August 23

Hello Everyone!!

Lets start things off this week by asking ourselves what is up with the weather in Utah right now?? Haha lets me honest i was on a tour yesterday and I thought the world was ending haha. The wind was flying everywhere and it was pouring rain. Every time we tried to talk to someone thunder would crash and i became deaf pretty much! Well satan tried to distract everyone ... but the spirit is stronger then the weather SORRY! This week has been amazing but very hard. We have been rejected more this week then any other week so far and its really sad. When people sit there and have tears in their eyes and then just reject the message.. its so unfortunate!! But i have come to truly realize there must be opposition in all things. Because if we never had darkness then we would never truly appreciate light.. and i think we can all agree with that one.

Today in itself has been very interesting... we woke up at 5:45 so we could get ready to go the the temple! FINALLY! so we went to the temple about 6:15 and waited .... and waited... And we needed more people so we had to wait till 7. The session was amazing, my first time in the temple and it now holds a special place in my heart. MOM and DAD what a beautiful temple to be married in :) It was so peaceful, lets be honest everyone gets a little homesick sometimes on their mission... but in the temple I feel home so i love it. Then we were informed that the North visitors center and South visitors center, tabernacle would all be closed this morning... hmm where are we suppose to take people? There were 180 Sister missionaries walking around the square and every guest probs was talked to at least 3 times by different sets of missionaries. I was standing by the entrance of the south visitors center when i see this golf cart with lights coming down the path, Sister Rathgeber is a space cadet and she was just facing the gates talking to someone.. and i turned and had a nice man grinning and waving... i waved back to Elder Oaks that was literally 3ft away from me. It brought a huge smile to my face and i had the chance to explain who he was. YaY first transfer and i already see an apostle!! i love this mission :) ... That's why all the buildings were closed, they were having special meetings about temple square.. aka best mission ever!

Here are some stories from the week!

1. one of the elders from my zone in the MTC ... felt inspired to have me call his brother for a referral. I called his dad to get some info on the brother... when he told me that Barton had taken his name off the records of the church because he got offended and something happened with one of the home teachers... So his dad told me he felt like there was something special about my spirit and the fact that Elder Burdette felt inspired to have me talk to his brother... So his dad said, we live here in salt lake I'm going to bring my son to take a tour there with you and your companion.... Uhh PRESSURE.. they have been working on barton for 15 years now and he is 28. Well they came and we prayed all day to be inspired to know what to say. He was really nice, tats down the arms, well half way through the tour i told sister R to go and talk to the parents so i could open up Barton... I felt prompted to talk about zach's story.. THANK YOU BROTHER for being you it has brought many to be humbled. He felt the spirit as i said... you know Barton one thing that will never change, is that your Heavenly Father loves you and his son's atonement is infinite.. You can't out sin the atonement of Jesus Christ you just have to accept it. Barton your never too far gone. With that statement he just sat and looked at me.. i knew he felt the spirit. A couple days later i called the father and he told me that barton talked about church the whole drive back... He was touched by the story even if he didn't way anything... that tour was so powerful words cant express how strong the spirit really is.

2. Met a family from Canada taught them a little about the prophet.. then took them through the family presentation, they LOVED it... They bore their testimony about how they felt the spirit when they head the prophet speak. They were not members but they knew that what the prophet said was true! They came back the following day and watched every single clip on temple square that involved the prophet or 12 apostles... they are going to have missionaries come and teach them... and then they will be baptized! MIRACLE ... they were teaching us ha it was incredible ps they were hindu

3. 2 ladies from Tennessee... They walk in and I feel prompted to take them into Gods plan for the family... They are crying their eyes out in the grandma and grandpas room ( btw they were old) They felt the spirit and i knew that they would accept missionaries to teach them more. After the last room they sat in awh and again ... the spirit hits me over the head and says... SING JENNA... I'm like oh gosh what am I suppose to sing? ... In my head i was going to sing I need thee every hour but what came out was Nearer my God to thee... and I found out why after the song.... The spirit was so strong and they were both in tears. And one of the women said... how did you know that was the song we sung at my sons funeral 5 months ago? ... I said i didn't the spirit told me... I then invited for the missionaries.... and they REJECTED :( WHYYYYYY!!! They said they thought we were angels and they pray I will sing as they enter heaven.... uhhh fiddle sticks!! i tried not to cry

I have made a promise to myself NEVER to get caught up in the numbers... Every soul is great in the sight of God .. and so should be the same for us as we teach souls. Whether we plant the seed or water it doesn't matter. I'm grateful for opportunity I have to be a missionary and though it may be hard, with faith in every footstep I can do anything! The definition of a missionary is one that spends time away from their family, so that others can spend Eternity with theirs!!

I love this gospel so much and I am so humbled to meet people from all over the world and help them feel the spirit... President says... we make golden investigators for missionaries around the world! That makes me so happy! i love you all and I can't wait to hear from you! Thank you for all your prayers and love! ... I sure do miss you all!!

Love Sister Mettra!!

August 16

Hello Everyone!!

I have had so many emotions this week I can't even explain... but one thing is for sure... i know my calling is REAL.

This mission is truly inspired and everything that happens here is as well! i talked a little bit about how i plan and how we meet people... the best is when my feet start walking a different way then my brain haha and a miracle comes! First off true or false I knew dad was going to be at lizzy's wedding... FALSE!! I literally had no words i was like Dad?? But it was totes fine I loved seeing everyone especially grams.. can you please tell her that I love her and i meant to take a picture but i forgot! Seriously so emotional i felt like I wasn't alive! My comp thinks your an angel dad she said she felt comfortable staying close to you! Thanks for being sweet!

Ok so literally the most intense week... ( side note : two days ago sister rathgeber was like ... Sister Mettra i know why i love you so much .... because nothing is just normal with you ha... everything is so intense! There is never anything in between... when we bring guests around they feel your special spirit. .. aka she told me I'm dramatic ahha and i laughed really hard and told her.. I'll just settle for being called intense... She is very soft spoken and i lead most of the tours ha and i like to make witty jokes with the guests... and when they are from another country i try to imitate them and they think I'm a crazy American haha.

Here are just a couple stories that i will share from this week because there are many!!!

Mennonite Family:

So this family walks in with veils and they look like polygamist pretty much .. so that looks interesting so naturally i walk over and we start talking to them... they were so nice especially the mom such an angel.. And in the tabernacle they told me they don't listen to music or watch TV. So then we decided to take them into the movie Gods plan for the family... aka movie and music oops :) haha Sorry music speaks louder then their rules .. they loved it and all of them we crying as they learned they could be together forever. Then at the end i felt inspired to sing... ( my comp just sat back and let me do whatever because she says i always act on the spirit so it must be right ha) So i told their family that i felt their special spirit and that i was going to sing. Nearer my God to thee came out and they all cried as the spirit was so strong. We invited for the missionaries to come and teach them more ... and the Father crying said I'm sorry we are not allowed to accept this book. AHHH saddest thing because they knew it was true.. ONE DAY maybe they will change. But we planted a seed so that was good.

Crazers:

This couple walks in they were from new jersey and they had a friend that was a member and they wanted us to show them around... as we were walking the member said... I joined the church because of the temple square spirit 30 years ago... so help my friends! So we did just that.. another couple joined us and we took them all around teaching them about the church and Joseph smith. Now the husband was really sassy but in a sarcastic way and so i dished it back. He thought i was funny so when he asked about how i knew there was a prophet he was laughing and i said by his fruits.... Aka the Book of Mormon and he was just laughing. And said do you think God hears your prayers? And I go ha ... cause it sounds like you think your a pretty important person maybe more then you are ahhah he liked that! So we went back and forth and finally he respected my testimony. His wife... angel! I took her aside and taught her everything about Jospeh smith and she cried and she wanted to learn more. She grabbed my hands and was just thanking me .... But then her crazy husband came over and said they cant accept. AHH he goes... but i will say joking aside.. Sister Mettra you have a sweet spirit and I did feel peaceful here.. and said well thats cause its true :) They thanked us and left! ONE DAY

Czech angels...

A group of czech came and didn't speak English... ah I'm running out of time but we spoke English and they felt the spirit especially when we testified about Jesus Christ ... 3 accepted a Book of Mormon .. UM they don't even speak English!!

Cowboy man?

There was a man sitting on a bench dressed like a legit cowboy... sweetest guy he talked to us FOREVER ... he said i come here weekly because i feel the spirit... and then he said.. i don't believe in religion but the Mormons are most def the closest to the truth that i know... we didn't know what to invite for because he reads the book of mormon .. so we said have you ever been to church? and he goes oh no no ... and I said well you should go. And he laughed and i said.. why not feel that same peace? And then i said something really stupid ha and he goes what are you blond and you try to cover it up? and i said ya actually ahah and i said maybe I'll dye my hair black.. and he goes that would look really good!!!! And he goes if you dye your hair.. maybe I'll think twice about going to church... and said no no ... When i dye my hair this week.. I will KNOW that you WILL go to church and you WILL feel the spirit and KNOW its true.... he goes... wow sister i like the way you word that.... and he shook on it!! So ha such a funny moment!! looks like I'm dying my hair.... whateves... he doesn't know the dif between choc brown!

Antis are very real.... and so is satan... i will write a letter separate because this experience is not a good feeling! Just know that the power is REAL

AH i love being here although I literally am so tired 24 7

it was so good to see Lauren it was a answer to prayer .... that day i was so sick sister Holmes sent me home to sleep.....

Love you all!

Sister Mettra

August 9

FAMILY!!!

I am officially in the mission field!!! Can you believe this! Honestly i can't believe it sometimes and its so crazy to think that just a month ago i was saying goodbye! On saturday was my one month mark! I have been a missionary for one month and i love it! ok so let me tell you a little bit about the goodbye to the MtC and hello to the square

wednesday morning i woke up at 4:30 Am and had to finish packing it was ridic ahha aka i was sooo tired! Then at 6:30 we took the infamous bus up to the square. We dropped our bags off at the apartment and then on to the square. I Saw alyssa!! well sister lamprecht and that made everything better! As i walked onto the square... the clouds were parting and the sun was shinning in and its as if the heavens were open. I'll be honest I was very sad to leave the MTc because i loved it there so much and I had grown so comfortable with it all! But as i walked onto the square I knew that this is where i needed to be. I met the mission president and his wife.. you should be getting a picture of my first day very very soon! I met my companion and haha we knew eachother before the mission haha she goes to BYUI and we have actually hung out before. Her name is sister rathgeber from NEW YORK. I'm getting some serious culture with my companions ahha austriallia and now NYC.

Let me tell you a little bit about planning here and how it works.... So sister RAthgeber and i knelt down in prayer and we just pray to know where and when to meet these people that come. I felt prompted to say... we will meet a couple from kentucky at the segal monument at 11am. Ha doesn't get much straight forward then that. ... Well guess what... we met that couple... different place but none the less met them... I was speachless... the Lord knows his children! And they wanted to hear more about the gospel... so we were able to get their information and the missionaries will come to their house and share more. Family there are so many stories already and i have to write them all out and send a letter because I don't have a lot of time but i will do my best.

Miracle 2

Baptist family from tennesse.... ( this one is for kira)

i prayed that i would be led by the spirit with what I said and did.... Well they started off very strong and grounded in their beliefs... I walked beside the husband that kept asking questions about Joseph smith. I testified so strongly of him there is no doubt in my mind that he felt it. He started to joke a little less and I slowly saw his heart soften as i would speak. I told him that sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven and that is just what Jospeh Smith did and what every pioneer did as well.. Again he started to ask more questions ... till he turned to me and said... Sister Mettra.. you know this is true don't you? i said yes jon i do with all my heart. This book is a true testiment of jesus Christ.. I wouldn't be standing here before you right now if I didn't know. And you can know too... Have the missionaries like myself come and teach you more. I have had times in my life where i forgot who i was and I never want anyone to feel that. And through the gospel of Jesus Christ.. you will come to truly know... you are never alone... Well there is more but he and his wife will have the missionaries over.

Miracle 3

A catholic women that had many questions about who Jospeh smith was.... I started to explain how he saw God the father and his Son Jesus Christ... And the spirit took over as i explained about how they are 2 seperate beings... how Jesus Christ prayed to his father in the garden ... not himself... she had never thought of that before and was truly touched... there is more but I felt prompet to tell her to see Jospeh smith movie.. and she said yes we will go see that... and i promised her that she would know it was true after that movie... and she goes.. thank you.... I don't doubt its true AHH she was ready to be baptizedddd!!

ok i have to go family.... ah so much to say I will write a fat letter!

July 30

Dearest Little Family.....

Well what a couple days I've had haha as some of you already know because I had to call! Which BTW you all sounded so awakward ahah I didn't know what to do.

So lets start from Monday night... I had to say goodbye to my Elders which BTW was so sad! I love all of them we were like a little family. Honestly the classroom feels so empty and quiet without them. Tuesday is when everything started.. So I was sitting there in the morning in class and all of the sudden my stomach on the right side started KILLLING ME. And I had this horrble headache and I don't even get headaches!... I sucked it up most of the day but towards the end I had to go lay down. I didn't want to miss any class time with Brother Williams because he is my favorite so right after his class i went and laid down. Well i passed out so fast and slept for like 3 hours. Then I tried to suck it up and go to Devotional because I didn't want to miss that either. The whole time I felt like I was going to throw up so I sat outside with Sister Mackey. Then we had devotional review and it was amazing my stomach still hurt but the testimonies were so powerful that I didn't want to leave. Our zone is so legit I can't explain ha I love all of them as well. So after Elder Cook's devotional and the district review I looked over at one of the Elders and I was WHITE as a ghost and he goes... Sister are you ok?? and I'm like I need a blessing please! And he is a rockstar so he quickly got his oil and went into the other room and helped me sit down. He gave me the most beautiful blessing. He was crying the entire time and so was I of coarse ha. I had prayed this week to feel Heavenly Father's love because I just felt like I wasn't getting anywhere. In the blessing he said.. " Jenna your Heavenly Father loves you so much and he wants you to know that he is aware of all the sacrafices you have made to be here. He is so proud of you and loves you." It was perfect there were many other things said but thats some. After the blessing I went to bed and just tried to sleep.

Next morning I woke up sick to my stomach again, but couldn't throw up. I felt weak but I kept going. I went to the doctor and they were really concerned about my apendix that they might burst. So I had blood taken and some other tests. Then they sent me to the chiropractor because I woke up and half of my body was numb including my neck and that isn't the best ha. So even though my stomach was killing me I went to the chiropractor. aka spine rehabilitation center. He saw how bad my back was and neck and i had shock therapy and he used this hammer thing to re adjust my neck... ha I was so nervous but I just tried to stay calm. He wanted to re position my hips and some how he is making progress doing that ha my back feels so much better. Apparently I had like 6 pintched nerves and it was causing a lot of problems! Thats where I got the headache but they still cant explain my stomach pain.

Today I went to the doctor again... they think its a bacterial infection because I feel sick most of the day. I think it started with the food but literally now all I eat is... bannana and peanut butter sandwiches, salad, cereal and I try to eat fruit but it hurts my stomach... So just pray my dumb stomach will stop this!!

OK soooo now my life..... 30 SISTERS..... not kidding 30 SISTERS in my district and no elders. It started on wednesday and its really weird. I hope you have respect for visitor center missionaries ... because its really hard. I was ready to go trackting and knock on doors. And Teach lessons...... now I have 5 min to share everything and teach only to their needs. Last night we had a TRC for visitors center and it was so hard ha. You have to have the spirit with you every second and I thought I did but sometimes when you get nervous you start teaching lessons... NOT PEOPLE. So I'm learning everyday but I def have more respect for what I'm doing now. A RM from temple Square came in and talked about how on top of it you have to be on the square. You have to have the spirit with you and you have to be ready for anything.... they say that prayerful planning is what its all about.

One day they said they prayed and as the planned they both felt inspired to write.... at noon go the the flag pole and teach the man in a red shirt... and sure enough a man with a red shirt was there at noon! that happens daily... There is a book they have written called... angels on the square!! So I'm getting excited!! tomorrow.... I go to temple square about 3:00 and I start training!! I will be with a different companion and this time its for reals! real people and I am soo pumped.... but also scared!!!

Ok my time is running out.... this morning I went to the temple and guess who got to talk to the temple pres... ME :) CAuse I had some questions .... his wife said I should come work at the temple ... nbd I willl

Ok FAMILY I LOVE YOU SO SO much ...

July 26

Dear FAmily!!!

I am retarded and waited till 5:30 to send this email and i literally have nooooooooo time!!!! But I'm sending a letter tomorrow and that will be very long!! For Brek and Kira yours is coming!!

Highlights from this week

1. My week was amazing and I learned so much and I cant even explain the tender mercies I have felt from Heavenly Father

2. I went to the temple today finally!!! Yea!!!

3. I taught the law of chasity and I nailed it and it was sooo good!! The spirit was so strong and I wish all of you could have been there.

4. I sang today at an orientation and mostly everyone was crying and I was sooo happy.... I REMEMBERED ALL of the WORDS!!!

5. Its sooo hot and I'm dying !!

5. Sunday we got told all about the dress code aka.... no nylons, skirts to right below the knee!! Seriously.. and all different shirts and patterns!!!! TELL AUBREEEEEEEE SAVE HERRRRRRRR

MOM I have no place to shop but I wear the same thing every day!

6. I feel sick aka going to throw up I'm starting to hate eating.... today I literally feel 348349583 LBS

7. I never want to stop teaching.... the spirit is amazing and I never want to go without it.

8. I might need somemore things... I just got a letter saying that I got a package!! so thank you I will go see that

9. Pray for me to keep learning the scriptures I have so much to learn!!

10. I wear my tagg proud everyday and I'm so happy to be on a mission.

I know that this church is true and I love you all so much. I know that we are never alone and that if we have faith we can make it through anything! Through this life we are going to have ups and downs but we just have to remember that the Lord knows us personally!!

I love you

Love Sister Mettra

July 19

Well first things first..... this week has been amazing and also really hard! Everyday I'm learning more about myself and about my purpose as a missionary... I sang in church yesterday Come thou Fount... shout out to OWEN... It was really good I tried not to cry. I was very humbled this week because the spirit promted me to ask one of the Elders to sing with me in my district. You should have seen the Look on his face.... I could tell he needed it. It was such a humbling expriernce to teach him how to read the notes.... And oh BTW he has an amazing voice.

Ok So last last week.... I went to the TRC and taught june ... She was a really good investigator and the spirit was so strong when I testified of Joseph Smith. I loved it so much and I can't wait to get out there and do it some more. It was so good to be in the TRC on the other side!! The Lord truly hears our prayers i can TESTIFY of that! ... This week my companion and I had a little rough patch. I swear I wanted to run away... She is VERY BLUNT ... kinda like Zach blunt but from a different culture so its harder ha. After we taught on thursday I felt amazing because I truly relied on the spirit in the lesson other then our lesson plan.. and I started talking about the atonement cause I felt strongly this is what james needed to hear.... I was almost brought to tears many times during our lesson because I realized the spirit is really the teacher..... well when we walked out ... hmmm she did NOT agree and started telling me how I talked to much and how I didn't let her testify or teach her principles..... i literally wanted to punch something... ahha I was so heated and thats not like me!... I prayed so hard to have patience and keep smiling... and thats what I did! ... The Lord heard me for sure! So we had to have a little comp inventory and I told her what I really thought about how she went about that. It was REALLY AWK sauce and I wanted to die ahah but I stood up for myself and then accepted that I needed to be sensitive of her time to. After that day.... we have been lovely!

