Officially Sister Bell

Sorry these posts are out of order!

Nina went through the temple in Rexburg, Idaho. Her family and friends were able to join her on this special day! That night the Burt's had a little get together with Nina and friends for one last time before she left on her mission!

 

Here are some pictures of the night she got set apart!

President Christensen and Sister Bell

Sister Bell with her parents and brother, Jeremy

Sister Bell with her whole family.

 

Dropping Sister Bell off at the MTC...she was so excited! 



 

Good luck Nina! We all know that you will be such a GREAT missionary.

 

Feel free to write Sister Bell, because what missionary doesn't like getting letters?!

MTC: (Before October 22nd)Sister Nina Nicole Bell
MTC Mailbox #89
KOR-DAE 1023
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

 

Thank you Katie for all of the pictures and updates!

 

 



The Last Farewell!!

From Nina:

I am so excited to officially be a member of the 'travelinggsitsters' companionship. It's so awesome that three best friends are serving at the same time. What are the odds of that!?
I have been called to the Korea, Daejeon Mission and I will be teaching in the Korean language. I know that I will struggle a lot, but I know that I have been called to this mission for a reason. Someone needs to meet me...Sister Bell.
I know that the Savior loves me and all of you so much. He has an unconditional love for us. Life on earth can be a challenge at times but by following the light of the Savior, we can accomplish anything.
I'm thankful for the atonement. "For God so loved the world that He sent his only begotten son." It is such a privilege for us to partake of the sacrament to renew our baptismal covenants every week. What a blessing.
I'm thankful for prayer. We have the opportunity to pray at anytime and we need to take advantage of that. The Savior wants us to communicate with him so why not pray everyday?
I know the scriptures are true and that we can gain a strong testimony of them when  we read them. Our knowledge will grown and we will draw nearer to our Father in Heaven.
I'm thankful for tithing and for the blessings it brings. Pay your tithing and let the Lord pour countless blessings upon you.
I love the temple. I'm so thankful for all the temples we have. The temple is the House of the Lord so we should prepare ourselves to enter and attend the temple often.
I'm thankful for my loving family and friends. All of you have helped me so much and I love you all very much!
Good luck to you all and I wish you the best. See ya in 18 months!!
Love,
Sister Bell

Night Out with the Limo!

I know this isn't about their missions, but this was such a fun night I had to share. I can't wait for everyone to back home, so we all can hang out again!!

Kendall and Cammi came to visit me in Rexburg back in February. It was the last trip that all of us got to hang out! Kendall, Cammi, and I decked out the Mini Van into a limo. Then we went and picked up Sydney and met Nina and Nonie at Cocoa Bean!

Then we went out to show Nina and Nonie the Limo! (Next time we will give them a ride)

It was pretty late, so we said good-bye to Nina and Nonie. We took Sydney back to her apartment and played the guitar while some random people were dancing to Cammi's music!

I am sure everyone at Cocoa Bean and the surrounding shops hated all of us because we all were sooo loud and always laughing! But we didn't care, we were all having a great time!!! It is wonderful to have fun great friend and examples in my life. I'm proud of Cammi, Nina, and Kendall for all making the decision to serve missions!

One Week Left!

Nina is getting ready to leave NEXT week!! Crazy how fast time goes. Everyone is so excited for her, and you all should be seeing a farewell letter within the next week from her!

Cammi is doing great! An elder in her mission is way good at dancing, and taught Cammi some cool moves...she hopes to have them perfected by the end of her mission so she can teach everyone them. Sister F is super good at play roles. She says, "She is pretty much the best actor ever." She found a straw cowboy hat, and she always wears it! When she wears it, she tries to speak in a western accent!

In the last post I said I would find Kendall's mormon.org profile for everyone. Here it is: http://mormon.org/me/8J97/Kendall
I sent Kendall a 4th of July package, and she got to rock her 4th of July socks on P-day...Just like she would if she was back home! Kendall is doing well. The weather is hot, but she was excited because last week cooled down some. She loves the people in California! She got to go an ice-cream shop and it reminded her of the good old days!

