July 26, 2010--No official email...AGAIN!!

Sammi and I chatted quite a bit today so she didn't write an official email to me and didn't send pictures. She forgot her camera and PROMISES she'll send some next week.

Here is her President's email:

President Hale-

I love serving here in Boynton. The ward is amazing and there are so many members on board with missionary work. It's so fun! I love my companion and I love serving with her. She is so fun and so spiritual. It's such a refreshing start.

We've come across the same problem all week as we teach the Restoration. People aren't understanding the Apostacy, and we aren't sure why. We feel like we are explaining it simple and by the spirit, but it's just not clicking with people. We're going to study it out and find out what we can improve on.

I don't know if Sister Cluff told you, but this week we are going to have a Miracle Week (She says it in German, but I don't how to say it.)! We're going to be on bikes all week. Every day! I'm so excited! I love the bike so much! I have such an inspired companion. I love her.

Thank you so much for everything!

Love, Sister Denson

PS Don't forget to tell Heather I said Hi!!!!

Here are excerpts from our "chat":

•  I love my Happy Birthday pillowcase by the way! The letters were so so fun! I'll write a card to the whole family so you can read it to them next month at FHE. My favorite was all the pictures though. There is one of dad where he is just sitting with the dogs on the blanket. It's one of the first ones in the stack. He's got the cutest grin on his face. I hung it up above my study desk where all my other family pictures are. What do you want me to do with the banner?? It' HUGE by the way! We got the package right before we wen in for the night. Sister Cluff got up in the night and baked my cake! She's so adorable! It was so fun because she is so not a cook!!!! LOL
• The cicadas are here!!! They are so annoying!!!!! (She experienced these for the first time in Nauvoo/Missouri when we went back there 4 years ago. Amazingly annoying!!!!!)
• (Paraphrased...) She's DYING in the heat and humidity and riding her bike. She's showering twice a day on "bike days" which we were warned about. I can't imagine!

There were other things but not "blog-worthy." She better come through next week! :)

July 19, 2010--It's an ADVENTURE!!

Sammi is now serving in Boynton Beach with Sister Cluff from Erda, Utah. (Complete opposite end of the mission!)

Hey guys!!

 

Sounds like you all had fun at the camp out! It's like I went on a camp out too this week. LOL. Me and Sister Cluff live alone, which is really weird. I've always lived with 2-3 other sisters. It's so quiet in the apartment. It sure is a good thing I love her so much! LOL She is such a hard worker and someone who only desires to be obedient. I'm really excited for that because I haven't always lived with sisters like that, or had companions like that. 

It's cool to live with only one other person though. The apartment doesn't get dirty, you get your own bathroom, it's quiet all the time, you are able to really focus and get everything done. Plus, not only do I get my own bathroom, but I have like the biggest bathroom ever! I have the master bath. I'll have to take a pic and send it to you guys. LOL It rocks!

 

I love Sister Cluff! She reminds me so much of Sister Pirotta! That is such a compliment too! All she is missing is the curly hair! LOL. She actually reminds me a lot of Miss Julie from elementary school. Her looks at least....Weird that I remember that huh!

 

I don't even know what to tell you about this week. I been so crazy! We actually have set appointments, there is always someone for us to teach, people have common courtesy up here, members call US to come out with us..., and we are just always busy busy busy!! It has definitely made me so tired--especially when we sit down in someone's warm home. LOL I've almost fallen asleep during lessons up here! Once I adjust I'll be good to go though! LOL It's just a little embarrassing in the mean time.

 

Not this past Saturday, but the one before that, the 10th, we were at a service project with the YSA. I met a guy there from the Miami Beach YSA and he's from Kaysville. (His name is Nick Rose.) He's out here on internship with CitiBank. It was so good to talk to him. Making connections wtih people back home is so fun!! He knows Colby Flint, Jake Peterson, Derek Saunders and Chris Young (He used to be in our ward. He lives next door to the Woods). It was so fun! If any of you are on Facebook with Colby, tell him....

 

It's crazy up here. We got to teach this guy the other day, Kenley. He's a soccer player-which automatically makes him cool in my book. He's on scholarship up in New Jersey. He's just here for the summer, but we got to teach him about the Restoration. It was so cool! He totally understood the Apostacy and all about Chirst's life. That is so rare! It was so fun to teach him! I love being a missionary!! This work is so great! I think I'm going to never come home!!!! I'll just do this for the rest of my life. Full-time! It's so fun!!!

 

I hope you guys have an amazing week!!! You are all the best!! I love you so much!!!

 

Love, Sister Denson

 

ps I'll get you some pictures next week.

