Well Greetings! :)
I feel like so much has happened since the last time I emailed! This has been a great week of learning and fun!
Monday all 10 of us missionaries got to do some service by helping a young family in our ward load up their moving truck. It felt great to be able to help someone else out in a way that we don't usually get to! And to be able to do some physical labor with it!
The beginning of this last week I felt a lot of weight on my shoulders. I got really weighed down because my goal for this transfer is mostly just to work on time management/planning. It is hard. Especially when you are trying to help a new missionary and know that every move you make they are watching and learning from. I want so much to be a good example and yet I was feeling that I was failing a lot. I learned some lessons with that this week. :)
The first lesson is to trust the promptings we receive and act on them immediately. I had been prompted the whole weekend to call a certain brother in our ward to come with us to a lesson with an investigator, and put it off because I was nervous about if the two would collide in personality, and if the brother would even be available. I finally just did it the morning of our appointment. He said, "well my wife is at the doctors right now, but if you say that you felt strongly to call me then I should be able to come." Wow. My heart was softened. He told me he would call me back if his wife got done in time for him to make it. He called me an hour and a half before the appointment and said, "Where do I meet you?" It was miraculous that he was able to come, because usually his wife would be in the doctors until about 6 in the evening and she was done around 12:30. I was so grateful and felt so blessed. I had great hopes that this would be the powerful lesson we needed to get this investigator really moving. When we knocked on the door no one answered. My heart started to hurt. I tried calling him and didn't get an answer either. He wasn't home. I didn't know what to do. This brother lovingly teased me about making him get all dressed up for nothing and then asked, "Why did the Lord prompt you to call me this morning if he knew no one would be here?" I admitted that I really didn't know and was trying to figure that out. He said, "I know." I waited to hear his words, hoping for some comfort for my aching heart. He said, "The Lord is trying to see who will do what He asks." I thought about that, and it did calm my heart a bit. I don't know the full reason for why I felt so impressed to call that brother when our investigator wasn't there that day, but I do know that I followed the promptings of the spirit. We were meant to be together at that time for a reason, even if the reason was only for me - that I might soften my heart and be more open to listening to the spirit and following his guidance.
The rest of the week I needed that guidance of the spirit, as well as the support from my loving Heavenly Father. I know that He was supporting me this week because of the little things that happened through other people. Sister Sellers and Sister Barrow helped calm me down when I got stressed with changes that were being made to our schedule last minute, Sister Sellers gave me a couple of talks to read that really helped me out, my family sent me an out of the blue (and inspired) "little love from home" box, the sister training leaders sent us an uplifting quote, and Sister Boehula has been a lovingly honest support to me. Other things like rides from willing members, relating to a member who loves art and graphic design and does it for work, being able to see improvement in the goals I have, the sun shining every day, being able to sing hymns for an assisted living center, and a man offering to have us stand on his porch while it was raining one afternoon that we were tracting and then being able to talk with him about the gospel.
My skin has toughened this last week as I've noticed myself decide to change from receiving chastisement from the Lord, instead of shrinking and wanting to hide. This may come as a shock to those of you who knew me when I was younger, but I noticed that I was becoming too bold with some of my investigators. I realized that I was lacking the gentleness that I once had. Sister Boehula lovingly agreed that she was surprised by how bold I was. Sister Sellers gave me a talk by Elder Maxwell called Meekness - A Dimension of True Discipleship. As I read that I knew that I needed to change. I honestly felt like I missed being how I was. I realized that I had learned how to have confidence and have overcome a LOT of fear, but now it is time to mix that fearlessness and confidence with meekness. Meek, defined by Elder Maxwell in his talk, is gentle and humble. As we are meek with our boldness we will know when to speak and when to be silent; silence can be just as bold as words. We will also be better listeners and more often be able to share our message with fewer words.
