Saturday, September 3, 2016

August 29, 2016

bula vinaka everyone!
what a week it has been!
it started out with a trip to Birmingham (where the mission home is) and we also went to Coventry this week for exchanges. so, its been a pretty crazy week, because it ended with sister mwoyosvi's birthday! (the 28)
i was actually dreading this week, because believe it or not, there are so many people to visit here and this week we literally did not have enough time, because all of this travelling takes away the precious time we could have visited with these people, so this week we get to make up for that.
but exchanges was a lot of fun. I went with sister Gillette and we knows jordan and taylor. the stl's made sister mwoyosvi sadza (which i plan on making for you when I get home) and african food. our district also had sadza for sister mwoyosvi's birthday.
another fun/crazy thing that happened this week is that we have some new investigators (from Fiji, hence the Fiji greeting) and one of them's birthday was saturday, so we got the chance to celebrate his and my companion's together.
the funniest thing I have probably done this is show up to our dinner appointment an hour early. haha. whoops. we were coming back from coventry and just went straight there....and then looked at my planner. *note to self* always check planner first!
what I have learned this week: sometimes going and seeing your investigator who is going to be baptised next week (now this week!!) is more important than doing 12 weeks (the training program).. also, I am a really bad trainer. :) in the best way.
I have also learned about my own personal desire this week. like everything, if you want to do it, it tends to get done. and if you dont, well it still gets done it just takes a lot longer.
I was reading in judges this morning (the pages were still stuck together) about Gideon. it reminded me of the primary lesson mom gave back when i always snuck into her class. :) and there was a part that stuck out to me when some idol's altar got destroyed- and someone said something like if he's a god, he can avenge his own altar, let him plead for himself. and know just how many times Heavenly Father has done just that, letting you know that there was no way besides through Him that things worked out. :)
love,

-Sister Wadsworth :)

1) african queen/ birthday girl
2) fiji swag
3) sadza with Peterborough district




* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

i meant to say ely, england, uk. not ely NV. i just thought it was cool that there was 2 places named ely so far away and now I know people in both of them. tell scoop she cant die until I get home! and tell pants to go on a diet. :)
I say "ndokurova" back to Jacques.
I love you Mom!

On Mon, Aug 29, 2016 at 5:37 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Where should I start?  Peaches or UNR?  Peaches are nearly done.  This year, I just cut up all the peaches and got them into the freezer, so there isn't any rush to get all the jam done right away.  It was crazy gettin all 20 boxes done so fast, but it's worth it now.
So on Wednesday, after work, and after scouts and YW, Ally and I took off for Reno.  We drove all night, and only had to stop once or twice to sleep.  We got there about 7:30, and did some exploring and finding food.  We were still early for her check in time, so we visited the institute, and then she went to get her ID (which she needed to check in).  The institute is  still the same as when I went to school.  It was very de'ja'vue.  Her dorm is right across the street from the institute.
It was crazy with people moving in.  We were able to park in the institute parking lot and avoid some of the craziness, sot there are definite benefits to church membership.  Her room is on the 5th floor, but there were tons of helpers there to help carry stuff, so it didn't take long to get everything moved in.  She shares a room with 2 other girls, and so far she says they are all getting along.  I hope it stays that way.
Ally had orientation, so I went to Walmart and Home Depot and got all her stuff she needed.  I even picked out her computer for her.  It was weird to do her school shopping without her.  I got done about the time she had a break, so we unloaded all her new stuff, then she got a hug and went back to orientation, and I left.  I've checked in on her and she seems to be doing ok.  she and her roommates explored campus and found all their classes.  She just needs to get her books and settle up her financial aid.
The drive home was pretty hairy.  I had to stop and sleep 3 or 4 times.  It took me 12 hours to do the 8 hour drive.  Then I got to start in on jam.
In other news,  all the kids at home are doing well.  Natty still likes middles school.  Benson is working hard on math and basketball.  Jacques still avoids homework.  Chelsey still working.  Benson is working weekends (and he has the money spent 3 times over before he even gets paid).
Scoop is getting old.  She looks like it hurts to walk.  And she doesn't move very fast anymore.
Pants is getting fat.  She is getting round, and even Natty admits it.
Jacques says "hi ."
I guess that's about it.   Tell us all about your week.  Dad wants to know who it was that you met from Ely.  He and the bishop up there were trying to figure out who it could be.
We love you.  Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Mom



--
-Sister Wadsworth :)



