The
best moment of my whole mission happened this week. Taylor, my mini missionary,
was baptized! President gave me special permission to go down for the baptism,
even though it was out of my zone, because of the circumstances and I was so
thankful. I was so happy to see her again and I got to meet her family. She is
so amazing. She is God's gift to me on my mission. When she went under the
water and was coming back up I couldn't help but cry. She was finally there!
The place she had wanted to be for so long. I feel so blessed to have been a
very small part in her being converted by the Spirit. Mostly I was just blessed
to be a witness to an incredible miracle.
She
also asked me to sing at it and it went really well. I prayed so hard that the
Spirit would be there, especially for her, and her mum and sister and the whole
time her mum was listening and watching so intently. I hope that she was able
to feel a stirring of the Spirit.
Other
than that, we had a pretty normal week. We did our best to talk with
everyone and we had some beautiful chats with people. We taught some good
lessons as well. No one was interested now, but I know that we planted some
good seeds for future missionaries. It was great. It's always a fun challenge
to talk with everyone no matter how awkward the situation is. We have
competitions with each other so see who can have the most awkward experience.
We are laughing all the time because let me tell you; it can be pretty awkward
to stop people on the street sometimes. You have to make a game of it or you
just feel like a weirdo.
We
have a part member family in a ward that are recent converts (the dad is still
not a member) and they had to move this week on very short notice so we went
and helped them. It was really good. I feel like we bonded with the family even
more. It was so good. I think it softened the father's heart even more towards
missionaries and the good news is they are still in our area!
Although
the bummer was that after helping we lost our phone. Let me tell you, loosing
your phone in missionary work is a real problem. Thankfully, we were with the
Elders and they had a phone so we were able to call and get it arranged for us
to get a new phone. We lost so much of the day looking for it though, which is
annoying, but oh well, life happens. Sometimes I have a granny brain. ha. So
that night the assistants brought us down a temporary phone. So we lost all our
contacts and everything so we are trying to get them back and let people know,
but we have to tell them that we will be getting a new number again soon... soo
obnoxious. What makes it worse is that only about a month or so ago we had to
change numbers because a man was harassing us... So now officially no one has
our number so that makes life interesting. It's all an adventure! :)
Church
was great this week! We didn't have any investigators at church, which is disappointing,
but I very much enjoyed our meetings. The best was Relief Society. We had a
lesson on Elder Christofferson's talk from conference, "The Moral Force of
Women." It was so good. It was such a good reminder to me of the woman
that I want to become. I want more than anything to be a mother. Being on a
mission does that to you. But don't worry; I don't want to come home. I am VERY
aware of how critical my mission is for me to be prepared to be a wife and
mother. God has made it very clear to me.
It
made me miss mum though. Oh man. I don't know if it's just this time of year or
what, but lately I have really missed you all. I think it's because I am
appreciating you all more and more. As they were talking about mothers I could
remember exactly what it felt like when mum would draw on my face with her
finger and even what her hand smelt like. (I have a very good sensory memory. I
know, I'm weird.) But it made me miss you so much mum. But it passed and now
I'm fine, like I said, I wouldn't trade being out here for anything.
Later
we went to a single woman in the ward's house for dessert and it was such a
beautiful experience. When we shared our message she opened up and told us what
she was going through at the moment. I could relate to her on a small scale,
but I didn't know what was right to say. I prayed and I felt so strongly how
much God loved her and cared for her and her eternal progression. I was able to
bear testimony of that. I was so overcome with love and emotion. I cried, I'm
such a “sook”(as the Aussies say aka “bawl baby”) I will love this woman
forever because I felt how much God loves her and sees for her future. It was
beautiful.
It's
been such a great week! I cannot believe it's the last week of the transfer. It
would be crazy if Sister T and I moved so Como should be my Christmas area...
weird, but good. I like it here. I love Sister T, we get along so well. She is
a fabulous missionary and we have so much fun together. I am so thankful that
God has again blessed me with just the companion that I needed. He is so good
to me.
I love
you all so much. I'm sad they don't celebrate Thanksgiving over here, but I
hope you all enjoy it for me, such a good holiday. I am so thankful for the opportunity
that I have to be here in Western Australia. It's exactly where I'm supposed to
be. I love you all and miss you like crazy. Let's just say, I'm glad I only
have to spend one holiday season away from you all.
I have
told all my companions about you all and our traditions and it's really made me
realize how blessed I am. I have now had two of my companions say all these
things they are going to do differently when they have families of their own
because they want it to be more like my family. What a blessing to be in the
kind of family that I am in. I am who I am because of you all and the many
traditions that we have. Thank heavens for a mum and dad who haven't been perfect,
but have fulfilled their roles as parents above and beyond what is normal.
Thank you, thank you for teaching me and loving me into becoming who I am. I
love you all.
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