Email 12/30/13

 I forgot to tell you about Transfers!!!!!!!!!!! Ok, so! everyone in our district is being transferred except us! so those who are leaving are: Sister Bringhurst, Elder Bailey, Elder Wood and Elder Wilhelmsen (He's going home) and the crazy thing is that his companion Elder Paiva is also getting Transferred as well!!!!!!!!! and so we are getting 2 new Elders! ... but wait that's that's not it! they are going to be the new office Elders! So we are going to be getting a lot busier now that the Elders only have pros time from 6pm to 9:30pm....So crazy! Anyways, I just wanted you to know that little important bit of information;)

We got 2 new investigators!!!!!!!!! We saw them on Saturday and one of them is the Lady that came to church all by herself! The other is a Guy we met at the Library and he contacted US! on Christmas wanting to meet with us! :D

Oh man, I am so not in the writing mood! and there are other Elders that need to finish there Emails too so I love you  and am excited to see more pictures.

All of our districts name tags together :)

Our awesome Weston District! this is our last District meeting :')

 The drawing of Sister Wagner. she has wanted one for a long time 

so I did it for her Christmas present :)

Love you!

Sister Sarah Patterson

Email 12/23/13

I was talking to Sister Roy this week and said, "I wish we had an investigator that was truly interested and assertive in wanting to meeting with us!" an then.....SUNDAY CAME! A lady came out of no where to church all by herself and asked us to teach her more about the church.......!  sooooo exciting! XD

I love to see the Temple!

After we went to the Temple we went to eat lunch. I got to go to Chick file for the first time and it was pretty good Sister Roy was flabbergasted that I had never done there before and after I took my first bight I said , "Yeah, it's good." Sister Roy, "Oh, yeah it is!" haha! ^^

Me and Sister Roy

 Me with Sister Packard

We then went to the fireside portion at the Belmont chapel and had special music from some of the Missionaries and yearned to be in it! I saw one of the Elders with a guitar and I felt a thud in my stomach! I miss playing so much! I would love to have my guitar with me but I am so scared to lose it or something. >< I keep thinking I have a special talent where when I sing I can blend and harmonize! It sounds so good....except I need the voices (You all to do it with) I need you! >< so sad! I did get to sing the song, "Whenever I hear the song of a bird" with Sister Bringhurst and it made me feel so good to finally sing with someone that can hold her own but yet blending! I love her and she enjoys singing with me as well! :) I will try to be in the next music thing that comes up! :)
We were going to sing in the Ward choir for the Christmas program but that was the Sunday I got sick and couldn't go! :( I got the rest I needed and am feeling much better now :)
The President Sang, "Oh, Night Divine" and His daughter sang, "Breath of Heaven".  Man the Packard Family is so talented! :)
Then after that we went to the GYM and ate, watched the Video Skits that each Zone made and then they would do a song after their video. We did the Sisters song from White Christmas and changed the words. I got it on video along with some other fun things that I'm sure you will love them. :)

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! haha! This shows how crazy fast and much the snow came! haha! 

Oh, haha! I didn't open the one I got at the Christmas Party because I thought that was the Christmas package..haha! Oh well.^^ I was wanting some slippers though and can't wait to go try them on now! ^^ I also got a little package from Grandma and the real Christmas package :D Oh and a totally unexpected package from St. George...no not Grandma & Grandpa but a Patterson from Hickery St? or something like that? ... I'm guessing Pat and Dana? but it was totally awesome! I have so much stuff to open on Christmas! I feel so spoiled >< haha!

I found my SD Card!!!!! it was at the bottom of my wallet! I felt so silly for not looking deeper sooner ^^ haha!

