our visits. She balances mom/wife role plus being a student and then squeezes us in at least once a week. She has even fed us! I love that family.
Most recently in my studies I read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. I love that document. I memorized my favorite part. "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, To ponder in their hearts the message it contains and then to ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of it's truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost."
That is a promise. I know it to be true. And as I read it today I realized that the Book of Mormon not only ends with a promise, but begins with one also. The Lord wants us to have the strength that the Book of Mormon provides in our lives. The only way to have it is to ask. I would like to add my testimony to the many, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it is true. I invite all men (and women) everywhere to read it, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and to ask God the eternal Father in the name of Christ if the book is true.
You will receive an answer.
Sister Bailey
suggested reading: The Book of Mormon.
The work in Liberty Lake reminds me very much of a boat ride on a windy day. There are ups and there are downs and it has a tendency to make you sea sick.
Here in Liberty Lake there is not much gray to speak of, only blacks and whites. People either love the missionaries, or wish it were legal to run them off the road. The missionaries love both. :)
We have been teaching a lot of first lessons, some seconds, and no thirds. We have started teaching two people and then they both asked us not to come back and now we are teaching two NEW people. :)..... and then there is Sister Fenton. She is wonderful. We've met with her twice now and she is a remarkable person. Then Fentons are one of the cutest families you will ever meet. She and her husband haven't gone to church in quite a while and she has wondered now, as her family grows and matures, if the Gospel is something she wants for them. And that has been the nature of our visits. She balances mom/wife role plus being a student and then squeezes us in at least once a week. She has even fed us! I love that family.
Most recently in my studies I read the introduction to the Book of Mormon. I love that document. I memorized my favorite part. "We invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, To ponder in their hearts the message it contains and then to ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of it's truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost."
That is a promise. I know it to be true. And as I read it today I realized that the Book of Mormon not only ends with a promise, but begins with one also. The Lord wants us to have the strength that the Book of Mormon provides in our lives. The only way to have it is to ask. I would like to add my testimony to the many, that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it is true. I invite all men (and women) everywhere to read it, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and to ask God the eternal Father in the name of Christ if the book is true.
You will receive an answer.
Sister Bailey
suggested reading: The Book of Mormon.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Missionaries Live to teach. If we do not teach --- We die.
We are teaching! It's been so good! The members are stellar. We've had to do all the paper work the Elders didn't, but it's been so good to get on track with our area books. Most of the paperwork is done. We've zoned both our Wards and color coded our directory and potentials accordingly. We're trying to get a "splits" calendar together because all of the Sisters in both Wards have expressed a strong desire to come out and work with us.
I love Sister Bruner. It has been so good to get to know her and the learn from her and I don't think any one could be better to "re-vamp" an area. She has been such a help. After talking with one another we figured out that we took a class together at BYU-I (Brother Allred's Book of Mormon Class) and realized that she is very close friends with all the Chinese girls I lived with!!!!! I love them! Macy and Queena and Cannon and Tami!!! She doesn't know Margaret, but that's only because she moved to BYU Provo.She knows Chance and Ray too! Chance made me pig feet that semester and Ray talked to me while I did my Book of Mormon class final project. It was neat.
I love this Gospel and I love this work. I have a strong testimony of this Gospel, but have a hard time articulating it sometimes. I am so grateful for the spirit and how it can translate all those things in my heart that my mouth just can't figure out how to say. I love all of you. I want you to know that I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that through Joseph Smith His church and His Gospel are on the earth again. God still speaks to His children through Prophets. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today. The Book of Mormon is true. There is nothing that can convince me otherwise. My conviction comes from God.
Sister Bailey
Amos 3:7
Enos1:8; then go to 2Nephi33:10-12
I love Sister Bruner. It has been so good to get to know her and the learn from her and I don't think any one could be better to "re-vamp" an area. She has been such a help. After talking with one another we figured out that we took a class together at BYU-I (Brother Allred's Book of Mormon Class) and realized that she is very close friends with all the Chinese girls I lived with!!!!! I love them! Macy and Queena and Cannon and Tami!!! She doesn't know Margaret, but that's only because she moved to BYU Provo.She knows Chance and Ray too! Chance made me pig feet that semester and Ray talked to me while I did my Book of Mormon class final project. It was neat.
I love this Gospel and I love this work. I have a strong testimony of this Gospel, but have a hard time articulating it sometimes. I am so grateful for the spirit and how it can translate all those things in my heart that my mouth just can't figure out how to say. I love all of you. I want you to know that I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that through Joseph Smith His church and His Gospel are on the earth again. God still speaks to His children through Prophets. Thomas S. Monson is His prophet today. The Book of Mormon is true. There is nothing that can convince me otherwise. My conviction comes from God.
Sister Bailey
Amos 3:7
Enos1:8; then go to 2Nephi33:10-12
Monday, October 26, 2009
Liberty Lake and Mica Peak
Sister Bruner and I cover two wards. Two HUGE wards. Both are wonderful. The Elders didn't leave us much to go on. In some ways it feels like we are opening a new area! We have been meeting with all the members in the ward, particularly the auxiliaries, and between chopping wood and walking around for 6 hours in the freezing rain the ward members seem to be very impressed with us which we are hoping implies trusting relationships. They all seem to have at least one person, if not two or three people, in mind for us to teach or visit! The wards have been awesome. Through our own efforts we've found 2 people, Zach and Deseree (sp?) who we have set up appointments with this week. Then have a slew of other people the elders from our district found on a blitz we did on Saturday. A blitz means the whole district came out and tracted our area with us so there were ten to twelve missionaries finding people instead of just two. All in all, I think things are really moving forward. This next week is going to be so exciting.
Love Sister Bruner. She is so up-beat and bubbly --- and small! She's a whopping 90 pounds or something like that. It has been so good to get to know her and learn from her when it comes to working with wards/bishops/ward mission leaders as well as opening an area, which for me seems like an insurmountable task on my own. Luckily, this is not something I need to or should do on my own. I have Sister Bruner and the Lord. This is His work. He wants us to do it. He wants us to do it together. I am so excited and have been so in awe to see how He will get the ball rolling.
Strangely enough it reminds me of "Building" a family. What an insurmountable task. To be charged with raising one of the Lord's spirit children. What faith the Lord exercises in letting us give it a try!! Thank goodness we are not expected to do it on our own. We have our spouse and we have the Lord who, if we let Him, will be there through the whole thing.
Suggested reading: The Family, A proclamation to the world
A copy can be acquired at lds.org
Sister Bailey
You are in my thoughts and prayers
Love Sister Bruner. She is so up-beat and bubbly --- and small! She's a whopping 90 pounds or something like that. It has been so good to get to know her and learn from her when it comes to working with wards/bishops/ward mission leaders as well as opening an area, which for me seems like an insurmountable task on my own. Luckily, this is not something I need to or should do on my own. I have Sister Bruner and the Lord. This is His work. He wants us to do it. He wants us to do it together. I am so excited and have been so in awe to see how He will get the ball rolling.
Strangely enough it reminds me of "Building" a family. What an insurmountable task. To be charged with raising one of the Lord's spirit children. What faith the Lord exercises in letting us give it a try!! Thank goodness we are not expected to do it on our own. We have our spouse and we have the Lord who, if we let Him, will be there through the whole thing.
Suggested reading: The Family, A proclamation to the world
A copy can be acquired at lds.org
Sister Bailey
You are in my thoughts and prayers
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Shot to the heart
I have only been in the field for a week and a half and it already feels like my heart has been ripped out. We had transfer calls last night. I have been transferred to "Liberty Lake". I'm excited, but I had no idea how torn I would be. I am in love with Moscow. I am in love with the people I'm teaching. I know in my heart I will probably never see them again. We have been teaching Ramundo English and, in order to do so, I have been learning Spanish. I can now bare my testimony in Spanish and let everyone know that I can speak "broken Spanish". Enough to communicate. Sister Jurado is also transferring out of the area and Sister Brown is staying here. We are going out to lunch with Ramundo to say goodbye, which is, in part, why this e-mail is so short. We want to be on time. I will miss this place so much. The doctrine of eternal families and eternal life are joyous ones. I know I may never see these people again in this life, but what a reunion will take place in the life to come! And we'll be able to fully communicate to each other. :)
To my understanding my new companion, Sister Bruner, and I will be opening Liberty Lake. That means missionaries (at least Sisters) have not been in the area for a long time. We get to start from scratch. What a way to hit the ground --- running. Sister Bruner is five nothing and 80 lbs!!! Tiny! I met her at a Mission Meeting on Saturday when the whole mission met in Spokane to listen and talk with Elder Bednar. It was a very neat experience.
