The Transition

Well I'm home! I know it's almost been a month but my mom has encouraged me to keep posting in my blog...so here I am!
Now that I am home and have had some time to think about my situation I can finally wrap my head around what happened and can share my story...
All the walking in the mission field became a problem week 2. By the end of the day my foot would be throbbing and swollen. I tried icing, ibuprofen, elevating, compression socks, and yet nothing was helping. So after about a month of that I just decided to put it in the Lord's hands and keep working. In October my lovely new companion Sister Bartholomew noticed my foot and highly recommended me going to the doctor. So I finally did which is when I got put in a boot for about a month, when I went back for a follow up appointment the doctor said it wasn't getting better. This was the first time I was told that it might be a good idea to go home. She told me, "you can't help anyone else if you aren't well." I knew the truth behind that...just like we can't preach the gospel if we don't have a testimony for our self. It stung to hear her say that, I had worked so hard to get there and I didn't want to leave. I loved what I was doing, I loved the people. So being stubborn like I am my  mission doctor suggested seeing another doctor for a second opinion...well that doctor didn't say much different. He told me to go to physical therapy for 2 months and then to come back to see if I need surgery. I was worried and concerned, but was going to be able to see my mission doctor in two days at zone conference. It was just after lunch when I was called back to go see him. I sat down, he asked me to go over with him what the doctors said, and then he looked at me and asked "how long have you been out?" I instantly knew the meaning behind that question...I told him about 5 months and he looked at me with disappointment and sighed and the next words that came out of his mouth was, "I think its best for you to go home, I obviously don't make that decision but I am going to highly recommend it to President Turner." I began to cry. I felt as though my mission had ended right there, I lost hope..it was so hard to walk back in that meeting, I sat down next to my companion and she asked how it went, I told her I was getting sent home and that was it, we weren't able to talk about it until later that night when I met with the President. When President Turner brought me in he asked how I was feeling, and I couldn't even say a word. We sat down and he said, "Well sister Rice lets get you home! and get you better!" He counseled with me about taking the time to heal and to figure out what Im suppose to learn from it all. He then told me how slim it is that missionaries return back to the mission after getting sent home but that I would be welcomed to come back. I just sat there crying...I didn't get it at all. We drove home that night in silence..
The next couple days were rough! I had to start packing, saying good byes, and waiting and waiting and waiting for a phone call to tell me when I was leaving. I found out Sunday night, drove to Columbia Monday, and by Tuesday was on a plane back home. It all happened so fast.
The day I flew home was very long...I was up at 2 a.m and didn't fly in until 6:30 p.m
I was so excited to be surrounded my family and friends, it was so nice to be able to see them all again and especially right before Christmas.
Now I look back and can't believe I have been home for a month! Time just flies by. The transition has been a roller coaster ride and each day has a different emotion or feeling about my situation. I've been angry, hurt, frustrated, content, happy, depressed, but over all at peace with my Heavenly Father's plan for me. I am taking it one day at a time. This has been one of the hardest things I've faced in my life but I am trusting in the Lord. I miss the mission, I miss Anderson, I miss the missionaries, the rocking chairs, the clouds, people saying Yall, my investigators. But I know that this is where I am suppose to be right now, and maybe I dont see why but Heavenly Father knows why, so I trust Him and take it day by day.

That Saturday after I got home was rough but also one of my best days ever! Joe, a man I had been teaching since the 2nd day in the field, got baptized!!! I was heart broken to miss that and not be there to support him but I was filled with joy to know that no matte what the future holds(returning to the mission or not) at least I helped one person change their life and make those covenants.

 " And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!" Doctrine and Covenants 18:15

A trial I didn't expect!

Well first off I hope each of you are just as excited about Christmas as I am!?

Just a few things to tell you

First off remember Joe?? I started teaching him my second day out on my mission, well he is finally getting baptized this Saturday!!!:) We are very excited for him and he has just been glowing since he found out. 

but the other thing I have to tell ya'll is I am also coming home tomorrow. I have been having issues with my left foot since I have been out and it is not healing the way it needs to. The doctors and my mission president have told me it is best to go home and take care of the issue. It was a big shock to me especially since Joe is finally getting baptized. But I do feel at peace about it and have been told by many people there is obviously something I need to be doing at home right now. Its hard to see that because I have come to love these people in South Carolina and love being a missionary, but I trust in Heavenly Father and His plan for me. I just keep telling myself He sees the bigger picture. I received a priesthood blessing on Friday night, and in it I was told that the Lord is pleased with my service and missionary efforts, and blessed me with understanding and patience. I'm not sure what the future holds in store but I do know that my Heavenly Father loves me and He knows whats best for me. 

