I have been gone forever! hahahah jk I'm never coming home! 10/27/14

"Monday night we visited our investigator Barbara and taught the Plan of Salvation and had a heart to heart about the importance of the Book of Mormon. She committed to pray to know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God and to have the faith to act if it is. She said the closing prayer and she me and Sister Tenney we're stoked because she said, "Help me to be able to change my faith and know for myself because obviously the Book of Mormon is your word." It was really cool. Two weeks ago she had never prayed out loud before. Now she's
reading the Book of Mormon and doing awesome! Hopefully we'll have a baptismal date set with her soon to help her strengthen her faith.

Tuesday we had district meeting and the Jorgensen's said their goodbyes. We all bought them our favorite snacks for the drive home. The new senior couple are coming tomorrow and we're really excited to meet them. They're from Salt Lake and I'm sure they're great! That night we visited a less active and set up an appointment with her and her mother (who hasn't been to church in over a year) which will happen this week. We also went to Josephine's (the chorister) house to help her get ready to move. She's leaving soon to go to Florida. We showed up and she asked us to take her old stuff. "Anything you want you can have it." Haha we didn't take anything. We helped organize her CD's and she tried giving those to us too. She has probably 200+ CD's and she's not
taking them with her. There's some good 60's 70's and 80's music if you're interested. ;)

Wednesday we found ourselves at the Senior Center doing service. We repotted some plants that were getting too big for their pots and that was good. Made a mess, had some fun, and we're going back this week. I'll let you know how it goes. We had FHE with my fav Spanish family the Leon's. Sister Leon had never carved a pumpkin before so Sister Tenney carved it and I scooped out the guts. It was good to have a little lesson with them and invite the Spirit into their home.

Thursday we did our usual weekly planning. Gotta plan if you want to be successful. Me and Sister Tenney were talking about how much more productive lives we'd live at home if we planned as much as we do on the mission. Haha we'll see if that happens. Thursday night our investigator Nancy took us out to eat with her best friend from
Manhattan. We got to answer some of her friends questions about Mormons and talk. They took us to a real fancy restaurant in downtown Riverhead, but the food wasn't very good. My chicken fried chicken cost 24 dollars but it looked like chicken fried octopus haha. Nancy's friend was not happy and kept complaining so both of our meals were free. We went out for ice cream afterward and everyone was happy.

Friday we were out and about seeing different people. We visited a part member family and they were doing pretty good. They had just gotten back from a vacation in Moab so Sister Jolliver showed us lots of pictures and told us all about how fun it was. We went and visited a former investigator family of four. They are so cute and nice and fun. They have two sons, one is 12 and one is 6. The only problem is they don't/won't read the Book of Mormon. But they do have "Family Night" and invited us to a haunted house with them. We declined haha. That
night there was a branch activity at the house next to the church and we invited a couple of people that ended up showing up! That's always exciting.

Saturday we went to stake conference which is about an hour away. 

Sunday we had more Stake Conference. Both me and Sister Tenney had some pretty cool connections made. She found a friend of a friend and I found out that my good friend Ryan Wilcox is training an Elder Gonzales. When I was in Terryville I served with an Elder Davis who's a recent convert and an awesome person. Long story short, Elder Gonzales baptized Elder Davis and they're real close. And now our BFF's are companions over in Oklahoma. Cool!

Sister Tenney says "What up?? See ya next Christmas."

I say love ya'll tons!! Hope you have a good week. Remember who you are. Don't forget to pray. Trust in the Lord. Be kind and patient. The scriptures have the answers you're looking for. Also God. Thanks for your prayers!

Love Sister Snow" 

Haha this is Sister Snow's email that explains how our week went. Sorry I got busy and couldn't write it all myself.. (Lazy, not busy..) I can't tell a lie..

But really, all is well in Riverhead. Sister Snow and I probably only have two more weeks together and I am not happy about it. 

It's getting cold so I'm really grateful I got a box of warm clothes this week from Todd and Nancy. Hallelujah! 

Well much love, 

Stay fresh, 

Sister Samantha Tenney

10/20/14

Well it has definitely been an interesting week. Sister Snow and I didn't do much missionary work this week do to an illness going around. 

-We've watched Johnny Lingo like 6 or 7 times.

-My sleeping schedule is jacked.

- Our investigator Nancy found General Conference on On-Demand and watched it. She told us she went to church on T.V. Haha.

-Medicine is way too expensive.

-We watched finding faith in Christ for Sunday school. 

-It is soo so cold.

-There are raccoons in our backyard. Here's a video of the raccoons in our trash bins. They're way creepy! And I am no fan of them.

 

So, yeah.. I don't have too much to say except that I really love being a missionary. I am part of one of God's greatest works and miracles here on the earth. And I have sooo much fun doing it! 

I can't lie, it's been some of the best days of my life. 

I know that joy, peace, love, and true happiness come from serving The Lord; whether that is as a full time missionary, or a member in Utah.. it is the same. I love serving a mission, but I don't plan on stopping serving when I am released and my name tag comes off. 