Elder Maxwell said, "We often see in our unnecessary multiplication of words not only a lack of clarity, but much vanity. Our verbosity is sometimes a cover for insincerity or uncertainty, whereas the subtraction of self reduces the unnecessary multiplication of words. Meekness, however, is more than self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness, reflecting certitude, strength, serenity, and a healthy self-esteem and self-control. Without meekness, the conversational points we insist on making often take the form of “I”—that spearlike, vertical pronoun." He goes on, "If all our anxiety amounts to is our so-called image, it’s an image that needs to be displaced anyway, so that we can receive His image in our countenances."
When we speak boldly with meekness, we will speak with love for them and our Savior, and our words will direct them to Him and His gospel. Our words will not put up our image, but help them to see the image of Christ in our countenance.
I know that this gospel is true. I know that as we are humble enough to receive the correction of the Lord and those that love us, that we will become better and happier. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father who is meek with me. All of His correction is always out of love and care for me. I know our Savior lives and hope that He will be more noticed in each of your lives as you look to Him and for Him.
I love you all!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
Love it!
This last week has been wonderful! I love my companion, Sister Boehula! I have had a lot of fun working with her!
This week has been one of struggling to know what to do with some who are investigating, but it has been a blessing as we've grown in love for each of them through deep and specific prayer and fasting and pondering. I know that our Heavenly Father loves each of His children and will give them every opportunity to accept what is best for them - His plan and gospel.
I have had a lot of thoughts about thoughts this last week, and one thing that my ward mission leader shared with us at correlation was, what is the most important decision you will make? What you decide to think. That hit me hard....what you decide to think is the most important decision you will make. I know that that is true. I have been working hard to control my thoughts this last week, and to focus them more on the Lord, and on how to help others. I've also been trying to see others as men and women of God - especially other missionaries. I feel that it is sometimes easier to give sympathy or understanding to those who are not members of the church, and then we judge so harshly those who are members. I am learning the importance and power of seeing others as the Lord sees them, and treating them as men and women of God.
I know that this is the Lord's church. I know that His priesthood keys have been restored to a prophet called of God today, and that the prophet with those keys today is Thomas S. Monson. I am so grateful for that guidance from the Lord, and look forward to hearing from the Lord through His prophet and apostles, and other church leaders in just a couple of weeks. I love you all! May charity be in your hearts more this week!
This week has been one of struggling to know what to do with some who are investigating, but it has been a blessing as we've grown in love for each of them through deep and specific prayer and fasting and pondering. I know that our Heavenly Father loves each of His children and will give them every opportunity to accept what is best for them - His plan and gospel.
I have had a lot of thoughts about thoughts this last week, and one thing that my ward mission leader shared with us at correlation was, what is the most important decision you will make? What you decide to think. That hit me hard....what you decide to think is the most important decision you will make. I know that that is true. I have been working hard to control my thoughts this last week, and to focus them more on the Lord, and on how to help others. I've also been trying to see others as men and women of God - especially other missionaries. I feel that it is sometimes easier to give sympathy or understanding to those who are not members of the church, and then we judge so harshly those who are members. I am learning the importance and power of seeing others as the Lord sees them, and treating them as men and women of God.
I know that this is the Lord's church. I know that His priesthood keys have been restored to a prophet called of God today, and that the prophet with those keys today is Thomas S. Monson. I am so grateful for that guidance from the Lord, and look forward to hearing from the Lord through His prophet and apostles, and other church leaders in just a couple of weeks. I love you all! May charity be in your hearts more this week!
Monday, March 17, 2014
Power in the Priesthood
As you know from last week, I have a new companion fresh from the MTC. Sister Boehula is wonderful! So a little bit more about her... She is 22 (like me!) and the oldest of 3 kids- the other two being boys. Her brother just younger than her is also serving a mission right now in the Philippines. Her native language is Bislama, but French is also very common, and they learn English too. She says it's much harder to understand English here though, because people speak so fast. Plus we are in the South, so phrases are different anyways. But she is doing extremely well! She also likes to play Basketball! She is more quiet and shy, but she's not afraid to share her testimony when we are teaching lessons. She reminds me a lot of me :)
So it's a great pleasure and humbling opportunity to train her. I know I have already trained, but it was a little different because I still had my "Mom" (my trainer) there too, so I wasn't alone. Plus Sister Walker basically came running :) So this is a different experience because it's just the two of us in our companionship (although we do live with two other sisters which can be very helpful), and there are other challenges to face with new language and culture. It's super fun though and I feel so grateful to be able to be called Sister Boehula's trainer. I am learning so much from her and from this opportunity already! I love it :) The picture I attached is us after our first day! :)
Another piece of exciting news is that we also got another set of Elders in Shreveport! That means we now have 3 sets of Elders and 2 sets of Sisters, making a grand total of 10 missionaries for the Shreveport ward!! That's amazing! I'm pretty sure that is the highest in the mission, and it's super uncommon! What a blessing....the Shreveport area must be ready for the gospel or else we would not have that many missionaries here. It's super exciting, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it!
