Oh the randomosity of life

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Hello family!!

Thanks for the updates. =)

This week was a good week.  I mean of course every week is a good week, but this was an especially good week. Why you might ask? I shall tell you!

I got to help paint a house!! For the first time in my mission history somebody has actually ACCEPTED help from girls in skirts. It was awesome. We were walking down this street back to the car and I saw this woman and asked her if we could help. She looked at us and said "really?" hahaha. So we metaphorically rolled up our sleeves and got to work painting the house white. =) We didn't even spill on ourselves or anything. The woman's name is Blanca and she moved from Mexico years ago. She's living with her mom and she cooks for soldiers. She gave us her number and said we could come back any time we have free time, a miracle.

The way that we got into that complex... wait for it... we ARMY crawled under a fence. We have pictures, don't you worry and I'll get them to you as soon as I can get them printed out. I forgot my camera that day so they're all on Sister Burden’s camera. We're pretty hardcore for Sister Missionaries... just sayin' =)

We almost got to do unplanned service twice in one day. We were contacting a potential which was a bad address and next door there was a man named Tony doing yard work. I offered to help again and he said "sure! Just grab a shovel" I took him dang seriously! I dropped my backpack and went to the shovel... and then he looked at me like I was crazy hahaha. It was funny. He invited us to come back and share a message with him when he wasn't dripping with sweat.

Also... Sister Burden walked into a handicap parking pole. No joke. She was looking down and then WAM into the pole she went. It was right after district meeting. I almost couldn't walk I was laughing so hard.

We got to teach Gospel Principles this week... by accident. The ward mission leader didn't assign anyone so they turned to us and it was a really special experience. We had the Macias family and then one less active and the topic we chose was faith. It turned into a mini testimony meeting guided by questions and scriptures. The Spirit was so strong. Faith is so important.  It’s a principle of power and it precedes power. When we have faith we have the power to turn to God for anything, and the ability to see and discern the things that we need. 

I have a really neat experience regarding faith and prayer. Remind me to tell you after the mission =)

The Mission's president fireside is this week. Awesome.

Would you do me a favor and buy the sheet music for EFY “The Greatest Gift”? That would be awesome. I'd buy it myself but we're not allowed on websites.

This week was just a lot of neat experiences lined up in a row because District meeting was really amazing as well. My district is SO solid. We had a testimony meeting for our last district meeting before transfers and you could tangibly feel the Spirit. The mission, the work, the people, this place, everything is so incredible. This Gospel is real. It saves peoples lives. I am so blessed and lucky to be here right now. To have the Spirit in my life and to know with such a surety that the Atonement is real, that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that everything in life is for our good.

We added a family this week! He was a temple referral and he's met with missionaries before. His name is Luis, his wife is Monica, and their daughter is Daniella. They are the cutest family ever. I'm excited to meet with them and to teach them. =) They said they will do whatever God asks them to do.  

We added a woman named Vernell last week, and she got onto some anti-sites. We're working with her. She asked a lot of questions that in the long run just don't matter at all. I was able to just look her in the eye and tell her what I believe in, that Jesus Christ is my Savior and the Book of Mormon is true. I feel like that’s the theme of these last few weeks. It is down to the basics.  We testify to allow the Spirit to testify to them and not worry about countering every anti comment people have.

Chris is progressing as ever. She's talking more during the lessons, and I think the Spirit is really working through her. She came to the Battalion and we got to take her tour. Excellente.

I took a Swedish family through the tour too! Talk about an international experience here. =)

Tell Bishop Ainge I appreciated the note!

The reason taking only one person on a tour is so strange is because the Battalion is WAY busy right now. We're taking tons of huge tours every day. It’s exhausting but really rewarding. I'd definitely take busy over slow any day. =)

We had a really rough lesson with Fransisco again. We're transferring him over to the Elders. I think that's the most uncomfortable I've been in any lesson period. It was crazy. I felt like the Spirit completely left the room and felt empty.

Anyway! For the most part that's my week! And bye for the most part... I mean I ran out of time... =)

What is your favorite part of the summer so far?

Love you lots and lots and lots!

Alma 37: 6 and 7

LOVE YOU!!!!!

*hugs*

Sister Tardiff.

For Real

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Hey!

Did you like my funnies? I was just kidding about that being the only e-mail this week. =) Ha-ha. So this past week was good! We got to see the baptism of the Macias family and Mariella was so cute. She told me that if girls would have been allowed to baptize she would have picked me. =) That was heartwarming. This family is so special, so very special and I'm glad that they finally made the decision to be baptized. The Elders did a great job teaching them.

