Transfers up

June 9, 2014  3:17 EDT   Week 14 Transfers up

What a week.

First things first - Cassell and I got our transfer calls...and we are both staying in Parkland!

This is crazy and unheard of and awesome all at the same time. We are two peas in a pod and we aren't finished with Parkland yet (:

On Saturday was Mira's baptism! Elder Teuscher and Elder Genereux (who are compsagain) up in Port Angeles were able to come all the way down for her baptism. She had all her missionaries there (:  All of us also sang "When I am Baptized" which was sweet and quite a Primary throwback.

Mira is just the sweetest girl. She is so in tune with the Holy Ghost and is such an example of Christlike charity. She is already fast friends with our investigators and recent converts. 

Our second baptism this weekend was Wayne, the cutest 84 year old man in the state of Washington. His family came in from all over the country, non-members included, and were all so supportive. His two grandsons and son-in-law all helped him in the font since he isn't as spry as he used to be (:

His grandchildren and great grandchildren were all there to support him too (:

​At the baptism, I was able to share about the Holy Ghost, the Restored gospel and that families are meant to be together for eternity. Our Bishop shared how Wayne is such an example of faith to his family; that it is never too late for us to start over, begin again and become who God wants us to b

We're going to miss our awesome district/zone because though we are staying, some of our best friends are moving on to new areas.

Take 1:

Take 2:

​Not much of an improvement...we're all a bit on the goofy side. But it works.

​

Things that make missions better:

1. Good companion

2. Good area

3. Good missionary work

Cassell and I were talking about how rarely do you get all three; we are beyond blessed to have a bit of a trifecta here in Parkland. This is the Lord's work and we are more than lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

We have to remember that being in the right place at the right time takes faith and action. One of my favorite poems by Christopher Logue (in honor of Guillaume Apollinaire) goes like this:

Come to the edge. 

We might fall. 

Come to the edge. 

It’s too high! 

COME TO THE EDGE! 

And they came, 

and he pushed, 

and they flew.

When the Lord calls us, trust him enough to go to that edge; the edge of our comfort zone; the edge of our experience; the edge of our capability. Allow Him to be the force that lifts you beyond what you could ever do on your own.

Leaps of faith are sometimes closer to nudges (or pushes) that feel beyond our control, but how else would we ever learn to soar?

All my(our) love,

Buggy & Squintz

This is Wa -Tac. We baptize on and on.

June 2, 2014  4:00 EDT.  This is Wa-Tac.  We baptize on and on.

This week began with a twin day - mostly to annoy our DL, but also because Cassell and I randomly have the same clothes. We are slowly morphing into the same person.

Sometimes service activities mean we get to walk the most rambunctious dog in Parkland. World, meet Legend:

And more exciting than that, is sometimes we find random things while knocking

(and yes. I have squinty eyes. I am well aware.)

​But other than those adventures, life is grand. Two of our investigators are getting baptized this weekend right before the transfer ends. Our miracles haven't ceased! Wayne and Mira are both healthy (miracle in and of itself) and their families are supportive (almost a bigger miracle.)

At our ward's testimony meeting, our recent convert Chloe bore her beautiful testimony on strength, pain and peace we encounter in life; she is an amazing missionary and cannot wait to see part of the impact she will have on those around her. Chloe and Mindy are both speaking at Mira's baptism and our all our new members are becoming fast friends. They build each other up and are single-handedly transforming the Parkland ward with their love and encouragement.

We also had the Silverdale Fireside last night and it always amazes me how easily the spirit can bear witness of truth through testimony and music. 

I've been doing a lot of thinking about agency and the choices we face in this life as of late. Agency is the power to become. By choosing to follow the Savior, we are choosing to eternal life; choosing to fulfill our potential; choosing to use this time to grow in strength, in love and in faith. We will leave our legacy by our choices. 

God trusts us enough to let us choose - so we should trust Him, His guidance, and ourselves to become what He knows we can be. If what you are choosing to become isn't what God has in store for you, perhaps recognizing that the one with perfect and unlimited knowledge, power and love for His children probably (read: always) has something better in mind.

