I took way too many photos

I have way too little time. So I'm sorry that this email is brief and that I didn't reply to most

of your emails. I STILL LOVE YOU I PROMISE.

So. 

Tuesday: We had zone conference and just let me tell you how much I absolutely adore President 

and Sister Miles. 

.......

I adore them. 

They're just the sweetest, funniest, most loving and caring people ever. Besides my own parents. Plus, 

President always makes fun of the elders and it's great. Everything they had to say at zone conference

 was so inspired. And full of love for us. And they just rock. I wish I could send you all the notes I took 

but you probably wouldn't be able to read my chicken scratch and I'm sure you'd be bored. But I enjoyed it.

 I also got to see some of the elders I served around in Airdrie and it was like a little Airdrie reunion. 

Pronounced Air-dree, for my mother(;

Wednesday: We went on exchanges with the STL's and I went to Banff with Sister Blaser. The sister 

that trained her trained me, so we always have lots to talk about(; All good things, Momma Layton, 

all good things haha. Banff is really pretty. I love it there. It'd be rough to serve there because I

'd probably just stare at the mountains all day long and forget that I'm actually supposed to do 

missionary

 work lol. We had a blast together. We tried to do family history but we had no clue what we were doing,

 so I just stared at my tree at the part where 

it says 

"Add Husband" and then looked at 

ancestors' names trying to decide what

 I wanted to name my kids. 

Real effective, I know. I also saw deer like right 

next to 

our car just walking around someone's front 

yard.

 I've seen deer before, I grew up in hick town 

Missourah 

where they're constantly hanging from people's 

trees in their front yard, but never alive and this 

close! So, I

 squealed. A lot. 

Thursday: We visited this old lady (I'm still in Banff

 at this point) and she was just the sweetest thing

 ever. I had to get a photo. We went 

to a retirement center and provided 

entertainment for the dimensia unit. But they

 kept running away from us. So.... Yeah. 

That happened. We drove back to 

Calgary and exchanged back and then Sister Sears 

and I had a lesson with Ryan. When we first got to the 

institute building for our lesson, we ran into Jacob,

 Nutella mustache guy, and they knew each other 

from high school! So Jacob joined our lesson and 

was able to answer a ton of Ryan's questions. 

Definitely divine intervention, because Jacob was 

about to leave as we were getting there and neither

 Sister Sears or I had answers to anything he wanted 

to know. #GodIsGood. 

Friday: We weekly planned. Forever. It's normally on Thursdays, but we were on exchanges, so we had to 

make it up. But we were able to attend a fireside about race and the priesthood and it was super informative! 

The guy who spoke on it was really educated in that kind of stuff and he talked a lot about how in the

 scriptures, the whole "skin of blackenss" and curses and whatnot is metaphorical for the most part and how 

God loves ALL of His children, regardless of their race. I thought that was pretty neat. 

Saturday: We went to Cochrane for the elders' baptism they asked us to teach at. During the break when the

 family was getting changed into dry clothing, Sister Sears and I taught a brief lesson of the Restoration and 

we showed the new #Hallelujah video. It's so neat how much power that message has. Christ lives! The video 

is pretty neat too, I'd encourage you all to watch it(: We then took some photos because Cochrane is pretty 

and you can see the mountains. But not from my cheap Canon. Sorry about that. We went back to Calgary 

and did service at a community garden, we helped lay mulch with a guy named John, who reminds me of the 

moose off of Brother Bear. He said "eh" about 132 billion times. True Canadian. One of our members works at 

a pizza place, so he bought us pizza for supper and it was so good, I literally almost cried. So good. So. So. 

Good. Mmm. Whoever said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach

 didn't know me. (;

Sunday: We did the usual church meetings and such, but the really exciting

 thing was that Scott passed the sacrament for the first time! It was so neat to 

watch that. What a 

guy. He and Kelsey are both attending the family history class to learn how to 

find names they can take to the temple. Which brings me to my next cool 

story. We had supper with Kelsey and her parents

 at the Cuckow's house. Brother Cuckow is a family history freak. But it works 

for my benefit because he helped me find TWO NAMES to take to the temple!!!!

 I was so excited,

 I squealed, for like, ever. Ah. So cool. Family history is awesome. We also went to a YSA

 fireside that evening and

 Sister Tilley was there. At our 1 month mark, we took a photo together. So in honor of our 1 year

 mark on Friday, we had to 

take another photo together. 

And that's my week! Love you all! Thanks so much for the love and support(: It really does mean a lot. I love it 

when you

 send photos and videos and whatever else is going on in your lives. It rocks to remember what you all look

 like(; 

<3 Sister Pipkin 

Ok, really fast, I have to explain all these photos now

, cuz I forgot to do that.

