I am SO happy these days. Yes, I have my ups and downs, but largely it's so much more normal. I mean, I'm so happy it's like, "Was I really this happy before? How could I have been so lucky to have been this happy in my normal life?" Gah. Best Trio Ever. Seriously so light-hearted. We just laugh all the time. We read the missionary handbook (more commonly referred to as The White Handbook) in accents. We make up goofy hand signs to memorize scriptures. We dance around to the soft chimes of Rendezvouz echoing from the Cultural Hall. Sister Streeter and I have this coincidentally perfect thing where we find each other hilarious. Plus Sister Streeter had a pretty emotionally rough transfer last time as well, so we are both so amazed at our own ease of joy. And of course Sister Newell is always great, always a willing ear to hear all my theories, philosophies, and the occasional Christ-like rant.
It's amazing how much more effective you feel (and are) as a missionary when you are truly happy. Talking to people is like a million times easier. And everyone just seems to love you back.
Elder Dallin H. Oaks came for the week and did our training meeting. I officially understand the concept of Elder Oaks as man vs. Elder Oaks as apostle (and in application with all other apostles/prophet). You can just tell when he is speaking as a very very intelligent, super humble nice man, and then when he is talking as an Apostle of the Lord. Both really great sides of him, but you can just tell the difference. Not in that "oh, I didn't like what he said so it's him being a man." No, not like that. You can really just feel it, and the difference is pretty clear.
True Story: There is a non-member lady sitting in the middle of the VC waiting for her friend who brought her to Nauvoo to get out of the temple. I go over and talked to her and feel the desire at a certain point in the conversation to pretty much give her the first lesson (which I normally don't feel the need to do). so I start talking about Christ's church on earth, the apostasy, the need for the proper authority on earth, etc. Dang it, I didn't get to the Book of Mormon, I comment to Sister Newell. Eventually, Sister Newell talks to her as well, talks about the Book of Mormon (which she ties in with family history, which the lady is interested in), and she takes it. It turns out Sister Mills had first talked to her, and felt the need to continually testify that she had a loving Heavenly Father. Aka the first part of the first discussion. So combined, all three of us taught this woman the whole first lesson! And Sister Mills said in the beginning the woman wouldn't even touch the Book of Mormon and said she doesn't really read, and by the time she finishes with Sister Newell, she says she'll read a chapter a day. And every time, we tied it all in with genealogy, which is the only thing she was originally really interested in. Cool times in the VC. Whether we recognize it or not, the Spirit is always guiding this work!
Ok, I love you!
Love, Sister Rachel (as Holly enjoys calling me)
No comments:
Post a Comment