Saying Goodbyes and Welcoming Sis. Davis

 

 

This week was pretty much the usual missionary week.

We have 2 new investigators, Theresa and Mike, mother and son. They've been meeting with missionaries in another ward, but they moved here and now we get to teach them! We wanted to get an idea of where they're at, so we reviewed the Restoration, and they both accepted baptism! It was really cool to have them share their testimonies and tell us they believe it all and just want to learn more and more.

We also met with one of our investigators, Stacy, on Thursday and talked a lot about the Book of Mormon. We'd given one to her in the past but we hadn't seen her in a while so we weren't sure where she was at in wanting to learn more. So we read 3 Nephi 11, when Jesus comes to the Americas with her, and she kept saying how much she loves how it goes hand in hand with the Bible. We have a church tour scheduled for later this week, so hopefully good things are coming for Stacy!

Friday morning we got the news about the school shooting in Marysville. So sad. All the missionaries are safe. They brought all the kids to the hospital that is literally 30 seconds away from where I live. We don't watch the news, but from what people tell us, they're still not sure if any of the kids are going to make it. We are sure praying for all those kids and their families and everyone else affected.

Saturday was the ward Trunk or Treat! It's still strange not going to the Keller 1st party and celebrating the big day with my family, but it was still fun! It was actually pouring that day, so the trunk or treat was moved inside and the kids went around to different classrooms. Sis Davis and I switched nametags and went as each other. Pretty much as good as it gets being missionaries!

Hope everyone is still doing great!

Sister Tennant

Doctrine and Covenants 123:17

 

Sister Davis on our first night as companions

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saying goodbye to Sis Blackmon, our "mom figure" in the ward  and her daughter.

Sis. Wikstrom and I Celebrated our Birthday's together before her transfer

The View

 

 

 Oct.20, 2014

 

 

What a week!

 

So Monday we officially got the transfer text and Sister Wikstrom's name was on it, so we knew for sure she'd be leaving on Tuesday. We spent most of the P Day packing and cleaning the apartment for the new sister to come in.

A family in the ward wanted to have us over for dinner, but since we already had one scheduled, they took us out to lunch! We went to this restaurant right on the water and it had a BEAUTIFUL view of the Puget Sound. And for dinner we got to eat with another one of our favorite families so it was a good 'last meal' as a companionship.

Then Tuesday. Dreaded Transfer Tuesday. After we had all her stuff packed into the car, we stood in the living room of our apartment and just hugged for a long time. And then we headed to the mission office. When you get there, the zone leaders hand you a slip of paper with your name, your companion's name, and where you're serving on it. Sister Wikstrom is now in Ferndale! She wanted to go back north, so I'm happy for her. And I'm still in downtown Everett with Sister Davis! After another hug with Sis Wikstrom, she was off, and we headed back to Everett.

It's been hard trying to adjust to someone new because all I knew of a mission was Sister Wikstrom. But Sister Davis is great and we're having fun together! She is from Mesa, Arizona and has only been out for 1 more transfer than I have (She came 6 weeks before I did). It's also been stressful because even though I'm still the junior companion, I'm leading the area because I know everyone and where everything is. It's okay though.

I can't believe it's already been 3 months! Time is flying!

Hope everyone is doing well! I miss you all!

Love, Sister Tennant

Everett Update October 13, 2014

 

 

 

 

It was another good week!

 

Last Monday, we went and toured the Boeing factory with the YSA Sisters. A lady in our ward works there and she got us tickets. It was so cool! Still blows my mind that it's so big.

Monday night we exchanged. We do exchanges every transfer and I was not nearly as nervous about this one as I was the first time. The YSA Sisters are our Sister Training Leaders so we exchanged with them. I went with Sis Smith and Sis Wikstrom stayed with Sis Slade. So I was in the YSA ward for all of Tuesday. We went college contacting at the Everett Community College, and it was terrifying just walking up to people as they were going to class, but after a little bit it got better. We also had a couple of lessons and it was really cool teaching people my age. Again, kinda scary at first, but it all turned out okay.

