My family!
So the biggest news of the week (drumroll)... TRANSFERS DID NOTHING TO ME! Phew! Sister Hyoung and I are safe here in Cambridge for one more transfer. We are so happy. We both love this ward and I, quite frankly, am tired of change! (3 transfers and 3 companions!)
But I'm okay with 24-hour change- ie, exchanges. :) We had exchanges this week which are always very enlightening. Sister Hyoung had to stay in the area, which was good for her- she relies on me too much to know where we're going and what we're doing. :) I was equally guilty at 6 weeks old (say "equally" like Severus Snape...). And I was able to spend the day with our Sister Training Leader, Sister Calder, which was awesome. I've been feeling a little uncertain still about how to work with the ward members and leaders and she's the pro at it because her previous area was 7 months in President Packard's ward. :) She also street contacted like a boss- got emotional sharing her testimony with the girl next to us while she was in the middle of eating her dinner (sandwich). :)
An insight that Sister Calder shared from President Christensen, which inspires my email title and was so applicable to me this week is that if something matters to Satan, then 1- we'll feel the most resistance there. and 2- it must be REALLY important to the Lord. I have felt that in two areas this week, which has made me realize they are the most important thing for me to focus on. First of all, with Sister Hyoung. I adore her! She is amazing. But somehow, I have been finding myself getting irritated with her, which is SO frustrating because I KNOW we can't do anything if we don't have Zion in our companionship first. So then I get frustrated with myself for feeling frustrated at her and it's just a vicious cycle of frustration. But, I know it's Satan, so with that perspective, I'm doing everything I can to "bridle all my passions that I may be filled with love" (Alma 38:12).
The other area of most resistance has been working with our ward leaders. Our first mission priorities are to work with the leaders and members to find people to teach because tracting is incredibly ineffective out here. But it's been hard to get our ward leaders to realize that. I think they won't trust us until they know we've been out tracting for 9 hours a day, which I can understand because they probably served in areas where that works. But in Boston, there is a better way! So we're trying to figure out how to earn their trust and be effective at the same time. Frustrating beyond belief, but I KNOW it's what we need to work on because it's where we're feeling the most resistance because it's where we can do the most damage to Satan! :)
And Conference was AWESOME! Allison came to the Sunday evening session and I thought my little heart was going to burst. I love her so much and want so much for her to have the gospel! We haven't been meeting with her since the summer, but we've kept in touch and we invited her to come (we maybe bribed her by telling her she could use the church building for violin practice after the session, but it's fine!) :) Brother Salazar talked to her at school on Monday about it and she enjoyed it and said she has some questions about what she heard. He invited her to come to dinner tonight and meet with us so we can clarify some things for her. We're really going to focus on clarifying our purpose as missionaries because we think that's why she stopped investigating. She felt ganged up on and like it was an argument about who was right and who was wrong. We want her to know that our purpose as missionaries is to help her develop a personal relationship with God by getting the answers from Him, not from us. Please say an extra prayer for Sister Hyoung and I and the Salazars that we can discern Allison's needs and testify with power and that her heart will be prepared! She wants this gospel so much but is afraid to embrace it because of the ridicule of man. It would bless her life so much! If I could "bring one soul" unto the Lord (Doctrine and Covenants 18:15), it would be Allison! I always think of her when I think of that scripture.
Phew! Sorry. Just poured my heart out to ya'll. But yes, Conference was awesome. I couldn't help but feel a little heavy, though. Those men of God were defending the family so fiercely! The Family is absolutely under attack and the issues our leaders addressed seem so relevant for the secular area where I'm serving. But, "shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad." The Prophet Joseph endured unimaginable persecution and opposition, but he pressed forward because he knew how important this work is. This is the Lord's work! We must all work together in saving souls and bringing them home to their Heavenly Father who loves each of them more than we can even fathom. I am so grateful for this time I have to be at the front lines of this work. The gospel has been Restored! President Monson is a prophet of God. Our Heavenly Father loves us and has a perfect plan for us which is taught so plainly by a living prophet and apostles and in the Book of Mormon. It is true and it is such a precious gift to us! I am grateful for the sacrifices made by ancient and modern prophets to preserve it for our day. It is written for us.
I love you all so much, family! Thank you for all you do and for you love and support. You are the reason I know this gospel is true- my family has been the source of my happiest moments in life. The family is central to God's plan for our happiness!
Much love!
Sister Wheeler
And P.S. Elder Gifford Nielsen will be visiting our mission next month. I'm so excited! EXCLAMATION POINT! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment