What shall we give to the boy in the manger/ MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Well, this email came today as many of you will guess I cried through the whole thing, It would be hard to move this close to Christmas but she will be fine. I made a couple of comments that area in [brackets]. Merry Christmas Everybody! and thank you so much for your support and love and prayers. Dawn

 

Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

    I know it's Christmas and you all are super busy, but this email is going to be so nuts. SO KEEP READING. 

    First off, Merry Christmas!!!!!!!

    So Tuesday morning, Sister Perry transferred out (miss my friend!) and Sister Oakes came!! 

    I can't tell you how much I just love Sister Oakes!

She and I are complete opposites. She is 5' tall, so yes I am 9" taller than her. People ask her if she is 14 years old and then realize she acts much older (she's 19) whereas people think I'm 21 but after getting to know me ask if I'm 14... She hung out with the rebels in high school and my high school friend's group was called the Nerd Herd... She speaks in a whisper sometimes and I'm pretty sure you can hear me speak all the way in WV....She goes off of feelings and I have to logically plan out every detail...I think people are idiots if they don't choose the right choice and she is understanding...etc. etc. etc.

BUT. We instantly connected. She is just genuine and made me feel like a million bucks.

We have so much daily time in our area because I was no longer a sister training leader, no extra language study, no extra companionship study...I have been in the area since July, so we pretty much have a daily system. We laugh all the time... We have deep conversations all the time...Our area is booming...

    I was driving on Thursday night thinking "Why in the world am I so comfortable? This is the least stressed I have ever been on my mission and  I didn't even know I was stressed before. Why is God letting me be so happy? This is going to be the easiest transfer ever?"

Then what happens?  

PRESIDENT CALLS. As soon as I saw it, I flipped. 

"Hi Sister Atkinson."

 Hi President..."

 "THere are some changes going on in the mission and they are going to effect you.."

 "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

    So here's the deal there is a sister training leader going home for medical reasons (my daughter mission wise? Sister Oldham? LOVE HER. Her hips that literally crunch when she walks have gotten a lot worse and she has to go home to get surgery :( :( ) , so Sister Morgan (a sister traning leader) is taking SIster Oldham's spot. I am being called to be a sister training leader again and am now Sister Rackleff's companion!! (Sister Rackleff was my roommate in the MTC! I love her so much!!!!) We are in a Santa Monica family ward. Another sister is going home for medical issues as well, so SIster Oakes also left our area to go take that sister's spot. Our area is technically closed for two weeks. 

"President... we have baptisms in those two weeks. And other investigators. What would you like us to do?"

"Sister Atkinson you have great organizational skills (I think Mom would say otherwise), so I'm sure you'll figure it out." WHAT! 

    SIster Oakes will be back in this Young Single Adult area in 2 weeks with a new companion (there are new sisters coming in early in 2 weeks, so he'll rearrange more people). So basically he is whitewashing my beloved area with two new people. And I honestly think it is one of the best but one of the hardest areas in the mission. It's just a bit overwhelming.

    Anyways, so he told us this and we hung up. And I lost it. Duh. I have never asked for a Priesthood blessing on my mission and I have actually never had a blessing of comfort before (I don't think) unless it was for medical things or annual Dad blessings. SO I was surprised when I almost immediately looked at Sister Oakes and the words came out "We need blessings. Now." 

    We got them from our district leader. It was so powerful. This 19 yr old kids put their hands on our heads and gave us completely different blessings. They don't really know us or our personalities but our blessings were very unique for our personalities. I know without a doubt in my mind that that blessing was given by the restored Priesthood authority of God and it was from my Heavenly Father. Here are some sporadic highlights from my blessing (it might be too personal for the blog, you can decide Mom ), [Mom decided to include this on the blog] "Trust your Heavenly Father. This is His work. This are His children. He'll take care of them. You have proved to Him multiple times before that He can rely on you. He needs you right now. Lose yourself in focusing and helping others. The Lord wants to refine you. Let your light shine. Have faith in your Savior."

