Ponce Inlet -- The Super Cool, Weird, Awesome, & Fun District 12 (Week 25)

The Super Cool District before the Musical Fireside

Hi everyone,

The musical fireside was yesterday.  It was awesome.  My favorite number was "Oh If I Were An Angel."   You should look up the song, since it is super cool.  There were lots of non-members there, so I would say it was a success.  People also told us that we did a good job with "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing."

The Hal Family at the Musical Fireside

Also, yesterday before the fireside, we were at the library to do a Facebook lesson, which was super cool.  We were outside the library, as it was closing, hoping to finish our lesson.  Someone needed help with a pay-phone, so I tried to help him out.  I was unable to, but he asked how tall I was, so I told him.  He then asked if he could pick me up.  He said he likes to pick up tall people to see how strong he is.  Of course, I told him no.  Super weird, right?  Missionaries meet the weirdest people.

The Super Weird District at the base of the Lighthouse stairs and Gallery

So we are able to have some of the family search apps now.  The apps allow us to write and read stories about our ancestors.  After "Our Search For Happiness," I have started to read about some of my ancestors each night. 

New Apps including Family Tree!

Mirth, I thought you might want to know, I have wanted to name one of my daughters Mary for a while now.   I thought about it, and I want her middle name to be Mirth.  Mary Mirth.  I think it sounds nice.

The Lighthouse on District Preparation Day!

Mom, that is so cool that you are the Bighorn Medic!  I love Bighorn so much.  I am glad you enjoy it too.  You asked for some suggestions to do at flags.  I thought about how there are different kinds of doctors throughout history and the world, such as a medicine man and Chinese doctors.  Maybe you could do something with that?

The lighthouse at night

So this week we found out who everyone in our district would be in the Hunger Games.  It started with Elder Black.  Since he bakes, he is Peeta.  I'm Prim; Sister Nelson is Joanna; Sister Marsh is Katniss (although she said I should be Katniss since I creamed everyone at lazar tag); Sister Gonzales is Annie (mostly we did this because Elder Sherwin said he won't marry a Hispanic); Elder Sherwin is Finnick; Elder Stiggins is Beetee; and Elder Godinet is Gale.

The Super Awesome District [12] at the top of the Lighthouse

We texted the Sisters the identities of the three main characters.  At first Sister Marsh's reaction was, "Cool, someone who shoots awesomely with a bow."  A few minutes later she texted, saying she just realized that it's #creepiestlovetriangleever.  We also came up with who the APs are: Elder Walker is Cinna and Elder Call is Thresh.  Fun times with the district.  Our district is super awesome.  The Elders in our ward seem to come to a lot of our district activities, so we just adopted them into the district.  They will refer to our district as their district.

Prim is tops!

We went to the lighthouse that is in my area.  The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse the the tallest lighthouse in Florida.  It has 203 steps to reach the gallery, or the places you can walk outside.  It was super fun.   This was probably the best p-day ever.

The Super Fun District on the Lighthouse Stairs

Miracle: We saw a lot of miracles with less-active members this week.  It was sad that we still don't have any gators, but at least we were able to help people.  Vincent, the red neck, bore his testimony thanking us that we challenged him to read the Book Of Mormon.  He told everyone how he saw a difference in his life as he read it.  BTW, I don't think I told you of the challenge he gave us.  It was to read more from the Book of Mormon than he did each day.  He was reading over 30 pages, but he said that in an hour he can read about 45.  Well, needless to say, we don't read that fast -- so we told him we wouldn't do it, but that we would study for an hour each day.



Sister Aurora at the Lighthouse Entry

We visited Brother Dale, who is super cool.  He hasn't come to church for five years, but he has a strong testimony.  The miracle is that he came to church.  We were able to get into a home that no one else has been able to, although they have tried.  Another less-active came to the musical fireside and really enjoyed it.

✨Sister Aurora Pack

Katy Perry, Owl City, and Hand-Weights (Week 24)

http://flipagram.com/f/RMuO1v03QH (Click to enjoy a fun video by Lori Jackson of many missionaries from Colorado including Sister Aurora Pack!)

Hello everyone,

Happy Fat Tuesday!  It is the day before Lent starts, if that matters to you.  Lent isn't something The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does, but, since I researched it last year for school, I think it is a good practice.  It teaches us self-control.  I thought, if I was going to do Lent, what would I give up?  Honestly, I can't think of anything that is practical.  As a missionary, we already have given up so many things for 18 months.  Most of the things I do are things that I can't give up and still do the Lord's work properly.