I love this Gospel. I know it to be true. I love this work!!! and I love all of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. <333
Sister Bailey
To my understanding my new companion, Sister Bruner, and I will be opening Liberty Lake. That means missionaries (at least Sisters) have not been in the area for a long time. We get to start from scratch. What a way to hit the ground --- running. Sister Bruner is five nothing and 80 lbs!!! Tiny! I met her at a Mission Meeting on Saturday when the whole mission met in Spokane to listen and talk with Elder Bednar. It was a very neat experience.
I love this Gospel. I know it to be true. I love this work!!! and I love all of you. You are in my thoughts and prayers. <333
Sister Bailey
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Greetings from Moscow
YES. Moscow. Actually it's pronounced Moss-Coh. I am in the south of the pan handle of Idaho. It's cold. I came at an odd time with only one week left in the transfer so who knows where I'll be next week. I love all the missionaries I have met and we have become fast friends. And yes mom, my mission president (President Palmer) does have a new Zealand accent. It's fun. When I arrived I spent the night at President Palmer's house. It was the best night sleep I've gotten in my life. At 7am I had a short interview with them and then he sent me off to Moscow.
The past 4 days have been crazy good. My new companions are Sister Jurado (Sister Hurado) and Sister Brown. They are really good missionaries. They have been such a blessing. We are teaching a lot. I'm serving in the married student wards of Idaho University. We cover three wards. We teach everyone, but we work with the members of those specific wards. It's an interesting set up and hard to explain. I met the Bishops, relief society presidents, and ward mission leaders of every ward on Sunday. We bike. When I first got here all we did was bike, but now we have a mini-van and share it with the singles ward Sisters so we bike every other day. Probably the coolest thing ever, right now, are all the Spanish lessons we've been teaching. Sister Jurado speaks Spanish fluently and so we've been teaching a lot of lessons in Spanish. We all still teach. She translates what she can and the Spirit does the rest! It is so cool to both feel and see how the Spirit can transcend any barrier that might lie in it's way.
Elder Bednar (an apostle of the Lord) is coming to talk to us on Saturday. We are all really stoked. What a great way to start out my six months here. On the other hand, I just got an e-mail from the Henricksons from Nauvoo. All the Sisters leave Nauvoo and the PROPHET of God shows up. Yes. Thomas S. Monson is in Nauvoo right now and I am sitting at a computer at the institute building in Moscow, Idaho. It's a good thing I have been sent here by the Lord with a work to do and the most important massage in the world to share with people. Otherwise I might be a little put out.
I called the Nauvoo visitor's center today to get my driving information faxed over here to the mission office. It was the weirdest thing to talk to the Senior missionaries on the phone. It was like calling my friends. I love them and miss them so much, as I do all of you.
That's all right now. I love you. Sorry for how short this e-mail is. I'm still kind of star struck by it all. My head is swimming.
Sister Bailey
The past 4 days have been crazy good. My new companions are Sister Jurado (Sister Hurado) and Sister Brown. They are really good missionaries. They have been such a blessing. We are teaching a lot. I'm serving in the married student wards of Idaho University. We cover three wards. We teach everyone, but we work with the members of those specific wards. It's an interesting set up and hard to explain. I met the Bishops, relief society presidents, and ward mission leaders of every ward on Sunday. We bike. When I first got here all we did was bike, but now we have a mini-van and share it with the singles ward Sisters so we bike every other day. Probably the coolest thing ever, right now, are all the Spanish lessons we've been teaching. Sister Jurado speaks Spanish fluently and so we've been teaching a lot of lessons in Spanish. We all still teach. She translates what she can and the Spirit does the rest! It is so cool to both feel and see how the Spirit can transcend any barrier that might lie in it's way.
Elder Bednar (an apostle of the Lord) is coming to talk to us on Saturday. We are all really stoked. What a great way to start out my six months here. On the other hand, I just got an e-mail from the Henricksons from Nauvoo. All the Sisters leave Nauvoo and the PROPHET of God shows up. Yes. Thomas S. Monson is in Nauvoo right now and I am sitting at a computer at the institute building in Moscow, Idaho. It's a good thing I have been sent here by the Lord with a work to do and the most important massage in the world to share with people. Otherwise I might be a little put out.
I called the Nauvoo visitor's center today to get my driving information faxed over here to the mission office. It was the weirdest thing to talk to the Senior missionaries on the phone. It was like calling my friends. I love them and miss them so much, as I do all of you.
That's all right now. I love you. Sorry for how short this e-mail is. I'm still kind of star struck by it all. My head is swimming.
Sister Bailey
Friday, October 9, 2009
Last e-mail from Nauvoo
I expect this letter to be a short one. There is too much to do and too little time. But what an amazing opportunity we had this weekend to hear a Prophet of God and the Apostles! I can't believe I forgot to tell everyone about it in my last letter! If anyone would like to listen to all the amazing things declared and directed for our benefit visit LDS.org and find the links that lead to "General Conference". Sometimes, as missionaries, you only take life one day at a time. I didn't realize conference was here until it was here and even then we were serving in between the moments we were able to watch. I am so excited to get the conference edition of the Ensign! What a wonderful day to live in...when the words of a prophet are delivered to you door step once a month. Susan Easton Black was here this weekend in Nauvoo as well. It was such a treat to be able to spend time with her and to ask her questions and the hear her testimony of the early saints and of the divinity of Joseph Smith and his calling. I know that Joseph Smith was and is a Prophet of God. The the fullness of the gospel has been restored and that we can chose eternal life and happiness by the merits of Jesus Christ and His atonement or to choose eternal misery and death according to the power and captivity of the devil. Elder Jeffery R Holland bore testimony that the Savior warned "that in the last days, mens' hearts shall fail them". And surely it will happen, but it is our choice, Brothers and Sisters, if we are contributors to the fulfillment of that prophecy. Will our hearts fail? Or have we built our foundation upon that foundation that if men build they cannot fall?
I would also like to express my love and gratitude to all you have been such a strength and support while I have been out here. Your letters are appreciated and you prayers are felt. When ever I cannot stand on my own I can feel angels round about me to bear me up. I know that I have not earned those angels by my own merit. Thank you for your love, prayers, support and concern. I love you so much and I think of you all often.
Sister Bailey
Alma 5
Washington Spokane Mission
820 S. Pines Rd Ste 101
Spokane Valley, WA 99206-5420
I would also like to express my love and gratitude to all you have been such a strength and support while I have been out here. Your letters are appreciated and you prayers are felt. When ever I cannot stand on my own I can feel angels round about me to bear me up. I know that I have not earned those angels by my own merit. Thank you for your love, prayers, support and concern. I love you so much and I think of you all often.
Sister Bailey
Alma 5
Washington Spokane Mission
820 S. Pines Rd Ste 101
Spokane Valley, WA 99206-5420
Friday, October 2, 2009
Pride has reared It's Ugly Head
I am having trouble writing this week because quite frankly I just e-mailed you the most exciting news I've gotten already. Washington Spokane Mission. As soon as I get a new address I'll pass it along, but find comfort in knowing that if you send a letter here to Nauvoo it will get forwarded. I don't know if you guys remember me talking --- er --- writing about the Howards. They are "the most giving people I've ever met in my entire life". That's usually how I describe them anyway. They are from SPOKANE! They were crying when they found out where I was going. They offered to take a box to Spokane for me because they'll be leaving about the same time we are. They said that they know exactly where the mission office is and would be able to drop it off. I told them that that would be great, the only problem is that in 6 months I'll have to be able to make it back to Nauvoo with the same amount of stuff.