We are going to the Tardiff's for breakfast and calling and we will be getting there at about 9 am. They have possibly 2, 1 for sure computers that we can use but if there isn't time with Sister Roy and the Elders who have to Skype home as well, we are going to the Bishops house for Dinner and can use one of their computers. They told us to just come over whenever we want and that they will be home all day :) They are so nice. ^^
I will be using there home/Cell phones to call you first to figure everything out with Skype. XD I AM SOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!!!
I can't wait and at the same time I don't want it to come because I don't want it to be over. ><

Well, I'm going to finish reading everyone's letters and then write more soon. Love you! :)  

Sister Sarah Patterson

Email 12/16/13

Oh! I forgot to tell you last week but we did a Missionary Sunday and we took up the whole 3 hours with the theme of Missionary work! In the 2nd and 3rd hour we combined and gave a power point presentation with Videos about how the Members and Missionaries can become one and how they can call on us when they need help for anything! ;)

We had freezing a week ago and it felt so weird on my face! haha!
The first big snow came on the night of the Christmas party so that was a bit of a bummer when a ton of the people we invited told us they weren't coming because of it. :( BAD SNOW! Driving home was crazy! It was super slippery so it took us twice as long because I was going so slow! but at one point we were right behind a snow plow! that was nice :)

 This little girl is in our ward and she has the biggest cutest CHEEKS!!!! 

 Then the snow out side of our back door.

Oh and I got Sick! yeah that was fun!......Not! that's the picture of me with the mask on so I wouldn't get Sister Roy sick. haha! I look scary!    

I've started asking Elder Paiva how to say things in Portuguese and now I know how to say random things like "Wow, he's got Problems" and other fun stuff like that. You know the important things to know starting off. ;)  

We had exchanges with the Sister Trainers, myself with Sister Wagner and Sister Roy with Sister Bringhurst.
I had such a wonderful time with Sister Wagner! She is so amazing and I started it off with telling her all the things that I wanted to learn from her and she paused and said, "Wow, no one has has told me this near the beginning what they want to get out of an exchange before!" I am just so sick of doing things everyday that I know I can improve on but just need that little extra jump start. I want to be the best and most effective Missionary I can be but there are things that just keep snowballing and like I said before I AM SICK OF IT! ><

Anyways, I had a wonderful experience and at our first lesson. I extended an invitation for baptism and the spirit was so strong! It is amazing how you can meet someone for the first time and have such a close and spiritual moment if you truly forget yourself and allow the spirit to fill you and your thoughts.

I learned a lot from Sister Wagner. She helped give me some ways that have helped her be more effective in her personal studies because she struggles with that too! I love her!

We had a cool idea to go give one of our investigators a Christmas light attack! We went and did it with some of the kids in the ward and ding dong ditched it on there door. It was so fun and we got a text the next day from the Mom of the investigator saying, "Thank you so much! it brought a tear to my eye and you made us feel so loved".  It was the best feeling ever! and we had so much fun! :)

Well I gotta go! :( BUT I love you all and only 9 Days til CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sister Sarah Patterson

Email 12/9/13

SNOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We woke up this morning to go to the YMCA and there was real genuine snow!!!! haha!
I drove like a granny don't worry. ;)

                        

I get to go to the Temple AGAIN on the 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! the Mission has a Christmas party and for part of it we get to go to the Temple!!!!!!!!!

I'm in the the Church news!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

https://www.lds.org/church/news/members-in-boston-plant-daffodils-along-marathon-route?lang=eng&query=boston

I get to go to the Temple AGAIN on the 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Mission has a Christmas party and for part of it we get to go to the Temple!!!!!!!!!

Well... we Got a new investigator!!!!!

On the 4th we asked the Elders to give us a blessing of comfort and council. They were much needed and appreciated. :)