"The perfect place to begin is exactly where you are right now."

- Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Love love love,

The Other Sister Bishop

Love from Massachutes

Mom sending her love from Massachutes - one coast to the other 

Memorial Day Miracles

Memorial Day Miracles. Tuesday May 27, 2014. 4:52 EDT

Hello world,

Another week, another email. I know you all are thrilled.

So this fantastic week consisted of:

A lot of street contacting

he wasn't interested.)

Ice cream from the supersketch ice cream three-wheelers that shouldn't ever be street legal.

Adventure is out there. And also inside that tiny cooler)

We had a super awesome zone conference down in Lacey. We also had car inspections, which meant that our Harry Potter wand hoslter (i.e. the nunchucks) were to be confiscated... 

Coming home to empty an empty mail box

(wink wink, nudge nudge)

But it puppies make it better

Yes, we know we have a problem. But they're just so darn cute.)​

But in all honesty, this week has been amazing. At our Zone Conference they asked us to take the time to seek out the mighty miracles God is already wanting to bless us with and just ask for them. Seek them and prepare for them. He loves his children. All of them. And He wants us to take part in bringing them home.

Some of the many miracles include:

- Wayne, a very old man has known that he wants to be baptized and be sealed to his wife but never felt he was ready, until he called us and asked when the soonest we could meet him and have him join the church

- Mira, a girl who was ready to be baptized a year ago but fell off the map because of serious health problems is now working with us and is ready to take another leap of faith

- We got a (clean/non-pet/non-smoke/dry/uninfected) couch from a street contact who wants us to come back

- We didn't get AIDs from a homeless woman who prayed with us!

- Our ward is feeding us (straight Mexican food, but they feed us nonetheless)

- Did I mention the puppies? (:

Don't be afraid to ask for, watch for and thank the Lord for the mighty miracles in your life.

Really. Do it.

Peace,

Parkland and Brookdale's Finest

Another week in P-town

Week 11   May 19, 2014. 2:35 pm EDT   Another week in P-town

A quick rundown of this week's shenanigans:

(Missionary work DOES happen, it just isn't always very photogenic)

                                          Puppies:

                                       
                                         Pools:

                              ​(the closest thing to swimming I'll get for another year and a half...)

                                         Payphones:

                                         (They exist, and they are used)

                                         Park benches:

                                        (Because who doesn't love quotes about Jesus)

                                         Exchanges:

                                         (We heart STL's)

                                         Firesides:

                                         (Photo bombers)

                                         Or just fires:

                                         ​(happy year mark to Cassell and Jones!)

                                         Typos:

                                         Recent Converts:

                                          (Sunny skies and squinty eyes)

                                          Tacoma trucks:

                                         And Stranded Elders:

                                         ​(broken bikes make for strange encounters)

All in all, a good week in Parkland.

The work here is moving; lots of people we've been able to talk to, with lots of potential. We're sticking with 'em and hopefully we'll be able to keep teaching them. We have setbacks, but they're just that: setbacks, not permanent endings.

And a great quote from a far greater man:

"We are infinitely more than our limitations or our afflictions"

   - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

Life is crazy and hectic and awesome and above all, I love you all. 

I love the Lord. I love that others are able to feel His love through this work.

Stay safe and stay strong.

Much love,

Sister Bishop

Oh Happy Day

May 12, 2014  3:03 pm EDT   Oh Happy Day!   

Fact: Mothers Day makes missionaries happy. 

Fact: Mothers Day makes missionary moms more happy. (and a little sad)

Catching up with the family included a lot of coordinating across continents and oceans, but the Sisters Bishop were able to call home at the same time due to the beauty of technology these days, we were even able to talk to each other (holding ipads up across from each other kinda works, btw).

The whole family was involved:

The other exciting thing that happened this week was Allen's baptism! This has been a long process, but we are so excited at how much he has grown and changed over the last few months.

