Hi family!
Boy, this week has been a crazy one. First off, I would just like to
say mom, that I miss your cooking at home.
Also, here is my new mailing address: 9721 Grove Crest Ln Charlotte, NC 28262
Ok so I think I jinxed myself by thinking we wouldn't really get any
snow in North Carolina. Literally the day after I said so, it snowed
for a day while I was still in Hickory. And now this week it snowed
for two days! We are talking a good 6 inches at least in Charlotte
here where it definitely doesn't snow or so they say. The crazy thing
is the temperature the day previous and after, got up in the high 50's
felt like spring. Basically, people here really aren't prepared for it
and the whole city just shuts down and everyone stays home. We were
stuck inside for 2 days and ventured out on foot for a couple hours,
just long enough to swing by some less active members who live down
the street from us. Most everyone live too far for foot so we tried to
skype some of our appointments which was nice to be able to do from
our apartment. It was super fun to watch all these college kids in our
complex try to make snowmen and grab anything they could try to sled
on. A lot of them are from across the ocean like India and the Middle
East area so this was magical for them and even the natives to NC
haven't received snow like this in at least 10 years. We saw a couple
of guys driving a remote control hummer around in donuts and they said
better than wrecking an actual car- smart choice. Apparently snow days
are party days here for the college kids- everyone walks out of Food
Lion with a case of beer instead of actual necessities. :P Whatever,
hot chocolate will taste better.
The snow was fun but we were finally excited to get back out and
working but I got sick over the weekend. I was doing so great this
winter and then out of nowhere I got a sore throat, stomach bug, and
possibly a cold all within this week! No bueno, but I am working on
getting better and I will get a blessing from the elders today. At
least it isn't the crazy flu that has been going around NC.
Well, our current progressing investigator has a goal to quit smoking this week and
working on a divorce so that he can marry his girlfriend who is a
member and be baptized. We are just praying that the divorce can go
through within the month or less so we won't have to push his baptism
date back more.
We also got a referral, and she likes the Book of Mormon. She
has a lot of challenges but he most current is a strange anxiety over
churches in general. Not sure what exactly that is all about yet but
if you could pray that we will be able to help her come to church.
So my mission is doing a study of the Christ-like attributes in chp 6
of Preach My Gospel up until Easter. Staring this week with Faith in
Christ we will study each attribute and try to live it as well. I
would like to invite all of you to join as well and we can share what
we have learned and our experiences with each other.
Well, that is my crazy life for you so far. Wish I had more to report
on as far as teaching pool goes but it is kind of small right now and
I am just trying to learn names and faces of investigators and members
just as fast as I can!
I love you!
Sister Amelia Rust
Monday, February 17, 2014
February 10
Hi Mom, Dad, and family,
So first off I was transferred this week. Yep, I left my beloved
Hickory and Sister Whitmer and now I am in University City part of
Charlotte with Sister Nielsen. Sister Nielsen is like me where we can
be really quiet until we warm up to someone but we aren't chatterboxes
much haha. I like her though. It's strange coming into an area where
there is already a teaching pool and my companion knows the Area
because she was here previously. In Hickory we were basically like
whitewashing the area for sisters at least and I kind of like that
maybe?
I live right next to UNC Charlotte but the other two sisters are in
the singles ward and proselyte on campus and we are In a family ward.
Oh that is the other new thing- there are four sisters in our
apartment but thank goodness two bathrooms. Sharing food and not
sharing food will be interesting though. I have never had a college
experience with several roommates before so this will be.... Exciting?
Oh but our family ward is neat and there is a deaf brother!!!!! So
pretty much I was distracted by the interpreter all of sacrament. :)
Here's my spiritual food for thought that has been on my mind this week:
"God uses your faith to mold your character. Character is woven
patiently from threads of doctrine, principle, and obedience.
Character is the manifestation of what you are becoming. Your
character will be the yardstick that God will use to determine how
well you have used your mortal life." Elder Richard G. Scott (Living a
Life of Peace, Joy, and Purpose)
Basically that is what my mission is doing for me - God is using my
faith to help me become like Him and grow my character. And that is
why the things we learn on a mission are really lifelong things
because throughout our life we never stop changing and we are
constantly becoming something.
Also I had a neat experience this week with Sister Nielsen. It was
like a missionary's dream come true. :) We were street contacting at
the boardwalk (reminds me of San Fransisco a little) and most people
were just passing us by to quickly to say anything but hello but then
this one couple saw our tags and turned around to stop us. I guess
hyphen guy worked with a Mormon
And had some questions about what she was saying and if that was
really how we believed. He asked what set us apart from other
Christians and we told him about modern revelation and prophet today
and how that is the way The Book of Mormon came about. We left him
with a Book of Mormon and our number. I was feeling so great though, I
could not stop smiling the rest of the day! I think every missionary
dreams of being stopped by someone instead of stopping them.