After that we were at the library and Sister Roy had the Prompting to say Hi to someone we had met before. We gave them a Christmas party invite and on our way back to our study room this guy says, "Excuse me"..."Yes!" :D He then went on to say, "I see you around a lot, Knocking on doors and your always at the Library! What do you do?" ..................Is this really happening?......is this real life?.... haha! We went on to tell him all about what we do and as we would talk his eyes would get really big and he would shake his head in agreement but then would say once in a while, "I don't know, I've just never heard anything like this before". He also had a lot of questions and asked us if there was a way for him to just stop sinning! He knows that what he's doing is bad and not what the Lord wants him to do. We then asked if he would like to meet up again and hear more? and the same wide eyed look and with head shaking in agreement. :) We then asked when he would like to meet up again and Sister Roy and I expected him to say, "Oh, how about next week?" or something along those lines but then he said simply, "Tomorrow?" ......us, "Oh, Yeah! that would be fine!" :D We met him the next day and the next and he likes it but the one thing that has been getting in his way is the Book of Mormon! and "Why didn't God just make one church and one big book so no one gets confused?" We talked for a while and just asked him to at least try? He then went on to say, "I feel like God is telling me not to read it" ...NO!!!!!!!! That's Satan! >< don't listen to him!

We are going to use the Bible some more and help him understand that We are not God and that he can do what he wants! I told him that but we will try a new angle. ;)

He is amazing and has so much potential. We will not give up on him this easily!

I love you all and thank you for the loving words and prayers!

Love,

Sarah
Sister Patterson

Church New Article from 12/9/13

Members in Boston Plant Daffodils along Marathon Route
Bishop Joseph Apke, Framingham Ward, Boston Massachusetts Stake3 DECEMBER 2013

Full-time missionaries serving in the Massachusetts Boston Mission help plant daffodils along the Boston Marathon trail. Photo by Tarryn Colson

ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS
-The “Marathon Daffodils” project is a community-based initiative to brighten the path of the marathon participants next spring. The goal of the project was to line the Boston Marathon route with 100,000 daffodil bulbs.
-Relief Society members in the Boston Massachusetts Stake are actively helping missionaries become more involved in local service projects such as this.
-“When we learned that our missionaries have been authorized to work with the members doing humanitarian work in our communities, we were thrilled.” —Jamie Larsen, Boston Massachusetts Stake Relief Society president

FRAMINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS
Members, missionaries, and friends of the Boston Massachusetts Stake spent time this fall planting daffodils in towns along the Boston Marathon route.

The project, called “Marathon Daffodils,” was held in response to bombs that exploded during the marathon on April 15, 2013. The bombs killed three people and injured an estimated 264 others.

As part of the project, volunteers throughout New England came together with top horticultural organizations to line the 26.2-mile route with bright yellow flowers that will bloom in time for the marathon next year—serving as an inspiration to runners and others that hope stands strong.

The plan was to plant 100,000 bulbs over a series of weekends.

Local Church leaders learned of the project and shared the idea with others in the Boston Massachusetts Stake, said Alison Packard, wife of Massachusetts Boston Mission President Daniel W. Packard. “The Boston stake Relief Society had recently offered to have its sisters help organize the humanitarian service hours of our missionaries. We were actively looking for opportunities where missionaries, members, and people of all faiths could work together on a project. We were asking for service referrals from the members, so when this opportunity came up, our missionaries were very excited to participate.”

On Saturday, October 19, Framingham Ward members and missionaries donned Mormon Helping Hands vests and joined local residents, businesses, and organizations in Ashland, Massachusetts. They planted the section of Ashland’s marathon route that stretches along Route 135.

Again on October 31, members of the Weston 2nd Ward, along with moms from the neighboring St. Paul’s Catholic School, dug trenches and planted bulbs in front of the historic town building in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Through November, members and missionaries continued working in Newton and in Boston at Kenmore Square and the Trinity Church in the Back Bay near the marathon finish line.

This project is one of several humanitarian efforts coordinated this year by the Boston stake Relief Society in which missionaries and members have worked together.

The members and missionaries have also helped build a playground with KaBoom, in a project sponsored by United Healthcare and Brandeis University; cleaned three riverbanks with a nonprofit called OARS; and cleaned the Needham Wellness Center.

With the support of the Boston stake presidency and Boston mission president, Relief Society sisters are finding that by helping to schedule missionary service, they are getting more involved too.

Members and missionaries in Boston, Massachusetts, contributed to the “Marathon Daffodils” project,

helping to line the Boston Marathon route with 100,000 daffodils. Photo by Tarryn Colson.

