I saw Fireflies on monday. that was amazing!

they are officially out and they are everywhere!  I love it... this may be the only bug I love seeing! 

besides fireflies, there are a ton of other bugs... very large bugs....

I don't like those bugs.

President Shumway asked all the Missionaries to inform the memebers of this upcoming missionary meeting.  sooooo, Sister Daines and I spent this whole week tracking down members.  wow.  just to be clear our branch boundaries are about a 50 mile radius... and a lot of the members are on the outskirts. 

a lot of dirt roads and a lot driving.

on Wednesday we had the most interesting experiance... we were trying to find Brother Fischer.  we found his house, we knocked on the door and an older lady answered. we asked about Brother Fischer and she told us that he had died 3 years ago.

Awkward!

no wonder he was down as a less active member....

so, we just stood on the door step and chatted with this woman for a few minutes.

turns out this lady was the mother of Chad Voelkel!  (the man sister Daines baptized last month) 

so now we know where she lives....

the Broadcast was amazing!  wow! 

I'm sad that it wasn't announced over the pulpit there as something for all the members.... that's super sad!

the information in that meeting was meant for everyone and it was all soooo important!

I loved the story that President Monson shared about building a ward house in canada or where ever.... I'm sure the video is on Lds.org.... (someone should find that and post it?) 

FYI... when that story played, the whole Branch was laughing and crying because that their story! 

I loved it!

There is a small church in Board Camp (one of the out lying tiny towns) and their outhouse was stolen!  there was an add in the paper and on their sign saying:

"please return our outhouse, not having it is causing quite a stink!"

 yes, people still use out houses here.

another sign I saw was in front of Baptist Church:

"I-pod, I-Tunes, how about I Pray"

 love that.

also:

we tried to visit a Less Active member with the Shaws. 

the shaws insisted they go with us because this member living in a trailer park that is well known for the drug activity and shootings. 

yeah... we didn't even bother getting out of the car.  there were bullet wholes in the building!  and people around just staring at us... so scary.

Elder Shaw: "I suggest you girls don't come out here at night."

Sister Shaw: "I suggest you just don't ever come here.  ever!"

I love the Shaws... they are so cool and hilarious! 

The other day we went tracting and I was hot and kinda frustrated because I was hungry and it was late and sister Daines was making us finish up the street first. So- I knocked on the door and told the lady we were mormon tractors. So fun! We actually ended up teaching her the restoration and we are returning to help her with her garden and to see if she read the amazing little book we gave her- fun times! Sister Daines said my door approach was cute but not very "missionary," I said God loves us- we are allowed to color outside the lines. It makes me happy! I know God is happy and proud of my coloring! 

 <3

Sister Longberg

So, I wasn't having the best day on Monday... :( to be honest actually I'm not having a best day ever. I've been homesick since I left, but at least before I was also in a daze. Now it's all sinking in and it’s not to awesome. But I'm handling and I'm still having amazing experiences so it all equals out in the end. As I said in my letter to the Mission President this week "it’s hard, but I understand that it's supposed to be hard. I have a lot of hard lessons to learn, and hard lessons can't be easy to learn." yeah, makes very little sense... but there it is...

also... I'm having allergy issues I think. My eyes are always seriously scratchy and dry and my nose is itchy and I sneeze a lot and my throat is sore... it's not super bad, but it's annoying.  

On Tuesday we spent most of the day in the car... again.... I love long drives but not this often!  Seriously.... Mena is super pretty, but also super far away from the rest of the zone and mission in general.  Too. Much. Driving!

Anyway, on Tuesday we had zone training and president interviews.  I cried in front of the president... again.  I'm pretty sure there is a warning about me in my permanent file at this point. 

       Small clip of my interview:

PS : Hey there Sister Longberg!  How are you?  How is the work in Mena?

SL:  So great!  I love it, everyone is awesome and kind and I love it!

PS: I love to hear that!  Tell me about a cool experience you've had recently...

SL:  I have had so many great moments.... there was this lady - **sniffles** - and she **wipe away a tear** - and... -**bust into sobs and words become inaudible** - church - **more sniffles** - prayer - **more tears** - so beautiful!

PS:  well... that sounds like a great experience.

SL:  **quiet nods and wiping of snot on back of hand**

PS:  I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make you cry.

SL:  **embarrassed now**

       The End

sooooo....

We got back to Mena pretty late but not late enough to call it a day, so Sister Daines and I played the "lets see if we can find someone who will open their door" game.

We ended up on the porch of a woman named Sandra Reid. (An inactive member)

It was hot and humid and gross, and she had no air conditioning.  I did not want to go in.

She invited us to sit down.  I did not want to do that, but Sister Daines gave me a look, so I did.

(The couch was yellow and brown... I think it was supposed to be white... dust clouds appeared after we sat down. just FYI)

We asked how she was and how her day went.  She gave quick short answers.  Sister Daines loves to talk with people and to know and understand people before we share a lesson and leave, I don't.  I understand where Sister Daines is coming from, but I do not like small talk.  We are there for a reason and when it is hot and gross and the person is in a small night gown with no underwear on, I just want to get the message across and book it out of there!

So I pull out my Scriptures and ask if we can share a short spiritual message with her.  Sandra nods and I read Alma 22:15-16 and I bear my testimony of the atonement and the importance of faith and humility towards our Savior.  Sandra is in tears by the end and Sister Daines gives a quick mention of her testimony and asks Sandra what she thinks about our message.  Sandra doesn't talk or anything, she just silently cries. 

