Email 2/10/14

Dearest Family,

Oh how I love you so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week has been absolutely Crazy!! I ended up getting everything that everyone else has had plus more. It has been miserable but I am pushing through it. I finally buckled down and used my Nibulizer yesterday and It helped a lot. I know I probably should have used it sooner but I was stubborn. But on the other had we had a miracle last week!!!!!!!!!! So do you remember when I was in Rhyl and we had a party for sister Clawson's Birthday and she invited a magician. Well after that we could never really get in contact with him. Well I found him a few weeks ago (actually he found me). Sister Steinagel were walking through the shopping center and this man stopped us and asked if He knew me. I remembered him from Rhyl. We talked for a bit and then went on our way. Until Last week. When I saw him at his stand in the shopping center. And before I knew it my mouth had opened and said: Hi Ryan. He said Hi and we started talking. And he asked for a Book of Mormon. And we set up a time to meet with him today!!!!! It was absolutely amazing!!!!!!

On Thursday we sang at the funeral. I was not sure if I was even going to sing let alone make it through the whole song. Because I could not stop coughing. But the Lord strengthened me again and helped me sing. I hope that they were able to feel the spirit and to know that she is happy and in a better place. The funeral service was really good but different. It not being done by our church. But as I was sitting in that church watching the family comfort each other. I couldn't help but think about our family and how much we strengthen each other. I couldn't help but think about how much they don't know and how much they needed the comfort of our savior. It was a wonderful blessing to be able to share a bit of that with them. I am so grateful to know that I will be able to see my loved ones again and to know that they are never too far away.

We did service for some of our investigators on Saturday. It was so much fun we painted their walls. And by the end we were helping them plan some of their wedding. Telling them that we had hook ups in the ward and that they would be more then happy to help. It is so much fun!!!!!!!!! I love being a missionary and helping all of these wonderful people come to know who they are and the potential that they have inside of them!!!!!!!

Yesterday was a really rough day!!!!!! We went to our investigators house to bring Her and her 4 kids to church. Well all weekend we had called members to see if they could give them a ride and finally decided that we were going to have to just walk with them. Then a member said that they were able to take them. Which meant that we would have to walk. Which was fine, but we would be late and we were supposed to be there early because it was ward conference and we were supposed to sing the prelude music with the choir. So then the Choir was mad at us and I just felt the feeling that I have felt many times before. Like I just cannot do anything right. And I just broke down. I didn't want to go to church or anything I just wanted to go to my bed and sleep. Plus I was having a really hard time breathing. The member that took the family came back and got us so I had to put on my strong face. Church ended up going fine. But when we got home I just died. So we ended up having to stay in because I just could not breath or do anything. But I am doing so much better today!!!!!!!! And this is going to be a wonderful week I can just feel it.

I am so happy for her!!!!!!!! That is wonderful news!!!!!!!!!

Ya I am trying really hard not to think of coming home. I understand that I will still grow after my mission, but I also realize that I still need to change a bit more before I get home. And I am hoping that I am able to do it. I love the changes that I have already been able to make and am so grateful for this journey in my life. But I am afraid that when I get home it will feel like a dream. Tell Potato that I understand and that it is alright. I hope that he has fun and I will give him a huge hug when He gets home.

I am so grateful for you each of you in my life!!!!! I hope you know how much I love each of you!!!!!!!

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 2/3/14

Dear Family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This week has been another roller coaster. It was going really well until Thursday when I got the phone call that said that my release date was April 2nd. I was thrown off because I was told that it would be May 7th. They said that president has the ability to change it either 30 days before or after the original date to make his live a little easier. So I guess he changed it to the 2nd. So I guess you get to see me sooner!!!!! My shoulder is doing fine it still hurts but I am just getting over it.

I have not had to go back to the Hospital lately thank goodness. And I believe that my Asthma is doing fine.

Yes we are still working with the same investigators. Except the aunt of the family we are teaching. She has gone back to live in Lincoln. She was only here so that she could mend. But we planted a seed and hopefully she will look up the missionaries in her area. But that family is doing wonderful. They are thinking about getting married soon!!!!! She is looking at wedding dresses. We are praying so hard for them. He knows it is true the only thing holding them back is the wedding. BAHHHHHHHHH It is so exciting!!!! The other family we are teaching are not progressing as fast. We are still waiting for them to come to church. Each week they say that they will and then each week they don't show up. I just want them to come. I know that it will help them so much. The ward is wonderful!!!!!!!!!!! I love them all so much. They really pull together. There was a member that passed away about a week and a half ago. And they are really pulling together. The woman that passed away and her husband were the only members of the church in their family so they are having the funeral in a Church of England Chapel. And my companion and I were volunteered to sing at the grave side. I am a bit nervous. We are going to be singing Be Still My Soul. Hopefully they will feel the spirit and be comforted.

NO it is just an old air base that they have built a bunch of houses on. There are a few land marks but it is no longer a proper air base. I just love that it has American History;)HeHe

I have not heard back from her yet. I don't know if I will but I hope that it helped and didn't make anything worse.

You did not make me feel that way. I never wanted to be in a leadership position any way. I would much rather just do what I am doing. I have been have a bit of a rough time not feeling like I have accomplished all that Heavenly Father wants of me on His mission. And when I got that call on Thursday it was really hard to realize that after this transfer I only have one left. So I have a lot of work to do and am a little worried that I wont make it. But I am just trying to take it one day at a time even though it is really hard.

I love you all so much.

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 1/27/14

Well my week has been pretty eventful. We had a return missionary come home in this ward. He was serving in the France mission. We went to his homecoming on Wednesday and I pretty much had a complete come apart. It all became too real that it will be me really soon. And I am so not ready for that. I have not become who I want to be yet. Friday night I had to go to A&E (ER) because my shoulder has been hurting me for a good week and a half. I was ignoring it pretty well until it became really sharp pains and there would be times that I could not move it. So we went and we sat and waited to be seen. It was not very fun because I promised myself that I would not to back to one of the British hospitals again. But look where I ended up. The examined it and said that it was an inflamed tendon and gave me so pills to take and a cream to rub on it 3 times a day. I am not to sure if it is working yet but we will see.

We had a miracle this week as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! One of our investigators had their aunt come and stay with them for few weeks. So on Thursday night we went over to teach them and she came and sat in the lesson. But before we could even say a word she told us all about her life and a week ago she almost died and that has left her looking for more truth. She listened to every word and was so happy to have her own Book of Mormon. On Saturday we taught them the Plan of Salvation and she told us that it was pretty much everything that she already believed in. And she came to church on Sunday. I think that she is going to help her family progress even more.

We met a family a few days ago and they are now dated for baptism. Hopefully they will come to church next Sunday. They really are a great family!!!!

I have not gotten poorly yet and hopefully it stays that way.

Oh I keep forgetting to tell you that where we live is on an old American Air Base. It is wonderful!!!!

The weather has been about the same. It has been hailing off and on lately. Which is really funny!!!!!!

Why doesn't he want to go on Trek. It will be a wonderful experience. It is camping and hiking. He likes that stuff. Plus he will be able to light fires all he wants. I am sure that he will like it once he gets out there. Wow LJ is going on a mission that is wonderful!!!!

I love and miss you so so so so so so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 1/20/14

Dearest Family,

This area is absolutely gorgeous!!!!!!!!! And the people are wonderful. Well on Saturday I was asked to give a talk in sacrament because one of the speakers were not going to be there. They told me I could talk on anything I desired but the focus was on Missionary work. Well missionary work is hard but it is a lot harder to talk about. So I gave my talk the then we did a musical number as missionaries. And it turned out really well. We were able to get one of the less-actives to come to church and hear us sing. He said that he would only stay to hear us sing and then leave. But he stayed for the whole thing. It was absolutely wonderful!!!!!!!
We met Liz on a train home from widnes she was just coming home from Liverpool and she was exhausted. We just started talking to her and ended up on the topic of family history. She said that she did a bit but that she was stuck. I was able to share with her about how my family history has been traced back to her 100's with the church website. She said that she had heard of it but had not gone on it yet. We gave her a website card with our number on it and the chapel address and told her that we had people who would be willing to help her with the rest of her family history. We met so many wonderful people and it carried on into Sunday. Sunday night we were able to have 4 on the spot lessons in 2 hours. And 2 of those wonderful souls are potential investigators!!!!! It was so great to watch the spirit work on Abbey. She was just getting home from the hospital visiting a friend when we stopped to talk to her. She said that she was an atheist. We talked a bit with her and asked if we could say a prayer with her for her friend. She said that we could. After the prayer she had tears in her eyes. We asked if we could meet with her again and she said yes. She has such a sweet spirit that is just waiting to shine. 

