What. A. Week. 4.28.2014

Oh boy. What a week. It ZOOMED by. I'm not even sure what we did. But don't worry. I'll still find something to rant about. I was made to rant.

 

Tuesday. Oh Tuesday. Tuesday was a great day. The whole day was led by the Spirit, it was the last day that we had the car for the week, ANNNNND we got to visit with Miss Gainesville. Yes. That is right. She is in our branch. We had tried to see her once before, but  she wasn't home and she lives pretty far out of the way. But on Tuesday I got this impression that we needed to go visit her. Lo and behold she was home! She is the most beautiful person I've ever met. Inside AND out. It was a magical day. Then we went to see this potential that I've never met, but I had a dream that she added me on Facebook. Yup! She was home too! My goodness me. We were blessed that day.

 

The next day we had a very interesting experience... we were teaching this lesson and we had a recent convert there. The lesson was going really well, but then all of the sudden the girl that we were teaching got up, told us to text her, and bolted out of the door! She apparently didn't realize what time it was and she had to be somewhere at 3. It was very interesting.... we sat there for a few seconds and let things digest, then we realized that we were in a room with just our male recent convert. Then there was mayhem and screaming and we all ran out the door. Missionaries. What is life. 

 

WE HAD A MEMBER FEED US THIS WEEK AND IT WAS DELICIOUS. That whole sentence deserves caps. It really does. We had a grand time and we got fed real food. Sweet, blessed day.

 

This week we had some transportation troubles. Well. We are back on the bikes (no blood yet) and we really should have know that riding home would be a problem when a bug flew into my eye and I had to stop because going downhill with only one eye really isn't the ideal situation. So we stopped and I had my inner turmoil as I gave myself eye drops. Who would have know that I'm still such a wuss? Oh, yeah. ME. Then after that curfuffle we were doodling along and Sister Bower's chain broke. Plain busted. We stopped to try and fix it but, alas, we had no success. So the other Sisters ended up coming to pick us up and the Elders came and got the bikes. It was quite the grease covered adventure. So much crazy. So the next day we walked everywhere until the Elders brought us the bikes back (don't worry. They brought a different one for Sister Bowers). But we walked for.... HOURS. It was pretty hot, but it helped my tan. Yes, I have a tan. Which just means that I look normal now. Progress. 

(see pics at bottom)

 

On Saturday there was a temple trip for the recent converts and we were able to help one of them find some names to take to the temple. I just LOVE family history. WHY DIDN'T I DO MORE OF IT BEFORE!!!!!? Oh, that's right. There's really nothing left. But thankfully we have recent converts who have NOTHING done! We were able to find him some names and we also found out that his grandpa had been married before. Public records. They'll get you every time.

 

On Sunday we had a baptism!! THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE. There were 50 people there! That is really impressive considering that there were 65 people in sacrament meeting (which is also extremely impressive). But there was no an empty chair and we had to put more up. So Alex was baptized and he is the sweetest person ever. He is just so kind and I'm really glad that I got to teach him a few times before he goes home for the summer. He is one elect soul. 

Me and Sister Bowers at Alex's baptism

It was a great baptism and while we were waiting for him to change we showed Because of Him. If you haven't seen it by now, then it really is your loss because that video is fantastic and I've told you 12 billion times now to watch it. So just watch it. Again. Even if you've already seen it!

 

We also got a new branch mission leader this week! His name is Mitch, since Clayton is leaving us and heading to the Mandarin to live with Bishop Fowler and his awesome family.

 

Well I told you I would find something to rant about. I hope you all have a good week! Love you!

 

love,

 

Sister Perkes

 

 

Me on the night of the bike curfuffle. If this isn't a sister missionary in a nutshell then I don't know what is. I've got a flashlight, a skirt, a bike pump, a helmet, hand sanitizer, cheddar bunnies (my new favorite snack), and grease on my face.

Here are some selfies of a very sweaty Sister Perkes.  

This basically sums up all of my facial expressions whilst riding a bike.

bike stuff. again.

Jam Packed 4.21.14

Have you seen the new Easter video (Because of Him)? No?

