tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82646633714271613182024-03-13T04:42:09.395-06:00Sister Naomi Rapierwendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-36119291931429361842016-10-10T20:19:00.000-06:002016-11-14T20:26:11.280-07:00Of Lazy Cats, Laundry, and Stinkin' Adorable Cousins<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Dear Everyone,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
I've been struggling to find a common theme in my week other
than naps with my marathon-status napping cat, who has become my napping buddy.
He wins our 'longest nap' competition every time. It's so great to have a
sleepy cat!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week has been an eclectic collection of experiences! There are so many moving
pieces. If I had to characterize my week with one phrase, I think it would have
to do with watching. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Everyone in my family seems so similar to how they were when I left, but
they've all changed subtly, growing brighter as they work to help their talents
become refined. My little sister has discovered within herself a proclivity for
the dramatic and a great love for dance. The dramatic part wasn't a surprise
(at all), but the dance part was! I've watched her practice in astonishment.
She's a very talented, very expressive dancer, complete with on-point facial
expressions. Since when does Claire dance?! Apparently since I left.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Almost every day feels like
another preparation day (which feels bizarre) other than the part where I can
watch t.v. again (which is even a little more bizarre). I've been enjoying the
BBC series Sherlock. It makes my thinking brain happy! (:<br />
<br />
Pop quiz: What do missionaries feverishly do every preparation day? <br />
<br />
What is: Laundry!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Old habits die hard, I guess; each day when I arise and
prepare without donning a classy skirt as part of my outfit, I feel a
compelling urge to do laundry. It's been cracking me up. I'm pleased to report
that the laundry room is now roughly four loads short of empty! Good thing
everyone in my family has been too busy to do their own laundry lately. I might
be a little bit lost otherwise. XD</div>
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<br />
A general health update: I feel well on a more consistent basis when I take
naps every day! I still have my dizzy and shaky spells, but they happen less
frequently now which is good. Last Monday was my first doctor's appointment
since being home, and it quickly became apparent that they're hungry for data!
They looked at the information we already had and then ordered a ton of new
tests. They still have no idea what's going on. My return appointment (I love
using that phrase! Missionary status for life.) is about a week from today, and
the physician's assistant said that we should have enough data at that point to
decide where to look next. From what I gather, they're deciding between sending
me to a gastrointestinal specialist, an allergist, a nutritionist, a
neurologist, and a rheumatologist. Fun, fun. I watched the phlebotomist gather
my blood for more tests as the PA handed a box of vials to my mom with the request
that I go home and gather samples of my exhaled breath for yet another test. <br />
<br />
Hmmm. Are these doctors dementors, or vampires? I'll let you know when I decide
which. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, now for the highlight of my week!!!!</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ym6POXNp5ICD23zcxW7cwVQoRfDr1Jt4Q2Wt1hbX9S8ZEf5DvaQGiigAaMKzXekLLONAuz0sU9VCLcZOPRrdLulsoKsBvqXbk6W3II0VSoM3SHx-WC55YugUfjvHSeGp5l3nGv2VZnU/s1600/IMG_0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ym6POXNp5ICD23zcxW7cwVQoRfDr1Jt4Q2Wt1hbX9S8ZEf5DvaQGiigAaMKzXekLLONAuz0sU9VCLcZOPRrdLulsoKsBvqXbk6W3II0VSoM3SHx-WC55YugUfjvHSeGp5l3nGv2VZnU/s320/IMG_0058.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aunt Holli (my look-alike Auntie)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p> </o:p>My sweet Aunt Holli reached out
to me and asked if I wanted to come hang out with her, my uncle, and their
three kiddos for a couple of days. Sure thing! My Aunt Holli is a little ray of
sunshine and my cousins are most aptly described as pleasantly precocious and
downright adorable. I can hold children again! I sat on their living-room couch
last night and watched sweet baby Felicity on my lap. She bobbled back and
forth, a little off balance as her little muscles worked overtime to keep her
steady. No surprises! If I had eyes that big, I think I would have trouble
holding my head up straight too!! (:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
It got me thinking about the
scripture in Alma about how very small and simple means are often the way that
great things are brought to pass (I think it's Alma 37:5-6). There were times
when Felicity was so off-balance that she wriggled like a fish (a really cute
fish) and got really hard to hold on to! Her tiny major muscle groups are still
learning their roles, and sometimes they over-correct or don't engage on time,
making it necessary for her stabilizer muscles to engage in order to keep her
upright. Stabilizer muscles are so small, but so essential to help a body
remain steady! I got thinking about all of the small and simple things that I
do in my life that may seem to the untrained eye to make no difference. For
example, reading my scriptures each day or smiling often at random people or
brushing my teeth each morning and evening (you got me - you only need a nose
to detect the difference there). Despite the low visibility, the simple things
are truly so important in helping me (and everyone around me who has a nose)
stay healthy and happy! <br />
<br />
The moral of the story? Small muscles and simple daily actions are often the
most important factors in keeping a body upright.</div>
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Anyway, I love y'all!!</div>
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Hope you have a fabulous week
and sunshine in your souls! (:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Lovelovelove,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Naomi</div>
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wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-53498197222832631822016-10-04T18:55:00.000-06:002016-10-04T18:55:13.540-06:00Home!<div class="MsoNormal">
Hellooooo, Everybody!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's Monday. It's Monday, and I don't know what to do with
my little non-missionary adult self yet. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Open scene.</div>
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<br /></div>
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It's Wednesday. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You trip out of the airplane, too excited to remember not to
step on the hem of your skirt. You are, after all, still a missionary. You're
still wearing a skirt. Right. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You walk out and look for your companion in a momentary
panic (where did she go? President is going to kill me!) before you realize
that you're not actually a missionary for much longer; you flew home alone, and
you don't have a companion to keep tabs on anymore. Right. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You wonder whether you should text your family and let them
know where you are. You realize you don't have a phone. You wonder why it
doesn't bother you that you don't have a phone, then you remember! You were the
designated driver the last two transfers, you companion always had the phone.
Right. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Carefully you proceed alone and without a phone into a crowd
of strangers. They all had to pass airport security to get in here, right? They
can't be that dangerous. You look both ways more carefully than you ever did
when you were jay-walking in the streets of Baltimore. Oh, the irony. An
airport in the Sunny Valley, more threatening than Baltimore? Yep, definitely
pre-post-missionary confusion. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember, you're still a missionary. It's not
post-missionary confusion yet. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You look past the tall guy with the flowery travel pillow
around his neck and notice the signs pointing to the Celestial Kingdom? No,
just the baggage claim. Sounds like heaven to me, heaven is wherever my family
is. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Note to self: you really need to sleep when you get home so
that you can read words properly again. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That flight was so long, but the flight was done in no time
compared to the excruciatingly slow descent down the escalator. You see your
family for a split second before they spot you. They spot you, and you quickly
remember why you're the quietest one in your family. Your mom scoops you
up almost before you get off of the escalator, who knows where your luggage
went and who cares?! Hopefully one of your siblings took it, and not the guy
with the flowery neck pillow.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
There is a hurricane in the Salt Lake City Airport, and you
are in the eye of it, the world moving so quickly around you that you can
barely keep track of it all. You get the best hugs and you feel a pang that your
dad isn't there to hug you too and you grin and laugh as your 6'1" little
brother sweeps you clean off of your feet into a bear hug and you try to be
happy that your little sister is taller than you (you are now the runt of the
family), and you feel a crazy combination of elated, exhausted, ecstatic, and
homesick, because your heart is held very much captive by the beautiful people
at the departure end of that 747 you just disembarked. Home will never be just one
place again.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One thing they don't tell you about is how tired you will be. Your legs tremble to support your weary frame as you embrace the last
uncle. Your fingers fail to grasp strongly the hand of your stake president as
he thanks you for your service and tells you to take off your name tag by
midnight. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Close scene.</div>
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I still feel like I'm walking in a dream.</div>
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<br /></div>
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I don't know that I have many helpful thoughts to share this
week. 'Don't die' is always a worthy admonition! We'll go with that.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I got home, I didn't know how to deal with life. Still
don't. What I can't tell you could be formed into a list so exhaustive that I
don't know anyone who would read it. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What I can tell you is this, that God looks out for us and
wants us to experience joy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
General Conference was this weekend (#ldsconf), and I heard
no more frequent message than "you are loved, it will all be okay,"
and "you can have joy in the now no matter how hard the now is."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Anyway, food for thought. It's a good day to be happy! (:</div>
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<br /></div>
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Love you all,</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Naomi</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-44560697579101108452016-09-26T20:19:00.004-06:002016-09-26T20:19:59.440-06:00Crime-Scene Tape & a Veil of Forgetfulness<div class="MsoNormal">
My dear family (both legally related and unofficially
adopted, I seriously just love you all to death),<br /><br />A few weeks ago, Sister Botchway and I saw a dead body in the streets of
Baltimore. Not quite what you were expecting? Not what we were expecting
either. His eyes were still wide with adrenaline, limbs frozen in a running
form. The tendons in his neck were still straining as if to look behind him as
he stared blankly into the evening sky. He was resting in a puddle. It hadn't
rained that day.<br />
<br />
We were shocked. <br />
<br />
Who wouldn't be? This young man, this child of God, had seen a sharp end to a
short life. A police officer stood a short distance away, jaded. He
poured his strained weariness into a cold plastic walkie-talkie instead of into
a rescue effort. As far as he could tell, the young man was gone. No pulse. As
far as the world is concerned, this young man only exists as a memory, a
gruesome statistic, and as a cold corpse lying in a dark grave. They've
forgotten the hope that we all once knew.<br />
<br />
In the face of yellow crime-scene tape and a veil of forgetfulness, I have no
right to remain silent. God's plan for His children does not end with a bullet
to the back, nor does it end with an insidious cancer or heart failure or a
grizzly bear attack or a still-birth. <br />
<br />
Our Heavenly Father's plan for us doesn't end in death! <br />
<br />When we got home that night, my mind was called to deep reflection on the constitution
of my life. What have I been doing? Why have I been
doing it? If I died today, what would be left behind? A gargantuan pile of
unsorted school papers? No. There has to be more to Naomi Rapier than that.<br />
<br />
I've been pondering on what I want to leave behind in the world when I die, and
more recently, I've been pondering on what legacy I want to leave in my stead
as a returned missionary.<br />
<br />
I can't think of a better legacy to leave than happiness. I'm happy! I'm happy,
and I want the people around me to be happy always, not because there aren't
challenges, but because they know who they are and what they stand for. I have
never been happier than I am when I'm helping other people to develop their
happiness in this lasting way, which I've had numerous opportunities to do
while serving as a missionary. <br />
<br />
When people understand why they are on this earth, where they came from, where
they're going, and what to do along the way, they're happy. Working diligently
to fulfill a righteously purpose that you have confidence in makes you happy!
This is the trend I've seen.<br />
<br />
The reason I mention the dead body in the streets of Baltimore is because it
reminded me of my purpose. I'm here on earth to learn! I'm here to grow, and to
love people, to help them grow, and to be happy. That's what Heavenly Father
wants for us, because we are His children. If you want to know more about your purpose on earth, check this out: <a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/plan-of-salvation</a><br />
<br /><br />What can I say right now? My emotions are running high and my time as a consecrated missionary with a tag is running out. Tomorrow, I'll have been in the mission field for nine months. Due to an unsolved health problem involving shakiness and fatigue that prevent me from doing my work as a missionary, I'll be returning from my mission this week, right after my half-way mark.</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwk0Pg9hf0o-NLZm9Uj5KNP8gLfEzKz1OEs6WIbZ7DhJIvkwCaE366j4rupVTsbPEbeP1plXT4roQsX0rkFco1HsdrgG6xk7JKV5LeQhnnYDvejF9X0R3LQFbNGFqP0Ts5DEec_j8rm6U/s1600/N+sis+carpenter+-+Sept+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwk0Pg9hf0o-NLZm9Uj5KNP8gLfEzKz1OEs6WIbZ7DhJIvkwCaE366j4rupVTsbPEbeP1plXT4roQsX0rkFco1HsdrgG6xk7JKV5LeQhnnYDvejF9X0R3LQFbNGFqP0Ts5DEec_j8rm6U/s640/N+sis+carpenter+-+Sept+2016.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Saying goodbye to Sister Carpenter</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Even though I'm coming home, but I've discovered that I like writing! The
adventures never end! I may keep up these blog
posts. I won't be offended if you ask me to take you off my list. (:<br /><br />
Signing off as a missionary with a tag, and love you always,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Lydia Rapier (:</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-56142650335086474952016-09-13T18:04:00.000-06:002016-09-13T18:19:06.234-06:00Oh, to Forgive and be Free<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear Family,<br />
<br />
There is such a peace in moving forward, as Elder Robert Gay has said, in the
Lord's way.<br />
<br />
For as long as I've been able to understand the world, I have sought to forgive
my father, who seemed to act in a way that hurt me at every turn. He died a
little over a year ago, and the weight of the burden I've carried with me these
many years has become apparent. <br />
<br />
I've struggled with it.<br />
<br />
Yesterday, Brian, a recent convert of the BYSA Elders, was in considerable
distress. He was experiencing serious doubts and fears. His faith was
struggling. As I heard his words of pain and confusion, my heart felt drawn out
of me to comfort him. I testified concerning the mercy of our Savior - how he's
always there for us. <br />
<br />
As I begged him to give himself a chance to grow before giving up on himself,
the words came from my lips seemingly of their own accord. I told of my
struggle to forgive my Daddy and of the empowering effect of Christ's mercy in
helping me to do so. I found myself telling him that after all of these years,
I had finally been able to forgive my father. I was surprised by these words,
but searched myself and found them to be true. <br />
<br />
Oh, to be free of this burden after so long and to feel my full love for my
Daddy - unblemished by my ugly grudge! I feel as if I could fly. <br />
<br />
I exhorted Brian to please not give up on himself and to
trust that he will someday recognize all the growth he's already made.