Fourth of July was really fun! We got to have two breakfasts, a lunch, and a party at the Battalion. All the other missionaries had to be in their apartment by 6pm but as a Battalion sister I was able to stay at the Battalion for normal hours and do missionary work. It was great! The party at the Battalion was awesome. We had s'mores in the campfire room and sang patriotic songs and we got to watch the Coronado fireworks from the tower at the Battalion. (Boston fireworks are better but it was still pretty fun.) Honestly though I feel a little bit lonely at parties at the Battalion. I guess I feel like everyone else are such good friends and I'm just kind of acquaintances with all of them. But I know why I'm here, and it’s not to make friends but to be a missionary so it’s all good.

We ate so much yesterday that I think that Sister Burden thought she was going to throw up last night. It was pretty bad.

Something really nice that Sister Burden said late last night (when we were all in bed) "I HAD a really good teacher. Well I mean I have (talking about me) but you're a completely different person from the person that I first met - you're an even better person."

I met some really cool people at the Battalion this week. One of them actually e-mailed me this week named Sandi. She referred for a Book of Mormon and she came with her friend from LA. They agreed that they would go to the LA visitor center which should be awesome. She left and she said "I feel like we've become instant friends." The discussion I had with her and her friend was probably one of the most intense discussions I've had at the Battalion. They really called me out on my beliefs and all I could do was testify and tell them what I know; that I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it brings me closer to Jesus Christ and knowing his plan for me, that I know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet; and that I know that I have faith and don't need analytical evidence because I have asked God. In turn her friend Ana bore her testimony about the living Christ and that he died for the sinner. It was a really special experience. They thanked me for actually talking to them, because apparently a couple years ago some Sister missionaries tracted into her, found out she reads the Bible, got "sick", and then never came back. They've thought all these years that we're afraid to talk to other people about our beliefs. It was a cool, interesting experience.

Have you met any Jehovah witnesses recently? I met one the other day and they pretty much ran away from us.... *shrugs* I don't think we're THAT scary.

Also I got to meet the president, President Clayton! WOOHOO! He's the coolest person ever! He walked into the room and I was overwhelmed by the love I felt for him, and I knew he felt for me. He came around and shook each of our hands and looked us in the eye and I knew he was giving us a private interview right there. He's a doctor =) and is really smart, enthusiastic and really motivational. I just know that HE is my mission president. I just love my mission; all parts of it. Last night?, maybe Sunday night I called him about organizing Mini Missions for the Youth in San Diego. He was all for it and said that he would talk about it at a regional conference with all the stakes but asked if I would talk to the Chula Stake President to see if we could do a trial run in Chula Vista. I hope that they're game for it. =) I'm willing to put the work  into it to make it happen if they are - even if it doesn't happen till next summer.

Vincent came to church! Woohoo!! The way we got him to church was that right before church started we decided to knock on his door. He opened a crack and in the most enthusiastic voice I could, I said "Hi Vincent! We're here to invite you to church!"  He said "give me a minute" and closed the door. We were wondering if he'd come back but he did! And he came to church! MIRACLE!! Woohoo! Church was way good and we got to teach the young women's lesson. I don't think they're scared of us anymore even though we're "old" Hehehe.

The ward council has started calling us their "private investigators" as a term of endearment. I really truly love this ward. I kind of hope I never leave....

Anyway! That was pretty much my week!

I hope you're all doing BUENO! You should try answering the phone just saying "Bueno." A lot of Hispanics here do it and I've tried it a couple of times and it’s really fun.

I sure do love ya!!

~ Sister Tardiff

Funnies

July 5, 2011

Heyo Family!

So today at the laundry mat Sister Burden had to get some sweaters out of the dryer before it was done so that it wouldn't shrink. Unfortunately the dryer didn't stop once the door opened so she was just standing in the door and trying to keep everything from falling out while trying to grab her sweaters. I of course tried to help so we're both just standing there trying to grab random colored things with clothes flying everything. It was SO funny. I'm still chuckling while I'm writing this e-mail. =)

Well that's about it! Love ya fam!

~ Sister Steph

Good morning from the other side of the world

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Heyo!!

I discovered something really incredible and I can't believe how long it took me to realize. I can be myself! Hurray! OK, I know that sounds dumb, but it’s REALLY hard for me to be myself and a missionary at the same time. I've been feeling so much pressure about being a spiritual teacher, and how other people looked at me and being a good representative of the Lord that I've been like a shell of myself. But I realized that if I'm not myself on my mission then all the progress I've made personally will be for nothing because then I'll just go home, not be a missionary... and be myself.... BUT! I'm starting to be able to be myself AND a missionary and the work has become so much more fun. =) Life is good.

