Guess Who's Back, Back, Back....

Back again, 'gain, 'gain...

Sister Robins, Robins, Robins

And her friend, friend, friend( awkwardly dancing around pointing at myself with so much excitement I could explode!)

(FYI this is going to be a long one! But soooooo worth the read!)

That's right ladies and gentlemen! I am back with Sister Robins! I got transferred last week to a place called Lexington and am in the Lake Murray ward. When President called to tell me I would be leaving my beloved Simpsonville and Sister Ogden I was so sad, but  I could not help but to dance around and sing this in my head knowing I was coming back to a companion I admire and look up to so much! It is going to be a party! When I got dropped off at transfers we locked eyes and then came running towards each other and embraced in a big hug. Sister Innes came and took pictures of us and said, "It's like you two are excited or something." It was a great moment. 

It has already been a party! The ward here is great! We were over with this one family who has the cutest kids ever! One of their boys names is Harrison. He was a hoot! He wanted us to jump on the tramp with him so he went and got basketball shorts from his dads closet and gave them to us. Then after we got done with that we went inside to do our lesson and he had my name tag on and said, "Let me go put on my skirt!" He quickly ran upstairs to his sister's closet to go grab a skirt and match us for the lesson. He was cracking us up all evening! I have made a new best friend here in Lake Murray.

The last evening in Simpsonville I had I got to spend at a baptism. One of the greatest human beings I have ever met in my life enter into the waters of baptism Wednesday night and covenanted with God to live a new life. Marlon is by far my favorite human! Rewind back about four months...Sister Tucker(love you!) and I went to go meet Marlon. He was a former investigator and had been dropped due to not agreeing with the word of wisdom. When we went and saw him it was a Thursday afternoon around 3pm and him and his friends were drunk on his front porch. He sure enough told us about why he stopped meeting with the missionaries. So we said, "Well have you ever prayed about the word of wisdom and asked God if it is true??" He said no and so we invited him to spend the next week daily praying to know. We said we would come back and check what happened. We walked away from that thinking there is no way he is going to do that and this is going nowhere. Well a week late we stopped by to keep our word and when we got there he had actually spent the time praying about it! He said he hadn't gotten answer, but he actually did it so we started to teach him. A couple weeks later he was trying to quit smoking so we taught him about priesthood blessings and how that could help. He got one and ever since then he hasn't smoked and that made him realize that the word of wisdom is true and made him get his answer that this is Christ Church. He said one night laying in bed after praying to know, he just got this overwhelming feeling come to his chest and he just knew that this is true. So it took a few ups and downs and curve balls Satan threw at us but we got him to baptism! It was the most sweetest moment of my mission so far. After he was baptized we gave him a gift. He laughingly said no one ever gets me gifts and when he opened it up and pulled out the tie that we had signed on the back, he began to cry and said. "no one has ever gotten me a gift, no one has ever treated me like this." We all were crying and it was the most tender moment ever. As we said our goodbyes Marlon told me he would never forget me and I told him the same back. I have grown to love that man so much and I am so blessed for the Lord allowing me to be apart of his conversion process. I am grateful for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that allows us to find peace and a fresh start in our life no matter what our past looks like. May we all find ways to come closer to the Savior this week and become better. That is what it is all about!

Love,

Sister Rice 

-Marlon's baptism

-last picture with Sister Ogden

- Reuniting with Sister Robins

-Yes! We drive a mini van! 

-My new best friend Harrison

"My Wife wants to buy an Amish kid for a day...."

Ok did yall know the Amish auction there kids off certain days of the year to raise money for their church??? Apparently they allow people to bid on their kids to come do labor for them at their house. We were in line at Walmart when this couple behind us started talking with us and they asked what kind of things we do as missionaries. We started listing off the things we can do and we mentioned service. The guy told us how his wife has been wanting to buy an Amish kid to come do work on their property.....we said we are free and there is two of us so we will see if they will pick us over the Amish kid hahaha.

