Charlie

Well hey y'all,

Well this week was super crazy. Well said good bye to a lot of people. Well the sad thing on Monday we where in our area trying to see our investigators. After a while we went to our car. ( okay so it is 9:00 pm) And sister Richardson starts the car and it doesn't start. Well we tried 5 minutes later. Nothing!! so we called members, The Elders and then we called one more member and the good thing was she was in our area!!

Well just to say our car started!!! Super good thing!! Well also we had our milkshakes like our normal Monday!!!  
Well Tuesday I had my 6 Months!!! Super cool!!! 

Well Guess where i went for dinner Beamie's!! It was super good!!! I found a sign that had Foster's on it!! So I took a picture!!! 

Well then we went and had dessert!!! We ate at Bollweevil!! Their desserts are so good!! They are the best!!! I had Death by Chocolate Cheese cake!!! 

Well we had food truck and it was amazing!!! just love helping out with that!!!  

Well on Thursday we had Zone Training!! Super fun after words we went out to eat and Sister Richardson bought everyone milkshakes. Wow it was super cool!!! The people where super surprised how many shakes she was getting. We got 20!! Crazy!!! 

Well after words we went and did some more missionary work. 

Well then the time came on
Saturday!! Waiting to see what was going to happen!! knowing that Sister Richardson was leaving to go home. So I waited my name was not called to Pack!! YES!!!!!! I am staying. I will be getting my new companion Tuesday(  sotomorrow) . The good thing was she has been out for more than 12 weeks!! So this means..... I am the Senior Companion!!! Wow didn't think that was going to happen so soon!!! 

Sunday!! Wow that was such a hard day!! Saying good bye to a companion you have just loved was not the best!! 

The worst thing is they had the closing song in sacrament meeting as God be with you till we meet again. Wow that was not my best closing song voice. Knowing I was in mixed emotions and that my companion was going home. Well I went to a new area for 2 days. So I can have a companion. But knowing that it wasn't going to be the same. 

Well quote for the week!!  Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a clove of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

I love you guys!! Have an amazing week!! 

#6 months, # new companion, # Senior Compnaion, # Crazy week!!!!!

I have met the dearest people from Charlie's mission.  They keep sending me pictures and updates, which I love! 

Kallie

Hey y'all

This week was well, crazy! Full of laughs, awkward moments and evenings of dancing in the rain!

Monday: went to defy gravity! It is a trampoline place. We played dodgeball and trampoline basketball! It was lots of fun, we didn't let the fun end after our hour of exhilaration so we all went to the church and played hand soccer and basketball. Obviously elders here on a mission think that sisters can't play ball..as we were playing basketball I would have the ball passed to me occasionally and with those occasional shots I would make it and they would be in awe, needless to say they started passing to me more. The next morning we all woke up sore from all the exercise and moving of the muscles for 4+ hours!

Tuesday: I don't think that this day could of been any more awkward. Early this morning we were finding in an area and one of our former investigators was visiting his friend, he saw us and said "hey girls....I know you!!" I was reaching out to shake his hand and Then out of the blue I had arms wrapped around me! I just about freaked out, then went for sister B afterwords. It was the most awkward moment of my life!  In the afternoon We were going to find investigators that we met the week before. We stopped by this man named James, as we were getting his information I wrote his first name down ( because I remembered it) and asked him for his last name, his mouth dropped and he said "marry me!?" In all seriousness. To my reply was "excuse me?" Then he said "you don't even have to remember how much I earn!" I in reply was like " thanks, but no thanks!" We shook hands goodbye and I made no eye contact. After I was done shaking his hand he then said " oh so now your gonna grip me like that? Last time you were softer" it was so AWKWARD!!! Then he smiled at me and said with a creepy grin.."think about it!" Yeah, there is nothing to think about. He is mentally dropped and we aren't going back anytime soon!