I thought it was hard to say goodbye to my family...but its been hard to say goodbye to the people I have come to love so much. My heart feels like it has been torn in half. 

But I wanted to take a moment to share my testimony and what I have learned while being on my mission. 

My mission has taught me so many things but I think the biggest thing has been love. Being set apart as a representative of Christ has given me the ability to feel a tiny little sliver of the love Christ has for every person. It has been so amazing to knock on someones door and just instantly feel love and care about everything they are facing and to yearn for them to accept our message. I know that this wouldn't be possible if this wasn't the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. My relationship with my Savior and the covenants I have made has brought me the most happiness in my life and I know it can do the same for all ya'll. 

Im sorry this is so short, my brain is kind of going 100 mph right now. But I just wanted to let ya'll know how much I love each of you and how much it has meant to me the support and prayers from everyone. 

I will be in touch soon...

Until then... Merry Christmas!

Love, 

Sister Micaela Ann Rice

Christmas Photos Dec 17,2014

                                              Thank you Jen Helm for taking our pictures. What a fun P-day!!!

Funny Story! Dec 15, 2015

Well to start off this email  I would like to tell you something really funny....We killed a raccoon yesterday!! hahaha:) it was awful! Sister Bartholomew said " I just killed one of Heavenly Father's creatures in His car" it was sad but great.

Anyways this week has been a very good one...it is getting so close to Christmas! Are yall excited? I know I am. I love this time of year. Everyone just seems happier and you just feel the Saviors love radiate off of everyone. 

We have had kind of a slow week and not much going on, but still working very hard and seeing so many miracles happen daily. I am sorry this is so short but I lost track of time and only have a few minutes. 

Real quick I wanted to share what I have learned this week. I have kind of had a theme in my study this week...its been about faith. Which is very funny because my faith is being tested right now. But I feel it growing. 

I came across this verse in 1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, where unto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses."

I found so much strength in that verse. This life is not just a test to see if we can endure trials and temptations, but it is literally a fight! And the way we have strength in this fight is through faith and hope of eternal life. We are all fighting a battle right now and when we turn to the Savior and have faith and trust in Him, He gives us the strength to win the battle. 

I know each of you are facing different things and can feel exhausted at times and just want to give up but I am here to tell  you to stay strong! and fight back! Don't let Satan tear you down and show Heavenly Father that you trust in His plan for you. He loves you very much! and like my father told me today the Lord doesn't give you anything you can't handle. 

I love yall so much and am so thankful for your prayers and support...i can feel it all the way over here in South Carolina.

Have a good week!

until next time....

Love,

Sister Rice

Weeks just go by fast Dec 8, 2014

Well can you believe your getting another email from me?!?! haha the weeks just go by sooooo fast. I feel like December just started and now there are only 17 days til Christmas. How exciting! I love this time of year. I hope you each are enjoying it as much as me.

So we have had a pretty good week here in Anderson. We found out that we get to watch the "meet the mormons" movie on December 19th. I am so excited to see it! Also did anyone go on youtube yesterday?? Well if you did, Did you notice something different? The "He is a gift video" (which I sent yall last week and all of you should have watched it) was the only thing being advertised on there. It was called a youtube takeover, where the church bought out all the places to do ads and put the link to the video on it. It was estimated over 200 million people would have watched that yesterday. How neat is that!!! I love being apart of this great work. So Share that video with everyone and help the world remember the real reason we celebrate CHRISTmas.

We had our ward Christmas party on Friday night and about 275 people were there...it was a great turn out. The theme was Frozen:) and they also had Santa there. It was great because we had 3 investigators show up, and there were so many members friends/family that they introduced us to. They read some symbols of traditional Christmas stuff. Like did you know that the reason we put candy canes on a tree is because if you turn it upside down its a "J" for Jesus, or did you know the reason we put a star as a tree topper is because it represents the north star that appeared the night Christ was born:) Makes it a little more meaningful now I think!

So we started teaching this girl named Lauren, who is Amazing!! She is 22 and is a nurse, and we met her through a member. She is dating Nate(a guy in our ward) and he has been bringing her to church for a little over a month now. We have been able to do a few things with her like shopping and went and got ice cream, and went over to her house to help decorate her tree. Well that was the plan...but when we got there we ended up just talking and she really opened up to us. We then answered some of the questions that she had and then told her our purpose as missionaries and asked if she wanted to take the lessons. She said yes and was really excited. Its really neat too because her family is being very supportive. So she had us over for dinner this week and we taught her about the Restoration of the gospel. The Spirit was so strong and she even got emotional a couple of times. We invited her to be baptized and she accepted!!! She is preparing to be baptized December 20th:) so pray for her. She is great...what was really neat at church the next day we had a relief society lesson about Sister Dibbs conference talk " i know it i live it i love it" and the teacher told sister Dibbs story about seeing a young women wearing a tshirt that said " im a mormon are you?" and so the teacher passed out pieces of paper and asked each of us what we would put on a tshirt that represented our testimony or who we are...well being a little snoopy I was interested what Lauren put:) She wrote on her paper Moroni 10:5 that says "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things which was a scripture Sister Bartholomew had her read the night before. and then at the bottom she put in big letters " I BELIEVE" and by the end of the lesson she added "I KNOW" :) it was so amazing to see her write that and from watching her testimony grow in just a few minutes. 