Okay, so a few weeks ago I said I was missing Winter Garden.  I still love Winter Garden, and I always will, but I really do love my area NSB [New Smyrna Beach].  The ward is amazing, most especially the bishop.   He put together a musical fireside focused on the savior, so people could bring their friends.  The missionaries are singing Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.  It is going to be so awesome.  We asked Patton Mauricio to join us to sing base, since Elder Galindo can't read music.  Patton is pretty much one of us now.  I think he is going to be submitting his papers soon.

Okay, for those who didn't pay attention to last week's letter, I am writing today [Tuesday], instead of yesterday because we had a Seventy come.  His name is Elder Zwick.  It was a super awesome mission conference.  It was fun to see Sister Taylor again.  I love her so much.

At the mission conference, they gave us the training for missions that are becoming iPad missions.  We already have iPads, so they changed it a little.  We now have to buy our iPads.  They can't have us buy the ones we are already using, for some legal reason that he didn't go into.  The iPads we currently have will be loaned to other missionaries.  They also want us to have iPads that have more memory and capacity.  This way our area book app won't crash, which happens a lot.  By the way, Mom and Dad, I didn't get a new iPad when I came out.  Missionaries inherit them from the missionaries who have gone home.  I got mine from an elder who got his visa to Brazil.  I know that because there were Portuguese things on it, and he was the only one who left who spoke Portuguese.

They have a program to introduce the iPads to new missions.  They will be doing it partly with us.  In the first step, missions don't use the area book app.  But since we already have it, we won't go back to the paper planners.  However, Facebook doesn't get introduced until later, so we won't be on Facebook for about two months starting next transfer.  President Berry called it a Facebook fast.  There are several trainings about the iPads and Facebook that they want us to watch.  It will help keep us safe as well as make sure we are using our time wisely.

Elder Zwick talked a lot about staying away from pornography.  The new iPads will have better filters, but no filter is perfect, which is why he talked about the internal filter each of us have.  He also talked about how we need to help our companions.  FYI, for those of you worried about missionaries with iPads, people don't need an iPad to find pornography.  Plenty of missionaries have been sent home for it without having iPads.  On a good note, the test missions (mine being one of them) showed that missionaries can be trusted with iPads.  Also, Elder Zwick said that this will help train us what to do when we return to an electronics and social media-filled environment.

If we follow the mission rules, we will be protected physically and spiritually.

They also showed us the new video the church came out with for Easter.  It was really good.  It is called, "Because He Lives."  I don't know when we will be allowed to show it to people.

We had a lesson with the Brackens this week, but I wasn't there because it was exchange day.   It is sad -- they kinda dropped us.  They said they don't want to schedule a time to meet since they want to take it slow.  They want some time to read the Book Of Mormon.  I am happy they want to read it, but I know they will progress faster if they meet with us more.  Anyway, they still are investigators.  I believe they will be baptized; they just need time. 

I finished reading "Our Search For Happiness."  I have been reading a little of it each night before I go to sleep to help me unwind.  I think it is really good.  Elder Ballard wrote it for people who aren't members of the church, so everyone could understand us better.  I recommend it for everyone.

Last Monday I bought some hand-weights, so I would actually exercise.  Some sisters, including Sister Nelson, have bought a Juliann Michaels' DVD.  I really hate her workouts, so I bought the hand-weights, and I work out while listening to music.  Speaking of which, I listen to a Katy Perry song.  It sounds so disobedient, but it is not.  She wrote the song before she was popular; it is called "By The Grace Of God."  Anyway, it is super awesome.  Mom or Mirth, could you find a Owl City song that is Christian?  I don't remember the name, but it is also awesome.

Miracle: The miracle happened this week on exchanges.  I was going to go to Deltona for the day with Sister Marsh.  I know I was supposed to be there that day.  We went to a less-active's home.  Her sons are into video games and the music therein.  Her oldest son makes remixes and composes his own songs as well.  He wants to compose music for video games for a living.  Anyway, Sister Marsh didn't know anything with respect to what they were talking about.  Sister Gonzalez wouldn't have know either, but because I talked with David a lot, I was able to have a conversation with them  I mentioned vocaloids (not sure how to spell it).  He said he knows of them and wants to get one.  The lesson was already awkward, because we could tell she doesn't believe the church is true.  However, it would have gone worse if I wasn't there.  I know the Lord made sure I was there that day.  Also we were going to exchange on Tuesday, but the exchange got moved to Wednesday because the STLs had to do an exchange with some other sisters at President Berry's request.

Pictures won't be coming this week, because we forgot to bring the card reader.  Sorry.  I'll send more next week.