He truly can do it, if he only puts his mind to it and believes.<br />
<br />
Oh, to be free. What a wonderful gift.<br />
<br />
Sending all of my love and a joyous declaration of our Savior's love,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-82663399426119824172016-09-06T18:03:00.000-06:002016-09-13T18:18:37.753-06:00"What's Different About Your Church?"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Dear People Who I Love,<br />
<br />
I love public transportation. I meet some of my favorite people through public
transportation!<br />
<br />
We taught a man named JT this week. He's from Winchester! We walked by him
sitting in his car on the way back to the bus stop from an appointment that
fell through, and then had to turn around and go back to the house because I
accidentally left my water bottle there. As we passed his car, he stuck his
head out and asked, hey, are you Mormons? We said yes. He said, where are you
going? I (rather sheepishly) explained that we were going back for my erstwhile
forgotten hydration canister (not in those words, I'm paraphrasing
pedantically, potentially purposefully). He asked what was different about our
church and what he would gain from being a member. He explained that he was
already Christian; so what makes the difference?<br />
<br />
I love it when those words come out of someone's mouth.<br />
<br />
We began discussing how God is his loving Heavenly Father, and how He wants for
JT to be happy. JT agreed, sharing with us his strong belief that God does look
out for him. He said that right now, he's desperately in need of money to
support his little family. He asked how we would advise him on this matter
according to our system of beliefs. I almost started crying. Such a tender and
genuine love I saw reflected in his face as he spoke of his wife and little
boy. We opened up the scriptures with him, but then I couldn't remember where I
was when I read the answer to his question. So I closed my scriptures and paraphrased
for him the words of the prophet Jacob found in The Book of Mormon:<br />
<br />
"Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with
all and free with your substance, that they may be rich like unto you.<br />
<br />
"But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.<br />
<br />
"And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches,
if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the
naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer
relief to the sick and the afflicted."<br />
<br />
Jacob 2:18-19 (<a href="https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jacob/2?lang=eng">https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/jacob/2?lang=eng</a>) (I found it after the fact)<br />
<br />
We talked with him about how having a living prophet on the earth today with
the priesthood authority to act in God's name and to guide God's people enables
us to more fully seek the kingdom of God, because modern revelation from God
allows us continued insight on how to build God's kingdom despite the challenges
of today's world. We testified that as long as he put God and his family first,
God would always provide a way through things. We also invited him to find out
for himself by reading The Book of Mormon. <br />
<br />
I love pleasant people!! We asked if he'd like to have missionaries came see
him and his family, and it turns out that he wasn't particularly interested in
exploring another faith tradition, he was just curious to hear our take on
things. He thanked us for stopping to talk to him and told us to be safe. It
made our day. (:<br />
<br />
Sister Botchway is awesome!!!!! She has been so kind as I've been sick the past
few days and not able to do much.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thanks so much to everyone who has written me letters and
emails! I'm not super great at responding all the time. Just know that you make
my week all the brighter (:</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love always,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-468960776917690762016-08-29T20:16:00.000-06:002016-09-02T09:36:38.316-06:00Peanut Butter and Brass Knuckles<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi Family and Friends!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Hey guess what?!!<br />
<br />
STAYING IN BYSA FOR ANOTHER TRANSFER WOOOOOO!!!!! I am so excited! My new
companion will be Sister Botchway.<br />
<br />
We've been working hard all week. Sister Tripple has that somewhat lengthy list
of things to do before she goes home; we've been busy to say the least.<br />
<br />
One of the things I like best about being busy is that it means that we get to
ride public transportation a lot!! It probably sounds weird, but I love public
transportation. There are so many wonderful people to talk to!<br />
<br />
Last Wednesday, while we were on the bus, we met this awesome lady! Her name is
Andrea. She's Catholic by background, and her husband just left her and her
seven-year-old son. My heart was really sad to hear that story. We were
talking and she expressed how helpless she's feeling. She said, "I've done
everything right. I got a college degree, I got married, I stayed faithful and
tried to make things work, but now he's left me and I can't find a job, I feel
so helpless and frustrated. What did I do wrong?"<br />
<br />
I was familiar with part of that feeling, the 'what did I do wrong' part. I
struggle with thinking I have to be perfect and sometimes clinging to
unrealistic expectations for myself. As I watched her earnest eyes start to
tear up, my heart went out to her; I asked if I could share a scripture that
helped me through some of my hardest times. She graciously agreed, so I flipped
open my worn scriptures to this passage:<br />
<br />
"And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but
they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take
no advantage of your weakness;<br />
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto
men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men
that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and
have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
(Ether 12:26-27, page 510 in The Book of Mormon)<br />
<br />
I testified to her that this is true, and that God truly does support us in our
weakness. Her countenance changed, the worry lines around her eyes
and on her forehead softened. It warmed me so much to see that one of my
favorite scriptures had boosted her above her desolation of despair. I can only
imagine what she must be feeling with all that's going on in her life right
now. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We asked if she would come to church with us, she said yes if she could
bring her son along. She almost laughed with relief when I explained that the
family congregation that she would be attending is very friendly to children of
all ages. My bus stop approached. I gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon and the phone number of the Sister Missionaries who work with the family congregation (I work with the young single adult congregation). </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I turned back after I got off the bus. My
last sight of her was her holding the book with great respect and contemplation
written on her face, seeming to be wondering if it was as precious as I had
told her it was. I keep flashing back to that image over and over again in my
mind. You have no idea yet, Andrea, but you'll know soon. The words in that
book will make you rich in happiness and resplendent in an everlasting peace.
Just keep reading.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<br />
Wanna hear about our adventure this week?!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Church has never been so interesting as it
is every week in the Baltimore YSA ward.<br />
<br />
As of 5 p.m. on Saturday, we didn't have any investigators planning to come to church. Just four hours later we found ourselves in a much different situation:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
- A local gang member got in touch with the Elders and asked
if they were the LDS missionaries. They said yes. He asked if so-and-so was a
member of the congregation. They said yes, and asked why. The guy said - good, I
have some unfinished business, and stated his intention to come to church. The missionaries asked the guy who he was. He identified himself as an old friend of so-and-so
and a member of this local gang. And then he stopped replying to their texts.<br />
<br />
- We heard from an investigator who we know
carries a concealed weapon at all times. He had decided to come to church.<br />
<br />
- Another investigator, who is a college athlete, let us know he would be coming with his NCAA-approved
security.<br />
<br />
- A "back to school" themed munch and mingle was scheduled for
after church. We learned there would be a peanut butter and jelly cake.<br />
<br />
- Then we realized - we weren't sure if any of our investigators had a peanut allergy.<br />
<br />
Do you see the problem here? <br />
<br />
Three people planning on coming to church. With guns. One of them possibly
planning to kill a member of the congregation. All of them possibly with a
peanut allergy.<br />
<br />
What?.......<br />
<br />
I must say, I never have considered the
possibility of having three armed investigators attend sacrament meeting until
Saturday night. That would definitely be a first!<br />
<br />
Sunday morning rolls around. We got to church, and Elder Peery was joking
around and asked Sister Tripple if she might need some pink brass knuckles. She
said she was okay and suggested that he give them to me instead! Elder Peery
said, and I quote, "No, that would be like giving a bunny rabbit a hand
grenade." That made me laugh. A lot. He didn't know that I heard XD<br />
<br />
Sacrament meeting was uneventful; no one who said they were coming to church
actually came! Disappointing, but also a relief. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Near the end of second hour, we got a text from our college athlete buddy
saying that he and his security were both here. We went and found them,
welcoming them into their final class! I was super relieved; the athlete had
been joking about NCAA approved security, he had just brought one of his
friends with him. Phwew!<br />
<br />
Now, I know that you're all wondering. Did the gangster come to church? And,
perhaps more importantly, did he have a peanut allergy?<br />
<br />
I am pleased to report that neither gangsters nor severe peanut allergies
appeared at church! And the cake was delicious. :)<br />
<br />
Prayers truly are answered!<br />
<br />
I love you all dearly, and if any of you are wanting a copy of my favorite
book, you can get a free copy here: <a href="https://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon">https://www.mormon.org/free-book-of-mormon</a>
<br />
<br />
Have a lovely week, my people! Much love (:<br />
<br />
-Your Sister, Naomi Rapier</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg9CYpJprTMITghm1hqDqoXsbZnOrL3b7j2cP5v-Dx1fDiEOoQwzwBBlvDxkTm_QTylU6G-zXFwLWc_VHD4AcJQKA4V5lD_wIxoFPN28hXPGacHUMaGcxQMREldJjJ1CJ5V1YglhWrPQ/s1600/n+tripple+friend%252C+towson+Aug+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSg9CYpJprTMITghm1hqDqoXsbZnOrL3b7j2cP5v-Dx1fDiEOoQwzwBBlvDxkTm_QTylU6G-zXFwLWc_VHD4AcJQKA4V5lD_wIxoFPN28hXPGacHUMaGcxQMREldJjJ1CJ5V1YglhWrPQ/s640/n+tripple+friend%252C+towson+Aug+2016.jpg" width="446" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sister Tripple's last week</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-12557104261319959992016-08-22T20:06:00.000-06:002016-09-01T20:10:41.682-06:00Christ Can Make us Whole Again<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Even when stunted by mistakes, we can find new growth in Christ.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
I've met several sister missionaries who have personally been affected by pornography addiction. The stories vary - it was was an ex-boyfriend, an ex-fiance, an ex-brother-in-law - but the result is always pain and suffering.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Pornography burns the
possibility of growth; it renders a person to be as a burnt-out stump. Pornography drains the life and vigor from relationships. Oh, the pain this plague inflicts on our families and communities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Addictions consume. Suffering ensues. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Where would we be without the redeeming hope of Jesus Christ? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The atonement is real. Christ can remake a burnt-out stump into a healthy tree should the tree be desirous and willing to work for the gift of miraculous healing. Christ can sooth and comfort the loved ones of an addict. Christ can heal us and make us whole again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love you,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-87134389233385830792016-08-15T04:55:00.000-06:002016-08-22T04:56:10.296-06:00Serve God and Do Good<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Howdy, Family!<br />
<br />
I don't hear "howdy" too often. Too few Southerners 'round these here parts... XD<br />
<br />
I am so super stoked about this week. <br />
<br />
Miracles!!! <br />
<br />
We met with a girl named Carlee yesterday. She was referred to us by the
Alameda Elders, who met her on a bus ride to downtown. She expressed that she
wanted to learn more, and they sent her number to us. She is a doll of a human
being, short (like me!) and with one of the most kind and long-suffering
spirits of anyone I have EVER met!!!! When we called for the first time, it
became quickly evident that she loves God and that her greatest desire is to
serve Him and do good. We asked if she had any concerns in her life that we
could study for and help her resolve. She thought for a second, and then asked,
"Could you help me get baptized? I want to get baptized, and I've never
been able to." Ummmm yes!!!!!!! That is, after all, our specialty: we are
here to invite people to come to Christ! We're here to help them prepare for
and make sacred covenants, beginning with baptism by immersion by someone with
the priesthood, or the authority to act in God's name. A covenant is a two-way
promise between an individual and God, so it's serious business. To help
someone prepare to make this baptismal promise with God is one of the most
beautiful opportunities I've had in my entire mission. Seeing first Chong, then
Ruby enter the waters of baptism was awe-inspiring. The joy is so real, and I'm
so excited to experience it once again.<br />
<br />
More about Carlee: She's 18. When her father found
out that she was a girl, and therefore not a boy, he left. Her mom recently
decided that she didn't want to be a mom anymore and disowned Carlee. Carlee's been robbed, thrown onto the streets, and had to drop out of high school to take
care of her Aunt, who needed hospice care and couldn't afford it. She's been
living in rough neighborhoods for her entire life, and she loves to serve
the people around her, though they often abuse her generosity. She still serves
and loves everyone in her path. Wow.<br />
<br />
All of the neighborhood kids in the look up to her a ton!! For many, she's the
only consistently kind adult in their lives. So many people said hello to her
while we were teaching her yesterday on her porch! Carlee amazes me, straight
up.<br />
<br />
As we were in the midst of talking, she testified of God and His goodness and
mercy. She told us that she knows that He loves her. She knows that He's proud
of her that she wants to better her life. I will keep you posted on my
remarkable friend Carlee, but I have to go now.<br />
<br />
Love you!<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
p.s.-woke up on Sunday morning and our car was gone from our
apartment parking lot... we still aren't quite sure what happened that they
decided to tow us, but there you have that! XD</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NR12KXt7ZvKXj3_IoseUz8f4NlZChq9VSeg524k3xTFbHHBfl5DrJvKyfKbBIYzv75yV7HESZuVydSjMe9NdMPRhsEzwLon1ZgRxnvudvmTmZswyMdACDnnSoieSBBYKdvDX0S-3oDk/s1600/car+towed+1+15+Aug+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3NR12KXt7ZvKXj3_IoseUz8f4NlZChq9VSeg524k3xTFbHHBfl5DrJvKyfKbBIYzv75yV7HESZuVydSjMe9NdMPRhsEzwLon1ZgRxnvudvmTmZswyMdACDnnSoieSBBYKdvDX0S-3oDk/s400/car+towed+1+15+Aug+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where's our car, dude?!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHC-LDWNoxEOehdtI9vMM1kPxbh91F3k1jTyE7QX00eDb4nMmojmKoPCm-fLeazX6sSnVQRdhfKa22fBrb6W7izEm09vG_SjdCWMbJQvv-GeoZlq_gM9TKoP_O7UybOEPi4pKtiBYYVEI/s1600/car+towed+3+-15+Aug+2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHC-LDWNoxEOehdtI9vMM1kPxbh91F3k1jTyE7QX00eDb4nMmojmKoPCm-fLeazX6sSnVQRdhfKa22fBrb6W7izEm09vG_SjdCWMbJQvv-GeoZlq_gM9TKoP_O7UybOEPi4pKtiBYYVEI/s400/car+towed+3+-15+Aug+2016.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Got our car back!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-43186061671243138782016-08-08T16:21:00.000-06:002016-08-22T04:41:42.324-06:00Out and About in Townson<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey family and friends!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week was pretty good, more than a little nutty. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Towson is a suburb of Baltimore; our area is about 20 minutes from downtown Baltimore. It is a super interesting place. I've never been in a
big city for an extended period of time, let alone lived in one! Good thing
that I'm used to driving in nutty traffic, like we always had to drive in to get to
school. That's pretty much how driving is all the time here, and this is the
first time I've driven in six months!! It's a little bit anxiety provoking.
