Cutting Wood.

the fields are so pretty here

whitebird hill

 Birthday love from Sister Norman

candid calls and texts picture

a house that was on our ward list....

foreign exchange students that lived at a members home

Some happenings:

1. I have no cavities! I have been having some tooth pain so there are a couple dentists in the ward and one of them said that I should come in and he would take a look...NO CAVITIES!!! Just the last filling that I had was super close to the nerve so it bothers me sometimes.

2. We went to see Lezlie's mother-in-law Irene and that was fun! Showed us some pictures of her garden and then gave us Pepsi

3.  Learned how to cut and stack wood this week.  Not one of my strengths.  We talked to this man named Dale a couple weeks ago and offered some service.  He said that he might and took our number but no one really ever follows through with that but he called us on Friday! He had some wood in his truck.  So we hauled lots of wood and then he made us try and cut some with an ax.  Yah you can just imagine me with a big heavy ax trying to hit a small target....eventually I made it through the log but it was very uneven.  And then we made an assembly line.  Sister Norman was throwing the wood down the stairs to Dale and then Dale wood throw it to me and I would stack it.  It was pretty funny.  Also, the wheelbarrow was super heavy and you had to go over this little bump and we both tried doing it.  I actually made it but Sister Norman went down with the wheel barrow and logs went all over.  It was funny.  We then had watermelon on Dale's porch after.

4.  Yesterday had a district Blitz.  So the elders came to Grangeville and then we went to Orofino.  It was a pretty drive and then we walked around Orofino and these kids were riding their bikes and they were like "Hello! Can you come teach us about God!"  Thought I would never hear that on my mission;).  Apparently when sisters use to be in Orofino they would go to their house and teach them.  But the little girls were pretty insistent on us talking to their parents to see if we could come back. But their parents were having a party in the backyard.  The little girl took us there and then she was like okay you can go talk to them.  (there were a ton of adults there) So we were like do you want to introduce us so the little girl was like "Sister Stevenson and Norman are here"  It was funny.  The mom was nice.  

5. We also met these two guys named Vit and Dick (don't know if those are there real names...)  Anyways, there was a old guy with one leg in a wheelchair and another middle aged man working on putting together a garden box.  Both were shirtless and for a moment I thought the old man was naked in his wheelchair, i was praying he wasn't.  Don't worry he had shorts on you just couldn't really see them. So we walked up to them and started talking to them.  They were pretty funny.  Vit was Russian and had a strong thick accent.  At the end he was like "Sorry I am being a jerk, I just don't know what to say"  So now I know why people are jerks to us, they just don't know what to say haa

love to all!!!!

Wait, What?

Paxton

Idaho, oh how I will never leave you (okay well I don't have a choice:)

The Clarkston sisters and us

Our entire mission met on May 6, 2017 and we were taught by Elder Jeffrey R Holland

Nicole's Letter:

May 22, 2017

"Wait, What"

Staying another transfer in Grangeville, Idaho!

This week, well I thought it would be my last week so I was pretty excited ha

Anyways we had a 4 day exchange so I was still in Grangeville with a Clarkston sister and a lot of our appointments cancelled and it snowed, like really snowed (it stuck on the ground).

Then we had Elder Golden, a member from the seventy come speak at our zone conference.  It was good.

We tracted this week and I tried making it a game (like Riley's baseball game).  I said that if we get a home run (someone let's us in) or 3 strikes (slammed doors) then we could go home and do something else (even though we don't have anything else to do ha) But we knocked on the first door in Vista View apartments.  No one was home. Then the second door the person opened the door and we were like "How are you?"  He said "I don't know, I'll let you know in a second"  Then we introduced ourselves.....door slam ha.  I kind of turned around and just was like "well, see ya"  And this 13 year old boy was watching the whole thing.  He kind of sympathetically laughed with us.  And said "Yah, most people around here aren't interested in that kind of stuff"  Then he told us that we should probably go try Tamarak housing (it is community housing and we literally go there so much).  So we went to Tamarak to get a little confidence boost since all the kids there love us.  We walked to Tamarak and Khloe one of the little girls started screaming because she was so excited to see us.  So at least we have Khloe who is 6 and all her friends. 

