Monday, January 31, 2011

I still love training

OK, so it's been almost 2 weeks now, and I still love training! I have been so blessed with Sister Woo- she is still so submissive and loves to teach. I think she's learning a lot more quickly than I ever did 8 months ago! Even though a lot of our teaching consists of role-playing since there aren't many people on the square, we still have chances to meet incredible people. There are random conferences in SLC, or layovers at the airport (both of which we pray for, so that we can spread the gospel!). We met an awesome young man named Matthew from Quebec Canada. He had a cool french accent :) He loved everything he saw and was very open to what we taught him. He referred during the tour, and we will be teaching him over the phone once he gets home!

One reason (out of many) that I love seeing miracles happen is because I get to see the glow of happiness on Sister Woo's face. One night we were praying for inspiration for who we could meet the following day. Three young women came to our minds. We planned to take them to the temple model, and then over to the Conference Center. We would then focus our teaching on the importance of a modern-day prophet. (Sister Woo even planned to share a quote from last General Conference). Can you guess what happened the next day? We met 3 young ladies in the Tabernacle and took them to the places we planned! And all their questions were centered around why or how we could have a modern prophet! Taking them to the conference center was powerful and the spirit was strong, especially when Sister Woo shared the quote by President Monson that she had planned to share. Aaaah it was awesome! And I couldn't stop smiling when Sister Woo kept talking about it in amazement afterwards. As President Holmes says, "Planning is everything." Especially here on Temple Square.

Chat is one of my favorite things to do in this mission. There, we see the extremes of everything. We are exposed to the most crude and obnoxious comments and questions, but at the same time, we come across some of the most prepared people who want to find true happiness in their lives- and have been led to mormon.org. Some amazing people (from all over the world) have come online this week! We are teaching quite a few of them over the phone now. Hong Kong, Philippines, Romania, Australia, Chile, United Kingdom, Ireland... I love chat!

I also love those pass-along cards that give a phone number to receive a free Book of Mormon or DVD. A man named Fernando called in the other day (Spanish speaking! yay!) and has lived a rebellious life, but wants to turn it around and make it better. He met missionaries on the street who gave him the card, and felt like he should call. I assured him (to the best of my Spanish-speaking abilities) that he could be forgiven as he comes unto Jesus Christ. My companion conferenced in and we taught him a lesson right then and there! He's now our new investigator :)

Last week I told you a little about Christina. She's incredible!! The missionaries over there in Missouri still haven't contacted her, but we continue to teach lessons over the phone, and she's keeping all of the commitments we give her! One night we had an appointment to call her, but we were late because of another phone call, so she called and left 3 voice messages, wondering where we were because she had something she needed to tell us. We quickly called her after our previous appointment, and she said she had been praying all week about the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, and all the things we taught her about. And she knows it's true and wants to join the church! (We have been praying SO hard for the missionaries to get our referral and get over to her house!) Every time we teach her, she just feels like it all makes sense. It's all right. I love being a missionary! :)

These past few months, I have been working really hard to come closer to the Spirit and listen to His promptings. I can testify that it works miracles, especially if you follow the feelings you receive! Learn how to recognize the ways he communicates with you. You will see the greatest blessings, protection, and love from it, I can promise you that! I know that the Lord is there and he loves each of us. We have more divine potential than we could ever imagine. Let's get to work and reach that potential!

I hope Derek had a HAPPY 7th BIRTHDAY! I brag about him (and all of you) all the time :)
Can't wait to hear from you all again.

All my love,
Sister Rochelle Frogget
(Frogoo is our companionship name- Frogget & Woo put together- haha I thought it was funny)

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

I'M TRAINING!!!

Wow, FINALLY. If you haven't guessed, MONDAY is now my new p-day! :) Blaine and I are the same now! haha. What a crazy couple of weeks it has been! But it's good to finally hear from all of you and to tell you all about this past week!

