27 April 2010

Mom,

Well, it's been a nuts week! I've almost been in Vancouver almost a week and I've got myself all moved in and we've been working. Really hard. It feels like we are opening up a new area. Nothing really has been done for a while, so we're finding new investigators and trying to teach people the good word of God. It's hard when missionaries don't work and ruin things for the missionaries to come. It's like that talk from Spencer W. Kimball - Lock Your Heart. It talks about ruining all the work that was done and can be done by little things. And I think that's definitely what happened here.

So, we're teaching some really cool people. And we're hoping that Sister Dunoskovic will go out with a bang and on a good note. I'm determined and so is she. And we're SO excited to be together again, working our little butts off. It's exciting because we work well together and she teaches me something new each day that I can use in my teaching to make me a better missionary. She's definitely got experience and I would be stupid not to soak up all the goodness of her that I can.

It's been crazy learning the area. I, in fact, think that this will be a lot more difficult than Kennewick. Vancouver is SO big, but my trusty Garmi and I are a good team. And I know that the Lord will bless me since I'm doing HIS work and not my own. So, it helps that I've got Him on my side. :-D I'm also glad that I got a letter, even if the seminary lesson did get put on hold. But, I appreciate it. And even though I really don't worry about things too much at home, it helps to know that things are going well and nothing is happening to worry about.

That's scary about the nightmare Dad had. I can't even imagine going home at this point. Like, it's just been an amazing experience and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. The Lord has things He needs me to do here in Washington. Hna. Dunoskovic and I were talking about this on Sunday. About the missionaries that influenced us when we were younger. And even though they didn't baptize us, it didn't mean that they weren't fulfulling their purpose to come unto Christ. I know that I probably would not have thought sister missionaries were cool if it wasn't for Sister Freddie and her influence on me. She showed me how cool it was to be a missionary and what was all possible. I credit a lot of being here to her. And Hna. Dunoskovic has a sister missionary like that, too. We spent some time on Sunday with the family Buttars. They are members and they have 5 kids. 4 girls and 1 boy. And we spent a lot of time just playing with the girls and talking to them about being missionaries. Giving them attention they don't get and influencing their lives. Some missionaries would think that would be a waste of time, but we invited them to come unto Christ and I KNOW that we made a difference in their lives.

Gall. I can't believe Andrew is so huge! That's nuts! He was shorter than me when I left. It's amazing how much things change in the course of 6 months. I can't believe that I've been gone for that long. In another week or so, it'll be a year til I come home. Where has this time gone? I just have been so caught up in teaching that I haven't been able to watch each day pass. We wake up and in the blink of an eye, it feels like our whole day has flown by. But, it makes it easier that we are teaching and helping others.

Haha, have we got rain! We've gotten some rain on and off all today. It hasn't rained as much as I thought it would, but then again, I've only been here for 6 days. But, it hasn't dampered anything spirits of ours. We are determined to work! Especially since we're together and both know what we're capable of! We're so excited to be here and help change Vancouver and turn around people's perspectives on sister missionaries.

I did get in contact with the Dobberfuhls a couple days ago. I just looked in the phone book and called them up. They were so cute! Doug was so excited to talk to me and I am so excited to see them. They're taking us out to lunch on May 5th. Speaking of lunch, we had lunch today at HomeTown Buffet, which, is the restaurant where Doug and Steph took us when we were in Vancouver back in January 2008. I thought it was funny. I was like 'I've been here before' and then Hna. Dunoskovic looks at me and goes 'yeah, but not in Vancouver' And I just looked at her and went 'Yeah, here in Vancouver. They don't have these where I live'. But I thought it was funny.

Dang, what is wrong with Erin's roommate? Sounds like a weirdo. Who the heck shows clips from Bruce Almighty in Sunday School? That's whack!

Speaking of whack, Mother's Day is coming up in a few weeks and so I'm thinking that I'll be able to call sometime in the evening. We have church from 2-6 [meetings afterwards] and so we'll probably call before we eat dinner. But as soon as we hammer out some details, I'll let you know for sure when. But I'm really excited to talk to all of you!

I love being a missionary and I know I say that every week, but I just can't say it enough. The Lord is blessing my companion and I through our efforts and continues to do so as we obey. I love to learn from the scriptures and I love learning something new each day from the people I come in contact with. I love you all and I will be talking to you soon!

20 April 2010

Alright, this email is going to be super quick. But I hope it's a good one.

