The New York Utica Mission

Honestly I look back at the last 18 months and I'm filled with so much gratitude and love. How do I sum up 18 months of laughs, tears, hard work, the humidity, the cold, the good, the bad, etc. in an email? There's no way to describe the things I've experienced. 

A few years ago I had zero desire to serve a mission and that breaks my heart. I'm so grateful that Heavenly Father humbled my heart and extended a call for me to serve Him with all my heart, might, mind, and strength.

When I got my call to New York, I thought it was perfect for me. When I got here and realized how rural everything was, I wasn't so sure. I had no idea what God had in store for me. But as I continue to trust Him and His plan, He never lets me down. I have come to know in a very real way that God has a personal and individualized plan for each and every one of us.  He has truly turned me into someone I'm proud to be. He took my hand and helped me every step of the way. I know He was beside me through the hard days, days when I didn't think I could make it to the end of the night, days when I was homesick beyond belief, times when people were unnecessarily and flat out rude, doors slammed in my face, watching the people I love struggle through trials and challenges, stress of the unknown, He had a reason for every experience I went through. 

People always think the hardest part of a mission is getting doors slammed in your face or people yelling at you. Honestly sometimes that hurts, but it's nothing compared to the pain of watching someone come to know that the gospel is true and yet not wanting to change. Watching someone use their agency to turn away from God and to choose Satan. But none of that pain compares to the joy of knowing how loving and merciful our Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ are. I have truly come to know them in a way I never thought was possible. I've come to know how prophets in the Book of Mormon felt when they cried over the wickedness of the people. I've come to see all the pain swallowed up in the joy that comes from helping someone you love enter the waters of baptism to make a covenant with God that they'll serve Him, keep His commandments, take His name upon them, and always remember Him. And that's exactly what we got to witness this weekend. 

Brittany. got. baptized. She's a Mormon!!! 

I've never seen so much opposition or so many stumbling blocks placed in someone's way. Yet I've also never seen so much perseverance from someone. Brittany pushed through and overcame everything with the help of our Savior so she could be baptized. I don't remember the last time I felt the Spirit so strong as I did when I watched her enter into the waters of baptism. It was an amazing and powerful experience! There's no denying the truthfulness of this gospel. 

Before I came on the Lord's mission, I didn't know that these things were true, honestly. I believed all of it, but I didn't KNOW that they were true. My first couple weeks in the field, I realized that wasn't going to be enough. I knew I couldn't be out spreading lies and I needed to know if these things were true. That's when I sincerely started to read the Book of Mormon. I took Moroni's challenge and prayed and asked God if it was true. The power I felt when I did that, is indescribable. That experience has carried me through these last couple of months in New York as I've extended that same invitation to as many people as I could. Because I know that it's a promise from our Heavenly Father. That if we want to know if this church really is the same one that Christ brought to the earth 2,000 years ago, we read the Book of Mormon and pray to the source of all truth, God Himself. 

I know that He lives and hears and answers prayers. He loves us so much. Any honest seeker of truth can come to know by the power of the Holy Ghost that these things are true. We can each have our own personal testimonies of these things! Anyone and Everyone! I have felt the love that God has for us over and over again, day in and day out. He loves the people of New York (and Vermont) so much, and so do I. I never imagined how hard it would be to leave this place that I love so much. I've complained many times about how crazy the people are here or how cold or how hard this mission has been. But the truth is, I wouldn't trade a single day from these last 18 months for anything. 

I can't describe how grateful I am that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the earth. I know that Jesus is the Christ, this is His church, it's being led by a prophet of God who holds all the priesthood keys, I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I am so grateful that I was called to share these truths with my brothers and sisters. I know that God the Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith HERE in Upstate New York and that event changed history. I know my Savior Jesus Christ lives. I know Him and I love Him. I'm grateful that even though my time in His service is over, it never truly is. I'll be testifying of Him forever. Cliché, but even though the nametag has to come off, it truly never will. It's permanently on my heart forever. I say these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ, Amen. 

Pics: 

Brittany's baptism

 MEAGHAN I'M GOING TO MISS HER SO MUCH

 

We tried to be cute

how we look

Me in my natural habitat (Ricos pizza)

Steve Bushetti (lol I know that's not his name but close enough)

Brittany's baptism!!!