Aaaaa. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The people in Baltimore are all very proud of who they are!
I love that most people here don't put on fake faces. How do I know this? Trust me,
you can tell. We were taking the light rail to district meeting last week and
there was this guy sitting behind us, just rapping away. On the light rail. To
himself. It was pretty funny.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Exchanges happened this week, and they were HEAVEN SENT.
Being with Sister Hokafonu was so good, she is AMAZING. She's a Polynesian from
California, and her testimony is rock solid. She loved me and listened to me
and we got to do some good work together! She is one of my angels on this side
of the veil, I think. We found a new investigator for the Jones Falls Sisters; a sweet, eccentric lady in her 50's.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister Tripple often says random things that she's thinking
about which don't necessarily relate to what's going on. I guess it's about time I got a
taste of my own medicine; usually I'm the one confusing everyone else! XD Some funny Sister Tripple quotes that brightened my week:</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Scene: walking in from working for dinner; Sister Tripple
is kicking off her shoes and setting down her bag.)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister T: "Flirt to convert."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister R: "Oh, who are we flirting with today?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister T: "Just myself."</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Scene: Sister Rapier laying on the floor writing in journal
in living room. Sister Tripple quietly boiling sweet potatoes in adjoining
kitchen.) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister T: "Not today, Satan!"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister R: "What?"</div>
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Sister T: "I like talking out loud to Satan to let him
know that I know he's there."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister R: "What's he trying to get you to do
today?"</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister T: "Oh, nothing. I just wanted to tell him that
he's not a part of my life today."</div>
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<br /></div>
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I laughed so hard after each of the conversations!!!! Best.
quotes. ever. (:</div>
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<br /></div>
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If any of you have favorite scripture passages or
encouraging quotes or thoughts I would love to hear them! It's been a bit of a
hard week and I need some extra positivity in my life.</div>
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Love always,</div>
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<br /></div>
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Sister Naomi Rapier<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0vVYW31cI6OXyF1c7LwVjkDij5tk9b1zjxpIHz4QXpXee6mLH9Cpz1TimPC5gBxXlp7kLchMDK-YE4LbQlv7fOOWBo4MltcNCp_3216vvqoKeQl1oUglG3ongjqXYRK7X1k_QxkJ4tw/s1600/8+Aug+2016+with+tripple+and+hokafuna+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik0vVYW31cI6OXyF1c7LwVjkDij5tk9b1zjxpIHz4QXpXee6mLH9Cpz1TimPC5gBxXlp7kLchMDK-YE4LbQlv7fOOWBo4MltcNCp_3216vvqoKeQl1oUglG3ongjqXYRK7X1k_QxkJ4tw/s400/8+Aug+2016+with+tripple+and+hokafuna+small.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exchanges with Sisters Tripp, not sure, Rapier and Hokafonu</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPabc1_okWYdqjFYVA3iByjNeRBF6uKN7uZTH5docJwpXPbL83kwag7m50Ujy8njLxYHQIZrfY6-C8AK2IeVLKLhkMUYha3P1Dy4tXoirlGShvkK7olR-59a30WWWIPagRYAC2dDNojsU/s1600/8+Aug+2016+with+tripple+and+hokfna+2+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPabc1_okWYdqjFYVA3iByjNeRBF6uKN7uZTH5docJwpXPbL83kwag7m50Ujy8njLxYHQIZrfY6-C8AK2IeVLKLhkMUYha3P1Dy4tXoirlGShvkK7olR-59a30WWWIPagRYAC2dDNojsU/s320/8+Aug+2016+with+tripple+and+hokfna+2+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hanging with the Sisters</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-90783402768924599862016-08-02T16:21:00.000-06:002016-08-22T04:26:32.228-06:00The Glow of Understanding<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi Family!<br />
<br />
Aren't you lucky? You get emails in the middle of the week!! (:<br />
<br />
We found an investigator this week!!! Her name is Morgan, and we thought that
she was a young single adult. Young? Yes! Single? Yes!! Adult?! ...Well, not so much... sophomore in
high school... whoops. Anyway, she's currently our investigator and soon we'll
be turning her over to the Jones Falls Sisters. <br />
<br />
Morgan is AWESOME!! We were trying to go see a less active sister in the ward
one night when we walked by. She was sitting on her porch, just chilling, and
we started a conversation. She's been looking for the truth! We arranged to
come see her another day because it was pretty late and Baltimore is sketchy in
the dark hours (don't worry, we weren't in the city proper).<br />
<br />
We went back to see her in the early evening later that week. Morgan walked
out, smiling that big happy smile of hers, and warmly greeted Sister Tripple
and me with big hugs. We went out and sat on her favorite bench, and she started
talking. She told us about her day at school, about her friends, and about how
she had always wondered what more there was to the universe. We asked her about
what role religion had played in her life to this point. She responded quickly,
letting us know that though she's only been to church approximately three times
in her living memory, she knows some things about the Bible and she likes what
she knows. She expressed a great desire to learn more and to get answers to all
of her "why" questions. We were grinning so much, you wouldn't
believe it. <br />
<br />
Do you know how good it feels to have the resources to help someone find the
answers they've been anxiously seeking for quite some time? I do!! Often before
my mission, I felt joy when I would tutor and learn with a frustrated, confused
student and would have the privilege of watching that marvelous glow of
understanding spark to life in their eyes. I would sit back quietly as they
labored over a problem similar to the many we had done together. The brow furrows,
the mouth frowns, the face clouds over with concentration. This moment is the critical
moment. Will they finish, or will they falter? Children are so often stubborn
enough to push through. Finished! Bright eyes are anxiously hopeful as I check
the work. The moment of truth comes: the math is good!!!! "See?" I
exclaim, "Long division isn't that hard after all!" The triumphant
grin that inevitably follows each acquisition of insight I will never forget,
for each of these memories fill me with joy! <br />
<br />
I do have to say, however, the rush of happiness I feel when math tutoring is
nothing compared to what I' doing now; it is far outshone by the joy I experience
each time I teach the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even though my
memories of tutoring are no less significant to me than they were a year ago! I
am perpetually filled with wonderment as I reflect upon this singular
situation. What joy may lay just ahead of me that I cannot begin to
comprehend? I must conclude that it will just keep on getting better. The majority of society tells me that I'm stupid for coming on a mission to talk
with people about God, that I should be going to school and living the college
life, tasting and experiencing all that the world has to offer. My response is,
so what? So what, that I'm not out partying with my graduating class? Do they
find any exceedingly great and enduring joy where they're looking for it? I
don't think so. What I have tasted in the service of God is delicious, sweet.
It fills the empty corners of my soul, patches the holes in my heart. It is
delicious to me.<br />
<br />
My time runs out. Long story short, Morgan was astounded by the story of Joseph
Smith, for it reflected her own feelings. When we presented her with the first
vision, her eyes filled with tears. She was smiling, grinning like she couldn't
contain herself. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/joseph-smith">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/joseph-smith</a>
<br />
<br />
Love,<br />
Sister Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-11125101664913781832016-07-25T16:18:00.000-06:002016-08-22T04:26:47.839-06:00New Area and No Mission Call<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I have been super
struggling to email today. My little brother was supposed to have gotten his
mission call, but he didn't! Super distracted.<br />
<br />
Miracle! Sister Whipp, who is less active in Hampstead, is now doing personal
progress and got a priesthood blessing from her home teachers within 24 hours
of us suggesting it. We have truly seen the spirit work within her heart. <3<br />
<br />
My first week in Towson has been alright. It was really frustrating to start, we only had a
ward list from like a year ago. Singles wards have incredible rates of change
of membership. We spent over 50 miles chasing ghosts... it was certainly an
experience. Good thing my companion and I both have a lot of energy! :P</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Until next time,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Sister Naomi Rapier<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-25486136693203992872016-07-18T10:20:00.000-06:002016-08-22T04:14:15.310-06:00Goodbye to Hampstead<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi Everyone!</div>
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This week has been really good! Many updates on lovely
individuals are to be had!</div>
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First update, I'm being transferred from Hampstead! So
bittersweet. I'm super thankful that I got to have a transfer being Sister
Gudmundson's companion, she is stellar. I'll be serving in the Baltimore YSA
(Young Single Adult) ward with Sister Tripple! Sister Tripple was serving in my
zone during the time I was with Sister Bartschi, I love her already, this is
going to be lots of fun!!! So many good things lie ahead! We shall work hard
and it shall be awesome. (:</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdW64kUHg_YQGVmHSasGzGW0J6Ch1IuuT1TCib_YIgn_TJ4qQP_4abiUN_ITLXO2aQvACTi_kn06c_V5Kh7TAXpuloSLk89qJau4d_RtYeswizG55-b_ws3KkLul9UDMiGO0FGZHeAQo/s1600/18+July+2016+with+gudm+and+taggert+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAdW64kUHg_YQGVmHSasGzGW0J6Ch1IuuT1TCib_YIgn_TJ4qQP_4abiUN_ITLXO2aQvACTi_kn06c_V5Kh7TAXpuloSLk89qJau4d_RtYeswizG55-b_ws3KkLul9UDMiGO0FGZHeAQo/s320/18+July+2016+with+gudm+and+taggert+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sisters Rapier and Gudmundson with Sister Taggart</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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Another update, we went to Sister Taggart's house again this
week. She is such a doll! Her smile was so big when she saw us, you have no
idea how great it is to visit someone who's really happy to see you! We had a
really great discussion about faith, hope, and the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
We were just starting to read Moroni 7 when the phone rang. Sister Taggart
ignored it, but soon enough Chris walked up the stairs holding a handset, the
call was for Sister Taggart. We were more than a little bit apprehensive, but
what we saw set us at ease. Chris had a completely different attitude. He was
very polite, hesitating greatly to interject. When he handed the phone to
Sister Taggart, he gave us a timid smile, and then quietly slipped away. After
Sister Taggart had taken the call, she told us that she had talked to Chris and
had reminded him that it's a blessing to have someone who's willing to come
into a home and to help a family understand the scriptures. </div>
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From observing his demeanor when we saw him on Tuesday, I'm
guessing that he had absolutely no idea how harshly he had come across until
his mom told him. When we saw Sister Taggart on Sunday, she came bearing a
message of thanks from Chris and Kay for the Tait cookies we had left on
Tuesday. </div>
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<br /></div>
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It made me feel good to know that they liked the cookies,
and also ashamed about how I had reacted to the whole ordeal a week ago. In
that moment of feeling so attacked, I forgot one of the most important and
fundamental truths of the gospel, which is that God loves everyone regardless
of who they are and what they've done, so we are to love everyone, no matter
what they've done or how badly we feel they've hurt us. For are we not all
children of God, and do we not rely on him for every breath and each tender
mercy of life? We are, and we do. </div>
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Heavenly Father must have unfathomable love for us and a
great sense of humor. Watching me each day must be to Him a little bit like
watching a small child try to get dressed, pulling her pants onto her little
head. Endearing, especially when the child decides to turn and ask for help.
Perhaps that's why it's so important to Heavenly Father that we pray, so that
he can help us when we need it, which in all honesty is pretty much always. I
don't know about you, but I haven't a clue how to do life half of the time. So
many unexpected twists and turns. Ah, life. This experience
has been a testimony to me that repentance is real! People truly do change
their views of themselves, others, and the world, and they do it all the time!