Well thank you for your prayers and support!
Love, Sister Rust
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
January 21
Hi!
So, this past week started off with an exchange with our wonderful
sister training leaders. I went with Sister Chandler down to
Huntersville, and that was just an incredible experience. We figured
out that Sister Chandler and I had actually both been in the same
ballroom class together at UVU about a year ago or so and we bonded
over that. She is just super sweet and helped me to feel really good
about who I can be as a missionary and I was pretty sure I could
conquer the world. We even had dinner with a part-member family and we
were able to get the two teens to warm up and Sister Chandler said
they have never warmed up that much before. I guess the girl who is in
junior high reminded me so much of Melanie actually and she even loved
to read a lot, so I just started by asking her about books she had
read. By the end of our time with them she had even agreed to play a
song on the guitar and sing for/with us. :)
I also got to teach a recent convert lesson for the first time ever,
haha. Since Sister Whitmer and I have not had any baptisms yet and in
the MTC you only ever really practice the investigator lessons. Lots
of fun and that exchange helped me with my confidence in approaching
people and even teaching them, great self-esteem boost.
Today was a fun P-day because we got to hang out with Sister Buzzard
who is one of my favorite members and she helped Sister Whitmer and I
sew our own skirts! We had a good time laughing and also eating some
good North Carolina BBQ.
Well, I don't have much else to write about think. We have transfers
coming up in a week and a half but no idea if anyone is going yet.
However, Hickory is getting a third set of missionaries, another set
of elders.
Well. Love you all and the church is true!
Sister Rust
So, this past week started off with an exchange with our wonderful
sister training leaders. I went with Sister Chandler down to
Huntersville, and that was just an incredible experience. We figured
out that Sister Chandler and I had actually both been in the same
ballroom class together at UVU about a year ago or so and we bonded
over that. She is just super sweet and helped me to feel really good
about who I can be as a missionary and I was pretty sure I could
conquer the world. We even had dinner with a part-member family and we
were able to get the two teens to warm up and Sister Chandler said
they have never warmed up that much before. I guess the girl who is in
junior high reminded me so much of Melanie actually and she even loved
to read a lot, so I just started by asking her about books she had
read. By the end of our time with them she had even agreed to play a
song on the guitar and sing for/with us. :)
I also got to teach a recent convert lesson for the first time ever,
haha. Since Sister Whitmer and I have not had any baptisms yet and in
the MTC you only ever really practice the investigator lessons. Lots
of fun and that exchange helped me with my confidence in approaching
people and even teaching them, great self-esteem boost.
Today was a fun P-day because we got to hang out with Sister Buzzard
who is one of my favorite members and she helped Sister Whitmer and I
sew our own skirts! We had a good time laughing and also eating some
good North Carolina BBQ.
Well, I don't have much else to write about think. We have transfers
coming up in a week and a half but no idea if anyone is going yet.
However, Hickory is getting a third set of missionaries, another set
of elders.
Well. Love you all and the church is true!
Sister Rust
Monday, January 20, 2014
January 13
Dear Family,
Sorry this will be a short email, but we had a neat opportunity
yesterday at church with Elder Parker who has spoken to our mission
before as well. But first:
I realized after talking with Sister Whitmer yesterday that my last
few transfers I have just been dwelling too much on my faults and
imperfections. I am so much quicker to forgive others before myself
sometimes. I was reminded that when I turned in my mission papers I
had a vision of the perfect Sister Rust missionary and what that would
look and be like but I lost that coming out here. Starting last night
I resolved that one of my New year goals is to leave the Sister Rust
that hasn't been successful or effective behind, and just be the
missionary I envisioned. God has blessed me with gifts to bless others
and I need to just not hide or hold back my potential. I am excited to
be the missionary I wanted to be! My personal testimony has just been
strengthened so much in the last 4 months. I just love it!
Yesterday, the Hickory ward had the opportunity of having Elder Parker
attend our ward conference and in Sacrament he bore a very simple but
powerful, powerful testimony. Oh and he was baptist for 20 years so
those mannerisms came out a little in his talk but I liked it, very
exciting and makes you want to give a strong amen at the end. Then we
had a ward dinner after the block and without any prompting from us
Elder Parker came and sat right next to our investigator who came. I
think Elder Parker came in answer to a prayer for this investigator
because he could relate having been baptist for years before joining
the church and at the end of their conversation Elder Parker simply
asked, "Has the Holy Ghost told you that Joseph Smith was NOT a
prophet called of God?". Our investigator (Mr. Herman) did not believe
there is one true church or that he needs to be baptized again or that
Joseph Smith was a prophet, but he could not give Elder Parker an
answer. Then he left Mr. Herman with his personal phone number and a
hand written note. I had never considered asking that question before
but I think that is how I have come to my own testimony of Joseph
Smith.
