"Greenie" Dinner

Hey y'all! 

I'M IN GEORGIA!!! AHHHH THIS IS REAL LIFEEEE!! As the plane was flying over Georgia and just about to land, there were sooo many more trees than I remembered. It is so green!! It almost reminds me of Ensign Ranch except instead of small cabins there are huge Southern homes fully equipped with a front porch and a wrap around white pickett fence. I don't know if you got my letter that I sent from the mission home the first day I was in Georgia but my first area is Suwanee which is about 30 min Northwest of Lilburn where the mission home is. Yes, there is a song about the Suwanee river. I kept mixing up the name and told people that I was going to Swagee. Haha. My trainer is Sister George, she has been out 3 months, and she is from Idaho Falls. We are actually almost too much alike. People say we look like Sisters, we are both turning 21 in the next few months and we both went to Utah State! President Wolfert told me I got the best area to start out in and everyone here tells me that I will always hold a place in my heart for my "greenie" area. Are they right, dad? 

Almost every ward in the mission has a set of sisters and a set of elders. "Our elders" are Elder Roman and Elder Howell and Elder Howell is our district leader. They brought us shakes on my first day in Suwanee and carried my stuff up to my room. Immediately best friends. I didn't notice when I was purchasing my bike that it has butterflies all over it... yeah I probably have a 12 year old's bike. Nbd. At least I'm not riding it for the next 3 months that I am in Suwanee because we have a car! I guess unless we run out of miles but Sis George said she has been here 3 months and she hasn't taken her bike even once... Our mission rule is that if the whole mission gets 40 baptisms total, the missionaries that got baptisms in the month get to go to the temple! This coming Saturday though, we get to all drive down to Atlanta because Elder Oakes is coming to speak to our mission and the Atlanta mission! Cool huh? I'm way stoked for it. In our ward, there is actually a lot of people from Utah and Idaho. We went to the Rodriguez Family's house for dinner the other night and Brother Rodriguez is from Utah and he served his mission in Spain. He is dad's age too so you probably served together! Everyone wants to feed us. Our first night, we had 2 dinners, I doubt I will have the same figure when I get home. 

Yes mom, I am eating well and getting taken care of. I already have a designated mission mamma and mission grandma. Mama Watkins has been a member for 3 years and I absolutely adore her. She is hilarious and feeds us dinner whenever we don't have a dinner. Grandma Fullwood has also been a member for 3 years and she is just solid. It seems like she has been a member all her life. She is a nurse and always calls us and asks us how we are doing. No offense but the people here in Georgia make the people of Washington seem mean. I get more hugs than handshakes, it really is the truth that all they wanna do here is just "hug yo neck." We will be tracting and we will have nice long conversations with little old ladies and whenever we offer them service, they want a big ol' squeeze. The people are just adorable! OH HOW I LOVE TRACTING TOO. Yeah, most of the time people will politely decline or slam the door in our faces once we mention the Book of Mormon goes hand in hand with the Bible, but I just love it! I love meeting new people, especially when they are willing to just stand and talk with you for a few minutes. 

I love the MTC!!!

Last week of MTC

Hola!

Thank you for the letters and the pictures! That's super awesome that you got to see the Lake District and go through the temple. I am a tad bit jealous but not really because there is no place I would rather be... other than Georgia ;) I LEAVE ON TUESDAY!!!! AHHHH!!! I am so pumped. We get to go to the Provo Temple today with our district. Because I'm technically an "international missionary," I got invited to go with a group from different countries to go to Temple Square today and go through the Salt Lake temple but I declined because I love my district so much ;) I forgot to mention in the last email, the Atlanta mission is the highest weight gaining mission for sisters out of them all. The average is 35 pounds, so mom if you could send me some healthy recipes that would be awesome ;) This sister is gonna loose 35 pounds! 

Conference was SO AMAZING. The only thing more powerful than the talks was the fact that I could literally feel 15 MILLION MEMBERS PRAYING FOR ME. I've never felt so much love and happiness in my life. The work is moving forward and because there are so many missionaries out, it is going to take the members efforts as well to keep it moving forward. SO WORK WITH THE MISSIONARIES. I know it is scary to talk to new people when you are in a new country but let go of that fear and let the Spirit take control! I'm not just talking to mom and dad, I'm talking to all y'all! Rylee, you are the chattiest, cutest little teenager ever so all your friends would love to go to church with you! Keep reading the Book of Mormon and Praying, EVERY DAY. It's vital and Heavenly Father wants that communication with you. My favorite talks at conference were Ballard's, Hollands and a billion more. I've never before been on the edge of my seat every single talk. The prophet himself said that this is one of the best conferences he's ever attended. I encourage you to watch the other two sessions, but not gonna lie, the first two were the best. By the way, I ran into Elder Ashton and Elder Bergman. Elder Ashton and I even got a super awesomely awkward missionary picture together and you'll have to ask Debbie for it because I accidently put it on the memory card I can't hook up to the computer. Woops. I also met a girl at In Field Orientation yesterday from Richland! 

Not gonna lie, this week was pretty tough. Monday we were thrown into a room with a random real investigator who we knew nothing about and we were both a tad bit nervous so we were all over the place with our lesson. On top of that, our classroom investigator still isn't praying when we asked her to and it has been really frustrating. And on top of the responsibilities with my assignment, Monday it was getting to me. I have always been able to talk to anyone well but at the beginning of the week I just couldn't put my feelings into words and the conversation wasn't flowing. So I just prayed and asked for spiritual stamina to make it through and to let the spirit guide me on what to say. Tuesday we went back into our first investigator and it went SO WELL! I felt like I was connecting with her and we even got her to read the Book of Mormon and to accept the discussions! The week has only got better and better from there. I'm still having a little trouble putting all my ideas into words but I am getting there and I feel more comfortable now talking about gospel topics to just anyone. I know the Lord is answering my prayers and I can feel all the love, support and prayers, so thank you. 

One quick funny story. So we had In Field Orientation yesterday which is just preparing us for what we need to know when we get out to Georgia like key indicators, street contacting and so on. One of our teachers was from France and he joined the church at 19, went on a mission to Switzerland, and then came to BYU and taught at the MTC. Anyways, Sister Woodworth and I were trying to find a ring on his finger and we couldn't find one so I told her, the French teacher and I would get married after I got home from my mission and we would live happily ever after in France, Right? Literally right after I told her that, he exclaimed, "I just got engaged 2 weeks ago!" Darn it. Well, we were walking out to the bus after the meeting and Sister Woodworth exclaims, "UGH, THE HOT FRENCH TEACHER IS GETTING MARRIED. I AM SO MAD!" Just as he is walking by us. He definitely heard her and she definitely was super embarassed. I love Sister Woodworth. We are soul sisters because we both trip over everything and laugh at every awkward situation so its okay. 

A couple more highlights of the week: John M. Madsen from the seventy and his wife came and spoke to us for Tuesday devotional. They were both really motivating, powerful speakers. His wife told us about her mission when she was 21 and she served in England! Also a couple over our branch served in England as well. Oh and one of my teachers is English; so I've had a lot of people to chat with :) I conducted New Missionary Orientation on Wednesday when all the new missionaries got here. It was so sad to see all their worried, homesick faces and It seems like that was me, only years ago. It's crazy how time works at the MTC. You look back on the day and it seems like the longest day of your life but you look back at the week and you have no idea where time went. I felt bad so I took the new sisters in my district to their apartment afterwards and helped them unpack. All my new "babies" are going to missions in California! 

Call Grandma Rallet and Julie and let them know my appreciation for them! Julie and Bill and Vickie and everyone sent me a bag full of goodies and Grandma Rallet sent me goodies and jewelry for Sister Woodworth and I! I love them. I am definitely giving away a bunch of candy though because I have to watch that weight ;) 

Well I have to go now! I love everyone! I will send pictures a little bit later because I have to come back to do laundry later. Also, watch for the phone on Tuesday. I should be calling around 1 or 2 pm your time from the Salt Lake Airport! I am so excited, we get to ride the Front Runner to get to Salt Lake!

3 DAYS! COME AT ME GEORGIA!!

Hugs and Kisses, 

Sister Knight 

Farewell!

Hello family, friends & welcoming stalkers,

Well this is it. Tomorrow I get set apart as a missionary and report to the MTC. My family will update this blog with letters and pictures of my time in Georgia for the next 18 months but if you would like to write me, email me at hailey.knight@myldsmail.net or send me a letter to my address listed on the sidebar. Words can't even describe how excited I am to serve the people of Georgia. I know 18 months is a long time and I had to sacrifice a few things that I could be doing, but I wouldn't have it any other way. I am going on a mission because I love interacting with new people, I love the gospel, and I want others to hear about what I believe.

Thanks for stopping by & please visit often!
See you in 18,
Sister Knight