Six month sister

That's right, we got transfer calls and ya girls are staying together in Vermont! So weird that I've lived in New York for 6 months and after this transfer I will have lived in Vermont for 6 months! I'm super excited though I know the Lord called me to stay for a reason and I'm excited to find out what that reason is. 

On Wednesday we had District Meeting in Greenwich and it was a really powerful meeting. The Zone Leaders gave an awesome training and the Spirit was so powerful. It was one of those moments that I realized how lucky I am to be a missionary. And to be surrounded by other missionaries and to feel their Spirit. We truly are the Lords servants and have been given His Spirit to further His work. The ZL's asked us why we are here. What made us come out on a mission and I thought really hard about that. Especially now at my halfway mark. Why am I here? Why did I come? And more importantly, why did I stay? I came up with a few answers but the only one that seems to be completely accurate is is Christ. He is the reason for everything. And He is absolutely the reason I'm here. It was a great way to remind me to put my focus on Christ. 

Another highlight of the week is GARTH CAME TO CHURCH!!!! Finally! Last week during weekly planning we were really confused as to how we could help Garth. We didn't know what he needed and the only thing that came to my head was that we needed to drop him. I was really scared because he's one of our only investigators and I didn't know if that was the right thing to do. I told Sister Hall and she said she felt the same way. We decided that we'd go see him one more time and see how the lesson went and then if he didn't come to church that week, we were going to put him back in the Lord's hands and give him some time. Well he cancelled our appointment this week but told us he wanted to come to church and this time he actually did!! It was awesome because he was able to talk to some members in priesthood and told them some of the concerns he had and the branch members were able to help us with that. So hopefully he'll be able to start progressing and commit to a baptism date! 

1. We didn't sticky note the elders car...

2/3. Awkward family photos

4. We bought matching VT pillows

5. MY CUTE FAM 

6. S'mores at the Vaughns: 10/10 

#Blessed

Let me tell you about how blessed Sister Hall and I are. We got 3 new investigators this week!!!! They're super cool. One is like a 70 year old lady that has a British accent but is from the city haha she fed us lunch this week and was just cracking us up. She has started the Book of Mormon and wants us to come teach her more so that's exciting! 

The next one is a young dad who's recently been divorced. He's super funny and blunt about things and has lots of questions about religion but told us he'd read the Book of Mormon. 

The other one is a lady I've been trying since last transfer. It was just never a good time for her when we would go over. She lives just down the street from us and one day we were coming home and about to go inside to weekly plan or something when I stopped and said we should go see her. We're so glad we did because she let us right in! Her husband wasn't home which was kinda sad cause we want to teach families but she listened to the Restoration and said she'd read the Book of Mormon! That's my favorite thing ever, when people say they will read the Book of Mormon. That's where the true conversion comes. We were so pumped this week to finally have some new people to teach. My testimonies of the power of prayer and fasting have been strengthened sooo much since being out here. 

On Tuesday we went and visited a woman in our branch that was in the hospital. Sister O'Brien. My first week in Bennington I saw some sisters in the RS with these beautiful handmade bookmarks. I asked where they got them and they told me Sister O'Brien had made them! I complimented her on how beautiful they were and the next week Sister O'Brien came to church with about 4 different bookmarks for me to choose which color I wanted for myself. That is something that really stuck out to me. It was such a small and simple act of service but it made me feel really special that she would go out of her way to bring me one! About a month ago, she got really sick and had basically what is Mad Cow disease, but for humans. On Tuesday we went to go see her and she was pretty much in a coma state and very unresponsive but it was still good to see her. On Sunday we found out she passed away. It was sooo sudden and showed me how precious life really is. This sister was perfectly healthy a month ago and now has passed on. I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation that we know she is around and healthy! What a sweet woman who left a wonderful impression on my life. 

Yesterday we had a broadcast from Salt Lake for the NorthEastern part of the US and Canada. Elder Oaks spoke and was very bold, I LOVED it! He flat out said "Tattoos and body piercings are graffiti on your body and not appropriate." he continued and shared how he stands with God's standards. I loved how bold he was. In the beginning of the mission, I was really shy about things like that. As I've been out longer I've become more bold and Elder Oaks makes me want to be even bolder! This is the truth! These are God's laws. We should not be ashamed to live them or declare them to be true. We of course need to be respectful, but not be ashamed when we tell people what is right or wrong. Our God is a God of high expectations. One last thing he said that stuck out to me is "Men are NOT the priesthood. Men HOLD the priesthood" many people get that confused and I loved that great reminder. 

