Week 48: Baking Soda + Vingar = A Big Let Down

5 Questions: These are from last week--when she only wrote one line about tennis!

1) How are you and your companion getting along?

2) In your current area, do you have a car, share a car, bike?  I can't remember.

3) You mentioned in your last letter that people mistake you hermanas for other religious people.  Are there a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses there?  Do they assume that you are JW too?  Does that happen often?

Last week's answers:
1. haha well good but she's leaving tomorrow....
2. we have our own car.
3. I don't know about a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses, but enough that people constantly think we are them. I've been told that the Jehovah's Witnesses is about the same size as our church world-wide, but there are probably more Jehovah's Witnesses in town than members. But then, I don't actually know.

5 Questions this week:

1) What was the deal with last week's letter?  I'm glad you got to play tennis, but, holy cow!  You can do better than that.  ;)

2) Is this week transfers?  Any hint if you will stay or go?

3) Have you by chance seen Elder Golling yet?  He is coming to your mission, but will speak English, so you may not ever see him.

4) Did you get ANY of the packages we sent for your birthday week?

5) Did everything we sent work for you?  Size was OK, etc?

This week's answers:
1. Sorry....haha but I'll try to make up for it this week.

2. Yes. I am staying here in Rochelle, and getting an Hermana that just finished training. (Hermana Henrickson)

3. He comes today/this morning/tomorrow. So maybe I'll see him tomorrow at transfer meeting. Almost certainly I will actually. And hey, the English Elder who is staying in Rochelle will be training so maybe he'll get Elder Golling. Wouldn't that be crazy....

4. Yes, I got the iPad case, as well as the first package you sent. I love the skirt, good choice! I did wait to open the skirt until my birthday, in case you were wondering.

5. Well, I'll let you know next week about the new garments (I'm assuming that's what's in the package you sent with Pam...)

Alright, well, first things first: yes, transfers is this week, as you've probably gathered by now. Hermana LaBonte is headed to Rockford 4th, which is a Spanish branch, and the missionary she is replacing will be my new companion, so that's kind of funny. Hermana Henrickson just finished training up there, and I've met her a couple times at zone meetings, but that's it. She is super cute though, and I'm really excited to work with her. I admit I'm also a little nervous because we're reading through the section of the White Handbook about Missionary Leadership, and it includes senior companions--which is what I'll be. Up until now I've only ever been co-senior companion or junior companion. But I think I'm up to the task (with divine help, of course).

Our investigator that was on date didn't come to church (we were devastated) so now he has fallen off date. It's really hard with his schedule because he works literally all day and only has weekends off, but he has his kids with his for the summer so he wants to do things with them, and then he's driving to and from Chicago all the time and it's just hard...but man he is so prepared. He just has to make it a priority....so it's hard. It's actually really frustrating, but I think I'm learning some patience and  understanding through the whole process. It's hard because you love these people so much and you know that this is what will help them qualify for eternal life, but they have their agency so it's up to them whether or not they do something about it. It's okay. When they choose to use their agency in a  way that propels them towards exaltation, there is no greater feeling.

This week was good, just tiring. I can't believe how tired I am. But at the same time I never want this to end! It hit me this morning/last night how precious the time is that I have left. And I don't want to let a single glorious opportunity pass me by. I've got plenty of time to do things other than full-time missionary service, but I only have 18 months to devote to the Lord and His mighty work. I know that this message is the one single thing that can save the world from itself. I know that Jesus Christ will soon come again, and the Gospel that He restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith is what will help us to be prepared for that marvelous day. I love the Book of Mormon and the Prophet Joseph, and I will strive every day of my mortal life (and then some) to declare this wondrous truth.

Love, Hermana DeBuck

P.S.
In case you're wondering, I spent almost my entire birthday doing service and I think it was indeed the best birthday ever.

FOTOS:

 1. My last day as a teenager: we spent our dinner hour riding a tandem bike!

2. Us with our 8 year old recent convert, Betty (it was a primary
activity and we went to help with translation, initially)

 3. Us with Rosa and Betty, both recent converts, on my birthday. I love them.

 4. We found a dead snake this morning while backing out of our
"driveway"/dead end street. Isn't it fascinating? (haha sorry Mom.) 

5. Day of the primary activity again. Selfie with the 8 year old. (:

 6. The weekly corn foto, of course. Look at how tall it is... (: haha  this poor patch just is having a struggle this summer. ("The struggle is so real...")

7. Last chance for companionship selfies, so here's the (more) photogenic one...

8. And the not so photogenic one.....I think I must have a lot of skin around my neck.

9. Last week we went to Dekalb and the Michoacana there (it's a mexican ice cream place) and we got elote and helado! This is Hermana Capps and Hermana Richardson too. This foto was supposed  to be a silly face picture.... Everyone looks so nice and "silly"....and then there's me....... Aren't you so proud, ma? hahaha

10. Me with Andara and Larry. They're the grandkids of one of our members, and we get to have dinner and a lesson with them once a month, but they came with Grandma to the activity on Saturday! I didn't want to risk not getting a picture so we took one then. Andara's face kills me...She looks like someone I know.... (;