Things I never thought I'd do....(1/26)

Today was transfer day... and we're staying! I'm so excited... transfer call night (the Monday before transfers, every six week) has been a horrible experience for me for the past five or six transfers. This is the first time I haven't had a change of area, or companion, or both. It's such a relief to know that with things going so well we get to actually enjoy it for at least another six weeks. Yay! :)

Hermana Norton and I were talking the other day about things that we never thought we'd do... and how a lot of them have happened on our missions. Among many very random things there was one in particular that we thought was pretty funny. It had to do with how when we were younger our moms got a little upset when we tried to invite ourselves over to our friends' houses. And to their credit, it is pretty rude. However, it seems that we do a lot of that.. inviting ourselves in or over. We have pretty much become professional "inviter-overs". It's hilarious how our normal social boundaries are completely out the window, but the best part is knowing that we have the spirit to back us up! We have had some incredible experiences this week getting into homes we weren't expecting and have had some amazing lessons with new investigators. I love them all already!

Another thing I thought I'd never do... carry around a pack of cigarettes. We have an investigator, Manny, that has quit smoking so he can be ready for his February 5 baptism. He gave us his last pack and wrote and signed an "oath" on it that he would quit. We're so excited for him, but as soon as we got to the car with the cigarettes we kind of looked at each other like what do we do with these? I'm not sure what is the most "green" way of disposing of cigarettes, so for now they're just sitting on our counter top! Gross!

As far as something I never thought I would actually be able to do - I translated for a fireside on Sunday night. It was actually from Spanish to English (which is easier to do) but I got the head set and everything! It is so cool to recognize the gifts that Heavenly Father has given me to help in his work. I am so grateful!

I also thought I'd never go a winter without snow... Everyone keeps telling me how much snow you all are getting back east! Ah! Everyone should live in Arizona! I never want to see another winter below 60 degrees again!

Life is great and the mission is the best thing EVER!

Love you all,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette

Fort-ifications (1/19)

I can't actually remember everything that happened this week, so I guess that means everything went well! I had some special, somewhat non-mission related experiences this week. I've finally accepted that it's about time to figure out what I'm going to do when I get home, since it's approaching more quickly than I'd like. It's something that I'd typically stress about, especially because I have almost no time or resources to do anything about it as a missionary.

The past couple weeks have been kind of stressful in the few spare moments I have thinking and planning what I have been wanting to do with the rest of my life. However, I've also felt so blessed to really feel like the Lord has been guiding me and once again putting the right people in my path to help me make the right decisions. I finally realized that we tell people all day every day to pray about things like this, and the Lord WILL answer our prayers. Was I doing that? Yes, I was praying for guidance, but it was pretty open-ended... it wasn't until I made some concrete decisions and asked for Heavenly Father's "approval" that I felt the peace I was looking for. The same day I finally did that, we had interviews with our Mission President who said a few things that once again helped me confirm my choice... tender mercy for me! - I like to be 110% sure! :)

Monday night we made a fort... yes, that's right. We are clearly very easily entertained, and we had a few extra minutes before bedtime after we had planned for the next day. So, we got some extra sheets, and with the help of Ellen (the member who lives upstairs) and her friend Sabrina we constructed quite the edifice. We then made popcorn and watched "Together Forever" a church movie about families.

The fort reminded me of a lesson we sometimes do with families. We read Alma 50 and discuss the fortifications Moroni makes around the city to protect it from the Lamanites. We then compare the city to our family and the heaps of earth, timbers, pickets, and towers to things such as the scriptures, the gospel of Jesus Christ, prayer, priesthood, tithing, baptism, Family Home Evening, temples, a prophet, etc... the things we have in our lives that protect us from the "spiritual Lamanites". I know that as we build these fortifications around our homes and families we will be protected from the "stones and arrows" of our enemies. If we let even just a few of these slip, it creates an entry for Satan to enter into and corrupt our homes.

Our families are important to God, and that is why he has provided us with all these means to protect and strengthen them. I have seen the application of this principle within the walls of literally hundreds of homes over the past year. Families that make these things a priority are happier, and more successful than those who don't... there is a different (almost tangible) feeling within their home. I know that as you make an effort to focus on that which protects your family - "principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities" (i.e. fort-building) you will recognize a change and feel more peace and harmony within your home and family.

Love always,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette

The Parable of the Giant Marshmallow (1/12)

The weeks are flying by! One year ago today I arrived in Arizona as a new missionary... even I can't believe how much I have changed since then... all good, of course :)

Monday night we had a Family Home Evening with Heidi, her two sons Tyler and Alec, and their next door neighbors. We watched the video of the Restoration to review, and for our activity roasted marshmallows in their fire pit in the back yard. The lesson/spiritual thought went well, but I can't lie, I was pretty excited to make s'mores, especially when I realized that we would be using GIANT marshmallows! At first appearance, the ginormous marshmallow appears better than a regular marshmallow in every way possible - fatter, squishier, sweeter, etc. However, after a careful attempt at roasting and creating the perfect s'more, I was pretty disappointed when I finally tasted it! Big let down... It was NOT any better and I would have been much happier with one regular, white, jet-puffed, perfectly-toasted mallow.

It seems that this happens many times in life... things aren't always what they appear. We see others around us who are more attractive, more talented, have nicer things and we want it.. all of it! Satan is also especially good at making things of the world appear more attractive to us. We need to recognize "things as they really are" (Jacob 4:13) and not take for granted the many gifts we have been given. Yesterday, as we were teaching an eight year old girl the 10 commandments, she wisely taught us that not coveting means being thankful for the things we have. And she is right, we are so blessed and need to be careful not to take for granted what we have been given on our quest for something bigger, better, or squishier.

With all of the blessings we have been receiving recently my heart has been so full of gratitude. I have been thinking about what it means to really BE grateful, and the power that can have in our lives. I have a quote from President Hinckley written in my scriptures: "When we fill our hearts with gratitude, there will be no room for unhappiness." But what I am learning is that when we fill our hearts with gratitude, there is also no room left for doubt, despair, fear, judgment, or unkindness. And as we express our gratitude to Heavenly Father through prayer, He is even more willing to bless our lives further.

I know that our Heavenly Father loves us, and because of that love He wants us to be obedient and worthy to receive the blessings He has in store for us. I know that as you make an effort to be more grateful, you will feel His love more abundantly in your life, and will recognize His hand working for your good. Remember to look for the good in what you have and always be thankful for the blessings you have been given... giant or small.

Much love,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette

White New Year (1/5)

Happy New Year! I can't believe it's 2011 already! Where did 2010 go?!

This has been a super fun, and a super blessed week... and it was white! It snowed like crazy! Ok... in the mountains, but from a few reports there were actually a few areas in Mesa that saw a couple dozen snowflakes... it was definitely cold enough. Friday night (New Year's Eve) we went to the temple to work at the Christmas Lights display and even though we practically froze to death it was way fun! We met lots of interesting people, and I feel strongly that several of them were placed in our path.

That has kind of been a theme of this week. We have truly felt like instruments in the Lord's hands! It is so rewarding to recognize that you are an answer to someone's prayers and that the Lord is using us as His hands to do His work. We have seen so many answers to prayers - our own and those of others... from little tender mercies, to complete miracles, and somehow it amazes me every time.

Bernice (I've talked quite a bit about her) was baptized on New Year's Day - as we started a New Year, she also started a new life. We had asked her to share her testimony during the baptism program, which she agreed to do, and it was incredible. She shared how when she first met with us her only intention was to prove that her brother (who is a member) was in the wrong. She told how she accepted the Book of Mormon so she could read it to find something wrong with it... but she couldn't find any error! On the contrary, for the first four nights that she read she dreamed of the things she had been reading. She would wake up with a pounding heart and an overwhelming feeling that what she was reading was true. She would then read and pray in the middle of the night, which calmed her enough so that she could sleep. She didn't stop reading until she reached the end (in 2 weeks!), and hasn't stopped since then - she is so hungry for the truth, and so confident that she has found it. We love having lessons with her because she always seems to have more to teach us than we teach her, and she is so willing and excited to learn! Her testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel always strengthens ours, and we are so blessed to have had the privilege of sharing it with her.