Other funny stories from the week...

"Do you have this pamphlet or did your ex take that when she took the Bom?"

"Probably, she took everything but the truck and the house.." 

"Do you guys get doors slammed in your face?"
"all the time"

"You need to carry around a sign with you that says "Jesus says love your neighbor." And say 'I am your neighbor... so stop throwing dirt at me! Because I will throw it right back at you!'" *picture a 70 year old woman with a British accent acting this out* 

Pics

1. I did this only for Parker and Lacey... 

2. Swingssss

3. We woke up this morning to snow on the mountains... it's literally May, what the heck

Must be the J Dubs

We were at a Less Actives house this week when we thought we heard someone knocking on the door. She goes "Who could that be? The Mormons are already here!! ...It must be the Jehovah Witnesses" HAH! There wasn't anyone at the door but it was still funny.

There's a Recent Convert in the branch that told us she wanted to take a break from meeting with us and coming to church which has been really hard. At my interview with President at Zone Conference, President Rogers told us to give her two weeks and then go see her. Well, two weeks would have been Wednesday but we weren't going to be in that area so we planned to go see her on Thursday. Fast forward to this week on Wednesday, we get a text from her saying she had a dream about us and church and her and her husband were going to come this week! Exactly two weeks from when our mission president told us to go see her. I truly know he is called of God and that he was able to connect to heaven and give us that timeframe. The recent convert came to church on Sunday and is letting us come over again this week! We've been praying sooo much for her lately so we were SO happy when she contacted us this week! Such a blessing. 

So that was the spiritual highlight of my week. The rest of the week was filled with laughter non stop!! I don't think I've ever laughed so much or so hard in my whole life than I have this week with Sister Hall! We've only been together for 3 weeks and yet we already read each others minds. We've finished each others sentences so many times or I'll say something and she'll be like "I was just about to say that!" It's been such a funny week. I

Other funny highlights from the week: 

-Sister Hall fell over backwards in her chair right in front of the Elders

-The Elders got to go to Connecticut for the temple and stopped at Chick Fil A on the way back and brought us some sauce (not really funny, but definitely a highlight)

-Sister Hall saw 3 (mostly) naked people this week HAHAHA she's literally been cursed, it keeps happening, poor girl 

-I had an allergic reaction to something this week and my face blew up, I looked like a high Asian for a good 24 hours 

-At Stone Soup we saran wrapped the Elders car lol

The work has been super slow here lately but we are trying to focus on the joy and good things that come! We're still doing lots of service which is great because service seriously does soften peoples hearts. People are able to recognize us from serving around the community and that has been really cool. Also Novella and Ed (our 2 main progressing investigators) are still doing awesome! Novella has a date in July to be baptized and Ed is sincerely praying to know if this is the right path so for now we are all trusting in the promise in Moroni 10 that he will get his answer. I definitely know he will. One thing I love about that scripture is that is says "by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may KNOW the truth of all things." not "ye may believe" or "ye may think it's true" no. It's a promise that we can all KNOW that these things are true. That's something that I can testify of. About a year ago I turned in my mission papers, and at that time I had a firm testimony, I truly believed these things were true. But now by the power of the Holy Ghost, I KNOW these things are true. I cannot deny them or walk away from them. I am so grateful for an almighty God who answered my prayers by the Holy Ghost and helps me continue to grow my testimony. I'm grateful I get to share these precious truths with my brothers and sisters everyday in such a beautiful place! 

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

P.S. Spring is FINALLY here! The Green Mountains are BEAUTIFUL. The trees have started to bud and go green at the base of the mountains and work their way up to the top so soon all of the mountain will be green, I'm so excited to see it in full bloom!

Pics

1. Cannoliiiiiiiiiii

2. Lol my swollen eyes lolol

3. The deed

4. Sister Halls mom sent us nightgowns

Death by chocolate

Hello everyone and thanks so much for the birthday wishes! Sorry I don't have too much time today but yesterday was great and I was really spoiled by the amazing people here, I'm so lucky to be in such a great place! 

Weird things happened this week. We found out that two of our investigators have actually been baptized so they're Less Actives, not investigators so that's... well that's that. 

We were able to visit a lot of other Less Actives/Recent Converts this week so that was great, I love the people of the Bennington Branch! 

