So President Called Me Last Night.... - Letter 12/15/14

Feliz Navidad!! Buenos Dias!,

 

How was everyone's week? Mine was pretty fantastic! We have been working a lot with Esteban getting him ready for him baptism next Saturday! Sister Thompson and I have also been working at the lights, and teaching lots of people! 

 

So transfer calls happened last night and... I've been called to be the Phoenix Sister Training Leader, so that means I will be going to all the big meetings and doing lots of trainings to help the sisters. They usually don't call a missionary as young as me as a Sister Training Leader, so I'm quite shocked!! President and Sister Toone said that they felt prompted to call me as a Leader!! What the what!! I'm stoked and I'm ready to learn A LOT!

 

Sister Thompson and I have been working a ton trying to get everything ready for Christmas. Missionary life during Christmas is thebomb.com.  Everything is so focused on the Savior I love it! 

 

So I have a story for all of  you today.  Thursday night we were working at the lights, and we were walking the outer edge of the temple grounds and this guy came and shoved anti-literature in my face. He was screaming in my ear and was yelling all sorts of profane things about our church. I just brushed it off and called security, there was a mob of about 40 antis who were yelling nasty things.  I wanted to say, "come on people it's just Christmas lights!".. It was ridiculous.

 

Friday night we went to the lights as a ward, it was packed. We watched some videos with our ward at the Visitors Center and I got compliments that my Spanish is starting to sound like a native... haha CHA-RIGHT!  No, but my Spanish is so much better since I've come to Phoenix.

 

Well, I don't have a ton to say this week it's been really good and I hope everyone is doing well!

 

Con Amor,

 

Hermana Greenhalgh 

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christm... oh wait I'm in Arizona - Letter 12/08/14

Buenos Dias Todos!

Como estado? Estoy bien! This week has been great. I have been working at the Christmas lights and we had Zone Conference. It's been a pretty normal week, nothing out of the ordinary. Wednesday night we worked at the lights for the first time, and it rained cats and dogs. We got soaked but it was still really fun! We bought a Christmas tree, and some lights and decorated our little apartment. It's been fun seeing everyone's decorations. People go all out here for decorating their houses. I thought my neighborhood did pretty good, but no it's nuts here!... and to add to it fake snow.

Something spiritual that happened this week is we FINALLY put someone on date! His name is Estaban he is 9 years old. He's getting baptized the 27 of December and he's super excited. We have to start meeting with him more frequently to get prepared for the baptism, but we are super excited. Another thing was Zone Conference it was super spiritual and helped me a ton! 

So I have a really fun story this week. Sister Thompson and I went to a less active's house and we were locking up our bikes and Sister Thompson accidentally stepped in dog poop. We didn't notice until we had gotten into the house. I kept smelling something funky, and smelled my coat, but could not figure it out. Finally our LA goes, "Is everything OK?" because I kept smelling myself.. awkward. I look down and Sister Thompson is covered in poop. Literally. All of the ladies tile floor, her bag, and her shoes. Sister Thompson left the room and I ended up teaching the whole lesson while she was in the bathroom cleaning her shoes. It was so funny. She ended up having to throw her shoes away.. Long story short, WATCH YOUR STEP.

Well that's all I got for this week. I'm sending out Christmas cards this week!! If you want one email me!

Love you all,

Hermana Greenhalgh

 

 

8 Months Already??? Letter 12/01/14

Hello Family and Friends!  This week has been great.  Thanksgiving was awesome and I'm looking forward to Christmas. We had a regular dinner with the English sisters at their ward. We also ate with a member. As a zone we watched Frozen and played ping pong and got to have Thanksgiving off.

I will also send pictures of the lights I start working this week, anyways things are good.  I crashed on my bike a few days ago and hurt my wrist and got scratches all over, but ehh it's life. My new motto haha  "Life's hard, then you die, and then they throw dirt in your face."

I've been out 8 months this week and my mission is almost half way done. Sorry,  I don't have tons to write this week but I hope everyone is doing well.