President's email:

President-

 

I don't remember if I told you last week that I felt so calm and peaceful throughout the day Tuesday. The more I thought about being transfered, the more I was okay with it. Of course, I have the most amazing companion. She reminds me so much of Sister Pirotta, whom I love SO much! She is such a hard worker and so obedient, and I love it!! I'm excited to learn from her and work with her. She is so sweet and Christlike. I love teaching with her and hearing her testimony. She truely has a passion for this work and really wants to do her best.

It has been quite a change for me, but I am loving every minute of it. I love the feeling of being up north again. The people are so nice and they truely have a desire to change. It's such a difference to have the members on board and coming out with us. Something that is just starting in Miami. I've heard so much good about this ward and love it so much already! I'm excited to be here and to serve with the members up here.

This companionship is truely inspired.

Thank you so much or everything!

I love you and Sister Hale so much and am excited to see you tomorrow!

 

Love, Sister Denson

July 13, 2010--I'm leaving my heart in Miami...

NOTE: I'm posting Sammi's "President's Email" first which prefaces her email to the family.

President

 

Last night's phone call was a little surprising. To say I was absolutely shocked would be a lie, but I was still surprised. I didn't expect to hear my name on the list being transfered. I know you said our time was short, but we definitely didn't expect that short! Throughout this whole week I would look in my closet and in my drawers and it just kept coming to me--"You're being transfered." Of course I justified it. I don't want to leave. I've only been here one transfer. I've fallen in love with the members of the Snapper Creek Branch and I have even decided myself to go to a singles ward when I get home. They are so fun and it is so wonderful learning from others your own age. We still struggle a little with getting the members on board, but as we visit them, talk to them at church, sit by them, we are getting to know them and gaining their trust. More are willing to come out with us, and they are doing a fabulous job at fellowshipping our investigators and new members.

 

I cried for a few minutes last night. I want to stay in the YSA, but at the same time I feel so confident in knowing I'll be going where Heavenly Father needs me. (Preferably the YSA, LOL) I'm so grateful for the things that I have learned and for the time that I have had in Miami. I love this place! It's going to be so weird not to be here!! I've been here 7 months.

 

I'm sad to go....you know that. I get emotionally attached to people. I can't say I didn't see it coming though. I'm eternally grateful I got to serve down here in the Miami 4th Ward and the Snapper Creek Young Single Adult Branch.

 

Thanks for everything!

We'll see you tomorrow!

 

Love, Sister Denson

FAMILY EMAIL

Can you believe I'm being transfered! I've been here 5 transfers! President Hale told us we would be together through August, but that obviously isn't happening. Like I said in President's email I felt it coming. I just kept saying to myself, "I've got SO MUCH STUFF!!!!!" I have so many clothes too. Lol It's hard for me to have only 2 suitcases of stuff!!!

 

Anyway, I'll let you know where I go on Monday. Mom, don't check the blog. I want to tell you myself where I am going!!!

Here are the things I want to reply to about the letter you sent me this week, Mom:

1. I want to try one pair of mesh garments. Everyone tells me how fabulous they are.

2. I've told you all the MoTab cd's I have like 3 times. I'm sending my cases home today. There should be 4 of them. I have 9 cd's total. On of them being Consider the Lilies that a member gave me.

3. I'll take anything clotheswise! lol I had to give Hermana Briggs like 7 shirts this week that I don't wear. I have SO MANY clothes!

4. I haven't been sleeping lately, so I put some of that tension oil on one night. It was fabulous! I haven't been able to use the bug repellant yet. I got a gallon of distilled water last night, got it all mixed up, and then go the phone call that I am being transfered. Lol good thing the bottle was only $1.59!

5. You said you were going to send a talk from Bishop Chandler, but there was no talk in the box......

 

The Sisters Conference was awesome. I learned so much from the Senior Sisters. It was really hard to say goodbye to Sister Call. It won't officially set in until I go to my next Zone Conference. We've been at all the same zone conference's except my first one. It'll be weird. I really hope she emails me so I can write here and we can keep in touch. She's like my best friend out here! Give her a huge hug for me!

 

Bradley is doing fabulous. He came to church this week and he was in a full suit and everything. Everyone thought he was a member!!! Lol it was fabulous. He's got the part in the hair and everything! I'm really going to miss teaching him. He's got such thought provoking questions. They test our knowledge! It's fun because we're able to go home and study it out and then go back to him with the answers. We're also teaching another girl named Jessica Rodriguez. We extended a soft baptism date to her last Thursday. She is so adorable. I think I mentioned her like right after we got put in the branch....