Sister Lukens and I have been studying humility. It has been really neat. I want to share what it says about humility in "True to the Faith". Just the first paragraph. "True to the Faith" is a study resource that I have that has been put out by the Prophet of God and the Apostles that defines and describes words and concepts so that we can better understand them. The first paragraph concerning humility says, "To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord --- to understand that you have a constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgement that your talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity or fear; it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies. You can be both humble and fearless. You can be both humble and courageous". I love it. The opposite of humility is pride. We read through the scriptures to help us better be able to identify pride in ourselves. We only got through three so far, but this is what we came up with. 1) If you do not flee from temptation and willingly put yourself in spiritually threatening situations, pride has reared it's ugly face 2)If you blame God for your shortcomings or for your hardship, pride has reared it's ugly face and 3) If you are offended by something or someone, check yourself for the following situations, a) if you are offended at something that is not true you are being over sensitive. Who cares if it's not true? or b) if you are offended by something that is true, something needs to change. Pride, has reared it's ugly head.
So, the study continues. We still have some scripture references to go through, but that is what we've got so far. We can all be more humble. The struggle with pride will never be over. And just has you think it is, it's bit you on the ankle. For what humble man would sit and say to himself "I have conquered pride" with out an inkling of pride in his heart?
In my most recent president's interview President asked me what my greatest fear for my new assignment was. I was completely candid and told him, "that I wont want to come back to Nauvoo". I love Nauvoo. I know with all my heart that this is where I need to be right now and that I was called here by God himself, but I have never felt comfortable here. I feel so much more prepared for the kind of work I will be doing in Washington. I know I am going to fall in love with the people. I generally fall pretty hard for people. I am going to get attached and just as I have to rip my heart away from Nauvoo, leaving little pieces of it behind, I will have to rip it away from Washington as well. It is going to hurt. President Ludwig responded, just as any God-inspired man would, "Sister Bailey," he said in his love drenched tender tone of voice, "I know that you are scared that you wont want to come back, but I certainly hope that it happens that way. I know that Nauvoo has been hard, and maybe the outbound won't be as challenging for you as it is for others, but thank goodness the Lord let you do something that is just a little bit hard. I hope you hate leaving Washington. I hope you fall in love with the people. But we will be glad to have you back".
I would rather be drug onto the plane kicking and screaming than plowing people over trying to be first. I know it will be the former. If I manage to leave Washington with out getting my heart ripped out, then my heart won't be right with the Lord. Here's to growing pains.
I love each of you with every piece of me. Thank you for your support. I am being 100% serious when I say I can feel it.
Sister Bailey
D&C 128
Oh yeah! here's where everyone is going:
Sister Aston: Texas, Dallas
Sister Quick: Colorado Denver North
Sister Lukens: Colorado Colorado Springs
Sister ME: Washington Spokane
Sister Patterson: Tennessee, Nashville
Sister Barry: Washington, Keenewick (sp?)
Sister Reece: Texas, Fort Worth
Sister Picard: New Jersey, Morristown
Sister Goodrich: Georgia, Atlanta
Sister Parker: New Jersey, Cherryhill
Sister Westwood: Montana, Billings
Sister Johnson: Nevada, Las Vegas
Sister Morgan: Colorado, Denver South
Sister Thomas, Sister Alexander, Sister Meyer: All the the Iowa, Peoria Mission for 6 weeks and then they go home
Sister Lukens and I have been studying humility. It has been really neat. I want to share what it says about humility in "True to the Faith". Just the first paragraph. "True to the Faith" is a study resource that I have that has been put out by the Prophet of God and the Apostles that defines and describes words and concepts so that we can better understand them. The first paragraph concerning humility says, "To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord --- to understand that you have a constant need for His support. Humility is an acknowledgement that your talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a sign of weakness, timidity or fear; it is an indication that you know where your true strength lies. You can be both humble and fearless. You can be both humble and courageous". I love it. The opposite of humility is pride. We read through the scriptures to help us better be able to identify pride in ourselves. We only got through three so far, but this is what we came up with. 1) If you do not flee from temptation and willingly put yourself in spiritually threatening situations, pride has reared it's ugly face 2)If you blame God for your shortcomings or for your hardship, pride has reared it's ugly face and 3) If you are offended by something or someone, check yourself for the following situations, a) if you are offended at something that is not true you are being over sensitive. Who cares if it's not true? or b) if you are offended by something that is true, something needs to change. Pride, has reared it's ugly head.
So, the study continues. We still have some scripture references to go through, but that is what we've got so far. We can all be more humble. The struggle with pride will never be over. And just has you think it is, it's bit you on the ankle. For what humble man would sit and say to himself "I have conquered pride" with out an inkling of pride in his heart?
In my most recent president's interview President asked me what my greatest fear for my new assignment was. I was completely candid and told him, "that I wont want to come back to Nauvoo". I love Nauvoo. I know with all my heart that this is where I need to be right now and that I was called here by God himself, but I have never felt comfortable here. I feel so much more prepared for the kind of work I will be doing in Washington. I know I am going to fall in love with the people. I generally fall pretty hard for people. I am going to get attached and just as I have to rip my heart away from Nauvoo, leaving little pieces of it behind, I will have to rip it away from Washington as well. It is going to hurt. President Ludwig responded, just as any God-inspired man would, "Sister Bailey," he said in his love drenched tender tone of voice, "I know that you are scared that you wont want to come back, but I certainly hope that it happens that way. I know that Nauvoo has been hard, and maybe the outbound won't be as challenging for you as it is for others, but thank goodness the Lord let you do something that is just a little bit hard. I hope you hate leaving Washington. I hope you fall in love with the people. But we will be glad to have you back".
I would rather be drug onto the plane kicking and screaming than plowing people over trying to be first. I know it will be the former. If I manage to leave Washington with out getting my heart ripped out, then my heart won't be right with the Lord. Here's to growing pains.
I love each of you with every piece of me. Thank you for your support. I am being 100% serious when I say I can feel it.
Sister Bailey
D&C 128
Oh yeah! here's where everyone is going:
Sister Aston: Texas, Dallas
Sister Quick: Colorado Denver North
Sister Lukens: Colorado Colorado Springs
Sister ME: Washington Spokane
Sister Patterson: Tennessee, Nashville
Sister Barry: Washington, Keenewick (sp?)
Sister Reece: Texas, Fort Worth
Sister Picard: New Jersey, Morristown
Sister Goodrich: Georgia, Atlanta
Sister Parker: New Jersey, Cherryhill
Sister Westwood: Montana, Billings
Sister Johnson: Nevada, Las Vegas
Sister Morgan: Colorado, Denver South
Sister Thomas, Sister Alexander, Sister Meyer: All the the Iowa, Peoria Mission for 6 weeks and then they go home
Monday, September 28, 2009
I had an interesting Friday.
Saturday, September 26th
I have only ever been to the state of Washington once in my life. It was the worst road trip I had ever taken. The best part was the ten hour drive there and the ten hour drive back to Rexburg with, who was then Mallory Mills, and is now, Mallory Daybell. I am grateful and excited that my second trip there will be much better, one in which I will be able to fall in love with Washington.
Last night we all went to President's house to gather before we went to clean the temple. We were all excited. He read a string of scriptures about missionary work. He then pulled out a piece of paper and informed us that we were not going to clean the temple, that instead, he had decided to tell us where the Lord was sending us next. I did not want to know. I had set myself up for Monday. I was the third name called. The Lord has sent me to the Washington Spokane mission. I will be flying there on Wednesday October 7, 2009. The call really came from left field for me. Shock is probably the best word to describe my initial reaction, but as soon as my brain shut up a feeling of peace started to grow within my heart. The peace I expected to feel upon opening my original call letter, one that I did receive concerning the Nauvoo Illinois Mission, but not until much later. I needed to struggle with that first call. I needed to. Not with this one. That feeling of peace was such a sweet assurance that the Lord is mindful of ever needful thing. Not just for me, but for every one of us.
I will be excited to write again on Tuesday when I have been able to gather my thoughts a little better. I wasn't even going to write today, but I thought you might like to know as soon as I did.
