PICTURAS!!!

LOVE THE BEAUTIFUL STAIN GLASS WINDOW OF OUR SAVIOR AND THE LAMBS!!

SPLITZ!!  SISTER HOOD & SISTER FITZ
WE LOVE GETTING TO KNOW OTHER SISTER MISSIONARIES AND SHARING GREAT IDEAS!!

DOES YOUR DOOG BITE?   YESSSS! MY DOOG BITES!!
PA & GRANNY - MAKE SURE YOU USE YOUR FRENCH ACCENT~ HAHA!!  FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T GET IT ~ DOES PINK PANTHER RING A BELL?

I LOVE THIS LADY WITH ALL
MY HEART ~ MY SELFIE SISTA!!
SISTER HOOD & SISTER CHAMBER'S

SO MUCH STRENGTH FROM THE ATONEMENT!!

Aw.. it's so good to hear from you guys. I love y'alls. ️

Welp!! Here we are again! Writing/reading the weekly email. Isn't it weird how time just keeps on going! And it goes STINKIN fast sometimes... it's sad because my time here in Corning is coming to an end. But the good news is that there are sooo many great things happening here. 

But first, Mommy I don't need really need my snow boots or my coat cuz It doesn't snow here.. hah!! Just my regular boots and warm clothes will be awesome.  also, I will be transferred Nov. 1st, so what ever you think is better for sending the package.  I'm excited to get it though! I feel like I wear the same outfits over and over..  so it will be nice to switch it up. 

My first day when I was talking to President Marston, he shared with me Doctrine and Covenants 31. In verse 5 it says that if we thrust in our sickles with ALL YOUR SOUL, and in the next verse it says to declare the word for a little time and I (the Lord) will prepare a place for them... Pres. told me and there is a place held there wide open for everyone to jump in. We also have to our part. Which is keeping our covenants and thrusting in our sickles with our WHOLE SOULS. That's what is going to bring all of his children in, if not now, later for sure. I have faith that one day our loved ones that are lost will find their way once again. I know one day our whole family will be sitting together in the temple one day... I feel that that's true. The Spirit has promised me that several times.. 

Anywho! Let's get on with it shall we! So! The highlights of the week!! We have 2 baptisms coming right up!! And no... I did not forget to tell you about these.. they both picked a date this week... hah! So.. it will be crazy.. so Kodi is getting baptized on the 30th! She's pretty close to ready I think. We prayed that it would happen if it was Heavenly Father's will and lo and behold! Here we are counting down! We still have a lot to teach her! But we are mainly focusing on the most Important things. And it makes things interesting when we are really trying to help her understand everything and she is off the wall doing whatever... patience is becoming a thing... but!! The other almost member is Nick! He is 9. He is different from the Nick that looked like the lost puppy. But he is pretty cute. Haha. He shoulda been baptized a year ago but his mom/grandma didn't think he was ready.. his date is 23rd... and no, not of November.. haha. I mean this coming Sunday,. Hah!! So stressful.. but he's a sponge so we will be good. So yeah!! Those are the highlights! 

Ron dropped us yesterday... oh my gosh... I literally cried.... he called us during ward council and left a message saying that he didn't want to bother with the church thing right now... it broke my heart.. ah!! We had such a great lesson on the Atonement and HE CRIED!!!!! BAHHH!! Stupid Satan.... I really did cry though.. it was so sad.  but, ya know, we are johnny-appleseed-isn't it up out here. Hah! Good one, eh? 

We had a lesson with Margurate. That was great. Aw! I just love her!! I held Wilma. Haha... you'll see who Wilma is.  but she was telling us that she just keeps feeling this resonating feeling when we meet with her. It just stays with her.. we try to help her recognize that it's the spirit. And she did but it hasn't quite clicked with her yet. She's a slow cooker but she'll come around  

So we had interviews with President this week. That was great! Ah! He is just so loving and so wise. I love hearing his thoughts. But I told him about some weird things that have been happening in our home... like one night, Sister Fitz just went to bed because she wasn't feeling well. So I was just sitting at my desk reading my signing journal and I kept hearing noises in the kitchen and nothing was there. Then suddenly I would feel a presence standing right behind me. I would turn around and nothing was there.. it FREAKED me out!! Of course I prayed and whatnot, but the uneasiness I felt didn't go away. I woke up like 4 times during the night and wandered around the house. It just felt wrong... then during comp study the next day, Sister Fitz read something that reminded her of her dream she had where she was casting out devils..... I about lost it.. haha. And it had been getting progressively worse as time has gone on. so. I brought that up with Pres. We talked about it and he advised us to have our Ward Mission Leader bless our home and maybe give us blessings too. So. That's what happened yesterday. It feels so much better. But in our closing prayer he asked that legions of angels would stand as sentinels guarding our home and watching over it that nothing dark would be able to enter in. I thought that was SOOO powerful!! Man.. super cool. So yeah! That was great! I always enjoy my time with President Marston! 