“When we learned that our missionaries have been authorized to work with the members doing humanitarian work in our communities, we were thrilled,” said Jamie Larsen, Boston Massachusetts Stake Relief Society president. “We began asking the missionaries about their own community service work and discovered that making connections with local charities was very difficult for them in our area. We knew that within our stake we had many Relief Society sisters with strong relationships with local charities and civic organizations, but not as much time available to volunteer with them. And conversely, our missionaries had time to serve but no long-term connections or relationships. So we set out to draw on these complementary strengths and weaknesses to help connect the missionaries.”

When members identify the service opportunities, it allows them to have conversations with co-workers, school friends, and neighbors who are already involved in community service activities, she explained. They express their appreciation and respect for their friends’ work and offer to recruit volunteers to work alongside them.

“We are hearing feedback and asking both men and women to be thinking about service,” said Sister Larsen. “So far the response is overwhelmingly positive.”

Email 12/2/13

 

 

Us at Sis. Baer's making pie's when she texted you that picture.

We had a Big ward FHE! had food and played Family Feud :) We almost had a couple from our English class come but something came up last minute! :( but There's still the Christmas Party! :D

We met a Lady at the CVS right near us and made friends with her and are going to invite her too! She is so sweet! I have really been trying to "Stay desperate" in the work so that the Lord will be able to know he can trust me. ;)  We have really seen the effect of it as we keep our eyes open to opportunities and making sure I never get "satisfied" and "comfortable".

We stopped by the Morales house again and just saw the two girls and we talked to them and tried to figure out a time to come and see the whole family because right then their parents were home but not feeling well. As we were getting ready to leave we told them to just call us if there is a time when they are all together and not doing something. Then Cathy, the 10 year old daughter said, "Oh well actually, I had a cousin over and we got bored so... I started telling her about both of you and what you shared.".........What! This Family is amazing!!! Our investigators are already giving us referrals. We love them so much!!!

We had Thanksgiving at the Tardiff's! We went early and helped cook. :) They have two daughters that are return missionaries! So fun to chit chat :) The food was so yummy and were so stuffed! ^^



Love you a Million potential Investigators!!! ;) Stay Desperate! ;)



Love,

Sarah
Sister Patterson

Email 11/25/13

Ok, so,!!!!! 

Sister Roy and I are staying together for 6 more weeks!!!! :D

This is us with the Elders on Transfer night at the 99 in Waltham. 

Apparently they have a big magnet in the back and 

some of the silverware does this! haha! ^^

Sister Roy and myself with the Packard's and Elder and Sister Neilsen! :D

 Setting up the Packard's for the departing Missionaries! :D

We got to go set up/get our Mission Presidents house ready for the departing Missionaries! that was so cool!The thought that went through my head was, "Oh yeah! we get to go to the Packard's!!!! ^^That was such a special thing for me and getting to see there family and their amazing talent! They sang and played the piano! and one of the daughters wrote a song about going home but not forgetting what you learned on the Mission. So amazing! ^^ I love Music!


                     

A drawing I saw in the ensign and wanted to try drawing free hand! 

It turned out way better then I thought! :D

JOSE'S BAPTISM!!!!!!

Jose one of our investigators had his baptism on Saturday the 23rd!
We he is super amazing and was so excited to be Baptized :)

There were a lot of people that came to support and he had a lot of family that came too :) His sister Adrianna brought a friend with her and she even felt the spirit! we hope that that the friend will never forget that feeling and that she will want to know more :)

                                

Jose with Bro. Philips :)

                                  

This was a crazy week! We Got hair cuts from Jose's aunt.

Me getting my hair cut :)

Love,
Sister Sarah Patterson :)

Email 10/15/13

I love my new companion. Her name is Sister Roy and she is from Sandy Utah. She is really sweet and she loves to cook healthy and work out! I'm hoping to lose some weight with her as my comp.! ;) haha! ^^ She has something called Systic Fibrosis and she is such an inspiration! She is so devoted and works so hard! She really cares for the people and loves the work. :)

We live in a little apartment that has a washer and dryer as well!!!!! I'm so happy! :D

Here is my new address:

16 Kings way #202 C
Waltham, MA
02451

Oh!............Ummmm so.... I'm the designated DRIVER!!!!!!!!! I was nervous but Sis. Roy has helped me a ton and I am feeling a lot more comfortable! ...I'm pretty good if I say so myself. ;) haha!

