If you give a drunk investigator a lesson.... you're going to need popcorn to go with it.

-The Drunk Investigator-

Something you should know is that Hermana Reeve and I are quite sly and ingenious. So, consequently, we had devised most excellent plans to get our investigator who has been coming to church weekly a testimony of Joseph Smith and therefore prepare us to teach the Word of Wisdom the next week. This plan was to have him watch 'Jose Smith: profeta de la Restauracion' in the home of a member. This movie works miracles and is typically very successful in helping any and all investigators.

Sometimes you gotta take a selfie on a
 bridge that overlooks Manhattan.

Everything was set up Saturday night and he even lived in the same apartment complex as the member to make things super-fácil. We walked up and knocked on his door. He opened the door, high-fives us and was acting a bit weird and a bit flamboyant. Sister Reeve turned to me and asked in an undertone, "do you think he's drunk...?"

"I don't know," I replied, "sometimes he just kind of acts odd." So we continued on with our plan and he and his mother (a permigator/eternagator) followed us up to my favorite members. We walked in and he was excited but not too crazy.

As the movie began all was well. He made an occasional commentary. However, fifteen minutes in we started to get a narration by said investigator of all that was happening. And, well, it was a quite drunk narration. It began to disrupt the environment quite a bit and unfortunately the elders were there with their top investigator as well, so he was distracted by the comments. Popcorn was spilt, very inappropriate comments were made, and we were mortified once we noticed that we did, in fact, bring a drunk investigator to a member's house. Eep.

After much travail and helpless laughter at both the comments and the situation, we got him out, feeling humiliated and humbled. The Elders even helped us out and didn't let him get onto the elevator alone with us. We originally got on with his mom (he was standing with the Elders) and the Elders said, "yeah, there's not enough room for all of us, we'll take the next one."

We were like, "bye! See you all at the bottom!" But then our drunk investigator slid on last second and the Elders took one for the team and came on with us saying, "just kidding, for a second there I thought there wasn't enough room, but looks like there is!" I had to turn around so that no one could see me crack up laughing. :P

Our reactions to the drunk investigator...

Everyone took it well, though, the members included and we all laughed until our abs were rock hard. And, we think this will work to the investigator's advantage once he hears the Word of Wisdom. Hopefully he will feel humbled by the experience (if he remembers it...) and won't even want to drink or smoke anymore! :D All things will work together for good!

-How were we shafted this week?-

By the Assistants this week (yes, I am looking at you Elder Weisler and Elder Brown). We tend to plan our transfers in advance with meetings, exchanges, etc. So this last week everything was perfectly in order and we slept soundly Sunday night knowing that Labor Day was a work day, Tuesday was Mission Leadership Council, Wednesday was preparation Day, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday we had exchanges (back-to-back), and church was on Sunday. On Monday morning I awoke and looked at my phone to see a text sent at 10:28pm the night before. It read:

"Hola! We have to call an audible due to a schedule change with the Stake Conferences coming up. Mission Leadership Council will be on Friday instead of Tuesday. Sorry if this affects your exchanges or other meetings. Thanks for being flexible! We will talk more later, let us know if you have any questions.

We are also excited to revamp this group chat soon. Be ready. #TheAgeofaNewBreed

Love you all, have a great night! 🗽"

This kinda sorta ruined everything. But, you know, it was okay... just that we had to cancel two exchanges, had an entirely blank schedule for Tuesday to fill in, had to cancel all our appointments on Friday, move District Meeting, call Elders about District Leader Training Meetings being moved, and needed to reschedule our week.

But, it taught me several things. First of all, what an audible was. I had no idea, but my basketball-savvy companion knows sports so she told me. That was very kind. Also, it taught me how to drop everything and accommodate to sudden changes. I loved it! It was actually quite exciting. And stressful. But I felt accomplished after everything was re-organized within the day.

The Book of Mormon IS the cure!

