Copy and Paste That To the Lord - Adieu

March 23, 2020

Good day!! 

Many of you may have seen my post on Facebook but - due to the risks of Corona, me and my asthmatic lungs will be affected and are returning home and being honorably released sometime along with tons of missionaries everywhere. I don't know when so this will probably be my last weekly email for all you who have thrived through my experiences and sarcasm somehow so it's long

This week we were put in a more serious lockdown/confinement of sorts. But first we were able to meet and help an older lady in the branch that has lotsss of things clean out some her home! We fed a giant bag of cheerios to the neighborhood squirrels. Many AMAZING members have reached out, bought us food, and toilet paper, and have made sure we are fed everyday so we are stocked and loaded with goods. Knowing that I will be returning home at some point is weird to comprehend, all these last moments that I didn't realize. But our amazing mission president has been telling us since he came last summer that we need to live up everyday because we truly only have a short time. Just a bit too literal and real for me! 

Nevertheless we were visiting a recent convert whom I adore and as I was helping her to understand more about the temple as she prepares to go, I had a really cool experience where I was super bold haha. It may seem harsh but I promise it was really loving and light and we are amazing friends so it went well. She was talking about how it's hard to give up certain things forever and how she didn't want to stop completely, and all I could imagine is that everything she was telling me she was telling Heavenly Father directly. So I looked at her and told her to "copy and paste that to the Lord". She looked SHOCKED and in a loving way said I was mean🤣. But you could tell it really opened her eyes and the Spirit really testified that the Lord knows our fears before we do, so would we really say and do all these things 'if the Savior stood beside me?'. But can you imagine if missionaries sacrificed SO much just to tell people they are fine? Sounds abrupt but really we are here to CALL REPENTANCE and help people improve and progress! So don't be afraid to be straight up with people, because everyone deserves a straight up friend who wants to help them change and improve. If you really go about it with a love for God and a love for all your brothers and sisters, your bold will be much more loving and I have seen it affect so many people I have taught!! 

Being in our apartment so much has given me and Sister Fairbourne lots of laughs and opportunities to get to know each other speedy quick. Like deep cleaning and finding translators that act as walky talkies and then using them to tell each other stories across the apartment. Or doing a 1000 piece puzzle. Or getting to know each other through long conversation. Or complaining about Corona. It has been a fun week:)) 

Since our whole mission is quarantining, we did a mission wide video call on Zoom. Talk about fun. Seeing a screen flicking through every companionship in their apartments at the end of the day all ready to hear from our wonderful Mission President was a powerful spiritual experience, I felt so much love and gratitude for this whole mission experience. Then singing God Be With You Till We Meet Again as a mission as President Murphy cried and seeing everyone together for the last time before many of us depart. It's like feeling the beat of your favorite song throughout your body as you have both headphones in kind of elevation. On top of the world - I love my life. 

Friends and family, I have LOVED my mission and every kind and mean and funny person I have been able to cross paths with. I'm sad to see it go, but I'm happy to have it to forever look back on. Make good choices. READ THE BOOK OF MORMON, for in the inspired words of the Prophet Joseph Smith, "therein lies happiness brother". And to all of you, as Sister Davis, I bid adieu♥️ It has been a pleasure to serve my Savior. And it's been a pleasure to experience miracles at His hand. HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD?! 

Sister Davis

 Reading Stories With Translators We Found


 Sprinkling Allll the Cheerios


My Best Friend Sister Fairbourne


We Are Twins Can't You Tell


 Whole Mission Zoom Conference Call


Spease Farm + Their New Chicks

Dianne


  
Audrey

 

 Thompson's

 

   Tatro's


 Heath's


 Husted's


 Bainbridge's


 Sister Linder


Wood's and my Final Going Home Favorite Hymn :(

Transfers and Quarantine

March 16, 2020

Hello!

Well as you know, the country and the world is going to pieces haha. What a time to be a missionary! We keep doing things as normal, just more cautiously of who we are around - and now with a couple weeks supply of food that cost a pretty penny Most of the people seem to be socially distancing and isolating themselves but nonetheless we have amazing members who have stepped in to keep checking on us! 

First we had transfers! We drove the YSA sisters, so everyone in the car I had been companions with at one time - and all were going home! I ran over a squirrel on that drive - well down the middle of the car and he was running across the street when I looked out the side mirror afterwards🏼 Sister Fairbourne and I have already had a blast and a half! Keeping the work fun and busy. We were able to visit people and get to know the members more as they donated toilet paper We did lots of service still as the town seems to need it more which was an awesome opportunity to show love and help the community as everyone thinks the world is ending. 

As most of you probably are aware church is cancelled and we were lucky to have several families reach out and invite us to sacrament at their homes! So we spent it with a very large family who skyped in with their extended family - it was a really unique spiritual experience to see people come together as just families to worship and partake of the sacrament 

And today our district went to House on the Rock, look it up. It's a huge house/museum full of very random trinkets, giant carousels, self-playing instruments, collections and giant statues of Buddha and whales and elephants and octopi. It was super neat! The creativity of some people is astounding! We found a dead tiny garden snake inside so I held it, attached a pic for you, and left it on a carousel so it can have some fun too;) 

I hope you all stay healthy and safe. Know there is a plan and reason behind all things and in front of all things. I love you! Keep striving to be even a little bit better than before and you can get where you desire:) 

Sister Davis

 Driving 3 of My Past companions to Transfer Point Before They Go Home :(


Sister Fairbourne + Buddha


 Infinity Room


 Chocolate Covered Frozen Bananas?


Giant Pots with Dragons and Lizards (talk about extra)


 Our Districts Tags Above the Woods


 Giant Whale and Octopus


 Because What Else Would You Put In Your House


 My Name In Front of a Carousel


Our Dead Snake That Is Forever Riding a Carousel

All The Cows and 5 Hours of Pasty's

March 10, 2020

Hello!

This was the week of manyyyy cow opportunities. I bottle fed more calves a couple times!! Definitely forgot rain boots the one day it poured rain and made it an extra muddy farm, so that'll motivate me to wash my shoes at least. I love cows I have learned so much about them. They are much bigger up close, smell no bueno, are very curious and might sniff a babies face, and somehow bring joy aha. On Saturday we were up at 4:30 and off to make pasty's (Midwest meat pies) with the Free Masons! It was an exhausting fun time! We laughed with them so much, my sarcasm is a great introduction We hand mixed all the meat and onion filling, and let me tell you my eyes CANNOT do onions without leaking profusely forever haha - I guess onions are a sad memory for them. I learned to crimp a pasty real quick and now I'm like a pro, 5 hours worth of practice! We still smell like onions a lil. We did so much more service this week too. Feeding our friends, organizing rotten oranges, and playing entertaining bingo with hilarious deaf old ladies that don't know when they've got a bingo! 

We helped one of our friends go around delivering meals on wheels, which led to meeting many sweet old folks who really appreciated the food! While we were driving me and my blunt bold self started talking about baptism, and now our friend is praying about getting baptized in the Wisconsin River in June!! At activity days we played lots of marbles with the youth, the boys learn much different from the girls haha. 

Since it was Sister Larson's last week we said many goodbyes to the branch members and our dear friends. We are seeing so many tender mercies and great things happening hear though! I am so excited to get Sister Fairbourne here!! Our Spanish family is doing amazing. I have printed Spanish coloring pages of scripture stories and church pictures for the kids to do as the mom is being taught. I need to learn sooo much Spanish haha. Luckily one of the kids speaks a bit of English! And 4 year old Spanish is veryyy fast. But if you laugh and give high fives it all goes well apparently The kids were looking at pictures of Jesucristo and Dios with me and saw the temple and the boy who speaks partial English goes "bigggg casa", yes the House of the Lord is very big haha!

