I'm Serving in Bloomfield, New Mexico

I got to Albuquerque last Monday! We had a meeting with the Mission President and his wife, went tracting, had interviews, and then my companion and I slept at a members house and got up early for transfer meeting the next morning. I LOVE President Anderson. He and his wife feel like grandparents, or older versions of you, Mom and Dad. They are just as sweet as their picture looked! When President Faust called them to be mission presidents, he said that their purpose was to raise strong mothers, fathers, leaders and teachers in the Church. That was their first priority.

The mission has been growing TREMENDOUSLY at each transfer. There were 17 of us in our group, and only 8 missionaries were going home. President Anderson speaks Navajo, so he taught us how to sing, "Head Shoulders Knees and Toes", in that language. Do I remember it though? Nope. There are 19 pueblos in our mission, 2 of which are open to proselyting. President Anderson hopes to get the others open soon. Sisters ARE allowed to serve on the reservations. My MTC companion is on one right now actually. They also used to print name tags for us in Navajo, but that stopped recently. I can see why. There are 3 towns in northern New Mexico that were settled by Mormon Pioneers under the direction of Brigham Young. Kirtland was one, and I don't remember the other 2, but I want to say Farmington and Bloomsfield.

I am in Bloomfield 2nd ward. I love it here, but it is WAY different from home. 7,000 people live here, so it's got a small town feel. It reminds me of Richfield, Utah except we don't even have a McDonalds or a Walmart or a grocery store...besides Farmer's Market. There are a TON of country roads, and a lot of the roads are just dirt. The whole community thrives off of oil drilling...everyone works there. I would guess that over 75% of the community lives in trailers. It's a slower paced life for sure, but that's nice because people just let us in to their homes to shoot the breeze. EVERYONE has dogs, and they are sometimes MEAN. President Anderson said some missionaries buy dog treats to try to befriend them. We drove buy the LDS farm earlier in the week. The stake has it's own FARM! How cool! They use it for ward activities, canning, and they have a few animals.

My trainer is Sister Crossley. I can't imagine having a sweeter, more angelic companion. She is from Pittsburgh, and is super sweet, fun, and can bring the spirit into a room SO FAST. She is incredible at being led by the spirit. She always stops to think, "Does that feel right?" and it's so cool to see us be on the same page. There have been houses that we both decide we should not go up to late at night. It's amazing to see us both have the same impressions. Basically, I just can't say enough good things about her. She is a hard worker and is so loving. She's a gorgeous girl. And guess what her name is? Natalie, and obviously I have very tender feelings associated with that name.

We are double transferring into Bloomfield, because the area was closed before we got there. So we're opening the area again. Which I think is a little stressful, because neither of us know the area...obviously I don't because I'm new. The sisters opened the area again back in November, but had to go home. This means that all the former investigators haven't been taught in about a month and a half. We have a WHOLE BOOK of people to get in contact with. Only 44% of the ward is active, and there is just a lot to do. But investigators are calling us back, which is good. Sister Crossley said that this usually NEVER happens. So at least some people are excited we're back!

The Bloomfield 2nd ward had Stake Conference yesterday. The Stake President said that the ward made an offering at the temple recently that was acceptable to the Lord, and a blessing from that is that hearts in this town are being softened towards the gospel, and therefore it is the Stake's responsibility to DO SOMETHING. The year is going to be focused around missionary work so that is EXCITING! The Stake has a goal to get 60 new converts this year. Both Sister Crossley and I can feel that this area is ready to be HARVESTED, not just sown. I just know that there are people nearby searching for the truth. There is an urgency to find them.

At our First Day Orientation meeting, the car coordinator showed us pictures of a car that had been totaled because a cow ran into it. A COW! Crazy huh? It's just a different life out here. Speaking of cars, the President makes sure sisters are ALWAYS in vehicles. So no biking for me! Ever.

My first night in Bloomfield was interesting. One of the members made us a delicious "Greenie Dinner." They had tons of green balloons. We had stuffed sopa pias, with chicken, and I had my FIRST taste of Green Chile! It was delicious. Oh, and the members dyed ALL the food green. Even the chicken. It was fun to have our whole district there.

We visited with a less active family earlier this week. The 3 little boys asked us as soon as we walked in the door if they could get involved in scouts, and the little 7 year old looked right in my eyes and said, "Can I be baptised?!?!" Hopefully, the little kids can inspire their dad to go back to church. The mom isn't a member, but we're going to try to teach her. We are also working with a Navajo family. The grandpa was raised on the Lamanite Placement Program. I had never heard of this program until I got here, but President Anderson explained that Mormons used to raise Indian children so they could get a good education, so when you meet Native Americans, they often have very positive feelings or at least familiarity with the church. Some were baptised, but went back to their traditional Native American ways. I've also heard that some Navajos have negative feelings about the church due to the placement program.

I placed my first Book of Mormon this week. The lady was excited about it. We asked her to read the introduction, and we'd come back on Wednesday. The family was intimidating to me at first. I was skeptical, but when I saw how interested they became when we told them the history of the Book of Mormon...I remembered the scripture 1 Sam 16....the Lord looketh on the heart and not the outward appearance.

