5 Questions:
1)
How will transfer day work this week for you? Do you have to meet at
the mission home to get your new companion? Do they put you with the
English sisters until your new comp arrives? Just curious how that
works.
2) Do you ever get (her cousins) Taylor's or Garett's letter? Do you want them? Do you have time to read them?
3) Would you like to have me forward (her friends on missions) Marina's or Maddie's letters too?
4)
Will you get transferred to a new area? Or just get a new companion in
the area you are in already? Do you even know already?
5) Are you frozen yet? From the weather maps, it looks COLD there finally.
Answers:
1.
I'm glad you asked: transfers are gonna be cray-cray. This transfer, I
am the only sister in our district staying here (the Bloomington 2nd
sisters are being pulled out and elders are being put in) so this is
what will happen: Sister Oliphant and Hermana Israelsen have to be in
Naperville by 8 am Tuesday morning, so they have to leave by 6 am.
Sister Allen and I will be companions until the transfer van comes
through to pick her up and then I'll be with Sister Teerlink until the
transfer van comes back through with my new companion, Hermana
Grant--who incidentally trained my CCM companion, Hermana Capps.
Normally, we would get our new companions at the stake center in
Naperville, but it's different out in the Peoria zones because we're so
far away. But I'm excited: we get to be a zebra for a day (one Hermana
one Sister) so that'll be fun.
2.
I get Taylor's letters occasionally, I may have gotten Garett's once;
if I had time I would love them, but I don't have time to read anything
really.
3. No. Sorry. I wish, but I don't have time.
4.
I'm staying here in Bloomington-Normal, and will get a new companion,
as I have already stated above. We get transfer calls Saturday night
before transfers, so that's when we found out. (Also found out: we're
gonna have the car all to ourselves--as well as some other information
that I will reveal in a few lines...)
5. I'm not frozen, but certainly cold. But I manage. This puffy coat is one of the greatest things of all time--no joke.
So
here's what's happening: Because there will be elders in Bloomington
2nd, we're switching apartments. So all four of us sisters are packing
today, as well as deep cleaning the apartments. Which means that this
will be a very short letter. (sorry)
I just thought I'd share something funny and a highlight from the week, so that it's not such a pathetic email...
On
Saturday, we were talking to one of the elders' investigators, and he
asked us if we were into organic foods and eating healthy. I said, "No I
eat what I want." His response: "Yes, it shows."
...
I don't think he realized it, but yes, he basically called me fat.
However,
I am under no illusion as to my weight and I do believe that I am
perfectly fine and I can eat what I want. So no worries there. But it
was so funny.
Talking
about it later, I found out that Hermana Israelsen hadn't heard him say
that, so when I told her, we were laughing so hard. Oh man. Good times.
Here's something I was learning this morning during personal study:
I
was reading Alma 17, about Ammon and king Lamoni, and I was writing in things we ought to do as missionaries (because of the marking
challenge I'm working on)
1st, in verse 23: the first thing you ought to do is show your desire to be where you're at.
2nd, in verse 25: don't flirt with the people! You're there to be a missionary, not to find aa spouse.
3rd,
in verses 29-31: stay cool under pressure, and look for natural
opportunities to share the Gospel. (Of course, you should still share
the Gospel at all times, but there will be natural opportunities; so use
them!)
4th, in verse 33: first worry about the defensive, THEN the offensive
5th,
in verse 36: in order to use "might power" you must have practiced
first; that includes study in the morning as well as doing practices
with your companion.
6th, in verse 37: be smart, and use strategy. In other words, don't be dumb.
I'm sure there's even more to be learned, but that was what I was thinking this morning.
Faith-building experience from this week:
We
were walking up the street back to the car from an appointment, and
Hermana Israelsen was on the phone, talking to one of our investigators.
There was a Hispanic man working on his car and I thought, "we need to
talk to him." But the problem is, Hermana Israelsen is the one who is
good at contacting. But she was on the phone and I knew we needed to
talk to him. So I whipped out a pass along card and started talking to
him about the Book of Mormon and Jesus Christ. He then referred us to
his wife inside (because he had to go to work soon and needed to finish
fixing the car) so we talked to the wife. And they said we could come
back sometime to share more.
So,
even though it was scary, I did it. And it is all due to the fact that I
trust in my Savior and the enabling power of His Atonement. And now
that I've done it once, it's not so hard to do it again. I know that as
we put ourselves out there, even just a little bit, the Lord will bless
us with the opportunities to share the Gospel that we want and need. I
invite you all reading this to watch for the opportunities that come
to bear firm and faithful testimony of what you believe in, in whatever
manner the opportunities come. And when they do come, kneel and pray to
your Father in Heaven, and give thanks for being able to be an
instrument in His hands.
*See quotes at the end of chapter one in PMG (Preach My Gospel)
Todo Mi Amor,
Tu Hija y Amiga,
Hermana DeBuck
P.S.
Mama,
when you get a second, will you send me the "recipe" (via email) for
that magical whitening solution? I wrote it down somewhere, but I think I
left it at home...
Thanks. Love you(:
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