29 Jun 2010

Dear Mom,

So this has been an amazing week! To say the least. It sounds like all is well at home and things are going good. That's what every missionary loves to hear. I'm glad that I'm always excited to check my email because there will be good things on it instead of depressing things. A lot of missionaries hate p-days because their companions always get sad emails from home about how things are falling apart. I'm glad that I don't get any sorts of that stuff.

And this email is going to be short. As always. The time just slips away and I have no idea where it goes! But, we've had some bomb things happen this week. We had Dance Festival and that was amazing! I can't even describe to you how awesome it was! I don't have enough time for that. BUt it was legit and I cried and felt the Spirit and was uplifted just as much as the youth were! It was so awesome! I saw the Dobberfuhl's there. All 4 boys were in it, but I didn't manage to see one. Probably because there were also 2000 youth there and that's a buttload of kids.

Haha, so last Wednesday, we met this lady and her name is Lois and she's old. Haha. She's so funny. She was talking to us and we were helping her and her granddaughter pick weeds. So funny, I've gotten really good at that since my mission. But she was talking to me about how it wasn't safe to leave the country and how there were too many foreigners here in the United States. I just laughed to myself because I was like 'if she only knew that I work with mainly Hispanics, she probably wouldn't have said that'. Anyways, she was funny and I hope we get to help her again. Also, her dog ate my bubble gum.

So, here's something that was nuts! It happened yesterday right after our district meeting. A family in our branch just had a baby and so we were taking a card over to them, but they weren't home. We had called them earlier and they told us they probably would be really busy, but we went anyways. We left the card in their door and all of a sudden, there were all these chickens squaking, so I was like, 'hey, let's go look at their chickens'. Yeah, it's kind of creepy, but I decided that it wouldn't hurt since they weren't home. We go back there and there's a dog in the chicken coop. So, we call Brother Woodland and Hna. Kendell is like 'so, there's a dog in your coop and is he supposed to be there?' and Brother Woodland told us they didn't have a dog. So, we chased the dog out and called the Elders to help us catch all these chickens. There were about 24 chickens and we got about 20 of them. 2 got eaten and I'm not sure what happened to the other two. MIA, I guess. But, either way. I learned how to catch a chicken and put it back in it's pen, thanks to Elder Arnold. I had no idea that he even knew how to catch chickens until yesterday. And I'm glad that he did, because neither Hna. Kendell or I knew how to catch them and we probably wouldn't have gotten like any back into the coop. Thank goodness for Elders, right?

So, we got a new mission president yesterday. And, so Hna. Kendell and I called Sister Greer and we welcomed her to the mission. It was nuts, because in the 5 minute conversation all 3 of us had, I felt this instant connection and I'm so excited to meet them both. We get to meet them on Friday and I'm super excited for it!

But, that's all the time I have. I love you all and will email you again next week!

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek

22 Jun 2010

Querido Familia!

Wow, I have so many things to say in such little time. I hope that it all comes out the way I'd like it too. There's just so much. It's been a fantastic/weird/crazy/bad/productive week and wow. Yeah, so let's get started. I don't even all know what really happened this week. That's the kicker. I never really remember what all happens, but somehow, I always manage to find things to say.

So, our half mission zone conference was AMAZING! It was President and Sister Belnap's last chance to drill the marriage/family message into our heads. Everyone talked about it except for the Assistants. But the conference was awesome and I learned so much. Poor Hna. Kendell. She has to deal with my random outbursts of 'I'm too young to get married' and 'I can't get married yet' and all sorts of stuff like that. Haha, but you know, that's me. We also had this big thing during the Conference about the Dance Festival that's on Friday and Saturday. Almost 2,000 youth from this half of the mission are going to be doing the festival and we as missionaries - all the missionaries on the western half of the mission - get to participate in it! Oh man, so stoked! We have this amazing part in the programs. Like reciting the Standard of Truth and just singing and marching out. Oh man, it's going to be so legit! And for the YC portion of it. Oh man, that made us all bawl. So, what's going to happen is Captain Moroni is going to come out with his Title of Liberty and then Helaman is going to come out and stand by him. They're going to talk about how they need armies. A bunch of YM are going to come out. And then they'll talk about how they need an even stronger army. A bunch of YW will come out carrying all the YW colors. And then they'll say they need an even stronger army. And all of us missionaries will come out. We'll do our part and then we'll go into the bleachers where all the youth are and sing Army of Helaman. Oh it's going to be great! The Conference was so good! But pretty sure I was in tears when I left. All the of the mission presidency got in a line and we hugged and shook all their hands. By the time I got to the Belnaps, I was holding it together. Then I shook President's hand and the tears started flowing. And then, oh man. I lost it when I got to Sister Belnap. Especially when she told me 'You're doing so well. Keep going - you have SO many more miracles to work over here.' Oh man, I lost it. But, I'm going to miss them more than I can say!

