Crazy busy week apparently

Well apparently time flies faster as you get close to 6 months. its going to fast before i know they are gonna kick me out of Sidney:( and i love it here haha.

  Monday we had a lesson with Caitlin Andrew and the Campbell's. we had ribs they were good well that was dinner as well but then we taught the 10 commandments. they really liked dont rock out on Sundays got to church so now they are gonna be around less active members and just repeat got to church now haha. it was so much fun.

   Tuesday we had zone conference. President and Sister Hess  came here it was so much fun! we don't like being around 40 missionaries though... we may have hid in the kitchen with some ward members. i don't want to go to a big city with a ton of people i like my small town life haha. Our stake president came and told us we are his missionaries and we are shared with president Hess and he is building us an army for the stake! ahhhh i love this area they just get it. they understand why members are so important in the work and are just so amazing. we were at the church for like 12 hours that day. we may as well live here haha. then we had a meeting with the ward council and went to find people. we had fun.

  Wednesday we had lunch with a member and less active we think they will be good friends and it was yummy pizza cal zones so good. you should make them. then we tried a bunch of people and then had dinner with a less active family. he was giving us information on how to protect ourselves. he showed us how to rip out of duct tape it is fun haha. always learning stuff in Sidney. Then we saw a less active and he is doing so much better. its exiting to see him grow and change.

  Thursday we had weekly planning. after planning we had a lesson with less active and set up times to help them with family history. she is going to the temple and he i working on it wohoo so excited for them. then we had dinner with the relief society president and she is so sweet always working hard with us.i love her she even introduced us to her neighbor. it is always fun there. 

  Friday we tried people before going to help a former investigator with her yard because she is moving. her yard is all weeds so its doesnt look much better but we tried. then we had a ward barbeque. it rained but we had fun as a ward for sure. then we went to see a less active with a member and learned a lot about his life i can see it but its weird to think about haha.

   Saturday we went to try people and then did some more service. then we saw a less active who is coming back to church and doing pretty well. then we did family history work and had so much fun. We were able to teach them and he was so happy almost cried yahoo it was awesome.then we had dinner in crane and they are so much fun dinner was late but we were all laughing like crazy haha. the brother was telling us about things they did in basic training with guns and setting things on fire. it was funny. love them as well

   Sunday we had church which was really good. then we helped some members find names for the temple. and then we had to drive to wibaux. dinner was delicious and so much fun love that family. then we came home and saw another less active and had some interesting conversation. always fun in sidney.

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 why not more selfies

 2 may have gotten hats because its a thing haha

3 this was at the rodeo monkeys on dogs a lot of fun haha

Fair week!!! which means rodeo!!!

Well this week was a ton of fun.

    Monday we had dinner with a family that's like my family. there are hoots and are moving but thankfully just to crane so they get to stay in our ward wohoo. then we had a lesson with Caitlin and she really has this stuff down its awesome to see.

     Tuesday we went and saw a less active and she kicked us out of her hospital room. She kicked us out that's a first for me... she needs help to be happy.Then we went and did service and she gave us money that we had to accept but she is so sweet.i love her then we saw an elderly less active who gave us food which was delicious.then we walked over to help a member prepare some dish for a BBQ that evening. we had a blast as a group.it was some good food besides sister wells burning some hot dogs haha.

     Wednesday we saw a recent convert and finished his lessons but we are trying to get them to come to church more often and they were there yesterday which was awesome.then we had an awesome lesson with a less active we did an activity where her sons were entertained and could participate so that was really good. Sister wells kept them entertained and i talked to the sister so it was really good. then we had dinner but had to leave pretty fast. so we tried some people because our appointments keep falling through and have no investigators right now.

  Thursday we planned and then headed to bainville which is an hour drive. We tried to see people on our way there but couldn't find anyone so headed to dinner.Which was funny. The kids told the siblings to hit their hand on their shoulder and try to bite the opposite ear. go ahead you know you want to do it. do you feel dumb? because that's the point haha. we tried more people afterwards but then had to drive back into town where we cant see anyone because the fair takes over Sidney. Its the biggest fair in all of eastern Montana and it has an awesome rodeo.