-The Dirty Elevator-

Background: A month ago Sister Platt and I went down the elevator while a cleaner was cleaning it and he was complaining about how dirty it got. "But sir," we said, "you wouldn't have a job if we didn't make it dirty!" He conceded and allowed us to put our entire handprint on the wall before he proceeded to clean.

*Us going down elevator by ourselves at 9am on Thursday.* me: *stretches in elevator to illustrate a funny story that happened and accidentally leaves a footprint on the wall.* *elevator stops at floor three and we are suddenly very composed and polite Sister missionaries.* *Workman and three friends get in.*

Workman: "people have NO respect for where they live! Do you see this?? People have NO respect." *points at my footprint and exasperatedly sighs.*

Sister Reeve: "Didn't... you do that Sister Voss?" *I nod*

Workman: "NO! Not you. Other people. I swear people have zero respect for where they live! Dang people in New York." *rolls eyes and makes fist.*

Me: *mortifiedly looks straight forward with a resolve to repent and tries not to laugh but fails.*

-Random items of business-

President Quote from Mega-Zone: "When you're 64 you can't even actually remember that you're 65!"

Also at Mega-Zone I had to give three workshops with Sister Reeve. It went well. But it was three very long hours.

We had exchanges with Sisters Barney and Persinger and had so many blessings and saw so many miracles.

I ate Pupusas again!!!! On exchanges with Sister Barney. They were

SO good. ❤️

-Spiritual Part-

I FINISHED THE BOOK OF MORMON THIS WEEK! Again. :) And I am going to start another one in Spanish highlighting the three pillars of eternity. The Creation, The Fall, and The Atonement.

"It was required, indeed it was central to the significance of the Atonement, that this perfect Son who had never spoken ill nor done wrong nor touched an unclean thing had to know how the rest of humankind--us, all of us--would feel when we did commit such sins. For His Atonement to be infinite and eternal, He had to feel what it was like to die not only physically but spiritually, to sense what it was like to have the divine Spirit withdraw, leaving one feeling totally, abjectly, hopelessly alone." -Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.

I know that our Savior suffered all things for us that we might not suffer. That we could have happiness and joy in returning to live with him one day. I have a testimony or Him and I love Him.

Hope your week is less crazy than mine!

Hermana Ally Voss

The Eternal Progress Map

Quotes of the week:

"Nothing good happens after midnight except sleeping and having great dreams." -PR (President Reynolds)

Strawberry Ice Cream!

Feeling like pop corn

"One has to live the letter of the law to live the spirit of the law and one has to live the spirit of the law to live the letter of the law." (Maxwell, I believe).

"You have to live the lower law to live the higher law." -PR and in addition he mentioned how trying to live the spirit of the law should never lead one to break the letter of the law. "Living the spirit of the law is living the letter of the law in the correct spirit!"

"The eternal progress map is not printed in that building." -PR talking about how many people try to look for happiness and progress by going to the great and spacious building (as mentioned in 1 Nephi 12:18), however will not find it because the press prints a different map in that building. And I imagine the destination of said map is not that which one would want "You can't be in the Great and spacious building looking to eat from the fruit of the Tree of Life." However, if one were to go to the iron rod... the eternal progress map would definitely be very in stock, and there is fruit to spare!

"Yoke up, let's pull together." -EW

"This week was good except Sarah dropped Karen on my belly... it was fine but then I squirted a bit of pee in my pants." A 100% straight faced six-year-old boy.

"I want to be baptized. What do I have to do to be baptized? I have to go to church? Mom, can we go to church this Sunday?" -An amazing 9-year-old child of a less active.

What Happened At Transfers?

So, Sisters Gourley, Ashford, Valvderde, Figaro, and Dawson went home.

Elder Rogers is a Zone Leader in the Hamptons (I've lost all hope for ever going there, but I hope to glean experiences from those who have).