Ok not going to lie this week has been rough! I mean like hours on end of knocking and NO ONE interested. We even had one guy walk to his door and without even opening it or us even getting to breathe he just said "NO" and walked away. What if we had an emergency man?!?!? Luckily this one guy though was definitely not interested in our message but was kind enough to offer us a sugar free grape Popsicle(see picture below). Oh and just in case you were wondering.....pouring rain and thunderstorms does NOT increase people's interest or charity. It just seems like all our people we have been teaching are dropping like flies! We have had 2 people call and drop us and 2 just stop responding....but I told Sister Ogden the Lord must be preparing us for some pretty amazing people to teach. 

Not that this email is supposed to be full of complaints....but one more! Our car had an ANT hill in it! We started seeing ants inside our car....and this happened a couple weeks ago but went away. Well we cleaned our car but it just doesn't make sense we aren't aloud to eat in the car....where are they coming from??? So we were driving and we just saw a ton of Ants outside of Sister Ogdens window so I pulled over and started to kill them so that they wouldn't get into our car....I opened up her door to get some that had crawled in the crack(sister Ogden doesn't kill bugs.....it took her 45 minutes to kill an earwig.....I have video for proof if you don't believe me). When I opened up the door there were HUNDREDS of ants!!!!! I am not exaggerating! And they were ALLLLLL carry eggs!!!! It was disgusting! We luckily were by this house that had some raid and gave us the stuff to kill them and wipe it away but man did I feel itchy the rest of the day. They had created their nest inside the door hinge....gross.

Okay but now for the tender mercy of the week! 

Like I said super slow....super hard week!

I was in church with no clue on what to do afterwards for the rest of the day. I was just praying that we would have just one person that would let us in or be interested in what we had to say. I literally was pleading with the Lord and even was fasting for it yesterday. While in Sunday school we received a referral of a man who ordered a book of Mormon. So right after church we drove out to him and when we pulled up he was outside just about ready to leave. We were able to give him the book of Mormon and he told us that he was excited and shocked how fast it came. He told us how he is a good christian man that has tried everything and still doesn't know what is right and he has had a few friends go this route so he finally decided to look into it to see if it is what he is still missing. We go back tomorrow to teach him and I am just so excited to have someone who is really interested in what we have to say. I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who listens to a pleading missionary's prayer. He is truly in the details of our lives! I hope each of you know that. Heavenly Father is aware of you and everything you are going through! Turn to Him and He will provide....after all that you can do.

I love yall!!!

-Sister Rice

"I told my kids it goes God, Mamma, Mamma, Mamma, Mamma, then Dad."

Hey Yall!

I know! What a shocker?!?!? 3 weekly emails in 3 weeks....what is going on!?!?! Well there is just too much going on that needs to be told. Sorry! :)

This week was hard! But great of course. Saturday was a rough day! When I say rough I mean rough....like 5 straight hours of NO ONE wanting to listen to us or being home. NO ONE.....

Literally with no ideas left and no energy to keep pushing through we had a bible and Book of Mormon referral to deliver. We said a pleading prayer with Heavenly Father saying please just let this guy be home and please let us be able to teach him something. We knocked on his door and Praise the Lord this man was home! And even more amazing he wanted to listen to what we had to say!!! He was telling us how he always told his kids who came in order of importance in life(see subject heading to find out). We left almost in tears of joy and exhaustion. We got in the car and just gave a prayer of thanks to Heavenly Father and then went home completely wiped out.

Thursday we attempted biking.....I will attach the before and after.....