✨Sister Aurora Pack

P.S. I didn't have time to write about the crazy things that have happened.  Sorry, maybe next week.

Laser Tag Triumphs and Go-Kart Drops (Week 23)



District P-day at a local Entertainment Center



Hey everyone,

This past week was so-so.  Actually, it was bad, but my spirits are up, so it didn't feel as low as some weeks when I am discouraged.  Anyway, life is good.  We are going to have an amazing upcoming week.

Lots of our investigators dropped us. :-(  One said, over a text, that he appreciated us coming over, but that religion hasn't played a part in his life so far, and he doesn't see it playing a part in the future.  It is sad that he isn't willing to give the gospel a try.  I know that he will have a clearer purpose in life, and he can even feel joy while he is here.  I hope he has a change of heart in the future.

Another was the family that was interested in the youth group.  We called them this morning to confirm tomorrow's lesson.  She said she and her husband aren't looking for another church.  She also said that their children enjoyed having us over.  This experience taught me to always carry a Book Of Mormon.  Neither of us had a Book Of Mormon to give them at the lesson, so they don't have one.  It makes me sad, because they never had a opportunity to read it and feel of the spirit it contains.  I hope I have learned from this, so I can help bless other people's lives.

I got a haircut last week.  That was good.  The person cut my hair dry, and she said it works better for curly hair.  She also told me that coconut oil is good for dry hair, like mine.  It works really well based on my experience so far.

Heading to Laser-Tag on Preparation Day

We had an awesome lesson with Hayden.  We were going to teach her the restoration, but it turned into "all about the atonement" -- how it is more than just repenting of sins.  It helps us to be who we want to be as well as helping us with sorrows and difficulties we may be facing.  I know the spirit was guiding the lesson, which was why it was such a great lesson.

A returning member, who is such a redneck, called us God's soldiers in his prayer.  He can't resist a challenge, so we challenged him to read the Book Of Mormon everyday for the rest of February.  He accepted, but he texted us today saying he has a challenge for us.  We haven't had time to call him yet, so next week I will let you know about his challenge on Tuesday, since we are having a mission conference on Monday.

Ready for Go-Karts!

We had district p-day today that also included the zone leaders, elders from my ward, and Patton, 18 (who drove them because they didn't have enough miles remaining on the monthly allotment).  It was super fun.  The best district p-day I have ever had.



Patton, a non-member, surrounded by missionaries

We played two games of laser tag and drove go-carts.  The place we went to is the only laser tag place in our zone, and it normally isn't open on Mondays.  However, thankfully, they were open today because it is President's day.  They also had a deal for $13 that included three activities.  It was fun; I am glad we did it.



Patton takes a sharp turn to cut off the trailing elder!

By the way, I won both games of laser tag.


Will you be baptized if I beat you at Laser Tag?

Miracle: We met an Egyptian lady who we taught on the spot.  She is already Christian, but it was a cool lesson.  I hope we will be able to go back and teach her and her husband.  She won't set up a return appointment until she speaks with her husband.

✨Sister Aurora Pack

P.S. Mom, thanks for getting back to me on the places you served.  I forgot that you had one baptism, because you were a welfare missionary.

Eating, not Seeing, and Meeting Gators (Week 22)

Hello,

It is a miracle I am still alive to email this to you.  This week we were attacked by six gators.  Scary, but awesome!  Actually, we had six new investigators.  I have still yet to see an alligator, although I ate part of one last week.

There are so many awesome things happening in New Smyrna Beach.  We are working hard, and the Lord is blessing us.  Two of our six new 'gators were given to us on a golden platter, which you can read about in the miracle.

The awesome New Smyrna Beach missionaries!

Some of the other investigators are a family.  Mirav is eight and really wanted us to share the message.  Nanora is seven and was also super-involved with the lesson.  Their father was fixing something in their bathroom, so he wasn't part of the lesson.  The mother, Cody, was really interested in the youth programs.  It was a blessing we had a couple with us who had callings in primary and the young men's.  They were able to answer her questions.  Cody has a fourteen year old sister, who lives close by, that she wants to come to mutual on Wednesday night.  The lesson was really cool.

I got the best Valentine's Day gift in the mail.  It was a lot of health food!  There was even raw coco powder, in keeping with the tradition of chocolate.  I love you, Mom.  You're the best!

My Valentine's Day Package!

Mom, Elder Galindo, the elder from Guatemala, wants to know the towns and areas you served in.  If you could send me that information, it would be awesome .  Also, mom, I know you were hired by doctors before I was born, but what was it that you exactly did?  I am just wondering.