Sister Reeve came to Rego! So psyched to have her as my companion. She is über-consecrated, and knows SO much about member missionary work. She has worked hard in her mission and seen many baptisms and I am thrilled to have her teach me here. I have been absorbing all she says like a sponge, nothing that comes out of her mouth is anything less than gold. It's way cool.

She has also been teaching me 'mission-appropriate' slang. Essentially, Rego Park is the rage cage, and we've been shafted quite a bit this week (rude), and we are going to grind so hard here and we have been going hard in the paint. No lies, we've been pretty cashed.

Definitions:

Rage cage- like, an awesome/rad place? (e.g. BYU is the post-mission rage cage)

Shafted- when someone pulls the rug out from under you, dismisses you, or is rude. (e.g. "Carlita totally shafted us when she didn't show up at the park for our lesson.")

Grind- verb. go hard (e.g. Wow we really grinded today Sister Reeve.") Noun when applied to the Assistant's lives in the five days before and after transfers when they literally don't sleep, eat, or breathe. (e.g. "The Grind was rough this transfer.")

Going hard in the paint- same thing as the verb form of grind.

Cashed- really tired and sleepy. (e.g. "What a long day - I am cashed!")

Investigator's progress:

We had a couple of investigators at church, which was nice. I am super excited for what is to come here in Rego! This Ward is amazing, but would be even better with a few more recent converts. ;)

I mentioned in the quotes a few things about living the letter and spirit of the law. I just want to testify that I know that God gives us laws to follow for our personal happiness and that we will find immense joy in following those laws in the correct spirit. Moreover, I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is a perfect map with perfect instructions leading us towards eternal happiness.

My love,

Hermana Ally Voss

Queen Bee🐝

Want to know what's the bee's knees?

Transfer news is in! Sister Platt is out while I stay here in Rattling Rego Park, Queens! I will have for a companion the precious Sister Reeves. I am looking forward to this next transfer with great anticipation.

Our District Squad takes rad photos

As for exciting news: on Saturday our Ward Mission Leader got married!!!!! It was the most thrilling, sweet, exciting, wonderful thing ever.

They are the cutest couple ever. You could feel the love they had for each other as they looked into each other's eyes. I have to say that no two members in my mission have taken as good care and loved us the missionaries as them in my mission. Seeing them together finally as husband and wife was such a blessing. God has so many blessings in store for them.

Wuv, twue wuv is what bwings us together today.

I love Hispanic weddings/parties because of all the dancing. Our Elders were essentially the groomsmen and they did a dancing number with our WML (simple, but epic). And then he did one with his wife (also one of my very favorite members btw) and they started with none other then a Grease song! "You better shape up, cause I need you here with me, and my heart is set on you!... the one that I want ooh you are the one I want ooh ooh ooh."

They were also sealed in the temple earlier that day. It is so amazing to me that the Lord can seal families to be together forever here on this earth for beyond in the eternities.

*Sigh....* it was so romantic and lovely. From the tulle-draped room to the vanilla raspberry-filled cake.

Quotes of the week:

"Six months to supersize right here!" Me whilst drinking a Coca-Cola Slurpee on a very hot morning. (For context: a typical phrase in the mission is 'six months to sexy' for those who are preparing to go home and want to look good)

"Why, I think someone was scared right out of their shoes!" Sister Platt upon discovering a deserted pair of large male crocs on the sidewalk.

"Um... no. Sorry, but no." Me when, after sitting next to a man in the subway, I shook his hand and he tried to kiss mine. I awkwardly stood up afterwards and moved across the aisle. It was then that I realized he was terribly drunk. Unfortunate, isn't it?

"You got my back?" Me. In Queens it is a common practice to collect stickers one finds around the city. I found one on a pole and I hopped up and was holding myself with one hand and my feet wrapped around the pole while Sister Platt put a hand on my back and helped me as I peeled off the sticker to add it to my collection. It worked, though! :)

Exchanges are fun :-)

Also, I love Marcia a lot.

Siria joined squad.

