Monday, September 16, 2013

OH HEY, ELDER ANDERSON... of the 12, yeah that one.... HE SAYS HI!!! :)



Yesterday I arranged music for a "Why I Believe" fireside. It went so well. I did it last time, but it was last  minute. I will send a copy of the music to you, Mom. You'll just have to get someone to read it for you. haha. The first was Onward Christian Soldiers and the Elders sang the second verse like soldiers. It was AWESOME!! The spirit was super strong and we got a whole bunch of "hey you did great," texts and calls. The second was Sweet Hour That My Redeemer Lives. :) That was awesome, too. I wish all of you could have been there. When Mom and Dad come down to pick me up I pray it's near a Why I Believe. :) None of the people we invited came, though. we will have to secure rides for all of them. i think a lot of times the people we are teaching don't take our invitations seriously. Besides that I loved it. :)

This mormoning (that was a typo... I'm gonna leave it) we got up at 3:30 to hike the mountain. It was super cool. I think when we got there it was 78*. There was also a breeze. Every  time I closed my eyes I felt like I could fly. Sister Coltrin is so awesome, obviously I am not the fittest person in the world (SIDE STORY: So we have a Tongan Elder in our district, Elder Tongi {no joke} and he "noticed" Sister Coltrin and I are gaining weight and in his polite Tongan way he said no one will notice mine because I am tall but that Sister Coltrin and I should still probably work out..... awko taco....) the point: Sister Coltrin stayed with me and we all had a great time! :)

Elder Anderson meeting notes:
All get a hand shake
I matched Sister Neider
Tad R. Callister was his companion (though both of the wives were there)
We talked a LOT about how to use the Atonement in our life
We were committed to keeping all the commitments we leave with everyone. ("How can you expect others to do what you are not willing to?! When you ask someone to pray if the church is true you better be doing it yourself. That night. Watch what happens.") It was super powerful.
Sister Fields needs to be a better missionary
Sister Fields needs to work harder
Sister Fields needs to not rely on her social skills and she needs to be calling upon the powers of the spirit every time she opens her mouth (which needs to be more often)
He also shared an awesome story about eternal perspective. He talked about how he has had a "lot of experiences to not be physically able to deny the Plan of Salvation." I loved the unique spirit in the room. It was FULL of others with the same full-time calling I have. If you want to know more, ask questions. Sorry I don't really know what to say :P I was just blown away and I've come back a better, more consecrated missionary. 

We had an awesome guy from the Stake High Counsel (don't know what that is? Find out here... http://www.lds.org/topics/church-organization/how-the-church-is-organized?lang=eng) come talk to us and he said how we should be "mistaken for Jesus." We should become so much like Him, he says, that people should KNOW that we are His followers and that struck a chord in me. I need to be awesome ALL the time, like Jesus Christ. We don't need to be like Him, we need to become Him. It was a wonderful "ah-ha" moment I had. :)

I have done so much growing. It has been 6 months and I don't even know who I used to be. By no means have I lost my personality or my charm (hahah) but I have changed my attitude about life. It always makes me seem like I was such a bad person when I talk about it, but really I was good and now I am better! I love the enthusiasm I have gained and the determination to live a good life I will be proud of every moment. I think less of "why do I have to?" and more of "what more can I do?" My room is always clean, I am always smiling, and I just can't get over the happy feeling I have. Honestly I couldn't get rid of it even if I wanted to. I love the gospel, I love being a missionary, I love Sister Coltrin, and most of all I love who I have become. I have learned a lot about the Book of Mormon, planning, goal setting, hard work as well as many, many other things. I have also had a grand opportunity to teach people around me how to feel the same happy I do. It's hard to explain, I'm sorry. But let me tell you, I have grown closer to my Savior, my family, and my friends, and I'm the farthest I've ever been away from home. I know what needs to be done, and more over I do it. :) Thank you all, over and over and over and over and over and over again. Thank you SO much!! Your support and love is carrying me. That's my little happy 6 months to me rant. 1 year..... shoot. only 1 year. 

I gotta get back to work!!

Smiles from Sunrise. Buckets of smiles!
Sister Molly Fields!

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