Hello hello my people,
Number one. I would like to announce that I have achieved a very exciting goal. I have been working on this since July. I now have, as of yesterday, a Kangaroo-shaped Silly Band. What did I trade for it, you ask? Ten push-ups. I have a testimony of diligence and patience because I have been asking every kid I have met since July if I can trade for a kangaroo one. Side note: are Silly Bandz even cool in Utah with the kids these days? They're all the rave in Mizzuruah. And now I am cool, too. But only in my apartment. You're jealous, I know.
Second, thanks everybody for continuing to write me letters and emails even when I do not respond. I know you are disappointed. I just hate writing letter and am so far behind it's beyond overwhelming. Know, please, that I do love you and care about you. I even start lots of letters. :)
Here is what is going on in the Liberty First Ward: We still have the four preparing for baptism. Our other "progressing" investigator will be out of town for the week, which is a bummer. BUT because my companion followed the Spirit yesterday while we were out with a teamup, we "happened" to see him as he was packing up his stuff. I feel like even a small interaction with a member of the church (a smile, a handshake) will help that person to feel the Holy Ghost a little stronger. It was wonderful. I love Sister Power! We are going to try and get him to come to seminary...even though he is almost 21, we feel like he would love it. His fellowshipper and neighbor is the teacher and he is the most amazing guy, so it would be just perfect.
We had 20 people sign up this week who want to come out with us on teamups. I have never heard of a ward like this. Sign up sheets never work! It's like pulling teeth to get people out because they don't know what to expect. Then they're busy and blah blah. This ward is the most missionary-centered ward I have been in. OK, it's tied with Inde 3rd. Which I miss.
We helped out this week at a place for children with autism. Darling. Those kids are angels...sometimes a little crazy, but still angels. I feel like a changed person. Before my mission, I never signed up on those little volunteer sheets they pass around Relief Society. Now that I know how much one extra hand can do, I have made a commitment to sign up for as many as possible in the future. It means so much to someone to get that sheet back and see that it if full of willing disciples of Jesus Christ who want to share their love and serve their Master. The Savior can't be in every room, at every activity or service project, so that's why he picks us to do it. So let's do it!
We had an appointment with one of our Spanish friends. The Ninja Turtle one. He hadn't been answering his phone. We had the perfect Spanish-speaking teamup. We had it all lined up to take him to Liberty Jail and watch "The Restoration" DVD (we had given it to him the week before, but for some reason it didn't have Spanish available?). We knock and he's not home. So we start driving away to try some others and our teamup, Bro J leads the way because he has a GPS in his car. In the middle of the road, we stop because our investigator is standing right there! Bro J pulled over too and he said later, he just knew it was R**, even though he had never met him. Isn't that amazing? I love the Holy Ghost! We took our investigator and his 100% drunk buddy to the jail. The friend was extremely unteachable, but Rafael opened right up and loved the film. I knew what they were talking about (in Spanish)for most of the lesson. But I learned a few new phrases about alcohol (our teamup told the friend he wasn't allowed to be drunk next time, but that he was welcome to join us for another lesson). So funny!
We got new Area Books! Yay for fresh plastic pages. It smells so good. And it will stay organized and beautiful. I just know it. I'm so excited to find someone in there who is ready to be baptized! Might as well pray it's a family who is ready to be sealed. Let's not limit the Lord, kids.
Zone Conference was...weird. It was my last one, so I thought it would be the highlight of my life or something. Either my high expectations of lack of preparation or strange topics made it feel a little off. The mission President's wife gave the "lock your heart" speech. She did a cute job, making it less awkward with little frog "elder" puppets and a blow up doll to act out getting out of sticky situations where missionaries might get all mixed up and somehow end up breaking the Law of Chastity. I can assure you my heart is locked. 19-year old boys and Missouri Hill-Billies are just not my thang.
Yesterday, I took the best, most spiritually uplifting tour of my entire mission. It was an elder returning from his mission. His parents had come to pick him up and they decided to stop by on their way home. We'll call him Elder H. The whole thing was spirit-directed as I look back on it and connect the dots. At the beginning of the tour, I preset with encouraging them to let everything go, anything they were stressing about. I reminded them it had been called a "Prison Temple" and invited them to open their hearts to the message we are to gain from Joseph's experience. The dad's eyes were suddenly watery and Elder H had this look on his face like "How did she know?". The rest of the tour went normal. Heavy, but sweet spirit once we entered the room where the jail was reconstructed. Regular questions, scattered tears throughout. We listened to the last narration, which is centered on journal entries from the persecuted Saints and the revelations Joseph received. I had lots of thoughts I wanted to share at the end: lines that had stood out, scriptures, quotes. Once it was silent, the Spirit told me, "Don't stand up. Don't talk. Just wait." So I did. Then I said, "I want to do something a little different. Elder H, I would like to invite you to stand and share Joseph's experience in the Sacred Grove. Then your feelings, testimony, whatever...to your parents." He stood up and his whole countenance changed. He had been kind of goofy before, but here he stood in confidence. It's the end of his mission. It's the last time he will share the First Vision as a full-time missionary. Then he starts to ramble and the ideas seem to be making sense to his parents, but certainly not to me. Then he goes, "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry about the miles, but we have to go back."
Long story short, he had been coming home because of anxiety and depression. His mission president told him to go home, get his life in order again and then if he felt he needed to return, he could. While at the jail, he received his answer that he could do it. He could now finish his mission, after learning from Liberty Jail. His parents agreed that counseling and medication just might be the answer. I can't even tell you how perfect it was that I took that tour. He is my new best friend and will be my pen pal until he finishes his mission. The four of us knelt next to that cold, dark dungeon where the Prophet had been held so many years before, and it turned into a temple. When Alma the younger talks about his joy being "as exceeding as was my pain", I know through this experience what he meant. Suddenly every depressing and discouraging day, every slammed door, every curse word, every baptism that has fallen through, every tear shed... was worth it. I know that God is in the Heavens and that He directs this work. He will make all our losses up. 100 fold. We are promised that over and over again in the scriptures. Sweet experiences like this can happen to all of us, where negative feelings can literally be lifted off our backs. Sometimes, though, he will only make our back stronger. That's a hard answer to prayer, but at least he is answering. I wish I could clearly articulate how I feel.
Know that I am doing well. I am growing. My spiritual back is getting stronger (though this old one will need physical therapy when I am done). God lives. He has a mouthpiece today just like He did in times of old. His name is Thomas S Monson and he holds all the keys to direct this exciting work. Jesus is the Christ and if you just get on your knees, you can know that too. Then you can get up and be His Hands.
I love you. I pray for you. And I appreciate so much the love and support you give me.
Off to keep sprinting! XOXO
Hermana Roo
PS sorry, no pics this week. My companion's battery died and I forgot to bring mine.
PPS the Answer to the Subject Line is "Joseph Smith!" according to 4-year old Brackon. I love this work.
No comments:
Post a Comment