April 31, 2014 - A week of Adventures!

Wow so this week has been amazing we got bikes! we have had some amazing powerful spirit filled lessons!!We got bed bugs and the flu!

haha yes did I say bed bugs I did... :(

Ugh so yes we have bed bugs and I just try not to think about it because it slightly makes me want to throw up, as well feel itchy all over... last night we slept on these little pads, with a thin sheet because it was the only clean sheets we have, and we just shivered all night.  I woke up every hour hoping it was 6 am so I could just be done with a terrifying sleep haha that is a little exaggerated but not really.  I woke up with a hive on my FACE. So ever since Sis Keeler and I have been here, she has been getting these bites and she assumed spider bites.  Then 3 weeks ago I started getting them, just random bite here and there on my back arm etc.  So we were in conversation with Erica yesterday and mentioned how we get spider bites and she looked at us seriously and was like no ... that is probably bed bugs they get really bad this time of year... I felt a lump in my throat gross!! So we couldn't go back to our apt till 9:15 PM last night... Elder And Sister Thatcher came over and well its not 100% positive but we are pretty sure, an exterminator is coming to our place tonight to get things figured out... in the mean time we are living in the place and yea well it is gross but I mean this is a good mission story that Sis Keeler and i will tell our grand-kids.  We got a slight feel of a foreign mission right now haha. Sleeping on hard rock pads with garbage bags over them and then one bed sheet as a blanket... ugh well its preparation day today so we shall be able to get things sorted out!

We also had the flu on Friday, I slept to 11 AM as i was up in the night... haha we had exchanges in Truro I was there with SIs C and Sis K was here with SIs M  So I was in Truro weds night to Thurs and I felt the chills and achy bones lingering I did not want it to interfere with the exchange so it was a blessing that it held it off till Friday morn.  Now we are feeling back up to par!! I think just biking in the rain and walking in rain all day Thurs increases sickness but it was worth it and everything is great now :)

So this week has been amazing!

So the other week I told Sis keeler that I felt we should ask Bishop if we could speak in church she looked at me like really?! haha but the prompting wouldn't stop going away I had the impression we should ask 4 weeks ago ignored it so 2 weeks ago I decided to ask Bishop and then boom Sis K and I both spoke yesterday! It was the joke of the ward yesterday the Bishopric started as its not so often that we get people to ask to speak but we have the sisters doing so today... then Sis K spoke first and threw me under the bus haha and was like well Sis Pizzey felt "inspired" so that is why I am here... it was a funny good joke. so the ward is doing something where they assign a Bible video and you are to speak on a principle that you feel inspired to from the video. So we all 3 speakers had the widows mite Bible video; Sis K and I decided not to tell one another what we were speaking on because we both did not want to change our topic haha. it ended up being really good though! Alot of people came up and told us they enjoyed our talks. I was able to share few jokes get the crowd laughing shared why I am called Sister Pushy haha... but it was great and I would say our talks were quite bold. It was a great opportunity to share with the ward a few things we felt inspired to. I focused on how we can be like the rich men the bible video and be obedient to the commandment and not sacrifice in recognizing people like the widows mite in serving them fellow-shipping and basically lifting the hands that hang down. Gave examples on how before I left on my mission and came back to church I switched wards because I felt I needed to be in a better ward... but how I should of stayed and made it better or how every Sunday I would sit with the same people... and how that isn't a bad thing I mean I am attending church keeping my covenants but that is technically like the rich men I should step out of my comfort-zone and sit by someone who needs strengthening and encouraging and support. All just taking thought to stretch ourselves what ever the circumstances may be. It was a good intro as well shared how I would of laughed to hear myself be on a mission 3 years ago, how my brothers choosing to be a obedient bold missionary influenced me dramatically and that is the way i choose to be I follow his example at the end I encouraged all the YM & YW to serve missions because they bless not only their lives and the people they serve lives but most importantly their families lives in ways they have no control over! It was great!!

So yes we got bikes!! I love it!! It was sad to get sick on Friday because we couldn't bike around, we were little weak and shaky so we drove Clifford the van... but by sat afternoon we were out and ready to go! Bikes seriously are a key to a successful area, we get to meet and talk to so many people and as well gets you in such a better mood into the day to day work of being a missionary!!

Sis keeler loves the bikes as it is her first area on bikes!

