Never mind, the storm is coming

Hey Everyone!

Another great week in the mission is over.  I really can't think of anything super exciting that happened this week... it was a week spent finding.  We did have a cool tracting miracle though.  We went to this street and the first house we knocked on was this older man.  He said that he wasn't interested, but was nice and told us which of his neighbors might be interested.  So we left and started knocking the rest of the street.  We were walking back towards the car knocking the houses on the other side of the street and we saw him just sitting on his porch step.  We kept knocking waiting for him to go inside so we could go back to our car (we were parked right in front of his house).  But he wasn't going inside and he was just watching us.  We eventually decided that we would just make the awkward walk back, but as we were walking to the car he stood up and called out to us and said that he was very rude to turn us away and that he would love to hear what we had to say.  He was so nice!  He didn't know anything about what we believed and we were able to teach the Restoration.  He was very interested in learning more.  It was so cool!  The spirit was really working on him and he needed to hear what we had to say. 

Other than that, most people haven't answered their doors to us.  We did have a really great dinner at a member's house. They were having a party and they told us to invite all of our investigators over for a meal and so we did.  We had 3 investigators show up and it was so fun.  It was just a big bbq and we had crabs (I, of course, did not eat crab.  I am not ripping apart a crab to eat its nasty fish flesh :) haha) but it was a great party and Jess came and she loved it!  She is still set to get baptized in 2 weeks!  Her interview is this week so we have that to look forward to :)

We also went on exchanges again this week and this time I stayed in our area with Sister Morris.  It was a fun exchange.  We mostly just tracted, but we did teach Davon. He is doing well.  He has finally started reading the Book of Mormon so that's huge progress.  He didn't want to take a copy of the Book of Mormon when we met him. 

Well that's all folks! I really don't have anything else to say.  It's finally sunny today! Virginia just broke their record for the most rainy days in a row.  This is the first time I've seen the sun in 3 weeks. It makes tracting hard when its raining.  People cancel on us because of the weather a lot.  But it's kind of fun to be in the rain.  You just get soaked and live it up. But I am very happy to see the sun :)  Well, I love you all so much!! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa, Sister Zhenya Plumb, and Elder Kalani Enos for the letters this week!

Exchanges with Sister Morris. I want to live in this area. Right on this pretty lake!

We learned how to use duck callers and be duck hunters.

Got stood up at Penera....again...

Crabs, nope, not eating that.

Party Bus!

Hey Everyone!

Happy Mothers Day to all those mothers out there!  It was so fun to get to talk to my family yesterday.  They are all growing up so much ;)  It's crazy that the next time I will see them is when I come home.  That went fast.  Too fast.  But I still have lots to do out here in beautiful Virginia! 

Anyway, this week was super fun!  We got to go to missionary leadership conference (MLC) this week.  It's a big long meeting down in Richmond for all the Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders.  We recieve trainings and then we have to give them to the rest of the zone.  But anyway it was so fun because I got to drive a party van.  haha  Since I am at the VERY top of the mission we have to drive the farthest to get to Richmond. So we had to get the mission mini van and drive down to Richmond while picking up other sisters.  Oh man it was so fun.  I got to drive one way and we were just partying in the party van.  The meeting was really great and I learned a lot and then after everyone in the party van went and got food at Cafe Rio.  Who even knew those were in Virginia?  It was great!  We didn't get home until late that night.

Then on Friday we had zone meeting and we had to give trainings on the trainings that we recieved at MLC.  I trained on working with the ward to get referrals.  So all you people out there invite the missionaries over with your friends :)

I also went on exchanges this week!  I got to go to Bristo which is right on the mission boundaries and we may or may not have accidently gone out of the mission.... hahaha welcome to DC South! Haha but it's ok because it happens a lot up there.  The boundaries are not very good and you make one wrong turn and you are gone.  But what was super fun is a went with Sister Styler!!  We were back together for the day!  It was so fun!! We got to teach together again and it was like we were never apart.  I loved it!  

This week we also met a really cool new investigator named DaVon.  We teach a lot of young single adults (YSA) here and so we were just at McDonalds and this YSA kid stops us and starts talking to us.  We have met with him a lot and he even came to church yesterday!  He is being fellowshipped so well by the YSAs in the ward and really loves all that we do.  We also are teaching this lady who after two years of meeting with missionaries has officially quit smoking and now is ready to be baptized! She is being batized on the 28th! So cool!  Also Kendall was baptized on Saturday! I wish I could have been there, but I heard that it was great.