Sister Davis (and a million other missionaries) were able to come to the baptism #reunited

Allen is joining ranks with some other amazing converts we have in the Parkland ward. We have officially started our weekly scripture study class with investigators/recent converts and it is so awesome how they are all becoming each others support systems. #fontbuddies

Cassell and I have enjoyed: having a few more sunny days in our area, being able to read crazy-stalker-letters sent to one of the Elders in our district over lunches, playing with the friendly dogs at peoples homes, and even doing prom hair/makeup for a less active girl in our ward.

Watching planes land and reading letters over cheap chinese food:

(Cassell has an obsession)

In short: Life is good. Moms are better.

I spoke in sacrament meeting about none other than the best woman I know. It's almost too easy when you have such a good example to rely on, but I know that I have learned more from her about God's love for me than anyone else.

Mothers teach by example, by pattern, by precept and through love.

Mothers bring to pass the mortality and earthly life that makes immortality and eternal life possible for God's children.

Mothers are absolutely essential in the work of salvation.

As a missionary, the work of salvation is kind of my entire life right now; and as I see it, a mother is really the first missionary in a child's life, the first one to see their child as Heavenly Father sees His child.

Who better can explain the infinite love God has for each of His children than the person who already loves that child so completely?

Who better can teach of Jesus Christ's perfect example than the one who 

is emulated and mimicked as a child grows?

Who better to show them how great their divine potential is than the mother who can already imagine and yearns for the greatness they are capable of becoming?

I know that as a child, I wanted to grow up and be just like my mom.

And as an adult, I still do.

Moms are love.

And in closing, a short poem about all those hardworking mamas out there from the one and only Mr. T:

Mother

There is no other

Like Mother

So treat her right

Treat her right!

Go hug your mom if you haven't already,

Sister Bishop

P.S. I love you guys.

Viva La Tripanionship

May 5, 2014   Viva la Tripanionship   9:42 pm EDT


First things first: Happy Birthday Rachel! Happy Birthday Michael! Happy Cinco de Mayo! Happy Monday?

So this crazy week started with transfer meeting - it was also my first and last time to see the entire mission together for transfers (since we always have new rules left and right, and this was the last time all the missionaries will come for transfer meeting). It was awesome. Lots of testimonies. Lots of music. Lots of pictures. Lots of suit jackets. Lots of missionaries creating lots of heat in lots of pews in one little stake center.

We said goodbye to our counterpart as she took off for Bainbridge and for the first time in the history of ever, we all took a normal picture for the occasion:

In other news, we have had weather fit for Utah (read: bipolar). We reached 90 degrees and then plunged back into the rainy 50's less than 48 hours later. All the Azaleas in the vicinity are in full bloom so they are gorgeous despite whatever the skies do. Parkland is still crazy as ever, and the drivers can attest:

Casell and I have cleaned (read: purged) everything for this new transfer; apartment, car, closets, fridge, area book, everything. We are going to put Parkland through a baptism of fire (metaphorically speaking, of course) and we are working super hard to fill our teaching pool again (read: more knocking) since Chloe and Mindy were confirmed on Sunday (!) and Allen is getting baptized on Wednesday (oh yeahhh.).

We are also teaching a super cute Iraqi family right now and every bit of Arabic I can muster is coming in handy. Ashwaq speaks very little English, but her little son Hasune is a gem, and a wonderful translator.

I am super excited for Mother's Day and being able to talk to the parentals and hopefully the other Sister Bishop in the Philippines, so my nugget of spiritualness to leave with you all is actually from my mother dearest.

3 John 1:4

"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth."

Live in the truth. Walk in the truth. Nothing could make a parent more proud or filled with more happiness.

And if that applies to our parents here, how much more it applies to our Heavenly Father and all of us as His children as well.

Until next time,

Baby Bishop - who has hit her Two Month mark.

(I'm not sure if that makes me an toddler-missionary now, but if the boot fits)

P.S. a pint-sized hello from my fellow Parkland little ones, a.k.a. the best people in the ward