Visit from an Olympian!

Dear Family and Friends,

I really don't have much time to write this week, but I will try to update you on a few things here and there.

This was the week before spring break here so people were either about to leave, or gone already. It makes us a bit nervous for this next week, but it's ok! We have plenty to teach--our area is known as 'the land of milk and honey'! so we will take it! This week I learned the cups lesson! I will have to take a picture and do TNT next week, but for all you missionaries out there, you know what I'm. talking about. We were really fortunate to be able to teach it to an awesome family or two this week, so I'm really getting the hang of it. Coolest news of the week: we were able to contact a less active family a few weeks ago, and we had our first lesson with their two kids this week, and they want to be baptized! So we were able to set two dates this week! Again! It's really exciting, because the whole family has come to church for three weeks or so, and they are really trying to make church a part of their lives again! So we are really excited. We taught them with another member family, and when Sister Cotton extended the commitment to the less active family to read and pray daily, the dad in the member family says, "Come on, really? That wasn't a commitment! That was wimpy!" So then I took the second chance, and it went a bit better. Really surprising and funny :) Their family is really awesome, and came to Nashville for the music business, but decided it wasn't for them, and stayed anyway. We are excited to get to keep teaching them, and we should get to see their baptism within this transfer!

 The weather is getting nicer here, so that's pretty exciting. But I did hear that it's going to be in the 20s tomorrow night so that's a bummer. Missionary work is different when the weather is nice, I think because people don't mind opening their doors quite as much. We can't wait!

I learned to wax a car today, and I can't believe none of my eager advice givers never told/taught me how to do that before! But I guess, most missionaries didn't have cars, so I forgive. But I am happy I learned. New life skill. The only other person I have time to talk about is Stephen. I think I wrote about him before, but he's in his thirties and tried to make it big in New York. When that didn't pan out, he moved back here and is trying to figure out his life now. He's been less active since he was baptized, but has opened back up to church. We had an awesome fireside on Friday, and he came! It was a miracle! But unfortunately, because he is currently battling a case of gout, he was unable to attend church because the fireside tired him out. But it was still a miracle and the fireside was just what he needed.

I almost forgot about the fireside! We had the Olympic competitor, Kate Hansen, speak to us! A sister missionary here is friends with her, and was able to get her in our area to speak! It was so awesome to get to meet her. She is twenty one, and just told her story all about her journey and trials. I know, it sounds like every other fireside we have ever had, but she was so real and down to earth, I just loved it! And so did all the people who went! It was a great night, a real treat!

Sorry this is such a lame email, I just don't have time, and right now it's between spending the next ten minutes writing, or eating. and you know me.... :) Oh last thing! Our companionship is now- gluten, wheat, dairy, chocolate, candy, sugar, everything I hold near and dear to my stomach FREE! That's right, we have new dietary restrictions. Sister Cotton is the reason, but I am fully supporting her. Of course, I will still eat all that we have that she can't eat, but we are in the converting process of only eating and cooking gluten free, etc. it's a strange diet, but I hope it will help her stomach problems. We re excited! But we still have no control over what people feed us, so we will see how it goes.

Well that's mostly it from Hendersonville! Sorry no pictures this week!Thanks for all the wonderful letters, they really mean the world to me!

Love,
Sister Penrod

P.S. Read your scriptures! The story of Abinadi is always a good one!

Turkeys in the road!

Dear Family and Friends,

Oh boy oh boy what another wonderful week! I can't even begin to explain the happiness we have felt this week, and the incredible miracles we have experienced! There is so much to write about, and so little time! I hope I can do justice what has happened, in my brief accounting. But I do want to make sure I say how grateful I am for all the letters I have received this week, and shout out to Sarah Wainschel! Thanks for the 6th grade high five! You have no idea how excited I was to get your letter! So thanks for emailing me, and everyone else too :) keep them coming!

