What an insane week! It started off really rough. I didn't realize how hard it would be to adjust to a new area after six months. I feel like a greenie again. The culture and the people couldn't be more different from the people in Windsor it's amazing how much variety you can get in such a tiny state! (We were thinking yesterday about how many Connecticuts you can fit in one Utah. We decided it's at least 3 or 4.)
My new companion is Sister Baird. I've decided she's not really human I think she's a translated being or something. Really. So obedient and so hardworking, and she's happy ALL THE TIME. I have a lot to learn from her. And already have learned a lot. It doesn't even occur to her to be offended by anyone she just smiles and loves
everybody especially when they're rude. I've decided she's a Mormon hippie. (Except
for the obedient/hardworking/non-smoking part of course.) Missionary work is all about peace and love here!
It's interesting how I find myself changing and adjusting to adapt to each
companion not just in the missionary work, but my attitude and my personality changes with each new companion. President Pehrson told us once that missions are the place not just to find yourself, but to define yourself. Really, this is a process that involves agency. I get to choose exactly who I want to become, and what I'm going to take from each companion to make myself into the new person that I will be after my mission.
Fairfield is on the southwest coast of Connecticut, near the New York border. The best part about it is that we're close to New Haven! This means we get to go explore Yale on an upcoming P-day!!!!!!!!! Does anyone else think that's the most exciting thing in the world, or is it just me? Anyway, yes, our area includes the towns of Fairfield and Easton which are in the New Haven stake. We drove through New Haven on the way down here. It's beautiful. (Of course.) AND, we are on the coast. I have yet to go contacting on the beach, but look forward to doing that very soon.
Fairfield is a pretty wealthy place. Rumor has it Fairfield County is the wealthiest
county in the nation, or something like that. The city of Fairfield is a lot bigger than Windsor and the culture is different because it's so close to New York. Needless to say, people are always in a hurry to get somewhere and a lot of them are commuting to Manhattan. A little different from Windsor Locks, where half the people don't even have jobs or anything to do except sit around and smoke. Much easier there to find someone willing to talk to you. :)Anyway, Fairfield is a lot closer to what I thought all of Connecticut would be like, and probably closer to what most people think of when they think of Connecticut--lots of rich and educated people, Ivy League students, etc.
I LOVE meeting new people and telling them what my name is. If they're a member, of
course it's all about, "Are you related?" and their disappointment when I'm not.
If they're not members, they can't pronounce my name correctly. Munson Real Estate
and Munson Chocolates are huge here and no one has ever heard the name Monson. So people automatically hear "Munson" and say it that way. If I'm really in the mood to push it, I'll point to the name tag and say, "Two 'O's." But most of the time I just don't bother. It's too much work. If you won't read the tag, just call me Sister and that's fine! As long as you don't insist on calling me by my first name. (This applies to strangers, not family members.) It happens more than you might think. People sometimes feel uncomfortable with the title of "Sister" for someone so young or for someone who's not a Catholic nun, so they'll ask for our first names and try to use them. No, random old man on the street, please don't call me Kaelynn. Really. ONLY on a mission, would you ever get offended by someone using your first name.
Life is good. I'm so blessed! Love to everyone,
Sister Monson/Munson/Monster/Manson/meh, whatever.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
24 August 2009
It's true! six weeks over already and I"m getting shipped outta here. I can't
believe I've already been with Sister Darrington for six weeks! Yes, I know I keep
saying how much the time flies and people told me it would but I didn't believe them.
I'm going to Fairfield which is in southwest Connecticut on the coast, kinda by New
Haven but not really. It's really close to the mission boundary (the far southwest
corner of Connecticut is in one of the New York missions). The address is 170 Ruane St., Fairfield, CT 06824. My new companion will be Sister Baird. She's from Sandy and has been out about fourteen months, I think. I'm excited this will be a very different experience. Fairfield is pretty wealthy, I hear. It is definitely bittersweet to leave my greenie area I absolutely love Windsor and not just because I was born here, but it really is a wonderful area. The other sisters called it the "fairy-tale area." I think it's almost everyone's favorite. But Fairfield will be wonderful too, I'm sure.
