Hermana Greenhalgh

Hermana Greenhalgh

Monday, January 26, 2015

Letter - 01/26/15

Adelante Caminante!!
 
How is everyone doing? So, a little bit of news... I'm not sure if I'm staying in Phoenix or if I'm getting transferred. Most of the Mission is getting changed because our numbers are too big, so I won't know until tomorrow night. But, I know wherever I go is where I'm supposed to be! So, as for this week it's been pretty slow but fairly normal.
 
Some exciting things that have happened are...I bought a homeless guy lunch. He was so lonely looking and sad so I bought him lunch.. after I realized he had a box of brand new Bud Light, but hey, it's OK because I helped him anyways. Next, I planned a wedding for some investigators, actually let's call them friends. They are getting married this Thursday, and I have to do decorations. Another thing that happened this week was we had exchanges.  I went with Sister Schroeder in the English area and had four good lessons! Something else that happened is I found $5 dollars on the side of the road! I'm giving it to St. Mary's Food Bank because our Zone is saving all the change we find to donate to help the people who don't have food. Aside from that, Sister Thompson and I worked our tails off this week to have lessons, and we did really good. We have been teaching the Palacios Family, and the Villalabazo family. Other than that my week has been really normal, and kind of slow.  But, something cool...I have had four people compliment on how much my Spanish has improved!
 
Well, today I have plans to go get pedicures with Sister Thompson, and possibly get lunch!! It's going to be fun for our last P-day together.  Sorry I'm super boring this week with my email because I have NOTHING to write about.. haha but Missionary work/life is awesome. I hope everyone has a good week!!
 
Con mucho amor,
 
Hermana Greenhalgh
 
Where was Noah when the light went out? In d'ark
 
#teamVERDE
I really like salads.. like a lot. 
I found $5
You can't handle us, we're animals!
Chick Fil A from the Zayas family!! 
My Companion...Hermana Thompson
I'm really Asian!
Being silly with Chris and Alex Palacios



 
 

 

 

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Another Week Bites the Dust...Letter 01/19/15

Buenos Dias Todos!

How was everyone's week? Thank you for the emails and letters! I hope everyone has had a good week! January is almost over, Crazy!!  Transfers are next week, and transfer calls are this coming Sunday. I
will most likely be staying here in Phoenix. I had interviews this week with President Toone, and he wants to keep me as STL, so hopefully that means the other sisters I live with are getting transferred because they have been here forever. I will be getting a new companion as well.

Well this week has been quite eventful...

Monday:  For District Activity, we made sugar cookies and played games.  It was pretty fun. Later that night we had and amazing Family Home Evening with the Palacio Family and Rodriguez Family! We watched the
Joseph Smith Movie, and had homemade Mexican hot chocolate.

Tuesday:  We had interviews with President Toone, and I trained the Zone on Christ-like attributes. I had them do two different activities.  It was neat!  Sister Toone texted me after and told me she loved it!
WINNING! After the trainings we had a birthday party for President Toone, and had cake! We had a Phoenix bird piñata made and sang to him in Spanish and Samoan because he served his mission in Samoa! Later Sister Thompson and I went to lunch and had some lessons.

Wednesday:  I had my interview with President Toone because he ran out of time on Tuesday, later we had District Meeting, and it was alright. After we had a few more lessons, and then I got really sick and we had
to come home. I got the flu and have dealt with that all week.

Thursday:  Today was a pretty normal day.  We did our proselyting and then Hermana Zayas bought us Chick Fil A for dinner, later we had a few more lessons, and taught lots of less- actives.

Friday: We had weekly planning, and after had some lessons.. Yes we teach a lot haha! We had lots of bombs dropped on us tonight and a lot of friends we are teaching, and members shared some insightful things
with us...

Saturday: We did service in the morning and cleaned the church. After we went home, got ready, and did some Spanish study. Next we went to the church, did Facebook proselyting, and then left to go to the
Visitors Center. At the Mesa Temple Visitors Center we watched "Meet the Mormons" in Spanish, then did the family walk through with the Palacio family! It was awesome, we took pictures and had a great time.
On the way home I had a really bad headache and my companion kept asking if I was OK. We got back and I felt like I was going to die. I was as pale as a ghost, and was sweating badly. We got to a member's
house for dinner and the elders looked at me and were like "oh my goodness are you ok?" The member came over and started grabbing my face and trying to massage my head... Mind you he was a man.. I felt
so awkward. He wouldn't stop. He finally hit a nerve on my neck and I about threw up. I ran out, and stayed in the bathroom to try to get away from the member. After, I told them I had to go. Sister Thompson
and I left and I went home and crashed for the next 12 hours. I was so sick! Sister Toone had me stay in and sleep it off.

Well that's about it for this week! Don't let people give you head massages... It turns out bad.

