I'm Not Kid(ney)ing You!

Hey Ya'll!

I will explain my choice of subject line in a bit, but first I am back in South Carolina! How great it feels to be back to a place I love so much!

Stepping off the plane and walking up to President Innes (my mission president), he gave me a huge hand shake and said, "Welcome Back Sister Rice!" I instantly felt like I am exactly where I need to be.

Transfers were Thursday and I am in another trio! My companions are Sister Robins and Sister Kim, they are both from Utah and have both been out amount 9 months. We are serving in the Charleston YSA branch! We are over the whole stake in Charleston so like 8 or 9 cities. We live in Goose Creek so kind of right in the middle. I am about 45 minutes from the Coast which is pretty cool. 

So that's that, but let's get back to this subject title! On our way home from transfers (it is about an hour and a half drive), my companion(sister Kim) got super sick. She was super nauseous and in a lot of pain. When we got to our apartment we called the mission nurse and she told us it sounds like she might be passing a kidney stone, we had to stay in the rest of the night. The next morning she was still in a lot of pain and wasn't keeping anything down, so we called again and got permission to go to the doctors. The doctors gave her some prescriptions to help. All day long she kept sleeping, waking up to drink and take meds, and ended up only puking everything up about a half hour later. So about 9:30 pm that night the mission nurse told us to take her to the ER. The ER was crazy busy and on a lock down when we arrived. They had the security out and they were having us go through metal detectors and searching our bags. When we were about to put our stuff down the security guard said, "oh yall are missionaries, yall are fine! come on in." He then explained how he joined the church when he lived in Michigan with his family, but since he moved here hasn't been. We were able to give him the address to the church and we are going to try to meet with him this week. (The Lord still provided for His missionaries even at the ER). He seems awesome and was so excited to run into us, he kept coming back up to us talking about General Conference and firesides and how there is refreshments at everything. It was awesome. Anyways we were in the ER from 10pm-4am when they decided to admit her. The kidney stone caused a pretty severe kidney infection which is why she was so sick. They kept her until yesterday around 4pm. She wasn't aloud to leave until she could eat solid foods without getting nauseous. So we spent our weekend in the hospital which was super fun! How many missionaries can say they got to pull an all nighther in the ER! She is doing a lot better now, but we are all pretty exhausted from this weekend. The mission nurse was nice enough to come stay with her on Sunday so me and Sister Robins could go to church so I could meet people. The branch is about 20 people, so we have a lot of work to do to build up this area! I am excited and hopeful for what the Lord has planned here for the Charleston YSA area!

Hope yall have a good week!

Love,

Sister Rice

Taco Bell and Elder Bednar???? What can they possibly have in common?

THEY WERE BOTH AT THE MTC THIS WEEK!!!!
ok that is not all I had to share about the MTC hahahha. For some reason it sent in the middle of my typing, but like I was saying Monday night they brought in Taco Bell to the MTC which doesn't happen here....it is cafeteria food usually, and Elder Bednar(An Apostle) came Tuesday night for a devotional. So this week has been pretty amazing!

I have done so much and I can't even think what to share. I have two companions. Sister Smith from Anchorage, Alaska and Sister Henry from Rigby, Idaho. We are having a lot of fun together and working hard! On Sunday we woke up to the power being out and it didn't come back on until 11:30 so we went to church with the lights out and it was freezing cold, but luckily we had big windows so we could see!

I would just like to take a moment to say that prayers do work and Heavenly Father truly cares about each of us and is truly listening! On Tuesday night I was talking with my companions about how dinner would be so much better if they had some berries and also some guacamole. Well the NEXT day at DINNER we had both berries and guacamole(it went with a salad that night)!!!!!! Can you believe it?!?!?!?! Something so small and simple as that....Now it has been a joke that missionaries are supposed to tell me what they want here and I have to pray for it since it seems to work from me!!! They are having me work on trying to get Chick-fil-a here so I will let you know if that happens!

I just wanted to say thank you for all the support and helping me get back out on my mission. I am enjoying it so much and working so hard! I am exhausted but I am also the happiest I have been in awhile. I know that as we each live our lives in accordance to the Gospel of Jesus Christ by having faith, repentance, being baptized, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, we can become closer to our Savior and Heavenly Father than ever before! Our life may not be perfect and will still have trials, but I know that through Christ Atonement we can overcome this mortal life. 

I love all of you so much and am praying for you daily!! 

Love,

Sister Rice