HEY HEY HEYYY

March 22, 2016

HEY HEY HEYYYY

What is life??? I feel like time keeps flying by like no otherrr.  Every transfer keeps going faster and faster and faster! Last Saturday we got Transfer calls!  Sister Mennenga is leaving :(  she is going to be zebrad which means she will be with an English Sister in an English area.  Which is what she wanted!  And as for yours truly????  I AM TRAINING....AGAIN!! What. Hold the phone. Did I not just train last transfer? Haha just kidding I am excited!!  Her name is Sister Anderson and apparently she is from Texas and that is all I know.  We are driving to B-ham this Wednesday to pick the little noobie up and I will tell you more next week!!

This week was awesome we did ALOT of service.  There’s an older couple in our ward that is moving so the Elders and us and a few of her grown kids that have families came to help.  

**** and her husband **** came to church yesterday again!!  We taught her the Word of Wisdom and she told us she knew coffee was bad and she really didn't know why but she had a feeling a little over 3 months ago to stop drinking it.  So she did! And it wasn't hard for her.  Just a month ago her Husband made it one morning and he poured her a cup and she took a sip and couldn't even drink any more.  She didn't know why...How can God not be involved in this??? HE IS SO GOOD.  She is so excited for her baptism!  We pushed it back to April 9th because she has some good friends she made here that used to be in the Athens ward but moved to Canada and He is the one that is going to baptize and confirm her but they couldn't get airplane ticket till then so that is when we are having her baptism.  She is so ready and even came to the Relief Society activity this Thursday night celebrating the Relief Society.  She is the best!! and So excited.

Emmaus Experience:

We were tracting some projects and were getting shot down everywhere  we looked so we decided to try another place.  Just as we were opening our car door a black guy pulls up an dslams on his breaks and reverses back and yells "Hey what are yall doing?"  At first Sister Mennenga and I were kinda stand offish because we both thought he was gonna hit on us.  But he pulled over and is REALLY interested.  He was a really sweet guy and said that he has been really interested in learning about other religions and has a few Mormon friends from Georgia that have explained some of what they believe with him and he wanted to learn more.  We left him with a BOM and a chapter to read.  He texted us later that day and said that he and his 3 year old daughter read it and thought it was really really interesting. HOLLAAAAAA we will see what happens with him but we were so blown away.  God is so goooooooodddd.

One of our recent converts that was baptized last transfer has been acting super weird and has finally told us that he is in love with Sister Mennenga.. ewwwwwwwwwwwww so weird. We both had the feeling before he said anything just because of the way he was acting so we are both glad she is leaving because of that...haha WEIRD EW GROSS.

On Thursday we were leaving Walmart and saw a homeless guy on the side of the road.  He didn't look super homeless so we were kind of curious so we pulled over and talked to him.  Turns out he hitch hiked all the way from Detroit.  To go to this homeless convention thingy in Talledega and he is spending the night here in Athens wherever he can go.  It has been super, super warm up until that day so he was worried about how warm he would be because all he had was a blanket and a tarp. He was supper nice and we asked if we could do anything for him and said nothing so we just went inside Walmart and bought him a 15$ sleeping bag and gave it to him along with a Book of Mormon and a card.  He was so grateful!! It was so cute. 

Friday we had dinner with the Hunters, a family in the ward.  Who are the BEST.  I love them so much they are hilarious.  They are the most REDNECK folks I have met so far out on my mission haha  insanely redneck. 

We had squirrel for dinner. Straight up SQUIRREL. And Brother **** showed us the squirrel before he skinned it and after.  All he did was put butter and salt and pepper and it was actually really good!!! hahhaha I honestly couldn't believe I was eating it haha Dad would have loved it!!!  Their 4 year old daughter has a really hard saying my name and called me Bister Boleen hahahaha They even have a skull on the antenna of their car and I asked what it was.  They said it was a coyote skull they found on the side of the road and just stuck it on their car hahaha so FUNNY.

We taught their niece’s friend Chloe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  We are team teaching her with the Elders.  She is so cute!!!

There was plenty of other things that happened this week but I will leave it there. These were the highlights!!!

This week is EASTER! I am so excited!!  I am even more excited for General Conference!  I will leave you with my testimony:

 The Gospel is simple.  Being on my mission, it has really opened my eyes to how complete and simple the gospel really is.  how clear it is.  Not easy.  But clear and concise.  As humans in a complicated world. I think we complicate the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the vehicle by which we can LIVE the gospel.  It is a way of life.  And through living it, is the only way, we can feel true joy and happiness.  Given to us by a loving Heavenly Father who desperately wants us back.  And it is only through living HIS gospel that we can do so. I know that.