Love you all!
Hermana Greenhalgh

 Polynesian Thanksgiving

 Denny's for dinner

 Watched Frozen on Thanksgiving

 Sister Kleinlein (one of the Sister Training Leaders)

Attitude of Gratitude >> HAPPY THANKSGIVING! - Letter 11/24/14

Feliz dia de las Gracias!!

Como estas todo? :) I miss you all! This week has been really good! I have seen lots of miracles! So, on Tuesday, President Toone's secretary called us and President Toone asked us to work at the Mesa Temple light show this year! Not very many people get that opportunity in their missions so I feel very lucky!! We also received a family referral which means we have 4 or more potential baptisms and investigators! 

 

Phoenix never ceases to surprise me!  I see more and more things every day that remind me of Nacho Libre! Which, by the way, Libre is free, and his song he sings in the movie means he is now free of being a monk. Fun fact for you all! On Friday Sister Thompson and I had the opportunity to go to Mesa for a light show meeting. There were sisters from 3 different missions. After seeing the way they presented themselves and acted I'm SO GRATEFUL to be in Tempe Mission. Sister Toone and President Toone keep this mission running so smoothly and the missionaries are obedient which is key!

 

Friday Night we attended Edgar Torres' funeral which was really sad. It's crazy how other funerals are when they aren't in LDS environments. People are a lot more sad, and they don't realize that they will see their families again. After the funeral we had an amazing lesson with a Converso Reciente, or Recent Convert named Hermana Araceli. We shared a new Christmas video that the church is launching Black Friday in Times Square, on YouTube, and other sites! It was super spiritual and powerful. I encourage all of you to watch it as soon as it comes out! It's called "He is the Gift."

 

So a funny story for you this week...On Saturday we had dinner with a family outside of our area and when we got to their house we parked our car and walked inside. 20 minutes later the neighbor came over and started screaming cuss words in Spanish at us because he didn't like where our car was parked. The family just shook their heads and told us not to worry about it. I guess the guy thinks he owns the sidewalk in front of his house. Well he threatened to hit our car with his truck the next time our car was parked there. It was pretty ridiculous!!

 

I just wanted to end this email and say THANK YOU to everyone who has supported me while I've been on my mission! It truly is a blessing to be able to bring others unto Christ, and help them feel of the Savior's love. I'm so grateful for the place I get to serve in, and the people I get to rub shoulders with. I have truly learned the meaning of consecration, and how to give all that I have to help others. I'm so grateful to all of those who have helped shape and mold my life, especially my mom and dad and sisters. I'm so grateful for my Grandma Pat who taught me how to love everyone, and be grateful in any circumstance. Finally I'm grateful for the Savior and the Atonement that gives us the opportunity to change every day and become better.

 

I love you all and I hope you have a wonderful THANKSGIVING! Remember how blessed you are, and never forget Heavenly Father loves you!

Con mucho amor,

 

Hermana Greenhalgh

 

 

Puppies!

With Hermana Thompson

Flour fight

New sweater!

 

Tests and Trials are for Polishing - Letter 11/17/14

Hola Familia,

 

This week has been great, and very sad as well. One of our investigators passed away on Tuesday, and Elder Collins (my old District leader's) Dad passed Sunday morning. I know that trials have to happen for us to grow, but sometimes I wish they didn't have to happen. I think of the Conference talk from President Uchtdorf and how he compares us to diamonds needing more polishing in this life in order to be brilliant and radiant. I would ask that you keep the Collins family in your prayers and especially Elder Seth Collins, and the Torres family with the passing of their son and my investigator Edgar.

 

On a better note we were able to watch the Phoenix Temple celebration and dedication. It was very unique, I have never experienced that before. The Phoenix Temple is very small, but very beautiful none the less. I can't wait to return from my mission and visit many more temples. I hope you all are attending the temple and feeling of the Spirit that is there. I would give anything to be able to attend whenever I wanted.

