Week 17: Boots McKinzie

Editors note: When Sister Monson was called to Washington Tacoma Mission she was so thrilled because she loves rain and could buy her "Hunter" rain-boots and leave her hair curly. So you can just see her knocking on doors in a Typhoon and loving every minute of it! See pictures below...

Whenever I would wear my boots at home my Daddy would call me "Boots McKinzie" which doesn't really make much sense because my name isn't McKinzie, but I do like boots! 

This week it started raining... and raining and raining and raining. My rain jacket and boots seem to be glued to me because it rains so much that I never take them off! On Thursday it rained so hard that even the pockets of my raincoat were sopping wet, it was truly incredible. And no one here believes in umbrellas! What? Apparently that's how they know you're not from here! Crazy!

On Friday we were at a ward party and the members were so concerned about our safety, we were so confused until we were shown a weather report of a TYPHOON coming directly to the Wa-Tac! This made us SUPER worried, but also ridiculously excited! The worst of the storm was supposed to hit while we are required to go knocking, from 5-7.

So we rain-proofed everything, our pass along cards were in baggies, our Book of Mormons were in baggies, we wore our boots, coats and waterproof bags, everything was safe from this storm. When it hit we were going to be prepared.

So Saturday night rolls around and our dinner appointment is super scared for our safety, and they tried to urge us to stay inside, but there was no stopping us from going out to find, unless we were told not to, we were going. So we pulled on all our gear made sure our car was safe and headed out.... and nothing happened. A little wind, and a little rain, and a whole bunch of terrified people, but nothing else happened!

Boots McKinzie is always ready to battle a storm, but apparently the storm wasn't ready to battle with her! Another day, I guess! Stay tuned for the many adventures of Boots McKinzie and her sidekick, Weatherproof Webb!

All my love,

She said the "puddle" was more like a lake and they were grateful they didn't fall in 

Sister Webb and Sister Monson at ward fireside Sunday evening

beauty everywhere

Elders and Sisters at Ward carnival Saturday night

Sister Megan Monson

Week 16: What a Beautiful Mess

I have lots of crazy stories from this week! Just after I emailed last week Sister Bird and I went to our last Zone Activity together. If there is one thing that I just cannot do even a little bit, it's sports. Literally, not even a little bit! We played chair soccer, which essentially means that we each had a chair and we had to protect it from the soccer ball, the last one with their chair still untouched is the winner. So being the uncoordinated mess that I am, my chair was among the first to get out. According to the rules of this made up game you must stay with your chair, in hopes that you are able to catch the ball and get yourself back in. So I was just sitting, with no intentions of even attempting to get back in, and a very well directed soccer ball comes flying at my face going a million miles an hour. Whoops. Bloody nose and dizziness aside, I was miraculously able to work through the rest of the day.

Tuesday was transfer day, the day that I had to say good-bye to my amazing companion Sister Bird! I was literally so sad! Sister Bird is incredible, and she trained me well! She moved on to Olympia and I got Sister Webb! Sister Webb is also incredible! She went to Utah State before the Mission, Majoring in Math Education, and basically lived my life, without me ever knowing her!

Driving home from Transfers was an adventure, I had not been behind a wheel in almost four months, and that skill leaves you quicker than you would think! What made it even more adventurous was the fact that my nose began gushing blood halfway home! Unfortunately my nose was not completely fine after being pelted in the face! Never drive while your nose is bleeding; it is just a bad idea!

Sister Webb and I have been getting along fantastically! She is so kind and compassionate! We came out on the same day so we both just finished training and really have no idea what we are doing, but it's fun.

Yesterday we decided to tackle the most daunting task known to missionary-kind, cleaning out the kitchen. We had four garbage bags full of molded breads, rotten eggs and all sorts of nastiness, in addition to the five bags from the refrigerator. It was disgusting, but we can officially see the back of our pantry and we now know where all the dishes actually are! As we were taking the trash out I opened the door to the garbage compactor, which has a very sharp corner conveniently level with my head. Of course I have no idea how to judge whether or not my head will hit said corner, except stupidity in not knowing how tall I actually am... Blood should not ever come out of your head. Nope, not ever. This wound up with Sister Webb sitting queasily in a corner and me trying to figure out what to do when a cut on your head is not stitches worthy! Luckily I did not need stitches, and I am probably not concussed, but lesson learned, know how tall you actually are.

I love you all, and I hope you can laugh at my crazy life! Have a great week!

Sister Megan Monson

Week 15: When the Going Gets Tough

The tough get going!!!

Transfer calls came on Saturday and it turns out... I am staying. Sister Bird will be moving on to Olympia and my two roommates, Sister Beck and Sister Pen will be transferring away from me as well. Leaving just... me. I don't pretend to know or even have a slight fraction of a clue as to why I am staying in Lincoln.

It has been drilled into my head constantly since I got here, "Lincoln is the toughest Sisters' area in the mission." Well, to be in a tough place without completely breaking one must be tough, or "steadfast and immovable" as the scriptures put it. Welcome to the next six weeks of my life! Sister Webb (my new companion) and I will be fighting the uphill battle of the century, But who is to say that's impossible? The Lord Has some sort of plan worked out in His head, and I just can't see it!

I hope you all had a wonderful conference and paid particular attention to Elder Oaks and Elder Andersen! (AKA Just share the gospel people!)

I love you all,

Sister Megan Monson

Selfie

Crazy sisters

Pre Conference photo

The Bakers

Elders and Sisters

Week 14: Tight Like Unto a Dish

When I was in High School my family would read the Book of Mormon together before everyone left for school and work. One morning before Brayden and I headed off to school we were reading in the book of Ether, Chapter 2 verse 17

     "And they were built after a manner that they were exceedingly tight, even that they would hold water like unto a dish; and the bottom thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the sides thereof were tight like unto a dish; and the ends thereof were peaked; and the top thereof was tight like unto a dish; and the length thereof was the length of a tree; and the door thereof, when it was shut,was tight like unto a dish."

     The phrase "tight like unto a dish" is in there four times, and appears a few times throughout the rest of the chapter as well. Brayden and I thought it was so funny and we joked about someday giving talks on being "tight like unto a dish." Well guess what one of the Talks in Sacrament meeting was about??? Being "tight like unto a dish." Of course this naturally piqued my interest, why on earth would you be talking about being tight like a dish? Brother Gold taught that it is as if God was saying "You're going to be in the water, and I am going to be directing you, and you need to be protected from the water." How true that is! We are all building our own boats, our testimonies, to withstand the crushing waters of the world. And if they are not unbreakable, the waters will start dripping in.

a dog name "Friend" followed us for 2 hours

     Being sent out on a mission is definitely like Heavenly Father taking the boat you have so carefully made and dropping it into the tumultuous waters of the world. Getting dropped into Tacoma has shaken me around, thrown me for a loop and made me a little seasick to be honest. But thank goodness for my Testimony of a living Christ, of the divine Plan of my Heavenly Father, and of the truthfulness of the Everlasting gospel. I know this is true. No matter how many Bible Bashers I meet, no matter how many people tell me I am wrong, no matter how many doors get absolutely slammed in my face, It will still be true. There is nothing that can take that truth from me, and no one who should even dare try. I know the gospel has been restored in its fullness to the earth. I know that not everyone in Tacoma will know this as firmly as I do when I leave, but it will not be because I haven't tried to tell them. my testimony is "tight like unto a dish," and it's going to stay that way.

All my love to you,

Sister Megan Monson

Birthday party for Sister Pen