First Transfer

Hey y'all!
So you all know I'm a greenie, so this first transfer was so new and
crazy to me!

Haha it probably was because I just expected to have sister Gerard as
my Trainor for the first twelve weeks, but sister Russell is awesome!
She is pretty quirky and has this evil sounding laugh, and tilts her
head back as she does it. Haha it cracks me up, and she always says
"barnacles." But we are basically white washing Dacula because I still
have to rely on the gps just to get us home.. Haha but in my defense,
the roads are all super curvy and so you have a very limited view of
everything!

The first weekly planning session was so hard! So we usually set three
hours every Friday to plan our next week, I never had to do it by
myself before, but sister Russell didn't know where to go so I
basically just prayed almost the whole session and planned maybe three
full days, but that's more than sister Gerard and I were some times
able to do, because we back up everything we plan win five other back
ups, and try to confirm all that we can with those we plan to see. So
it's super awesome, but can be super overwhelming. So we rewarded
ourselves with Popsicles and goldfish.

Also! Valerie is progressing so much. We've been able to see her
almost every other day. She just had surgery on Friday so she wasn't
able to make it to church, so we have to set her baptismal date back,
but we were able to visit her with sister stein, the relief society
president and her husband. She is going through a lot of financial
difficulties and can barely feed herself so we were able to find out
what to get her so she can actually eat, and were able to read from
the Book of Mormon with her.

Then on Thursday we met with Alex Kulik, sister Gerard and her
companion before had taught him and then he went to Romania with his
dad over the summer so my first time meeting with him, and teaching
him was with sister Russell. I love alex! Cutest little kid ever, he's
eleven and the sweetest! He has such good manners and loves being
taught, I felt the need to talk about the 2,000 stripling warriors
because he said he had a hard time wanting to read from the Book of
Mormon, so we read each verse together and just broke it down and made
it make sense for him. He loved it! It was so much fun and I could
feel the spirit so much! I said, "Alex do you know how awesome you
are? I hope so. Cause you are and Heavenly Father loves you so much."
He just came up and gave us a hug. It was the coolest lesson ever! His
mom is a member, but sadly doesn't want anything to do with the
church. None of the missionaries have never even seen her, because
Alex is always the one to answer the door. But hopefully he can just
be the missionary for them, cause he gets it! And loves it too, and
when that happens we all want to share it right!? Haha y'all better be
sharing it ya hear? ;)

I will not lie, sister Russell is a lot different than sister Gerard
and so I had a hard time the first few days, I cried a lot, and prayed
so, so much. She's fairly new herself and it's her first time ever
training and she just teaches a lot different than I do. But each day
I just love her more, and realize that if sister Gerard was still my
companion it wouldn't have been a way for me to stretch and grow in
different ways, even though we could've still killed it here in Dacula
together. Haha but I know Heavenly Father knows what's up, so I'm
excited to see what I learn during this transfer.

I've really learned the importance of being exactly obedient though,
sister Gerard and I made that 40 days of consecration and after she
left I found myself a few minutes late to bed, or staying a little
longer at a members home than I should have. No ones mad or telling me
I've done something wrong, but I know. And I know that I want the
spirit with me always, and Heavenly Father promises us that he will
always bless us when we are always striving to follow his
commandments. Whether it's being late to bed on a mission, or saying a
small swear word to add emphasis to how mad we are. It's really just..
How much do you love Heavenly Father? How our you showing Heavenly
Father how much you love him each day?

The scripture 2nephi 4:16-30 has been how I feel exactly as Nephi
talks about how easy it is to become sad and to let the temptations
become hard to bare, but how easy it is for the Lord to strengthen us
as we come to him. I really have seen just how much the savior has
strengthened me this past week. I was so sad sister Gerard left, but
if she hadn't, I wouldn't have had these trials and I wouldn't have
seen just how powerful the atonement is at strengthening each of us.
The trials don't ever really become easier, we just become so much
stronger!

