Week 8~"99 Problems and a Visa Ain't One"

(Sister Ursaga loves filters)

I apologize in advance for the lyrical pun...

I've actually never heard the song before. Anyway, lots of good news this week. I got my visa! Yay! But I will be staying here until the transfer is over. So on August 24 I will be on a plane headed for Brazil! Thank you all for your support and prayers. 

Sister Ursaga, Sister Hall, me, Pedro

This week was a special week. Sister Hall and I had the opportunity to teach a Brazilian from another area (with permission from the zone leaders of course). He is an 18 year old from Rio and he was here visiting his uncle for about 3 weeks and he has been interested in the church. He has been reading the Book of Mormon in Portuguese and English to try to learn English. He told us it is a special book and he feels good when he reads it. Well whatyah know! Anyway, we were able to have a lesson with him before he left yesterday back to Brazil. There was a return missionary from Brazil with us so he did most of the talking. But we were able to bear our testimonies about the Book of Mormon. It was awesome and Pedro was awesome! We were able to get his contact info and hopefully be able to send missionaries in Rio to him, or very least keep in contact with him. Now I'm just that much more excited to serve in Brazil!

We also had Pioneer Day this week, which in Utah is of course a big deal. We were able to go to the parade and look out the window at night to watch the fireworks. Sometimes I just don't know about Utah hahaha but we were able to take one of our investigators and they asked if all of Bountiful is Mormon lol. They're from New York and they came here to raise a family. They're cute. 

Utah is very different from Brazil (I realize that's kind of obvious). What I mean is, all our finding here is almost 100% contingent on the members. We are not allowed to track here because it just wouldn't make sense to, so referrals are basically the only way to get new investigators. Also, if you don't have a member present at a lesson then you can't count it as a lesson. Kind of weird. At least I know now how to be a member missionary in the future. And I have seen already that when the members help the missionaries in any way, the Lord really blesses them, so keep that in mind. 

One thing I learned this week is that the word Gospel means "good news". And when we all share the gospel with others, we are sharing the good news that Christ lives and the church has been restored. I don't know what better news we could share! Sorry that was kind of cheesy. 

Love you all! I appreciate your prayers! Have a great week!

Love,

Sister Lockhart

Went on an exchange 

and saw my mom's good friend Janeen Stevens

"Happy Birthday"

 to our Missionary Mom Tara Tanner

First Preperation Day in Bountiful

Week 7~South Bountiful...Kinda like "The South"

         Oi Everyone,

         This first week has finally come to a close.

I'm serving in South Bountiful, which is actually the stake where one of my room mates from BYU is from. Kinda funny. I'm actually in a trio which I thought might be fun. It's...interesting. My trainer is 27 and from the Philippines. Very sweet. The senior companion leaves in 4 weeks and is kind of trunkie. We live in a member's home who is a prime cat lady, so we get along great obviously. Our Mission President and his wife are way cool too. They are the Spendloves and they are awesome people. President Spendlove keeps telling me "We don't want you here, but we want you here forever." Me too, President, me too. 

It has been difficult adjusting. Utah is...interesting. I now understand what Mormon culture is. Thankfully, there are some amazing people here as well. 96% of the people we teach are less active or returning members. However, my second day we met someone who has lived in Utah for about a year and has never heard of Mormons. Weird, right? We are also teaching someone who has been investigating the church for 12 years. Not as weird for this area. 

Oh yeah, this mission is an iPad mission which is (wait for it)....interesting. I really need to find a better word. Everything we do is now digital and nothing is on paper. It actually takes longer to do simple stuff I think, but I guess I can see how the iPads are useful. My biggest concern about them is that I've found missionaries rely on the videos for teaching more than the scriptures and lessons. It's just different from what I'm used to. And videos are a great way to bring the spirit into a lesson I've found. But then again so are the scriptures. 

Apparently there is a rumor that the average weight gain for this mission is 45-60 pounds. Now, that may seem a little exaggerated, and it probably is, but I can see why the rumor got started. We don't walk anywhere. We are always driven. And at least once a week we eat two dinners in a row. Don't ask me why. At least it's good food. Actually this area quite reminds me of the south. 

