Dinner Tonight

Aurora had dinner at a member's home tonight! 

The family who had Aurora over for dinner sent me photos.  

It was a fun surprise to receive photos and know what Aurora was doing tonight!

Leaving Winter Garden (Week 20)

Arald family minus Halt

Hi everyone,

The Transfer Doctrine is I am getting transferred, and Sister Bernier is staying.  You could probably tell by the title of this email.  I don't know where I am going yet.  I will know tomorrow, so I'll email you all next week with the news.  Sister Bernier's new companion is flying into Florida today.  She gets to train!

Fruit Ninjas almost spell the end of Sister Burnier

Last Monday the sisters played Fruit Ninja.  We were given oranges by Sister Coulter (a less-active in Winter Garden).  Elder Davis had a katana sword.  Sister Shafer tossed an orange to Sister Owens, who hit the orange and cut it in half.  Super cool -- but the sword left the handle and flew towards my companion!  It almost killed her!  It didn't hit her though, so we are good.  It was super fun, but we decided it wasn't a good idea to do again.

We had interviews with the president this past week.  It was good.  He asked me to think about who I want to be at the end of my mission.  I think it is important to know who I want to be, so I can become her.

I love Winter Garden.  I took a lot of pictures of people yesterday, but I won't be emailing all of them.  In a way, it is sad to leave.  Winter Garden feels like home.  It hasn't replaced Clarke Farms though; I still love you guys.  I feel home here, which I guess is good.  I am afraid that I won't feel that way about other areas.  In another way, I feel excited about going to a new area.

I meet with Doren, and she is super cool.  She is an investigator now; she plans on coming to church next Sunday.  She is Brother Hicks's friend.  Many of you probably have seen the picture of Sister Bernier, Doren, and I on Facebook, since Brother Hicks posted it.  For those of you who don't know, Brother Hicks used to live in Dove Valley when I was part of that ward.  However, I don't remember him.  Anyway, he told me he pictures my parents with their scout uniforms on, since they are big scouters.  I think it is funny, since it is so true.  Thank you, Sister Nuttall for giving me a hug through Facebook.  I love you.  You're awesome!

The best kind of Heart Attack!

Some one heart-attacked us on the perfect day.  It was a miracle.  We hadn't had a good day and the heart attack brought a smile to our faces.  However, the day I took the picture isn't the day it happened. :)

Mom's spice package makes Saag a crock-pot delight!

Mom thanks for the spices.  Mirth thanks for the apron; I have been using it a lot.

Miracle:  I got sick last Monday night.  Because of the president's interviews, Sister Nelson (one of the senior missionaries) was able to give me a prescription.  The timing was just perfect.   The next morning (Wednesday), I felt good, and that night we went to bed early.  I have been better ever since. The Lord helped me recover quickly.

-- 
~Sister Aurora Pack

Soup Skirt (Week 19)

Winter Garden District

Hi everyone,

This week was great.  We got five new investigators (or gators as we like to call them here in Florida).

One of them doesn't want to meet with us anymore after the second lesson, but we kinda cornered him in his grandmother's house for the first lesson.  The second lesson happened because Sister Bernier is persistent, but he still showed up of his own free will.

Anyway, his name is Seth.  His mother (Kendra) and grandmother (Sister Hugo) are members.  Kendra Hugo is very active, and she lives in a house behind her daughter's.  We went over to Sister Hugo's place to help her vacuum her rugs, because she hasn't been feeling well recently.  Seth came in, and Sister Hugo asked him to take her to church, which he said he would.  That is how the conversation got started.  We talked about the Plan of Salvation with him, but since he doesn't like the word salvation we called it the Plan of Happiness (which is just another name for it).  Anyway, even though he isn't interested, I feel like he benefited from meeting with us.

We aren't the first missionaries who have tried to teach Seth.  I am okay that he isn't ready now.  I feel that Seth needs a little bit here and there if he is ever going to take interest.  It was also interesting to listen to what Seth believes.  He says he is spiritual and not religious.

Jason has been ordained to the office of a priest.  Sadly, no one told us when it was happening, so we weren't there.  :(  But I'm glad to see him progressing. :)

At the Temple in Teal and Leather

We went to the temple, which was the highlight of the week.  I love the temple so much.  I can feel the spirit so strongly there.  To be honest, I was slightly stressed about the possibility of getting transferred in a week.  Transfers are the 27th.  I love Winter Garden, and I don't want to leave.  So far, I have never been transferred, so that is a little intimidating.  I feel like I am getting transferred, but, of course, I don't know for certain.  I prayed about it in the temple, and I feel peace about it.  It is hard to describe exactly how I feel/felt.  That is also a miracle.

We decided to try straightening my hair on the 13th.

We were able to serve the Arald family this week.  Their dad got sick.  A company gave them four beds, which needed to be assembled.   We went over to help them put the beds together.  We also brought them dinner, since we went over about that time.  We also wanted to bring them dinner, since they don't eat very nutritious food.  We brought them some soup, which we heated at our place.  While we were driving over it got on my skirt.  My skirt is fine; I washed it.  And it is okay, because we went to the Arald family, and I was able to tell them it was the soup we brought them.  The other person we taught that night is blind, so he couldn't see it anyway.

Not so straight by the end of the day -- thanks to Florida humidity!

Miracle:  We were three minutes late to Seth's second lesson.  Sister Hugo told us he just left, telling her he didn't want to do this today.  We went to go knock on the other house, asking for him.  We were told he wasn't there, so we went back to talk with Sister Hugo for a little bit.  The miracle is that Seth came back.  Sister Bernier and I didn't think he was going to.

-- 
~Sister Aurora Pack

Imitating Christ and Jason's Baptism (Week 18)

Jason, me and Sister Burnier at Jason's baptism!