We also had a good lesson with Garth where we read from the Book of Mormon and one of the guys that lives in the same trailer came and read with us so that was cool! And they said they'd both come to church next week so that's super sweet and hopefully that happens. 

We've been teaching about baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost lately and it really makes me sad when people don't see the need or the urgency for them to be baptized. It gives great opportunity for us to bear our testimonies on how baptism and confirmation have helped our lives and bearing testimony always strengthens testimony. Just looking back over the last couple of years I definitely wouldn't be who I am if it weren't for the gift of the Holy Ghost. It truly is a gift to be able to have a member of the Godhead with us at all times as we live worthy of it. It has shaped me and my life in so many ways and it's a way that I can see what God's plan for me is. Many people we meet have the light of Christ in them and it is so evident, it makes me happy because having the gift of the Holy Ghost with us is even more apparent to people. So this week make sure you're living worthy to have the Holy Ghost with you because those around you do notice a difference. What a privilege it is to be baptized and confirmed a member of God's true and living church on the earth today. 

Have a great week, love ya!

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

Funny story...

This week we volunteered at a nursing home and this old fart was talking to me and he was like "does your boyfriend miss ya?"

me: "what boyfriend?"

Him: "you don't have a boyfriend?! what's wrong with you?!"

and that's the story of how I got roasted by a 90 year old. 

hahah but then he recovered with "actually.. what's wrong with them?!" he was a funny, funny guy

Pictures: 

1. Sister Jones and Reintjes made me a cake for my bday and brought it to me at district meeting :')

2. Stephen from the library made me a chocolate mint cake for my birthday literally so blessed. it was amazing. 

3. Birthday donuts

4. Y'ALL I HIT HUMP DAY THIS WEEK WHAT THE HECK 

P.S. as you can see, we've had soooo much chocolate this week. It just keeps appearing SOS we're literally bout to go into a chocolate coma

Walking Zombies

Hello everyone! I don't know what it is, but Sister Hall and I have been just exhausted this week! It comes with the nametag I guess!

This week we went on exchange with the Saratoga Springs sisters which was really fun! I met some awesome recent converts that were baptized when my trainer served in Saratoga so that was really cool! 

After exchange we went to Zone Conference which is always a good time. We talked a lot about the commitment pattern and how we can help our investigators continue to repent by extending commitments and promising them specific blessings. Being a missionary is really cool. 

Another plus this week is that the weather has been amazing! I'm so so so excited for Spring/Summer and for the mountains to get even more green! Everyone keeps saying the mountains are gonna start getting green at the bottom and then it works its way up to the top so the whole thing is gonna be green from top to bottom hopefully by next month! I'm just in awe at what a beautiful world we live in. 

Yesterday for Easter Sister Hall and I taught Gospel Principles on The Atonement. We used the 'donuts in seminary' story that I shared at my farewell (if any of y'all even remember that far back haha) it reminded me of how Christ has already overcome sin and death for us. He's there to help us through everything because He's already overcome the world. And yet some of us, like some student in the story, still leave that precious gift uneaten, or unused. My invitation is for all of you to remember Christ this week and what He's done for you personally! I promise you that as you truly seek Christ and as you come to understand what He's done and how it impacts your everyday life, you will never be the same. I know that's true for me. I love my Savior and all that He's done for me, and all that He continues to do for me! Yesterday was a great reminder of how He overcame death for us so we will all live again! 

We also spent the day with some members, the LoPiano's and the Carmacks. It was a good time with good company. I'm so grateful for members that are so willing to share their time with us and invite us into their homes. On the way home the LoPianos shared how they don't understand why some people never have the missionaries over, because missionaries are the closest thing to Christ that you can have. That was a true wake up call for me and a great reminder of just how sacred this calling is. I'm truly blessed to be able to represent Christ. 

"He is Risen" Don't forget. And don't forget to have a good week! 

Love you all!