I am doing alright. But there seems to be a stomach bug going around that I am trying to avoid. I am sorry that every one back home is getting so poorly. That is no fun.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The 49er's should have won. Oh well it will happen next year.

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

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 1/13/14

My dear and wonderful family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You will never guess what I learned yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My companion Sister Steinagel is related to Ezra Taft Benson. He is her great Uncle!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was flabbergasted when I found that out. It was so funny because she had no idea why until I told here that my uncle was related to him. It is such a small world. Well my Companion is from Kansas. She has been on her mission for about 9 months. And she is wonderful!!!!!!! She is so kind and sweet and the ward just absolutely loves her!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She was here before I got here. This area is beautiful and I already knew some of the members so it has been a really good welcome!!!!!! One of the members asked me if I had a relative serve her a bit ago. I showed her a picture of Kevin and she said that he looked familiar. It is crazy I wonder how many of his areas I have actually been in. I know for sure that he was in stoke but now I wonder about the other areas.

We had a baptism on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was the biggest turn out I have ever seen for a single baptism so far on my mission. It was absolutely wonderful!!!!! It was so good to see the support that the ward and her less active family gave her. I am really going to love this ward I can just feel it. There are already some people that I know I am here for them and they have no idea what is coming!!!!!!! I can just feel that this is going to be a great area!!!!!!

Brother Beeston seems to be doing alright!!!! He is out of the hospital and we were able to go and see him before I left. He has had problems before. He has to be careful because he developed a chest cold and they didn't want it to turn into pneumonia. But other then that I believe that He is doing better. I didn't skype from there house but I was there before I skyped.

We have not had snow yet and I am beginning to wonder if we are going to have some this year at all.

Crazy Socks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am sure that He is on cloud 9!!!!!!!!! Which car is he driving????? And I can definitely believe that she is having a hard time with letting him drive. Just tell him to be careful and to not take after his sisters!!!!!!!! That would not be a good thing!!!!!!

So I have decided that I am just going to spend time with family for a little while and think about school later. I just have a feeling that I just need to be with the family. Is that alright????? If not then I can definitely start looking into schools when I get home or right before I get home. Just let me know your thoughts!!!!! And I want your honest opinion Please!!!

It has gone by really fast. And I may not see all of the changes in myself that you have seen but I have seen a few and I am happy with them. I am so grateful to this mission for saving my life the way it has. And I know that it is making me stronger then I thought it ever would. I have been able to change into what I was designed to become. I am beginning to understand who I am and why I am here. And what I am to do with my life. (that one is still completely up in the air. I have completely no Idea what to do with my future career.) Hopefully it will come.

I love you all and am so grateful for all that you do for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you tons

Love

Sister Ballantyne

Email 1/6/14

I am leaving stoke!!!!! I am being transferred to Warrington. It is right next to St. Helens. And my new companion will be Sister Stienagle (I think that is how you spell it.) It will be good for a change but it will be sad to leave these wonderful people!!!!!!!

 

The weather is sunny with a bit of a chill. It really depends on the day because one day it can be raining and dreary, and the next the sun is shining and there is only a bit of a chill in the air.

 

I am sure that they are completely thrilled to be going back to work and school. That is so crazy that they are getting married!!!!! I am glad that you were able to help her!!!!!! I am sure that she really appreciated it. It is weird to me that they are old enough to get married and that it seems like everyone I know and their dogs are getting married!!!!!!!!!

