Monday, October 5, 2015

Bye Bye Butler...

Hey fam,

I'm gonna keep it short this week, for lack of time. K but first of all I got transfer calls Saturday night..... Bye Butler! So then I got another call from pres Sunday morning.... I'm becoming an STL! Sister training leader. I'm still a baby! Youngest to be in MLC in the mission. Ah! I guess I'm doing something right. Strengthens my testimony that the He doesn't call the qualified, he qualifies who He calls! 
So an STL means I'll be going on exchanges with all the sister missionaries and I'll be at all the leadership meetings and all that. Which I don't know how I feel about yet ,but  know  I'll learn a lot.  So I will be going to one of two areas, Lock Haven or Hannover, they're both out east, but they're the only STL areas. But they both happen to be Spanish areas. I'll email tomorrow and send my new address after transfer meeting. Looks like I'll be heading into Amish country! 
This week I went on exchanges with our STL, Sister Sibleys. It was a great week .Actually, we got to build an old lady's house- literally, haha, and had a lesson with one of their recent converts and her daughter. Probably the craziest lesson I've ever been in. Long story short- her mom dropped it on her daughter that she was in kidney failure and was begging for her daughters kidney and they were both sobbing. They are very interesting people... But by the end of the lesson her daughter committed to live the law of chastity and she said she's ready to change. Woo! So much more happened that probably wouldn't be appropriate over email but there's the  long story short haha.
Interesting though, the stl's apartment is in the backyard of a crematorium.. And at night they owner pulls his mini van up to the back and unloads the bodies ....They live on "drug alley."Pennsylvania...

So conference was amazing. One of the most powerful conferences yet, and not because I stayed awake during all the sessions. It really hit home, especially the overall tone of "it will all work out." I also heard loud and clear how important it is to be taught by the spirit. That's one thing I've been working on all my six, almost seven months. How do I recognize the spirit and distinguish it from my own thoughts? I will be using the "what can I change?" a lot in my coming transfers as stl. In my own minute way I feel  much like the overwhelmed new apostles, hahaha only obviously on a much smaller scale. 

Anyways, we got two referrals in prison this week from a member that just got out of prison, and one of our others just went to prison. I'll miss butler... Haha. 

Many goodbyes have been said this week- members, investigators, etc. It is so hard leaving my new found family in Butler. I have been so touched by the people that have reached out to me since I am leaving, many of whom will be writing me. I now have support closer to home. I've got a little box of things people gave me that  I'll be sending home. Remind me to share some of the letters the Hoy family wrote me next week. Mom, I haven't sent Lamont's letter to you yet, I will! 

We had our last lesson with Cynda last night . Best one yet. She watched all of conference with us. We were at the members house again, and again she shared how some people just need one missionary and just like I was that for her someone else needed me elsewhere. She always jokes that I'll be the next apostle, hahah. I don't know what it is, but whenever we teach her I always feel so connected with the spirit. I've always been able to with her. It has confirmed to me so many times that one day she will join the church. I know she will. It was pretty cool, she shared that after we left her house last week, she decided to pray to find the Book of Mormon she had received five years ago and never touched. Her house is in the middle of a remodel, and everything is just everywhere. She said she found it in less than five minutes, and recognized that as an answer and a miracle. 
Before we left, on the spot, the member asked me to bear my testimony in Spanish for Cynda. I agreed, knowing no one spoke spanish there anyway. Knowing that, I spoke very freely. I said that I knew she would accept our message and join the church, that it didn't matter when, among other things. When I finished, she was in tears. I asked her why... She said 
"I do not speak Spanish, but I understood you." 

I don't know how this little miracle happened, but it was amazing. 

Anyway, that's probably all for today. The church is true! 

Ps I'm taking the "ponderize" challenge, my scripture this week is 

D&C 97:8- 8 Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice--yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command--they are accepted of me. 

Los corazones de los hombres están desfalleciendo 







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