 

Then we were walking past the Downtowner Inn (a motel) and we are friends with one of the workers Mike and he came out and was like "wait, girls I have someone that you can go talk to"  He explained that they were talking about the Mormon church since her dad was LDS and that she is literally going to be homeless this week.  So we knocked on her door and it was Crystal (a lady that Sister Packer and I taught and then she got evicted and we lost contact/ she ignored us).  When I saw her I was thinking "This should be interesting"

But she let us in and told her that she had to pull David (13) out of school since they went to Lewiston and were homeless for 3 weeks.  And now they are only in the motel for two more days and going to get kicked out (in fact in 2 hours they will be homeless).  And she has the cutest 5 year old son Paxton.  So basically we were social workers this weekend.  One perk is that I know that I will never be a social worker...EVER.

But they came to church and Paxton didn't want to leave.  Also, he is 5 years old and doesn't even know how to count to 10 and counting to 5 was a bit difficult.  

So sad.

But one good thing....

So we are meeting with this recent convert (was baptized in the summer in Jerome, Idaho) and became less active but wants to start coming back.  He was also a Pentecostal minister all of his life.  4 generations of ministers in his family.  His son is becoming a minister as well and Brother Sterling hasn't told him that he is LDS yet.  He was traveling down to go to his graduation and was super nervous to tell him.  His son also is slowly beginning to not talk to him because Brother Sterling's ex wife is starting to turn their son against him (even though it was her that cheated a bunch of times but Brother Sterling didn't tell his son that was the reason for the divorce since he didn't want his son to be mad at his mom).  We were meeting with Brother Sterling and he wanted a blessing.  After the blessing he said "Even if my son never talks to me again at least I know that I was a witness of Christ and because of that I know everything will work out".  He truly has amazing faith.

This is hard actually pretty extremely hard but like Brother Sterling said, "I know that I am a witness of Christ and because of that I know everything will work out"

Well, everything is good :) Hope everyone has an amazing week! Be nice to everyone around you maybe some of those good vibes will be sent my way and we can find some people :)

Love to all!

A Week in Pictures

 Sunny and pretty flowers=good day!

Lezlie got BAPTIZED!!

(Filling the font with boiling water since the water heater was somewhat broken).

- Getting the spiders out of the font

more spiders

Lezlie :)

Her baptism was amazing.  She is so nice and awesome, I love her so much!  Her husband and mother in law came which was super cool since her husband at first was not supportive at all but has softened up a ton!  And when we were saying goodbye to them we were like "Tim we hope to see you soon!"  And he was like "Yah, you always come when I'm not home, what is that about?!"  I wanted to be like Because we thought that you hated us haha.... So we are going to go see if we can go over when he is home :)  The spirit was so strong at the baptism.  While Lezlie was changing we played the Bible video "For God so Loved the World" Look it up!  It is so good! Because it really is what we are doing, we are just inviting people to Follow Jesus Christ.  

-calls and texts (and I look like I am going bald)

After mothers day phone call

Pretty yellow fields (pictures don't do it justice)

and me trying not to get hit by the car that was coming...

"Every Road. . . "

Nicole's Letter

"Every Road..."

May 9, 2017

This week was super good! Okay the end of the week especially! We got to drive up to Spokane the night before Elder Holland (so Friday night) with the Clarkston sisters.  We stayed at some members home in the mission president's ward which was super fun!  I was sleeping on a cot but it was the best cot I have ever slept on.  Then Saturday we got to go to the mission wide meeting and it was amazing!!  One Elder Holland and Two MISSIONARIES!! I am deprived from seeing other missionaries! It was fun seeing other missionaries that I haven't seen in a while! We got to shake Elder Holland's hand and Bishop Caussee and Elder Ahern from the seventy.  All their talks were amazing.  

Some highlights:

"Every road to salvation has to go through Gethsemane" 

"It wasn't easy for him so why should it be easy for us"

Those were my two favorite quotes

Some other things that were mentioned that day was that we have 2 years/18 months to serve and a lifetime to think about it...which was kind of scary to think about. 

Had some really neat experiences this week with learning how to love.  How we are commanded to love everyone around us and how I need to do a better job at that.  Seeing people not how they are but who they can become.  God definitely is teaching me lessons each and every day.

One day we were walking around and it was kind of raining.  It was definitely an "ASK DAY"  (you know truck days, well I have ask days)  Where you just have to ask "Why?"  "Is this really worth it"  "Is this true"  Yah, I'll be totally honest I have those days but I never just let my questions simmer.  I go to the source who knows all, God.  And so I always turn my questions to him.  Usually the answers are the same, maybe the come slower than other days but they always come.  "You know the answer, you have felt the spirit.  You know this will all be worth it in the end"  But anyways we started talking to this lady on her porch and good thing she was a little crazy because my approach to start talking was super awkward but whatever.  Sometimes I crack myself up with how awkward I am but at least I open my mouth :) She invited us to sit down and she hates like really hates Mormons so that was fun but she really loved us.  It is funny to see people go through that dilemma of loving us so much but then hating the church.  She would go back and forth from complementing us but than hard core bashing on a principle or doctrine. 

