October 24, 2011

So, things here in Folsom are interesting. Our ward is full of old people. The youth has about 15 and the primary about 15 as well. There are lots of old people that we can visit, but they all like to talk a lot. But we are trying to focus on the young families to invite their friends to learn more about the gospel. We have a few potentials and we were able to pick up a new investigator... but I'm still a little hesitant. We found him through tracting and he took a Book of Mormon, but I'm a little skeptical because he mentioned he would have to hide the book from his wife. And he was an older gentleman. Anyways. Yep. Saturday I went on exchanges, so I was able to see some old faces :) It was weird being back in my old area. I love that area, but at the same time I knew that wasn't my post anymore. Missionaries have talked about how they feel that their power as a missionary is only in the area where they are assigned to. I almost had that vision, but I kind of disagree with it. Even though I'm not assigned to the Woodside ward, I still want to care and help in any way possible to those that are in that area. Yep. So we just got a phone call and we are too go help someone move today. So that will be good, I suppose. Don't know who they are, but we'll find out. Life is interesting with everything that the Lord gives us. Everything happens for a reason. That I do know, but often I do not know the reason behind it. So, my mission president, President Weston, knows the mission president in the Oklahoma City Mission! He said they are good friends. That was cool to find out. We had interviews this last week. I love President Weston, he is such a sweet, good man and he truly cares for all of us missionaries here. Well, I can't think of anything else exciting. But I love you all bunches and I'm glad that things are sounding good. I enjoyed all the letters I got from you all this past week :D It's fun to hear about all the adventures! I LOVE EVERYONE!!!! Have a great week!

October 17, 2011

So...you can always send mail to the address I got before I left on my mission, it's the mission office home and so they will always forward it onward to me, otherwise my new address is 7550 Folsom-Auburn Road #1504, Folsom CA 95630. (I live in Lake Pointe apartments....)

Anyways, it's interesting shot gunning the area. Really kind of funny...neither my companion nor I know what's going on in the area, but the previous elders left us some information and the ward mission leader is very helpful. We have tried visiting formers and potential investigators...there was this one kid in high school who we gave a Book of Mormon too. He said, "Why not" to learning. Kind of cool. I think he's about Trevor's age. Also, there's this 17 year old girl in the ward. There was a super Saturday relief society activity that we went to and met her there. She's awesome! Wants to go on a mission and everything! And then I was shocked! She's not a member yet! Her dad's catholic and won't let her get baptized until she's 18. Which isn't until February, but we are going to start teaching her soon. Yeah... really we have been trying to learn the area. It's kind of exciting, but kind of hard and kind of hard learning how to get along with someone new. My companion name is Sister McKellar from Idaho Falls. We figured that we both lived there at the same time. Except she grew up there. And we moved away... But yeah. Anyways, Oh! So before I left Woodside, a less active's husband betted me via through his wife that I could not find a cow in Folsom - in my ward boundaries. 4 days later, I found one! Ha Ha, that was way funny. I called her and told her. Now she's insisting that I allow her husband to pay up the 5 dollars he bet me. Ha. Anyways, that's life here in Folsom. I love you all so much!!!!

Love you always and forever! Please continue to pray for me!
Your favorite missionary,
Sister Kristi Walston

October 10, 2011

So today we finally got transfer calls after agonizing over the thought of them for days!!! Haha, so lately had the feeling I was leaving the Woodside ward :(... But that's okay! And guess what I get to do now!?! I get to shotgun Folsom 1st ward! Wowsers! I get to shotgun an area... the elders haven't been having much luck lately. But the cool part of it, besides that I get to shotgun...with who knows who - they haven't told me who my companion is going to be - is that I will still be in the Citrus Heights stake/zone! So really I'm not going too far. Yep! That's the excitement of the day. Sister Withers is going to train. And our wonderful temple square sister is going to Dry creek in Antelope. We're going to miss her. She's way awesome! It's been fun the last week being in a 3some with Sister Withers and Sister Alejandro. We've had a good week of fun all together. We even tracked in the light rain. And a mail man yelled at us, "You're crazy!" Haha, that was kind of funny. The rain really wasn't that bad. Just a light rain. And it's raining today! Something I never knew about California: during the winter it rains a lot. Kind of cool! Good thing I have a rain jacket :D So last week we had an investigator drop us. I figured it would happen. I didn't even think we should pick him up as investigator. But such is life. We almost attended a baptism. A girl we started teaching and then handed over to the singles ward. But the morning of her baptism... at the baptism before it started, she decided that she would not get baptized that day. It was a really hard decision for her. She wants to get baptized, but....her family is the problem. They are against it. And they didn't know that she was planning on getting baptized that day! Yeah... but soon she'll get baptized. And I was supposed to give a talk at her baptism. We'll see what happens now. So what else.... we did a lot of weeding this week! First time on my mission! Someone told me I was very efficient at it. I told them it was because my dad taught me how to weed. You should be proud. They even joked that I was never going to stop. That lady REALLY needed it too! There was a HUGE difference after we were done. Everything was over grown before, but she's had a hard keeping up with that since she owns horse stables and gives riding lessons and is the only one running the program with her daughters help. She is a less active we happened to visit. We also helped a non-member (married to a less active) weed his flower beds. It was good to be able to help him and get to know him better. And then they feed us dinner. :D It was great. Also we had some intense lessons with investigators. Talked about a lot of important things. Yeah. One lesson we covered the atonement, priesthood, baptism, and tithing. That was a lot. And we picked up a new investigator! Yep. Life is good. Going to miss my companions, but Sister Withers won't be far. Haha. Yep. Anyways, I love you all so much!!!! Hope all is well. And that's cool that Trevor was voted "Most likely to change the world." I agree. He has a lot of inspiring ideas. Congratulations kiddo!!! I love you!!! Thanks for the letters last week!!! I got 5 in one day!!! (Sometimes the owner’s don’t' pick up the mail...so I got all 5 letters in one day, it was exciting.) Love you all!!!! :D
With lots of love,
Your missionary,
Sister Kristi Walston