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

Funny quote for the week... Ed watched The Prophet of the Restoration movie and afterwards said "The movie was surprising. I had no idea all that happened, I thought Joseph Smith made it out to Salt Lake and lived happily ever after.. but no..." HAhahahah we just laughed and apologized for not giving him a heads up

Pictures: 

1. The view from the Carmacks house 

2. Sister Holmberg and I on exchange!

3. Sister Jones 

4-6 I'm literally obsessed with Vermont and I'm never leaving okay bye

The curse of week 6

I don't know what it is, but there's a curse that hits me every time week 6 comes around. It involves: rain, grey skies, no sunshine, snow, cancelled appointments, lots of tracting, and plenty of OYMing. Luckily I am so blessed to have an AMAZING companion, Sister Hall! She is seriously the best. This week has been really long and hard and nothing really has been happening. Every single night, our 8:30 appointment cancelled. We did at least an hour of tracting and half hour of OYMing. I kept on apologizing and telling her it's usually better than this. Well last night she so humbly said, "I know I'm here for a reason. And if that reason is for me to tract and OYM, then I'll do it." So yeah, I have a LOT to learn from Sister Hall. She has the best attitude and is just awesome! LOVE HER.

So one thing I really wanted to talk about today was a talk that I read called "Finding Joy in Life" by Richard G. Scott. Something he said really stuck out to me: "You are here on earth for a divine purpose. It is not to be endlessly entertained or to be constantly in full pursuit of pleasure. You are here to be tried, to prove yourself so that you can receive the additional blessings God has for you... The Lord is intent on your personal growth and development. That progress is accelerated when you willingly allow Him to lead you through every growth experience you encounter, whether initially it be to your individual liking or not." That really put a whole new perspective on trials for me. Of course we're here on Earth to have joy and be happy, but life isn't all about having it easy or being 'endlessly entertained' we're here to experience trials. We're put on this beautiful earth that was created by the Master's hand specifically for us, to be tried and tested, to learn and grow, to do things we couldn't do before but that we can now experience because of the physical bodies that we have! My testimony of the plan of happiness that was created for us has been so strengthened the last couple of months. I've been starting to see things with an eternal perspective which is an incredible gift. 

This week we had a very powerful lesson with Ed. Sister Ferrin and I felt impressed to show him a Mormon Message but we really weren't sure which one to show him. We were eating lunch and getting ready to go to our lesson with him (at this point it's now me and Sister Hall) I remembered we wanted to show him a video. A specific one faintly came to my mind but I couldn't remember all of what it was about, so I pulled out my little DVD and watched it. I wasn't sure how helpful it would be but I felt good about it and thought Ed would be able to relate to it a little. Our lesson with him ran a little long but I knew I wanted to watch the video with him so we pulled it out and showed it to him. After, he turned and looked at me and said "how? How do you do it? How do you get inside my head and know exactly what I'm thinking?" I just kind of smiled and said a thank you prayer to Heavenly Father for telling me which video to show him. Well, Ed continues to tell us how much that video really hit home to him and he related to it so well. He shared a really personal experience that was almost exactly what the video had been talking about. I was amazed. I had no idea how much he would relate to the video. But he did. In that moment I got a small glimpse into God's eternal plan for us. I saw how He had been preparing Ed to meet with us, I saw how He had been preparing me to serve a mission and come specifically to Vermont to be here for this experience. I was overwhelmed with a feeling of knowing I was exactly where I needed to be and knowing that God is real, and He is SO aware of us and has a plan for all of us. Needless to say, the tears started flowing. I love being apart of the Lord's incredible work. I feel so so so blessed to be able to be His hands and teach His children, my brothers and sisters, the truths they have forgotten. I truly can testify that I know God lives and that He has a plan for you and me! He loves us so much more than we can comprehend. We may not see it, but His plans are there and He is created something wonderful for you.

xoxo

Sister Rodriguez

P.S. We got hit on so many times this week it was kind of hilarious. The first couple were in Albany. I was working there for the day with Sister Jones and Sister Frank while we waited for our new companions. Sister Frank: "it's a beautiful day!" random guy: "not as beautiful as you ladies!"

hahaha we were also talking to this guy about the Easter Initiative and he randomly goes "are you single?" and we were like "NOPE!" hahah we walked away and we were like "sorry, we're in a relationship with Jesus." 

Then later, sister Hall and I were walking around town and this car stopped so we go talk to them and this guy goes "we're in town for the weekend and we're going to get drinks, can we buy you something?" And we were like "no we don't drink, thanks though!" and proceed to share the Easter Initiative with him too. It is seriously my favorite thing ever when we get hit on and then people realize we just want to talk about Jesus. The changes in their faces are priceless 

Also, last night we ran into this guy I've met a couple times. We were walking around and saw him and I didn't recognize him at first so we asked if they'd ever talked to missionaries before and they said no and we keep talking and then I realize I knew him and I was like "hey!! Yes you have, I've totally talked to you before!!" and we realize he's totally drunk and getting into his car and I was like "are you drinking and driving?" and he was like "nah I'm just moving my car, i'm parking it. Thanks for being concerned about me though" I was like oh my I'm not an idiot, but we walked away and they drove away with all their beer. I just said a lot of prayers for my crazy friend Pablo that everyone on the roads would be safe. Jamaicans, man. 

pics: 

Sister Hall!