You guys, I love y'all.
Have an awesome week!
And I'm so sorry I am so horrible at writing y'all back individually,
please be patient with me!
Love, sister c-ham

I'm so grateful for sister Gerard

Sometimes we rock out In the car while the iPad randomly takes pictures to see how funny they get

Sister Gerard and I are currently on our deck right now, completely
clothed with Popsicles trying to get a tan. This is the life I'll tell
you.. Haha but really.

You guys. I seriously love the mission. And I'm so grateful for sister
Gerard. Yesterday I was just not doing so well. I finally had what
they call," the after the honeymoon and you gotta pay the wedding
bills phase" of the mission. I just felt so shy and so awkward. I
still don't know a whole ton of ward members well enough to just go
and have a great conversation with them, and my door approach sounds
like a copy cat of the awkward greenie from the best two years. Haha.
So I just had a time out in the car and cried for a little bit and
sister Gerard just really told me that she was surprised I was just
starting to cry, she told me the first few months of her mission she
cried nearly every day. But really, I would never want to be anywhere
else guys. I know that I was called here in Georgia and anywhere else
wouldn't feel right. I know that it was never easy for Christ, so why
should it for me? But really every little miracle sister Gerard and I
have the privilege  of seeing, make these hard times so small and
forgettable. And I'm so grateful for how much of a "mom" my Trainor
really is.

This week was so great! Last Monday feels like centuries away with all
of the things that happened, but then it feels so fast that we already
have another p day :)

So Tuesday, we had a district training and they asked sister Gerard
and I to give one on getting people to sacrament. It was a bit ironic
considering three days before we went to visit a family who was in
active and it was so awkward! We introduced ourselves and then he
seemed pretty rushed to say he was busy and instead of being bold but
loving, we just said, "oh we understand, call us if you need
anything!" Haha without giving him our number or inviting him back to
church, that is not something we normally do! Haha, so the training
was fun to give. We mainly focused on how our individual attendance is
though. Are we really present as the sacrament is being passed? Do we
really take the time to think of our savior and the actual renewing we
are doing each week!? I really hope so. Cause that's really what it's
all about! We need to really seriously think about the commitment
we're making. To always remember him, and keep his commandments! Cause
he's promising us the best thing ever! His spirit. And I love feeling
the spirit guys. It's the greatest :) so just remember to really take
advantage of the sacrament, it's so renewing and it can really bring a
strong spirit.

We also saw Norma, and she is hilarious! We have just been reading the
Book of Mormon with her, and it's been so fun! She finally asked for a
bigger copy because it's hard for her to read the smaller print. When
we gave it to her she was like, "it's so friggen big" and it sounded
like a nacho libre line from her accent. Haha she's so awesome. And
she said she's going to give the smaller copy to her daughter in law!
What a rockstar.

                       
We also saw Sonia Stephens granddaughter again! We were able to teach
her the plan of salvation and it was so cool. She asked us so many
questions, and they were good! They all really show she sincerely just
wants to know. She said she felt the spirit and she said she wants to
be baptized! She is so much fun to teach. We love her and her grandma
Sonia so much! It's so stinking awesome to see the changes they are
making and the love they both to follow the savior.

We also helped the smiths family a few nights ago, ( the days just
scramble together) they are moving. So sister Gerard helped pack while
I washed all of her dishes.. And there was so many! And it was
probably the highlight of my week. Her daughter Rachel just stood by
me and dried the whole time. She's three and she's so stinking cute!
We sang so many primary songs. And she kept giving me hugs and we
talked about all of the prophets. I have found that one of the best
ways I feel the spirit is through little kids, and the spirit was just
so present. It's so awesome to see the love and kindness from little
kids! They're the best. I will miss the Smith family so much!

