South Hill Heights

Pic 1: Sunset 

Pic 3: These glasses make you really blind if the sun isn't in your face

Nicole's Letter:

So I actually wrote a huge long letter (that was actually good this time) but but it just deleted and didn't even save into drafts so that is super depressing.  But here is the cliff notes version (probably everyone is grateful, less to read ;)

We volunteered serving food to the homeless at Blessings Under the Bridge, and it was so great to serve and help people feel loved. Only after, we were walking up back to our apartment and we stumbled across a woman with a massive suitcase, a giant black trash bag, full of stuff, a backpack that couldn't close it was so full, and she was wheeling her bike around. We found out upon asking that she was trying to get all of that up the hill to Sacred Heart Hospital. That hill is way steep. So of course we offered to help her, and we ended up carrying her very large and extremely heavy belongings up to Sacred Heart. Only, she told us she needed to get to the entrance, but really she needed to go all the way inside to the ER to visit her finance! You know you're a missionary when you are crammed into an elevator at 8:30 pm with a homeless woman, her bike, all her stuff, and two very confused doctors, and you really don't even care what anyone thinks. Sometimes I wonder what I am doing with my life, haha. But that is the joys of being a missionary, and I love it!  Then we went to Carol's and taught half of the plan of salvation.  Carol is awesome. 

We also went on exchanges and I got to Spokane 1st/YSA and got to see one of our old investigators who we had to pass off to the YSA sisters.  Robert was so confused when he opened the door and saw me there! He is doing so awesome though! He is getting baptized and is super excited for that.  Just since the first time Sister Madsen and I found him until now he has changed so much! He is just so much more happier and his face is lighter.  

The Revilles came to church.  We texted them on Saturday saying that we would save them a seat bu they didn't respond and they hadn't come last week so we were a little doubtful yet still hopeful.  We walked into the church building and they were saving us seats! That never happens! it was awesome!!!

We also had interviews this week with President.  It was good.  I asked him how you can submit cheerfully.  And he said You have to trust the one you are submitting to.     The more you trust the more you will be willing to submit because you know that it is for your good.  Missions can be hard.  Life can be hard but when we trust God all things will work out.  You gotta trust :)

LOVE TO ALL

Your Weekly Egg Update

We were ready for the solar eclipse even though we look like idiots because when you put those things on you can't see nothing haha

Sister Madsen and I last night at dinner with the blakes and they gave me ALMONDS!!! they are the best! also sister madsen and I keep saying "THEY'RE ALMONDS" the lady from Ross

Sister Blake was best friends with Tiffany Ramazetti in highschool! And she has been to Moraga and to the ward! It was the craziest connection ever!!

and then the whole Blake family (besides their daughter who is at school)  But they are all so awesome!

your weekly egg update

This week was awesome! We had transfers but Sister Madsen and I are staying in Manito and we love it!!

We had some really good lessons this week as well.  One with Carol.  She is the cutest person ever! She is like 50 and has some disabilities but she is so sincere.  She listens to the Book of Mormon and watches a ton of mormon messages and bible video or "Videoicals".  She comes to church since we have been here and the Relief Society president asked her how she liked it and she was like "Well, 9 o'clock is super early and hard and 3 hours is super hard but I love it!"  She is so awesome.  She was waiting for her ride and was just outside in the rain waiting for them to pick her up for church!

Then we started teaching the Reville family.  They are a part member family and are super nice.  The dad is the member and the rest of the family isn't.  But he just stop us and said "Can I tell you something..." and then went on to tell us saying that we were sent here to be for their family which is crazy since they didn't even know about the mid transfer switch.  It was so cool.  

Also, I love the scripture "And they did submit cheerfully to all the will of the Lord"  That is my phrase.  Submit cheerfully.  Jesus Christ was never more free when he submitted to the will of the Father"  I am trying my best to submit cheerfully and the more I do the more I am free.  

New Address!

View Area in Google Earth! 

