Hello from Washington!

Hola Family,

Hello from Washington!!! Originally I will have P-day (preparation day) on Monday, but since I am a new-bee we got special permission to have a little one today. I have tons of people to write back, and I promise I will get to all those letters on Monday. Kort and Aunt Rachel:  Thank you so much for your amazing packages the last weekend in the MTC. I loved it!

             Well where to even begin. Leaving the MTC was bitter sweet for sure. I have so much to look forward to, but at the same time I loved every second of the time I got to spend in the MTC. Last week,  I wrote about everything that I loved about the MTC. Everyone in my district was headed to different missions. Mostly in California, but the best are in Washington!! Kidding, but I may be a little biased. Anyway saying goodbye was terrible. I hate goodbyes, and they never get any easier. It makes it so much harder because we have grown so much together. We are with each other for 2 straight months and all day long. There is always a different connection when you grow spiritually, and learning how to be the missionaries the lord needs us to be. They are all going to be amazing missionaries, and I am so glad I got the chance to spend a short period of my mission with such amazing people. Some of them you know are just going to be your friends forever.

Monday we of course took all of our last pictures, and finalized packing. We tried so hard to be in bed on time considering we had to be to the travel office at 5 am, but that didn’t quite work out how we had planned. It was probably around 11:15pm and then we were up at 3am to finish everything. I didn’t sleep too well that night either, but I had pretty good reasoning behind it. Then of course we packed up and headed to the airport.

As you know I got to give dad a big hug from all of you. I don't know how I got to be so blessed that he had a business trip the same day I flew out. But it was Amazing. He walked me and Hermana Stout to our gate, and we spent time visiting then the best thing was calling all of you. I loved hearing all of your wonderful voices- seriously I cried like a baby, but what else is new. Everything sounds like it’s going so well at home, and I couldn’t be more proud of each of you. The flight was just about as good as it could get, and it was short enough that no bathroom break  was necessary. Considering that is probably one of the things that I fear the most is airline bathrooms.

We had about 15 missionaries in our travel group. We landed in Washington at about 9:30am (10:30 am  your time) and we were greeted by our Mission President, and his wife. We gathered up all  of our luggage and headed to the mission home. I can't even tell you how beautiful Washington is!! I am in LOVE!! It is so green  and there are pine trees everywhere, and of course all the water that is surrounding the areas. I did get to see the Space Needle, and the skyline as we drove across the floating bridge. It is gorgeous. Mom, I am sure you know what road I am talking about. We went to the mission home where we wrote a letter home, and had lunch. It was so good. I loved home cooked meals, and considering it was now about 12 and I hadn’t eaten yet because of my crazy morning. It was delicious. Then we had interviews, a little bit of training, and then I was  assigned  my area/trainer. Yep, no time wasted at all. Of course as they are announcing who our new companions are Hermana Stout and I have are arms linked together. I love LOVE that girl, and we seriously became such close friends. Dad, of course, got the chance to meet her.

Anyway, my new companion is great, and I already know we are going to have a great time together. She is perfect for me. Its a good thing I get along with a lot of people. Her name is Hermana Heywood, and she has been here form almost a year. She is from Utah, and I know that she is going to  be awesome for me. I was telling Linnea a little bit about the new missionary program, but her and I will be together in this area for at least 3 months. They also added an extra hour of study in the morning. The morning goes like this 1 hour personal, 2 hours companion study, 1 hour language study, so by the time we get out the door its around 1 pm.  My area is Kent, Washington and it does cover Auburn as well so when I learn more about it, I will definately tell all of you. Hermana Stout is in Seattle and it was so sad to see her go, but I know that she is going to be awesome. Pray that we get to be together in the future. I am settled in my new apartment; just me and Hermana Heywood. Some elders do live around the same area as well. She introduced me to a lot about the mission, and just the basics such as the area book, planning, zones, and districts all that jazz.