   Friday we drove to fair view for a lesson and she cancelled on us once we got there and we had a member with us so that was annoying but we tried a few people and then got back to Sidney and drove to glendive for district meeting.It is a ton of fun. the elders are great.after wards we got snow cones. they are delicious and then we all had to drive to lessons. a member gave us adorable watches they are so cute and fancy i love them. I love this sister she is so sweet and strong. Then we got into Sidney and went to the fair.we walked around and ran into a ton of members not even from Sidney their were a ton from Idaho and stuff so it was nice to chat with them. Then we went to the rodeo.That was so much fun it was a pro one and most of these people are going to the finals in LV which is super cool. i also got to see bull riders so cool. it was very exciting.

   Saturday we walked a lot about 6 miles at least. we met with a sister who wants to bring her family but is lazy on Sundays haha. then we walked to a less active and she is exhausted we felt bad we came back to the church and helped our relief society president clean and then print stuff for her lesson. Then we planned more because we couldn't see anyone they were all at the fair and we have no one to teach so we prayed a lot and planned again. then we had dinner and then went and finished sister wells pen. its cool as well.we ended the day pretty well.

  Sunday i woke up not feeling well. still went to church but my skin was really warm and i was freezing so i got a fever so we went home and sister wells made me sleep. So i slept for like 4 hours and then we had a lesson because i was feeling a lot better thankfully.We had an awesome lesson that evening though and then we slept some more it was needed.

hope all is well love you all.

 

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 me by a hay bail

2 we got rodeo tickets wohoo

3 walking in bainville because why not

4 at rodeo

Another fun week in Sidney

 Monday we just hung out at the apartment until we had dinner with a less active it was a lot of fun we are definitely building a better relationship with her. then we ran into an investigator who let us in and we shared a message with her. It was definitely fun. then we saw our one la in the hospital she is so miserable i feel super bad about it.

      Tuesday  was hard basically everything cancelled on us. so we planned to figure out what we need to do.. we went and put flyers up around town and ran into a former investigator who gave us a ton of food and then had dinner with a member and she is going to Idaho for school this week.Then we had ward coordination which is always fun. This ward is awesome we are always laughing about something.Then we had exchanges.Sister Brown came here with me and we had a blast together.We saw one of our investigators she is having a hard time but we had a fabulous lesson on prayer. we asked her to pray and read her scriptures every day.

       Wednesday we tried some people who weren't happy to see us that's for sure.Then we made flyers for the movie night we had.Then we saw a less active who wouldn't let us talk about the gospel so we aren't sure what to do there.Then we saw another sister who is amazing and we shared the you never know video and she was touched after her hard morning. I love her to pieces that's for sure. Then we did some service by going through a storage unit and helping her get rid of a ton of stuff.But i got a cool blanket out of it which was fun. Then we tried a bunch of people and talked about the area a lot and then we switched back. It was a ton of fun serving with Sister Brown. Then me and sister wells went to dinner at 7 so we are starving by then haha.

    Thursday we weekly planned and had lunch with the members we live with it was so good just a salad with chicken and fruit delicious. Then we had a lesson with a recent convert who seems to be doing good. We only have 1 more lesson with him. then we finished weekly planning and then had the funniest dinner of my life.We were there for about 2 minutes and the boys start wrestling this is a very small home and their mom is finishing dinner. So that happens and then the whole night they talk about their hospital trips... Once a kid got stuck on a fence and slammed his face into it and there was snow outside so the mom had to get a photo. there were so many stories like that it was great i haven't laughed that hard in forever. Then We had a lesson with a member we are trying to teach them more to build up relationships.It went really well.

      Friday we drove to Glendive for district meeting.We had a fabulous training by our district leader. Then we went to get snow cones and the elders i miles city were there. we had a few laughs especially since i split my entire snow cone..... all over the table. It was funny especially since sister wells was just giving them crap about making a mess and then i made a disaster haha and then i fell up the stairs to the apartment the same day. But we went and picked raspberries and slightly got eaten alive.Then we had dinner with an awesome family. Then we went and set up the movie night. It was a ton of fun 9 nonmembers were there and a ton of members. It was a blast and clear skies that day.

