First Snow in Auburn

Hello, All!

Pumpkin Party!

GREY SNOW. P-day seems to roll around quickly, but also slowly a lot. Time is just weird on a mission. We all know I get so hyped about snow! But unfortunately, this time "snow" really means "ash," so this week I got to experience ash falling from the sky. It reminded me of Elementary School days, in more Southern California, when we had a few big fires. One school day we couldn't have recess, because ash was falling.

The picture doesn't show it as thick as it was,
but that's to get an idea of the smoke this past week.
Had some 'sick hours' for the companions
because of it, but I've been doing fine with it

But, all the missionaries out here are safe. Some got evacuated to other areas temporarily, but the fires did destroy a lot of homes. We'll see what we can do to help in the upcoming weeks. There weren't any fires super close to Auburn, but Chico did have some pretty close (it was after I left so you can't blame me for it). Everyone I know out there is safe though.

The 3 Jehovah's Witnesses comin' at ya
(okay kidding, not really)

DANCIN' WITH THE STARS. On a slightly better note, Mondays out here we do Zumba! Shoutout to Concessa, my seminary teacher who also teaches Zumba :) It's a group of the church ladies (plus some others) who have Zumba Mondays and Thursdays in the church gym. We go, because there are non-member women who also participate. For those of you trying to picture me dancing and failing, don't worry: whatever mess you thought of, IS about what it looks like when I'm trying. Basically I do it for entertainment purposes.

Look at the puppy!!

Somehow, a few times Sister Kikel has ended up in between Sister Swenson and I, so when we look around we see someone who has actually danced before, just having a blast! We've got work to do, to catch up to her skills...

Proof I don't sit backseat always

Fun thing: my mission got facebook, if you couldn't tell by some of the posts that have been shared, and changes to my profile. I'll let everyone know what the official rules are, when I know Thursday after our Zone Conference. I look forward to having another way to share the gospel with even more people. Plus, over facebook messenger, you don't have half as many awkward encounters, because you don't have to see people's reactions. I have enough awkward in my life as is, so I'm glad we have a tool to remove at least a little bit of it!

LEFT BEHIND. Hey--throwback to the days of when your mom accidentally left you in the store as a little kid because there were too many groceries and no cell phones to text and remind them to pick you up, or just forgot about you somewhere.

We've seen plenty of these guys up at Foresthill

To all the moms out there: we'll always hold it against you, but really it wasn't as traumatizing as we made it out to be. (**Side note from Mom: btw, lest someone assumes she is drawing from past experience...we actually NEVER left Teresa in the grocery store. Ever.)

I only mention this because I'm in a trio. Which means someone gets to sit in the backseat and usually we switch off between me and Sister Swensen. This time, it so happened to be my turn to "back" (stand outside of the car and make sure the driver doesn't hit anything when they're backing up) and it was dark after dinner, and we were in Foresthill so it was very woodsy.

I love how "stereotypical
missionary" some of the
Elders can look

But I get out, and am prepped to "back" the truck, and the members whose house it is yell out that Sister Kikel can just make a loop around a tree and then she doesn't have to back up...it will make things easier. Well, I didn't hear all that, and Sister Kikel is very used to being in a companionship of 2. So she started to pull forwards, much to my confusion, and gets a good ways ahead before I see brake lights, and the car slams to a stop. She pokes her head out the window and yells back to me, "You can get in the car! I didn't realize you were still outside!" So that's the story of how I almost got forgotten in Foresthill :) Had to happen sometime!

IMPORTANT DATES. Some miracles this week. First, we put an investigator "on date!" (set a date for her to get baptized) I've met with her twice so far, and the other two have met with her a few times more than that. She was hesitant at first, because she didn't want to have the pressure of a date. But after the prayer, the thought came to my mind of how to tie in baptism to the lesson, and I was able to be the one to extend the invitation again, and have her on date! Currently it's for November 11th (that would be the best birthday gift of my life), but I know it's a big thing and she might push it back. That is really a normal thing to do if you don't feel comfortable by that date. But I'm excited for her!

Found a tree,
did the next logical thing

In Chico, I don't know if I mentioned that I didn't have a Ward Mission Leader, aka someone to help plan things with, check in on investigators, hype up the ward, someone who really is key to missionary work and helps out a lot. During my entire first 4 1/2 months serving, we didn't have one called in that ward/congregation. (One was called/assigned two weeks before I left and he's amazing!)

THE HELP. But, Auburn has an amazing Ward Mission Leader, and a fleet of amazing Ward Missionaries (people in the congregation called/asked to be member missionaries and help out the full-time missionaries) to couple it! Yesterday I had my first meeting with everyone there (they've been meeting every other week for awhile), and just sat back as they discussed all kinds of things. How to involve members, activities to invite nonmembers to, and assign who would be in charge of inviting who, how to hype up the ward, what new missionary callings involved. And then, to top it all off, they went back and forth and discussed people they had each been working with or talking to about the church!

All the selfies

And the people they've mentioned have real potential, and this Friday we're having dinner at one of the Ward Missionary's houses, and they're inviting a few of their nonmember friends. It's amazing!!! This ward is crazy, and so into the work, and I hope you can each find something that will hype you up too, so you want to share the joys you have with others!

THE VERY REAL DEAL. I know that this gospel is true, and I never thought I'd be doing half of the crazy stuff I am now doing as a missionary. Yesterday we greeted people coming in to church. As I was talking to ward members, I realized that I wasn't faking a smile or forcing myself to talk to people. I love doing what I do, and missionary work has brought a greater joy into my life, that I didn't realize I could have. Yes, there are times when it's hard, and we have plenty of negative interactions too, but at the end of the day, I'm happy with what I'm doing, and know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

So: go out this week and find a way to serve someone else! As my Mission President says, "You'll learn to love people you don't even like." As always, I love hearing the updates, and keep it real out there!

Mission hasn't made me suddenly capable
of taking normal cute pictures

(Disclaimer: none of the filters were put on by me...I just work here (@hood) )

Sister Whitesell
teresa.whitesell@myldsmail.net

Sister Whitesell
765 Mikkelsen Dr.
Foothills Terrace Apt. 8
Auburn, CA 95603