Camarillo

MOMMY!!!!!!! AND DADDY!!!! The poeple here are so great! Everyone is so excited about missionary work it's nuts!!!!! :):) Like everyone!! We already have an investigator with a baptismal date :) And.... welp my apartment is so fancy we basically live inside a condo.... yeah, I'm spoiled..... serious it is so beautiful!!!!!!! We have a washer and dryer and 2  bathrooms..... sheeesshh :) But I am serving in Camarillo and HOLY RICH PEOPLE!!!! hahaha I spent a day trying to convert bajillionaires hahaha and yeah.... it was intimidating, but so fun!!!! Everyone is taking such good care of me, we have dinner appts. every single night. The funny thing is that we had chicken pot pies every day for the first week here!!! haha and beleive it or not, I have gone running every single day :) OH!!!! You should tell other people to write me letters.... because I have all p-day to write letters but only an hour to read all my emails and write evryone including my mission president :)

 

My companion is so great :) she's from Idaho... and yeah her hair is mermaid hair!!! SO.....  my quest for long hair is still totally on :):) Im not at 19 inches :) only 5 more to go!!!!!! But she has really been pushing me to talk to everybody which I don't have a probelm with :) it's just so fun :):):)

 

Seriously, I just go knocking door to door and MAN these homes are nice...... there is a mansion that owns a mountain and they have a white picket fence around all their land which is like the whole mountain :):):)  

 

Yes I got my drivers license, when I saw a letter from you in the mail, I cried!!! hahaha because I know your handwriting and it just made me so happy :):):):) yeah I love you guys!!!!!

 

The work is hard, but it's so good!!! Everybody is just so motivated, and I haven't had one door slammed in my face..... rather, just attacked by lots of fancy dogs! hahaha! Man I love you guys... I have like zero time,  but letters are great because, like I said I have all day to reply :)

Last letter from the MTC

MOM AND DAD AND FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :):):)

ummm so....i can call you guys!! I will be at the airport on my way to california on monday!!!  You should tell jessie and conner to email me and steve! SO i can have their emails! incase.. i wanna say hello :) or something :)

ummm The MTC has been the most insane experience ever!   :) Oh snap!  this week has been hard!!! I feel like i have been so humbled... I realize how much i need to work on and sometimes it gets over whelming... and i just have to lock myself in the bathroom and cry.. i have never prayed as much as i do here! I feel like i am getting so close to our Savior and God..... its unreal!!!! I know in these two weeks i really have come a long way! BUT ITS OVERWHELMING!!!!!! SHEESHH!! But no worries.... i am so tough :):) we were teaching an investigator ( which im slowly getting better at!!)  And she told me I did my makeup really pretty and that i need to stay the weight that i am right now because its beautiful, and then she leaned over to my companion and grabbed her belly and said... you on the other hand you have some work to do! but no worries its only a few pounds!!! HOLY SMOKES!!! hahaha i felt so awkward and my companion felt so hurt.... it was an awkward moment for sure.... hahaha ummm we had Dallin H Oaks come and talk with us, it was so amazing :) He is so inspirational!!!!!!  Honestly all I can say about this week is... that i keep on truckin..... :) haha Ive never been so happy and so sad! Just because i can see how much im growing and on the other hand how much longer i have to go!

After I taught a lesson to my investigator, my teacher did like a spot light on me... he was  saying he was impressed and all that junk.... so it made me feel really good :):) We do this thing called book of mormon study where you ask yourself  question then just start reading until you get revelation... or something haha and so my question was,"Am i doing ok? Are you proud of me, or am i just screwing up," I was feeling so down... and sad... until i read the scriptures and i felt like he was really proud of me... so that felt nice.

OH!!!!! so i have been trying to expand my knowledge... and really focusing on myself! So that i can become better and stronger.... and i was frustrated because i felt like i wasn't getting anywhere until my teacher had a chat with me and he told me to turn to Matthew 11:29 Made me feel good because i  felt like when he said learn of me... it meant don't just focus on yourself to become better but really focus on my companion and my investigators that im teaching... and then while in a way studying for them and to strengthen me... it will strengthen  me too!!!!!

sighh my brain feels like exploding all the time hahaha and the day i realized how you really could teach the gospel as simple as possible... and as long as you are willing to teach with with spirit and let him guide your thoughts my days got LOTS BETTER!!!!!! So thats been my number one goal :) is just really trying to learn how i can recognize the spirit always because i know he is always there :):):) Sighhh yeah im really a scatter brain.... and im sorry about that!!! BUT! Im leaving in 2 days and it pretty much freaks me out... hahaha and yeah..

Something that really stuck me this week was a talk by Elder Holland and he said something along the lines of, "Salvation is not a cheap experience it wasnt easy for our savior so why should it be any easier for us". I realize things I have to change... and i realize that this mission is going to be the hardest yet GREATEST thing i will ever experience!!!! But i need to be truly converted to the gospel first. So im really trying!!!!!! And i know it isnt easy. its not suppose to be easy, and thats what makes it so great!!! Thats why i love running! Because after i have done something hard i feel so goood and man yeah!!! ALL I CAN SAY IS THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!