My trainee and her other trainee!

Pensamiento Espiritual:

Yo he estado pensando mucho en lo que Dios tiene planificado para cada uno de nosotros. Antes de mi misión leí un discurso en que uno de los apóstoles dijo que normalmente pensando en el fin de la misión de una persona le ayuda a saber dónde los misioneros necesitan ir. Entonces, yo pienso en esto con las vidas de nosotros. Yo sé que Dios sabe nuestro potencial y que Él está poniendo las retas y personas y situaciones en nuestros vidas que nos va a llevar a este punto. No hay ninguna duda para mí que Dios nos ama y nos va a ayudar y cuidar en cada momento de nuestros vidas.

Les quiero muchísimo,

Hermana Ally Voss

Home is Where the Spirit Is

This was a very lovely week. One of the highlights was getting to have a Sister Training Leader Meeting with Sister Reynolds and the other seven lovely STLs in the mission. We learned a lot and gained a lot of advice, and moreover were able to eat Cafe Rio-style pork barbacoa salads. It was quite tasty if I do say so myself.

Polaroid of the Rego Park 2 District

What was sad is that our mission nurse Sister Petersen is leaving and we all (the mission) made notes which Sister McDowell and Sister Reeves combined into a precious binder to give to her. We walked over and took our notes to her which was a bit heart breaking, but I know that she will also enjoy her life back in Utah. We will just miss her quite a lot here in New York. <\3

We got a few New Investigators this week and one of the investigators had lovely music playing in the background of our lesson. All of the music seemed to correspond with what we were saying as well. So it was an epic, dramatic, lesson.

Another New Investigator had a daughter than enjoyed pulling hair, hitting newborn babies, and pushing cats off of chairs. While slightly unfortunate, everyone made it out of the lesson only slightly frazzled and mostly alive.

Food Recommendations: Have you ever tried the tamales on 82nd? They have salsa verde, salsa roja, dulce, queso, picante, and every kind you could ever want. They are also authentically Mexican, and one of the hands-down most amazing things I have ever had the pleasure to eat in my life. I love tamales, though. If you are ever in Jackson Heights or Corona (not the beer, the city), I would animate you to try them. You'll never go back. (Can you animate someone to try something in English? Is that proper English?)

Exchanges with Sisters Amaro and Stubbs were quite excellent. They are wonderful, hard-working sisters. Training companionships are the best companionships. :) I'm only slightly partial to my two experiences.

Exchanges!!

Funny Story:

We often teach families in which the children of the Spanish-speaking parents speak little to no Spanish. In this case we frequently teach in English for the benefit of the kids. In one such circumstance we were reading a story in the Book of Mormon about Nephi and his brothers going back into Jerusalem to get the golden plates. Now, in English Nephi is pronounced phonetically nē´fī. Now keep in mind that his mother is Hispanic and they go to church in Spanish. In Spanish Nephi is spelled Nefi and is pronounced Ne-fee. 'Ne' as in the first sound in 'Nettles' and fee as in '*Fee* fie foe fum I smell the blood of an Englishman.'

We all take turns reading and when we get to Nephi's name Sister Platt and I pronounced it the English way. The moment I said Nephi's name the little boy Phillip (name changed) turned around and said, "why do you say Nephi? It's Nefi." I corrected myself and we continued to take turns reading. The next time Sister Platt tripped up and Phillip muttered under his breath, "It's Nefi." Unfortunately I slipped up yet again a while later and Phillip said, "I just don't understand! Why do you keep saying Nephi? It's Nefi!" We explained apologetically that we were just really bad at pronouncing his name and that it was our fault. He looked very impatient and told us we ought to learn how to properly pronounce it.

My face when the elevator is broken and we live on the sixth floor.