“I think if all men knew and understood who they are, and were aware of the divine source from whence they came, … they would have feelings of kindness and kinship for each other that would change their whole way of living and bring peace on earth.”

Keep it real everybody. 

Stay fresh, 

Adios, 

Hermana Tenney 

P.S if you are going to send anymore letters and things I would love that, but send them to this address until further notice. LOVE YOU! 

85-69 60th drive

Elmhurst, New York 11373 

Oh, these pictures... haha we did the mexican face mask remedy haha. the others.. I am unsure of. .

For the Temple is a house of God a place of Love and Beauty 10/13/14

Monday: Pday was good, we drove to South Shore to meet up with all of the sister missionaries in our stake and have a little get to know you/ game day. Then that night we had an awesome lesson and dinner at our investigator Barbara's house. She's the lady who let us in and gave us water when I was about to die. She's one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met and she wants to be at my wedding someday haha. 

Tuesday was good. We had a really awesome district meeting. We also got a media referral for the first time ever being in Riverhead! That's just when somebody requests a bible, Book of Mormon, or missionaries over mormon.org. We took a bible to this lady named Elizabeth and she said she would come to church on Sunday (she didn't..) then that night we went to a big Spanish party for dinner. I had beans.. Yep, still don't like them. 

Wednesday we helped set up a big party for people 90 years and older at the local senior center. The next day (Friday) we got to go and help serve food there. It was actually a lot of fun and everyone was really cute. There was a man there that was 104 years old! 

On Friday we did a bunch of service for Cathy, she's the lady who sends out boxes to less fortunate children all over the world. Then our investigator Nancy fed us dinner and we had a good lesson with her. She was really adamant about trying to call my family. I heard she succeeded. 

Saturday was awesome! We went to New York to witness a sealing in The Lord's holy temple. It was an amazing experience! The Kruegers then took us out to lunch to a famous restaurant named Carmines. It was the best Italian food I've ever had, and it was way expensive. But there was SO much food, it felt like thanksgiving!! On the way home, by the time we hit the Queens borough bridge I was out cold. #foodcoma 

Sunday was pitiful. There were literally 20 people at church 6 missionaries included. So, that's like 14 people from the Riverhead branch.. And 7 of those people that were there are assigned to our branch to help it function. It was really bad. 

It was fast and testimony meeting and Josephine Cassiopo (our branch chorister) got up and told everyone she has "seen JESUS the Christ!!!!!". . So it was a very interesting meeting. . 

In the closing of the meeting Brother Blom got up and told everyone for the third hour we need "to go out and find the families who were not here" haha so for third hour our branch dissolved meetings and had "operation Shepard". 

Sister Snow has caught a bug, so we are taking it easy today. 

Anyway, it's been a very interesting week in New York. Some times are great, some times are rough, but the gospel's always true, and the Lord is always there.  

🗽🌆🌉.    

Have a great week and a Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Candian familia y amor Derek. 💕

Love, 

Sister Tenney

And Megan, this is Madison Ave. haha! 

Hola mi familia y amigos! 10/6/14

Hola mi familia! 

Another great week in The Lord's vineyard. 

Tuesday we went to transfer meeting and the two things I predicted would happen, happened. I'm not saying there will ever be a woman prophet.. But if there was one.. 😉 just kidding. So yeah, President Calderwood did speak to us about obedience. Honestly, I just find it sad that he has to do that. After the meeting was over he whipped out a pre-screen copy of Meet the Mormons. It was good, but I cannot tell a lie.. I do like Batman better. 

The way home from transfer meeting was pretty hellish. "It was the worst thing ever, I would not do that again" (Sister Snow) We drove home, unfortunately, with the Spanish elders in our district and it was no bueno! I had a really bad headache and a certain elder was BLASTING some weird country music, like boot scoot and boogie or something.. I was not impressed. The Elders in our district aren't very respectful. 

The next couple of days I was sick with a cold or something, maybe bronchitis, but who knows. My throat still kind of hurts, but I'm all good. There are a lot of missionaries who are getting sick lately, so I wouldn't be surprised if we had some type of "no shaking hands" regulation passed. 

Speaking of "colds" it is getting really cold outside and I have no clothes. ⬅️(Mom) This morning it was 40 degrees.. I am not excited for winter in New York. But, come what may and love it, eh? 

I watched General Conference in a church building for the first time ever. That was not as comfortable as a couch, but it was still really good. The only people who came to the sessions on Saturday were the missionaries. So we had fun and played some card games mid-session with a less active named Matt, who came for food and games.

I liked most of the talks given in Conference. One of my many favorites was Quentin L. Cook's. I thought the fact that he spoke about not postponing marriage to finish your education was great. Not because I am looking to get married the week I get home, but because on Long Island/ in New York in general, SO many "young" adults are not married. 

Marriage truly is more important than any other thing you could do in this life. Because, the family IS God's most important work. #promarriage #templemarriage 

Anyway, I love you all a lot and I hope to hear from you all soon. 

Stay fresh hommies, 

Hasta Luego! 

Hermana Tenney

                                                             Transfer Three Together!!!