Well, there are A MILLION things I would want to tell you about, but time is short, and we have a dinner appointment to go to. But I love you ALL!

XOXO Love,

Sister Waters

Goodbye MTC

Thanks for the letters, they mean SO MUCH! I know Caresse usually reads my blog, so thank you for the muffins! They were delicious! But I don't have your school address, so I'm not able to write you back! Thanks everyone for writing. Time is short, but I will try to respond. My Elders tease me for how much mail I get. Can I get a Ward directory? I need to send thank you notes to all the people who gave me such great going away notes...especially, the little Primary girls!

I am loving the MTC. The first week was HARD, as most new experiences are. But I've adjusted very well, and have really felt the prayers of everyone this week. What other time in my life will so many people around the world be praying for me?!? Even the Prophet and Apostles. Kinda cool!

Let's see, this week has been interesting. One of our roommates got the Elders to teach her how to take MTC Matrix pictures. So we took some Sister Missionary pictures...they are awesome! I'll try to send some home.

The thing about being in the MTC is that the spirit is here SO MUCH, that it is very easy to become desensitized, or used to it. I never want to take these experiences for granted or become complacent about them. There is just SO MUCH to learn, that I don't know if I'll ever internalize it all. The MTC is kind of like a time warp. The weeks fly by so FAST! And yet, the days are incredibly long sometimes. And it's also funny to notice that age doesn't mean ANYTHING. Age is calculated by how long you've been in the MTC or set apart as a missionary--not one's actual age. Some Elders seem years older than me, and some 24 year old Sisters seem very young. I never thought I'd see it that way.

Our Branch President was just called as a Mission President, but he can't tell us where they are going yet. Pretty exciting! So many people have asked me what my days are like in the MTC, and you specifically asked about, "Preach My Gospel", so I guess I can touch on that. This week we have been studying the second lesson on the Plan of Salvation. Most of my district is very apprehensive about this, and do not like it as much as Lesson One on the Restoration. I feel the exact opposite. While knowing the Joseph Smith story is important to knowing the truthfulness of the Church, the Plan of Salvation is exciting because it teaches us how to return to Heavenly Father. It is all about Christ and it gives us the instructions to happiness. My MTC teachers are great. I can't believe they are only 23. We've been putting a HUGE emphasis on teaching our lessons to other Missionaries as Missionaries. We prepare with specific companions in mind, pray for them and try to be led by the spirit as we prepare.

A good talk to read is, "Flooding the Earth with the Book of Mormon" by Ezra Taft Benson. I LOVE some of the quotes about his visions for the earth. Incredible. I'm developing a greater love for the Book of Mormon and wish I had been more of a scriptorian in Seminary. My teacher taught us something neat this week. "All angels do is quote scripture." Think about it...Moroni, Gabriel, etc. So often we wish we could have angelic manifestations, but really the words of the Lord are already printed in the Standard Works. All angels do is quote scripture. I'm learning how to incorporate scriptures more into my teaching. There are so many teaching skills to learn! At the same time, it's important to remember that we are not called as missionaries to re-invent the wheel. The gospel is beautiful in its simplicity.

My Elders continue to be hilarious. We get to sing in Sacrament Meeting on Sunday, and they ALL wanted to sing their "special" version of, "I Hope They Call Me On a Mission". Thank goodness our Branch President vetoed that early on. They also made our teacher cry in class. So yeah, it's been interesting. But at the same time it is great to watch everyone grow. The Elders are funny, but I really do feel like we're equals. We bought shoelaces to tie all the companionships together, because some have problems staying with their companions. I am learning HOW IMPORTANT it is to build each other up instead of tearing each other down. Living so close together as a district is new and sometimes hard, but we have more in common than anyone else in the world. So you would think that we would build each other up more than we do. Although, it was cool yesterday to see everyone bolster a couple of Elders in our district who were having a difficult time.

We had a devotional speaker that said we walk on sacred ground when we teach from, "Preach My Gospel". I really think that is true. I am so glad to be a missionary. While this time of my life will FLY BY, as evidenced by the fact that I am almost out of the MTC, the effects of what we do are eternal. It is a privilege to serve the Lord and a sacred trust to teach His children.

Time is up. I love you all and miss you. But I love the MTC, and will miss it in some ways. But I'm so excited to hit the ground running come Monday.

First Week at the MTC

Yay! I've been so excited to write my first email! I love the MTC. I have had so many wonderful experiences, but I don't think I've had a harder week in my entire life! I'm emotionally drained and I don't think I've ever been so exhausted! I've never cried or laughed so much in one week!!! Change is difficult, and there is so much I need to improve upon! They stress that as set apart missionaries, we are the arms of the apostles. We are witnesses of Christ. How amazing, but it is an overwhelming idea at times. When I look at what I need to become to be the best missionary I can be, it can get overwhelming. But by turning myself over to Christ, all things are possible. I guess I just need to have more confidence and faith in that! And remember that it isn't me that will be doing the work...it will be the Holy ghost! I also find comfort in remembering that Christ WAS the perfect missionary, and people still rejected him. But every now and then, Heavenly Father gives me a glimpse of his vision, and I can really see HOW IMPORTANT this work is too him and how much he loves his children and how HOW MUCH needs to be done prior to the Savior's second coming. If all members could catch the vision, I think there would be so many more missionaries willing to serve. I've been impressed with the fact that the restoration really couldn't take place until the latter days because the gospel cannot be spread with effectiveness to ALL the world without the media and communications technology we have today. I love seeing how my major (PR) and the gospel interrelate. That's why I love my blog so much!

