It is Chloe's half way mark on Wednesday… Please write her in her new area if you can this week. Thanks - Chloe's mom
1313 33rd Ave Cirlce
Silvis, IL 61282
Hello from Moline, Illinois! June 23, 2014
I have no idea why Heavenly Father is so merciful but He is! I got the call late Monday night that I was leaving. I was pretty sure I was leaving, since that is the usual for missionaries who have been in an area for 4 transfers, but there was a thought that I could be staying, so I waited until I knew for sure before I said my goodbyes.
All of Tuesday was just running around to lessons a few people, but I saved all the hardest for last. Wednesday day I packed and said goodbye to my district. Wednesday evening was AMAZING.
We had a mini-lesson with our investigator named Na--- who is an absolutely brilliant atheist that we made friends with because he works at the library. I think he really is learning from us, even though he has a lot of doubts. It was cool to just sit there and just think how cool it was that I know him. Missionaries meet the coolest people/
Then was Sum---. (I think I told you about her. She is my all-time favorite person in Cedar Falls. I love her SO much.) I hadn't told her I was leaving because I wanted one last "untouched" lesson before I broke the news. I asked Sister Farnsworth before I went in if I could kind of just take this lesson by myself. We had a really good conversation with Summer and her 8 year old Jaden about the importance of baptism. They are learning, but not really excepting, but this talk was a good one about how I knew with all my heart that this was God's church on the earth. Maya (the 6 year old) was pretty quiet, so I was able to just teach the way I knew how. To--- (her husband) was there too and listening which was a miracle in itself. I broke the news and Summer and Jaden and I just cried together. She told me that I had helped her increase her faith in the Savior and that she felt like we were supposed to me. I ended with a prayer and the Spirit was really strong. It was the sweetest goodbye I could have asked for. It wasn't really painful: it was beautiful. We told each other we would be friends and Skype and email and joked that in 9 months I would come and move into her basement. My first night in Moline, I laid awake for about 10 minutes longer than usual with Jaden's tear-streaked face in my mind. I love them so much!!!!!!
Then was Ha--- and the Wright family and the Larson family. (Ha--- is the girl that is my age who we found by miracle and helped her return to the church). Wrights and Larsons were my favorite families in the ward. We just sat and talked for like an hour and a half about nothing and just laughed and laughed. It was a sweet way to say goodbye to this place I have loved for 6 months. I know it will never be the same and I know I only baptized one person here my whole time, but I am so grateful for the time I spent there. I am so grateful for facebook so I can be friends with all of these people after the mission.
At transfer meeting, they called a town I had never heard of and said "Sister Batty will continue to serve here and she will get a new companion: Sister Sumsion." I gave a yelp that was not really appropriate for the chapel and Sister Batty and I ran to each other and hugged. We are SO excited to be back together and it's fun to tell everyone we already loved each other in the MTC and that we got to celebrate our "half way" point together. She is a very consecrated missionary and we are both excited to be back together.
I am happier than I have been in awhile. Last transfer was my hardest transfer so far and I just am so excited for the chance to "start over." The work is the same, but the change of environment is nice (and exciting).
Already taught a few lessons here and LOVE IT! I taught this one guy named Mi--- and it was cool: mostly I just listened and really tried to love him as he went off about his son for about an hour and then said he would come to church next sunday. I was excited.
I am so happy! Thanks for all your prayers, mom. You change the world through them: I know your faith was partially the contributor to my amazing transfer news. Thanks for all your love!
-Sister Sumsion
 |
| New Companion is the same companion she had at the MTC |
 |
| Its way higher than the old slogan - "Knee high by 4th of July" |
No comments:
Post a Comment