This week we had a bunch of lessons with some less actives we're working with. I am torn between the love I have working with these less actives and the help they need (and are willing to accept) versus if we should be focusing more on finding new investigators more than we are. I dunno, "find the lambs; feed the sheep". I just love these people here so much. I think the more time I've spent trying to forget myself and fully focus on those I love and serve the more the Lord has worked on me. He has shown me my weaknesses and given me strength, has taught me how to hear His voice and truly come to Him as I am to let Him change me.
This week was a lot of fun as we taught different members and investigators but I think the best part was something new that changed things up a bit and got us out of our routine feeling. We had a massive dump of snow this weekend! It was so fun! It made everything look different, everyone was acting just a little different, it just brought a little change, and that was nice :) Everywhere we went it was just snowy and white and pretty...we were singing all these Christmas songs and just loving it #puttingmysnowbootstogooduse #threeinches?? #alittleoffonourforecasting. So that was a lot of fun. It made us both really happy. My compañera walked outside and stepped in the first six inches of snow and said "what?! This is not New York, this is Canada!" It was awesome.
We have been blessed to see that same change begin in many of those we teach and love. We met with the different members of one of our awesome families, and I just love them so much. They're amazing. The have so much potential and I can see it any time I look at them. They are each trying to make some changes in their lives and we really want them as a family to feel of the blessings of the gospel and come along this journey together. We did some service for them Saturday and passed our lunch hour making crepes with them. It was super fun and we also bought the trust of the little two year old who used to cry anytime we hugged a member of her family haha. We will be teaching one of the daughters who's not a member tonight, and she is such a stud. We just love her.
We got together with the English elders last night to do some planning. We have six part-member families that we are tag teaching with them, so we wanted to go over progress and our game plan for the week. We were cute and thought it'd only take thirty minutes. Well, and hour and a half later we finally had a plan for them and knew what each companionship would be doing. We started to lose it a little towards the end #weeklyplanningx2 #drainedineverywaypossible and got an awesomely hilarious video of the elders that I'll send later :)
After planning with the elders we tried to find this lady we were supposed to have a lesson with. She lives in one of the sets of projects out here that we are actually allowed to go to, haha (most of them are bien peligroso...the elders told us a story last week that happened to them just that day where the Spirit was definitely protecting the situation. It's a fun time haha). But we had a lesson set for 8 so we tried to find her and it was rather sketchy haha. Maybe that is just cause it was at night, but we ended up getting a scratching and barking dog at the door with some gangsters in the hallway, complete with a creepy elevator we had to take to the sixth floor, all instead of a new investigator. But we will try again...during the day. Haha.
I've had the opportunity to bear testimony and promise of the Atonement and its grace to many people this week which has allowed opportunity for me to reflect on how this gift has affected, and continues to affect daily, my life. It has been so incredible these last few days in particular because I have truly been blessed with "eyes to see". (That is a pattern I've noticed in my studies, the pattern of the Lord in speaking about eyes that see and ears that hear...or that don't. It's been pretty cool.) As I have sought it --and as it has been fit to the Lord-- He has taken me backstage briefly to show me just a few of the workings behind what He has been about. He has shown me how much He has truly been here and where His hand has been in everything. There are no coincidences, and seeing just a portion of His plans and works for me has strengthened my testimony and helped me to truly continue in faith hoping for things to come, not only for me, but for those I love and serve as He works on each of us.
We had exchanges last week and they were done a little differently where I went to Rego with Sister Staker for the exchange and Sister Bush came to Far Rock with Sister Albanese. To kick of the exchange we drove out to Rego and met them at Sister Peterson's house for dinner. That was really fun. I love Sister Peterson. We had this really good soup and bread, but let me tell you about the bread. She throws it in the oven and we sit there talking for a moment while it "browns". She goes to check on it, opens the oven door, and says, "oh I think they're getting brown!" Sister Bush just goes, "uuuuuuh..." as Sister Staker says, "um, I think I see a fire..." The bread in the back somehow managed to catch on fire and they were burning up in there while the ones in the front were "just getting brown". We avoided setting off the fire alarm as we danced around fanning away the smoke. That was a good laugh. (Also, there were pictures taken there but I do not have them...sorry. Actually side thought, there are a whole lot of pictures that I have been in and do not have, nor have I seen. Kind of weird that those are just floating around somewhere, haha.)
After dinner we split ways and I was off with Sister Staker to the subway while the other sister drove back. Man, I miss the city. I just feel so much more at home there. Haha, never thought I'd be saying that I felt at home on dirty subways and smelly buses :) the exchange was really good and I learned a lot from Sister Staker. She is just awesome. She told me as we concluded our exchange that I just gave off positivity, like I was just happy. She said she could feel "this hope or faith" that I had, taking everything in. That made me really happy. I have been trying so hard and I think I'm starting to get it. I'm trying my best to remain happy and hopeful despite whatever comes.
I am thankful for the opportunity God has given me to change and view what comes in life differently: with hope and faith. That is what I've been working on a ton, and I didn't know if I was really getting it, but I'm getting there now. That was a huge blessing and tender mercy for me to see that my efforts are paying off and with His grace and strength I truly am becoming more like my Savior and Father in Heaven.
Anyway, oh yeah! I almost forgot! I also translated for the first time on Sunday. Haha. Ha. That was an adventure. I almost died. Haha. I didn't do too badly though. At least if I translate every once in a while it will keep my Spanish sharp, hopefully :) Other than that, not sure what else I've got! We will go read your emails and answer any questions I have missed :) Love you tons!!
Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
Fun quotes of the week:
"The mission really helps you to become as a little child...all the way back to snacking and taking naps."
-Sister Staker as we packed up to leave by stocking our pockets full of goldfish for the road :)
"Never look at the stairs...just make it."
-Sister Albanese as we came home after the snow storm. ...which reminds me I still haven't made that a video. I will do it! I promise! Sorry...I forget things sometimes when I actually can do them and remember when I can't...oops :)
We also ate at our pizza place again today and heard the following: Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, Duran Duran, Foreigner, Tears for Fears, Flock of Seagulls (?? Could be losing it here, but that is the name that came to mind haha!), Elton John, and John Lennon. It was a good day for the music at Boardwalk Pizza!
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| Yes she is from Utah but it still makes me nervous for her to drive in that!! :) |
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