Anyways, Remember what you do know and then go from there.  That is all he asks of us.   

CANT WAIT TO TALK TO YOU ALL!!!!

calling Sunday at 4pm (grangeville time so California time)

Pictures:
Coming back from Elder Holland

Last P-day in the floral shop

waiting for the Elders on Friday to go to dinner before driving up to Spokane

"Beverly"

Nicole's Letter:
May 1, 2017
"Beverly"

Last Monday we went to the small restaurant in Grangeville called Hilltop and this town is like a movie.  We walked in and everyone isn't really talking and everyone just stares at us, the outsiders of Grangeville.  It was funny.  Then we had a lesson with B and part of her family.  She is super funny! We are having another lesson with her this Wednesday.  

Tuesday:  We had exchanges.  I stayed in Grangeville and one of the Clarkston sisters came here.  It was good.  We had a couple lessons which is always the best!!! We had a lesson with Wynona.  It was pretty funny.  We always just see if she is in the library.  So we walked up to her and the library is only one room, super small and everyone can hear everything.  So Wynona started talking to us by saying that she received a sign.  She said that since we talked "Wisdom Word thing" that her uncle had called her and told her that she had inherited the family tobacco plantation in Oklahoma.  So I was super confused, thinking that she got her sign that this was all wrong since we taught the word of wisdom last.  But then she was like "It is a blessing from God since I have started living the Word of Wisdom!" She told us that she hadn't had any coffee, hadn't smoked or had Pepsi (we clarified that she could have that one:)  But I don't think she is living it anymore but hey two days is pretty impressive. and now she is an owner of a tobacco farm...  

Wednesday: We had interviews this week and that is always the best thing ever!!  I loved President's interview!  He knows everything and everything that is going on, it was good to talk to him and get some suggestions.  

 

Thursday: We had a comp inventory....Guess I need to improve my moods :)

Friday: It snowed A TON! Had district meeting.  Then we had to go to Les Schwab and get our tires fixed.  It was just us there and this guy and so we started talking to him and he was super nice! But then he had to leave since they called his name but he waved to us as he walked out the door.  So we were at the Pikus house (one of our favorite members in the ward- Brother Pikus' sister is the Olympian) later that night and we just asked if anyone knew a Patrick.  The mom was like Patrick who?  We were like we don't know, we just know his name is Patrick and he is going to U of I in the fall.  And so she just turned to her kids and asked if anyone knew a Patrick.  Her son was like "is he an adult"  We nodded.  "I know him!  He is my teacher's son"  And so then we found out his last name, his mom's name and profession.  And we could potentially get his address.  It was just funny because that would never happen anywhere besides a small town.  Then for dinner we went to the other restaurant in Grangeville to find one of the people that we are teaching who has been ignoring us.  He was our waiter and was super friendly to us and apologized.  He is the guy that we street contacted and really wants to be baptized but is on parole so he can't.  

Saturday: We weeded this old lady's flower bed on Saturday.  Her name is Beverly and she is from California and she said that it took her years to get use to Grangeville.  She is house bound.  We were trying this older lady in our ward on Saturday but she wasn't home so we saw some people down the street doing yard work.  We went down to them and asked if they needed any help.  They said no but she told us that we could go to her mom's home(Beverly) and do service.  So we went over and helped her out.  She is super funny.  Then she insisted on feeding us.  She said that we had to experience something we have never had.  She was like go to the freezer and pick something out...I was a little worried but then there were just a bunch of freezer meals from the old folks home.  And she had about 20 and they were all super old but it wasn't too bad (kinda made us sick after but it was still fun talking to Beverly).  She was super shocked and worried that we couldn't watch movies.  She was like "What do you even do in Grangeville if you don't watch movies!".  And then she made us wear these sun hats to protect our faces.  So that was fun :)  We also went to Whitebird again and went to the Joslins.  Cassidy the 16 year olds friend was there and at the end of the message we asked if anyone wanted to say the prayer and the friend, Kasey, was like "I will".  It shocked everyone because no one will say the prayer.  And then Kasey was like "Wait, how do you even pray?"  It was a very sweet prayer. 

Sunday was ward conference. We went to the Domans who are a less active couple. They are so nice! I love them!