Well I love you all and miss you tons!!! Have a good week!!!!

Love,

Siser Lawson

P.S. Thanks dad for the card this week!!

Mission Learning Conference.  STLs

Best little ice cream shop ever!

Sprinkles!

Lunch at Cafe Rio!

Party Bus group.

Lunch before exchanges.

Exchanges with Sister Styler!

Party Bus video!

Transferred to Hawaii!

Hey Everyone!

So it was a crazy week this week!!  Transfers happened and I am back up in Woodbridge!  I cant believe it. hahaha we were at transfer meeting and slowly President was reading where everyone was going and my name wasn't being called so I knew what that meant.  He reads off the areas starting from the bottom of the mission to the top, so I knew that I would be going back up north.  It's exciting and a bit not.  I love being back up here, but I definitely like the South better. And I wanted to see a new area of the mission, but it is really great to be in this zone again.  I am now in Quantico and that's only like 10 minutes from my first area!  It's a bit surreal being back where I started.  Bringing back all the summer memories. The really sad thing is that they took sisters out of my first ward, so I can't go and see anyone there :(  I was really hoping to be able to go on exchanges with the sisters in my first ward and see Evelyn again!  But I can't. :(  Mabe next transfer they will put sisters back in.  We have a shortage of sisters lately so lots of areas closed, but once summer comes things will pick up again.  But I love being here because I already know so many of the people! I've met lots of the ward on exchanges way back when and I told them that one day I would come back and here I am. Haha it's way fun!

Anyway, transfers were crazy because they forgot to get me a ride up north. Haha oh #AbbyLuck.  I finally made my way to Fredricksburg (about 30 minutes from my area) and then had to hang out at a church there with the STLs in that area and wait for a member to come pick me up.  Oh the adventures!  But I made it!  My new companion is Sister Prach.  Shes from Colorado and only lives like 20 minutes from me there.  We were at all the same dances and stuff.  Crazy that we never knew each other.  But she is so fun and we have been having a blast!

I came to the ward at the right time because on Saturday they had this HUGE Luau!  It was so cool!  Tons of people showed up and they roasted a whole pig (I of course wouldn't eat any of it) but then they went through all the islands and did dances from each place.  I felt like I was in Hawaii! Our ward here has LOTS of Polynesian people so they put it all on and it was sweet.  There was even a fire dancer!  Man I am obsessed with that culture.  I should have been sent there! Haha but it was way fun

Also on Saturday we had a baptism. It was for a little boy. He was way cute and very excited to be baptized.  I'm excited to keep working with him and his family in the upcoming weeks.  Unfortuantly, Kendall wasnt baptized this weekend.  I don't know what happened, something to do with someone in the hospital...?  But she is on date for next Saturday. Unfortunatly I am too far away to go to it, but it's still an exciting thing!

Well thats all I got. It's been fun.  I love being in Quantico.  It's like the dream for missionaries here.  It's just such a cool area and ward is amazing. It should be a fun time!  Love you!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks to Elder Kalani Enos and Dad for the letters

P.S.S. My new address is: 3303 William Johnston Ln. Apt 14 Dumfries, VA 22026

Luau time!

Spring flowers!

Coats back on.  Is it spring yet or not?

Luau dancers!

A New Adventure

Hey Everyone!

So lots of big news this week!!!  As many of you probably guessed... I'm being transferred :(  I have to leave wonderful Bon Air and even worse I have to leave Sister Olson :(  So many tears this weekend.  It's been really hard.  During sacrament meeting I got to go to the front and speak for a few minutes.  It was so hard to say goodbye to this ward.  I've been here for five months now and have seen so many miracles and truly love this area and ward.  It's been so much harder to say bye to Sister Olson though.  We have been crying so much.  My hope is that we can be companions at the end of my mission.  Sometimes for your last transfer the President will put you back with an old companion so I'm hoping! We have interviews with President next transfer so I might just let that idea slip..haha, but it really has been a good couple of transfers here.  I'm really going to miss it, but I have other places and people to meet.  I knew it would happen eventually.  Doesn't make it any easier though. :( 

