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| Sister Ann's district. |
Well
this week was another GREAT week! We had transfers and that was sad, again, but
the good thing is that it was easier this time than last time. I'm getting
better at this! I'm with Sister F now and oh man I love her. She's from
Sydney/New Zealand and she's Tongan, so she can relate with everyone here haha.
She and I have so much fun together. We've been in the same zone together for
the whole time so I already knew her a bit.
The
first day she was here we got locked out...for six hours. We locked pretty much
everything in too so we couldn't even really do anything... needless to say we
bonded real fast.
We had
mission leadership council this week as well and that was AWESOME. I love that
meeting so much. The assistants are now both my old zone leaders so we're like
best friends with them so they made us do everything ha but they really helped
us see a vision for the mission improving on teaching skills. I am so excited
for teaching skills to be the focus this month! That's exactly what my
investigators and I need.
We
also found out in the meeting that we are now over Rockingham and Bunbury zones
instead of just Rockingham. That means that we have 5 companionships, or about
1/3 of the sisters, to look after and to organize exchanges with. I am so excited!
I love exchanges and we have fabulous sisters! They are amazing! It can be a
bit intimidating because a lot of them have been out for quite a while and
Sister F and I have only been out for coming up to 5 months, but Sister Lindsay
told us that there is a reason that President called younger sisters in the
mission and that he doesn't want us to ever apologize for what we don't know
because we know enough... I hope that's true ha, but I am excited to love these
Sisters to death! And a tender mercy is that one of them is Sister A (my MTC
companion) so I get to speak with her all the time. I'm thrilled about that.
I also
had another appointment with the doctor and it was incredible, yet again. He
just explains things so perfectly. I love it. This week he helped me on the
second step, which is breaking a bad habit. He gave me the acronym A.D.D. or Awareness Decision Distraction. You have to first notice the
bad habit. Then you must decide that this is something that you don't want to
do. Remind yourself of the commitment you made and why you made it. Remember
that this negative thought(s) is wrong and that it's not a virtuous thought.
Then distract yourself from it. Don't
dwell on it. Don't worry about it. Just think of something else. Think
about investigators, things you can do for your companion, or just something
that takes your mind completely away from it. Don't try to convince yourself
that you’re ok just move on and don't think about it. He said that this is a short-term
solution but that as you do this process over and over again, eventually Satan
will realize that he can't get to you this way anymore.
Then
he went a bit more in depth about the awareness step. He said that I should
look for times when I use the words and phrases “should”, “have to”, “can't”, “why didn't I” and such. He said that
whenever you say “should” about something it causes guilt if you don’t get it. That guilt
leads to stress and irritability. He said to replace those
words with “wish” or
“want to”.
“want to”.
Frame the
situation as a choice and then
there will actually be more motivation to do it and you won't feel stressed and
guilty.
*He
compared it to hiking Mount Timpanogos with a gun to your head (in other words
being forced) or hiking it because you want to. The first way would be
stressful and fatiguing but the second way would be fun and invigorating, even
though it's the very same activity.*
He
also talked about how it's impossible to prioritize when you use
the phrase “have to” because it makes everything first priority. It's
not about changing what you're doing or doing less, but rather changing your
view of it. It gives you degrees of freedom.
I have
been applying that this week and it helps SO much. As I have felt myself
saying, "I have to be on time to that meeting and I have to do my hair and
I have to be home right on time" I feel the stress levels rise. But then
when I change my phrasing to I want to do be on time and do my hair then I
don't feel as stressed when I have to give something up. It's beautiful. I could
have felt really stressed at MLC when they told me all these things they want
us to be doing and on top of that giving us more sisters, but instead of saying
I need or have to do things I phrased everything in that I wanted to do certain
things with the sisters and I feel like a different person. It's hard to break
my habit but it's crazy how much this is helping me. I love it! I am changing
in so many ways.:)
Another
amazing moment this week was yesterday, when an investigator that I've been
teaching, but now has a baptismal date for the 24th of this month, came to
church and he LOVED it! The ward really reached out and made him feel welcome.
He's a paid minister for another church so if he would have had a negative
experience I'm pretty sure he would have gone running back to his church, but
this was great! It was beautiful to see. I love it when the members get
involved. They do things that it's not even possible for missionaries to do. I
love it!
Most
importantly, this week I have really strengthened my relationship with my
Savior. This week the Book of Mormon reading has really helped me. We have been
reading in 3 Nephi when the Savior appears to the Nephites. The Savior's words
are so powerful. I can see this whole scene playing out like a movie in my head
and it really touches my heart. I know that Jesus Christ really did appear to
the Nephites and that the words He spoke to them are true for me. I also love
His incredible example of ministering one by one and teaching according to
people's needs. He looks into their faces and knows what they need. As His disciples
we should be doing the same thing. It helps me feel motivated to be more like
Him.
I love
you all and I am so grateful for your love and support. It really does make all
the difference. Keep keepin' on!
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