I cannot tell you how extraordinarily grateful I am to have had the opportunity
to recognize my error before leaving Hampstead. Chris is, after all that's been
said and done, a good man with human foibles who is willing to change. It's
never too late to put on the dinosaur costume the right way. (:</div>
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Anyway, much love, I must scurry.</div>
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Sending sunshine in your general direction,</div>
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Sister Naomi Rapier<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFskptBEhvqFpnSpnNkqMtKVAdY_4kuAHPtEn9Wh0Wh7nh58Ua4FX7E-YXiE5Eq5u0fyzZ33vC1bz9Us5oSisaAZngFJaPxZ3BowRUpNTIyo9urBZWPI5lq47g6ee7ajrsqUYlp6svqM/s1600/18+July+2016+n+with+Cindy+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEFskptBEhvqFpnSpnNkqMtKVAdY_4kuAHPtEn9Wh0Wh7nh58Ua4FX7E-YXiE5Eq5u0fyzZ33vC1bz9Us5oSisaAZngFJaPxZ3BowRUpNTIyo9urBZWPI5lq47g6ee7ajrsqUYlp6svqM/s320/18+July+2016+n+with+Cindy+small.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naomi with Sister Cindy</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ54bMALPE6lwPWsJySMR8sftRyrlyoSwGPfKDdt3GkATDFGNwmmreeDm01bynGaQNnckntH0FMZ373disG2bmC0i73V8Ntzg-bnHwUGrwB65uCl94UPOvw9-N-pTLMVRUv6y96phm_ns/s1600/18+July+2016+with+red+and+gudm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ54bMALPE6lwPWsJySMR8sftRyrlyoSwGPfKDdt3GkATDFGNwmmreeDm01bynGaQNnckntH0FMZ373disG2bmC0i73V8Ntzg-bnHwUGrwB65uCl94UPOvw9-N-pTLMVRUv6y96phm_ns/s320/18+July+2016+with+red+and+gudm.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naomi, Cindy, and Sister Gudmundson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglahItbBEeRdV5hOOD7Krq_WvajMm1Pag8IlT0lFRwYQi8V5a2OsgD_vdwwjCXqXQe5RWWdFzeiOJ30kvQs68r3JbXAaeHfBuXcU8IRPW-bb3nrDN9Q9EPwmM-3OfKLmXYiEtmFnEBvt0/s1600/18+July+2016+outhouse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglahItbBEeRdV5hOOD7Krq_WvajMm1Pag8IlT0lFRwYQi8V5a2OsgD_vdwwjCXqXQe5RWWdFzeiOJ30kvQs68r3JbXAaeHfBuXcU8IRPW-bb3nrDN9Q9EPwmM-3OfKLmXYiEtmFnEBvt0/s320/18+July+2016+outhouse.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Outhouses are real!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuzKmiGdGeyKbLYNmzMiIzBtGr5zmPm4ylTlabIRyRhEPWfoxwg9URhfhVD1Jq4hTTzejT3nlE5Tctx7MAUAZTDx9K0bDuEa7fPSAysnd6tROqz6y-0sYF40Jze5cr7Q_IpvIoKlborA/s1600/18+July+2016+kitty+on+head+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiuzKmiGdGeyKbLYNmzMiIzBtGr5zmPm4ylTlabIRyRhEPWfoxwg9URhfhVD1Jq4hTTzejT3nlE5Tctx7MAUAZTDx9K0bDuEa7fPSAysnd6tROqz6y-0sYF40Jze5cr7Q_IpvIoKlborA/s320/18+July+2016+kitty+on+head+small.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cat on head,..why not?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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P. S. For any of you who like the Book of Mormon, timelines,
advanced color coding, projects that take a long time to complete, or all of
the above, here is a Book of Mormon timeline that Sister Gudmundson made,
comprehensive and with scripture references for everything! May I just say,
that's my companion!!!!! I am seriously so wow-ed by this, it took her a year
to make. I was her companion when she finished. Coincidence? I think not! It
must mean that you all need a copy too!</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwQFjhMEtbkklmi0W8Zuoh3dpNXANWThMPkE7CIM6QfeD1VzS4F6UY3T1Edx4Npz5xPez56VAQYzis8OGNGRMpvyVLrzhUFdIxAurrk2DApaQ-EHZek9Hrx3-gDYwKRLEw2khkE0Erhg/s1600/The+Jaredites+1+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYwQFjhMEtbkklmi0W8Zuoh3dpNXANWThMPkE7CIM6QfeD1VzS4F6UY3T1Edx4Npz5xPez56VAQYzis8OGNGRMpvyVLrzhUFdIxAurrk2DApaQ-EHZek9Hrx3-gDYwKRLEw2khkE0Erhg/s400/The+Jaredites+1+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaredites Timeline: 1 of 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKMLMAEZYvcYglBazrG0uS4UNYKRretNMWdy_ri-AVphr1E9luHOUP4xKHZLbUDgXUA76HGLtIF3A2oQXp1-JbLOeKSKHVBLrXSmHlaAr0r3ampchS6J8jr1OQmmEF7b6yCruw8ZnwHM/s1600/The+Jaredites+2+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDKMLMAEZYvcYglBazrG0uS4UNYKRretNMWdy_ri-AVphr1E9luHOUP4xKHZLbUDgXUA76HGLtIF3A2oQXp1-JbLOeKSKHVBLrXSmHlaAr0r3ampchS6J8jr1OQmmEF7b6yCruw8ZnwHM/s400/The+Jaredites+2+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaredites Timeline: 2 of 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u-3l8aCPJ9dxvUMIQl4i24NCpN7fZnmNhyWow6oqKb-w6WwqMo57ZO9mkxxYbrW8AIiasFYZo32HgzUauR6XzOtWVYWmOWH779u-v79G5rMS3ds_B0CPGNmUqfJJFK7WAiSktRoo-YM/s1600/The+Jaredites+3+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0u-3l8aCPJ9dxvUMIQl4i24NCpN7fZnmNhyWow6oqKb-w6WwqMo57ZO9mkxxYbrW8AIiasFYZo32HgzUauR6XzOtWVYWmOWH779u-v79G5rMS3ds_B0CPGNmUqfJJFK7WAiSktRoo-YM/s400/The+Jaredites+3+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaredites Timeline 3 of 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNEZGoFRqDD6EtuN9Xy05ulS-VNVWaKLRyah-G8ZUBs31fnLSvmsXvxL_oPkkdqy5wWRHIBGFZbM_qZK6-Zdd6UEEpa_IyV-8c2p7R4lJ7VAYwuqusWf4g3C8FQSFNEQOK4qzYVBxA-o/s1600/The+Jaredites+4+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmNEZGoFRqDD6EtuN9Xy05ulS-VNVWaKLRyah-G8ZUBs31fnLSvmsXvxL_oPkkdqy5wWRHIBGFZbM_qZK6-Zdd6UEEpa_IyV-8c2p7R4lJ7VAYwuqusWf4g3C8FQSFNEQOK4qzYVBxA-o/s400/The+Jaredites+4+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaredites Timeline: 4 of 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeFW_byCwMJr957608SMDpA7PKiicSqGW8p-uIQ5XHu6LhRvetSlKlx0uNuWmMDNUSpePdp77bjT_TpQxPD2QG7igJ67rwbROV30E0OvFVJxcQXzr9LZTOigbHjr_V0nibSyzh4uu9xE/s1600/The+Jaredites+5+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeFW_byCwMJr957608SMDpA7PKiicSqGW8p-uIQ5XHu6LhRvetSlKlx0uNuWmMDNUSpePdp77bjT_TpQxPD2QG7igJ67rwbROV30E0OvFVJxcQXzr9LZTOigbHjr_V0nibSyzh4uu9xE/s400/The+Jaredites+5+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jaredites Timeline: 5 of 7</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLnCQCqZSV3vjPJKTN8MyvIJnCukzOrzLBw4Y3RoAYnHceudksAc0Lxqa4LxM-NxZ-oghjeCaWx07xlMv_9sA_exz4Cf9VXHiqLGaG97NpbASyB5aP_TdC2LMuIOZm7elR2TGS45zBEY/s1600/The+Jaredites+6+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibLnCQCqZSV3vjPJKTN8MyvIJnCukzOrzLBw4Y3RoAYnHceudksAc0Lxqa4LxM-NxZ-oghjeCaWx07xlMv_9sA_exz4Cf9VXHiqLGaG97NpbASyB5aP_TdC2LMuIOZm7elR2TGS45zBEY/s400/The+Jaredites+6+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Jaredites Timeline: 6 of 7</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuxP1nfdNF9TxqIjuJTQrW-zUB6FBWv-vv6unf-Pn7_4Zgg2xjHloJ82ftDB2LTG-nysan9sYyP-1MbqJzq6xpJXfzHnn268WnOGfZ3JHPn9CwWdfxyGR_Cof4HqyK3ELQjLqlXL0pL8/s1600/The+Jaredites+7+of+7.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLuxP1nfdNF9TxqIjuJTQrW-zUB6FBWv-vv6unf-Pn7_4Zgg2xjHloJ82ftDB2LTG-nysan9sYyP-1MbqJzq6xpJXfzHnn268WnOGfZ3JHPn9CwWdfxyGR_Cof4HqyK3ELQjLqlXL0pL8/s400/The+Jaredites+7+of+7.jpeg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Jaredites Timeline: 7 of 7</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-22223302917735485702016-07-12T08:51:00.000-06:002016-07-14T08:52:22.139-06:00A Change of Heart and a Korihor<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Hola Family!<br />
<br />
I have no idea where to begin. This week has truly been a week of miracles! Especially dear was an incredible change of heart that we got to witness!<br />
<br />
Sister Taggart is a sweet older Hispanic lady who hadn't been to church in
fourteen years. We met with her for the first time last week, and we taught her
the doctrine of the sacrament from 3 Nephi 18. She expressed sincere desire to
return to church, but she feared that she would not be well accepted by those
in the congregation who knew her and that her lack of memory of gospel truths
would be starkly evident. She was so open and so full of hope, so I asked her
if she would kneel with us right then and there to ask God, the Eternal Father,
if it was His will for her to go to church. She knelt. We knelt alongside her.
She humbly began her prayer and asked Father if He wanted her to go to church.
No sooner had these words left her mouth than she started weeping softly. When
she closed her prayer in the name of Christ, she looked up with tears streaming
down her face. Her smile shone, even through her tears. "I will go to
church this Sunday," she said, "I will go to church."<br />
<br />
She had a marvelous experience at church! I had the privilege to witness her
first moments in the church after fourteen years. She stood, unsure of where to
turn. Suddenly, an older man in the ward who looks like Santa Claus, Brother
Bowen, saw her and his face lit up. He walked over, calling her by name, and
engulfed her in a bear hug. She slowly relaxed as they caught up on the times
and exchanged news. She beamed as she entered the chapel. I was stilled with
awe as I observed the care and reverence with which she picked up the hymn book
for the opening song, like it was a newborn child. I was moved to tears during
that fast and testimony meeting as I watched her cling to each word with rapt
attention. I was astounded by the difference as I watched as she was filled
with brilliant light. She glowed with joy, she was effervescent with
contentment. I so easily forget what a blessing it is to live with a perfect
brightness of hope, having never intentionally removed myself from the feeling.
What a difference I see in her eyes!! She looks up now, and her eyes are
bright. Sister Taggart is a very strong woman.<br />
<br />We also had a run in with Chris, Sister Taggart's less-active anti-Christ son. It was legitimately parallel to the description of
Korihor's teaching in the Book of Mormon, just in more modern terms. I felt
sick to my stomach as he ranted on about how he believes that Christ came, but
not to save the world, and how he believes that technology can bring us to God
if we keep building its capabilities at this rate. Tower of Babel syndrome
much? I thought so too. <br />
<br />
It was terrifying to watch as this seemingly nice, ordinary man transformed as
he talked about his beliefs into a man with a crazed look in his eye, talking
so quickly and so loudly that spittle accompanied his sharp words as he sent
them flying at us. He put down my faith, calling it blind idiocy. He denied
Jesus Christ. We wept that night for the desolate state of his soul. <br />
<br />
He had so much hatred for everything that testified of Christ (including us),
and the most heart-breaking thing about it all was that he spoke all of these
disparaging words in the presence of his son and his mother. It was
heart-rending to watch the tears of earnest love, concern, and hurt roll down
Sister Taggart's face as she looked at Chris in a silent plea for peaceable
company. Equally saddening was the shame that crept across his son's face in
blotchy red as he intently studied the ground. Chris has broken his mother's heart
and lost the confidence of his son, because of his bad example before them.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is Sister Gudmundson's account of our run in with Chris:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Thursday night we went over to teach Sister Taggart and we met her
less-active son named Chris. He's been in the Navy and has since strayed from
the Gospel path. We talked to him, or rather he talked to us for about half an
hour. He told us what he believes...it wasn't good.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Although he said that he would give his life for the
church, he didn't believe in it. Instead he relys on technology and thinks
that "supreme beings" have created us. He told us the reasons he
believed these things. For example, he mentioned how the pyramids were made by
the Egyptians long ago but man can't figure out how they were made and can't
recreate them. He told us several things that were very outlandish. He said he believes Joseph Smith was "downloaded" and that's how he
knew where the plates were and could translate their ancient language.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"He posed the question, seemingly in an effort to stump
us, of how do we believe the Egyptian pyramids are possible.
I mentioned that what he was saying reminded me of Nephi building a boat. He, the son
of a prophet, didn't know the first thing about building a boat. Even his brothers, Laman and Lemuel, refused
to help him build a boat because they thought Nephi was foolish. But, through
revelation from God, Nephi was given the knowledge and understanding needed to
build a boat. That is the only answer one can give to the marvelous
creations of man in the past and in our world today. Through the power of
the Holy Ghost one can know the truth of all things. God knows everything and he gives us knowledge of how to do things
through the Holy Ghost. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Before I could tell much of Nephi's story, Chris
interrupted me and went off again. While Chris (a 55yr old man) talked, he
spoke so quickly that it was hard to get a word in. I could tell that he just
wanted to debate and confound us. The Spirit was not there and I could see that
his only desire was to cause contention. At several points in the conversation,
this servant of Satan winked at me....it was gross and I felt even more
disgusted. During his rambling he denied the existence of God and even the
Divine role and lineage of the Savior. He denied the Christ! Chris who had been
baptized into the church and covenanted to take Christ's name upon him, had
strayed so far from the path that he'd turned into an anti-Christ.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I could see those around me, Sister Rapier and
Sister Taggart, crumble emotionally and physically as Chris continued to deny
the Christ. I could feel myself crumble as well. The spirit wasn't there. Never
before on my mission was I so close to standing up and telling Chris in the
name of Jesus Christ to be still and to stop talking. It was very bad.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"Sister Rapier finally asked Chris to either join us for
the lesson or leave because half of our hour appointment was
gone. He walked away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"After Chris left, his words echoed in all of our minds.