Last night we went to visit a recent convert, and got the chance to talk with her. She is sweet. Her name is Sandra, and I don’t really know much about her. She is very inviting, and we had a nice chatt with her. She even feed us fruit. She is from the Dominican Republic so she has a little different Spanish accent as everyone does. I am going to have to learn that with time, but she was talking fast!! I have a lot to learn still so pray for me because I am freaking out!! I am staying positive, and happy so don’t worry. I am going to make the most of it.

Then we have English classes 3 nights a week. We go and help with in our branch so I got to meet a few of the members. It will be interesting to see how church goes on Sunday as I am still trying to grasp this language. Yep, that was my day in a nutshell!!

I ‘ve had so many emotions as I was on the verge of crying, but excited all at the same time. It is different, but so far in the  last 24 hours it has  been a good adjustment. Thank you for all your support. I love you all so much, and Pray for you always. Enjoy everything.

Love, Hermana Grimes

5 Days Left!!

Good Morning to my Amazing Family!!!

5 more days!!! I can´t even believe it. Before I know it I will be headed to the best mission in the World!! I hope you recieved my flight plans that I sent last week. I am so excited to talk to you at the airport I can´t even handle it. I still need to hear need what phone number you want me to call. If you could figure it out and let me know that would be great. Then I don´t have to play the guessing game that morning. I am also not sure what time its going to be...before I board the plane so I guess you just have to be ready for a few hours because even I don´t know when the call is going to come!!

First off thank you for my amazing package. I loved it!! I love getting packages they make my day. Thank you so much for that Awesome T shirt Dad I love it!! Of course I love it, it's a mater shirt. Well I will be putting letters in the mail so expect them this weekend. Also before I leave the MTC I will send my memory card with all my pictures so you can have access to them as well.

This week has been amazing. Nothing super out of the ordinary, but really my days don´t really ever change. I am so excited, and so nervous to get out in the field. I have no idea what to even expect. I am not thinking I am ready one little bit, but our teachers say you never really feel ready. It's like jumping out of a plane and having the faith that your parachute will open and of course it will. The Lord has me on a special errand to teach someone the gospel in spanish. I am not only on a mission to serve, but I am here to do it now. Certain events and decisions got me to this point,  and the lord has reason behind everything. I keep hearing the word foreordained, and thinking what did I do right in the premortal life to have an amazing calling to be a representative of Jesus Christ. It really is such a blessing. Each day I realize what an honor I have to bring others to the gospel. The other day I just spent a few minutes getting caught up in the "I dont knows" about the field. Lets face it I feel like I am walking into a dark room and just hoping the light will come oneventually and not knowing what to expect. I kind of like to have a plan or some idea of what is going to happen. The next little bit of my life is just up in the air, and I was getting a little stressed out about it. Then I walked into class, and we had this amazing lesson on focusing on today. All we have to do is take it one day at a time. You can focus on today, and you can still have a vision of what you can and want to become. Missionary work is called work for a reason. In the scriptures we hear the common phrase knock and it shall be opened unto you. We just have to ask, and we can be comforted and shown the way. Who better to ask about the path then the one who knows the way.

The experiences I have had in the MTC are Amazing, and I am truly so grateful for the opprotunity I have had to be here for the past two months. Not very many people get the chance to be here, and I have loved it. Its all about having the right attitude and enjoying the journey. Your attititde for your mission and the experiences you have show your love for christ. Let me share with you a few of the things I am going to miss about the MTC

1. Only at the MTC would someone write the word Eternal about the life cereal

2. Only in the MTC would you have 2300 people being prepared to teach the gospel.

3. Walking around the campus and having missionaries bear there testimony in what ever language they have been called to serve

