Snoooooww!

So maybe for some people the first snow is like an awakening to them that indeed the holidays are about to come forth.. with good cheer and happy feelings..maybe your thinking about that delicious pumpkin pie you'll be making, or if you'll get a real or fake Christmas tree this year.. I'm sure all your all hearing that lovely Christmas music in your cars already.. Well snow for me ( a missionary) means it's freezing! And I have to walk in that white stuff all day! and like that wonderful book by shel Silverstein.. Montana is "Where the Sidewalk Ends". literally.  I don't know how people in live in these climates? Honestly. The winter hasn't even actually begun and yet every morning I wake up it's 18 degrees with a windchill.. AHHHHHHHHHHH. Oh and our zone decided we should walk one day every week the entire day we can't touch our car, so that's been fun/frigid.. maybe I will get frost bite. Ok enough of that. I am actually super happy about the holidays coming because they are great conversation starters.. but the cold. no thanks. Sister Davidson will endure the cold for the next 10 months but after that.. it's warm weather for the rest of my life! Why would anyone choose to live in complete darkness and cold for 6 months out of the year? it baffles me. I was meant for the Pacific Ocean.. in a warm state. and that is where I will reside later.. but for now I will enjoy the days that i get to bundle up in everything I own and still freeze.. hah
     Well we tracted a lot this week. And we had some pretty interesting encounters.. haha those of you that have been on missions where tracting is a regularity.. can probably agree that it is the most entertaining thing ever. you meet the most diverse kinds of people.. and not like racial diversity (because everyone in Montana is white and either from canada or have always lived here) but you just get the most random encounters.. some are really cool.. I'll just give you a couple examples from this week

Door 1. "Hey we are the missionaries with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"..Old lady says.. "Oh that church down the road, are you the same as the Mormons"?  "Yes that's us".. a pause.. then she says "Oh well you know I have met so many nice people that are Mormon, and I have been wondering for some time about what your services are like.. can i come to your services on Sunday? Do you allow visitiors"? For a missionary that is simply priceless.

Door 2. Same type of Missionary intro... This ones a man about 45ish.. he says "Yeah I went on a mission myself, that was a long time ago".. awkward pause.. and then of course I'm all excited like "Really that's so awesome where'd you go"?  he replies (and you could honestly feel the guilt emanating from him) "South Carolina.. and I also taught at the MTC".  I'm like what in the heck do I say.. he is not on our ward list.. so he's either excommunicated or just got lost in the mix since his inactivity.. but he taught at the MTC so he had to of had a testimony at some point.. i felt like I should ask him what the most spiritual part of his mission was.. but I didn't I just said.. well we'd love to see you at church, we'll be there if you ever want to come back. Geez i'm so awkward.. haha but I want to find out more on this guy.. so we'll be going back.

    Ian and his family weren't home on Halloween.. I'm guessing he forgot it was a holiday when he set the appointment.. so were going back tonight! Cross your fingers!.. I love missionary work. Sometimes the things you have to do feel quite like scratching your nails down a chalk board.. you just have to totally get out of your comfort bubble.. there is no comfort on a mission.. but that's the exciting part.. your becoming something new.. changing into something better than you were before.. understanding yourself more than ever.. and at the same time understanding the Savior more than ever as well because of the fact that you really have to rely on him. Your placed into situation after situation where you don't know  anyone.. and you have one main purpose teaching people about the restoration and Jesus Christ. It's just awesome. There is nothing like it. I'm glad I came. 
Love ya'lls

There's always Sunshine after Rain. P.S Happy Halloween!

    Well we had a pretty good week. We dropped those 3 year investigators.. and I have to say during one of them I had an amazing spiritual experience. . This lady Meagan (prob 25 yrs old) had been "investigating" forever.. and really "needed the missionaries" to come each week.. I felt really inspired to ask her a few questions like.. "So if we didn't come every week, would you still want to learn more about the gospel"? i.e. read the B.O.M and pray on your own.. She said no if you guys stopped coming I would just fall back where I was before.. thus she was completely dependent on the missionaries to give her an uplift every week.. and would not commit to do anything on her own. Honestly I was depending on my companion to break the news to her, mainly because she had known her a lot longer, but also because she is kinda intimidating.. ha one of those hard Montana women. . But I just felt the spirit so strong and took over.. I went on about faith and how it's an action word.. and we could continue coming and making her feel good each week.. but until she planted her seed and nourished it.. nothing would grow.. Kind of like how a parent raises  children to go out into the world on their own two feet.. they have to grow and go on their own and choose. I went on to bear my testimony that I know that the church is true along with the B.O.M. and that is strengthens my faith in Christ when I read it. . and that no matter how hard our circumstances may be.. the gospel can lift us out.. if we choose to act. I made sure to let her know that I knew that the gospel would bless her life more than she could do on her own.. and that we missionaries love her and would be there for her if she ever wanted to start coming to church and progressing. She started BAWLING... and I just kept talking.. it felt like someone else was talking because whatever I said.. she totally understood and needed to hear it. I even turned to some random scripture I didn't even realize was there and read it to her and it completely fit. Anyway I hope she someday starts to act because she is a great person.. she just isn't ready right now.
      Anyhow.. something cool happened.. We found a family! This guy Ian, his wife and two little kids Nova and Zane. . Ian is rad. There is just something about him, like you can tell he knows that he really needs to learn more. We are excited.. we're going to teach them tonight (Halloween) ha so hopefully not too many door bell interruptions occur. I just have a really good feeling about them.. so hopefully it works out! There is NOTHING better than helping people learn more about the gospel.. seeing them grow.. seeing their countenances change as they repent and feel the weight of the world slowly come off their shoulders. It's such a blessing to be a part of it. .
       Its getting COLLLLDD. Basically I am going to die.
Love you all! Happy Halloween!