My mind felt so frazzled, my thoughts raced in a fractured frenzy. I didn't
know what to do. I could tell that Sister Rapier and Sister Taggart were
feeling the same way. In an effort to welcome the Spirit into the room, I asked
if we could say a prayer. We did so and I could tell the Spirit came into the
room just a bit, but not enough. Sister Rapier turned to 2 Nephi 22 and we read
it together. Trying so hard to teach, I commented on the last two verses. I
scrambled to know what to do next, my mind so fractured. In one of the verses,
I saw the word "sing" and without thinking, I asked Sister Rapier to
sing "I Know that My Redeemer Lives". Sister Rapier stood and her
beautiful voice broke through the barrier between us and the Spirit.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"The Spirit filled the room undeterred by Chris'
anti-Christ words. The spirit was so strong that I began to cry. It was such a
contrast! There really is opposition in all things. As any mother would, Sister
Taggart, expressed her worry for her son Chris. I was reminded of the story of
Alma the Younger. We ended up reading his story (Mosiah 27). The passage that
stuck out to me the most was verse 31. In this verse Alma the Younger is
testifying after he's been born again. "Yea, every knee shall bow, and every
tongue confess before Him (Christ). Yea, even at the day, when all men shall
stand to be judged of him, then shall they confess that he is God; then shall
they confess, who live without God in the world, that the judgement of an
everlasting punishment is just upon them; and they shall quake, and tremble,
and shrink beneath the glance of his all-searching eye." I know that Chris will someday confess that Jesus is the
Christ, the son of the Living God. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"The following day I read the story of
Korihor found in Alma 30. As I reflected back on our experience with Chris, I came realize that many of the things Chris
had said were very similar to what Korihor professed in 76-74
B.C.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
"I am so grateful for the Gospel and the peace that can
be felt from the Holy Ghost. I know that Jesus is the Christ and is the Son of
God. I know that He atoned for my sins and the sins of all the people that have
and are and will be on this earth! It is marvelous and I am so grateful for my
Savior and Redeemer! I know that He lives!"</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />That night, after our experience with Chris, a spirit of comfort accompanied us as we
sobbed. As we prayed for peace, we each felt the tender care of those who accompany us on the other
side - a clear indication that we are under God's
watchful care. Peace filled our small basement apartment as we asked God for his spirit to attend us. I slept soundly that night for the first
time in over a week. God truly does watch out for us, and I <b>know </b>that my
Redeemer, even Jesus Christ, lives.<br />
<br />
Love you always,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-87990985360785637522016-06-28T21:26:00.000-06:002016-07-10T21:28:05.435-06:00A Birthday Baptism!<div class="MsoNormal">
Hi everyone!<br />
<br />
This week has been nuts. I do NOT think that the adversary wanted Ruby to be
baptized, we were hit by just about everything that could be thrown at us. Not
in chronological order, these trials include physical maladies, multiple
doctor's appointments, exhaustion, an emotional roller-coaster, a
semi-defective water heater at the church, a completely defunct baptismal font key, a
broken down car on Sunday morning, and Monday morning mildew in the washing
machine (I'm not from a place where mildew grows. My reaction: What is this
gook?), making all of our clothing smell like armpit with a hint of spoiled
broccoli. Lame. <br />
<br />
However much the devil was in the details, I saw God in the details even more.
Ruby experienced a decline in memory in the middle of the week that we felt
pretty worried about. On Friday, we were just praying that she would rebound to
her normal self. On Saturday morning (the day of her birthday and baptism) when we called to wish her a happy
birthday, she told us that she felt this incredible peace and had a sense that
she didn't need to be afraid of the water. She was completely back to her
normal level of memory retention when she walked in with Sister Edwards, her
member friend. I almost cried right then, but I knew that I didn't have time to
cry because we had to go boil more water to put in the font. Even though the
water was a little chilly, Ruby went down and came up glowing. She had such
radiance in that moment, and it only increased the next day. <br />
<br />
Ruby had her birthday dinner in Baltimore with her son, but his car broke down
so she had to stay the night. His car still wasn't fixed in the morning, and
sweet Sister Edwards drove all the way to Baltimore to pick her up. They were
only twenty minutes late to the second hour of church, which is truly
remarkable considering the traffic blockage. According to the handbook,
confirmations are only to occur during a sacrament meeting. Bishop Burciaga
decided that we would have a special sacrament meeting after the normal
meetings were finished. We filled up the first five pews on the far left of the
chapel, right in front of the sacrament table. After the opening prayer was
said, Ruby was invited to sit in a chair which had been brought to the front.
As she stood and walked to the chair, I felt the great weight and sacredness of
the moment. Ruby sat, and commented that she needed a blessing, thank you. That
made us all chuckle. Five worthy, wholesome men who are holders of the
priesthood, the power to act in God's name that we talk about so much, gathered
around Ruby and gently placed their hands on top of her head. <br />
<br />
As Brother Glunt spoke the words, receive the Holy Ghost, shivers went up and
down my spine and I cried tears of joy. Heaven felt so close, like the boundary
that separates the living from the dead and the angels of God was no longer
able to hold the enthusiasm of our unseen companions back. I felt such joy, and
I knew that those on the other side of the veil were rejoicing with me. I also
felt my Daddy very close. He's proud of my hard work, and he shared in my joy,
so close I felt as if I could almost hug him. Someday I will again, but for now,
it was enough to know that he was there with me and he is watching out for me
still. What gratitude I feel to my Father in Heaven, who has allowed my Daddy
to be one of my guardian angels on this journey.
<br />
Ruby's blessing ended, and she was effervescent. How beautiful upon the
mountains are the feet of those who publish peace! Ruby shone and Ruby glowed
as she partook of the bread and the water of the sacrament, renewing her
covenants with God for the first time. An astounding peace settled over me, and
I knew that it was good. Ruby was baptized on June 25 and confirmed a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on June 26, and Heavenly Father
was pleased with her decision. I went home utterly exhausted and full of
exuberance, which makes for a strange combination. I ended up sleeping through
lunch and woke up still carrying the good feeling with me. What a day!<br />
<br />
Anyway, I better let you go. Check out <a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ" target="_blank">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ</a>
if you want to know more about baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, you have
to scroll down a little bit, but it's there!<br />
<br />
Love you always,<br /><br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vxLqGQLk7D2TRtn6hSy0OP88AytlhljcoW1Yi75XNmLVYiKSLkjYFmRHAtjf0bg2xzw5spxulfU6otpAHw13H0DKku_OrKJmSsF8kxlbR4GXaZvkcCdJ4jMxCXpY1ER21WcLp2FQbJE/s1600/ruby+baptism+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="571" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9vxLqGQLk7D2TRtn6hSy0OP88AytlhljcoW1Yi75XNmLVYiKSLkjYFmRHAtjf0bg2xzw5spxulfU6otpAHw13H0DKku_OrKJmSsF8kxlbR4GXaZvkcCdJ4jMxCXpY1ER21WcLp2FQbJE/s640/ruby+baptism+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Baptism: After</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2zrBd5DMSWO_EGma4mxAFjbvlKEE-IOSXRZY0gAcikcpL_9wtjfbvJWvAJhnvFesGGnnkBd0gNuGSSrhGIbp7VMT6LduFfz_w2RHmClQ7mirD88SEPKYb9RIhGXQJ7qr2CKhvUS7Vu0/s1600/ruby+baptism+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2zrBd5DMSWO_EGma4mxAFjbvlKEE-IOSXRZY0gAcikcpL_9wtjfbvJWvAJhnvFesGGnnkBd0gNuGSSrhGIbp7VMT6LduFfz_w2RHmClQ7mirD88SEPKYb9RIhGXQJ7qr2CKhvUS7Vu0/s320/ruby+baptism+3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Baptism: Before</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQvFdYaJjg4ZvdukORvS0upPCl6e3cB-JcyMrQ_EXxSL8tZRwYyplU_wp4CXyxdoYcWuyaKazJxkYfvPTHPDMiuKY31dULiUJwhScb32MalVhzg4gTq6d54fKJe8wQrrYSQ1Md9byC4/s1600/ruby+baptism+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeEQvFdYaJjg4ZvdukORvS0upPCl6e3cB-JcyMrQ_EXxSL8tZRwYyplU_wp4CXyxdoYcWuyaKazJxkYfvPTHPDMiuKY31dULiUJwhScb32MalVhzg4gTq6d54fKJe8wQrrYSQ1Md9byC4/s320/ruby+baptism+2.jpg" width="291" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruby Confirmation Day</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-25368586400970799032016-06-21T06:53:00.000-06:002016-06-21T06:53:35.803-06:00Words of Wisdom<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear family and friends,<br />
<br />
The work is rolling forward in the lovely area of Hampstead. This week has been
ridiculously busy! We're preparing like mad women for Ruby's baptism, and
working hard to keep all of our plates spinning.<br />
<br />
Ruby is doing just grandly! She's going to have her baptismal interview
tonight, which is going to be so good! We went over all of the questions with
her yesterday, and she has nothing to hold her back other than her trepidation
about being underwater. She is such a deep thinker. Every time we ask her about
the Word of Wisdom, she goes off on a beautiful soliloquy about what wisdom
means and the importance of having it. Listening to her is really quite
impressive, her response has been completely different each of the three times
we've talked with her about the Word of Wisdom without first clarifying that
we're referring to God's health code for us. She has amazing faith. When we
went over the baptismal interview questions with her, we realized that we
hadn't introduced her to to the name of the prophet on the earth today. Knowing
of her unwavering testimony of how God's church was restored to the earth by
Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith, we explained how the same
priesthood power and calling from God that Joseph had has been passed from
prophet to prophet. We testified that Thomas S. Monson was called by God and is
His prophet on the earth today. She listened intently, and after a short pause
she nodded and expressed her conviction that Thomas S. Monson is God's prophet
on the earth today. It was a neat moment. Her sweet, tender faith brought tears
to my eyes and a smile to my face that didn't leave for a long time.<br />
<br />
Earlier this week, we taught a woman named Beverly and her granddaughter Bella
the message of the restoration of Christ's church to the earth (<a href="https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration">https://www.mormon.org/beliefs/restoration</a>).
Beverly was intrigued as we shared the account of Joseph Smith's first spoken
prayer. She was so eager to know what church it was that had been restored through
him. We explained that we were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-Day Saints. She told us we were devil worshipers and invited us to leave
and never come back. We wished her a good day, and that was that. It was a sad
moment. We worship Jesus Christ, plain and simple. She must not know very much
about us, to think that we're devil worshipers. I know that Jesus Christ is my
Savior, and as such I'll give my life to serve Him. She also must not have read
our name tags when we knocked on her door.<br />
<br />
Funny story really fast: Elder Wright (the mission housing coordinator) asked
us to join the Hampstead Elders and the Westminster Spanish Elders in cleaning
out the Hampstead Elder's old apartment. Sister Gudmundson and I had just
finished vacuuming the floor when Elder Eilason, who was intently cleaning out
the fridge, came over to the edge of the carpet and shook the crumbs out of the
crisper drawer he was holding. We just kind of looked at him, and he said with
a triumphant grin, "It hasn't been vacuumed yet." He must have been
cleaning the fridge more intently than we had thought to have not heard the
vacuum running. As we stifled our surprised laughter, another elder (Elder Barnes) made a
gesture showing, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it." I couldn't help but notice - he was not very efficient with a vacuum. He unwound
the vacuum cord one laborious loop at a time. Then he scooped
up the nest of cord, dropped it next to the plug and started searching for the plug
end of the cord. When he found it and plugged it in, it took him another minute
to untangle the cord enough for the vacuum to reach the spot of carpet where
the pile of crumbs sat. Sister Gudmundson and I were in silent stitches
by the end of the whole spectacle. It was really funny!<br />
<br />
Anyway, much love to everyone! I must scurry.<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-31491064713946908422016-06-13T20:16:00.000-06:002016-06-20T09:41:52.476-06:00Hampstead with Sister Gudmundson<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7SmGbOQTIW6Q0db7efmG3yzF59e_Eg-IDvn9GWRx7r8jwP6-RtZYLTi-iZVJAr731465jiF3EXu6OLk4y2SGDueCOzqTlZQ0Mmy8Nylx53_TBWMLOpfq_AaoIw690n0rMj6e7tgQ_fk/s1600/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25283%2529+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU7SmGbOQTIW6Q0db7efmG3yzF59e_Eg-IDvn9GWRx7r8jwP6-RtZYLTi-iZVJAr731465jiF3EXu6OLk4y2SGDueCOzqTlZQ0Mmy8Nylx53_TBWMLOpfq_AaoIw690n0rMj6e7tgQ_fk/s200/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25283%2529+crop.jpg" width="174" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naomi cut Sister Gudmundson's hair :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Hi family of all sorts,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Today, I cut Sister Gudmundson's hair. It went quite well! I
had never cut anyone's hair but my own. It was an adventure. Happily, she quite
likes her haircut! Take a looksie! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKSojFAsNZCo4bSIJ9u4graSX81kouMqQ3cDysgTOiyJb2ug2WnacqAArJQy_4a7qpi2j_E5ufTNgDwTHE0lgGo0bdwc3XFpH8uvHodPwLXQfDVxH67YLVZAz7Ultq09E-vRCask2Yr4/s1600/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25282%2529+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjKSojFAsNZCo4bSIJ9u4graSX81kouMqQ3cDysgTOiyJb2ug2WnacqAArJQy_4a7qpi2j_E5ufTNgDwTHE0lgGo0bdwc3XFpH8uvHodPwLXQfDVxH67YLVZAz7Ultq09E-vRCask2Yr4/s640/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25282%2529+crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was a lu'au. The Elders got excited about it!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwplr8aDFEAUnaruWcS_lj4H2gMhxbzHp9l3faJsOX178MCrBpIHxezxdvtwoPWeWXJO4uo6TnGqdqpt1p9irTXrGi-x9ET6GI4Ec8-fMwyoc-clLqrLe8ywltZ8riC8JL5eQjokXrp6c/s1600/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25281%2529+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwplr8aDFEAUnaruWcS_lj4H2gMhxbzHp9l3faJsOX178MCrBpIHxezxdvtwoPWeWXJO4uo6TnGqdqpt1p9irTXrGi-x9ET6GI4Ec8-fMwyoc-clLqrLe8ywltZ8riC8JL5eQjokXrp6c/s640/n+hampstead%252C+june+2016+%25281%2529+crop.jpg" width="498" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naomi's new companion - Sister Gudmundson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
This week has been super awesome! I cannot tell you how much
I love Sister Gudmundson. She is incredibly sweet and kind. She reminds me a
bit of one of my best friends from grade and middle school, which is fantastic!
