And Then There Were Two!!! 01/30/2012

Hello family and friends!


How are you all doing?  Sister Chronister and I are doing great this week.... Although this morning I woke up and the other side of my back is stiff... So I am just praying that it is not like two weeks ago.  This past week was weird.  It is now just Sister Chronister and I together and I am oh so happy.  I hope she can stay with me until the end of my mission... The odds probably aren't that great but hey miracles happen right?  So this past week we finally found TWO new investigators!  We were so stoked!  There names are Allison and Paul and they are siblings. They are like late twenties and early thirties. They are the kids of a recent convert. They just moved here from Georgia so they are southern baptist and they like when we visit cuz they get bored haha.  So we were able to go and teach them the restoration lesson the other day and it was great.  I'm not too sure how Paul feels but Allison seems like she likes it... At the end of the lesson we committed them to read a chapter in the Book of Mormon and pray about it... So I get a card out to write the chapter down and I hand it to Paul and he says "can I have your number too?" bahahaha I wanted to die cuz I looked like crap that day anyway haha.  It was funny... so who knows he might just be in it for the girls haha.  Oh well at least its someone to teach.  I love teaching with Sister Chronister.  She is amazing!  Ah I just love her! You will all be happy to know that my cold sore lip is much better this week!  Still a little sore but not bad.  Sister Chronister didn't feel to hot the past couple of days so it was my turn to play the mom and I shoved tums down her throat haha she hated every second of it but she feels better now so that is good.  Me and Sister Chronister are both blanking out right now about what to say in our emails. uh.... hmm... The week has been good and I know that things will pick up for us soon.  We are both still trying to recover from last week but we are doing great!  This past few days I have been studying my patriarchal blessing and I keep coming across the line that says, "You are responsible to proclaim the gospel to all those who will hear it." and I think about that and how amazing that truly is... because all the people who I have helped have pretty much come to me asking for it... so they wanted to hear it... and before last transfer Brother Graves in our ward gave me a blessing and in it, it said that baptizing and helping people come into the gospel was second, and that my mission was first for me... so I thought that was pretty cool.  I love my mission so much... it means the world to me!  I love my Heavenly Father and my Savior.  I know that they hear me and answer my prayers.  Thank you this week to Marilyn, Mom, Grandma, Lynnette, Carol, Laura, and Tawnya Albertson and Janellee for your letters!  I loved it!  You guys are the best!  I will try to write soon!

Love you,

Katee

"I'm not kissing it better" 01/23/12

Hello family and friends!


Well what a week it has been.... So funny story... I guess I must be a little stressed or something cuz yeah that's right I have a sore on my lip.  At this point I don't want to call it a cold sore but it probably is... I've never had one before though so I dunno... Sister Chronister just makes fun of me and tells me that I have herpes's!  Bahaha she's flippin awesome!  So the other day we were tracting and I was like, "aah my lip hurts", and she just chuckled and looked at me and said "I'm not kissing it better" haha she is so dang funny... So hence the title of my email.  So this week.... hmm.... this week has been..... hard.  Ha. I  don't really know how else to put it.  Trio's are...... fun.... can you hear my sarcasm?  I am trying to have a good attitude, I promise. So this week the weather was crazy! And we got stuck at the Finnegan's house for a day which was fun. Then the next day we couldn't get our car up a hill so we had to leave it and hoof it all day... I now know how the bike elders feel and I will say that I love being a sister. But it was fun!  Really could I have driven in this Washington snow?  Yes... But was I asked not too?  Yes, haha so we didn't. So anyway it wasn't too bad.  Another cool thing this week was on Tuesday I sent Sister Chronister with the Finnegan's to teach our investigator Sonia.  Sonia has been investigating the church forever!  Not really but a long time. And in the past three months that I have been here she has only come to church once.  So my baby greenie Sister Chronister went and taught for the first time by herself and did AMAZING!  She said it was awesome and guess what?  That's right Sonia and her two boys came to church yesterday!  I was so happy!  Sister Chronister is amazing and I love her!  Other things that happened... hmm..... I didn't hit anyone that is good... haha, just kidding that's way random right now haha.  Sister Finnegan has been sick but is finally getting better THANK GOODNESS!  Elder Finnegan still keeps us laughing with his funny jokes!  But I must admit,this week has been tough but we are doing okay... I know that Heavenly Father is aware of us and that he knows what we need.  I just need to not be stubborn and ask for help.  I know that the gospel can change anything and that it can heal anything, and I love my Savior so much.  I am so grateful for him.  I really appreciated Coltons' email this week.  He is such a little stud!  Anyway... I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week!  Go do missionary work!  I love you!

