Letter #70

Sent:

Mon 7/14/14 1:08 PM

Hello Mother Dear!

How is everything going? It sounds like you've been quite busy lately but that you're having fun with the little munchkins! I sure miss them! I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited that Stacie is having her baby on the 25th of August because that is the day before I get home!!! It absolutely kills me out here not being able to hold those sweet little babies!

 
So this past week was a bit of a roller coaster. It's crazy how many ups and downs you can have in just one day. Sometimes I feel like I'm bi-polar..... but then I talk to other missionaries and they say they feel the same way. I've come to the realization that it's just part of missionary life (it only took me 17 months to figure it out- Haha!) Anyway, last Monday we were able to have a really great lesson with a less active women and her mother. We have been working with them for a while now and they are probably the most pessimistic people I have ever met. They have had a lot of family problems and that's taken a toll on their relationship but it's been really neat to see their faith grow little by little each week. When we were in our appointment, I received some revelation on how we can better help them and it was the neatest thing because the Spirit spoke so strongly to me and told me the things that we needed to do in order for them to gain a greater testimony and to continue progressing in the gospel. I love the Spirit so much and am very grateful for his promptings. We cannot do this work without him. Tuesday, Sister Falepapalangi and I went to Eugene for MLC. It went really well and I was able to receive better insights on how I can be a better leader and how I can help the sisters that I'm over reach their potential. It was kind of a big bummer that Trevor wasn't there this time but I think that I may see him at a Conference we are having in August!!! One of the General Authorities will be coming and speaking to our mission so I'm super stoked for that! We also had a lesson with one of our Recent Converts Ivy this past week. She has been struggling the past few months and it absolutely kills me to see her going through such things but she's a strong girl and I know that she'll be able to overcome the challenges that she's being faced with. Oh! Then we finally met with a man named Nick! He is really curious about the church and has lots of questions. He told us that he was in the military and hadn't stepped into a church since he got out. He said that he has so much guilt weighing on him from the things that he had to do and feels that he can never be forgiven. We were able to talk to him about the Atonement and the Restoration and he invited us to come back  this week! Cool thing about it is that there is a less active women in our ward who was also in the military and said that she would be willing to come with us to the appointment to see if she could help! Hopefully it will help her to come back to church as well :) Another great lesson we had was with Sophia! We talked to her about Eternal Marriage- my favorite! We talked about how she is destined to be a queen, we even got her a little crown! She loved it!

So.... Today is transfer day and I'm staying here in Roseburg. It was a huge surprise to me. I totally thought that I was leaving since I've been here the longest but I guess Heavenly Father has other plans.  This will be my 2nd area where I will have served 6 months. My new companion is Sister Aguilar. She was in my Zone while I was serving in Coquille but I don't know her to well. She seems nice. A lot of changes happened this transfer and I no longer have a Sister Training Leader companion.. She is actually going home to West Valley City tomorrow :( Her and I have become such close friends and she keeps telling me that she'll be waiting at the airport when I get home! She's a super funny girl. I'm going to miss her a ton. Without her being here this transfer, I feel like a whole new responsibility was just placed on my shoulders. Many of the new sisters coming into the area have struggled throughout their mission and one of the companionships do not get along very well... Not sure about all this but we'll see how it goes. Prayers would be greatly appreciated :/   I'm also going to miss Sister Haugen a lot!



Me & Sister Haugen

Her and I got along well and are very similar in many ways. She has taught me a lot and I'm very grateful that we were able to serve together 2 transfers. Yesterdays Sacrament so incredibly good! It was all about seeing things in the eternal perspective. I am hoping to get a copy of the talk so I can mail it to you! The women that spoke lost her husband 19 years ago, leaving her with 3 boys and a 2 month old baby girl to raise. I think you would really enjoy it. Then in Relief Society we had another great lesson on Baptism. We talked about taking upon ourselves the name of Christ and what that means. I love being a missionary and having the opportunity to wear His name on my heart every single day. What's also cool is that every person who has been baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also wears His name on their heart because that is a covenant that they made when they entered the waters of baptism.

Oh! One last thing! Last night I not only tried Sushi but I made it too! I wish I could send pictures but they are all on Sister Haugen's camera. Well, i've got to go but I'm so glad that you had a good time up at Pine Valley. I hope all is going well and that you're not dying in the heat! Dad said it got to be 112. Yikes!!! Love you!

Love,

Lynds :)