Yesterday, I hit eighteen months since I entered the MTC. That was weird. Still not sure how to process/deal
with it all, so I don't. :D I just pretend that I'm not going home and go throughout my day like I normally would.
Which is really hard. Especially when you're sitting in meetings and they're like, "We're going to do this and this
and this on this day,"
and I'm trying not to think or say, "I won't even be here for that..." But all is well!!!! We had a fantastic week!!!
with it all, so I don't. :D I just pretend that I'm not going home and go throughout my day like I normally would.
Which is really hard. Especially when you're sitting in meetings and they're like, "We're going to do this and this
and this on this day,"
and I'm trying not to think or say, "I won't even be here for that..." But all is well!!!! We had a fantastic week!!!
Monday: We went to WATERTON!!!! It was so much fun. Sister Jardine and Sister Kanyo, two of the
most hilarious
ladies ever, took us to Waterton and it was a blast. We coordinated it with the other missionaries so
we could all
go together. The other Raymond sisters had their ward mission leader take them, we took the Magrath
sisters
with us, and the Raymond and Magrath elders were able to have one of our members from 3rd ward
take them.
We hiked Bear's Hump and it was so beautiful! Aside from the fact that I wanted to die because I'm
sooooooooo
out of shape, it was a blast. I took some fun photos, but unfortunately, I left my camera in the Jardine's
truck
and can't get it back until tonight. So... I'll send them sometime. :D
most hilarious
ladies ever, took us to Waterton and it was a blast. We coordinated it with the other missionaries so
we could all
go together. The other Raymond sisters had their ward mission leader take them, we took the Magrath
sisters
with us, and the Raymond and Magrath elders were able to have one of our members from 3rd ward
take them.
We hiked Bear's Hump and it was so beautiful! Aside from the fact that I wanted to die because I'm
sooooooooo
out of shape, it was a blast. I took some fun photos, but unfortunately, I left my camera in the Jardine's
truck
and can't get it back until tonight. So... I'll send them sometime. :D
That night, we had supper at the Graves'. Their dad is going up north to work until the day before
I leave, and
we weren't sure if we'd get to say goodbye before then, so I said my goodbyes that night at supper
. We also
burnt one of my dresses for my 18 month mark. Don't worry, Mom, this dress needed to go. It'd seen
its days.
It was quite the party.
I leave, and
we weren't sure if we'd get to say goodbye before then, so I said my goodbyes that night at supper
. We also
burnt one of my dresses for my 18 month mark. Don't worry, Mom, this dress needed to go. It'd seen
its days.
It was quite the party.
Tuesday: Was the day of MIRACLES!!!!!!
Ok.
To start, though, we had a huge scare.
We're in the middle of district meeting, and this guy walks
into the church and starts walking towards our room. We have
the door open, so we can see him as he walks in, and he's walking so.
Slow. With dark sunglasses on and a dark leather jacket. As he gets
closer to our door, he reaches into his jacket, and my heart
LITERALLY FALLS OUT OF MY CHEST. I'm thinking, "Oh my goodness.
It's happening. This is happening. We are going to get shot up on
da block in Raymond, Alberta. All ten of us missionaries are going to
get shot and no one will know because we're in a church on a
Tuesday morning and we're all going to be dead. WE'RE GOING
TO DIE AND I GO HOME IN TWO WEEKS"
into the church and starts walking towards our room. We have
the door open, so we can see him as he walks in, and he's walking so.
Slow. With dark sunglasses on and a dark leather jacket. As he gets
closer to our door, he reaches into his jacket, and my heart
LITERALLY FALLS OUT OF MY CHEST. I'm thinking, "Oh my goodness.
It's happening. This is happening. We are going to get shot up on
da block in Raymond, Alberta. All ten of us missionaries are going to
get shot and no one will know because we're in a church on a
Tuesday morning and we're all going to be dead. WE'RE GOING
TO DIE AND I GO HOME IN TWO WEEKS"
But then he pulls his hand out of his jacket, without a gun, and
unbuttons his jacket, and then asks our district leader where the
funeral is for Ken Williams.
unbuttons his jacket, and then asks our district leader where the
funeral is for Ken Williams.
I guess that would explain why he was dressed so darkly.
And why he was walking so slow.
Because he was confused where everyone was....
.......
Yeah.
I overreacted.
Anyways.
We have this less-active woman we've been working with, and usually, we share cute object lessons with her kids,
and that's how we get in with her. Her kids weren't home when we stopped by, but she let us in anyway, and we
had a good chat. We then asked if we could leave her with a brief message, even though her kids weren't home.
