Familia!
Sounds like your all doing great! It sounds like an exciting time at home- isn't change great?! Change in seasons, change in baseball, change in jobs, change in school, changes in teaching- change makes work rewarding. I am so glad that I'd experienced the cost of working hard before I came out- it makes all the changes easeir to cope with, and I am able to better recognize the Lord's hand in my day when I am not wieghed down with all the tasks that need to be completed. I love staying active- I have realized that if I slow down when I am tired, its very hard to start up again. I love hearing that it sounds like everyone is pressing on at home as well!
Weeellll, my companion's name is Sis Young! She is super sweet. She is from a ranch in Nebraska- a greal cowgirl! She has been out for 13 months! The trasnfer meeting always takes place on tuesdays. Transfer meetings are a blast! It's like a big draft. When we enter in the chapel they divide all the missionaries first by if they are staying or being transferred, then by zone. They have a little spiritual thought, introduct the new missionaries entering the field using a presentation and announce who their trainers will be, and then they have whoever is staying in the area stand as thier name is called by President, and then meet who's ever name is called after yours- announcing that your are now companions. It's very exciting. There are a lot of "ooo's" and "aaa's" from the audience of missionaries and members that come to the Orlando chapel. And MOM- Sis. Lewis was assinged to my district! Though she is not my direct companion, I see her at least 3 times a week- pass by each other at church on Sundays, have P-Days together, and interact at District Meeting. I am so impressed with her. She is such a sharp addition! We were wondering if you could send some stories of your own mission days when you were "Sis Vance and Call"?! SO Fun- RIGHT?!
Well, I have been leading the area! We have been so lost a couple times- but for the most part we have gotten right along. With this next week being bike week though, I am really considering buying a GPS. In the blink of an eye, with Sis A leaving, I had to direct everything! Making introductions, planning, copying maps, calling, texting, teaching- it's been a busy week! Nevertheless, we have been able to teach many of our gators this week! One particularily neat experience we had though was with a new gator we got this week. We actually approcahed the house trying to see someone that we had contacted a week before. But as we came up to the house, her mom told us that she wasn't home. We ended up talking to her mom though for about an hour! We taught her a lesson on faith, extended invitations to read the BOM, and prayed with her and now have a return appointment to follow up and continue to teach- I love meeting and teaching people! It always feel like a successful day when we have found someone new to teach!
Also another good experience we had this week, was at one of our "Why I Believe Firesides" last night. These Firsides are organized by President, and aimed for those who are investigating the church and are new members. We (almost applogetically) invited one of our gators whose boyfriend is a returning member to this meeting not expecting them to go because it was in Rockledge (an hour and a half away). But she wanted to come really badly! It was such a great meeting. Elder Kopishke (?) from the 70 came and organized a Q and A with a crowd 400+ people. Brenda (our gator) was so engaged. At the end of the meeting she saw people approaching Elder Kopishke to shake his hand, and she elbowed me and said "I have to ask him a question!". She started to make her way forwards while I tried to push my way through people to tell her that she could try but he is very busy. But once he saw her he pulled her aside and they had a 15 minute chat! I don't know what was said, but it just made my heart grow to see that such a special, busy, important representative would recognize the concern of my dear Brenda! It certianly has made me think of the people I bike past when I am in a hurry to get to an appointment- if a general authority can pull aside one woman amongst a crowd of 400+ people trying to snag a moment to shake his hand, then I can contact everyone I pass by to give them the chance they need to feel of the Light of Christ!
Yesterday was Missionary Sunday, where one missionary from each companionship was asked to speak. In sacrament, I was asked to speak on charity. I felt so guided and inspired as I was looking into the faces of my ward members. So many of them are recent converts. In the moment of teaching I realized that my soul has never been so heavy than to see some of them fall, but my joy has never been so great to see them teach, serve, and build up one another.
Mom- can you send me Jenny's email address- I have been thinking so much about her!
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