Tuesday, January 14, 2014

CEDAR FALLS, IA - Week 2, Week 16 mission


Dearest Kelsee,

 

I have been thinking of you so much this week. I felt so much myself this week. I felt so strong from my past experiences and ready to hit the ground here RUNNING.....but I really miss you and my family and my cousins and my other friends. So much, Kels. You all are so much a part of me that I almost hit tears this week at how grateful I was to have all of the support I have. I feel SSSOOOOO loved out here and I feel SO grateful for how my life has gone up to this point. I am so blessed to have gone through the trials and blessings that I have been through. I got to brag to my new companion about how cool my dad was and how much I adored my mom and how much I wanted to see my siblings again. It was so cool to remember how much love I feel from everyone back home. This week we had a really spiritual zone training meeting and a few other speakers who reminded me how much love I have for the people of this city BECAUSE I left my loved ones at home for them. It is something I have really been focusing on this week: I freakin' love this work. More than anything, Kels, because every second of everyday you are trying to be in the exact place that God wants you to be. I am CONSTANTLY seeking, being prompted by, and following the truths spoken to me by the Holy Ghost and I can't get enough of it.


There was a girl in my last area, JA---, and a man in this area, Z--- , who really just remind me of myself. They are on this quest for knowledge and truth. I have only taught them once, but it was my absolute pleasure to introduce them to the Holy Ghost as a way to receive a confirmation of truth in this crazy and chaotic world. It's so new for them...but as my companion bore testimony of the Priesthood and the reality of receiving answers to prayers, I knew in my heart that there was no way on earth this Gospel couldn't be truth. It HAS to be. I got a blessing this week and it was like: There is no way to deny that God is real and He knows me and is speaking to me. It was so cool. As Sister Lloyd and I used to say, "THE CHURCH IS SO TRUE!!!!!!" Throw your hands in the air for dramatic effect.


Stories that I wanted to share with you:

--I was in this lady's home, who is the cutest lady ever. she is black and from the south and I went to take off my boots and she was like, "Sister Monroe. Didn't you warn her? Don't you take off no boots in my house!" SSSSOOOOO FUNNY!! She is such a hoot. I have noticed I do a laugh now that sounds exactly like Sister Lloyd's and I'm quite proud of it. Never changing that one!

--Visited another elderly lady who reminds me EXACTLY of my Grandma Montgomery and I about lost it. It was like coming come: I stayed WAY too long in her apartment as she told me stories that felt like I was just talking to grandma. It made me SO happy. I was like dancing when I left.

--I went to Ward Council yesterday and was COMPLETELY floored about how amazing this church runs. PEOPLE ARE SO IMPERFECT. Like SO imperfect.....and this church still runs with absolute perfection. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? Oh, because the Lord is at the head. The Stake President completely drilled us all and by the end of his talk I was sobbing at how strongly I knew that fact. I am imperfect, and people still find truth. Leaders are imperfect, and the Lord still makes up for their mistakes so the congregation isn't lead astray. I have the strongest testimony right now that THIS CHURCH WAS DESIGNED TO HELP FAMILIES BE ETERNAL. That is it. That is the reason. Everything we do in the church is to make us better moms, and dads, and stronger connected. It's amazing. I love my family so much and I'm glad I get to be with them for ETERNITY. Hence the reason I was lovin' them so much this week. Nothing, and I repeat, NOTHING should get in the way of helping your family make it to eternity. That is everything in this life. Parental mistakes will be compensated for as long as they are willing to get there together. The Lord really gets how to run this world, let me tell ya.

--Which brings me to my next point, PRAYER CHANGES EVERYTHING. Sister Monroe and I needed some revelation for this area this week and we turned to prayer. Nothing immediate has come, but I feel as though Heavenly Father is SO proud of me for doing so. He has really been my Best Friend this week because I tried over and over again to seek Him and understand things the way He would want me to. I can't describe it, I'm just happy. Happy He knows me, and SSSSOOOOOOOO happy I know Him. PRAY. PRAY AGAIN. IT'S SO GREAT! (Pray about it, right Alicia? (: Love you!)

--I am working on charity and humility this week. They are my weak points...but because I have concentrated so hard on catching myself so I COULD have my first reaction to be humility and love, it has become a strength of mine. As my sister would say: Holy. Crap. Ether 12:27: it's a real thing. Pray for me! I need all the help I can get!!!

--We had a really spiritual zone training meeting this week and I have been obsessed with my zone leaders ever since.

--My companion and I are really trying to work together and it's really cool. Sister Monroe is so cool and it seems like we both develop more faith each day as we learn from each other and from the Lord. The learning is still sometimes just one step at a time, and I miss the fast-paced learning of my first 12 weeks, but I love it.


FREAKING LOVE MY MISSION. And you. Hope all is well in Park City and since I just gushed everything, PLEASE WRITE AND KEEP ME UPDATED. I love you, Kels..... :) and family.

-clo clo


No comments:

Post a Comment