Week 24: happy new year?

Well this week was CRAZY. but honestly, when is life not crazy?
Happy new year to all of you! I can't comprehend that its 2016...time has no meaning to me on a mission. So I guess that happened.
Well we got the biggest pizza in the world this week from a member. it was only 26 inches and it was so delicious.
Then we had MLCs this week to decide on our baptismal goal for 2016 for the mission. It was a really cool experience to feel of the Spirit guiding us in our decision for what we will do! We made a goal of 501 baptisms for the year of 2016 so I can't wait to see how that goes!
We had a mission wide meeting to announce the new goal and it was awesome!
Sister Mendenhall, our mission president's wife came down and spent the day with us and went to appointments with us and it was so fun! We went out to lunch and I spilled my entire bowl of soup into my lap and it was pretty embarrassing. not much has changed, lets be real.
And lets see, we've been singing more miracles every day! There was a while in there that I felt like I wasn't seeing miracles or God's hand as much as I have in the past but I realized that it was because I wasn't looking. They're always there!
That reminds me of quote by Elder David A Bednar,
"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live. When words cannot provide the solace we need or express the joy we feel, when it is simply futile to attempt to explain that which is unexplainable, when logic and reason cannot yield adequate understanding about the injustices and inequities of life, when mortal experience and evaluation are insufficient to produce a desired outcome, and when it seems that perhaps we are so totally alone, truly we are blessed by the tender mercies of the Lord and made mighty even unto the power of deliverance."
His hand is always there. I promise you that if you'll open your eyes to the goodness of God, you'll see it! That's my goal for this year, is to see His hand more because we're so #blessed
have a great week, love you all!
Sister Tracy

Week 23: it twas a very merry christmas

Well I hope y'all had a very merry christmas! I loved the chance to reflect on the Savior and think about how much meaning He has for me in my life! I hope you all had the chance to do that as well.
This week was so great!! We went Christmas caroling as a zone at this huge outdoor mall and it was so fun! We got to hand out so many #ASaviorIsBorn cards and we had so much fun singing! Except the fact that its been like 15 degrees every day and I'm dying. But that's okay!
We went on our first exchange with one set of our sisters, one of our duties as STLs and it was good! we went with some spanish hermanas so it was really fun and a good experience!
We went to a district meeting for those same hermanas this week and we acted out the nativity scene and it was the greatest thing of ever. check out my outfit in the picture, its on point.
We had a white Christmas! It snowed all day and it was awesome! We had a really good christmas! I loved skyping my family so much, they're the cutest and I love them so much! It was a great experience for all of us! And then we got to eat lots of delicious food which is always the best.
One cool thing from this week is we were trying to find things to do on christmas eve and we decided to go see a less active and she was just so happy to see us! I wasn't sure why we were going to see her but we just felt like we should and when we got to her apartment, she was like, I was praying you would come today! And then we did! And it just made me the happiest! I love making people happy.
I read a talk this week by brad wilcox called "His Grace is Sufficient" and this part stuck out to me:
"God’s grace is sufficient. Jesus’s grace is sufficient. It is enough. It is all we need. Don’t quit. Keep trying. Don’t look for escapes and excuses. Look for the Lord and His perfect strength. Don’t search for someone to blame. Search for someone to help you. Seek Christ, and, as you do, you will feel the enabling power and divine help we call His amazing grace."
Remember that this week! That His grace is sufficient to help us and enable us to do all things!
Happy new year, its a great chance to reflect on the past year and see what we want to improve ourselves on and how we can come even closer to Christ this year!
much love!
Sister Tracy