Well we started out very excited. About a half mile down the road Sister Ogden's tire went flat. We were right in front of a gymnastics studio and surprisingly they had a bike pump. Thank Heavens! Then we continued on and no one was home....then we got lost in the neighborhood we were in and decided to head back since it was starting to get dark. Well let's just say that it was a lot more of an incline than we thought. It was extremely hard hah...or maybe it was just because I am super out of shape! To make it even better it started to rain! I got up to a point where I could stop to take a break and when trying to get off my skirt got caught and me and my bike went down. HAH! I will be taking a break from biking for awhile. What makes this story greater than it already is was a member had drove past us, but we thought she didn't see us. When we got back to our apartment she called us and asked if we made it back okay. She said by the time she realized it was us she had passed us and hurried home to see if her husband was home with his truck. When we got off the phone, Sister Ogden being her cute self said,"Well my prayer was answered! I prayed asking that a member would drive by and see us." I said, " Sister Ogden you need to say more specific prayers!"

Lessons to be learned: 

1)Don't bike in a skirt

2) God has a sense of humor

3) Specific prayers bring specific blessings

On a closing matter. I got to sit where Nicholas Sparks sat and wrote the NOTEBOOK! I am not lying! He used to live in this neighborhood called Neely Farms that is right by the church and a man we are teaching told us what house he used to live in and met him at a book signing and Mr. Sparks said that the Notebook was written at this pond in the middle of the neighborhood. Seriously love being in South Carolina!

Well I hope yall have a great week!

Love,

Sister Rice

I Know I Only Sent An Email Last Week But..

I had to tell you about my new companion!

Her name is Sister Ogden and she is from Meridian Idaho. She is the sweetest thing ever and an amazingly strong individual. 

We were on our way over to a dinner appointment and she has some problems with like all foods so she was really nervous. I was saying that they were super nice and would definitely understand. I even tried to make her feel better by telling her that I was even a l;little nervous because this lady was making shepherds pie and not the way my mom makes it at all. Well when we got to the house she said a prayer before we went in and said, "Please up them understand and let me make a sandwich, and please help sister Rice like the food even though it isn't like her moms and that she still can enjoy it." Haha it made me smile and I have started to realize that all her prayers are very real like that and random. It's cute and makes it a memorable prayer and definitely not repetitive. 

Also we tried to make an apple pie for a family in the ward to return their pie pan back full.....well....see picture below for how that went hahahaha

Anyways we definitely have seen a lot of miracles here and are having lots of success. 

We have two people on date to be baptized that will most likely be getting baptized in August. 

Elsa and Juan are doing great and Juan will be receiving the priesthood this next week so that he can pass the sacrament! When we went and saw them earlier this week they had showed us this paper where they had written down their family home evening they had done. I thought it was awesome that they planned it out and really took action. They are such a great example of what it means to be truly and fully converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

I hope each of you think of a way this week you can become more truly converted to the Savior and His teachings. Whatever that looks like for you, whether it be spending less time on social media, going and helping a friend/neighbor, reading scriptures, or praying. I know that as each of you evaluate your life and find something that needs improvement, as you turn to the Savior, He will help you improve and be better. 

Hope all is well!

Love,

Sister Rice​

Have Yall Ever Seen A Heinz 57????

Now I know yall are probably thinking, "Yes Sister Rice....we have definitely seen a bottle of ketchup and probably have used it a thousand times."

Well I am here to tell you ketchup is not the only thing called Heinz 57! Apparently it can be used for other things like dogs.

We volunteer at a nursing home every Wednesday and I was asking the lady in charge what her fourth of July plans were and she told us that she was going to try to make sure her dog doesn't get scared. I asked what kind of dog she had and she replied, "Oh she's a Heinz 57." I was like what????? She then explained that she was a mutt and that people call mutts Heinz 57 dogs because if you have ever looked at the ingredients its a whole bunch of everything! It gave us a pretty good laugh!

Sorry this is a long one but it is worth the read!!!

It has been a pretty busy week and we have had an amazing week!

We had a baptism on Saturday for Juan and Elsa....now let me tell you their story!