Thursday nights before transfers, the Zone Leaders call letting those with leadership positions know who's doing what. I was hoping and praying we wouldn't get a call because we really wanted to stay together, but the call came. Sister Wikstrom is going to be a Sister Training Leader! It was a sad night because at that point, we knew for sure we were being split up.

So then Friday morning, we had to go to leadership training. I sat out in the hall with all the other companions and everyone who had a leadership calling went and got a couple hours of training and instruction. Sis Wikstrom has never been an STL so she's nervous about it but is feeling better now that she's done the training. I know she's going to do amazing and the sisters she's over are going to love her!

Saturday morning, Malachi was baptized! He's 8 so he doesn't really count as an investigator, but we were still teaching him because he lives with his grandparents and his grandpa isn't a member and his grandma is starting to come back to church, so he hasn't been raised in the church at all. He's a sweet little boy and even made each of us rainbow loom bracelets to wear.

Later that day, we got 2 new investigators. Mike and Theresa. Mike is Theresa's son and they had started learning with other elders but then they moved into our ward! They're pretty solid so we're excited about them!

After church on Sunday and all day today have really just been going to say goodbye to people Sis Wikstrom wants. It's hard moving away. Tomorrow will be tough but I know I will love my new companion as well!

Love, Sister Tennant

We went to the Everett Arboretum last Monday

 

 We were teaching, and this lady's grand kids kept bringing me all of their toys one at a time and piling them on me.

 

Countdown to Conference!

  

 

Malachi's baptism!

 

 

 

 

I Made a Balloon Animal!!

Boeing Tour!

Fogtober is Here!

It's Already October!

 

 

 

 Nerf Gun Battle, 

 General Conference Weekend!

 Building Confidence

 

 

It's been a great week! We've just been working hard, doing the missionary thing.

Can you believe it's October already?! I started my mission in July and now it's October! It's crazy how fast time flies. Already almost 3 months in!

On Thursday, we ate dinner with a family in the ward, and when we called earlier to confirm, the lady said we'd eat and that we needed to prepare for a Nerf battle. So we got there and had pizza (which was fantastic. We'd been craving it all day), and then we went downstairs and they had a line of Nerf guns all lined up in a row. Then we had a battle for like 45 minutes just shooting each other. It was so much fun! I have a new found respect and appreciation for Nerf guns! They even gave us 2 little guns to take home for ourselves. We've had some fun with them the last couple days :)

Saturday and Sunday were amazing! We woke up Saturday morning and were like "It's conference!" General Conference is like Christmas for missionaries. #LDSConf

We went to the stake center and got to watch it with all the other missionaries in our area. I love it when people mention "the missionaries". I am one of the 88 thousand missionaries! How cool is that! I love being a missionary and getting to help spread this incredible gospel.

Today (Monday) we went with the YSA sisters and toured Boeing. It was so cool! That building is HUGE. All of Disneyland in California can fit inside the building and still have 12 extra acres. It's crazy how massive the thing is. It was really cool getting to see the planes too. And see them all being put together. Cameras weren't allowed on the tour, so we didn't get any pictures, but we got one out in the lobby!

Transfers are coming up and there's a good chance Sis Wikstrom will be transferred away, (even though we certainly hope we have one more transfer together!) so I have been working on taking the lead and pretending to be the senior companion just in case. It's going well and I'm getting more confident talking to people and being a missionary, so I know that if (and when) we get separated, everything will be okay and it'll all work out. It's a good life being a missionary.

We are continuing to work hard and have fun together! I love hearing from everyone so continue to write letters and email!

Love, Sister Tennant

 It's been a great week!