Hi everyone,

The most exciting thing this week was Jason's baptism!  It was really awesome.  There were at least 37 people attending.

The baptismal font fills!

Sister Bernier had the idea of passing out cards while Jason was changing.  People could write something to Jason on it.  We collected them.  We plan to buy a photo album and put them in it with a picture of Jason with his family and give it to him.  I think it is a great idea, and I plan on using it for future baptisms.

Jason and his family celebrate his baptism

Sister Sorenson, the RS president and Jason's mother-in-law, bought a lot of food for refreshments afterwards.  Jason asked his father-in-law to baptize and confirm him.  His family also gave the talks at the baptism.  Jason is really close with his family, which is great.  Brother Rodney wasn't able to make it to the baptism, which was sad, since he is one of Jason's good friends.  But he was able to be in the confirmation circle.

Jason and his immediate family

At our district meeting I gave the spiritual thought from the New Testament reading.  I used similar thoughts for the letter I wrote President Berry.  I wanted to share that letter with you:

"I can draw nearer to Christ by imitating him.  In Ephesians 5:1, it says we need to follow God.  The footnote on followers says another translation from the Greek is imitators.  I've heard people say that the highest form of flattery is imitation.  Therefore, the highest form of worship is imitation.  I worship God and Christ by trying to be like them.  Christ beckons us to come, follow him.  He's not asking us to follow him in body, but he asks us to strive to emulate the things he did.  These thoughts remind me of what President Monson said, '[P]hysically walking where Jesus walked is less important than walking as He walked. Emulating His actions and following His example are far more important than trying to retrace the remnants of the trails He traversed in mortality.'  

"I want to study who Jesus was from the scriptures.  Then I want to develop the characteristics in myself.  That is how I am going to come closer to Christ. ~Sister Pack"

Cereal Boxes can come in handy...

I made a scripture box out of a cereal box and duct tape for the pocket-sized scriptures I bought.  The tiny scriptures are because I want to take scriptures around with me.  The iPad is nice, but I really need some physical scriptures.  I think it will help me to use more scriptures in lessons.  The box is so if it rains, and it will, that the scriptures can stay nice and dry.

New scripture box with mini-scriptures!

Part of this week was disappointing, because we had five member-present lessons fall through. :(  However, we were still able to work hard and see miracles.

Miracle:  We went to go see a less-active member, Dougan.  We were able to teach him and his renter, Maddon.  Maddon became an investigator.  Her other lesson, during the week, fell through because she wasn't feeling well.  However, it was still a miracle to find her.  Brother Dougan is less-active due to health, but he wants to come back to church.  He has a strong testimony.

-- 
~Sister Aurora Pack

P.S. I am putting together the "My Family" booklet. I believe Mirth had one at some point.  President Berry wants all missionaries to fill it out, so we can have the spirit of Elijah.  He also wants us to set a second baptismal date with people to get them to the temple for baptisms for the dead.  He wants us to set the second date even before people are baptized.

Baptismal Dates and Cold Florida Nights (Week 17)

My new blouse!

Hi Everyone,

Last Monday we went shopping during the after Christmas sales.  I got a shirt, a skirt, and a jacket (which I really needed since I didn't plan for the cold days here).  I know what you all are thinking, "It's not that cold in Florida."  You're right; it's not.  Right now, it is in the 80s.  I know back home it has been really cold.  I'm not complaining, but sometimes it been pretty cold especially when you aren't wearing anything to keep you warm, and you're in a skirt.

The new jacket -- for those cold Florida days!

District P-day was today.  We first went to Yellow Dog Eats, which is a restaurant.  It is super weird.  Elder Davis and Elder Armino (I know that is spelled wrong) kept talking about the hair and beards each had before their missions.  It sounds like they looked terrible.  Elder Pelo says, according to Elder Holland, if a missionary comes home and grows a beard then he didn't learn anything on his mission.  I think Elder Pelo might have made that up, but I think Elder Davis and Elder Armino could learn something from it.

Preparation Day with my District

We then went to the church and played Mafia.  I won the second game.  I was the only surviving Mafia left.  It was fun.  I still haven't been able to play the Great Dalmuti.  I will sometime though.  Maybe next week.

The current sisters in my district

We are teaching Laura, but she is really slow.  She doesn't get the concept of time very well.  She said she would be awake on Saturday morning, but she wasn't.  We texted her later that night.  Then, on Sunday night, she thought we came by that morning for church.  She wants to learn, but we aren't really sure how best to help her.  I think I have a better idea than Sister Berneir, because I struggled learning to read and have worked more with people who have learning disabilities.  If you have any suggestions, please tell me.

Jason is getting baptized on Saturday.  He had his interview yesterday.  I am really excited.  We have a lot to do to make sure it is planned properly.  We had it announced in Sacrament meeting yesterday, so I hope there is a good turn out.  I think will we call people as well as ask them to come.

A special treat for New Year's!

On New Years Day, I fried tostones (green plantains or, in Spanish, platenos); it was fun.  [Dad: This is a food our family enjoys from my mission in the Dominican Republic.]

Yummy tostones (plantains aka the banana thingie)

Miracle:  The Arald family has accepted a baptismal date.  We taught a lesson about baptism, and then we asked them if they wanted to be baptized.  They said they did, so we set February 21, 2015 as the date to prepare for.  It was super cool.  We just need to get them to church.  Crowley and Gundar want to come, but Baron wasn't feeling good.  Erak said he was going to stay home with their dad to make sure he was all right, since he has lots of heath concerns.  Then Crowley and Gundar said they also wanted to take care of their dad.  It is good they want to do that, but Halt, the oldest, who hasn't been part of the lessons, could have helped their dad.  I really wish they would come to church.

-- 
~Sister Aurora Pack

My new skirt!