Month: September 2014
Transfers, Sisters, and Companions Oh My
April Cook, Sister Callie Denning and Sister Jesselyn Drummond
BEST WEEK EVER #miracles!
Y’all this is been one of THE best weeks I have had on my mission!
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I already typed most of the stuff to my mission president so I’m just gunna copy and paste and make some adjustments. (:
Thanks also to those who have reminded me of how long I have been out! (: But for those who don’t know ha. I hit my YEAR MARK this Thursday! 6 months more to go! Yikes. ):
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Alright so this week, let me just say, WOW! so many miracles! Sister Merriam has so much faith! It has really helped to increase mine. Saturday was the day of our many MANY miracles.
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The first miracle: we had come back to together from exchanges with our wonderful Sister Training Leaders! When we found out, neither one of us read from the Book of Mormon so we decided to do that really quick to keep caught up. We had just started I was mid sentence when all of a sudden Sister Merriam says, “Sister Drummond, I’m sorry, but I really feel like someone needs our help right now!” I was like ‘alright let’s go!’ She kept apologizing for stopping our reading when I said, “Stop apologizing, this is someone’s soul we are talkin about!” So we knelt in prayer of where we should go and Sister Merriam had the thought to go to Dollar General! Odd place right? Well, West Point has two D.G’s so I asked her ‘left or right?’ And she said right! So off we went! We get there, said another quick prayer before we went in and then we were on the hunt! We talked to a few people but none of them seemed like they needed our help….AND THEN we see her. She looked so beautiful! She had a dress on and some really cute shoes. We walked a little closer to her and then I complimented her shoes. Bingo, we were in! We had a FANTASTIC conversation with her. Her name is Doris. Now Doris was thanking us for making her feel good and brighten her day, when Sister Merriam said “Doris we want to let you know that we were led here by God to meet you. He wants you to know that He loves you. We are here to help you with whatever you need.” This is when Doris started getting teary eyed and just goes off with how she had been praying for God to send someone who could help her. AND! Get this, she gave us a referral! Wow it was so neat! We exchanged contact information and she agreed to call us later. We had full faith she would! And what do you know, she did! The same day actually! We set up a time to go see her this Friday! We are so excited. (:
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The second miracle: It was after the Women’s broadcast and we had TEN MINUTES LEFT! So I said, “Let’s go get some gas because tomorrow is Sunday and we can’t get any tomorrow anyways!” So we did. We wanted to get just 1 contact while at the gas station. We pulled in. There was one car on one side of us and no one to the other side of the pump. But then wow, someone pulls in on the other side of the pump! We were scrambling for a mormon.org card! The woman gets out and of course she is wearing an adorable dress!! So what did I do? I complimented it! This is where I feel bad for Elders. It would be really creepy for them to compliment people. But right then and there, we met Clarissa! We gave her a Book of Mormon! Read 2 Nephi 25:26 with her and she told us she was going to read it THAT NIGHT!! Sister Merriam and I KNOW she did. She was so excited! She felt the spirit and was so happy! She kept telling us that she loved her new found friends! (: So happy!
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Now is the third and craziest miracle of the night: We drove home and are doing miles when Sister Merriam says, “where is the gas card?” Uh oh. We start looking around, Sister Merriam picks everything off her lap looks under in between all the papers, then she gets up so everything that would have been in her lap would have fallen out and checks to see if she was sitting on it. Nope it wasn’t there… She sits back down, looks at her lap and says, “Oh! Here it is!….What the?” Y’all, we have no idea where that card came from! It was not in her lap before! Miracles! Don’t y’all just love them? (:
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Also, shout out to my Aunt Dawn! I TOTALLY SAW YOU IN THE CHOIR!!! I had JUST looked up from taking notes, gasped! My companion looks at me and asked if I was alright. I told her, “I think I just saw my aunt!” So thank you for confirming to me that it really was you!!! (: So neat! And for those of you who have not seen the General Woman’s Conference, need to see it, ASAP! Go to lds.org and look it up! It will change your life. I did me and I have a great desire to serve my Father, who I know loves me unconditionally and perfectly. (:
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Have a good one y’all! Remember I love y’all!
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Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
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P.S Pictures will be sent next week! (:
Lots of New Adventures
Hey y’all! It’s going to be short this week!
As all of y’all know transfers occurred on Wednesday and I got my new baby missionary! (: Sister Merriam is full of sparks and so much energy! She is excited to be a missionary and I can’t wait to see what this transfer has in store for us! (:
Saturday we had dinner at a members house and we had a ‘greenie’ meal. Don’t tell….(: Sister Merriam’s food was all and COMPLETELY green. HA it was so fun and she took it like a champ. (: I am so proud of her and all that she does. She is pro-missionary already. (:
Sunday had an amazing experience happen! We finally went back to see this woman, Teresa and we found out she has met with missionaries before!! We have a set appointment with her to go back on Tuesday! I am so excited! She may not have been then, but her heart is definitely softer then it was! I can’t wait to begin teaching her!!
Also some Funnies!