But I was so embarraressed when my teacher looked at me and pulled me aside and asked how I was... cause he saw what happened. But he said I was very mature and that I handeled it well .. so I'm LEARNING...! We love eachother now and she makes fun of me and I make fun of her because well... sometimes she says innapprorite things and she doesn't even know ahha.

We had a devotional movie that was incredable about feeling the spirit... and how we need to just FORGET about wondering if its just us or if its the spirit JUST DO IT. And thats what I have really focussed on doing! The spirit is the best tool we have and I encourage all of us to always have it with us!

Family ... I want to tell you all I love you so much and I know there is a purpose for this family. I know that this church is true because I have prayed to know it for myself. The Lord hears your prayers so keep praying! I have been re converted just this past week seriously! I feel like I know so much more then I ever have before... I still need help and I'm not even half way there but I know that through prayer I will be able to do anything!. The Lord chose me to serve this mission and I am serving with all my heart might mind and strength! I'm grateful for everything that I have been through good and bad because it has made me an empathetic missionary and I can relate to those investigators. There is so much to say and I have 10 min left... I want to testify that the book of mormon WILL answer the questions of the soul if you let it. And anything can be done through praying and staying close to the spirit.!

July 12

I know this is getting out so much later then I wanted but we were just getting adjusted to PDAY which fyI is my favorite minus sunday ahah! Ok Ahhh where to start

DAy 1 ... My companion is from AUSTRAILIA .. Yes she is from where karen is going!! Connection already :) She is very sweet her name is sister Walshe. Sister Mackey is one of my roommates and I love her so so much its a blessing we are together seriously! .. ok so i had some tears at night when I went to sleep the first night just trying to adjust and realizing I was actually here!

Day 2 i loved day two ... Um my district is sooo amazing I love all my elders like LOVE LOVE THEM. They are so inspiring and we all want to be so so obideint all the time. All the Elders are going to knoxville!!! KIRA they have questions for you that will come later if I can type fast enough. Ok So saturaday was probably the longest hardest day! I tried so hard with Sister Walshe to learn and i had a memory block and seriously couldn't teach ha I don't understand!! But I prayed so much like all day long Heavenly Father and I were having a little chat! I am so grateful to be here its been amazing ... and also very hard. I know that the Lord needs me here right here right now to be the best missionary I can be. i have prayed more this week then I have in a long time. The spirit is so strong here and I know that if I just humble myself the Lord will help me. This week I have noticed that my strength is having the spirit with me and teaching off of that more then anything else. I am grateful for everything that I have been through because already it has helped me so much. When I look into to someone's eyes and testify that they have a heavenly Father that loves them... I almost always have tears in my eyes just because I remind myself everytime. This work is so incredable and its only been a couple days and I'm learning so much. I want to be a better person when I return and I am confident that with the Lords help that will be possible.

On sunday we had a fireside that literally changed my life. Sister jenny Baker... aka sister Oak's daughter. She is a professional violionist and she spoke of how she gained her testimony through music. That was a tender mercy from the lord right there because I kept comparing myself to everyone else. heavenly Father gave me this talent as an extra way to gain my testimony and testify. I auditioned for a specail musical number.... and they want me back!! Which is really good seeing there are like a million people that try out! Ok I know this email isn't very long but there is a number in the corner of the screen timing me! haha I need BRek skills right now!

I was having a hard time the first couple of days and really wondered why this was so hard. Thank you thank you for all your emails please keep them coming .... ok here are notes for everyone.... CAUSE I AM MISSING SO MUCH thats why I had some tears when the lights went out the first night... because I don't have things and I feel unprepared.. but due to our little move ha that was expected..