On a happier note, DeMarco got baptized!!!  It was such a good baptism.  The spirit was so strong during it.  Really the youth put on the baptism.  They gave talks for it and a young man actually preformed the baptism.  It was cool to see DeMarco be so fellow-shipped into the ward.  I just love that family so much but I knew that I would be leaving this area after his baptism.  I came to baptize all those kids and then head out.  There is one more kid though.  She is 9 months old... so it looks like I will be coming back to Virginia in 7 years for her baptism :) 

In other news Kendall is getting baptized this Saturday! Bummer that I won't actually get to be there for it, but I am still super excited for her! It will be a great baptism and I'm sure that I will get pictures from it :) 

Also, I'm not actually just getting transferred this time around.  I am actually going to be a Sister Training Leader (STL) now.  What that means is I'm going to help with all the sisters in the zone and go on exchanges with them and I have lots more meetings and have to give more trainings. haha It will be a new adventure!  

Well I love you all!!! have a good week!!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa (X2), Dad and Amanda Outlaw for the letters this week! 

They changed the words to a bunch of Disney songs.  

Here is their version of "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from the movie Mulan.

Really cool Coke's we got.

DeMarco!

Cleaning the font for DeMarco's baptism.

We got SOAKING WET!  Nothing like tracting in the rain!

Harrell family picture (plus some random kid).

And then we'll knock and knock and knock and knock some more!

Hey Everyone!

I really don't have much to say this week.  So it will be a short one.  We literally spent the week tracting.  We knocked, and knocked, and knocked. and no one answered. hahaha But really on Friday we tracted from 11:30-4:45 and we talked to 5 people. hahaha and they wouldn't even let us share a message with them.  They all said no.  Saturday and Sunday were pretty much the same.  We've been seeing so many miracles lately, that we have to go through some no finding for a bit.  I think the Lord is just preparing someone crazy awesome that we just haven't found yet.  So really we have just been doing that.  It's been so nice outside and it's starting to warm up though so thats enjoyable.  I'm getting a sweet tan line from my shoes. haha  

We have been changing words to Disney songs to stuff about missionary work and singing as we walk.  They are so funny.  We will be laughing so hard as we are walking and then have to get serious once we ring the door bell. Haha its a good time.  When we are home we are going to make music videos to our songs.  We just need to write down the lyrics that we have written first....

So that was really my week.  DeMarco is getting baptized this Wednesday night!!!!  I'm so excited!!!!  The whole Harrell family will be baptized :)  It's going to be great!  And Kendall had her interview and is getting baptized on the 30th!!  Unfortunately that is after transfers... so we probably won't both be here.  I love Bon Air and I love being with Sister Olson, but I don't think we are going to make it through another transfer calls together :(  It will be sad if one of us has to leave :(  We will find out Saturday night!

Well, that's really all I have to say!  Three of our investigators are out of town this week (not sure why) so we will be doing more tracting! Yay!  It will be a fun week though!  We had stake conference this weekend and it was all about the temple and how we all need to go to the temple.  I want to go so bad!!  We talk about it all the time to people and I just want to go.  I wish there was a temple in Virginia so that we could go!  The temple is just such a wonderful place.  It is literally heaven on Earth and you can find ultimate peace there.  I can't wait until I get to go!  We get to go to the DC temple two weeks before we go home so I'm excited to do that... but I also don't want that day to come.  It's coming fast though.  I hit 10 months yesterday!! AHHHH  

Love you all!!!!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S.  Thanks dad for the letter!

10 months today!

We tracted Abbey Road!

Only in Virginia, trees coming out of the roofs.

Before we start tracting.

Sock monkey love.

Good vs. Bad

Hey Everyone!

I can't believe that another week has gone by!  Today was sisters P-day and we went to Belle Isle. which is just this little island that you have to walk across a cool bridge that is under the highway to get to.  We walked around the island a bit and then went to the capital building and had lunch in the lawn.  It was fun.  It was finally warm today so it was nice to just be out in the sun.

In other news this week two people committed to be baptized!  We have two teenagers who are getting baptized in the upcoming weeks.  One is Demarco Harrell! The last Harrell kid!  I'm so happy! Once he is baptized I have done my job here in Bon Air.  I was sent to get all the Harrell kids in the church and that will be happening on the 20th! haha So that will be exciting!  The other person being baptized is Kendall.  She was a friend of one of the young women in the ward and has been coming to church for months.  She was unsure about being baptized, but then we taught her the plan of salvation and she started crying saying that years ago she had had a dream about this plan and the different kingdoms of glory and that now she knows that this is the true church.  It was such a powerful lesson and the spirit was so strong.  So we are really excited for both of them. 

