Email 5/7/13

Last week was really good. We have 4 new investigators and it has just been really wonderful to she how the Lord has blessed this area.We have one investigator dated for baptism and another thinking about a date to be baptized. I am so grateful to be here and to be a tool in his hands.

This week has been really good so far as well. The ward is really taking care of us. A lot of them went to a lake yesterday and 3-4 of the families invited us to go. It was so much fun and it reminded me of UTAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was so beautiful. I will have to send pictures next week.

I have come to realized that the areas I love the most so far have been the areas where I have had the hardest time with myself. It is amazing to see that even through those hard times I can still love the people and area that I am in. They are all so great and exactly what I need. There is a less-active and his wife who is also less-active who we have been working with. They are so amazing. Their 9 year old son wants to be baptized and go on a mission one day. Both of them are starting to come back to church and have promised us that it is for good this time. It has been so good to see them both grow together. The first time we went over to teach them we went with the plan to teach him, but it soon became clear that we were really there to teach her. And to help him teach her. That was going to be the way to get both of them back and to bring their kids with them. During one of the lessons we found out that her brother had died, and she asked where he would end up. After we left Sister Clawson and I were talking about it and we just had this overwhelming feeling that her brother had accepted the gospel and that he had led us to her. He has been helping ever since. It is such an amazing experience to know that people on the other side of the veil are leading us to their family. I absolutely LOVE it here.

It is not a castle it is a Mansion. And yes we are going on friday so we will be out all week.

Wow so many Birthdays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tell them all Happy Birthday for me!!! I hope that you all had a great Cinco De Mayo.  I told people here that it was Cinco De Mayo and they all looked at me really weird which is nothing new, but I had to explain that it was an American Hoiliday.

Oh I hope that he feels better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes that is the right time. I can hardley wait as well. I will be skyping from the YSA house so you can meet some of my friends that I have made here. It is funny because one is just like me and the other is just like Sister Clawson. Yes they can help me. That day we are going to a house for tea and their son is on a mission in New Zealand so they get to speak to their son that day as well.

I love you all so much.

Love

Hehe

Sister Ballantyne
 

Email 5/1/13

Yes I got what I needed I bought a dress and some shirts. They are really cute!!!!!!

 

Oh my goodness mom this week has already been amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Monday was sister Clawsons birthday and that was a lot of fun the ward really took care of her. One of the less actives that we are teaching bought her a present but what they did not realize they had already given both of us the best present the day before. They came to church!!!!! Granted we had to bribe them a little bit but they were there. And they were early. Oh I was so happy I have really grown to love their family. We are reteaching the wife because she has been less active for quite a while. But she is doing so well. She is now telling him that they should read and she already has the clothes for next week all ready for church. Their kids are not baptized and one just became a new investigator. On Monday he told us that he wants to get baptized and go on a mission. And he wanted his own set of scriptures to read. I am just so happy. I really feel like they are a big reason why we are here in Rhyl and why I still feel like I am needed here. They are just so great.

 

Yesterday we had a lesson with our Investigator Rhys(Reese). And we were able to help him realize that he has had the answer to his prayers and he is now praying for a date to be baptized. I am so excited!!!!!! I am also working on helping one of the YSA in the ward with some of the same feelings that I have every so often. The feelings of your heart and brain disagreeing with things and questioning your faith. I hope that I will be able to help him. I constantly have to pray and ask if this church is true. Which I can see as a good thing because I am constantly seeking for the truth, but it can also be hard. But it helps me grow.

 

This morning we had a miracle call that one of the former investigators in this area was at church on Sunday and has decided that he feels like it is time to start making changes in his life and start taking the missionary lessons again. His wife is a less active and has been waiting for this for a long time. Sister Clawson and I both saw them at church but had no clue who they were and were going to talk to them but they left before we could. I am just so thankful for all of the many miracles and blessings that we have been able to see!!!!!!!!!!!

 

So guess what!?!?!?!?!?!?!? We were at an investigators house last week for lunch and she made sandwich's. One of the sandwich's was smoked Salmon. But it looked like raw salmon. I was not a huge fan but I ate it anyways to be polite. We also went to a members house for Tea and she had some friends over who were not members. One of them is a former investigator that may become an investigator again. He is 80 years old and the only reason he stopped taking the lessons is because he likes his money and did not like the law of tithing. He threw the elders out because they brought it up. Well while were there I was talking to him and then we were told to go into the dining room for tea and as I walked passed him he tapped my bum. I was the most awkward thing ever. I had no idea what to do so I just ignored it. It was so strange.

