First Week: Check!

Hello!

First week: check!

It's been difficult to adjust... not so much to the schedule or to teaching... but to finding. We don't have any progressing investigators. We've been doing a lot in reaching out to less active members. But this week we're going to need to find people to teach. It'll be a stretch for both myself and Sister Christensen. But we'll do it!

So I figured out where I'm at. I'm in the Meadows 5th ward in the Meadows Stake of Las Vegas. You can look it up on lds.org. We are only in 1 ward so there is less people than what missionaries have been used to before. We're working on have a balanced effort between finding new investigators and reactivating less active members. So far, my definition of a missionary is someone that 99% of the population doesn't want to talk to... and 1% that does... doesn't know it's us they need to talk to. President Uchtdorf once said that adversity builds character. It must become very deep over the time of a mission. ;)

I made a bunch of bullet points so I would remember what I wanted to say. Sorry if it jumps around a bit.

So I can email friends and friends can email me. Feel free to spread my email around. I have 1 hour every Monday at 10am.   trisha.cornelsen@myldsmail.net

We had a baptism on Saturday. His name is Jack. His wife was baptized in December but he was concerned about his health so he put the baptism off. The bishop said "don't worry about your health". so Jack went forward and got baptized! It was a great experience. The Spirit was strong. and I think it was a good, uplifting experience for everyone there. He was confirmed yesterday. :)

So I asked the mission office if I'd be able to get some extra money because of my food allergies and they said that they worked through it with another  missionary before and they can't. something about being fair. honestly, i don't understand it. they said that any additional money that i need will have to come from home. i'll try to just budget really well so that i don't have to pull from my account... i really don't know how it will work out. they give me $135 per month for anything that i need to buy. any suggestions of cheap food that i can eat?

The other day we ate at a members home and I had some wheat.. thinking a little bit would be fine... no. my body can't take it. if i don't advocate for myself... if i'm not strict in my diet, i will be sick all the time and won't be able to work... if i'm not able to work, i might as well come home. so i really can't cheat. the members have been very good though with accomodating my allergies. i tell them i can eat meat vegetables and rice and it's always been delicious, with  minor problems. i made a fllyer for those who are feeding us in the future about w hat i can and can't have and some common mistakes. did you know that there are many people that think flour is not wheat? I just smile and say it is :) One of the cooks at a restaurant thought unbleached flour was fine. it amazes me how people don't know what they're eating. I'm grateful that I do.

This week has been full of internal conflict. I feel overwhelmed in meeting so many new people and having so many questions and not quite knowing how to conduct myself. But then again, I know the gospel, i know how to teach it, I know who I am and my purpose.... so it's a little underwhelming to. The biggest question on my mind is not what? or why? but HOW? How do I bring up the gospel with a perfect stranger? How do I have that courage? I'm still figuring it out.

Sister Christensen is so funny. We have some similarities in our story of choosing to serve a mission so it's been good to just talk with her. She loves telling stories and just having fun.

Our bathroom sink has been clogged so last night we decided to take apart the sink to clear the clog. and we did it! i turned off the water. sis christensen took the pipe apart and we taped two plastic knives together and i pushed the gunk down. we put it all back together and it works great! She was super squimish... and i was like... eh. whatever. :) Thanks Dad :)

In Matthew 5:4, it says "blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted". I saw it in a different light this week. If we don't mourn; if we don't feel, the Savior can't reach us. But when we allow ourselves to feel, when we let our emotion start moving, He can redirect so we ccan be comforted. Let yourself mourn, so Christ can comfort you.

Pictures: the first one is Sister Partner and I waiting to get on the plane to Vegas.

The second one is Sister Christensen and I on the first night we met.

The last one... i don't find mustaches to be attractive on people... but especially on a car, it's not appetizing.

Sister Cornelsen and Sister Christensen

Sister Partner and Sister Cornelsen at the SLC Airport

Car in disguise?  Only in Vegas!

Well, I think that was everything.

PLEASE SEND ME PICTURES!!! unless you want me to forget your face and never be able to recognize you again. I literally don't have pictures of anyone.

I love you all!

Sister Cornelsen