4. Having the Elders always take my tray after meals

5. Having the Elders stand up when we walk in to a room or always having my door opened

6. Devotional and Firesides. District testimony meeting after every Tuesday Devotional

7. Singing Called to Serve at Every Fireside

8. My class room!! I have spent a good chunk of my day in that room for the past 2 months

9. The view for the room. Its looks right out and the temple, and the mountains

10. The five flights of stairs I have walked up multiple times a day

11. Looking forward to mail after lunch and dinner

12. Having the Mail Room being the popular hangout spot

13. Getting excited over stupid things such as an erasable highlighter

14. The book store becoming the new mall

15. Having the elders scream when they find the last piece to the puzzel

16. Meeting new people everyday

17. My teachers were the best ones in the MTC

18. Walking around campus and seeing missionaries studying and praying

19. My amazing district we have all grown so close these past 2 months

20. The spirit that is felt so strong everywhere you go because of the power of missionary work.

Just a few of my favorite things!! I want you to know that I love you all so much, and its so fun to hear how your lives are progressing. All of the small changes that are happening. I want you to know that I know this gospel is true, and this is an amazing work. Know I pray for you always. Enjoy every moment, and do whats right. I am so proud of all of you, and am so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life. Thank you for all your love and support.

Love Always

Your favorite Missionary

Hermana Grimes

I will talk to you TUESDAY!!! Monday is the last day I will recieve Dear Elders in the MTC so WRITE ME!!!

Travel Plans Arrive Today!

Hola to my Amazing Family,

 

MY TRAVEL PLANS ARRIVE TODAY!!!! I am freaking out. I serioulsy can't even believe it!  We get them after dinner, so around six today. I will make sure I write it down and send them to you today so you should have them by this weekend!!! Man, its crazy to think that I have been here for 7 weeks. I never thought this day would come, but yet it has come so fast. I am so nervous, and excited I can't even take it. It is just a big step into a whole lot of unknown. Ready or not is coming. I am most excited to call you at the airport. Oh my... I cant even wait!  The thought of talking to you all of you makes me want to cry!!! ONLY about 12 more days!!! During the next week you can  figure out what number would be the best for me to call, and arrange it so you all can be home at the same time. Like I mentioned you will figure out the time this weekend!!! So be on the Look out!!!

Well it sounds like you are all doing amazing like always. Its always so good to hear from you, and hear what is going on in your lives. Thanks for attending the wedding for me!! I am so glad you got to see all of my besties. I just love them all so much. That morning during personal study I had a minor break down because everyone I love was in the same town supporting vay and I couldnt be there. I was studying my scriptures instead. Which is amazing don't get me wrong. After I realized I was where I need to be, I put it all together, and had the best day. We were teaching our investigator David for the first time about the restoration of the gospel. Right after I quoted the first vision in Spanish I looked at my watch and the time was about 10 so the same time the temple sealing started. Later he committed to baptism so why my  friend was getting married, I invited someone to follow the example of christ and be baptized. It was great!! I even got a package from Sister J with cookies, and that was the theme of vays wedding. Tender Mercy... I think so. So even though I wasn't there I still felt a little bit a part of it. I also received toree's letter with the story and pictures, and I am so excited for her!! The other day I was talking with Natalie Belka, and we were counting to see how many of our friends will probably be married by the time we get home so I guess we will have to see if our predictions come true.

This email is all over the place, sorry. It really has been such a fun week. We find all of these crazy things, and appreciate all the small things by  finding joy in the little things. The other day was Hermana Griffins birthday so that night we had a little fiesta with all the goodies from packages we have recieved. It was fun! You have to find different ways to celebrate when your circumstances are different.

This week we also said good bye to one of my favorite districts. They were an awesome group of elders and they are going to be amazing missionaries. B, Elder R. was one of them so he is in Panama now so I will get someone else to write you once I get to Seattle. Actually they just have to see your picture and they volunteer. All I have to do is put in good word.

Now for my amazing spirtual experience that I have had this week. I was watching a talk by Elder Uchtdorf and he mentioned how we are Geographically Seperated, but Spiritually United!! That just hit me because even though the people I love most are all over the place we are all united spiritually because we have the gift of the gospel. Even though at times I feel so far way we can still feel the love for eachother through the spirit. He also talked about how we need to except and claim our challenges. He said to think of it more like a treasure hunt to bring out more talents and abilities, then we have the oppurtunity to becoming more like our savior. It's an opprtunity to bring out our potential! We have talked alot about the meaning of the word sacrafice. We think we are giving things up however, we all made sacrafices to be here, but we are consecrating to do his will, and do what he has asked of us. Well my time is running out. I just love you all so much, and hope you have the best day ever. Know I pray and think about you always. Enjoy Everything