I finally met Eric and Michelle!! They are a couple that sister Gerard
and sister tuitea were teaching before who just got back in town! They
have been taught all of the lessons and want to be baptized, they just
need to get hitched already. And it's hard because Eric's family all
live in California and they want a big wedding with all of the family
there. But they sadly won't just pick a date and do it. So sister
Gerard and I are doing the 40 day consecration challenge. We fasted
yesterday and went through the day thinking of things that maybe
aren't disobedient, but little things we could do better, like making
sure we are only an hour at members homes for meals. Or making sure we
are sight and sound when doing service at the church and such. We just
want to be able to have the spirit fully present with us always, so
Heavenly Father can use us to help Eric and Michelle. And if you guys
could keep them in your prayers, that would be so awesome!

Well, I love Georgia. I love my mission, and I love my savior. I know
that Heavenly Father loves each of you so, so much!
I promise you guys, as you follow the counsel in Alma 29:9, to talk
about God and his goodness to anyone( in any way you know how!) and
get to see someone come closer to him, you will be REAL happy. And you
will know how much our Heavenly Father loves you, by feeling just a
fraction of the love he has while you help someone else.. It's such a
crazy feeling to feel so much love for a stranger.. But it's so
powerful and such a great feeling, and I know it's through Heavenly
Father that we feel it. I know he listens to my prayers. And he
answers them, and I have gotten to see just how many different ways
the answers come! I think my favorite as of late has been through the
scriptures, I can go back and read it every time and feel as if he's
face to face talking to me with how much I needed it and how powerful
the spirit is.

I love y'all so much!! Have such a great week! And please, just email
me about your life guys, I can read my emails anytime, I just can't
reply. And when you've just had a door slammed in yo face, or someone
tell ya we're from a cult, the uplifting emails help! :)

Sister Cunningham

I know I'm supposed to be here in Georgia

Hey y'all, This week was so good. Not like every week as a missionary isn't awesome, let's be real. This is one of the best things I've ever done in my life. But this week we saw again so many amazing miracles. And I promise I'll explain the subject line soon! So Peggy is a less active lady in our ward who has these amazing grandchildren that she tends who we have been teaching since I've gotten here, and guess what! Those adorable children are gonna be baptized August 22nd if their dad says yes! Please keep them in your prayers. They are so awesome, and their love for Heavenly Father and always striving to do what's right is so strong, their names are Andrew, JR, and Brittany they are all just a bit over the age of eight so prime time. We're so stinking excited for them! And then, we have been visiting a less active member named Sonia who makes me laugh so much! She has the most beautiful house, and she is so skilled at interior design. She's also originally from Jamaica! But anyways, she just received the calling of a primary teacher in outer ward, and admitted to us that sometimes she feels about overwhelmed and that she feels like leaving the church. We have been praying for ways to help her for weeks now, well on Tuesday we felt the need to tract a specific road, and we were knocking on a door when a girl next door asked who we were and when she heard missionaries she was like, " I've been waiting for y'all for weeks." She had been given the lessons while she was in New York visiting family and the missionaries stopped by and when she left they transferred her records over here, but until she said that we hadn't seen em until we found out her name was under her moms! Well her name is Kayla and she told us she was super interested and that her grandma was a member of our church too! Guess who.. Sonia!!! And we just taught her, and Sonia was with us and it was so amazing to see her grandma share her testimony on prayer to her granddaughter tonight, I can't describe to you how much I know Heavenly Father is so aware of each of us guys. Seriously, he loves you so much. Gosh, I'm so grateful Heavenly Father let us help Sonia in that way, and is helping us teach Kayla! She is awesome. And then! Wednesday night we were tracting a specific road and had no luck on any of the doors, but we were on our way to the car when we saw a couple of young men throwing a football around. So of course, we go in our dresses and ask them to throw it to us. They asked us if we were Jehovah's witnesses, and long story short, we taught all three lessons, and they seriously understood it! You could just feel the spirit the whole time!!! We gave all three of them book of Mormons and invited them to church and invited them to pray! I wish I could just show y'all a picture of just how awesome it was to see them understand it, but remember y'all are just as much of a missionary as I am! ;) And then Saturday! A less active member ( Cynthia. Who is just plain awesome) and her boyfriend got hitched this Saturday! And then next Saturday her boyfriend is going to get baptized next Saturday! Wahoo! :) we were so excited for them, and it was so much fun. But after the wedding, it was CRAZY! So we're driving home to start planning, and realize we needed to fill up the car! Well, we felt the need to just go right then. I sat in the car, and sister Gerard put the pump in and started to talk to the lady in the car next to us. Well as I'm sitting in the car I see this guy walking up to our car, and he barely makes his leg over the gas pump as he climbs over it holding the car and I'm just like, what is he doing? And then all of a sudden I see him fall face forward. I walked over, and just tapped him and said, "sir!  Are you okay?" Sister Gerard and the lady she was talking to walk over and see this man too and we grab the phone and call 911. The lady in the car is his girlfriend and starts to panic and rolls him over and starts to give him mouth to mouth. At the point his lips and hands are purple and he's gargling spit all over. The ambulance gets there quick and the girlfriend starts to explain he had overdosed on heroine the night before and he walked from the hospital to her house that morning and they were just driving to grab some gas. They finally get him to wake up as we are just comforting this girl, and her 4 year old autistic son... We just said a short prayer and helped keep the little boy preoccupied. The guy finally wakes up and starts to freak out about his girlfriend calling the ambulance and cops and signs a release and yells at her to get in the car. We quickly handed her a Mormon.org card with our number on it and told her to please call us if she ever needed anything as we quickly hugged her bye. This poor girl. Please keep her little boy and herself in your prayers. We were so grateful we could be there to comfort her and her sweet boy. Heavenly Father seriously watches over each one of his children. Oh! And the bark is just a line from the amazing Olivia cottrell, ( a sweet little girl on our ward) she was just baptized yesterday, and we were talking and she said.. " I was so nervous, I felt like I was gonna bark!" Haha so we quote her all the time!        You guys, I was just layin in my bed last night just so grateful, I know I'm supposed to be here in Georgia and I just feel at home. I love the people here, and I'm so grateful our Heavenly Father lets us play a part in his work, and help all of his children. I promise as you serve others, you're testimony will grow SO much. You will really just see how much Heavenly Father truly is a part of your life, and how much he loves you!  Y'all are awesome. Have an amazing week!   I love y'all! Love sister Cunningham