The Lord has been pouring out blessings on us, and providing people for us to teach that are SO prepared. We are so grateful, and are trying to be continually obedient and diligent... like Nephi and Lehi who strove "with unwearied diligence that they may bring the remainder of their brethren to the knowledge of the truth" (Helaman 15:6). Verses 7-8 talk about how these people are made free as they study the scriptures, develop faith, repent, and come unto Christ. These are the changes we see in people's lives every single day, and it is AMAZING! I love being a missionary, and wish I could just have a 14 year mission like the Sons of Mosiah... but maybe that wouldn't be long enough!

I hope you have all started the year of with a bang! Happy 2011!

Love,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette

PICTURES:

TOP: I found snow in Arizona! One of the mission vehicles that came down from the mountains left this little piece of snow in a church parking lot... I was pretty excited - I think this might be the only exposure I get to snow this year. Then again, not really complaining about that!

CENTER: Our feet at the Temple Lights Display- FREEZING!! The Elders brought us gloves, but we put them on our feet because our toes were way colder than our fingers! Every few minutes we discovered we had an extra toe or two!

BOTTOM: Bernice's baptism! Yay!

HIGHlights (12/29)

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! It's so weird on your mission because we are not focused at all on the "normal" Christmas-time things. Sure, we've been listening to Christmas music since Halloween, and we have had a tree up since Thanksgiving, but even with all the talking about Christ it never really felt traditional. Actually, what was really interesting to me was the fact that the only time I thought to myself, "yeah, THIS feels like Christmas" was when we were stressing out Christmas Eve trying to get every one's presents ready for them. Interesting... it was the feeling of stress that made the holiday seem "normal". I guess that's what I've come to associate this season with (and I'm sure I'm not alone in that). Makes me want to do some things differently next year, especially because I'll be back in the real world.

Thank you to those who sent cards and gifts. I appreciate your love. The best gift I received, however, was also Christmas Eve, when we went to visit Bernice, our investigator that is getting baptized on Saturday. Hermana Norton and I had bought her a nice set of scriptures and had her name engraved on them, and went over to give her the gift. She was so touched by our act of love, and shared her testimony of the things she has learned and come to find are true over the past couple months. She appreciated the scriptures, but was more grateful for the gifts we have given her by sharing the message of the restored gospel with her.

Bernice has the sweetest spirit and incredible faith. I am grateful to know that her testimony was recorded by angels, because I want to hear the words she said again, and would love for all of you to be strengthened by them as well. There really is no joy greater than inviting someone to come unto Christ! The love and happiness I feel when someone accepts that gift is indescribable. This evening was one of the spiritual highlights of my mission.

Change of tone: yesterday, I enjoyed one of the non-spiritual highlights of my mission! We were walking through a neighborhood and saw a guy working on some bikes. Of course we talk to everyone, but I was DEFINITELY not going to pass up the opportunity to speak with this guy, because these were no ordinary bikes (see picture!) They are called high bikes, and most of them (he has 15!) consisted of frames from two or more bikes welded together to make different shapes and themes. He gladly explained how this hobby came about, and was happy to give us a demonstration of how to ride them. We waited outside while he went to go grab a business card (don't worry we traded it for a mormon.org card!) and while he was in I decided I wanted to try and ride one. I figured it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and since I'm not on a foreign mission experiencing all kinds of weird things I have to take advantage of situations like this!

So, he held the bike for me while I got on and I rode up and down the street once. Turns out it's as easy as... riding a bike! We've been trying to bike more to save on miles and get some exercise, but this literally takes things to a whole new level!

Hope you all are having as much fun as I am! :) Best wishes for the New Year!

Love always,

Hermana Richelle Ouellette