She agreed, and we shared 3Nephi 28:4-6 where Christ asks the three Nephites what it is they want, and how He
already knows their thoughts, but wanted to give them the chance to ask. We talked about how He does that wit
h us. He knows what we want, and more importantly, He knows what we NEED. This led to an amazing, heartfelt
discussion. Previously, we had struggled to get her to open up to and talk with us. But today, she shared with us
her personal conversion story, and it was so amazing and sincere. She proceeded to then tell us about some of her
friends and how we could help them, and told us some of the concerns she had with them. It was really neat,
because some of these concerns she was expressing for her friends were concerns we had had for her. It was
neat to see that change of heart for her.
and that's how we get in with her. Her kids weren't home when we stopped by, but she let us in anyway, and we
had a good chat. We then asked if we could leave her with a brief message, even though her kids weren't home.
She agreed, and we shared 3Nephi 28:4-6 where Christ asks the three Nephites what it is they want, and how He
already knows their thoughts, but wanted to give them the chance to ask. We talked about how He does that wit
h us. He knows what we want, and more importantly, He knows what we NEED. This led to an amazing, heartfelt
discussion. Previously, we had struggled to get her to open up to and talk with us. But today, she shared with us
her personal conversion story, and it was so amazing and sincere. She proceeded to then tell us about some of her
friends and how we could help them, and told us some of the concerns she had with them. It was really neat,
because some of these concerns she was expressing for her friends were concerns we had had for her. It was
neat to see that change of heart for her.
AND THEN.
We went to the Ackroyd's to talk to them about their daughter's friend, Autumn, who had said she wanted to
take the discussions. We said to Sister Ackroyd, "Is Becky here? We'd like to ask her about Autumn." Sister
Ackroyd says, "Well, why don't you just talk to Autumn? She's here!"
take the discussions. We said to Sister Ackroyd, "Is Becky here? We'd like to ask her about Autumn." Sister
Ackroyd says, "Well, why don't you just talk to Autumn? She's here!"
That was a miracle in and of itself.
We talked to Autumn about taking the lessons, and she wants to so bad, and she already wants to be baptized.
She's come to church with Becky a few times already.
She's come to church with Becky a few times already.
Now, she's 9. So we have to make sure it's all okay with her parents.
That was her commitment we left with her, to ask her parents if she could take the lessons, and if they'd be
interested, too.
interested, too.
And then we were able to have a lesson with her about the Book of Mormon, as simplified for a 9-year-old as
it can get, and it was so awesome! SHE BECAME A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!!! And then she was at church on Sunday!!!!!
it can get, and it was so awesome! SHE BECAME A NEW INVESTIGATOR!!!! And then she was at church on Sunday!!!!!
Wednesday: We had some lessons, but nothing super exciting, and I can't remember anything funny that
happened. Except for these wooden shoes I found on someone's porch that we went to contact. Hehe.
happened. Except for these wooden shoes I found on someone's porch that we went to contact. Hehe.
We were asked by the relief society in the elders' ward to come and share why we came on a mission for their
ward relief society party. It was so neat to share my testimony of my mission, and to hear the testimonies of the
other missionaries I'm serving with, to hear how much their mission means to them and the changes that have
taken place in their lives.
ward relief society party. It was so neat to share my testimony of my mission, and to hear the testimonies of the
other missionaries I'm serving with, to hear how much their mission means to them and the changes that have
taken place in their lives.
Thursday: We had a pretty cool lesson with Roger and Mavis Stone. We've been reading a chapter a week out
of the Book of Mormon with them and having them read a chapter in between our lessons, and it's been slloooowww. But on Thursday, we were talking about the chapter that we'd just read with them, and Mavis had some neat questions. As we were
closing, Roger totally bore his testimony without even knowing it. He's felt the influence of the Spirit as he's been
trying to read the Book of Mormon more. He knows it's true, and he wants to progress and be better. It was so
neat to hear him say that, and hopefully it had an impact on Mavis.
of the Book of Mormon with them and having them read a chapter in between our lessons, and it's been slloooowww. But on Thursday, we were talking about the chapter that we'd just read with them, and Mavis had some neat questions. As we were
closing, Roger totally bore his testimony without even knowing it. He's felt the influence of the Spirit as he's been
trying to read the Book of Mormon more. He knows it's true, and he wants to progress and be better. It was so
neat to hear him say that, and hopefully it had an impact on Mavis.
