September 28, 2015
Well, it was another great week (:
One of the highlights was taking the family, we baptized, to the vistors center to see "Meet the Mormons"! But that last story, with the guy leaving on his mission, is always a little rough. Seeing him in the Salt Lake Airport reminds me of when I stood there crying with my family. I hugged my mom there. Yikes, rough stuff. But a great movie.
My second 6 week cycle in the mission is about to end. Every 6 weeks we have changes, where people could get new companions or move to a new area. The last time there was a change meeting, my comp and I didn't go because we weren't being moved or split up (this is normal because she is my trainer and training in the mission is 12 weeks). However, I think we are going to be changed this next time. Hopefully I will get to stay in Oriental, but even if other people leave I will be so sad to see them go. I have made incredible friends here. Also, it's just crazy to see how fast time is flying.
I got sick for the first time on my mission yesterday. I was starting to think it would never happen... but it did... and it was terrible. I don't know if my stomach has ever hurt that bad. But I was really lucky and was better after just a couple hours. I feel so much sympathy for the people who have had to deal with that consistantly during their mission, like Hermana Garner (my friend from my district in the CCM who is also in the mission). Please pray for her.
Lately, I have just felt a huge drive to be a better missionary and a better person. Every day Hermana Wong and I talk about what we can do better to be better teachers and better missionaries. And usually we realize that we are not being as effective as we could be, and that there are things that we need to change. I mean, we are meant to grow and progress, so that should always be the answer (: One thing we've talked about a lot lately, is exact obedience and why it's important and how we can be more exactly obedient. I wrote my mission president about the thoughts I had on the matter this past week:
"I learned a lot about exact obedience this past week. Obedience is so important on the mission. Even before my mission I stressed about my clothes and the preparation I was doing for my mission because I wanted to set myself up to be exactly obedient while I was here on my mission. And we have been good. We don't sleep in or skip study, and we don't linger at members houses or come up with things to do besides working. But I've really learned that being exactly obedient isn't just not doing what you shouldn't do, but always doing what you should do. It's talking to people when you are walking in the street. It's teaching with the spirit. It's studying with purpose. It's putting your heart into everything you do and doing it like the Lord would have. And really, the rules are blessings. It's the exact same principle that we teach to investigators: Heavenly Father gives us commandments and when we follow those commandments, we receive blessings. As missionaries, we are blessed enough to have rules to follow, and when we follow them, we receive blessings (and sometimes, straight-up miracles). How lucky are we? "
The same principles apply at home, even if I didn't always see this before my mission. Really the point isn't just to avoid the bad things, it's to consistantly do the good things and change our hearts in the process to the point where we really see the commandments as blessings.
Sometimes when I write, I worry I make weird mistakes. I find myself saying "I have 20 years" because that's how it's said in Spanish, or "assist church" because asistir is the verb for "to attend." It's good because I'm learning Spanish, but it's so scary to see English going. But I'm sure it will come back soon enough. Are the accents of my recently returned friends from the ward fading yet?
You are all so great and I love reading everything you have to say. I hope you are all doing well (:
Talk to you next week!
Hermana Aubriana Wolferts
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