I Belong Here

​This week Sister Bartsch and I have been super busy!! Being busy is a blessing, and the changes we have been making sure have been paying off! In other words, Heavenly Father is definitely hearing our prayers and answering them. It's been a good week, here in Clinton. 

You know you're adjusting to the South when in the middle of talking Sister Black stops you to point out to everyone that you've only been out for three weeks and you said "Y'all"! And then you realize that you didn't even know you had said it!

On Monday night we went bowling with the special needs adults we read with! They were so cute, and always got so excited for each other if they did well. It was sweet to watch, and I love how happy these guys always are!

Bowling!!!

On Tuesday we brought a recent convert, Summer, to a lesson. It's so great having a member present, because it helps our investigator's see that it's not just us missionaries who believe the things we say. After that, we taught Summer in Big Lots. Haha, teaching in a store produces some weird looks, but that's okay! 

Teaching Summer a lesson in Big Lots

On Thursday, we went to the Mississippi Food Network again and even though it's super hot in there, it always ends up being really fun! (Please excuse the fact that I look so awkward though. I promise that's the look I was going for). 

Service at the Mississippi Food Network

That night, we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ with chalk to Shante, Janaria, and Destiny! Shante and Janaria are set for baptism here in a few weeks, and we're excited for them! We're also happy to say that we all made it to heaven.

Chalk Art Lesson

Bible study on Friday was crazy!! Normally we have 3-4 ladies who stay and listen. But this week, we had like 12-13!! Far too many for a selfie, so we opted for a mirror pic. instead! We did a sort of follow up to the testimonies talk we had the week before and talked about strengthening and sharing that testimony. Which somehow turned into a lesson on showing love and not just saying it. But either way, it was a good lesson, and we were excited that so many of them stayed and participated!

Bible Study

On Saturday morning we went to the Clinton Visitor's Center again. We go there to try to contact a referral, but have not yet found them. But a group of men go there every week and sing and so we stay to listen! And this week we got to sing with them!! It was so much fun, and I loved it! Afterwards, one of the men asked us what it's like being Mormon missionaries in the most Baptist city of the most Baptist state in the U.S. I couldn't help but laugh, because it can be kind of hard sometimes! Luckily, we're not here just to baptize people. As Sister Bartsch was able to explain to him. 

That night our ward had a Pioneer Day party! Turns out, that's not just a Utah celebration! Sister Bartsch and I helped set up, and I cut my first watermelon. I have never been a big fan of that fruit, but boy I sure do love it now! I ate so much of it this week!! The party was great though, a lot of time and effort was put into it. And I think it's important to remember all of the sacrifices that the pioneers made so that we could have this gospel.

Sister Crosby, Sister Bartsch, Sister & Brother Black

Ward Pioneer Day Party

On Sunday we ate lunch with the Boone's and got to have a mini testimony meeting. The spirit was very strong as everyone shared what they know.

Sunday night Sister Bartsch and I made the best cornbread ever!! We are pretty proud of it. And it's dang good. Just saying.

Best Cornbread Ever!!!

But probably the biggest thing that happened for us this week was being able to meet Diane! The week before, we tracted for about 8 hours, and had pretty much no success. So we did inspired tracting and basically prayed very hard to know where to go and narrowed it down to three streets. We were on one of them on Wednesday and weren't really feeling it. We had been out awhile, and talked about going home and finding a better use for our time. So we prayed to know what to do. And right after we opened our eyes, we saw a lady up the street!! (Spoiler: It wasn't Diane). We walked over to her super fast and started talking, but she wasn't very interested and went back inside. So the lady we thought may have been an answer to our prayers...wasn't. 

So we decided to head back home, and maybe stop by a couple more houses on our way to the car. I suggested we go to a house that was to our right. So we did, and Miss Diane opened the door!! Long story short, we talked with her for a long time and she seems super prepared to hear the message of the gospel! She's been looking for  a church to go to and hasn't felt like any of the ones here have been quite right and she doesn't feel very welcome in them. And no, she has not yet tried our church ;)  We cleared up some questions she had, and set up a return appointment for tomorrow night!! We're super excited about her, and it's even kind of funny that we found her right after making the decision to drop our other Diane! 

Heavenly Father hears our prayers, and knows where we need to be.

