Tornado's and Training

Oh my goodness SO MUCH HAS HAPPENED this last week and a half, and I've been so excited to write this email.... I guess we'll just start at the beginning.

This last Friday we were sitting in Lisa's home, in a town called Silverton, about 10 miles away from Ripley, and the rain was incredible. Sister Sorensen and I were sitting on the couch with Lisa and her husband Charley when all of us got weather warning's on our phones that a tornado was coming into the area of Ripley. Sister Sorensen immediately freaks out (she's really into emergency preparedness, and went all boy scout on me), and I ensure her we'll be okay, and that we'll just wait about 30 minutes before we go home. As we were talking, a cute old man from the branch called us to make sure we were home and safe. We told him we weren't home yet, and he told us to be careful when we drive, because there were trees covering the roads in our town of Ripley. The rain let's up in Silverton, and Sister Sorensen start on our way home. The old man was right. Trees were EVERYWHERE, uprooted, and blocking roads. The main roads were clear, thank goodness, but the power was out in the town, and it was still raining pretty hard. We get to our apartment, and find that we still have power, so we were blessed, but the next morning the whole town was working to clean up the place from a tornado. Yes. A tornado hit Ripley, and I MISSED IT. I was a little bummed out, but rather be safe than sorry, right? (we can just pretend I'm a survivor) We were told that one person saw a cow floating down the river outside of his house, and we saw a trailer in the middle of the river, just sitting there. Pretty scary. Luckily no one was hurt, and clean up was fairly simple. Our little town was blessed.

Every Sunday we go eat lunch at a members house, but the last several weeks she's been gone, because it's summertime, and she's been on vacation. Her husband is very country side, and when I first met him, he talked about how he hunts and eats squirrel all the time. Well, over and over again, I've been half teasing, half being serious, asking if he'll feed us some... we'll guess what? This past Sunday he did! It actually wasn't that bad. Taste a lot like pork. It's was kinda sad eating something so cute though.

Monday morning we were doing some yard work for this old lady that is in our branch, and afterwards she took us out to eat at this pizza place. As we were there, a giant group of people walk in, dressed very nicely. There's only two reason why large groups of people dress nicely in West Virginia. 1) Wedding 2) Funeral.... well this group was for the later. One women comes up to the old lady in our branch, and asks her if she's going to the funeral (I guess the old lady knew the man who had died). The branch member says she'll think about it, and the woman leaves... a couple minuets later, the branch member asks if we'll go to the funeral with her, and we could hardly say no, because Sister Sorensen and I have such blue personalities. Keep this in mind that Sis S and I are in our muddy jeans and t-shirts, and probably smell, because we just did a bunch of yard work for this lady. We show up to the funeral, and Sis. S and I try our hardest to just wait in the lobby of the funeral home, and just as we're about to leave, because the old lady has talked to who she wanted to see, the wife of the man that died catches us and invites (or rather demands) that we come see her husband because "he looks so beautiful". Sis S and I try our hardest to get out of it, but she grabs our arms, and drags us into the room with the casket, while explaining to everyone to not mind us and that we're just some dirty people who have just done some yard work, here to see her beautiful husband. Can anyone say awkward?! We felt so out of place, and could hardly contain our laughter.

This week is transfer week, and the verdict is in!! Who's excited to hear what's happening? I know I was! Sad to say, but Sister Sorensen is leaving. :( I'll miss her a lot, and I've already cried about it, but I know she'll bless many lives in her new area... good news is that she's staying in my zone, so I'll see her at zone meetings and conferences!!

.... oh yeah, I forgot to mention.... I'M TRAINING! ;) Can you believe it!? I'll be in charge of teaching a brand new missionary everything she needs to know about missionary work.. WHAT?! I feel like I just finished with my training! (oh wait... I did..) I'll be here in Ripley, serving with a brand new missionary straight from the MTC, and I can't wait to meet her.

I hope everyone has a good, and safe 4th of July. Apparently Ripley is known for the "Biggest Small Town 4th of July Celebration" in the nation, so this place will be poppin' on Saturday. The carnival is already set up, and it'll be impossible to drive anywhere, so we'll be walking around during the parade, passing out little American flags, and talking to as many people as we can. Perfect activity for a new missionary!

Thanks for all the prayers and support!
Love, Sister Kirkby

Obedience

Hello!

SO many miracles this week! and it's all because of obedience!

Obedience is the key to receiving any blessings, whether it be on a mission, or back home. In Mosiah 2:41 King Benjamin taught about this principle. “I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God,” he counseled. “For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it".

We are promised blessings according to our obedience here on earth, and in heaven. What a comforting thing to know! We were able to teach 26 lessons this week, and we couldn't be more content. We've met a lot more people, and have really been effective, because we're being obedient. I'm so thankful for a trainer who has taught me the importance of this principle!

