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| James, Me, Jaci, Bishop Fairbanks |
So lots of happenings have
taken place this past week and will be taking place. Transfer calls are
this Saturday. Never been so nervous for call outs then I am for this
one. But I think I've mentioned that before. So keep your fingers
crossed and pray hard that what ever happens is what is suppose to
happen. THEN, yesterday the stake presidency came and released Bishop
Brett Lee and called.....Brother Michael Fairbanks!!!!!!!!! No more
will he be our Ward Mission Leader, but our Bishop. It was the most powerful and bitter
sweet sacrament I think I have ever attended. Bishop Lee was not able
to make it, but his wife stood in for his place and bore the most
touching testimony. There was not a single dry eye in the Chapel and
even foyer. (a lot of the other ward stood out there listening in). She
shared how hard this cancer has been for Bishop and for the family.
She has struggled so much with her faith and love for this Gospel in
seeing the Lord not answer her prayers. She was mentioning how one
night she got home from the hospital and was just so sick of hearing bad
new after another. She was texting her brother who happened to have
gone through his fair share of challenges and asked him how he remains
faithful and strong. He asked her if she had fair weather faith;
meaning, do we only believe if we get our way and the weather is fair?
Or do we believe no matter how hard the storms may be and whether
things are lost and damaged. She turned her prayers of healing into
prayers of comfort in accepting whatever happens. She said Bishop
doesn't have much longer and knowing that doesn't take away the pain,
but how much she has grown in understanding the Atonement has taken away
some pain. I am so grateful I had the chance of being in the area at
this time and serving under Bishop Lee. I've met him a few times, but
have learned so much about love from him. All he wanted to do for this
ward is to help mend broken hearts and cheer up the weary. He has shown
us all how to do just that by letting us mend his broken heart and help
cheer him and his family up. It's was a beautiful meeting. He will be
missed. I'm excited though for Bishop Fairbanks now. He is very
missionary focused with now having worked with us the past 8 months or
so. He is a new face to the ward and has a lot of love he wants to
bring to help pick this ward back up. Everyone was confused on why
President Schofield kept Bishop Lee in for so long and not just call a
new Bishop, but I now can't help but think not only was it not time for
Bishop Lee to be released, but it wasn't time for Bro Fairbanks to be
called. We needed his strong focus and help in the missionary forces to
get that going so that we can then be able to help him and the ward get
going. I'm excited to see this ward have a steady Bishop back in that
is able to help its needs.
This last Saturday we had our ward Fall Harvest
Night. (we all had to call it that since we are still dealing with the
issue of "Halloween" not being appropriate as LDS individuals). It was a
lot of fun and we had a good turn out! Michelle was our only
investigator that showed, but a lot of the ward members brought friends
to it so that is super great! Michelle's grandson came with her (Eli,
3yrs) and he attached onto me the whole night. He made my night even
more by hugging me and saying he loved me. Ha ha.. He didn't want to
go home and was throwing a fit with Michelle, so I told him he had to go
so he could show his mom all his candy. He stopped crying and was like
"YAY!" and Michelle just looked at me and was like "How do you do
that?!" I was like "It's called... I have 7 nieces and nephews!" Ha
ha.. My proud "aunt tricking" moment.
Visited with Donna and Manuel a few times (the ones
that feed us a candle lit dinner). We had dinner with them the other
night and Manuel kept staring at us and was just so baffled at how put
together we are for a 19 and 22 yr old. He has 2 daughters and knows
how they were at those ages and just doesn't get it. :) He said he
doesn't want to be baptized, but just that he wants to come to church so
he can see if all Mormons are like that. We laughed. They don't get
why we have all these rules as missionaries and just gasp and stare as
we tell them. They just adore us so much! Ha ha.. Good thing we adore
them. They don't want us to be transferred and said they will call our
leader to petition. They are gonna give us a big going away party if
one of us does leave. Ha ha.. We are nervous for that party! They
still don't understand we can't listen to music, watch TV, date (she
keeps trying to hook us up with her sons), and drink alcohol/coffee. :)
The rest of this past week we did a lot of service.
Helped Sister Gois organize her room and help nurse her back to health.
She's the one that had her neck fused and has been on feeding tubes
the last few months and will remain on it for a couple more. She is in
bad shape so we are so glad we can help her out in little things she's
not able to do. Visited Sis Stenberg and helped her with a puzzle.
We're calling that as service too. ;) Hope you all have a fun Halloween! We are now headed off to Merced for
a Zone party where we will be carving pumpkins. What is everyone being
this year?!
I love you all!!!!!!!! Take care!!!!!!!!!
xoxoxoxoxo
- hermana Sorensen
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| Montserrat and I |
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