     Saturday we helped with the storage unit again she has a ton of stuff and she is so thankfully she took us out for lunch and wants to take us out again but we aren't gonna allow it haha. Then we cleaned up because i may have been rolling around in dirt. then we saw a less active and her friend. we helped them out too just doing service all the time here but it is so much fun that's for sure.Then we went to a lesson with a member a less active lesson but it went so well. he is really improving. Then we went home for the night.

    Sunday was awesome. Church was ward conference all about serving and sharing the gospel. we talked about how now is the harvest no more planting seeds. So the stake president asked us to come up and showed the ward how we react when we get referrals the difference between the member introducing us and when we just get a name. it was awesome. Our stake president is so good. I have realized how much i love this ward and im going to miss it especially since it feels like home.Then we had lunch and saw our LA in the hospital we had a great conversation and she let us talk about the gospel it was awesome. she may be happier now. then we had dinner which was a ton of fun.Then we had a long meeting with our ward mission leader and he has some great ideas and really wants to work us and always giving us ideas which is awesome.Then we had a call from our district leader to get our key indicator numbers. it was fun they wrote us a song i recorded it. it was awesome 

 So it is time for the Harvest talk to people about the gospel TODAY. we dont know whats gonna happen tomorrow and we need to share the gospel with everyone. 

Love you all have a fabulous week

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 a dead rabbit we found

2 i have been lazy with contacts

3 the storage unit that thing was packed full and theres a lot of trash 

4 we needed face masks

Another week gone by

Monday we finished moving finally that's all done then we finished making pens and mine is so cool ill send a photo. I like making pens it is a blast.

    Tuesday We helped the members we live with set up for the garage sale they had this weekend. Then we did some family history ad its a lot of fun i wish i had more time to do it out here but im still saving souls haha. then we saw mickey who is not wanting to see us at all right now and then we saw pat who also didn't want to have company. No one wants us around apparently oh well. then we had dinner at the angleseys they are awesome haha then we had ward coordination and planned for the movie night.

     Wednesday basically everything cancelled so we tried potentials and then had dinner with our recent convert and fiance. they are a hoot. they gave us steaks yummy. we had her teach us the Plan of Salvation and she knows it so well. then we went and feed horses. We gave them hay and they are so cute i didn't get a photo but i want some. The mission has really taught me how i want a ranch haha its a problem right now.

    Thursday we planned and then saw a sister who is having a hard time and needs some help so we planned on going to help her. then we had dinner with the stake president who lives in North Dakota which is still in our area. we leave Montana more than i ever would have thought. We saw our less active and he is really progressing right now and we got a lot of chocolate which is yummy.

   Friday we drove to gelndive for district meeting. We then drove to savge to have a lesson and i fell bad for her it seems like she is having a rough time right now.then we had dinner before going to the movie night which was a bust because we got tornado looking weather so no one is gonn leave their house.... Mehhhhhh it stunk

     Saturday We had to move the stuff out of the other apartment because the elders from Bismarck came up to empty it. then we helped the sister with her storage unit and there is a lot to do there. then we drove to have dinner with the relief society president and it was super good she also told us where an investigator lives so now we can go knock the door whenever.

   Sunday we had church and a lot of people we are working with came which was awesome. we had lunch at a members home with some returning members. Then we saw mickey and a member brought her dog over and she was so happy to see her.then we had dinner and got some awesome missionary ideas since they both served. then we saw another less active who is doing okay and her friend seems to be super interested now.

   So in our new place the members so sweet put up a quote that says " God doesn't give us what we can handle God helps us handle what we are given"

  so even though life is hard some days most days ill be real haha God helps us accomplish what needs to be done as long as we have that faith and will do it.

 Hope all is well Have a Fabulous week love you!

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 my fancy new cedar pen

2 a giant cookie

3 pen process

4 i thought i left arizona it was hot and humid also got up to 106 that day bleh

5 months out

 well can anyone else believe i have been out for 5 months?? i sure cant but it has been and holy cow my english is bad super bad. I hardly finish sentences when writing anymore ill never pass english classes haha.