Sister Bailey. D&C100
I have only ever been to the state of Washington once in my life. It was the worst road trip I had ever taken. The best part was the ten hour drive there and the ten hour drive back to Rexburg with, who was then Mallory Mills, and is now, Mallory Daybell. I am grateful and excited that my second trip there will be much better, one in which I will be able to fall in love with Washington.
Last night we all went to President's house to gather before we went to clean the temple. We were all excited. He read a string of scriptures about missionary work. He then pulled out a piece of paper and informed us that we were not going to clean the temple, that instead, he had decided to tell us where the Lord was sending us next. I did not want to know. I had set myself up for Monday. I was the third name called. The Lord has sent me to the Washington Spokane mission. I will be flying there on Wednesday October 7, 2009. The call really came from left field for me. Shock is probably the best word to describe my initial reaction, but as soon as my brain shut up a feeling of peace started to grow within my heart. The peace I expected to feel upon opening my original call letter, one that I did receive concerning the Nauvoo Illinois Mission, but not until much later. I needed to struggle with that first call. I needed to. Not with this one. That feeling of peace was such a sweet assurance that the Lord is mindful of ever needful thing. Not just for me, but for every one of us.
I will be excited to write again on Tuesday when I have been able to gather my thoughts a little better. I wasn't even going to write today, but I thought you might like to know as soon as I did.
Sister Bailey. D&C100
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Time moves quickly, no surprise
This letter is an odd one to write because so little time has past between this one and my last. Sister Brinkerhoff and Sister Stagg left this morning. It was a very bitter morning in the Hatch house.
Transfers went great. My companion is Sister Lukens. She is 5' 2", an amazing missionary, and from California. She graduated as an English major and is planning to do graduate school when she gets home. I love her. The past 48 or so hours have been good ones. I feel like we have a good plan for the next 2 weeks. This transfer is going to be/already is so weird. So short. It's like a little goodbye transfer for all the Sisters. We are making our preparations to leave both temporally and spiritually. Yesterday, Sister Lukens asked me what the best experience from my last transfer was. We both laughed at the impossibility of the question, but it made me think back on things I need to write about. My loftiest goal is to get caught up in my journal before we leave on our outbounds. As Nauvoo has slowed down the Lord has blessed me with so many tender mercies. So many spiritual experiences. It felt like Pageant was one big spiritual experience, but after pageant, as things slow down and people say goodbye, there has been something each day, something distinct and over powering that has built up my spirit like the saints did the city of Nauvoo. It makes me feel strangely close to this place.
The words obedience and obey often have a negative connotations connected with them. However, we are teaching lesson four this week in "Angels in the outfield" and it is entitled "Keeping the commandments. Commandments are given so that we can be happy. "Men are that they might have joy". Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy! Wouldn't it make sense for Him to give us instructions on how to do all that? I want to testify now that when we willingly put forth effort and do what our Father in Heaven has asked us to do, no matter how hard it may seem, He will provide a way for us to do it.
He will help. He wants to help. Let Him. Besides, if "obedience" makes you feel like a tool I would invite you to read and ponder upon Mosiah2:33, "For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him that listeth to obey [the evil spirit]; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge". The funny thing about obeying the evil spirit is that often times we think that we are rebelling or being open minded, or freeing ourselves of some oppression. Really what has happened, is that instead of obeying God, someone who loves us, and wants the best for us, who promises us eternal life and happiness, we choose to obey someone who only wishes to do us harm, to drag us down, and break our souls. Who promises us an eternity of punishment and anguish. Sometimes, when God asks us to do something, we have a tendency to ask why. The same question can be asked when Satan asks us to do something. "Why?" I can promise that a reasonable, logical answer will not come.
Obedience to God brings the blessing of Eternal Life.
Sister Bailey
Mosiah 13
Transfers went great. My companion is Sister Lukens. She is 5' 2", an amazing missionary, and from California. She graduated as an English major and is planning to do graduate school when she gets home. I love her. The past 48 or so hours have been good ones. I feel like we have a good plan for the next 2 weeks. This transfer is going to be/already is so weird. So short. It's like a little goodbye transfer for all the Sisters. We are making our preparations to leave both temporally and spiritually. Yesterday, Sister Lukens asked me what the best experience from my last transfer was. We both laughed at the impossibility of the question, but it made me think back on things I need to write about. My loftiest goal is to get caught up in my journal before we leave on our outbounds. As Nauvoo has slowed down the Lord has blessed me with so many tender mercies. So many spiritual experiences. It felt like Pageant was one big spiritual experience, but after pageant, as things slow down and people say goodbye, there has been something each day, something distinct and over powering that has built up my spirit like the saints did the city of Nauvoo. It makes me feel strangely close to this place.
The words obedience and obey often have a negative connotations connected with them. However, we are teaching lesson four this week in "Angels in the outfield" and it is entitled "Keeping the commandments. Commandments are given so that we can be happy. "Men are that they might have joy". Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy! Wouldn't it make sense for Him to give us instructions on how to do all that? I want to testify now that when we willingly put forth effort and do what our Father in Heaven has asked us to do, no matter how hard it may seem, He will provide a way for us to do it.
He will help. He wants to help. Let Him. Besides, if "obedience" makes you feel like a tool I would invite you to read and ponder upon Mosiah2:33, "For behold, there is a wo pronounced upon him that listeth to obey [the evil spirit]; for if he listeth to obey him, and remaineth and dieth in his sins, the same drinketh damnation to his own soul; for he receiveth for his wages an everlasting punishment, having transgressed the law of God contrary to his own knowledge". The funny thing about obeying the evil spirit is that often times we think that we are rebelling or being open minded, or freeing ourselves of some oppression. Really what has happened, is that instead of obeying God, someone who loves us, and wants the best for us, who promises us eternal life and happiness, we choose to obey someone who only wishes to do us harm, to drag us down, and break our souls. Who promises us an eternity of punishment and anguish. Sometimes, when God asks us to do something, we have a tendency to ask why. The same question can be asked when Satan asks us to do something. "Why?" I can promise that a reasonable, logical answer will not come.
Obedience to God brings the blessing of Eternal Life.
Sister Bailey
Mosiah 13
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Getting sick gets worse as you grow up. Or life keeps getting better. Maybe it's a combinations of both.
Our p-day was changed from Monday to Friday due to the mission presidents seminar we hosted. So the e-mail for this week is rather late. A lot has happened. About three quarters of the way through September 7th I began to feel awful. It was a steep down hill from there and today is my first real day of feeling better. I served until Wednesday when Sister Ludwig found me at the Visitors Center. To my raspy "Hello Sister Ludwig" her face quickly dropped and said, "Are you getting sick?". My stomach dropped and after some very short and pointless protests she had me in the car and headed back home. I have to admit, in high school getting sick was like getting an unexpected holiday. I much preferred my warm bed to a cold dull classroom any day, even if I felt as though my head would fall off. Then I went to college. Getting sick at college is no fun. There is no mother to care for you, you feel crummy, your roommates avoid you like the plague for fear they will get sick, and if you miss classes it means a lot of catching up to do before you begin to feel well again. I never thought getting sick could feel any worse, but alas, I can assure you that getting sick on a mission is worse. Getting sick means you can't serve until you feel in tip top shape again and everyone wants to help you feel better. I have been in and out of serving since Wednesday, but I am back on my feet and ready to go! I can only imagine how getting sick must feel as a mother. Yuck. I was able to serve the mission presidents, their wives, Elder and Sister Perry (Yes, Elder Perry, an Apostle of God) and all the other General Authorities. It was an amazing weekend. I loved it! The weirdest thought was that some of these mission presidents were some of the Nauvoo Sisters future mission presidents. We had no idea who they were, but there knew who we were. It was fun. The thing that really put the icing on the cake was when we sang "Called to Serve" for all who were in attendance. It was the last time we would all sing together as Sisters. Sister Brinkerhoff and Sister Stagg are leaving next Thursday. The spirit was so strong. We were able to sing a rendition of the song that was arranged by a Nauvoo Sister that served here last year. It really does those sweet, quiet, really joyful moments on a mission justice. Elder Perry stopped all of us as we started to exit the room and made sure that we received a standing ovation. He then asked who had had their companionship study the previous day. We all raised our hands and laughed as he let us all leave.