Sounds like things are all exciting at home. With Andrew and his hair and B and all his talking. Man, there are sometimes I just wish I could be a fly on the wall. But, I sure do love my mission. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'd do this over and over and over again in a heartbeat. I've learned so much this week, I wish I could begin to list all the things. I've learned about my Heavenly Father's love. Every day, I learn more about it and how He's here. He's here for us. And I always knew that. But now, it's becoming more and more real for me. Especially after Zone Conference. I'm also learning more and more about my relationship with Dad. It's amazing how things all connect and especially since this last Sunday was Father's Day, it was really hard for me to be away from home on Sunday. But, it's life.

We went to the temple today. A lady in the Salmon Creek ward took us down to Portland and we all went as a zone. Except my district. We all went as a district since we got there early and went to the 7 a.m. session. Yeah, but, it was AMAZING! It was the best session I've had in the temple yet. Not only did the session go really fast, but I also was looking at it from a different perspective. And not only that, but I was so peaceful and calm. I've never felt that calm in the temple. And as I sat in the Celestial room today, I was reading in Ether 3 about the Brother of Jared. And then as I was praying...I can't even describe it. I just, it was so relaxing just to sit up there. As I got done, I was just looking around and Hna. Kendell and I were sitting on the couch. I had a spot open next to me and I could just feel Nana there. She was just sitting there, watching me. Making sure I was okay. And then Hna. Kendell leaned her head on my should and we just sat there. And I knew Nana was there. Sitting next to me on the couch, watching my companion and I. It was the most amazing feeling. I don't think I've ever felt her so strong since she's died. Even know, I just can feel it inside of me. I know that she's helping me out here. She's aware of me and she loves me. And I know it. She wants me to be happy and gall, here I am, sitting at my computer, crying. Haha. But, it was a really special day in the temple for me. So, I love you all. And I'm out of time. But, I just wanted to share a little bit of my week with you. I hope that everything at home is going well. Know that I pray for you all the time. I'm so lucky to have a family whose foundation is that of the Lord. I'm blessed beyond imagination! Love you!

Con mucho, mucho amor, como siempre,

Hna. Pleshek

15 Jun 2010

Hola Familia!

I'm always super pressed for time and so, I've started making lists to make sure the emails are always packed with something good to tell you all. Well, we've had a lot happen this week! It's been insane! I can't believe another week has already come and gone! YIKES!

So, we had this big trip over to Kennewick on Thursday because President called me like the day after I got with Hna. Kendell and was like 'Sister Pleshek, I want you to organize this trip for all the sisters in Vancouver to get to Kennewick and I want you and Sister Ulrich to drive' and I'm like sure President, anything you say. So we all went over there for this devotional thing and it was amazing! Hna. Kendell and I didn't bring blankets along [we wouldn't have had room for them anyways with all the stuff Sister Neff and Allred brought. But it's okay], so I just figured I'd talk to the Chandias and see if we could get stuff from them. We went over there on Thursday night and Sister Snapp and Lippard were with us and so it was just fun to see them all again! The best thing about the night was when I ran into the living room and I saw Elizabeth, we just hugged and she was just crying. It was so tender. I missed them all and it was like coming home again! =) All of the Hermanas stayed at the apartment in Kennewick and that was so weird...to be back where I used to live. AHH! It was insane! So Friday, Brother Cabbage gave us this devotional about becoming who we are meant to be and it was just...oh. So amazing! He talked about how you can have the connection or control with your companion. I just looked around the room and grabbed my companion and whispered: I'm so glad that you're my companion. It was so true though. I'm so blessed to have Hna. Kendell. She was my first choice and I'm glad that's who the Lord knew I needed to be with! But then, that didn't even end the excitement. We had stopped at a few places in Kennewick before heading back home - The Office, the Bookstore, etc. So, we finally start our drive back to Vancouver and we are almost at I-84 when our car starts to make this squeeky noise. And so Hna. Kendell calls Elder Beutler and asks him what we should do. He tells us to turn around and come back. By the time we get back to Kennewick, it's about 4 and he gives us this new car to take back to Vancouver. So, I get in the front seat of this car [after I got done peeling the plastic covers off the floor mat!] and it's got 16 miles on it. 16! I was like holy crap! I'll probably never ever drive a car this new in my entire life ever again! But, we now have a new 2010 Gray Toyota Corolla and we love it. It just turned 300 miles yesterday. Haha. But, it was lovely.

