Tender Mercies Galore This Week!

Well Hello everyone! I’m back, writing this email once again. As I have said in the title of this email, it has been a fantastic week for me! So many tender mercies and little things that God has sent my way this week! The joy is truly immeasurable! I have probably jinxed myself and something terrible is probably lurking around the corner but I’ll worry about that later. 

Tuesday Temple Trip! 

On Tuesdays I go to the Family Search Center for my first assignment, and this time I have spent time gathering names for baptisms. I want to go with my family again sometime soon, and I hopefully want to go to the Red Cliffs temple. It has truly taken a special place in my heart. We didn’t go there as a district this week but instead to the St George temple. I still love that temple but I’ve found I get lost easier in that one. I had a silly thought that since I was set apart in the Red Cliffs temple, I haven’t gotten lost in there. All my companions know that my sense of direction is garbage, so that truly is a feat! It sadly doesn’t apply in other temples though so far. Still get lost in all the others. Anyways, we did Initiatories and Baptisms this week, and it never ceases to amaze me the spirit that is there in all temples. 

Melissa’s Baptism!!!

So another special thing happened on Tuesday. A little after my assignments I got a message from an Elder in my old mission saying I was invited to Melissa’s baptism! Ask Sister Amy, when we did Companion Study before it started I was so giddy. I am so proud of her. For all of you who don’t know or don’t remember, I taught her back in Santa Maria. She is so sweet and so dedicated to Jesus Christ and the church. The only problem she had was she was addicted to Coffee, Tobacco and Marijuana all at once. I remember me and Sister Mansfield trying so hard to keep encouraging her and keep her motivated to keep trying. She made significant progress but it was very slow going. She had been going to church and attending meetings very consistently for over a year, and I had no doubt that one day she would be baptized, I just thought it would take longer. I got that invite and the link to the Zoom meeting and It made me so happy. 

Ordinance Work Outside the Baptistry!!

That’s right everyone! I’ve graduated from the baptistry and they trained me and my Temple Companion Sister Bistline to do Initiatories and Name Issuing. And no, Temple Companion isn’t an official term but we have had the same schedule all but one time since we started. We are always put together so she’s my Temple Comp now. The Baptistry Coordinator saw that we had spent two hours in the office for two weeks in a row and asked us if we would like to try something different. We said yes, because two hours in an office where hardly anyone ever comes and talks to us really makes it hard. So this week our wish had been granted and we were trained in those things. I thought it would be harder to be honest. Me, my Temple Comp and another sister our age passed training. I will say though that my voice is not used to reciting all those blessings for that long. And it also turns out that whispering is harder on the voice than speaking normally. But I would totally do it again! And the shift coordinator asked me if I’d be willing to try introducing people at the veil in the Endowment. I might be trying it next week so stay tuned! 

Blazing Pizza!!

I’m still mad at myself for forgetting to take pictures for this one. But basically yesterday me and my sister Avery went and helped our uncle and our cousins at their pizza booth at Cotton Days! We made and sold pizza. It was a fun time, the pizza was delicious and I got a T-Shirt! It was a good time! And the best part is that I got to make Avery cringe with my dancing skills in between! I take my role as big sister very seriously. 

Talk Time!!

So, I think it was Thursday evening that Bishop asked me to give a talk during sacrament meeting. About missionary work. But no, being a Service Missionary didn’t get me out of it. So I tried my best to tell people what the Lord wanted me to say, which was basically that the best way to do Missionary Work is to Love, Share and Invite. I’m sure all of you missionaries know what that is. Really it’s something we all can do, no matter what tag we have or even if we have one at all! I was told I did a good job. Why is it though that it always sounds terrible to me though? I think I spoke a little too fast and said umm too many times but I guess if everyone in the ward can ignore it I’ll try my best to take the compliments. 

Well, I hope this one was enjoyable to read. It was a great week for me! It’s always good to have a reminder that we can have joy in the work! Anyways, bye for now and I’ll write again next week!