We also went on exchanges on Saturday. That was good... I prefer to just my own thing in my area but it's always good to learn from other Sisters. I like my companion though.. Haha. We flow well together and we just work well together. And that's how it was with Sister Seely too. I just don't like exchanges a whole lot! Nevertheless!!! I feel not to murmur. I will go and do the things which the Lord commanded.  

Well, Sister Fitz and I were talking about sacrifice and service yesterday. I love what she said. She said that it's not really a service or sacrifice unless it hurts a little. It's so true!! Service is a sacrifice. And what's the pointing of sacrificing something if it doesn't even hurt a little. It wouldn't even be a sacrifice... anyway. I just liked that. So we are trying to give more to those around us. So it will be fun. 

Oh!! Yesterday we spoke in Sacrament... oh good ghandi.. I was freaking out all week. Because there is ZERO time to do anything but teach people.. haha. But I am glad to say that it went pretty well. ️ They asked us to talk about one talk from General Conference. So I chose The Master Healer from the Women's session. It spoke to me. Love just anything that has to do with Jesus!  so I will attach my talk if y'all are bored and miss me.  hah!! But Sister Fitz talked about Elder Bednars talk, If Ye Had Known Me or something... but apparently there were tears in the congregation and our talks touched a guy who had come for the first time in years and years. Brother Lequia said that he walked out crying because it was right down his alley. I prayed like crazy to touch someone's heart, that the spirit would speak through me. And it did apparently. And I feel very inadequate when I have to speak, so of course I asked Heavenly Father to make my weaknesses become strong. So, everybody said we did really well. So that was a major tender mercy. I feel so much strength come from the Atonement. It's just such a blessing. 

Welp! That's about all I got for ya!! I love you guys a lot and I'm so grateful for each of you and the impact you have had on my life. Especially, you, mom and dad. If you weren't strong I wouldn't be either. But one thing I learned from Zone Meeting this week is that everything we have as members of the church is because of the First Vision. Think about it, it will blow you away.  well. I love ya! Have a great week!! 

Love, 

Sister Hood

PHOTOS FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT!!

MEET WILMA!!
 I HAVE TO BE BRAVE AS A MISSIONARY!!

SO PRETTY!!  

YUMMY CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!
WE ARE SO LOVED BY THE PEOPLE HERE!!

HE HAS BLESSED ME IN MY LIFE..JUST WOW!!

Hey Fam!! 

So.. one thing I need! I possible.. so since we have to be in early on Halloween, we wanted to make Zebra Popcorn and celebrate our own way!!  So could you include melting chocolates and other ingredients in in the package? Or if not, I can just buy it. But we really wanted to make.. 

Missionary life is awesome. It's hard sometimes because I really love my bed and 6:30 is so early. It seems earlier when it's dark, but what a blessing it is to serve the Lord full time. I am realizing that more and more. Well, the 'gators are doing well. We have 5 progressing right now: Felicia, Kodi, Margurate, Angelica, and Michelle. Lily Burrell and Felicia are on date. The Burrell's are the family we have been trying to get to church for ages. But since Sister Burrell was offended 15 years ago or something they haven't been back... isn't that so so sad!! She is forfeiting the blessings Heavenly Father wants to give her family. Not to mention her responsibility as a parent to rear her children in righteousness... it's so hard...  But it's part of being a missionary. When dealing with peoples agency sometimes ya wanna run screaming into the night... but that's where charity comes in! Which I am still lacking.... Haha.. good thing the Atonement is real. We are now teaching Sister Mcka's grandsons, Nick and Max. They are such good boys! So polite! 

But it was a good week. This week I did feel a little off, just not quite myself. I kind of think it has to do with recent changes in my life.... but! It doesn't matter because I'm back to me now!  Man... We were just going somewhere and were listening to this song by Nashville Tribute about the Book Of Mormon. We were just listening to the words and I just felt such joy about the Celestial Kingdom.. but because He already redeemed us we now can live forever and ever with our families in Their presence!!! I just don't understand why I am so blessed while others have to struggle so hard. It just blows me away how He has blessed me in my life.. just wow. 

It was really a super powerful testimony meeting this week. I cried.. and I never cry.. hardly ever. The Spirit was just so strong.. I just felt so good!! Kodi, Michelle, Sister Bingham, Sister Mcka and the boys came (who we have started preparing for baptism), Brother Pepper came (we tracted into him, he's recently returning..). And Austin was there and he got the Priesthood!!

Ah! It was just amazing... Sister Fitzgerald got up and bore her testimony and shared 2 Ne. 9:10. Which is so powerful!! It says: "O how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a way for our escape from the grasp of this awful monster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit." It goes along with what I was talking about before and she tied it into the sacrament and aw man.. it hit the feels.. I just feel so grateful. There were people who just said that they were so grateful for us and stuff. I didn't even realize we meant so much to them.. it's just a blessing. Then in M C Meeting they compared us (Sister Seely, Fitz and I) to Sister Johnson and Sister Smith... that is a HUGE compliment.. they were the first sisters here after a long time and they totally turned it around.. so that was really awesome to hear. Ahh!!! I just love Corning.. 

Hah!! For my bug story this week, it was worse than the one with Maryann. Well lemme tell you this story! So Sister Tranpane feeds us every Tuesday and invites Kodi and her hubby Pat over too. Well Sister Trapane had to head over to Utah for some reason so she let us know that Someone offered to feed us for the 2 weeks she is gone. Well, to be completely honest, I was a little terrified because I know Someone has 39 animals in her little trailer... a snake named Fred, 3 dogs, 4 cats, 3 toads, rats and mice.. how many? Way to many to count... But little did I know that there were many more than 39 that she neglected to tell us... So there we were standing there for an hour and a half watching her make alfredo spaghetti, garlic bread and kabobs. Yes, an hour and a half. That's way longer than actually eating  and our spiritual thought is supposed to take... She did turn on some ASL videos about the Bible for us. Just in case we wanted to learn the Bible song in sign language I guess.. hahaha!!! When that was over we just continued to watch her cook. She threw the kabobs in the oven and left them in for WAAAYYY too long.. hahaha! It seriously was like charcoal.. she was like "Hubby! Do you think these are done?" He was like "Yeah Honey.. very done.."  She went on bragging about her culinary experience as she poured bottled alfredo sauce into the browned beef that her hubby cooked... hahah!!!! Ohh .. But that wasn't even bad compared to the bug adventures.

So as she is cooking we would hear SMACK on the counter and she would slowly slide her hand off and wipe it on her pants... we looked at each other like "Oh no..." we tried not to laugh. That happened several times. Then out of the corner of my eye I see this thing move across the wall.... I looked over and this massive cockroach was running across. Then I just happened to look into the open cupboard and there was a monster in there... it was seriously MASSIVE... I had to turn around and take a big swig of my Coke. It was seriously like one of those horror movies.. haha! Then I heard SMACK! followed by the squeak of her hand and the ruffle of her pants as she wiped off the roach guts. Then next thing I know she reaches into drawer where her spatula was, she grabbed it and wiped it on her pants and then STIRRED THE SAUCE!!!!!!!! It took all of my being to not freak a leak... lemme tell ya!! That went on all night... she pulled everything out wrapped it in plastic wrap (thank goodness). But even then it didn't stop her "friends" from getting to the bread.. thank goodness Sister Fitzgerald was watching or I would have picked the nasty one.... who knows how much "extra protein" was added to that meal.. I don't want to know.

So we sat down and talked over our lovely meal (which I'm sincerely grateful for)... nice view of the snake staring me down and the mice and rats squeaking and climbing on the cage.. it was terrible.. then she announced that she had desert!!! Ohhh boy... I had had PLENTY to eat.. Nonetheless you can't refuse her "creations". So she piled on a massive heap of something with "crazy" in the same.. It actually wasn't bad until ya got to the canned fruit.. Sister Fitz distracted her while it mysteriously disappeared... I know I know! I need to repent for that.. she will still receive blessings as if I had eaten it. Then she called her hubby in and asked him to pull Fred out to play.... and he did. I held Fred. There are pictures. That was kinda scary and awesome at the same time.. but yeah! There's your story of the week... there will be more next week because she is making us stuffed peppers for dinner on Tuesday.. and like 5 other days this month.. so stay tuned.  

Wow! We had such a great time with Sister Knowles. She is a Less-Active lady we have been visiting for a long, long time. Her heart was quite hardened and she had a really hard time with the Book Of Mormon but is super into the Bible. But in Washington, several years ago she was baptized and went to the temple. Now she has totally turned her back on it. So that breaks my heart every time. We have showed her scriptures that go hand in hand with the Bible and it started to soften her heart. But this week we have been visiting her pretty often and we just go over and take her dog out, we bought her flowers because for the 26 years she was married, or any other time in her life she had never gotten flowers from someone..  and she asked us to get her a watch she really wanted and she would give us money. But I just saw it and got it for her. It really was no big deal. We just talked to her and asked her about her husband who has now passed away. Ya know, just serving her. She bought us pizza for lunch and stuff and that was great. She told us yesterday that she wanted to come to church with us in November when her knee heals because she just had surgery... I was flabbergasted.... we have tried and tried and tried and tried and we got her to a linger longer once.. but now she is telling us she actually wants to come to church... it really opened my eyes to the importance of Christlike service.. we don't need to keep poking and prodding to get someone to come. All we have to do is just love them and serve them and the Spirit will touch their hearts and bring them back... it's so amazing. I'm just so grateful to have learned that lesson because that's what we need to do with the Burrell's too. Just love them and have fun with them and show them that they aren't just a project. But that's the best thing I learned this week. 

Things North Cal peeps don't understand:

1. What stop signs are... 
2. When you inch towards the door, it DOES NOT mean keep talking! I'm dying to hear your random whatever!!...
3. When you are ending a conversation. So either they follow you while you walk away or they just corner you and make you listen to their story...
4. Just because you use soap and water, doesn't mean it's clean... 
5. That bras or belts are a very important part of a wardrobe... 
6. When you are looking steadfastly at the teacher/speaker it means you want to listen.. not keep talking.. 

These are just some of the things we deal with everyday...  oh how I love Corning... 

Love ya peeps!!  have a great week.  Love you guys! 

Love, 

Sister Hood

SOME PICTS FOR YOUR PLEASURE & ENJOYMENT!!

Sister Hood  ~ Becca ~ Sister Fitzgerald

Getting my body re-aligned!!

I Know My Heavenly Father Loves ME!!
Beautiful sunset with a tractor in the field ~ LOVE IT!!

I LOVE THE FIELDS OF GREEN IN CORNING!!

I FOUND A BUNNY TO LOVE!!  SORRY HARRY!!

THIS IS FRED!!
SERIOUSLY...The things we have to do as missionaries!!
Granny I Got YOU!!

FRED IS NOT SO WARM AND SNUGGLY ~ UGH!!!!
I keep reminding myself he is a creation of Heavenly Father's ~ trying to feel the love!!

WE HAD 29 LESSONS ... WE WRECKED IT!!

Hey Everybody!! 

General Conference was pretty amazing!! The second session on Saturday was for me, I swear.. and just all the talks talked about what I was dealing with right then. It's always funny how it works out like that! I'm so grateful for the spirit and personal revelation!! Man... we would be completely lost with out it! 

Well! It's been rainy here the past couple days. They say it just rains a lot here in the winter, so that's going to be interesting.. but since I have become acclimated to this warmer weather, I am now a wuss.. so. Mommy, would you send some warmer clothes, like boots and cardies and sweater? Oh!! Also. One of my sweatshirts that are the silky kinda stuff. Just for in the mornings because we go running and that would help a lot.  also... if you feel so inclined you are welcome to send me the Daniel Beck cd...  eh eh? haha. I love him... he's so good!!!! 

But yeah! So that's what I need. Now as for this week... well peeps!! We had 29 LESSONS!!!  guys, we wrecked it... it was amazing. All because of the spirit. That's one thing that we have been trying really hard to do is just go wherever we feel and it has proved success! We are just so blessed! We get along super well! Haha, two peas in a pod! I will attach a few screenshots of how beautiful our week was!!  but I share the few highlights, I guess! 

So the coolest moment this week. Man!! So we went to this lady Meredith just to drop off a book Sister Seely felt inspired to give to her. But she wasn't home so as we were walking back to the car, we see these sketchy looking guys sitting on the bench at the park. Sister Fitz looks at me and so we went on over there! I will not lie, I was super uncomfortable because those dudes were sketchy.. gang banger kinda guys. But it felt  right so we went over there. I just started talking to them and asked if we could share a video about Jesus Christ. They said sure, so we showed them Because of Him. Wow... the one guy, Nick felt the spirit hardcore!! When it ended he just looked at us with such hope in his eyes. Before he looked like a lost puppy but now he looked like a lost puppy who was just giving a Scooby snack!!! a COMPLETE DIFFERENCE!! We just asked them what they felt and Nick just said he felt so calm and it felt so good. Then Anthony, the other guy said he agreed. So we just testified and asked if we could meet up with them again. They both gladly agreed so we exchanged information. The sad part is that Nick is super flakey... we have tried to set a time for like 3 days and he stood us up yesterday. But that was blessing in disguise though. But it was just so cool to see the spirit do that to people. It brings such hope!! Ahh! So cool!! 

