Hello again...

So...

6 months this week eh???.... its pretty crazy how fast time flies...

I'm sorry to hear about Arnold and Ken... But as we know, they're in a
better place now, and prolly have a really good idea of what I (and all
the other missionaries around the world) am doing by now.. 

This week was pretty uneventful... Just a lot of tracting and sweating,
as it was our walk week and we didn't have a car... blech... two showers
a day... I never thought I'd actually be required to do that... One day,
after coming home that night, I felt like I had just been in a mosh
pit!! I was just as exhausted and just as sweaty, except this time it
was all MY sweat!!! UGH!!!! But this week so far is treating us
nicely... It's only been 85 degrees!! haha!!

I did find out that a whole family I taught back in Cabot got baptized
though!!! Crazy!!!! The dad looked be square in the eye and told me he
didn't wanna learn anymore, because he just joined a baptist church...
now look!!! He's baptized and received the priesthood!!! RANDOM!!! But
so wonderful!!!!!

Also... Randi and Monie sent me a birthday package... my favorite item
that was sent.... FISHNET STOCKINGS!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good thing i cant wear them
anywhere!!!!!!!!!! haha!!! but I laughed way hard and pretty much those
and the Canada socks made my day. well... the whole thing did, but i
laughed a lot and that's the point.. haha...

And in the spirit that Randi is in Ecuador right now... I was reading
one of the Ensigns... i think it's the one made for new converts... but
it listed the amount of members in the top 10 countries.. #10 most
members in a country is Ecuador with almost 171000 members... #9 most
members are in Canada!!! haha!! There's about 172000 there!!! Who
knew!!! Ecuador and Canada are super close in the number of members that
live there!! I thought that was cool...

Louise is still a go for baptism on July 12. She's really excited and a
bunch of her family is flying in from Vegas to see it. She's so great
and she's ALREADY doing missionary work!!! We tracted the street she
lives on a couple days ago and told her who she needs to talk to.
haha... she's already made plans to have a couple neighbors over for
dinner one day... hahahaha... I love that woman... Her husband is still
Agnostic, but his heart is slowly but surely softening, and he comes to
every church function Louise goes to as long as he isn't working.
haha... Pretty much its awesome..

Anyways... That's about all... Next week is transfers so the next time
you hear from me, I'll be a Mommy!!! haha... That means I'm a trainer.
haha. I emailed Sis Blake and told her she's going to be a grandma next
week... hahahaha.... Maybe that's only funny to missionaries.... uhhh...
awkward.... ummmm... yeah... LOVE YOU!!!!! MISS YOU!!!! THE CHURCH IS
TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Sister Dyer

Hello!!

Well I'm glad Mom and Dad made it back from Quebec safely. I assure you
that the humidity you had there is NOTHING compared to what we have to
deal with here... It's rediculous..... But it's even more motivation to
try even harder to get into someone's door!! haha!! okay... I actually
wrote down a bunch of stuff i need to write about. go me!

1. We had Stake Conference this weekend. It was amazing, Bishop
McMullin, who is a member of the Presiding Bishopric came to speak to
us. He is such a spiritual man, and very inspirational and has a very
dry sense of humor. but I loved it. He asked all of the investigators
the missionaries are teaching to come for a meeting before the Sunday
session, and he met them all and gave them this awesome short little
lesson.. Louise got to come, and she loved it. She's so set for baptism.
The date is going to be on July 12, because it's her grandson's
birthday. He's the one on a mission. So she wants to be baptized on that
day because she remembers holding her grandson when he was minutes old,
so she only felt it was appropriate to have her own spiritual rebirth on
that day. He's the one who started this whole thing anyways!! WOOT!!!

2. Yesterday we were tracting and Sis Rothe saw a lizard and tried to
catch it, which was hilarious in itself, but when she actually did catch
it, she only got it's tail, so then the lizard detached itself from the
tail, so she was left there screaming because she was holding a
twitching lizard tail.... it was disgusting... but hilarious too..
haha...

3. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you Dad...
You're pretty much amazing, and thank you for all you do for me...
because it's a lot... I've honestly got the best Dad ever, and I'm
willing to fight anyone on that statement. haha.. Also... Sis Rothe says
you're really awesome too. She likes the picture of the mountains that
you sent, and that you wrote on the postcard you sent that you used my
"cool Dell light up pen". She liked the randomness and reached the
conclusion that she likes you a lot too. haha...

4. I dont remember if i mentioned to you how excited i was that you sent
me a scan of my Institute Grad diploma thinger... I was sooo happy to
see that... I LOVE INSTITUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5. We've also been living off of freezies... our freezer is full of
them. But I wanted to mention to Mom, that I cant eat the purple ones
because even though I'm accross the continent, I still have this idea
that the smell of anything I eat that's grape is gonna make you sick...
haha...

6. Also... I broke down and bought nail polish.. If i cant have it on my
hands, I can at least have it on my toes. So my toes look cute and are
this pretty dark purple color. haha.. I dunno why i felt like i needed
to tell you that, but i wrote it down, so i guess i figured it was
important at the time.

7. Last thing... Clarke..... What's Wells Fargo???......

So pretty much that's been my week. Pretty random, but awesome too. Its
still warming up and we hit our first 100 degree weather day....
blech.... The things i do for the Lord... I know that what we teach is
true, so as a result... The Church is still true!!!!

Love y'all!!!

-Sister Alison Dyer

Happy Birthday to me!!

Haha... Hellooo...

So I pretty much had an awesome birthday. We had a Zone Conference in Hot Springs today, so I spent the whole morning and a good chunk of the afternoon there at the church. I got an ALRM luggage tag from Sister Batchelor. haha.. It was pretty sweet. This is the last Zone Conference for Pres and Sis Batchelor... It was really sad!!! They gave their farewell testimonies, and we sang God be with you till we meet again... Pretty much a tear fest for EVERYONE... I've really come to love and respect them, so I'm sad to see them go, but I know the new mission president will be awesome too. Even if he is a "kernal" General in the Army, and a CEO of some big company AND from Texas.... haha... Pres Batchelor was less intimidating... He was a gym teacher... anyways... I know that I'll prolly come to love the new president because i have a whole year to get to know him.

So after that, we drove back to Maumelle, and visited a couple people, then went over to the Ward Mission Leader's home for dinner. They had this big party for me!! Haha!! They invited a bunch of ward members and we got to sit and have fun together. Even Robin got to come. I love that woman!! and Louise came too!! I think I told you last week that she's getting baptized on June 21... WOOT!!!! She's sooo wonderful!! I love the people here so much!!! So we had this awesome meal, and Sis Brown (WML's wife) whips out this chocolate cake with candles and everything and everyone sang to me! haha!! It was weird to hear them sing "Sister Dyer" in the song... haha... But it was so great. I definitely had a great birthday. Louise even got me a Maumelle t-shirt. haha. I loved it.

So that was my day... pretty sweet...

Oh!!! and MOST RANDOM THING EVER!!!!!! But we had to take our car in to get an oil change (we've got a Chevy Malibu now). So the guy that was talking to us was Asian, but i was SOOOOOO confused because he had this incredible Southern Accent!!! He said y'all, fixin to... EVERYTHING!!!  haha!!! It was hilarious... maybe you had to be there... but then again... just picture Jessie speaking in a Southern accent and maybe you'd catch the vision... haha....

So thank you everyone for sending me the bazillions of happy birthday emails. haha.. I definitely felt loved.. Well... I know I am. So thank you...

Can you believe I've been out for 5 and a half months already?! I sure cant... Its incredible... time is truly flying...

The Church is True everyone... And if you dont know it... Pray about it. I promise an answer will come. Serving a mission is incredible... I read a poem yesterday that someone's aunt wrote about missionaries... the jist of it was... I've never been so upset, but I've never been so happy... its so true... This is such an emotional rollercoaster, and it truly tests your devotion to the Lord. I've come to a great understanding of how insignificant i am alone, so I have more reason now than ever to use the enabling power of the Atonement... I know it's real.