October 3, 2011

Hey dear family!!! How are you all? So, first things first. Conference was great!!! We were able to watch all 4 sessions. The first one we made breakfast for our ward mission leader's family (my cousins - the Clarks) and then watched the first one with them. And the other 3 we just went to the stake center. Some of my favorite talks were ... I forget the one guy, but he talked about President Monson once told him, "It's better to look up." That was really cool. And then I loved the stories President Monson told about having faith. I love the prophet. He knows exactly what we need and he's so sweet and funny as well. And I'm so excited for the temple they are going to build in Provo! I once sang in that spot! Cool! I am also excited for the other temples as well. :D It was a good 2 days full of spiritual wisdom and guidance. So funny thing. We email at our ward mission leaders business. Usually he's not here, but this morning he was. So just as I was about to step into the building he jumps out in front of the open door and scares me with pig noises! Scared me to death! He loved it... my face was priceless apparently. Haha. Makes me think of the times Scott and I would try to scare each other. Oh! Do you know where Sulffer, Oklahoma is? One of my investigator's daughters lives there. Just curious... This last week or so we have been weeding out our investigators. So we still have 10... probably more like 9 investigators. The new mission president is making so changes. The old mission president had made changes to what our planners and pmg said about how to count numbers, but the new one is now changing it back to how the presidency have asked us to do it. It'll be good. I'm excited for the new changes even though it's kind of confusing...but starting to make more sense. Also! Today we (Sister Withers' and I) get a new sister. 2 Temple Square Sisters are coming out today, a week earlier than our transfers. So for this week they are going to hang out with a companionship until next week when transfers will happen. Next week will have 2 more new sisters! We'll see what happens. Who knows. Yep. That's about all the exciting stuff that I can think of. Oh! We did exchanges last week again. I was with Sister Polidario. I've been with her a few other times. It was fun. I got to lead out our area. Man, a lot of weight, but a really good experience for me. It was good. And we had an intense lesson with an investigator that day. He said he was going to pray about what we told him. We'll see next week what he says. Yep. Oh! And yesterday before general conference our zone had a breakfast burrito feast. I was trying to do the eggs...the kitchen didn't have much in the supplies of spatula's, so I grabbed a spoon and then asked, "Is it okay if I use a spoon?" Then an investigator said, "You really don't cook much do you?" Haha...yeah...I'm not that great it the kitchen, but I can do some things...also when we fed the Clarks I cut a cantaloupe for the first time! Haha, Sister Clark could tell I had never done it before, so she showed me. I think I'm not that use to being in a kitchen, so when I get in there for the first few minutes I am uncomfortable until I get my groove going. Yep. Life is good. I love my companion... sometimes we have our moments, but it's like any other sibling relationship. She tells me that I am like her sister, Rachel, in a way. But we enjoy being together a lot. It's fun. Life is good. I can't think of anything else way exciting, unless you want to hear something I said. At first it may sound rude, but the way my head was thinking it wasn't rude. I was talking to one of the zone leaders on the phone. We were talking about the fruit juice he was bringing for the breakfast and then I said, "Talking about fruit, what about that less active?" He and Sister Withers were cracking up laughing. I didn't mean it in the bad sense. I was thinking of the fruit of the vineyard from Jacob 5. Seriously! Yeah...but it kind of came out bad...opps. Haha. Yep. That's me for you. Anyways, I love you all bunches and bunches!!!!!!!!!!
Love you a million times a million!!!!
Have a great week!!!
Oh! I read in the bible this week about Jesus Christ raising the girl from the dead. He told the father when they found out she had died, "Be not afraid, only believe." We just need to have faith that things will work out, even when all seems lost. Now I love that story and the meaning it has behind it. "Only believe." Sometimes it's hard, but I know that it will be worth it like it was for Jarius, for his daughter was raised from the dead. So remember, "Be not afraid, only believe."
Love you lots and lots!!!
Your missionary,
Sister Kristi Walston