Brittany's baptism!!!

I 💗NY

When you get your car back from the elders and there's a pic of Elder Placencia on your TiWi card...

 Cleaning the font.

EIGHTEEN MONTHS.

What a week!! Honestly I will never get used to how weird the mission is. My life is so weird and literally anything could happen. Like this week! So on Wednesday we got a text from our mission president saying that we needed to be really careful on Friday and Saturday cause it was supposed to be super cold. We weren't allowed to be out for more than 15 minutes, and we were all supposed to be home by 8 both nights (that never happens) so we were like "okay" but then on Thursday night we got another text from President Rogers saying that the weather was supposed to be so cold and LIFE THREATENING that all missionaries had to stay INSIDE our apartments ALL DAY on Friday AND Saturday. We weren't allowed to leave for any reason. Holy macaroni what an adventure. That's the first time I've been bored in 18 months (that's right, ya girl hit her 18 month mark this week!!!) but it was nice cause we were able to get caught up on all our journaling and lots of other stuff around the house. 

We did a couple of phone lessons, weekly planned, alphabetized the area book (it was actually really fun I  area book work lol), cooked really good food, we found a board game in our apartment called "What Would Jesus Do" so we played that, took baths, baked a cake, worked out, did laundry, blew bubbles and watched them freeze outside, etc. etc. Haha it was one of the weirdest weeks of the mission by far. 

But even though we were stuck inside a lot, Heavenly Father still blessed us so much with lots of miracles!! 

Brittany's baptism interview was scheduled for Saturday, but we couldn't leave our apartment, so we had to reschedule it for yesterday and she PASSED!! So we're all set for this Saturday for her baptism!!! We're so excited for her. 

Yesterday was really awesome too, we picked up 4 new investigators!!! This family that we tracted into, let us in and loved the message we shared! The 18 year daughter was like "I see your nametag says Sister. Are you guys sister missionaries?" and I was like "yeah, that's exactly who we are! We're not nuns though..." (everyone gets us confused hahaha) and she was like "yeah okay! I saw a video about Sister Missionaries clothing throughout time so I thought that was about you guys!" So cool!!! That little bit of exposition helped her recognize who we are! She even prayed at the end and said she's excited to learn more, and we're excited to teach her more!!

Oh we also met with this girl Diana who seemed SUPER prepared!!! She had already downloaded the Book of Mormon and read the intro and all the testimonies BEFORE we even met with her and she loves it!! She accepted a baptism date for the end of this month, but things happened and she kinda called it off.... (the boy that introduced her to us is going back to school and leaving and said they're just friends, so we think she just wanted to be baptized for him...) but she still loves the Book of Mormon and wants to keep meeting with us so we're excited for that! It just shows how God really does prepare people for us to teach. 

One thing we've been struggling with this week is opposition and persecution. I have NEVER seen so much persecution from Satan before. He is literally attacking every single person that we're teaching. It is SO hard to see the people we love be tempted and go through trials, but we've been praying and fasting for these people and we know that they're in the hands of the Lord and that He will not allow them to be tempted more than they can handle. But if you could all keep Brittany and Meaghan in your prayers, that would help us out a lot. I have the strongest testimony of prayer, I know it helps a ton. 

The weather is supposed to warm up a bit this week so we're excited about that! It's in the 30's and 40's all week... #blessed. (I hate that the 30's is warm hahah thanks upstate New York, thanks). 

1. Ricos pizza is hands down the best pizza I've ever had. We eat it weekly lol

2. We finally got to leave our apartment to go to church yesterday morning, and this is what the weather was :)))))

3. We made homemade mac from this book Sis Miners dad sent her for Christmas #WifeUsUp

4. On exchange we got to go to dinner with some members in Pennsylvania! (the 5th state I've been to while on the mission haha) 

5. We quoted Hot Rod with Elder Severn for a fat minute and it was the best conversation of my life hahah

our adventures being stuck inside the apartment

Let's Party

Sister Miner is literally my favorite person in the whole world. For NYE last night we got bubble wrap and Martinelli's and partied Hot Rod style. Hahaha it was seriously the funniest thing. 