1) bro. Cuckow and I with the names I found. 

Imagine lots of squealing. 

2) Sister Tilley and I. 1 year! Woo hoo!

3, 4, 5) Cochrane!

6) Sister Blaser and I... our old people left us. 

7) Sister Blaser and I again ft. the mountains that

 are kind of hidden by the fog 

8) Sister Blaser and I AGAIN in a really cute little 

bagelry because om nom nom 

Sister Peyto and I

Nutella Mustaches

We like to play this game called What Are the Odds. We pick random things we want our companion to do and we say, "What are the odds you'll do this?" They say something like, "1 in 5 or 1in 10" depending on how willing they are to do it. We count, "3, 2, 1" and then say the number we picked. If we say the same number, then we have to do it. 

Well.

We were playing this during a particularly slow Waffle Wednesday with one of the guys on the LDSSA committee (Latter-day Saint Single Adults). 

He lost. 

And therefore, he had to have a Nutella mustache, because that was the dare. 

I honestly wish I could figure out Google docs because there's a hilarious video that goes along with it, but that's ok. The photo will suffice. 

This happens to be the title of my email this week because it also happens to be about the most exciting thing that's happened. 

The struggle of the lull in missionary work after just having had baptisms is so real. We're really trying to find other people to teach and baptize haha, but it's a slow process. 

I also forgot my planner again so I can't remember what we did. I know, I'm horrible. This happens at the end of every transfer. I finish using my planner and then leave it at home because I forget that it's my brain and I need it for emails to remind me what we did this past week. 

Oh well. 

We dropped two of our investigators. It was kind of rough. The intent wasn't there, they just wanted us to prove to them that the Book of Mormon was true and us telling them to read and pray about it wasn't enough for them. They weren't willing to act upon faith, so it wasn't worth our time. They also weren't looking for anything but facts, so that was frustrating. But after dropping them, I've read so much in my studies about faith and real intent and all the things that we need to do and they just weren't quite ready for that yet. Someday! 

We took some pretty neat photos next to this valley-type-thing that overlooks Calgary that's soooo pretty. Canada is really pretty, guys. I love it.

We got to go to the YSA March Madness tournament this weekend and it was neat to be able to cheer on the teams from our ward and be a part of that camaraderie. It was neat to see how many members from the ward came out to support their friends, even if basketball isn't really their thing. Yay for YSA(:

  

Dang, this is rough, I'm really trying to wrack my brain of what we did, but basically, that's it.We cleaned out our car and found some random Happy Birthday glasses that Sister Dean left behind when she got transferred. So, yeah, enjoy the random photos of us. I hope everyone's week goes well(: Love you all! 

I just want to quick bare my testimony that I'm thankful for this gospel. So often we say that the church is true, and it is, but what we really mean to say is that the gospel is true. It's Christ's gospel. He set it up perfectly when He was here on the earth, and He restored it perfectly again through Joseph Smith. I'm grateful for it and the blessings it brings in my life. 

Love you!

<3 Sister Pipkin 

1 & 2) Our zone "band photo" before transfers

3) Sister Sears wearing the infamous Happy Birthday glasses. hahaha. Blackmail. 

4) Canada's really pretty 

5) Jacob's Nutella mustache

6) the epitome of YSA 

Mother of two

In missionary terms, we say that we have a baby when we train. And this is my second time training, so I'm now a mother of two. Aww. So cute. 

So anyways. 

Monday: We played this really fun game called Mission Impossible. The lights are off and the person who's "IT" has a flash light. They spotlight people who are trying to make it to the front to grab the oven mitts (or whatever) and bring them back to the home base. And we're hiding behind tables set on their end. And it's super duper fun except for the bruises it leaves, both from crawling around on your knees and from running smack into tables you can't see. But it was a blast. 

After that, we went to the regional YSA FHE carnival and it was so much fun!!! There was a kissing booth, but because we're missionaries, we just took photos in it lol. I also got to see my first baby, Sister McDonald. She was there because she's serving in another YSA in South Calgary. It was awesome to see her!

Tuesday: Was Sister Dean's birthday. And kind of the last day she had to finish packing before we picked up the fetus, so we spent the day packing. Actually, she spent the day packing. I mostly watched, cuz I'm a super supportive companion like that. And then we went to a member's house for supper and they fed us her favorite, waffles and bacon for supper! And they got her a cake and we sang happy birthday and it was precious. And then the zone leaders called and told her she was going to be a Sister Training Leader, and I laughed. She didn't want that, but it happened anyways. Lol. 