Ok so Monday of last week was... TRANSFER CONFERENCE! (one of the most exciting events of the transfer). Our zone gathered in a small room (there's about 20 of us in the zone) at 7:30 in the morning to find out what we would be doing this next transfer. The zone leaders went through the room, announcing what each sister would be doing. And of COURSE i was the last one to find out! And to my surprise, I found out that I'M TRAINING!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't focus very much the next 2 days after that, wondering what my new companion would be like or where she'd be from. We had a "trainer's training" by the APs (assistants to the president), and it really pumped me up spiritually. What a privilege it is to train... but also a huge responsibility! We're helping set the foundation for the rest of their mission! (which is SO true! I still do things the way my trainer did. It's amazing the influence they have on you). I was still way excited, especially as I was moving apartments (back to Deseret Apartments!) and getting the room set up and making her bed. I bought some chocolate for her and put a little note on her pillow :)

Wednesday was the big day! I was companion-less for a few hours, so I went on exchanges with Sister Zhou from China. Hilarious! We all gathered in the theater downstairs where all the trainees were sitting. I glanced over them and got SO nervous, and then really excited. All but 3 were from foreign countries, and all their names were hard to pronounce! One by one, they introduced themselves, and then the APs announced who their trainer would be. One of the sisters, Sister Woo, stood up and started speaking, and I knew right away that she'd be my companion! I just felt an overwhelming love for her. Sure enough, they announced my name and we hugged, took a picture, and went to eat lunch together! Sister Woo is from Singapore and is the cutest thing in the world. She's just so lovable. :) She's a bit quiet and more reserved, but has a heart of gold and a testimony of fire. She's cute!

Training so far has been SO much fun! I love being able to show her how the Temple Square mission works. She is so submissive and does whatever is asked of her. Our first few times on the square were mostly me talking because she didn't know what to say, but she's warming up a bit. We met two women up by the Christus- one was a member and one wasn't. As I was talking to the member, Sister Woo spoke with the nonmember and I saw her open up the scriptures and share a verse with her. Then she was bearing her testimony, and the lady ended up wanting to see missionaries! She is now our new investigator :) I was so proud :)

Sometimes it's rough on her. And I totally understand her because I got easily discouraged my first transfer. Whenever she gets discouraged (if there's rude people on the phone or on chat or on the square), we take a moment and talk it through. I feel so close to her and love her so much! I love training :) ... (We'll see if I feel the same way in a week or two lol).

Miracle time! Chat can be SO discouraging sometimes because there are so many trollers (people who are there just to waste our time), and they aren't sincere about learning. But we stopped and prayed for someone sincere to come online. Afterwards, a girl named Christina popped up, and as we were chatting, I couldn't believe my eyes. She was so prepared to hear the message of the Restoration, it seemed almost unreal! She even said, "You know, this all makes so much sense! How do I become Mormon?" We offered to have missionaries to come visit her and she happily accepted. We also offered to call and have a lesson with her right then! She agreed and we had an amazing lesson with her over the phone. What a great girl! She's 19 and living in Missouri. She will surely be our first baptism this transfer. :) That really got our spirits up and brought back the missionary fire that we need to carry forth with God's work.

We are getting new investigators like crazy!! I don't have room in our area book to fit them! :) Even though it's pretty slow on the square, the world is our mission boundry, and we're teaching some incredible people all over the earth. Including Africa, Spain, Mexico, Ireland, and Taiwan. Who else can claim the best mission in the world besides Temple Square!??! :)

Well my wonderful friends and family, it is now time for me to go! I love you all and appreciate your prayers. This is the true gospel, restored on the earth. Christ stands at the head of it. We must make Him the very center of our lives. I'm so proud to wear His name and be His representative! I love helping others come closer to Him and pray that He will be my strength and my guide in the year to come.



Can't wait to hear from you!!!

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Love, Yours,

Sister Rochelle Frogget

PS: Yesterday was our EXPLORE DAY! (So Sister Woo could get to know everything on Temple Square) And we went to the Church History Museum! I LOVE that place!


Sister Kleine and I - Blaine is now in a town in Germany where her family lives! Flensburg I think!! She is so great. I'm excited for Blaine to meet her family.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Can you say MIRACLES!?

Hello from beautiful Temple Square!!

Today is officially the last p-day of the transfer! Wow. I'll be hitting my half-way mark next transfer. CRAZY! Anyway, I probably won't have the same p-day next week, so just be warned that there might not be an email waiting in your inbox next Wednesday :)

Can you say MIRACLES!? This week has been FULL of them! Literally.
We have had many chances to go back to the Humanitarian Center, and I absolutely LOVE it. It makes the whole week so much better. If you haven't gone there to take a tour there, you SHOULD! It's very moving. There's a special spirit that is there, and my companion and I have had many chances to share it with those who come! As I've mentioned before, when we don't have any people coming in for tours, we go upstairs and do service (my favorite is putting together the newborn kits or the hygiene kits, but we tie quilts too!). On Thursday last week, we were tying quilts with some of the older service missionaries that serve there full-time. Sister Peterson was sitting with us and talking to us. Suddenly she got really quiet. Sister Wilson and I looked up and she almost had tears in her eyes as she said, "I just get goosebumps with you two sitting next to me! I feel the spirit so strongly and know that you're truly called of God to be His missionaries." She was so full of love and we were all uplifted and edified. It also gave Sister Wilson and I a good reminder that we really are God's instruments in carrying His work forth. It pumped us up for the next tours we took that day. We took around two ladies from Spain and Venezuela/Greece (both members of the church), and the one from Greece mentioned that coming here really strengthened her testimony and made her want to come closer to God. (I told you it's a powerful place!) That was my first Spanish tour there! (which was interesting, considering I've never taken a Spanish tour there and I didn't know much of the vocabulary! But the Lord helped me out and the Spirit attended us!)

OK so on Friday last week, I was in the public restroom, and 3 Hispanic ladies walked in. I said Hello and walked out. Then I had an overwhelming feeling that I would be taking a Spanish tour at that moment. When I walked out, my companion said, "You wanna take a Spanish tour?" Without hesitation, I immediately said yes because I knew this one was for me; I could feel it! Well it ended up being those 3 ladies that walked in the restroom, along with one other lady who spoke some English. I took them on the tour and they were all so full of love! (and patience, since I was struggling that day with my Spanish skills haha). Downstairs in the North visitor's center basement, I was telling them about prophets and Joseph Smith. I was stumbling over all my words and sentences. It was so frustrating! Then I had the feeling to just testify of the Book of Mormon. So I did so. I testified with all my heart that I had read it and prayed about it and knew that it was the word of God. That's when they felt the Spirit and the power of that book. Laura was one of the ladies, and she decided she wanted to have missionaries come teach her more! Aaah it was such a miracle- and the Spirit helped me so much. Meanwhile, as I was giving the Spanish tour, my companion was talking to the lady that spoke English. And she had been searching for the truth! Sister Wilson was able to explain about the restoration of the true gospel back on the earth, and the lady also wants to meet with missionaries! In fact, we're going to call her and teach her over the phone until they get there! :) :) :) A few days later, I took two more Spanish tours! One was with 2 huge families who were full of love and adored everything they saw! They both referred to have missionaries and we'll be teaching one of the families over the phone this week! (During the tour, Sister Wilson and I both had feelings that these people would be baptized one day! What a privilege it is to assist in bringing families into the fold of God!)

I can't remember how much I told you last week about Becky and Kevin- but they're some investigators we have in New Jersey. Well we called them last week and found out that the missionaries have met with them and will be coming back to give them the discussions! As we talked to them on the phone, they had a completely different spirit about them. Last time, they were slightly argumentative, but this week they bore testimony of the scriptures and knew this is what they need in their lives! We're hoping to have a baptism pretty soon with them!!

We have a new investigator this week! Marcello from Ecuador, who is living in Spain right now! (I think I mentioned him before, but he was only a potential investigator. Now he's one of our new investigators!) I gave my first Spanish lesson over the phone. We opened with a prayer and talked about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He had a few LDS friends before, so he knew some of it, and was even bearing testimony to me about the truthfulness of it all! I was amazed. The missionaries are coming to visit him TODAY actually! I'm excited to call him tomorrow to see how it all went and if they'll be coming by again. It's SO NEAT to have actual investigators now, and to be able to see how they progress and everything! ¡Que milagro! :)

