The Girls in the Helmets.

What up loved ones?!

Yet another week of missionary has flown by. I can't believe I've only been in Rhode Island for a week and a half! It feels like I've been here for ages. In a good way. But so much has happened! We have so much work to do we can't even cram it all into our schedules. We have to schedule things like 2 weeks in advance. #sopopular. I feel super blessed to be a missionary here in Scituate. 

... And also I feel super exhausted. Sister Bailey and I have had multiple delusional laughing fits this week - it's the best way to deal with stress and exhaustion. I think it might have something to do with the fact that we started riding BIKES. Hahaha, it's a hoot. Two teenage girls in skirts riding all over the New England hills. In helmets. With a basket full of scriptures. We look so adorable that some people have felt the need to yell encouraging phrases out their windows to us, such as, "Nice helmets!" and "Lose the skirts!" They're just jealous that we pull it off so well. I did have to invest in a seat cushion, because I soon discovered that bike seats are like the opposite of comfortable. 

This week I had the realization that a lot of people think missionary work is really easy. They're just like, "Call this person. Go over there. Knock on the door. Baptize them. It's not that difficult." And we're like, "Uh, what do you think we've been doing?!" Basically all the answers with missionary work are simple, but rarely are they easy. Does that make sense?

But oh man, when things work out, it's amazing. This week we had so many people tell us that right before we appeared in their lives, they had prayed to God for a change or a light or a new path. And then when we show up, they're all nervous to tell us this like we are going to think they are insane. If only they knew that it's kind of our norm. Isn't that crazy? Miracles and signs are my norm these days. I love being a missionary.

This next week will be a week of land mark dates - 20 years old and my 5 month mark! Yuck. Time. Ick. These may be the last words I type as a teenager. #soancient. All I would ask for my birthday is for everyone to find an opportunity to share the gospel this Thursday. That's right, challenge thrown down. I expect reports of you all being a sign from God in someone's life next week. 

I LOVE YOU ALL!

Sister Gledhill

New Address

138 Thompson Pike
Dayville, CT 06241

The Promised Land

Oh my goodness. I am here. In RHODE ISLAND. I don't have much time, so let me conveniently break down my new life into categories:

Companion: Sister Makell Bailey from Murray, Utah. Let me tell ya, this transfer is going to be a treat. We get along like New England and clam chowdah. (so ... you know, really well.)

Apartment: We live in an adorable little woodsy cottage. It's a little apartment over a member's garage and it's so. cute. And also freezing. And also it has like 1/16 of the storage space my last apartment had, but it's totally worth it. And also the members that we rent from make us recycle and compost and stuff, so the granola in me is loving it.

The Work: The Providence Stake is basically like the Holy Land of missionary work in our mission. There is SO much happening! It really is an incredible place to be a missionary right now.

Oh man, I love it here. The only downside is we are totally going to have to start riding bikes, and I have like 3 skirts that allow for biking. Hooray for repeat outfits and helmet hair! But, I will probably develop thighs of steel, so prepare yourselves for that.

And I finally got to go to the temple yesterday! WOOOOOOOOO! No offense to any of my beloved family, but I have been far more homesick for the temple than for anything else. It was so nice to go back! And also I had a beautiful reunion with my MTC companion Sister White in the Celestial Room, so that was appreciated.

Man, I'm getting worse at remembering things. But I am so happy here! I love you guys and am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord.

Love,
Sister Gledhill




Sister Bailey and I. #companionbesties

SCITUATE! ... Where's Scituate?

OH MAN.

I am going to Scituate, Rhode Island. Tomorrow. I am leaving Waltham. TOMORROW.

You may be wondering, where is Scituate? What is it like there? How is the work going there? How do you even pronounce Scituate?
Well, my friends, let me tell you. I have no idea.

Saturday night, we were in the car driving to our dinner appointment after the second session of conference when all of the sudden Sister Roy started screaming. As the good companion I am, I was obviously a little troubled by this. The last Saturday of every transfer, T-texts go out alerting the mission of any changes that will take place the next transfer. Usually these texts come at about 9:30 or 9:45, but the Elders wouldn't be out of Priesthood session until 10:00 with the time difference, so we were told that T-texts wouldn't be until 10:30. But, in order to cause much distress and chaos (they claimed so we wouldn't be up late), surprise T-texts were sent at 6:00 - hence Sister Roy's screaming.

Surprise T-texts are bad for a number of reasons.
1 - I need to take time to mentally and emotionally prepare myself for such life-altering announcements.

2 - It is usually safer for all parties involved for me to NOT get life-altering announcements whilst driving a vehicle.

3 - After receiving life-altering announcements, it is very hard to recompose yourself and act like a normal person at dinner appointments.

And it is in this unprepared state that we found out I am being transferred to Scituate. AHHHHHHHH! All I could think was, "Being a missionary is a crazy thing to be." Like, for the past 4 months Weston 1 has been my life. I literally spend 24 hours a day thinking, planning, serving, teaching, and interacting with the people who live here. And now, I am leaving. And I am going to have a new life in this mystical Scituate.

Here is all my limited knowledge about Scituate: The Scituate ward is in the Providence Stake. You pronounce Scituate SIT-CHEW-IT. My companion is going to be Sister Bailey, who came out the same time as Sister Roy and was trained by one of my MTC district sisters, Sister Neilson. The Scituate missionaries are known for going on tons of splits with their members. And they already have a Christmas tree in their apartment.

THAT'S IT PEOPLE. This is all I know about my new life!

Oh and also that I will live here: 138 Thompson Pike, Dayville, Connecticut. CONNECTICUT! I am going to live in Connecticut. I guess Scituate is by Connecticut. ... Actually probably all of Rhode Island is by Connecticut. That's what happens when you're in the smallest state in the country. WHICH I AM GOING TO BE IN! Oh my life. I've been saying goodbye to all our investigators and members the past few days, which was kind of sad. But also I know I will stay in contact with the ones that I got really close to, so I'm not too worried about it. Plus, it's reassuring to know Sister Roy will be here to watch over my old life. It's in good hands.

In other news, Conference was AMAZING. I woke up in the middle of Friday night and couldn't go back to sleep, I was so excited. Just like ... woh. Conference is so amazing. This church is so amazing. Revelation. It's cool stuff. I would go into more exciting details, but mostly I just can't even focus. So much to do in preparation for SCITUATE!

Pray for me!

Love,
Sister Gledhill