WE GOT TO GO TO THE TEMPLE YESTERDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and yes it is super close like 15-20 min. away. :)

I love the new video and it really gave me a new perspective. :) It was beautiful and I think I have some very loose pipes in the eye area and there weren't near enough tissues! ;)

I love you!!!!!

Sister Patterson

Email 10/9/13

Big news!!! I'm getting transferred!!!!! I'm going to Weston it's near Boston! I have all my stuff packed and I leave tomorrow!!! I'm happy and sad at the same time I will miss the people here so much but I know that the Lord has more things in store for me. :) 

Sorry I wasn't able to write you last Monday. Our P-Day with the Elders went long and we had an early appt. I feel so bad but my comp. thought it was sweet that you called the mission office to see if everything was ok. <3 

We spent today with the Elders up at Quabbin lake, so cool.  In the picture of me, we are in the tower and apparently you can see Connecticut from it! Cool! :D

                                               

We had a fun time. Afterward we came down and hung out looking at the view and threw a football around. Then we went to eat and as we were saying goodbye the Elders realized that this was the last time that I would be with them and they gave me an extra hand shake for luck. ;)
It was so sad. I will miss them all to much :(  but I am excited to go to my new area too. :)


                                           

My room looks dirtier then is actually is...haha! ^^ 

We got a 9 year old as a new investigator the other day and when we told him a little about baptism he asked with wide eyes, "Am going to need scuba gear???" haha! We told him no and that we would show him a video so he could see what one would be like. he was so cute^^

                           

                           

Here's me with Irene and the Thompson's :) 

Love you and it won't be long until we get to talk again! Monday is just around the corner. ;)
  

Love, 

Sarah :)  Sister Patterson

Oh, I got Granny's letters and I loved them they ment to much to me and I Love you Grandma!!!

Email 9/23/13

I sent off a big letter on Saturday so you should get that soon! :)

Erin, I got your letter! I was so excited to get it and I loved it! ^^ Im working on one for to send out to you soon! Could you give me your address or is it better for Mom to send it to you?

Jessie, here's the quote that you wrote in my book before I left that:

Teachability is Perfection

"Perfection seems to indicate a sort of end.
A final mastery of something.
But how boring would eternity be if there wasn't room for growth?
So, Perfection is about becoming one in purpose with God.
Therefore, we should focus on that, which is attainable by everyone no matter their level of education or mastery of skills.
Perfection is not an end.
It is not beyond us.
When Christ takes over and makes up for our weaknesses, we become Perfect.
So That relationship with Christ & our Heavenly Father is the most important step towards Perfection.
Perfection is allowing Christ to fill in the gaps.
We don't have to do it all by ourselves."

I love this quote and I have used it so many times in lessons and the reactions I have gotten from people have been so positive :)

It has helped me every-time I read it and it gives me strength when I'm feeling down. :)

I got sick the end of Friday. I am feeling so much better today because of much sweet care from my companion :) also the Elders were so kind to give me a blessing on Saturday. :) I really do appreciate the power of the priesthood and to know that the Elders were worthy to administer it. I felt like a proud mother. ;)

                             The pic's are of me and Sister Giblette one of the Sister Trainers that I spent the day with. :)

I drew Sister B. in a letter that she was sending to her friend and she bragged about my art skills. ^^

 I also drew her a pro drawing for her 4 month mark which was on Sunday. :) 

She Loved her "Mini Me" as she liked to call it .^^ haha! so fun!

We got a ton of paper work done while I was sick so that was a good thing that came out of me being sick. ;P haha! ^^

I love you all and am excited to hear whats happening!

I love and miss you a million tissues ;P


Love,

Sarah <3

Sister Patterson