So things here this past week have just been NUTS! I can't believe all that's happened in such a short time. We got transfer calls this week and yep! You guessed it! I'm being transferred. I'm going over to Vancouver. And my new companion? None other than my mission mom - Hna. Dunoskovic! I'm beyond excited as you can imagine and I'm just counting down the days til we get to serve together again!

Meanwhile, I'm here in West Richland with a trio of English sisters. I'm having a lot of fun and it's been great! 2 of the sisters in the trio are from Temple Square. Sister Burgoyne and I are hitting it off well. Turns out, we were in the MTC together - entered the same day and everything. And I remember talking to her there, too. We made that connection last night. So, she and I will be ending our missions the same day and we are SO excited! We stayed up way too late last night talking. But, it was just so great! She's amazing!

So, I sent Sister Garcia off last night. It was difficult. What was even more difficult was saying goodbye to all those people in Kennewick that I love and treasure dearly. I surely will miss them more than I can say. But I do know that I have a purpose in Vancouver and that everything will be well in Kennewick. It'll just be a drastic change going from Kennewick to Vancouver! It's been so hot here! High 80's. And I've been melting. So I'm excited for the new change.

Since I'm going to Vancouver, is there a chance that you might get a hold of the Derbs and let them know? I'd love to see them while I'm there. And I'm pretty sure I'll be there for a while since I'm killing Hna. Dunoskovic. I guess President wants me to kill all his missionaries. But, I'm definitely okay with going back to her. Even if I do have to kill her :-D

Let's see...what else? Well, this last week I've been able to study out of the Engisn alot. Sister Garcia was 'sick' all the time and so she'd stay in her bed until 12 or 1 some days. And so I studied the issue from last Conference and it has just been amazing! I've been geeking out on that and the scriptures like nothing else! These last 3 weeks have been so rewarding for me. It's just been amazing! It's great to be a missionary!

I truly do love serving here in Washington! I love the Lord and I love teaching people about our Savior and His Atonement for us. It's wonderful to always be a representative of Him - wearing His name on me 24/7. This is the best decision I've made yet - hands down. I couldn't ask for a more rewarding experience and I know that it will only continue to get better. I know that the Lord provides for His missionaries. I know that is true 100%!

My time is really short today, but I love you all! And I will write more next week! Thank you for all you do for me and for this work. We [the missionaries and the Savior] really appreciate it!
Con muchisimo amor,
Hna. Pleshek
P.S. I have been thinking and I think that you should send the missionaries over the Barb's house. She's been on my mind alot lately and so, that's what I think should go down.
P.P.S. Super weird about all the drama and about all the engagements. Dang. Anyone else? Haha. Love you!

13 Apr 2010

Sorry I'm emailing so late. It's just been a crazy hectic day! I truly wish that I could just go back and rewind it all. It went way too fast. We started off at the temple today and it was crazy. We had a 7 a.m. session and so I had to wake up at 5:30. Crazy, I know, but I didn't fall asleep and I learned so much today. I've been studying about the Creation in prep for the temple this week and I have learned SO much. It's been amazing. I've got it all written down in my journal and maybe I'll just photo copy it and send it to you because I don't have the time to write down everything I learned. My personal study this week has been so rewarding. I've been having so many insights that are so relevant to me and man, it's just been so great. I've been learning new things each day. Which, is how it's supposed to be. But, yeah, it's great! And the audio and video didn't work at all today in the temple, so it was narrated. And that was really interesting. I payed more attention to it than I ever have before. But I learned so much in that session today.

Let's see. Oh, so then Sister Garcia had her departing session with the Belnaps and I went on splits with Katie Jensen. She just got back from her mission to Korea about a transfer ago and is headed to Idaho for school on Friday. Her and her sister. But, she's amazing and I'm so glad that I just got to chill out at her house with her and write letters and just have fun. It's so awesome to be in a house. Like, we are ALWAYS at apartments and we LIVE in an apartment, so when I get a chance to be in a house, I never pass it up. I miss home.

And then we had a zone p-day and that was really fun. I got to play basketball with the elders again. Although it's really hard because I can't touch them and they can't touch me and so it's not as fun. Because it's not physical or anything. So, I'll just wait until after my mission to play with the elders in my zone.

Transfer calls are coming on Saturday and I'm really nervous. I know my companion is leaving, but I don't want to be doubled out of the area. I still feel like I've got so much more work to do here and that I have people I need to teach. But President Belnap is making a lot of changes so we don't get comfortable right before a new mission president. But still. I really hope that I don't get transferred. But we'll see. I'll go wherever the Lord needs me to go. It's part of the job.