I love this gospel. and I love being a missionary!

sureloveyoumolinesrockmissionariesruleROLLTIDEROLL

Love,

Bister Boleeen

St. Pattys WEEEEEK

March 14, 2016

Buenas dias mi familia!!

Oh how I love you all! Thank you so much for all the support and love.  I am so blessed to have the family I have!

Fun fact Alabama's state motto is "Aundemas jura nostra defendere" which is in Latin meaning "We dare defend our Rights."

This week was cuhrazyyyy, crazy busy and just so many things happened! This is the last week of the transfer and its so crazy because time is just flying by and there's so much work to do here!  We find out this Saturday what the news is.  I am almost positive I will stay here which I better because I love it so much!  

First things first! TEMPLE TRIP was this past Tuesday.  Oh it was so awesome. I loved it.  We spent the night in Decatur with the sisters there so we didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn to get to the temple on time.  It was wonderful and a time where I could focus on myself, where I am at, and how I can be a better disciple of Christ. It was exactly what I needed.  We go to the temple to feel joy and how blessed are we to have temples all over the world?!  Joseph Smith said "We are created to have joy" and in the scriptures it says, "Men are that they might have joy!"  I love that.  Being here on the earth where we are right now is all about being happy and bringing happiness to others. (SHARING THE GOSPEL) I think that is why missionaries are generally so happy. We are bringing joy to others and in doing so feel joy errydayyy. I love it. 

Not only that but I was able to see some other missionary friends that I haven't seen in a long time! I got to see my trainer Sister Ontiveros and my bff Sister West and some Elders I served with in Huntsville.  It was like a breath of fresh air I loved it!!

PAM CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!! Hallelujah!! Praise everythang.  She and her husband, Kris, came to church and they loved it.  It was different than what she is used to but Pam is one of those people that if it's true then it don't matta.  Truth is truth.  And she knows it's true.  

We have been visiting with Pam a lot this week preparing her to be baptized by the end of the month!  She is as solid as ever.  Just soaking up everything we teach.  We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ and she loved it.  She said that the GOJC is just so comforting compared to everything she was taught her whole life.  That God truly loves us so much and wants us to return back to Him that he created a plan for us to follow, knowing that we would fall short and mess up.   It just made so much sense to her.  We are so excited about her.  

Being on a mission is straight up cray.  I love it.  I feel like I am in a movie on the DAILY.  Sometimes when I am in a situation talking to someone I have a straight up freeze moment where I try and mentally take a picture or video of things people say and think "Is this real life?" haha You met so many crazies, but you just love them and their uniqueness.  I think this is in every mission, but it seems that there seriously is nothing like Alabama people.  

For example quick story:

We were helping this one lady move into her new apartment across this street from us. My job was getting all her purses that were full of books ( SO MANY BOOKS)  and put them on her shelf. She failed to tell me that these purses full of books have been chillin’ in a barn for over 10 years so all of them are wet and moldy, which I could handle, no big deal. BUT after the 5th book i noticed that cockroaches and spiders were crawling out of the books and all around them! It was the scariest thing of my life and I tried to handle it smoothly and with maturity but that did NOT happen.  I was jumpin’ all over the place.  My fear of spiders is still real people! It was SO SCARY.

Last Emmaus Experience:

Huntsville Stake put on a mini mission trip for some youth that wanted to come out with missionaries for a whole day! We had two little people come out with us for a day and it was awesome. They were so cute!  Me and my lil' missionary went and visited a few of our investigators Kim and Jasmine.  We only had a few minutes to stop by and share a spiritual thought with them so we did.  I shared a quote by Elder Richard G. Scott from a talk I heard in the MTC that was so special and I keep in my Book Of Mormon and then shared a scripture with them.  The spirit knew that Kim needed to hear that because she just started crying and said that she felt like it was speaking straight to her.  THE SPIRIT IS REAL.   They are having a hard time committing to come to church because they are scared of change.  So pray for them!!  

Those were some highlights of the week.  I love ya'll so much and I love this work! I know Jesus is the Christ and it is only through Him that we can return to live with our Father in Heaven.  Stay happy and help a stranger!!!!!!

Old people are the CUTESTTTTTT

March 7, 2016

HELLO my beautiful family!!!  Can you believe it is March already!? I swear it was like yesterday I was sitting here and emailing! time is flyyinnnggg 

I loved seeing and hearing from everyone in the family! (except Tanner you goob)  And loved seeing the pictures of everyone having a good time skiing!!!  It is sunny and 70 here and I am loving ittt!

okay so I cut my hair! It was getting wayyy too long and it was time for the locks to be cut so a member in the ward did the privilege. Its short! haha a little shorter than I had anticipated haha but its healthy and my companion says she likes it!  I don't really know how I feel about it but its just hair right? I think I would care a bit more if I wasn't a missionary but I am so Im kinda like eh whateves.  Mom and Dad you'll have to tell me how it really looks haha. I will send a picture.