Wednesday: We picked up the fetus. Or should I say, I had the baby... Idk, I feel like I actually have real life mommy brain because my brain is not working this week haha. Anyways, we were almost late to pick her up because we had to grab a slurpee for an elder that Sister Dean lost a bet to. But no need to fear, we made it just in time. And I like her, I think I'll keep her. Her name is Sister Sears and she's from Arizona, so she's kind of cold. I think she might actually be wearing gloves as she types right now haha it's adorable. After we picked her up, we went and had a lesson with this guy who's kind of crazy. He tried to disprove the Joseph Smith thing, but the whole time he was literally shaking, either from the amount of wrongness he was saying or the excess amounts of coffee he was drinking. Idk. It was quite the lesson, though. He said he'd call us to set up another time, but I doubt it. We met up with Kelsey at the chapel across from the temple because she was getting ready to go with some friends from the YSA to do baptisms for the first time! Scott too! Remember, these are the two that just got baptized last Saturday. So that was really awesome. 

Thursday: I said good bye to Sister Dean and it was sad. And also Sister Durrant, who is now Cami, because she's home now. #shoutout. That was sad, but she gave me some of her clothes so it kind of made up for it. After transfers, we spent the day planning, what with it being weekly planning day and whatnot. Later that evening, we visited a girl from our ward who was in the hospital for some emotional and mental health stuff. We brought the zone leaders to give her a blessing and it was so awesome. After they left, we shared the Plan of Salvation with her, per her request, and just as we were finishing, her non-member parents came in. Her mom offered the closing prayer and it was really awesome. 

Saturday: We spent the day helping out at the stake Pinewood Derby event, which they call Cub Car Rally. We mostly manned the hot dog station and I literally ate 6. I only partially regretted that because they were really good. So... yeah. Later that night, we had a lesson with Kelsey about continuing to read the scriptures and how her experience went at the temple. She loved it, she literally wanted to stay there forever haha. She had gone again earlier that day, so basically she's the coolest person ever. 

This week has been so crazy busy, but it's been really good. I'll be a year at the end of this month, and it's crazy to see the difference in training when I was three months out to now. Hopefully I do a better job this time. Lol, sorry, Sister McDonald lol. You know I love you, bae(; Lol speaking of bae, a girl in our ward gave us a ride home from church yesterday and as we were leaving, I said, "Thanks, bae!" Later, Sister Sears said, "Is Bae her name?" LOLOL I LOVE GREENIES!!! It was great. I teased her about it the rest of the day. I'm so excited for this experience, it's going to be a good go. 

Anywho, love you all! I want to bare my testimony that I know that the gospel is true and I am so grateful for that knowledge every day. So many people we talk to are unsure of their life or the way the world is going and it causes them so much stress and grief. When we are able to share with them our testimonies of the plan Heavenly Father has set out for us, it can be such a blessing to them. I'm so grateful every day for my family and their strength in the gospel. Nothing can compare.

Have a blessed week!

Love, 

Sister Pipkin 

1) We found this romper in our pad that is atrocious, so I decided to put it on over my workout clothes. Don't ask me why, it just happened. 

2) Sister Sears' first time on the train. Even though we're still on the platform at this point. 

3) Sister Durrant (Cami lol) and I for the last time. Aww. 

4) Sister Dean and I. Featuring Elder Windham in the back. Punk. 

5) Our first photo together as mother and daughter. 

AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feb 29 at 11:07 AM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YOU GUYS.

KELSEY AND SCOTT GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!

 

This is just a glimpse of the squealing I've been putting my companion through for the last couple of days. Sorry about that, but not really because this has probably been the best week of my life. Like... ever. 

Something about people being happy with the gospel makes me happy and then I squeal. It's weird. It's like I'm a missionary or something.

Haha. 

Okay. But really though. All jokes aside, this week was so so sick. Like, spiritual high all day e'rry day. I'm still super stoked about it all.     Tuesday: We went on exchanges with the STL's in Banff and it was soooo pretty. Ah. I would probably never want to serve in Banff because the work is really tough there and their branch is teeny tiny. BUT it was so pretty. We walked this lady's dogs to the dog park and they got us all muddy and gross but it was way fun. We talked to quite a few people there. Something about people with dogs, they're always so friendly to other people with dogs. 

Wednesday: We did Waffle Wednesday and it was suuuuuper slow, so I found ways to entertain myself. I lined up all the toppings in a V formation with the ice cream bucket at the top and then I flicked the cherries lid around, it bouncing off all the toppings and whatnot. I basically made myself a pin-ball machine and it kept me entertained for a solid half hour haha. I totally took a video of it too, but I still need to figure out how to send it. But take my word for it, it was cool. 