Sam's first place.

I asked Sam to take some pictures of where she lives and who she lives with.  It was driving me crazy.  This is what she sent:

We live in the Lohnes basement, and they are awesome! Theyre from the UK! And they're hilarious. And members, they know that Hailey Devine girl I always talk about too! 

Area map, and investigators! So helpful to tract where they live and
how to save gas!

Our beds!
Our awesome mirror, and closets
The carpet we work out and get buff on, and our study desks, and the
couch where we plan and it has our area map and investigators on white
board on the wall across it!
Our kitchen :)

The dog that peed all over our car.

It's almost my two week aniversary! 07/20/2015

We have the best district ever! And one of them, ( guy in glasses) is
from Smithfield! Small world.

Hey everyone!

It's almost my two weekaversary! It's crazy though how much I've
learned since the last week I wrote. And the miracles Sister Gerard
and I have seen.

Something I thought a lot about today though was the sacrament. During
our sacrament meeting here in Zion... Uhmm.. I mean Dacula.. We had
some speakers who may or may not have been a little bit repetitive,
and maybe what we would call.. Dry. And after they were all done
speaking and half of the congregation was lulled to sleep, the bishop
came to the pulpit. It felt as if we were in a baptist church for a
moment as he almost yelled, "why are you here?, really though. Why are
you here today, in this church building. Do you know that this is the
church that has the true authority and power of God, and a living true
prophet? Cause if you don't, go and find it. But I know that this is
the true church. The church that Christ established. We have the
correct authority to act in Gods name, to return to him again..and
that is why I am here in this church today."