August 29, 2016

bula vinaka everyone!
what a week it has been!
it started out with a trip to Birmingham (where the mission home is) and we also went to Coventry this week for exchanges. so, its been a pretty crazy week, because it ended with sister mwoyosvi's birthday! (the 28)
i was actually dreading this week, because believe it or not, there are so many people to visit here and this week we literally did not have enough time, because all of this travelling takes away the precious time we could have visited with these people, so this week we get to make up for that.
but exchanges was a lot of fun. I went with sister Gillette and we knows jordan and taylor. the stl's made sister mwoyosvi sadza (which i plan on making for you when I get home) and african food. our district also had sadza for sister mwoyosvi's birthday.
another fun/crazy thing that happened this week is that we have some new investigators (from Fiji, hence the Fiji greeting) and one of them's birthday was saturday, so we got the chance to celebrate his and my companion's together.
the funniest thing I have probably done this is show up to our dinner appointment an hour early. haha. whoops. we were coming back from coventry and just went straight there....and then looked at my planner. *note to self* always check planner first!
what I have learned this week: sometimes going and seeing your investigator who is going to be baptised next week (now this week!!) is more important than doing 12 weeks (the training program).. also, I am a really bad trainer. :) in the best way.
I have also learned about my own personal desire this week. like everything, if you want to do it, it tends to get done. and if you dont, well it still gets done it just takes a lot longer.
I was reading in judges this morning (the pages were still stuck together) about Gideon. it reminded me of the primary lesson mom gave back when i always snuck into her class. :) and there was a part that stuck out to me when some idol's altar got destroyed- and someone said something like if he's a god, he can avenge his own altar, let him plead for himself. and know just how many times Heavenly Father has done just that, letting you know that there was no way besides through Him that things worked out. :)
love,

-Sister Wadsworth :)

1) african queen/ birthday girl
2) fiji swag
3) sadza with Peterborough district
(I don't know what Rachel did to attach her pictures this week, but I can't get them to post on here with either the laptop or my phone)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

i meant to say ely, england, uk. not ely NV. i just thought it was cool that there was 2 places named ely so far away and now I know people in both of them. tell scoop she cant die until I get home! and tell pants to go on a diet. :)
I say "ndokurova" back to Jacques.
I love you Mom!

On Mon, Aug 29, 2016 at 5:37 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Where should I start?  Peaches or UNR?  Peaches are nearly done.  This year, I just cut up all the peaches and got them into the freezer, so there isn't any rush to get all the jam done right away.  It was crazy gettin all 20 boxes done so fast, but it's worth it now.
So on Wednesday, after work, and after scouts and YW, Ally and I took off for Reno.  We drove all night, and only had to stop once or twice to sleep.  We got there about 7:30, and did some exploring and finding food.  We were still early for her check in time, so we visited the institute, and then she went to get her ID (which she needed to check in).  The institute is  still the same as when I went to school.  It was very de'ja'vue.  Her dorm is right across the street from the institute.
It was crazy with people moving in.  We were able to park in the institute parking lot and avoid some of the craziness, sot there are definite benefits to church membership.  Her room is on the 5th floor, but there were tons of helpers there to help carry stuff, so it didn't take long to get everything moved in.  She shares a room with 2 other girls, and so far she says they are all getting along.  I hope it stays that way.
Ally had orientation, so I went to Walmart and Home Depot and got all her stuff she needed.  I even picked out her computer for her.  It was weird to do her school shopping without her.  I got done about the time she had a break, so we unloaded all her new stuff, then she got a hug and went back to orientation, and I left.  I've checked in on her and she seems to be doing ok.  she and her roommates explored campus and found all their classes.  She just needs to get her books and settle up her financial aid.
The drive home was pretty hairy.  I had to stop and sleep 3 or 4 times.  It took me 12 hours to do the 8 hour drive.  Then I got to start in on jam.
In other news,  all the kids at home are doing well.  Natty still likes middles school.  Benson is working hard on math and basketball.  Jacques still avoids homework.  Chelsey still working.  Benson is working weekends (and he has the money spent 3 times over before he even gets paid).
Scoop is getting old.  She looks like it hurts to walk.  And she doesn't move very fast anymore.
Pants is getting fat.  She is getting round, and even Natty admits it.
Jacques says "hi ."
I guess that's about it.   Tell us all about your week.  Dad wants to know who it was that you met from Ely.  He and the bishop up there were trying to figure out who it could be.
We love you.  Keep up the good work.
Cheers,
Mom



--
-Sister Wadsworth :)



Friday, August 26, 2016

August 22, 2016

so every now and then I pull out my preach my gospel, turn to one of the blank pages in the front and write a few things that my mission has taught me... i just realised that I should probably update that... but this past week has taught me some things that definitely need to be added to that list:

- seriously, just love people
- be yourself. more work happens that way. no one likes talking to a brick.
- read the book of Mormon. its got some great stuff
- repent everyday. its worth it.
- public transportation is the worst (the music is so much better in cars)
- "when Jesus says yes, nobody can say no" (favourite song- sing it beyonce)
- there is a ridiculous amount of languages in Africa.
- how white i am (although I can now do some Zimbabwean dance moves)
- what sadza is.
- your mission area is what you make of it, not what other missionaries tell you it is
- numbers are only important for the people behind them
- repentance is change
-what kangaroo tastes like, and how guilty I feel for eating it...

i dont know if I can actually put my finger on when i learned these things, maybe this week is just the moment I was able to put them to words (and actually most of them are really old lessons I learned at the beginning of my mission)

I also learned a lot about mosiah 18:9-10. and how to apply it. I think that's why i came out in the first place, to learn how to live this promise i made when I was baptised.
another thing i learned is how much I love being in the Stamford area. It can be and incredibly hard area, with a LOT of "im not interested, no thank you" (which is some seriously polite rejection, have I mentioned this is the poshest place in england?) but only if you look at it that way. we have been having a lot of success lately.
a cool moment I hope to never forget is that sister mwoyosvi and I taught one of our investigators how to repent, and considering how long she has known missionaries, it was surprising that it was a pretty new concept to her. but a good one. :)

love you all! hopefully I will remember to send pictures later.
cheers!!
-Sister Wadsworth :)


i am so glad to be in england now. can you get ally's dorm address for me?
I met a guy who lives in ely.... i would visit but its in kelsie's mission.
my companion already speaks english, though she has a hard time understanding because everyone speaks fast and she speaks really quietly.
the biggest driving adventure was that we drove for almost an hour to the edge of our area, drove all the way back, realised we left our phone in holbeach and drove all the way back for it! it was awful.
I'm trying my best to ignore the fact that I've been out for so long. it doesnt really feel like it at all. I'm reading a little ahead of you right now, in alma 22. maybe you can catch up, because i seem to be taking my time, marking everything up.
also, if you were wondering why my emails were so short, I really didnt have much good stuff to talk about...

and I dont think I will ever get that song out of my head. thanks mom. all of my companions should have learned it by now.

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 6:19 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Guess what???? It's peach time!! Yeah!!  (sigh)  This year there are 20, yes, count them, twenty, boxes of peaches sitting in the kitchen .  Actually, there are only about 15 now, but we (I) started off with 20.  Aren't you glad you are an ocean away this year?  I will send you a picture.
So, in other news, school started on Wednesday.  So far, everyone is doing ok.  But it has only been 2 days, so I know it can't last.  Natty is liking middle school.  She is still in band, and has Mrs. Zierow as her home room teacher.  They should start real school work this week, so we wil see if she still likes it next week.
Ally made it home Thursday night.  Ellen Pearson brought her home.  It was so nice of her, especially with all that was going on with school and peaches and YSA activity for Chelsey.  Ellen was a life saver for sure.  Cami was pretty sad that we didn't come up, but mostly because she left her Harry Potter blanket here last month, and she really wanted it back.
We will be heading up to Reno on Wednesday, to take Ally to UNR.  She has to do an orientation and get moved in to the dorm, then I will be coming right back home.  Peaches.  sigh.
It has been fun having Reiko and Ryder back.  I suddenly feel so much more needed.  All my kids are grown up and don't really need me anymore (even Natty gets along fine without me most of the time).  but the extras need me to feed and clean and wipe them.  So, yea!! I am necessary!!  And I get so much more done when they are here.  I don't know why.  All summer long, we pretty much just chilled.  And now, I get things done.  Of course, it's only been 2 days, so we will see . . . .
Benson started his job out at Echo on Friday.  He weeds and cleans.  He is already planning how to spend his money.
Jacques is playing football.  They had a scrimmage in Ely on Friday.
This weekend was Stake Conference.  I stayed home last night to do peaches, sigh, but Dad and Chelsey and Ally went.  Today was the day the Children's choir sang, and they were so good.  Each time they started a song, I would get chills.  I'm not sure there will be another children's group any time soon, but it was really neat to have them this once.
Tyler spoke in conference today.  He talked about temples, and related running hurdles and just plain running to going to the temple.
So how are things going for you?  I don't put everything on your blog, so if you want to tell me things, I will edit, or just not put it on.  You don't need to always be brave for me.  I know things get hard.
How is training going?  Did your companion need to learn english, or did she already speak it?  Any driving adventures?  Can you believe that you have been out for almost a year?  Time has been going so fast over here, is it  flying by for you, too, or just us?
We just started up scriptures in the morning again. If you want to follow along with us, we are at Alma 12 tomorrow.
Well, I need to get to bed, so I can be bright and cheerful tomorrow.  I love you.
Mom

ps  I am happy today for the sunshine, for skies of grey or blue.  for within my heart is a song of love, I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!  No cloud can cast a shadow, over courage such as mine.  And I'll sing my song as I go along. I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!!




--
-Sister Wadsworth :)

1. Really old church
2) branch walk
3) I notice this in the new temple pamphlets
4) more branch walk





August 22, 2016

so every now and then I pull out my preach my gospel, turn to one of the blank pages in the front and write a few things that my mission has taught me... i just realised that I should probably update that... but this past week has taught me some things that definitely need to be added to that list:

- seriously, just love people
- be yourself. more work happens that way. no one likes talking to a brick.
- read the book of Mormon. its got some great stuff
- repent everyday. its worth it.
- public transportation is the worst (the music is so much better in cars)
- "when Jesus says yes, nobody can say no" (favourite song- sing it beyonce)
- there is a ridiculous amount of languages in Africa.
- how white i am (although I can now do some Zimbabwean dance moves)
- what sadza is.
- your mission area is what you make of it, not what other missionaries tell you it is
- numbers are only important for the people behind them
- repentance is change
-what kangaroo tastes like, and how guilty I feel for eating it...

i dont know if I can actually put my finger on when i learned these things, maybe this week is just the moment I was able to put them to words (and actually most of them are really old lessons I learned at the beginning of my mission)

I also learned a lot about mosiah 18:9-10. and how to apply it. I think that's why i came out in the first place, to learn how to live this promise i made when I was baptised.
another thing i learned is how much I love being in the Stamford area. It can be and incredibly hard area, with a LOT of "im not interested, no thank you" (which is some seriously polite rejection, have I mentioned this is the poshest place in england?) but only if you look at it that way. we have been having a lot of success lately.
a cool moment I hope to never forget is that sister mwoyosvi and I taught one of our investigators how to repent, and considering how long she has known missionaries, it was surprising that it was a pretty new concept to her. but a good one. :)

love you all! hopefully I will remember to send pictures later.
cheers!!
-Sister Wadsworth :)


i am so glad to be in england now. can you get ally's dorm address for me?
I met a guy who lives in ely.... i would visit but its in kelsie's mission.
my companion already speaks english, though she has a hard time understanding because everyone speaks fast and she speaks really quietly.
the biggest driving adventure was that we drove for almost an hour to the edge of our area, drove all the way back, realised we left our phone in holbeach and drove all the way back for it! it was awful.
I'm trying my best to ignore the fact that I've been out for so long. it doesnt really feel like it at all. I'm reading a little ahead of you right now, in alma 22. maybe you can catch up, because i seem to be taking my time, marking everything up.
also, if you were wondering why my emails were so short, I really didnt have much good stuff to talk about...

and I dont think I will ever get that song out of my head. thanks mom. all of my companions should have learned it by now.

On Mon, Aug 22, 2016 at 6:19 AM, kelly wadsworth <mkwads@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Rachel,
Guess what???? It's peach time!! Yeah!!  (sigh)  This year there are 20, yes, count them, twenty, boxes of peaches sitting in the kitchen .  Actually, there are only about 15 now, but we (I) started off with 20.  Aren't you glad you are an ocean away this year?  I will send you a picture.
So, in other news, school started on Wednesday.  So far, everyone is doing ok.  But it has only been 2 days, so I know it can't last.  Natty is liking middle school.  She is still in band, and has Mrs. Zierow as her home room teacher.  They should start real school work this week, so we wil see if she still likes it next week.
Ally made it home Thursday night.  Ellen Pearson brought her home.  It was so nice of her, especially with all that was going on with school and peaches and YSA activity for Chelsey.  Ellen was a life saver for sure.  Cami was pretty sad that we didn't come up, but mostly because she left her Harry Potter blanket here last month, and she really wanted it back.
We will be heading up to Reno on Wednesday, to take Ally to UNR.  She has to do an orientation and get moved in to the dorm, then I will be coming right back home.  Peaches.  sigh.
It has been fun having Reiko and Ryder back.  I suddenly feel so much more needed.  All my kids are grown up and don't really need me anymore (even Natty gets along fine without me most of the time).  but the extras need me to feed and clean and wipe them.  So, yea!! I am necessary!!  And I get so much more done when they are here.  I don't know why.  All summer long, we pretty much just chilled.  And now, I get things done.  Of course, it's only been 2 days, so we will see . . . .
Benson started his job out at Echo on Friday.  He weeds and cleans.  He is already planning how to spend his money.
Jacques is playing football.  They had a scrimmage in Ely on Friday.
This weekend was Stake Conference.  I stayed home last night to do peaches, sigh, but Dad and Chelsey and Ally went.  Today was the day the Children's choir sang, and they were so good.  Each time they started a song, I would get chills.  I'm not sure there will be another children's group any time soon, but it was really neat to have them this once.
Tyler spoke in conference today.  He talked about temples, and related running hurdles and just plain running to going to the temple.
So how are things going for you?  I don't put everything on your blog, so if you want to tell me things, I will edit, or just not put it on.  You don't need to always be brave for me.  I know things get hard.
How is training going?  Did your companion need to learn english, or did she already speak it?  Any driving adventures?  Can you believe that you have been out for almost a year?  Time has been going so fast over here, is it  flying by for you, too, or just us?
We just started up scriptures in the morning again. If you want to follow along with us, we are at Alma 12 tomorrow.
Well, I need to get to bed, so I can be bright and cheerful tomorrow.  I love you.
Mom

ps  I am happy today for the sunshine, for skies of grey or blue.  for within my heart is a song of love, I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!  No cloud can cast a shadow, over courage such as mine.  And I'll sing my song as I go along. I'll live, I'll work, I'll do!!




--
-Sister Wadsworth :)

1. Really old church
2) branch walk
3) I notice this in the new temple pamphlets
4) more branch walk





Tuesday, August 16, 2016

the faith to work 8/15/2016

Monday, August 8, 2016

August 8, 2016

Dear everyone, 
so, here i sit again. wondering what happened to me this past week that is email worthy? well... let me tell you.. its been a good week. :) 
we were able to teach so many people this week, which was amazing (because most missionaries consider this a pretty dead area..) but we did it! and had members at them too! (granted they were all less active, but it was still really good to see) yup. we've been stopping by so many people on the branch list that happened to have non member family there too! its been great. although, that sad part is that we STILL dont have any new investigators to continue teaching, but plenty of people to keep visiting!
we even had some pretty amazing lessons this week too. 
the highlights were to be able to teach one of our investigators who has been through some pretty rough times the plan of salvation. and then having the lesson in church be about her concerns! it was amazing for me to see (though she didn't come to church.. :( but it was still good for me to know that the chapter we left her to read was exactly what she needed) 
other highlights are that we were able to teach our investigator on a date twice this week! Emma is getting baptised in the first week of September, i'm so excited. she's nine, and so shy.  I also find it really ironic that once our ward mission leader goes on holiday to Germany for a month, things start picking up a bit. 
the weirdest thing that happened to me this week was we were out tracting, and we interrupted these two old ladies' fish and chips. their door was open, so knocking was weird, then sister mwoyosvi yelled a hello a couple of times.. and we were suddenly standing in these ladies' front room teaching them the restoration. one of those moments when you walk away thinking "what just happened?" I actually get a lot of those. you'd think I'd be used to them by now. :) 
training is still a lot of fun. the hardest thing I'm finding is that i need to remember to explain things to my poor girl. I just kind of throw her to the wolves some days. whoops. so I'm working on my communication skills. 
we jam a lot to shona music. its great. I cant understand any of it, but i know its talking about jesus. :) haha. my girl is so great! we are seeing so many miracle together that i'm not sure what's going on, but i'm not complaining! I was really sad though to be there for her first agnostic argument... some people just like to argue. they dont care that god loves them. :( I think its been a huge culture shock for her from Zimbabwe where the church is growing so much!
love you all! sorry you just need to get used to my horrid emails! 
love, xx

Crazy day, crazy week, crazy life August 1, 2016