Wednesday: wasn't really too exciting, we met really nice people though. We did have a couple with a few potentials. We talked a lot about temples and eternal families! We shared a picture of the temple and started a conversation that way. We asked them if they wanted to be eternal and live with there families forever. They said yes. We shared about Jesus Christ and the restored gospel. We taught about how Joseph smith restored the church and that it is the only church on the earth that is correct! We shared how the church was lost but that it was restored once again!
,they were really excited and invited us back, for lunch and a lesson! Yay!! we had a really good district meeting, and then we saw Monbo and had a serious lesson with him, setting some solid expectations with him because he hasn't been keeping any.  Like a pre-drop lesson. After dinner with the Bledsoes we went to one of the charlotte hoods where a less active and a couple investigators live.  We were walking down the street and his drunk lady outside stopped us.  She said I must have been a hippie before being a missionary because of my long hair, and she couldn't say s. My  name.  She called me sister Mahoo. We told her and her friend to stop being intoxicated.  Then we met these two guys, and told them how Christ's church was on the earth, invited them to church and they said no.  So we told them, "we just told you Christ's church is on the earth, and you're not going to come?".  So we left them our number for when they want to come.  I think they were also kind of drunk.

Thursday: we met a man named kimmerlin! He is so great! He asked us what we were doing, so we told him we were missionaries and gave him the spill on what we do. We invited him to Church and he said no. We started having a little sister sass with him, I told him "we just told you that Jesus Christ's one and only true church is on the earth, and you still don't want to come to his church!" He paused and said "I will come next week!" We then said "don't procrastinate the day of your repentance!" It was intense! He still didn't want to come to church, maybe one day he will be elect!

Friday: was another day of finding, it wasn't really anything exciting. All of our appointments fell through,Dinner was super awkward too, it was supposed to be at 5:30, we got there right in time.  And The member wasn't even home!  Her mother in law and kids were there. Needy said she would be home in a few minutes with the food.  45 minutes later..... She comes home with sandwich supplies, and i was super sad because i can't have gluten, so I had baby lettuce wraps. 

Saturday the Ward had a big service project at a local middle school, cleaning it and getting it ready for school.  They pulled weeds and cleaned up a whole courtyard and power washed the cement and we helped a lot of teachers get their classrooms ready.  There was one room that had naughty words on the wall.  We covered it up with a cat poster about making friends :) it was fun.  Then at night, the gublers neighborhood had a party thing, so we went for the food, and to meet new people.  We met one lady who just officially moved down here whose  dad is a member and serving in the D.C. Temple right now. We tried to see Ricardo with sister machado, he wasn't home, so we  walked back and it started raining,  we were all really wet when we got back to the car.

Sunday Cassie came to church, and Raina came to church with a friend and two of her grandkids, and it was all about service!  The sacrament talks were about service, and Sunday school was about service, and RS was about moms and dads.

Quote of the week: Life by the yard is hard; by the inch it's a cinch. Each of us can be true for just one day--and then one more and then one more after that--until we've lived a lifetime guided by the Spirit, a lifetime close to the Lord, a lifetime of good deeds and righteousness."

—Thomas S. Monson

Love you all! Hope you have a great week! 

Love always and forever!

Sister McCulloch 

Hermana McCulloch in El Salvador

Lonnie didn't have time to post this week but she did send some pictures.  Her camera bit the dust at the beach last week so she is thankful that the other elders and sisters are so generous and send me copies.  She went to the temple this last week.  Knowing Lonnie, it was hard to leave.  She loves the temple!
She is flying home Sept 3rd.  It is official, but she is trying not to think about it.  I'm sure she's filled with dread.  We've been scrambling to get her housing, her scholarships transferred, her books before they run out, etc.  She has a job cleaning Helaman Halls...thanks to our dear friend, Christy Burnett.  I will be headed down there the beginning of next week to get all her paperwork filled out and filed so she's ready to rock and roll when she arrives.  It's going to be crazy the next little bit!

At the San Salvador Temple...they sure clean up well, don't they?!

At the beach

Lonnie: Lovin 'La Ponderosa!

This past week was just.....tiring. I literally felt like I was dying in church yesterday. We brought six people to church and we are trying to talk with everyone--and giving them the chance to accept a baptismal date. I'm trying to think of better ways to invite them so they are more willing to accept it, but at the same time, I know I can't sugarcoat the Restoration. My testimony of the Restoration and the Atonement have grown so much here. Never did I expect that. Buuuuut.....where much is given, much is required, right? Hence why I am sharing that testimony with all in my path!

