June 27, 2011

My ward mission leader's name is Steven Clark. And I gave him the phone numbers. And showed him my family tree and he told me the story of our relative you died by being shot while gambling in a bar. I think I remember you telling me that Dad. :)
And those dresses might work... really they just have to cover my knees... maybe your right, I might want them... I was also thinking of shirts that I left there that might work, the two that are made of the silky material? that you thought would work? that I wasn't sure about? And maybe the purple shirt that I bought before I came home... I struggling to not to wear the same shirts every day. Haha, yeah... so any help would be nice. And THANK YOU!!! I got the package of clothes, cookies, jam, the pencil bag, and butterfly clips. Thank you SO much! Also I got the big family letter! :D You should tell Ashton that if he was happy to draw me all those pictures :) that he should draw more. I loved his balloons and the picture of the garden and the hands and Aidan's drawing and all the messages. It took me a while to realize the connection of the doughnut Scott drew with his message in it. :D Thank you for all the love and letters you all have sent me Mom and Dad. And I FINALLY got one from Ryan! And Katie! Thanks :D I am assuming you got the pictures I sent of the MTC. Tell Scotty... and I think Sam mentioned it too that I will try to take lots of pictures of California here so they can see what it looks like. I don't think I ever told you, but when I first got here it was like I was in a foreign country. The trees and the plants were beautiful but different. They have beautiful redwood trees (I think that's what they are called) that are like pine trees. And they have these tall tall skinny skinny pine-like trees. Wow. Yeah. It's beautiful here. And hot like Oklahoma, but not quite as humid... more dry? I really don't know what the difference is. Everyone always asks me if it's really humid in Oklahoma... I say not really and they look at me like I don't know what I'm talking about... maybe because I don't know exactly what I'm talking about. I know Oklahoma isn't as bad as Pennsylvania.
So this last week... we tracked some, got rejected a lot. One lady who rejected us: she shut her door and as we were walking down her walkway, she opened the door again and asked, "Are you girls thirsty?" So cool! So we went in, had water, and talked about our mission to her. She wasn't interested, but another seed was planted - since her secretary at work is a member. We visited a potential that was in our area book. He is a 18 year old who's step-mom (he doesn't live with her right now) is a member and went to church with her a few times and also attended seminary for a bit. Cool! We thought. We asked if he wanted to know more. We were getting use to being rejected so when he said yeah, we were shocked! YEA!! so we set up an appointment for Sunday, yesterday and he flaked on us. :( Oh wells, we will hunt him down. Just kidding, but we will find him and find out what happened. I really hope he will let us teach him. But we might have to give him to the Zone Leaders who are in charge of the singles ward, which he could go to. That be fine with me if that's what he wants to do. We have a few other potentials that we might have. It's really hard getting a hold of people and then it's summer so people are going on vacation. But that's okay. We'll keep striving and try to share the word and keep planting seeds. Last Tuesday we had district meeting. It was really good. My district leader talked about how we need to love our investigators, love those we come in contact with, and be our self around them. Something I struggle with is being myself around new people. But I'm myself around my companion. It's something I am constantly working on. Even Elder Taylor Larsen mentioned to me in his letter on how we need to be ourselves to everyone. It's true. I've been thinking a lot this week on how to show my love to others. Sister Heidel in my ward, she mentioned that through her brief time with Sister Grant and I that she can tell we are caring sisters. That's good. Yesterday Sister Grant and I made "Get well" cards for two of our potential investigators. I knew there had to be something we could do for those people we want to share the gospel with, yet they weren't feeling well and finally it dawned on me yesterday that a card could do it. I hope they liked the cards. Because really I'm here to teach people, to be an example to them what a Christ-like life is. To have a Christ-like love you have compassion, patience, and charity towards all men. We need to show people that we do love them. And be patient with them. Sometimes when I get impatient with people... my companion... I have to remind myself that she's human, I'm human, but I can only change myself, not her. So I tell myself to "get over" myself and then things are fine. That's the way life is and it makes me happier knowing that to make things better that I have the power to change it, by changing myself to be better, more patient, more loving.
Well, I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!! Miss you!!!! Have a great week!!! Until next time!
Love,
Sister Kristi Walston
P.S. One day we meet with an investigator who's really not an investigator who's full of questions and struggles... I almost introduced myself as "Kristi" to her - opps. Good thing I caught it. Oh! And I had a lady in my ward - first time I talked to her in person - first question she asked me, "What's your first name?" I told her. Then she said, "Kristi Walston." That was kind of funny, weird, nice, different? Haha, Yep. "Good times" as Eric says.
Love you!!!
Sister Kristi Walston