Saturday, October 30, 2010

13th Transfer


October 21, 2010

Mom and Dad,

Hey, how is everything going? Did you get the car you were thinking about getting? P-day was fun today but it was busy. We went shopping after emailing. I got two sweaters and food from Wal-Mart. Then we came home and changed really quickly then went to the haunted village at Heritage Park. It was really fun. But I wasn’t scared. I just kept talking to the “actors” who were trying to scare us. I told one of them he needed to make some noise when he jumped out at us because it would be scarier and he tried two more times to scare us without making any noise and I said, “You’re just as not scary now as you were the first two times. Really, you should try making noise.” I was a little disappointed that I didn’t get scared, but at least it didn’t give me nightmares.

This week has been really good. Jessica (1) is still on date for November 6 for her baptism. She is working on living the law of chastity and repentance. She says she feels like the Elders don’t really listen to her and she loves it when we teach her. 19 year-old boys just don’t get it sometimes. :) But we are only teaching her about every five days now, so pray that her Elders will step it up.

Jessica (2) went to church on Sunday! She did what we told her to do. She went up to the Elders and introduced herself. That night we called her for our appointment and she was meeting with the Elders. We called her back thirty minutes later. She was so happy! She is getting baptized on Halloween. She is ready to “live her life for God,” as she puts it. She asked us if she should only have one pair of earrings. We told her that is what the prophet counsels us to do and she was fine with it. She said she is going to take out her other set. I love how Heavenly Father prepares his children and how the Holy Ghost works on them. We barely have to do anything!

We have another investigator named Lisa. She is 24 and has two little children. She is married, but she isn’t happy. She said her husband is an alcoholic. We promised her the gospel can bring her so much happiness and peace in her home. I felt the spirit so strong as I told her that and I knew it was true. She is slowly starting to open up to us. She is planning to go to church on Sunday.

We are teaching Yvonne in Ghana. That is an interesting situation. She says she has to get baptized before she goes to Oregon to marry someone she met on the internet. We think she may be a mail order bride. We are going to make sure she meets with the missionaries in Ghana so they can better help and teach her.

The work is going great! I am loving my companion! We get along so well and we have so much fun! I am really praying I stay with her in Chat next transfer! We’ll find out my fate for my last transfer on Monday! I’ll let you know what happens!

Speaking of my last transfer, I speak in Sacrament on Halloween. I can’t believe I’m going to be giving my “farewell” talk already! I feel like it was just last transfer when my trainer spoke! Time truly flies by!

I love my mission! I’m sad it’s ending, but also excited to see what happens next for the rest of my life. Ha ha! Sister Despain calls it my 13th transfer! I think that makes it sound scary. She quoted WHB and said, “Go directly to your new area when you are transferred and meet your ‘new companion’ without delay.” Ha ha! I guess her teachers told her that in the MTC and she felt like it was valuable information that I needed before I go home (my 13th transfer).

I know I was sent to this mission for a reason! I am so grateful to serve the Lord here. I love you both so much!

Love,

Sister Aubree Garbett

Never Too Late To Repent






October 21, 2010

So, I just wanted to let you all know that the mailbox with the "G" on it has been quite empty (Except for letters to Sister Gilbert, because she is in her first transfer.) I have been trying to pretend to be ok with it, but I can't do it anymore! I only have 7 weeks left (no, I'm not counting) and this is a great time for you all to show me how much you love me. Otherwise, why would I want to go home to people who don't care enough about me to drop a post card in the mailbox? SO, I have made up a list of the last time I received a letter from everyone in the family.

• Steven: Today 10-21-10 (you can see who loves me the most)
• Stacy:8-8-10 (you may notice the gap here... yes, I went that long before getting another letter :( granted, she was prego, so she gets a little leeway
• Mom:9-15-10 (I might add that I did get a package from mom today with stamps in it and my skirt that I have been waiting for for 4 months, but there was no letter or note or anything inside.)
• Rachel: 8-24-10 (Rachel is great at writing detailed letters and decorating the envelope with stickers when she does write me)
• Angleina: Sometime while I was outbound (Shocking, right? I couldn't believe she had forgotten about me for so long!)
• Dad: Sometime before I went outbound (Also shocking, might I add that I went outbound in February and we are in the end of October right now)
• Emily: Also sometime before outbound (But I think it was even before dad wrote me)
• Joe: Either my first transfer or in the MTC (Both were over a year ago. unacceptable.)
• Keith & Brian: I have yet to receive a letter from either of them my entire mission.... I've been out for almost 16 months... sad

I hope you all take this time, not to get offended because I called you out, but to contemplate how I must feel. Look at the last time you have written me, and change your slacker ways. It's never too late to repent; well actually in this case you only have 7 weeks to show me... so hurry up! I will await your correspondence.