I am so grateful for the Priesthood and that Heavenly Father still
communicates with His children to this day.
Love,
Sister Rust
Sorry this will be a short email, but we had a neat opportunity
yesterday at church with Elder Parker who has spoken to our mission
before as well. But first:
I realized after talking with Sister Whitmer yesterday that my last
few transfers I have just been dwelling too much on my faults and
imperfections. I am so much quicker to forgive others before myself
sometimes. I was reminded that when I turned in my mission papers I
had a vision of the perfect Sister Rust missionary and what that would
look and be like but I lost that coming out here. Starting last night
I resolved that one of my New year goals is to leave the Sister Rust
that hasn't been successful or effective behind, and just be the
missionary I envisioned. God has blessed me with gifts to bless others
and I need to just not hide or hold back my potential. I am excited to
be the missionary I wanted to be! My personal testimony has just been
strengthened so much in the last 4 months. I just love it!
Yesterday, the Hickory ward had the opportunity of having Elder Parker
attend our ward conference and in Sacrament he bore a very simple but
powerful, powerful testimony. Oh and he was baptist for 20 years so
those mannerisms came out a little in his talk but I liked it, very
exciting and makes you want to give a strong amen at the end. Then we
had a ward dinner after the block and without any prompting from us
Elder Parker came and sat right next to our investigator who came. I
think Elder Parker came in answer to a prayer for this investigator
because he could relate having been baptist for years before joining
the church and at the end of their conversation Elder Parker simply
asked, "Has the Holy Ghost told you that Joseph Smith was NOT a
prophet called of God?". Our investigator (Mr. Herman) did not believe
there is one true church or that he needs to be baptized again or that
Joseph Smith was a prophet, but he could not give Elder Parker an
answer. Then he left Mr. Herman with his personal phone number and a
hand written note. I had never considered asking that question before
but I think that is how I have come to my own testimony of Joseph
Smith.
I am so grateful for the Priesthood and that Heavenly Father still
communicates with His children to this day.
Love,
Sister Rust
Some Pics
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there is me with one of our investigators and one of his less
active friends.
Hiya!
Hello, Hello,
First, I apologize you didn't receive an email last week, we ended up
running out of P-day time and our apartment needed cleaned.
I super enjoyed Christmas, I got to call home and see my family again,
yay! I even got to talk with Ernest in Alabama the last 5 min. Pretty
neat that two missionaries can talk to their family together. And then
we had two member dinners and the first family made us the equivalent
of a seven course meal so we felt so bad but I could hardly down a
slice of turkey at the second home! I got my first taste of homemade
southern Mac and cheese during which the family informed me that there
are 4 basic varieties of southern Mac and cheese.
A couple of nights ago we went out to do some tracting and I just got
really flustered and bothered about it (door knocking is probably my
least favorite). I felt bad because it ended up annoying and
frustrating Sister Whitmer. But then the next morning during personal
study I came across D&C 60:2-3 in which I was chastened by The Lord
some for the night before. Then in verses 7-8 I was reminded to just
open my mouth without fear and He will strengthen me, and so I thought
of ways and scenarios in which I could better openly mouth. I
challenged myself to do more next time which will be soon I am sure
because we need more investigators.
Oh and guess what? The highlight of my week was teaching a Facebook
lesson. Yep, we found a less-active on FB and I was able to bear
testimony of the meaning and importance of Sacrament in my life. We
then invited him to return to church that weekend, and sure enough he
went to all three hours. Hopefully, he will continue doing whatever it
takes to put his life back in harmony with God.
We had a special exchange with the Newton sisters since Sister Whitmer
got a referral for someone in Conover. I stayed in Hickory with a
sister who came out the same time I did so I got to drive! First time
since leaving home. It felt so good, I miss driving haha!
Sister Whitmer and I had a venting moment in the car after we got so
sick of everyone saying they're "saved". People don't get it even
after we explain grace and why it's necessary to be baptized by
Priesthood. Also, we seem to keep finding people who will gladly join
the church if it means they can be welfare cases and mooch off the
church all the time. And we seem to have run into a person or two
involved in devil worship. Freaky stuff, and by the end of the week I
wanted to take the Sacrament so badly just to feel of the purity and
Light of the gospel.
Also it was testimony meeting and I needed to hear the testimonies
from some of our stalwart members.
