Week 27 - Papillion - TORNADOS!

Hi everyone.

This week was so wild. I love being a missionary in Omaha, Nebraska.

Tuesday 4/23 

Nothing very noteworthy happened. Sister Soares had an MRI appointment so we went to the hospital with her to do that and basically just did a lot of studying and contacting people by text or facebook. Then we went to dinner and that was about it. 

Wednesday 4/24

In the morning we went over to do some service for some members in the ward. We helped them sand their whole deck so that they can refinish it. Then we went and met some cool people, planted some seeds, and went to see this man we are teaching named Jeremiah. He is in the air force and his wife is Japanese. He's really cool but we've never met his wife because she's been in Japan for a couple weeks. We are teaching him and his son Kentaro. He has been taught in the past and has some friends that are members so he knows a lot. Also my 6-month mark!!!! WHAT!!!

Thursday 4/25 

We had Zone Conference! It was a really good one and I learned a lot about faith and the significance that faith has in missionary work. After ZC we went to dinner with the Spanish Elders and Brother Thompson and his girlfriend Chloe! backstory on Chloe and Bro Thompson: Bro T has a daughter who is serving a mission in Orem UT right now and because he hears all about her and her stories and miracles, he loves to feed and support us here. So we have dinner with him and Chloe at least once a week because Chloe is a Vietnamese chef and she makes the most DIVINE food I've ever eaten. We never knew if Chloe was a member or not though, because she doesn't have records in the ward, but she has been with Bro T for about 4 years and comes to church sometimes and fits in very well. We never asked because we didn't want to offend her or something. Today though, I had a really strong prompting to ask her. Long story short, she isn't. She grew up Buddhist in Vietnam and religion wasn't really a big part of her culture so she never really thought about God until she came to the US when she was 18. But she feels the spirit all the time and knows that he is there and that the church is true. So we taught her the Restoration that night. (she already knew it all though) She is so incredible, I love Chloe.

Friday 4/26

Me and Sister Miller were sick and throwing up all day. We didn't get to go out :(

Saturday 4/27

Jeffery got baptized! I was still pretty sick but I couldn't miss it, so I went anyway hahaha. So many people were there! Jeffery invited everyone he knew. His grandson even drove out from Portland. It was amazing and spirit filled and we are so happy for him.

Sunday 4/28

Kim & Savannah & Jeffrey were all confirmed. We were on top of the world. The work is progressing and the Lord's hand is in all things. 

I love being a missionary here and I know this is the true church of Jesus Christ. This is truly the Lord's work and I see miracles every day. I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!

P.S. There were no tornadoes this week even though the week felt like a tornado itself. That was pure clickbait. If you read all the way down here shoot me an email and tell me how you're doing because I love & miss you.

The Trio

Eating with Jeffrey and his family after the baptism. All I could stomach was plain veggie rolls, no soy sauce. I made it out alive.

Pretty Tree

Talking to Mom on Pday :)

Me & Sister Sorares

Pretty Trees!

Pretty!

Me, at Jeffrey's Baptism, dying because I was super sick this day and the day before

A member gave me a flower press and it's my favorite thing

Chloe!

Week 26 - Papillion - Hermana Marrón

Hola!!!! 

This week it was 87° and miserably humid. Bugs are EVERYWHERE. We aren't sure where spring went, it just skipped right to summer. 

We are teaching some awesome people here in Omaha!

Francisco is a younger guy who's first language is actually Spanish, but he speaks super good English, so we get to teach him instead of the Spanish Elders. He has a friend/co-worker who is serving her mission in Las Vegas and she sent him a Book of Mormon a while ago which he started reading! Then we knocked on his door and told him about the Book of Mormon and he was like, "oh yeah I'm reading that and trying to figure out if its true." So we set up a return appointment. We've been teaching him since then and he is AMAZING! he feels the spirit so strong and has a great testimony of the Book of Mormon and really wants to just follow the savior. When it's the right time, it's the right time. This is truly the Lords work, I am just being his hand here on earth to help guide his children. 

We also had a baptism on Saturday for Kim and Savannah!!! We worked with them for a long time and they both have such strong testimonies. You can feel the light and love of Christ so strong through them and their desire to serve and do what's right. 

