Wow, it's been such a crazy week! The week before and after transfers is
always super crazy, so sorry I didn't get to write to you guys any
earlier, we've just been running around like crazy from early in the
morning to late at night! So to give a brief run down of what we've been
doing for the past week or so is that we've just been crazy with
transfers and setting up for meetings. With transfers we were changing
things around until the Sunday before transfers trying to get things
right for what needs to happen not only this transfer but also the next,
so that's been a bit of stress, but luckily everything seems to have
worked out alright and that with only a few hiccups, hopefully
everything will go smoothly for this transfer! We've also had a few
tough days of trying to figure out what we need to train on for the
mission. Leadership meeting, which was yesterday, was an incredible
meeting, I honestly don't know if we've ever had one quite so spiritual.
It was all thanks to a workshop by one of the VC trainers on the
purpose of baptism and the joy of missionary work, mixed in with the
theme of reverence. It was super powerful. Reverence has become one of
the things I love to study and try to develop on the mission. It
honestly makes the biggest difference and sets the tone for our day,
lessons, meetings, etc. It's definitely an interesting topic to study
and apply. We've also been scrambling to get things ready for a mission
wide activity for this next Wednesday, Sports Day! We have a huge game
of sports called "Hero Ball". It's a combination of three sports on the
same field, we'll be playing soccer, capture the flag, and quidditch all
at once! Haha yeah it's going to be insane, hopefully it works out
alright.
Amidst all the craziness of planning transfers and other activities and
meetings there have been a few extremely powerful spiritual experiences.
It's been incredible to see once again the Lord's awareness of who I am
and what it is that I need to hear. This last Saturday was an extremely
difficult day for us. For some reason we were just exhausted, we had to
do a bunch of stuff that we don't normally enjoy doing on a Saturday
but that we had to get done, and then it just felt as if Satan was
attacking us from all sides. Temptations, distractions, negativity,
frustration, we could not figure out what was going on! We just kept
praying for strength and that we would be able to accomplish all that
was needed. Eventually everything did work out but it was probably one
of the most difficult days of the mission. It felt as if the Lord had
decided to withdraw His spirit and leave us on our own for a little
while just so we would know what it felt like. It really was a
fulfillment of Ether 12:27 where the Lord showed us once again our
weakness so that we would come closer to Him and He could strengthen us.
Still, that day we still saw some incredible miracles, tender mercies
that kept us going through the day. There was a random guy that came up
to us trying to fundraise that eventually turned out to be super
interested in the Book of Mormon. We gave him a book and he immediately
asked us what our favorite chapter was so that he could read it that
evening! Incredible right! Unfortunately he lives in a van and was only
here for a few more days, but hopefully wherever he goes he'll be able
to get ahold of the missionaries. Then we also met this one guy that
looked like just a punk riding his mo-ped, haha but we talked to him and
he was an awesome guy. It honestly reminded me of Elder Schwitzer's
experience as a doctor because this guy is working over here to try and
get to California to be with his wife, he said they'd been married for 6
years and that the last four months away from her had been some of the
hardest. It was cool to see him light up as we talked about the
possibilities of eternal marriage thanks to the restoration, hopefully
he also will find time to meet with the missionaries in his area. So the
Lord continues to be able to work through us, despite our major
weaknesses, our limited time, and our limited ability. It's always just
incredibly humbling to realize that the Lord really does care about what
we're doing, that He is really is guiding us even when we don't feel
like it at all.
This week we also got to pick up the new missionaries, man, that is my
favorite part of every transfer! It's just fun to see them come in and
to think back to the beginning of the mission. I honestly wish I could
have another two years... The testimony meetings were extremely powerful
and it was especially incredible to see the inspiration that worked
through President Matsumori. I've had questions recently about whether
or not I'm doing what the Lord would have me do in this assignment, if
I've been trying to use time effectively, if I've been diligent, if I'm
really accomplishing what he needs me to, and the Lord spoke through
President. He was able to give me the assurance, comfort, and guidance I
needed without even knowing the questions I was struggling with. It was
yet another testament to me that the Lord is incredibly aware of each
of us. I don't know, it's hard to describe all the feelings and thoughts
I've been having for the last week or so. This time of the transfer
always seems to be the time of intense inner reflection, what with the
coming and going of missionaries. All I can say is that I'm grateful for
the mission... I'm grateful for all that the Lord has been teaching me,
for the lessons, the struggles, the joys, the miracles, and the
opportunity to serve. I feel that the mission really does lead us to
conversion, it's just been crazy to think back to where I was before
hand, and to see the change that the Lord has worked in me... There
really is no greater blessing or miracle than the miracle of conversion.
I feel that recently I have come to know our Father in Heaven in a way
that I never have before. I feel that I can truly call Him Father and
that He truly calls me son. I don't know, it's just been a crazy week,
but I'm grateful for it!
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