The past few days have been wonderful. We had an amazing lesson with Christine and the Spirit was really strong. We talked about the Atonement and about the Book of Mormon and about our personal relationships with Christ. She talked more during this lesson then she has during any other lesson, and it was just so much fun. She was sick so we didn't get to hug her goodbye and she said "I'll have you know I miss my hugs!" So cute. I also asked her a question that Sister Burden was ABOUT to ask her. That was cool to realize in hindsight. =)

We also got to go to Adel's daughter Alanna's graduation party and pick up some new potential investigators and eat really good Filipino food. Rock on San Diego. I love Adel and his family. They are so nice and kind, and they love us. I can imagine them all getting baptized but they don't have a baptismal date or anything. It’s fun being a missionary. The potentials we picked up were a woman named Debbie and her daughter Kendall. They are going to a Christian church but she's open to learning more. They are super nice.

Have you been able to go to the Temple grounds recently? I heard a story about a boy who jumped back and forth from Temple grounds because he could feel the difference of the dedicated grounds.

I got to be a Temple missionary on a Saturday again. Hey. Nine people got married and there were TONS of people to talk to. We were busy all day. =) We saw the Elders later and Sister Burden was FRIED - like she had blisters on her ears even though she put sunscreen on, and they asked where we were, we told them the Temple and they asked if all we did was sit around and study all day. *rolls eyes* Missionaries don't just sit, we work!

Church was incredible. The talks were on trials and adversity and how small choices bring along great change. Like a hinge on the door. The talk on trials was about how we are like a huge boulder rolling down a hill, and how trials are the times when we hit the ground really hard or hit other rocks, and that even though they hurt, and they're hard, they help to refine us and make us more like our Father in Heaven. I loved that talk. They brought up Job and how even though he was faithful he lost everything but he still remained faithful and so he was able to be rewarded 10X what he had before. You gotta love the scriptures. =)

The Vaughan's came to church! They hadn't been to church in a long time and it was really joyful to see them together in Sacrament meeting as a family (David is back from the ship now.) Sister Vaughan really wants to be sealed in the Temple.

Also I've started reading the Book of Mormon more and that's made a huge difference... in my life in general. Yippee! =)

President Donaldson is gone tomorrow. CRAZY! I'm addressing my president’s letter to President Clayton now.... It'll be good!

We had 2 full days last week of proselyting! That was awesome. I love having more time in my area. I can really see the Lord blessing the Battalion missionaries though because even though we had more time on Monday and Tuesday we got more work done in the days we had Battalion. It’s an interesting phenomenon and I feel really blessed to have the Battalion in my life.

The Battalion was kind of crazy this week. On Sunday night we had 3 sisters out of the 8 usual that were out of rotation... so we RAN that place (imagine that with like a ghetto accent) with five sisters. We definitely had a sense of accomplishment afterwards - and also the knowledge that God's hand is in our lives always. Because it just worked out every time that when a sister finished a tour (and all the tours take a different amount of time) that the next tour was ready to start. Pretty cool. I also met some of Ephraim Hank’s descendants and someone who helped engineer the lighting. =) That was sweet.

Life is just moseying on forward. It is fun and joyful and I feel like a big rock rolling down the mountain, but the more refinement I get the happier I am. =)

I hope you're all having a fantastic week!

LOVE YOU!!!!!! (Like loads and loads and loads!)

~ Sister Tardiff

Hola! Soy la Hermana Tardiff!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Hey everyone,

So this week was exciting for a couple of reasons.

Christine got baptized!!! Woohooooooooo! Elder Clay was the person who baptized her and she came out of the water and she kept saying "it’s a new beginning." It was the happiest moment on my mission. The next day was so good too because she got confirmed and was able to have the Spirit with her for the rest of her life. I truly understand what it means in Alma when it says consider the joy of saving just one soul. I know it wasn't me at all either. It was all Heavenly Father and putting people who were prepared in my path.