Sister Boehula and I didn't do a whole lot of teaching this last week because of transfers (getting Sister Benjamin ready to leave and Sister Boehula settled in), having an extra hour of companion study in the mornings for training, weekly planning Friday morning, correlation with our ward mission leaders and all of the new missionaries Friday night, and interviews with President on Saturday! However, it was a good week and I feel that we are off to a good start. [Our couple investigators] are still progressing really well and have given up coffee and sweet tea! They also came to sacrament meeting yesterday! There is always such a strong spirit when we visit them and I care about them so much! I know they are ready for this gospel, and it is amazing to see it bless and change their lives as they live it a little more and more each time we visit them. [The recent convert's son] is also doing pretty well, but unfortunately he wasn't able to come to church on Sunday. It was mostly because his mom wants him to have church clothes before he comes, so we're working on that. But [his] desires are there and he is doing well.
I always love interviews with President McDonough. I always feel that I can take in whatever is troubling me or weighing me down, and come out uplifted and enlightened. It's funny too how sometimes I don't realize how much I am carrying around until I go in and he looks into my eyes. You can feel that President McDonough has been called by God and does have the spirit of discernment to know how you are doing and how he can help you. This last interview was a little different for me though. Usually I do have at least one things I want to talk about, but this time I went in and my heart and mind were blank except for thinking about Sister Boehula. All I wanted was to know how to help her. We did end up talking for a few minutes about something I am going to work on improving, and then at the end President felt inspired to ask when the last time was I had had a priesthood blessing. I had actually just asked two of the Elders in our district to give me one on Tuesday before we picked up Sister Boehula, but President asked if I would like another. I accepted. That was a very calming and peaceful blessing for me. It's the first one I've had from President McDonough, and it was what I needed at that time. I just needed to hear from my Heavenly Father.
I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves you. There is great power that comes when a righteous man who holds the priesthood uses that authority in a righteous way to bless someone else. I am so grateful for that power and for that personal connection that we do have with our Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful to know that I am a daughter of God. I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and successful. He wants us to have all that He has, and He knows that we can.
I know that my prayers are heard and answered. An analogy came to mind this week that really hit me for some reason. Life is kind of like practicing for a race. We know we can't be perfect by just waking up one morning, we need to practice and work hard. With practice comes making mistakes - it's expected! But with the atonement of Jesus Christ we are able to practice and get up when we fall, and try again. Otherwise we would have no hope of becoming our best selves. Falling down is part of becoming our best, and Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to do so. I'm so grateful for Him!
That also means that we need to start running. I've seen people, including myself, set a date to do something and then don't do anything in the meantime to prepare. So when that date comes they push it off because they don't feel ready. And yet they are afraid to start "running" because they are afraid of falling, feeling pain or discomfort, or messing up. We can't let that fear stop us. Remember, mistakes are expected, but so is improvement! Press forward and know that the Lord is with you!
I love you all so much! I love this gospel, and I love the Lord Jesus Christ. May The Spirit be your guide this week as you choose to take the steps you feel you need to take to get you to your Father in Heaven!