Friday: Was the day of dessert. We had a few lessons in the morning, and then had lunch with Tekarra. For dessert
, she fed us Ghiradelli brownies and ice cream. Then we went to Good Sam's, and the treat was spice cake with
tons of whipped cream. Then, the elders invited us to a member's of theirs who had made homemade donuts.
Well, we couldn't turn that offer down. We did service for a potential investigator, and then at supper, we had
donuts for dessert again. Then, we had a lesson with the Geddes' and his birthday is the next day, so they had
Dairy Queen ice cream cake to feed us!
, she fed us Ghiradelli brownies and ice cream. Then we went to Good Sam's, and the treat was spice cake with
tons of whipped cream. Then, the elders invited us to a member's of theirs who had made homemade donuts.
Well, we couldn't turn that offer down. We did service for a potential investigator, and then at supper, we had
donuts for dessert again. Then, we had a lesson with the Geddes' and his birthday is the next day, so they had
Dairy Queen ice cream cake to feed us!
I'm only kind of joking when I say they're going to have to roll me off the plane.
Saturday: We spent the day helping a family move out of one of our wards and into another of our wards.
Then we baked with Sister Lacey. We put together goody plates to deliver to less-actives and people that we
felt needed to feel loved. Let me tell you something, when Sister Lacey decides to do something, she goes hard.
There's no "Go hard or go home," going home isn't even an option. You just go hard. So these were some insanely
good goody plates. Also, Sister Lacey is the bomb.
Then we baked with Sister Lacey. We put together goody plates to deliver to less-actives and people that we
felt needed to feel loved. Let me tell you something, when Sister Lacey decides to do something, she goes hard.
There's no "Go hard or go home," going home isn't even an option. You just go hard. So these were some insanely
good goody plates. Also, Sister Lacey is the bomb.
We had supper at the Steed's and watched the General Women's Broadcast with Sister Steed and the other
Raymond sisters. What a privilege it is to be able to hear from the apostles and general women's authorities.
They are so inspired in the counsel they give.
Raymond sisters. What a privilege it is to be able to hear from the apostles and general women's authorities.
They are so inspired in the counsel they give.
Sunday: Was my last sacrament meeting as a missionary. That was kind of weird to think about. It was also
fast and testimony meeting, so I decided I was going to bare my testimony in all. Four. Wards. That was quite
the commitment, let me tell ya. Even after having gone three times already, I was still nervous getting up the
fourth time. But it was so amazing to look down at the faces of so many families I have grown to love while
serving here.
fast and testimony meeting, so I decided I was going to bare my testimony in all. Four. Wards. That was quite
the commitment, let me tell ya. Even after having gone three times already, I was still nervous getting up the
fourth time. But it was so amazing to look down at the faces of so many families I have grown to love while
serving here.
Something really neat that I learned today (that I kind of already knew, it was just reaffirmed to me this morning)
is that my mom is SuperWoman, SuperMom, SuperSuperDuper.
is that my mom is SuperWoman, SuperMom, SuperSuperDuper.
Late Friday night, she rolled her car on her way back from Salt Lake. While she's completely fine, that's kind of a
crazy thing to experience.
crazy thing to experience.
But instead of turning inward, my mom turned outward, just as Christ does. She got up the next morning, and
played the piano for the ward's primary program. In her email this morning telling me what had happened, she
included one line about the accident, and the rest of her email was asking me questions about what she could
do to help me upon my return home. She even asked me what my favorite scripture was this week.
played the piano for the ward's primary program. In her email this morning telling me what had happened, she
included one line about the accident, and the rest of her email was asking me questions about what she could
do to help me upon my return home. She even asked me what my favorite scripture was this week.
My mom is such an example of true Christlike character. I'm grateful for all she and my dad do for me and for
our family, and for the examples they set.
our family, and for the examples they set.
Thank you to everyone and all your love and support to me over the past 18 months. Thank you for all the
prayers and love and support. You're all amazing(:
prayers and love and support. You're all amazing(:
<3 Sister Pipkin
1) This photo is mostly a joke. I always make Sister Romney give me piggy-back rides, so I figured we needed
a photo of her giving me one on the top of a MOUNTAIN!!! :D
a photo of her giving me one on the top of a MOUNTAIN!!! :D
2&3) The burning of the 18-month dress. This is also the dress that I lost WhatAreTheOdds to Sister Black with
and had to wear every Sunday for a whole transfer. It needed to go...
and had to wear every Sunday for a whole transfer. It needed to go...
4) My Graves'. They're all taller than me except for the 8-year-old. Huzzah.
5) The shoes
6&7) The goody plates we made at the Laceys
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