Look what I found!! My brothers would LOVE this!

This turtle and Eliza both have something in common...they're both coming out of their shells!

Mom...  Dad is the best. And you're the best. I love you both so much for doing the RIGHT THING. For doing those simple little but HUGE commandments. You're both great great missionaries.

You like football? What the... So does my companion. She's dying. Football season/Halloween/her birthday, it's all her fav.

So this week has been a roller coaster, and I apologize for being a downer last week. I sometimes feel like my world has crashed and burned one day, and then couldn't be better the next. Missions are the weirdest.

Wednesday we had our Zone Training, and that went well. We also had our interviews with President, and that went well also... it's always SO nice to see other missionaries. It's funny that I love them about just as much as you guys even though I've known these people for only 5 months. Can you believe I'm coming up on my 5 month mark?! Weiiiiird. Well, all the missionaries seem to be having it really rough. Whether it's their area, or their companion, or discouragement, or whatever. I'm so blessed to be in Medicine Lake (President claimed to be the best ward of the whole mission) with Sister D. She's so great. I really have lucked out, so I'm worried to find out next week about transfers! It's already here again. I can't believe it.

Well, J and D and their boys are still progressing. Really, the only thing that is holding them back is J's divorce that they're still working out. We had a lesson with them on Tuesday with the H's. I think I've talked to you about the H's before but a LONG time ago. I met them the first week of my mission on exchanges and this couple is amazing. Well, they found the church last year, and got baptized this past February, and LOVE the church. They are so active, so missionary minded, and are just the best people in the world. President told us that we needed to have them come to the 'move out until the divorce is final because you're breaking the law of chastity' lesson with us. They did. And they even offered D to stay at their home until they get married, etc. They're so great. J and D are still figuring things out though with the boys.

So, we taught them the Restoration. We watched the Joseph Smith movie, and afterwards, I bore my testimony. And balled. J was emotional as well. The Spirit was SO strong.

Thennn...Yesterday they came to church, DRESSED UP for the first time! That may seem dumb, but that was a huuuuge step. They've worn street clothes every Sunday for weeks and weeks, but this kind of showed a sign of their commitment. Their boys participated in the Primary Program!! And then we had a 'Linger Longer' (don't you love MN?) after Church and J even brought a salad. So, they definitely loveeee the church, it's just the divorce that's holding them back. I love them with all my HEART!!!!

Sorry, I feel like this email is super boring and scattered. Umm... yeah, anyway, Sister D. and I worked our TAILS off this week. Harder than I have ever worked. It was great. Our goal is to be exhausted by the end of each day, and I really really am.

I love you all! I'll send a couple pics. Have a fantastic week and know that you're in my thoughts and prayers and that I love you!!!!
xoxooxoxxooxoxox

Eliza

Hard Times ....sigh

Hey!! I miss you!

Ugh. This week has been TOUGH. Ehh... more like that past 24 hours. Sister D and I have been crying like we've just gone through a bad break up. We've got the roll of toilet paper in our room, and we have lots of chocolate, and... we've only got each other. This is soooo tough. Good thing I had absolutely no idea how hard this would be before I came out here!!!

 

But! It's fine. Our week was pretty decent.

 

J and D and their fam were SUPPOSED to get baptized on the 28th this month.

BUT.

I was on exchanges with Sister Mansfield on Friday when we went to their house, and we were just doing kind of a huge follow up/'see where they're at' lesson, and bad news. 

J's divorce could possibly take MONTHS.

  But D wants a Spring wedding, and things are just kind of going down.

 Zone Leaders called, they were bugged, District Leader called, President called last night telling us we need to talk to them tonight and tell them to separate until the divorce is final. It's just been one thing after another, and Sister D and I just feel like we're doing everything WRONG. 

 

 When I was on exchanges with her, the first person we dropped by to see was Larry and Bev (I sent a pic of me and Bev a while ago) And when I got to Bev's room, everything was moved out. Her name wasn't on the door. My heart stopped. 

I asked the nurse where she was. 

Bev passed away Wednesday. 

I lost it. 

I loved her soooo much. 

She was very special to me and I LOVED visiting her. 

 

It's funny, every companion I've had has told me that I am literally MEANT to work with the elderly.  I really do have an overwhelming love for elderly people and am seriously considering working with them when I get back. :)

But on the upside, they came to all 3 meetings for church yesterday, Di drew a cute pic for me in Primary, and then they came to the President's fireside that evening.

The fireside:

I got out of the car, and saw the JOHNSON'S!!!! They were so so so happy to see me! It really made my day (they were one of the speakers for the fireside)

I saw SISTER SZABO!!!! Made. my. life. I miss her too much. She has had SO much of an impact on me. I feel so bad for her, she was telling me how absolutely HARD it is in Andover.

I saw a ton of Shingle Creek people, and a family we were working with are getting baptized next week! It was just soooo amazing to see all these people and the changes they are making in their lives to come closer to Christ. Their countenances showed it!

Sister D and I performed our musical number (arranged version of 'I am a Child of God' it went fairly well! So that was fun. Buuuuut yeah, this week has been a literal roller coaster. And, it looks like it won't stop until next November! Ahhh. Thank you for your prayers though. That's what's keeping me out here.

Love you.xoxo

Sister B.

PS, Yes I got your package and snail mail. MEANT THE WORLD.

Buzz looked great at homecoming! 

Pday Sushi..YUM!

Our district

Sister DeBrueler and Sister Beeson

Baptism scheduled!

I've had a great week! Sister DuBrueler is the best. I just love her. I am so blessed to have her as my companion. We get along so so so well.

I honestly don't have anything too exciting to share this week, other than Janelle and Dustin and the boys are doing well, September 28 is THE DAY! She even put it on her calendar: 'Family Baptism' so that is exciting. I love them. With all my heart. Seriously. I will be friends with these people for eternity!! Ahhhh. We taught them the Word of Wisdom yesterday, and Janelle was really bummed about the coffee dealio. Cigarettes are tough for her too. But, luckily we had our cute joint teacher Sister Pugh who is a convert of 3 years, and was the BIGGEST coffee addict. The things she shared with Janelle and Dustin were PERFECT.

We met a cutie pie named Gramma G.G. She's 93 years old. She talks like she's 40. She works like she's 30. She dances like she's 50. And.... she's practically a Mormon. She knows sooo much about our church. She has attended the Easter Pageant a billion times, has been to Temple Square a ton, listens to MoTab regularly, and LOVES our church. Wouldn't that be cool if we got to baptize a 93 year old?! Stay tuned. It's happening.

We're gonna go to a thrift store and and buy huuuuuge jeans, and she's going to make us jean aprons! She knits, sews, and crochets like crazy. She's a cutie.

Sister Clements called us a couple of days ago, and asked if Sister D. and I would be able to play a musical number at the President's fireside this upcoming Sunday. This fireside is huge. A ton of investigators come, and there are about 3-4 recent converts who tell their story. It is very powerful. So, Sister D and I are so excited to be able to use our talents in front of all these people! I might arrange a hymn while she sings. We don't know yet. But it'll be fun!

Well, I love you all so much. I'm staying busy, which means I don't have much time to think about you---which is good. :)

Stay safe and keep those commandments!
xoxo

Sister Beeson

Called to LABOR -IN-HIS-VINEYARD-DAY:)

Mi Familia!!! Happy Labor Day! 

Oh my heck. This week. There are no words.

First off, I am soooo happy Buzz is ok. That really scared me. It's so weird, I am convinced I know when something is 'off' at home, because I feel anxious/uneasy the whole day, and I definitely felt that at one point during this week. 

I am so sorry to hear about Jodee. I'll keep their fam in my prayers too. 

Ok, well, as I'm sure you are aware, I went to the Youngquists for dinner on Tuesday, and Sis Y. asked "So what are your names?" "Sister Beeson" "Sister Beeson?! Are you related to Gaylene Beeson?!" "Yes! That's my grandma!" "That's my cousin!" WHAT THE. I'm related to someone in my own ward. Who knew. It made me feel so so so comforted, it was nice to feel at home and close to family (even though its not the closest relation). She and her husband are just the SWEETEST. We talked about Ron and Great Grandpa Alf, and she even showed me some pics of her from forever ago, it was lovely. She also made a very Grandma-Gaye-esque salad. With carrots and celery...and even had a lot of the same mannerisms as her. I loved everything about that dinner. TENDER MERCY.

We had district meeting on Wednesday, and Sister DuBrueler and I sang and sang and sangggg hymns together. I'm actually getting pretty dece at harmonizing.. FINALLY. Everyone LOVED it. The Elders were like.. "Keep singing" And I'm not saying this for bragging rights...mmm....actually...yes. I am. But also to make you happy, MOM. And I know you want to hear me say it, so... here it goes: YOU WERE RIGHT. (also thank you for that piano music:))

And then, about somewhere in the middle of the week, we were having personal study, and Sister D just leaves the room, and I just kept hearing sniffles in the other room. So, I finally went to see if she was ok, and she was a WRECK. She was balling. She was saying she didn't want to do this anymore, she's always soooo exhausted, everyday feels like the same day, she knows she doesn't HAVE to be here, thats why it is hard to stay, etc. That made me sad. :( But, I've honestly BEEN there. I still am sometimes, and so we talked, I told her what I love about her, what she is good at, the example she is to her family, how much I am learning from her and how much this ward and the investigators love her. That seemed to help a lot. But, I somehow ended up crying too. It's just funny. I'm 19. She's 20. I've been here for 4 months. She's been here for 3. We have NO clue how to do this, but yet we know we can. It was just one of those moments where we needed the reassuring 'you can do this' chat from our parents, BUUUUT, since that's impossible, we went to our second option: our faux-parents. We called up Sister Clements, and we talked to her for 50 minutes. She is SUCH a sweetheart, we addressed all our worries and concerns and she replaced those with love and confidence in us. It helped SO much. And the funny thing is, is that Sister Clements said everything you, mom, would have said! Sister DuBrueler said the same. So, we went on to have studies, and about 5 minutes later, President Clements calls. AH. He told us that his wife told him we were struggling (just like what would happen at home) haha and then he talked to us about what we need to do, gave us great advice and told us he loved us--just like dad! It was just a tender mercy from Heavenly Father that even though I can't talk to my own parents when I'm struggling, I can talk to God--obviously, but also turn to our loving Mission President and sweet wife.I am so grateful that they took the time out of their BUSY schedule to talk to us! My relationship with the two of them jumped to a hoool-nuvuh-levuh. 

Amazing things have also been happening with Janelle, Dustin and the boys. We taught them the Law of Chastity yesterday (which makes that two for the week) ahhh. Sister D and I had to roleplay that lesson like crazy because...we're 12. So immature. Sheesh. But they committed to keep it! So, we'll be working out Janelle's divorce issues this week, plan a wedding, then dunk 'em!!!! Brother Camp (legend in the ward) invited them over for a brunch, Janelle and her boys were able to make it, not Dustin, but it was SOOO good. Brother Camp brought such a sweet spirit, and Janelle lost it, and expressed her love for us teaching her, and for her Heavenly Father. It was amazing. 

I've just felt the Spirit SO strong this week with all these tender mercies and things that have happened. I love this GOSPEL. It's so true. It is. It's black and white. 

I hope you all have a lovely week, and I'll see you in 432 days :)

xoxo Sister Eliza B

ps. Thank you all for writing me this week! Sheesh! Let's make that a weekly thing, yeah? It really made my day. Buzz: I can assure you, that you will have no dating success unless you write me begging for my advice. ;)

Also, Julia Larsen from Dear Lizzie gave me a package with CUTE letters from her little primary class and my fav COOKIES from DL! So nice. Everyone is the best. Thank you all!