   This week was definately different everyone wanted to say good by to sister dvaz so we ran around town most days saying good  bye to people. and we got  A LOT OF FOOD!!!!!! if you ever want to gain wait have transfers holy cow i believe i gained like 10 pounds this week.

  Monday everyone was feeding us but we learned how to make pens wood pens im finishing mine today so there will be photos next week.

  Tuesday more food but its all so good. we went to a relief society shoot out that was fun we had food and had to leave but there were some nice guns there it was probably good we left because i like shooting and its hard to not shoot sometimes haha

  Wednesday we saw a ton of people in short time periods and the ward knew our schedule thats what happens in small towns haha.

 Thursday we had to wake up early to drive Sister Dvaz to glendiveit was sad to say good bye to my missionary mom or trainer but she is doing good in fargo as an stl. she'll do awesome things there. but we drove a lot that day it was the first time we drove all the way out to bainville and culbertson.we went to a memorial there for a little boy who passed away a month ago.it was sad but we were glad we got to go. Then we had dinner with a fun family before heading to culbertson to try to find people. We somewhat got our barrings of the place but its still a little confusing thats for sure then we drove back into Sidney and got 3 referrals from members due to our ward blitz night with the ward council. it was awesome.

  Friday we drove back to glendive for district meetin we had a really good training but our district has really shrunk. then we spent the day weekly planning. before a really good lesson actually. We were worried about but he actually agreed for once that the church is perfect but people arent!!!! we are moving forward its amazing!!!! ahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! i love them and can really see them in the temple one day holy cow its awesome.

   Saturday was awesome as well we went to the temple. We had to get up super early but i got like an extra 4 hours of sleep in the car which was nice haha. sister wells planned her talked then all about lehis dream and missionary work haha she did take naps as well.... we watched people do baptisms for the dead it was a quick trip but it was awesome to see them perform those ordinances. then we saw the inside of a mall and went into bath and body works my addiction haha i got some stress relieving lotion though which really helps. If you come on a mission figure out stress relivers you can do with short time or it will kill you. then we had lunch with people and it was yummy we went to texas roadhouse the bread there though so good. then we drove home and got stopped at the post office by this guy who said god has talked to him and told him to  build temples it felt very odd and i wanted to go do something so we got out of there as soon as we could then we had to go pack and move.

   Sunday we had church which was pretty good. we saw a former investigator who came to church we were kinda shocked.then we visited some people before taking some stuff to our other place and then dinner there. It was soo good a lot of fresch raspberries yummy. then we had a lesson with our recent convert and her fiance. we watched the restoration and it is always a good one to watch.

   I love the temple and im so glad that i still can go even though its 4 hours away but most of you live really close so please go often it is a commandment by the way.The prophets and apostles keep saying it for a reason so go at least once a month. 

Love you all have a great week.
-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 temple trip

2 heard of the pokemon game this is what some churches put out to get people to come

sorry for shortage of photos this week

Transfer Week

 well it was transfer week so i'm staying in Sidney! people stay in Glendive zone a long time so this may be my last transfer but Sister Dvaz is leaving and Sister Wells is staying with me. I'm excited to stay with her we have a ton of fun together that's for sure!

   Tuesday because i already emailed monday. Was pday and after we saw a less active who made us bomb mexican food holy cow best mexican food ever!!!!!!!!!!!! we had a good lesson about temples we are hoping to get them to the temple this week and they found the sons records so its possible now wohoo!!!

   Wednesday I went on exchanges to williston we had a lot of service. we pulled weeds for about 2 hours and then had some fun appointments but no lessons that day.

   Thursday we exchanged back and had to weekly plan. It went pretty well got it done faster but we got interuppted. Everything cancelled again basically thats all that has happened this week. It stinks but we have been trying people a lot

     Friday we had to drive to miles city so we drove to glendive got in the car with elders and drove to miler city... it was a long trip thats for sure. We got snow cones after we got back to glendive. Leaving there i looked at the tire pressure.... it was at 17 psi it wasnt that low that morning. somehow we got a hole. so we pulled over and started to change the tire.a lady pulled over to help us and she changed it for us because we werent dressed for it haha. She called some friends to help as well but we did get it off. So we were super late to our ward BBQ. It took 2 hours instead of 1 because we had to go slow. It wasnt fun at all but we made it.