I told Sister Merriam that I needed to marry someone who liked the Walking Dead so we can watch it together…(one day)…. and she said, “You can have walking dead babies!!!” Y’all it was SO funny. (: I died.
Sister Merriam was also caught in a stare on Thursday and she said, “Sorry, sometimes, my eyes just get stuck.”
Tuesday when I was still with Sister Platt, I was singing really loudly and very badly in the car and she turns towards me and says, “Hush you obnoxious weed.” Again, I died. Also while we were tracting on Tuesday Sister Platt says, “I need to relieve my waters.” I love how casually she says these things! I’m gunna start sayin that y’all. (:
Another funny thing that happened on Thursday! We were on team-ups with the Nickersons! A storm comes blowin in and we are stuck in this little car with a plate of cookies in front of this less active’s home who is NOT there. Well we wanted to leave the cookies for them with a note so they know who it is from, and we obviously wanted the note to stay dry so we were each looking for something to cover the plate with when Sister Nickerson yells “I have a diaper! A clean one!” Brother Nickerson says, “That’ll do!” First of all, why they have a diaper in their I’m not sure, because they are an older couple, and second the fact that she yelled a clean one?? Hmm….So Brother Nickerson puts the diaper over the plate of cookies and runs! As he is running back we see through the water smeared windows that he has the diaper on his head!! Now this is an odd sight for a brand new missionary who just got into the field! And I’m just dying in the corner laughing my head off. (: I love the South! (:
Well that is it for now y’all! Have a great week and remember to stay STEADFAST IN CHRIST!!
Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
I have a daughter!
Hey y’all!!
Transfers were GREAT!! I’m very sad that Sister Platt has left me but I know have an AMAZING new, let me say that again, NEW companion whom I am training! (: I love her so much and her name is Sister Merriam! She is from North Ogden, Utah and she has so much love for this work already! Pray for us please y’all! It’s going to be a great transfer!
I can also say that I have a daughter! In mission time. (: We have a four generation in the mission! We found my trainer and then her trainer at the transfer meeting! It was so fun! We took a picture and I will show y’all later!
Have a great rest of the week! Talk to y’all on Monday! (:
Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
Hastening the Work and Transfer Calls
Dearest Family & Friends,
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Let me just say, I really don’t know where this week went or what happened, except for a few things. So first let’s talk about Elder Zwick. (:
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Tuesday We were in Huntsville, Alabama because Elder Zwick of the Quorum of the Seventy came to our mission and wow oh wow!! It was so good! I don’t think I stopped feeling the spirit throughout that entire meeting!! So the other thing, Elder Zwick announced that we will be receiving ‘DIGITAL‘ area books. Which means!!! WE ARE GETTING I PADS!!! Yes, I just said I pads. Between now and January the Alabama Birmingham Mission will be an I pad mission!!! Who knows about Facebook now, but I just think it will be exciting to have ipads!! I did NOT think I would be receiving an I pad while on my my mission. It just shows that the Lord really is hastening his work! (: The other cool thing is that during our lunch break, Elder and Sister Zwick sat at our table!! It was so fun to get to know him and his wife. If y’all remember his General Conference talk in April, I met the woman that jumped out of that moving truck!!
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Thursday funnies: We were visiting a members home and the member (Sister Swift) was asking us if we were getting enough fluids because it is really hot, well I said yes and Sister Platt was silent. I totally called her out and said that Sister Platt does not carry a water bottle. Sister Swift got so mad and said “I have a water bottle, let me get it for you.” Sister Platt in protest begins saying, “Sister Swift I don’t want your water bottle!” But Sister Swift immediately cuts her off by saying, “Shut up.” And walk in her house to get the water bottle. I was laughing so hard and I just love that woman! She is so stubborn. I LOVE HER!!
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Saturday transfer calls!!! Yikes. Of course we didn’t get our call till like 10:28!!! But the funny thing is before we get our call, President Hanks calls us and I’m looking at the phone thinking ‘crap he only calls if someone is going to be a Sister Training Leader.’ I then begin freaking out because I have only been in West Point for 1 transfer and I thought for sure Sister Platt would be staying with me! Well it turns out, Sister Platt will be leaving me and she has accepted the call to be a Sister Training leader! (: BUT, after he is done talking to her, he asks the question, “Is your companion excited to be training?” Well y’all I will now be training someone. I am very nervous and excited at the same time. !I’m going to be a mother in the mission life! Yay! Haha. So fun. I hope I can train this new Sister into a Christlike and steadfast missionary! Keep me in your prayers y’all! (:
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That’s really about it except for today Monday we went to Columbus for our last district activity! It was so much fun!! We played tons of games and ate lunch. We swapped music and just had a fun time! The funny thing though is that the STL’s and ZL’s (sister training leaders and zone leaders) are in my district and each of them are getting a new companion. The other elders are getting split apart and the one that is staying is also training!! Then the 3rd set of sisters are staying together because one is still in training. EVERYONE in our district will most likely be training. Whether a new missionary or just a new ZL or STL. CRAZY!! (:
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I love y’all so much!! Have a great week and remember to stay close to our Heavenly Father! (:
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Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
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Trials and Tribulations
Alrighty y’all, this week was a bit rough, but has that gotten me down!? OF COURSE NOT!! Because this is the Lord’s work and it’s not all easy sailing now!