We had a specialized training this past Wednesday with our mission president, and it was well needed. We were asked to study 2 Nephi 9, and if you ever have any time, take it to study that chapter, because there are some incredible things to take from it. The Atonement is real, and you will gain a huge testimony of it as you read the chapter. Our president emphasized the fact that as missionaries, we are entitled to the Atonement just as much as our investigators, so we should never take it for granted. We are not perfect, nor will we ever be, nor expected to be, and we must be willing to forgive ourselves just as much as our Father has forgiven us, when we make a mistake.

Our investigators are doing well, and please take the time in your prayers to think of them and pray for them! Lisa is as great as ever, as well as the Hodge family, and the Johnson family! We're hoping to meet with all of them soon, and see a baptism in the near future. We have faith that it will happen when the Lord wants it to happen -- we work on His time, not ours.

Transfers is in a week and a half, and Sister Sorensen and I will most likely depart from each other -- I can't believe I'm almost done with training.... so weird!

Thanks for all your prayers! I love you!


Love, Sister Kirkby

Good morning everyone!

This week has been really great. Sister Sorensen has me taking the lead in the majority of teaching, and it's been a really big blessing on my part, so that I can be prepared for when transfers come up. We're working hard, and seeing the blessings come from our hard work. At the beginning of the transfer, our mission president challenged us to imagine the possibilities of having 20 lessons in one week, and so far, each week this transfer, my companion and I have been able to hit that goal. In doing so, we've been SO BLESSED. The effectiveness of our teaching has increased, and we're bringing more and more people closer to our Savior.

We're teaching so many great people, and we're hoping that we can baptize soon. Lisa's baptism had to be moved, but it's okay, because she's still stellar, and we still love her so much, and teach her weekly. We always go to DQ, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to reach death by ice cream ;) We're teaching two recently married couples, who are so fun to be around, and are progressing, and loving the gospel daily. We're also teaching a young mom of 4 kids, who has a low-income, but still so positive. The humility we see in the people here in West Virginia is an example to me of how I need to master that Christ-like attribute.
Each day get's more beautiful, and I love it here with all my heart. Growing up, I always thought that lightning bugs were some kind of myth, but I'm here to tell you, that they are NOT. We went to dinner at a members home early in the week, and as we were leaving, driving through the woods, we saw so many fireflies, lighting up the horizon. It was so beautiful, and if there's anything I've learning from Sister S this week, it's that we NEED to enjoy the simple things in life, because those are the tender mercies of the Lord.

I love you all! Don't forget: The Lord is always by your side, and we should never take the Atonement for granted.

Love, Sister Kirkby

A BREEZY Gal

Hello everyone!

Life's good here in good ol' Ripley, West Virginia! We've really seen a lot of miracles in our area, and I'm so blessed to be here with Sister Sorensen. I learn so much from her every day, and I'm sad that training is almost over. 3 more weeks! Can you believe it? Then I'll be on my own in this big scary missionary world. ;) I'm so glad Sis. S is preparing me for that though. She's really taught me that simplicity is key, that we don't have to know everything, as long as we use our resources, and that becoming a consecrated missionary is what our ultimate goal is. We must lay everything out on the table, and really look outward instead of inward when it comes to the work. As President Hinkley said "Forget yourself and go to work" and that's what I try to do everyday, so that we can be successful. As we forget ourselves, we become naturally obedient, and obedience brings miracles, which we all need as missionaries. 

Sorry this week was pretty uneventful, and I wish I had a fun story to tell. We saw a bunch of goats this week, that followed us everywhere. It was pretty adorable. We've met a less-active member of the church who LOVES animals. She raises squirrels, and has two baby ones right now, that she found after a tree had fallen, killing the momma squirrel. She's also taking care of four baby bunnies, three little kittens, on top of the three grown squirrels she owns, her three cats, one dog, a domestic bunny, and apparently she used to own a possum. Needless to say we love going over there, because we always have an animal to play with. The weather has been hotter than ever, and people keep telling us to "wait until August, because that's when you can cut the air with a knife it's so thick." Humidity is not my favorite thing.

We also came across a street sign that will probably be the closest one we'll find to my actually name, so I made Sis. S take a picture of me, and she told me she'd only do it if I was holding a BOM... can anyone say cheesy? :)

Thanks for all the support and prayers! I love you all!

Love, Sister Kirkby

Teach those that are Prepared!

This past week we've come in contact with a newly married couple who are so prepared from the Lord. This doesn't happen often, where they're outright willing to do everything you commit them to do, and are so enthusiastic about the message we share. Usually we have to really encourage people to listen to our message, so we we're ecstatic when we met them. When we last met with them, it came time to say the closing prayer, and the couple was fighting over who was going to say it. That never happens.... needless to say, we're going to run with the miracle the Lord has provided!