August in Spokane

sister madsen and the pretty streets of manito

eggs in purgatory- a member told us how to make this egg dish and i can say that i have officially poached my first egg

we love mail

pineapple

Duncan Gardens

We were freaking out about transfers since you really don't know what will happen.  I mean I thought it was going to be 90% us staying together but 10% one of us was going to leave and one of the elders in our zone said that usually it is the 10% that happens which is actually what happens haha so we were super nervous.  And it started raining and no one was home or they all weren't interested but then God was so good! We tried this one person but their address didn't exist so we saw people across the road cleaning out their garage and we offered to help.  They were super nice.  The mom is from Ireland and the dad is from here.  They didn't need help in their garage but then she was like well you can read a story to my daughters.  So we sat on their front steps and read them a Irish story book.  It seriously was a tender mercy! They are so cute and nice!! And then we asked the mom why she moved to America and she was like well because of him (pointing to her husband) and because I heard there would be cute girls coming around offering to help me.  And then the two girls came out with apricots to give us! They are so nice! So the picture is just for documenting sense :)

The Zone (minus APs)

Last P-day at Riverfort Park

The five sisters in the Zone

Art

Art of Spokane

A funny not someone left on windshield

Week 5

The elders were super nice and fixed our AC and they left it like this for us to find haha

Nicole's Letter:
August 7, 2017
"Week 5"

looking uphill....oh wait 

went to urgent care... that was an experience.  You know it is bad when they take you right back into a room and then the doctor comes in like 3 minutes even though there are a ton of people in the waiting room.  But I'm not dead so guess the stuff that he gave me is helping even though sometimes I feel like I am going to pass out since I can't breath but it isn't anything major.  The doctor that helped me was super funny.  He asked all about missions and then at the end I gave him a pass along card cause I felt bad that we took forever not out proselyting.  So I just was like "Can I give you a picture of how you made me feel today?" It was a picture of Jesus with a smiling happy kid.  The doctor thought it was pretty funny.  Mixing things up with missionary work.

We met these two amazing people this week!  We saw them on a progress record one time and tried them once before but they weren't home.  But one night we were like we should try Sam & J.  So we knocked on their door and he answered and looked really shocked and said "Ladies?"  Surprised not to see Elders.  And then he let us right in! Crazy! They are both so nice!  We talked with them for a bit and they are trying to set one us up with their son so I think it is pretty safe to assume they like us.  Also, we totally thought that one of them was a less active member.  Especially when they were talking about the time they went to Hawaii and the temple was being rededicated.  They said they were leaving the day of the open house but they still went to see the temple.  It was the day just for the press to look around.  But then this temple worker talked to them and said he could show them around.  But some other workers gave a little fuss about it but the worker was persistent and said that he was going to show them around.  So they got a private tour of the temple and he was like "The spirit was so strong in that building. It was indescribable"  We definitely thought he was a member but afterwards we found out that both of them aren't.  Crazy! They are so amazing! We have a lesson with them tonight so we will see what happens! 

Then we went on visits with the Relief Society and High Priest Group Leader (I am so grateful for dad...makes me know how to handle all types of people :)))

The Manito Ward is awesome!! We love it so much! They actually do stuff for us and the WML is so great!

Also, Spokane has some crazy people.  This one guy came off of his porch and was like "Ladies, looking pretty today"  Definitely drunk.  He was inviting us to his parties and into his mansion.  We declined but he was super nice and chatty.  Then he asked our names which we told him when we first started talking and I was like "Sister Stevenson" then "Sister Madsen"  Then his eyes shot over to me and was like "Your first name is Stevenson?"  I explained that it was my last name and then he looked super hurt and threw up his hands and said "I talked to you for 10 minutes about my mansion and you can't even tell me your first name"  It was funny.  Then this other guy we gave a card with Jesus on it and he was like 'Hey, it's me" and then walked away.  

Spokane....

Love you all!