First Week In Bathgate

Hey Family,

We're here in Bathgate now!! Our new area. :) So here's the deal....We're part of the Livingston ward- which has a set of elders so we're in a shared ward like I was in Irvine. The elders cover Livingston area, and we are opening up the Bathgate area and we live here in Bathgate so that's nice. We cover a lot of surrounding towns as well. I have been so impressed so far with the Livingston Ward! Holy Cow. We got off the train and three members were there to greet us- two of which were men from the ward to help us transport our luggage to our new house- which was really nice of them being that we had 6 suitcases between the 3 of us. We had 3 dinner appointments scheduled for us when we arrived. (The ward is really excited to have sister missionaries) We stay in a little house- just like I did in Irvine. But this one is really nice- very new and modern looking. The only problem is, there was a miscommunication and they didn't realize it was 3 of us coming in. So we had to do some rearranging. Basically, we changed the living room into a bedroom. I'll send pictures when I can, but I'll need to get a camera cord because these computers in Bathgate don't have a camera card reader. So I'll have to send a picture of the 3 of us and our house next week!

But anyways, I love our Bathgate!! This is a really cute town. We cover a little bit more area than I did in Irvine. We live right in the town center which is very convenient. Everything is close by us. There's a lot of festivities going on right now because they are in the middle of the Highland Games and Bag Pipe Championships so the town is covered in colorful flags, and lots of men are running around in kilts for the games. I had to tell Sister Oliphant and Sister Valadez that it's not always like this haha you don't always see men running around in kilts like this. It's just a fun time of the year right now. Oh, so Sister Oliphant is from West Jordan, Utah and is 19 years old. Sister Valadez is also 19 years old and is from St. George, Utah. She lives right next to Tuachan! I keep having companions that are from very sentimental family places of ours haha. They are really great. We're getting along well so far- no problems there. We're struggling to teach in unity right now. It's pretty bad haha it's tough to teach with 3 and to keep it balanced. But we're doing loads of role plays and practicing teaching in our training hour and companionship hour so there's improvement there, but still needs more work. We'll get there. Sister Valadez and Sister Oliphant are so cute in finding situations- they crack me up. I have us switch off approaching people (something that absolutely terrifies them but we all go through the phase), but if the people ask them something or say something that they don't know how to reply to, they just turn their heads to me with these big, wide eyes of desperation. Bascially their eyes are telling me, 'HELP!!!' Haha. It's good fun. They will get there. It just takes time and practice.

We have been able to see a couple of miracles from this weekend. The very first person that we street contacted in Bathgate was actually a long lost member. He was baptised back in 1993 and fell away shortly after. He visited with him and he's interested in us coming by. He lives with his brother whose not a member so hopefully we can teach the two of them when we go and see them this week.

Another big miracle- we chapped the door of a young Philipino family. The mother, Hazel, answered the door and we were talking to her about Jesus Christ and we asked her if she felt Christ was a part of her life. She became very emotinal and asked us if she could pick up her house really quick and then she would let us in. She told us to come back in 30 minutes. We went and chapped some more doors with no success and then came back to Hazel's. She let us right in and told her 10 year old son to turn off the tv and had her husband come in. We were able to teach them and the spirit was so strong as Hazel was telling us that she has been praying this week for help and for a way to find peace in her life. She was very emotional as she told us that she knows that God sent us to her. It was an absolute miracle. It just confirmed to me how much Heavenly Father loves his children and wants to answer their prayers and cries for help. They were the most loving, accepting, gracious people I've ever met. They fed us and kept expressing gratitude that we would come to their door and share 'words from the Lord' as they would say. It was an incredible experience for us. So we are teaching them and there is a lot of potential with Hazel, Norman, and their son Ninu. They are the nicest people. Except, now, Sister Valadez and Sister Oliphant are saying they want to go and serve in the Philipines instead because of how receptive they are haha. So we're excited about them. They are planning on coming to church with us next week. (Yesterday was Stake Conference in Edinburgh)

Well, we need to run. But I like the new area and the loads of members we've been able to meet already- even without being at the ward for church yet. I think we will really enjoy serving here!