California, Colorado, and........KOREA!!!!!!!

Sister Bell:
Nina has been waiting and waiting for her call to come! She moved back home and her call got sent to Rexburg so they had to forward it to Homedale...Today it finally came!

Her family went to the Ice-Cream shop and that is where she opened it. Kendall will be so proud to hear this (it was like hers and mine second home!)

Sister Bell was called to the serve in the Korea Deajoun Mission!! She reports to the MTC on August 8th. She will make a great missionary and we are all so excited for her!!

Sis. Folwell:
Cammi is in Alamosa, Colorado. She is serving in the Singles Ward, which is a small ward, but she is really liking it. She had her first baptism on May 20th, and was really excited for that!
A couple random facts is that she is getting really tan and that there is a wild herd of deer that just run around the town!

Sister Rupp:
Kendall is now companions with Sister Oco, who is from the Phillipines. Kendall says it is really fun and she also loves that she is the one that gets to drive! They are really pushing mormon.org here so feel free to check out Kendall's profile she just made (once I find Kendall's profile I will post the direct link to it.) She is inviting all the members to create profiles...that means you to!! =)

Behind the Wheel Again!!

Kendall has been doing great! Last week, she said her week was pretty slow, but the two weeks before that were good. The missionary work has been going well and she loves all her investigators and the members in Citrus Heights.

Here is a part of her letters from Monday: This week was exchanges and I got to run the area so I felt pretty cool getting to drive. I was nervous because the companion I was with, Sister Love, has been out for 11 weeks so we were out with a good 16 weeks of experience under our belts. It was fun being in charge though. And boy did I love being behind the wheel. I really like driving and have missed it!! In all honesty I think it was the highlight haha. Oh and mormon heloing hands was fun. We got to rake up berry bushes for a couple hours and the place looked real nice afterwards. The city of Citrus Heights was apparently impressed that we were able to clear the place up. If the picture people give us pics I'll have to send some. I'm still working on pics, but really I've taken maybe 10 since I've been here so I'll work a little harder on that one haha. Also we have a BYU bball plyer here in our ward. His name is Dr. Dresser. Not sure of his first name but he's an older guy so I challenged him to a game of one on one on sunday. We had a missionary work 5th sunday thing and since I have no talents that could be used in our lesson that's all we had. Haha seriuosly the Ward mission leader was like I want to get you involved so he said I could offer shooting hoops with people. My comp sang and she did great so I decided to make a joke out of my zero musical talents and challenged him to a game. The congregation laughed so my confidence really sank. I realize this probably didn't make a whole lotta sense but you had to be there haha. Afterward Brother Dresser came up to me and was like I may be old but I can still play. We happen to have dinner there tonight so we'll see what happens haha!! They are awesome I really like them!! The ward really is pretty great...no homedale 1st ward but awesome nonetheless!!

Here are a couple of stories about Kendall over the last few weeks:

A couple weeks ago her comp drove them out of our area so Kendall was like STOP and she tried turning around but couldn't make it so Kendall had to back her companion out. Kendall brought her whiste/glowstick with her and was blowing it as she directed her companion. She drove off without Kendall so Kendall had to chase her down as she continued blowing. They were in a neighborhood so people were staring and confused. She got back in and her comp. was red faced. IT WAS HILARIOUS!! Kendall only wishes she had it on tape.

Also last week they got to volunteer at Eskaton...an assisted living place. Kendall just loves the elderly. She thinks she could spend a lot of time at a place like that. She didn't want to leave. There is a potential there so they are searching it out. They got to call bingo and then helped out as one of the elderly peeps was moving. It was pretty fun. The people were so grateful for them and kept asking when they would come back to call bingo again. They enjoyed their entertainment...they do bingo a little differently than the normal bingo calling workers. The old people want to have some fun to ya know. Kendall's new friend, Eliza, was a hoot, and was so cute. Seriously loving the old people. Kendall hopes they find time to go back there. It really made her day.

