August 4 - First message from the land of Kernersville

Hello family,

Ok so as you know from last week I have transferred to my new area in
Kernersville. It is country (thought not as country as Ernest in
Magnolia) and super different from Charlotte that is for sure. It
hasn't been an easy adjustment but I am trying my best to get to know
the members especially because when I am comfortable knowing the ward
then I just feel better about things overall - must be the whole
ward/church family concept.
I wasn't sure what to write about these first two weeks here so I'll
just kind of give you some random details.
Sister Mouritsen is the designated driver but I got to drive for a few
days last week since she lost her license. That was nice for me since
I prefer to drive. But we did a lot of biking, more than I have ever
done in my life, and Sister Mouritsen is so fast I have the challenge
of keeping up with her and it is a good heart workout. This weekend
was actually very rainy and temperature in the 60s (typically it is in
the 90s this month), so it felt cold ha! But the great part is our
apartment complex has free hot chocolate in the office. :) Our
apartment is really nice and clean, I feel blessed.
Well teaching-wise this area is very different from Charlotte. Here
there is hardly anyone on the streets to talk with and the population
out here is a lot of older generation. We do however have at least one
Indian couple in our complex, and then we knocked into an Indian
couple. Sister Mouritsen thinks I have the magic touch that draws them
out because she hasn't met any Indians her whole time on the mission.
I don't know but I do enjoy talking with them!
We are working on getting some solid people to teach and for know we
have a few. Meg is a college student that I just recently met and she
began investigating the church in D.C.. She is very kind and excited
about the church and loves to read and watch anything and everything
we can get to her and if she could get baptized she would! She has
some challenges to overcome before she can be baptized though so I
hope we can help her in the best way possible. I am glad though
because she had very very good experiences with the D.C. YSA ward she
was attending and has a witness of God's love for her.
We are also teaching a couple of girls who are foster daughters to
some members and hopefully they will be able to be baptized in a month
or two. I only met them once so far and they are pretty reserved but
looking forward to getting to know them better.
Other than that we are trying to work with a lot of inactive and
less-active members and knocking doors (not my favorite) so hopefully
my talking with people is getting better with all the practice we're
getting. It's been interesting though because more than ever, we get
people who are comfortable with their church and I am trying to come
up with creative ways to still share our message.
I do find myself praying lately for extra charity and just really
trying to talk with people as if Christ were there in the conversation
as well in the hope that even if my words don't sound eloquent and
maybe my approaches are on the awkward side a little, somehow maybe
Christ's pure love can shine through and reach beyond the conversation
to that soul-to-soul connection. I am grateful for prayer though and
that we can ask for help even in things that we aren't naturally adept
at like having charity or patience, etc.

Tell everyone hi and tell them I love them! Continue to let me know
how things are going at home, even if it is boring stuff. ;)
Love,
Sister Rust

July 28

Sorry everyone,

It will be a short email because I am out of time today! My companion
lost her wallet and we have been making tons of calls trying to work
that out but it is all good.
Well I am now in Kernersville which is country like Hickory. Whoot!
Whoot! But we still have a Walmart close at least :)
Well here is some quick information:
My new comp is Sister Mouritsen and my address is

213 Madison Place Circle
Kernersville, NC 27284

(So write me a letter, ok?) ;)

Ok many more details next week
Love you all!
Sister Rust

(Sorry if you got all excited about hearing from me but I didn't write
much this time)

July 21

Hello, hello!

