Monday, December 14, 2015

Week 7 December 14, 2015 ARIZONA!

Arizona Sunset


New Companion
Sister Haycock


Hey!

 So I am having a wonderful time in Arizona! My new companion is wonderful! Her name is Sister Haycock, and she is from California. She has been out for 14 months, and does NOT like to think about it. It is actually colder then I thought it would be (45 degrees), that and wet. My companion has let me barrow a coat that she wasn't using, so I am being taken care of. I don't know if it is just getting used to the food, but I have thrown up twice, day one was the first time actually, but I am well just the same. I am in the Queen Creek area, Spanish speaking.....yup. So, I am working hard so as to learn Spanish too! So far I am known as just sitting during the lessons, saying nothing....just smiling.....what else can I do?! I understand the conversations a little, but I don't know how to respond. Luckily most of the ward members speak English too. Sunday was fun (haha), and not just because I couldn't understand anything for the full three hours INCLUDING Branch council meeting, but because our investigator Patricia finally came to church! Yay!! She has been taking the missionary discussions for a few years (I think), and has heard all the lessons several times, she just will not commit to baptism or getting married to her boyfriend of over 20 years. Coming to church was an answer to prayers though, and we pray that she will continue to progress. This is a slow area, and I have found that we are working with a lot of less active members. So many of them don't go to church, or commit to leaving the gospel which makes me sad. I want to help them feel the love of their Savior, especially during this Christmas season. I love all y'all, and pray that you are well!!!

Forca e Honra
-Sister Randall

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Week 6 December 7, 2015 On My Way to the Gilbert Arizona MIssion!



I am exited and nervous at the same time! I can't pack my things yet, so I am taking the time to email now. I am well! I can't believe that the time for me to leave the MTC is tomorrow! I'm sorry to hear that you and the rest of the family are not feeling well, I hope you get better soon. I thought about our family yesterday (knowing that it was Sinterclaas Day) and am happy to hear that it was a good experience. Yesterday was a good last Sunday here at the MTC, and I feel that I have grown spiritually from it. I am sending y'all a letter that should arrive in about two days. As for packing, I made a list last night of everything that I need to get done before I leave. I am really looking forward to Christmas day!!! I can't wait to talk to you!! Oh yeah, I will have the opportunity to call you before I fly away to Arizona!  
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I have grown so much here in the MTC. I am amazed at the amount of Portuguese that I have been able to learn! What I have learned about the gospel, and my purpose has changed me for the better. I am looking forward to the continual growth when I am in the field (Tomorrow!!!) I have found great joy in serving, and teaching others. I cannot help but have a smile on my face everyday!!! I love my teachers Irmao Machado and Irma Smith, My fellow missionaries, and my Branch President. I love my family soooooooooo much, and do not want to disappoint them, but to continue to fulfill my mission so that they might receive the blessings which the Lord is ready to shower upon them. Mom, Dad, I love you so much! Thank you for always being there for me, and teaching me of what is truly important. I am so excited to officially start sharing the wonderful message of the Restored Gospel to everyone!! I know that I am ready! I love you all so much!! Next email will be from Arizona!!!!

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

Week 5 December 1, 2015 Re-assigned!

This week has been an inspiring week full of blessings in abundance. I received news that I will be re-assigned to Gilbert Arizona!! I do not have flight plans yet, but I should hopefully receive them on Thursday or Friday. 
There will be things that I would like to box up for grandparents to pick up. How many times can I say it, you're right when it came to a few unnecessary things.... All good though! It's amazing how I have come to enjoy the small and beautiful things in life. I can't believe that I will be leaving the MTC soon, it feels like forever, and yet very short. I love my my teachers, my zone, and my Branch Presidency. Haha, the Branch President says that if he could, he would have me here forever; meaning that he would find a way to postpone my Visa.... Nope, I'm going, but I will never forget the people who have made me a better person. My Teacher, Irmao Machado says that he loves you mom. He and my teacher Irma Smith have helped me stretch and grow sooo much! Muito!! This is all I can send for now! 