I went from about to have full-on panic attack to the most peaceful and calm feeling. I KNOW it was the Spirit. I didn't just calm myself down. I didn't use psychology on myself. It was my Heavenly Father reaching out in love to me. Since then, I have been so calm. So peaceful. About everything! I kind of beat myself up a little bit for doubting in those 20 minutes between the phone call and the district leader's apartment that everything would work out. God has shown me so many times before that if I just trust Him, it will work out. This whole emergency transfer makes absolutely no sense, especially for my YSA area. But it has been unreal how it has worked out. Every detail is for the best for everyone involved (our members, our investigators, us, etc.) 

    So Sister Oakes has the phone for our area and has permission to be communicating with everyone from a distance. Joyce is set for her baptism next Sunday!! But we'll have to push Chris' back because he is struggling a little bit. I gave Sister Oakes literally 10 pages of notes about the area, and she is going to be SO good. She is exactly what that area needs right now. I left a little bit of my heart in that area. I thought about how much of a different person I am from when I arrived in July there. SO different. I'm so grateful. It ripped my heart out to say bye to Pascual, my branch, Ernest, Joyce, Chris, Adriana..Everyone. But they'll be in my life forever. They really will. And I'll go back for baptisms! Especially since we are planning Joyce's baptism miles and miles away from her, hahaha.
    ONE MORE NUTS NUTS NUTS MIRACLE. 

Who here remembers Megan? If someone asked me if there was one person I was meant to meet on my mission, I honestly would say Megan. I taught her Feb-March with Sister Barney and SIster Oldham for a few weeks. She was GOLDEN. Beverly Hills attorney? Cried and told us it was true? Was COMPLETELY solid for baptism and then she literally disappeared? I called her every week for weeks with no response. She wouldn't respond to our members, even Nicole who had become one of her dearest friends. It was the hardest heart break of my mission. 

    So we all came up to the temple/mission office last night to do our mass transfer. I needed to go to the bathroom so I asked Sister Oakes if we could run into the temple's visitor's center for a few minutes. Please note, I should not have been there. I rarely went there while I served in the area I have been in the HPYSA. Okay okay okay, I walked in and I see our member Nicole from my first area. She screams and points at me. Then who do I see peer around behind her? MEGAN. I screamed (whoops), ran, hugged that girl so tight, and cried. #noshame WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! Then who comes around the corner? SISTER BARNEY!!!! [Sister Barney completed her mission and was released in October and has been at her home in Utah] She is back in town visiting her mission people with her family!!!!!!!! WHATTTTTTTTTTTTTTT. None of us should have been there at the same time. It was nuts! It was Megan's first time at the visitor's center since our last lesson there in March. Nicole hadn't thought about her in a while, but really felt prompted to text her and invite her to a Christmas concert at the visitor's center (despite the fact that mMgan hadn't responded to Nicole's texts in months). Megan has been praying a lot recently. She said she was particularly praying hard one day for direction when she got the text from Nicole. She thought, "Why not?!" Then we were all there. She even saw Sister Oldham for a second while there. I can't tell you how happy I was. We were all crying. I can't tell you how much of a miracle and gift that was to me. I really do think it was Heavenly Father's miracle and Christmas present for me. Well lets be serious, there are so many miracles going on. I am so blessed. I am emailing Megan today for details on the past 9 months of her life and asking her when is she getting baptized #thatsarealthing, so I'll keep you posted. God just loves me.

    SIster Rackleff!!!!!!!!! AH! So fun! we will celebrate Christmas, New Years, our one year mark [from entering the Mission Training Center], her birthday, and our one year mark in LA together all in the next transfer. She said this area is awesome! And I believe it! It is one of the smallest in the mission. We are in the Santa Monica ward. She said it is mostly young families. I'm in culture shock a little bit (our apt is the celestial kingdom compared to my last apartment). We cover the Santa Monica pier and promenade!!!!!!!!!!! #dream And the beach. I am very happy and God has given me so much strength. [As a missionary she is not allowed to enjoy the beach, however]

    I have received so much love here, from the Branch, and from home for this Christmas. I'm in shock a little that I will get to skype my family on Christmas! Sorry in advance if I'm awkward, nuts, cry, or in shock. 

Know how much I just love each of you and am grateful to be spending Christmas sharing the best gift of all!