So I guess the first thing to start off with it.... DAN IS GETTING BAPTIZED! Last night, we were able to all go to Jane's patriarchal blessing. Now, patriarchal blessings are someone thing very very sacred, and we see it as direct revelation from Heavenly Father out us, for our entire lives. We were concerned about Dan coming along, but we ended up being able to sit with him in  do different room while she received her blessing and teach him a lesson. We then went to Jane's for dinner, and he committed to be baptized on April 12! Jane had felt very strongly that Dan needed to come along to her blessing, and she was definitely right! She is so close to the Spirit, and we shouldn't have ever doubted her prompting, but it all turned out! Her blessing was incredible as well, and you could just see the glow non her face as she came out. She was so happy that she had found new purpose and hope for her life. It was so exciting to see. So yea Dan!

Alright, next miracle.... MISTIE IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON APRIL 12!! We went over and saw Mistie twice this week. She was having a really rough time, and a lot of difficult things in life seemed to hit all at once. She was really down, but as we explained to her that we knew and could promise her as representatives of Jesus Christ that if she continued to take steps in the right direction, Heavenly Father would bless her. She committed, and as we talked to her the next day, she told us how all day she was thinking about the date, and how it couldn't be put out of her mind. It was incredible! We can't wait to see how Heavenly Father will bless her. She was such an example to me of true faith. Even when the hardest things were hitting her, and affecting her kids too, she knew it was all up to Heavenly Father. We are so happy for her!

And another miracle this week: Justin! A guy who we tracted into a few weeks ago, and could never really get a hold of again, showed up again, and by that, I mean Heavenly Father led us directly to him. We were trying a less active members home, and I was backing the car out. As I looked behind me, I saw a red car pull into the house across the street, and I could see the driver looking at me intently. We back up, and start going on our way, when Sister Cotton says, I think a less active lives in that house that the car just pulled into. Let's go try it. So we turn around, and pull in. No one answers the door, but as I am backing out the car again, he comes out the back door! I again thought it was him, but wasn't positive, and so I say hi, and we talk, and we ended up talking to him! We were able to go back later in the week, and then he came to church on Sunday! Even cooler- last Sunday, a member told us about a job she had an opening for, and thought that we might come across someone who was trying to turn their life around, and would be looking for a job, in the coming week. Well guess what, Justin is looking for a job. Heavenly Father prepares each of us so well, it's incredible. I am so grateful I get to be a part of his plans!

Ok another incredible miracle occurred. (We really focus on recognizing miracles. Basically, if no coincidence occurs, we can recognize that there is much more than luck involved, and that Heavenly Father's hand is in all things) We serve at the Bishop's storehouse each Tuesday, where we fill orders for people who don't have enough food or money to get by. It's a service of the church, that
allows the needy to have some help, when they really do need it. Anyway, so sometimes members are there to help us. Well this week was transfers, so none of the elders could make it to help us, so we were loading the truck and orders with just a few older ladies. But then randomly, this one member who hasn't been to the storehouse in more than 4 months to help shows up. And guess what? She was part of a performing family group, and all her children sing and dance and play and etc. etc. but turns out she has a violin for me to borrow! Let me back up- for Easter, the mission is doing a mission choir, and they asked us to borrow instruments if we play any. So this lady randomly comes this one time and she has a violin I can borrow! And it's a nice violin- still a student instrument, but her daughters performed on it in their show, so it's high quality! I was just so so grateful!! Definitely a tender mercy from The Lord.

Today was the first rehearsal for the mission choir and it was interesting! I haven't played in so long, but it was so nice to get to have an instrument under my hands. Another sister was able to borrow a viola, so I was slightly, ehem....very.... Jealous. But that's alright! I think I would be a lot more sore if I had played the viola. And it was all violin music anyway. Thank heavens Dr. Dab made me learn violin last semester!