Saturday after we got back, it was SO beautiful outside. I think I actually got some color. Haha. One of the less active members we're working with asked us to come over to her friends house and weed. We've done lots of weeding this week and it's just been so great to be working out in the SUN! I've missed it. It's actually raining right now and it's the first time that I've seen rain in like 5 days. WOW! We're all in shock and I loved it!

So, I love being a missionary. And I love working with Hna. Kendell. She and I just geek out together during companionship study. I learn all sorts of new things and I've been studying the Conference Ensign and I'm just loving it all! I've definitely got a better clue as to the things I need to do when I finally have to come home and get married. AHH! I don't wanna get married! Haha. That's one thing that Hna. Kendell and I talk about - how we're so not ready to get married. But it's all good. We don't have to right now. But, my zone is really awesome, too. We played with them all last p-day and it's amazing what you learn about people...even the people that you've been around for a while. So, it's great and I sure do love being a missionary!

One of our goals as a companionship is to look for all the little baby miracles and tender mercies that happen every day in our lives. There's been one that happened yesterday that I want to share. Sunday night, we were planning. We were both so tired, but wanted to be obedient and plan. So we're planning and going through all these old investigators and Hna. Kendell picks up this one and goes 'Let's go see her'. Granted the record is 2 years old and with Mexicans, they move A LOT, but we remembered our motto ['What have we got to lose?'] and we put her in our schedule. So, we're making a list for Wal-Mart yesterday and I'm like writing down the things that we need. And so I write down that I need CD's. And I just kind of look at that and think 'I don't need CD's. Hna. Kendell only has 4 CD's and I have 2 of them.' But, I put them down anyways and debated with myself what if I actually needed them or not. So, we're knocking on doors and trying to contact all these people and we get to this lady's house that we had wanted to try. We knock on the door and ask for her and the girl at the door says that she's in a hospital right now because she's depressed and isn't coming back. So what do we do? 'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Well, I'm Hna. Pleshek, and this is Hna. Kendell and we're missionaries...' You know where it goes. We start talking to her and she tells us that she's not really interested...she's learned all she can about church. And instead of just saying 'Thanks, have a good day', we just keep talking to her. She opened right up and told her basically her whole life's story. This girl - Maria - is 19 and she's a foster mom to her 2 year old niece and 7 year old nephew. She's absolutely amazing! She's going to college full time and trying to work and helping her mom with her two injuries from work. She's the rock of her family. And as she talked to us, she said that she had bought a CD of Christian music and listens to it when she gets down. I got the impression that we needed to make a CD for her to listen to. Right before we were leaving, Hna. Kendell asked if we could make a CD for her. She said yeah and that we could come back and drop it by. We get in the car and I'm like freaking out and telling her that's what I was thinking and that I had put CD's on my Wal-Mart list and all this good stuff. But, I'm absolutely amazing at how much the Spirit works between us. We've had many moments like this where the Spirit both tells us something and then one of us says it, even though we absolutely have no idea the other one of us is thinking it.

But, that's about all I have for now. Things are moving slowly, but surely. I love this Gospel and this work and NO ONE can tell me that God isn't in it and behind everything 110%!!! I love that my testimony is strengthened every single day! I love you and thanks for your support!
Con amor,
Hna. Pleshek

8 Jun 2010

Hey Mom!

I wrote down some of the things that I wanted to write this week. I only have about 10 minutes, so we'll see what happens and how much of it I actually get written. This week has been crazy! It's been my first week without my 'mom' and wow! It's nuts! I'm always thrown back at how much the Lord provides for his missionaries and how much this is HIS work and not ours. Wow.

So, we have this recent convert family and their oldest son Erick was having some problems with being temporarily paralyzed a couple times this morning. Their mom is out of town and the 17 year old daughter calls us frantically on Saturday morning. All of the missionaries in the zone were at this breakfast at this house and we were talking about missionary work and stuff like that. I told her that I'd talk to Elder Arnold and Elder Bair and that we'd all be right over to give Erick a blessing. Erick has been having problems since he's been baptized. He's a single dad, going to school, has a 17 year old girlfriend who's a junior in high school. Erick's 23. But anyways, he hasn't been coming to church and doing the things he's supposed to be doing. Elder Arnold and Elder Bair gave him a blessing and told him that if he would live the gospel to the best of his ability, all of his problems would go away and all the stress would be gone. And he said it like twice. And oh my gosh. All of us were in tears as we listened to this beautiful blessing. It strengthened my testimony that the Lord really does know us and He loves us. We're so special to him.

Another thing that's been happening is that we're doing alot of finding. Hna. Kendell and I are doing really well, but we spend most of our days trying to find investigators and people to teach. We've been working really hard and haven't been having a lot of success. We were sitting in our car after dinner one day, in the apartment complex we were going to try and contact these people in and we decided to have a prayer. Hna. Kendell started praying and she said 'We know there are people waiting and help us find thy children.' That stood out to me really distinctly. So, we're walking over to this door and there's this lady standing in the window. She's not doing anything. She's waiting. We go and talk to her and teach her a first lesson and get a return appointment with her. Her husband and 2 year old son were sleeping on the couch while we were talking to her. I find it amazing that while the men in her life were sleeping, she was waiting in the window. She could have been doing a million different things, but she wasn't.

My Spanish has started to pick up a lot. It's amazing. The gift of tongues is SO real. I feel like it's progressed alot and I'm using it more and more each time we go out. Hna. Kendell and I are in this together and we're learning a ton! I've also had some success with sewing the other day. I had to fix a couple of my skirts and a shirt and I did it! I even loaded the bobbin all by myself. I was really pleased that I did such a good job and I can now wear my two skirts.

Driving around Vancouver has been fun. We haven't gotten lost and I think it's funny because once it's all up to you, you realize you know a lot more than you thought you did. Yeah, it's awesome! I sure do love this place and this people and I really hope that I'm here for a while to see the work grow and flourish. Heavenly Father has definitely helped me every step along the way and I owe him so much.

I've got about 2 minutes left and I want to share something else. This morning, Hna. Kendell and I were talking about being missionaries and how we aren't who we were anymore. I'm not the same person I was before I left and I know that. And it's amazing to me how much I've grown up in the last 7 months. I used to watch General Conference as a form of recreation. I want to read my scriptures every day and geek out about them all the time. It's amazing to see the change in myself and feel it. But, I love being a missionary and everything about it. And even though it's 11 months away, I'm so scared to go home. This is what I know how to do and I love it!

I love you all! Thanks for all you do for me!

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek

31 May 2010

Hi Mom!

I don't have a huge amount of time today and I'm not feeling super well, so this is probably going to be a short email. Sorry. Hopefully next week I'll have more time.

So, once again, I said goodbye to my 'mom' and sent her off on a van to the opposite side of the mission. There were lots of tears, hugs, and I love you's all going around. But, you know, what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. And so here's what I got going on for this transfer. I'm going to be greenie-busting Hna. Kendall. She's a transfer younger than I am, so we're going to be two little baby missionaries out here in Vancouver doing the Lord's work. It'll be fun - I'm excited to work with her and learn and grow a lot this transfer.

Let's see...what else. Well, I got food poisoning last night. At least that's what I think it was. I'm not sure. But I was up all night last night puking and doing all sorts of good stuff. Yeah, it sucked. And I'm still feeling poopy, but I sure do feel a heck of a lot better than I did last night.

Yeah, I know Hna. Lippard. I'm in a trio right now with her and Sister Neff. She wasn't at Spanish Conference, so you don't have a picture of her. But that's so funny. What a small world.

So here's another story that's a small world. There's this girl in the Van West stake and her name is Sara and she's 13 years old and has terminal cancer. I think it's cancer of the nervous system. Anyways, it's sad because she's only 13. Anyways, during Stake Conference, one of the members of the presidency was giving a talk and talking about these t-shirts that say 'Love the life you live' and how she was selling them and just all this stuff. It was a good talk, but Hna. Dunoskovic and I wanted some, so we contacted this girl and went over to her house. She's selling the shirts so that she can go to places. She's already been to NYC with the sales and who knows what's next. Anyways, we were talking to her dad and he was telling us how he served his mission in California San Bernadino. And I freaked out and was like 'No way! That's where my dad served'. And he asked me when and I told him 80-82? I don't know if that's right - just a guess. But he was like yeah! I totally remember Elder Pleshek. So it was pretty funny and I told him to look Dad up on facebook. But, Elder Turley remembers you, Dad. Funny stuff.

But other than that, everything is going good. I don't have anymore time left, but I love you all and know that everything is going well here! Thanks for your support and all that you do for me. The Lord's work is great and I absolutely love being a missionary!

Con todo de mi amor,

Hna. Pleshek