Unfortunately, Nicholas, the crazy one we were teaching hasn't been showing up to meetings or answering his phone, and he told us if that happens he might be dead. So we pray that he is alright...that's all we can do. 

I seriously love being a missionary. I love sharing the gospel with everyone and every day I learn more and more about Jesus Christ. He is our Savior, our Redeemer, and our Brother. 

Love you all!!!

Me in a bonnet

Pretty Tree

Pretty Spring Blossoms

Captain America at Service?

Kim, Sophie, Savannah, Sister Miller, Sister Soares

One of Madi's original designs

Baptism Prep

Baptism Day

The Tripanionship

The Programs that Sister Miller made herself!!!

Sister Spencer and I with Bleach

Me and Kim

Behind the scenes of the #askme video

87 Degree Day!

Me and Sophie

At Lunch

#askme

Dancing with Sophie

Week 25 - Papillion

Hey everyone! I'm in Omaha now! In a trio!!! The city is WILD!!! 

We are teaching this guy named Jeffery and he is just obsessed with getting baptized and receiving all the ordinances he can. It's great but we are like okay slow down you can't just jump in like that. But he used to live in Vegas for a long time and he managed Caesars Palace and used to be a multimillionaire, (!!!???!?!) Then he lost everything (probably gambling on horseraces) and now he lives in Omaha in this tiny apartment. But he is like 70 and has a gold mine in Europe that he is trying to cash in so he can buy a mansion again or something (sometimes he gets random calls from London he has to answer in lessons) He also was good friends with Elvis and Cher and tells us lots of stories about Elvis cheating on his wife, but always assures us that "it's just the way it was" and how he was still a really great guy. 

We also invited this other crazy drug dealer we are teaching named Nicholas to come to church and he didn't come, but he called us after and informed us that the reason he couldn't make it was because he didn't feel like stealing another car. At least he's kind of keeping the commandments. He also told us that for our next appointment he could meet us at the house where "Stutters shot Big Head" which is apparently the house we met him at, which is apparently the house of a drug lord, where a guy named Worm threw a machete next to us because "he can't have weapons around women it's just impolite" and where a couple people were murdered (RIP big head) 

Omaha is crazy town. Missionaries truly have protecting Angels hahahahaha.

I love you all!!!!

The squirrel obsession continues...

Martinelli's Miracle (Every Monday we buy a bottle of Martinelli's and pray for a miracle that week. When the miracle happens, we open the bottle and celebrate)

Flower in my hair that a little kid on the street gave me

Savannah...an awesome 12-year-old that we are teaching who is getting baptized this weekend

A Vietnamese member who is a chef made us oxtail pho for dinner

Jeffrey! Getting baptized on the 27th

Bigfoot Sighting #2

Savannah at church!

Jeffery

Weeks 22, 23 & 24 - Nebraska City and Papillion

(Written by Mom as told by Madi)

P-Day of week 24 was crazy. They had a sudden transfer and only had a few hours to prepare.  Madeline is now in the Omaha area (Papillion in the Cottonwood Ward) in a Trio with Sister Miller and Sister Soares. It was a crazy, emotional day, having to leave so suddenly and not have a chance to properly say goodbye to the area and the people she grew to love there, especially after being in Nebraska City for so long.

Madi is loving Papillion and loved the opportunity to serve with Helping Hands Cleaning mud out of homes the first week in Papillion. She is enjoying both of her new companions, and meeting new people and exploring the city of Omaha.

Weeks 22 & 23, Nebraska City:

Corn Mailbox

Flood Cleanup

Introducing Sister Church to Sushi! (She's terrified)

Last pictures with Harley, she moved to Missouri. 

Just another house in Nebraska City!

"The Good Life"

At the Temple with Nana and Ayden

Cleaning Sister Mendoza's rug at the car wash

Week 24, Papillion:

Cottonwood Sisters!

Guy we met walking, we don't know his real name because he gave us 3 fake names while we were talking to him. We helped him clean out his garage and gave him a Book of Mormon

Running in the Rain...

Exchanges with Sister Spencer

New companions, Helping with flood cleanup

Flood Cleanup