On Tuesday we got to go to Seattle!! I had a doctors appointment so that's not super fun, but leaving the mission, let alone the area is always a fun adventure! We ate lunch out there too just to make it more of a party :) Sister Wikstrom doesn't like driving on the freeway, so I got permission to drive us to Seattle and back. I've missed driving, so it was fun. We were disappointed that we went all the way to Seattle and didn't even get to see the Space Needle. Maybe next time...

Also on Tuesday, one of the YSA sisters who was living with us got attacked by a dog. They went to the emergency clinic and she got stitches in her leg. She's doing well though. We got to help nurse her back to health the last couple days

We have 2 new investigators! Calora and Heather. Calora is Marshallese (there are seriously so many Marshallese people here. It's where everyone from the Marshall Islands decided to congregate) and we were going to meet a new lady in our ward and we were leaving the apartment complex. I have to back Sis Wikstrom up whenever we're in reverse. It's super embarrassing for both of us because I have to get out and stand at the back of the car, and she looks like she doesn't know how to drive. But the rules are the rules so we do it! So Sis Wik was in the car and I was standing behind her and Calora walked up to me and asked if we were Jehovah's Witnesses. I said no we are from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and she said she wanted us to come teach her! It was really cool. She's sweet and we have another lesson scheduled with her.

The Jefferson's met Heather. She works at McDonald's and they used to always go get ice cream cones there and they built up a friendship with Heather. Her daughter's dad is inactive but all of his family is still super involved in the Church. Things didn't work out between him and Heather, but she still wants to know more and provide a good life for her daughter. She's really nice too and we're excited to keep meeting with both of them!

Saturday afternoon the YSA sisters moved out of our apartment. They moved into the Jefferson's old apartment now that they're gone. It's weird not having them there anymore, but it's nice having the place to ourselves again. And the bathroom situation is much better too. 4 girls to 1 bathroom makes the mornings no bueno.

Saturday was the Women's Broadcast! We got to watch it at the Stake Center with all the other missionaries and women in the stake. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk! So good! We meet with a lady in our ward every week and she hasn't been to church in a long time, but we invited her, and she came! Oh it was so cool seeing her there. And it gets even better. She came to church on Sunday too! Hallelujah!! And during the sacrament, she leaned over to me and said "I've missed the Sacrament. It's good to be back." Hopefully she'll be there next week too!

So for the last 2 weeks or so, we've been sharing the same message with all the less active/inactive people in our ward. This is actually one of my favorite verses in all the scriptures. It's John 11:35 and all it says is "Jesus wept." This is the story of Lazarus, one of Jesus' friends, and Lazarus dies. His sisters, Mary and Martha are upset and call Jesus to them. Jesus comes and of course goes on to raise Lazarus from the dead, but Mary and Martha don't know that. At the time, they are sad, upset, and hurting because they just lost their brother. When Jesus gets to them, he doesn't tell them everything is going to be okay, even though he knows the grand picture. For them, at the time, it's not okay. They are crying and He cries with them, so, "Jesus wept." He sets this example for us because when we are baptized, we covenant to "mourn with those that mourn and comfort those that stand in need of comfort." We covenant to have compassion for one another and help each other in tough times, because even though we all know it will all work out in the end, sometimes, things are just not okay. I also love it because when we are going through hard times ourselves, we know that Jesus is always there for us. He has been there and He will help us through anything and everything. We can always turn to Him and Heavenly Father. They are always there to help and comfort us. Always.

I am so thankful to be a missionary. I'm thankful to know these things and know that this is Heavenly Father's true church and I get to help bring people to the knowledge of it. It's a good life being a missionary!

Love, Sister Tennant

 

The banner we made for the Jeffersons' surprise going away party. What a good looking banner

A member in our ward's hedgehog!

While the YSA sisters were with us, one day, we came home and our beds were put up on the ledge! We slept up there for a night but then brought them back down haha

 

We also made homemade tomato sauce with about a zillion tomatoes a lady gave us from her garden. The project took up our entire kitchen

 

We made porcupine meatballs with rice and they turned out delightful! We're becoming real homemakers