Week Five: Toxey, Alabama Transfer (Week 2)

Well, this week was crazy and I have a feeling that as long as I am in Toxey, every letter will start out like that. A lot of the crazy, weird things that happen daily here, I just think to myself, "Well, at least that will make a good journal entry." 

To start off, we went gator fishing for our last P-day, and we went to a pond on the John's plantation where there are tons of baby gators. You tie a piece of chicken on a string tied to a stick, throw it in the pond and the babies start coming. It was awesome, definitely not something you see everyday.  Also, my trainer ran over her second possum this week with the truck. It was late at night so we just had to drive on but we went back the next day to find it was actually pregnant and if you look close enough at the picture you can see the babies. 

This week we started knocking doors and visiting former members. I can see now why people kept telling me missions are not always easy and fun. I feel like I really understand my Savior better, especially the scripture where He says I came to my own and my own received my not. That verse touched me on a whole other level this week. I have only been out for a month but I can really see myself changing and understanding the Atonement and Christ's life better. You really realize what He did for you when you start walking like he walked. 

I had a cool experience this week. I was discouraged and thinking, there has to be a better way than knocking random doors. People are often ready to reject you before you even open your mouth so I was wondering if there wasn't a better way. Why doesn't God do this himself, I feel like that would have been a lot more effective than me and my comp. standing there? And then I realized He did do this Himself. He has walked long distances to meet people that didn't want to hear what He had to teach them. He did come here on this earth himself, and look how many people still rejected Him then. It made me rethink my role as a missionary. That people won't know Christ even if He stood in front of them because He is actually standing in front of them, they just don't realize the Gospel message we have to share is Christ being there and inviting them himself. This work is hard but it is truly God's work and can only be done through Him, this week showed me that. There is no way for me to teach this gospel or to teach people or to get let inside without Him.

  

Earl did not get baptized this week but he is so determined to be baptized. June 11th is his new date and he is so ready. He came to church this week and gave the most amazing closing prayer, his faith is so strong and we all love him!

I am grateful to be a missionary, I know I still have so much to learn these next 17 months. Missionary work is so very hard, but I know living the Gospel brings joy and happiness because it has brought me so much happiness. 

Love all of you!

Sister Baker

Week Four: Toxey, Alabama Transfer (Week 1)

Hello there family! I wanted to write so badly last week but because of transfers, we did not get the chance to. Sounds like everything is well though! By the way thanks for sending the letter with all the pictures, gosh my family is cute! Everyone likes looking at those. 

So I arrived in Florida. It was hot but not like overwhelming. People here keep telling me to wait for summer, so we will see about that. At first it felt like I was trying to breath through a towel but now I am used to it and it feels really nice outside all the time. First impression: SO MANY TREES, it is so green here and I love it. Secondly, I probably have seen more black people at the airport here then in my entire life. They are so funny, they will talk your ear off if you let them. It is crazy because you never know where they plan on taking the conversation, you just know that you started out talking about family history and temples and then all of a sudden, somehow, you are talking about a kid that just got murdered here last week. 

Also, there are lots of Dirt Cheap places here, like they are actually called that here like Dirt Cheap Fans or Dirt Cheap supplies so it is grand, Toxey is too small for their own Walmart so we have a Piggly Wiggly that you have to check the dates on everything because apparently checking for expired food is not a thing here I am learning. And there is roadkill everywhere but don't worry, people eat that too! We have a truck and are not really allowed to bike places because of how dangerous some parts of Toxey are and everything is so spread out it is kinda impossible to go from house to house when there is a legit jungle in between.

My companion is Sister Jensen, she has been here for 3 months, she actually opened this area up, they just let sisters come here 3 months ago. They John's were begging for missionaries and the only reason the branch is the way it is and missionaries are here is because of the Johns (a couple that lives on a plantation here and visit Newport Beach every so often, look for them). They put their own money and time to help this place so they are awesome. Everyone has like 2-3 callings, even we are helping out. There is so much potential here, we even have a baptism to look forward too next week.

There used to be like 7 members 10 years ago.The Branch is tiny here probably like 30 members on a good day I hear but the church is so cute. The spirit really is the same where ever you go. I loved Sunday, I love being a missionary here, I feel the Lord trusts me a lot if He sent me here.