We heard a LOT of rejection this week, but you know what? It's been one of the happiest weeks of my mission so far! On sàbado, Santos was baptized! And it was just the.....happiest moment ever! I have never worked so hard to help someone get the answers to their questions, know the truth, and act on their response. I....was so proud to see that man step into the water and make covenants with our Father. And as he rose up again, he just stood there--wiping the water and tears from his face. Best. Moment. Ever. I love this minutero with all my heart. Funny how even as I first invited him to be baptized on the 8th, I doubted it. Goes to show that we should NEVER judge a book by its cover. The Spirit works miracles! 

One other story about this week. Sister Aillery and I were on interchanges sàbado and we had a miracle. Hna. Alsdorf and I have been praying for miracle investigators who approach us on the street forever and on sàbado, he did! This man named Salvador started to ask us if we preach and then said he used to go to this church. The day of his baptism that had been scheduled was the day he ended up moving to Santa Tecla! So anyway, we gave him a pamphlet and invited him with a fecha. He accepted and said he'd be at church the next day. And he did come! We had told him that we'd come back later to teach him about the pamphlet, but it turns out that as he showed up that evening, I could tell something was wrong. It didn't take long for me to smell the alcohol on his breath and to know he was drunk. We still entered the room with the baptismal font and decided to have a brief lesson about the necessities of preparing to be baptized and just before we left, the tears welled up in his eyes and he said, "Hermanas. Yo quiero dejar lo que està en el pasado. No quiero regresar al hombre que era...." So we testified of the Atonement and the power that we have access to to overcome our challenges and temptations. And Sister Alsdorf brought up the whole, "'Twas I, but 'tis not I..." thing. It was great! And as he spoke, I just felt such overwhelming love for this man. This will be my last mission miracle--I just know it! So keep him in your prayers. I know that with God, anything is possible. We just need him to recognize that!

I love the mission and I love every person that we have the privilege to meet. I still am praying like crazy every day that I will have this overwhelming love for the people here that God has for them. And each and every day, that love still grows. Every day I wake up with a smile and I go to bed just as happy, often thinking, "How did I get to be so lucky to serve here with these people?" God knows what we need. And if we trust Him, He will guide us to places we could never get to by ourselves. And I testify that He will always give us the strength we need to make it throught those difficult times!

I love and pray for you all. Have a great week!

Love Always,

Hermana McCulloch

Kallie: Transfer Slump

Hello Y'all!!

It has been a great week! From getting stopped by drunk people and
being attacked by birds, I would say it was a pretty successful week!
It's transfers week, and we are both staying together another
transfers! Yay!!

Monday: we had preparation day, a few of the missionaries wanted to go
back the NASCAR speedway again because they didn't get the chance. So
we did, it was great! although we didn't get  go 150 mph because they
had the legend cars on the track practicing. They decided that they
were going to let us watch a race, for FREE! Missionaries love that
word. Anyways, we got to go sit in the stands and watch a race, it was
pretty amazing. We traveled back home and met some less active members
after dinner. one family we met was really surprised to see us, but
they let us right in and told us upfront that they know we should go
to church but was glad we were there to have a discussion and help
strengthen there family! as we were about to leave the daughter asked
us if we would say a prayer to keep the feeling in there home strong.
I love being a missionary and being able to help people come closer to
Chris and keep the spirit strong in there home.

Tuesday: I got attacked by baby birds. We were coming out of a lesson
and I was backing up my companion from the driveway and all of a
sudden this bird lands on me, I swatted it off and then the other baby
bird jumped on my back. I was swinging all over the place trying to
get rid of them as my companion was laughing hysterically in the car.
That evening we had amazing lesson with a Recent Converts Mother who
isn't a member. We were able to teach the Restoration, Short, and
powerfully! We all walked out of there shocked what happened. The lady
we taught said she was going to read the Book of Mormon and if she
knows the Book is true that she will change. She is grateful to know
that Christ's church is on the earth, but doesn't really want to make
that commitment. Christ sacrificed himself for you, so why can't you
sacrifice your religion, for his?