More sad faces

Miracles?? Well, we somehow always manage to pray really hard on the weekends when we aren't hitting our goals, and then we hit them. But in terms of something that touched me was this week is that I had the impression to walk down a street that a Less Active from Otavalo lived in, and we not only saw him and his family, but a member who had just moved here from Ecuador. He saw us out of the corner of his eye and sprinted to meet us and asked us where the church was. We gave him the address, and he came to church and as he was looking at the paintings he said, "I really miss the spirit here. It's home." I know that home isn't necessarily a specific place, but home is the feeling of the spirit. Because our true home is with God, and when we feel the spirit, we are with God even if for just a moment. I know this church is true.

Love,

Hermana Ally Voss

How Far Away Does That Plane Look?

¡Hola Familia!

One year ago today (August 8th) a slightly scared, but very excited, missionary stepped off a stairway in LaGuardia into New York. Today the same missionary, now confident and excited, awaits a temple trip into Manhattan.

Pretty sure the BOM is the most Legendary of all.

Have I really been in New York for a year? Have *we* really been in New York for a year? (Shoutout to everyone who came in with me). Impossible! Theoretically a year ago today I was in the mission home with no idea that I was about to go into Brooklyn for my training experience with Sister Gourley. No idea that a year later I would be in Rego Park. I am so grateful for this year. A celebratory temple trip is a perfect way to commemorate the occasion, with many of my beloved fellow missionaries accompanying me. :)

With the nostalgia of looking back on my mission, I want to share how much I will miss my trainer Sister Gourley as she leaves the mission for her home. A year ago tomorrow we got lost, locked out, and rescued by Elder Creager and Elder Weisler (bless their hearts). Sis. Gourley helped me learn how to be an obedient and hard-working missionary, and got me through those first few months wonderfully. Sister Gourley has made such a difference in my mission. :) I love her.

Shout Out to Sis Gourley!

In terms of housekeeping, we only got second to the Elders for the Clean Home Award in Zone 5. (Get it? Housekeeping? Like, legitimate housekeeping??)

This was supposed to be a really nice Manhattan skyline picture but

the Elder Creager's face got in the way. :/

We ate Chick-Fil-A at Mission Leadership Council of Friday which was most marvelous. I ate a full two chicken sandwiches along with waffle fry chips. We (Sister Platt and I) also sang a song at MLC. It probably sounded mediocre, but it was kind of fun to do. Stressful, but fun. I adore MLC. I get to see all my favorite missionaries, including President and Sister Reynolds!

Mission Leadership Council Crew.

Patriarch Rappleye from my Lynbrook Stake (from near Mineola) came

to Rego Park! What a treat.

Sister Petersen is not allowed to leave!

I heard another fun story this week I would enjoy narrating as the spiritual thought:

A man walked down a busy New York sidewalk. It was a fine day and when he turned the corner he saw a white, folded slip of paper lying on the ground. Thinking it was another pamphlet from the Jehovah's Witness or some sort the man continued on his way.

This man was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, though, and he knew when the spirit was talking to him. It told him to go back and pick up the slip. Obedient, he walked back and picked up the slip. And guess what was on it? A number? A winning lottery card? A name?

Nope. It was blank. A plain, white, boring, folded slip of paper.

Now, internally this man was a bit upset. 'But, I felt the spirit,' he thought. 'I know that it was the Holy Ghost talking to me....' He sighed and continued down the street until he arrived home.

He rehearsed what had happened to his wife. She sat and thought for a bit and then said, "Well, what if it was the Holy Spirit testing you? If you wouldn't have responded to such a little prompting now, how could it give you bigger promptings later?" The man knew his wife was correct, and that these little experiences really did prepare him to be more attune to the spirit at every moment in his life.

I want to testify that when we really try to listen with our hearts, the Holy Ghost will guide us, and that if we are obedient to every prompting in the moment in which it is given that we will have an over-abundance of happiness and blessings poured down upon us in our lives. I so testify in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

With love,

Hermana Ally Voss

P.S. and the answer to the title question is about 5-ish months away. Ahhh.

