Gee willickers this was quite the week!

A lot of stuff happened. I'll just start at the beginning.

It was warm this week! I don't think I wore my coat outside once. That was a blessing to finally see some sun! We actually had to turn our AC on one day. Crazy weather!

The night we had no power and almost froze to death!

Tuesday and Wednesday I was sick with a head cold that had been going around, so we didn't get much done. This is what happened on those days:

Tuesday- We went to Hardees (the same as Carls Jr) with Sister Price and her son Kevin for dinner. Guess what? There was like an old folk bluegrass band set up in the corner. There were microphones, speakers, sound boards, etc. all set up. I got so excited! The band was just getting there and finished setting up. We sat right next to the equipment and it took all I had not to just go roll up the mic cords. I was a happy camper. Then these old people just started singing like pasty cline and jonny cash type songs. Right there in the Hardees! Haha! It made me happy :) Everyone thought I was crazy... That's the way I like it!

Wednesday- We went and helped John pick up a bunch of limbs that had fallen from the ice storm. John is a funny guy. He is 70 and is Amanda's dad. He is really against the church, but he likes us. We are working on him. Not sure if he will ever join the church, but he has gotten better. Well, he knew I was sick before and he was just so worried about me. He gave me some medicine and called to check on me in the morning. He calls me cutie pie and sister Roundy redneck... Not sure how I got my name, but Sister Roundy got hers because she drives a truck back home. He is a funny guy! Definitely a character to remember. 

We also helped Bosco and Jo pick up limbs on Monday. Bosco and Jo live down the street from us. They are funny people. an older couple. like mid to late 50s. and we go and visit them. Bosco always warns us of the swamp ape that lives behind our trailer supposedly.  Oh! and possums too. They aren't real interested in learning more, but we check up on them. After we helped him for a while he got us some dinner. Then we went to the church and picked up limbs from there!  I've worn pants more in the past two weeks between the storm and helping people than I have in 5 months! Appreciate what you've got, kids... :)

Thursday- can't remember.

Friday- Daya  got baptized. The elders taught her. She is 15 and is the first one in her family to get baptized. She is a very courageous and sweet girl. 

Saturday- We had some plans to work in Pawley's Island, but felt we needed to go check out a referral we had got that lives in Murrels Inlet. So, we went out there. We met Doug and Julie Cummins. They just moved from Maryland and had been meeting with some Elders up there. They said they really loved and respected those elders. They were real busy, but they want us to come back and teach them more. 

Get this- they moved into a house right down the street from a less-active sister we have been trying to see forever, but she never answers the door. We went and tried her since we were out there. She answered the door!! It was awesome. She has gone through a lot in the past couple years, but things are finally starting to look up. She wants us to come back and help her with some things in her house. The cool thing was that I shared a scripture from the Book of Mormon and she just started bawling. The spirit was so strong. Heavenly Father really does know what we need. He knows you and he loves you. He will find a way to get the message you need to hear to you. 

Then that night Amanda got baptized!! We were a little worried about her getting in and out of the font because she is blind and has a messed up ankle, but it all worked out just perfect. And she only had to go under once. Both the elders were in there to help her and make sure she went under all the way. It was just a really good baptism. A bunch of the ladies from Relief Society came and a bunch of her non-member family came from Conway. Oh! also, her mom has been real sick, but she came anyway. The elders just asked if she wanted a blessing and she said yes. Come to find out Amanda had been praying for a way that her mom could get a blessing. Man... I just love being a missionary! 

Me, Amanda, Sister Roundy and Amanda's sister in the back.

She got confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was given the Holy Ghost Sunday. So was Daya. They both were just so happy. Amanda couldn't stop smiling! It was a really, really great day. It was very hard to teach Amanda. She definitely  tested our knowledge, patience, and testimonies. But we were able to see the Holy Ghost change her heart and her motives. She is an awesome lady. And I love her a lot. 

So, that's basically what happened this week... :) That's probably one of the longest emails I have sent in a while. But I hope you liked it. Have a good week! 

Rewind Back to the Beginning

Some people have expressed an interest in being able to read Missy's farewell talk. I am posting her main outline but it is not the actual talk she gave because as you know, those of you who know Missy, she tends to "wing it". This was on September 29, 2013.

Enjoy,
Monica

I'm so excited to see all of your faces here today! You don't know how much your support means to me. Thank you.

For those of you who may not know, or might have forgotten, I have been called to serve in the South Carolina Columbia mission, and I leave this Wednesday. It's crazy how quickly, yet how slowly the time went by, but it's finally here and I'm quite eager to embark on this new adventure.

We went on trek a few years ago to Martin's Cove as a stake. Shout out to anyone who has gone on trek. Shout out to anyone who remembers my multiple emotional breakdowns, which were triggered because we ran out of cheese.