All my love, SIster Atkinson :)

Sorry I don't have as much email time as usual so I don't get to include all the hialrious things that also happened this week in South Central. Oh I'm giognto miss da ghetto. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay, close by me forever and love me I pray.

Been busy. Here is last week's. Today's should follow later.

December 16, 2013

Hello Hello Hello!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I cannot believe it, but we got our transfer call last night and I am staying here in the branch! This will be my 5th transfer here, so I will be here until at least February! (I came in early July). I am no longer a sister training leader, and at first I felt like God broke up with me a little bit, but it'll be super good! My new companion is Sister Oakes! She's the one whose midget bike I used on exchanges a few weeks ago, hahaha. She is superrrr sweet! This is her 4th transfer out. She spent the last 3 transfers in Lawndale (older middle class white area) with Sister Lyman (she's my sister mission wise, because we both had the same trainer. love her.) She's from maryland, so party on for the east coast! 

    Sadly, my Hermana Perry is leaving! she is going to be taking Sister Oakes spot and she and Sis. Lyman will be sister training leaders (so luckily, they'll get a car). I will miss my West Virginia girl a lot. She's just family, you know? I have been seriously so lucky with companions on my mission.

How do I feel about staying? I am completely shocked. I and everyone else thought I was leaving, but the branch is my home so I am so happy. Especially to be spending Christmas here! I've asked myself a lot "what more does Heavenly Father want me to do here?" I am especially grateful to be staying with our investigators though. They're doing great! Thanks for the prayers!

I also can't believe I will be spending over year of my mission in young single adult wards! I guess I'm just too immature for family wards, haha. I love my ysa's!

I am freakingggggggggggggggg out a bit though, because Sister Oakes doesn't speak Spanish. Obviously, neither do I. While we teach in English and our congregation is in English and everything, our area is SO hispanic. I would say 70% of our contacting is in Spanish. And when we go to less actives' homes, we talk to their only-Spanish-speaking parents usually to get the information. I guess I should've taken advantage of having 3 Spanish-assigned companions more. But Sister Perry is leaving me with some note cards of the things I need to say. Obviously, I will just read them off the paper to people. #it'sarealthing God will consecrate :) 

    This week was full of holiday spirit! We had our Branch Christmas party! (I love this place). Sister Cuevas got us a little Christmas tree for our apartment! Plus Mom's AWESOME package and Christmas tree came! And Sister Perry's mom sent us Christmas music galore. And Pascual (our neighbor) decorated our door! Plus he and hermana brought us pan (bread) and Mexican hot chocolate. Oh I tried elote this week from a man selling it out of his buggy (grocery cart) in a trash bag. It smelled awful, but was surprisingly super good. 

    Ugh, why I am so careless sometimes? I locked the keys in the house again, and other missionaries had to drive us all the way up to the mission office. Again. #ultimatefail Sister Cuevas calls me her tontita or little idiot. #win.

    We volunteered this morning for a community toy drive and sorted toys, so that was fun!

    We had some...interesting...comments during street contacting in South Central and Bell Gardens on Saturday. We both did our hair that day (when was the last time I curled my hair?), and I swear we got more whistles and comments than I've ever had in one day. My personal favorite was this man who biked past us, "oooooooooooooo you two are beautiful! I would marry you..tomorrow!" Obviously I responded with a "see ya tomorrow then!" 

    Saturday was a rough day for contacting. No one was really interested. We were walking home when we realized we had 10 more minutes. We were debating if we should contact for 10 more minutes despite the fact that we weren't having success or go to our next appointment early. We decided we better keep going #don'twasteaminuteoftheLord'stime. We only ran in to two people. The first one was drunk and selling things out of his buggy. Naturally. The second? A young single adult named Salvador! He was waiting for the bus to go to work. We talked to him for a few minutes and invited him to church teh next morning. Miracle? HE CAME. That like never happens in this area (people have serious commitment issues here). He came a few minutes early, so we gave him a church tour and taught a quick restoration. He loved it! He stayed for all 3 hours and the branch just took him right in. He left elder's quorum (the third hour where the men and women meet separately) with a Book of Mormon in hand and talking to our guys' about going on missions. What?! So cool. Miracles! 

    We got to go to the temple this week (we get to go once ever 3 months). It was super special as always. I walked in to the last and my favorite room and just had this huge wave of relief and love come over me. For whatever reason I thought to myself, "I made it! I did it! I'm here! I'm home."

    Then the impression came "You're doing great daughter, but you're not done yet. You've progressed so much and you've done so much, but I've got a lot more planned for you in the next 6 months." (I went to the temple on my 6 months left mark). It was super comforting and motivating. Since I won't have language study, STL responsibilities, or a second hour of companionship study from training, I will have more time in this area than I have ever had in any area. So I guess that's a sign that God wants us to work, work, work and I could not be more excited to see the miracles in this area. Especially with Joyce and Chris' baptisms coming up in the next few weeks! "Press forward Saints with steadfast faith in Christ." 

Thanks so much for the love, support, and prayers. I love you all so much! 

Make it a great week! 

Love,

Sister Atkinson :)

Light and life to all He brings, Ris'n with healing in His wings.

Got this one out the same day! I am headed to Nashville tomorrow for Micah's graduation! So wanted to post this before I left. Dawn

 

Why helloooooooooooooooooo my dearest friends and family!

    Thanks SO much for the prayers! Keep praying for Chris, Art, Joyce and for our mission to have 89 baptisms in the month of December (white and wet [from baptism by immersion] Christmas ;))
    Chris is going through some things, but he knows what he needs to do.
    Art is having a hard time feeling and recognizing the Spirit. And he takes EVERYTHING very literally, so it has been an adventure teaching him.
    Joyce!!! Our investigator Joyce that you all have been praying for? She is a Christmas miracle that just plopped into my life. She knows the church is true and is getting baptized December 29th. She is 18 and the cutest little Filipino girl ever. A few weeks ago before we started meeting, she was asked to draw her faith and beliefs in her art class. She knew some about the church, but was just really confused as to what she wanted to do. She said she said a prayer and started drawing. What came out was this beautiful mural thing. Her past is her questioning which path to go down, her present was a Bible, Book of Mormon, and studying type things, and for her future she drew a sun and the salt lake temple. Basically, that's when she knew she needed to take the lessons. Her lessons are always so spiritual. Who is this girl???
    We took her to the visitor's center yesterday to watch the Christmas Devotional broadcast from Salt Lake and then we walked around the temple and looked at all the Christmas lights. I can't lie, when the orchestra played Joy to the World and they zoomed in on the trumpets I totes teared up. So that was a good reminder that, that still is what I want to do with my life, haha. I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Can't lie, Christmas lights are a bit distracting for us. Tthe other day we were driving on the way to an appointment and we saw the most decorated house I have ever seen. So we pulled over and got a picture. #coudln'thelpit
    Uhm remember how we just got our car back from the shop? Yeah... we came back from a 20 minute door contact and our side mirror on my side was knocked off and broken. HIT AND RUN. Iit was a hugeeeeeeee street, so I don't know how they managed that one. Our mirror is now taped back on with painter's tape, but everything is distorted and I usually can only see the ground.
    We went on two exchanges this week. I stayed here for both of them. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the two sisters...
    "I never thought a place like this existed in America." (the sister from Fiji about our little Mexico)
    "Oh yeah, this is straight up is like the movies." (about south central LA)
    "Sometimes I wish I could see how missionaries act in their normal element back home. But I think you would be the exact same." Yaking that as a compliment. Don't worry everyone, I'm as nuts as ever.
    Okay, this email is going to have to be much shorter, because Sister Matheson and I have been distracted for the past 15 minutes of our computer time, because of this hilarious woman named Tricia that came and sat by us. Sister Matheson started coughing and Tricia started talking about how she needs to take this specific medicine from the 99 cent store. and then she told us her life story including her jobs, her children, how her friend was legitimately crazy for having 6 kids (she doesn't know how many siblings Sister Matheson and I have), we have seen like 45 pictures of her kids, and she came over and grabbed my collar bone to teach me where to grab anyone that ever attacks me (she said she broke a 250lb man's nose at the staples center and that she is a black belt). Oh merciful, BEST EMAIL TIME EVER. Obvi, we're getting her info to teach her. Now she's crying and giving us details about her children's trials. Oh and her abusive marriage. And her dad's dementia and cancer. And physical therapy. And her son's modeling. Ahhhh 9 minutes left.
    We got a referral from some sisters that work in Santa Fe Springs of a guy that said he was a young single adult and would be interested in learning more. We called him and left a message. His, ahem, wife called us back later and chewed us for her husband flirting with missionaries and how they go to a couples congregation. #singleswardproblems ahhh, Sister Perry fell to her bed and cried (it had been a long day). I think I was a bad companion, because I just sat there and laughed hysterically. It was hilarious.
    It's interesting, this week I realized something. We've had a lot of rejection (people saying they read the Book of Mormon and it's not true, less actives who have been offended, seeing cards we've handed out ripped up on the ground, investigators having trials, etc.) On my mission I think I have had an abnormal amount of investigators get so close to baptism and then fall away. I told Sister Perry it was my curse, and I had to apologize, hahaha. But this week I reflected on all of those experiences and I can't help but smile. I am so grateful for all of those experiences. I have learned a lot. I have had a lot of disappointments, but recently I have been much less disappointed. Here's an excerpt from my journal:
    "Sometimes I think Satan lets me think "you don't have success because you don't have enough faith." Yyes success in the sense of numbers and such is a gift, but it is not a measurement necessarily of our effort. Sure there are times when I know I could have been more effective or faithful, but for the most part, I can confidently say I have tried and given my all to the Savior and to this work. I recognize that my all is nothing compared to the Lord's all, so I'll do everything I can (and of course try to improve and try harder each day), and just trust that He's proud, He's grateful, and He'll take care of the rest." I've just had a much deeper sense of joy and happiness."
    Aah, 56 seconds left! Dang it! Love you all! Make it a great week! Sorry this was all over the place! (gotta love Tricia!)