People in lessons get really into it and I love it! They know their God and they know how to worship! Lots of "umm humms" and head nods when you talk about Jesus, it is awesome! We are really working on the less actives and part member families ( there is quite a bit of work to do with that) This ward needs young families, there is no young mens program because there are no young men.One girl Taqanya  wants to serve a mission, I think the first person from here that would serve a mission so she is awesome.

Living in Alabama, there are bound to be funny things everyday. Here are some things I have seen:

1. I was sitting down to teach one of my first lessons out in the field and out of the seat cushion crawls a spider and then it crawls around then back into the crack between the seat cushions. Once I found out that was my seat I was just thankful it wasn't too big of a spider and sat down. On a mission, you just learn to not care as much.

2. We asked some members for some referrals that the prophet has asked that we ask these questions, like do you know someone that just moved in? etc... well one question is do you know anyone who just had a kid or is pregnant? and the entire family just burst out laughing and one lady was like "girl, my entire family is pregnant!"

3. funny church signs : "Broken colors still color, God loves you!" or "7 days without Jesus makes one weak" they are all hilarious and punny and I want to find out who is coming up with all of these because they are hilarious.

4. there are literally dogs everywhere, every house has like a pack that sometimes charges at us, but most come up and want to be pet, and I am all for loving dogs but these dogs are dirty and probably have diseases so they dont get too much of my love.They need baths. food, and love.

I love the south, it is really beautiful here! It is sad though that a lot of people here know the churches are missing something, or they don't like how churches are led by men and a lot have learned to hate churches because they have had bad experiences with them in the past, so people here believe there is no true church to be found so it makes it hard for us to come in because they are pretty weary of churches. But they all love God and Jesus and all have "dark places" they came from but Jesus got them through it.

Keep the Toxey Branch in your prayers, they need strong, faithful members. The people that are already here are examples to me because living this faith out here is not easy. I really have learned to appreciate where I came from and how I was raised and my big ward family at home! They dont have that here, no mutual, no seminary, no young mens, no activity days, they barely have a primary, no ward parties or get togethers, no temple close by unless you drive a couple of hours, the church is even pretty far for some. So really appreciate what you have at home, I have and I will never take where I came from and what I know for granted again!

Love all of you so much!

Sister Baker

Week Two & Three: MTC

Sister Baker was able to call home on Mother's Day. Below is the e-mail we received Wednesday, May 11th, after talking to her. She then had her third and final week in the MTC before she left for Florida early in the morning on Tuesday, May 17th. We did not receive another e-mail about her third week in the MTC because of her traveling to Florida and having transfers. Below is her e-mail from week 2 and the pictures are from both week 2 and 3 of the MTC.

"I loved calling home to you guys! I know I was crying like a baby the entire time but it wasn't because I was sad. What set me off was hearing mom say my name, I forgot I had another name besides Sister Baker. But I loved hearing you guys, it made me so happy and I hope y'all know I'm super happy. I was going in all confident that I wasn't going to be the crier in our district but I know I failed the minute when the lady put the only box of tissues right next to me the first 3 minutes into the call. 

     Well as most of you know one of the four sisters left in our district to go home. It was sad but she had this experience that she shared with us that I thought was touching (although I wish she still stayed out) Her mom died awhile back and the night before she left she had a dream of her mom and she was telling her mom how rough the MTC experience has been for her. And I guess in the dream her mom told her it was okay to go home. And then the sister looked back and saw all of us, her entire district there, and she asked her mom ,"what about them?" referring to us and her mom said "Don't worry, I am going to watch over them." So she left for home and now they put us as a trio for the rest of the time here in the MTC. Sister Smith has been a nice addition to teaching and it takes some pressure off of me. 

        I recognized someone from BYU here at the MTC (she is a teacher here) and started talking to her (she was in one of my classes) and I told her where I was going and she got really excited because she served in the FTM as well and she was so happy to tell me all about it. She gave us advice like "wear flappy skirts to fan your legs". "ask the members to take food home (they love that), "President Smith is a jokester so don't fall for any of his pranks", and "you will love the people but do not Bible Bash." It was a really nice tender mercy I feel that helped me get a lot more excited to get to the field. 