Love,
Kate

The Perfect Storm 01/16/12

Hello family and friends!


First off Hope Woolley HAPPY MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY Hahaha! okay now...

How is everyone doing? I am doing soooo much better this week and no drugs are involved haha.  I was able to play bball today with our zone, and you know me I don't really know how to play easy haha.  We were driving to the church and Sister Chronister was like, you can just play easy today and I said okay... and two seconds later she started laughing and said... you can't play easy can you? haha It was funny so needless to say I didn't play easy and I am a little stiff but not bad at all so I am doing so much better than last week. So this week has been interesting.... hmm..... whats new..... well.... my interview with Pres. Weaver went good.  And it was really good to talk to him. We got our transfer call on Saturday night and I am staying here with Sister Chronister... THANK GOODNESS!  I love her!  And then we are getting a third companion.... Remember Sister Soelberg?? Yep we will be comps again... So.... Things will be good :) I know for a fact that Pres. Weaver is such an inspired man when it comes to all of this stuff so I know that this coming transfer will be great!  Last night we had a member that we are really close to give us a blessing of comfort... and you all know how stubborn I am, I usually don't ask for blessings but I thought that it would be a good idea. Something he said in the blessing that really stuck out to me was that converting people and teaching is second for me... my mission is for me first... and my whole mission I have known that but last night I truly recognized how much this mission has changed my life and I am so grateful for it.  The blessing also told me that my Heavenly Father is so proud of me and that the next few months of my mission are going to be the ones I remember.  And that I need to enjoy the last few that I have... I was really grateful for them.  I love the Graves family.  Anyway... we will pick up Sister Soelberg tomorrow, and hopefully hit the ground running with work.  The weather has been weird the past few days.  The Washington natives said that we had snow yesterday but it was just a little frost haha.  So anyway... We also kind of found a new investigator this week... kinda.  His name is Travis.  He is the boyfriend of an inactive and he came on a church tour.  He wants to learn more but his job in the navy keeps him way busy so we haven't talked to him since Tuesday... So hopefully something comes of that.  But I am so excited for the coming weeks because I am going to work as hard as I can!  I love this work so much!  It holds such a close place in my heart!  I know my savior lives and loves us!  I know that the power of prayer is real and that Heavenly Father answers them!  I love you all so much and hope you have a great week!  I love you!

Love always,
Kate

Mom was confused about the last post "High on a Mountain Top"

I was a little confused about Katee's email today and after I read her companion's blog, it made total sense.  Katee is companion's with Sister Chronister and she is awesome, she finally has a new bball companion.  Sister Chronister's post makes a lot more sense.  You have to know that Katee NEVER takes drugs, not vitamins, aspirin, once in a great while ibuprofen when I force her, so she must have really been hurting to take narcotics that altered her mental state.  So the following post is pretty funny.  Thanks Sister Chronister for clearing things up for me, you are awesome and thanks for taking care of Sister Balmforth. 

Monday, January 9, 2012  High on the Mountain Top


Well, this was definitely an interesting week. Wednesday night we played floor hockey with the YSA ward for their activity night and when they took a break for a few minutes, Sis. Balmforth and I decided to play a few minutes of one on one. It was great fun. Two days later, we wake up early to go down to the church building and play basketball for a while, but Sis. Balmforth can barely move. Her back was killing her, but she wanted to play real bad. So we did. We got home and she laid face down on the floor for 20 minutes, not being able to move. We tried going to visit people, but by 4:00 she couldn't handle any more so we went over to a member's house that we were already planning on seeing and she got some real good pain meds there. Which meant that we were stuck there the rest of the night. I helped the family with dinner and stuff and tried to be busy while she was zoned out on the couch. She got a blessing that night and we just kept praying that she would be better the next day. She kind of was. After our meeting with the ward mission leader though, I tricked her into going back to sleep. I told her we were going to do personal study on the couch and I would read to her. Like it's possible for anyone to stay awake while someone is reading the white handbook and the Bible to you. She fought falling asleep for a long time and finally went and laid in her bed, but said to wake her up in 20 minutes so we could go work. That wasn't happening. She slept for an hour. Then we went back to the member's house that we were at the day before and got her some more drugs. DISCLAIMER: I don't want anyone thinking my comp is a druggy or anything, but she was in a lot of pain and needed it pretty bad. Anyways, we were sitting there feeling pretty useless, at least I was, when she said that I should go on base with the Finnegans. At first I was super against the idea because that would mean that I would be all by myself (kind of) and I'm still a little baby greenie missionary and I don't really know what I'm doing, blah, blah, blah.....but the longer we sat there the more I knew I needed to do it. So the Finnegans came and got me and we went on base. We didn't get to teach a single person. Everyone was busy and could only talk on the doorstep. So I was relieved about that, but I felt good about going. I think the Lord needed me to know that I could be a missionary and that I have learned a lot. I can do hard things. It didn't matter to Him that I didn't share a message with anyone, it just mattered that I went.