We sat in that hot and humid home for 5 minutes in complete silence. 

Finally, Sister Daines asked Sandra if we could get some priesthood brothers over to give her a blessing.  She nods her head yes but say's that it's too late tonight and to come back in the morning... but to call first.

Well, you can guess that by the next morning she no longer wanted the blessing and she will not answer her door or her phone.  But we are sure not giving up on her that easy!  Silly people think they can out wait the missionaries!  Yeah right! 

It has been raining here for the past couple days.... yeah....

Rain in Arkansas is not like the rain I am used to.

It's hot, humid rain that literally evaporates off the road as soon as it hits.  Nasty.

My hair will not stay straight... and it feels like I took a shower in my under-clothes and tried to put on clothes over that.  I hate this.

I have been baking!  I made banana bread and oatmeal raisin cookies and oatmeal banana bread.... I share it with the Shaws and some other members who have given us rides or meals or something.  I love doing that sort of thing!  So great! 

On Friday and Saturday we did exchanges again... I don't like those anymore :/ 

Bentonville sucks big time and I hope I never actually serve there... but now that I've said that you know I'm going there soon... bleck!  They don't have a car so you have to walk EVERYWHERE!! 

You know when you take a hot shower but didn't turn the fan on... yeah picture walking around in that for hours!  Gross :(

I did get to teach an atheist... that was interesting. 

When teaching this "atheist" I learned a lot... and it wasn't as scary as I initially thought.  He prayed and he loved it.  It was an interesting experience that I wish I could have again but I can't because he is in Bentonville and I am in Mena...

And then, while I am away Sister Daines found us a new investigator!  I hate that I missed it, but I'm glad that it happened!

Kim is Catholic and hates the Book of Mormon, why she is talking to us I don't understand, but she is and it's great!  she loves us and loves me because I have a better understand of the bible then Sister Daines.... we kinda play good cop, bad cop with her where I pull out bible verses and Sister Daines backs me up with the Book of Mormon... it's pretty funny.

okay, last story

This morning, its raining.  Sister Daines wants to clean the car.  I'm thinking vacuum, but no.  She wants to wash the car today.  In the rain. 

we got some really funny looks.

I'm just glad she spent her money on it, cuz serisouly.  that was stupid.  seriously. 

 ~~~Blessings:

- Enjoying time with the Davis family on fathers day.

- A sweet letter Joy Prince sent me after she found my blog!

- Green grass after rain storms!

- you know that one tree in our back yard? with all the pretty pink flowers?

yeah, they grow like wild fire here!  every where!  and they are almost all pink!  so cool,

- Sister Daines has been sick twice... I feel great all the time :) 

- members who feed me... :)

okay.  I want to do a Blessing and Funny things and stuff section every week.... but I can't remember half of what happened!  I'll figure it out eventually... I have 17 months....

oh yeah, I'm also grateful for an area with a car and Talimena drive.  look that up!  it's amazing!  not quite like Cottonwood Canyon, but close!

~~~ SL

Okay:

1. What is your companion like?

Sister Daines is from Logan, she is 21, she has been in the feild for 5 months... almost 6.  she does a weird thing with her eyes whenever she talks... they get big and then small really fast.... she is really nice,... she is an amazingly obediant missionary, but only with the things she wants to be obediant to.  I don't think she realizes how choosey she really is with the rules :/  she loves to run, and I feel really bad because I just can't do that.  luckily there is a track behind our apartment, so she can run and I can walk.  I think she gets annoyed with me. 

I worry alot and she loves to tell me I've not been out long enough to worry like I do... I know I slow her down, but she doesn't get mad at me or anything. she is very patient and kind and she tries really hard. she talks alot... a whole lot.  and not about anything important either.... she just loves to talk. so it gets really awkward during lessons... I feel like we waste a lot of time.  she always complains that there is not enough time in the day and i want to say that if she didn't talk so much maybe we would have more time.... but I love her stories!  she's a nice person.... kinda serious and not very fun... but really nice.
 

3. How are you managing with drinking water from Walmart?

I'm managing.  I don't like it, but I'm getting used to it.... i'll figure it all out eventually.  luckily I already don't drink from the tap so we had a bunch of bottled water for the boil order that was on all this week.  some people were really struggling with that.
 

4. Did you solve the driving paperwork issue?

no. I don't know what to do.  I'm going to ignore it.... interveiws with the President are on tuesday, maybe I will bring it up with him?  I don't konw anything.

5. How are your shoes working out? Your clothes? What do you wish you had?

my clothes are great. i have no issue with my shoes or anything.  it's all perfect.  I wish I had my pink skirt... but it's not important... I'm really doing great in that area.

6. What about food? What about milk? Does anyone have a cow?

everyone has a cow... but I don't know about milk for me.  sister Daines drinks skim milk and thinks I'm odd cuz I freak about my food all the time.  I have been having small stomach problems.... I am not happy about my food at all.  I wake up almost every night with indigestion... I have tums that help.... I don't know what to do about the food.  I eat what they feed me.  I hate food!  but I'm getting better.... I bought some lettuce and tuna and oats... sister daines thinks I'm odd but it's better then her nasty burritos and mac and cheese! 

7. How are you handling the humidity?

it hasn't been super humid here lately.  everyone loves watching my face when they tell me that it is going to get a million times worse though. 
in the mean time.  the weather has been amazing!  except for the flooding.... that was not good.

8. Is the stormy weather past?

yes... kinda.  it still raines a bit, but not flood worthy.  everyone is still in shock about what happened.  people love asking me  how I like Mena since my only experiece with this town has been after all these terrible storms. 
on wednesday we had a district meeting and we had to drive thru Ycity to get there.  Y city had the worst of the flood damage... and you could see it plainly from the road. 
wow... I have never seen anything like that.  there were clothes everywhere.  mattresses in trees... a truck in a tree!  houses totally destroyed... dead cows.  awfull stuff.

 Okay... my day by day really quick:

Monday:
the laundromat is gross.  I don't like it at all.
Tuesday:
we ate Pizza and did service at a Baptist church... we helped re-build their stone bell tower that was messed up by the flooding.  I also learned that the back of a truck is called the "Turtle Hole"  that was odd... good laughs.
Wednesday:
District Meeting and Elder Shaws birthday... I made brownies :)  that felt good! 
Thursday: 
I cried... alot... missions are hard!  luckily it was weekly planning so we stayed in for a while.  but later that afternoon we went with the youth to Hatfeild where they had a tornado this week and we helped with some of the cleanup. it felt good to be out and do service, but I can't get over how tragic all these storms have been! 
Friday and Saturday: 
The Lum and Abner Festival!
so awsome!  the church set up a tent and I spent litterally all day both days at our booth talking to people and handing out cards and copies of the book of mormon.  we had a sign that said "ask a mormon a question"  and then with colored paper we pasted up diffrent questions.

I had the idea to get some balloons and write mormon.org on them to pass out to kids... and the kids just loved me! 
I walked around the park and tried some fried cheesecake, and some fried green beans and some fried icecream and every other fried crazy thing out there. 
we met a couple of Jehovahs Witnesses and I got some of their literature and a bible.... super neat actually.  I managed to give him our pass along card and the elders in our district said I was the coolest thing ever cuz I guess Jehovah's Witnesses tend to stay far away from us mormons and so their liturature is hard to come by, and they will never take pass along cards from us.... so I felt pretty cool about that :)
I got a necklace that has my cherokee name and Sister Longberg scracted into a porcupine quill by a cool cherokee woman who was there.
alot happened... all of it in my journal.  someday I will tell you more :)

Yes! I ate a funnel cake! Well- okay- I tried a funnel cake- but it was WAY to sweet

so I gave the rest to the Elders. I think I'm their favorite now...

 We Went tracting and came across This amazing lake! Well- we didn't "come across" the lake- we were tracting all around it and then randomly found a place in the trees that opened up onto a deck/peir with a cute swing, so pretty! And it was only kinda humid that day!

 Thats my church! The cute little Mena branch poking out threw the trees! Mena is so blessed to have that Building- and in such a beautiful location! Wow :)

On sunday I had a cool experience in relief society... one of the members got up to pray and she burst into tears and gave the most amazing prayer of my life.  she asked for a blessing on the missionaries and on the people of Mena.  she expressed she great sadness at how small and feeble she felt the branch was and how desperately she wants to see it grow.  by the end of her prayer everyone was in tears and instead of the regualar lesson we all just discussed missionary work and what members can do to help.  it was amazing.

Last bit of funny...
there is a possum or something living in the ceiling....
it has kept me awake for the past 3 nights.I told the land lady about it and she said "welcome to Arkansas"
oh dear.

another bit of funny... or sad... whatever..
Sister Daines almost hit a bunny and I screamed... she laughed and said it wouldn't have been the first time.
she thinks it's funny how opposed I am to people hurting animals or how sad I get everything time we see a dead one on the side of road (which is all the time)  because appartently I get super duper nervous and figity around dogs and cats in peoples houses.... I say that just because I don't like animals doesn't mean I'm happy when I see dead ones!  seriously though... it makes me sick...

so on that happy note.   

 I love you! 

<3 Sister Longberg

Ok, If you send things to the mission home it will take at least two or three weeks for me to ever see it.... that is why I sent you the apartment address....  Also - it's pronounced Mean - a..... like a very mean person, and the a on the end.... if that helps :) Okay, so. this week was really busy, but also not. we had Zone conference in Tulsa.... it takes 4 hours to get to Tulsa... we had to leave at 5:00 A.M. so we could get their by 9:00... and then it ended at 5:00 so we didn't get home till 9:00. crazy day! the next day we did exchanges, so I ended up another 3 hours away in Bentonville (isn't that where Trent wanted to move?) I got to see Walmart Headquarters... super fun time!!! every one has been nervous about the weather... but I can't read any papers or see the news so I didn't realize how bad it really was till Sunday when only a handful of people showed up. Sister Daines and I started making phone calls and realized that half the branch was stuck because of flash flooding and at least 5 bridges were taken out by the rushing water. a couple of homes had also been destroyed by a few tornado's that hit just outside Mena in a town called Hatfeild and another town called Cove was nearly flooded..... scary stuff! we had a teaching appointment with an investigator Sunday night that fell through because his best friend had been killed in the floods. I guess about 5 people total were killed in this area. scary stuff, and super sad. people are shocked and nervous. quick story: Thursday night = my first Arkansa storm. I wake up at midnight because the cell phone buzzed. who in the world would call the missionaries at midnight? Sister Daines is dead asleep so I reach over for the phone... the text is bright red and say's "Flash Flood Warning" across the top. just then, I notice the strobe lights outside.... yeah, strobe lights. no one told me that lighting in Arkansa was that insane! then the thunder... wow! constant and deep and lasting at least 5 min at a time. oh dear. I'm starting to panic... so I whisper across the room "Sister Daines!" she moans. "Sister Daines!" I shout a bit louder. she rolls over and sits up in bed, "what?" she asks super grogily. "there is a flood warning! are we gonna die!" I'm freaking out. "we need to get in a shack." she mumbles. "what?!?" I say "We need to find the Davis family and get in their shack" she says. I can't even respond... a shack! what! it's a flood warning... the lighting is non-stop insanity and the rain is picking up... and she wants to get in a shack with the Davis family? I ask her again, "are we gonna be okay?" she says "maybe... good night." and rolls over, back under the covers and snores I remember then that Sister Daines sleep talks... and that we are on the second floor apartment on the top of a hill... flash flood should be fine. I say a prayer and find my stuffy and roll over. The end.

 

another cool story: I'm in Bentonville on exchanges. Sister Bolough takes me to visit a poor women who has been having a lot of money concerns. she lost her job, her husband left her, she is trying to take care of her father and her children and her cousins children. she was baptised two years ago, but has recently fallen into a less active status. so we stop by her house and sister Bolough and her talk for a few minutes about the ward and her family... I'm trying to stay in the conversation, but I'm the odd one out and it was awkward. finally sister Bolough says: "well, we should go, but can we leave you with a scripture?" the sister agrees that would be nice and sister Bolough starts to thumb through her scriptures, looking for something nice to share. suddenly, she stops and looks at me. "sister Longberg, do you want to share a scripture with her?" I freak out. I haven't finished reading the Book of Mormon yet, I don't know any scriptures! I imagine my eyes got really big and my face got really pale because Sister Bolough instantly assures me that anything will work, just share my personal favorite. I turn to Jeremiah 17:7.... which talks about putting your trust in god. I explained to this sister how hard it is to let go of things, but that Christ made it possible. I ended up asking her what the atonement meant to her and then helped her understand that Christ suffered for more than just our sins, but also for our grief, sadness and other emotional pain. this sister started to bawl! I was shocked because I didn't quite recognize the spirit there, but when she started to cry I suddenly understood how heavy it really was in that room. she explained to me how stressed she was. she was going through a very difficult divorce and had just lost her job, and yet she had to put on a brave face for her children and she felt an obligation to help her dad and to help her cousin. she was under so much stress! she cried and cried and hugged me and prayed and thanked god over and over again for his hand in her life. I had no idea what was going on. I didn't do or say anything, I didn't really feel anything until she started to cry. it was amazing, and also overwhelming. she hugged me and sister Bolough. Sister Bolough texted me later and told me this sister had been at church on Sunday and how grateful she was that I had been there. I just feel kinda.... I don't know. I didn't do anything. weird. and one more story: Sister Thomas (the Mena Branch relief society president) invited Sister Daines and I to her house for Dinner earlier this week. we ended up on the floor of her living room making cute cards! so fun :) it is Elder and Sister Shaws birthday this week, so we made them cards and cute tags... it was a great time, so awesome! we ended with a scripture about charity and called it an FHE activity! I took pictures... I'll have to figure out how to send those to you. okay: Something Funny: we visited an older lady named Sister Parhan (she may be my new favorite person) she has a ton of cats, but her house is super amazing clean and perfect.... so I took my shoes off at her door, and we sat on the couch with her. part way through our little lesson, the cats start circling my shoes. a little later, they attack. Tender Mercies: the shoes are fine! Something Funny again: I have a very interesting tan line...on my feet... in the shape of my mary jane's... so that's awesome! reminds me of Kelly.

Blessings: the storms were really very bad this week, but I managed to miss most of it because of zone conference and exchanges. that was cool. I got to drive around alot and see some of the damage. a lot of lakes where there are usually farms, and a lot of very wet hay. sad. okay,.... could you also look up some good memorizing ideas for scriptures... President Shumway asked us to memorize a bunch of scriptures and I really want to do it, but I'm really struggling.... there has to be some tip out there that will help me but I can't find it because I can't use the dogame interwebs!!! (yeah, that's right, dogame... I speak Arkansan now) Tell Eric he is awesome, and tell grandpa I talk about him all the time :) I'm glad my laptop is getting used... I think :/ and Mom, I can't tell you how many times I've born my Testimony lately but I can tell you that every time it starts out "my mom taught me..." thank you so much! XOXO Sister Longberg

Ok...

Wednesday, May 22

we woke up at 2:00 am and gathered all our bags and met on the bus at 3:00 am.  awful.

the rest is a blur.  we were on a tiny plane... very scary.  we landed in Denver for a few hours.  I bought a smoothie.  we flew again in an even smaller plane... I tried to sleep, but there was a lot of turbulence and I ended praying the whole time :/

when we landed we were picked up by president and sister shumway, at the mission home we had a very lovely devotional meeting thing... that I am ashamed to admit I basically slept through... everyone did. 

we spent the night at a members house because the mission home was full of guys. 

Thursday May 23

Transfers. 

so confusing.  I was mostly asleep the whole day and i just allowed everyone to move me from point A to point B.

we drove for 2 hours to a walmart parking lot in Van Buren Arkansas where a couple of elders were already waiting.  and then we waited some more... oh my goodness!!!  3 hours we sat in that parking lot.  yay missionary work :(

finally my new companion arrived, Sister Daines.  but we still had to wait for Sister Wilson's Companion to show up, cuz we couldn't let her be alone with all the Elders.  bleck.  a total of 5 hours later we got to leave for my official mission area.

the car ride was another 3 hours.  omg, the torture! 

the amount of green out here is awesome... but not 3 hours awesome :/

I wanted to sleep so bad!  but that is against mission rules... so I was just quiet and grumpy all day. 

we got to our apartment at 7:00.  Sister Daines took me to a very pathetic looking pizza buffet and then back to the apartment where I unpacked and slept like I had never slept before!

Friday, May 24

Thursday is weekly planning, but because we spent the whole day on the road we did weekly planning on Friday.

sleep is awesome and weekly planning is a calming experience.  we ate chips and dip and ice cream and cookies and laid out on the living room floor and just had a party!  awesome :)

I met my first family, the Madisons.  He is a photographer who also builds bikes.  we had a bunch of plastic bags to give him because (like grandpa)  he loves to make cools things with recycled plastic bags!  so cool.  they are in-active but super receptive to the gospel.  I love it! 

after meeting them, we drove to a dinner appointment with an active member family.  they live on the outskirts of town and we had to cross the rail road tracks to get there... yeah... there was a train just parked on the tracks.  we called the family and asked "how do we get around this train"  and they answered "you don't, we will just heat up the food in another hour" 

yeah.... an hour later the train finally moved and we got to their house.  Brother and Sister Ferrell are both converts to the church and they shared with me their conversion story.  so cool.  their house is so beautiful, surrounded by the trees and sitting perfectly in the hills.  awesome. 

Saturday May 25

we realised that there are barely any miles left on our car for the month.... so we went walking. 

I am in so much pain.

tracting sucks... and it's humid. 

no one was home. 

we did get one lady to answer the door.  Ruby.  we smiled a lot, and she laughed a lot.  super nice.  Sister Daines commited her to read the Book of Mormon. and she said she would love to!  we were so excited!  on Sunday though, during branch council, we were informed that someone had very nicely left a book of Mormon on the front steps of the church.  oh well.

Sunday, May 26

so, let me just tell you how amazing this place is! 

Mena, Arkansas is TINY!!! 

these people have the one building... and I really need to get a picture to you... maybe you can google map it?  but the building sits by a lake!  there are rose bushes everywhere!  let me repeat... the building looks out over a lake!  OMG so amazing!  it's beautiful here!  so green and perfect... and the building sits near a LAKE!  gah!  I walked around the building with Sister Daines the other day like I used to do with you, mom, and wow!  it was so much more awesome! 

Also, because the branch is so tiny here, apparently they get the missionaries to speak a lot.  so I really just bore my testimony and shared the scriptures Isaiah 6:8  Jeremiah 17:7  and Alma 29:9-10.  it was awesome.  there were maybe 30 people there. 

I sang with the choir though... whats really cool about the Mena Branch is that although it's tiny, everyone sings!  the choir director is Brother Mcclanahan, he is also the Sunday school teacher and he is so cool!  he lives over an hour away from the branch building and he is so faithful and familiar with the blessings of coming to church.  I understand that on average people travel 30 min to and from church each Sunday.  so powerful! 

the lesson in Sunday school was about temples and we ended up talking a lot about how to organize a bus that can take the brothers and sisters to the temple at 1 a month... the drive is at least 4 hours to the nearest temple.  I started to feel really guilty for my list of Utah temples I wanted to see, and the ones we never did get to. 

relief society was super cool.  there were maybe 10 people there, and so we all just sat in a circle around the teacher who sat at the head and very easily directed us in a gospel discussion... at least 7 people told their conversion story.  so cool.

I'm told the branch isn't always that small.  there is a family here called the Davis family that reminds me a lot of the Oliphants in that there are the parents and the children and the children's children who all grew up in the branch and come to church.  apparently the Davis family had a special family reunion this week... so none of them were there.

I asked sister Daines how many people are usually there at church with the Davis family, she said "without the Davis family we get about 30 people here, with the Davis family the Branch is about 80 strong every Sunday."  wow!

Funny Things: 

the branch is very focused on two things-

#1 there was a tornado in Mena about 5 years ago... although no one was hurt and everything is find now, people still talk a lot about it.

#2 apparently 15-20 years ago Elder David A. Bednar was the stake president here.  yeah... I heard that mentioned at least 10 times at church :/

Funny Moment:

I was really excited because I saw a turtle just wandering down the street.  I ran to get a picture of it but then a car came and..... I will have nightmares about that.

Blessings:

I wasn't worried at all about giving a talk in sacrament meeting... I easily found appropriate scriptures and I shared a beautiful thought without much planning or pain on my part.  I just opened my mouth and the words came.  so awesome. my companion says she was set apart with a strong stomach... well I was set apart with the ability to find words when I usually wouldn't have any. 

More Blessings:

so after all the tracting we did on Saturday, I hurt a lot.  let me tell you, Traumeel is amazing!!! 

  

Testimony Growth:

Church!!!  I am so blown away by the these beautiful people who attend church so faithfully!  they travel so far!  and on top of that, there are certainly plenty of other churches around here... literally at least on on every corner! 

what a blessing Utah is!  I am struggling with the lack of LDS members around here... I feel like everyone hates me... but as one of the ladies in Sunday school said: "it don't matter if They'd think me dumb, I know God loves me and I'm proud with that!"

The Area:

• yeah, no one here has teeth.... seriously.
• I got off the plane and my first question was "where are the mountains!"
• the people here think they are living in the mountains.... they are very confused.
• T.V. is right about hillbillies... they are everything you would think. 
• there is a man in our apartment complex who I see in the garbage every morning.  He "recycles". 
• so. much. roadkill.
• on the plus side, so many bunnies!!!!
• Wal-mart is the center of this town... so funny.
• every house is super dilapidated.  I thought our apartment sucked.... it's like a mansion compared to what most of these people are dealing with. :(
• TRAINS!!!  holy crow!  every 5 min the stupid trains go by!  so annoying and so loud! 
• the water is GROSS!  oh dear oh dear oh dear... I very quickly got Sister Daines to get us to walmart and I bought some bottled water.  what sucks most is they don't have a very awesome selection of water here either.... so I'm drinking the only "spring water" I could find... it's not bad but not my favorite. 

ok, so.... thank you so much for reading my rant.  that was fun :)

<3 Sister Longberg 

Oh!  and FYI, this is my new Address! 

508 South Cherry st.

Apartment 8A

Mena AR 71953

I love handwritten letters :)

  

P.P.S

I hate that these computers do not have spell check :(

P.P.P.S

get Eric and Grandpa to E-mail me!  seriously!  I get 2 hours to E-mail!  I'm stoked! :)  President Shumway is awesome :)

P.P.P.P.S

GAH!  I forgot to add one of the best parts about my area!!!

there is a senior couple here that live in the apartment across the way from us!  so cool!  Elder and Sister Shaw!  they give us rides when we need them, they have food all the time, they take us to church.... later tonight they are taking us with them to teach a lesson! 

I love these guys! Sister Shaw is so sweet.... but Elder Shaw is a teddy bear!  I love this guy!  he reminds me of Grandpa :)  so cool. 

I am in the perfect place for me, with the perfect companion and the amazing blessing of senior missionaries nearby! 

yay! 

ok, bye till next Monday :) 

 

Friday- May 10th, 2013

I am so freaking out! I didn't cry the first night-well at least not till prayer. But I got in bed and slept its 10:56 right now-I am breaking rules already and decided I needed to write. I have not been sleeping...I need a stuffed animal - I miss my big bear and my nice blanket. I don't know if I should be writing right now - because I'm pretty low today - I've divided the MTC is meant to break you...and I feel broken, but they still are not done. I realize I have to focus and I can't really write to you - I need to keep an eye on my Future and my purpose and the people I am learning to love, and not the past and loved ones I left. 

Right now - I want to go home. But I'm going to get some sleep and keep trying - I don't know where my want to stay is coming from but I will trust it. 

If I can get organized, I will try this again - otherwise my P-day is on Thursday. I leave for Oklahoma on May 22 at 6:32 a.m. so I don't know how calling you will work. Thank you for using Dear Elder--I can't tell you how much those letters meant--I got more than anyone else today. :)

Love you!! Sister Longberg

Saturday, May 11, 2013

It's 10:03--I managed to get ready for bed fast enough and early enough to write a letter.

I am in a room with six beds and four sisters. I am the oldest--I want to talk to and hang out with the elders more but my companion says they are having "too much fun" and "not inviting the spirit" and I want to smack her and say her constant planning and time management isn't doing much for my spirit. My companion is Sister S. and she has not cried once, but she claims to be "jealous" that I can so honestly feel the spirit...

We do have fun sometimes though--I managed to convince her that tossing a Frisbee was a good way to spend gym time. It reminded me too much of Eric, though, so we ended up with some sisters going to Chile and we played some volleyball. That was awesome!! It feels so good to laugh, I wish Sister S. could understand that. OK--It is now Sunday, May 12th. I am in the main gym--watching music and the spoken word--everyone is crying! It seems rather cruel to make us watch this Mother's day special--like they are rubbing it in our faces that we won't be calling home today. So lame. I am trying to imagine this place when you were here.,..They say that filling up the bottom half was the best they used to get--well I am in the bleachers half way up and I am watching people standing--I know there are girls in the overflow--I feel so lucky to have gotten a seat at all! I swear there are more sisters than elders--or at least equal too!! So crazy!! 

I get the strong impression my companion is unhappy about her Oklahoma calling--she does everything but say it...oh well. I think I saw Uncle Trent in the choir--that made me happy. :) 

Sister Janice Kapp Perry spoke to us--she wrote the song "As Sisters in Zion" and a handful of primary songs. At the end of her talk we sang a brand new song that she wrote just for sister missionaries. So amazing!

We have the opportunity to teach every day--I am trying to be positive, but teaching is really hard! I don't know the lessons--and i am not confident. But...I am trying to feel the spirit and I have enjoyed the lessons. I am so mad at myself for not picking up the basic doctrines quickly--they really don't focus on lessons here...It's all about teaching people--not lessons--and I am fantastic at getting to know people and bearing my testimony and promising people blessings through obedience and God's love for them--but the actual doctrine is really tripping me up. I cry all the time--but it's slowly becoming less sob-like and more softly feeling the spirit. 

I have yet to figure out why I want to do this...The lessons here are making me feel...mad, maybe? I don't know for sure--but the push for  baptism and constant calls for repentance feels so empty to me. I can call on the spirit to help me promise blessings of prayer--but I can't feel it yet for baptism. I just feel upset when I think of asking people to do that.

I am a spiritual person--all this planning and blindly doing as we are told--never getting the opportunity to sit back and feel the spirit or even organize my thoughts--I could just scream!! I know my poor relationship with my companion is on me--because I don't want to be here. I absolutely don't want to follow the stupid rules--but she does. I want to be with the missionaries outside our dorm last night who made a human pyramid who fell down laughing and jokingly made reference to Samuel and preaching and salvation. I want to laugh! I want this to be fun. My anger is not from Sister S.--it's at myself because I don't want to be wasting all this time and money on my personal experiment--

Today I fasted and prayed--and after dinner I read my patriarchal blessing--and I got zero comfort. Totally sucky, fail. I feel so abandoned. I jumped and no one caught me. My blessing tells me to go to school--I read it and honestly felt that I had forced myself into a situation I will not be able to get out of. I admit though that I do wonder if maybe I am still falling....as opposed to no one catching me--I haven't felt my falling slow at all, but I have not hit the bottom yet....

Mom, I miss you every moment. I hate that so much. I HATE the food here--I want broccoli that wasn't frozen and real eggs and red leaf lettuce and milk!! 

I am going to buy a phone card here--on Thursday, I will be able to email you and I will tell you then what I have found about everything....but for now, expect a call while you are milking the cows at around 5:30--and again after I land for either the airport or the mission president's home. I don't know for sure--likely around 3:00 til maybe six???? No one tells me any of this important stuff.

I have really enjoyed keeping these pages with me the last couple of days. It's like talking to you when you are sleeping and don't answer anyways!!

Love you!!! Sister Longberg

P.S. I want to hug Josh so bad right now!! I watched the Joseph Smith movie last night--so amazing--I am so grateful for Josh's testimony of that man--it's very inspiring and I needed to see that movie! 

Mom--I want you to know I am still confident. I miss you and want to go home every day. But I am not finished here--please trust me--I am having fun and I do laugh! I need you--I have enjoyed writing down all my anger--and then moving on--let me do that and don't fear for me!! I am so blessed to have this opportunity--I love my companion--she fasted for me yesterday and told me she thinks the adversary is working extra hard on me because he knows I will change lives--I know I have something powerful to offer!

I love you all!  Karen

Thursday, May 16th 2013

That little countdown timer on the top of my screen.... yeah, not okay :/ 

OK, so, the showers are not as bad as I thought, and at the same time they are. there is one that is always clogged.... and I always get that one!  lame. 

one thing I am most grateful for lately... the priesthood.  I love having all these Elders around!  it's so amazing :)  our district is awesome, there are four sisters and six Elders... and yes, the Elders get really rowdy sometimes, but they turn it off quick if they sense it's offending us.  I'm terrible because I join right in most of the time... they are so much fun.  it's become a game almost where they have to follow us around and make sure they always get our chairs and the door and our trays after meals (which is awesome because that line gets so long!)  I really respect them and I think they are so powerful. 

 I spent money.... I have a problem.  I bought an MTC water bottle (which is awesome)  and some sweeeeet MTC sweat pants (which are even more awesome)  and then I ended up buying a poster of Joseph Smith and the angel... so cool.  I am falling in love with Joseph Smith.... his example gives me so much strength and I am so blessed that on Sunday I was able to watch the Joseph Smith movie.  amazing. 

 OK, 20 minutes left.... GAH!  hate this :(

 so, we do a lot of role playing here.  everyday me and Sister S. get at least two chances at teaching "an investigator"  which is really just a teacher with multiple personality disorder... some of the teachers have really difficult characters, some are much easier.  we got our Progressing Investigator, John, to set a date to be baptized yesterday.... so that was amazing :)  but then our TRC (I don't know what that stands for)  was a complete fail :(  I cried.... but not to bad.  I am actually proud to announce that I have officially laughed more then I have cried!!! yay me :) 

 

the MTC's main goal I think is to teach us about how to liquefy a lesson to peoples needs,  which is awesome but also really lame because I don't struggle with that at all.  I am amazing at making friends and loving people, but I don't always know what to say because my knowledge is so tiny... I'm so happy that I can already see my personality helping me get in doors, and my spiritual gifts helping me discern what people need to hear.  I am so blessed and so lucky.  I want to be happy more, but I feel joy a lot.  I don't know if that makes sense....  I'm at peace and I'm okay and I'm exited for Oklahoma in a week... but I wish I could laugh and enjoy this more.  we did start a tradition of sharing on giant cupcake right before bed and then taking pictures and laughing.  I love these sisters... even though I get seriously annoyed at them sometimes.  

I'm excited to go to the temple later today :)  I think I am at least.... kinda nervous.

 I'm not getting enough sleep... I sleep fine, it's just impossible to go to bed on time and I have to wake up early to get a good shower choice.... so that's lame and I hope that I can eventually get some rest.  falling asleep in class is not fun :(

 okay, 1 min left!

They said we would have sixty minutes on the computer...they lied. 

OK, it's giving me two more moments to finish up...

Mom, I love you. I am so grateful to you and I need you to know how happy I am and how excited I am. I don't hardly cry any more! I figured out how to stop doing that!!!! I told H.F. I am so grateful for the spirit He gave me and I apologized for all the times I was angry about my tears. It worked! I am so happy. :) I am going to be amazing in Oklahoma. This is so good for me. I am so excited! I am so excited for you. Keep writing to me about your days at work, I can't tell you how much I like hearing about that! OK, I'll see you in seventeen months and three weeks... or something like that!!!!