Another highlight was we got to see Austin!! It had been forever since we had seen that kid!! But apparently he is still doing okay. Things are better, so he says. But he was recently in the hospital for his stomach probs. But it was great to see him again. We will also see him on Thursday so that will be great! Then we met with Kodi, Pat and Sister Trapane. That was good. It was just fun because Sister Trapane loves tangents...  that made things interesting. We tried to help Kodi recognize the spirit but she just kinda shut down. She won't open up to us quite yet.. so pray for that, will ya? We also met with Margurate!! She is right on the edge.. BAHHH!!! I just don't know how to help her get the witness!! Please pray for her. 

Then!! This was interesting... so! Melissa. We (us and the Elders) helped her "organize" her shed.. mom, you would've died. I almost did and so did one of the Elders. Pee saturated stench and roaches everywhere.. can't do it. But yeah. The Lord blesses us. Haha. But then at dinner last night, Sister Lequia had gone and tired to pick her up for church or something and she was telling us that she had a TERRIBLE feeling. she just felt wrong there. She said it had to do with evil things... Obviously, it was the spirit saying to blow that popsicle stand. So she told us to be so so careful and pray about going back. Then, later last night we were talking the Elders and setting up a time to help her out again. We also told them about what Sister Lequia said and how they felt about it. They said they were actually going to tell us that they will just go help her and that we shouldn't be there... so!! We dropped her... we decided that 3 witnesses was about as clear as it would get. So we won't go back there. But there are a lot of super ghetto and scary places. Especially in the mobile home parks here... no bueno. But yeah!! That was our adventure of the week!! 

Today we went and hung out with Tianna. She's the one who read all the way to Enos. Haha!! We were going to go bowling with her but it was closed so we went to a delicious burger joint! So we snapped some pictures for y'all!! She is so cute.. I feel bad cuz we don't think she has a lot of friends and all the things she wants to do we either can't do, only can do on p-days or we just don't have time..... it's so sad.... but we played foozball. That was a riot!! We both got WORKED by Sister Fitzgerald. Haha.. even two against one we still work whooped!! Man... my pride is hurt... haha. Jokes. It's just foozball. It was super fun tho! 

Well this weeks thought is about yielding your heart to God... there was an experience this week that really took a lot of trust and yielding my heart completely to Him and it's going to have a lasting effect .. I didn't really want to do what He asked me to but I knew I had to because He knows best. I won't tell you what that experience was because it doesn't matter.. what does matter is know what that phrase means, yielding your heart to God. Well! The trusty institute manual is perfect for this. Especially because this is where I got this thought that I felt inspired to share with you. It says: "The phrase “yield our hearts” means to surrender or give our hearts to God. When one yields his or her heart to God, he is surrendering his personal desires in exchange for the Lord’s desires." There you have it. It so hard sometimes.. but ALWAYS ALWays worth it!! It always comes back to my life motto "you can have what you want or you can have something better." He always knows best and He expects us to give him everything... not just a little of our time or give up something for a little bit. We don't truly love Him unless we give EVERYTHING we have to Him... much easier said than done. But there are always unbelievable blessings that come from it. Like strength, greater faith, love, happiness, peace, forgiveness, etc. so yeah! I really liked that! 

Welp!! That's all I got for y'all this week!! I love you guys a ton!! Thank you for your prayers! Pray for me to resist temptation.. haha. Please and thank you... have an amazing week!!!! 

Love, 

Sister Hood

PICTURES FOR YOUR PLEASURE AND ENJOYMENT!

Sister Fitzgerald ~ Tianna ~ Sister Hood

I love these pretty flowers - reminds me of home sweet home!!

DELICIOUS DINNER FROM SISTER BINGHAM ~ WE LOVE HER SO MUCH!!

MOMMA... WE ARE NOT STARVING BY ANY MEANS ~ EVEN THE TABLE IS BEAUTIFULLY DRESSED FOR US ~ SISTER BINGHAM FED US WELL!!