So Monday, Monday I would say was the worst. First we found out that our only PROGRESSING investigator BLOCKED us. Say what!? It was horrible! Both Sister Platt and I wanted to cry. Like no joke. Then later, we found out that another one our investigators thinks we are STALKING her?? Okay…well good feeling of preparation day GONE. Yikes. So the end of the day, finally comes and we begin our planning session with long faces from the day’s events and because we have absolutely NO PLANS for the next day when all of a sudden, we get a text from another investigator sayin, “Hey ladies, is there a time in y’alls schedule this week that we can meet?’ Alright, pause, what just happened!? AN EMMAUS EXPERIENCE just happened that’s what! (: The Lord gave us that boost we needed to continue on. It was so nice of Him! (: AMAZING!
Tuesday we went on a team up and just a funny quote for the day! Sister Swift(the member) said, “By ‘Grace’ we are saved.” and then Sister Platt said, “PREACH IT!!” Because Sister Platt’s first name is Gracie. So cute. (:
Wednesday I was blessed to go to an endowment session of the amazing April Cook! It was a year since she was baptized and EXACTLY a year later she was endowed. It was so amazing to see such a beautiful strong woman go through the temple for herself. I am so proud of her and I love her dearly! (: It was a great day!
Sunday was they next awesome day. Of course if was fast Sunday so it was testimony meeting! And it was so good! So many people got up and bore their testimonies about missionary work! The branch is doin good and their hearts are softening. Slowly, very slowly the walls are coming down and they will soon be excited about doing missionary work always! (:
By the way, I forgot to say last week that I tried this really weird stuff called souse. I will explain what it is. They take the head of a pig and let it soak in vinegar and then when all the meat falls off they take the skull out and the meat separately. They pack the meat very close together and then slice it. Very gross….and I tried it. Never again will I. (:
I love y’all so much! Oh and transfer calls are this Saturday! Hold the mail NEXT week til I email and let y’all know if I’m stayin in West Point or getting transferred. I think I am stayin. But JUST IN CASE! (:
Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
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Crazy events. Happy Labor Day!!! Happy Anniversary parents!! (:
My dearest family and friends,
Just so y’all know, today is my parents wedding anniversary! (:
This week, we had some interesting things happen to us!
First of all, we saw another roadkill…this time it was a possum and it was RECENT! It was gross haha. (: I’m pretty sure we had some people starin at us takin pictures by it.
On Wednesday we went on exchanges and I went to Columbus for the day! It was fun. I found more pennies to add to my collection. (:
Thursday we went to one of our investigators FOOTBALL game. And now, if y’all don’t know, Southerners are VERY serious about their football. And now let me also mention, this was a high school football game. The cheerleaders were AWFUL! Sister Platt and I wanted to go down and show them how it is supposed to be, keep in mind, I was not a cheerleader!! The actual game was REALLY GOOD! I mean, that team was amazing haha. I don’t remember much of what happened because I was so distracted by how badly the cheerleaders cheers were…and it was just so different. It brought sweet memories from high school though. 😛 AND Sister Platt and I seemed to be like the ONLY white people there. It was so weird… (: But perks of bein in the south.
Hahahaha oh Friday, it was our investigators birthday and wow. Was that fun. She invited us over for her party, just a small get together at her place. And once again, can I just say how much I love the South! (: I was very happy because she told her friends not to drink or swear or anything while we there. Who knows what happened when we left… ): BUT while we were there nothing bad happened. But boy, I will always remember that birthday party.
Saturday was so great!!! It was the Prairie Arts Festival!!! It happens every year on Labor Day weekend and it was HUGE! I have never seen West Point so hoppin! People every where! It was a good day, in the beginning. Eventually these HUGE thunder clouds came rollin in and while we were tracting…it just down pours. We were soaked!! Literally. All my make up was coming off. So then we had to go back to the apartment and get changed and dry off. After that, we went back to the festival to see if anyone needed help packing up, because more storms were coming. And boy did they come. It started pouring AGAIN!!! So for the second time, Sister Platt and I got DRENCHED. But while we were walkin around in the pourin down rain we actually met a less active member! We taught him a good lesson and invited him to church. (: Then, after, we went BACK to the apartment had to change everything again and when it is Saturday and you change 3 times in one day, you get creative with your outfits ha.
Then finally come Sunday. I just love the Sabbath! Church starts and the chorister isn’t there so guess who gets to lead for the 2nd week!? ME! (: I led all 4 songs again in sacrament meeting. (: Then of course, Sister Platt and I gave our talks and if y’all know me, I did cry. Only a little though. (: Then they had asked me to say the closing prayer!! You have just got to love servin in a small branch. (:
Well that is the week in a nutshell. I love West Point! (:
Have a great week y’all!!
Love,
Sister Jesselyn Drummond
Ps. I will send pictures next week! Stay tuned. (:
Sister Jesselyn Drummond 