Took Sister Jones to Panera Bread for her first time, it was amazing

My favorite people ever: Sister Jones and Sister Baylon 

Sister Armstrong and Sister Frank and I were all matching like exactly at transfers hahaha the curse of being a sister. We always match each other 

Did you know...

That Vermont is the only state in the U.S. that doesn't have a Target? Follow up question: did you know that I'll be spending ANOTHER TRANSFER IN VERMONT? Sister Ferrin and I were SHOCKED to find out that she will be leaving, and I will be staying and get Sister Hall as my companion!! (It's sister Makayla Hall, so not my MTC companion)

Last week we were out in Rupert (like 30 minutes away) to contact a referral from the Hudson Falls sisters. So we find this persons house and she wasn't home :( now we were determined there was a reason we were out here. We didn't drive 30 minutes all the way out to the middle of nowhere and didn't waste all our miles for nothing. The area we were in was super rural and had hardly any houses. But we decided we would knock on the ones we saw. We knock and met a man that wasn't interested, the next house: no one was home. Time was running low and we had to get going to a dinner appointment in Manchester. We had about 5 minutes before we were about to leave. We decide to get in the car and start heading home. Then the Spirit directed me otherwise. I had just gotten in the car and we started driving away when I told Sister Ferrin we needed to knock on one more door. We get out and knock. This girl answers and tells us she's busy but we can come in and talk to her mom. So we go inside and Kelly (the mom) invites us right in and starts telling us how she met with missionaries in the past, like 26 years ago and used to go to church in Rutland and she starts telling us how she believes there are degrees of Heaven, not just Heaven and Hell and we were like "exactly!" so we didn't have much time to talk to her because we had dinner to get to, but we got her number, gave her a new Book of Mormon, threw some "how to begin teaching" points in there, set up a time to come back, and headed out the door. 

We got into the car and Sister Ferrin told me something I don't think I'll ever forget. She told me she loves how much faith I have. I told her that I'm really just trying to do my best and trying hard to follow the Spirit. She looked at me and she said "You are. And Heavenly Father never lets you down. I am amazed. Every single time. He never lets you down, Sister Rodriguez." 

I look back over the course of the last 9 months and I have to agree. Every time I've tried to follow the smallest prompting, He's blessed me. He has shown me His tender mercies, His love, His grace. Even if nothing comes from it, I know that as we follow the Spirit, He will never let us down. Heavenly Father isn't going to send us a spiritual impression for no reason. Sometimes that reason may be for us to see if we would follow, or act in faith, but if we truly follow: He will never let us down. As we follow His guidance, His Son, His Spirit, His promptings, He will show us His miracles. Of that I testify, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

P.S. Wasn't Conference amazing?!?! Seriously I loved every second. I want to echo what President Monson said, "If you're not reading the Book of Mormon everyday, please do so" It makes the biggest difference in our lives, I've seen it in the lives of investigators, Less Actives, Recent Converts, and in myself. We are so lucky to have the Book of Mormon, and I pray we don't take it for granted.

Funny quotes: 

Guy we volunteer with: "How's my friend Bob Hales?"
Us: *trying to think of anyone we know in the branch named Bob Hales* "who?"

Guy: "You know, Robert Hales!" 

hahaha we were like "OHHHH!!!!" Apparently this guy used to work with Robert D. Hales in the city! Super funny and super cool as we told him he could have the opportunity to listen to what Bob Hales has to say this weekend :)

*Tracting*

Guy: "Man you guys are good at getting me to answer so many questions!"

*A few minutes later before we leave*

Ferrin: "What's your name?"

Guy: "John!.. There! You just got another out of me! That's the last one I'm gonna give ya!"

P.S. I am SUPER excited to be staying in Vermont and really happy with transfer news :) I should've clarified that but I'm stoked to stay in the beautiful land of Manchester and hang out with my Jamaican friends some more

Pictures: 

1. Only in Vermont can you take shots of maple syrup..

2. tractinggggg

3. My dear friend June

4. Fine dining of cereal at Stewarts (we do dinners like this way too much, it's getting sad)