I can't express adequately enough how grateful I am for the light and
of Christ's true church that I am a part of. Also, mom and dad I am
deeply thankful for how you raised me up and loved me always and
taught me to live in righteous ways. I see what so many people are
missing out here and they really live sad terrible lives. I love you
so much!
Love,
Sister Amelia Rust
First, I apologize you didn't receive an email last week, we ended up
running out of P-day time and our apartment needed cleaned.
I super enjoyed Christmas, I got to call home and see my family again,
yay! I even got to talk with Ernest in Alabama the last 5 min. Pretty
neat that two missionaries can talk to their family together. And then
we had two member dinners and the first family made us the equivalent
of a seven course meal so we felt so bad but I could hardly down a
slice of turkey at the second home! I got my first taste of homemade
southern Mac and cheese during which the family informed me that there
are 4 basic varieties of southern Mac and cheese.
A couple of nights ago we went out to do some tracting and I just got
really flustered and bothered about it (door knocking is probably my
least favorite). I felt bad because it ended up annoying and
frustrating Sister Whitmer. But then the next morning during personal
study I came across D&C 60:2-3 in which I was chastened by The Lord
some for the night before. Then in verses 7-8 I was reminded to just
open my mouth without fear and He will strengthen me, and so I thought
of ways and scenarios in which I could better openly mouth. I
challenged myself to do more next time which will be soon I am sure
because we need more investigators.
Oh and guess what? The highlight of my week was teaching a Facebook
lesson. Yep, we found a less-active on FB and I was able to bear
testimony of the meaning and importance of Sacrament in my life. We
then invited him to return to church that weekend, and sure enough he
went to all three hours. Hopefully, he will continue doing whatever it
takes to put his life back in harmony with God.
We had a special exchange with the Newton sisters since Sister Whitmer
got a referral for someone in Conover. I stayed in Hickory with a
sister who came out the same time I did so I got to drive! First time
since leaving home. It felt so good, I miss driving haha!
Sister Whitmer and I had a venting moment in the car after we got so
sick of everyone saying they're "saved". People don't get it even
after we explain grace and why it's necessary to be baptized by
Priesthood. Also, we seem to keep finding people who will gladly join
the church if it means they can be welfare cases and mooch off the
church all the time. And we seem to have run into a person or two
involved in devil worship. Freaky stuff, and by the end of the week I
wanted to take the Sacrament so badly just to feel of the purity and
Light of the gospel.
Also it was testimony meeting and I needed to hear the testimonies
from some of our stalwart members.
I can't express adequately enough how grateful I am for the light and
of Christ's true church that I am a part of. Also, mom and dad I am
deeply thankful for how you raised me up and loved me always and
taught me to live in righteous ways. I see what so many people are
missing out here and they really live sad terrible lives. I love you
so much!
Love,
Sister Amelia Rust
Merry Christmas!
Hola familia!
Well, I was called English speaking but I might come home somewhat
fluent in Spanish, haha. Not really but there is a Spanish branch that
meets right after our Hickory ward and yesterday they asked Sister
Whitmer and I to come in to conduct the music for their Sacrament.
Then we and the elders in our area were also asked to sing several
Christmas hymns to fill in some time. I had no idea what the bishop
was saying but he just was smiling and so happy we were there to help
and the Spirit does miraculous things even with a language barrier.
I hope you all have a very lovely Christmas this week. Sister Whitmer
and I received a wonderful gift for Christmas yesterday. Our
investigator who we have been teaching for a couple months now and his
friend who is less active both came to Sacrament Meeting and Sunday
school! We've invited him to be baptized a lot and he is stubborn
about all our invitations so it truly was a miracle for them to both
make it.
Last week I finished my training so as of today I am a full-fledged missionary.
I love you and thank you for your prayers, they help so much.
Love,
Sister Rust
Well, I was called English speaking but I might come home somewhat
fluent in Spanish, haha. Not really but there is a Spanish branch that
meets right after our Hickory ward and yesterday they asked Sister
Whitmer and I to come in to conduct the music for their Sacrament.
Then we and the elders in our area were also asked to sing several
Christmas hymns to fill in some time. I had no idea what the bishop
was saying but he just was smiling and so happy we were there to help
and the Spirit does miraculous things even with a language barrier.
I hope you all have a very lovely Christmas this week. Sister Whitmer
and I received a wonderful gift for Christmas yesterday. Our
investigator who we have been teaching for a couple months now and his
friend who is less active both came to Sacrament Meeting and Sunday
school! We've invited him to be baptized a lot and he is stubborn
about all our invitations so it truly was a miracle for them to both
make it.
Last week I finished my training so as of today I am a full-fledged missionary.
I love you and thank you for your prayers, they help so much.
Love,
Sister Rust
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