LOVE YOU

 

Love Always, your favorite missionary

Hermana Grimes ( Lindsey)

 

Week 6

My Amazing Family,

 

I have so many things to fill you in on. I better hurry and rush this red timer that is flashing down with the time I have left. I hope you all are doing so well, and that you all have had an amazing week. This week has been AWESOME for me as far as getting mail, and I love it so everyone keep it up. Vay is getting married TOMORROW I cant even believe it. I remember always thinking that would be such a crazy feeling of "oh I am getting married tomorrow". Then again, I always thought that about the day before entering the MTC, and I managed to handle that one. Please go for me to her reception, and give her the biggest hug!!! I am so sad I can't be there, give all my other besties big hugs as well from me. I know so many of them are going to be there. Some other news TOREE is ENGAGED!!! I am so dang excited I screamed in the hallway with Karlie and Kate. We are loving every thing about her and taylor hooking up. She wrote me a quick letter and told me she was engaged, but I am waiting for the actual letter with pictures and the story of how it happened, and seriously I am so antsy. I can't wait!! If you see her tomorrow tell her I love her so much.

Ok now with all of these amazing things happening at home this week I have been a little homesick and sad. I just miss you all so much. This week has been amazing dont get me wrong, and I will get to that.  I know you wouldn't want me any other place, okay maybe you would, but we both know this is where I need to be now. I just wanted to call home, and have someone tell me everything was going to be ok, and that even though I have to miss things such as my two best friends getting married that its okay. It's a roller coaster of up's and down's but its not just by the day but the hours and seconds. Good thing I have always enjoyed a fun ride, because I have buckled myself in tight, for who the heck knows whats next. I promise I am doing so good, and I am positive, happy, and grateful for every chance I have to be here. I have learned to just have fun, not that I never did before but really its about making the most of everything. I never want to look back and realize that I took any of it for granted. With that being said let me give you a little glance of life in the MTC this week. Every Sunday we are asked to prepare talks for sacrament meeting it only needs to be about 3-5 mins, but of course they have to be in Spanish. (The language that I have to tell myself I love every day). Anyway, this past week the topic was Repentance. Everyone prepares a talk, and you don't find out who is speaking until after the sacrament. So its completely on the spot. I actually enjoy speaking in church, "in English"!!! Ya that language you all speak!! Really I just wasn't really in the mood or felt that prepard for my talk like I have previous weeks. That morning I was getting breakfast and Elder R. (the elder writing B) came up to me and said "Hermana Grimes I am really looking forward to hearing your talk in church today" I of course just give him a sarcastic ya right kind of laugh. Well maybe your getting where I am headed with this story. Well after the sacrament a member of the branch presidency stands up and said "today we will be privileged to hear from Hermana Grimes and some other Elder". My Heart dropped to the floor!!! It was quite the experience, and I am almost positive it was the most broken spanish ever!!! After I sat down, and had someone remind me why I am here I just kind of had to laugh. Even though people said they understood what I was saying its not easy learning another language. It is Especially difficult figuring out different ways to share your feelings because you dont know the dang word. Then we had a member of the Branch Presidency speak in English, and he went more in depth about what I talked about. He had more time, but I guess it was inspired. Even though it was the worst talk I have probably ever given, the spirit was present and the message needed to be heard.

Now on to my thoughts about our Devotional. We had Gerald N. Lund (the author of the work and the glory books). It was amazing, and we always joke that each speaker comes specifically for us. Isn't it amazing that they are truly inspired to give talkes that apply to each of us in our own way. This is what I got from it. Well he talked about Faith... that attribute I thought I had before, and I am now realizing I am lacking in that department. Also he mentioned the power of the Holy Ghost and how we are the gatekeepers of our own hearts and we decide what gets in. That is the wonderful gift of agency. Only when we open our hearts can the Holy Ghost come into our hearts. I am supposed to be able to teach and soften the hearts of our investigators through the Holy Ghost. Then they can receive the holy ghost. If you exercise and learn by faith to teach others then you can find people to teach. The Lord blesses us as we act on faith. We need to Act with our faith. Faith is what  got me here and by that same faith I will become stronger thought my mission. The Lord knows where you are and he will make use of where we are and where we are going.