It sounds like there's been a lot going on at home. Here, too. I just, we're teaching and we're busy and we're going, going, non stop. It's insane. And I really wish that I knew the language. Body language helps alot. Like, when we ran into some Cubans and they talk really fast and I didn't understand what the guy was saying to me, but I did understand when he kept telling me my eyes were pretty and when we left, he blew me a kiss. Yeah, I understood that. Oh well. I'm making progress with the language and saying more things and trying with all I can to understand. They just talk so fast.

Speaking of hair. My hair has gotten really long. It's beginning to bug me and I kind of want to cut it, but I'm scared. My trainer said that anytime she got her hair cut here, it was just demolished. And I'm really picky with my hair, so I don't want that. She said the best bet was just to let it grow out. So, we'll see how that goes. Because once my hair starts bugging, I always want to cut it.

Everything is going good here. I'm learning to build patience each day. And I'm learning all sorts of things. And I'm definitely finding out what qualities I can and cannot have in a future husband. Haha. For real, though. It's crazy.

Man, and one of my goals is to NOT gain 50 pounds while I'm on my mission. But I totally understand why it happens. Okay, so we had double dinner duty yesterday. We ate a dinner with an English family and a dinner with a member in the branch. Dang. I was one tiny bite away from puking. I came home and I did, actually. But it was terrible. I know why people gain so much weight. Double dinners! And because people ALWAYS want to feed us and shove food in our faces and then tell us they'll be offended if we don't eat it. Dang. But, I'm going to try not to. But I know the Lord will take care of me if I just do what He asks.

Well, I can't think of anything else to say really. Things are going good and the Lord continues to bless His children. I love you all and I pray for you every day!
Con mucho amor,
Hna. Pleshek

6 Apr 2010

Hi Mom!

Dang. We had such an amazing Conference this weekend! It was so legit and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to watch all 4 sessions of it! My friend Elder Olsen called Elder Holland's talk a 'rock concert of faith'. And he sure was right. I love Elder Holland. HIs talk and the talk by James Marino was legit, too. I just loved it all and I can't wait to read the priesthood session talks!

People are crazy and you know what? When they know the difference between right and wrong and they've been taught, it's on their own heads what happens. It doesn't make a difference really who they are. If they've done wrong, then there's really no defending that.

Grandpa's is always fun. I miss home. It wasn't quite the same Easter. We went over to some member's houses in the Southgate ward and we had some good food - ham and all the workings - but it just wasn't the same as being home. Of course, nothing is. But you know, it's all part of the experience.

I didn't know Gerald Maas died. Well then. Sorry, this letter is going to be stinky and short because I am short on time. And I don't have a whole ton to say this week either. My plan of writing things down didn't really succeed. I was sick this week. Yeah, swollen tonsils and everything. It make me feel all nasty inside and it was hard to work because I always felt like a piece. But, what can you do? Just keep pressing forward.

Oh, so I met this guy in the MTC and he was a teacher there and he told some elders in my district that he knew Dad. His last name is Tellington. And I'm not sure if I told you about this or not, but I'm doing it again, just in case. And he served in Wisconsin. So, yeah. I don't know.

Hey, so my companion knows Heather Chaffee. Do you have her email address? I want to email her a picture of Hna. Garcia and I as soon as I figure out how to get my pictures on a computer.

Oh, so I went and traded my camera for one I liked better. And it's legit. And I can hear my videos on it. So, I've been watching my videos like crazy. It's amazing!

So, not too much has happened this week. It's been kind of frustrating, but you know what? We can only do as much as we can do. People have their agency and get to choose whether or not they want to follow. As long as we teach them, we can't be held accountable. But, we're getting new people to teach and Kennewick is looking great. We have amazing people that are so ready to be baptized, but just dont' think they're quite there yet. It's kind of frustrating.

One thing that was really cool about companion study yesterday is that we were studying about the Apostasy. The great apostasy. And so we were just kind of brainstorming and had all these questions like were there 2 apostasies? Because we teach it after Christ and his Apostles died, that's when the apostasy was. But, then Christ came and established his church in the Americas. So, that was tricky. And then were there 2 sets of apostles and 2 prophets? We had all sorts of questions and so we called President Belnap and asked him and he said they were really good questions. He cleared it up for us and so that really helped. And it's just really cool to understand this doctrine more and more each day.

Everything here is good. I love you all! I'm glad to be a missionary, even though sometimes it's really hard. But it's always so worth it!
Con mucho amor y carino!
Hna. Pleshek