Why do you go to church? Why are you reading these emails? Why do you
like reading about my mission? Hopefully it's to strengthen your
faith, and grow closer to your savior. I was so humbled as I let
myself become bored in that meeting, and then hear bishop bare his
testimony of why we are where we are, and doing what we're doing. I
want you guys to know, I am here on a mission to bare testimony of my
savior, because I know that through faith in him, and his example, and
his infinite atonement, we are happy. We will be able to live with our
families for eternity, with our amazing Heavenly Father. Seriously
guys, read the Book of Mormon and highlight every positive adjective
of Christ and our Heavenly Father, you'll almost highlight the entire
book. I know they love us so much. And I want everyone to know that.
It makes me so sad to see the people here who don't want to hear about
it. I know it may not be there time, but seriously I don't want them
to not have the opportunity to at least be invited. I hope you guys
are finding ways to share your testimonies! Its not just for us, we
don't have mouths so we can just talk to ourselves about the gospel!
Use em to talk to someone else about it! Also, like your temple
recommend needs to be current, so does your testimony. Read the Book
of Mormon again, say a heartfelt prayer asking Heavenly Father if
Joseph smith was a prophet and saw and did the things he said he did.
Having that current testimony will not only strengthen yours, it will
help you when you testify to others, it will help you live your
testimony! I know, this is that typical missionary post where I write
a talk and a half about how you guys should be doing this, this and
this. But really guys.. Please do it. I'm out here in Georgia on a
mission to help others do these things, cause I just already expect
you guys are doing em cause ya'll are rockstars. ;)




But back to story time! So sister Gerard is honestly heaven sent.
She's such a hard worker! But she is also so much fun too when
appropriate. We laugh so much, and work so well together. I have
almost met every ward member and almost all of our investigators now,
and we've gotten nine new investigators this week! We plan so much and
prayerfully tell our plans to Heavenly Father and we have seen so many
miracles! For instance the other day we were driving on the street we
had planned to tract and sister Gerard realized she had already
tracted this street before. I asked if we could just pull over and
pray because last night we had already prayed and felt great about it,
we did and then drove forward and realized there were a few houses she
hadn't done. The first house was a boy name Tri who said he'd love to
come to church and learn more, wahoo! So we thought maybe that's why
we felt the need to be here, well the third house down we knocked and
introduced ourselves when the lady (her name is Elena, please keep her
and her family In your prayers) said, " oh my goodness! What a
coincidence! I just watched meet the Mormons last night, and like a
movie called fifteen miracle, I love those people!" She has seven kids
that we all were able to meet, we handed out Books of Mormon, ( thanks
the best two years for the book(s) of mormon spelling) and said a
prayer with them and invited them to church, sister Gerard and I left
crying.. Heavenly Father loves us each so much and guided us in our
planning, and prepared that amazing lady and her sweet family. But
that wasn't even the only miracle that night... We drove to a street,
even though we were running late with all our plans cause we talked
with Elena and her family so long! But we drove down and knocked on
the first house we saw, they didn't even open there door and yelled at
us to go away.. As we walked back down the driveway we both just
started to book it as we saw an old man walking his trash can in one
hand, and recycling bin in the other. We grabbed em and helped him up
the driveway as we introduced ourselves and asked if he attended a
church nearby. He said he hadn't been able to because he had been
taking care of his ill wife, we asked how she was doing. Tears started
to roll down this ,and face as he softly told us she had passed away
that morning. This mans name was Curtis. I know Heavenly Father and
his sweet wife Rachel were looking out for him as he made all our
plans and timing work out to be able to comfort and testify to this
sweet man of telling him he will see his sweetheart Rachel again.
You guys, this is so long. I'm sorry. Haha but I hope you read it all.
I love you guys so much. And I love being a missionary. God loves you
so much, talk to him in prayer tonight and ask him why you are where
you are, and how can you be where he needs you to be.
Ya'll are rockstars
Sister Cunningham.