I love "y'all" so much. haha... Thank you again for your love and support. I miss you so much, but i take comfort in knowing you're praying for me...

Keep up the awesome everyone. There is so much to be grateful for, so dont ever take what you have for granted.

Love you!!
-Sister Alison Dyer

Happy Day!!!

So much has happened this week!!!! I got to speak at Courtney's Baptism,
which was incredible for for her, and a really significant event in my
mission too. WOOT!!! She's a wonderful woman, and I'm so glad to have
that connection with her through Margaret. haha. Small world..

Also, I got the Birthday package that mom sent me!! It was awesome!!! My
companions were mad at me... not mad... but yeah... so I get this
package from mom, and I got a package with a BAZILLION pictures from
Randi and Monie AND I got two letters that day... haha... Last week was
a good mail week. hahaha... So the chocolate chips in the package mom
sent me were all melted... so i dunno how well i can make cookies with
them, but they'll definitely get used one way or another. Thank you for
the runners too, and the pomade, and the birthday stuff and the Little
Mermaid card... basically that was awesome and i loved it. hahaha... and
also... The shirts... So I know i told you I've gained some weight...
but not THAT much weight!!!!!!! The shirts were cute, but they were
HUGE!!! I'll prolly be able to find someone to give them to or
something, but it made me laugh.

Also... I'm no longer so white... I'm slightly off white... haha... as
in... I'm beginning to get a tan. I already have a mary jane shoe tan
line on my feet. hahaha... it's really funny actually...

Speaking of sun.... IT'S SOOOOO INCREDIBLY HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Like...
getting up to 95 degrees PLUS humidity, I'm beginning to feel like I'M
the one in Ecuador!!! (by the way... travel safe Randi. and send me
something cool. haha..) BUT SERIOUSLY!!!! IT'S SO REDICULOUSLY HOT!!!!!
Tracting is such a gong show because it's SOOOO humid that it makes you
sweat from every pore and you're perma-sticky. it's gross... and i have
to change at least once throughout the day... I'm gonna be doing a lot
of laundry this summer. Good thing we have a washing machine in our
apartment... ........ I miss snow.....

Also... THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING PART!!!!!!

WE COMMITTED LOUISE TO BE BAPTIZED ON JUNE 21!!!!!!!!!!!!! She's the one
who has an Athiest husband... but she's setting such a huge example to
him, and i KNOW that he's seeing her change and become this even more
incredible person because she's reading the Book of Mormon daily and
praying daily... its just incredible to see. and as if that's not cool
enough, her grandson, who's a member and serving a mission in California
gets to recieve a letter saying that his grandma is getting baptized and
that his grandpa will be following at any moment. MAN!!!!!!!!! THE
CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh yeah!!! I wanted to congratulate Tat for her baptism too!! I'm so
happy for you!!! It's so incredible to see not only the people I'm
around gaining and strengthening their testimonies, but also to see
people back home who are doing the same. The work is progressing, and
it's miraculous.

This has really been an incredible week... i cant even express to you...
Thank you so much for all of your prayers... I feel them. This really is
Christ's church restored again to the earth in it's fullness. Joseph
Smith really was a Prophet, and through him, the church and the
priesthood was brought back. I belong to the same Church that Jesus
Christ organized during His ministry. He is my Savior, and I love him.
The least i can do is deal with this rediculous heat for a few months.
It's all worth it.

Love y'all!!!! Keep up the awesome!!! Miss you!!! and I pray for you!!! 

THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Sister Dyer

...

Hello Everyone!!!

Well... Sister Zarbock is home... and I have two new companions. Sis Jeffers and Sis Rothe. Sis Jeffers is only going to be with us for a week, then a Temple Square sister is coming and they'll be off to Hot Springs to serve there together, and I'll still be in Maumelle with Sister Rothe. This is going to be an interesting transfer. Sis Rothe and I both know that next transfer we'll both be getting a greenie to train... So We're both terrified and trying to learn as much as we can so that we can be decent trainers next transfer... AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So I'll be staying in Maumelle with my greenie, and Sis Rothe will be heading back to Conway to train her greenie there. It's gonna be intense... So your prayers to help me prepare would be much appreciated...