Love, Sister Atkinson

Count your many blessings, name them one by one :)

Sorry this is so late - way too many things to do right now! She should write again today as it is after 2 am Monday already!

 

HI EVERYONE!
Whew what a week!

Thanksgiving was just so good! Last Monday for family home evening, the branch got together for a Thanksgiving dinner. We wrote thankful notes to Heavenly Father, put them on balloons, and sent them on up. precious, I know. I just love these people.

Thursday itself was quite festive. Our car was in the shop, so we had the elders' car (obvi, we put them on bikes). Their football was in the trunk, so for the last 10 minutes of our exercise time we threw the ol' football around in our classy alley. We then had pumpkin waffles for breakfast. #thankyoueggo Thursday is our weekly planning day, so we stayed in for a few hours to do our usual planning. We then had a delicious dinner at the Cuevas home. Brother Cuevas is the first counselor in the branch presidency. Both of their kids are on missions, so we got to be their kids for dinner. I just love them. Pray for Sister Cuevas. And my mom. It's not exactly easy to be so far away from your kids with only a weekly email as a connection. (We went over to Sister Cuevas for our lunch break this week and she taught us how to make ceviche. I told her my future children are grateful.) Anywho, we then made a ton of hand turkeys and went and taped them on less active members' doors. We decided we could start the Christmas season immediately after dinner, so obviously we put Santa hats on and I belted Joy to the World at the top of my lungs in the car. It didn't last long though. Sister Perry shut down my belting pretty hard, haha. People really get into Christmas lights here which is super fun. I never really thought of palm trees with Christmas lights. Seems like an oxymoron with me. Tis the season to be jolly! Oh our Thanksgiving night ended with Pascual (my Mexican father and ice cream truck neighbor)'s daughters bringing lots of leftovers to us. Our fridge is still full. Speaking of, Pascual talked to us for a little this morning about all the changes he has seen in his 17-yr old daughter (the one meeting with the Spanish elders) in the past few weeks. The gospel just changes people! It is so real and you can tell it in every aspect of their lives (Art even had a glow that we all commented about in our last lesson :) he's read everyday this week and turned in lots of job applications ) His daughter wants to get baptized in 2 weeks, but Pascual wants her to wait until she's 18 (not for another year), so pray for that situation for us. (Her name is Mina). Thanks for all the prayers! If you could pray for us, the branch, Chris, Art, and Joyce this week, that'd be much appreciated :)