-Tchau! Sister (Jessica) Randall

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Week 4 November 24, 2015 "Santo Espirito de Deus"

MTC District



Oi a familia e o amigos! Eu sou muito bom! (Hey family and friends! I am really good!)


This week has been such a spiritual week for me! Because I am the only student in my class, my two teachers really make it personal. I have been so blessed because of this, and I am extremely grateful. My favorite part of every day is when I go in to teach my investigator! I have learned to follow the spirit, and really learn to listen to what the investigators are telling me. My two investigators went to church on Sunday, and my investigator Carlos has excepted the invitation to be baptized, and is now preparing!!!! The feedback my teachers give help me immensely. 

The food is alright, and I am so very grateful for it, but it hasn't agreed with me this week. I felt sick on Sunday, and almost threw up. I am feeling much better today. My allergies are completely gone, and when my temporary companion got really sick, I was able to give her my left over medication which helped her a lot! 

All of the missionaries in my zone that were ahead of me, and who I really learned to love left yesterday morning. I'm going to miss them. If it wasn't for the 35 new missionaries that were added to our zone, it would have been just me and a solo elder. By the way mom, before Elder Smith left, he asked for my email so that he could send me the emails I need to submit my music to the church!!! You know, because he has connections :) I'm so excited!!! I sou muito animada!!!!!
I love the new sisters, and we are already feeling close! I am still a solo sister, so I can be by myself in my classroom, but when I go places, and am in the residence hall, I am with other sisters in my district. 

Sunday afternoon, I was with one of the old districts (gonna miss that district) and we had what they called "The Circle of Revelção." We all went around in a circle, and said what they liked about each person. They are all so wonderful! Sister McClellin, Sister McCall, Sister Lee, Elder Richardson, Elder Fernandes, and Elder Aston. When they got to me, and told me what they saw in me, I came close to crying. Sometimes you just want to do the best you can to be pleasing to the Lord, and to serve others, but don't see yourself as being amazing. Everyone in my zone has been wonderful examples to me, and being told by a sister who is really close to me that I am an example, and that when she looks at me she literally see's a daughter of God, The Spirit again testifies to me that I am. I am so grateful for all the experiences that I have experienced in the CTM (MTC). 

Mom, I thought of a song awhile ago when I was feeling lonely and sad (because I was by myself), it was "I Will Follow God's Plan (Vou Cumprir o Plano de Deus)." 
It made me cry happy tears when I sang it to myself in Portuguese:                                                              Existe razão em nosso viver;
  1.                       Existe um plano que nos fez nascer.
                          Por minha escolha a esta Terra vim
                          E devo buscar o melhor para mim.
                          Este plano eu vou cumprir,
                          A palavra de Deus vou seguir.
                          Vou trabalhar e sempre orar,
                          Seu caminho quero trilhar
                          E a felicidade e paz
                          Não findarão jamais.
After I sang that, I thought about the families in Brazil who need to know God's loving plan of happiness for them. The same night I re-read my patriarchal blessing and read a line that I hadn't exactly remembered from before about me sharing my testimony with others, and my role in sharing the gospel, "It is your  r e s p o s i b i l i t y" I know that I have promised certain people in Cuiabá Brasil, and I will NOT let them down. I knew that I would be giving up many things for me when I left, but no matter how hard it will be on my mission, I know that as I remain focused on my purpose, and on the people I will invite, help, and serve, all will be well. I am the Lord's instrument, and however He plans on using me to help fulfill His Plan, I will go and do. I love this gospel. I love how I feel when I do what is right. I love being able to serve others. I do not only have a testimony of the truthfulness of it, but I am becoming more, and more converted. I know it to be true, and I know that God knows it, so how could I ever deny it? I promise that I will not come home until I have finished and fulfilled this mission which I have been called to labor. 

I would like to invite the whole family to study Alma 5 together, and to individually answer to the questions that are asked, and to heed to his council. 

I love you all so very much, and always keep you in my prayers. I am so proud of everything that you are accomplishing, keep up the good work! May God bless you!
With love from your daughter Sister (Jessica) Randall

Week 3 November 17, 2015 "Miracles"

Oi! como é minha familia? This past week has been absolutely incredible, and spiritual for me. Wednesday was my first time teaching an investigator by myself (because I am a solo sister). Her name is Ryesa, and she is very sweet, and it was fun getting to know her, but what happened during that lesson was amazing! Right after we had a prayer, the Spirit guided and spoke through me. My Portuguese was not perfect, but I gave the whole Restoration lesson without trouble, and she told me that she felt love, and that she was happy. The gift of tongues is real, and I know I couldn't have been able to give a lesson like that without the Holy Ghost! I, and my teachers, are amazed at how quickly my Portuguese has been improving! Being alone one on one has been such a blessing, and the gift to be able to understand and speak the language has been greatly appreciated by me. 

Irmão Machado taught me a very important lesson about prayer, and how it effects all of us. My testimony of prayer has been greatly strengthened because of his lesson, and reminded me of what great grandpa Haueter told me before I left for the MTC; that prayer is important, and that because our Father in Heaven loves us so much, and if we pray to Him fervently, He will answer our prayers. 

My lovely friend Sister Dean left our zone Monday morning, which made us really sad. She literally was the heart of our zone. I know that she will be an amazing missionary. Sister Dean reminds me a lot of Erin in fact, because they have such lovely personalities, and are so loving and spiritual.

Saturday night was so much fun!! Because Sister was leaving, we made a mattress fort in our residence room, and had all the sisters in our zone join us! We ate ice cream from the vending machine, and talked until 11:30 (I know, it was late :p) We definitely felt how late we went to bed the next morning when we had to wake up at 6:30...... oh well! Memories!!! 

Sister Mcclellan is my companion so that I will never be alone, and we have had the best time together! I love her so much, she is amazing! Our P-day has been amazing so far! We got up early and did our wash so that we could spend the day at the temple! We were at the temple from 9 am, to 1:30 pm! 

My whole zone leaves me next Monday :( BUT, we are getting 25 new  missionaries coming into the MTC tomorrow!! I'm so excited! 

So I talked to Elder (Tanner) Smith this week, he is really good at Portuguese! It was funny to see his reaction when i told him that his grandparents basically adopted our family. He played the piano, and sang on Sunday Evening Devotional's special musical number......wow. Yep, he blew the whole audience away with his amazing voice! Now the sisters in my zone want me to ask him to sing the special musical number this Sunday during Sacrament Meeting, because it is all of their last Sunday, haha!

I am eating well mom, and even though it doesn't feel like it sometimes, I am getting enough sleep! 

I loved reading y'all s emails! I'm so happy for you! keep up the great work, and remember that I love you very much! 
Your daughter, Sister (Jessica) Randall
-Força e Honra   

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Week 2 November 10, 2015



This past week has been amazing with interesting up's and downs. Tuesday evening I felt really sick because my allergies were awful. For the next four days I suffered major sinus pressure which caused my jaw to hurt. I also could not focus on my studies for the life of me..... I felt so stupid :p I went to the little clinic the MTC has here, and got a prescription for specific allergy medication. I feel a lot better now, and it only cost $14.

 My companion sister Hitchcock has left me for Brazil this morning, and I am now a solo sister. It's not bad because I love the sisters in my zone! They are absolutely the best, and such wonderful examples to me!

 My first investigator became my teacher!!! Irma Smith is so wonderful, and even though both of my teachers are mainly speaking Portuguese, I am understanding!!!.....well, better then I was when I first came... Oh yeah, now that Sister Hitchcock has left me (She became one of my best friends), I will now have two investigators to teach by myself. I'm not extremely nervous about this because they are my teachers, but they are portraying real investigators that they taught, so yeah...I'm up for some great lessons!