 

Wanna hear a funny story??? Sister Clawson has a blanket just like stephanies. And she brought it on her mission just like Stephanie. It reminds me of home I love it!!!! I love being here with Sister Clawson!!!!! She is such a wonderful missionary. She is constantly teaching me. This ward just takes care of everyone and I feel so blessed to be here.

Yes I know Sister Clawson keeps reminding me that today is my 6 month mark.
 

Love you mostess hostess toastess!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Sister Ballantyne

Email 4/22/13

The castle was amazing!!!!!!! I loved it!!!!!

My week has been all right. Just a little homesick. But I think that it will constantly stay with me. We have met a few new people but they are just potentials right now. The ones we are working with right now are great and one just set up a date to be baptized on the 8th of June.

I am so excited!!!!! I do have to say I am a little jealous that you went to Payson with out me!!!!! That sounds like it really would have been amazing. I am glad that she was able to tell you what to ask the doctors. That should be a big help to Grandma. How are they doing????? Have they been able to find a house yet???? I have a feeling that he won't remember me when I get home. I am glad that you are there to spend time with them though.

Wow that is crazy!!!!!!! It doesn't seem like he has been out that long!!! I bet she is just so excited!!!!! How is their family doing???

That sounds like it must have been really spiritual and amazing!!!!!!!!! I would have loved to see that!!!!!

That lesson was for me as well. The past few weeks I have been learning about gifts and talents that we are given, and that we need to use them. I have been trying to be better at recognizing my gifts and using them to help the people around me. So on the 18th of May Sister Clawson and I will be singing in Sacrament meeting. I am absolutely terrified. We are going to sing the 1st and 3rd verses of Where can I Turn for Peace and the 1st and 3rd verse of Be Still My Soul. And I Have a solo for part of it. I hope that it goes well.

All right Just let me know what you figure out!!!! I am excited to talk to and see all of you. I really need it. I miss you so much!!!!!!! I will have to go to a members home. What time of day would you like to do it??

Transfers are next week and we are staying because I told president that he could not take me out of Rhyl yet because I am still needed here and he agreed.

 

I love you so much!!!!!!!!

I hope all is going well!!!!!

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 4/15/13

I am doing a little better just taking it one day at a time.

 

We have had quite a few more miracles this past week one happened on Tuesday night. As we were planning we planned to call by a potential investigator at 2:30. So on Wednesday we called by a member that we had set up a meeting with and had a really good lesson. After we asked her about some of the people we were going to see. She told us about them so we kind of changed our plans to go and see them. As we were walking down the street we stopped to talk to a woman. We had a really good talk with her she said that she had met the elders before and that she believed in Jesus and felt that she was on the right path. We were able to get her name and address and set up a time to come by the next day to teach her. After she left we realized that her name and address sounded really familiar. We looked at our planners and there it was her name and address at 2:30 on Wednesday. So we saw her at the exact same time that we had set in our planners that night before. It was absolutely spirit led. We went by the next day but she was not in so we are going to try by again.

 

There was another one yesterday. We got on a bus at a different time then we thought we would and as we were walking to the back of the bus two girls saw our badges and said that they have always wanted to ask what they were for. So we were able to tell them. The time came for us to get off the bus and we said good by and that we were going to kill an hour. We got of the bus and sat down to make a plan. We looked back at the bus and the two girls got off and came over to us and said that they had an hour to kill as well they might as well kill it with us. We were able to share the message of the Restoration with them and gave them a Book of Mormon. It was so amazing to see the Lord guiding us to where he needs us.

 

Thank you for telling me that I haven't really felt like an example!

 

We have not been able to meet with him again but we called by and spoke to his mother. She said that they were still waiting for her results.

 

Yes we have been teaching him!!! It has been going really well. We are teaching him again tonight.

 

The YSA are taking us to a Castle today!!! I am excited!!!

 

The ward members are really great!!!!! They are a lot like the Chorley Ward. We have quite a few meals but Sister Clawson and I do cook every once and a while. Good thing our parents taught us well. We have made some chicken dinners that have looked amazing!!! We both said that we don't think the Elders ever eat like this when they have to cook for themselves. hehe

 

Sister Clawson and I have been doing an experiment off of the talk by Richard G. Scott. We each picked a scripture.  During the day if we start thinking about worldly things we would read that scripture and it would help us focus and keep the spirit with us. It has been an amazing experiment. Last week my scripture was D&C 121:7-9. This week is Helaman 5:47.It is a great way to remember the Savior and to memorize scriptures!!!!