She has a way of asking questions which could be touchy with such innocence and
love that no one can take offense. It's very impressive. Her testimony is
beautiful. I do believe that she is one of the most charitable people I
know. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Hampstead, Maryland is also pretty cool! I'm still getting used
to the bumpy roads, they're in the middle of a bunch of roadwork on the main
road. Wheeee! The best thing about Hampstead is the people. I have been
here for just a few days and have already met some exceeding kind and quirky
people. It's awesome! My favorite was when a Sister in the ward (who we were
trying to help set up a yard sale for the next day) turned around, opened her
freezer, and pulled out a bag of frozen spaghetti sauce. Granted, this is not an
entirely uncommon occurrence, but it was such a non sequitur that I came away from the experience chuckling. Apparently
I'm not the only one with a rollercoaster rather than a train of thought. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ruby is a sweet lady who will be getting baptized on June
25, which will be her 81st birthday. She's from Jamaica, and she was the first
black female editor for the New York Times. Needless to say, she has some
remarkable stories! Ruby is afraid of water, which makes the idea of baptism
quite scary for her. If you have a moment this week, say a quick prayer for
her! Elder Eilason and Elder Barnes gave her a priesthood blessing of comfort
and encouragement at the end of church on Sunday. I find myself filled with
renewed gratitude each time I'm able to be a witness of such a blessing. The
spirit felt so strong as Elder Eilason spoke words of hope from our Father in
Heaven and promised that she would be okay. I've almost never felt the spirit
so intensely before, the air fairly crackled, like when lightning strikes
nearby. God's presence was truly near. Ruby, when the blessing was finished,
sat still for a moment before expressing that she felt a great release, that the fears which brought her near panic had fled; they were no longer keeping her
captive. It was an absolutely remarkable experience. I am so humbled and
thankful that God restored the priesthood power to act in His name to the
earth. I don't want to imagine a world without this comforting knowledge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I must fly. Love you, and have a good week!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Sister Naomi Rapierwendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-5528728516241016262016-06-06T20:13:00.000-06:002016-06-19T20:15:01.674-06:00Adventure is in the Eye of the Beholder<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear people who I love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week, I have been thinking a bit about the mundane versus the exciting.
With transfers happening this week, everyone has been all a flurry in a
whirlwind of emotions. I think that the members feel even stronger feelings of
anxiety about transfers than we do in some cases! This week, President
Christiansen's email talked about how we don't need to experience great anxiety
about transfers because anywhere we go, God's work is the same; the most
important work we do is to uplift and guide one person at a time. It's probably
obvious by now that I am one of those who gets overly anxious about
transfers... so yeah. That letter is what some of the youth in the Woodstock
ward may dub "supes helpful." That being said, I have come to the
conclusion that adventure is in the eye of the beholder! Anything is mundane
when you don't care about it, when you're not working for some greater good. No
wonder so many people in this world experience apathy and a lack of natural
affection; without a loving God who has a Plan of Happiness, there's not much
to work for. Food for thought.</div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJmKE0-vMsluIzXDO4wHsOjsKmVe0Sjr3sDZfoqaW3QkL1phZNXckchj-b4kE0aYd8tSjE48dvdcWgI9pNUNdPitPIX9vrh2Dpc3PO_PpKE-ERTL3Kcfo1VyczC-BvJbkwRbyIg6_Ruk/s1600/naomi+and+waterpipe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJJmKE0-vMsluIzXDO4wHsOjsKmVe0Sjr3sDZfoqaW3QkL1phZNXckchj-b4kE0aYd8tSjE48dvdcWgI9pNUNdPitPIX9vrh2Dpc3PO_PpKE-ERTL3Kcfo1VyczC-BvJbkwRbyIg6_Ruk/s320/naomi+and+waterpipe.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the beauty of Woodstock...and getting a drink??</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week, we found five new investigators and were dropped by two of them,
Vilda and Leroy. What a couple! They're both 92, and in better shape than most
people in their 70's that we've met! They're also exceedingly adorable, they
just celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary. Life goals, right there! We had
two really great discussions with them about Jesus Christ and His church being
restored to the earth again today! They decided they had had their fill when we
invited them to be baptized, they are apparently quite happy to remain United
Methodist. I also got ambushed by Leroy. While walking us out, he gave me a
great big smacking kiss... on my EAR. Maybe he was aiming for my cheek and his
vision isn't that great? Who knows. May I just say, it was an experience.
Sister Tait tells me that I looked extremely uncomfortable. I was.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Probably my favorite part of this week was looking around and seeing how much
all of those whom I have come to love have grown! Sister Tait talks. A lot.
That's new! Elder Abraham is very kind now! That's also new! Elder Burgess
continues to be pleasant and patient, and he has done an incredible job of
handling the stress of serving in his hometown. Elder Robb and Elder Mason are
super cool too. I don't know them quite as well, but they're both stellar
missionaries and are very good at listening to the spirit. This week, our
district meeting topic is going to be setting expectations, which is really
good, because Patience has told us not to come back if one of us leaves. She
likes people just fine when they randomly show up though... soooo Sister Tait
and Sister Madsen will likely be paying her a visit after transfers. Inspired
topic for a district meeting? I'll say! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
I know that even though times get hard and things are frustrating often,
Heavenly Father's love doesn't fail. I have felt more comfort than I can
adequately put into words as I've turned to Him in prayer. As I've been able to
recognize how many great blessings I have in my life that I've been overlooking
in my efforts to keep up with the daily grind, it has been so much easier to
lift up my head and walk. Gratitude is a game-changer, that's for sure. I had
forgotten what it feels like to see the world in a positive light. What a
beautiful gift forgiveness is!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7vuYUVtmCuqOXEkGGL6_JiYZlpA3GlKGjB0vyrKzUCEYkJBrw8B15dsU7W1__SLi8Rb20v4g5Kl9qwU41qfX3MGTvy6onwXdS8936MzFZ_THNF3R-uyey7jgPhLHBvNJzXcHHvc3uWY/s1600/naom+weeding+woodstock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq7vuYUVtmCuqOXEkGGL6_JiYZlpA3GlKGjB0vyrKzUCEYkJBrw8B15dsU7W1__SLi8Rb20v4g5Kl9qwU41qfX3MGTvy6onwXdS8936MzFZ_THNF3R-uyey7jgPhLHBvNJzXcHHvc3uWY/s640/naom+weeding+woodstock.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A note from a member of the Woodstock ward: We do love the Sisters and Elders. They have
helped us in many situations. The knowledge of the gospel and being in tune
with the promptings of Heavenly Father has the messages they share in perfect
timing with our needs.. We love Sister Rapier. She is an amazing person.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Additionally! I'm being transferred to Hampstead, Maryland! I'm going to miss Woodtock, but I'm excited for a new adventure!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also, we sheared alpacas this week. Sorry that I don't have a picture of that! Or of my legs after we were done catching the alpacas to shear them... I had a run in with a puddle of mud that was really actually mushy sheep poop. Whoops. :P</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Much love! I hope everyone stays safe this week, happy summer!!<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-67413391849995602452016-06-01T10:33:00.000-06:002016-06-03T10:43:34.699-06:00Sunburns and Other Colors<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Hey familea mea!<br />
<br />
This is the last week of the second transfer Sister Tait and I have been
together. Weird. Our ward mission leader almost started crying in correlation
last week; he said that he sensed a change coming. Then I almost cried! It has
been a really good two transfers here in Woodstock. <br />
<br />
Woodstock is a vibrant place! We've been walking for the past few days due to
the end-of-month shortage of miles, and it's been really good! My
tomato-red sunburn on the first day was only a small splash of color amid the
vibrant spray of personalities we met and experiences we had. A perk of walking
in the really hot sun at midday is that people are quite sympathetic. We were
invited by several kind souls to step inside for a minute and refill our water
bottles. <br />
<br />
One afternoon, we met a woman named Lee working in her front yard. If she were a
color, she would be chartreuse; she's bright, spunky! She makes me laugh. She
was one of the kind ladies who invited us in for a drink. While we were sitting
around her kitchen table chit-chatting and drinking our newly acquired water,
she said,"So. What message are you ladies sharing today? Let's have
it." It was so cool! We talked with her about how the Church of Jesus
Christ has been restored on the earth today and that she can know for herself.
She told us a lot about her religious background and her family. Her son is
really struggling right now. He's a bright kid with high potential, but he
doesn't like doing his school work and he's fallen in with the wrong crowd in
school. It's heartbreaking to watch someone struggling and worrying so much about a child they so dearly love. We asked her about church and families. She
told us how they once went, but since she got divorced, things have been a bit
crazy. We testified to her that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, her life
and her family will be blessed as she continually turns herself to Him. She
wants us to come meet her again and talk more next Tuesday. I'm excited!<br />
<br />
This past Saturday was the day that Nicholas was going to smoke his last
cigarette. We saw him smoking again on Sunday. It was a little bit sad. He
knows it's slowly killing him, he wants to stop, he just hasn't stuck with
stopping yet. We keep hoping! We don't know that he'll be able to progress
anymore until his desire is high enough to make that change in his life.<br />
<br />
This week, we had zone training. I was in charge of playing the piano. I don't
know how to play the piano. My saving grace was that is was an electronic piano
which can play most of its own music. Whew!<br />
<br />
Something amazing happened this week! Austin (the boy who Sister Tait handed a <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">www.mormon.org</a> card to and said, "Call
this number, good things will happen") called that number and good things are happening! We saw him on Monday when we were driving to play a game of ultimate
frisbee with some of the youth in the ward. We invited him, but he wasn't
interested in frisbee. We asked if he had called the number, he had forgotten. And then, who should we see at Subway the next day talking with the Elders... yep, it was Austin! He was grinning wider than I had ever seen before, and he looked so
happy! We freaked out. He's coming to church on Sunday! Woohoo!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
I'm out of time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Love you all!!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-68668273755149030542016-05-24T08:06:00.000-06:002016-05-29T08:14:47.421-06:00Thank Goodness for Patience<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey Everyone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You are probably wondering how my week went. So am I.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don't have too much to say about this week. A
roller-coaster of emotions is probably a good way to describe things. We began
last week with ten investigators. Many did not keep appointments, commitments,
and so forth, making them quite insistent candidates for a revision of teaching
schedules. Now we have three investigators, two of whom are hanging on by a
thread, and the remaining one who is super solid, but doesn't want members to
come to her home. I think she's a little bit socially awkward. This does make
member presence at discussions with her quite difficult. So basically, one
result of being obedient this week is our numbers looking like poop. I guess
it's a good thing that Heavenly Father cares much more about the quality of our
obedience than the quantity of our obedience! Now I just need to stop being late
to things.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Not only did many of our investigators fail to keep appointments,
but almost all of our promising potentials as well. We had a "Why I
Believe" fireside on Sunday which none of our people came to either. This was a rough week. Perk,
it's been cold enough that no mosquitoes are out!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Patience is the one new investigator we were able to find this week. Patience is twenty years old and has two daughters. They are
adorable! She and her fiance are a very good team at parenting together, and
they are getting married in June hopefully. Just in time to teach Law of
Chastity! She is the coolest! We were reading with her in The Book of Mormon about Moroni's promise (Moroni 10:3-5). After we had helped her understand the archaic language phrase by phrase, she abruptly put her book
down and said, "Where's a highlighter? I need to mark this!!" I
almost burst out laughing in my astonishment! It is so rare to find someone who
hungers for truth the way Patience does. I love her so much! We're so thankful
to have met her.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Also! This week, we were driving back from our district
meeting in Luray, and a baby black bear crossed the road to join two bears on
the other side!! Lolloping is an absolutely perfect word to describe how a bear
runs. It was lovely!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love you all! Be safe and well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-60238179247626047562016-05-17T19:08:00.001-06:002016-05-17T19:08:51.463-06:00You Just Gotta Mean It<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear family, friends, family of friends, friends of family,
and so forth,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week was really long. We had five appointments with
investigators and potential investigators that fell through. That amounts to
eleven people who we were going to share the gospel with who cancelled
on us. The circumstances are various: some investigators forgot to be home, some didn't let us in when we came,
some had a trip to the emergency room, and best of all some had an empty house that was awkwardly coughing at intervals between us
knocking. It was one of the strangest empty houses I've ever come across,
almost as strange as the house we met last week that shouted at us,
"Nobody's home!" when we knocked. Some people's houses need to learn
manners. Tisk, tisk.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister Tait and I have been feeling rather discouraged this
week. We've both been experiencing some depression. It's so weird, I never
thought I would be the one in my family to deal with depression. I'm the happy
one, though not as much and not as easily anymore. I lost it in the car on Wednesday
on the way to our last appointment. I felt so raw and tender. I cried until we
were almost twenty minutes late. The appointment was with the incredibly sweet
family on the hill. When we went in, it was still pretty obvious that I was
distressed and had been crying. They all gave me giant hugs except for Harry
(he's the only guy). God be thanked for kind people. We proceeded to go through
the restoration again, which seemed to be from where there questions continued to
stem.When Robyn (the mom) started mildly Bible bashing at us, her daughter Holly
stepped up to defend the Book of Mormon and affirmed verbally that she knew it
was true! Her mom stopped trying to Bible bash after that. So cool!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am sometimes puzzled at why we are called to pass through
so much pain and grief, but even more often I'm thankful for the gift of sorrow
that I've been given. There is a depth of soul that can only be gained through
suffering, and the intensity of your joy can only be as intense as your
suffering has been! I wonder how deep Jesus's soul is, that He can swallow up
all of our pain and suffering when we turn to Him. Probably infinite and
eternal. That would work. I hope to be more empathetic, because I feel like by
becoming like Him, I can draw near to Him. So much mercy and peace. I am
eternally thankful for my Savior!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Other happenings this week, we have two lovely individuals
who are progressing!!! They still haven't attended church, but they are keeping
all of the commitments that they make. They haven't committed to come to church
yet. Holly and Emmy have both been reading the Book of Mormon and praying. The
other night when we were in with them, Holly defended the Book of Mormon like I
said earlier.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We were walking out of an appointment on Thursday and Sister
Tait felt like we needed to turn around and give a card to a young man we had
just passed. She gave him a card with the Elder's number on it and said,
"call this number, and good things will happen." He looked shocked
speechless and took the card, still looking at us as we walked away. The next
day, we were on the porch of an apartment complex chatting with Ashley,
Nicholas, Chase, and Mariah when Austin walked up. He asked, "Why did you
give me this card?" to first me then Sister Tait. We both replied that we
felt like we needed to give it to him. He told us that earlier on Thursday, he
had been talking with his dad. His dad REALLY wanted him to go to church, and
had been praying for him. His dad told him that he would get a sign soon that
he needed to believe in God and go to church. That night was the night he was
handed a <a href="http://www.mormon.org/">www.mormon.org</a> card by Sister
Tait. Now we understand why he looked so shocked. He expressed a desire to
believe in God, but he's afraid to have his hopes crushed if God isn't real. We
taught him how to pray and challenged him to read the Book of Mormon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One of my favorite things I've heard all week was when we
were discussing the Plan of Happiness with Doug and his son Logan. We asked Logan
if he would open our discussion with a prayer and here's what happened:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Logan (son): "I've never prayed before. I don't know how to
pray."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Doug (dad): "The only thing you gotta do is mean it."</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I've thought a lot about how true that statement is. Once we
know to begin our prayer by greeting Heavenly Father and to end whatever we say
to Him in the name of Jesus Christ, all we really gotta do is mean it! It was
the most beautiful thing, seeing this father teach his seventeen-year-old son
how to pray. Never is it too late, and never is it more worth the time of a
parent than to teach their children the doctrines of salvation and the
principles that will bring them happiness in this life and in the world to
come!! I've experienced so much joy from this one experience of seeing truth
being taught! Wow. Just Wow.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Feel encouraged and feel loved!!! Y'all are the best!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sister Naomi Rapier (:</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-48825283210882598952016-05-09T18:29:00.001-06:002016-05-09T18:29:16.424-06:00Sometimes a Cat Will Make Your Day<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey there family!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week, we were very sad when four of our investigators who were going to
come to church didn't come. Thankfully, it rained! Sister Tait and I both enjoy
the rain.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br />
Almaz and Addis are two women from Ethiopia who we started discussing the
Gospel with on Monday. The Winchester Sisters started teaching Almaz at her
son's house when she was there for the Apple Blossom festival, and they
referred her to us because she lives in Woodstock ward boundaries! Yay! When we
went to teach Almaz on Monday, we discovered that there's a bit of a language
barrier. They speak Amharic, which looks super cool in its written form! </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBBW0dpUibTi3mtDgtSf8gQIgEiQF4x_ptvA92OkDBviJhzrkGNJu6tRnMQXsnwSHY9F1nS2HFVClfXj0MnTnO2Jw4riVFcmvqaFS0eQgFV5UmKQFIx0Ef4By68Aod_m_ROizqSe3C6Y/s1600/amharek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPBBW0dpUibTi3mtDgtSf8gQIgEiQF4x_ptvA92OkDBviJhzrkGNJu6tRnMQXsnwSHY9F1nS2HFVClfXj0MnTnO2Jw4riVFcmvqaFS0eQgFV5UmKQFIx0Ef4By68Aod_m_ROizqSe3C6Y/s320/amharek.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is what Amharic looks like</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Thankfully, Addis was also there. Addis has been in the states longer from what I understand, and her English is a little bit better. We had a great discussion which was complemented by some very interesting and spicy ethnic food! It was sooo goooood!!! Bet you never thought you'd hear me saying that about something spicy! Due to work schedules, they were going to be able to meet the soonest on Sunday after church... and then they didn't come to church, which is where they wanted to meet us to discuss the Gospel of Jesus Christ more. It was sad.<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
<br />
This week we found a girl named Ashley! We met her on the porch. Ashley is best described as a sweet girl with a sad heart. At 17, she's an anorexic, self-harming, smoker with a very unstable home situation. We have heard several
stories from her where she casually mentions that she was hit upside the head
by her mom or dad. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Abuse is a really ugly thing. For the love of Pete, don't
take part in abuse! Don't fail to do something about it when you see abuse.