   Saturday was transfer calls so we got nothing done study wise. We tried to change our tire back we got it fixed the night before but someone from our building came and changed it. We never have to do stuff like that haha because people are so nice her. Its awesome.

  Sunday we got to talk every hour. We taught gospel principles and young womens and i said prayer during sacrament. Guys im so grown up i can say prayer during sacrament haha! where did the time go? then we spent the day seeing people for sister Dvaz we had a lesson with the newly wed couple it was a ton of fun! we talked about all sorts of stuff they have a ton of questions.

Its been odd i hate transfer week because i dont feel like a missionary at all but its all good hope you have a fabulous week love you!!

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 our snow cones

2 changing tire s Dvaz first time so we took photos

3 a questionable hot dog we still ate its pink didnt taste good btw

Happy 4th of July

Well it was a pretty awesome week.

    Monday we had dinner with a member and they are a hoot! then we saw our less active who is still alive but we dont know how much longer.

    Tuesday we dropped our investigator so that is weight off of us. Now we can feel like we are normal Sisters. most of our appointments cancelled so we tried people before going out to a ranch where we saw a bunch of horses and saw them moving cattle that was a fun experience.They live far so we had to drive an hour out of town but its a fun drive thats for sure! We made our less active a planner with qoutes and stuff she liked it so we gave her that.

    Wednesday we meet with our Ward missionary leader and just talked about the area. Then we had lunch with a less active we havent been able to get in with.so thats was fun.we had dinner anf then went to see our investigator who we have been having a hard time getting in with as well. everyone is dropping off the face of the earth i swear!

    Thursday We got 2 new investigators though who seem very interested so thats exciting.we saw a less active who took cocoa the dog we groomed and she is pure white like holy cow we were shocked! we were so glad she went somewhere good though. then we had dinner and had to plan a lesson.

    Friday we had Zone training so we drove to Glendive. It was a good training. Then we had lunch and cake because an elder had a birthday. Then we went to Makoshika state park. Its the badlands and it is so pretty up there wow we got some good pictures.oh and we hiked it in skirts thats a talent especially since im not so good at walking.... Then we drove to Bismarck to get our car reprogrammed and go to the temple! we also got to go to walmart.

   Saturday we fixed our car and did some weekly planning. Then we drove to the temple. We watched our returning member get baptized and then we went and did some stuff in the temple and sat in the celestial room.. I really miss the temple and the peace i feel there. Only in the temple do i really feel the world disappear. I miss it so much. Then we went to lunch with our group and it was some good mexican food.I am now driving Sister Dvaz has passed the keys on haha it was a long drive back.But we got here and had dinner and did a testimony meeting outside around a campfire it was amazing!!!

    Sunday we had church and a lesson on hope and it was so good my favorite video is the hope of gods light you should go watch it. its a good one. then we had weekly planning and we had a lesson with a less active who i gonna teach us how to make our own pen next week how cool is that? then we had dinner with the newly wed couple always so much fun! it was biscuits and gravy i miss that meal a lot.

    Monday was the 4th of july obviously and the best way to spend the day is having a baptism!!!!!! our investigator got baptized yesterday so that happened. i was so excited for her and she just wanted it over with. It was amazing her whole family came who aren't members and it was a blast!!! then we went to her house for a huge BBQ and awesome fireworks didn't take any pictures but basically anything is allowed here so it was fun. Then we went to a member homes and hung out with them until we had to go in at 1030 because our mission president is awesome and lets us stay out. it was the best 4th of July ever!!!!!!!!!

-- 

Sister Haley McDonald

1 makoshika state park its pretty

2 us at the park

3 my zone at the park

4 entering North Dakota

5 at the Bismarck temple its tiny

6 coming back to montana

7 4th of july baptism

8 another baptism one shes a fun one and he is the fiancé