Something I thought about this week was those instances when we harden our hearts, or shut someone out, or simply want to treat them the way they treat us. If we do that, usually we are lowering ourselves and giving away attributes we worked so hard on just to protect ourselves with a harder shell. But the other person can completely change and strive to be better, and a couple months down the road they will be so happy! And you will have the bitter heart and have turned into them. Not always the case, but it does happen sometimes, and it's so sad when we change ourselves to get back at others. So I invite each of you to continue working on those positive attributes and strengths you do have, build yourself and others up so you will be happy today AND down the road:)

I hope you have a great week️

LOVEEE

Hermana Davis 

 I Love Cows


 Giant Cow Sniffing a Baby


 Milking Anotherrr Calf aka Living My Best Life


 Singing Hymns After Dinner With This View


 Super Fog


 Us and Sister Woods


 Sister Larson and I :))


Food Kitchen Service

Be an Anchor, Continually:)⚓

March 2, 2020

Hello!

This week I was sick, which meant lots of resting, feeling exhausted, avoiding people, and studying time! It was just a bit of discomfort, but nothing I couldn't handle. It's on the mend now, although now my companion is getting it... But I'm still eating lots of fruits and vegetables and cleaning like a maniac as I usually do

Besides that we were able to begin teaching a couple amazing new people! The first one is an awesome hunter - he loves remodeling his home for fun and we have heard all of his tales of seeing God lead them to a home that would be able to provide for the kids they suddenly ended up taking in and adopting! He has seen God's hand lead their family in so many ways, it's amazing. The second person is the Spanish lady! She is so open and prepared to learn more about the Savior! Hopefully we can learn enough Spanish to invite her family to join us We have concluded that we will be teaching her and having the hermanas (and anyone else that knows Spanish) assist. We will be using a little bit of time throughout the week to also study Spanish, since she knows no English! So, maybe I'll become an hermana after this 

We had stake conference this weekend, which meant going to Madison again! Elder Scott from the Quorum of the Seventy came and talked with us! He would get up after every couple speakers and go into their topics more in such a powerful inspired way! Seeing him follow the Spirit was amazing! A couple of the things that the Spirit taught me were: make those coincidences happen! Church, prayer, and scriptures are the oars we use when we're out at sea - they direct us (and you wouldn't throw your oars out of the boat). Sometimes we are the anchor that is continuing to hold onto those we love as they go about life, we give them more rope, and we are there for them, continually waiting for them to need our help - we must continue to be a patient anchor. 

This week we have studied a lot about the tribes of Israel, and I encourage you all to study about them in the scriptures you have! Continue to seek out more faith, more goodness, and more knowledge of the Savior! I have loved learning more about the Restoration, and specifically the Prophet Joseph Smith as we prepare for General Conference! If any of you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I have a sure knowledge and testimony that Joseph Smith really was called of God, just as Noah or Abraham or Moses or Christ! God loves us just as much as He loved people 2000 and 3000 years ago when there were other prophets to guide the people! God wants us to feel His love and answers, and He wants us to know how we can continue to seek more knowledge and happiness each day as we prepare to live with Him again

At stake conference we sat by our branch presidents family and their 4 year old daughter is obsessed with us, we teach her primary class, and she turned to us at one point and said 'I want to be a sister like you. My family's going to miss me a lot. There's 3 sisters here now' (counting us and her). I can see why Jesus loved little children. 

Lots and lots of love, 

Sister Davis 

(A few scenic pictures this week. Our zone went on a long hike today - not the best idea when you've been sick and your lungs are still not recovered - but the view at the top was over a frozen lake! So pretty!)

Me Again

 
On Our Ride to Stake Conference in Madison


Pretty Sky

 
The View From My Study Desk


Zone Picture from our Hike Today
 
Me Above the Very High Cliff

And the Veryyy High Cliff Over the Frozen Lake