Week 14: white girl problems..

Hello My Beauties! 

 

This week has been MUCHO better.  I found my planner...and lost my white handbook..which contains all the "rules"  OOOPSIES :)  Don't worry though..I'm sure it'll turn up..ha. 

 

SO..I was in desperate need for some hair love..and went in search for the goods.  I was told about this HUGE beauty supply store with posters all over.."you can't miss it!"  so..way didn't miss it..  We pulled up and it was BLACK BEAUTY.  I looked in the winderrr and saw rows and rows of black mannequins and weaves. great. just my luck. I'm still on the hunt....

 

I've found like 6 gray hairs. SO DEPRESSING.  Its happening....

 

I was serving in the Trail Center last week and I looked out the window and I saw ALL these motorcycles!  Then I see like 20 bikers in their leather chapps strut in.  I greeted them..and they're TEMPLE RIDERS!!!  They've been riding their bikes all over the US visiting all the Temples.  It was the coolest thing.  I took a picture of one of the bikes.. I'll send it.  Dad will love it. Maybe he could join them with his Ruckus??? ha  just kidding.....

 

I think my scriptures are getting smaller... I don't think I could grip them before... maybe? I can't remember..

 

I am in love with the storms here.  It gets SO dark.  The wind blows SO hard.. and it rains like CRAZY!!!!  Thunder like you wouldn't believe..and the most incredible lightning shows...LOVE IT!!!

 

There is Quilt Show going on at the Trail Center..Mom would LOVE IT!  I'll take pictures and send them... they are truly inspiring.  Its no secret I don't have one domestic bone in my body..but these quilts just make me want to do something CRAZY! 

 

Mom's letters are so funny. I laugh every time. thanks mom.. :)

 

The latest mission movement...NO MORE MEMBER MEALS.  bummer.  but hopefully well find more people to teach!

 

Well that about sums it up this week... General Conference is coming up...and I'm so excited...ha But really..I am.  I would hope you were all preparing yourselves to seek personal revelation and have your hearts softened to be open to the direction we will be given.  We ALL have room to improve and progress.  Thats kind of what life is about.... LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! 

 

xoxo

Sister Atkin

Week 13: here comes the sun..

Well Well Well....

 

This has been a great week.  Our Mission President has changed the focused for the next few weeks to be on mormon.org.  We are having a HUGE media blitz here in Omaha! They will be running commercials on all the main stations, billboards, and radio ads.  ITs going to be REAL BIG!  So we have been meeting with all the members and giving trainings to prepare the members.  Pretty exciting.  I have a profile...     http://mormon.org/me/4ZWG/         Ya'll should make one...or at least check out the site.  :)

 

We've been doing physical therapy with a woman in our ward who as MS.  It is the most humbling experience.  My heart just aches for this woman.  It is the saddest thing thinking just years before she led a healthy normal life, and now she is confined to a bed and can barely move.  I am so grateful for EVERYTHING the Lord has blessed me with. 

 

I saw my first homeless in Omaha... he had a little braid..it was so cute.

 

When you open the door of our car...there is dead fly sitting there..and its been there since my first transfer.  I look every day to make sure he's still there.  He was gone yesterday. I was devastated.

 

Gotta run... love you all.  so so much!

 

Muah!

Sister Atkin

It's cute and needs to be on there

Marci wanted this pic on her blog because "it's cute and needs to be on there."  Of course I will put it on for her.  Also, week 8 is obviously suppose to be after week 7 but for some reason it is mixed up and I don't know how to fix it.  I will keep trying!

Week 8: another week....

Hello..

So. Another week down. It's hard to focus when EVERYTHING around me reminds me of Tyler. Its rough. BUT I've been blessed with a lot of work to keep me busy. I've been at the Trail Center a lot lately.  I have to admit..I love it.  Its been such a blessing to be there especially at this time.  I've been able to teach and talk with so many individuals..and I've LEARNED to much.  I love it.  The Senior Couples here are so amazing.  I love them all!  Everyone here is WAY into Genealogy...so you should be getting a big ol fatty book of relatives..just what you've always wanted.. :)  AND some cool stories of theirs too!  My ward here is amazing.  The members are so great.  I hope I can stay in Skyline for awhile!  I don't have too much to say this week...but just know that I love and miss you all so much.  AND I'll be home NEXT Thanksgiving :)