So it's a great pleasure and humbling opportunity to train her. I know I have already trained, but it was a little different because I still had my "Mom" (my trainer) there too, so I wasn't alone. Plus Sister Walker basically came running :) So this is a different experience because it's just the two of us in our companionship (although we do live with two other sisters which can be very helpful), and there are other challenges to face with new language and culture. It's super fun though and I feel so grateful to be able to be called Sister Boehula's trainer. I am learning so much from her and from this opportunity already! I love it :) The picture I attached is us after our first day! :)
Another piece of exciting news is that we also got another set of Elders in Shreveport! That means we now have 3 sets of Elders and 2 sets of Sisters, making a grand total of 10 missionaries for the Shreveport ward!! That's amazing! I'm pretty sure that is the highest in the mission, and it's super uncommon! What a blessing....the Shreveport area must be ready for the gospel or else we would not have that many missionaries here. It's super exciting, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it!
Sister Boehula and I didn't do a whole lot of teaching this last week because of transfers (getting Sister Benjamin ready to leave and Sister Boehula settled in), having an extra hour of companion study in the mornings for training, weekly planning Friday morning, correlation with our ward mission leaders and all of the new missionaries Friday night, and interviews with President on Saturday! However, it was a good week and I feel that we are off to a good start. [Our couple investigators] are still progressing really well and have given up coffee and sweet tea! They also came to sacrament meeting yesterday! There is always such a strong spirit when we visit them and I care about them so much! I know they are ready for this gospel, and it is amazing to see it bless and change their lives as they live it a little more and more each time we visit them. [The recent convert's son] is also doing pretty well, but unfortunately he wasn't able to come to church on Sunday. It was mostly because his mom wants him to have church clothes before he comes, so we're working on that. But [his] desires are there and he is doing well.
I always love interviews with President McDonough. I always feel that I can take in whatever is troubling me or weighing me down, and come out uplifted and enlightened. It's funny too how sometimes I don't realize how much I am carrying around until I go in and he looks into my eyes. You can feel that President McDonough has been called by God and does have the spirit of discernment to know how you are doing and how he can help you. This last interview was a little different for me though. Usually I do have at least one things I want to talk about, but this time I went in and my heart and mind were blank except for thinking about Sister Boehula. All I wanted was to know how to help her. We did end up talking for a few minutes about something I am going to work on improving, and then at the end President felt inspired to ask when the last time was I had had a priesthood blessing. I had actually just asked two of the Elders in our district to give me one on Tuesday before we picked up Sister Boehula, but President asked if I would like another. I accepted. That was a very calming and peaceful blessing for me. It's the first one I've had from President McDonough, and it was what I needed at that time. I just needed to hear from my Heavenly Father.
I know that our Heavenly Father loves us. He loves you. There is great power that comes when a righteous man who holds the priesthood uses that authority in a righteous way to bless someone else. I am so grateful for that power and for that personal connection that we do have with our Heavenly Father. I'm so grateful to know that I am a daughter of God. I know that Heavenly Father wants us to be happy and successful. He wants us to have all that He has, and He knows that we can.
I know that my prayers are heard and answered. An analogy came to mind this week that really hit me for some reason. Life is kind of like practicing for a race. We know we can't be perfect by just waking up one morning, we need to practice and work hard. With practice comes making mistakes - it's expected! But with the atonement of Jesus Christ we are able to practice and get up when we fall, and try again. Otherwise we would have no hope of becoming our best selves. Falling down is part of becoming our best, and Jesus Christ makes it possible for us to do so. I'm so grateful for Him!
That also means that we need to start running. I've seen people, including myself, set a date to do something and then don't do anything in the meantime to prepare. So when that date comes they push it off because they don't feel ready. And yet they are afraid to start "running" because they are afraid of falling, feeling pain or discomfort, or messing up. We can't let that fear stop us. Remember, mistakes are expected, but so is improvement! Press forward and know that the Lord is with you!
I love you all so much! I love this gospel, and I love the Lord Jesus Christ. May The Spirit be your guide this week as you choose to take the steps you feel you need to take to get you to your Father in Heaven!
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
New Start :)
Hello everyone!
So to start out, today is transfer day, and this transfer is going to be a new start for me. Sister Benjamin, after serving here for 6 months is being transferred to Bastrup, Louisiana. It's not that far away, but she has left. The cool thing with that is she is now companions with one of the four sister that was in my MTC district! They are going to be awesome together and I'm so excited for the both of them!
