From Jan 20, 2009 email: Sorry for the delay! Apparently it was a holiday yesterday & all of the libraries were closed. And I hear as of today, we have a new president. Hopefully he'll try to do what's best for the country. Tuesday we had interviews with President Pehrson and it sounds like Sister Jones & I will be staying in East Providence another round. Yay! I love it here. And I have a lot more that I need to learn from Sister Jones before she heads home in April. It never ceases to amaze me how fast time is flying by. This has been the quickest transfer ever. Friday I'll be hitting my big 6 month mark. But no burning ties for me.
(Left: companion, Sister Jones) This past week has been bitterly cold with temperatures sitting around the 10s or 20s. Ick! I thought I got away from those when I left Rexburg. Yesterday it climbed up to about 33 and we had to shed our coats because we were getting too hot. Church was cancelled once again on Sunday, but for a good reason. We got at least 10" of snow Saturday night/Sunday. I keep singing "There Is Sunshine in My Soul Today," and "Scatter Sunshine," hoping that springtime will come a little bit faster.
One dreary part of the week was Thursday when Angela said she didn't want to waste our time teaching her. Last week she was just about ready to commit to baptism, but apparently she read some anti-Mormon things on the internet & perceived them as truth. Plus her husband was giving her a hard time about meeting with us. It's sad to see someone reject the gospel & the blessings that come from it, but we tried our best with her. Hopefully she'll come around someday.
Out here I've realized how important families are. I've seen how much sorrow & pain comes from the lack of a strong family. I'm so thankful for the family that I do have, especially Mom & Dad. Everything that I've become is because of you. Thank you all! I love you!
There have been a few times this week when I've felt like I'm not a good enough missionary & that I don't have all the necessary "skills" to be successful. But as I was reading the January Ensign at breakfast this morning, I came across D&C 1:23, 28. It says that the "weak and the simple" would declare the gospel to all the world. I would definitely consider myself one of the "weak." Verse 28 brought me a lot of comfort as I recognized one of the stumbling blocks in my path & the blessings that come from overcoming it: "And inasmuch as they were HUMBLE they might be made strong, and blessed from on high and receive knowledge from time to time." So I'll be working on humility this next little while. I do know that Heavenly Father has so many blessings in store for me & he knows the missionary that I can become once I set aside my pride. Tah-tah for now! Keep on the strait & narrow!
