I'm sorry, in advance, for my email this week. I'm kind of in a giant, mumble jumble of emotions. So, I'll just explain how the week went.
President, at the new missionary training, gave all of the new missionaries and their trainers the challenge to teach 21 lessons in their first full week -- this last week. We accepted the challenge and got to work. It was a week of complete finding. Really tiring, but really great, too.
We got to Saturday and we had only 13 lessons, 8 lessons left in one day seemed pretty impossible.
In church on Sunday, we taught Gospel Principles. At church, we had about 5 lessons. On the way home for lunch, 1 more lesson. Just 2 more.
We went home and had lunch. I was having trouble feeling the Spirit or feeling comfortable in the house, so we tidied up a bit and everything felt much more peaceful. We went back out, 2 lessons to go. Easy right? Yeah, no.
A lesson consists of teaching a principle like the Restoration and saying 2 prayers. NO ONE WOULD PRAY WITH US! They'd talk to us and listen, but no one would pray. It was about 8:30pm and we had 1 more lesson to give. 1 down with about 30 min - 1 hr to go. 9:15 came around on Sunday night, and we had our last lesson. 21 lessons. Real finding, guided by the Spirit. Diligence, pushing ourselves, and real progress. Our week was pretty great if you ask me.
We did it. We did what was asked of us and we now have a more solid testimony of the power of prayer and the power of our faith.
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It is so great to hear about all of the thing you have been doing. You are all doing so much and things have changed. Very cool! And you applied for that job right in time! How cool is that? With the buildings close together, It would be perfect! I hope you get it! Mom, I am excited about this new job possibility. I think it'll be great. I'll pray! Let me know how it goes. I guess you're both getting all ready for school and everything. How weird! But, I'm sure it's nice to have something to do.
I'm kind of in a really weird spot. So close and really far. I'm supposed to be focused, but everyone keeps talking about me coming home and I need to think about it enough to mentally prepare, but I'm trying not to get distracted.
Other than that, I'm well. I'm exercising every day and we're trying to be healthy. We are trying to be as diligent as possible, which I'm not really sure what that means and where the line is for how much one can physically do, but I'm trying to push that line. We are pretty much building this area up from nothing, so it's definitely tough work. We're doing OK though.
We still are trying to figure out how to get around this city and how the bus system works. It's a lot more involved than it seems.
I'm really trying to be a good trainer. I dont know how well I'm doing and I don't know if I'm who I need to be for Sorella Stott, but I'm trying. I want to give her a good basis for the mission and to help her rely on this time to know what to do when things get hard. I want her to be able to depend on me, as a companion and as a friend.
Mission life is hard sometimes; in fact, I didn't really understand how hard it would be. I don't think anyone does though, but I'm doing ok for now. Right now, I'd say I'm sitting pretty. Especially compared to what it's been like in the past. I wouldn't trade this precious and sacred year and a half for anything. This is so much more than I would have ever been able to imagine. Heavenly Father has fulfilled all of my hopes for myself and continues to fulfill my dreams and hopes for you all and for our family.
I pray every night that you will be blessed because of the things I am doing here, and I hope you are being blessed.
Please know that I love you. In large part, I am doing this for you all so that I might be more of a help in our family, more of a builder of faith than a prodigal son. Thank you for your love and your patience. This week, I have a full, grateful heart. Words don't express. Thank you. I love you with everything that I am. As we say in Italian, non vedo l'ora di vedervi di nuovo. I don't see the hour to see you again. (it's like saying I cant wait, but that's not right because I can, I just don't see the hour, but it'll be great when it happens.)
I'm finishing strong. I can feel it. And it feels great. Hard, but great.
I love you all ;)
Sorella Carlock
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