A couple months ago we were trying to find some people who haven't been to church in awhile and then down the street our area book said there was some people that used to be taught by missionaries. We went to the house looking for the members first and when they opened up the door, Elsa answered. We asked for the people and she said they were working. She then explained that she doesn't speak English. I asked what her name was and then it clicked that Elsa was the woman that we were going to see next down the street. Somehow the addresses got put in wrong because Elsa is actually the mom of the two boys we were looking for. So in my very very very little Spanish I know I was able to tell her we would come back next Lunes(Monday) with someone who could translate. All she said was Si. Well we got busy and we decided to schedule a lesson with another person who was progressing really well and I said that we would just go see her another time because she probably didn't understand what we said and we aren't sure how interested she was. Heavenly Father had different plans. Monday came and our lesson was cancelled, but we had already had our ride on their way and she so happened to speak Spanish! I was like well its a long shot but we dont have anything else to do. When we got to Elsa's she totally remembered we were coming and let us right in! What happened next I will never forget. We walked in and I saw on her fire place a plaque of the plan of salvation drawn out by some missionaries, and another plaque that said, "Las Familias Son Eternas". Which means families are eternal...just in case any one couldn't figure that out. I was like who is this woman!??! As we got to know her she began to tell us that 8 years ago her boys got baptized and her and Juan couldn't because they weren't married and then when they finally were able to get married, the Spanish branch dissolved and the boys were very upset and stopped going to church, one of them was even trying to leave for a mission but just stopped the whole process. Elsa and Juan really wanted to get baptized but they were waiting for their sons to come back to church to baptize them. I explained to Elsa that she can't wait for other people and needed to worry about her own salvation. I testified that as much as I love my family, those who choose not to accept the gospel of Jesus Christ are not going to hold me back from making covenants with my Heavenly Father. As much as they love me, I know Heavenly Father loves me way more, and as much as I love them, I love my Heavenly Father way more. He has asked us to make covenants with Him and thats what we need to do. She was crying and I was crying....every one was crying. After that we started meeting with her and Juan regularly and last Saturday they finally were baptized after waiting 8 years! One of their first missionaries came back to baptize them! The spirit was so strong and it was so amazing! Everything was in Spanish and we even sang with some members in Spanish for a musical number. Sister Tucker painted an outline of the Columbia temple and wrote "est." under it. We explained that when they are sealed they can add the date! On Sunday they received the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was such a sweet experience for me to watch them walk up to the front together holding hands and supporting each other in this decision. They are amazing examples of what faith looks like! These are the moments you live for and why you share the gospel! No matter if you are a full time missionary, a mom, a grandpa, a high school student, or surrounded by other members. This gospel, the gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives! It changes the course of an entire family and generations to come. It does so because we are promised as we live the principles of the gospel are families are strengthened and blessed. God wants us on His covenant path! As President Nelson said, " Now, to each member of the Church I say: Keep on the covenant path. Your commitment to follow the Savior by making covenants with Him and then keeping those covenants will open the door to every spiritual blessing and privilege available to men, women, and children everywhere... Now, if you have stepped off the path, may I invite you with all the hope in my heart to please come back. Whatever your concerns, whatever your challenges, there is a place for you in this, the Lord's Church. You and generations yet unborn will be blessed by your actions now to return to the covenant path."

In other news....transfers are this Thursday. I will be staying in Simpsonville and will be training a new missionary again. I am sad to see Sister Christensen and Tucker go but I am so glad I am staying and training again. I pleaded with Heavenly Father and President Innes for about the last month to not move me yet. I am not done here. 

Well hope yall have a great week!

Love,

Sister Rice

Grandma DO NOT READ THIS EMAIL!!!

Seriously Grandma...if you opened this please don't read it! I am warning you now it talks about something you hate so DON'T READ IT! I will send you your own weekly email. haha

Okay so those that know me well are probably not going to believe this story but I swear IT HAPPENED. I wish I would have gotten a picture but I was too freaked out by the time I realized what was going on that the last thing on my mind was a picture for proof. 