We went on two exchanges this week. I just love that calling and I love the sisters. I went to the Lawndale area for one of them. When we exchange we just usually use the other sisters' bikes and everything for 24 hrs. Anyways the night before, they texted us and told me to bring my own helmet since the sister whose spot I was taking uses a child size helmet. And we all know an Atkinson head cannot fit in one of those. They failed to mention to bring my own bike as well, since she USES A CHILD-SIZED BIKE. can we all take a moment to think about my 5'9" self on a child bike? Hardest thigh workout of my mission. The whole time I thought dad was going to drive by at any moment and yell out the window "Hey Ali, nice midget bike". It was quite comical. Can't lie. Also, on exchanges I taught my first children! (I've been in young single adult wards my entire mission). The kids were so cute. The family was seriously like the Herdmans from The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. It was awesome. They were so pure. Alsoooo on exchanges we did service for a hoarder. Like a straight up hoarder. Like the house and back yard should be on the show. It was shocking. The health department was coming this week, so they had to clean up at least their driveway. So we helped for an hour. All I'm going to say is BLACK WIDOW SPIDERS. It was very traumatic. Also, I don't think I will ever collect anything after being there. But it was really nice to see their faces light up while we were there. I just love being a missionary.

A couple of our investigators both struggled with the concept of being completely forgiven for something in their past this week. It was really powerful for me to reflect on the gift of repentance and the atonement.
Joyce is a new golden investigator that just fell in our lap! She is the ex-girlfriend of a recent convert, so the family ward sisters referred her to us. She is so cute and came to church on Sunday and is so elect. I really do think we will have at least 3 baptisms in this area in January. Transfers are the week before Christmas. TUMULTUOUS. I would love to stay to see the progress continue here. And this is my home away from home and I think Christmas would be a little awful in another area. But I've also been here for 6 months and some days feel like God needs me to have a new adventure. Meh, I have 2 weeks, so I'll just stop worrying about that and leave it up to Heavenly Father. He always seems to have everything under control, haha.

Oh we have a new Michael, haha. He just just happened to be a YSA that happens to live in an apartment that a less active on our records used to live at and we just happened to run into him and he happened to accept a return appointment. See things like that just happen all the time and I never know how to convey them all to you. Have miracles ceased? I say unto you Nay. Duh.

We said hi to someone on the street as always and they looked us up and down and said "You all don't look like you're from around here" and straight up laughed for 90 seconds. Can he respect me? I totes look Hispanic.

Oh. Nathaniel. Ugh. This was one randomly one of the most awful moments of my mission. We were in my favorite South Central this week. And we approached these two YSA guys. One stops to talk to us, the other says heck no and walks away. We talk to the one for a good 7 minutes, so his friend decides to wander back down the street. Anyways, his name was Nathaniel. He is a handsome guy and super smart, but not educated. Young 20s. He definitely has been involved in gangs. He said his dad is dead and his mom is gone and he lives on the streets. I have met a lot of people here in LA and a lot who have been through more than I thought imaginable, but Nathaniel was by far the most bitter, lonely, sad, and hateful person I've ever met. But for whatever reason I just loved the kid. I just wanted him SO badly to believe in God. Have hope for something. Wish for something more than $100. I tried to testify with everything I had to him, but he still ripped up the card I gave him and threw it on the ground (obviously, I picked it up and it's in my scrapbook, haha). I just can't convey the experience the way I want to. Sometimes I take a step back and realize I am a missionary. Like getting made fun of or having doors slammed in my face is a real life thing. But there is nothing in the world more rewarding that I've done so far in my life than being a missionary. The gospel is just SO real. I read a talk a couple days after the Nathaniel experience. It's from general conference and it's about "do we realize what we have?" Nathaniel's hard face was in my mind the entire time. Do we realize what we have on the earth today? Do we realize that we have a Savior? Do we realize that we have repentance? temples? families? scriptures? prophets? the priesthood? It really is overwhelming. I am so blessed. No matter what happens in this life, the Savior is a constant. And Heaven knows I need Him everyday, or this work would be impossible and I wouldn't have the motivation or strength I need.

Thanks for the prayers, support, letters, and love. it really means so much to me. Make it a great and happy week friends!

All my love,
Sister Atkinson