That night we went home pretty early so Sis. Balmforth could sleep. She fell asleep around 9. I asked her if she needed anything. Nope, she was good.



A few minutes later I had to go in our room to get some laundry and she said the Manette sisters called but they never said anything when she answered. And the district leader might be calling.



Ok, I can take the phone. Go back to sleep. You doing ok?



Yeah.



Need anything?



Are my heating pads out there?



Yeah, do you want them heated up?



Sure.



So I go heat one up and try and get it so it's keeping her back warm but it's kind of failing, so I look for the sock one that we got from a member. I have to take it from her hands cause she doesn't know where it is.



I get her all ready for bed, she's doing good, then,



Thnks fr ll yr hlp tdy.



What?



Thanks for all your help today.



Oh. Hey no problem man, you needed it.



Lllvv y.



What?



Love you.



Oh. Love you too man.



Super funny.



An hour later I go back in so she can take the rest of her medicine, but she didn't want to take it. So I felt bad that I woke her up, but she said it was ok since she needed to say her prayers, but she was just going to do it laying down instead of kneeling. I said I would check on her to make sure she didn't fall asleep. She said if she didn't answer it was probably because she was still praying. I thought, orrrr ya fell asleep again, but either way she would be happy. So we're both saying our prayers and in the middle of mine she goes, "Hey, I'm done, just so you know." Cool.



Sunday rolls around with it's 6 hours of church. We skip out on one of the Sunday Schools to get her some more medicine and go the rest of the day. The pain pills made her really lethargic, so it was funny to watch. We watched the CES fireside, which was really good by the way, it was all about the Holy Ghost, and the Finnegans know the guy that spoke. They talked about it for a week. The opening song was "High on the Mountain Top." I leaned over and said, "I think you're a little high on the mountain top." And then we laughed through the whole opening song and I found a really great title for my email.



So, sorry that was so long and that was the most exciting thing that happened all week, but I was grateful for that chance on Saturday. It was a really simple thing but it meant a lot to me. And, I got the best surprise ever when we went over to the Finnegans this morning. She opened the door and was on the phone. She asked how Sis. Balmforth felt and then looked at me and said, "And how are you today Sister Chronister?" "Awesome." "That's awesome. Come on in." So we walk in and to the person on the phone, she says, "Well it was great talking to you Sister Ballantyne." "WHAT!!???" She was talking to my mom! So. AWESOME. It totally made my day.



I guess I should end on a spiritual note. I was planning a lesson for a less active and came across this scripture and absolutely loved it. Moroni 7: 27-28. Those who have faith in Him cleave unto every good thing. So simple. That's all I got for now. Oh, and thanks for the responses on the song and the talk, they were great :)



Love you!!

High on a Mountain Top 01/09/12

Hello family and friends!


