We had transfers this week and I stayed right here in Chilli with
the same companion, Sister Barnum!! We are excited for the next
adventures we come across, Pres Keyes said that we both might get
transferred in July which is so sad but hopefully he gives us a warning
before that happens. On P-day last week though, we went on our fun
buggie right by a 15yr old Amish boy and the Gallatin elders as well as
Sis Leonard who is the neighbor to the Amish family in Jamesport. It was
seriously the SMALLEST buggie and they called it the family rig,
holding 9 people! I think they must have fit 9 small children in there
cause 9 adults could never fit in, we barely fit 6! Haha, but it was a
lot of fun! The elders and us all walked around Jamesport, looking at
the shops and buying random goodies. We had a really fun p-day last week
and this week, we got to stay at home in our shorts till 3pm....soooo
nice!!
Our investigators have really changed and made some good steps in
their spiritual journeys. The little girls we are teaching come over to
the Weed's house when we teach them sometimes, so we get to have a kid
lesson with everyone quite often. Their friend Abby came over to the
house at the Weed's one day with one of the little girls, Kendell, so
she could be taught since she was gone when we taught Kendell and
Madison. It was so cute! We will be teaching her tonight at her house
with her family for the first time, we are excited :) The girls'
brother, AJ, finally sat in on a lesson this past week and even said the
closing prayer which was so awesome! Their grandparents haven't joined
in on the lessons just yet but we are hoping that tomorrow they do.
October is seriously amazing. She reads the chapter assignments in
the Book of Mormon and then goes to 3 Nephi to read one chapter in there
or more until she doesn't have time to keep reading. her understanding
of the scriptures has grown so much in just 2 weeks, it really has shown
me how the power of reading can open your eyes and mind to more things
around you, not just spiritually speaking either. We talked to her about
setting a date for baptism and she said yes! So she will be getting
baptized on June 30th, hopefully. Her mom doesn't really know much about
the church and seems to have a confusion about what October is doing
with learning....so we are praying October talks to her mom or maybe
that we can teach her too!
On Sunday I had this really amazing experience that came to me when
I least expected. We had a really rough weekend and being at church on
Sunday was just a struggle. The speakers didn't keep me engaged, I was
tired and was feeling emotionally exhausted. In our gospel Principles
class, Bro Stull "Mr. Hulk" taught a lesson about the sacrament in such a
way that I had never heard. I read the lesson and thought to myself,
this is going to be a long boring Sunday...ha....heavenly Father proved
me wrong real quickly. If you ever want to learn a lesson, doubt
yourself or other people and Heavenly Father will show you other wise
haha. But he helped me see how the Lord always brings his blessing and
spirit upon others, he is always true to his promise just like in the
sacrament prayer. If we endure the trials/road blocks in our path he
will bless us. But we also have to do our part in always REMEMBERING
Christ...if we but remember him in all we do, we can truly make those
choices that can better our lives and bring those blessings. That is why
the sacrament prayer is said the way it is. What a blessing it is to
have that every single week, to help us remember Him. That night we had
dinner at the Stull's and had a way fun time. Bro Stull is a big dude
but a total softy at heart. His wife was making a joke about how he was a
softy and how she just isn't a crier at all. I laughed and said, yeah
my dad is that way....he cries at commercials. The whole family laughed
and she said, he probably would do that too!! Hahah. It was so fun and
was a tender mercy for me, feeling like I was with my dad :)
Yesterday, Tuesday, we had our zone conference in Liberty. Sister
Dodd got transferred to the Liberty Jail and we got to sit together
through the conference, it was awesome esp since it was our last zone
conference that we will attend. The whole theme of conference seemed to
be focused on OBEDIENCE. Something I know I personally needed to hear
haha. But it was also a very spiritually uplifting conference. I wish I
really had time to share all the messages that were shared because they
always give great advice that applies to missionaries and members alike.
In the scriptures it talks about "living after the manner of happiness"
and Pres Keyes gave us 6 "Be's" to live by that can help us do that and
they are so helpful. They are Be Worthy. Be Obedient. Be Anxiously
Engaged. Be Not Weary In Well Doing. Be Prayerful. Be Grateful. Many
members and missionaries know that we have to live according to all of
these but it is helpful to be reminded of the simplicity of them and
that we may not be 100% in an area but if were low in another, we can
focus on it and strive the be the best we can be in that area. One of
the counselors said that we should make it a "quest". If we aren't the
best at it, don't just do it because we have to, we should make it a
quest to be the best one could be. I loved that.
At the end of the conference, they leave 20min for testimonies for
the missionaries going home in the next 3 months....well....that was me.
Pres Keyes announced it was testimony time, looked straight at me and
said, you ready to start us off sister? Haha. My heart jumped out of my
chest! Who can say no in front of a group of missionaries haha. So I
went up first. After I sad back down, I felt like I just had the most
out of body experience. The last 5 minutes didn't feel real to me at all.
I watched the others get up, sit back down, then Sister Dodd went up. I
couldn't believe I was watching her bear her testimony either. After
conference was over, I still was so happy to just be there with other
friends/sisters. We took pictures, said goodbye and went back to our
area. The rest of the day I kept playing over the day, I realized that
my "lasts" moments had just hit me. I really cant believe that my
mission is coming to a close. I feel so grateful to be out here, to have
changed so much and to meet so many wonderful people. I pray that I can
continue changing, becoming better, help others the best I can and be a
light to others back to our Savior. I seriously love my mission.
Grateful I still have almost 11 weeks to just keep doing work!
I LOVE YOU ALL!! Thank you sooooo much for your prayers and love. I
know I felt them this week. I Miss you! Hope all is well for you!!
Love,
Sista Larson
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