Oh and pray for Kendall that she will start liking seafood! She gets fed it a lot and she has never liked eating it!!

Week Dos!

Hello Hello Everyone!!
Things are going pretty good here. It's starting to get hot and that makes me a bit nervous, but it's pretty here so that's cool I suppose!! We have been pretty busy and that's been good. We are consistently teaching like 7 people and then we have some people we visit and stop in on and then some less actives or part member families so we keep busy with them all. I like tracting and wouldn't mind doing it more, but it's good we are busy teaching. Not that I like any investigator more than anather, but we are teaching a 9 year old named Caleb and he is the cutest. His Dad and step mom are members so we teach him every other week when he is there. His mom won't let him get baptized till he is older, but he really wants to. He's just the cutest kid. We talked about keeping the sabbath day holy last week and he was so cute coming up with things he can do while he is with his mom since she doesn't go to church. He also likes to bring sticky notes to his moms for reminders since he doesnt have his dad to remind him to say his prayers and read scriptures and stuff. We also have a potential investigator who I am stoked about. His name is Bill Craig and his wife and kids are members. The ward and previous missionaries have tried for years to teach him, but he is set in his ways. He's not anti or anything he just doesn't believe it 100% so he won't join unless he does and is 100% committed. He's a good guy...doesn't drink or anything like that and he goes to church and stuff too. So I've gotten to know him and we really connect because of BBALL...who knew!! He has been keeping me updated and we just talk bball. We talked with him on Saturday and he made the comment that he thinks my companion and I are in Citrus Heights for a reason. I got the feeling he was meaning that he was the reason and we have been talking with the Bishop and really wanting to step up the fellowshipping with him and see if we can start teaching him. I am just so excited and really wanting to start teaching Bill. He is so great and so are his kids. I haven't actually met the wife but I'm certain she is great to. Nothing to funny has happened. One of our investigators said I was pushy but I suspect she meant bold. I'm pretty bold with her because she says she knows everything is true, but that she doesn't wanna be jumping into any water. So I strait up asked her what was holding her back. She wants to make sure she is committed and that even after her divorce she'll be a strong member so it all worked out. Then I asked her to say the prayer, she said she didn't really want to and I said are you sure with a grin of course and then she said I was pushy so who knows. I was kinda shocked though. Me of all people the pushy one. Crazy stuff. I will address this with her...we are pretty tight so it's totally cool. My companion Heidi, knocked a bunch of mints out of my hand in the car. She is such klutz. She also can't drive and nearly backs into me everyday. Please pray for me...seriously!! =) 28 animal up in here!! For real!! My first Sunday was ok...it was just weird being in a family ward that wasn't mine. I miss the ward, but it is similar. It's about the same size and the people are really nice!! The relief society prez left an easter surprise on our doorstep sunday morning and that was way cool. Oh side note...everyone here has like 5 animals inside the house. I feel like I'm always covererd in animal hair its disgusting. I need a DC Soooo that's pretty much life in Citrus Heights. Oh we did service for one of our investigators Lisa Ross. It was sooooo good to pull some weeds and do yard work. We caught a snake which she was greatful for haha. She didn't wanna know about it she was so scarred. She's a single mom and her son has autism and she had fam coming in for easter so we helped her get the back yard ready for an egg hunt. Random fact about her...she loves Idaho. Like loves it. I told her to move there and she'd have some friends. She's been wanting to go to mccall cuz she hears it's real nice. I invited her to our cabin we will hopefully have when I'm home so in roughly 17 months you can expect company!! =)
K Love and miss you all. Hope all is swell!! handshakes and high fives Sister Ruppture...it's a nickname I have developed

April 2, 2012...a few weeks behind! Sorry!