Anywho... Sis Rothe is from Paysen, Utah, and Sis Jeffers is from Roseville, California... kinda by Sacremento. So we're having fun, and getting work done. However, it's kinda overwhelming because I really dont know near as much as Sis Zarbock did about the area... She was here for 8 months... Now every investigator we visit asks where she is and gets super upset that she's gone... So i have a lot of relationships to build.

Man... I'm really stressing out... in 5 weeks I'm gonna be training someone and i really dont feel i know the area well enough, and i'm still new too!!! I know that this is going to be a transfer that I'm going to grow soooo much.. I need so much strength from the Lord... But i trust that I'll be able to do it.

Sis Rothe says she's obsessed with Canada, so when we found out we were going to be companions this transfer, she flipped out. it was funny. She said she wants a Canada hoodie or something. So depending on how generous you feel mom and dad... haha... also... i thought of things you can send me for by birthday. I really really really want more EFY cds. There's a Best of EFY cd that is pretty awesome. and the singles ward soundtrack would be cool too.. basically music. And if you included some Canadian candy, I'll give it to Sis Rothe. She'd really appreciate it. haha...

Also... Summer is starting.. It's been upwards of 90 degrees this whole week.... it's rediculously hot... Thank goodness for ice and air conditioning... Apparently August is the hottest month so I'm super glad that i only have to deal with one August. WOOT!!!

We're teaching some pretty awesome people still. No really interesting stories have come from it though. We're still keeping busy, and our investigators seem to be progressing for the most part. In Cabot, we only ever had an investigator to church once in all the 12 weeks i was there, but here, we've only had maybe 2 or 3 sundays WITHOUT an investigator there. It's pretty awesome. I love Maumelle!!!

So yeah... I'm pretty sure I'm staying here for a while. Maumelle is going to be my home for at least 3 more transfers (4 or 5 more months) and I'm completely okay with that.

I love you all so much!!!! Thank you for your prayers, and your faith. Spread the word!!! The Church is true!!!

- Sister Alison Dyer

Hello again!!!

Hey Family and Friends..

So i pretty much talked to everyone on Sunday... well... family at least... This is gonna be a short one... i'm sorry...

So yesterday Sis Zarbock and I got to go to a Yoga class. the Stake President's wife is a yoga instructor and she's like 70... hahaha... but she worked us hard!!! So today i'm actually pretty sore... i thought yoga as a workout was kinda weak, but now i realize that it's actually a legit work out... i hurt...

We found this awesome new investigator too. Her name is Nyree, and she's 25. She totally understands the importance that the things we teach have, so that's a nice change. We usually talk to people and it goes in one ear and out the other, so this is quite rewarding. She's so cool. She got really excited when we explained that Joseph Smith restored the same church that Christ organized during His ministry. And yesterday we started teaching her the Plan of Salvation and she's soaking it up!!! Then she asked us what our views of marijuana were.... oh man... so we told her about the word of wisdom.. then she said that it actually helps her be more spiritual and whatnot... so then i flat out told her it was wrong.. haha... kinda funny... she wasn't offended, and in fact, i think she kinda needed to be told that bluntly in order for it to sink in... so... then we told her that dispite our views, she still needs to pray about it and see what God thinks about it. She admited that she has been praying about it, but always just wants it to be okay, so its been hard for her to separate what she wants from what God needs her to do. So we'll see how that goes. We're meeting with her tomorrow. but i love her. she's hilarious and spiritual all at the same time.

This is Sis Zarbock's last week so we're doing a lot of visiting people, and making sure i know who she knows so this is gonna be a busy week. She's been here for half of her mission so there's a lot for me to take in.

Also... the car we use... (Ford Fusion) has been in the shop for the past 3 days now... we took it in monday, went to pick it up that evening, but we were told that they found something else to be wrong with it, so they needed another part... surprise surprise... So basically... President hooked us up with a Mazda 3 to use in the mean time, and we dont want the Ford back. haha..

