Adventuring with Sister Luker!

Monday, November 2nd-

Oh man, such a crazy week. It's been the longest and also the weirdest and generally the craziest...it's a party all around. I'm chilling with Sister Luker these days, an Idaho native fresh outta the MTC. She's a hoot, and she makes me laugh like no other- so this is going to be a good transfer. Training is maybe the weirdest thing ever, and I'm a little uncomfortable...but there's no growth in the comfort zone, right? I'm learning so much and loving the senior comp life, even though it's really just mountains of responsibility. MOUNTAINS. But alas, Sister Luker is a rock star and I'm really just being trained by her. It's been a week of changes and reacting to said changes and figuring it all out. I think I can do this crazy training thing, even though it is crazy, crazy, crazy!

Sister Luker and I (selfie-ing away) 

Monday was such a good day. Even though the call came in and rocked our world, we had a blissful p-day in Bismarck with Amanda. I got snow boots (yahoooo!) and we went to Target- basically, my perfect day. We even salad bar'd at Ruby Tuesday's and life was just good. For a split second I forget about the craziness coming and we could just enjoy a nice day. We stopped by Barnes and Noble on our way outta town, and I picked up a spankin' new journal. I'm going through journals faster than I ever expected. I'm almost through journal #3! AHHHH! Such a crazed mission journaler! It was just so fun to go with Amanda and get to know her better. She served her mission in South Korea and we're pretty much kindred spirits- I just love her a lot. We're pretty much destined to be BFFs and soul sistas, so that'll be fun. Bismarck day was just the greatest!

Me and my boots! 

Us and Amanda post beautiful Bismarck trip    

Once back to Beulah, we dropped our goodies and ran to Barb's- and we went to dinner with her! She wanted to thank us for helping her with her leaves, so she took us to D'Andreas in Hazen. It was a total party. We laughed and hugged and Barb said her goodbyes to my sweet Sister Finlinson (which was just adorable). On our way outta dinner, Barb answered a phone call and told them that she was just leaving dinner with her FRIENDS. Oh man OH MAN, we're friends with Barb! What a joyful discovery!

We ran by the Nottingham's after dinner to kick off Sister Finlinson's farewell tour, and I began to realize just how stinky transfers are. They're the stinkiest. This week was all about watching my fave say goodbye to the people we met and came to love together, and then somehow getting through my mourning enough to raise up a new missionary. Stupid, stupid. We made the grand goodbye agenda upon getting back to the apartment, and my heart began to just feel sad. Mostly this week I've felt sad. I miss my comp even today, and I wish transfers had been a little kinder to her.

Tuesday was the worst. I just had this never ending lump in my throat and I didn't want this to be real life. We did the majority of the goodbye rounds on Tuesday, saying farewell and weeping obscene amounts. It wasn't real until we went to Sister Schellenberg, where we all just ate banana bread on her floor and cried. It was wee pathetic, but transfers just stink. That's the real lesson learned for this week. Transfers just stink.

But, on a less gloomy note, I realized through all the goodbyes that Heavenly Father really does take care of His missionaries during transfers. We saw everyone on the farewell tour and even got to see Courtney- one lesson amid all the crazy! Everything we needed to do just came together, and it was pretty amazing.

We went to dinner at the Kraft's, where we chatted about living on ranches and their deep passion in fresh milk and eggs. It was a good break from the reality of transfers. We did one last stop after dinner at the Roundy's, and it was a good end to a kinda crummy day. The Roundy's are just the greatest, and they made it feel like everything is really going to be okay. And everything is going to be okay! Everything already is okay! I was feeling a little nervous to send this email, so full of sadness and mourning, but it's pretty cool to already be through the worst of it. This week wasn't my favorite, and I'm struggling with the whole new world I'm living in...but it's good.

My fave Brigham    

Alright, on to Wednesday! Wednesday was crazy crazy...because it SNOWED. AHHHH! First storm of the season on our last day together- it was fated. North Dakota snow is such a party. It falls kind of sideways and never actually sticks to the ground because of the crazed wind here. It just blows around and kind of dances on the road- so pretty. I'm still a tad antsy to drive in it, but it's going to be fun.

North Dakota snow being the coolest    

Our first Wednesday stop was at Becky's. We bundled up tight and headed out into the bleak winter (with my boots, of course!), and it was so worth it! We had an amazing meeting with Becky. She was more honest than ever, and we just comforted her and reminded her that the gospel gives us the strength to get through everything. Really, it's just incredible to see how true that is. The gospel really does change lives, and Becky's heart really is changing because of the gospel...slowly but surely, visit by visit.

We headed back for lunch after Becky, during which we watched "Legacy" and had one more delicious round of apple crisp. It was a perfect last lunch hour. We began the last leg of Sister Finlinson's farewell tour after lunch, stopping first at the Dunkley's...with me still in pretty serious denial that goodbyes were actually requisite. Man oh man, this week would've been about 30 times easier if I hadn't lived in such complete denial (maybe I should just face the inevitable...but it's hard!).

We stopped by Lauren after the Dunkley's, where we chatted about the Book of Mormon and gaining a testimony. It was fine, just frustrating to work with people that are content with their lack of progression. Like, we can't help you unless you want to be helped. That's just how it works. It was nice, but I'm getting to this point with so many of the people we're working with. I just don't know how to help them...and that's probably why transfers are a thing and are happening when they are. Ugh.