Sister Macias is getting baptized!!!! Just as a preface Sister Burden and I were not the people teaching her but she is in our ward and we have had some interactions with her and we are teaching her husband and her daughter the recent convert lessons. =) It’s been a long haul for her and she is so sweet, so prepared. Their family reminds me of our family. Three kids, two daughters, the youngest is a son. She's been investigating for about a year and on Sunday she told us the Spirit was so strong when the Elders were teaching that when they asked if she would get baptized she knew the answer was yes. I'm smiling even telling you this story right now. It’s funny because I've been praying for a family to teach... and it has been right in front of me. I am teaching a family! I'm teaching them the recent convert lessons though, not the investigator lessons. It’s funny how things become clear in hindsight. =) I'm really excited to go to her baptism! The Spirit at their house is always so strong; when the last three of their family gets baptized I know the Spirit will be incredible.

These two experiences were the most exciting things that happened this week.

Life is way good. I have faith and it just keeps growing! I'm happy and I'm healthy and I'm excited to work!

Well! I'm trying to think of funny stories and they're all evading me... but lots of funny things have happened....

OH! Like we went to Golden Spoon for our free ice cream and we met this worker named Jack whose girlfriend wanted to get baptized, but her parents wouldn't let her. Then at the Temple grounds we saw him drive by and usually we wave to everyone, but this time we recognized him and was like "HEYYYY!! JACK!" Then we saw him at the Battalion. It was like it was destiny that we went to Golden Spoon that day. =)

Also! Adel came to the Battalion and brought his wife, Amy, and his son Eric! It was really good! Amy said she would accept a copy of the Book of Mormon and I just love them! They are the sweetest family! They invited us to their daughter’s graduation. =) The Spirit was strong too.

Anyway! That’s about it! I'm pretty close to out of time.

Love,

~ Sister Tardiff

Ole Ole Ole Ole!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

HEYO!

Anyway! So these past two days have been MTE which means Missionary training exchange... which pretty much means for Battalion Sisters that we get to listen to our mission president talk. It blows my mind every single time. My mission president is SO knowledgeable. He can connect things that I haven't even wondered about. Anyway the basic theme of MTE was the Atonement and how to get the Atonement to his children in San Diego. It doesn't matter that the Church is true - nothing matters except that we give them access to the Atonement. The only way to do that is through saving ordinances like baptism, gift of the Holy Ghost and the Temple. It was in a two day segment and yesterday people got 7 people with a baptismal date. 0_0  The Gospel is true. =D He also prepped us for the change that's happening when we gain a new mission president next transfer. It’s going to be crazy, but it’s also going to be awesome! My mission life is about loving change apparently. =)

We got to talk to a less active named Jody and she agreed that we can teach her children. I'm pretty stoked about that. =)

I had an incredible day at the Battalion. I met someone who came in, looked at me, and said I looked exactly like her sister. Whose name is Theresa! What the?!? hahaha. It was cool. But I convinced her that the tour was worthwhile and she absolutely loved it. In the middle of all this a Spanish family came in and we had no Spanish speakers on shift. One of the senior couples was really stressing out about it and so I had to leave Brenda behind with Sister Smith, and take a tour... in Spanish! Alright... so it’s not as cool as it seems because I took the tour in English with the audio in Spanish and someone translating for me. But I did the transitions in Spanish! =D AND! I kept feeling prompted to check on Brenda and talked to the sister taking her tour.. and she referred! She gave me a hug and said she'd bring all her friends back. =D I was quite excited. Also, the Spanish family referred some of their friends which was bueno.

Also I took a tour with this super cute family from Utah and we were out panning for gold and I gave this HUGE chunk of gold to the little 7 year old, Ava, and she handed me back a shell and told me she found it at the ocean that morning and wanted me to keep it. Awww.  =)

We had some good lessons this week! We got to meet with Anna and also Christine. Christine got a blessing, which was truly incredible. She really is going to quit smoking I can feel it.

This week was super fun with proselyting and weekly planning and being able to keep up with people and the work. The downer was that Bradley decided to stop investigating the church. That was heartbreaking. =( I could see him as missionary, but I know that he still has time, and I have faith he'll be a missionary yet. Also our mission president today told us that we should be eating with the ward council members approximately once a month so we can gain a relationship with them and progress the work forward. That is a change. I guess we'll be getting fed more now. =)

I just love this work so much. =)

I LOVE YOU!!

You da best!

Love!

Sister Tardifffffffff

PS- The president yesterday "Newsflash to the Catholics- Peter was a Mormon!"

Busy Bees

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Heyo Everyone!