I have a super fantastic, great, amazing news for y'all - Sheen and
Pradha were baptized this weekend!!!! There is so much good about it
and a feeling that is hard to put into words but I'll try my best :)
So Saturday was the baptism and we had a really great turnout from the
ward to show support. And it was so sweet to see Pradha and Sheen get
up and share their testimonies - Pradha got a little nervous but she
handled it just fine and Sheen talked beautifully about the blessing
it was for us to help them know about repenting and making covenants.
I just beamed and am so proud and happy for them. Brother Kelly and
his wife have been fellow shipping them so well so we asked him to do
the baptizing and they made Sister Kelly Pradha's new visiting
teacher. I know we are leaving Sheen and Pradha in good hands and that
they will be able to continue learning and growing. Pradha and Sheen
have shown so much humility it blows my mind, but they just have an
incredible desire to follow Christ and do what is right, so yesterday
in Sunday school Sheen was commenting/participating in the lesson and
Pradha was writing down notes and scriptures to look up later. The
lesson was on raising children/families in the gospel and by the way
they engagingly listened I can tell they desire a faithful, eternal
family and honestly observing them has built my own faith. Oh I wish
you could meet them in person yourselves! I have grown to love them SO
much that it hurt when I found out I am getting transferred this week.
We told them at church and they asked us to come over that night and
they would make us Indian food again. We stuffed ourselves and asked
Sheen all sorts of questions about where he is from and his culture
and we laughed and took pictures together. And then before we left,
they gave me a card and a journal as a gift and I just wanted to cry
because I don't know the next time I will see the in person if they go
back to India. Luckily, there is Facebook and Skype technologies. This
first baptism I have been a part of out here is so special to me.
Well, like I said, I am getting transferred and I am nervous! I really
love this area, but it wouldn't be too hard to get comfortable with a
new one probably. The hard part is leaving Sister Gunther! She is my
best companion so far and I have learned so much from being with her
and I have been able to enjoy my mission the most being together here.
Now I am a little scared to have a new companion whom I don't know....
I just like my comfort zone!  I am so grateful though because Sister
Gunther lives up the street in Orem (Chris Clegg's ward actually) and
she'll be home just a transfer after me and we will be friends
forever! But even though this whole week I have been trying to deny
it, I did have a feeling like I might be leaving and kind of saw it
coming and I have grown so much since Hickory that I know it will be
just as good of an experience as here in University City. But yeah, if
you end anything this week to me just have it go to the Hilliard
building address (mission office) until I know my new area.
I really am doing well out here in my mission and loving it, so Dad
you weren't lying to anyone if you said that. ;) Yeah there is still
at least one hard day a week but we make it past and it really is true
that give it just a little time and I hardly remember the bad moments
but I can remember the sweet little joys and tender mercies. And
Sister Gunther and I have been able to squeeze in some fun things like
glow sticks she got in the mail for 4th of July, and we just try to
find joy in the simple pleasures.
I hope everything continues to be well at home. It sounds like the
Reunion was good (looking forward to details on that) and Camille and
Melanie were excited for trek. Camille also told me she got the
volunteer job at the aquarium and that she is enjoying her last season
of marching band. That is great, and she does good with her volunteer
position that could help in future resume things like work experience
and if she likes it maybe next time a paying position there or
something. I am happy when she told me that, I know how she thought it
would be a fun opportunity and wants to do marine biology type things.

Love,
Sister Rust

July 14

Hello family!

I am shorter on time today so I will try to keep this email small, but
it was a wonderful week and we are prepping for Sheen and Pradha's
baptism this week! I know it will be wonderful, yet I know Satan is
going to make the week before and after real rough because they are
about to take a huge step in the right direction for their lives. I
know I am going to need to keep my faith, hope, humility, and love up
on the defense.
Well, we had a couple of neat things happen this week. We were able to
show Sheen and Pradha the baptismal font right after church with
Brother Kelly who will perform the baptisms and there is Spirit that
can be felt even just looking at the font beforehand. And Sheen bore
his new testimony to us how they weren't really looking for more but
once we came and taught them things they felt they were getting
something they didn't know was missing. It is sweet to hear the
sincere, simple while humble testimonies of investigators and recent
converts.

We also were able to find a less-active member who was not on the ward
council's radar and we invited her to church and her boyfriend. Sadly
we didn't see them there, so we'll find out when we follow up but I
hope we can begin working with them frequently. She mentioned that in
the past some missionaries had taught her boyfriend but then the
missionary was pretty disobedient and that of course kept the Holy
Ghost out of the picture and was a turn-off for the boyfriend at least
to some degree I'm sure. I hope we can go in and just love them and
help them bring the Spirit there.