We tried Faye after meeting with Lauren and ended up having a nice conversation with Kevin on the porch- but no Faye interaction. We continued on with our goodbyes, stopping by the Leaches and the Thuesons before heading over to Tonya Leach's for dinner.

Oh man, how I love Tonya Leach! She is the greatest. She actually just got back from visiting her sister in Colorado who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer...and she let us whine about transfers and be moody. Like, what a total rock star. Such a dreamboat. She has her own honey business, so we left her house with oodles of fresh honey in all different flavors- such joy. It was all just such a tender mercy after a bummer week. Tonya Leach is the real MVP of my life. I have never met someone so Christlike and so anxious to serve all those around her, even the missionaries. I just love that amazing lady.

Thursday was crazy, too. I felt anxious and nervous the whole way to Bismarck, man oh man. In the morn, after personal study, Sister Finlinson and I exchanged cute cards and gifts and had one last good weep about how much transfers stink. We hopped in Greta and rode off to Bismarck to face our futures and drive out into the sunset. Or like the sunrise. Something picturesque or whatever. Mostly, I just adore my sweet comp. I'm grateful that we at least had three months together, and that I continue on with this stupid amount of love for her from now on. Pen pals for life!

Our transfer presents (isn't Sister Finlinson the sweetest?) 

one last selfie for the road   

Once in Bismarck, we ate sammies and met our new companions...and tried to be social with them while enjoying our last moments together as companions. And suddenly, before I knew it, we hugged one last time and I was off to Dickinson. I dropped Sister Anderson, Sister Shutt's new companion, in Dickinson, and then Sister Luker and I were off to Beulah. We dropped her luggage, picked up some milk and eggs, and went over to Courtney's for dinner.

Something I never really realized about transfers is that everything changes immediately. No nice transition, no moment to take a breath...just into this new companionship and this new experience with no time to recover from the old. I'm slowly learning how to reconcile my love for Sister Finlinson and getting to know Sister Luker. She really is amazing, and we're going to party hard together, but my heart is still a little achy and tender for my bae. I was just so grateful for dinner with my kindred spirit, Courtney, complete with a chill gospel chat and minimal amounts of stress. I'm learning that the only way to be the trainer and senior comp is to let people help you. It's tricky, but I'm getting there.

We stopped by a few potentials in Beulah before heading back home to get Sister Luker all unpacked and settled. It was a chill evening, wherein I realized that being a trainer is just crazy. This newbie still needs her trainer! I'm ill-prepared to do this crazy thing!

We planned on Friday and got all orientated with the area (and each other) before running by the Wielands. I introduced Sister Luker to my faves, and then we headed over to the Crane's for dinner. It was a nice dinner, but the Crane's just aren't super interested in living the gospel right now. Such is life. We shared a nice scripture and bore our testimonies about coming to church, but they just weren't in the mood. It's all good though, because we ended the day with a perfectly perfect lesson with Luke and Becky! It made the weird day of planning so much better.

We taught the Moorheads the Word of Wisdom, and they committed to live it! YAHOOOO!! It was so good. My heart is just full of Moorhead pride. They're progressing, little by little, and I think Luke will be ready to get baptized on the 21st. I'll keep you updated. We craved pumpkins with them, and it was just so nice. I love that sweet fam!

carving pumpkins with the Moorheads! 

My cute pumpkin (and my cute face!)    

Saturday was great! I can't believe that Halloween has come and gone, and that I'm braved my first official mission holiday. I don't know if Halloween actually counts, but it was still pretty exciting. We kicked off our day with the norm morning routine, and then we headed over to the Lee's for lunch. It was a total party. Everyone is so anxious to meet Sister Luker, and it's fun to watch her figure it all out. We headed over to Halliday after lunch, where we stopped by the Thueson's and tracted for a spell. We were going to see Faye, but she dogged on us (lol, just typed that.) last minute. We called her up and scheduled an appointment for next Wednesday, so hopefully it'll work out. Fingers crossed!

We ran back to Beulah after that, where we met up with Ashley and taught her the gospel. It went really well! She told us that she feels something different when we come by, and that she wants to find out if it's true- yahoo! I am just so grateful to be teaching such amazing people like Ashley. She's the bomb, my friends.

We headed over to the Maupin's for dinner, and we ate chicken alfredo pizza. It was the jam. We had a sweet message about prayer and read part of Enos with them...but Brother Maupin is not budging. He's been inactive for the past few years and no one is really sure why...but we'll keep poking it. We'll get there.

Our last stop of the night was Barb, and it was such a good lesson. She asked us questions about heaven and out beliefs, and we had a really nice conversation about the Plan of Salvation. Good things are coming with Barb, I can just feel it!

We had a most delightful Sabbath yesterday. Nothing too crazy, just a little bit of finding before dinner at the Humphrey's. We met with Lisa and Devoe after dinner and chatted with Lisa about growing up in Utah- turns out, she's read the Book of Mormon before! I don't know why we haven't chatted with her about that before, haha. Amateur hour over here. I think she could be interested, and we invited their fam to our Branch Party on Saturday- we'll see what happens! I'm jazzed!

We did one last stop for the Sunday at Becky's, and she has been living the Word of Wisdom! What the what! I am so excited for her, man oh man. It's going to be so great!

Welp, this week has been long and crazy. It feels like it's been a few weeks and not just seven days...but next week will be better. I love you all so so much! Thank you for all the mail and love and support!

Love,

and me and Liberty being nail twins. It was a great week!     

Sister Robinson

our pumpkins for all our neighbors to see