Letter #6 - Instead of Snow there are Lakes

January 30, 2017

Dear Friends and Family!

Another week has gone by, in two days I'll be halfway through my first transfer. People's houses and apartments here have that stucco concrete texture, except stuffed with shells. Sometimes big ones, sometimes small ones. It can in fact get cold here. A cold front came through and I was wearing my coats, BRRRRR! Luckily it didnt last long. Humidity is a real thing here. Something cool that happened was when someone who Sister Elwell and Sister Olsen previously knocked on saw us and HE ASKED US to come visit him and his family. I was just wowed that an investigator CAME TO US! Then later last week, a ward member CAME TO US and asked us when she could come out and teach an investigator with us. Its awesome to see the seeds planted before grow and we get to reap rewards from those seeds of faith.
Sister Elwell and I celebrated our late birthdays, hers was actually the day before i met her! We also celebrate me being here for two weeks haha. We made a cake and maybe ate the whole thing in 24 hours...... We love eating! Being on a mission takes a lot of energy, my bed has never felt so good at the end of a day! I got to bear my testimony at church, and everyone there kinda got to know who i am. Thats really nice. We had zone meeting and worldwide missionary training. As for the schedule Sister Kelly Prue explained in her email. My mission was already doing it when I got to my mission. We apparently do a lot of pilot testing for things like that. So cool beans for me. The new key indicators really help us focus on our purpose better. We helped one of the sisters in our ward, Nicole, move into her new apartment. I think she is awesome. The plantation of Georgia is diffferent but really neat. We went out to a pretty remote place this week but so fun to drive through a jungle! At least thats what it looked liked.
Something we are starting to encourage members to do help share the gospel is to start using skype with the missionaries and to use FB messenger. I challenge all of you to set up or get familiar with your skype account. Here is the routine for FB Messenger:
1. Start with a prayer
2. Open up FB Messenger App and scroll through your friends
3. Listen to the Holy Ghost's prompting on who to share a message with
4. Share a video, testimony, quote, invitation to the friend you chose

Those are the steps that they told us, you could also end with a pray of gratitude at the end if you wanted. Its an easy way to send that message of Joy. Its takes most people several times of hearing the restored truth to start "getting it" NO EFFORT IS WASTED!

Well, Its so interesting to be a missionary, and you learn so much. It will be crazy to see what the future holds for me. Hope you all are doing great. Let me know how your lives are. I will write letters back as well as I can.
Love, Sister Prue

Sister Jill Prue

Letter #5 - Storms in Georgia

January 23, 2017

Hello Everyone!
The last couple of days its been a bit stormy here. There have been tornado warnings and its rained and thundered and been windy. But we are safe so far. Yesterday we only had sacrament in Brunswick, and then everyone went home early. It was funny, because a lot of the less active members decicded to come that day. It rained super crazy hard in the evening. We have a lot of people to teach here, but its really hard to get a hold of them. A lot of them have multiple jobs or work many hours. A lot dont keep their appointments, so often we drop by and hope they are home. Sister Elwell and I had a LOT of lessons this week! Our district held an experiment where we didnt focus on key indicators, but on goals to help people. Anyway, one day we had 11 other lessons! thats a lot! But the spirit was stronger when we were able to focus on helping people come closer to Jesus Christ. There is so much transitioning in the mission and learning, especially since sister Elwell and I are new. We are hoping our investigator, Greyland, will be able to be baptized in a few weeks, he has such a strong faith! This week will be a world wide missionary broadcast, it will be really exciting to hear what they have to say. Its kinda hard to learn so much at once, but I've noticed ive been able to do more, little by little. Our ward mission leader told us to be proactive, not reactive. Being a proactive person means you are going to take initiative to go where you need to be. Thats really the kind of person I want to be. Sister Elwell and I both liked that a lot. We really think alike on a lot of things, and she thinks we are both practically the same person, haha. Preach My Gospel, I have found that to be an amazing resource, it has so much wisdom and so much to learn in it, you could read it all day. Something else I have been learning is that people will be interested in what you have to say, if you show them how important it is. Be upfront with the wonderful message you have to share. Below is a pic of Sister Elwell, an investigator named Brandon, and I. My favorite scripture is 2 Nephi 2:27 "Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself."
So choose what you want, and who you are going to be. You have the power of choice.
Love, Sister Prue

Letter #4 - I'm here in Brunswick, Georgia!

January 16, 2017

                                                

Hello Everyone!