Today has been absolutely fabulous! How could it not be? We got up, exercised, went to the Temple and now are writing to our loved ones! The Temple was so good today. I love it there. It will be hard not to have it so available when I leave this place. I was reading Alma Chapter 8 today while I was at the Temple. This is the chapter in which he meets Amulek. I love Amulek. I also love the example that Alma is to me as a servant of the Lord. In verse 14 it describes Alma as he travels away from a city that he has just been essentially kicked out of because he was preaching the Gospel. The people there were offended by truth and saw that he was removed. Alma is "weighed down with much sorrow", not for his own persecutions, but because the people had rejected the Gospel. Alma wanted nothing more for those people than to feel the joy the Gospel brings. In verse 14 the Lord commands Alma to turn around, go back to where he just came from, back to a place where he was just spit on, yelled at, and cast out, and preach the Gospel again. Alma's response? "He returned speedily to the land" of those people that had cast him out to do the will of the Lord. Not only did he return, but he did it "speedily". I can only hope that I will be as quick to hearken to the counsel of the Lord.
For the rest of the day I am going to write my mission president, go out to lunch with the other p-day Sisters (I have been out for 6 months today), run some errands, and write letters. I have A LOT to write. Thank you so much for the sometimes overwhelming amount of support you all extend to me. <333
Sister Bailey
Suggested reading : Mosiah18
Today has been absolutely fabulous! How could it not be? We got up, exercised, went to the Temple and now are writing to our loved ones! The Temple was so good today. I love it there. It will be hard not to have it so available when I leave this place. I was reading Alma Chapter 8 today while I was at the Temple. This is the chapter in which he meets Amulek. I love Amulek. I also love the example that Alma is to me as a servant of the Lord. In verse 14 it describes Alma as he travels away from a city that he has just been essentially kicked out of because he was preaching the Gospel. The people there were offended by truth and saw that he was removed. Alma is "weighed down with much sorrow", not for his own persecutions, but because the people had rejected the Gospel. Alma wanted nothing more for those people than to feel the joy the Gospel brings. In verse 14 the Lord commands Alma to turn around, go back to where he just came from, back to a place where he was just spit on, yelled at, and cast out, and preach the Gospel again. Alma's response? "He returned speedily to the land" of those people that had cast him out to do the will of the Lord. Not only did he return, but he did it "speedily". I can only hope that I will be as quick to hearken to the counsel of the Lord.
For the rest of the day I am going to write my mission president, go out to lunch with the other p-day Sisters (I have been out for 6 months today), run some errands, and write letters. I have A LOT to write. Thank you so much for the sometimes overwhelming amount of support you all extend to me. <333
Sister Bailey
Suggested reading : Mosiah18
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The Rock Of Our Redeemer, Who Is Christ
We are going to Hannibal for P-day with the Henricksons (sp?), which leaves pretty much no time for letters. I cannot grantee that anyone will get a letter this week, so forgive me in advance for your empty mail boxes. :(
A weird thing happened to me this week. Sometimes, when I study, I read over my ministerial certificate to remind me what I'm doing and who my call to Nauvoo has actually come from. This time, as I read, I took more notice of my tentative release date..... "August 31, 2010". The most evasive thought pushed itself into my head, "If the date on that card holds water, this time next year I will be home". And today, if that's true, this time next year I will have been home for a week. I love all of you and miss you a lot, but I don't like to think about it. Part of me wants to be a missionary forever.
This past week was the first week of "Angels in the outfield". This is when we get to teach the Seniors. It has been so fun. I have to admit, about an hour before my first lesson, I was scared out of my mind. I couldn't think straight. I had no idea where it was coming from, which only made it worse. I only remember thinking, "I have to write this down. I never want to forget how hard this was". From Tuesday on everything was coming up roses. I had no idea how creative the Seniors are here. We have been having so much fun. I have now taught the first lesson roughly 19 times (not counting the MTC or the visitor's center, this is just for angels) with 5 different companions. It has been so amazing to learn from one another and teach together. I have taught with Sister Alexander, Sister Lukens, Sister Westwood, Sister Reece, Sister Thomas. It was SO good.
To make it even better, yesterday was fast Sunday. We broke our fast at President Ludwig's house and then all sat down in the living room and talked about Angels in the outfield and then our outbounds. President doesn't know where we're going. ( I think I told you otherwise last week. Please forgive me, this is the Navuoo mission... rumors spread like fire on prairie grass). Transfers have been pushed back a week because next week we're going to be hosting a "Mission President's seminar" here in Nauvoo. Some of us will be meeting our future mission president. We wont know it when it happens. Many of the mission presidents coming next week are presidents of missions who often times shelter Nauvoo Sisters for the winter. Many sisters are really nervous about the field. When I really think about it, my excitement drowns out any nerves I have. As the upcoming months unfold I hope to keep two things in mind. One "I am a Nauvoo Sister, who is now going out to proselyte" (Sister Lukens, dispelling the thought of "Ok I'm no longer a Nauvoo Sister I am a proselyting sister"). And two, I have been called by the Lord, and the Lord has not called me to failure.
"And now my sons remember remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ that ye must build your foundations, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12)
The same can be said for each one of us here on earth. We are God's children, He loves us and He sent us here to learn the things we need to learn and do the things we need to do in order to become like Him. The whole purpose of this life is to one day return to Him. That is how we are happy, that is how we are successful. We have not been sent here to fail, just as every missionary has not been called to fail. And just as every missionary must turn to and depend on his arm for strength, we must "remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ, that we must build our foundation.
A lot of times in the mission we talk about our "mission life" and our "real life". In some ways it's true, there is a bit of a difference, but in a lot of ways the line between the mission and "real life" is much finer, much blurrier than we give it credit for. The principles for success are the same. "Remember, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."
Sister Bailey.
D&C 4
A weird thing happened to me this week. Sometimes, when I study, I read over my ministerial certificate to remind me what I'm doing and who my call to Nauvoo has actually come from. This time, as I read, I took more notice of my tentative release date..... "August 31, 2010". The most evasive thought pushed itself into my head, "If the date on that card holds water, this time next year I will be home". And today, if that's true, this time next year I will have been home for a week. I love all of you and miss you a lot, but I don't like to think about it. Part of me wants to be a missionary forever.
This past week was the first week of "Angels in the outfield". This is when we get to teach the Seniors. It has been so fun. I have to admit, about an hour before my first lesson, I was scared out of my mind. I couldn't think straight. I had no idea where it was coming from, which only made it worse. I only remember thinking, "I have to write this down. I never want to forget how hard this was". From Tuesday on everything was coming up roses. I had no idea how creative the Seniors are here. We have been having so much fun. I have now taught the first lesson roughly 19 times (not counting the MTC or the visitor's center, this is just for angels) with 5 different companions. It has been so amazing to learn from one another and teach together. I have taught with Sister Alexander, Sister Lukens, Sister Westwood, Sister Reece, Sister Thomas. It was SO good.
To make it even better, yesterday was fast Sunday. We broke our fast at President Ludwig's house and then all sat down in the living room and talked about Angels in the outfield and then our outbounds. President doesn't know where we're going. ( I think I told you otherwise last week. Please forgive me, this is the Navuoo mission... rumors spread like fire on prairie grass). Transfers have been pushed back a week because next week we're going to be hosting a "Mission President's seminar" here in Nauvoo. Some of us will be meeting our future mission president. We wont know it when it happens. Many of the mission presidents coming next week are presidents of missions who often times shelter Nauvoo Sisters for the winter. Many sisters are really nervous about the field. When I really think about it, my excitement drowns out any nerves I have. As the upcoming months unfold I hope to keep two things in mind. One "I am a Nauvoo Sister, who is now going out to proselyte" (Sister Lukens, dispelling the thought of "Ok I'm no longer a Nauvoo Sister I am a proselyting sister"). And two, I have been called by the Lord, and the Lord has not called me to failure.
