Happy New Year's

1-5-15

Dearest Family!

Mom hopes those icicles are clean!!

     Happy New Year!!! It is still kind of mind boggling to me that it is 2015. Just thinking about this year and all the potential it holds leaves me feeling a little overwhelmed...This year is going to hold a lot of changes and a lot of growing for me...But I'm excited. No matter what happens, I have a feeling this year is going to make me really happy...which I don't know how that's even possible because 2014 was SO good! I don't know how anything could beat it! I think I loved 2014 so much because it was my year. From day #1 to day #365 I was able to be a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints. I can't say that about 2013 or 2015. 2014 was the year I learned and grew so much. Never have I had such a hard, trying, new, growing, amazing year in my life. But this last year was full of a lot of growth...and this next year is going to be filled with a lot of firsts. And though I don't think any of us get away from this life without a few regrets, I love New Year’s because it means looking to the future, and reminds me of when the Lord told Lott's wife "Look Not Behind Thee." We get a chance to start clean. I wrote up a whole bunch of goals for this upcoming year. I'll have to send you a copy! So far they are going really well! And I'm expecting to hear about everyone else's goals this week! So don't disappoint! :) But I highly recommend you read two different talks this week as you welcome the New Year. "Of Regrets and Resolutions" By Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf and "We are the Architects of our own Happiness" by Elder Gerald Cause'
     This last week...not gonna lie...was pretty slow....Everyone was still getting over the Holiday hangover and so we had a lot of people cancel on us and we did a lot of roaming around trying to contact people and find people. But we had 3 referrals this week for interested potential investigators! That's crazy! So we are really hopeful to be able to meet them and start teaching them! I'll let you know what happens and how it goes! 
     This week was.......interesting.  It was weird, kind of hard and kind of funny at the same time. Tuesday was pretty normal. We are working really hard with this guy named B. He wants so badly to be good and righteous and to serve a mission. I fasted for him yesterday, because I want him to overcome his problems so bad! We also met with this less active named C who is returning. He just recently received the Aaronic priesthood and now is getting his patriarchal blessing soon! We are so excited for him! He is HILARIOUS and cracks so many jokes. He's 23, has a 4 year old daughter, and is divorced. He has custody of this super super cute little girl who is an absolute sweet heart. Her name is B. We are working with him towards getting the Melchezdic priesthood, and it's been great! It was hilarious because this week we taught him about fasting and then at church yesterday he said he was doing it...and then later we saw him make 3 trips to the water fountain and when he saw us staring he just smiled all oblivious and was like "I have no idea why I'm so thirsty!" hahahaha we couldn't stop laughing...and didn't know if we should remind him that was fast Sunday and make him feel guilty because he totally forgot in the middle of his fast! haha! 
     So....Wednesday was crazy! New Year’s man....So we got signed up to do a huge service project at the Provo Mall off University Ave. All the missionaries in the surrounding zones worked at the mall from 5-9pm New Year’s because the mall was putting on this huge part for New Year’s! They had food, fireworks, face painting, a scavenger hunt, rock wall climbing, karaoke, concerts, minute to win it, and a bunch of other stuff. (We saw Disney princes walking around, and Batman and Spider man asked if they could take a picture with us! Haha!) The missionaries all got these official lanyards to wear around our necks and we were in charge of admissions at all the mall entrances....Remember how last week I wrote in my email about kindness....and how it's kind of a dying art? Well...I saw a lot of super kind people...and a lot of some super not kind people while working admissions! We had to help them get their wrist bands on and I was in charge of money....which I never want to do again....stressful!!! There was this one group of drummers that came through in full body spandex suits which was really funny...There were two elders I had never met before with us at our table named Elder Latu (Tongan but from Texas) and Elder Vineyard (He was a brand new Greeny and super funny) We had a good time with them, and if anyone was trying to intimidate us, Elder Latu just stood there looking all Boss and had his hands clasped in front of him like a bouncer. It was awesome! There was this one guy who came through who really bugged me. We weren't allowed to accept anything over $20 bills and he showed up with a whole group of kids and tried to pay with a $100. When we told him we couldn’t accept it and that he would have to go around to the main entrance to break it, he got all flustered and was like "You are seriously going to make me load all my kids back up in 20 degree weather outside? I thought you guys were missionaries?! Is that what Christ would do?" He kept asking over and over again and patronizing and saying "I thought you were missionaries!" It was making me  mad. Because first of all....We represent Jesus Christ...and if Jesus Christ was sitting at the ticket counter I'm pretty sure that guy would not have been saying those things to him. Also as missionaries, we keep rules, and try to be as polite as we can about it. We have standards and we stick to them. So all of us were a little on edge, and we called one of the managers who came and helped the guy, so that we didn't have to deal with him. It was a crazy night, and by the end of it we were dead tired and just wanted to go to bed.

Warming up worshiping the Heat Gods

        Man....But this week was not a good week for sleep for me! On New Year ’s Day our land lords were out of town in California....and our Heater broke. Yup....no heat in 15 degree weather outside! Haha! I'm not even lying. Our house got down to 50 degrees and we were at a loss for what to do... we kept messing with the thermostat and stuff, but nothing worked! We put the heater on 85 degrees and nothing happened. We were so cold we were all bundled up inside our house in coats, and when we went to bed we stole all the extra blankets we could find in the spare room and we wore our thickest socks and sweatshirts and pajamas before climbing in bed. My feet were so cold I had to unthaw them with a blow dryer! I was a sister missionary Popsicle! Haha! Adventures adventures! Remember Mom, that one time I told you I would rather serve somewhere cold than hot....I take it back....I was cold! 

     But late that night the McCauslands called us back and were just getting home from their trip. So around 11:30pm we climbed out of bed and Elder McCausland came over and checked it all out. He found the problem and gave us a little Buddy Heater to keep us warm until the next day when he could get a new part for the heater. We were up pretty late that night! But the heat is back on now and we are doing dandy!
     Also cool experience! I was able to have dinner this week in this super old house in Provo. And guess whose house it used to be?! Inez Allen....one of the very first Sister missionaries!!! It was super cool!!! Really neat experience.
     Well I love and miss you and can't wait to hear from all of you! Keep on keeping on and have a happy new year! Don't worry I'm healthy and have been escaping this flu bug that seems to be hitting everyone!      Love you to the moon and back!
Love,
Sister Lenise Diane Volmer