Exchanges with Sisters Thomas and Allen part II

Temple trip with all of my favorites❤️ 

 The temple has a new set of original oil paintings that are just lovely.

Temple companion picture🎀

What if I don't talk to them? What if I do?

Hello,

It has been a veritable eternity since I have last written. Since the temple trip (and we have another one next Tuesday to celebrate our one-year-anniversary) much has happened. For example: I received a lovely one-year-old card from my family. It says I am "special and sweet and cute," which is nice.

Sister Platt and I at church the day I gave a talk on charity.

Moreover, I visited Great Neck yesterday in Mineola's area for a doctor's appointment. And let me say: there is a reason that Mineola is a car area. We went from a 7 train so rickety I worried it might fall off the tracks to the N20G bus to Great Neck. While the bright orange bus presented less of a threatening ambiance than the train, it zoomed by half of the stops without hesitating, leaving us to scramble to assure our stop was pushed. The half mile interval between each of the stops left us a bit unwilling to wait until the next. The appointment went well and I met a woman named Maryn (who pronounced it Maren like my mother) in the waiting area who was very kind. The lady who took my blood must have been a bit more intense than the others because the spot from which she took blood bled quite a bit more than normal. I took the gauze off of my arm and saw enough blood for a bullet wound (probably not that much, but a decent amount all the same). Perhaps it was because I was tense?

Interviews took place in the mission office yesterday. As I sat in the office, pictures of Mission Presidents gone by and the current Mission President drew me to think a bit more than I usually do. President had me reflect on my mission and the attributes I have acquired therein. It was a wonderful opportunity for me. Two-thirds of the way into my mission, but it already feels like in some ways it is coming to a close. Now I have to work my behind off in these last 20 weeks to make sure I have done all that I possibly can.

The Mission Office is the only place that has AC in Rego. Thus all

the missionaries. 

Skyping with Bermuda is not as fun as going to Bermuda but still nice.

We didn't sail the seven seas but we ate there! 

The sunset over the METS stadium.

We had three exchanges this week, with the Bermuda sisters (Skype exchange), the Far Rockaway sisters, and the Rego sisters. Sister Persinger has an obsession with Hamilton and goes to ComicCon every year which is awesome, and Sister Allen loves Disney. Sister Thomas inspires me to go to Hawaii, and Sister Grimsman inspires me to become an artist. Sisters Wuthrich and Maldonado just look like they are on vacation every day, which is cool.

Tornado Crepe deliciousness in Corona. 

People let the fire hydrants go free here.

Which sadly wastes a lot of water but it is for a good purpose, right...?

One tender mercy happened two Fridays ago. We were fruitlessly knocking with a member before a lesson and I saw a family walking past on the street behind us. I let them walk away and got this feeling that I should talk to them but I ignored it for a bit. I kept feeling it but we were knocking doors which I thought was what the Lord wanted from me at that moment so I simply put off the feeling (also known as ignoring the prompting of the Holy Ghost). And then they stopped, the little girl got something stuck and they paused. They were a good bit away at this point and I had a panicked feeling (the "what if I go to God after I die and have to account for not talking to this perfect little Hispanic family and I could have helped them change their lives" feeling) and then I just ran like a bullet to them and said, "¡Hola! ¿Ustedes han visto a los misioneros antes?" The mom looked shocked, then admitted she was a member who hadn't been to church since coming to this country.

We went to visit her on the following Monday night and as we were talking she admitted that the two days prior to us approaching her she had been praying harder than ever before in her life due to several severe trials in her life. She had seen us missionaries as they were passing by and not said a word, but "YOU came up to ME," she stated several times. She said that she knew that God had answered her prayers and that she needed the church back in her life. She shared her testimony of how God will answer our prayers in the exact moment He knows that we need an answer. It strengthened my testimony, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach her and her family. I know that God knows each of you and wants to answer your prayers.

I hope your next week is beautiful,

Hermana Ally Voss