April 29th 2009

Well, this past week has been pretty interesting. After we went hiking last Wednesday, we went to I HOP with the YSA's and had two non members there. There was about 11 of us there sitting around the table talking about the Bible and Book of Mormon. It drew a lot of attention... Not in a bad way. We actually had people that started to talk to us and ask questions. Picture it... 11 people that are the ages of 19-23 talking about God... You don't see that everyday. It was sweet. Good finding activity :) It was so great. There's a guy named Richard that was there that we are currently teaching. He's fantastic. He likes to test my knowledge I think. He asks amazing questions that honestly, I didn't really think too much about. We taught him yesterday at Bobby Kuhns apartment with Matt Himelright and Josh McConchie. Richard really seemed to enjoy the discussion and have everyone there. He wants to do it again SOON. We have also been teaching a guy named David. We taught him 4 times last week! Ya don't find a person like that everyday who wants to meet with you that frequently. We just found out on Saturday that he is BARELY out of our area so we had to pass him off to the Elders. Stupid Elders :) David called us yesterday announcing that he wants to be baptized! So that was great news. I'm just sad we had to pass him off. We're all in the work together though.The YSA's will be done with the semester this next week and moving back home. I am so NOT happy about that! They are the ones who support us the most and help us get by day to day. Emily will come with us for like 6 hours a day or however long she can. Bobby, Matt, and Josh are always willing to help us out as well. I'm so sad to see them go. It's totally not going to be the same. NOw we'll have to start bugging the old farts in the ward to help us out. :) Totally kidding. They're a great ward! I just like people my own age too.Other then that, nothing else really comes to mind on what else is going on.My testimony of this gospel is so strong. I love it all so much! For those of you who have served missions, you can understand that this time in life is the most rewarding, yet the most difficult thing you have faced yet. You have your sad days and your cloud 9 days. THe only thing that really makes me sad is loving the people so much and then seeing them make wrong choices in life that keep them from progressing. But like my Dad has told me, they still have their agency. Alls I can do is continue to love them, support them, and bare testimony frequently. I love my mission so much!

April 22nd 2009

Man, what a day! We went and hiked the Appilation Mountain today. It was an 8 mile hike! We went with the Waynesboro Elders, Simmons and Mcentire, and a member from their ward. It was a blasty blast! We hiked up to this AMAZING waterfall. It was GORGEOUS. And of course I'm clumsy and totally fell in the water trying to jump over part of the river. I got soaked! It wasn't the warmest day ever. Then Elder Mcentire stayed close by because I scared the crap out of him when I fell so he made sure I was kept safe. We left at 830 and got back at about 230. I though sister zwang was gonna die LOL She got really tired but did good!OH as far as transfers go, we are both staying in the area another transfer. To be honest, I'm SO grateful I am staying! I did NOT want to leave the YSA'S! They are so fantastic! I love them all so much. We did take some fun pictures last night just incase we got transfered, but thank heavens I am not. Sister Zwang wanted to go, but I think she's ok to stay anther transfer. She says she's ok with it because she didn't want to get another companion :)Currently we're teaching a guy name David Wadford. On Monday we had a 2 hour discussion with him and then yesterday a 3 hour. Bobby and Emily came with us both times. They were intense conversations. He has A LOT of great questions. He's just really lost and confused. But is very opened minded and LOVES the things we share with him. I hope and pray he continues to progress. I know that he would give it his all when he joins the church. He really likes having us teach him and actually wrote our mission president and begged him not to transfer us. It was pretty sweet! We have another appointment with him tomorrow as well, so it'll be interesting. He's good and keepping all of his commitments we leave with him and is just doing so well. I love it. It's nice to FINALLY be teaching someone. The work has seem to be going pretty slow, but I love it out here. It'll be interesting to see how long I will stay. I think I'll be with Sister Zwang until she dies. She goes home in July, so at least till then if not longer. It seems that once you get called to harrisonburg, you stay in harrisonburg. GREAT AREA THOUGH> I'm just going to be sad when all the YSA's graduate and leave in 3 weeks. Totally lame. But at least I get another 3 weeks with them. They keep me in line and modivate me :)We'll be doing some hard core tracting this transfer I think to find us some more gators. I determined to find MANY. I love the work so much! Talking to people is a blast! They probably think I'm crazy, but that's ok. I just speak the truth ;)Other then that, not much going on. I'm really sad to see the changes that will be made in our zone and district, but i'm sure it'll all work out great. I'll miss the Elders that are leaving but they are excited for some changes.Well I love you all! The Church IS TRUE!
-JJ