 

I love you all. Have an amazing week. Thanks for your support. Do whats right.

Letters and pictures are on the way

 

Love Always

your favorite missionary

Hermana Grimes

Dont let the bed bugs bite!

Hola to the Best Family EVER!!!

 This has been quite the interesting week with crazy things happening. On friday night we were all just hanging out in our room after gym waiting to head to class. When one of the Hermanas noticed a bug on the floor, of course everyone kind of had a little panic attack. I am so glad I have never been that way. Anyway, about two weeks ago some hermanas a few doors down from us had bed bugs. Every one has been a little over the TOP paranoid. Its kind of funny. I know its not something to take lightly at all, but there is a difference between worrying, and aware, to being overly cautious. Well turns out since we found the bug we had to take it to the front desk to be checked. According to the squished bug in a zip lock bag, and a google image it was declared that we indeed had a bed bug. Please notice that word was not PLURAL!!! YES JUST ONE BUG. But, because of this ONE bug we had to miss class, shower multiple times that day, and move rooms. Not to mention we had to wash every little thing we own. I may or may not have been a little annoyed. Its important to take the necessary steps I get, but the hermanas I love so much were a little paranoid. None of has had been bitten, and we didn't find one other bug anywhere around are beds or mattress, and trust me we looked. I mean its not really practical to wash every bobby pin, or every q-tip, or flip through every page of Jesus the Christ or the Scriptures. I mean that in itself is just ridiculous. Seriously Jesus the Christ has 800 and some pages, and the scriptures I am not every going to begin figuring that out. Ya that was how my weekend was spent. Of course I kept a positive attitude, but you have to admit it was  little over exaggerated. That night we were doing Laundry until about 12 which on the mish the one thing you need is your 8 hours of sleep!  Then of course the next day is Sunday and we all were a little sleep deprived, so that night we are looking forward to a good nights rest, and the fire alarm goes off at 2 in the morning. Needless to say, Monday was probably the worst day as far as not falling asleep during class or personal study. Im happy to say as of now we are back in our normal sleeping routine.

Ok you know how a few weeks ago I mentioned that Hermana Stout, and I are always finding ways to laugh at ourselves. Well this week was her turn. On Sunday in the devotional the closing song was Come Come Ye Saints. They put the CD of the mormon tabernacle choir in so we could sing along. Anyway the last part of the song is High like super high, and none of us new it. So of course everyone just stops singing. I mean all 2000 missionaries stop to listen to the choir. Well Hermana Stout didn't quite get the memo and belted out the last part of the song. Good thing she has a good voice. It was so loud!! Everyone around us turned. It was so funny, and we still joke about it. In the gym some Elder came up to her and was like " was that you that was singing really high yesterday" So funny! She keeps asking us if she was off pitch but really she was so loud we really couldn't tell. We heard her more than the CD.  It was the best thing. Speaking of Choir I am in the MTC Choir. Yeah, I know what your thinking considering I only sing in the car by myself. My whole district joined the choir, so I had to. The good part is we have the best seats for all the devotionals, and firesides so I guess I can't complain.

Now for the spiritual thought, Dennis E. Simmons was the speaker. He talked about how Patience is a process of perfection. The growing is part of the receiving. If we are doing what we can then the Lord will give us what we need. I just want you all to know I love you so much. I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows each of you. I know that he sent his only begotten son to atone for the sins of the world. We have to rely on him in every part we do. I know that we have the fullness of the gospel on the earth today, and what a privilege it is to be a part of it. Get to know the savior, and wrap your heart around a little piece of the love he has for each of us.

As of now the estimated departure date is AUG 23!!! Travel Plans will arrive about 2 weeks prior to that date, but there you have it!! I can't even believe it, its CRAZY!!

I pray for you always, thanks for your amazing support. Keep doing whats right.