Mirth, I wanted to thank you for making me the apron.  I know it was before my mission, but I have been using it a lot.  It has been really helpful for protecting me against the green smoothies.

Dad, we were discussing the priesthood line of authority with a recent convert.  Could I have a copy of yours that I could show to people when we are discussing it?  That way I can show them something visual to illustrate it.  Thanks so much.

Miracle: So the investigators names are Javier and Elise Bracken.  They called up their friend, Brother Darius, wanting to know more about the church.  Brother Darius set up the time for us to meet with them.  From the outside, they really like our church.  They like how family-oriented the church is and how everyone is close knit.  They watch BYU TV.  They both grew up Catholic, and they feel like something is missing in that church.  They said they have never read much from the Bible since their priest didn't encourage it.  We asked them if they would be baptized when they came to know if the church was true.  Javier said no, but his wife said she would.  Once Javier understood the question, he too said yes.  (Javier has trouble hearing and is about to get a hearing aid.)  Anyway, they are super cool and friendly.

✨Sister Aurora Pack

Sister Nelson's Groundhog Day (Week 21)

"Okay, campers, rise and shine, and don't forget your booties 'cause it's cooooold out there today.  It's coooold out there every day. What is this, Miami Beach?"  Close, but it's actually Port Orange Beach.

Happy Groundhog Day!

I know a lot of you are probably ready for winter to be over, but it hasn't even begun here.  A few weeks ago some one here said that they were wanting winter to be over.  I thought, "what winter?  It is more like early fall."

At transfers, I was assigned my new companion, Sister Nelson

I am in New Smyrna Beach North, which doesn't cover New Smyrna Beach at all.  We cover Port Orange, but we go to the New Smyrna Beach Ward.  Sister Nelson is my new companion.  I am going to kill her.  She is really awesome and I am happy in get to serve with her.  She played the piano when I did the musical number for the Christmas devotional, so I already knew her a little bit.

You're all probably thinking, why would I kill am amazing companion.  Here in the mission when a missionary completes her mission, her companion is said to kill her, since her life as a missionary is now over.  The ward members are really friendly, but I miss Winter Garden.  Last night I had an extreme desire to be back there.  However, I know, with time, I will love my new area as well.  I am also Sister Nelson's first companion who is taller than she is.

Meeting Becky Roberts

I met Becky Roberts at an YSA event.  It was fun to see someone that I knew from home, even if it was years ago.  We were at the YSA event with a less-active, Hayden.  Hayden is really cool and awesome.  She drove us to district meeting, since we had almost reach our mileage limit, and it is pretty far.  She is fun to be around.  However, she doesn't have her own testimony.  I really want to help her develop one before I leave this area.

I saw the beach for the first time on my mission.  We had a lesson with a less-active named Aaron, who lives near the beach.  We walked with him to the beach and talked with him there.  I picked up some shells while we were there.

At the beach with Aaron and Sister Nelson

One of my first days here we taught someone in Chick-fil-A.  At the end I found out he is a member!  He likes to pretend to be a non-member to every new missionary.  Weirdo.   It was okay, because it was good practice.

Our district leader is training someone who has been in some Mormon Messages, which pretty much means he is a celebrity to us missionaries, since one of our few forms of entertainment is Mormon Messages.

One of the missionaries in my ward is from Guatemala.  He is super cool, and he also goes home at the end of this transfer, but he wants to to come back to the USA as a diplomat.  Mom, he is from Guatemala City, so you wouldn't have served in his home area.  Also, what is really weird is that, even though we are in the same ward, we aren't in the same district.

I really liked Elder Holland's Facebook post this week.  Here is a picture of it so you can enjoy it too: Elder Holland visits Aurora

Anyway you can probably tell why I like it so much.  And, by the way, it is now on my bucket list to go to Aurora, Utah.

This week I studied the law of the fast.  I really love the conference talk from the priesthood session about it.  You should all read it for the first time or again if you haven't.  I also really liked Isaiah 58:11.  You should read that too.  I really saw a lot of meaning in it.

We met a naturalpath this week.  It was really interesting to talk to her.  She is the sister of someone who lives in the congregation.  She said that Joseph Smith had started to write a herbal medicine book before he died.  She said it is published under a different name, but that, if you google Joseph Smith's herbal medicine book, it will come up, and you can buy it.  I thought it was super cool.  It was awesome talking with her.

Miracle: It is a small one this week.  While we were tracting, we got a lot of people who said we can come back, which is awesome.

~Sister Aurora Pack

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