Rash girl strikes again 8.18.14

Hello all.

Oh what a week. It was a lovely week! It was a dandy week.

We started off this week with cupcake wars and we were the judges. It
was like the best day of my life. We HAD to eat all these cupcakes and
decide which one was the best and which one was the prettiest. It was
the best day ever. If I could have that job forever i would be so fat
and happy. So fat. So happy. The winner for taste was a maple bacon
one. It was delicious. The pretty and creative one was this cupcake
that looked like a milkshake. It was adorable. My favorites included a
pineapple upside down cake and a banana bread one. They were
DELICIOUS.

My food prayers were constantly answered this week as well. All I
wanted was some banana bread and lemonade. We went all day and then we
went to a house. Low and behold they had fresh baked banana bread and
lemonade. Yes. Please. I also wanted some enchiladas. Low and behold
enchiladas. I wanted some cake. Bam! Cake. God is good, y'all.

This week I have learned a valuable thing about myself. If push came
to shove I would not be able to me a manual laborer for the rest of my
life. I would be so bad at it. BUT I have learned a many a thing about
lawn care! This week I hauled stone, mulched, and pulled out lots of
bushes/trees. Most importantly I've learned that I don't hate it. I've
also worked up a pretty good tan. We have been doing service out the
wazoo. Holy cow! Left and right! It has been such a delightful week.
I've loved every minute of it! Strange... I know.

There was something else I worked up this week: a full body rash. From
what? I know not. It was really rashly though. But thank goodness our
ward mission leader is a doctor so he wrote me up a prescription and I
went on my way. I'm pretty sure I'm allergic to the starter here. It
smells. Rash girl strikes again! Wahoo.

Last night was the funniest night of my life. My whole dang life. We
were at the Bishop's house last night getting blessings for the
transfers. Afterwords we had some delightful home made pizza and a
wonderful family home evening by Saige, the bishops daughter. Then we
were sitting around having a good laugh and then Baler, the Bishop's
son, shouted at Bishop Daddy Paul, "daddy, show them the stanky leg!!"
I don't know why, but it struck me so funny. I laughed for EVER. Then
everyone was laughing because I was laughing. It was so STINKIN
hilarious. Now that I'm typing this it doesn't seem to funny, but my
my my. I am STILL laughing about it. In case anyone was wondering he
did do the stanky leg, but I missed it.

This week was good, nay, great! Hope y'all have been having a good week!

Love,

Sister Perkes

Sent from my iPad

 A wonderful trip to the temple

Some of the bread I accidentally ate in my sleep. I have eaten ice cream and bread in my sleep. Both different nights. I had no idea about both times. Yes, those are my teeth marks. We checked. 

An awesome "bonnet" that I made at the stake pioneer day.

Greetings from Lake Butler 8.11.14

Hello all.

Greetings from Lake Butler/ LB3! Well. It is pretty rural here. I
think that everyone here lives at least 1 mile apart from each other.
But we have a giant ward. It's the best functioning ward I've ever seen
and I lived in Utah! 

Lake butler is half Mormon and half baptist. We
are slowly getting them on our side. We don't tract here, so all of
our investigators come from members. It's so. fantastic to see all the
week they do!

We do all of our shopping here at the dollar general, which is just a
jazzed up dollar store. Magical. I take back everything negative I
said about it! I love it!! We spent forever in there and it was
blissful.

There is a subway and a pizza place in the whole city and the closest
Walmart is a half hour away. Why everyone doesn't live here, I don't
know. Oh wait. Icing on the cake: we live in a double wide with the
other sisters, and we have a 2015 car. Really it's Zion. But the gps
we have can't find where we live...so that makes getting home pretty
difficult.

Plus they asked us to work with the young women and I am SO excited.
Really. Being sent back to young women is the best thing ever.

Because we don't tract here we do service just about every day the
other day we helped tear down a house! Which means I basically hauled
brick for 3 hours. Let me tell you. I was not made for exercise, but
it was really fun! People down here are so nice and have the funniest
accents. I'll never get over it. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH.

Driving here to lake butler we got significantly lost. Like real lost.
We got here like 2 hours later than we were supposed do. Oh me oh my.
My new companion is Sister Snelgrove. She is from Orem and is very
sweet! We are going to have a good time. We live with Sister Cline and
Davidson and we just have a grand old time.

They play a weekly game of volleyball and we went and I actually
played this time. I also didn't die or kill anyone. By the grace of
God, y'all. I also served like 15 times in a row because my mad skills
were getting us points. I don't know how this happened.

We went to lunch at a members house and it turns out that her grand
kids are cousins with the branch mission leader in Gainesville YSA!
Funny story. So of course I took a picture!

But I'm loving it here! Good things are coming for Lake Butler! Huzzah!

Hope you have a good week!

Love,
Sister Perkes

It came in like a wrecking ball. 8.5.14

This week was pretty intense and I didn't even realize it until I started to write this. So I apologize in advance for how long this email is.

 

My awesome face mask whilst listening to transfer calls What? Me? Where?