Whelp, see ya!!

Hermana Greenhalgh

Plan of Salvation lesson with Torres kids
Service at the church
 

Sunday, January 18, 2015

Baptisms, Birthday Parties, and Lots of Teaching - Letter 01/12/15

Hola familia!

Les extraños mucho! This week has been pretty good, a lot better than last week. It has been pretty eventful, and lots of learning experiences! Here's a little run down of everything that has happened...

 Monday:  Today we had zone activity and I had a heart to heart with the other sisters about everything that has been going on.  Sister Thompson and I taught two Gospel of Jesus Christ lessons.  Successful Monday night!

Tuesday:  Today we had District Meeting, and had two really good lessons with Irene, and the Villalbazo Family. Later we had the baptismal interview for Esteban and Nicole, they are so prepared for
baptism!

Wednesday:  Today we went to the St. Mary's food bank and did service.  We did a assembly line and made over 1800 bags of food for families. Later, I went on my first exchange as Sister Training Leader. It was good.  Sister Kleinlein and I talked about life, and everything. It was good to get to know her. While Sister Thompson was in our area she visited our investigator Francisco, he's 12 and very intelligent.  I mean like Big Bang Theory intelligent. He told them he was atheist, which was a bummer... Later that night his step mom, who is member, texted us and said she was sorry, Francisco is going through a really hard time right now.

Thursday:  We received another text from Francisco's mom, Francisco woke up in the middle of the night and wanted to read the Book of Mormon.  He told his mom he had this feeling he needed to read it!!! Miracle :)  Later, we went to the Old Folks Home and did service there. We talked with this old guy name Lawerence.  He was hilarious! While we were there, the place made snacks for everyone, new snack Wheat Thins with cream cheese, ham, and pineapple...they taste like mini pizzas! Later that day, we had a few lessons and then went to find a referral from Church Headquarters.  When we found her she chewed us out and slammed the door in our face, I wanted to say "Lady you really need Jesus"!

Friday:  Today we had our weekly planning session, then had a lesson with Alejandra. Later, we went to dinner and some more lessons.  After, we finally found the Rangel family again. They have so many problems
going on right now, it's sad.  It makes me realize how truly blessed I am.

Saturday:  Today we had a lesson with Suzy, and then a lesson at the church with the Verdugo family with Hermano Tavizon to finish up baptismal stuff for Esteban and Nicole. Later, a few of our solid lessons fell through with the Palacio family, but we visited some less actives instead. Later we went to a Birthday party for Larry Hernandez, he is 6.  Boy, the Spanish culture sure like party! Brinca brinkas, piñatas, tres con Leche, food, and a Jukebox! It was fun!  It was themed after a famous tv show "Chavo." Later, we had dinner with Cecilia and helped her make cupcakes because she couldn't read English. After, we had an amazing lesson with Leslie.  She wants to go on a mission, so we told her all about missions.

Sunday:  Today we had Ward Conference and all the missionaries in our Ward, the six of us, sang "Come thou Fount" in Spanish. It went pretty well aside from the fact I am sick and I now currently have no voice.
Later, I went to a stake meeting, and then to dinner. After we had the baptism for Esteban and Nicole, and Isaiah, and Naomi. It was neat, I made cookies and everyone loved them!  The scouts are going to have me
and Sister Thompson teach them how to make them.

All in all it was a good week! I hope everyone is doing good! Love you all!

Con Amor,
Hermana Greenhalgh

Esteban and Nicole Baptism
Larry's Birthday Party
Bad case of Bieber Fever!


Monday, January 5, 2015

Over The Hill! - Letter 01/05/15

Buenos Dias Familia y Amigos,

This week has been COLD!! Yeah, it does get cold in Arizona. Sister Thompson and I have been on bikes most of the week because we don't have miles to drive right now. It's been down to 30 degrees and up to 50 degrees all week long. It's been quite a ride. It's going to be really hard coming home in October to really cold weather.
  
As for miracles this week we have been finding lots of new people to teach and lots of prepared people. A few weeks ago I talked about the Palacio Family.  Well, we had an amazing lesson with them on Saturday and now they are on date for BAPTISM!! A whole family!! They are on date for the 21 of February! They are literally the most prepared people I have met on my mission this far. I know that I'm out here for them. They love the Gospel already, and have earnest desires to attend the temple!
 
For weekly events nothing big happened.  On New Years Day we worked for the last time at the lights, and then went to bed. Nothing spectacular. It has been a pretty normal week, quite stressful too, but it's all good. Half way to the finish. I can't believe how fast time has flown. I look back on journal entries, and pictures, and can't grasp how fast it has went.
 