THEN STOP RIGHT NOW AND GO WATCH IT. I have conveniently posted the link right here.

http://easter.mormon.org/

But that video. It is so great and I could watch it all day! That is actually what I did on Saturday. I watched it ALL. DAY. We showed it to 10 different people. We also had a day of just findingm which means that we went tracting for about 7 hours. We tend to do a lot of that in YSA since we don't really have a lot of appointments. Right now it is finals, so everyone has crawled into their little hole and is studying their little brains out. No one wants to talk to us, but that's okay. We will get them next week!! Mwahahaha.

But this week has been the best week EVER. It was full of some really strange finding activities!

On Tuesday we went down to Ocala (45 minute drive) to the college where our ward mission leader goes. They were having a "Faith-a-palooza" and invited us to attend. There were a bunch of booths set up around a courtyard with a different religion at each one. We were right next to the Satanism booth. It was quite fun! There was this one guy named Tom who found out that we were from the West coast and brought about 5 different friends over to meet us. I won't complain about the free publicity!! Then we went to Five Guys, which just made the day even better.

The next day we went to the free speech square on campus, called Turlington, and passed out some cards. We also acquired a wooden cutout of Jesus and invited people to take their picture with it. People LOVED it. It was a really good activity and just an all around great day to be a Turlington. The farmers were handing out free chocolate milk and ASOS had a booth there giving away free stuff. Needless to say I left Turlington with some of that. It was GREAT.

This week we also we went to our branch President's house and decorated 75 cupcakes with his wife. You can probably guess how long it took just by the sheer amount, but it was so much fun! We helped make ALLLLL of them! Here is one that I made!

Easter was also this week and it was AMAZING!!!!! Sacrament meeting was really great and the speakers did a fantastic job. I was surprised by how many people were still in our branch, even though a lot of them went home for the weekend.

We also had the chance to sing at an assisted living facility called Tocachale, which made this the best Easter I've ever had. Even though I am about a billion miles away from home I have never been so happy. This year I really felt what Easter is about. Every person that watched our little devotional was severely handicapped, both mentally and physically. The Spirit was so strong there. There was one point where a resident got up out of his chair and started singing along. It was so sweet! Lately with the Because of Him video (which has changed my life by the way, but really who hasn't been extremely touched by that inspired masterpiece) we have been focusing on the empowering side of the resurrection. But being at Tocachale helped me remember the restoring side of the resurrection and that everything that is unfair in life is made right through the Atonement. It wasn't fair that these sweet spirits are placed in these imperfect bodies, but that will all be made right through the Atonement. It was such a sweet experience that I will never forget.

Don't worry. I got fed! We had dinner at Elder and Sister Juett's house (the senior couple) and it was SO MUCH FUN. It was like one big family and the food was so yummy. She made this rainbow layered JELLO and it was like being at home. The love there is just overwhelming.

We also had a branch activity called Shaka Pau. It was pretty much a luau with a talent show and dance. We were not allowed to go to the dance.... BUT we did sing in the talent show as sister missionaries! We sang a song called "I Am A Missionary" that Sister Dodd wrote. It was such a great song. So adorable and so true! She played the uke for it.

This week the Sister Training Leader's car was in the shop so we have spent a lot of time together. It was so fun and I have really loved getting to spend more time with them. Oh, the adventures we have had!

Since today was P-day we went to Lake Alice with the rest of our zone. Lake Alice has alligators!!!!!!!! Don't worry. I took some pictures with them. :)

 

          

More alligators. They got awful close.

I love you and I hope you enjoy this week. I really love being a missionary and I can't believe that I have less that a year left. I'm grateful to be here in Jacksonville and meeting the great people of Gainesville.

love you all!!

Sister Perkes

My First bike ride in 6 YEARS. 4.15.14

Hello all! Guess what. We were on bikes this whole week and I survived. This is nothing short of a miracle and I have a strong testimony that God is real and that He watches out for all of the bikers in the world because we are close to the edge of death, especially here in Florida. Remember how I said that no one respects crosswalks in Florida? Well it's applicable to Gainesville. Don't worry. I have yet to be hit, BUT I did crash on my bike. The story is as follows:

So. Sister Bowers and I were riding down the street and we got to a corner. I am not one bit confident in my turning abilities and there was a sharp corner. I knew that wasn't going to happen. There was also a low brick wall that was part of a flower garden directly in front of me. So I just let. it. happen. I hit that thing head on. Then my bike bounced back, turned, and tipped me over into the flower bed. Then I just lay there waiting for Sister Bowers to come get me. It wasn't that bad since the wall was high and I landed in dirt. Tender mercy.