I hope everyone is well. I know I talked about this in my farewell talk before I left, but God doesn't call the qualified, but he qualifies those he has called. I mean, look at my dad. He's the stake president! Haha just kidding. 

Sorry no pictures this week! I guess I don't have an excuse now that I have an iPad. All well.

Tchau meus amigos!

Sister Lockhart  

P.S.  So I was able to check my visa status the day we left for here and it said it was done. Sister Halls done too. So apparently it takes about a week for them to send it back. I think I should be getting it this week if not next week. 

Got to see "Sister Ginn" before I left the MTC
Carolina Sisters Rock! 

Week 6~First Area...Bountiful Utah

"...They came to the land which they called Bountiful...it being the place of their first landing."

 ~Alma 22:29-30

My new companions...Sister Fletcher & Sister Ursaga

One last hug for now Sister Hall

Week 6~Salt Lake City Here We Come!

On my way with Sister Hall... I'll write soon

~Sister Lockhart

~My Mission in Waiting...Where???

Well, we got our reassignments today!

Drumroll please........And Sister Hall and I are going to the Salt Lake City Mission! Hahah I'm actually not too surprised. I know it'll be an awesome experience for sure. I'll tell ya'll all about it once I'm there. I leave on Monday! Wish me luck!

~Sister Lockhart

Week 5~I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go Dear Lord... Even if It's the MTC for an Extra Week...LOL

I found a snail this week...

Oi People! 

What a crazy week it has been, where do I even start?

I guess I'll  start off with our TRC (teaching resource center? or something) lesson this week. We got to make a skype call with someone from São Paulo and give him a 30 min. lesson. His name was Marlo and he was super cool. Anyway we were giving the lesson on prayer and I'm in the middle of my spiritual story when we hear this loud roaring in the background. Apparently his neighbor was out with his weed-whacker and none of us could hear each other on either end. So he gets up and shuts the window, which didn't help much, and here we are trying to teach a lesson with what sounds like Mike Myers (is he the one with the chainsaw? I don't know.) in the background. Finally he gave up and said "I will tell him to be quiet" (in english), but by the time he came back it was time for us to leave. Sister Hall and I had a pretty good laugh about it later. 

This week we were also supposed to get our reassignments, but for some reason they haven't been giving them out on time. So we went to the travel office just to see if they would give them to us anyways (we weren't expecting anything). We get in there and ask about them and they look up all of our names and the lady looks super confused because we weren't on any list for reassignments or anything. So she asks her boss lady what's up and she doesn't know either so she tells the other lady to call up our agents and ask what's going on. She does that, looks super confused, writes down some stuff and then tells us for some reason they don't know why we aren't on the list. To make a long story short, she said we might be in the MTC for AN EXTRA WEEK!!!! I find this pretty hilarious. I think it just puts into application "I'll go where you want me to go dear Lord", even if it is still in the MTC. 

Now for some good stuff that have happened. Of course we had 4th of July this week! Hooray America! We had a pretty sweet devotional by President Judd (he's a religious professor at BYU and a Branch President here) followed by some fireworks that we got to watch outside. We didn't get back till 11:00! Past my bedtime for sure. There was one thing President Judd talked about that I really liked. He gave this analogy of a cake and said "You don't have to eat the whole cake to know that it tastes good." I don't even remember what he was talking about for that specific analogy, but I think it is true. I don't know everything that God knows, but I don't have to know everything that He knows to know that the Church of Jesus Christ is true. I know it with all my heart.

We also had a very spiritual experience teaching this week. After we got done with one of our lessons, the Sister told us that every time a question came to mind, we answered it word for word as she needed it. This was very reassuring that we are not teaching lessons, we are teaching people and Christ is there with us every step of the way to help us. He wants his work to be furthered, we just have to trust that he will help us. 

Something I've thought about this week: It can be easy to remember that the Lord has a plan for our lives, but we should also be mindful that God has a plan for us everyday. We can't be a tool in the hands of the Lord if we are sitting around wasting His time. A servant serves. I hope that makes sense.

Eu amo vocês!! E obrigada por todas coisas!

Love,

Sister Lockhart