Day ONE! WOW
Hello FAMILY :)
So I had a chance to write you a simple hello and let you know I made it safely yesterday. Today is my first day in my new area! I will tell you all of that but first more details from yesterday...
So yesterday after I arrived at the mission home I spent most of the day with Sister Bullock. Since we were companions for the day, I spent most of the afternoon preparing the house and meals for transfer day (aka today-Wednesday). It was a very lovely day. The Bullocks have three married sons, a daughter who is a freshman at BYU, and a son on a mission in Japan. Sister Bullock said she really misses her daughter and it was nice to have some helping hands around the kitchen again. I think it was good for me too. No one could ever replace Mom but I understand why the Mission President’s wife gets the nickname mission 'mom.' After we had finished preparing all of the meals, she took me on a walk that she and her daughter, Jennifer, frequently go on to a nearby manor. The estate is quite large and we had a good time just walking around. It reminded me a lot of near where we used to live in Paris (with the grand walking paths and rows of trees). The trees here are gorgeous. The weather is JUST like Seattle. It's nice because I’m familiar with it and the air is always clean feeling :) The mission home itself is 33 years old and has housed 11 mission presidents and their families. It is a quaint little cottage with brick walls and white trim, very typical of this entire area. I feel as if I am on the set of a movie at all times. It’s the coolest!! After our walk Sister Bullock and I came back and she asked if I wanted to rest but I knew if I slept in the day I wouldn’t that night so I powered through. In the evening I had the chance to meet up with two sister missionaries in the area and teach a lesson with them following their Tea appointment. Here Tea means dinner. The appointment was with a less active family. Dona and her two daughters, Dora and Tara. The sisters spoke on forgiveness, the spirit was so strong, and I was even able to share some insights. They talked about how important it is to not hold grudges and how burdening it can be to us if we do not forgive others. I also felt compelled to share a quote from Elder C. Scott Grows conference talk on the atonement. In it he mentions that we must also forgive ourselves. The lesson was powerful and sweet. After we left we went tracking down the street for about two hours. We just knocked on doors. My first real life experience doing this. I’m learning how to be short and sweet! We were able to talk to many people, and the excuses people come up with are quite entertaining. I am so excited to be here. Even getting rejected gives me more desire to keep going. I understand that people are not going to be openly receptive but that is why we are here... to weed through all the sand and find the golden nuggets, to find those who are searching. I will knock doors for hours on end and if I only find one person who is seeking truth, that’s enough. I am so motivated (sure easy to say after day one:) but seriously, I am thrilled to be here. Sister Bullock came and picked us up and took the sisters home. President Bullock had shared with me that there were three trainers open and he didn’t know who I would be working with. I know that both sister Davis and I prayed hard last night for the Lord to put us together...
My new area is the Manchester South Area, so the South West corner of the city. My companion's name is Sister Davis. I am SO LUCKY. All the missionaries at the Stake center today (30 or so) all kept telling me how lucky I was and that if they made female zone leaders Sister Davis would be one! I can tell already that we are going to have so much fun together and WORK HARD :). It’s kind of our half P-day since transfers mix everything up. We live on the third floor of a cute little building. In our FLAT. I love all the new terminology. We will be walking or taking the bus. The senior missionaries in our ward drove us about town and I got my bus pass today. OK COOLEST PART- we are assigned to the YSA ward. So we will be working with single adults (besides investigators we find through contacting). I am so excited; some of the main effort is to work on reactivation. Inactivity is one of the main focuses of the mission. I could not be more thrilled with our assignment. HOW COULD GOD NOT HAVE A HAND IN MY LIFE? I am a skeptic by nature, but this week has been unreal and coincidences like this don’t just happen. I am so thrilled. I think so much about all of the good influences in my life during all my times of doubt and I just cannot wait to PAY IT FORWARD. Truly aligning my life with the Lord's will has changed my life. I just want others to know of the peace and happiness it can bring. I want to instill hope. I want to remind people that God is our loving Heavenly Father and HE WANTS TO BLESS US. We just have to get it together and show him we are worthy of those blessings. I know from personal experience that obedience makes all the difference. The Lord is blessing me so much, and I am so excited to just get to work and starting finding people to teach. I honestly think I’ve said I'M SO EXCITED about 684924 times since I arrived here. I’m sure reality will hit and I will mellow out but my enthusiasm and passion for this gospel won't. The testimony I have is only growing.And my urgency to invite others to feel of this joy is ever-increasing. As I gain confidence in my ability to share the message, I know my boldness with grow as well, and anyone who knows me knows I will say it like it is! I know this gospel is true. Every night I report to my Heavenly Father and He helps to validate my efforts with new ideas and concepts to share. I am thrilled for this privilege and honored by the spirit I feel abiding with me.
I apologize for the lack of detail in this letter-By Monday I will have more information on some of our progressing investigators. But in the mean time, thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your letters. I will do my best to write everyone back that I have not yet but I only write on Pday (Monday).
I love you all!
ETTE
until Monday,
Sister Lovell
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