So it all starts out on Friday where we were helping this family move. They were leaving that day and didn't realize how much stuff they still had to get out of their house, so I was upstairs cleaning the laundry room closet out. I had cleared out all the cleaning supplies and last thing on this shelf was a backpack. I grabbed the backpack and it was surprisingly heavy...it didn't look like anything was really in it. Luckily I am not a nosy person and just plopped the backpack down instead of opening it up or this story might be a little more intense haha. So I finished what I was doing and put the backpack on to carry it downstairs to ask where it needs to go. I walked up to the member and said, " Hey where do you want this backpack?" Next thing I know he gets this big smile on his face and while starting to laugh he says, " OH! That's my snake! I didn't think anyone would move the bag." I instantly froze in terror! Luckily he quickly grabbed it off my back and as soon as he did I ran outside screaming, trying not to pass out. I hate snakes! Absolutely terrified of them! And this wasn't any snake. It was a huge BOA CONSTRICTOR people!!!! ON MY BACK! ALL THE WAY DOWNSTAIRS ACROSS THE HOUSE! First off who has a pet snake that big??? And second WHO KEEPS A SNAKE IN A LAUNDRY ROOM CLOSET IN A STINKIN BACKPACK!???!??! He got a good laugh about it and I said well now you will never forget me and I sure won't ever forget you guys. Too bad I didn't have a picture for proof.

Anyways later that day we got to go up to girls camp for testimony meeting. It was so much fun! There was this girl there that has been coming to church with a member for awhile and isn't a member. She shared her testimony and it was so fun watching her get the courage to do so. It reminded me a lot of my first year at girls camp and how strong I felt the Spirit testifying of truth. She shared the same thing in her testimony how she knows this church is true and has really learned how to recognize the Spirit. Afterwards I went and talked to her and told her my experience and she told me how she wants to get baptized and how her mom just gave her permission to do so. We are now going to be teaching her!!!! MIRACLE OF THE WEEK!

We have had a busy week and it has gone by super fast! I love it here so much and with transfers coming up I have been begging President to keep me here longer....I guess next week we will find out if he listens to my request haha. 

We have been working hard and staying busy. This week we had 5 people who we are teaching come to church and this next Saturday we have a baptism for two of those 5! And it will be in all Spanish....we will be singing a hymn is Spanish....not alone(We all know I can't sing).

Well God is great. I love being a missionary. The gospel of Jesus Christ is restored in it's fullness and is the only way to have true joy. Mormon.org is a great way to get questions you have answered about the church!

LOVE YALL

-Sister Rice

Yall Aint Goin To Believe Dis!

Hey Yall! Hope everyone is having a great summer! I sure am......drowning in sweat over here in this heat! I cannot believe that it is almost July....like where did June go???? Really I still am mentally in April haha.

So remember the dog that almost attacked us a couple weeks back???? Well we were like we are NOT going back to his house....so we called him and told him that we were hoping we could meet up because it seemed like his dog didn't like people very much. He said, " Oh RUSTY! NO he is so nice! He never bites any one" Well Sister Tucker's skirt says otherwise hahaha. Anyway so he was totally on board at meeting up at Walmart.....this guy ends up being only like 22 but he sounded like 70 on the phone....so we passed him off to the young single adult missionaries and GUESS WHAT?!?!? He is on date to be baptized this next month!!! Your welcome Allen for risking our lives to give you a Bible! Now this guys got the restored gospel and is loving life! 

Also don't know if yall know this or not but we added a sister to our companionship this last week. Some sisters were getting moved around and so now we are a trio. Her name is Sister Christensen and she has been out the same amount of time as Sister Tucker. She is from Fresno, California. It has been fun being in a trio again and we are staying busy and working really hard!

Well I hope each of you are enjoying your summer and I hope that you guys are doing things that bring you closer to the Savior. I am so grateful for Jesus Christ and what He has done for all of us and I love that I get to wear His name on my name tag every day and share my testimony of the healing power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ every day! 

Love,

Sister Rice