Here is Kendall's letter from the beginning of April. I am sorry I am getting behind on posting, I promise to do better!!

 

We live with the McFadyen's in the apt above the garage. It's pretty nice...I'll take some pics if I get the chance. I haven't taken any since I've been here...whoops!!

So things are going pretty good. Just been getting to know the area and the people here. Each day is pretty similar. We get up and exercise, eat, get ready, do personal study, do companion study, then do another hour of study from the training, then we pack a lunch and head out to visit/teach. We have like 10ish investigators and some potentials and then some recent converts and less actives. We teach the sweetest old japanese lady named Hiroko and she is awesome. We got a referral just after I got here from some members and we were able to visit the family...Chirs and Olvia...and they were wanting to join a church according to Chris. I was so excited, but then when we came back the wife decided she wasn't interested and Chris felt really bad. We actually ended up talking to him outside and gave him a few things and he seems really interested especially with the youth and primary program as they have kids that age. He is going to talk to his wife again so we are praying for them. So we are also teaching a Phillipino lady named Jasmine. She is great, just has a hard time communicating as she speaks tagolog. As luck would have it, Sister Hudson in the ward speaks tagalog so that's going really well. The only bad thing is you know how Phillipino's like to give food and it's custom that we eat it all according to Sister Hudson. Sooooo, I have been lucky enough to eat some Auger Auger and Pansit...not sure how to spell, but yeah nasty. The Auger auger is like some slimy clear worms that taste like nothing with some sort of creamy stuff. NASTY. The Pansit is noodle stuff, but basically I played with my food, said I'd just eaten and we asked if we could take it with us. After my third bite of auger auger I could just see it wasn't going to work...and I was not barfing in the house of someone I'd just met haha!! She seemed happy we wanted to take it back with us so I think we are on good terms. Speaking of food, we eat at members pretty much every night. So far I am wishing we made our own food. The first night we walk into the peoples house and the lady is mixing taco salad with her bare hands. I could tell it wasn't gonna be the best experiecne. As we are eating, I notice a giant blonde hairball on the table next to me. It was about all I could take. Haha other than that it's been great. I've been somewhat impressed with my ability to eat, but I have had some great meals too. They feed us so much too. I am gonna need a more vigorous workout plan or I'll have to switch to bikes because the people feed us a lot. I feel for all the missionaries and all the food we kept giving them. There is no hope for car missionaries in the U.S. haha!! Well, it's been a good week. My favorite thing to do if you can believe it is tract. We don't get to do it a ton cuz we are teaching quite a few people, but when we do tract I actually enjoy it. Oh, my mission area is just houses. There are no shopping areas or anything like that so we can only tract and teach. We don't ever do the OYM stuff (open your mouth) so that's actually kinda nice. Well hope all is going grand. Things are great!! Miss and love you all!! =)

Sister Rupp

Sister Folwell enters the MTC!

Sister Cammi Folwell got set apart to be a missiony for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints last Saturday. She entered the MTC today at 12:40! Cammi will be a great missionary and will bless so many people!!

Sister Rupp made it safely to California yesturday. Her first area is Citrus Heights, California and as soon as I get her address I will post it!

Ready for California!!

Sister Rupp leaves for California TOMORROW morning!! It is crazy how fast the 3 weeks went by! Here is a little bit from the letter she wrote home last week:
Holy Smokes!! I don't even know where to begin!! Probably because I can't remember what I wrote last and I can't figure the difference in my days cuz everything seems to just blur together. It's madness in this place.  