I finally got out of the MTC and flew over the country to Jacksonville, Florida! My area is actually in Brunswick, Georgia though, so that's where I'm at! My new companion is Sister Elwell, we get along really nicely.  She really likes me and cares about me. It's cool because she did a year at USU as well before her mission. She has been out here for 13 weeks, and just got done with her training, so she is new as well. She is a good trainer as I learn about being a missionary. The first door we knocked on Wednesday was when we met Shakia. We taught her the Restoration lesson on her doorstep and was interested to learn more. On Saturday we met with her and her sister and her mom. We invited them to church, and her sister, Shantavia actually came! She told us that she liked our message and wanted to bring her sister and mom to church next Sunday as well. I never knew that the first door I ever knocked on could present several investigators ready to hear about the restored gospel.

I love seeing the palm trees and how warm it is here :) The humidity is actually nice right now, but Im sure my feelings about the weather will change in the next 6 months! I dont really have a lot of time to talk. We ride bikes and drive down here, but i havent ridden my bike yet since the elders forgot to pick it up on the way back to my area, but soon i will be riding it a lot. Members here are pretty cool, supposedly they are pretty good at feeding us, but we havent got the meal chart passed around yet to get fed. Something funny about the town is on one road there is a tree in the middle of the road! funny! We went bowling and the elders had a sense of humor and it was even funnier when some of the names were typed in wrong (they were Book of Mormon names) Everyone here is willing to pray on their doorstep with you and talk about Jesus. We have about 5-8 lessons a day, and sometimes it hard because so many appointments fall through, but there are always more people to visit and check up on. Popular foods here are gritz and banana pudding. We also have an island as a part of our area.
It was sad to leave the MTC, but now I'm here and whenever I'm feeling down, I think about how my MTC friends are experiencing the same thing. Also, I have been away from home for a month now, its felt like forever. I hope its a good 18 months out here, but ill be able to say more next week! Love y'all ;) 
Sister Prue

Made it to Florida

January 10, 2017

Hello mom!

I'm here safely in Jacksonville, Florida :) Everything has gone smoothly so far and I hope it's the same over there in Rexburg. I'm going to miss being with my MTC district, but I'm sure there are many wonderful adventures ahead. There have been several great miracles this past week and I'll elaborate on my next p-day. I'm doing great. even if I'm a bit nervous. Above are some pictures of us meeting Mission President Lee and his wife. Love all y'all!

Sister Prue

Letter #3 - 3rd Week at MTC

January 4, 2017

Hello Everyone!

Today as a Sister Training Leader I will be welcoming a new district of Sisters and Elders into my zone. Sister Knight and I, and the Zone Leaders Elder Gardner and Elder Willis, will orient a new group of missionaries and help them feel at home as they start their new adventure here at the MTC. We will teach them the rules and show them around the campus. Since I have been here 6 months (3 weeks actually, hahaha) But I can still remember what it felt like to walk in and feel overwhelmed by what is going on. Its important that we are an example to the new missionaries, because obedience truly brings blessings! We have to help them realize this for themselves. Tuesday night the missionaries who are going to South Carolina in my district left :( It's so sad to see part of your family leave. Now there are only the 6 of us who are going to Jacksonville, Florida for the next week. Most likely the next time I write, I'll be there! Last Sunday was a pretty good day. It was Fast Sunday, and so testimonies were shared at the pulpit and the spirit was strong. Testimony sharing seems to always be powerful here, since our purpose brings the spirit so strongly. Last thursday we went through in-field orientation, and we were taught the importance of working with the members in our area. Their support can help investigators be truly converted as they make friends with the members and see their example as a testimony they can learn from. I challenge you to ask the missionaries in your ward if there is anything you can do to help them in the work we all promised to do.

Faith is a powerful element in bringing miracles to pass. If it be Heavenly Father's will, you can move mountains with an ounce of faith. (Matthew 17:20, Book of Mormon- Moroni 7:33) Actually, just read all of Moroni 7. The Book of Mormon teaches us all we need to know in order to be saved. If we humble ourselves before God and strive more fully to follow Jesus Christ, then I promise you that you will recieve many blessings and prosper. Pay tithing, which is giving Heavenly Father 10% of your income. As you do, He will bless you so much, that you will not have room to recieve it. (3 Nephi 24:8-10)

I hope everyone is having a wonderful week. Email me and let me know how you are doing! 

Love you all!

Sister Prue