I know that sharing the gospel can be nerve wracking but you never know who's life you can change. Its a simple invitation to change someone's life. I would invite each of you to read or watch Sister Dibbs talk and share the gospel with someone this week.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/i-know-it-i-live-it-i-love-it?lang=eng

 and for those of you who aren't members I would invite you to find out more. Just like the scripture in Moroni that as you seek for yourself you will know if its true for the Holy Ghost. and just like Lauren you can go from a belief to a for sure knowing in moments because of the power of the Holy Ghost. 

I love being a missionary:) and I love this work. I love Christ and Heavenly Father and I love you all. I know that they do as well. They are there for you always. Turn to them. Discover and embrace the gift of Christ and His gospel this Christmas season. 

I have reflected a lot on my past this week and I am so grateful that I made the decisions to take missionary discussions and get baptized. I have not once regretted this decision, and will never. Because I know it was the right choice and that this is what Heavenly Father wants His children following. I hope you each will embrace it more in your life this next week.

until next time.... I love yall so much! Thanks for all the support1

Love,

Sister Rice

                                                               Light of Hope Park

 

Hello Everyone :) Dec 1, 2014

Well I cant believe another week has gone by:) First off how was everyone's thanksgiving?

Mine was great haha I had 5 thanksgivings to go to on Thursday and then 2 on Friday. Lets just say we were stuffed. 

But It was so neat to be able to participate in so many families feast. Everyone just took us right in:) I love the people here.

I hope yall enjoyed it and that none of you stayed up too late going black Friday shopping.

This week has gone by so fast. I really cant remember much that happened. I need to start bringing my journal when I email because I get here and cant remember what we did this week haha:)

But have yall seen the new lds video " He is the gift"

If not go watch it! here is the link:

http://www.mormon.org/christmas?cid=HPFR112814529

It is AMAZING! I hope each of you enjoy this time of year and try not to loose the real reason why we celebrate Christmas. Yes the presents are fun and all that stuff, but the real reason is because of Christ our Savior. He is the real gift and what we should be grateful for.

I hope each of you watch this video and share it with your friends through email or facebook, or however you want to. Just share it and embrace it.

Christ is the reason why we have so many things. 

I am so grateful for the Savior and His birth and His sacrifice. I know that if it wasn't for Him I wouldn't be who I am today and I wouldn't have this amazing opportunity to share the gospel. I love being a missionary and I love being a member of His church.

I hope each of you spend some time this holiday season getting to know your Savior more and take them time to appreciate the gift or Heavenly Father has given us, His only begotten son.

Sorry it is short this week but until next week... 

know that I love each of you!! and so does Heavenly Father!

Love,

Sister Rice

Happy Thanksgiving! Nov 24, 2014

How is everyone doing? Are ya'll excited for Thanksgiving? and Black Friday shopping? haha

Well I guess it would be appropriate to start this email off with what I am thankful for. Where to even begin...

I am first thankful for all of ya'll that pray and support me while I am out here. I truly feel those prayers. I am thankful for my family and all that they do for me. I am thankful for the people here that have become my family. I am most thankful for the Savior and His atonement. Im thankful for the opportunity that I get to teach people everyday about His life and who He was. I feel so blessed. I have tons more to say but because of time I will stop

This week has been great:) We are finding new people to teach and getting to know amazing people with crazy life experiences. This work is amazing. I love being able to see how when people accept Christ in their life how much they change and how much more confident they are. While studying this morning I kept coming across a theme that the Lord loves us. And that His love never fails. He is there and when we feel His love, others can feel it through our example. I hope ya'll know how much the Lord loves you and that when you are living the commandments that others can feel His love through you. Im sorry this is so short but know that I am doing great, that I love this work, and that I love all of you! I hope you all have a great week and Thanksgiving. And remember that this Holiday season is all because of the Savior Jesus Christ and that is what we should focus on. 

I love ya'll!

Until next time...

Watch this video about thanksgiving:)

http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages/topics/gratitude?v=911161818001

Love, Sister Rice