Mission Newsletter #9

So much happened this week so I hope I can write you about it all!  Here we go!

First of all, AWKWARD MOMENT! Yesterday we were driving from an investigator's home. As Sister Senior was setting up the GPS at the stop sign and as I was playing with the AC/Heater (as the driver), Sister Senior says to me, "Sister Salmond!" I look up and she is pointing to my window. I whip my head around. Ah! There's a man there! My face was terrified and looked slightly disgusted. As he bent down to signal to me to roll down my window, I leaned back and pushed the lock button! I rolled down the window down, but it went farther than I wanted (like 3 inches), so as he asked me for a direction, I rolled it up a little, then a little more. Oops! Too much! I closed it on him.  Rolled it back down so it was barely opened an inch. Quickly answered his question, rolled back up the window, and then turned to Sister Senior with a huge, dramatic sigh of relief. She started busting!! She told me how stupid and funny it looked to the poor guy who was trying to ask me a question and I just kept rolling up the window. Wow! I really need to gain a better trust of strangers...

Also, so this week Sister Senior and I got asked (let me correct myself, told) to sing at a funeral!!! What?!  We do NOT sing well in the Slightest!!! So we did it. As a missionary, the word "no" does not exist.  We had a duet of "I Need Thee Every Hour" and "God Be With You Till We Meet Again." However, they sounded AWFUL! So, we dragged the Elders under the bus with us. :) They only sang "God Be With You..." with us, but hey, that one was sad. We really needed the help since we were both incapable of doing parts. Overall, we survived... People tried to tell us we did well, but we all know that that is an act of courtesy, not honesty. Plus, I know the tears I saw were from the sorrow they felt for us, as they could tell we were trying so very hard, but obviously not gifted. They were sweet.

Practicing right before the funeral... at least trying. We had to capture the moment because it was funny how terrible we sounded. haha.

One last Traumatic Moment: I RAN OVER A CAT!!! I was so sad!!! It was a black cat. She looked at me scared and then dashed in front of me. I felt it under the car with the thud as I braked with all my might! No use. I hit her. I started hyperventilating and repeating over and over again, "I ran over a cat. I just ran over a cat." After a minute of shock, I began to bawl. Sister Senior tried to comfort me with little to no success. I still felt bad for that poor cat.  We pulled up to the member's home we would be eating dinner at and of course, the elders arrived at the exact same time. Elder Osiemo came up to my window to scare me, which only lead to a harder, more hysterical cry. He then realized something was wrong. I told them what had happened, while trying to calm myself down. It was not a pretty scene. I wiped my tears and marched into the home like nothing happened. (Thank goodness the members couldn't tell.) It broke my heart to have killed that cat, but the Lord forgives me. I didn't mean it. I know the cat's in a better place anyways. :'(

Quick Update: Sister Senior's health has been getting better. Not nearly as much pain. We found out results. Nothing. He said she looks normal. He doesn't see a need to do more tests or doesn't even know where he'd look. If anything changes, then she should let him know.

This week we made Baptismal Calendars for our investigators who will be getting baptized on the 28th. They are moving forward great! We should have 3 baptisms on that date as of now, and hope for 5 if Alisa's two boys who are old enough get baptized too. It's looking promising and it is so exciting seeing all of them move forward! Also, with Megan & Mike, the other two with this date, are starting to get things ready for their wedding. We are so excited for them and I can't wait to witness such a sweet and sacred thing. :)

On Friday, Sister Senior and I went on exchanges. Really she stayed home and I left. Where did I go? To Lorna, near Birmingham, but don't worry it was only in a SPANISH SPEAKING AREA!!! Yeah, no biggie. So, I smiled and nodded my head in those lessons and then bore my testimony when Sister Child told me to. I am good at the smiling part, so I am sure I looked great! Overall, though, not everyone we taught was Spanish speaking and it was a great experience for me. I love Sister Child. When she speaks, it's like you can feel the love of Lord in her. It's truly incredible. She's just so gentle and sweet, yet so happy. She has an amazing spirit.

This week, I have had a couple things I have read in my studies I would love to share with you:
       I was reading and came across Alma 17:11. It states, "And the Lord said unto them also: Go forth among [replace with where   you are right now], thy brethren, and establish my word; yet ye shall be patient in long-suffering and afflictions, that ye may show forth good examples unto them in me, and I will make an instrument of thee in my hands unto the salvation of many souls." I have never read in the scriptures a time before (or at least I never realized it) where the Lord commanded them to be good examples so they could be an instrument for the Lord. Remember, the Lord needs us to be good examples so we can represent the Lord. People watch us and it is what we do that will impress people and draw them unto us to learn of the gospel and knowledge we have. Remember that when you are interacting with people you come in contact with in the street or at the store.
        Also, we talked about Adam and Eve during correlation meeting. Often in college, I have heard people say, that they don't believe that God would give Adam and Eve conflicting commandments. "That doesn't seem right. That's not the God I know."  I have always believed God did give them conflicting commandments, but I never knew how to explain it or what to say, but how our ward mission leader put it, made it so clear. He asked, "Do we have conflicting commandments today?" Silence. "Well, I know I do." He continued, "As the provider, I have to have a job and that takes up a lot of my time, and then there's time I'm supposed to spend with my family, home-teaching, my calling, serving the poor and needy, daily prayers and scripture study, education, church and church activities, and the list goes on and on. Do we not all have conflicting commandments?  We are commanded to do so many things, but it is not humanly possible to have enough time to do them all." He explained that it's about prioritizing. This life is a test and a preparation time to meet God and prioritizing is a skill we will need in the next life when we too become Gods. It made so much sense to me when he put it that way. As I continued to think on this on my own, I became so grateful for these conflicting commandments. What if all that God asked of us WAS achievable? Would people become bored in the gospel kind of like passing a level on a video game?  I would hate to be complete, done. That would seem so empty. I am so grateful the Lord has made it impossible, so I will always have something to work and improve on. What an incredible blessing we have to continually learn and grow!

At Zone Training (too much to write I couldn't touch on it, but also great) with Sister Leifson, Sister Senior, and Sister Sheri Millard (yes, from our Glenwood ward!) 

Our apt Christmas tree and Nativity a member in our ward bought us! So sweet!

Anyways, that was my spiritual a-ha's this week. I hope you learned something new too. :)  I love the gospel and I know this church is true. I am learning so much out here in the mission. Although, I can't be there for Christmas to spend with all of you down there, know I am there in Spirit. I love you all and hope you are all having fun with the holiday (or wedding, for those who apply) hustle and bustle! Until next week, I love you!

Love,
Sister Salmond