Funny story for the week: we were on I-91 driving to district meeting and saw a
motorcyclist. Not only was he not wearing a helmet, but he was texting while driving. Yes. Texting while driving. On the freeway. Sometimes I think Connecticut drivers have a death wish. Or maybe just the East Coast in general.
Girls camp was this week. The Young Women in this ward are great about member missionary work. Two nonmember girls went to camp this year, and they both came back committed to be baptized. YEAH BABY!!! One of them is in our area and the friend who brought her to camp is going to have us teach her in their home. Every missionary's dream, right there. "Hi Sister Monson, I have a friend who wants to be baptized, can you teach her the lessons?" Um, yeah, I think so. We'll try and squeeze it into our schedule. :)
One thing President Pehrson has really been pushing is having us extend the baptismal challenge really early in the teaching process, in the first or second lesson. I think the reasoning behind it is that you can weed out, very quickly, the people who are not committed. If they're not ready to commit to baptism they won't commit to reading or praying or any other commitment. That way we can move on more quickly instead of just hanging on to people so we can have someone to teach to fill up time. AND, this is what Preach My Gospel says to do. Anyway, I wish I had taken this counsel to heart earlier in my mission. I challenged one of our new investigators to baptism this week and she accepted. I need to have more faith! And less fear of offending people or scaring them away. Lesson learned: Preach My Gospel knows better! Better than me or what my trainer taught me or what everyone else thinks;hmm, it's like the people who wrote it were inspired or something. :) Yeah, I know this sounds like a "duh" statement but you'd be surprised how many missionaries in this mission, including myself, could do better with sticking to Preach My Gospel. Time to become a Preach My Gospel missionary!
Thanks to everyone for your love and support. I'm off to the coast for the tail end of summer (summer is short here, it's going to get cold soon). Love you!
~Sister Monson
believe I've already been with Sister Darrington for six weeks! Yes, I know I keep
saying how much the time flies and people told me it would but I didn't believe them.
I'm going to Fairfield which is in southwest Connecticut on the coast, kinda by New
Haven but not really. It's really close to the mission boundary (the far southwest
corner of Connecticut is in one of the New York missions). The address is 170 Ruane St., Fairfield, CT 06824. My new companion will be Sister Baird. She's from Sandy and has been out about fourteen months, I think. I'm excited this will be a very different experience. Fairfield is pretty wealthy, I hear. It is definitely bittersweet to leave my greenie area I absolutely love Windsor and not just because I was born here, but it really is a wonderful area. The other sisters called it the "fairy-tale area." I think it's almost everyone's favorite. But Fairfield will be wonderful too, I'm sure.
Funny story for the week: we were on I-91 driving to district meeting and saw a
motorcyclist. Not only was he not wearing a helmet, but he was texting while driving. Yes. Texting while driving. On the freeway. Sometimes I think Connecticut drivers have a death wish. Or maybe just the East Coast in general.
Girls camp was this week. The Young Women in this ward are great about member missionary work. Two nonmember girls went to camp this year, and they both came back committed to be baptized. YEAH BABY!!! One of them is in our area and the friend who brought her to camp is going to have us teach her in their home. Every missionary's dream, right there. "Hi Sister Monson, I have a friend who wants to be baptized, can you teach her the lessons?" Um, yeah, I think so. We'll try and squeeze it into our schedule. :)
One thing President Pehrson has really been pushing is having us extend the baptismal challenge really early in the teaching process, in the first or second lesson. I think the reasoning behind it is that you can weed out, very quickly, the people who are not committed. If they're not ready to commit to baptism they won't commit to reading or praying or any other commitment. That way we can move on more quickly instead of just hanging on to people so we can have someone to teach to fill up time. AND, this is what Preach My Gospel says to do. Anyway, I wish I had taken this counsel to heart earlier in my mission. I challenged one of our new investigators to baptism this week and she accepted. I need to have more faith! And less fear of offending people or scaring them away. Lesson learned: Preach My Gospel knows better! Better than me or what my trainer taught me or what everyone else thinks;hmm, it's like the people who wrote it were inspired or something. :) Yeah, I know this sounds like a "duh" statement but you'd be surprised how many missionaries in this mission, including myself, could do better with sticking to Preach My Gospel. Time to become a Preach My Gospel missionary!
Thanks to everyone for your love and support. I'm off to the coast for the tail end of summer (summer is short here, it's going to get cold soon). Love you!
~Sister Monson
Sunday, August 23, 2009
17Aug2009
What a week. Please pray for Elder Ginatto who was diagnosed with a heart problem,
and Elder Worthington who tore his Achilles tendon. Elder Worthington (the financial
secretary, they just got out here in July) was giving out pass-along cards to everyone in the hospital. :) He came right back to the office and has been working with his foot propped up on a chair. He refused to go back to Salt Lake for surgery and recovery. I am so blessed to be surrounded by missionaries with all this enthusiasm for the work.
Windsor Locks is as exciting as always. This week we tracted into a guy and set up a
return appointment. When we went back he had his computer and headset all set up, and said he had a friend in Cairo who wanted to listen to the lesson! She wants to get a copy of the Book of Mormon and learn more. We couldn't tell her a whole lot except to go to mormon.org and that we would try to find out if there were any members or a church in the area. As far as I know there are not proselyting missionaries in Egypt. But miracles happen. We'll see how this one turns out. We taught someone in Egypt! How cool is that?
We are still teaching the 17-year-old that we found a couple weeks ago and things are going really well. He reads everything like crazy and accepts it all. Yesterday we were teaching him the 10 Commandments. When we explained about keeping the Sabbath day holy, he exclaimed, "So I shouldn't work on Sunday then!" Yes, that is the perfect answer! He kept asking us why more people don't live the 10 Commandments. Teaching him has been a challenge because his parents didn't raise him with any religion, so this is all really new to him. You don't realize how much silly jargon we have in the Church until you try to teach it to someone who's never heard of it before. But it's been good for us, hopefully we're becoming better teachers. Now we just need to get him to go to church.
I've received many tender mercies this week and little insights into the Atonement that have strengthened me as I continue to fight my own personal battles. One thing that I learned was that the Atonement means I don't have to hate myself for my shortcomings. I need to work on them, yes, but because of the Atonement I don't have to dwell on them and get bogged down. Ammon said that "in his strength I can do all things," and that's another thing I have learned-- it is not in my strength that I can do this. Because I, alone, can't do this. But through God all things are possible and in God's strength I can do all things! Once I changed my perspective and started to exercise more faith in God, things started changing. Not overnight, but they are getting better. I'm working on being more positive and patient with everyone, including myself.
Heavenly Father knows us perfectly and he knows what we need. I was never so sure of that as I am right now on my mission. And Jesus Christ is where it's at...He is everything, the reason for everything, the only solution to every problem. Sorry if I sound preachy, it tends to happen when that's all you do every day. :)
Lots of love and thanks for your prayers,
Sister Monson
and Elder Worthington who tore his Achilles tendon. Elder Worthington (the financial
secretary, they just got out here in July) was giving out pass-along cards to everyone in the hospital. :) He came right back to the office and has been working with his foot propped up on a chair. He refused to go back to Salt Lake for surgery and recovery. I am so blessed to be surrounded by missionaries with all this enthusiasm for the work.
Windsor Locks is as exciting as always. This week we tracted into a guy and set up a
return appointment. When we went back he had his computer and headset all set up, and said he had a friend in Cairo who wanted to listen to the lesson! She wants to get a copy of the Book of Mormon and learn more. We couldn't tell her a whole lot except to go to mormon.org and that we would try to find out if there were any members or a church in the area. As far as I know there are not proselyting missionaries in Egypt. But miracles happen. We'll see how this one turns out. We taught someone in Egypt! How cool is that?
We are still teaching the 17-year-old that we found a couple weeks ago and things are going really well. He reads everything like crazy and accepts it all. Yesterday we were teaching him the 10 Commandments. When we explained about keeping the Sabbath day holy, he exclaimed, "So I shouldn't work on Sunday then!" Yes, that is the perfect answer! He kept asking us why more people don't live the 10 Commandments. Teaching him has been a challenge because his parents didn't raise him with any religion, so this is all really new to him. You don't realize how much silly jargon we have in the Church until you try to teach it to someone who's never heard of it before. But it's been good for us, hopefully we're becoming better teachers. Now we just need to get him to go to church.
I've received many tender mercies this week and little insights into the Atonement that have strengthened me as I continue to fight my own personal battles. One thing that I learned was that the Atonement means I don't have to hate myself for my shortcomings. I need to work on them, yes, but because of the Atonement I don't have to dwell on them and get bogged down. Ammon said that "in his strength I can do all things," and that's another thing I have learned-- it is not in my strength that I can do this. Because I, alone, can't do this. But through God all things are possible and in God's strength I can do all things! Once I changed my perspective and started to exercise more faith in God, things started changing. Not overnight, but they are getting better. I'm working on being more positive and patient with everyone, including myself.
Heavenly Father knows us perfectly and he knows what we need. I was never so sure of that as I am right now on my mission. And Jesus Christ is where it's at...He is everything, the reason for everything, the only solution to every problem. Sorry if I sound preachy, it tends to happen when that's all you do every day. :)
Lots of love and thanks for your prayers,
Sister Monson
Monday, August 10, 2009
10 August 2009
I have great news! There is a former investigator in Windsor Locks that I have been
wanting to meet with ever since I got out here. We've been dropping by his house and
calling him and he hasn't ever gotten in touch with us. He's from Albania. Last week I called and left him a message and yesterday he called back and agreed to set up an
appointment. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am! I just really want to
teach him because he's Albanian.
Sister Darrington and I made a goal to be more positive and expect miracles-- and things like that are happening. Lots of little miracles all over the place.
We picked up a new investigator this week--a really neat kid. He graduated high school a year early and doesn't know what to do with his life. Windsor Locks is kinda depressing that way--it's a working-class town and college isn't really part of the culture or the expectation of kids when they graduate.
Sister Darrington has pushed for ways to improve our relationship with the ward, and good things are happening. We're also trying to come up with new ideas for finding. Our latest thing is that we choose different themes for tracting/street contacting. We tried tracting with a family history theme, and with inviting people to church events, and offering service. Yes, may I be struck down for saying it but tracting gets monotonous, so you have to come up with ways to make it different so you don't dread it.
Transfers are coming up (yet again,this transfer flew by) in two weeks, and I'm kinda sorta hoping to get moved. (Yeah, after I've been saying all this time that I would be happy to spend my entire mission here.) I love this area so much and I will miss it, but four transfers is enough time to be in one area, I think. I need to leave my "birthplace" and get other learning experiences that I can't get here.
This week I had a couple of small miracles happen that helped me feel more strongly that I am where I need to be right now, in Connecticut. One of our recent converts called us up needing "faith CPR"he was having doubts about the Book of Mormon. We went over there and I shared some things that I have learned over the years that have helped me through times of doubt. Then he said, "I keep wondering if I joined this church just because I loved the people and they were so nice." I said, "I don't believe that. Tell Sister Darrington about the way you felt when the first sisters knocked on your door." Then I reminded him of other miraculous parts of his conversion and asked him to tell Sister Darrington about all of them. He later called to thank us and said the things we had shared really helped strengthen his faith.