Week 22: SNOW IS A REAL THING PEOPLE

Well it snowed so much this week! Like 8 inches or something. I'm not actually sure. but it was seriously A TON. I can't believe how much it snowed. and I had to drive in it! Lets just say, driving in the snow takes some getting used to and I'm not too good at it yet...but I haven't hit anything yet #blessed #knockonwood
Everything is covered in ice now and one could say that i'm a pro at slipping on ice haah I totally biffed it the other day in front of a bunch of other missionaries and it was pretty embarrassing but I lived to tell the tale. And lets see, I got sick this week so that was no fun :( we had to stay in some and I HATE THAT. I hate things that take away from missionary work. its the worst. but i'm doing better now which is a blessing!!
This week, we went Christmas caroling with our ward at this ridiculously huge and busy outdoor mall and it was sooo fun! Lots of people stopped to listen to us and took videos of us and I felt pretty famous hahaah people I crack myself up.
Anyways, we got to be mothers for a day!! A sweet sister named Sister Garner came with us this week! She's supposed to be going to a different mission and she and a bunch of other missionaries were flying to their mission but they got stranded in denver on the way because of all the snow! it was crazy! they left on monday but didn't make it to their mission til thursday! so on wednesday, they sent all the missionaries out with missionaries in our mission so we got cute sister garner! we had so much fun with her! hopefully she wasn't too scared to have her first day in the mission field be with these 2 crazy missionaries haah but we had a really good day.
oh we also had our ward christmas party and we had so many less actives and nonmembers come! and we had our ward christmas program in sacrament meeting and we had a former investigator come who said she wasn't really interested but then she came to church and we were like WHAT and we were so happy! it was awesome.
but I'm excited this week is christmas! I'm looking forward to skyping my family and spending time with members! Its so great to get this chance to really reflect on our Savior and remember how much He truly has done for us. I testify that He was born and that because He was born we can live more fully! I know that our Savior loves each and every one of us and that because of that, we need never feel alone or afraid. He is the light and the life of the world, the prince of peace, our everything.
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." -Isaiah 9:6
Remember Him, remember why we celebrate Christmas.
merry christmas!
I love you all!
Sister Tracy

Week 21: crazy crazy life we live

This week has been CRAZY people. Just crazy. My new area is insane. And I love it so much. Things have been so busy and so great. I'm loving it!
This week we had 2 back to back zone meetings because me and sister phenicie cover 2 different zones as sister training leaders. And we had to give trainings at both of them and we had 1 day notice on those so such is the life of a sister training leader! It was really fun though.
We had our mission christmas devotional this week. We started with zone skits and can I just say, ours was definitely the funniest. I was our mission president's wife in our skit and it was great. But it was AWESOME because the speaker at the devotional was Brother paul anderson, the founder of the PIANO GUYS. He makes all the videos and is in some of their videos and he talked to us and showed us some of their awesome new videos and it was literally the coolest thing ever. He was really cool and shared with us things that the piano guys do to be successful and it was so super awesome.
We have this awesome investigator named ron and he came to church yesterday and we got him on baptismal date yesterday! So we're so excited for him! He's so awesome and he just has such a light, and the gospel will bless him soo much so we're really happy. That's definitely my favorite part of missionary work is seeing the light of the gospel and the light of Christ enter peoples' lives.
funny moment of the week:
we were driving down the road like normal in the middle of this super busy area during rush hour and we look over at the other lane and there's a car and we're like what the heck is wrong with this car? and we realize its driving down the road on the right side but in reverse. like going the normal speed but backwards and he's like swerving everywhere and we just died laughing. the things you see here. i laughed for a solid 20 minutes about that one.
spiritual moment of the week:
one of the trainings I gave at a zone meeting was based on a talk by president thomas s monson, "finishers wanted" and it was so good! one thing that stuck out to me was a verse in John 18:37-
"To this end was I born and for this cause came I into the world that I should bear witness unto the truth."
And I thought a lot about that! About how Jesus christ was born so that He could die. He was born so that He could save us from our sorrows and sadness and so that we could be forgiven of our sins and live again! How grateful am I for a Savior who was born so we could live. And our mission motto is "make it personal" so of course, the best thing to do is to ask yourself and to ask God, "to what end was I born?" and then strive each and every day to fulfill His purpose and become what HE wants you to become and I can promise you that He will bless you for it!
have a great week, I have so much love for each of you!
Sister tracy

Week 20: BIG CHANGES FOR SISTER TRACY

Well clearly, this week has big changes for me!!! I got transferred and now I'm a SISTER TRAINING LEADER!! For those of you who don't know what that means, its basically a zone leader for sisters and for those who don't know what that means, it means I'm in charge of a bunch of sisters and I help train them and help them with the emotional side of things haha so its a big change but it'll be so good! I'm companions with Sister Phenecie, she's from Hawaii and I'll be her last companion!! Its a lot of changes for me but it'll be really good! I'm excited to see what this transfer has in store for me. Its going to be an adventure every single day I'm sure.
We went sledding this week for sister's p day so that was awesome!! Check out the cute pictures.  It was so fun! And we worked real hard this week. I also went to MLCs or mission leadership conference on friday since they knew I would be a new STL. and that was real good! except they called me out for my face always getting red and then it just got redder and everyone was like, it matches her hair! But that was sweet.
Someone yelled hail satan at us this week, that was fun. And I can't really remember what else happened this week, honestly. I've just been packing like crazy and now I'm in my new area and I just have no idea what's happening but its okay! I'm ready to learn and have some crazy new experiences!!
But yeah, that's life! We had stake conference this week and it was really good! This sweet 14 year old girl gave a talk on how trials make us stronger. And she talked about how when you're walking into the ocean its like our walk of life. The further in you get, the waves get stronger. Sometimes the waves will just knock you off balance but other times, the waves will knock you down. But you have to choose what you're going to do because of it. Are you going to get up and keep walking or are you going to lay down and drown in the waves? the answer is GET UP MAN. you keep walking. some quote i love by jeffrey r holland is like "don't you give up. you keep walking. there is help and happiness ahead." #sotrue
so be happy, keep walking, and have a good week!
love you all!
sister tracy