 

Tell Elder Gubernick's mom that I got a picture of him! We rode the TriRail to sisters conference and then some elders picked us up and took us to the mission home. Elder Gubernick and his companion Elder Edwards took us back to the station. Elder G knew I was a missionary mom missionary, so to make his mom happy I got a snapshot of him. Lol don't expect this to be a frequent happening..... He's awesome though. I hope to serve around both those elders sometime soon!!

 

I saw how skinny Aaron was last week in the picture you sent me. He looks absolutely fabulous! I'm so excited to see him!

 

I hope you guys have fun at the campout this weekend! Except, come on, a movie projection.....That's not camping!!! How come Demi has to stay behind??

 

Don't believe what you see in CSI:Miami. It's a beautiful town only in some parts. LOL But I know they don't film it here......

 

 I love you guys! I hope you have a wonderful week! Wish me luck tomorrow! Better yet, just keep me in your prayers!!

Love, Sister Denson

Hermana Briggs and Hermana Vance on the TriRail

Hermana Lealaogata and Sister Denson on the TriRail

Hermana Call and Sister Denson

Hermana Call comes home on Wednesday, July 14!!

The "Missionary Mom" sisters at the Sisters' Luncheon...

Sister Crane, Sister Christensen, Sister Denson, Sister Call, Sister Felton

Elder Gubernick (his mom is a "Missionary Mom" too!)

The Florida Ft. Lauderdale Sister Missionaries!

The Luncheon was held at the Hale's home. AMAZING!

Another shot of the "Missionary Moms" sisters. Aren't they beautiful??

July 6, 2010--Hey Guys!!

Sounds like you had a great 4th of July! It didn't rain here on Saturday night, but we did have a fun night! We went and visited the sweetest guy in the hospital. He had gastric bypass surgery 5 years ago, and a few months ago he started having pains in his stomach. The doctors just thought it was gas, but turns out to be he had a hernia in his small intestine which twisted up and then got shoved up inside his stomach!! How horrible does that sound?? He's been in the hospital for a month and a half--with his stomach open!! It's just recently been closed up and on Saturday he got to have juice and jello for the first time. Crazy. He had such a good attitude about it. Maybe that has something to do with the amount of drugs he was on..... I'm not sure. Then we went to "English Class." Apuleyo, the one who was just baptized only speaks Spanish. A guy in our ward--mind you who is British--is teaching English classes. Lol it was ridiculous. John only speaks English--British English, and Apuleyo only speaks Spanish. It was a riot.

 

Sunday we went to church--I of course tried to fast because of fast Sunday, but got kicked in the rear end with a migraine. We stayed home for the rest of the night. I was so mad at myself. Yeah, that will be the last time I try that one. I haven't been getting migraines for a long time until just recently. I had one for 3 days a few weeks ago, before Zone Conference. I talked to the Bishop of the 4th ward who is a pharmacist. He told me to try Excedrin Migraine. It was gone in like 40 minutes! How ridiculous is that!

 

Anyway, you read about my day yesterday from Presidents email. We only heard a few fireworks all weekend. They had shops set up everywhere to buy the fireworks, but they only sold them on Saturday and Sunday. Oh speaking of which, mom, you forgot to add the money to go buy sparklers. Lol it was fun thought though! They've taken all the stands down, so the fun is over....

 

This week has been really long. I can't even remember what else happened.... I met with President on Wednesday for PPI's. All is well. He's so awesome. I love chatting with him one on one. I'm excited to go to Sisters Conference this week. We don't know anything about the conference except the theme is "what I wish I'd known earlier." I think they had one like this a year ago and the senior sisters taught a lot about what they wished they'd known earlier..... That's all I know though. We'll for sure get a Sister Missionary Mom photo.

 

Did you hear about Elder Steele? He got transferred on Wednesday right after PPI's. He went down to Homestead South (Our Tongan elder that just got transferred in from Oakland went home). We got a brand new missionary, Elder Henrie, from Park City. He said he would be related to the Henries down in Syracuse because any with the same spelling as him they are related to. I have no idea what his first name it. I met him for like 4 minutes on Sunday....

 

I was reading July's Ensign and it announces all the new mission presidents for this year. There is one that we might know....Stephen H Broadbent called to the Kenya, Nairobi mission. Is that our orthodontist.....? I can't remember what his middle initial is.

 

Yes, I bought a bike for my basket! I finally found one. I love it already. I'll get a picture this week and send it next week.

 

I'm glad you all are doing so well!! Oh, and I'm glad you got to see Mark and Julie this week. Julie wrote me a few weeks ago and I keep forgetting to write her back! Tell her its coming!!

 

LOVE YOU TONS!!!! Have a good week!!!

LOVE, Sam

 

I mean, Sister Denson!!! Lol Love ya!