Ello!

Ello! Thanks for sending me all that stuff. I have never been so exicted to see warm socks in my whole life! And the letters from the first graders were SO cute! I miss them. What a week...we saw SO many miracles this week and I think my body is finally used to being tired all the time. Member referrals are the best thing in the universe. A member who teaches at St. Cloud University told us about one of her students, D***, who was asking her about religion because she wants to know what's true and we met with her and she is GOLDEN. She wants to build a relationship with God and she doesn't smoke and she doesn't want to do IT with anyone until after she finds a husband and she LOVED church yesterday. :) Our investigater K*** is supposed to get baptized this Saturday but she can't kick the tea so we will have to see what happens. Rumor has it that next transfer they are assigning Elders to St. Cloud as well so our area will be split and we will have to share our teaching pool. We had exchanges this week with the Sisters in our district. They are serving in Wadena and the branch there is really struggling so we both worked in St. Cloud so they could get pumped up about finding people to teach. We had Zone training on Thursday and we went into the City. It was great and the Elders in our district are super funny and great. Tell Gordon that Elder Barker is my district leader and that he says Hello! The Elders in our district are giving us some of their miles because we have to go back to the mission home this week for New missionary training and we are almost out. I'm excited to see the Elders from the MTC at the greenie training! The sun came out on Friday and there was no wind so we tracked with out our coats on and we later found out it was only 36 degrees ha! Our ward is amazing and our ward mission leader is the bomb. He just got back from his mission so he helps out a ton! And the Rock, as in THE Rock, his uncle is in our ward. So I had this goal to not slip on ice for my entire mission so I've been very very careful but we were teaching someone a couple nights ago and we got out late so we were running and I hit  some ice and totally biffed it and I was SO mad. I started screaming and Sister Edstrom just looked at me and laughed and then I started laughing. Have you guys seen the new He is Risen video on lds.org AMAZZZZING!

Friends and family thank you for all the Letters. Mail is THE best.

Picture: Exchange with the Wadena Sisters. Me, Sister Broom, Sister Hansen, and Sister Edstrom

St Cloud

Hello! All is well! THANK YOU FOR THE PACKAGE! The only feeling that compares to opening that package is Christmas morning!!! Last night there was a bad blizzard and we couldn't go out until 12 today and then the library closed because of the roads so we are emailing from the Layne's house, which is who we live with. It took us a good hour to shovel this morning. The baptism on Saturday was great! His name is R***. He is married to a member. R*** wife's family was there and it was quite the experience. The grandpa kept leaning over to the wife to whisper in her ear but he wasn't whispering he was yelling and he would say the strangest things right in the middle of the talks like "are you hungry...cause I am". It was super funny and then when R*** was being baptized he flipped back and hit his head really hard against the wall. It was quite the thing but it was great! We are going into the twin cities on Thursday for zone training and next week we have to go back to Bloomington for new missionary training which is great but they cut every one's miles so we are going to be biking in the snow soon because we have to use our miles to go to the cities. Everyday is hard and seems eternal but things are going good. I'm getting better at teaching but tracking is not going so well. It's a struggle haha. We were tracking one night and I said "I always hope an old person answers because they never slam the door" and then the next door we went to this old woman opened up the door and before we could say anything she said "you know what... No No No" and slammed to door. It was so funny and we had a good laugh about it. I have to pronounce my last name about 50 times everyday. Good thing I wear a name tag so I don't have to spell it. Sister Edstrom is great and we get along really well! We find little things to laugh about everyday to get us through. No joke around 95% of the members here are converts and so they all LOVE missionaries! I've killed more spiders in the last two weeks than I have in my life. And we aren't talking about little spiders. We are teaching quite a few people and 2 of them have a baptismal date in the next few weeks! We visit a lot of less actives and do a little bit of tracking. Thanks for the love and prayers! I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Sister Szabo

 St Cloud district

 R*** baptism

The red head next to me leaves this week for her mission to Provo, Utah.  

I told her if she serves in American Fork to come see you so you can feed her.

What a week

Hello Family! What a week. What a week. As you know, I'm in St. Cloud. The Mississippi River runs through the city and I love when we get to cross the huge bridges! People it is butt cold here. butt cold. The temperature doesn't get to low but the wind chill is awful. People here are getting out their 'lighter' heavy coats and I layer up like a bear. We live in a memebers basement and it is freezing and there are lots of spiders but I really like it. Thank goodness for my electic blanky. On Saturday there was a bad ice storm so we couldn't drive until the afternoon. I can't say it's been the easiest week of my life but I keep praying and moving forward. Oh and we are in a car area. If i'm fatter when I get home please chain me to the treadmill. My trainer is Sister Edstrom from Roy Utah! She is really really great, as in I would hang out with her if we weren't on a mission. She has only been out for 2 months. She just got done training and now she is training me. She is 22. We are very thankful for Nancy, her GPS. Without the mountains we don't know which way is up. We have a baptism this Saturday...aren't I good? I've only been here for 5 days and I've already got one. JUST KIDDDING, I haven't even met him yet. Sister Edstrom and her trainer have been teaching him. Kate is scheduled to get baptized at the end of the month and we are teaching Tiffany and her two kids, who I really enjoy teaching. I miss kids. Well I should have read the Bible more. Everyone is Catholic or Protasent and Mormons have a bad rap in this town but we are teaching quite a few people. We are teaching this old black man, James from mississippi and he grew up Baptist and he has the thickest slowest accent I have ever heard. Whenever I talk he says "Sista why you gotta be talkin so fast all the time? slow it down girl. slow it down." Everyone and their dogs have word of wisdom problems. Everywhere we go smells like smoke and it makes me want to GAG but Sister Edstrom says I will get used to it. There is only one ward in St. Cloud, which kind of blew my mind because it's a big city. The Zone Leaders are over the Sauk Rapids Ward who also attend our building. The members love the missionaries. They take really good care from us and feed us every night. I've been struggling teaching. Sister Edstrom talks ALOT so I don't talk and then she's always telling me to talk. But we are figuring it out. Slowy but surely. I have to keep reminding myself that I've been out here less then a week. I really miss my MTC district. It was really hard to say good bye to them. And I have a ton of pictures to send you but you guessed it...I left my camera in the car. I never thought I would say this but I miss Utah. Thanks for all the prayers. I love you all SO much and I miss you more then I thought I could. Love, Sister Szabo

P.S. I'm supposed to tell you if you send packages to send them first class or priotriy mail so the mission home can forward them. :)  

Letter and pictures from the mission president

Dear Brother & Sister Szabo,

On Wednesday afternoon, my wife, Julie, and I, greeted Sister Molly Szabo at the Minneapolis St. Paul Airport and welcomed her to this great mission.  She was happy and excited to begin her mission.  Thank you for all of your efforts to prepare her for the adventure that lies ahead.  We understand what a great sacrifice you are making to support your daughter. 

We drove from the airport to the mission home in Bloomington, MN and took pictures of our new group of elders and sisters.  The day was fresh with newly fallen snow, cold, and beautiful in its own way.  We then walked over to the adjoining Bloomington chapel where we had lunch and provided a mission orientation.  I also interviewed each missionary.  The Assistants provided training in finding new investigators. 

At about 6:30 pm, Sister Clements and I introduced them to their trainers, who greeted them with big smiles and bear hugs.  After some more training, we sent them off to their assigned areas. Sister Szabo has an outstanding trainer whom I carefully and prayerfully selected.  In two weeks, we will bring them back to Bloomington for a day of training in finding, teaching, and extending the baptismal invitation.

Your daughter joins a remarkable corps of accomplished and dedicated missionaries.  There is a great tradition of obedience and accomplishment in this mission.  She will serve with missionaries who desire to build the kingdom and who are willing to sacrifice their all for the cause.  We serve in a beautiful part of the Lord’s vineyard where mighty rivers and beautiful lakes are plentiful. We are privileged to serve among faithful saints  The work is blessed and prospered by their faith and commitment.

Please encourage your daughter to obey all mission rules.  She will become stronger, more mature, and more self-disciplined as she faithfully follows the rules.  Her first area of service is in the St. Cloud, Minnesota area.  Her companion is Sister Rachal Edstrom.  Also attached are some photos, which I hope you will enjoy.

Jordan W. Clements

Mission President

Safe in Minnesota.

Hey Family. I’m here. I’m safe. It’s freezing. I’m tired.  I love you. The plane ride was great. We haven’t found out where we are going or who our trainers are but we are finding out tonight and sleeping in our areas. All is well. I love you. 
Love, Sister Szabo

MTC pictures

 Luke Johnson

Temple walk

 MTC district

Sister Bell, Sister Hansen

 MTC teacher Sister Pitts

 MTC district with President & Sister Stice

MTC district with teachers Sister Pitts and Brother Gruniger

MTC district with teacher Brother Ang

Minnesota here I come!

Well Hello! 

THANK YOU EVERYONE for all the letters and packages. No doubt I'm the most loved missionary in this place. Everyday it's a toss up if me or Elder Petty will get the most mail and I usually win! I wrote down through out the week what I wanted to tell you but I forgot it. So yeah my companion went home on Wednesday. She gave me her pillow! :) I am now in a trio with Sister Hansen from West Point Utah and Sister Bell from California. They are really great and normal and I bring a calming influence to the trio. We had companion inventory for an hour and a half last night. They cry and hug a lot. So funny story...Elder Shurtleef is our District Leader and he is from Murphy Idaho and he is really funny. Last week he emailed home and he wrote something like "I love you. I'm hungry, please send me chili" and he sent it to his family. Come to find out he accidentally sent it to our Mission President in Minnesota so it's going to be real awkward when they meet next week. Come to find out I'm not completely horrible at teaching, I just never had the spirit when I was teaching with Sister Thomas because I was always having to worry about what I was going to say next. I can't remember what I all told you in the letter but Elder Ballard spoke at the devotional on Tuesday. No one knew who was coming so when He walked in everyone stood up and I couldn't see who was there but no doubt I felt it. It was AMAZING! Thank you for the USB card holder thing. I didn't even think to bring my camera cord nor do I know where it is. We are very lucky to have got 2 P-days. Most English missionaries only get one because they leave before it comes around again. We have to start packing today. At our welcome orientation we got our flight plans to leave. I really love this place. I had to cut myself off from Chocolate Milk. Next time I email I will be in Minnesota! So I didn't get the phone card from you before I left. Do you want to send it or I can buy one? We leave here at 5 in the morning and our plane leaves at 8 something so I'm guessing I'll call somewhere around 7? I'll get paired up with a travel companion on Wednesday because my companions are going to DC and they leave really early in the morning. My district is amazing! I can't believe I've only known them for a week and a half. Minnesota here I come! Love you all. Thanks for the prayers.

Love, Sister Szabo

Molly and her companion on a temple walk

Molly and Nelsen (from Snow)

Molly's last picture with her companion

New companions

P-day!