Also cool! Yesterday, when I walked into sacrament, I saw a a sister that I thought looked familiar but I didn't know who she was. I didn't think twice really. We had speakers yesterday, all about faith, and how it requires action. Sister Palmer, a sweet member talked about how she had set aside time to finish her talk on Friday night, and then the missionaries- us- texted and asked if we could have a lesson in their home on Friday night. She said she felt hypocritical to say no, as she was preparing her talk! But then it turned out that we were able to help her feel at peace with her talk and prepare more for it! So that was cool! She actually said my name over the pulpit because I shared this neat saying in that lesson. I may have talked about this before, but basically it's this: the purpose of prayer is not information, but transformation. Anyway, I don't mention this because she said my name and I felt special, but because that's a rare random thing to ever happen right? And because then, after sacrament, the girl who I thought I recognized came up to me, and told me how she recognized me and wasn't sure and etc etc. but when my name was said over the pulpit, she remembered Annie! So she texted her and asked if I was her sister, etc etc. CRAZY small world right? But a really cool thing to happen. :) she said she wouldn't have come up to me if my name hadn't been said! Heavenly Father loves me. Well, He loves all of us.

As for the general stuff, the weather is so crazy here. It's like California one day, and Utah the next. I am trying to come to grips with it. I just wish we had a weather app so we could be prepared!! But really, that's just so very trivial of me.

Oh! And we received our mail this week finally! It had been held up because of transfers. And I got my awesome package, THANK YOU!! I am slowly but surely introducing Sister Cotton to Sees candy- I opened the box today, yes I waited until St. Patricks day. I told her what each one was, and she goes, how do you know? To which I just laughed.... How do I know my Sees chocolates? A lifetime of love.  :) And because you sent me the awesome card reader, you can now get pictures a lot more often!! So here are a few good ones. 1- those would be wild turkeys crossing the road. It was boar season, now it's turkey season! 2 and 3- mom we made a strata!! And it was so so so good! But then we got over eager and tried again, and we ruined the second one. We didn't have enough milk, so we threw some butter in, etc. it wasn't pretty, and the whole thing is sitting in our fridge still. Oh well. 4- Happy St.Patrick's day! Sister Cotton's mother sent us adorable matching scarves for St. Patricks day!!

I miss you and love you all so very much!! Thanks for the emails of support, and the prayers of encouragement :)

Love, your favorite southern missionary,

 Sister Penrod

P.S. Random fact: Walmart is in fact refereed to here as 'Walmarts.' I don't understand quite yet.

Hello!

Hello!

Will another week has come and gone, I can't believe it! Too fast! Transfer calls were given this weekend, but Sister Cotton and I are staying together in Hendersonville! And we are so very happy and excited to have another 6 weeks together! It's just starting to get green again too, so we are even more excited! This past weekend was so beautiful that we did some tracting when our plans fell through. We had a miracle this week! It was probably the most excited I've ever felt on my mission! We received a referral from mormon.org, and contacted it. We set up an appointment that day! And we met a lady named Diane. As we walked into her house, her grandchildren's pictures covered the walls, her knitting was on one side of her chair, and her family history journals on the other! I have never met someone so prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ in my whole life! She had wanted to know more for months, but had never referred herself. She said she felt so drawn to the Mormon church, and just felt that there was something right about it. We taught her the restoration, and she said she could feel the Holy Ghost.  We all could, because she was so open to it! The feeling of her understanding her purpose and the restoration is something I don't think I will ever be able to forget. She came to church, but left before we could really talk with her. But she said she would be coming back, and we have another appointment this week. It's so exciting! We are grateful Heavenly Father has prepared her so well!

Something cultural from this week: we went out to dinner with a less active member, to a place called Waffle House. Apparently they are all over the west, but I don't think I've ever been to one or seen one. It's as small and rinky dink southern as you can get, but man was it an experience! Their speciality is the way you order the potatoes/hash browns. You can get them covered, smothered, peppered, diced, chunked, etc. and that means you can have cheese, ham, peppers, grilled onion, etc. quite an experience. We were told they spit in the water, that's why it tastes weird :)

We had dinner with an awesome member this week. She is so kind to us, and to others. She has a son, whose friend is living with them. We were able to teach them all, and had a very powerful lesson about prayer, and how sometimes, simply saying a prayer is an action of faith. We as missionaries tend to focus on how we act on our prayers in faith, but they helped me realize it's not always the case. There was a really great spirit in the lesson, and we were able to touch the friend who isn't a member of the church, we hope we get to teach him soon.

