I feel so rushed during emailing in
that I feel there is so much to be said and read. A lot of things went
on this week and it sounds like you all had a busy one too. That is
crazy to hear you got my flight plans. Around 3:00
then?! Ahhhh.. It really is weird to think 7 more emailing days, 7
more weeks of being here. I've mentioned it before, but I'm getting
super scared to come home. I keep having night mares. Not bad or scary
dreams, but just a lot where I wake up exhausted and more drained than
anything and where I just want to cry because I don't want it to be like
that when I get back. I understand life goes on for both sides, and I
can see now how RM's feel when they get back and how they feel depressed
because they don't fit in. But I know every missionary goes through
that and I will get the hang of things. Probably won't even have a
problem with it and am worrying to much I will. Just keep me busy and
going when I get home with fun activities!!!
This last week we had a lot of days inside. Sister
Allred has been having stomach problems. We went to the doctors on
Friday and they gave her medicine which helps at times. So it's been
nice to have catch up time on studies and getting things more organized.
It's also been nice to get out and teach. The biggest stresser this
week was getting everything set for Jessica's baptism. Recap of her
situation, the missionaries have been teaching her since October. She
has been wanting to get baptized since, but her dad kept saying no.
Well we came along and told her if her mom says yes, then she can get
baptized since her mom has custody over her. We told her of coarse she
still needs to tell her dad and get his permission. Well we got that a
couple weeks ago at the BBQ. He told her she needs to talk to her
grandpa though and get his permission. Thursday night we got everything
finalized program wise and gave her the baptism form for her mom to
sign when she got home. Friday the mom still hadn't signed it and
wouldn't sign it until Jessica talked to her grandpa. That whole night
the mom wouldn't give Jessica the grandpa's number or let her use the
phone. So it was frustrating Jessica. Saturday we went over to see if
she called him, but she still hadn't but was going to call him before
the interview in a couple hours. When we came over later for the
baptism interview, Jessica looked beyond distraught and said her mom
won't sign the paper and doesn't want her to get baptized this weekend.
Jessica went and talked to her privately, and all we could hear was the
mom going anti on us and trying to persuade her from doing this.
Jessica stood her ground and a few minutes later came out angry but
showed us that the paper was signed. She started doubting everything
herself and was confused why all this stuff was happening. She wondered
why if something was so true and good like this church, why does
everyone degrade it and talk bad about it and not want me to be apart of
it. We told her that is all Satan. He knows it's true and wants to
keep you and everyone out of it. The spirit was not there with us in
all of our frustration. She still went through with the interview, and
afterwards was beaming and had that spirit back in her countenance. We
pointed that out to her, and she told us she knew this was true and
would continue to fight to be baptized.
So that was all Saturday. We were very nervous the
rest of the day in the fear that the mom was super mad at us and would
tell her not to do it. Sunday morning we went over and woke Jessica up
and to make sure she was ready for church. She seemed ready and like
nothing was wrong and things were still on. The talks during Sacrament
could not have been any better for Jessica. I was just so happy and
knew these were the talks meant to help her as she becomes a member. It
was the YM's presidency that spoke. Thomas Clelland (baptized in Jan)
talked about his baptism and his journey getting there. The other
speaker talked about the Atonement using an analogy of seminary students
and donuts. (you'll have to look the story up. It's about a seminary
boy having to do 10 push ups for his class mates to receive a donut).
The other speaker talked about his baptism at age 16 and how he was the
only member in his entire school and family (Pretty much like Jessica!)
and how he had to defend his beliefs and rely on Heavenly Father. It
was great! 4:00
finally came and Jessica was baptized!!!! I talked on the Holy Ghost.
She was baptized and confirmed since we have Stake Conference next
week. The Relief Society room was packed. I've never seen such a turn
out for a baptism like that. During "half time" when they were
changing, we let people bear their testimonies. Bro Martin got up just
balling and told Jessica he sees a lot of himself in her in that he was
just like her where his family didn't approve. Everyone was crying. So
powerful. Jessica went up and bore her testimony. And if everyone
wasn't crying before, they sure were by the time she was done. She
really is such an incredible girl. I have learned SO much from her in
fighting for what you love. I don't know how her family is going to
accept her now, but to see that she knows that this gospel is true and
will do everything in her power to live it, is inspirational. Everyone
kept coming up to me afterwards telling me how blown away they are with
how strong she is. She's a fighter and is going to make an awesome
member. :) So proud of her and so glad everything worked out to where
she was finally able to be baptized!!!! YAY!!!!!!
That of coarse was the highlight of the week. Oh
and guess what?! Sister Allred and I found out that we're related. We
were watching "Mountain of the Lord" and they showed a guy plowing.
Allred said, "My great great great...grandpa was the first man to plow
in Salt Lake". I looked at her like "You can't lie to me like that.
That's my grandpa. You can't fool me with that story." So I said
"William Carter?" And she was shocked I knew. I told her he's MY great
great great...grandpa! We were both just confused and in awww. How
weird is that?! All because of Polygamy, we're related. Ha ha.. jk
She comes from Sophronia and William. Very interesting.
Also this week we had a competition with the Zone
on how many people we could invite to be baptized. Our district lost,
but it was kind of fun making that our main focus on every contact we
made. I found it very awkward in being so blunt, especially when people
were NOT interested in our contact. But it was still a learning
experience for me to remember our purpose as missionaries.
So your one brief recap of this week is:
- We prayed with a Muslim. Allred gave her a BOM. The lady was scared to touch it in fear it was the Bible.
Hopefully
you all enjoyed the story of Jessica and her journey in her baptism.
It was a great weekend. Transfers are next week and I'll will be
starting my last transfer. It seems unreal that all the time of wishing
for the end, that it's a lot sooner than I'd like now. I hope I can
keep being a missionary in all that I do when I get home. I hope I
don't forget or lose the things I've learned here. I'm so glad I chose
to come out. If I knew it would be this hard I wouldn't have, so it's a
good thing I didn't really understand! Ha ha.. I have loved the things
I've learned through all the pain. Thank you for pushing me with love
and keeping me out here. I can't wait to see you all in 51 days. I
LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Hermana Sorensen
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