Transfer 1 Week 2, 28 December 2009

Questions to answer:

Did you find your check from Grandma and Grandpa?

So you had two breakfasts Christmas day; how did the rest of the day go?
How did everything go with Bill's baptism on Saturday?
Did your "grandma" companion get off to home okay?
Any people you are currently teaching, or are you in search mode?

Reply:

No, not yet. I'm still looking though.

We had dinner at an investigator's house it was really good.

Things went ok at the baptism. The water wasn't high enough so he had to be dunked twice. First time he almost hit his head, second time he almost didn't come up. Renee (Bill's wife) is really happy, they can now be sealed in a year, they're both really happy.

"Grandma" went to NC to teach her grandma the last lesson. so that she could be baptized today, she had slipped and had some coffee five days before, she won't be baptized for another two weeks. Sister Dickson won't be home until next Sunday, but I know she got to NC safely because she called last night when we were over at the Manley's (a recent convert family).

We're in both teaching people and search mode. We have one new investigator who we taught Saturday and she wants more scriptures to read, we left her with Enos that night. She called us yesterday asking for more to read.

I must get going love.

25 December 2009 Phone Call from Cookeville, Tennessee

Burgess Falls

Downtown Cookeville, Tennessee

Red dot shows Cookeville, Tennessee

It was wonderful to talk to Angela for more than an hour and a half. The missionaries were able to go to an office and use the phones for free to talk to their families. In the course of the conversation we learned that Sister Blackham's name is Holly. They are working in Cookeville, Tennessee, and in the Burgess Falls Ward. They live in a 1-bedroom apartment over the law office of the ward's Bishop. She had two Christmas breakfasts and dinner was to come later in the day. She enjoyed her Christmas gifts and seemed happy. Oh, she did mention that while she was walking with her companions and the Spanish-speaking Sisters earlier in the week that she had a real close conversation with the pavement. Just all of a sudden she had fallen to the ground, ruined her stockings, and turned her ankle. She had to rest the remainder of the day, but she was back to work the next.

Transfer 1 Week 1, 21 December 2009

Map of the Tennessee, Nashville Mission

President Gary and Sister Donna Hutchings

1st Email:
Hey mom, I was wondering if you'd snail mail me these poems. I don't really mind if they don't arrive by Christmas, but I'd like some sort of post because some people have been lacking in their responsibilities of writing to me weekly (you should know who).

My companion is Sister Blackham, and yes we know, black and white hehe. She's been out for about five months now. I'm her first trainee, we'll be spending Christmas with her trainer because she's leaving Saturday to the mission home and then either Sunday or Monday she'll be flying back home to Alaska. So for Christmas I'll have grandma and of course mom.

The ward we're in is very nice they keep asking me what I like about Tennessee, I've been telling them I like how green it is because in Utah everything is dead this time of year. We've had snow, but it didn't stay like it does in Utah, did you know that they'd cancel school if there's an inch of snow on the ground? Crazy, if they did that in Utah we wouldn't have school in the winter.

Besides myself and Sister Blackham there is another set of sister missionaries and they weren't going to have them. One of the sisters is a Spanish speaking sister who started her mission in Knoxville (spelled?). Our District Leader, Elder Beck recently lost one of his fingers while playing basketball. It happened before Elder Welles (Elder Beck's greenie) and I came here.

Oh. Mondays are P-days here, except for today and next Monday due to the holidays.

I gotta go, I love you all.
Lizzie.

2nd Email: One other thing

I forgot to mention that on the 26th we'll be having a baptism. I just got here and there'll be a baptism. His name is Bill and if you'll pray for him we'd all be glad and happy.

3rd Email:

Item Type: Note
Begin time: Mon, 21 Dec 2009 10:00 am +0000 Bill's Baptism is today!

Tuesday, 12 December 2009 They have arrived! Email from Nashville

Yesterday we received 11 new Missionaries from the MTC. Thought you might like to know since you know one of them very well. Their plane was late, but they were taken to the Mission Home where they were fed, trained, had a Testimony Meeting, and spent the night. Today is "transfers" and they were assigned their trainer and new companion. Right now they are on their way to their new area where they will be serving at least the next 6 weeks and most likely longer.