One more story, and then I sadly must go :(
In the Beehive House we took 2 ladies from WISCONSIN on a tour! (Sarah, and Aunt Gloria, this one's for you! haha) They were mother and daughter and a little quiet, but as we went through the house, they opened up a bit. We explained how Brigham Young would study from the Book of Mormon. The daughter, Nicole, mentioned that she saw one of them in the hotel room and had flipped through it a little bit. They both asked a bunch of questions about it. We testified of its truthfulness and assured them that they could know for themselves. Nicole's eyes completely lit up. This was something she had been searching for her entire life. She took the book from our hands and thumbed through the pages in awe. She asked how she could get one and we told her about missionaries in her home town. She said, "I'd LOVE to have the missionaries come! Where do I sign up for that?!" We gave her the referral card and she filled out all her info. She said she had been searching for a church! We offered to teach her over the phone and she willingly and happily excepted! And so did her mother!

My wonderful family and friends- diligence and obedience are the keys to success, miracles, and happiness. I have seen it over and over again. I know the power of the Book of Mormon. I know the Spirit is real. God is gathering Israel from all corners of the earth, and you and I must stay worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost to assist Him in this work. May God bless you! I love you all and hope to hear from you soon!

Loves,
Sister Rochelle Frogget

PS: For all those who leave comments on my blog: I've never actually seen my blog- I can only send emails to my family and they post it, so please send me an email and I can reply via letters: rochelle dot frogget at myldsmail dot net. If you include your mailing address I can send you a letter. I can only send email to my family. Thanks!

PPS: READ THE BOOK!

PPPS: I LOVE YOU!
xoxoxoxox

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Loving the Beehive House

Oh I just love getting on this computer and sending emails to my favorite people in the world!!!!! I love you and miss you all more than anything! :)

Well I'm loving the Beehive House more and more each day! It's starting to feel more like my own home! I get to show people around my home everyday and help them feel the Spirit while doing it! (Now we're just trying to convince President Holmes to actually let us LIVE there! There are some extra rooms upstairs- it would be perfect!.. I guess we can't be that spoiled haha) Well on Thursday I was able to take my first SPANISH tour in the Beehive House! It was challenging because I didn't know a lot of the words for certain things in the house, but luckily they were members and they helped me out a lot. They were so much fun and gave lots of referrals! I'm excited to make those calls! Speaking of which, I have a new investigator from Ecuador! He's living in Spain right now. His name is Marcello and he just loves the gospel :) He's my first Spanish investigator and it's awesome! My companion Sister Wilson has had some Haitian investigators so I'm learning some French too! :) We try to keep in touch with each of them about twice a week. I'll let you know what happens!

We have been meeting SO many prepared people at the Beehive House. There are a lot of skiers coming through, and many of them are not members. There was another wonderful Spanish family that came through and absolutely loved the home and the Spirit there. They had already referred on Temple Square and everything. They will be strong members of the church!

There are no more Christmas lights :( The last day of the lights was Sunday night. There are hardly any people on the square, compared to the last couple months! But God still sends his prepared children here to come here the gospel. I'm trying to get used to talking to nonmembers again. I was so used to talking with all the members and I have to switch modes! I'm really excited! I met a lady from MINDEN the other day!!!! What are the odds!!? She hadn't really heard about the church before. Unfortunately we didn't get to take her on a tour because we had another assignment, so I'm hoping that she went to Temple Square and talked with the sisters there. All I can really do at this point is pray that she did!

Guess what?!?! Today as a zone activity, we went to the printing distribution center!! And took a tour of the place! (it was interesting taking a tour instead of giving a tour! lol) We got to see how they make the Book of Mormon, ensigns, hymn books, magazines, booklets, etc, etc, of all the church-produced stuff! It was SO awesome! I'll attach some pictures to let you see some of it! It was a great experience! Dad, you would love it :) It's amazing to see everything that the church does so that we can have the things we need and so we can feel the Spirit!









Well I better get going! I'm really excited to hear from you soon! Much love!!!! xoxoxoxoxox

Adios!

Sister Ro Frogget

PS: We didn't do anything for New Years! It was nice to forget about worldly things and just work for the Lord. I loved it.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011