I'm a firm believer in bad news first, so here it is: I'm getting transferred.... to Lake Butler a.k.a the sticks. It was like a punch in the face. We were just sitting there listening to the transfer call laughing and having a good time when all of the sudden they read my name and it wasn't very funny anymore. I'm so upset. President Craig even told us that this wasn't going to happen, but oh stinkin well. I thought I had at least one more transfer here in the blessed land of Gainesville. But I'm packing up my bags and heading over to Lake Butler where we do all of our shopping at the Dollar General and the nearest WALMART is 20 MINUTES AWAY. Distraught. So in honor of my perilous state I only bought salt and vinegar chips, those delicious pink cookies, and Dr Pepper this week for food. Whoever said you couldn't eat your feelings was a dirty, skinny, liar. Onwards!

 

We have continued to teach Nick this week. He is moving along so well and is the most prepared soul that I have ever met. Miracles happen, they really do! He came to a baptism that we had this week in YSA and he loved it. He is such a sweet, elect person. I think he was just waiting for someone to invite him.

 

This week every living thing fled from Gainesville. There is not a creature left in Gainesville. Not even an armadillo. They have all been hit by cars in their haste to get hence from Gvegas. Everyone has moved out and gone on vacation. Because of said moving out we were able to experience I miracle. We got a call from some random number and it turns out that it was someone we had knocked into like 2 months ago and talked with her about family history. She asked if we could help her move, so we said yes. of course. We ended up being the only ones that could help her move her stuff to storage, but that's okay because she had 3 bags of clothes to go to Goodwill and we are exactly the same size. So I gained some new clothes! Hooray! We are also the same shoe size, which is what I'm most excited about. I got a brand new, never been worn pair of limited-edition TOMS. BESSSSTT DAAAAAAAY EVERRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! So worth it. We also had to try on all of the ridiculous clothes that she had. That made for fun times.

 

Speaking of moving we are also moving apartments. We are finally getting out of the hood. I knew this day would come! Sweet goodness!!!... well when I say we, I mean them. BUT I PICKED IT OUT!! Life is seriously unfair sometimes.

 

But this week I got to go to the temple on Thursday. It was the best day ever! I got to see Sister Blatter, eat chic-fil-a, and go to the temple. What a sacred place temples are. They are truly the house of God. We NEED them in our lives. We need the work that goes on inside them. The work is necessary, not only for the people that we perform these ordinances for but for us as well. We NEED it. We need THEM. How are we supposed to be together forever if we don't even know our ancestors?

Family history is such a vital thing. It ain't for your gramamma. Family history is for NOW. It is for THIS generation. We have the skills and now we have the resources for it. Joseph Smith even had something to say about it. He said, "Brethren, shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free." That's Doctrine and Covenants 128:22 in case anyone was wondering. Family history. DO IT. It's done? INDEX. There will come no greater joy than redeeming your dead.

 

There is also a new online missionary event coming up. It's called "I Follow Him" Here is the blurb about this one. It's real simple folks so I expect everyone to do it. Plus we are giving you ample time. I do not think that I ask too much.

"We invite you to share a picture of yourself with a photo of Jesus Christ on your Facebook profile and any social media outlet of choice. Include your testimony of why you follow Him... and use the hashtag #ifollowhim. Add this link about Jesus Christ to the end of your post to welcome others to learn more about Christ -http://www.mormon.org/beliefs/jesus-christ" 

I think you can all handle that.

 

Have a good week!

 

love,

 

Sister Perkes

                                             This is our American Gothic picture :)   (dead fish carcass)

                                                                  Habitat for humanity

Going to the temple was the best day ever!

A Week Was Had 7.28.14

Well everyone. This was a week. Quite the week.

We had international night this week! It was fantastic! We had a bunch
of yummy food and had a wonderful show! There are many a talented
persons in this branch! When we left I was full for like 2 days. It
was really uncomfortable, but that's the price you pay as a
missionary. There was an African dance number and that was really
neat. We made crepes! They were a hit!! But let's be honest, when
wouldn't French sweet tortillas be a hit?

International night performances

Trevor at international night

This week we started teaching a man named Nick. He is very kind and
very genuine. He is for, Germany, but has lived in Florida the bulk of
his life. How one person moves from German to tiny town Florida makes
no sense to me, but whatever floats your goat...boat.

Also! I get to go to the temple this Thursday! Hooray! Plus I get to
see sister Blatter! My life is so complete! It's surreal to think that
I am more than halfway done. NOOOOOO. But life must move on.

Well, all. I think that's it. Sorry nothing really exciting is
happening... But I have a feeling that this week is going to be a
GREAT WEEEEK!! Huzzah!

So have a good week!
Love,

Sister Perkes

                                                                   My District

              A diet coke with dad's name on it! Coincidence? I think NOT!

               Sister Conley had a hard time staying awake during studies

        Grant likes to take our iPads and take 1 trillion selfies with them.

          That time I peer pressured sister Conley into getting her ears pierced