Being a missionary is great! 

And between saying "y'all", singing with an old country band, and making some really good corn bread, I think it's safe to say that I am adjusting well!

And starting to feel like I really do belong here :)

-Love Sister Crosby

Hooray for Missionary Work!!

Well folks, this week has been pretty eventful.

I got my first basher! Yay! But more on that later. 

On Monday we taught a family home evening lesson, and on Tuesday we served at the Mississippi Food Network again. We drove past the old Jackson Hotel and it's creepy.

Old Jackson Hotel

Wednesday was my first Zone Training Meeting, and our zone is big! But it was a good meeting and I liked getting to meet more missionaries. That night I also ate okra for the first time, in vegetable soup. Apparently you can't have a vegetable soup without okra. 

Zone Training Meeting - Elders are crazy!

Thursday, was a packed day! We were super excited to finally go see a referral we had. But we got there and there was nobody home. So that was great. When we got home though, a member from the ward (Sister Patterson) brought us some chicken and dumplin's and cornbread! So I tried that for the first time too. It mostly just reminds me of poached eggs? Which is weird, but true. It was pretty good and really sweet of her to bring it to us.

Later in the afternoon, we volunteered at the Woods Center where we read with a group of special needs adults. I sat by Matthew and Seth, and Matthew called me his girlfriend a few times, so I had to explain that missionaries don't have boyfriends. Page 33 and all. 

After that we decided to tract! And at our first door I was pleasantly surprised by how inviting Miss Jennifer was! She let us in and we started talking. But Sister Bartsch and I didn't actually get to talk much. We were there for an hour and a half, and heard all sorts of stories, but she was a mild basher, and it was just great. She told us that she asked God once if she should read the Book of Mormon, and an angel basically threw it out of her hands. So to demonstrate this to us she used a Bible and threw it. And Sister Bartsch said, "Whoa, careful! That's a Bible!" And it was great! Love Sister Bartsch! We finally got out and went to another door and he just kind of didn't say anything just shut the door...so we decided to head back home!

Luckily the night ended with a less active family telling us that they have seen lots of miracles this week and they are coming back to church! We are very excited for them! 

Sister Bartsch also lost What Are the Odds that night and ran out in the pouring rain!

Friday was one month of me being a missionary!! Hooray for missionary work!! 

We also taught our Bible study that morning and it went super well! We talked about testimonies. Sister Bartsch and I shared ours and the spirit was very strong. Definitely a good experience! And afterwards we took a selfie! It was their first selfie, and I feel honored I got to take it!

Bible Study Group

On Saturday Sister Bartsch and I were being good people and went to take our garbage out, but I shut the door and we ended up locked on our back porch. We called our elders but they didn't answer. I climbed over to our neighbor's porch, but no one was home. We both tried to climb/jump down but were too chicken and weak. And we had a pizza in the oven. But Heavenly Father was looking out for us and Sister Cruz came and saved us! And the pizza. Brother Cruz took a picture of us stuck up there.

Locked Out

That afternoon we had a real talk with Miss Diane and basically we established that we're here to be more than just her friend and so we dropped her until she can decide if this gospel is something she wants to work towards. Hopefully she will someday have a desire to actually read the Book of Mormon on her own and keep commitments. She's super nice and could really benefit from the gospel. 

Saturday is also movie night, and this week we built a fort! So we ate my enchiladas, and some ice cream while we watched a movie in the fort. It was a great way to end the night!

Basically a masterpiece!!!

Sunday night we had a conversion fireside where converts shared their testimonies and stories. There was a sweet spirit and it was neat to hear how each of them chose to come to Christ. 

I invite each of you to think of your own conversion and maybe to write down your testimonies. I know this church is true and am grateful I have the chance to share it with so many people. 

(Even if they want to bash) ;) 

Love y'all!  

Oh, and look how cute! Elder Eells and I match today! ​

This Week's Update is Brought to you by the Color Green!

Green, green, green. 

If the whole world were green. 

Oh, boy so many things I could title this! But I'm a greenie!!

And I worked with convicts who wore green, Sister Bartsch was sick so she too was a little green, and there's tons of trees here so the whole state is green!

Decorated my planner.