The rest of the news is that I get the exciting and humbling privilege of training a new missionary. I haven't met her yet, because she has to make her way out here on the transfer van from Clinton, Mississippi, but her name is Sister Boehula (boy-hula). She is from an island near Tahiti, and President McDonough said that she is quiet, but has a strong testimony. That's about all I know about her right now. :) We will pick her up later today around 4:30, so next week I'll give more details and send a picture!
I really am excited, especially as I have gone back through all of my notes and journal entries from the MTC, and the 12-week training program that we will be working through together. I have felt that this will be a time of training for me from the Lord, and a time that will really bless me. I know that the Lord is in this work and our daily lives, and I feel that this next transfer or two are going to bring about great things.
So that being said, this last week was crazy, stressful, fun, rewarding, and chaotic all at once. Sister Benjamin and I had one of our lowest moments on the mission as we felt so burdened. And honestly I think a lot of it was simply because of challenges that have come as we have prayed for and strived to make changes in ourselves to become better. There wasn't a specific lesson or investigator that went wrong, or a day of all our appointments falling through. It was just a build up of little things and trying to be diligent through it all. There was an experience of a missionary that our Sister Training Leaders gave each of us sisters, that talked about purifying ourselves. An Elder was in a teaching appointment for an investigator with a member present. He bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon and it didn't seem to really phase the investigator. Then the member shared his - not really saying anything different, and the spirit filled the room and really touched the investigator. The Elder wondered what had made the difference. Why had the spirit come when the member spoke and not them? At a devotional for the missionaries a few days later, the Elder asked the speaker afterwards about how he could get that same spirit of power. The man looked in his eyes for a minute, and then asked him some questions: What do you think of when a girl walks past you on the street? Do you get up on time and go to bed on time? Do you obey all of the mission rules? Do you speak sarcastically or negatively to your companion?....Those things drive away the spirit and you need the spirit. He then went on to issue the Elder a challenge. Fast and pray for a day, and then make a list of the things that poke at your spirit. Then do a 40 day fast of those things. Promise to the Lord that you won't do those things for 40 days. Each morning pray for the strength to resist doing those things, and each night give an accounting to Him and ask for His help where you fell short.
That is the challenge that Sister Benjamin and I took on. It is hard and trying, but I know that through purifying ourselves, we will have the spirit with us more powerfully and clearly. The Elder talked about how one thing that he felt he needed to put on his list was golf. At first he tried to rationalize how golf wasn't bad and he only played it on p-day. But after a few minutes he wrote it down because he realized that throughout the rest of the week he thought about how he could play better. In a talk called "In The Strength of the Lord" Elder Bednar said that through the atonement we can go not only from bad to good, but from good to better. We were not meant to just be good people. We are meant to be perfect - the best we can be. I know that as we pray for strength to adapt to, face, and bear our burdens, we will be able to become strong (Ether 12:27). I also know that as we trust in the Lord and seek His guidance to know what is poking at our spirit, we will be able to be purified through the sacrifice of our Savior. I know that this gospel is true. As Sister Dibb said, "I know it. I live it. I love it."
I love you all and pray that you will find the strength to pray to your Father for help and do His will! May you have a strengthening week!
So to start out, today is transfer day, and this transfer is going to be a new start for me. Sister Benjamin, after serving here for 6 months is being transferred to Bastrup, Louisiana. It's not that far away, but she has left. The cool thing with that is she is now companions with one of the four sister that was in my MTC district! They are going to be awesome together and I'm so excited for the both of them!
The rest of the news is that I get the exciting and humbling privilege of training a new missionary. I haven't met her yet, because she has to make her way out here on the transfer van from Clinton, Mississippi, but her name is Sister Boehula (boy-hula). She is from an island near Tahiti, and President McDonough said that she is quiet, but has a strong testimony. That's about all I know about her right now. :) We will pick her up later today around 4:30, so next week I'll give more details and send a picture!