Earlier this week he was having some reservations about accepting a calling in the
church. When I said the prayer to end our lesson I started spewing out something about how he would be blessed to magnify his calling and he would have many good memories of his service in the Young Men, that would be a blessing to him for many years. Something I wouldn't have said. I've heard stories of missionaries having the Holy Ghost speak through them and say things they didn't know to say. I think this was what happened to me. The point of these two stories is that I felt God was using me, and that I specifically had unique things to offer that were needed at that particular time. I haven't really experienced that before on my mission and it was a very satisfying feeling. Even if those two little things were the ONLY reason I was supposed to come out here at this time, I'd be satisfied with that—at least I feel like I have something to offer.
End of the novel. Lots of love,
Sister Monson
P.S. If ANY of my old friends/roommates are reading this, PLEASE PLEASE, I need Loraine's address! Gotta send her a very belated wedding card.
wanting to meet with ever since I got out here. We've been dropping by his house and
calling him and he hasn't ever gotten in touch with us. He's from Albania. Last week I called and left him a message and yesterday he called back and agreed to set up an
appointment. YAY!!!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am! I just really want to
teach him because he's Albanian.
Sister Darrington and I made a goal to be more positive and expect miracles-- and things like that are happening. Lots of little miracles all over the place.
We picked up a new investigator this week--a really neat kid. He graduated high school a year early and doesn't know what to do with his life. Windsor Locks is kinda depressing that way--it's a working-class town and college isn't really part of the culture or the expectation of kids when they graduate.
Sister Darrington has pushed for ways to improve our relationship with the ward, and good things are happening. We're also trying to come up with new ideas for finding. Our latest thing is that we choose different themes for tracting/street contacting. We tried tracting with a family history theme, and with inviting people to church events, and offering service. Yes, may I be struck down for saying it but tracting gets monotonous, so you have to come up with ways to make it different so you don't dread it.
Transfers are coming up (yet again,this transfer flew by) in two weeks, and I'm kinda sorta hoping to get moved. (Yeah, after I've been saying all this time that I would be happy to spend my entire mission here.) I love this area so much and I will miss it, but four transfers is enough time to be in one area, I think. I need to leave my "birthplace" and get other learning experiences that I can't get here.
This week I had a couple of small miracles happen that helped me feel more strongly that I am where I need to be right now, in Connecticut. One of our recent converts called us up needing "faith CPR"he was having doubts about the Book of Mormon. We went over there and I shared some things that I have learned over the years that have helped me through times of doubt. Then he said, "I keep wondering if I joined this church just because I loved the people and they were so nice." I said, "I don't believe that. Tell Sister Darrington about the way you felt when the first sisters knocked on your door." Then I reminded him of other miraculous parts of his conversion and asked him to tell Sister Darrington about all of them. He later called to thank us and said the things we had shared really helped strengthen his faith.
Earlier this week he was having some reservations about accepting a calling in the
church. When I said the prayer to end our lesson I started spewing out something about how he would be blessed to magnify his calling and he would have many good memories of his service in the Young Men, that would be a blessing to him for many years. Something I wouldn't have said. I've heard stories of missionaries having the Holy Ghost speak through them and say things they didn't know to say. I think this was what happened to me. The point of these two stories is that I felt God was using me, and that I specifically had unique things to offer that were needed at that particular time. I haven't really experienced that before on my mission and it was a very satisfying feeling. Even if those two little things were the ONLY reason I was supposed to come out here at this time, I'd be satisfied with that—at least I feel like I have something to offer.
End of the novel. Lots of love,
Sister Monson
P.S. If ANY of my old friends/roommates are reading this, PLEASE PLEASE, I need Loraine's address! Gotta send her a very belated wedding card.
Monday, August 3, 2009
3Aug09
Windsor “Locks Your Heart.
Lame, I know, but I am running out of ways to make fun of the name. Anyone else read
the talk called "Lock Your Heart" by Pres. Kimball? It's a good one. I read it for
the first time this week. You know what else is good? The Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith. We just got the CD and I'm obsessed with it. (Well, as obsessed as you can be with any music while you're on your mission, which isn't much.) Any country fans out there should check it out.