        We have a new investigator this week, her name is Jessy and she is actually a nonmember (sometimes they have members pretend to be investigators) so it is really fun to talk to her. You know the saying some people are just prepared to hear the gospel, the seeds have been planted, well this is HER! She has had the discussions, has gotten answers to her prayers, and loves the scriptures and prayer, so we came in at the sweet time to get to talk to her through all of her questions. She grew up in the South so it hard for her to believe that God still speaks to us or that He would want to speak to her. So we testified to her of God and his loving reality and told her to not doubt those feelings but go forward with faith and look for God in her life. She might be the first person we all ask to get baptized because she is just so ready!

       It is crazy that I have one week left here (thank heavens), I fly out Tuesday at like 6 or 7 in the morning so we are out of here at 3 in the morning. I can call home at the airport but it might be early for you guys so we will see!

       Most of our zone left this week for their missions so it is just our district remaining. Today though we have a new district joining us so that will be fun to see and help out the new missionaries. They really stress the importance of being a good example of an obedient missionary because they will do what you do. So I am excited.

     We had a devotional this week by Linda K. Burton, who essentially said the same exact thing I have been learning here in the MTC. It is not about me! Forget yourself! She said things like:

"What you take home with you is what you became those [18 months]."

and then a conversation she had with a missionary who did a 180 on his mission...

She asked him, "What changed?"

He replied, "I forgot myself and became a missionary."

So I was really inspired to try to stop thinking about what I want and about me and start thinking about the people around me. It is hard to change that mindset but I know it will come over time.

I love you guys so much! As always thanks for writing me!

Sister Baker"

                                     

Week One: MTC

All your guys letters were so nice to hear! Thank you so much for all that you guys said! I have looked forward writing this email and hearing from you guys since I got here! 

      I know I have only been here for a week but I have already learned so much, it is crazy how much they load lessons on you. I did the math, the 15 hours we are awake about 12 of those are spent in classrooms or meetings or devotionals or teaching people, bathroom breaks and meals have become my life. So much happened so forgive me if it makes no sense, I will do my best to answer all your questions.

     My companion is Sister Kirkham and she is completely normal! So nice and easy to get along with, it has been an awesome companionship. My district is really awesome. I was really surprised, most of the guys here, have stories of falling away from the church and then coming back because they knew they needed to serve a mission, but from they way they talk you would have never known. It is cool to see how strong and spiritual they are now and how much they have grown closer to Christ.

     People in the MTC keep telling me I am supposed to be crying and super sad and feeling overwhelmed the first week but I don't feel like that at all, the transition for me to become a missionary wasn't too hard. But I do see how mission life can be hard for some. It is a lot. It is change but a good change.

     The second night here someone burnt their popcorn and the entire building had to exit and fire alarm was blaring and cops showed up and there were about 300 girls outside at night (blessed that I was not in the shower when that happened) and it was intense all for some girls popcorn. I was just laughing like of course that happens to me.

      If I knew what I would be doing here in the MTC in the first couple of days, I might have been a little more nervous going in. They kinda just throw you in a room with an investigator (justifying it by telling us that experience is the real teacher) but anyways I handled it like a champ and surprisingly I am pretty good at lessons and answering questions. IT is really hard though for me to try to listen to the Spirit, to teach by the Spirit is everything and for me it was not natural. I want to answer questions right then and there but I need to learn how to let the Spirit guide me. My companion and I have taught P.I's (progressing investigators- which are our teachers acting as someone from their missions) and then "real" investigators which are people that we dont know that say they are not mormon but there are rumors floating around who's mormon and who's actually an investigator. We have two of these Ny and Reed, Ny is really quiet and super Catholic and Reed who just loads on the questions like nobodies business. Good thing I read Infinite Atonement because it is like a firing squad in there, but it is all good.

      Thanks Cass for the letters for days of the week, those were really awesome and uplifting to read. 

Oh and we are the first district getting I-pads in the MTC, it is this pilot thing they are trying out on us. And my companion and I are Sister Zone Leaders so that was pretty awesome, we get to help the newbies coming in next week. 

      My purpose as a missionary is awesome, forget yourself and go to work is a real thing in here. They keep you pretty busy so there is not too much to worry about. But that lesson has been pretty reinforced that this mission is not at all about me. It is about coming to Christ and helping others do the same. The scripture that says obtaining the word before declaring it, you could put in the MTC before your mission because that is what it feels like.

I am loving it here and doing well. I miss you guys and hope dad doesn't kill you guys working and that the wedding is great!

LOVE

Sister Baker