Mom, Dad, Jim, Christi- look up a game called tiny teeth, a member who is a dentist was letting his daughter play it on his iPad, and it looked pretty funny! I was laughing, she got to extract some teeth. Tori might like it?

We didn't get many chances to meet with Dan this week, but he is still coming to church! We will see how he progresses, but we think it's just going to take some time with him. Which is totally ok! Just working on the patience thing. He did go to institute this week! But he texted us later, and was really mad that we sent him to the 'singles church.'  We had told him before that it was the singles, but we think he forgot. We called him and straightened it all out, but we were so confused why he was so mad that the class was for all singles. I think he thought we were trying to set him up or something... We had a good laugh about it together though. Oh Dan the pizza man.

We had an awesome ward potluck yesterday, since it was ward conference. Man, so so so much food! I couldn't believe it. If every ward could put as much effort into missionary work as they do with potlucks, it'd be incredible! But it was awesome because we had 5 investigators at church yesterday! And it was fun to be with everyone, and have the time to get to know them better.

The Roach family couldn't make it to church yesterday, but they are moving forward too! This week we could only meet with Gina, because the boys were gone hunting, they told me it's boar season. But our lesson with her and a member went so well. She told us that she really feels peace when she prays about the Book of Mormon and all that we teach her. She is definitely recognizing the answers Heavenly Father is giving her, and is starting to really act on it. We can't wait to see the good things to come for their family! They are Catholic, and are such nice people, just truly kind hearted. We love meeting with them!

I continue to learn more and more every day I'm here. I learn about all different religions, and what they believe and what they practice. It's so very interesting to see the difference certain practices can make. And it's interesting to find that so many people go on long spiritual journeys, switching from church to church, before they recognize what it is that matters to them, and why. We love when we meet with people, explain a belief, and they shake their head and say, yes. That's right. We just smile because we do that same back to them and say, yes, it is! How blessed we are with the restored gospel! And the emphasis it has on families and good lifestyles, and why they are so important!

Ahh I just remembered! My two really funny stories: 1- so Jane, our recent convert, met her visiting  teachers this week. One of them is named Wister Wolfertz. So when Jane prayed for her this is what she said: "Heavenly Father, please bless Sister wolf dog, or whatever her name is. Sheep hertz? Wolf hurts? What kind of name is that! Haha, bless her anyways." I was dying! I wish you could hear Jane pray, it's so enthusiastic! But on a serious note, we found out we get to attend Jane's patriarchal blessing next weekend, and we get to go to the temple with her at the end of the month, and be with her while her son gets his temple work done! We are so happy for her!

2- Diane, in church yesterday, leaned over to me and asked if we wear pants. I laughed, just because she hasn't ever met a Mormon in pants yet! But I explained it to her, that we DEFINITELY do wear pants, the missionaries don't because we are representatives of Jesus Christ and try to look our very best every day.

I know it's a bit of a shorter letter this week, but don't think that means my life is any less exciting! It gets better and better every day. I have been known to say that I wish I could go pro my experiences, so that some of you could see the gospel in action. It's remarkable.


I love you all, and think of and pray for you daily! Keep emailing me please! And have a good week!


Love,
Sister Penrod


PS: my accent is coming along great. If I ever quote anyone here, it's
done in a twang. And this week, y'all definitely slipped in to my
vocabulary...
Sent from my iPad

Stuck inside all day!?

Dear Family and Friends!

Thank you so much for all the letters I received this past week! Mrs. Stone your email was so sweet, thank you for keeping me in your thoughts! It truly made my day getting to hear from you!