 About the language, I feel like I haven't gotten any better at it, and that I can't really teach the lessons, but the Spirit is amazing during those moments. Both of my teachers have told me that the Spirit has spoken through us (my companion and I), and that we said things that they know we didn't learn yet. I was surprised, I didn't even realize! The gift of tongues is real when your focus is on who you're teaching, and your purpose as a missionary. 

Irmao Machado had my companion and I do an interesting, but very influential activity on Saturday. He shut the door to our classroom, turned off the lights, closed the blinds, and turned on some quite hymns. He then told us this scenario; The airplane is close to crashing, and there are three people, and only one parachute. He tells us that before we die we should quickly write a letter to our families, and that he would deliver them, for he was going to use the parachute. As I wrote my letter, I thought really hard about what last words I would leave my family, and I wrote down my testimony about everything I know to be true, and how my love for you guys can't even be put into words. Sister Hitchcock, I could tell, had a hard time writing her's because all the emotions she had caused her to cry. I don't know why I wasn't like that because I am normally an emotional person, and this topic should have made me cry too, but instead all I felt was calm and peace. After we finished we handed him our letters, and he opened the door, tore our letters to pieces, and left. What? I was confused.... He came back and explained why he did that, but first asked us how we felt. After we told him our feelings, he told us that this reflects the importance of the Book of Mormon. How would you feel if you were a prophet who worked hard on writing the plates that are now The Book of Mormon, and then have people reject, not read, or even treat these scriptures with disrespect? The Book of Mormon is so important, and must not be treated disrespectfully. It is truly another testament of Jesus Christ because it basically mentions His Name on every single page. Yup, that was a good activity, and one that I will never forget!

 I got a calling, I'm in charge of music on Sundays, picking the hymns, and putting together special musical numbers! I'm excited! I'm also teaching Relief Society this Sunday, so wish me luck! Well, I love you guys soooooo much!!! I will never stop trying to do my best in learning and teaching! I keep all of you in my prayers, and am happy with what you are all accomplishing! Forca e Honra (Strength and Honor)

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Week 1 November 3, 2015

The MTC is wonderful! I am already a different person (in a good way, I promise)! It already feels like several weeks instead of just six days. I have only had one bad day (so far) and that was because of stress building up with learning the language.

 I love my companion! She and I are sooo much alike! I am sad that she will be leaving me next week to go to the Sao Paulo MTC (CTM). I AM GOING TO BE A SOLO SISTER :( We have been teaching an investigator (teacher) by the name of Jenette. The first two lessons were pretty bad, but our last one was just amazing! She now understands that she has a loving Heavenly Father, and that she can have a better relationship with Him through prayer. 

The Spirit is amazing when you are humble, and when you listen. Sunday was incredible and the talks I heard were inspirational. Those of us who were new watched "Characters of Christ" by David A. Bednar. If that doesn't make you feel that you need to totally repent because you are selfish, inconsiderate, and everything else that is mentioned in the scripture mastery about the natural man, something is wrong with you.....That was such a refreshing slap in the face! 

I love it here! I love the sisters and elders in my district and zone! I love my investigator and my teacher! MY TEACHER IS AMAZING!! Irmao (brother) Machado has taught my companion and me so much! Oh yeah, as soon as I entered the MTC, I got my language materials and put my suitcase in my room, then I went to my classroom. He began teaching, but I couldn't understand a single word. He occasionally speaks in English to help us understand, but it is 98% Portuguese. I understand him now of course, because I can already say much more than I thought I could, otimo (awesome) right!? The lessons my companion and I give our investigator may feel tough sometimes because we are supposed to speak in Portuguese, but it is amazing how much the Spirit can influence! I love the gospel soooo much, it is making me become a better person. Jesus Christ is the reason that our Heavenly Father"s Plan is successful! I am already feeling very successful in what I am doing. Is it hard? Yes. Is it worth every moment? YES!!