Im trying SOOO HARD!!! And MAN i miss and love you!!! Truly!! Thanks so much for always being there for me! Im scared out of my mind to go to california in 2 days! but i know as long as i am obedient and try my best then ill have LOTS of help from the godhead :):) haha i actually am kinda obsessed with them.... the godhead pretty much rocks :):):) sighh....

LOVE YOU ALL!!!! And thanks for your emails!! Emails are great :) And for all my siblings... you can write me..... :) just so you know!!!! Dad and mom you're the best ever :) And im blessed to have you as an example :)

ok BYE!!! LOVE Sister Collings :):)

First Letter!!

FAMILY!!!!! :)

Holy smokes... this experience has been umm.... NUTS!!!!!! everybody here is just so motivating!!! Being at the MTC (west campus) has showed me how important missionary work is!! I've learned so much and its only been two days!!!! I find myself praying like... always!!! 

My companions name is Sister Hacker and she is from Texas!! She is so amazing! Like everytime she talks she is just so filled with the spirit :) and yup. I'm really lucky to have her!!

We learned something really amazing from President Stice (who is from Grantsville!!! WHAT!! :) Well...  He said that if you want to be an average missionary you start with being average at the MTC. If you want to be an exceptional missionary you need to be exceptional at the MTC!!! So right now... i dont exactly know what im doing but!!! REALLY throwing all of myself into everything! Because i really do wnat to be exceptional!! ANOTHER thing he asked us was, " Who is the most important investigator you will come into contact with?"

hmmm...  my companion??

No.

myself?

nope!!!

He then said, "The most important investigator you will have hasn't been born yet."

Wow, what a thought!! That struck me so hard!! If i am an exceptional missionary at the MTC and then in Ventura California, it will help me to raise my own kids :) and lets be honest.... i want to be an exceptional parent... so my nice family i am trying so hard!! 

every single night... my head feels like its going to EXPLODE!!!! haha!! And i have never felt the spirit so strong in my life :) my companion and I have to teach out first investigator tonight!!

.......

Yeah. im freaked out!!! BUT! Im trying so so so SOOOOOOO hard to have the spirit with me at all times... because I know thats whats so amazing about the MTC it teaches you HOW to teach through the Spirit :) 

These two days have been tough.. BUT SO WORTH IT!!!! AHHH!!! :) 

All the elderly people i talk to (like my teachers) every single one of them tells me i need to calm down because i am too excited haha! I just dont see that happening!!! People bare witness of Jesus Christ through testimony and it just makes me so giddy!! And... brings me to tears!!! The MTC is turning  me into a SUPER SOFTY!!!! Like.... mom and jessica!!! haha!

So the West campus i am living at is so fun!!! My classes take place at the raintree apartments! and its really funny!! like they transformed student housing into classrooms so one whole wall is a sliding mirror closet. So if you get up in front of the class you see yourself too... so its kinda awkward!!! :) haha the computer i am typing on is actually in the same apartment as my classroom but in the kitchen haha! So its just fun!! :) 

I am loving this experience! I am even signed up to sing in the MTC choir! cool huh :)

Anyway. Missionary Work is incredible!!! I cannot wait to apply all these changes to my life so i can be the best i can be :):) I love you guys SO much! And mom dont cry :) I know God is with me throughout this whole expereice TRUST me... i am in good hands! The Elders in our district won't even let us cross the road unless they are surrounding us... weirdo's... haha. 

BYE!

AND I LOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!

-Sister Collings

 

 

Kaylea's setting apart!

Kaylea is officially a missionary! We had a fun time getting the family all together :) Thank you skype and facetime.. :)

Divide and conquer!! :)

This year I've been on a good routine.....
It goes like THIS-

Mon-Sat: WORK!
Sun: FAREWELLS!

It's true... missionary work has devoured nearly everybody I know!! This epidemic is out of control...
very... infectious :) baha!
AND FINALLY ITS MY TURN!
bring it on.

Things I've learned:

1. It's ok to procrastinate...... makes the week before you leave an ADVENTURE!
2. Goodbye's are depressing, "see ya later's" Are much more effective and less tear jerking!! :)
3. Sometimes you cry because you miss your best friends and your boyfriend.. that have already left  on their missions... sometimes you cry because your still at home... usually both.... BUT.. like my grandma always said, " PUT ON YOUR BIG GIRL PANTIES AND DEAL WITH IT!"
4. Listen to grandma's advice :)

Yeah... Wednesday I arrive at the MTC :) wish me luck!! And I wish you luck on your life.... Lets make these next 18 months good one!

Goodbye to my fellow working buddies!!! Sorry Melany and C-U-L-E but I am vain and looked a tad better in this picture without you... still love ya though ;)

 

Goodbye to my cute boyfriend :) and his incredible family!!!!! (oh and goodbye to the 4 kids on the left of the picture!!)

 

GOODBYE my girls!! plus my Texan :)

 

AND BYE NICE FAMILY OF MINE  :)

OH! and goodbye... cutest niece EVER!

I will see you all... through emails!! letters... and maybe packages ehh ehh?? :)

 

-Sister Collings :)