Not much new to report. Still working on building up a Windsor Locks teaching pool.
It's going slowly. We had some really great new investigators who have all started
ignoring us. Sad! Time to find more new ones. There are people here, it's just a matter of finding them.
It seemed to be the week for referrals. People just started giving us referrals out of the blue. It was great. Let's get the trend to continue, folks! We're really working on strengthening our relationship with the ward.
Our one progressing investigator agreed to be baptized by her next birthday, which is in November. Woo-hoo! We'll take that for now.
Yesterday we knocked on some doors on the way home from church. We hadn't broken our
fast yet and were both trying very hard not to be hungry/ornery, but almost no one was home. At one of the houses the cat was hanging out on the porch (Connecticut is obsessed with animals) and meowing at us while we rang the doorbell and waited. Sister Darrington said something to the effect of, "I'm starving." Right on cue the cat moved to its dish (on the side of the porch) and started crunching on kitty treats. Way to rub it in!
God definitely takes care of us out here. Yesterday in Gospel Principles we had a great discussion on women and the priesthood, trying to address some concerns that a recently reactivated sister had. I was really impressed with the brethren involved in the discussion. One of them, who is in the Young Men's presidency, told the sister that they are always trying to impress upon the young men the responsibility that they carry with their priesthood. They want them to understand that the priesthood is a responsibility to serve and be worthy and Christlike, and that it's not about a power trip or "exercising unrighteous dominion." I think it helped her feel a lot better about what her sons are being taught in church. They addressed her concerns very humbly and respectfully. It was very clear that they take their priesthood callings seriously, especially the responsibility to be worthy. I love this ward!!!! The way the discussion turned out couldn't have been more ideal.
Can you believe it's August already? Hope you are all well (staying relatively cool), and thanks for your support.
Love,
Sister Monson
Lame, I know, but I am running out of ways to make fun of the name. Anyone else read
the talk called "Lock Your Heart" by Pres. Kimball? It's a good one. I read it for
the first time this week. You know what else is good? The Nashville tribute to Joseph Smith. We just got the CD and I'm obsessed with it. (Well, as obsessed as you can be with any music while you're on your mission, which isn't much.) Any country fans out there should check it out.
Not much new to report. Still working on building up a Windsor Locks teaching pool.
It's going slowly. We had some really great new investigators who have all started
ignoring us. Sad! Time to find more new ones. There are people here, it's just a matter of finding them.
It seemed to be the week for referrals. People just started giving us referrals out of the blue. It was great. Let's get the trend to continue, folks! We're really working on strengthening our relationship with the ward.
Our one progressing investigator agreed to be baptized by her next birthday, which is in November. Woo-hoo! We'll take that for now.
Yesterday we knocked on some doors on the way home from church. We hadn't broken our
fast yet and were both trying very hard not to be hungry/ornery, but almost no one was home. At one of the houses the cat was hanging out on the porch (Connecticut is obsessed with animals) and meowing at us while we rang the doorbell and waited. Sister Darrington said something to the effect of, "I'm starving." Right on cue the cat moved to its dish (on the side of the porch) and started crunching on kitty treats. Way to rub it in!
God definitely takes care of us out here. Yesterday in Gospel Principles we had a great discussion on women and the priesthood, trying to address some concerns that a recently reactivated sister had. I was really impressed with the brethren involved in the discussion. One of them, who is in the Young Men's presidency, told the sister that they are always trying to impress upon the young men the responsibility that they carry with their priesthood. They want them to understand that the priesthood is a responsibility to serve and be worthy and Christlike, and that it's not about a power trip or "exercising unrighteous dominion." I think it helped her feel a lot better about what her sons are being taught in church. They addressed her concerns very humbly and respectfully. It was very clear that they take their priesthood callings seriously, especially the responsibility to be worthy. I love this ward!!!! The way the discussion turned out couldn't have been more ideal.
Can you believe it's August already? Hope you are all well (staying relatively cool), and thanks for your support.
Love,
Sister Monson
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)