Let me just give you a little overview so you can see what I mean.
Monday was pday- Got the package from you all!!! I love you all sooo much!! Thank you soo much for sending that to me :) You all are the best! I loved it all! We only had one hour in our area and we had signed up to help prep for home evening. Then we had to go to an emergency mlc that night with president and the zone leaders all about facebook. So that was Monday.
Then Tuesday we had exchanges again! Last exchange of the transfer! I went to Sister Hamberger and Finau's area. It was an awesome experience and I learned so much. The exchange had started right after our shift at the Visitors Center at 3pm and went until right before our vc shift the next day at 3pm. Yes I was REALLY TIRED. But I learned some of my greatest lessons on this last exchange. It really was a priceless experience and I will have to write you about it later.
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| Hanging out at the Jenkins |
So then Wednesday was over and then Thursday finally came and we got to go to the temple! I love going to the temple and I had such a sweet experience. I always get something different out of it every time and I will have to write you about it some time.
So Thursday was finally my first time in the area all week! And we were busy. I just don't know how the time flies by sooo quickly!! We had 2 awesome lessons with a sweet girl named Danielle and then another one with a boy named Christian. Both are members of the church who have lost their way and are wanting to be taught the gospel so that they can decide for themselves whether or not it is true. I have never been in an area where we have worked so consistently with members of the church who are struggling. I love it! It is all missionary work- the work of salvation.
So that was Thursday and then on Friday we had zone conference all day until our shift at the visitors center at 3 to the rest of the night. I loved zone conference!! We talked a lot about the atonement and about striving to become our very best. I am just so grateful for the Savior Jesus Christ and for His sacrifice for me and for all people here on this earth. I just felt so overwhelmed with gratitude as I thought back upon my life and the times where I have seen the atonement in action. I am so grateful for my trials and that God loves me enough to let me struggle. I know that when I struggle or am going through a hard time it is an opportunity to lean on the Lord.
"Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy leaden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."- Matthew 11:28-30.
I know this is true. I see trials as an evidence of the reality of a loving Heavenly Father.
So onto Saturday, this day was so crazy and kinda weird. Started off on a funny note when I forgot my name tag. NOOO. We had prep meeting that morning at the visitors center and then we were on shift right after. I kept borrowing different sisters tags throughout our shift for a while. Then some lady called me out on it and said the other Sister was named Sister Pickett. She asked Sister Gordon if we were related and she told her no but that I had just forgotten my tag that day. The lady then looked at me and said oh so she's a liar! I wanted to cry and die all at the same time. I told Sister Gordon that I did NOT want to go in there to end that movie and testify to them when that lady was sitting in there. But because I have a good companion she made me go in there, but I told her I wasn't going to say anything. Well of course the spirit had other plans and I testified. That was kind of a mini trial for me because I had felt like that woman had discredited everything that I was saying by calling me a liar, but I then learned an important lesson. It's not about me. The spirit will testify of truth. All I need to do is be willing to take that step of faith and act. I am not a teacher, I am a facilitator. So even though that lady had really hurt my feelings and had made me feel horrible about myself, I just had to forget myself and allow the spirit to work through me.
So other crazy thing from this day.
So this sweet old lady came in and told me she needed help with her friend whom she had brought in. She said it had been a struggle to even get him in the door- which honestly I just do not understand! This place is all about Christ! Come on people!- But so ya he was super unhappy to be there. It made me really sad because if anything we just wanted this man to feel the spirit and have an enjoyable experience here. But he was so NOT open to it. He was super rude and was trying to get us to quote all of these random scriptures. He had asked sister Gordon to say one and then he asked me and I was kinda blunt, but I was just tired of crazy people being so rude! I would never do that to anybody! So when he told me to quote this scripture I just told him flat out NO. He asked why and I told him because I don't want to. He said he was just trying to test us and then sister Gordon told him that is not our purpose and respectfully told him what our purpose is. We then asked him and his member friend (who we found out was his girlfriend....) if they still wanted to see the exhibit and they said sure. He was so unhappy the whole time and tried to get up and leave during part of it but the lady told him she had never seen it and that she really wanted to stay. So they stayed and he was not happy about it. When we got to the screen where the Prophet talks about service he just looked at me and Sister Gordon as if we were crazy. That was probably one moment I will never forget. I knew what that man was thinking, "you think that guys a Prophet! You're crazy!" But at that moment I knew without a doubt that Thomas S Monson is a Prophet of God. I know that he has been called by God to lead and guide His church in these Latter-Days. I am grateful for these difficult experiences that help me recognize the testimony that I have.
So then Saturday night we watched the broadcast! There is a crazy story to tell about that, but it will have to wait for a later time :) then we went home and weekly planned.
SUNDAY! Best day of the week :) We had our shift in the morning from 9-12 and then we went to choir and had a brief correlation meeting with the ward missionaries and ward mission leader. Alfonso said he was going to be coming, so we went out in the foyer to wait for him. He came!!!!!!!! It was such an amazing miracle! Everyone just loved him and during combined 3rd hour Bishop asked him to stand up and share his experience. It was so powerful! Sister Gordon and I then got up and shared some ideas we have for the ward. We are starting a 40 day fast and missionary journals! For the closing song Bishop Wright did something really cool. He asked Sister Gordon and me to lead everyone in singing called to serve. The 2 of us started singing "Called to serve him----witness for his name" then all the RMs would stand up with us and sing with us and then at the chorus everyone stood up and joined us all. I wanted to cry it was soo powerful!! We did that for both verses :)
Family I just love life! I LOVE being a missionary. I love it because you see the Lord's hand in your life EVERY DAY. I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be able to serve my Heavenly Father.
Hope you all have a wonderful week! I will send you a letter with a few more experiences :)
LOVE YOU!!!!!!!
Sister Hamstead
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo