Week 25 - Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Hellooooooo Family!
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So, as of today, yes I've been out 6 months! Yikes how time does fly. Sometimes it feels like it's been really long and like we have forever till we're done and then there are times that we feel like there isn't enough time left for us to do all that we have to do! It's interesting. It's official. This is the longest period of time spent away from home And, not surprisingly, the longest time I haven't called my family. Haha But it's been really good, and yes I've said it a lot already but I Absolutely Love being here 100%! It's been wonderful and a great experience. I've learned so much! So I will share a few of those things as I love to share my wealth of information. :) Ps tell Bro Jennings that I did get the picture and I laughed really hard. Thank you for it! But yeah I can't write anyone other than immediate family and I actually just found out that I can write my Grandparents too.... yeah so Grandparents you can write me! I must have missed the memo at the beginning of the mission. :)
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Anyway, about that acquired knowledge...
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1. Family Mission Plans: it may seem silly, but because some families have made goals for the year of what missionary work they could do we've had more people open to the gospel! And the goals they make are anywhere between praying each day as a family, studying scriptures as a family, to inviting someone to dinner, having a block party, and inviting someone to church or to an activity especially when you or your child has a part in the program. :) It's great and I challenge everyone to do it whether you are with your family still or a young single adult. Do it!
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2. Don't do missionary dinner calendars! Invite the less actives, nonmembers who may attend the ward, and the ward council to have dinners for the missionaries first. It's not about the food, we can feed ourselves, surprisingly enough, it's about knowing the people and building faith.
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3. Mom if you ever wanted a tabby cat, we got one. :) One of the members in our ward has been trying to get rid of their cat and I thought I'd ask. Just in case.
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4. On Friday, I went on exchanges with an Australian, that's right a real live one! And I must say her accent rubbed off on me. I was trying to explain to sister McCloy what she told me and ended up speaking with an accent. hey it's what happens when you're around her. It's contagious! But the more important thing is what I learned from her. I could take a whole day to tell you but I'll just say that she has helped me be myself and be 50% less stressed then I've tended to be lately. I went to her area in Santee, it's spanish speaking, and I practiced my listening in Spanish. I understood most of it or got the context clues anyway, but I chickened out and didn't say much. Still, there was a reason I was supposed to be there that day. We met with two girls who could speak english so I was able to help them grow in their learning. It was a really neat experience. And I learned so much. Too much to tell so I'll have to share later. :) Just know that I have had many growing experiences that have helped me so much.
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5. We had a sisters meeting today. First one ever for me. We met, had a brunch and talked about how we can be better sisters and how we can show more love to each other and we talked a bit about exchanges. It was really good! We also talked about obedience. And the thing I got from it was, it doesn't matter how silly the rules are, or how difficult or non-sensical. As we are exactly obedient as we obey those rules, we will be blessed greatly! That is something that I'm working on. I'm actually going through the mission handbook and seeing what rules I haven't been good at and that I need to work on. It's been really good knowing that as I am obedient the unexpected miracles happen. I love it.
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6. Last thing I've really learned is that when Elder Ballard was here, he talked to us about something he had challenged in a talk a long time ago, called the 90 day challenge. I don't know if you remember it or not but the point was, if as a family we prayed to find someone for the missionaries to teach in the next 90 days, and then we worked on it, talked to everyone we could and prayed constantly, we will find someone in 90 days for the missionaries to teach. So I want you to put it to the test. I invite you to do it and see if Elder Ballard is telling the truth. I know you will be blessed for doing it and you Will find someone for the missionaries to teach. Just imagine if every family did this, how many people would be ready to come back to our Father in Heaven. So many of them are ready and being prepared, we just have to go out and find them and the missionaries can't do all the finding. But I know it'll be a wonderful experience so i invite you to do it!
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Okay quick updates:
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- One of the ladies we're working with has a date for Baptism. Flo Almost had a baptismal date - she told us that she knew she was going to be baptized! We went over the interview questions and the only one she has a hang up with is the word of wisdom - she likes her wine. So we asked her to pray for the desire to change. She's nervous but she knows it'll happen eventually. We are still working wih Rob and Todd, it's just hard for us to meet with them but they have progressed a lot since we got here. It's so wonderful to see them all progressing! We love them and love working with them so much! We are working with a few part member families, trying to help them see the importance of doing this all together. The work really is going well and I think a lot of it has happened because we've been submissive and have listened and heeded our leaders even when things seem impossible. Always follow your leaders!!! Obedience is the first law of everything. Obedience is how we got to earth in the first place and obedience is our ticket back to Heavenly Father. We must be obedient. :)
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Well I love you all! I hope you are all doing well and being the best missionaries you can be!
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Love Sister Maureen Davis
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Ps tell Olivia and Emmy thank you for the notes and thepictures, they are so cute. I love them a lot! And tell Erin not to be afraid of Mrs. Snyder. Just faint and she'll love you forever. haha that's how it worked for me. ;) other then that tell Maddy to be good and enjoy BYU! Tell Dad good luck at work and that I'm proud of him and Mom I love you so much. Thanks for all you taught me. You're wonderful!