Short one this week

This week's letter was REAL short... she said she didn't have much time. She didn't send it to everyone, either, so just me and my parents got it. (how special are we? haha) So here is some of what she had to say this week!

SUNDAY NIGHT WE HAD A MIRACLE! The Coolman family...we contacted them in my first week here and their 8 year old had just had surgery so it was a bad time (we left a DVD with them to watch). We have tried to go back and nobody was ever home...SO...Sunday night (first off I was supposed to play at the fireside but I wanted to go try to teach Claudette so I told them no). Well Claudette wasn't home. Neither was Angel. Neither were ANY of our backups...so after we tried to visit Shirley (she was sick, but home) we decided to go recontact Shirley's neighbors (the Coolmans). AND...they let us in (the mom was sitting there READING the BOM we left!). They were ABSOLUTELY PREPARED! She had been recently attending one of the LDS breakoff churches (but Cameron, the 8 year old) hated it because all the kids get to do is go upstairs to the "nursery" and play x box...they don't get to learn the bible...so he hated that church. Gabe (15) refused to go to church at all because he wanted to do his own thing religion wise. So yeah...we went in and taught them the 1st lesson. Gabe had TONS of questions (and one of them was GOLDEN) he asked me "is there ONE true church on the Earth today?" I said "YES" He asked which church is it? I told him "THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS" he didn't question my response, he didn't fight it...he just flat out ACCEPTED it! It was amazing. Then later his brother was asking why all the churches don't just combine to have one church and Gabe said "because there is already ONE TRUE CHURCH on the earth....this one these girls are from!" it was amazing! They honestly took EVERYTHING we said to heart. They are going to read the BOM (especially Gabe who was anti church before our visit) and pray AND BE BAPTIZED!!! :) I love it! I am so darn proud!


Applebees was amazing, fyi! :) (and I finally found a cute boy here in MO! He was a waiter there...). As you all know, I am prolly the PICKIEST eater EVER...but I AM BRANCHING OUT AND GETTING ADVENTUROUS here... I have no tried grapefruit (love it), grapes (they are ok), peaches (just ok), strawberries (still don't like), cantelope (disGUSTING), and I think thats about all that I have tried. So...be proud (and I have actually EATEN something that is questionable looking...most Polinesian food...!) Luckily we haven't had any dinner appointments at their HOUSES yet, it seems every time they are scheduled to feed us we are at the VC....lucky me :) No hurt feelings when I don't LOVE their grub.


TRANSFER CALLS ARE TONIGHT! Ah...! I am pretty sure that I am staying here...but I can't decide what I think my companion will do. I think I will be ok if she leaves, but I want her to stay! So we'll see...but I know she asked President VanKomen if she could go full pros...so I dunno how it'll all work out. We'll see :) Another sister here started calling me companion...so I am starting to wonder if she thinks she'll get transferred and to my ward?? I dunno! haha I guess i will know in a few hours! kinda scary though...I will be SO surprised if I leave...and very sad...not gonna lie.

I'm Taking Over....

So Shelby asked me to take over her blog for her while she was gone... and I have definately been SLACKING!!! So I am going to just post some tidbits of her letters and such on here, and then I'll post any pictures she sends me! ....Ashton!

Here goes:

I GOT TO GO TO THE MALL LAST WEEK! AHH...being in the real world again! haha smelling real world smells and watching people do real world things...it was GREAT! I loved gettin out of my little area and seeing what the city of Independence is really like! haha but ya know what, I realized that the real world isn't all that great, and I can wait another year and a half to get back to that life....especially the language that is found in the real world! haha ek...I heard the "f" word for the first time this week...like 6 times...WOW...I didnt realize how sheltered I have been for the past 2 months!

I get to see sister black pretty much every day for at least a few minutes. I love her and she is doing great! She loves her companion...she got lucky...they are about as much alike as her and I were. i found out that originally President Van Komen had ME assigned to train with her companion, and at the last minute he switched it (I understand why, too...I could get along with them both, but i think sister black would go crazy if she was companions with sister balois...) lol so yeah...its good and shes doing great!

Amanda Clays (our 13 year old) picked a baptismal date...kinda...more like a month...June. NOT WHAT I WOULD HAVE LIKED TO HEAR...but at least it is a goal to work towards..I hope that we can encourage her to move it closer. Still no date for Lori. We gave her a pamphlet about how to quit smoking. hopefully that helps. Sister balois is getting VERY impatient with them! I feel bad for them because its almost like she is PUSHING them into the waters of baptism...and you can't do that! I don't know how to KINDLY tell her to back off! haha I don't want her to scare them off! They know they want to get baptized and they WILL...when they are ready! They are coming to church EVERY week and keeping our committments, so we can't really complain THAT much...can we? :S I dunno...maybe I'm just a greenie that doesnt know anything out here...but thats what I think. IT WILL HAPPEN, so let them work at their own pace? hm...
A man that we were trying to contact the other day stopped mid-sentance and said "anyone ever told you that you're kinda pretty?" hm...uh...thanks? haha (what does he mean by KINDA? lol) then he said "sure hope my son doesn't run into you" uh....??? WHAT!?! Why? haha because I am a mormon missionary and you're afraid i'll convert him with my stunningly good looks? :) haha just kidding...but was taken aback a little...i think he was trying to compliment me? oh well! i am missionary..not out here to impress ANYBODY..plus i already informed you all that there are NO attractive boys here in Missouri! hahaha trust me...i'd know if there were!

I HAD MY FIRST MIRACLE! We got a media referral for a lady requestion missionary visits. We were booked solid, and one of our appointments fell through started to go to our back up plan and my companion said "wait, lets do this media referral first" so we did and she was SO ready for us! She said that she never requested anybody...but she NEEDED US! it is so amazing! She said that we were an answer to her prayers and that she had been asking for some inspiration or something...and we said everything just right to reach her! Apparantely she doesn't normally let people in (she doesn't trust the world...she hides out in her house...i know I am making her sound a little crazy, but she HONESTLY IS TOTALLY NORMAL--you would never tell that she has had such a rough life) but something about us was different and we got invited in (i know, i know....WE know what was different about us that let her invite us in...the SPIRIT, duh!) but I talked to her on the phone last night to set up an appointment and she asked me a ton of questions (there have been a lot of people trying to get her to not meet with us...blah blah blah...you know, Satan's gotta get his 2 cents in!) and I clarified a lot of things for her and assured her that we could help her find the answers to all the questions she was asking me...and then she told me that it was ME who really sparked something in her (IT WAS ME WHO BROUGHT THAT SPIRIT TO TOUCH HER HEART AND LET HER LISTEN TO OUR MESSAGE) that made me feel SO good! :) I love being a missionary! Anyways, we haven't met with her again yet...but we are going to tomorrow night...I am so excited to see where this goes, but she is SO ready for everything. She has been brought down to the depths of Hell, and now it is our job to bring her back up (with the true gospel)! YAY!!

Well there are a few updates from her emails thus far... I don't know for sure how it will work from now on, because she pretty much sends her weekly emails to everyone, but i'll continue to post cool stories and such on here for her. AND PICTURES, of course! Here are the only two that she has sent me so far!
Just studying away! Looks like she's having the time of her life... I love getting the pics, I just wish she would send more! I'll get on her case about that one! haha More to come next week, I promise!!!

One Final Word

Alright...so I am a sister missionary! :) Crazy, I know! :) I just wanted to leave one last little imprint of me on my blog...! Although Ashton will keep this updated for me and keep all of you posted on my adventures, it just isn't the same as hearing it straight from Shelby herself! :D I love you all so much and I appreciate your love and support more than you know! Thank you for EVERYTHING! I am so darn excited to get into the MTC and start learning! :) Bring on the best 18 months of my life ... thus far ;) haha I hope to hear from all of you while i'm out serving the Lord!

Love,
Sister Shelby Nicole Bradley (officially)

Missionary Contact Info

Melissa suggested that I post my contact info so you guys can send me treats while i'm out...SOOO...thats what i'm doing :) haha I expect treats now ;) just kidding...but letters/emails would be nice!! ps...this is all from memory now :) I never cease to amaze myself ;) haha

Sister Shelby Nicole Bradley
517 W. Walnut Street
Independence, MO
64050-3632

OR if email is more your style...

snbradley@myldsmail.net

I can't wait to get out there and even moreso I can't wait to hear from you all :) Thanks for all of your love and support thus far and yet to come! See most of you on Sunday bright and early @ 9 AM! :) haha

Ready or not...!

Well...as most of you probably realized...I am entering the MTC in 16 days! Crazy, trust me, I know!! I am so darn excited, tho! I am a little sad that I won't have a chance to say goodbye to everybody...but i will be back in a short 18 months! :) I have had the opportunity to spend some time with two of my very best friends and closest cousins...with plans to do so a little more in the next two weeks...that excites me! Also, another one of my best friends is flying in from California on THURSDAY and I will get to see HER for a few days before i go... (i'm not at ALL excited for THAT ;) haha), and yes...just enjoying my time before I go! It will be a sad experience, but it will be more joyful by far! I can't wait to get out there and teach that amazing message that will change SO many lives forever! I know that I will receive many great blessings from it...as will my friends and family. We will all grow so much over the next year and a half, and before we know it, i'll be home! :) SO...when people start crying and saying they're gonna miss me...I say "You're not allowed to be sad! NO TEARS! :) I need you to be EXCITED for me, not sad that i'm going! It will be a great experience for us all" ... now, I can say that for the time being because I am not sad...yet. I wonder if deep down it hasn't registered yet, or if I really am just THAT excited that I get to go on this grand adventure...who knows...but I can GUARANTEE that it will hit me hard when i'm standing in that dreaded room hugging my mom, torturing my brothers, kissing my lil Emma, teasing my dad, and taking pictures with Ashton...for the last time in a YEAR AND A HALF...! THEN....can I PROMISE you...that it will hit me and the tears will come. But until then....I am being strong and positive...I have so much to offer...so if I go out there with ANY sorrows or regrets about my choice...I will not be able to do the work that has been asked of me with the magnitude that I can. So...I am begging...be HAPPY for me :) No tears...I don't need any encouragement in the crying department... haha Another question I get asked on a daily basis is "are you nervous" ... for talking in church...YES...terrified...!! For my mission...not yet! haha But that time will also come, I am sure! :) BUT...when you have the blessing of being the Lord's servant...his eyes, ears, mouth, and hands...what is there to fear? .....he is on your side! :D SO...no, I am not nervous, and I am not necessarily nervous to be away from my family or talking to strangers or teaching the gospel...i am nervous of not knowing the answers, of letting Him down, and of being an example to all (Cuz that is for SURE a scary thought!) haha but...here I am...down to just over two weeks...and then I can confront these silly fears head on :) haha BRING IT ON! Independence, my future companions, and President and Sister Van Komen....ready or not...here I come! :D

Oh and PS...for those who didn't know...my farewell is on December 14 @ 9:00 in my parent's ward in Nibley (the church is on 1000 West and 2840 South...in the middle of a subdivision). I would love for EVERYBODY to come :) haha but if you can't, don't feel bad! haha AND...come to dinner afterwards at my parents (like 4 houses away from the church) haha...no excuses! Love ya all!

Paramore's Twilight Music Video

Alright, people...I have become a HUGE Twilight fan...and I just finished watching the midnight showing...I LOVED it!! Oh my goodness...and here is a wicked awesome music video for it :) CHECK IT OUT!

Check out this video: Paramore Music Video (MySpace)

A Picture Tag

This is what you do:
1. Open up your picture file
2. Go to the fourth folder
3. Open the fourth picture
4. Post the picture on your blog and write about it

OH! This is a boring one! This is from when mom and I visited Ash in Connecticut this summer and we went to New York (This is Time Square..if you couldn't figure that out) haha ...i'll find a better pic...!! haha



This is all me and my best girls from high school...senior year...this was on our Valentines Dance...we were such great friends and I miss these girls!! We were all so tight because we were all basically parentless! haha :) What a good time...sometimes I wish we could go back to the good ol days like this..carefree and just so much fun ALWAYS ;)

I tag: Ashley, Charish, and Sharee :)

MISSION FAREWELL INFO!!

Alright guys! I have info for you all :) There will be two farewells; both in the Logan, UT area.

My singles ward farewell will be on November 23, 2008 @ 1:15 pm. It will be hosted at the Aztec building...for those of you who don't know where that is...it is 800 E. and approximately 1200 N. (between Oakridge and Riverside Apartments) -- the parking lot has three churches in it, and mine is the furthest EAST building. Once you are inside the building...find the south chapel...it is obviously the only chapel on the South end of the building...and there I will be...Nervous as heck! :D haha

My family ward farewell is on December 14, 2008 @ 9:00 am. It will be held at my parents' church house in Nibley. The address is 1000 W. and 2840 S. It is in the middle of a subdivision, so remember that there is no road that goes straight to it from the highway...and don't get lost! The easiest route to get there would be to take the highway heading south of Logan (if you're coming from Logan, when you come to the fork in the road, take the right side) and then turn left onto 3200 South (right after Ted's) and follow that road until you hit 1000 W, and turn left. You will just follow that road through the subdivision until you see the church on the left side of the road.

Now both farewells will have a dinner hosted afterwards...the singles ward one will be at MY house (595 E. 500 N.--house on the NW corner of the four-way) and the family ward dinner will be at my PARENTS house (911 W. 2840 S.---Nibley Garden Estates Subdivision) I can't wait to see all of your smiling faces!! Let me know tentatively which one you plan on coming to so we can make sure we have enough food for everybody :) Also, hit me up if you need more specific directions :) I know not everybody is good with the grid system...! Thanks for all your love and support! See you soon...ps...only 40 more days til I'm OFFICIALLY Sister Shelby Nicole Bradley :) haha