Okay so... this week has been a very interesting one.  We have been trying so hard to find new people and its just been weird.  So me and Sister Chronister were talking one day I could tell that she had been struggling.  And I won't lie I have been too because we have been working so hard and can't find any one. So I told her that all the miracles that I have seen on my mission have happened after a really hard trial.  So then I told her that I was grateful for my struggles. So that night I knelt down and prayed and told my Heavenly Father that I knew we were going to see a miracle soon and that I was thankful for my struggles...... Well.... he heard all right and this week I had a struggle.  So now I will tell you the story and you will understand why the title of my email is what it is haha.  Okay so we had been working hard. We decided to sacrifice this week so we could show the lord that we really wanted to see a miracle.  So we didn't take our meal calendar to church because when we eat with members it makes us late for tracting. So we decided that we would sacrifice member meals.  So we did.  And we were doing so good... We also had been waking up early and running every day.... Hardest thing ever because I am already not getting enough sleep haha.  So on Thursday night we decide that we are sick of running and that we want to wake up even earlier and go to the church and play bball.  So we wake up Friday morning and my back/neck hurts really bad. But I just thought that I slept funny, so we went anyway... So we get there and I was hurting but when has that stopped me from playin my game?  Sister Chronister was like... I'm not playing with you and I said just hurry up and throw the ball haha. Then I went to pick up the ball and I had this little thought come to my head (the spirit) and it said don't play... But I didn't think anything of it.... so I was stupid and I played. Well needless to say I think I pinched a nerve in my back and I got home and could barely even move.  I haven't felt pain like that in forever!  So the past three days have sucked!  We haven't been able to do much and I feel sooooo bad.  I have been taking ibuprofen like candy and Sister Graves (an amazing family that we love) had some pain killers that I took.  We all know that I don't take drugs, ever.  I hate it.  But the pain was so bad, I did not have a choice.  I also got a blessing from Elder Finnegan and Brother Jansson. (another family that we love) and the blessing said my prayers would be answered and I would be healed.  So I hate not working, these people have had to force me to relax but I have gotten a little extra sleep and today I feel sooooo much better!  I haven't even had ibuprofen today!  So mom stop panicking cuz I am fine haha.  But I feel sooo much better!  My companion said the medicine made me really relaxed but I don't think so haha. So anyway that has been my week. Sister Jansson went to massage therapy school so that was nice, and I might go back over there today we will see.  But hopefully we can work hard this week and find people to teach!  This week I am grateful for my struggles, and I know we will see a miracle soon.  I am also grateful for the power of the priesthood.  I know that those blessings are straight from our Heavenly Father and I know that he loves us so much.  I know that the Savior has felt every single pain that we have. And I know that he will take care of everything!  I love you all so much and I hope you have an amazing week!  Stay Strong!

Love, Kate

P.S.  Transfers are next Tuesday, so if you are going to send letters do it soon.  Also, thanks for all the letters, they help me get through the week.

Hello! 2012 Already!!!

Hello family and friends!


Well, what a weird flippin week!  Just like Colton with the holidays its like the missionary work almost comes to a complete stop!  I hate it!  Last night we tried to visit like nine people in a couple hours and we got a hold of like two.  It was ridiculous.  I feel so bad because the past few weeks our numbers have been bad.  I know that its not in my control, all I can do is work my hardest but sometimes it is frustrating.  But its all good, because it is a new year!  So lets pray that we find some people who want to change right?  So... This week... hmm.... we taught our new investigator, and it went okay.  Her attention span is not very big so it went okay... haha.  We are meeting with her again tomorrow so we will see how that goes.  Other than that we are still working on finding the people that the lord has prepared for us.  Sometimes I feel like there is a pattern for me haha.  When I was training in Rochester we didn't see anything for three months and then two weeks being in Silverdale we found Will.  Now its stopped again.  I still have a lot of Faith and I know that the lord can and will help us.  So keep praying!  Our new years eve was good. Hahaha we had to be in by seven or be at a members house.  So we decided that the Finnegan's are really good members haha so we played some word games with them and it was so fun! Hahaha I laughed so hard I almost peed my pants! Sister Finnegan could possibly be the funniest person on the face of the earth.  It was great.  Then we ended the night in a more spiritual mode by watching the Testaments!  It was awesome and I learned so much!  Then we were home by nine and in bed by ten thirty! BUT!..... I layed in bed til eleven so I celebrated Utah's new year haha I thought I was clever!  This last week the Weavers had their family here and it was fun. We got to go to Tacoma for a Weaver family home evening and it was cool.  Today I was studying and I found something that I thought was cool and it really made me think.  Its in the new George Albert Smith book, and he tells a story about honoring his family name. He said "Honor your fathers and mothers. Honor the name that you have been given." And I thought that was really cool, because right now every day I wear two names. I wear Balmforth (loud and proud baby!)  But I also wear the name of my Savior! And this morning that really hit me, and I truly want to Honor both of those names.  I am so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  And I am so honored and privileged to wear his name every day.  I know that he lives and loves us!  I am so honored also to wear the name Balmforth. My family name and my family is the most important thing in the world to me! I hope you all know how much I love you! Well that was my week! I love you all so much! You are the miracles!

Love, Kate

PS. COURT!  Happy birthday on the 10th. I was going to try to put something in the mail today but its closed so sorry if its late! Love your guts!