Tuesday, May 20, 2014

The Closest Thing to a Vacation: 5/19/14

Now that people from here look at my blog I feel SUPER self conscientious about what I write and what they would approve of me writing but I have to stop and be super excited for two seconds. TRISH IS GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!! She is such an amazing person and we have just loved teaching her. While she was talking to our  former Stake President who is soon going to be a mission president in Mexico, she said that it all happened because of something I said our first meeting. It changed her life. President Bowler asked me if I remembered saying it and I did. Trish asked "Are you guys different from other churches, and if you are is it important to be different?" It was probably the only thing I said in the two hours we were there but I answered the question and I could feel the spirit carrying my words far beyond my natural capacity. I said the "We aren't different. We believe in almost all of the same fundamental things as other Christians, but we have more. Not different, just more."  I guess that was what made the difference. How amazing is it that we have been with her from the beginning.I am so grateful for being part of her conversion. I know I haven't done anything. I has all been between her and God and Christ and the holy ghost; we were just here to help her along the way.
So back track to the beginning of the week. Sister Wood and I were in a slum. I didn't think I would take the Mothers Day phone call so harsh. Monday was our day off and then we went and saw the F. family and had a great time there, but come Tuesday and the first three doors we try they aren't home and I'm missing.. I wasn't even missing home, just normal life. I wanted to take a nap, I wanted to watch a Disney movie, I wanted to check my Facebook at night. I just turned to Sister wood and said in defeat, "I just can't do this." "Do what?" "All of this". I wasn't sure why I'm here, I started to doubt if it was worth it, I felt like I'd be fine if a mission lasted half a year. So, Sister Wood pulled the car over and we talked for a little bit. She was feeling the same way. Then the thought came to us--we needed to go to Ruby Valley. So, we threw all our plans out the door to spend two hours driving to see the Hoovers. It was perfect. We had a nice long talk and sparked the thought that we needed to spend the weekend in Ruby Valley.

Then we just started following the spirit. A person would come to our mind and we would throw out all plans and see them. Every visit was so obviously needed by those people we saw and wonderful and perfect. By the end of Tuesday I was back to normal. By the end of the week I walking on air and just wanting to do missionary work for the rest of my life.

We got the phone call Thursday. Trish called and wanted to tell us that she has decided to be baptized here and she wants to do it while we are still here because it feels important. While she was on speaker phone Sister Wood and I placed the phone down, silently freaked out, gave each other a hug, and shed a few tears of joy. We were so happy that we already had plans to go up there to see her. Saturday at noon we made the trek down to the Refuge. Once we got there, Trish took us on a tour down to Shannytown and made sure to stop by everyone she knew to introduce us and then before we could there she was inviting everyone to church and offering a ride. It was so much fun meeting everyone and seeing Trish so excited about the things she has learned. We complimented her on how great of a missionary she was and she just said "Well, there's nothing to be shy about!". I wish everyone had that attitude. I wish I had it more. Then we were going to talk about the logistics of her baptism while hiking in the mountains, but her husband decided to join us so we kept it a bit more casual. There we were in the second most remote national forest in the lower 48. It was absolutely breathtaking. 

Then we drove up and had dinner with the Hoovers, attended a broadcast--which was amazing, and spent the night in the Hoovers cabin. I cannot describe how amazing it felt to wake up in a beautiful cabin in the mountains in this beautiful rustic town. I woke up and I knew. I knew that I was in the right place at the right time. I am here for a greater purpose and the Lord will magnify all that I do, because I have been set apart and called by a prophet.

I wish I could describe every miracle this week and what made it so amazing, but I don't have time. I think it will suffice to say that the difference has been that we put the Lord back into His work and gave it over to Him and took the time to just enjoy what we were doing and miracles followed.

No pictures this week. I forget my camera cord at home. But we did take some good ones because it was Ruby Valley and our other pictures did it absolutely no justice. 

Spiritual moment: I did go over the next little section in PMG, but I was so touched by the broadcast I wanted to share portions of it. It was Elder Robins of the seventy and Elder Keel that spoke to us. It was spot on with what our investigator needed, but it was also just good in general. A main topic they were on was love. Love is the most important, wonderful, magical emotion that God has created. He did not set it in motion for it to end in death. He did not create it just for it to stop. Without Christ's Atonement, we could not love, we could not love forever. God has commanded us to love. Commandments are given as opportunities to exercise faith and make the choice to choose God's way. Because he commanded us to love, it is a choice we can make and should make to love.

So those are my thoughts on the week. At least some of them. Hope you have a great week.

Also, my companion was just talking about how she dislikes mass emails because they feel so unperson-able, but I hope you know that when I write these I think of the people who will read it and I get excited for them to see. Like Jenna Michnick! I'll do a quick shout out to you! I think it's so cool that my babysitter from so long ago still finds interest in my life. I was a little shock but also so happy to see you add your email address. I thought it was so cool. 


K. Now I'll go for reals. Bye!

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