I'm pretty much doing the same thing everyday. We have class twice-I enjoy it. I feel that I've learned more in the short time I've been here than I ever did in school. My brain is learning to take things in a mile a minute-its crazy stuff here!! We also do zone teaching evertyday. Last week the old disrtict taught us and this week we teach the new district. We pretend they are investigators and teach one on one so it's different but a good check on how you're doing individually. I am teaching Elder Chapman. He is so good at pretending to be an investigator. Awkward moment...in the middle of one of our lessons he (the investigator) asked me about me intentions. He said he didn't think I was making anything up and that I really did want him to have the joy of the gospel in his life, but he was concerned that I also was trying to date him. I began to laugh. Just the fact that he is an elder and the MTCand said that to me was funny. I cleared things up with the investigator and managed to make it out with some dignity still in tact. We laughed afterwards, but I still thought it was awkward haha!! We also teach in the TRC which is where we go to teach random people. we go 4 times a week. We just commited one of our investigators from the trc to baptism on Sat so that was cool. He is way too nice to us...we are realizing we have an advantage as Sisters when it comes to the elderly men haha!! I just love them!! Then there is gym. Boy do I love gym time. It is definitely keeping me sane and functional in these walls of the MTC. I feel very cooped up and I'm ready to ship outa here already!!

Sunday was great of course. I was lucky enought to be chosen (5 minutes before sacrament) as one of the speakers. I spoke on the restoration. It went well I thoughtm but I was sooooo nervous!! The snow was great as well. Maybe the last time I'll see it for 1 1/2 years!! Crazy thought!! =)

And for the best news...on Tuesday we were lucky enough to get to hear from Elder and Sister Oaks for devotional. It was really good. They spoke on teaching with the spirit and the importance of the sacrament. I really enjoyed it and got a lot out of it. Especially since that's something I've been really working on. It's hard when you know all your teaching is just pretend, but I'n working on it! I really appreeciated there talks and am very grateful I was in the MTC for it!!

There's not much more...just business as usual. I fly out on Tuesday at 8 or 8:30am. I may not have much time. My whole district flys together so that will be cool. 

Random funny story...I was doing a role play with one of the Elders in my district and teaching about tithing. I was going on about how much we have and how little we give in return. At one point I said something like "plus you don't even have to pay tithing on your friends and family!" We both just started laughing and holy cow I felt dumb. Who says that? Don't worry I spun it into a wonderful tithing commitment. He is telling everyone we see about this and I fear I won't be living it down. It's ok...we all need some laughter every now and then!!

I'm doing well and loving it here. The spirit is so strong and everyone is just so great here!! I'm excited for all the missionaries coming in. They're in for quite the treat!! I feel very blessed to be able to be here! Thanks for all the help and support!! =)

Anywho, hope all is well. I love and miss you all and can't wait to here from you!! Also remember I'm leaving Tuesday morning so all mail need to halt before that...just an fyi!! Peace and love my peeps

Love,

Sister Rupp

 

 

And Then There Were Two!!

Hi everybody. This is Cammi. I've never written in a blog before..so..ya..I feel pretty...AWESOMe!! I would like to start off by bidding you all adooue. I am soo stoked that I get to go on a mission, I pretty much can't believe it! ..I guess someone out there needs my weird spirit. :) ..The biggest thing that draws me to the gospel found in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is, happiness. I know that the only way for us to be truly happy is with help from our Heavenly Father...whether it be being happy now on earth, or in heaven. I have a strong testimony that we are never alone, and that Heavenly Father is just a prayer away. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love the Book of Mormon and the Bible!! They help answer my questions...I always used to just rely on what people told me, but everyone would have a different opinion, and I would always end up just getting confused and frustrated. So ya..I totally believe in personal revelation through the Holy Ghost. I know that we have a prophet right now who also receives revelation from God to help guide all of us. I know that after Jesus died and the true gospel was taken off the earth, that it was restored again through the prophet Joseph Smith. I know that God lives, I know Jesus lives. I know that if we live the gospel, someday we can live so happily with our Heavenly Father and our families...well, I hope that I will be a good missionary...you should probably pray for me haha...and if you ever miss me..just..listen to my music. :)

 

...now I know why shoe polish was on the list of missionary supplies. :)

-Sister Folwell