Don't worry, the fun of that day continues on. We were biking down the street and we were on the sidewalk when my skirt got stuck in the wheel and I was de-skirted (fret not. We were bike shorts. NO MATTER WHAT). I, of course, screamed and veered off into the dirt. Then I was stuck between the dirt and the sidewalk. Sister Bowers had to come help me out of that, too. She also had to pull my skirt out of the wheel, which left a BIG hole. Buh bye to that skirt.

My bike also cuts me on my right leg. It's beautiful. It will most likely always be an open wound. Don't worry. I have pictures.

Getting on a bike is like a constant prayer. Every time I get off my bike I am reminded of just how much Heavenly Father loves me and how very, very real He is. He really loves me. Bike riding is such a testimony builder.

 

Despite all the fun on bikes this week was great! We set a baptismal date with a lady named Nefertiti this week! She is so sweet and she is so sensitive to the Spirit. She is so elect. I really know that the Lord is preparing people for us to find and teach.

 

We also met this crazy lady, who's name shall never be spoken. I thought she was going to hit Sister Bowers. It was CRAZY. Thankfully we were in a public place or else I think she would have. I'm also pretty sure she has split personalities because she spoke about herself in a plural form... It was WEEEIRD. Also one second she would be fine and the next second she would be a crazy pants. I'm pretty sure that's her middle name- crazy pants. Just in case you were wondering she is NOT YSA. Someone gave us her phone number and told her that we could help her.... thanks, person.

 

Summer in the YSA ward is kind of awkward... we don't even know if we will have a branch... how strange is that. I was in the 119th YSA WARD at BYU. It's crazy.  

 

But today we went to the Florida Natural History museum. It was great! Sister Stockett and I accidentally wore the same outfits. It was great :) (SEE PICTURE BELOW)

 

I'm really enjoying the area and the branch here. These people are so great. I gave a training/talk in District meeting this week on following up. It seems like such a simple idea to just follow up on something that you have asked someone to do. BUT WE FORGET!!! I loved Elder Ballard's talk about following up in General Conference. If you haven't seen it/heard it/read it you need to.

 

Well I got to go hop on my bike! Have a good week y'all!

 

love,

 

Sister Perkes

we helped a member move a chicken coops. This is one of the babies!!! so cute!

My recent battle wound. My bike tore off my scab

That one time when I got deskirted

day 1 on my bike

the hole in my skirt

the museum

the museum

                                                    Me and Sister Stocketts in our matching outfits

Us at a members house in mandarin 2

Only in the south (3 pics)

Only in the south (3 pics)

Only in the south (3 pics)

Me and Sister Jeromchek right before we split

 the snowman we made from snow in a can.

P.S. ONE YEAR FROM TODAY MY PROSELYTING CARD EXPIRES. ONE YEAR PEOPLE. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!

GENERAL CONFERENCE 4.7.14

Oh my. This weekend. I feel like I could just pass out from all of the spiritual feasting I've done. Very overwhelming. It's really strange having general conference so late here.... The first session is at 12 and that just threw me for a loop.. The sessions were amazing and I loved every minute of it.

 

BUT I love it here in Gainesville! Everyone is so easy to talk to and I haven't had anyone be extremely rude yet or tell me that they're praying for my soul. I do miss the prayers though. The branch is great and even though I haven't met half of them they seem really great. We have some great people here and we have seen some massive miracles already. I'll share one!

 

Yesterday (Sunday) we got a text from a less active sister asking us to come see her (part one of the miracle. That NEVER happens. We usually have to hunt them down). We had general conference so we told her that we would come over after conference. So we got to her apartment and she was having some serious inner turmoil and roommate drama. It was not good and she had been sick for about a month. They couldn't figure it out and she was pretty sick of being sick. So I did what I learned from Sister Jeromchek, offer to arrange for a priesthood for them. So I did. She said that she thought it would be a nice thing, but she couldn't use her apartment. So we texted the nearest priesthood older and then got up to see if we could use a member's apartment who lived in the building across from her, which the less active had no idea about. As we got up to go the Elder we had just texted was pulling out from the building. We flagged him down and asked him if he could give her a blessing. He said of course and then we turned to go find the member and she was out walking back to her apartment after leaving a note on her car. Her anti-Mormon roommate was going to be gone all night, so we were able to use her apartment. The tender mercies of the Lord ARE REAL. There is no such thing as coincidence. It was such a testimony builder for all who were there.  