Almost everyone who is in a terrible situation that I've met on my mission can
trace there trail of tears back to abuse, whether it be physical, verbal,
emotional, sexual, or spiritual. The people we meet are children of God,
they're worth so much more than to be put down every day. Nothing has been more difficult for me on my mission than to see
humans being treated no better than a pair of shoes. If anyone reading this
has faced any type or degree of abuse in their own lives, please know that you
are not alone in your sorrow, and you can find peace. I've found healing for my
pain and peace for my broken heart in my Savior, Jesus Christ. I've watched
others do the same. You are loved more than you know, and you can be the cycle
breaker. You are loved.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
Anyway, Ashley wants change. She doesn't know whether she believes in God yet,
but she feels that Christianity can do good things for her. She was so happy
and thankful when we gave her her own copy of the Book of Mormon. I wonder how
often it has been that someone has given her a gift in complete goodwill. I
think not very often. She wants us to teach her whole family, her mom, stepdad,
and brother. I pray so hard for her. I want to do so much more to alleviate her
pain, but I can't. It's a really good thing that we have a Savior, and I am so
looking forward to seeing the changes happen in her life.<br />
<br />
Miracles! We had a return appointment with DJ but when we got to the house, he
wasn't there. We knocked several times then went across the street and tried to
contact some of the neighbors over there. No answer, not interested. As we were
walking back across the street back to the car, the friendly cat that had been
following us for the entire time caught up with me in the middle of the road
and wound around my ankles. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1PT-8F7XRf7RAxkj9CD5IKtKZOhSwmGZ7hQDJaC1EF01ZNAh7x9Z0Ofd-xBq6Hxg71FC4X0yqy3WZBwIVMaenx3itc02VSdC1dSRjqv0PaN0aF2m7y97LtkUJZ2qMtwpWdMB6EjXruk/s1600/mainartoption.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc1PT-8F7XRf7RAxkj9CD5IKtKZOhSwmGZ7hQDJaC1EF01ZNAh7x9Z0Ofd-xBq6Hxg71FC4X0yqy3WZBwIVMaenx3itc02VSdC1dSRjqv0PaN0aF2m7y97LtkUJZ2qMtwpWdMB6EjXruk/s200/mainartoption.jpg" width="83" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Imagining DJ</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
I crouched down to pet him for a minute while
Sister Tait climbed into the car to see what we could salvage of our plans for
the day, which had all fallen through. Suddenly, a motor scooter putted
dramatically over the horizon (the hill at the top of the street). Lo and behold,
the passenger astride this valiant motorized steed was none other than DJ! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">
As I straightened up to move out of the street, DJ saw me and said, "Hang on, I'll be right back." Sister Tait and I sat on the porch and read Alma 32 with him. He has a desire to believe! Sister Tait extended an invitation to be baptized, he blinked, and asked her to repeat the question. She did, he said I don't know, she asked what about when you believe, he made an indistinct noncommittal noise which sounded promising to me. It was the coolest! So basically, {failed plans}+{friendly cat}={successful appointment}. Who knew, right?!<br />
<br />
We attended an interfaith prayer meeting on Thursday (National Prayer Day) with
the large family on the hill who we found when Harry shouted at us. It was a
new experience. It reminded me of that scripture in the Book of Mormon that
talks about men saying, I have a precept, listen to my precept. Some of the
preachers seemed to be closer to God than others, but even they couldn't pass
up the opportunity to glean some publicity from the event. Other preachers were
more along the lines of building up churches unto themselves. It was strange
and very sad to see. We asked the organizing lady if we could speak and add our
testimony of Jesus Christ (there was no representative of our faith present).
She said no, but later felt really guilty if her body language had anything to
tell us. We're pretty sure she'll invite us next year. <br />
<br />
At th end of the prayer meeting, we were invited by a pastor to sing at his
church. We asked what time and politely declined when we discovered that it
would be in the middle of our services. He goaded us, come on, you can miss
church just this once. We replied that as representatives of Jesus Christ, it
is our responsibility to be at church each week to guide those who attend so
that they can learn of Jesus Christ. He stopped trying to get us to leave
church. He also invited us to an afternoon luncheon being held next week by his
congregation. That should be interesting! <br />
<br />
Love y'all always,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
[On Mother's Day, we got to Skype with Naomi - ahhh! What a delight! </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
You can see how eagerly we are gathered 'round <3 ]</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhiEmiPm42PwaZdYFjTgkUoTdEd0PD_jApzTZULWsRei8nmCXmXvj7ENP7Ut0YHllgYeNRbuv-Peer-ZaI2eoSMJfADFqgOuLWrX4jgZ9R-FM9SWQt9rMJmz5xL6DddXMLqh_eU5_jXg/s1600/naomi+on+skype.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxhiEmiPm42PwaZdYFjTgkUoTdEd0PD_jApzTZULWsRei8nmCXmXvj7ENP7Ut0YHllgYeNRbuv-Peer-ZaI2eoSMJfADFqgOuLWrX4jgZ9R-FM9SWQt9rMJmz5xL6DddXMLqh_eU5_jXg/s640/naomi+on+skype.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loved seeing her happy smile :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgfcz95IwtsBOHYeyw3BK2WqjA2WJAY25D-0Bx_nBiIQLX_qkzL5145-K6BNLHHz26xP2Dd-eyJZaq4RubcUJNjViyb7VVD-Q85PJOXoyz1RADrVu3z9K-R5HBBPrQTKYrWvjFnZLIfA/s1600/skype+with+Naomi+crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBgfcz95IwtsBOHYeyw3BK2WqjA2WJAY25D-0Bx_nBiIQLX_qkzL5145-K6BNLHHz26xP2Dd-eyJZaq4RubcUJNjViyb7VVD-Q85PJOXoyz1RADrVu3z9K-R5HBBPrQTKYrWvjFnZLIfA/s640/skype+with+Naomi+crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Claire is holding the cat in her lap and making him dance the Macarena!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-7382634399937121802016-05-02T23:23:00.000-06:002016-05-03T23:42:04.874-06:00Families can be together forever! Whoop!<div class="MsoNormal">
Hey Everyone!! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week has been an adventure. It was a loooong week, full
of many more grumpy people than I am necessarily accustomed to meeting. On the
bright side, it was also full of lovely people who I have enjoyed getting to know.
It all balances out. (:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I was also shouted at by an old lady! That was a first. She
has a curse word for every year she's lived, I reckon. We heard several of them
in our conversation with her on Friday evening. Joyce D. was the one who
shouted at us. In many ways, it was an answer to prayers. We had prayed earlier
that day to know not only the condition of Joyce's heart (we had a pretty good
idea of how that was doing), but also of her readiness to progress. Sometimes
when you love someone so much and want to see them succeed so badly, a very
strong answer in the negative is the only thing that will get through your
skull. I think such is the case here. We've both been invited to never come
back. We'll be leaving a note in the area book to go see her in a few more
months once we're both gone. Maybe she only greatly dislikes us. Maybe we'll
never know.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week, we were invited by the Young Women's leaders to
organize and participate in an activity with the youth! It was lots of fun. As
we were thinking about the youth, we kept feeling like we're still pretty much
youth. We only graduated last year, and here we are, out trying to help others
come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in
Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the Gift of the
Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It's a little bit intimidating.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We felt ourselves remembering with great empathy the
derision that arises from classmates when it comes up that you're a member of
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, that you're a Mormon. Many who
attended my school had differing religious backgrounds but shared a profound
respect for the beliefs of those around them; among my closest friends were
devoted individuals who were Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Mormon, Lutheran, and
Agnostic. Being around them and growing close to them shaped my perception of
the world around me in many incredible ways. Being with them showed me that we
are truly brought together across all societal boundaries when we treat each
other with the mutual love and respect that each human being is inherently
worth. Each soul is so precious, a work of art.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In this spirit, we approached the activity. We asked the
youth to submit the questions that they had been asked by friends and
acquaintances. Probably my favorite submission result was the question,
"Do you have horns?" We are human and therefore we have human DNA; in
other words, no, we don't have horns. Sorry to disappoint. Once all of the questions
had been submitted, we broke into groups and each groups performed a skit
answering the questions divvied out to them. The skits were hilarious! Our
purpose of helping the youth to gain confidence in answering the questions of
others seemed to be fulfilled quite nicely. At the end, we asked each youth to
write their testimonies on a slip of paper. How inspiring to review the
convictions of ones who are so young! So cool. Alex was there, and he seemed to
enjoy himself. He even participated in answering the questions in the skit! It
was awesome!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We had another two discussions with the big family this
week. It was really cool. We also met with Doug again, and Sister Tait and I
helped to resolve his concerns! It was great!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This week is Mother's day, which is one of the days when
missionaries get to Skype home. I get to talk to my Momma and the rest of my
immediate family so soon! May I just say that I'm super excited and thankful
that we get to communicate twice a year in this way. It seems so surreal that
I've already made it to my first missionary skype session with my family. That
means that I've been out coming up on four months... yeesh. Time flies when
you're working hard and having fun because of it! (: I am so thankful to be on
a mission. It definitely makes me even more aware of how thankful I am that
families can be together forever through Heavenly Father's plan. Hooray for
families!! Eternity will be great because of them. (:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love you all! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Love, Sister Naomi Rapier (:</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZQallkbpwaJLun4W7WFfN9hGf-zkfTbLCQ_SPpgn1HhrYFhgWSGHIiPPSpB6pPISDYqY16QikQPQTP8Sg95TGi7LmvmUzH5lY7blceuy7yV2TpKhK8uIHPGtB_IsxQglK04xC0ytTpA/s1600/April+26+in+Woodstock+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZQallkbpwaJLun4W7WFfN9hGf-zkfTbLCQ_SPpgn1HhrYFhgWSGHIiPPSpB6pPISDYqY16QikQPQTP8Sg95TGi7LmvmUzH5lY7blceuy7yV2TpKhK8uIHPGtB_IsxQglK04xC0ytTpA/s640/April+26+in+Woodstock+%25282%2529.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My kind of meeting!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-70399873647861675652016-04-26T18:58:00.000-06:002016-04-26T18:58:42.825-06:00A Holler From the Hill<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear beloved relatives and kinfolk,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It has been a week. Some news! I will be staying in Woodstock with Sister Tait
for another transfer! (: WOOO!<br />
<br />
Update on Alex! He was progressing and then fell off of the face of the map.