 

Grandpa is so cute!!!! I am sad that He has to go through that. I wish I could take it from him. One of the members in this ward we have gotten to really know. He is great and He reminds me a lot of dad. Well we were with him and and Sister Tinsley on Christmas Eve and it was a blast. On New Years day we got a text from him telling us that he had, had a heart attack that night and was in the hospital. He had 3 stints put in and seems to be doing fine now. But that was hard to hear. I am so glad that we have this gospel to help us through all of those hard and stressful testing times. I honestly don't know what I would do with out it. I  don't think I could cope.

 

I miss you all so much!!!!!!!! Can you believe that I have made it this far????? It has be one crazy and emotional ride. One that I am and will be eternally grateful for. I love this mission and these beautiful people!!!!!!!! They are absolutely amazing!!!! They just wont see it in their selves. DO YOU KNOW HOW SPECIAL YOU ARE???? I want each of you to know that you are loved and you have been give special talents and gifts that make you who you are. They were given to you by a Loving Heavenly Father who knew and still knows you and knows what you need. Search for those gifts and talents and when you start finding them you start finding yourself!!!!!! YOU ARE SPECIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And don't ever doubt that!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I love you so much more then you will ever know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for all that you do!!!!!!!

 

Love

 

Sister Ballantyne

 

P.S. Thank you for the pictures and the poster!!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!

 

Email 12/16/13

This week has been better!!!! We have found new investigators. So that should be good. That is one thing that I don't miss is the stupid inversion!!!!!!!

 

Oh I miss putting up the Christmas village!!!!! I look forward to doing it next year!!!!!! Those sound so cute!!!!!!! I am really cherishing the Christmas traditions we have and keeping them close to my heart. I wonder if he thinks it is like the computer because on mothers day you were trying to get him to talk to the computer screen to me. So he could think that that is what it is. I am sure that it was sad. I miss them a lot!!!! I miss you all a ton especially right now.

 

I am so excited for the Christmas party tomorrow!!!!! It is going to be so much fun. Yes you can send the package to the Mission Office that will be just fine. You are so amazing!!! You really don't have to send me anything!!!! I love you all so much. I don't think I can tell you enough!!! The past week I have just wanted to pick up the phone and talk to you and tell you all how much I love you and am so grateful for you!!!!!

 

Wow I cannot believe that He is already coming home!!!!!!!! That is amazing. He will be home for Christmas!!!!!!! What a great gift.

 

I love Christmas as a missionary. I wish that every one could experience it!!!!!!!! It is a great feeling to be able to focus your whole Christmas on the Savior and serving those around you like he would. I could not imagine it any other way. I know that we do it as a family. But there are so many families out there that focus so much on the commercial side of Christmas and forget the true meaning of it all!!!!!!! And here as a missionary I am able to bring a bit of that spirit into their Christmas. I love it so much.

 

We had a ward Christmas party on Saturday and it was so much fun!!!!!! Santa came and I think my companion was more excited then the little kids were. She was jumping up and down yelling Santa's here!!!! It was quite entertaining. While we were there the Elders had an investigator come and He had been taught before about 2 years ago. He saw my badge and asked if I knew a Ballantyne who served here before. I told him that I had a cousin serve in this mission and He said that He remembered Him. Then later that night and on Sunday I had a few other people come up to me and ask if I knew an Elder Ballantyne. On of them said that He gave him some proper American candies. Will you ask Kevin if he served in Stoke??? Please and thank you.

 

That is so great that He is enjoying what he is doing!!!! I am sure that it is hectic. I remember seeing the kids in High School and how hectic their lives got this time of year. Lexie is great!!! I would just say to keep reminding her how much you love and appreciate her. Spend some one on one time with her or even write her a note telling her how much you appreciate her. I know that a note or a letter goes a long way!!!! I remember getting those from you and dad one girls camp and on trek and they helped me to truly feel loved!!!!!! You are wonderful parents and family and I could not ask for a better one.

 

That bird sounds absolutely great!!!!!!!!! I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you for all that you do!!!!!!

 

I love you so much!!!!!!

 

Love

 

Sister Ballantyne

 

Give everyone my love!!!!!!