Cordially,
Sister Garbett

More pictures:

1. My other coat I got a few weeks ago. Also very cute, but as you can
probably see, not very warm.
2. These were my tracting shoes. They are my favorite. I still wear them. They
are my "holey" shoes!
2. Jerilyn loves me! She brought this to me, but I didn't see her. She
left it with a senior missionary couple.
3. This is the coat I bought last week! $40! What a steal! It is really
warm too and I can wear it when I get home!
4. In the Assemby hall it has been very slow lately, but will pick up after Thanksgiving.

First Baptisim





October 14, 2010

Mom & Dad

Well... just a quickly overview. We have a new investigator, Jessica (2). She knows the church is true and wants to be baptized. We found her two days ago. Jessica (1) is meeting with the missionaries and has a baptismal date for November 6. I had my first BAPTISM last weekend! Aksel from Norway was baptized! The work is going great! I love being in Chat. I’m praying that I get to stay in chat with my companion next transfer. These are some pictures we took.

1. My and my baby again
2. Some of my district again at Heritage park for service
3. Yeah, I'm cute
4. Lookin all telemarketer-like

I love you both!!! I can’t believe how fast time is passing!!! This church is true!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Conference Weekend


October 10, 2010

Mom & Dad,

Wasn’t conference great! Our mission goal was to get 2000 referrals and we got over 2,500! It was super busy and we were so tired afterwards! We got to sleep in till nine on Monday and Tuesday! It was great seeing Steven and Angelina and the kids. The kids are getting so big! I couldn’t believe how tall Rowan is. I didn’t get to spend much time with them because we were only allowed to spend no more than ten minutes on each contact, but it was so great seeing family! I saw them as they were coming to the tabernacle to watch conference.

There are always so many people at conference. My companion and I contacted lots of people and we received 46 referrals. My companion is doing really well. She is so much fun and we have a great time together. She is coming along great and is working hard.

Ok, really cool story. I talked to a few Return Missionaries on conference weekend. They were so cool and they helped me a lot. I asked how their adjustment back to "normal" life was and they gave me a lot of advice. The main thing they said was to have a plan and to stay busy. One of the guys gave me a referral. It was funny, because originally he said he didn't have anyone. Then he looked through his phone and gave me an old friend from high school. He said that it might be kind of weird because he never really knew this girl and she probably wouldn't even remember him. But I told him I would love to call her anyway.

So I called her yesterday and a man answered. I asked for Alexia and he said, "No, there's no Alexia here. Maybe this was her old number." So I just started talking to him and he was SO open. He asked if I was in Colorado (because that's where he is) and I told him I was in Utah and I was serving a mission. I asked if he had ever seen missionaries and he said he usually saw them wearing suits and riding bikes. I laughed and said, "Yep that's them!" He told me he was in the army and I said, "Thanks for your service, man!" (My companion got a kick out of that) Anyway we talked and I found out he is from Sacramento! Small world! He has been in the army for eight years and is married and has a three-year-old son. So we just kept talking about the army, missionaries, church, and I invited him to have missionaries visit him and teach him more and he said yes! Then I asked if I could call him another day and teach him more until the missionaries in his area contact him, and he said yes! We have a Chat appointment with him tomorrow night!

Man! It was seriously one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me! Heavenly Father gives the best tender mercies!

I love you both! This church is true! I love this work!!!

You’re in my prayers always!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Monday, October 4, 2010

I Love This Work!


September 30, 2010

Mom and Dad,

This week has been a lot of fun! My companion and I are having a wonderful time. There isn't a day that goes by that at least one or more persons ask if we are sisters. You can imagine how confusing that gets. We have to explain we are "sister missionaries" but we are not related. Seriously everyday! But it's ok. I think my companion is super cute, so if people think I look like her I must be super cute too!!! :)

This week I had my President interview. My mission president greeted me as I walked into his office. We shook hands and he asked me how I was doing. I smiled and told him I'm doing wonderful! I walked into his office and stood by the chair until he motioned for me to have a seat. Then he told me he was impressed with how well-mannered and lady-like I was. He said he wished all of the sisters were like me. He asked if I learned it from my mother. I told him I must have. I said although I have never been formally taught in manners I have seen my mother act that way. He told me that example is the best way to teach. He then shared the scripture John 5:19 "Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Veryly, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do; for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise." He told me that my mother lived that scripture and I learned from her. He continued to comment on how very polite and genteel I appeared. I agreed with him that I had a great example to learn from.

The work is going great. My trainee is really coming out of her shell. I feel very comfortable with her teaching our contacts. The other day I had to push her out of her shell to do the acoustic demonstration in the tabernacle, but she did it and she was great! She is a lot like me, so I know how to help her to grow. I am grateful for that. I know that Heavenly Father hears us and answers our prayers. I am always praying for you!

The other morning I had a difficult time waking up. I just kind of rolled out of bed and dropped onto my knees for morning prayer. As I was about to pray the thought came to me, “You only have ten more weeks left to do this.” I felt really sad. I love this work!

Love,
Sister Garbett

Followers