Funny story - so we were teaching the Verdugo Family, they are the ones who has Esteban who is getting baptized this SATURDAY, ...anyways last night we went over there after dinner to teach them. Well, we had been fasting all day and for dinner a member made us Chicken in Green Salsa, and Orange Juice.. Talk about acid reflux. Well my stomach was on fire and I told the kids I had hell in stomach instead of fire.. Yes Spanish is still hard. Oh man, they looked at me with the craziest expressions on their faces. 
 
That's about it for my week.  I hope everyone is doing good. Write me!! 
 
5421 W. Indian School Phoenix, AZ 85031 :)

Con Amor,
Hermana Greenhalgh
 
Mexican Tradition:  Eye of the Tiger
Mexican Tradition:  Tamales and Mexican Hot Chocolate

 

Friday, January 2, 2015

9 Months Older and Wiser Too... Hump Day Is On It's Way! Letter 12/29/14

Mi Familia, y Mi Amigos!!
 
Feliz Navidad! Sorry I wasn't able to write last week! We had lots of craziness going on with Mission Conference! But my Christmas was awesome. It was the most Christ-centered Christmas I have ever had. I will give a little run down of each of the days :)
 
Monday: We had a big Mission Conference and got to have breakfast together as a mission.  Then half the mission went to a museum, while the others got to spend some time getting know President and Sister Toone. After lunch we switched. Getting to know President and Sister Toone was awesome! They truly are amazing! After everyone finished we had dinner as a mission, then a talent show! Sister Thompson and I sang "A Poor Wayfaring Man of Grief" because Joseph Smith's birthday is the 23rd of December, so it was really neat. Santa came after the show was over, and told jokes! After all that we had a make shift breakfast for the next day.
 
Tuesday:  Bright and early we headed to the temple for a mission picture!! The mission picture is on the Tempe Mission Page if you want to see it. After the picture we all split off and did temple sessions. After the temple we all got to go to Deseret Book and look around. Let me tell you that was a big deal because it was! All the missionaries haven't been there in FOREVER. After shopping I went with four Elders -by myself...- to In&Out Burger for lunch, and then after we drove to Tempe for MLC or Mission Leadership Committee. When we got to Tempe we then took a 3 hour drive to YUMA!! I got to ride with Sister Toone, and some other Sisters. We pretty much interrogated Sister Toone with questions, but she didn't mind! It was really cool getting to know her more. When we finally arrived in Hyder, Arizona, mind you that it is in the middle of NO WHERE, literally, NO WHERE, we had a training from the Assistants, then dinner provided by Olive Garden, and then we went star gazing as a part of our training. Pretty much one of the most spiritual experiences I have had on my mission :) It twas' amazing! After, we took a long drive back to Tempe, and then I had another 45 minute drive with the Zone Leaders back to Phoenix. We didn't make it home until 12:30. Talk about being tired. I have no idea how I even made it past 10:30 in high school.
 
Wednesday: Christmas Eve! We did our regular proselyting, and then after had dinner with a member! Later we went caroling with the elders in our District, and then played Chair Soccer until 9. When we got home I had my own little make shift Christmas Eve dinner. If you know my family, Christmas Eve is a big deal! So I had my own little cheese and crackers, and sparkling cider. :) The Sisters and I were talking and we had a knock at our door. There was a young man named Juan Menor. He noticed all the missionaries in the apartment complex had Jesus Christ on their nametags and was interested in learning more. CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!! We introduced him to the Elders because it's their area, and they are now teaching him!!
 
Thursday: CHRISTMAS!! We woke up late... WHOOPS. Our alarms didn't go off. Next we opened our presents, and quickly got ready, but it's all good we made it in time for studies. We did our regular studies, and then watched "Finding Faith in Christ" and then headed to go SKYPE!! Yay. I loved Skyping my family. I miss them a ton, but I know I'm supposed to be here! After Skype we went to Hermana Zaya's house and she made us lunch! She truly is the best member ever. She got us gifts too! After we headed home and tried out our new Christmas gifts. So I got sweatpants and a sweatshirt for Christmas when I put them on I look like a ninja! Yes, I do have ninja pictures.. after the mission.. just kidding.  But, in all honesty, I could be a ninja. After the fun, we went to dinner at the Tavizon families house and then went to the church for more zone activities. All in all good day!
 
The rest of the week was good, we went back to normal proselyting!  My Christmas was amazing, and I know that Christ really is the reason for the season. I hope all of you have been able to feel the Christmas Spirit, and are ready for this new year! 
 
P.S. My mission is half over.. what the what. HUMP DAYY!!!
 
Con Amor,
Hermana Greenhalgh
 
Christmas Eve
Christmas Moments!
Ninja!
Three Stockings!
Sister Kleinlein and I
Sister Schroeder and I - she was also in Casa Grande
Whose Got a Beard that Soft and White??