We had a theme song entitled, "God Was There." I feel that it really puts to light the struggles those early saints had to endure. I would like to read the words.

No we never walked alone across the mountains, even with the blizzard blowing strong. No we never felt abandoned by the mighty Lord above- for he filled our hearts with deep and purest love.

No we never crossed a river that was frozen- Never faced the windy snows alone. No we never felt abandoned by the mighty Lord above- for in our trials we learned of endless love.

We felt him near us as we knelt in prayer. Knowing he was there gave us hope to carry on. We felt him near us as we froze in sleep. Knowing he could keep, gave us hope to carry on. Our lord and savior heard each crying plea, answered tenderly to carry on, to carry on.

No we never thought that God had really left us. Never dreamed to see the things we saw. No we never felt abandoned by the mighty lord above for he filled our hearts with courage deep and strong

No we never ventured onward without knowing truly God was watching over all. Though our weary bones and dying can only testify, he watched us as we pushed for Zion's home.

We felt him near us as we forged the trail. Knowing oh so well, gave us life to carry on. we felt him near us, clearly God could see. Knowing, He, with love filled our hearts eternally.

We testify now. Let it ring in ear. Everyone must hear. Know this that God was there. That God was there. So carry on for God was there. 

The saints who crossed the plains had so much going against them, but they had even more going for them. I feel like the pioneers are superb examples of being not moved in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. While on trek we got a very small glimpse of the pioneers' lives. However, there were a few differences. We had plenty of food. We didn't freeze-in fact, it was quite warm- and our trek only lasted 3 days. Those are some pretty big differences if you ask me.

I cried because I dropped my hamburger bun on the ground, spilled soda on my shirt, and I couldn't get beans because then they would touch my grapes. It's actually pretty silly now that I look back on it. BUT, they cried because they had to bury their husbands, and wives, and children, and friends. They cried because they didn't have enough to eat. They cried because they were always so cold. They cried because they had gone so far and felt like they couldn't go any further. But they kept going because they knew that this is the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. They wanted so desperately to be a part of it. Their faith and trust in Jesus Christ pushed them through the times when the devil sent forth his mighty winds and when all his hail and his mighty storm beat upon them. They made it through because they knew what was ahead if they would endure to the end. 

Those saints who crossed the plains were so strong. They were so faithful. I don't believe it was easy at all. It wasn't easy for them to stand immovable in the Gospel of Jesus Christ in their day and age. I don't feel that it is always easy for us either. We have a completely different set of challenges than they did, but it is still hard to stand up for what we believe in sometimes. 

We can thank Satan for that. He is real. He is so incredibly real. And he is out there trying to pull us down, trying to ensnare our hearts in his chains of destruction. He will do anything to make us falter and think that we can't return to the goodness of God.

The adversary is going to beat us down. He is going to tell us we're not good enough and it's too hard to stand strong in the Gospel. He is going to tell us that we aren't worth it, and we can't do it. So just give up. Here's the thing: Satan doesn't love you. Why listen to someone who doesn't honestly care about us. But you know who does love us? Heavenly Father. And you are so completely, entirely worth it. You can stand strong and immovable in the Gospel on your trek through life. You can do it. We all can. The joy and knowledge that come from living the Gospel of Jesus Christ with perfect obedience is so worth it. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it.

    

     So how can we be not moved in this Gospel? I've thought of some ideas that might help. 

   *Service*

     I have been called to serve, but so have you. Whether it is a call to serve in a church position, such as the bishopric, relief society, primary, class presidency etc. or the call to be a mother, a father, a sister, a brother, or just to be a good friend. Every call to serve is valuable and never forgotten. I have found that when I am giving service, it serves me more than it serves the recipient. And it is so much fun!

* Love everyone- including yourself*

   You are enough. You are more than enough. And never let yourself believe otherwise. People make mistakes and we disappoint each other. But I know that when we make a constant effort to try and see each other through the eyes of God we can be happier and more keen to the promptings of the spirit.  

*Prayer*

     D&C 90:24

    Search diligently, pray always, and be believing, and all things shall work together for your good, if ye walk uprightly and remember the covenant wherewith ye have covenanted one with another.

      Prayer is true. Prayer works.

   Heavenly Father really is there, and he really does hear and answer every child's prayer. (10 points to Gryffindor for whoever caught on to that primary song reference. :)

*Temple*

    Temple, Temple, Temple. I can't say it enough. If you want to stand in the Gospel of Jesus Christ with unwavering faith, go to the temple frequently. If you can't yet go in, go with a full and open heart to the temple grounds, and dream of the day when you can enter. Then go quick to work to make that dream become a reality. I promise if you do this you will feel love and hope through the Holy Ghost. I know that if the temple is a priority in our daily lives we will be full with the light of Christ. We will be able to press forward on the toughest of days with strength and courage. We will more fully enjoy the good days. Our hearts will overflow with the urge to do right, and it will be easy to do that which is right. The temple is the place to be. It is through the temple that we can reach our full potential as children of a loving Heavenly Father. Through the temple we become the person we want to be, and the person God destined us to be.