We had a lesson with both Scott and Kelsey on temple work and family history and they're both so flippin' awesome. Kelsey has already started doing family history and is all the way back to the 1600's on her mom's side. So cool. 

And then that night I got a training call. Which means I'm training again. Which means Sister Dean is getting transferred. Sad. But it will be a fun adventure. When you get a training call, we say that you're pregnant. So we've been saying all week that we're going to pick up the fetus on Wednesday hahaha being a missionary is so weird. 

Thursday: We had a really awesome lesson with a returning less-active. Returning as of like two days ago. She came to us a while ago with some concerns and we weren't sure how to address them. But then she watched this movie, God Is Not Dead, and she felt the Spirit super strong and found so many answers to questions she'd been wrestling with. She started making a ton of changes within, like, two days all on her own! This is honestly one of the coolest things ever. After meeting with her and her sharing with us all these cool things, I literally couldn't stop squealing. Poor Sister Dean, hahaha. 

After meeting with her, we had a lesson with our investigator, Ryan, and our member, Tyler, came. It was really cool because both Tyler and Ryan are SUPER smart, so they got along great. We taught Ryan the Plan of Salvation, and questions that he had that we had no idea bout, Tyler was able to answer because he's so smart. It was really cool. YSA are the best, they  just have so many questions and they're so ready to learn more and more and more. 

Friday:  We went into South Calgary for a training meeting with President and the other missionaries that are training. It was funny to see that most of the other missionaries that are training had trained with me when I trained the first time. (How many times can I say train in one sentence?) I joked with some of the sisters that we're always pregnant together lol. I don't think they thought it was as funny as I did, but whatever. The meeting was really sweet. Very inspiring. And kind of scary. Lots of reminders of the responsibility that training is. SO MUCH PRESSURE. But it's always awesome to hear from President. He's literally the best. 

Saturday:  WAS LITERALLY THE BEST DAY EVER!!!!!! 

We got to the church super early to fill up the font, but there was already someone filling it up for a baptism they  had at 11. So that was awesome. No responsibility for us! So we just did our studies in the mother's lounge, had lunch with a member that lived near by, and then went back to the church to start setting up for the baptism at 1. Kelsey and Scott came all ready to go, so we took photos and got started. Kelsey's parents came and it was so cool to see the support they have for her. I swear they'll be baptized some day, literally some of the coolest people ever. The program went well, it was well attended, and there were really good cookies afterwards. So stinkin' cool. 

After the baptism, we went to the retirement home to sing to some of the residents. There were like five people there so it was kind of awkward haha but super fun. 

One of our members took us out for Indian food that was really good, and then we visited with one of our members who is preparing for her mission in, like, a month. It was a good day. 

Sunday: Might have been better than Saturday, if that's even possible. Scott was interviewed by bishop and sustained in sacrament to be worthy to receive the priesthood! They were both confirmed during sacrament meeting and had some of the best blessings I had ever heard. Like, I literally would have squealed, but we were in the chapel, so..... I just grinned instead. I did a musical number with one of my zone leaders who accompanied me. Scott was ordained during priesthood, and then both Kelsey and Scott got their temple recommends after church! They're both wanting to go to the regional YSA temple day this weekend, and, like, holy crap, this is the best thing of my life.  WE HAVE THE COOLEST INVESTIGATORS--NOW MEMBERS--EVER!!!!!! 

So. That was my week. I kind of have a headache from all the excitement. What at terrible thing to get a headache from. (;

Oh. man, you guys. The gospel is seriously so awesome. It literally changes lives. I've seen it. I know it. We talked to someone the other day who said they just didn't like the rules. But when it comes down to it, if you love God enough, the rules don't even matter. I mean that in the way that you love Him so much that following the rules and doing the things that he's asked us isn't hard at all. When we come to understand who our Heavenly Father is and the love that He has for us, it makes us so much happier. 

God is good. 

Love you all so much(: 

<3 Sister Pipkin 

1) Sister Dean and I with Brother LaPlante (left) and Scott (right)

2) Kelsey and Brother Litousky (I think you can figure out which one is which)

 

 

Feb 29 at 11:10 AM

I wasn't ready to send that email, gosh dangit. Let me explain the rest of the photos. 

3) Sister Dean and I matched at church yesterday and didn't even plan it. Honestly. 

4) Elder Ince (really big) and Elder Chen (really small). Idk why. All I can say is elders. 

5) Elder Paihopa turned 22 on Friday and we made him a cake. We rock. 

6) I came out with Sister Tilley and saw her at the training meeting. It's seriously so weird that we've been out for almost a year. 

7) the gorgeousness of Banff. Oh, and the mountains. Lolol. I'm funny.