 

So there is my story! That was real life, y'all! So my companion is Sister Bowers and she is from Idaho and Utah.. like me! She moved at the same time too! She came out with Sister Jeromchek and she has been here for her whole mission. She is a REAAAAALLY hard worker and she loves all things sports. She has a strong testimony and she is just so wonderful.

 

Here in Gainesville the bugs really like to bite me. I currently have 22 bug bites just on my ankles. One ankle has gotten so bad it has swollen... WHAT IS MY BODY DOING?!?! Stop it!... just kidding. I want to live.

 

We have been challenged to read the Book of Mormon as a mission in 90 days and I have really loved it. They have been asking us to share miracles about Book of Mormon reading with our investigators, but I'm an investigator too so I'll share one of my recent moments. The whole Book of Mormon is effected by one person's stinky attitude. Oh, Laman. He had so many opportunities to choose to have a positive attitude, but he never did. His stinky attitude even took down the people around him i.e. Lemuel and all of their posterity. His negative attitude was compounded on by the fact that he couldn't look forward. There is a part that I find extremely applicable to me at a lot of times in my life. Laman and Lemuel (probably mostly Lemuel since he seems to be the ring leader of this operation) says that if Nephi and Lehi wouldn't have led them into the wilderness that he might have been happy (1 Nephi 17:21). Well guess what, Laman. You have the makings to be happy NOW. God had just led them through the wilderness, helped them obtain the plates, blessed them with food, and protected their families. What isn't there to be happy about NOW? He was just so stuck on what he had and the things of the world. The things that really matter come with us, they won't be left behind. That's why families are forever. I know that sometimes I forget to be happy now. I forget to have a positive attitude. I have been blessed so much by Heavenly Father and going back home, having a previous companion, or going back to a previous area won't make life better. I make life better. So I'm going to choose to make things fantastic.

 

I KNOW that the Book of Mormon can, and does, change lives. Every day it changes mine a little bit more. That's what happens when it's the word of God.

 

Hope you all have a great week!!

 

love,

 

Sister Perkes

 

 

P.S. In case any of you were wondering I am in a car SHARE, so I only have to ride bikes every other week. I can live with that.

 

Does anyone read these things anyways?? 4.1.14

Hello all! 

This week was fun! Looking back it had the makings to be a kind of stinky week, but it wasn't that bad. All of the sunshine probably helped. Yes. It FINALLY got warm here. Blessed day. 

You know the week is going to be entertaining when it starts with a man stopping in the middle of the road, getting out of his car, and moving a turtle across the road with his foot. ONLY in Florida.

Speaking of weird animal experiences...Sister Jeromchek and I were driving down the street to a neighborhood where we were planning on contacting and we saw this runaway wiener dog. So we pulled over and started chasing after this wiener dog. Stinking dog ran fast! But we kept chasing it. Who wouldn't open the door to two girls holding a lost wiener dog? No one could deny that. We saw at least 3 baptisms coming from that runaway weenie dog. We kept up the pursuit, but alas, we did not catch it. In fact, we lost track of it. Then Sister Jeromchek stepped in one of it's presents that it left behind. That was less than fun. Stupid dog.}

That was my email from about 3 weeks ago. It was too glorious not to send. I KNOW, I know. I shouldn't toot my own horn, but I really enjoyed it. 

So this week didn't really happen, did it? Just kidding, it did. It was a good week! Also, we are going to get this one out of the way. I AM being transferred. I'm going to Gainsville, which is where the University of Florida is. I'm going to be in a Young Single Adults ward. Pause. Let us hark back to my first email in Florida. For your convenience I will copy and paste, because ain't nobody got time to scroll back that far. (You're welcome)

"This transfer 12 new areas were opened and I'm in one of them, which means... drum roll... I get a new apartment and a new CAR. That's right. A CAR. Heavenly Father answers prayers y'all. He listens. He does. Deep down I know that I'll be in a bike mission in the dead of summer though... I should have thought this one through better... "

Welp. I did it to myself. I, Sister Laura Perkes, am getting a bike. Yes. Those two wheeled death contraptions that I haven't been on since I was 14 years old riding around the neighborhood with Jennifer Clontz. I consciously remember thinking, "I hate bikes. I'm never riding one again." This is real. I've already started praying. Please pray for my everyone. 