Thursday, May 16th 2013

Everyone else is still writing their emails. I am really frustrated that we only had 30 minutes. Blech! :/

I had two more things I forgot to add. The food here sucks!! I finally figured out how to get what I need though--but unless you're annoying they only give you nasty fake meat and veggies. I end up eating a lot of salad and yogurt parfaits--although yesterday I did get salmon and quinoa--so good!

I am so unorganized. It's stressing me out so much. I can't keep track of the letters I've already gotten and the things I've told you.

I much prefer to write like this because I can complain about my companion--she was watching me as I wrote my email and she wants me to do the same for her, because that dang handbook tells us to be positive in our emails and she feels that her official duty is to make sure my time here is as full of rules and schedules as possible! I love her, but I hate her!

She told me recently that she is so jealous of me and my close relationship with you and Heavenly Father and the way that I can look into people's eyes and see their needs and become their friend and help them--She calls herself cold and unfeeling. And I want to tell her otherwise, but it's the truth--the rest of us have literally broken down to the point that we've all had priesthood blessings--but not her, not even close. She needs me, but I don't know what I can offer. I want her to just relax--she says she doesn't understand how you can feel the spirit and receive revelation in the middle of a lesson--I told her to relax and let it happen--I honestly don't think this woman has been still her whole life. but I hat saying all that because I am so grateful for her at times--she is strong where I am weak, and I love her strengths. 

On Mothers Day we had Brother Littlefield and his wife speak--I don't know who he is but his talk was beautiful.

Last night for Tuesday devotional, Elder Russell M. Nelson spoke to us. He smiled and we laughed a lot--he told some very cute stories and said my new favorite thing, "Men are that they may have joy, so look like it!!" and also, "Sensitive missionaries can show real concern for the soul."

I am so grateful for my sensitive soul! 

I love you so much!  Sister Longberg

Sunday, May 19, 2013

I just love seeing Uncle Trent singing!! So cool! Except for the super awkward moment with hundreds of sister missionaries in the gym and I see Trent's face on the giant screen and I yell out "Ahh! That's my uncle!" Not realizing how loud it was until after the words were gone--there was laughter--so embarrassing!

I really enjoy writing to you in Relief society...it's fun for me and relaxing.

This week has been great and it's gone by so fast! I don't want to leave the MTC now that I'm finally starting to get it! But I'm excited for Oklahoma. 

OK--I have a story for you and it's pretty amazing so make sure every one's here to hear it...

Here at the MTC we do a lot of role playing--and I hate it, but I see how it helps. Sooo, the MTC has a program called TRC--I don't know what that stands for--maybe Josh knows? Anyway--they told us we would talk to an "investigator". They can be members, less active members, or non members who are curious or were suggested into the program for different reasons. I've had three other TRC lessons--and none went terrible but they were robotic and dead--no real spirit, no love, very by the book, very fake, very acted.

Now--Saturday night--May 18th was our last TRC--and it was real. Sister S. and I knock on a door and a poor dirty looking young lady answers the door. Greasy hair, tattered old T-shirt and baggy old DI jeans. We sat down with her and she was shaking and couldn't make eye contact. I asked her to tell me why she was here and she explained that she had recently had her three young children taken away from her and the therapist that was assigned to her suggested she come to the MTC and participate in this service...She could not have been acting!!! I was terrified and my mind went blank--this is real...she needs help, this is real!!

Sister S. went right in on the first lesson and I just watched Heather's face...the next thing I know I 'm interrupting my companion's rant on being obedient and I say, "God loves you. Did you know that?"

Heather got really uncomfortable and told me how she grew up in foster care and since she was little every man in her life was abusive and immoral. She told me how they told her not to break character, but she didn't want to hear our message any more--the previous missionaries gave her the analogy of Christ knocking on the door, but you have to open the door because God doesn't have a handle on his--she got so mad!

I just started talking--and suddenly our 45 minutes was over and she didn't want us to leave--I don't know what I said, but it spoke to her. In the end, I asked her if I could say a prayer and I asked God to give her a hug. She cried! She told us how amazing that was and asked if I could give her a hug--it was amazing!!

I am so sorry I haven't been super positive. I really am happy most of the time.

I am so busy--and so panicking about leaving--these are real people! Also--I'm not sure about packing my bags and what to bring...I hate trying to fit my life in two and a half bags.

I'm also freaking out about the flight. And making a decent impression on my mission president. I'm only getting maybe four hours of sleep that night--blech  :(

On that lovely note--thanks for the love. I'm happy--I hope you are all happy! 

Love, Sister Karen Longberg

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Today is not a p-day, josh is wrong.

I'm a cheater.

I have to do laundry... there is a computer here... yay!

expect my call at about 4:30, maybe 5:00 am.... yeah :)

I'm super happy, everything is great
my teacher, bro. lisenbee told me something awesome today....

He said that when I first came here, I was on the top on his list as a missionary who would need special help and attention.  and he's proud of me because I proved him very wrong.

he pulled me aside and I was late for dinner.  it made me feel super special, but I know that my strength was not from me.... I turned myself off and sought god, and I've been so blessed for it!!! 
OK, gotta go :)  

I heard there was a giant tornado in Oklahoma.... yeah... not happy about that.
OK, loves and kisses :)

Sister Karen Longberg