     I know this is true. I have felt it in my heart. But don't just take my word for it. Find out for yourself. I know that if we always have the temple in our sights we can stand and be not moved.

Through service, love, prayer, and the temple we can be not moved. I pray that we may too be like those early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, by standing strong in our faith. I pray that we may know it is all worth it in the end. I pray that one day we may all hear the words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant" because we were unmoved. 

            I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Ice storms are real, kids.

Not sure where this picture was

taken, but I liked it.

This picture was taken in Conway, South Carolina

which is 37 miles north of Georgetown

This week was crazy! A super bad ice storm came through on Wednesday and totally obliterated South Carolina. We didn't get it half as bad as the further inland cities, though. Our power was out for 2 days. There are still people in Georgetown who don't have power and lots of power still out further inland. The first night we just roughed it. Lots of layers and blankets! The second night Sister Holm found out we didn't have power and were just sitting in our trailer. She told us we had to leave and find somewhere to go to stay warm. So, we found out our Branch President had power and he let us stay most of Thursday and the night. It was crazy. There are trees and branches all over the place! I didn't even get any good pictures... We were in survival mode. But we are good now! Good thing Sister Holm told us to leave, otherwise we might have froze in that trailer! 

Somewhere in South Carolina (I think).

 I'm not really sure what else to tell y'all about this week. The storm was the most exciting thing. We helped Bosco move limbs from his mom's house. That was an adventure! 

ummm.... Amanda is still getting baptized this Saturday. They announced it in sacrament and a bunch of people told us they already thought she was a member. She's pretty awesome! 

That's pretty much this week in a nutshell... I love ya!

Sister Broadbent :) 

A special note from Sister Broadbent's mom: when I was was updating this week's entry, I thought it would be good to include some pictures even though Missy wasn't able to send any. I  found these on the internet (good old google) and included them. I searched south carolina ice storm and these were a few of the images I found. What a weird weather year! There was more snow in South Carolina than in Cache Valley, Utah! And, I have no idea who Bosco is.

Thanks to all the followers. Send Missy (Sister Broadbent) a letter!

Monica

#thebookisblue‏

You may ask why the subject title is what it is. Well, it's because I really love the Book of Mormon. And also because I feel hip when I use hashtags. I'm not really sure what the new thing in the world is, so I'll just be the noob that uses hashtags after they are cool... :) Anyway, I really, really love the Book of Mormon. It contains so much power.

This week has been good here in Georgetown. Lots of good things are happening!

You want to buy some pass along cards?

This is our front yard

Georgetown's water tower... It sure is a character city

We have been working hard with Amanda. She had her baptismal interview with the District Leader yesterday and it was a long one- a whole hour. Usually they only take 15- 20 minutes tops. So that was a little nerve wracking, but she passed! We are still planning on the 22. The Elders in our branch have someone on date as well who is pretty solid. I don't know if I told you this, but there were only 3 baptisms the entire year of 2013 in the branch. And it was all one family. So something is happening. I'm excited!

Amanda is mostly blind, so she can't read. She knows the Bible (especially Revelations) very well though. This brought up a lot of questions that in the whole scheme of things didn't really matter. BUT we downloaded the Book of Mormon onto her kindle so she could listen to it. She started it on Tuesday and is already to Helaman. And she loves it. The change has been so noticeable in her. Her questions aren't very crazy anymore, she understands concepts easier, and she isn't argumentative hardly at all anymore. She seems much more content with her life. She told us the other day that she has found victory through tragedy. She still has serious heart ache in her life, but she seems okay with it. She is okay with the fact that life isn't easy, because she knows it will all work out. I love her so much!!

Guess what else happened? She said she knows it is the word of God!! :D I never thought I would be so happy to hear someone say they know the Book of Mormon is true. And she prayed out loud with us there the other day. I never thought these things would make me so happy, but they do! I love being a missionary and I love seeing the people we teach have a complete and total change in countenance because they have found that it is true for themselves. When you can actually see a change in their eyes. AHHH!!! I love it! :)

The sunset from yesterday going over the bridge to Maryville

Read the Book of Mormon, kids! I know that it will make your life brighter. And if you study it with all sincerity I know you will be able to see the power that it has to change how you act, think, and dream. I know that the Book of Mormon is the true word of God. It is truly another testament of Jesus Christ. And I love it.

Stay cool, kids. Have a good week. Talk to strangers. :)

Over and out- Sister Broadbent