 

Love you tons. 

 

Sister Ballantyne

Email 4/8/13

I absolutely loved conference. I realized that being at home and listening to it I never really gained anything because I would be doing something else. This time I went with a question and it was answered. We are so blessed to have the opportunity to listen to the Prophet and Apostles. Yes she has been in for a long time. I was sad to see her released, but these new sisters well be good. I can not wait for the ensign as well because we did not get to see the Sunday afternoon session. They all have wonderful stories. You could send me one if you want. 

 

The miracles we had last week were just that we were able to had out Books of Mormon every day. And we have quite a few potential Investigators now. We will be calling by them this week. We also received a bunch of referrals from members. It has been quite a busy week. One of the miracles was that we were walking down a street and Sister Clawson had a feeling to knock on a door, but decided that we could keep walking and if we walked by it again and she still had that feeling we would knock. So we came back around and she still had that feeling so we knocked on the door. He was not interested. As we were walking away from the door we ran in to a young man and his two adorable kids. We started talking to him and he had never heard of Mormons. We told him how families can be together forever and he told us that we could come by sometime. He showed us where he lived. The next day we went and knocked on his door. No body answered. So we left a little discouraged. We went and talked to some other people and later I had a feeling that we really should go back. We went back and his mother answered the door. She had been crying because her daughter was in the hospital. It is this mans sister. So we asked if we could do anything. She said no. So I asked for her and her daughters name and told her that we would keep them in our prayers. A few days later we saw this man again in another part of town. He was in his car and we waved at us. We both feel that we really need to teach this family.

 

I just studied the last week of Christ life in Matt.,  Mark, Luke, and John. It is the last few chapters in each. It was a great experience to be able to study that at Easter. I want to do that every year now. It really does make a difference in Easter. 

 

It has been absolutely beautiful weather this week. The sun has been out and it has been quite warm. Just a little chill. I have been able to walk around without my jacket on. ;) 

 

I am glad that you liked the package and that it got to you!!!! Thank you for that package as well. I love the granola!!!!!!!!!! The pictures are cute. But where are the family ones???;) How am i supposed to show people my wonderful amazing family. I only have the really old one.

 

I love the view of the ocean. The other day we saw a castle and it was magnificent!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wales has really found a special place in my Heart.

 

It has been a little tough this past week, but I am doing alright.

 

Love you tons

 

Sister Ballantyne

Letter we received from a ward member in Chorley

Dear Brother and Sister Ballantyne

I recently served as the ward mission leader in Chorley second ward and the last set of missionaries I worked with were sisters. One of these being your daughter - Sister Ballantyne. 

I just wanted to thank you for sending her over here, she is hard working sincere and respectful with a great sense of humour.

She is a credit to her country, church and you as an ambassador of her family.

We shall miss her.

Thanks again,
Robert Watt

Email 4/2/13

It was a really good Easter.We had the opportunity as a mission to study the last week of Christ life the week leading up to Easter. It was an amazing experience and brings a whole new meaning to Easter. I really enjoyed it and I wondered why we don't do it. We read about his birth at Christmas time. Why not about the Atonement which is just as big if not bigger on Easter. It is something I want to keep doing.

 

Sorry that we were not able to write yesterday. It nearly killed us that it was a Bank holiday and the Library was closed. Wow That is amazing we really do tend to take the sacrament for granted. We had Fast Sunday this week and it was so wonderful to have Fast Sunday on Easter Sunday.

 

It is so weird I really feel like it was me who just came out into the mission field last week.

 

Wow that is crazy!!!!! I will definitely keep an eye out. It really is a small world in the Church. There were some people in the ward that said that they remembered an Elder Ballantyne coming on Exchange here once.

 

I am excited for conference as well I wish that I could watch all of it. But at least i will get to watch some of it.

 

We don't get packages at transfers. I should be able to get it next week. Please send the next one to the mission office as well.

 

I am loving it here. The people are so nice and are really taking care of us. And the view is breathtaking!!!!!

 

Tell kado congrats. I still can not believe that he is old enough to start driving. What is he going to learn in?? I am sure that Grandma and Grandpa are going to love having them there. Tell them all that I love them.

 

We have seen so many miracles here in Rhyl. I love it so much!!!!

 

All my love

 

Sister Ballantyne