This week was good!!! Sadly theres some sort of sickness going around and I got it this week....nothing too major.  Just a soar throat, some congestion, and a little bit of a cough. And since we are with each other 24/7 Sister Mennenga got it too :( it was pretty rough but that didn't stop our plow horse working! 

Remember Elect Pam? Ms. Pam is still VERY ELECT.  She is so wonderful.  We met with her last Tuesday and taught her a watered down Restoration lesson.  Mostly because she knows the whole lesson by heart, that is how much reading she has done in the pamphlets, online, and in the Book Of Mormon.  She was pretty much telling us the lesson.  Even before the lesson we were just talking and she said "So If I want to be a member what would I need to do?"  Sister Mennenga and I just looked at one another and smiled! She is so ready for baptism and wants to be baptized as soon as possible! She still has not been to church but is planning on coming this upcoming Sunday with her husband, who claims to not be interested in the gospel at all.  At the end of the lesson we asked if she had any questions, She said  "No I don't, its just so interesting because its almost as if I already..."  she paused and then we chimed in, "as if you've already known these things?"  She said yes! Like its all just familiar to me.   Sometimes there are those investigators who you don't even have to try with...that is Ms. Pam.  She will be baptized before this transfer is over with.  no doubt.

This week we went tracting in a trailer park way way way out in the boonies. I got so excited because there aren't too many trailer parks here.  The place seemed really dead but we knocked quite a few doors.  Everyone there was hispanic!  They were all so nice and so many of them let us in their homes!  It was the best.  It brought me back to the Branch and reminded me of the love I have for those people.  

Another nugget of golden missionary work that happened this week was at the Veterans Museum.  We have been doing service for them recently and once a month they have a big free breakfast for all the Veterans in Athens.  There were about 60 of the cutest old people you've ever seen in America here in this Museum and we were there serving donuts and handing out napkins and orange juice.  IT WAS SO CUTE.  Every person we talked to we would ask about where they served and they would share some really cool experiences with us.  It was a wonderful missionary opportunity too because we were the only people there under the age of 65! hahaha I wish I would have gotten a picture!  The best part about the whole thing was right at the beginning before we started they had everyone stand and listen to the National Anthem.  These old men were all saluting the American flag and it made me get a little misty eyed because of how serious they took this.  They really put their lives on the line for this country and they love it with all their hearts.  It was a really neat experience. We got to meet the Sheriff and The Mayor of Athens! Who invited us to a church service nearby hahaha

Life is fabulous here in beautiful Athens!! So many people are prepared to hear the message of the gospel and it is lovely.  This gospel is true.  I LOVE IT.   I will leave you all with a verse from the Book of Mormon that I read yesterday.  

 "Now have we not reason to rejoice? Yea, I say unto you, there never were men that had so great reason to rejoice as we, since the world began;  yea, and my joy is carried away, even unto boasting in my God; for he has all power, all wisdom, and all understanding, he comprehendeth all things...Now if this is boasting, ecen so will I boast, for this is my life and my light, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption....yea, blessed be the name of my God, who is mindful of all people."

Alma 26:35-36

I LOVE YOU ALL.  Thank you for the support, love, and prayers

Steadfast in Christ

ROLL TIDE

Hermana Malone

p.s. We met a guy this week and when we asked where he was from this was his response:

"Tuscaloosa, 205, Roll Tide TILL I DIE!"   (205 is the area code in Tuscaloosa)  haha I heart AL

Sister Mennenga and I!! love her!

******, me and Sister Mennenga

 Just a few of MY FAVS. Sister Fawcett, Sister Castagno, me, and Sister Mennenga at ZC

 Remember ****? Our Recent Convert.  We see him often and these are his kids who he has partial custody over.  ****(9) and **** (4) LOVE THESE KIDS.  *****is teaching me karate here.  haha

 Sister Castagno and me at Zone Conference doing the "Miranda Sings" face.  We both love her haha 

This is 4 year old ****! He has the cutest stuttering problem and Eric told me that he has a major crush on me and wants  to marry me haha I think its just because i taught him how to dribble a basketball. 

Alabama=my heart

February 29, 2016

HELLOOOO my wonderful beautiful family! I am SO JEALOUS that yall are having a cute little family reunion in UT soon!  Skii alot and hug eachother for me haha

This week has been SO GOOD.  And went by so fast! What is life???  We had Zone Conference this past Friday which was fantastic.  I loveeed it.  Such a spiritual upliftment that I needed. And I didn't even know I needed it. I will share more about that later.  Not only that but THERE IS A GOD PEOPLE.  He is real and he answered my humble and solemn prayer for the Sun to shine this week.  It has been so gloomy the past few weeks but this week the sun was bright and shining and it made me want to dance.  It made my heart so happy! 