Love you all,

Sister Knab

Big Changes! I can't breathe

My Family,

We got our transfer news last night as I told you. Try not to laugh as you read my moves call.....I'm moving to Livingston, Scotland to open a new area in Bathgate and will be training two new sisters. Haha can you believe that? And then President Brown's comforting words, "This is as hard as it comes Sister Knab." I am in shock right now. This is unreal! I'm actually mostly excited for this challenge and new adventure but part of me is really nervous. That part of me kept me up last night. I couldn't fall asleep until sometime after midnight because I was tossing and turning. My mind was racing and my stomach is doing funny things. But it'll be fine. It'll be okay and it will be fun to experience! I'm just nervous as well as excited. This will be quite the experience. President Brown was telling me that the office ladies had a hard time finding accommodation for us since it would need to be an apartment where 3 single beds could fit into one bedroom, but they were able to manage to find something for us. I'll be leaving for Edinbugh early Wednesday morning to go to the mission home and hike Pratt's Hill and have the new missionary orientation they always do and that's when I'll find out who my trainees will be and then we'll be off to start the new area in Livingston! In the mean time, these next two days will be full of goodbyes that I am not looking forward to. Saying goodbye is going to be really hard on me...It doesn't seem real that I'm leaving the people here. I feel like I'm going on holiday for a week and then I'll be back to Irvine. There are so many emotions going through me right now. This can't be healthy! But it's good. Like I said, I'm mostly excited, but just a little nervous and a little heartbroken to be leaving the people in Irvine that I have served around for half of my mission. These next two days will be rough but we'll survive! Sister Passey will be staying in Irvine and training as well. Big, big changes!

I love you all. We just talked yesterday so I don't have much else to say- but there is my transfer news! It made me so happy being able to see everyone yesterday! That was so great.

Have a good week and I'll talk to you next week about my new area!

With love,

Sister Knab

May 7th, 2013

My Family!

I don't have much time, but I just wanted to write and tell you all that I love you and I'm excited to see your faces on Sunday :) Jon's baptism was on Sunday! I attached some pictures of his big day and also a picture of a cute, young family that we have been teaching for a while. Next up- I want to see them dressed in white as well :) Jon's baptism went very smoothly.

I am so happy and full of gratitude right now!!!! I was reading my first journal of when I met Jon back with Sister Tylka. I distinctly remember meeting Jon because I saw him walking towards us and I had been telling myself that I was going to stop him (I was only 3 weeks out so it still made me nervous and uncomfortable at that point). I gathered up courage and stopped him from walking and told him who we were and asked him what it would mean to him to know that we have a prophet on the earth today. He stood there in silence and then said, "That was a strange way to start a conversation" . Haha. But he stood there and listened thankfully! And we were able to teach him about prophets and a little about the restoration for about 15 minutes and set a return appointment! I've been thinking about that experience, and I've concluded that if someone's heart is prepared for the message, then it won't matter what the initial approach is or if it comes out awkward, because they will be able to recognize the spirit of the message that we share. Sister Tylka and I taught Jon for 3 months and then one day his phone line wouldn't go through and he had never given us his address. So we tried phoning him for about 3 weeks but it was clear that his phone was not in use anymore. I thought maybe he had blocked our number or something. But I remember Sister Tylka and I felt unsettled that we had lost contact with him because his testimony was really growing strong and he just seemed so ready for the gospel. So we had prayed hard that we would get in contact with him again. Pericodically I would trying phoning his number, in hopes that he got it settled, but nothing ever came of it. Then, like I told you, 5 months later, Sister Passey and I ran into him in town!!! Turns out he still wanted to be taught and he had dropped and broke his phone so he lost all his contacts and had to get a new one.

Anyways, fast forward to this week, and he is now baptised! :) He's amazing. It's really evident the relationship that he has gained with Heavenly Father. Any little doubt or nervousness he would have leading up to his baptism, he would pray about it and turn to the scriptures to find the answers and peace he was looking for and he always got it and would report back to us on it. He knows the church is true and has developed a strong habit of studying the scritpures and praying daily which I know will bless his life so much because of his desires to do it so diligently. He is going to really build the kingdom with the faith and desires that he has. I am so grateful the Lord allowed a situation for us to get in contact with him again!!!!! The baptism was a huge turn out- we had about 50 people (less actives, investigators, and members) there. We had made invitations early on and really focused on inviting everyone we possibly could. It worked out well. It was a GREAT day. Teaching the restored gospel to people and helping them to see the truth makes me so happy :)

Talk to you on Sunday!

Love,

Sister Knab