Sorry this may seem like a journal entry.

  So maybe I am just a big mean Sister that drops everyone that's not progressing.. maybe I am too business minded? Not that missionary work is a business but I donno. Maybe you out there that have served missions know? So I guess I should explain. I came to this new area and was kinda disappointed with the area book.. and with the lack of investigators. I am not placing judgement on the prior missionaries.. but the bishop and ward council had made it clear that they were not too pleased with the missionary work that has been done here in the past. . which is good for me because that means I can drop all the people that aren't progressing and just move forward.. finding, finding, finding, right? Well yes and no. I sometimes forget that other people have feelings attached to their areas and what they have been doing. . so i guess me coming in and taking hours to completely update the area book and after meeting the so called "progressing investigators" dropping them is not very sensitive. So I am trying to balance it all. ha. The Lord loves to place me in growing situations.. which I am grateful for, but sometimes I'm like really? I somewhat knew that the missionaries here did not really live up to the bishops standards.. because my mission president had given me a slight clue.. he called me and said.. "So Sister Davidson are you ready to go to Kalispell? The Bishop there seems to be a little warmer than in the past, so are you ready to turn it around"?  Plus my last companion and the bishop did not get along.. and I guess he really chastised them for not getting anyone knew to teach. So I was a little nervous to meet the guy.. But I did and guess what?  I really like the guy! He is like me.. he gets to business and gets it done. For example if people aren't ready to come to church or keep any commitments and they have been taught all the lessons.. or in this area's case for 3 years.. then drop them.. other missionaries will see them in former investigators and pick them up at a later time when they are ready. I fully believe that missions are not just to go and share nice thoughts with people.. or to be their "church" each week.. there are people that are prepared and it's our job to find them and help them understand the amazing blessings that come from Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring on with all the great people around us, lifting and building each other up. Wowza the Church is true.. I may not know it all.. but I know enough to get that it blesses my life and makes me really happy. Sometimes I wonder why I was so blessed to be born into the church and have it as a foundation, there for me all throughout my life. I know that God really is there.. He knows what He's doing.. it's my hope that we all learn to let Him lead us.
    So guess what else? We found two new investigators this week! Jenna who's 14.. she is awesome.. and Melissa who's prob in her 40's. I'm excited. Sorry if this bored you to death. Love you all!
    Sister Davidson

  
                                                 My new companion Sister Aitkin

♥

Well this area is for sure different! I like it but I miss my old area a lot.. I was attached to the people.. and the investigators... I was well comfortable.. and anyone who's been on a mission knows once you get comfortable.. it's transfer time.. haha
I have my work cut out for me here... there are basically NO PROGRESSING INVESTIGATORS.. so it's a huge finding time. I guess the Lord doesn't want sissy's out on the mission field right?  Ha So Sunday was my birthday/my first time in the new ward.. ok the ward is huge.. I have gotten accustomed to 20-25 people at church not 150... so yeah I was overwhelmed! But I know if I work hard I'll be blessed.
  Thanks to everyone who sent me something for my birthday. Made my day better!
loves
Sis Rachelle

Welp

I made it here to Kalispell! What a change in scenery.. I feel like I am in a new country! It is way pretty here.. like postcard status.. but it is very city like. The houses have this colonial/east coast style-feel.. which I LOVE.. you know the wrap around decks, rocking chair on porch, classic vintage look.. I like it. NO more dirt roads! Which is different but refreshing in a way. I am excited to get to work with my new companion. This area will be super different from my last..
  1. because it is a city
  2. there are sidewalks
  3. only one ward instead of three branches that are way far apart
  4. I am now the "old senior comp" what the
  5. My new house is SO NICE and CLEAN and has a real shower and isn't freezing!
   So ya I haven't really met anyone or done anything yet.But I am sure it will be a great experience. The Lord makes me really work hard I decided He is just really trying to make me be a better person... cause wow my faults seem to be popping out of every nook and cranny in this woodwork. It will all be for my good though.
 Love and miss you all!
   Sister Rachelle

Hi Lo

Hi I can't write Monday cause I'll be driving all day.. but I will on Tuesday. I am getting transferred to Kalispell which is wayy west by Glacier National Park.. ahh to be Senior Comp t0 a new missionary - Sister Atkin from St George, Utah haha:) my new address is

89 East Nicklaus

Kalispell, Montana

59901

Hiii

Well conference was great wasn't it?? I love it sooo much. My favorite talk was Elder Uchtdorf's talk "Forget me Not" from the women's conference. . it was so good. If you want to read it click  here. 

  We shouldn't wait for some future event to be happy.. we should be happy now! Look at the the blessings we have. The messages from Conference help me recharge for the next six months.. they are so encouraging and I am soo blessed to know that we can hear from God today. . he's not some mystical force in a far off galaxy. hah and he cares enough to talk to us.. all we have to do is pray.

      So I talked to my mission president and It is very likely that I am getting transferred.. so If any of you are planning on sending me a card or something for my birthday it would be wise to send it to the mission home in billings. I have no idea where I will be going.. but I feel prepared to leave the area.. wow 6 months have gone by! it's crazy.. 1/3 of my mission is over. 

      I love and miss you all. 

    Sister Rachelle