April 15th

Well, I am finally writing a bulk. Sorry it has been so long. Last Wednesday was a lot of fun. We went to the college campus JMU and played Beach Volleyball with the Elder in our district. I totally won of course :) And Will Davis (one of our YSA's who's leaving on a mission soon) came and played with us for awhile as well. He's a great kid and is going to make a fantastic missionary. He's getting really excited to go. Funny story though... So after we get done playing volleyball, we all decided to go get something to eat on campus. We were still in our PDay clothes and I didn't have any pockets to put my keys in. But Elder Mcentire did so I asked him to hold my keys for me until we got done eathing so I wouldn't lose them. Well, the Elders got done before us and left. About 5 minutes after they left, it hit me. ELDER MCENTIRE STILL HAS MY KEYS!!! Our phone was locked in our car and we knew no ones number by heart. The Elders live all the way in Waynesboro so we wanted to get a hold of them as soon as possible so they didn't make it all the way back. My first and only thought was to call my Mom to get the mission offices number so they can get me the Elders number. Well my Mom didn't answer! CRAP! So we had to hike awhile to Will's home, he was the closest member to where we were. So we finally got a hold of the Spanish Elders who gave us the Zone Leaders number who then gave us our District leaders number. Well by the time we got a hold of them they were already back in waynesboro and had just discovered they had our keys! Well to make a long story short, they had to bring our keys back and we had to walk to our appointments in our P Day clothes because our missionary clothes were in the car. Fun times! Well we had Allie's baptism on the 11th and her confirmation! It was the best baptism I have been to yet. It was so fantastic! She asked me to speak and I spoke on Eternal Life and tied it in to Enduring to the End and Christ of course. It was the most spiritual baptism. Her boyfriends family came from Fredricksburg to support her which was great. And of course a few of the YSA's made it. They are soooo good to support people we are teaching. Only 3 members from the ward showed up though. That was disappointing... For Easter we went to the Reed's home and taught her non member cousin. We shared a really spiritual thought about Christ and the Atonement and Resurrection of course :) They fed us dinner as well. Yesterday was an interesting day. I got Sister Zwang out of her comfort zone big time. :) She'll thank me later. She really struggles talking to people and tracting. So whenever we go and I see her struggling I just automatically jump in and talk. But she needs to learn. So 2 YSA's Emily and Josh came tracting with us and Emily went with Sister Zwang and Josh and I stayed back and listened to them do it all. I wanted her to learn how to have confidence in herself and not rely on me so much. She got pretty frustrated but the last door they knocked on they got a return appointment and she was on cloud 9. She was so proud of herself as was I. It was great. We're hoping to set 2 for baptism soon. The work is a little slow right now but we're staying strong and doing all we can do. Thanks for all your love and support.I love you allThe Church Is True!!

Sisters

Sister Orawiec & Sister Sowards

Sister Cox & Sister Orawiec

The Sister Missionaries

The things you see along the way

JJ's amazing driving skills:)

March 25th 2009

We had a pretty great couple of weeks. Hard but good. We have two set for baptism, Allie and Scott. Allie will be baptized on April 11th and confirmed Easter Sunday the 12th. She's ready! I love the change that I see in people when the accept the gospel. We'll be working with Scott for awhile though, he has some things he needs to overcome but he's doing GREAT and progressing really well. He announced in church on Sunday that he was ready to be baptized. Unfortunately he wont be able to be baptized as soon as he wanted to, but we'll get him there as quick as we can. He's starting to rely more on the Lord for help to overcome challenges... As all of us should...We had to get our car fixed Monday and Tuesday from the wreck that we were in awhile back so we were out a car for 2 days which was not a fun thing. We live in NO MANS LAND now and its a good 8 miles to just get into town. So we did some walkin! It was a waist of time but there wasn't much we could do about it. I know the Lord blesses us for our efforts.The new place we are living in is nice though. I don't like how far away it is from things for miles sake, but the members we live with are so great and willing to have us in their home. Members out here really like the missionaries living with them.We are getting more ward support little by little. I just have to do a little rebuking now and then and cry people unto repentance :) Fun stuff. But I'm getting to REALLY love this area. I'm getting attached to a lot of members, ESPECIALLY the YSA group. They are all fantastic. Miracles are happening and we plan to see many many more.I love my mission so much.SO MUCH!!I love you all
-Sister Fluffy

March 11th 2009

Well we got our transfer calls last night. Me and Sister Zwang will be staying here in H-Burg and we're getting 2 new Elders in who will be covering the first ward and Franklin. I'm pretty excited about that. 3 wards was A LOT! Not that I minded, it's just going to be a little less stressful now :) Maybe... Our District is also staying the same (thank heavens) and just getting the 2 new Elders in. I'm excited for this next transfer. We plan to tear this place apart and baptize like crazy. As the Elders would "sing" .. "Dunk slash, a dunk a dunk splas." Ok it's more funny when you hear them sing/rap it. That's a story that'll need to be told when I get home :)These past 2 weeks have been pretty good. Especially at church. Last Sunday the teacher was a no show for our Gospel Principles class so they all asked me to teach it. Great! So I taught on eternal families. One of the most powerful lessons I have EVER taught in church (man, I really do say that A LOT) But it really was. There is an "eternal investigator" there that attented the class. She just wont get baptized and no one knows why. Sister Kohlman. We've been working with her for quit some time now. Long story short, something really touched here when I was giving the lesson and she was crying. Now she wants to meet with us, get baptized, and sealed to her husband that passed away about 3 years ago. HOLY COW!! I was blown away! It's a bummer though because she's in the first ward so the Elders get to do all that :( That's ok though. At least something got to her!Then this past Sunday, I taught the lesson in relief society on MISSIONARY WORK! It was sweet! I had about 10 minutes to prepare for that lesson! I committed ALL of them to pass a book of mormon out to someone this week. I wrote all their names down so I can hold them accountable when I see them this Sunday. I put the rath in them to do their missionary work. It was sweet! LOL I love making things awkward :)Other then that, things are great! We're still striving to find more peopel to teach but all is well. They are out there and we've promised to find them and WE WILL!I love you all
-Sister Spark Plug