Wednesday: A day full of finding and contacting less active members,
but no luck. We did however stop by a former investigators to see how
they were doing and they weren't reading the Book of Mormon anymore.
Sister B. was really bold and told them the importance of the Book of
Mormon and why we have it, that there is no way that the book wouldn't
be true, because Joseph Smith wouldn't make something up like that.
They felt rebuked and said that the will read because they want the
guidance and direction that we have and feel. We had dinner with one
of our members and they are hilarious! He was going off about one of
his uncles who passed away or something and he said "I'm gonna slap
you right through the veil... but when you get to heaven and they see
what you did, you will get slapped right back." It was hilarious!!

Thursday: We had weekly planning in the morning, so we were inside
pretty much the whole morning, but our afternoon was busy with lot of
appointments. We were able to meet with some of our Progressing
investigators. One of our investigators M____ She is working on
strengthening her faith and learning to rely on the Savior. She told
us that she was having a really bad day but then she remembered to
read the book of Mormon and to pray. She is strengthening her
testimony so much from just the few times we have seen her. She is
definitely letting the Atonement set in her life and break free from
her past to come closer to Christ. She is truly amazing!

Friday: We had Zone Meeting today, we learned about being concentrated
missionaries. We learned about how much love we have to have to want
to sacrifice and want to give up possessions or habits to come closer
to Christv,and  things that we wanted to change as missionaries to
become more consecrated. Some of my favorite stuff we learned was,
"The small things are sometimes the hardest things to give up!" We
learned that we need to make his purpose our purpose, because now is
the time to be prepared for the coming of Christ. We need to be
willingly to choose. To do his will. One quote that someone said that
I loved was "Extraordinary missionaries will do things ordinary
missionaries won't."


Thought of the Week:
Keeping a testimony is just as important as gaining one in the first
place. President Monson said, “If you feel that you do not yet have
the depth of testimony you would wish, I admonish you to work to
achieve such a testimony. If it is strong and deep, labor to keep it
that way. How blessed we are to have a knowledge of the truth

Sure love you and hope you have a great week!

Love always and forever!

Sister McCulloch

Kallie had a tough time this week.  She was really missing her dad so she sent me this photo of the two of them that makes her laugh.  :)

Charlie

Last week got away from me.  The girls are doing great and enjoying their missions.
Here is Charlie's post for the week:

Well hey Y'all

Well this week has been super amazing!!!

Well Monday we of course went shopping but a member that knew Sister Richardson took us out to eat and we went shopping at Wal-Mart!!

Well just to say I am loving this area!!

The lord does work in mysterious ways!!!

Tuesday we had our last District meeting with my district. Super sad. but that happens when you have 2/4 missionaries in your district who are going home.

Well after district meeting we did some service. And guess what I did. . . ????

I got to clean the bathroom.  I was super excited!! You know how excited I get when I clean the bathrooms at home.

Well we sure did have a great time cleaning. We are going  back to help with painting the bathroom upstairs next!!!

Well just to say Thursday was super amazing as well. We did  some yard work and I got to weed the Garden. It was super amazing. After a while we where done it started sprinkling but, after we had an amazing lesson with Jacqulin it started pouring rain!!! Awww we where like wet dogs when we got into our car!! But we drove really slow to our dinner appointment. But when we got to the house we knocked and we stood there for a couple of seconds when  we heard!! You don't have to stand it the rain come in. Of course she looks to my companion and says when the door is open you can open the screen door and come in.

So we got in there and they gave us a towel to dry off.

Well Friday was super strange to plan for week 6!!! Man Transfers are coming so fast!!!

but we had an amazing day. Even thou we where inside planning for the week; we got so much done after words.

I am just saying, when you put the lord in your life and have the faith that he can help you see the people you need to see it will happen!!

Well Saturday our ward had an activity at the lake. It was super fun!! The Elders and Sisters we just talked with those who didn't want to go into the water.

It was super fun and I got a lot of pictures!!!

Well Sunday was super fun. We had a little fun in Preach My Gospel class. Because it was 2 of the 4 missionaries last Preach my gospel.

Well it was pretty fun. It rained while we where inside. but that was a good thing.

Well Quote for this week!!

 Joshua 1: 9 

Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

Well I hope you have a wonderful week!! I love you all!! Thanks for all you do!! You are amazing!!! I pray for you everyday!!!

Talk to you next week!!! :) :) :)