P.s. I love letters, just lettin ya'll know.. ;)

Ya'll gunna love Georgia. 07/12/2015

And I thought I loved the MTC. Oh my goodness guys. Georgia is
amazing! We flew in and all I could see was a dark green blanket of
trees. And no mountains. It was crazy! We went and met president and
his assistants drove us to the mission home and it was beautiful. I
stared out the window in awe the whole time. It is gorgeous here.
Once we got to the mission home they handed us our iPads, fed us,
interviewed us and then sent us straight to bed. We were pooped. The
next morning we drove straight to the mission home, had a long thing
of learning the driving rules, residence rules, and then me and a few
other girls ran to the bathroom and I met my trainer in there! Her
name is Sister Gerard. Guys she is crazy awesome. I love her, she
works so hard and she has the greatest personality. We have so much
fun. 

My first day we did four hours of service, tracted at a few
random neighborhoods where I handed out a Book of Mormon to a girl
named Serena who was very interested. It was so awesome!! :) and I
seriously have met the greatest ward members in the world, if you look
up Georgia Peach Sister McRae on Mormon.org you'll see one of the best
ladies in the ward here. Her accent is so deep, and her husband smokes
the best chicken in all the world. She is honestly one of the most
missionary minded ladies in the world. I love her. But honestly
everyone in the ward here is like that. I seriously feel at home here,
I love it so, so so much. I hate the bugs though, I woke up with five
spider bites and twelve mosquito bites my first morning here. And I'm
still alive so I don't think the spiders were poisonous thank
goodness. Haha. I see why pest control does so well here.
And my trainer loves to work out! Yaaaay!!:) cause the members love
feeding us. And it's hilarious, rolls, potatoes, Mac and cheese, tons
of Samoan dishes! And baked French toast. Mm mm I love it! But we have
biked fifteen miles almost every other day plus we work out early in
the mornin, it's the best :)
But enough of that! You need to hear about some of our amazing
investigators, there's Norma who is about in our fifties who's from
Cuba. Sister Gerard tracted her about a few months ago, but just
recently was able to meet with her. Oh my goodness I love her so much,
she went to church with us and loved it! She wants to visit the
temple, so we are going to have a member take her for us sometime
soon.
Also we are visiting a woman named Kerrie. I seriously love her so
much, I can't really tell you guys much about the investigators, but I
will say she needs your prayers. She is going through a really tough
time and we want her to be able to accept our savior so that she can
really toke herself to him to get herself through these trials.
We also have another investigator, Cynthia, who's getting married
August 1 so that her and her boyfriend can get baptized the following
week!!! Wahoo. They are so awesome. We love visiting them.
There's also Eric and Michelle, who I still haven't met yet but
hopefully this week. They want to get baptized, but they have a few
struggles they need to get through.
It's so weird, because sister Gerard has been here for five months,
she knows everyone and what they need and where to go.. And that's
been the best blessing, but also super hard for me. I feel as if I'm
not contributing to much, but today was so great. I now know Norma and
most of our investigators and through my studies and prayers I've
really seen how I can best help each of them. I'm so grateful for
Heavenly Father for helping us out. I know that it's through the
spirit, and only through the spirit we can really touch these people.
That is what brings that Christ like love, that is what guides you to
know what to say and what to do.
As I've been here I've also seen what a difference ward members make
on missionary work, you guys can do so much more than what we
missionaries can do! Seriously, please help out the missionaries by
going to a teaching visit, or just going up to an investigator who's
attending church for the first time and make them your friend! I can't
imagine going to a church by myself not knowing anyone or anything, so
please go help em out.

You guys rock. I seriously love yall so much.
Please go read 3nephi 17:3 it was a comfort reading it as that new law
on same sex marriage was passed, our homes should be a place of love,
and comfort and founded on our savior, Jesus Christ. I know that the
family is ordained of God and only can be between a man and a woman.
As sad as I am that the law was passed, it's been super great for us
missionaries! People who don't like the churches who are changing
their standards to fit the worlds are looking for the truth more than
ever now, and I know that our gospel is the true church on the earth
today, and never changes to fit the worlds standards.
Aw man, love yall
Ps. My area is called Dacula ( not Dracula without the R but, duhh cue la ) :) I love it!