 

Sister Thompson and I have had so much success this week with finding 8 new investigators and really working hard to put people on date for baptism. It has been an adjustment working with a new companion, but once we have smoothed out the rough spots we've worked pretty well. I'm the Senior companion in the companionship so it means I have to make all the decisions. It is a lot of responsibility, but I know it will prepare me for other callings.

 

Well I don't have much to say this week besides KEEP MOVING FORWARD. I hope this next week will have less hardships than this one.

 

Love you all and be safe,

Hermana Lindsey Greenhalgh

Phoenix 101 - Letter 11/10/14

Buenos Dias!!!

I'm in Phoenix!!!! Well just to let you know it is completely different from Casa Grande.  I miss Casa Grande like crazy, and all of my investigators.  But, I'm so happy to be here in Phoenix. Well I have comprised a list of Phoenix 101 and some things you should know about it...

 

Phoenix 101

1. There are 3 dogs for every person who lives here.. especially chiuahuahs 

2. I am the only blonde person I have seen the whole1/2 week I have been here. 

3. There are ice cream trucks on every corner with creepy music, and they follow you around.

4. Fresh made churros every Saturday!

5. Yard sales though... Everyone has one everyday... I mean EVERYONE.

6. Phoenix is Mexico, It really is.

7. Cholos: Drug Dealers

8. Brinca Brincas: Jump houses at every party

9. I CAN RIDE MY BIKE WITH NO HANDLE BARS!

10. Eloteros... Men on Mexican bikes selling food. Yes they do exist.

11. Nacho Libre is REAL.

12. 99 cent Goodwill

13. No one has parents, everyone is raised by their grandparents

14. No one is legal. Border Patrol does not exist here

15. Cockroaches everywhere

16. The Sun is unusually hot, and we ride bikes every day

17. Soccer is a super big deal here. Tournaments everywhere you go

18. Dulce Mexican candy Aisle

19. Cactus is in the Produce aisle, it's actually pretty good.

20. Apartments, EVERYONE lives in them

21. City buses, dirty but convenient for all

22. Homeless people #panhandling

23. Murders and molesters. We have cops and helicopters constantly looking for someone. We get papers in the mail to warn us on the daily.

24. Strip clubs.. SICK NASTY! Keep your eyes on good things.

25. The ghetto

26. No one knows how to wear modest clothes

27. Everyone is 30 minutes late to everything. PHOENIX STANDARD TIME

28. People line up by 10s to bear their testimonies, I work in a huge Ward now not a Branch anymore!

29. Mexican Bread for the Sacrament

30. Phoenix is a real life Novela: Mexican Soap Opera

31. Everyone kisses you on the cheeks...don't like it. Get used to it.

32. Tennis shoes on every telephone pole

33. No one keeps the Sabbath Day holy, not even the members

34. Canal Catfish, yes people do feed us fish from the canal

35. Pawn shops on every corner

36. ...MY FAVORITE... Street corner churches, people who preach on the corner and catcall about God, and how much they don't like missionaries

37. Taco Busses

38. Sons push moms around in wheelchairs to get from place to place.

39. People steal shopping carts from stores and then use them back and forth to different stores and then store them in their house. 

40. Billboards, bumperstickers and signs.. Careful what you look at.

Well this is my random list of things you should know about Phoenix! I hope you enjoy!!  I will continue to add new facts and findings each week! All is well here! 

Love you all,

Hermana Greenhalgh

Another Week - Headed to a New City - Letter 11/03/14

Hello Family and Friends,

Well I'm being transferred. This week has been pretty good. I was able to learn a lot and meet more people. So my companion got called to be a trainer and I'm leaving to another city. The weather has been really cold, but it's good because more people are outside now. Halloween was fun we stayed home and watched
movies and had pizza. It felt super weird to not be doing anything, I don't know how I used to sit home and watch movies, I could never do it again. I'm excited to be moving to another place to start new adventures, I'm a little bummed that everyone in my apartment got leadership calls, except me. They have been kind of rubbing it in my face, but I'm just trying to be patient in adversity. Well, I hope all of you have a good week, and keeping doing good.

Love you all,
Hermana Greenhalgh