I hope you all watched General
Conference, it gets better and better every time!!! It really was so
amazing, a lot stuck out to me and I can't wait to get the Ensign so I
can mark everything, because I didn't have time to write down all I
wanted to that they said! It was great though. William was able to come
to the church for one of the sessions and Josh was able to watch it at
his Aunt's house. Lives are changing and it is so cool to witness all
the progress everyone is making here in their individual lives! It
honestly brings me so much joy, I love it.
So
last week like I said we met with President Cottle and he said we would
be doing an early transfer. He told us that Sister Wood would be going
to Aiken, SC but that he didn't know with who yet. On Tuesday he called
us and said we would be doing the switch on Wednesday--Sister Wood would
be going to Aiken with the awesome Sister Jeppson, and her companion,
Sister Ellison, would be coming to Hazlehurst with me. He was doing this
to give Sister Wood a new experience for many reasons but had she
stayed the last two weeks of the transfer here, we know I'm getting
transferred so that means two brand new missionaries would have had to
have been brought in so President was inspired to do this early transfer
so that Sister Ellison could get to know the area and the people in two
weeks before I leave, so that at least the people will be a little
familiar with somebody. So it was sad and hard and it definitely didn't
all work out how I had planned (me training Sister Wood and her staying
here), but at least it is working out. Heavenly Father has His hand it
in all and I know everything will be alright. Sister Ellison is super
awesome--I only get to be with her for two weeks so when that happened I
was like "great, she'll probably be like my favorite companion too!"
haha. She's great though we have a lot of fun. Everyone keeps asking if
Sister Wood and I got in a fight or something or what really happened
and honestly, I LOVE Sister Wood, she is such a stellar person and
missionary! But things have been happening since she came on her mission
all pointing to Aiken and I can't wait to see what happens there
because the Lord really does need her there. I'm grateful I got to be
companions with her, she is incredible.
This
week has been busy! We were on the road most of the day Wednesday to
make the switch of companions, but it has been a good week since. I have
pictures I'm sending of me with Edgar, Elizabeth and Joey and we saw
them a few days after the picture was taken and Joey looks TERRIBLE now.
Oh it's so sad. He was given 6 months to live and Elizabeth doesn't
think he's going to make it that long. His skin on everywhere but his
face is literally purple and dark and it is so hard to see him like
that. I hated watching people die as a CNA and I hate it here. But I'll
keep these pictures to remember him at least with a little smile,
because he definitely doesn't look like that anymore.
Josh
is super awesome, he texted us asking us to please have President
Hester call him because he had this distinct thought that said "the
answer lies within" and he didn't know what it meant. He said it had
been eating him up and we met with him the next day and he had talked to
President Hester and said about 5 minutes after he hung up his answer
hit him like a ton of bricks--he needed to BELIEVE. Oh it was so awesome
to hear him talk about it, he has come so far already. I'm so excited
for him.
We got this referral clear back in
November or December for this woman named Sheila. Hard background, could
really use the gospel. Couldn't track her down. Then a member of the
branch gave her us as a referral. Got the address, went over and they
said she moved. What?! It had only been a day are you kidding me?! So we
looked in the area where they said she moved and weren't having much
luck. Then we got a referral for her dad (who we didn't know was her
dad) because his wife had just passed. So Sheila's mom as well. Because
they use the signs "slow, or quiet death in family" signs we pinpointed
them! We've met with Sheila and her dad D.L. twice and they have been
incredible meetings!!! Sheila is earnestly seeking this and it is soooo
awesome!! Both of them are on date for baptism for May 9th
:) Ahh! Meeting with them is so awesome I love them! You don't just get
three referrals for the same person so you KNOW Heavenly Father wanted
us to see them. I wish we had found them sooner but everything is in the
Lord's timing and His timing is always perfect. "The Lord may not come
when you want Him, but He's always on time". That was a random quote but
seriously people say that alllllllllll the time! The South is great :)
I
do hope you all had a wonderful Easter and Conference weekend. We
watched Conference at the church and Annie (recent convert) and her
husband Reggie provided Easter dinner in between sessions for us and the
elders. It was a day well spent. I don't have my Conference note
journal with me or I would tell you some of my favorite quotes... but I
got something great from every talk!! Make some time to review the talks
for yourself, it is so worth it! I hope you all have the most blessed
week this week! Transfer calls are this Saturday, but transfers aren't
until next Tuesday
so I won't be able to let you know where I am for a couple Mondays. But
it will be exciting, half of my mission thus far (7 1/2 of 14 months)
have been spent in the small town of Hazlehurst so it will be
interesting to see what is next. Life's exciting, hang on tight! :) I
love you all! Have a great week!
Love,
Sister Applegate
Sister Wood, Charlene and I
Us and Preston
Me with Elizabeth, Joey and Edgar. Probably the best Joey will have looked before he dies.. :(
Last picture with Sister Wood in Hazlehurst. All three that were taken have a super bad glare...
Sister Turner (Mama Duck) sent an Easter/Ducky package to her Ducky!! Love her! :)
God
protects His missionaries because this trailer should make us sick.
More than 15 cats, a dog, and it is INFESTED with cockroaches. We spend a
lot of time there but have not gotten sick yet (knock on wood) haha.
Some living conditions make me ill it is so sad to see how some people
live
My companion for two weeks, Sister
Ellison! She just came from being with Sister Jeppson who I love! We
have a lot of fun, I will definitely miss her too even though I won't
get to know her super well. She is from North Idaho, almost Canada. My
fourth companion in this area, holy cow. Haha
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