"And now my sons remember remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ that ye must build your foundations, that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea his shafts in the whirlwind, yea when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless woe, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which if men build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12)
The same can be said for each one of us here on earth. We are God's children, He loves us and He sent us here to learn the things we need to learn and do the things we need to do in order to become like Him. The whole purpose of this life is to one day return to Him. That is how we are happy, that is how we are successful. We have not been sent here to fail, just as every missionary has not been called to fail. And just as every missionary must turn to and depend on his arm for strength, we must "remember that it is upon the rock of our redeemer who is Christ, that we must build our foundation.
A lot of times in the mission we talk about our "mission life" and our "real life". In some ways it's true, there is a bit of a difference, but in a lot of ways the line between the mission and "real life" is much finer, much blurrier than we give it credit for. The principles for success are the same. "Remember, faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, brotherly kindness, godliness, charity, humility, diligence. Ask and ye shall receive, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen."
Sister Bailey.
D&C 4
Monday, August 31, 2009
The Visitor's are gone, but the spirit is still strong
The sun is out, the corn is high and the weather is near perfect. Welcome to Nauvoo. Sister Westwood and I have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off, so it must be another preparation day. We did some things around the house this morning and then headed off to clean the van and get gas before coming here to the Visitor's Center to e-mail.We plan to get load of stuff done, some errands in town, stop by the sewing room etc.. It should be a good day.
This week was a good one. Last Tuesday was an eventful day at the visitor's center. Sister Westwood and I got stuck in the elevator for a good 20 minutes, my old roommate Sara and Jimmy came in, a bat was flying around the visitor's center, when we got back after lunch we had surprise interviews with President Ludwig, and I talked to President Ludwig's brother in law on the phone in the call center. That was kind of fun. On Wednesday I served at the cultural hall and it was pretty slow. I served with Sister Warr and Sister Brockbank who are two of the funniest sisters in the mission, so I wasn't at all bored. Then Elder and Sister Meyers came in and it was pretty much a party. Elder Meyers had caught some raccoons and wanted to show them to me so we went out to his car and took a look. One was still fighting but the other two were very resigned to the predicament they had found themselves in . Elder Meyers is crazy and thought it would be fun to let one go, so he did and then chased it around the parking lot. It was funny. On Thursday Elder Brockbank made me eat a donut. He told sister Aston and I he had a surprise for us out in his car and when we had gotten half way across the parking lot he said " They're donuts!! Sister Bailey, I know you don't eat donuts, but I bought these for you and If you don't eat one I'm going to be offended!" What was I suppose to do? I ate one. The man had like FOUR boxes of donuts in his car. It was ridiculous. We also found out that we are leaving October 7th ( not October 12th). President knows where we are going, but won't tell us until about a week before we leave.
As slow as this place has gotten, the Lord has blessed all of the missionaries with some of the neatest experiences. I love serving. If you have a dull moment you're probably the one to blame. The spirit is too strong here to have a dull moment. When you think you have nothing to do, read the Book of Mormon! The pages come alive. I know that can be said for more than just missionaries. As we fill our extra time with the most important things in life., family, the Book of Mormon , the Ensign etc. , the Lord blesses us and our minds and spirits are fed. He is the living water and the bread of Life. He has asked us to "fest upon the word"..... not nibble, not pick, Feast.
I love District meeting and Zone conference. I am looking forward to Angels in the outfield, but I am terrified at the same time. My studies are now basically wholly on the lessons so that I can teach with any companion I get. I pray that each new companionship I teach in will be able to have the Spirit there to unify us in our teaching in such a short amount of time with little or no preparation. It's the little or no preparation that I am worried about, but, I know that the Father knows that we are doing our best and will aid us in our teaching.
In District meeting this week president said, "Sometimes we have no idea what we volunteer for". Isn't that the truth? The important thing is not how much or how little we understand about what we have promised to do, the important thing is what we DO with the promise we have made.
And when we feel faint hearted we can think about the promise that was made in Abraham Chapter 3.
(If you don't have "The Pearl of Great Price" you can find Abraham Chapter 3 on LDS.org >>> Church Library >>>> Scriptures
Sister Bailey
I love you all
This week was a good one. Last Tuesday was an eventful day at the visitor's center. Sister Westwood and I got stuck in the elevator for a good 20 minutes, my old roommate Sara and Jimmy came in, a bat was flying around the visitor's center, when we got back after lunch we had surprise interviews with President Ludwig, and I talked to President Ludwig's brother in law on the phone in the call center. That was kind of fun. On Wednesday I served at the cultural hall and it was pretty slow. I served with Sister Warr and Sister Brockbank who are two of the funniest sisters in the mission, so I wasn't at all bored. Then Elder and Sister Meyers came in and it was pretty much a party. Elder Meyers had caught some raccoons and wanted to show them to me so we went out to his car and took a look. One was still fighting but the other two were very resigned to the predicament they had found themselves in . Elder Meyers is crazy and thought it would be fun to let one go, so he did and then chased it around the parking lot. It was funny. On Thursday Elder Brockbank made me eat a donut. He told sister Aston and I he had a surprise for us out in his car and when we had gotten half way across the parking lot he said " They're donuts!! Sister Bailey, I know you don't eat donuts, but I bought these for you and If you don't eat one I'm going to be offended!" What was I suppose to do? I ate one. The man had like FOUR boxes of donuts in his car. It was ridiculous. We also found out that we are leaving October 7th ( not October 12th). President knows where we are going, but won't tell us until about a week before we leave.
As slow as this place has gotten, the Lord has blessed all of the missionaries with some of the neatest experiences. I love serving. If you have a dull moment you're probably the one to blame. The spirit is too strong here to have a dull moment. When you think you have nothing to do, read the Book of Mormon! The pages come alive. I know that can be said for more than just missionaries. As we fill our extra time with the most important things in life., family, the Book of Mormon , the Ensign etc. , the Lord blesses us and our minds and spirits are fed. He is the living water and the bread of Life. He has asked us to "fest upon the word"..... not nibble, not pick, Feast.
I love District meeting and Zone conference. I am looking forward to Angels in the outfield, but I am terrified at the same time. My studies are now basically wholly on the lessons so that I can teach with any companion I get. I pray that each new companionship I teach in will be able to have the Spirit there to unify us in our teaching in such a short amount of time with little or no preparation. It's the little or no preparation that I am worried about, but, I know that the Father knows that we are doing our best and will aid us in our teaching.
In District meeting this week president said, "Sometimes we have no idea what we volunteer for". Isn't that the truth? The important thing is not how much or how little we understand about what we have promised to do, the important thing is what we DO with the promise we have made.
And when we feel faint hearted we can think about the promise that was made in Abraham Chapter 3.
(If you don't have "The Pearl of Great Price" you can find Abraham Chapter 3 on LDS.org >>> Church Library >>>> Scriptures
Sister Bailey
I love you all
A Little e-mail
At the end of this week Nauvoo starts pre-gaming for the Sister's outbounds. We will tract the Seniors. Knock on their doors, teach them lessons and eat their food. They will call us and make appointments for follow up lessons and dinner appointments. As mundane as it might sound, we are all very excited about it. Sister Westwood and I took to teaching a gorilla and a penguin in our living room the other day. The lesson went well, but it we were hard pressed for a second opinion.
In this week's District meeting President said something that I have fallen in love with. "Everything we do for the Lord should be a little hard".
That is a quote that each of us could live by. The Lord stretches us and helps us grow. Growing and stretching are not always the warmest or fuzziest feelings but, as we trust in Him and let Him direct our paths, we will get where we need to go. He will only ever lead us back home.
Sister Bailey
Proverbs 3:5-6 A favorite of many.
I know that this is a little e-mail, but This is what has flooded my thoughts as of late.
In this week's District meeting President said something that I have fallen in love with. "Everything we do for the Lord should be a little hard".
That is a quote that each of us could live by. The Lord stretches us and helps us grow. Growing and stretching are not always the warmest or fuzziest feelings but, as we trust in Him and let Him direct our paths, we will get where we need to go. He will only ever lead us back home.
Sister Bailey
Proverbs 3:5-6 A favorite of many.
I know that this is a little e-mail, but This is what has flooded my thoughts as of late.