So we have been having some crazy powerful lessons with Matt Whalen !! He is getting baptised!! he as already asked Pres Kidd to baptize him!  He will be home this Thurs we have been teaching him over skype and we actually had a lesson over skype with Brandon who is a recent convert so Matt is set to go! Who knows maybe it will be this week! Erica and her mom Kim are doing great! They all came to church yesterday with Isaac and Keagan! It was funny Erica pulled a prank on us that she wasn’t able to come to church and we were so upset! We were like really Erica?!? Like we are speaking!! It is funny though because being a missionary is really training us for parenting because we just texted her a calm cool collect text saying okay giving her her agency when really I wanted to call her and drag her to church haha but she came and it was a joke and it was rejoicing to see them walk into the church as we were greeting everyone! Erica sent the nicest text to us yesterday here it is ... "Thank you sister for continuing to bring happiness into our home. I am so grateful for this gospel and I am so thankful you never gave up on me. It truly is amazing when you read and pray the amazing feeling I get in my heart. I just feel at peace.... I just wanted to say thank you.``

Pamela is doing awesome as well!! She came to church she sent us the most amazing text this week as well I would like to send to ya'll. "
"Wow... was I ever feasting upon what I read today.. 3 times I was brought to tears reading 1 Nephi17.. i have no idea why i cried...i guess just the power. My sister just called and I actually asked her if i can let her go so i can read my bible:) more good news i talked to my grandmother about me being baptised she 100% supports me shes coming to my baptism and wants to go to church with me the next day... i am very happy i am crying. and its all because of Florence, Nigel, Roberto, you girls the church and most importantly my heavenly father``  ..
Like WOWOWO!!!!
As I read these my heart is so fulll.... through missionary service we truly get blessed 10 fold!! She has already set out her program for her baptism it is May 10th at 3:30 PM so the day she gets confirmed will be her birthday & mothers day.... which is the day I can talk to you all and tell you about how amazing it was! She also is moving to Calgary in June to meet her husband as he as been living there with their other son Shawn.  Whe was upset when she shared the news because she is sad to leave Nova Scotia but Sis Keeler and I just smiled and ensured here that "Pam that means we are going to be closer to you! We can come visit you all the time... and go to the Calgary temple together it will be great!!" She was soo relieved and felt at peace about everything! It was great because I feel she will be fellow-shipped and retained very well in Calgary!

What a blessing to be teaching such amazing people!

My exchange with Sis C in Truro was great she is very humble hard working missionary! She just wants to be better ...
I love this work

I love being a missionary
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ!

I absolutely LOVE the Book of Mormon!! It is amazing!!

Sis keeler and I are so close we really will be friends for our whole lives. We treat one another like family it is great but it is also training us in becoming better family members, wives, mothers because there are some moments where we mainly me haha can be impatient short in moments of stress or tiredness and it has been really amazing to overcome those weaknesses because I never want to be in a ``macy moment`` with my family or anyone!! I learnt this week that the Book of Mormon is what helps us overcome our natural man who is a enemy to God and has been forever and ever unless he submits himself to the atonement of Christ... meek humble, patient full of love willing to submit all things Mosiah 3:19.

I was pondering this week at how I can become a better person and a better companion and I had a answer come to me... ``that the Book of Mormon must be a priority for my whole life!`That I simply cannot go a day with out reading it for at least 25 minutes. Some days especially during the week we have visits etc with the sisters its easy to ready 5 verses or just 1 verse in the BOM as we get caught up in all our other things to study and prepare... but I realzied that 2 years ago when I feasted on the BOM of daily I was glowing just so happy in the glory of Christ and it completed replaced my natural man tenancies which is impatience and as I have committed to make it a priority to feast on the BOM for 25 mins daily since then the blessings that come is my strengths our magnified and I am just happy and patient consistently!! It is great!!

I know I will do this for the rest of my life it is a priority and if I choose not to I am simply choosing to fall in to my own natural man tenancies. I swear I will there is no exception no excuses I will do it even the day I go in labor ;) haha but seriously.

I want to ask you what is your natural man ways.. and see what blessings the BOM could bring in your life as you make it a priority to help you overcome your natural man ways. Because I promise you it will bring strength beyond your own. The book of Mormon is literally a silver platter that is holding blessings for you to feast on! and I love it!

This week as well i encourage you to not sit in your usual seat at church with the usual people you sit with... look to reach out to someone who is in need... look to serve the missionaries and those they teach because it makes such a difference in the work of salvation i promise you that!! Church is to put God first and if God is first he will inspire us to serve others. Church is not for a social reason.
I love you all hope you have a great week! And mom I am praying your back gets better it makes me sad to hear it is hurting alot !! :s
I love you so much you guys are the best parents ever!

xoxo

Love
Sister Pizzey!