On Wednesday, we had our Book of Mormon class and it ended up being
just all 6 missionaries and one investigator, Hossein. Elder Cook and
Carson found and teach Hossein and he is just a pleasant guy, and boy
he is smart with a PhD and everything. But it was neat to see him ask
these simple questions with a sincere desire to know, in fact he even
said that he was like a first grader when it came to the principles
and doctrine in the Book of Mormon so he had many good questions. But
it takes humility for someone with a PhD and very intellectual to be
ok with being on the first grader level again in something and that
was admirable. He was able to come to Sacrament as well (looking very
dapper) and hopefully next week the Sunday school classes as well. We
have had success with Sheen and Pradha coming to church the last month
and it was nice that the elders had some come too because it is hard
for a missionary to not have investigators show up to church when we
try so hard to bring them. So I am happy for the elder's successes. :)

Last thing, we had another lesson with Brooke and Bryson ( their mom
is a member but the rest of family isn't) on Alma's faith chapter with
the seed. We had a good time reading it with them and asking them what
it means for us. To end the lesson we gave them some sunflower seeds
of their own to grow. We told them that way they could take care of it
and it would be a daily reminder to grow their faith as well just like
we talked about. They were so cute and made us cupcakes afterward.

I hope you all have a good week. Enjoy trek or the family reunion,
whichever you go to. I look forward to hearing about both next week! I
sure love you all and be safe. Thank you for the prayers, I know
Ernest and I are blessed as we are out here. And I pray for all of you
too. :)

Love,
Sister Amelia Rust

July 7

Hello family!

There is so much I could say and tell you from this past week, because
it was such a growing experience for me. And some of it really
connects with the thought Dad shared in his email to me.
It started midweek with our zone conference. It was one of the better
meetings I have been to and we had the wonderful opportunity to hear
from President Craven and his wife and President Craven's parents who
flew in for the week (his father is Elder Craven, a previous mission
president himself and general authority). We talked about the culture
of our mission here in the NCCM (North Carolina Charlotte Mission) and
what it means for us and how it helps us in our missionary work and
how it will help carry us beyond our missions. In my mission we have
several one-liners used often because they teach us sermons and help
us become more Christ-like. An example and one of my favorites is
"When You Know Who You Are You Act Differently" - just let that one
marinate in your mind a while and find out what it means for you
personally. Elder Craven told us that if we follow the example of our
mission president and his wife, in being careful, building trust,
doing the right things, and obedient, then we can reach our
foreordained potential and we WILL be great.
So there is not even half of all the inspiring things given at zone
conference and the following day we go on exchanges with new sister
training leaders. I went to Kannapolis with Sister Velarde and Sister
Gunther stayed in University with Sister Buckley. I enjoyed this
exchange a lot, but not so much because it was fun - but because it
reinforced what I had just taken from zone conference and Sister
Velarde said so many things that helped me personally realize some
things that needed to change.
Here is what happened: towards the beginning of the exchange I let
Sister Velarde know that, despite the work in our area going very well
and being with an amazing companion, somehow in the last few weeks I
still had lost the drive for missionary work, I felt little
motivation. Let me tell you, that is a strange, unsettling moment to
be in, when things are actually going well and you have already come
so far on your mission but you still feel unmotivated.
I had determined I wanted to really get something out of this exchange
so I payed more attention to Sister Velarde and what she did in just
about every moment and we would talk in between as we drove to
appointments. She would ask me how we did things and as I told her
stories of what things went well, she told me it seemed like the
problem was I just wasn't remembering all the little miracles enough.
There is a reason why the Book of Mormon prophets are always reminding
the people to remember the great things God has done for their fathers
and for them. She also reminded me to serve others as often as
possible because there is no better cure for lack of motivation and it
helps us feel God's love in increase.
Finally, we talked about this month's focus in the mission: faith in
finding. Sister Velarde told me that not only do exercise our faith by
being specific in prayers but we also really must EXPECT those
specifics to happen, because if we are doing what we need to and
living right then we can call upon the powers of Heaven. I realized I
have been severely lacking faith! Sure I would pray for something,
maybe our investigator to read between our visits, but I doubt - I do
the opposite and expect to come back only to find they have not read.
I can't do that anymore!!!! I was so blind to my lack of faith, but
when I got back Sister Gunther and I were determined to have faith. So
it is now Friday the 4th of July and we have lots of finding time and
a new determination of faith. Guess what happened? We went to the
boardwalk - and we talked to tons of people, and we enjoyed finding!
We actually had a good time and nothing could stop us, and then we
carried it into the next day and taught Sheen and Pradha who now are
preparing to be baptized on the 19th! I saw and felt firsthand how
having faith and repenting (changing) literally brought the power of
Heaven and God's blessings. Doing so allowed us to teach Sheen and
Pradha with President and Sister Craven, to teach with the best unity
we have had, to be able to have Brother Kelly there friendshipping
Sheen and his wife reaching out to Pradha, and I could feel the
inspiration of the Holy Ghost more.

So to sum up, I really like what Dad said in his email about miracles
we need to recognize them each day but also show our love and
gratitude by doing more with those miracles. Just keep remembering God
in each and every hour, serve and love, and have faith, there's no
room for doubts. Doing these will help you be motivated and feel
purpose in life and that peace and joy found only in the restored
gospel of Jesus Christ.

Well this email turned into a testimony/gospel lesson more than an
update on the people I am working with, oh well it's fine. :) Really
we are just happy because our teaching pool is pretty solid, we have
faith (haha!), and Sheen and Pradha will be baptized in two weeks! It
was fun to teach with President Craven and observe and learn from him,
I wish he could be to a lot more of our lessons. It was a privilege to
have him at this one for sure though. If you could continue to pray
for them that would be fantastic, because they will be hit hard from
the Adversary as they take this huge step in the right direction. And
I just want so badly things to go smoothly but this will be my first
time actually setting things up with the ward and the investigators
and getting everything in line for a baptism. It is going to be great,
I just know it!

Love you all!
Sister Rust

P.S. I can't remember if I already mentioned this before but my best
friend Jeannie just got her mission call to the New York, New York
South Mission speaking the Korean language!

June 30

Hey y'all!

This week it has been hard to get a hold of people we are teaching.
They are all either getting sick or going on vacations! So we had to
do some knocking/tracting (possibly my least favorite thing). BUT I
have noticed that I am getting slightly more comfortable with it. In
meetings and studies we have role played it a lot with different
missionaries so I have had more practice and more ideas, and street
contacting not as scary for some reason as door knocking. People just
don't open to strangers like in generations past I think, And they are
so used to solicitors that when they open the first thing out of their
mouth is "can I help you?" in a very
what-is-your-business-and-why-are-you-on-my-porch kind of way. But we
figured out if you talk with people like they really are individual
people with their own personalities until they get comfortable then we
get a lot further with them as missionaries.
Anyway, I have got zone conference this week (I have a feeling it will
be intense counsel and I probably will be asked to give my 5 min talk
since I have flown under radar so far), and also exchanges with new
sister training leaders this week which should be fun. I hope I'll
learn a lot this week.

I love you all and hope you're well. Have a great 4th of July and be
safe! I feel strange not going to the parades and festivities for the
Fourth, but I am having Sister Gunther and I sing patriotic hymns for
our studies in the morning haha. Got to celebrate somehow. :) and it
is nice to remember how blessed we are with our freedoms and religious
rights that can easily be given up and lost if we are careless. I
think of the chapters in Helaman that I just recently read with
captain Moroni and others inspiring their people to defend their
families and country and religion and that is exactly the warning we
are getting from our prophet and apostles today.
We sure are blessed!

Love, Sister Rust

P.S. This car drives into our complex frequently at night and it
basically reminds me of the movie Cars. You know that part when Mack
falls asleep on the highway and these flashy neon light cars pull up?
Yep this car has lit up wheels :) That's another thing about
Charlotte, you see nice cars a lot and sometimes they are fun older
models and sometimes you see weird ghetto cars with homemade spray
paint jobs and ridiculously huge wheels.

 

 

Hazel

Me with a Hedgehog named Hazel :)