Friday, August 21, 2009
just a quick update
I have broken my streak. When transfers happened on Sunday, I, for the first time on my mission, did not pack up my bags and move. I am still in Nauvoo. Which is good! I love Nauvoo. It feels weird not to be in Carthage, but Nauvoo is just fine. That's the great thing about missions, as long as you are doing the work you will fall in love with any place, any people, at least for the time being. Although I am not in a new place I do have a new preparation day and new companion. Sister Westwood. She is also a signing sister. She is from Payson, Utah. Very sweet. Very sincere. It should be a good transfer. I think our differences with help us each learn a lot this transfer and it will be SO good for the lessons! Something I'm really looking forward to is "Angels in the outfield". Basically, since Nauvoo gets so slow come September, the Senior missionaries all make dinner appointments with us and we start teaching them the lessons to prepare to go into the field. I think Sister Westwood and I will teach well together.
Today has been a lot of run around. not very fun really, moving rooms, looking for frames, cleaning the van, printing off pictures for everyone but myself etc. The best part of the morning was going to the Temple for a session. Of course, on a day that one attends the Temple that usually is the best part of the day.
There is not much to say today, nor much time to say it in, so I will leave you a scripture to think about. St. Matthew 6:24-34. These verses tie a string around my heart and yank it in the right direction. I just need to follow.
(for anyone who knows how to count better than I can, yes, you are correct. I've been out for five months. Not six.That seemed rather quick.)
Today has been a lot of run around. not very fun really, moving rooms, looking for frames, cleaning the van, printing off pictures for everyone but myself etc. The best part of the morning was going to the Temple for a session. Of course, on a day that one attends the Temple that usually is the best part of the day.
There is not much to say today, nor much time to say it in, so I will leave you a scripture to think about. St. Matthew 6:24-34. These verses tie a string around my heart and yank it in the right direction. I just need to follow.
(for anyone who knows how to count better than I can, yes, you are correct. I've been out for five months. Not six.That seemed rather quick.)
Sister Bailey
Sunday, August 16, 2009
A short note
Hello. Hello from a very slow, but surprisingly loud Nauvoo. Vocal Point and EFY are here. The combination calls for ear plugs, but due to the fact that I haven’t been to the store in over two weeks and won't be going until next week when both noisy visitors are gone, I am left lacking.
Okay, okay, it’s not as bad as I made it sound. In fact it’s been really fun. The EFY kids, loud as they might be, bring a little “life to the party” or party to the life, depending on how you view the situation. Come August 18th all the YPMs will be gone and then the seniors will start dropping like flies, which is to say they are going home, not kicking the bucket in any “stop breathing” kind of way. It will be weird to come back to Nauvoo after being away so long. Same place, same feeling, same purpose, different people. I will be grateful to still have President and Sister Ludwig and the seniors that are left here. It will make it feel more like home.
Actually, the more I think about that, same place, same feeling, same purpose, different people, the more I feel I need to correct myself. It will be the same place, same feeling, same purpose and in a way, the same people, just different faces, and different stories. 4Nephi1:15-17 describes the kind of people you find here in Nauvoo. And the case will be the same next summer too.
The call center is still my favorite place to be as of late.
Sorry this e-mail is so short. Next week is transfers so there will probably be more to say.
The gospel is true and I love this work. Thank you for you love and support.
Sister Bailey
Keep pressing forward.
Okay, okay, it’s not as bad as I made it sound. In fact it’s been really fun. The EFY kids, loud as they might be, bring a little “life to the party” or party to the life, depending on how you view the situation. Come August 18th all the YPMs will be gone and then the seniors will start dropping like flies, which is to say they are going home, not kicking the bucket in any “stop breathing” kind of way. It will be weird to come back to Nauvoo after being away so long. Same place, same feeling, same purpose, different people. I will be grateful to still have President and Sister Ludwig and the seniors that are left here. It will make it feel more like home.
Actually, the more I think about that, same place, same feeling, same purpose, different people, the more I feel I need to correct myself. It will be the same place, same feeling, same purpose and in a way, the same people, just different faces, and different stories. 4Nephi1:15-17 describes the kind of people you find here in Nauvoo. And the case will be the same next summer too.
The call center is still my favorite place to be as of late.
Sorry this e-mail is so short. Next week is transfers so there will probably be more to say.
The gospel is true and I love this work. Thank you for you love and support.
Sister Bailey
Keep pressing forward.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Quieter Days Are Coming.
Today we're going to the temple and to the bank and the post office and trying to get some letters and exploring done.
Pageant is over. Gone. Moved out. The cast has gone home and taken most of our visitors with them. Nauvoo is back to being a quiet little city on the bend of the river. As the Pageant moved out Vocal Point moved in. Vocal Point is an acapella group from BYU that comes out to Nauvoo every year. Sister Meyer and I watched last night. They were good. To my understanding, after Vocal Point leaves this place is suppose to get pretty dead pretty quick. Vocal Point will take the young preforming missionaries (YPMs) with them and a ton of Senior missionaries go home in August. Nauvoo is full of goodbyes, full of change.
When they all leave the sisters schedule will be filled with dinner and teaching appointments! The Senior couples all sign up to let the sisters come teach them the lessons and generally are more than happy to stick a plate of food in front of you while you do. I am really looking forward to it. It's like pregaming for the field. Sooner than we know it I will be writing you all an e-mail telling you where I'm going on my outbound. I feel like I entered the MTC yesterday. I can't believe it's been this long.
For right now I live for the call center. We always have something to do in the call center. I never thought that having people say they want free stuff would make me so happy. I love the call center. The hours I spend in there are probably my happiest. The sisters all watched Sunset by the Mississippi for the last time this summer the other night. It was a great show. The YPMs all had the sisters join in the parade before hand. To be in the parade you have to make a hat (the parade is for little kids). Anyway, as I made my hat I heard a "Sister Bailey!" come from behind me. I turned around expecting to see a YPM and nearly fell over when I saw a John Maruji, my friend from college, standing there! It was the neatest little treat to see him. Nauvoo is referred to by a lot of the Senior missionaries as "a celestial bubble" referring to how people feel when they come here. The Celestial Kingdom is the place where we are able to be with our families again. For eternity. And live with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ again. For eternity. In "a state of never ending happiness". Nauvoo is the place to make CRAZY connections with people. It happens all the time. I think that that will be very similar to the Celestial kingdom. What happy reunions will take place there as we turn around when our name is called to see a friend, a mother, and grandfather, a cousin a great great great great grand father. I can almost hear the smiling and cheering that will go on there. And then to think of the greatest reunion of all, the one we will have with our Eldest Brother, Our Savior, Our Rock and Our Redeemer, The Son Of God, Jesus Christ.The One who holds us up when we can't stand and steadiest us when we falter. The one who "quiets all our fears". I can't even imagine what that will be like.
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall".(Helaman 5:12)
"And moreover, I would desire that you should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it". (Mosiah 2:41)
I love you all.
Sister Bailey
Pageant is over. Gone. Moved out. The cast has gone home and taken most of our visitors with them. Nauvoo is back to being a quiet little city on the bend of the river. As the Pageant moved out Vocal Point moved in. Vocal Point is an acapella group from BYU that comes out to Nauvoo every year. Sister Meyer and I watched last night. They were good. To my understanding, after Vocal Point leaves this place is suppose to get pretty dead pretty quick. Vocal Point will take the young preforming missionaries (YPMs) with them and a ton of Senior missionaries go home in August. Nauvoo is full of goodbyes, full of change.
When they all leave the sisters schedule will be filled with dinner and teaching appointments! The Senior couples all sign up to let the sisters come teach them the lessons and generally are more than happy to stick a plate of food in front of you while you do. I am really looking forward to it. It's like pregaming for the field. Sooner than we know it I will be writing you all an e-mail telling you where I'm going on my outbound. I feel like I entered the MTC yesterday. I can't believe it's been this long.
