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

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

Happy to Serve

September 16, 2010

Hello Family,

Thursday is still my p-day!

We had transfers this week and I am still in Chat. I also have a new companion. She's great! She is my second companion from North Carolina and she is fresh from the Mission Training Center. Her name is Sister Despain. Right now we’ve been doing a lot of stuff for the new sisters. But once we get settle we will get even busier in Chat! I can't believe they are having a 1st transfer serve in Chat! Even more, I can't believe that they trust me to train her after I have only been in Chat one transfer!

There are some changes in Chat. We are on the square for half days now when it used to be that we were only on the Square for two-hours a day. The biggest change is whenever we get a referral on the Square we can offer to teach them over the phone until they meet with their local missionaries! So, we take someone on a tour, they say they want to learn more, we have them fill out a card, then we offer to teach them over the phone until the local missionaries arrive. So we are preparing them even more. Just like we do in Chat, speaking of, Steven in England dropped us. I'm pretty upset about it, but there is nothing we can do. He was meeting with local missionaries, planning to go to church, and then just told us and the local missionaries he does not want anything to do with our church and not to contact him again. Of course we e-mailed him anyway! He responded and said it is not the anti-Mormon information that he has heard, he knows the church is true, but he is not ready to change. We think he may have a Word of Wisdom problem. We have tried to call him many times and e-mailed him lots, but he won't contact us. So we will just wait and see what happens. I know, it’s sad, but I truly believe he will come around. I just know it.

Mom, I got your package! Thank you! Although right after I wrote you on email last week I searched through a box that I packed before I went outbound and found seven new pairs of dress socks, but thank you anyway! I’m also excited you found my white skirt! I can hardly wait till you send it to me.

I’m excited that Steven and Angelina are coming to visit, but let them know I can't take them on any tours. During conference time we do not offer tours. It is all members and we are too busy. Also, there’s a new policy that the mission President has implemented. He is not approving any family tours. It would be better for them to just come the day after or before conference and I can just say hello to them. We don't spend more than ten-minutes with each contact. It's also the same at Christmas time. But every day I am on the Square for half the day and in Chat the other half. They just have to tell me ahead of time what day they will be there and I’ll let them know what time I will be on the Square.

It’s hard to believe that I only have three months left. I drove some sisters to the airport that were flying home yesterday, and I CAN definitely wait to be in their shoes. This past transfer lots of sisters went outbound including Sister Cheng and Sister Schwager. It’s sad to think I won't see any of them again while I’m still a missionary. They will be home by conference time next April so I may never see them again, unless we do make a trip back to Temple Square in February. It's weird because people are starting to talk about Christmas at the Square and I won't be here. But I am happy that I am here now and I get to continue to serve. I think this past transfer has been the happiest transfer of my whole mission.

Well, I have to get going now! I love you! I will write you at the same time next week!

Love,

Sister Garbett

Pure Joy!

Mom and Dad,

This week has been very good and it just flew by! I cannot believe it's already Preparation-day. This week we taught Steven who lives in England five discussions. He searched online for four hours and found the number for the Ward Mission Leader. The Mission Leader gave him the Bishop's phone number and then he got the missionaries number and called them. They taught him once and then set up a return appointment with him. He is going to church on Sunday and they arranged a ride for him. We get to call him on Sunday so I'm excited to see how church went for him. I'm a little sad we don't get to call him as often as we used to now that his local missionaries are teaching him. I can't wait to add him as a friend on facebook when I get home. :)

Overall, the work is going wonderfully! I love CHAT so much! I am really praying that I can stay in Chat with my companion next transfer. I love how everything is going. I honestly think this may be my favorite transfer out of my whole mission! The Lord really knows me!!!

I love you so much! This church brings me so much pure joy. I know that it is only through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ that I get to experience all this wonderful joy!

I love you! You're always in my thoughts and prayers!

Love,

Sister Aubree Garbett

P.S. I'm using my last stamp on this letter! That's how much I truly love you! But can you please send me more stamps? :)

An Incredible Week!

September 2, 2010

Hey Family,

This week has been incredible!

During CHAT, we were teaching someone in Norway and he agreed to meet with the missionaries in his area. Now he has a baptismal date for October!!!! We only taught him twice! He was so prepared!

Then someone came on to CHAT with the name "Batman" He started by asking if I knew where Robin was. I told him, "Sorry, I don't, but is there anything we can help you with on this website?" He said, "How do I tell your superior you are totally awesome?" I said, "Well, God is my superior." Then he said, "How do I tell him?" I said, "Well, you can pray. He always listens." Then he said, "Can't I just e-mail him?" Ha! Ha! Ha! Man it was funny. Anyway I continued to talk to him and taught him about the Book of Mormon. We asked if we could teach him some more on another day. He said yes. Then he asked us, "Why am I here talking to you about God?" We told him that it was the spirit and he feels it while we are teaching him. He denied it, but he showed up to his appointment the next day. He doesn't really believe in God, but we are opening him up. By the end of that CHAT he was excited to pray and wants to receive answers. After explaining to him about God and how we lived with him and how we can become like him, he said. "If what you're saying is true, this God guy doesn't sound that bad." We have an appointment with him tomorrow! By the way, he is in Portugal!

Also, we just started teaching a man in England named Steven. HE IS GOLDEN!!!!! We taught him the restoration and everything clicked. When we told him about the vision Joseph Smith saw he said, "Wait, I thought God and Jesus Christ were the same person." We explained how Joseph Smith’s first vision clarified who God the Father and Jesus Christ are. They are one in purpose but two separate beings. Then he said, "I always thought that's how it should be. It never made sense to me that they were one." We gave him 1 Nephi chapter one to read and told him he could read more if he wanted. We talked to him this morning and he told us he read the whole book of 1Nephi plus all of the testimonies! We asked if he had prayed and he said yes and he received an answer and he KNOWS it is true! We taught him the plan of salvation up to our life on earth and everything clicked. We also taught him about the Word of Wisdom. He said he never knew it was bad to drink, but if God told Joseph Smith, then it is right, He committed to obey the Word of Wisdom. We have an appointment with him tomorrow and he can't wait! SO GOLDEN!!!

I absolutely love my companion. We get along so great and work so hard. I am praying that I will stay with her in CHAT next transfer. Keep that in your prayers too! We are having so much success. I told my companion today, I never want to go home, with all the success we are having!

I love everything about my mission right now! Heavenly father just loves me! But really, I think this is my favorite transfer so far. But I have less than 2 weeks left before transfers are here again and I’ve never served in the same area for two transfers. I'm not ready for a change! In my setting apart I was told I would see the results of my efforts! I have been waiting almost 15 months for that blessing to come to pass! It is so exciting!

I have to get off line now. We are going to a candy factory to see how candy is made! It will be fun! I will take lots of pictures! I love you all so much! I wish I could talk to you all day...in time I will. Weird! I love you! BYE!!!

Love,
Sister Garbett