Apparently, went to the Bishop Youth Discussion about a week back! We're
encouraging the young men to continue developing friendships with him, but we
haven't been able to see him. We hope that as he keeps coming to youth dances,
BYD and the like that he'll regain interest given time.<br />
<br />
Miracles! <br />
<br />
This week, we felt like we needed to go up a little road. The house that we
felt inspired to knock on yielded no life when approached and knocked, but as
we knocked the third time, we heard, "Nobody's home!" hollered from
down the hill. We turned around and looked to where an older gentleman was
sitting on his front porch. We walked over, introduced ourselves, talked with
Harry (the older gentleman) a bit, and set up a return appointment with him and
his wife Emmy for the next day. <br />
<br />
We got to their house the next day, and guess who answered the door? Harry!
Guess who greeted us when we came in? Emmy!! Guess who sat down at the table
with us? Both of them!!! I love it when people keep appointments! We were just
settling into our seats when their daughter, Cyrene, walked in. She sat down
and said, "I hope it's okay that I didn't bring my Bible." We talked
with them for a minute more, got up for Cyrene to show us out the window in the
other room which house was hers, and when we came back in, guess who was
there?! Emmy's sister Robyn, sitting at the kitchen table with her great big
bible in front of her. I loooooove it when people not only keep their
appointments, but invite their entire family!!! <br />
<br />
We got started with a prayer and preceded to relate the message of the Restored
Gospel of Jesus Christ to these four lovely people. They asked really good
questions! They also told us where everyone else in their extensive family
resides so we can visit all of them too. We invited them to read the Book of
Mormon, pray to know the truth of it, and to be baptized. They said that they
would read and pry about what they read! They don't entirely understand the
significance of the priesthood or baptism by immersion yet, but we have an
awesome convert named Brother Heishmann coming with us tonight to study with them.
We're hoping that he can help us convey the importance of following the example
of Jesus Christ by being baptized baptized by immersion by the someone who has
the priesthood, or the authority to act in God's name. We will see how this
goes! Hopefully there is enough room at the table if more of their family
decides to come! ^-^<br />
<br />
We also met other amazing people this week! We had met a young man named David
a few weeks ago, and we decided it was time to visit him. When we got there,
David and his wife Miranda were outside of their trailer home chatting and
waiting for their son, Collin, to wake up from his nap in his car seat. We
talked with them and got to know them a bit. They were high school sweethearts
and he proposed while they were playing guitar hero. Family is hugely important
to them. We talked with them about how the Gospel of Jesus Christ strengthens
families. <br />
<br />
We're going to be meeting with them again as soon as Miranda knows her upcoming
work schedule. I am so super excited to go see them again. Their eyes lit up
when we told them that their family can stay together for eternity. Their love
for each other is so evident and obvious. It's amazing to see a young couple
who has the courage to make that commitment of marriage and stick with it when
so many of their peers are disinclined to commit to even an easy assignment. It
warmed my heart to watch them together. David is very patient with Collin, who
is hyper, and is kind to Miranda with his words and his actions. Miranda is
gentle and encouraging with both David and Collin as the former fixes cars and
the latter uses the cars as his own personal jungle gym. Collin is one lucky
boy. I can't wait to watch as his life becomes even more full of light as his
parents accept the gospel of Jesus Christ into their home. What a neat family!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgu6pNanTY-BNMOLuVceSOxznyCDF9a6C40eC-0POEHEUh6hnFn_HXN_k_NxvUS0CezurpF4TX3xSRRQRxz1d8Lhin6hY3UW3NxiOlbP8dUH1DqcV8IBP3c2DlH5vro19eZLIDYYS8Cc/s1600/13095914_1046521592061857_5053718097963950171_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbgu6pNanTY-BNMOLuVceSOxznyCDF9a6C40eC-0POEHEUh6hnFn_HXN_k_NxvUS0CezurpF4TX3xSRRQRxz1d8Lhin6hY3UW3NxiOlbP8dUH1DqcV8IBP3c2DlH5vro19eZLIDYYS8Cc/s640/13095914_1046521592061857_5053718097963950171_n.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mom loves surprise photos that show up out of nowhere! <br />This gal randomly decided to take a photo and post it to Facebook.</td></tr>
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Funny story of the week! As you may know, girl missionaries are called Sisters
and boy missionaries are called Elders. We were at the home of a less-active
Sister who has dementia. As we knelt in prayer with her before we left, she
thanked our Father in Heaven three different times that the Elders had come to
visit her today, that the Elders had shared such an uplifting message, and
asked that we, the Elders, would come back soon and often!! Sister Tait and I
thought that this was very funny. We've never been called Elders before! XD<br /><br />
Love you all to pieces,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-58105750673638892422016-04-19T06:56:00.000-06:002016-04-22T06:57:15.239-06:00The Goliath Rap and the Power of the Book of Mormon<div class="MsoNormal">
Dear family and friends,</div>
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Did you like our rap? Did you like it did you like it huh huh?? (see below for link) We had so much
fun making it! Bishop Wright suggested on Friday night that we write a rap,
maybe about David and Goliath. We said yeah, great idea! We then wrote it in
less than an hour and had it memorized by the next morning. We found out when
we went over that Bishop was not expecting that it would be ready by then.
Hehehe. We will not be underestimated again!</div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/k0HS1Aa_KFs/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/k0HS1Aa_KFs?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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[ Link to Goliath Rap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0HS1Aa_KFs ]</div>
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<br />
Apparently, our young friend Alex has a rare form of epilepsy. He has hundreds
of seizures each day, each resulting in a lapse of memory of the time surrounding
the seizure. Now we understand why he keeps not remembering everything we
thought we explained well! We're starting over in the lessons and moving along
at a much more steady pace. We'll be checking for understanding A LOT more this
time. He is such a great kid. (:<br />
<br />
Joe totally said family prayer with his family!!!!! He's also been reading
everything we ask him to in The Book of Mormon. Now if we can just get him to
come to church... hmm.<br />
<br />
Doug, who we taught last week with Brother Lawrence, we taught again this week
with Brother Lawrence! This time, his son Nicholas also sat in. Nicholas said
the closing prayer! So cool. Nicholas is our newest gospel investigator, and we
think he is ready to bloom, just needs to feel some TLC from the ward and
to quit smoking. He's a freshman in high school, he really shouldn't be smoking
anyway! <br />
<br />
In our lesson that evening, Doug was expressing his serious concerns about how
much of scripture was actually from God and how much was edited by man
according to what man wants. Sister Tait threw down with Mosiah 3:19! She
talked about how we're all working on overcoming the natural man and how you
can tell the truth of all things by the power of the Holy Ghost. Oh, yeah.
That's my companion!<br />
<br />
Doug peppered us with questions that night via text: <br />
<br />
Where did the golden plates come from? >> 1 Nephi 6:1-6, 1 Nephi 9:2-6,
Mormon 8, Moroni 1:1-4<br />
What language were they in? >> 1 Nephi 1:2<br />
Did Jesus visit the American Indians? >> 3 Nephi 11-26<br />
Were there people in the Americas before the Nephites? >> Ether (all of
the chapters)<br />
Did the Jaredites come over before or after the Ice age? >> *crickets*<br />
<br />
We weren't really sure about the last one, but we were able to answer all of
the others using passages from The Book of Mormon! I love having this vast
store of valuable knowledge at my fingertips. Though I have read thousands of books that have shaped my perceptions of the world and my wonderings
about life, no book has changed me as much as The
Book of Mormon has. To say that I am better for having read it is a sore
understatement. Having read it in times of joy and in times of sorrow, I now
know in whom I have trusted like Nephi did (2 Nephi 4:19-24). Being able to see
this light up those around us who we meet and learn alongside is probably the
greatest miracle I have ever seen. Joy, I realized this week, is a true and
lasting miracle. (:</div>
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Feel joy!</div>
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Love you all to pieces,<br />
<br />
Sister Naomi Rapier</div>
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[Fun Fact: Turns out that the Woodstock Ward bishop is author Jason Wright - Christmas Jars, Wednesday Letters, and a Deseret News column: Wright Words.]</div>
wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8264663371427161318.post-7740257168465296222016-04-11T20:25:00.000-06:002016-04-13T17:30:14.604-06:00A Week in PicturesNaomi emailed lots of pics, but got locked out of the mail server before she could write a letter. So we get to see this week in photos :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N6IpBaEsx4xbg1o1PUpBaAAYx42N4zClTqMlsMYLud4IP_c2j5U1HZQ_T_OGp-SM50FSKRSFHjmfvv2YrKw5FaiJr1MvWft1nnJgastT27iyqCQ6TqhAZowbSG99VPPb43wIk8QTqds/s1600/crop2+Chong%2527s+visit+-+April+2016+%25284%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3N6IpBaEsx4xbg1o1PUpBaAAYx42N4zClTqMlsMYLud4IP_c2j5U1HZQ_T_OGp-SM50FSKRSFHjmfvv2YrKw5FaiJr1MvWft1nnJgastT27iyqCQ6TqhAZowbSG99VPPb43wIk8QTqds/s400/crop2+Chong%2527s+visit+-+April+2016+%25284%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chong came to visit Naomi in Woodstock (an hour drive for Chong)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSotXpcW0uiJ17GkcEkemtcDngV4OIal7ZYkh9LVnh9vvzbhhqa9WKXlDQIZITx7Si9skBJxEe6cF_iiNC_Iz2d9DHw9Hk6aOalP3RHJr3aKp5TBzezfv35x2at06ex3xQMaTKdTWsonc/s1600/crop+Chong%2527s+visit+-+April+2016+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSotXpcW0uiJ17GkcEkemtcDngV4OIal7ZYkh9LVnh9vvzbhhqa9WKXlDQIZITx7Si9skBJxEe6cF_iiNC_Iz2d9DHw9Hk6aOalP3RHJr3aKp5TBzezfv35x2at06ex3xQMaTKdTWsonc/s320/crop+Chong%2527s+visit+-+April+2016+%25282%2529.jpg" width="189" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So happy to see each other!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zmGAo5X945jOhEAnBcTZyecq2jmiWDDvw_1sfUCRb2N0bD6E6rtSBzRJ4G6ngmSrTB28uDWEZjGRG2cd0Vkj3M2d9JajzfEYTvRPMwdkbhCqYD_DkUiCz63YjZrxUaMpsGSrZKKoaUY/s1600/crop2+apartment+antics+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6zmGAo5X945jOhEAnBcTZyecq2jmiWDDvw_1sfUCRb2N0bD6E6rtSBzRJ4G6ngmSrTB28uDWEZjGRG2cd0Vkj3M2d9JajzfEYTvRPMwdkbhCqYD_DkUiCz63YjZrxUaMpsGSrZKKoaUY/s320/crop2+apartment+antics+%25283%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We are studying very hard"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk1DcCgtcHB9cTbAhc9xKYfBjk392iQaI8I7gpNPF4SXLMAdQifwnPaJRXMKTyaYgecyg0Ayueq3VUwdG9isFwn45miqNm-Jtqh6zygpf9_y8_vaemA10yUzyCiy6ZdGp-9awWe4yl5s/s1600/crop2+CHAIRity+%25287%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVk1DcCgtcHB9cTbAhc9xKYfBjk392iQaI8I7gpNPF4SXLMAdQifwnPaJRXMKTyaYgecyg0Ayueq3VUwdG9isFwn45miqNm-Jtqh6zygpf9_y8_vaemA10yUzyCiy6ZdGp-9awWe4yl5s/s320/crop2+CHAIRity+%25287%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painting a chair for the CHAIRity auction.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67DLE4CSKBhlhFnMbN3LGXjJ70_IXG04RG5YIBR8xsooyU3DymJz22pxBe3EUB4LuBnPWN57VpuGhl2Dei1KKAK3OiNXOPdQwodl60AYcNkk-oFbv4uP8rKZV-xfkoh2C-uFjqmMw05k/s1600/crop2+CHAIRity+%25288%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj67DLE4CSKBhlhFnMbN3LGXjJ70_IXG04RG5YIBR8xsooyU3DymJz22pxBe3EUB4LuBnPWN57VpuGhl2Dei1KKAK3OiNXOPdQwodl60AYcNkk-oFbv4uP8rKZV-xfkoh2C-uFjqmMw05k/s320/crop2+CHAIRity+%25288%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Christ is the Light of the World <3</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvazCrXuYAXZ-RKnpPzOjQOvTkXtDC4I3YihC3rLsiSpZzzhTGNH3E6l9jehNOBubw0mwxtURoXu-SMLj3L6M6axKfy4ziOK0tgs-zAHcE6orDKJBbhbtb90_1_TDA_pOJeF-v6FXnpg/s1600/crop2+broken+door+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDvazCrXuYAXZ-RKnpPzOjQOvTkXtDC4I3YihC3rLsiSpZzzhTGNH3E6l9jehNOBubw0mwxtURoXu-SMLj3L6M6axKfy4ziOK0tgs-zAHcE6orDKJBbhbtb90_1_TDA_pOJeF-v6FXnpg/s320/crop2+broken+door+%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uh oh, that's not good.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivr5k9QsypoXLNqUxQVk316Jf2sGSKroeyQWkxXfyQN_8cBSTPDD9-hi4A4fV9TlSvaxxtJ7Clcw94wF1jbTKc_weihi1nBW6Uu9WG7bof9K_G7ziPIgPdcts3A_NWO5fiEcp_QVrouM/s1600/crop2+more+nature+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiivr5k9QsypoXLNqUxQVk316Jf2sGSKroeyQWkxXfyQN_8cBSTPDD9-hi4A4fV9TlSvaxxtJ7Clcw94wF1jbTKc_weihi1nBW6Uu9WG7bof9K_G7ziPIgPdcts3A_NWO5fiEcp_QVrouM/s640/crop2+more+nature+%25282%2529.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beauty of God's creations!</td></tr>
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wendy :)http://www.blogger.com/profile/14936907181026944361noreply@blogger.com0