I really am excited, especially as I have gone back through all of my notes and journal entries from the MTC, and the 12-week training program that we will be working through together. I have felt that this will be a time of training for me from the Lord, and a time that will really bless me. I know that the Lord is in this work and our daily lives, and I feel that this next transfer or two are going to bring about great things.
So that being said, this last week was crazy, stressful, fun, rewarding, and chaotic all at once. Sister Benjamin and I had one of our lowest moments on the mission as we felt so burdened. And honestly I think a lot of it was simply because of challenges that have come as we have prayed for and strived to make changes in ourselves to become better. There wasn't a specific lesson or investigator that went wrong, or a day of all our appointments falling through. It was just a build up of little things and trying to be diligent through it all. There was an experience of a missionary that our Sister Training Leaders gave each of us sisters, that talked about purifying ourselves. An Elder was in a teaching appointment for an investigator with a member present. He bore his testimony of the Book of Mormon and it didn't seem to really phase the investigator. Then the member shared his - not really saying anything different, and the spirit filled the room and really touched the investigator. The Elder wondered what had made the difference. Why had the spirit come when the member spoke and not them? At a devotional for the missionaries a few days later, the Elder asked the speaker afterwards about how he could get that same spirit of power. The man looked in his eyes for a minute, and then asked him some questions: What do you think of when a girl walks past you on the street? Do you get up on time and go to bed on time? Do you obey all of the mission rules? Do you speak sarcastically or negatively to your companion?....Those things drive away the spirit and you need the spirit. He then went on to issue the Elder a challenge. Fast and pray for a day, and then make a list of the things that poke at your spirit. Then do a 40 day fast of those things. Promise to the Lord that you won't do those things for 40 days. Each morning pray for the strength to resist doing those things, and each night give an accounting to Him and ask for His help where you fell short.
That is the challenge that Sister Benjamin and I took on. It is hard and trying, but I know that through purifying ourselves, we will have the spirit with us more powerfully and clearly. The Elder talked about how one thing that he felt he needed to put on his list was golf. At first he tried to rationalize how golf wasn't bad and he only played it on p-day. But after a few minutes he wrote it down because he realized that throughout the rest of the week he thought about how he could play better. In a talk called "In The Strength of the Lord" Elder Bednar said that through the atonement we can go not only from bad to good, but from good to better. We were not meant to just be good people. We are meant to be perfect - the best we can be. I know that as we pray for strength to adapt to, face, and bear our burdens, we will be able to become strong (Ether 12:27). I also know that as we trust in the Lord and seek His guidance to know what is poking at our spirit, we will be able to be purified through the sacrifice of our Savior. I know that this gospel is true. As Sister Dibb said, "I know it. I live it. I love it."
I love you all and pray that you will find the strength to pray to your Father for help and do His will! May you have a strengthening week!
Monday, March 3, 2014
Urgency :)
This week was a blessing. We had zone conference and I really learned a lot about diligence and urgency. I'm super short on time today, but I want to leave my testimony that now is the time to work. The Lord wants us now. Not in a year, not in a month, not in week. He wants us now. It is time to prepare for the Savior's coming once again, and I have felt that sense of urgency this last week. Urgency doesn't mean out of control, but it does mean that it is on the forefront of our minds and we are striving to always remember the Savior and share his love, light, and gospel with others. It is handling it prayerfully. Oh how I love prayer. :)
Things are going very well here and they are going to get even better. [A couple we're teaching] came to church again and we got a new Ward Mission Leader and he was a counselor in the bishopric. He is going to really help us hasten this work!
I love you all so much! Both sides of this battle are hastening and we need to make sure that we are doing that we are hastening with it! Remember who you are and who you represent!
May THE force be with you today!
Things are going very well here and they are going to get even better. [A couple we're teaching] came to church again and we got a new Ward Mission Leader and he was a counselor in the bishopric. He is going to really help us hasten this work!
I love you all so much! Both sides of this battle are hastening and we need to make sure that we are doing that we are hastening with it! Remember who you are and who you represent!
May THE force be with you today!
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