Hey Mom, and rest of family:
So remember how last semester I had that one calling called RS pres? And how hard that was? This first week was harder than the whole semester combined. My teachers told me that the first week is like sticking a fire hydrant around your moth and turning it on full blast, and that is what it felt like. The days are a blurr. But my branch pres said that the Lord was trying to teach me something, and I needed to figure out what it was. So I prayed about it, and I got a Priesthood blessing and I did a lot better after that. I think the Lord wanted me to have an increase of faith that He's there and watching over me and that no matter what everything will turn out okay because I'm doing my best and living the rules. There are some missionaries who break the rules, even the little ones like not studying when we're supposed to, and I don't know, I just don't see the point in breaking rules. Grandpa's right, if you stick to the rules then you'll be okay, but if you don't, then you won't. One thing that Elder Thomas (our district leader [slave]) says all the time is, "What is the first law of Heaven?" "Obedience!" "What is the second law?" "Obedience." "What is the 20th?" "Obedience.
So, about my companion Sister Daley. She's from all over the west coast, never lived in WA though. She's really nice and studies hard. When we went into the TA (TRC) she was on fire, and teaching like I've never seen her teach before. And we had a hard investigator. He was a humanist, a person who explains everything by science and doesn't believe in a God. Yeah, but we committed him to read the BOM with a sincere heart and real intent, and if he felt a "wow moment," as he called it, then he would simply say, "Is this true?"
But it was so hard teaching the first lesson, just because we knew he didn't believe in God. He had read the Bible, took a class on it even, but still didn't believe there is a God. Next week is the plan of salvation, and he's reporting to us about the BOM, he calls it his "Book Report."
Sister Daley and I share a room with Sister Sorenson and Woodward. They are also in our District. They're really nice, and you can tell that a week has gone by because we're all really comfortable with each other. Like the Elders are too. Elder Wagner, yesterday announced during MDT that he had to go to the bathroom. Why thank you for that Elder Wagner! And then Sister Daley and I got to devo really early, so we got seats near the front, and our district came to sit by us. Elder Thomas and Oberg were sitting on my right side, and Sister Daley and I were supposed to move down to fit the other sisters. So I scooted next to Elder Oberg, not noticing that his arm was around my chair. And we're both in our own little world. Then two seconds later I notice that his arm is around my chair, and I'm like, "UHHH...." And then he noticed, and is like, "Oh shoot! Oh man, uhh..." And we all start laughing, especially the elders behind us. Then I was like, "I knew you liked me Elder Oberg, but I didn't know you liked me THAT much!" It was funny! Then during Devo Elder Thomas's arm was around Elder Oberg's chair (don't ask why guys do that, because I don't know), and it touched my arm, and I scolded Elder Thomas. I was like, "What is it about this companion ship and touching me?" We all had a good laugh afterwards.
Devo was good, H Bryan Richards spoke to us, and I just understood more of what being a missionary is. Earlier in the week like Saturday, Sister Frealey (our teacher) took us to a thing that had the standard of Truth on it and talked about being a missionary and what it meant. She also talked about our name tag and how it had our name and Jesus Christ's name on it, and how those are the two things that stand out on the tag, and how much the tag is apart of our mission. Yeah, it was really cool, and just made me think of why I'm here. And I really came to understand between her class and the devo that I'm on the Lord's time, and I'm called by Him, so He will watch over me and protect me and He won't allow me to fail if I work hard and keep all the rules and do the things that He wants me to do. Being a missionary is pretty much one of the greatest callings, even though it's sooooooooooooooooooooo hard! I didn't realize how truly hard it was. It's gotten a lot easier, but before He took me out of the fire I shed a few tears and got a few hugs.
So about our district, yeah, I know I keep getting sidetracked. So Elder Thomas is our District Leader, although he calls himself the district slave because he's from Alabama, and he's black. Yeah, Jackson, I have a black person in my district! And he's awesome! Whenever something happens , like I don't know he'll say something to the affect, "Because I"m black."
Okay, it lost the rest of my e-mail. Yeah, stupid internet thing. And I can't remember what else I said, other than I saw Elder Vance...all the time. He sits close to my district at meals.
Love you!
and thanks for everything.
Love, Sister Ostler
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