I've learned a lot while being on my mission, and my testimony has grown so much in just basic doctrine. Nephi promises: “Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the words of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.” What is eternal life? It is where we will one day inherit a place for us and our families in the highest degree of glory. We will dwell with God, and become perfected in Him. Our families will be together forever, but only if we “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ.” and continue to do so, until our time on earth is over. We must have faith in Jesus Christ, learn of His life through diligent scripture study, and pray to our Father in Heaven often. As we do this, we will have desire to follow our savior, and become less distracted. If we do let Satan enter our lives, we can always apply the Atonement. We must repent, change, and become better. This basic doctrine really gives us an eternal perspective, which is something Sister Sorensen and I are focusing a lot on with our investigators. If we apply these things, we will see blessings!

I love you all, and I hope you have a great week!
Love, Sister Kirkby


P.S. Here's our jalapeno we planted when I first got to Ripley. It's getting HUGE.

Lost Dog

Hello west coast! (and anyone else around the world who's reading),

The mission is GREAT! Last week, we were feeling a little (more like a lot) discouraged, but by the end of the week, we had witnessed SO many miracles, it didn't even matter. Sister S always says that the good outweighs the hard, and it's very true. The Lord is very aware of us, and He loves us so much, and WANTS us to succeed.

Last Saturday we had quite the experience, and it was terrifying, but hilarious wrapped into one. We had just approached the door of a less active members house, for a dinner appointment when the very old man who lives there yells at us to "come in! But DON'T LET THE DOGS OUT... DON'T LET THEM OUT" He continues to yell at us about not letting his dogs out as we open the door. Sister S is immediately attacked by four little dogs, and she shoots to the floor in attempt to keep them all contained. In the process, I'm shoving her into the house, so that I can close the door, to avoid the unspeakable. This quick, 10 second ordeal happens, and I walk up the stairs to introduce myself to this man, because I've never met him before. As we're talking, Sister S comes to me, looking a little flustered, and tells me that we should probably take off our shoes by the door, and so I ask the man if he'd like us to take our shoes off. He exclaims that the floor has been peed and vomited on so often by his dogs, that he wouldn't imagine for us to take off our shoes, and Sister S looks like she's about to freak. I give her a look, as if to say "What's you're problem", and she leans in and whispers to me "We let one of the dogs out!".

I'm sure the look on my face was just pure terror.... A million things run through my mind in an instant. I'm trying to think of how we're supposed to tell this man we let one of his dogs out, or a way to create an excuse to go outside, while I simultaneously ask her what in the craycray she wants me to do about it?? We sit down at the table, because this man is ushering us towards our seats, and we're both in a panic. Sister S looks like a stone statue, and I'm still trying to figure out how to get outside to find this poor puppy. Suddenly I remember that we left the phone out in the car, so I apologize to the brother, and explain that we "left our phone outside, and we're expecting a call, so we're going to go grab it real quick". Sister S and I leap from our seats, and bolt out the door. We step outside and this dog is NO WHERE TO BE SEEN, and I thought Sister S was going to punch a wall. As we walk around the corner, we see it, just hanging out by a bush, and Sister S runs to catch that little dog. As she picks it up, (it's maybe 40lbs), she struggles towards me, and thrusts it into my arms, claiming it's "too heavy". We run inside the home, and I throw the dog inside, hoping that the man won't see that I've just come inside with his dog in my arms.

We walk back up the stairs, a little winded, and SO RELIEVED we found this mans dog alive, and not squished on the side of the road. Throughout the rest of dinner, we were trying so so hard not to bust out laughing at the whole situation, and as soon as the doors to our car closed, we laughed so hard... for a good 10 minutes.

Thank goodness we found that mans dog, because this story would end up much less funny if we hadn't. MIRACLES ARE REAL

Thanks for all of your support, and keep sharing the gospel with those around you! I love you!
Love, Sister Kirkby

First Transfer Period DOWN!

Can you believe that I've already been on the mish for one transfer? Yeah, I can't either!
The Ripley area is doing GREAT. We're working hard, and feeling our Heavenly Fathers love every day. Without the Spirit we are nothing, and we must rely on His guidance to help us become effective missionaries. This past Sunday was stake conference, and I really loved what one of the speakers had said. "If we apply basic doctrine (prayer, scripture reading, going to church) our Savior will fill in our weaknesses." I've been also studying my copy of the general conference edition of the Ensign like crazy. Last night I was reading Elder Bednar's talk about fear, and I found what he had said about the Atonement to be really applicable to my companion and me. "The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways we could NEVER recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity." We are limited without the Atonement, and as we apply it in our lives, we will be one small step closer to become like our Savior. We will be able to recognize our weaknesses, and repent and change to become as perfect as we can be.

Someone told Sister Sorensen and I a really funny Mormon joke this past week:
How many Mormons does it take to change a light bulb?
Six. One to change it, and five others to bring refreshments.
We laughed really hard.

Thanks for all of your support and love! I miss you all, and I hope you're all able to recognize the tender mercies in your everyday lives! The Lord loves you!
Love, Sister Kirkby