Well I hope you've stopped laughing by now. Now for a mildly terrifying experience. We were going to an appointment with a member in an apartment complex and we were early, so we went to go try and see this less active member we have never seen. So we were walking to where our appointment was after no luck with the less active when this pretentious lady jumps out of her Fiat and asks us if we are lost. Apparently she calls herself the manager of this place of residence. She was quite rude and apparently didn't like it when we told her that we weren't soliciting and that we had an appointment, so she followed us around until we left and took down our license plate number. What a crazy, crabby lady. She must not like Jesus, which I just do not understand. He's the best.

This week was also the General Women's Broadcast. It was magical and I loved every second of it. So many really neat things happening. There are too many miracles for this Church to not be true. If you think about it none of this could happen if it wasn't true. God HAS to be leading this church. No mortal man could make things work this smoothly by his own intelligence. 

This week has been full of interesting cleaning experiences.... The most interesting was when we helped a lady clean out her closet. We were there for 3 hours. 3 HOURS. We took 6 garbage bags to Goodwill. She had this pair of pants that was her husband (who has been dead for at least 2 years) and they were rather large. I jokingly said that me AND sister Jeromchek could fit in them, so we had to try it out. We also found some really great earmuffs. They made cleaning that much more fun (she had 4 pairs). 

Watch out. There are lots of really great pictures coming yallz way. 

Us in the pants!

love you all and hope you have a marvey week!!!

love,

Sister Perkes

Me with Sister Smedley! She came for a visit! 

Me with the Sheppards. Brother Sheppard is our ward mission leader and he and his wife were in the chastity pamphlet. 

Sister Jeromchek and I bought these GIANT apples. You can't really tell how big they are, but trust me. They are BIG. Really BIG.

Life. 3.24.14

Dear all,

This week I am going to St. Augustine with Sister Hairel and the
companion. My companion.... sister Jeromchek, not Sister Hairel's
companion. But I suppose if she had a companion it would be us. We
really come as a package deal. Moving on. We will do lots of fun stuff
and I will take lots of pictures. No worries!

I'm glad that everyone had such wonderful weeks. I did too!

This week we went to this lady's house and we were getting ready to
leave and she was like, "no! You can't leave!........ SCONES! I'll
make scones!" We couldn't deny the scones. So we stayed and had
scones. They were delightsome.

We have seen a lot of miracles this week from listening to the Spirit.
One of them had to do with a less active. All day I had been thinking
of this lady. ALL DAY. We had just been past her apartment the day
before and there was a note on her door saying no visitors. This less
active is pretty hard to meet with since she has a lot of health
problems and very little energy. So we had nothing to do so I drove us
to this sisters house. Just as we pulled up she was walking down the
stairs with a big rug and we were able to talk with her and then go in
and visit her. It was such a great miracle. The Spirit is there if we
just listen. Sometimes we think that it is just us and that the Spirit
never talks to us. False. We just have to realize and listen. End
rant.

I hope everyone has a good week. I love y'all tons!

Love,

Sister Perkes
Sent from my iPad

This email would have been better but it was interrupted by suspicious activity 3.17.14

This week was real real busy. Since I'm pretty stretched for time I'll
write some of the more interesting highlights.

On Thursday we found a lost dog. REDEMPTION FROM THE WEINER DOG. I'm
pretty sure you don't know that story because I haven't been at a real
computer in forever. #ipad probs you'll know eventually.

We had trade offs this week and I left my area again. But this time I
went with Sister Mcleary. She is new to the area and she played
lacrosse at BYU. She is really nifty and we had a great time. We
talked to a lot of very interesting people.

We had another double baptism on Saturday. Sister Jeromchek and I were
asked to bear our testimonies while the baptized people were getting
dressed. Basically we were in change of the wrk ward part where
everyone is really feeling the spirit but doesn't know what to do.
That baptism was one of the best baptism I have ever been to. The
feeling in that room was so thick. It was just full of the love God. I
was feeling the spirit as I was typing this but now some lady is doing
a baby Zumba class in chick fil a... Yes.. I am not kidding. I will
include a picture. Oh. Boy.