Sister Nelson and I are both leaving this area....:c neither of us want to go. It's been so hard to focus and do work. We've been stressing all week about all that needed to be done for these people, everything they need, and now we're both leaving so we can't do anything for them anyway. *flop* Totally fallen in love with these people. I'm so grateful home is only a 5-hrs drive away. Too far to come over every weekend after my mission, but it's not impossible to come and visit. Also grateful for Facebook, so I can still send them a message here and there and still see how they're doing.
It's been such an awesome week!!! It was the last week of the open house. We had this AMAZING investigator we were going to take. We had just met her that week, and it was crazy because when she was telling us her "personal relligious beliefs," she was basically just quoting restored truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That's always a kick as a missionary. We were so excited to talk about the idea of eternal marriage and we were so excited to introduce her to the temple--then she completely fell off the face of the Earth and we learned she didn't really live there, only came there every now and then. We had no way of contacting her. :C it was really frustrating.....
But even though we couldn't get ahold of her, we were still faith-planning the trip, trusting someone would want to go. It was the last weekend, come on, everyone should get the chance to go to a temple open house and see the inside of the temple. Even though it's not dedicated, the Spirit is SO STRONG and it's such a beautiful, peaceful place.
While we were stressing about her, Sis Nelson came up with an idea to invite another really awesome incredible investigator we had met that week. Meeting him was a miracle and a very interesting experience. It was undoubtable that God wanted us to talk with him more. So we took him to the temple. It was SO COOL. God makes miracles happen.
Something I"m learning as a missionary....no one's a stranger. That's slowly starting to set in, which is great. XD No one is a stranger, they're a best friend you just haven't seen in a really really really really long time, so they don't recognize you. But you start treating them as a best friend right away anyway. It's really weird, haha, but it's really fun.
We had stake conference this week!! Elder Christofferson shared a really cool story about a wise old man who had one son, one horse, and one acre. When his only horse broke out and escaped, he told his friends, "I don't know whether it's good or bad." His friends would have to assure him that it was a very bad thing to lose his only horse. Later, the horse got thirsty and came back home, bringing ten new wild horses with it. Again, the wise man couldn't say if it was good or bad, and his friends had to tell him it was good. His only son broke his leg while trying to tame one of those horses, and the wise man's friends again had to inform him that that was a bad thing. Then war broke out, and the son didn't qualify for the draft because of his broken leg. The story could go on forever, and the lesson I got was anything can be a good thing if you decide it was a good thing, and see the hidden blessings that come from it. Another thing I got from it is to not make final judgements so quickly. God designs our lives, God works with our weaknesses and mistakes, and everything will work out in the end.
....I'm really sad to be leaving Laveen. :( But I know these people will be in good hands, and I'm looking forward to meeting and loving new people. It's been a really good last week!
Thanks for your prayers and your love! I love you all!!
-Sister Stratford
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