So that's about it... Sorry... its kinda short... but i still love you all and miss you. But remember that the Church is still true!!!!

-Sister Dyer

Happy almost Mother's Day!!!

Hey everybody!

So. First thing's first. I get to call home on Sunday!! WOOT!!! Now. My
Ward meets at 10:00am so it seems that I go to the same church as my
family! Cool eh? We have a missionary coorolation meeting after church,
and i can definitely be home by 3:00 my time (2:00 yours) and give you a
call then. Sound good?? Awesome. So that's that. Also... I really just
want to talk to my family... I think if any of my friends were there, it
would be kinda difficult... Which really is lame, but I was thinking
about it, and i really dont think i wanna see what kind of an effect
talking to my friends on the phone would have on me... So just in case
there were any plans of people coming over to my parents home to talk to
me... I'm sorry but I'm veto-ing that decision so i can continue to
remain not trunky. :) Sorry.. but thank you... and Grandma Dyer... you
can call after 9:00pm because I'll definitely be home by then. :)

Also... Mom... You can totally make that dress for me. hahaha... I'll
wear it. But i dunno what color... Purple?? Red??... blech.. I dunno.. A
dress that's a bright color doesn't really seem that appropriate... but
whatev's... This time... and ONLY this time, I'll let you choose the
fabric... maybe you should take Ian with you to consult or something. He
know's what I'd wear. haha..That's right Ian... you have to go to the
fabric store with mom just once. and as long as mom makes the short
sleeved dress, it's all good. Thank you!!!!!!

So. This morning we went with a few Elders and a couple members to go
frisbee golfing. It was alright... but I really just wanted to play
ultimate... frisbee golf isn't nearly as exciting... However... Remember
when i said there was a guy i went to EFY with who lives in Memphis??
Well... He came to Little Rock to play frisbee with us. haha. But we had
no idea that we were gonna see eachother. He only came because his best
friend did too. haha!! Point is... I totally had an EFY reunion! This
guy, Rod, was in my group and everything in 2003!!! and now he's married
and still lives in Memphis, but decided to come visit his best friend
today who just happened to be coming with us to frisbee golf. small
world!!

So remember how i said i got a haircut last week?? Well... Two days
after that, my straightener died, and i almost cried... it was a sad
moment... so as i usually do... I go to a store and buy a new one, still
bitter that my old one died... haha. But this time I went to a salon
supply store an bought a really good straightener. haha... *thanks
dad...* dont worry though.. it wasn't THAT expensive.

And thank you for sending me those runners.. not that i got them yet..
but i'm excited. Right now I'm running in my shoes i got in Vancouver
with Monie. My hulk shoes. haha... They work fine.. but runners are
lighter and better for you know... running.. hahaha... and Dad... in the
States they call them running shoes, not sneakers... well... at least
Sis Zarbock calls them running shoes... haha.. Sidenote... when we were
walking to our tracting area yesterday, I taught her all the Provinces
and Territories. haha. I was proud.

We got 6 new investigators last week!!! It was crazy!!! I really think
its because well... A) the Lord is on our side... but also B) Sis
Zarbock has this amazing talent of being able to talk to anybody about
anything and not having it be awkward at all... It's amazing... yeesh...
Hopefully I'll pick up that skill by the time she goes home in a week
and a half... AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!! TRANSFERS ARE A WEEK AND A HALF
AWAY!!!!!!! And this time they have to close 2 Sister areas because
there's 3 going home this one!!! and I cant even say Maumelle is safe,
because this is an area that the Elders can no problem take over...
We'll see... Maybe I'll end up in Tennessee! haha... Not likely, but you
never know.

Also.. Congratulations Clarke and Cecelia for graduating!!!! I have a
brother and a sister-in-law both with University Degrees. That's pretty
awesome.

Yeah... Thank you for everything. I really appreciate your prayers and
your support. The Church is true everyone. Go spread the word!

Love you!!
-Sister Alison Dyer