Honestly yesterday was just such a good day, it was filled with miracles! At church we had three solid member referrals! The first was from a returned missionary who's back home from school for the break. He brought his friend to church, introduced us and she gave us her number so we can set up a time to start teaching her! The member told us that she seems really prepared so we're pumped.

 

The second was from a Recent Convert who brought his daughter to church for the first time. She's 21 and in the middle of gospel principles she asks the golden question: "what do you have to do to get baptized?" so Elder Wright (who's teaching the class) just WHIPS out the Restoration and then hands it on over to me and then Sister Miner carries it over into the first vision and brings it back to Elder Wright who sets her on date for baptism next month! it was seriously incredible. 

The third one was from the best member missionary I've ever met, the one and only brother Kuenzli. A few weeks ago he set up an appointment for us to start teaching one of his co-workers. The lesson ended up falling through and after that this girls boyfriend went off on Bro Kuenzli and got really upset. So that whole situation was super sensitive and messy. Well yesterday he told us that the girl is still super interested and things are working out for us to be able to teach her!!! Bro Kuenzli always refers back to the scripture in Alma 29:9 (which i memorized in his behalf). It's a good one and a great life motto.

 

So when I say yesterday was full of miracles, that's no joke. We have been so blessed here. 

Also Brittany is just on FIRE! Seriously that girl is incredible. Sunday morning she woke up not feeling good and threw up, but did that stop her from coming to church? NOPE! She even stayed for all three hours. In Sunday School they set goals for this coming year and her main goal is to read the scriptures everyday. Seriously this girl could not be more golden. Things are just lining up perfectly for her baptism on the 13th and we're so excited! Yesterday we were talking about it and she just got so excited she squealed and hugged me, haha i love her. 

This past week we've been tracting these apartments and found this Chinese guy who let us in and had so many questions for us about how God has answered our prayers, how Jesus Christ has impacted our lives, and if the Bible can help us in our lives. He told us that 10 years ago he wouldn't have listened to us but that things in his life lined up even when they shouldn't have and he knew it was God playing a role in his life. It honestly strengthened my testimony that God is preparing people for us to find and teach. It was seriously awesome. 

Oh and another cool experience! Seriously God is so good. We were tracting out in Addison and the last house we knock on (we had to walk up these super sketchy steps to the top apartment) was this guy in his early 20's. He invited us in but there wasn't another female home so we couldn't come in. But he was so solid that he stood out in the freezing cold with us to listen to the Restoration. And he actually understood what the Book of Mormon was!! (People usually don't understand it haha) before we taught about Joseph Smith, we asked if he'd ever received an answer to his prayers before and he told us an incredible experience about how his family moved here from the Philippines and he knew that God brought his family here together. It's so cool to see God truly is preparing people to hear the gospel and how every experience He gives us is for our benefit. 

And He truly has a plan for us because He loves us SO MUCH!

I could go on an on but that's probably good for now haha. 

This year don't be afraid to set goals!! seriously when people say "i can't change" that is limited yourself and the Atonement of Jesus Christ! He literally came to the earth for us so that we can change and be anything that we want! With His help we can reach the biggest desires of our hearts. Aim high and let the Savior make of you who you can become with His help. 

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

P.S. I have so many funny quotes haha:

Meaghan giving Brittany advice for her baptism: "Just don't open your mouth to talk on your way down cause then you'll be baptized on the inside and the out" hahaha

me: 'hey Meaghan, want to teach Brittany about tithing?"

Meaghan: "pay your tithing"

whenever we get the car back from the elders it never has gas in it and it's always dirty, so we got the car back and the elders were in the back seat on exchange so we were taking them to their apartment so i was like 

"wow i love when we get the car back from the elders and there's no gas in it" 

Elder Severn: "wait, hold on. I speak female! I think she's upset. I think something like this might have happened in the past..."

Elder Wright: "I don't know.. I'm wrong 99% of the time" 

hahah it was so funny

Pics: 

1. it got down to 4* after this.... I love not having a car :))))

2. It's sad that when we saw this on someone's front porch while tracting we weren't even surprised... 

3. Sister Miner's dad got her Ryan Gosling earrings for Christmas 

4/5 our fun with bubble wrap, NYE was so lit