April 21, 2014

HOLLA FOR YA DOLLA HONEY BOO BOO!

Another speedy fast week. I feel like I was just here emailing.  Not going to lie a few days this week were pretty rough and were difficult.  But I am glad they are done and gone and over with.  Ha, this week we have mission leadership council and guess what.....Sister Bonn was transferred to Lovell WY to be a Sister Training Leader! WOOT WOOT! That means I get to see her tomorrow. HOLLA HOLLA! I am so excited. I love her.  

The reason this week was kinda difficult was because this week our phone was ringing off the hook with Sisters.   Each companionship called us at least once needing guidance, or help with their companionship.  It was so draining.  What got me was on Thursday we got a text from one of the sisters saying she needed to talk to us asap.  We met up with her and before we even sat down she was in tears.  It braeks my heart to see these Sisters that I love so much so unhappy.  This particular sister I met the day I entered the field.  She goes home in 4 weeks and is a legend in this mission.  I have never met anyone so   with the Spirit and so unbelievably strong. Her testimony is one that I will always look to and admire. I was nervous about being her STL because she has been STL for a thousand years and for her last 2ish transfers was released to just focus on the work.  But her companion right now is someone that has struggled with depression for her entire mission and has a hard time wanting to be here.  But she just cried to us telling us she didn't know what to do anymore to help her and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to make it.  She was afraid of quitting.  Listening to her really scared me.  Like a lot.  I am sitting across from one of the most trusted and loved Sisters in the mission. Someone absolutely EVERYONE loves and she was afraid of quitting, of not doing what the Lord wants her to do.  I always thought the longer you are out the better handle you have on missionary work and mission life.  But seeing someone going home so soon struggle, scared me.  But she has so much faith and so much trust in her Lord and Savior.  I felt very inadequate at that moment because I didn't know what to say or do to help her.  I love all of these Sisters so much and I want to fix all of their problems and have them all LOVE missionary work and LOVE bringing souls unto Christ and LOVE seeing people change and use the atonement. But there are some that haven't felt that way their entire mission.  It's rough.  I had a moment this week where I felt really defeated and weak. I felt like this calling was getting the best of me. But I can't think that way, because nothing positive comes from it. Sleeping is a beautiful thing and I woke up the next day and was ready to take on the world.  I am fine now, and I know through the Lord that I can help these Sisters. I can accomplish all He wants me to with His help. I know that without a doubt.

Something that really irritated me was a certain companionship in my zone.  One of the Sisters is a work horse.  She is so obedient and works harder than any missionary I have ever met.  She doesn't get along with her companion and when we were talking to her about it she said that back home she would never associate or be in the same room with someone like her companion, and " I wouldn't even touch her with a 10 ft pole"  Sister Session had to hold me back from smacking that sister in the face.  I could not believe that those words came out of her mouth.  It disappoints me to hear missionaries profess their love of the Savior but yet treat their companion like dirt and with little to no respect.  The problem I have realized with many companionships is they always say, they do this, they do that, I can't stand this, when they do that yadda yadda yadda, and never do they think about what they could do.  How they could change.  OR EVEN TALKING WITH THEIR COMPANION. NO ONE EVER TALKS. JUST COMMUNICATE!  UGH! I was really disappointed to hear this Sister talk about her companion that way.  Her companion is a little different and has different interests than most people....who cares. Roll with it. Learn to love it.  Anyway that was my rant.  

Miracleeee! We have been trying to contact a 20 year old less active male in the ward for a million years and finally got in contact with him and set up a return appointment.  We had a really good conversation with him and he said he was willing to meet with us again! WOOT WOOT! I gave him a hard time for not texting us back so he has been texting us. WOOT WOOT! Right on muh brotha! Its a small miracle, but a miracle none the less.  

ANOTHER MIRACLE! So we tried contacting another part member family. The husband is a member, the wife is not.  We caught him one night and he said to come back on Wednesday when he is off work at the library.  The library?  We are always at the library! So we did some facebook creepin and found out all this creepy information about him, like where he is from, his family, where he went to school, yadda yadda and then we totally creeped on him in the library. I saw him working and shelving stuff. Being a missionary is the best. You have an excuse to be the ultimate creepster.  Anyway, we went back and he let us in no problem and said he wanted us to come back! YES! Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuu  

Sadly one of our investigators dropped us. But I am not backing down till she says it to my face.  She texted us.  hahahaha not so fast lady.  We will figure something out.
Also, we taught a new potential this week at a members home.  She is 15.  The lesson was kinda weird.....but we will see what happens.  Keep your fingers crossed. 

I LOVE THIS WARD! The members here are awesome. I can think about 4 or 5 families that I am just obsessed with.  The Doddemas are wonderful as well as the Penroses and Garretts and Larsons and Stevens and Braggs and EVERYONE. So awesome. And the bishop here is such an amazing man. He works so hard and cares so much about the work going on in the ward.  I love it here in Missoula.  I thought I could never love any place as much as Bozeman, but Missoula is getting there. 

So James. James is fantastic in every way.  He is so excited to receive the priesthood. Seriously, every time we go over there he just tells us how much he loves the gospel and teh church. He prayed before we left his house last night and that prayer was one of the most sincere prayers I have ever heard.  He is one special man.  To answer your question Dad, he and Gracie are getting a divorce......I may or may not be really happy about it.  

We got a new missionary in our zone from Arlington! WADDDUPPPP!! Texas pride babyyyyyy

Dad, it sounds like you rocked Youth Conference. I totally knew you would. You are so good with people.  And that seems like it would have been a tough topic.  AND I LOVED THE PICTURES!!! Ha, they are great. I have been showing all of the missionaries here. You are a legennnndddd.

Easter was amazing.  Sister Stevens made us an Easter basket and we went to have Easter dinner with some of my favorite families. It really is an amazing thought to think about how one man died for us.  It's hard to fathom that.  But I love that video on lds.org, the Because He Lives video.  It is Because of what Jesus Christ did that we have a chance.  I have a chance to live with my Father in heaven again.  There is nothing more important to me than making it back to my Father in Heaven.  Because of the Atonement, we have hope.   I was reading a talk by Elder Holland and he said that it wounds our Savior when we do not have the faith or the belief that His Atonement applies to us.  Something like that.  I know that the Atonement can heal.  I know that the Atonement can change us and make us better than we were.  I am thankful for that aspect of the gospel. WE CAN CHANGE.  We can become more and we can reach our divine potential through the Atonement.  I love my Savior and Redeemer. I am thankful for this that plan that allowed us to come to this earth to learn and achieve through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am thankful for not only the Atonement of Christ, but for the resurrection.  Like Elder Uchtdorf said, this life doesn't have endings, but always new beginnings.    I am thankful for this opportunity that I have on my mission to learn and to grow and to apply the Atonement.  

I love you all so much.  

I am thankful for your support and love.  

3 weeks until I get to call hommmmmeeeee :)

Sure Love Ya! Molines Rock! Missionaries Rule!

Siiisssttaaa Siiiissttaaaa