Sister Atkin

Enos 1:27

Week 12

Hellooo

Ok. so. I'll just be real honest..this week was ROUGH. like...real rough. Every single appointment we had fell through.  We worked so hard and didn't get to teach at all.  SO frustrating. and SO humbling. So.. needless to say..I"M SO EXCITED FOR A NEW WEEK!!!!!  :) 

There was the cutest family come into the Trail Center that was from Saudi Arabia.  Long story short.. They are incredible people..and referred themselves to meet with the missionaries.  It was such a neat experience. Those people have so much love and are so beautiful.  He is going to medical school here and she is just working and raising their little girl.  She was all in her Indian get up.. shawl and everything.  I loved it. and it made me want to watch Aladdin...

We are also teaching a Jewish woman.  a VERY DEVOUT Jewish woman.  She reads from her Jewish Hebrew Bible..and wears her prayer shawl to sacrament.. its all very interesting.  and I'm learning lots. believe me... :)

So I found out that the bird that lives above us..that is so loud. every day.. his name is Larry.  Larry BIRD.... seriously?

I ran away from 2 different skunks in the past week. If I get sprayed...I'm going to lose it....

I was sitting in the back room reading my scriptures at the trail center...because we've been so slow.. and I texted one of the sisters at the Trail Center.. and said.. "come rub my feet?"   as a JOKE of course... and the next thing I know.. she is on the floor with lotion and is RUBBING MY FEET!!!!  I love it here!!!!  Prayers are answered so fast!!!  haha.

So I guess thats about it for this week. I love and and miss you all!!  and I really do meant that.... :)

MUAH!

Sister Atkin

Week 11: oh.my.HAIL.

Hello my beauties!!

This week has been nothing short of WONDERFUL!  My new companion, Sister Jenkins, is great!  She if just what i needed.  But..isn't that how its supposed to work??  :)  She is my follow up trainer.  I am still the Jr companion and still training.  I did however have to give a training in district meeting...which went great!  But I'm still just hanging by the tail coat of my companion..or whatever that saying it..ha. 

SOoooo the weather last week was NUTS!!!  Yes dad..the news was right!  We had baseball sized hail and all the cars are dinged up real bad.  bummer deal.  Lots of cars had windows bust, but ours was fine...thankfully!  The power was out forever and there were trees knocked down all over.  That was the night we had the departing testimonies for the missionaries who were leaving and we had to do it by flash light..it was pretty cool actually.  The weather warning thing was so annoying and kept going off.. and I went down stairs to look at the tornado tunnel that we have.. and I was coming up the stairs I said, "I wish something crazy would just finally happen..but that no one would get hurt.."  and as soon as I said that my companion was like.. AHHHHH and it sounded like the 4th of July..but louder..and scary.  SO COOL!  :)

We are working with this lady who is AMAZING!  We invited her to read FROM the Book of Mormon.. and we went back and followed up with her.. she said "Well I tried to read the whole thing before you came back.. but I realized I couldn't do it!  So I just started reading every other book so I would have a good idea of what was going on..." ahhh I love this lady!  She has definitely been prepared!  We are excited for her! 

So I was talking..or laughing.. or singing.. I can't remember which..All I remember..is that a HUGE bug got stuck in my throat and I starting CHOKING!!!  WHAT THE HECK!  so grossed out.  I can't for the bugs to be gonzo.  It is starting to cool down..YAY!  The weather here is perrrfect!  I love it. 

I found the cutest store here.. (gik..ky.. you would loove) its called the giving tree.  It has all these cute vintage dresses for like $8!!  I love it!  You'll have to check it out when ya'll come to Omaha! :)

Ok.. so pictures??  I've lost my camera charger.. sad day.  so theres going to be a stall on the pictures for bitty..  BUT if anyone has an extra GPS hanging around.. and they don't know what to do with it...that would be AWESOME if you'd like to share for..ohh... 14.5 months..  (ps did you know my mission is only 17.5 months??  :)  ) 

I think that about wraps it up.. I love you all so so much.  Like you wouldn't even believe.  MUAH!

xoxo

Sister Atkin

Week 10: its bacon....

First things first...

TRANSFERS!!  are tomorrow..BUT I know who my new companion is!  I'm sad to see Sister Larsen go..but she needs to find a man.  So if you know a guy.. :)  She's great..and has promised to send me all sorts of goods..we'll see..  sooo my new companion is Sister Jenkins! and..I will be staying in Skyline!  I am so excited!  The Sisters here are so great though..I would be happy to serve with any of them!  The work here is going great.  I am loving the ward and all the members.  They make me feel at home.  I love it.  The weather here has been beautiful! I think I might be in love with Omaha...maybe.  I'm sure I'll have a different attitude once winter rolls around..ugh.

So..I saw this place, and it was called Long Dog Fat Cat.  That is the WORST name for a Chinese Restaurant.  I couldn't believe it.  What kind of sick person would do that???  So...two days ago..we drove by again and I noticed it said something under the Long Dog Fat Cat.  It said Organic All Natural Pet Food.  Jokes on me.  But I felt a whole lot better about the name...

We had some members buy us chocolate bacon.  I was so excited.. thinking it would be chocolate..in the SHAPE of bacon.  wrongo.  it was DISGUSTING..and I don't recommend it. ever.

Last week we went to Joslyn Art Museum. SO COOL!  I felt so cultured and smart.  It made me want to be ambitious..and do something spectacular!!!  Be then I thought..naaaa.  It was a great experience though.. :)

So I think thats about it for this week..We keep having this powerful lessons where the spirit is so strong.  It is the most amazing thing. Just when you think your testimony couldn't get any stronger...it does.  and I just keep growing.  I love it.  I am so in my element.

The gospel is the best party everrrrr!  Invite EVERYONE!  :)  haha..ok.. I'm done.

Love you all!!! so so much..

Sister Atkin!

Week 9: Visions.....

HELLO!!

This week has been nothing short of amazing.  First of all I just want to say I am sooo sorry i have been horrible at writing!  Things have just been crazy.  BUT I'm back..so is the work.  So..plan on hearing from me.. :)  aaaand.. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for the letters, the packages, and the love. It really means so much.  It has truly helped!  If only you could all just stay here with me..things would be perfect.  So things in Skyline have been pretty slow..so Sister Larson and I decided to do a SERIOUS 24 hour fast.  The miracles are STILL being thrown our way.  There is so much power in fasting and prayer.  We are teaching a new girl..and shes DARLING.  She reminds me soo much of Kimi. Sara, the girl that was just baptized..her mother came to church with her this week!  TWO of our recent converts have decided to go missions...and we are having great success with our less actives!  Things are so good!  Transfers are next week!  I can't believe it!!!  I've already been out 2 months!  CRAZY!!!  (my p day will be Wednesday next week...fyi)

So.. cool things that have happened this week...

1. Uncle Fred.  He is one of the Senior Couples here.. and he is HILARIOUS!  He is old and walks slow..and is pretty fragile.. and he thinks its funny to pretend falling.. and well.. I guess it is funny. /absolutely terrifying. he just laughs.

2. I thought I lost my scriptures at the Library last week..and cried by brains out.  I begged Sis Larsen to take me back the next day..and they were THERE!!!  so... false alarm.  My scriptures are back!  woohoo!

3. We got lost. Around a lake.  Don't ask me how that happens... its round. I know this..but neither of us had our glasses on..and there were all these forks on the trail!!  and it started getting dark!  I kept seeing fireflies in the dark bushes and there were huge trees everywhere..no civilization to be seen...and it made me think of Harry Potter.. and I started freaking myself out.. and then a HUGE deer jump in front of us!! IT WAS TERRIFYING!!!  but i guess its funny now.. sort of.

4. I have been having visions. of cinnamon rolls. for like 3 days.  i smell them everywhere i go.  this is NOT a hint to send me some.. heaven knows that is NOT what i need.. :)  THANKS for the healthy treats though!!  I LOVED THEM!! 

5. I always thought I was patient...until I started taking tours with children. Oh. My. GOSH!!  I can't do kids. It's bad news. Sorry mom and dad...... :) 

Ok.. I think this is long enough..Just remember...you get blessings for writing missionaries... you know who you are...  :)

Love you all so so so much! 

Give em' Heaven..

Sister Atkin