I am currently sitting in our apartment using my hand dandy new iPad mini, and loving it! But we are inside because it stormed last night! And it rained ice. Who knew that was a thing? It reminded me of one day at BYU last year that everyone was ice skating because the ground was covered in ice, it was really funny. But it snowed this morning, so now it's a hazard, and we aren't allowed to go out until our leaders give us the word. Good thing we have a good store of food! And by that I mean we bought a huge box of goldfish last week :) and Sister Cotton hasn't eaten any. But they are almost gone....

What a week it's been, so many good things happening here, there, and all around the world! We saw a lot of good progress this week with people we have met, and some incredible things happening in their lives. It's so hard to write this email each week because I can barely describe the joy I find each day in sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with people all day, every day! I wish I could wear a go pro and send home some videos, because getting to see people become happier and happier through the gospel is something you can't put into words.

Jane: she is exactly what I'm talking about! Jane set up an appointment to get her patriarchal blessing in two weeks, which is awesome! She couldn't believe that we each get a unique blessing that is a compass for us individually for the rest of our lives. I know any teacher will agree with me saying that you gain a greater appreciation for things as you teach them, and man I know that's true. I am so grateful that I have a patriarchal blessing that is specific revelation for me. We also taught Jane all about the temple, and doing baptisms for the dead. This month will celebrate the third year since her son passed away, and she is planning to go to the temple on the exact day, to have his work done. We hope we get to go! The joy in her face as we explained that she can do the work for all of her family, not just her son was indescribable. Tears came to her eyes as she began to realize the peace the gospel brings, and the blessing it is in our lives to know that we will be with our loved family members again.

Dan: ahh Dan, or as we say sometimes, Dan Dan the confused pizza man. He is so inquisitive and has the need to understand and know everything about the bible and the Book of Mormon before he commits to anything. He has officially quit smoking though, and we continue to encourage him to work on the other word of wisdom issues. He is trying his very best, but he is concerned about so many things. This week he brought up a scripture in Galatians, chapter 1 verse 8- "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." So Dan is concerned that we are cursed. This is a concern that comes up quite a bit here in the south, as you will see later in my email.It's just slightly disconcerting that people truly don't believe Mormons are Christians, or that they think we don't believe in Jesus Christ. I know we always like to point out the name of our church, but I think more importantly, we need to make it clear that we teach THE gospel of Jesus Christ. Period, sealed deal. That's it! Our whole purpose is focused in Christ and his atoning sacrifice for us. We act the way we do because of Him, and because we know the plan Heavenly Father has for us.

Mistie: she is a miracle! She investigated the church a year or so ago, but she wasn't ready to make changes. We visited her a few times since I've been here, but this week, she decided to quit smoking! On her own. And she recognizes that God is sending the right thing her way as she makes good choices. We are excited to help her keep making those good choices. We saw her on Wednesday, and then on Saturday too. It was really sad, because Wednesday was her fourth or fifth day of not smoking, and she was feeling great! But then on Saturday, she was laying in bed with a ice pack on her cheek because she has an abcessed tooth! Immediately what comes to my mind? The dark days in the hygiene chairs at Penrod Dental for all those patients who smoke, or recently quit smoking, and had pockets of 7, 8, or 9!! It was very painful for her, and her face was a little swollen. I pitied her pain. And couldn't get the office out of my brain! Dad, share this with the hygienists and let them know I think of them often. The teeth here are not as well taken care of as we would hope. But I'm working on it :) people really get a kick of hearing my father is a dentist. They just laugh every time. But back to misty, she came to church on Sunday, is making huge progress. We are so excited to have her family come too, she has two little boys.

Melissa: I think I mentioned Melissa before, she is so awesome! We had a great lesson all about the Book of Mormon, and why it's necessary. She was asking great questions, and we committed her to read and study and pray about some of her big questions. We can't wait to go back next week! She works at goodwill and was telling us all about how this past Saturday is her day off, and it's crazy. I think I'll pass on that experience :)

And last on my list for today: the Roach family- they are the best! Every time we go over to meet with them, we get a different combination of whomever it is that sits in on the lesson. So their son is in his early twenties, and he has read 150 pages in the Book of Mormon, and yesterday we taught him and his dad, Sean. It was so neat, because we explained about the preexistence and how we know we are children of god, and that we lived with him before we came here. We shared Jeremiah 1:5, and Sean was blown away. He said he had studied for three hours that day, and he had never thought about that question, and how that verse answered it. His son. Expressed too that he has so much more faith in god now, and in his plan for each of us. His son said "I have no fear for the future..." And when his dad looked up, his son stepped back and said, "well, I mean, I don't know for sure what I'm gonna do yet,but I'm not afraid." It was so funny, because Sean was shocked, his son who still lives at home is sure about his future??? When did that happen? It was an awesome lesson.

Those are just some of the awesome people we have been teaching. I wish I could share more about everyone! Here are some of the funny things that happened this week: We went to a bible study with some of the most southern women I have ever met. Martha loud and Ethel were sweet older ladies who had the pearls and all. It was quite an experience, but they were so very sweet. They meet each week, watch a sermon on video, and the discuss their prayer list,and their praise list. We were invited by a member who was invited by them last week. The member is going through cancer and chemo, and is an incredible lady, so very kind. It was fun!

We went to a members home for dinner, sister Nicholson, and somehow we ended up getting our nails done? She is a consultant for a company called 'jamberry' and they sell nail sticker things. W felt so very guilty. But her daughters started singing for us and the all of a sudden, she was putting them on our nails. They are awesome! And stay on for two to three weeks. Corinne, look it up online,and try it at least once. Monica, you too. But I do think I might not be as fun as painting your nails. But each 'sheet' gives you four uses I think. Anyway, we felt pampered and quit guilty.

Alright here's the crazy story of the week- we were invited by the awesome seminary teacher in our ward, sister Johnson (who was so sweet and bought us bookmarks because she saw a music one and thought of me! Then she had to choose one for Sister Cotton and she chose one about serenity. Fitting!) to join her and two girls from her class in attending another church this Sunday. There are so many different churches here, but this one is called Long Hollow. The girls had been told by friends that this week the sermon was on Mormonism. So after much prayer and thought and advice seeking from leaders, she determined to go,and invited us along. It was quite an experience. The building made me think quite a lot about Saddleback church, cause this church is huge! Probably 5000 people attended that day. It was quite interesting to walk into such a church with name tags declaring who we were. We kept huge smiles on our faces the entire time. They had a live band, and it was very loud!  They also had a coffee store in the middle of it. Also strange. We definitely got quite a few stares here and there. I don't know if I've ever been prouder on my mission then when sister Johnson leaned over and whispered to us "I couldn't be any prouder walking into this church than with you two missionaries". The sermon was all about the five problems with Mormonism. Unfortunately,
again the disbelief that we are Christians was brought up. It was so strange to me to hear the preacher so bluntly state that "Mormons don't believe in the same Jesus as Christians." While I found much of it humorous, it was quite an eye opener for me. First, I hope no one I have ever met has questioned whether we believe in Christ or not. I am determined to live my life that you can't question my testimony in my Savior for any reason. Second, the strength required by the youth to know what they believe, and stand as witnesses at all times! If we ever complained  about growing up in California, man I am so grateful I didn't grow up in the south! Everyday, these kids have people ridicule them for their beliefs, and they're so strong. I wish I had been so much firmer in telling people what I believe. And third, it becomes so clear to me everyday how the learning of men is used to convince people. I learn more and more the importance of the Holy Ghost, and now critical it is that we live our lives so we are able to have it dwell with us constantly, and testify to us of truth. If only we all relied on the spirit, rather than our own thinking, or the thinking of men, what a different world it would be. I work on it every day.

I am so grateful for the opportunities I am having here in Hendersonville to grow closer to my Heavenly Father, and come to know of his plan for me. I am so grateful for the people we meet and work and visit with, and that I have 18 months of my life to help others grow closer to Christ, and find happiness in their lives, no matter the circumstance. I love and miss you all! Keep studying your scriptures, and praying! I love you all,

Sister Penrod