Things have been going pretty well this week, although not a lot of time in our area. With this new training program, we do 3 hours of studies a day (yay....) and we are told that we have to find that time. But with our responsibilities at Kirtland, and other meetings that we have been having, it is very difficult to find that time to study. At times I have to admit that it is really hard for me to sit inside and role play for 2 hours when I'd much rather be outside trying to find people to teach and actually doing the teaching! But that is when I really have to take a step back and a deep breath. The Lord has asked us to do this new program, and he is aware of this area and our situation. I am the one who is just not exercising enough faith. Sigh. I'm working on it, promise!
We had trainers and trainee's meeting on Friday, and that was incredible! We heard a lot of workshops about planning and purpose and how to be better just in general, and I just felt so inspired and uplifted. I really needed it. It's amazing how the Lord just gives us those things that we need, right when we need it. Somehow at that meeting we were asked to do an impromptu musical number (Sister Denison and I have identical voices...it's kinda weird.) and then right afterwards we went contacting in downtown Cleveland in Tower City. They put us into different companionships, loaded us up into the mission vans and randomly dropped us off and told us to be back in an hour and half. It was awesome! There were so many people and we got to talk to lots. My temporary companion, Sister Matsen and I were able to talk to lots of people and give out several copies of the Book of Mormon. We talked to one man for almost 25 minutes. His name is Bruce and he is the definition of searching for truth. It was an amazing experience to be testifying of this gospel and having him read from the Book of Mormon right there, in the middle of a big city. By the end of the conversation there was an amazing light in his eyes that was vastly different than how we started, and I knew that he now knew that he was not just somebody lost in a big city, but he was a loved child of Heavenly Father, who knew him. Bruce could not deny that. He agreed to meet with the missionaries in his area.
As we drove back to the mission office from Tower City Plaza, the sun was just setting. As I looked back, I saw the city silhouetted against the sunset, driving next to GORGEOUS Lake Erie with it's lighthouses, in a van full of excited missionaries, most of whom were just at the very beginning of their missions, and I have to admit I started to tear up. These missionaries have no idea what amazing experiences they are about to have in the next 18-24 months. And as I thought about Bruce, Lala, Andrew, Jason and the many others that we talked to that day, it hit me yet again that this is what my mission is all about. I can't believe I've crossed the line into my last month. It's just exciting to have the opportunity to keep serving and keep working and keep doing what I have come to love and live with all my heart.
Well, on that note...I'm gonna send a picture of me and Sister Denison! We took it on a fall walk around the sites during a break. You can see the sawmill/waterwheel behind us. The other one is taken behind the sawmill and ashery. Love you all! have a great week! and I hope you thoroughly appreciated your extra hour of sleep due to daylight savings!
Leaf piles of love,
Sister Maughan
No comments:
Post a Comment