For right now I live for the call center. We always have something to do in the call center. I never thought that having people say they want free stuff would make me so happy. I love the call center. The hours I spend in there are probably my happiest. The sisters all watched Sunset by the Mississippi for the last time this summer the other night. It was a great show. The YPMs all had the sisters join in the parade before hand. To be in the parade you have to make a hat (the parade is for little kids). Anyway, as I made my hat I heard a "Sister Bailey!" come from behind me. I turned around expecting to see a YPM and nearly fell over when I saw a John Maruji, my friend from college, standing there! It was the neatest little treat to see him. Nauvoo is referred to by a lot of the Senior missionaries as "a celestial bubble" referring to how people feel when they come here. The Celestial Kingdom is the place where we are able to be with our families again. For eternity. And live with our Father in Heaven and Jesus Christ again. For eternity. In "a state of never ending happiness". Nauvoo is the place to make CRAZY connections with people. It happens all the time. I think that that will be very similar to the Celestial kingdom. What happy reunions will take place there as we turn around when our name is called to see a friend, a mother, and grandfather, a cousin a great great great great grand father. I can almost hear the smiling and cheering that will go on there. And then to think of the greatest reunion of all, the one we will have with our Eldest Brother, Our Savior, Our Rock and Our Redeemer, The Son Of God, Jesus Christ.The One who holds us up when we can't stand and steadiest us when we falter. The one who "quiets all our fears". I can't even imagine what that will be like.
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall".(Helaman 5:12)
"And moreover, I would desire that you should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it". (Mosiah 2:41)
I love you all.
Sister Bailey
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Count your many blessings
I forgot to write about Socaiable last week. Thank you for your prayers, they were felt! It went well and everyone said they loved it! We all felt it went well. I had been able to serve in Carthage that Sunday too. It made for a good day. The end of Sociable was a welcome event at least for me. It was a really good experience and was a unique opportunity. The Socaiable was a chance for all twenty of the Sisters to teach a group of people all together. To combine our testimonies into a heartfelt program that taught and testified to a group of people that was larger than any we will ever teach again. Everyone did a fabulous job.
Today has been crazy. It's been good, but I have just felt rushed. Rushed is never how a p-day should go. If you feel whirlwinded by the end of p-day there's no catching your breath for the rest of the week. We are going to be able to attend the temple after writing this e-mail and that should help. I need to think. There is no better place to do thinking than in the temple. What a blessing it is to have one so close by. This morning we went to the Howards for breakfast. The Howards are temple missionaries that dote upon the sisters. They feed us and feed us healthy food. They are a blessing in this mission. They had us over, fed us a healthy breakfast and made us feel like missionaries. We were even able to teach a short lesson before we left. It was the bright spot in my day. Thank Goodness for the Howards. They are a couple that never stops giving. They gave us a scrubby for our dishes, brought out a massage thing from Brookstone for my companion as soon as she mentioned her back hurt and declared the they wanted to make her a candle holder. They tried to give us a box of Raisin Bran but we declined. That couple would give us the clothes off their backs if we would let them. After a delightful morning we headed off to Walmart to get some things and then came home to write some rushed letters and have a short lunch. We watched the "Letters of Emma and Joseph" vignette at 1:30 and then went home to pick up the other Sisters for e-mailing. After this we are going to go to another vignette (King Follet) and then the temple and then rendezvous and then pageant greeting, back to rendezvous and then a late night because we're watching pageant. That will put us in bed around 11:45pm. And somewhere in between all that goes on before rendezvous I'm trying to get another letter in. Speaking of letters...As I gathered up all my things this morning I found the letters I had written everyone last week!!!! I never sent them!!!!!! If I hadn't been to disappointed I would have killed over laughing.
Okay, well, now that you've gotten a play by play of my entire day maybe I can write about less trivial matters, like giving and gratitude. I want to take this e-mail in a different direction than I usually take them. There are so many blessings here in this mission. I want to list some. I need to list some. I would invite each of us to stop and reflect on what the Lord has blessed us with. To literally, as the song directs, "Count [our] many blessings"
Sister Bailey and Sister Meyers at breakfast at the Howards' home
The spirit here is so strong. For anyone coming here to Nauvoo there is "Something different" about this place, "Something special". I know that something different is because the "Spirit of God, like a fire is burning" thrives here. My blessings...
The amazing Sisters I have the privilege of associating with.
All the senior couples.
The Temple, not only a place of refuge and peace, but a constant reminder of the sacrifices that have been made for each of us.
President and Sister Ludwig. Their love, care and spirits. And their closeness. I don't know of many missionaries that can walk to their Mission Presidents house if need be.
Carthage.
The people I serve with.
The people I meet.
The Howards.
The sunsets.
The countless teaching opportunities to the young the old, the lost and the found.
The love and support I receive from around the globe.
The best of both worlds.
The weather.
The new skills I never planned to acquire, especially on a mission.
A comfortable bed.
A nice house.
Being kept busy.
Pageant, as well as all the other shows.
This place is not what I had in mind when I filled out my mission papers. But it is what the Lord had in mind, and what the Lord has in store for us is always better that anything we could dream up ourselves. Come what may and love it. :)
I love all of you. Thank you for your letters. Thank you for your prayers.
Sister Bailey
Psalms 89:8-9
Today has been crazy. It's been good, but I have just felt rushed. Rushed is never how a p-day should go. If you feel whirlwinded by the end of p-day there's no catching your breath for the rest of the week. We are going to be able to attend the temple after writing this e-mail and that should help. I need to think. There is no better place to do thinking than in the temple. What a blessing it is to have one so close by. This morning we went to the Howards for breakfast. The Howards are temple missionaries that dote upon the sisters. They feed us and feed us healthy food. They are a blessing in this mission. They had us over, fed us a healthy breakfast and made us feel like missionaries. We were even able to teach a short lesson before we left. It was the bright spot in my day. Thank Goodness for the Howards. They are a couple that never stops giving. They gave us a scrubby for our dishes, brought out a massage thing from Brookstone for my companion as soon as she mentioned her back hurt and declared the they wanted to make her a candle holder. They tried to give us a box of Raisin Bran but we declined. That couple would give us the clothes off their backs if we would let them. After a delightful morning we headed off to Walmart to get some things and then came home to write some rushed letters and have a short lunch. We watched the "Letters of Emma and Joseph" vignette at 1:30 and then went home to pick up the other Sisters for e-mailing. After this we are going to go to another vignette (King Follet) and then the temple and then rendezvous and then pageant greeting, back to rendezvous and then a late night because we're watching pageant. That will put us in bed around 11:45pm. And somewhere in between all that goes on before rendezvous I'm trying to get another letter in. Speaking of letters...As I gathered up all my things this morning I found the letters I had written everyone last week!!!! I never sent them!!!!!! If I hadn't been to disappointed I would have killed over laughing.
Okay, well, now that you've gotten a play by play of my entire day maybe I can write about less trivial matters, like giving and gratitude. I want to take this e-mail in a different direction than I usually take them. There are so many blessings here in this mission. I want to list some. I need to list some. I would invite each of us to stop and reflect on what the Lord has blessed us with. To literally, as the song directs, "Count [our] many blessings"
Sister Bailey and Sister Meyers at breakfast at the Howards' homeThe spirit here is so strong. For anyone coming here to Nauvoo there is "Something different" about this place, "Something special". I know that something different is because the "Spirit of God, like a fire is burning" thrives here. My blessings...
The amazing Sisters I have the privilege of associating with.
All the senior couples.
The Temple, not only a place of refuge and peace, but a constant reminder of the sacrifices that have been made for each of us.
President and Sister Ludwig. Their love, care and spirits. And their closeness. I don't know of many missionaries that can walk to their Mission Presidents house if need be.
Carthage.
The people I serve with.
The people I meet.
The Howards.
The sunsets.
The countless teaching opportunities to the young the old, the lost and the found.
The love and support I receive from around the globe.
The best of both worlds.
The weather.
The new skills I never planned to acquire, especially on a mission.
A comfortable bed.
A nice house.
Being kept busy.
Pageant, as well as all the other shows.
This place is not what I had in mind when I filled out my mission papers. But it is what the Lord had in mind, and what the Lord has in store for us is always better that anything we could dream up ourselves. Come what may and love it. :)
I love all of you. Thank you for your letters. Thank you for your prayers.
Sister Bailey
Psalms 89:8-9
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