So now for a bit of sad news. :(  I have been talking about Robin lately and she watched conference at a members home and she had been doing so well, but the other day we stopped by to ask her when we could set up her baptismal interview and she yelled at us through the door saying that she was no longer interested and not to come back.  It was heart breaking.  People drop us all the time and we drop people all the time, but it's so much harder when someone is so close and you have seen a change in them to all of a sudden they want nothing to do with you.  It's hard.  We are going to send the members that she is friends with over and see if they can figure out what happened to her.  Maybe she was just having a bad day or she heard something that's not true about us.  That's typically what happens to people.  I just want to clear up anything.

Other than that though this week was really spent tracting.  We had no luck at the beginning of the week and then Saturday we had no plans so of course we went knocking.  NO ONE answered their door all morning except for the really rude people who just slammed their doors on us.  Then that night we were still knocking and in a half an hour 3 people let us in and let us teach them!  They all set up return appointments too!  So that was super cool!  The Lord was testing us.  We had to stay diligent and just keep knocking and then the blessings and miracles came.  It was really great!  So there you have it.  That was my week! We had zone conference too. That's always fun.  Lots of cool trainings and things to try and improve on.

Well that's all folks! I love you all so much and miss you like crazy!!!  

Love,

Sister Lawson

So many trees in Virginia.....

Produce so many leaves!

I asked Abby why she didn't jump in the leaves first and she said, "Bugs."

Belle Isle

Virginia is for Lovers!

Zone Conference.

Run and Not Be Weary

Hey Everyone!

Well, today I ran the "Run and Not Be Weary" Virginia Richmond Mission 5K.  Haha oh man, second 5K on the mission.  But this time it was really funny and I did MUCH better.  I ran the race the whole time with Sister Olson and I actually RAN the whole time. Slow run, but still.  I was proud of that!  Sister Olson and I have been training in the morning and so we did really well today.  We were the first sisters to finish and we even beat some of the elders.  So that was cool.  So here is the funny part.  We ran the race and they said that we ran it in 24.19.  I was SHOCKED!!  I didn't believe that I had run it that fast.  There was no way.  (All you know that I am NOT a runner!)  So everyone finished the race and everyone was like, "Wow that was our best time yet.  We all PRed on our mission."  So then the zone leaders decided to drive out the course (why they didn't do that before beats me) and found out that we only ran about 2.5 miles. Hahaha so thats why my time was so good.  They made us all line up and finish the race and I finished that half in 4.28.  So I'm saying that I roughly ran a 5K in 30 minutes.  Still my new best :) haha but it was fun.  Maybe one day I'll be a runner, but today is not that day.

So other cool things this week was General Conference of course!!  I love Conference!  Especailly while being on a mission.  I get so much more out of it!  I know that those men are called of God and that we do have a prophet on this earth to lead and guide us today.  My favorite talk was the last one given by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.  I went to conference with a question (as I invite all you to do for future conferences) and he answered it in his talk. He talked about how we just have to try and have the desire to improve but not to worry if we fail.  It was really good to hear.  I just love receiving council from the prophets and apostles!  Always so good.

The rest of this week was really spent tracting it up like usual.  We have been teaching a lot and as always see miracles daily.  We have been able to help give service to many people by doing lots of yard work.  It's starting to get nice outside again :) and pollen season has started!  Haha it's crazy here.  We come out in the morning and our car is literally yellow.  I'll have to take a picture of it this week.  But in other news we have many people progressing and we had lots of people come and watch conference!  So that was really good.  I know a lot more happened this week, but I just cant remember.  Sorry!  But I hope you all have a great week!! Love you all!

Love,

Sister Lawson

P.S. Thanks to dad for the 2 letters and to the Jessen family for the card :)

My zone.

Our investigator gave us flowers!

We flipped this tire. Haha our investigator's husband flips the tire around 

for a workout so of course we had to try. It was HEAVY!

Our "Haukunna Matata" running shirts for motivation!

Before the race.

After the race.