All of them were very tired, but in great spirits and excited to get going. You should hear from them on Monday via e-mail.

Hope all is well with you and your family.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Sister Denton
Financial Secretary

14 December 2009 Watching Angie's Flights

Early in the morning Angela was able to call us from the SLC Airport. She sounded excited and ready to go. She was traveling with three Sisters who were going on Spanish-speaking missions (and I'm still not sure if they were going to the Nashville mission or not) and a group of Elders. But none of them were from her District. We got her to talk a bit more about her experience at the MTC. It seems that it's easier to live the MTC experience than it is to describe it.

Bart and I spent the morning keeping track of Angela's flight from Salt Lake City to Memphis. It arrived on time and she had a layover there before heading on to Nashville.

So I started checking her flight to see it take off and nothing seemed to be happening. After nearly an hour of checking, I finally saw a "Delayed" notification. At first it looked like it would be about 30 minutes, but eventually it was posted for more than an hour. She did eventually get in the air and arrive safely in Nashville. Whew!!

Thursday, 10 December 2009 Snail Mail

Dear family,

This is my last letter from the MTC. My district LOVED the last box you sent. They say THANK YOU! (10X) I leave Monday, pray for me. Tuesday pray for Elder Myler, Elder Falkner, Sister Owen. Wednesday pray for Elder Harrison, Elder Willis, and Sister Bishop. Two Tuesdays from now pray for Sister Kingston. I forgot Elder Kelley and Elder Pritchett, they leave Tuesday as well.

Angela/Lizzie

Tuesday, 8 December 2009 My Last Week at the MTC

If you had told me that I wouldn't want to leave the MTC I wouldn't have believed you, because before I came to the MTC I wasn't happy with the four-week stay, now however, I want to stay with the great Elders and Sisters of District 30E. We've all grown so much that we've bonded together.

Mom, I would like an address book, it'd be nice if you'd send it ASAP. Flight plans are being sent via snail mail, along with dad's birthday card, I found it very humorous, and it works well with dad's personality. I would like some hand written notes sent in the mail (obviously) from you all before I leave. I'm the only missionary in my district who’s received packages but no letters. I would like at least two letters before I go out into the field. I will also be sending you the pictures from here when I get out into the field. I'm not gonna try here and waste the precious time we have on here.

I must go, I love you all and my next email will be from the field.

Love Sister Whitehead. :)

Wednesday, 2 December 2009 Handwritten Note

Dear Mom,

This snail mail is because I forgot to tell you about Thursday [Thanksgiving]. We had two devotionals that day. Pres. Smith (president of the MTC) and someone else you may or may not know, someone named Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, and his wife, spoke to us.

When Sister Holland spoke she said, "He took my breath away, and ever since then I haven't been able to breathe on my own." How cute is that?

Elder Kelley says you've gone up twenty points for liking Elder Holland and being in his Book of Mormon class.

The shirt you sent was great. I love it.

On Thanksgiving we had a service project; what better way to say thank you than to serve?

Love,

Lizzie

Tuesday, 1 December 2009 2nd MTC P-day

Dear people who are related to me,

Mom, Sister Kingston's first name is Keva. No, we're not all going to the same mission, I wish, but no we aren't. Sister Kingston and I are the only "outsiders" as far as that's concerned. We're all going back east, and all but my comp is going to the south. Sister Kingston loved the "count-down to Christmas" treat you sent me/her. It was a wonderful birthday gift (today's her birthday, I picked up the package today also).

I was wondering if you could get me a better backpack, or if you'd prefer, sending me thirty dollars so that I can purchase one here. I was also wondering if you'd send me a pair of jeans and my blue ASL hoodie with "the top ten reasons to learn asl . . ." it'd be great for P-days.

Tim, I'm sorry if my email's going to be a problem, I know it's long, but I was working against the clock.

I gotta get going, I'll talk to you all next Tuesday. OH! before I forget my departure date should be the 14th, just thought I'd let you know.

love, bye!