So I'm e-mailing a little bit later today because I got to go to the Temple this morning! That was definitely a blessing. In a small way it felt like it was one of the first times I'd been to the Temple because I learned so much and noticed so much because it had been "so" long since the last time I went. I've grown to realize just how necessary it is to go to the Temple regularly, and how much of a spiritual boost it is. There are so many blessings from going to the Temple, not only for us but also those who have passed on and those around us.  We also got to hear from a Temple presidency/old mission president. There were about 14 of us missionaries and he took us into a ceiling room and blew our minds a bit and then let us depart =) Let us just say Temple marriage is pretty much the most exciting thing in the world. I tried to get a song book of EFY songs from 2004-2007 (any of them) but the oldest piano songbook they have is from 2008. Only one year off! Dangit! =)

How is everyone coping with life? It seems like life is just moseying a long.

Honestly I'm in kind of... slow motion? Recently I feel like I’m slowly falling apart! I've been sleeping on a heating pad, cuz the muscles in my back are not very happy with me, and I’m tired a lot. It’s like I'm in a lull where I can't show excitement even though there are super exciting things happening in my life every single day! It’s like I’m waterworks all the time. Good thing my companion has a lot of patience ha-ha. She's really one of the best people I know. Together we work hard, we work long, and we try to have as much excitement and enthusiasm as we can. That's one of the reasons why it’s so good that I went to the Temple today. It sounds ridiculous but I needed some spiritual nourishment even though I study and pray and teach with the Spirit every day. It is weird, huh? BUT seriously, I’m way excited about my area and my companion is a doll! =)

This last week was AWESOME in terms of the work. We got to teach lots of lessons and catch up with people that have been off the radar for a while like Teresa! Hurray! She's been going through a rough time but she let us in her doors. It was really cute actually. She said "I like you Mormons. I've had friends who were Mormon. There are some religions I don't like... like... well... let me just say that if you were of another religion I wouldn't have let you in the door." =) It was so awesome. She also asked if she could donate to our church or anything. So I took the opportunity at that time to tell her she could contribute to the Church by reading the Book of Mormon. She said she would and she's really excited about it. =) I'm glad Sister Burden got to meet her.

We also got a hold of Vincent again because I got to go on splits for the first time in my entire mission! We went with Charmaine and Miranda. OH! Charmaine got her mission call; Texas Lubbock Mission English speaking! She's leaving in August which I am psyched about! We're trying to get her to as many appointments as we can so she can get some good practice in. But because of the splits we got to do twice as much work in one time period! Huzzah! It was so weird driving off without my companion though and not having to back the car! That was awesome. I ended up going with Charmaine and we tried to contact a bunch of people, and then taught Chris. It was good.

Chris is such an angel. We taught her a lesson about gratitude because she's been taught all the missionary lessons and at the end she was like. “I like to read that talk (by Pres. Monson.) Actually every night before I go to sleep I write down the things I'm grateful for." We were shocked. The Lord certainly prepares people. =)

It’s been fun getting to know the members and helping them with their missionary work. It’s definitely a way that we've been unfortunately neglecting (out of ignorance really, but now we have knowledge so we won't neglect it anymore!) and now that we're starting with it we can already see the fruits! It’s so fun to get people excited about missionary work and help them help their friends. I'm hoping and praying that we'll get better and better at it. But of course prayer brings power and blessings, and it’s a worthy desire so... We just got to keep working hard! A lesson with one of the members was a really special experience. It was with the Stake President and his family and the Spirit was really strong the entire lesson.

Our Site President told us that there is a Hispanic Initiative happening and he wants all the Spanish speakers to memorize the script in Spanish and gave the option to all us English speakers to do the same so that we can be better equipped to help people feel the Spirit of the Battalion who only speak Spanish. I think Sister Burden and I might use the time driving back from our area every day to study the script in Spanish instead of zoning out and listening to music. So perhaps that will happen. Maybe not - we'll see. But it’s possible that I might be able to give the tour in Spanish some day as long as I don't have to say/understand anything in real Spanish, ha-ha.

Funny story:

We were at a recent convert’s house and we were waiting for him to come down and his mom was there making lunch. So she brings us lunch and it was tuna, jalapenos’ and a tostada. Yuck. The tuna was mixed with mayonnaise and you know I hate mayonnaise, and tuna is just icky to me. Have you been in a situation where you feel obligated to eat but the food is just... not to you liking? Sister Burden and I were ingenious at handling it! The mom left the room, Sister Burden took my half, stuffed her face with it and ate it as fast as she could, and then when the mom came back into the room we hurriedly switched back and I continued to eat little bites of it. It was SUPER funny. And Sister Burden loved it! So it was a win, win! =D

I'm praying for all of you. I know this is where I'm meant to be but I really wish I could see your faces.

Keep your chins up and go to the Temple as much as you can!

Love, love, love!

~ Sister Tardiff