pictures
1. sledding!
2. how presh
3. me and sister dennis! she came out with me and now we're both stls!
4. the sweetest family in my old ward now

Week 19: question: when will the snow stop? answer: never.

Well happy late thanksgiving to you all! Hope you all had the best one!
This week was crazy! It hasn't stopped snowing for like 5 days. It's been insane. I've never seen it snow so much at a time. Fortunately, it hasn't been accumulating too bad. but holy cow, literally we had a white thanksgiving, something I've never experienced before! Its beautiful but cold haha its been soooo cold recently. I might die. and yet, everyone tells me this is only the beginning of winter. #cantwait also driving in it isn't the funnest but oh well. also I HATE SCRAPING ICE OFF THE CAR. IT IS THE WORST. first time doing that ever and it isn't very fun. but the good thing is, i haven't hit anyone yet #knockonwood
thanksgiving was super fun! we got to spend the day with members! we ate lots of delicious food and i was so happy!! I stuffed my face man. that was sweet. but we love playing in the snow haha it makes us the happiest. 
we got to help a member set up her christmas tree this week! she's the cutest and the sweetest and it was awesome! and also we saw a coyote in a school playground this week and that was crazy! 
also we've just been doing so much finding this week. like we just tract and knock doors like all day because our teaching pool has shrunk significantly....but that's okay. finding is a lot of work but its literally the BEST when you find someone who will let you teach them. We were trying this less active and this man was standing outside next door and we started talking to him and then we got into this deep religious discussion and we stood out in the snow for like 30 minutes and I thought i was going to lose my toes. and then he let us in and we talked for like another 30 minutes and he was so awesome! he asked such good questions and we'll be meeting with him this week! its so exciting! but yeah, its been a great week!! i love being a missionary!

y'all should go to christmas.mormon.org and watch the new christmas video. it is sooo good. A Savior was born for each of us because He loves us so much. We can't even comprehend how much He loves us. Each of us should take some time this week and discover why the Savior was born for each of us! Remember He is Christmas!

have a good week, much love!
Sister tracy

Week 18: well now its been 4 months...where has time gone?

Well I hit my 4 month mark yesterday! What the heck? Its crazy and I can't believe that I've already been out that long!! Time is flying.

well for exciting news, it snowed so much this week! I had to drive in the snow for the first time ever and can I just say, I WAS TERRIFIED. It was so scary. but I lived and didn't even hit anything #blessed. but the snow is so beautiful and its pretty cold but hey, I'm going to survive, okay?
We got to go to the temple this week and its always the best! I got to see my old companion aka the best companion, Hermana King and so that's always the happiest!
The elders in our ward had a baptism and I gave a talk so that was awesome. I love going to baptisms because you can always feel the Spirit so strong!!
We got some new investigators this week that we found tracting and through part member families so that was sweet. We've been doing sooo much tracting recently and its crazy but hopefully one of these days it'll pay off haha of course it will
but things are good! a bit cold, but not too much else to say from here! just working hard and seeing the Lord's hand in my life on the daily.

This week we had a zone meeting and part of it was about doubt not. I thought about that a lot this week! I read about Peter walking on water in Matthew and as soon as he takes his focus off the Savior, he falls! but of course, in his mercy, the Savior IMMEDIATELY reaches out and saves him. The only way we're going to fall is when we take our eyes off the Savior! Remember him always because He loves us so much!
"Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not."
-D&C 6:36

happy thanksgiving to everyone and be happy!
much love!
sister tracy

1. its real live snow people
2. me and my stl twinning on accident
3. we're clearly terrified of snow
4. I GOT THIS AWESOME JESUS PICTURE ON A STRING. IT IS AMAZING.