First before I get into our Emmaus Experiences and  all that good stuff I wanted to share a little bit about small town Alabama life. this great place:

1.    Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Sauce. Its a white BBQ sauce that I have had a handful of times since I have been here.  It is a southern Favorite originally from Decatur Alabama which is the city right next door to Athens.  it was SO GOOD.  Go buy some.

2. City names like Chattanooga, Tuscaloosa, Talladega, Talapoosa, Loachapoka, and Oneonta. And a thousand more! haha only in AL

3.  Houndstooth.  A favorite Alabama pattern.  Worn fashionable by EVERYONE who is an Alabama football fan. Sweaters, purses, scarves, phone cases, you name it, they wear it. Its a classy southern wear. Almost as popular as chevron.

Those are just a few things that are special to Alabama. I LOVE IT. 

Bummer of the week:(  Our 2 most progressing investigators were both sick this week so we were unable to see either of them!  SO SAD.  However We are seeing *** tomorrow,  I told y'all about *** a few weeks ago.  She is our golden Investigator who already knows so much about the gospel and is sincerely looking for the truth and is finding it!! She  already told us that she is so ready to just soke up the truth of the Book Of Mormon and cannot wait to meet with us.  But it has been about 2 weeks since we have seen her! pray she is still elect. I know she is.  We cannot wait to see her tomorrow.

Our other investigator, **** is so cute! She  is so ready for this gospel! She is ready for baptism! She just needs to get a new job that will allow her to have Sundays off.  Some members of the ward have been SO kind and friendly to her and have helped her even make a resume and apply for another job and she just told us she tried really hard and got Sunday off next week! YAY ANGIE! and YAY members of the Athens ward!!

This week our Zone Leader decided that we should go on a tracting fast this week and try our best to find people in creative ways and try to do more service this week!  It actually went pretty well! We focused alot on our Less Actives and part member families this week which was really cool.  We were also able to do some service at the local Athens Veterans Museum!  We helped clean the display cases and vaccuum and just volunteer for an afternoon.  I had never been before and it was amazing.  We got a one on one tour by one of the 3 workers full time workers (they are the only workers) that is a Veteran. Since Athens is such a small town they recognize every person from Athens who was a Veteran that served in any war. Revolutionary,Civil, WWI, WWII, Korean, Vietnam, and Iraq.  They have some seriously COOL THINGS. SO cool.  Dad I think you really would have liked this place!  I will send pictures!

Cool/wierd experience:  Sister Mennenga and I went to follow up with a man that we met the week prior who we tracted into and although he was not home we were able to meet his neighbor who thought we were knocking on his door and opened up haha  his name was **** and he was an older very soft spoken man.  He came out and talked with us on their porch.  He explained that he has had quite a few encounters with the Mormon Church and even went through the Birmingham temple open house! He said he absolutely loved it and thought it was beautiful.  He also has worked with quite a few mormons and owned a BoM at one point! He told us that he just got out of the hospital, when we asked what it was for he said that he has 4 mental diseases, Paranioia Schizophrenia, Schizophrenia, Bipolar, and Border-line Personality disease.  And takes medicine for all of them.  OH MY.  My eyes got kinda big and honestly got a little bit scared to be honest. But we continued to talk and I felt okay. haha  He's a really really sweet man and seemed very normal and down to earth. He told us that he really wants to learn more.  You meet so people on the mission!! I LOVE IT.

I love President Hanks!! At Zone Conference we sang How Firm A Foundation, one of my absolute favorite Hymns.  He talked to us about how our underlying foundation should be in Christ. There were so many things I loved. The Secret of Happiness is something we talked about. In the Bible we learn "For whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it"  President Monson said " Those who live only for themselves eventually shrivel up and figuratively lose their lives, while those who lose themselves in others grow and flourish and in effect save their lives."   I LOVE THAT. President Monson is a great example of that. We need to look outside ourselves and we will forget about ourselves.  Of course there are times we need to worry about ourselves.  But the best way to increase our spirituality and happiness is to look outside ourselves and see how we can help those around us. And the best way we can help those around us is by sharing the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is much easier said than done. And of course it is alot easier as a missionary but this is not for just missionaries!  It is the Secret to Happiness.  Simply and truly.  I have seen it.  I know it is true.  When we look at others and think of ourselves and our problems less, we are happier people.  And I don't know about you but I want to live a happy life. And I know that it is through living and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Sorry this email was all over the place.  I love you all! Thank you for the support and love! Stay fresh and keep sharing the beautiful word!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Molinsky 

sureloveyoumolinesrockmissionariesrule and ROLLTIDE