This week has been a long one for sure. Ups and downs as was expected. But things are going well now! Mississippi is hot. But not the death zone I was expecting, so that was a pleasant surprise! Of course this week was our week to have the car, so next week's tale may be quite different. 

President Olson and his wife are super sweet, and just very classy! Haha, which is weird of me to say, but they are. I had to say goodbye to sweet Sister Giles, as she's now in Louisiana, but Sister Bartsch is great! She's been sick this week though, so we've been inside a bit. 

Wednesday was District meeting, and that's pretty much all I remember about that day.

My Clinton District

Thursday we went and volunteered at the Mississippi Food Network (where we worked with the convicts). We just stacked and moved boxes for awhile, but it was good work! And afterwards, Sister Bartsch and I went to get ice cream! Because nothing is better than ice cream after Mississippi heat. 

On Saturday, I met the Black's! And they are the sweetest people in the entire world!! We shared a message with them and then they took us out to lunch. And Brother Black loves cheesy jokes! So you better believe we've been exchanging some! Then we went to visit some people and Sister Bartsch and I went tracting. Which was hot. And maybe slightly scary. And then we went to visit a fairly recent convert, Summer. At which point, it was pouring rain. So we got rather wet...but it was really fun! 

Church here was interesting yesterday. During second hour, the power went out, and so we finished our lesson and went to go to Relief Society and found that everyone was heading home. So third hour was cancelled, even though the power came back on about 40 minutes later. But Sister Bartsch and I went to a nursing home, and then to lunch with the Boone family. The Boone's are like the Clinton equivalent to the White's in Magna. Haha! They were great!

Sunday night we visited the Scott's after tracting and they had tiny puppies! Which were great until we thought they might have had fleas...and so we put those puppies promptly back. 

Mom: I found you that Mississippi license plate you were looking for ;)

The peanut butter picture is mostly just to assure everyone that I'm still me.

Oh! I'm not the only Crosby here! There's some Crosby's in my ward! I've only met one, but I sure have heard a lot about them! Haha, hopefully I'll meet them all soon!

When I get home, I'll have to pray like a southerner for y'all. It's pretty great! Especially if you get a prayer talker. It's so funny to me, but I love it! And I'm kind of picking up the accent. Just saying. 

But the people down here sure love Jesus, and that's a pretty good start! I'm starting to love it here! Even with all of the roaches...

My apartment

Have a blessed week!

Love Sister Crosby

Good Morning from Mississippi!!

Good Morning from Mississippi!!

The plane was great!  I got nauseous, but it was okay. Just talking helped pass the time, and I feel like a travel pro, because we figured everything out just fine!

It's super green and pretty here. I do quite like all of the trees! And apparently today is a pretty humid day, but I didn't think it was too awful, so that's cool!  Granted, we've spent a lot of time inside and in air conditioned cars, but it's cool. 

It was a good night! We ate good food, played some ping-pong and had a little meeting. Us Sisters all slept in the same room one last time, and it was pretty good. Bless Sister Miller, she had me laughing all night!  We heard fireworks, but only saw a few.  We went to bed early, and that's the best sleep I've gotten in a long time!

My trainer will be Sister Bartsch! (I think that's how it's spelled?)  We're staying right here in Clinton, Mississippi! Everyone says she's super great, and I'm lucky to have her as a companion. And also she's Canadian, but she moved from Canada to Riverton when she was 11. Oh, and it's her birthday today!  

My new companion and trainer, Sister Bartsch

President and Sister Olson are super sweet. I have pictures to send, but I don't have a cord or anything, so that will have to wait until next Monday I guess. Oh, and I'll actually need to buy a bike because my area is a shared car area, so every other week I'll need to bike or walk everywhere.  Oh, and I cannot even tell you how glad I am to be out of the MTC showers. :')

Sister Giles is going to Louisiana! I'm so excited for her!! But it's kind of weird that we won't even be in the same state. I'll miss her dearly, but I'll be praying we end up back together. Maybe even at the end of our missions, because that would be so cool! I just love her, she's so great and has helped me a lot.

My last night at the MTC with Sister Giles

Sister Crosby, Sister Giles, Sister Penrod, and Sister Miller

MTC District with our teachers

 Love you all to the moon and back, have a good week, and learn lots!

-Sister Crosby