Week of 6/17-6/23/13

Dear Family and Friends,

This week, we had exchanges.  My companions are the Sister Leaders, so I will be working with quite a few Sister missionaries in the next few weeks.  This week, Sister Brunner came down to Wilmington.  Sister Brunner is serving in the Jacksonville 2nd ward.  Sister Shaum trained her also.  

This is us.  From left to right: Sister Shaum, Sister Turley, Sister Klingler.  This is the village that is raising me.  We had exchanges this week, and this was at our exchange point.  Sister Shaum is always taking pictures, so she had to take some with the other Sisters as well.  I thought that I should get my camera out because we were already taking pictures, and Sister Shaum doesn't approve that I only have about seven pictures on my camera.

This week, we visited a Chinese sister and her son.  Last week when we visited, she was making homemade dumplings, and this week she had made Mochi.  It was delicious.  The filling was red bean paste.  I loved it. 

We learned that we will be getting another set of missionaries in Wilmington 2nd ward.  We have to share them with the 1st ward though.  They will be Spanishi-speaking missionaries.  That means that we will have three sets of missionaries in the Wilmington 2nd ward.  And, sister missionaries should be moving into the 1st ward soon.  So, by the end of the year, we should have at least 5 companionships in the two wards.  The work is Hastening.

The picture below is just the sign I saw in front of a Baptist church today. I thought that the thought was nice.  I still believe in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I know that this is the true church.  Heavenly Father has restored His gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith.  I love this church.  I know that Heavenly Father is aware of each of us.  He knows who we are.

Go with God,

Sister Turley

On the Coast and Flashbacks

Dear Family and Friends,

I am finally getting pictures to you.  This first picture is my MTC district.  We all were headed to the North Carolina Raleigh mission.  We had one other district in our Zone and they had ten missionaries as well all going to North Carolina Raleigh.  I love these missionaries.  They are some of the greatest people I have ever met.  I don't think that 12 days and 16 hours per day was enough time to spend with these people.  And yes, we all wore blue on purpose.

Unfortunately when we got to the mission home, we found out that some of us would be placed in the Virginia Chesapeake mission which is being formed in July.  Half of the Sisters and one of the Elders in this district will be in the new mission.

My MTC companion is about a month older than Cherise.  We had some great times together.  I can't say that our teaching skills were so great.  During one lesson in the MTC, I introduced a point and then said, "Now Sister Jensen will explain it."  Sister Jensen just looked at me, but then she was able to explain it really well.  She will be in the new mission.  So, I won't be her companion ever again.

Well, my first area in North Carolina is Wilmington.  My companions are Sister Klingler and Sister Shaum.  I believe I may have said that already, but I cannot differentiate one day or letter or email from the next.  This is probably why we have planners.  Actually, I know that is why we have planners. The house is about 20 minutes from the Atlantic Ocean.  We went to the beach with a member today during our preparation time.  Now that the summer is coming, we are going to have to stop going because the tourists are coming.  I don't know what else to say.

Oh yeah!  For the first week that I was here, we had little crabs in our yard.  A dead crab was in the driveway, and I was stepping backwards and crunched it.  Sister Klingler was sad that her crab friend was crushed.  I told her that I was sorry.  We also saw a skinny, black snake slither into a hole in the wall the other day.  We were walking up to the house and it just slithered into the area where the hose is connected to the wall.  There are all kinds of critters out here.
 

This is a picture of Wrightsville Beach that we walked on today.  It was nice.  

That is all I have to say.  I love all y'all.

Go with God,

Sister Camille Turley

First Week in North Carolina

Dear Family and Friends,

On the first Tuesday in the MTC, my zone was moved to the "West Campus," or what I loving call it--Wyview.  I got to return to my freshman housing.  There are just too many missionaries in the Provo MTC, so some of us were moved.  More missionaries will be moving into West Campus throughout the summer.  We were the first group to move.  We are creating history.  Or at least that is what we were told.

These past two weeks were somewhat interesting.  Last Monday, June 3, I got to hop onto a plane and fly to Atlanta Georgia, then hop onto another plane and fly to Raleigh, North Carolina.  I got to talk to a lady on the second flight who is not a member.  It was rather interesting.  She grew up baptist and had a lot of questions about missions, Temple Square, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in general.  Our group of new missionaries numbered 28.  We were originally 29, but one of the Elders in my zone had to be sent home for stomach and heart problems.  In the MTC, he was constantly being called to the front desk.

The new sisters (including me) got to spend their first night in the mission home.  The next morning I woke up and, voila, I was all of a sudden twenty.  Sister Hernandez and Sister Lewis, from my MTC district had to tell me happy birthday every time they saw me.  Then, we headed to transfer meeting.  I have two trainers: Sister Klingler and Sister Shaum.  My comment to having two trainers was "it takes a village to raise a child."

I think that is about it.  We have kept busy, busy, busy.  We don't finish our business until 10:30 PM, when lights need to be turned off, so I get to get ready for bed in the dark.  I haven't killed myself yet.  Here is to the future.  I love you all.  I hope you are doing well.

Go with God,

Sister Turley