This week has been HARD! My companion's grandmother passed away, and I have really been learning what it means to mourn with those that mourn. It is hard to see one of Heavenly Father's daughters hurting so much, and not knowing exactly what I can say. All I know is that we are both so grateful for the plan of salvation. Our lessons have focused a lot on that lately. We've met with nearly all the MTC Presidenency this week, but I feel so blessed to be an observer to their leadership! As I have watched them speak with her, I feel like I'm learning by example. I wish there was more time to explain.

My district saves me!!! Sometimes I wake up discouraged, but Elder Curtis is a little piece of sunshine every morning. He and the other Elders are hilarious! When all the other missionaries are practicing their language skills by greeting us with "Hola!" or "Guten Tag" or "Bon Jour!" Elder Curtis, just uses sign language and greets them with a traditional Indian "How". Elder Curtis has been in 23 foster homes, and was just recently adopted so that he could serve a mission. WOW! It's amazing to watch my district leader grow into a powerful priesthood leader. People can grow so much in just a week! These missionaries are amazing! Elder Miles gave my companion one of the most sincere and beautiful priesthood blessings I have ever heard in my life. But he likes to make fun of those of us who get a lot of mail. He likes to play the 50/50 chance game to make us guess who the letter is for. If you guess wrong, you don't get the letter. But really, we never let him get away with that.

Sister missionary gym is hilarious. It's the funniest thing ever. We play B-ball with the Palmyra sisters, and we just laugh so hard because we are so bad. But, I look forward to working out because my muscles get so sore from sitting in a classroom ALL day, and eating so much food and not ever walking around. It's weird to see so many from BYU at the MTC. Also, the intercom in the MTC residence hall reminds me so much of Charlie's Angels..."Good morning sister missionaries!" "Time for bed sister missionaries." "Quiet time!" It's a different kind of place. Also, the elders have been looking out for me. Sometimes my progress is discouraging, overwhelming and I begin to doubt myself. After leaving the call center one day, I kind of just broke down. Elder Reves asked if someone had yelled at me on the phone. I laughed and said no, and he replied, "Good! Because if someone messes with Sister Waters, we're gonna GET that guy!" It was pretty funny.

There is NO TIME to do everything that needs to get done. I only have 4 minutes left to type. But I wanted to tell you as many funny stories as possible. I'm growing so much! Growth and stretching and changing can be painful, but it is good. I KNOW Heavenly Father loves each of His children (that is EVEN more clear as a missionary). I wish I had more time to tell you all about the AMAZING meetings I've been to.

I love you all! Romans 8:16-17

Courtney Arrives at the MTC

Sister Courtney Waters finally arrives at the Missionary Training Center ("MTC") on January 14, 2009.

Sister Waters enters the MTC doors. She will leave for Alburquerque, New Mexico on February 2, 2009!

Before the missionary orientation session started Courtney and her family had a few minutes for more picture taking.

By the end of the orientation, Sister Waters was excited and ready to start her mission.

The inspiration for this blog...

Sharing the Gospel Using the Internet
By Elder M. Russell Ballard
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

There are conversations going on about the Church constantly. Those conversations will continue whether or not we choose to participate in them. But we cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches. . .

All of you know that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are reminded and encouraged continually to share the gospel with others. The Church is always looking for the most effective ways to declare its message. Preaching the gospel of the Restoration has always been special to me. I loved being a missionary in England. I loved being a mission president in Canada. And I love my present calling, which allows me opportunities to share the message of the Restoration of the gospel to the world and to testify that God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith in 1820. Through Joseph, the gospel that Jesus established in New Testament times was brought back. It had been lost with the deaths of the Apostles of old. I can share with the world the knowledge that priesthood authority, the doctrine, and the ordinances of the New Testament Church are once again on the earth. This is the most important work that we can participate in. . .

Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration. Most of you already know that if you have access to the Internet you can start a blog in minutes and begin sharing what you know to be true. You can download videos from Church and other appropriate sites, including newsroom.lds.org, and send them to your friends. You can write to media sites on the Internet that report on the Church and voice your views as to the accuracy of the reports. This, of course, requires that you understand the basic principles of the gospel. It is essential that you are able to offer a clear and correct witness of gospel truths. It is also important that you and the people to whom you testify understand that you do not speak for the Church as a whole. You speak as one member—but you testify of the truths you have come to know. . .

Welcome

This is where we will be posting Courtney's weekly e-mail updates and any photos that make it back home.

She will be heading out to Provo on Monday January 12th, and will enter the MTC on Wednesday! So Exciting!