Transfer Seven Week Four
Hey!! Today is my last day as a teenager! Woohoo! I turn twenty tomorrow, but we are celebrating today :) some of the other Sisters in our zone are coming to our area to go out to lunch and go shopping.
We met our new mission President and his wife! President Egan works at Lagoon, and he made lots of roller coaster puns. I really like him. He has a tender heart and couldn't stop saying how much he loves us. He will be good for this mission. I had a very sweet experience when I met with him for my interview. I looked into his eyes and felt sooooo much love. I had the thought "I wonder if this is what it will be like to look into Heavenly Father's eyes someday..." Sister Egan is amazing. When she introduced herself, the very first thing she said was that she loved the scriptures and she loved to learn. She is one of my heroes! I have been talking to her a lot the last couple of days because I got sick... Again. We are trying to figure out what is going on with me. I have been in contact with the area doctor and he is making sure I am taken care of. All is well in Kumamoto!
I am definitely learning humility. Because I have been sick, I have had to rely a lot on others for help. I hate accepting help though, so it was hard. The Ward members have been so sweet and bring us healthy food and they have all offered so much help to us. My district has been so patient too. Sister Popham has been helping a lot. I am glad she is patient, because it has been so crazy lately. I really really feel loved. District leader has been watching out for me and he was the one who told me to call Sister Egan. I didn't want to call her, but he insisted. I am glad I called though because now I am finally starting to get better. God loves His missionaries! In my patriarchal blessing, I am promised that I will have angels surrounding me when I need help, and I have been in the presence of many angels this week especially.
I read the talk "Latter-day Saints keep on Trying" and found a few things that had a big impact on me. A lot of times I just feel inadequate... Sometimes I catch myself thinking "How can God expect me to do this?! I can't speak this language! I am not a good teacher! I don't even like talking to people... I am shy!" Thinking like that is ダメ！Those are anti-Atonement statements! In the talk, it says "God cares a lot more about who we are and who we are becoming than about who we once were. He cares that we keep on trying."
Even though I have lots of room to grow, I can say that I have changed since I left on my mission 11 months ago today. I hope I am a little more refined. I know that my testimony is stronger. I have conquered a lot of fears and I really do try. I know that God has not called me to be successful... He has called me to be faithful. I know that through my obedience and faithfulness, I can be confident in where I stand with my Heavenly Father. He is so happy when He sees us try again.
If you're like me, and feel like you've stumbled one too many times, and maybe are not ready to try again... I want you to remember that your Heavenly Father loves you. He will help you. We are asked to "evaluate our lives, repent, and keep on trying. If we don't try, we're just latter-day sinners; if we don't persevere, we're latter-day quitters; and if we don't allow others to try, we're just latter-day hypocrites. As we try, persevere, and help others to do the same, we are true Latter-day Saints. As we change, we will find that God indeed cares a lot more about who we are and about who we are becoming than about who we once were."
Keep trying!!! To God, time is not a variable. We are all a work in progress. We are all a work of art.
I know that God loves us. He is patient with us, and asks us to be patient with others and with ourselves. We can receive help through Christ's Atonement when we humbly seek for it.
Thank you for all the birthday love!!! For my birthday, today we are celebrating by going out to lunch and shopping! and then tomorrow a member invited us over for lunch. They were so excited on Sunday. They kept saying "See you on Tuesday!" Then they would mischievously laugh and say it again. I was walking down the hallway at church and a bunch of members were in a big group. I heard one say "When is Sister Sanders birthday?" And then his wife swatted his arm and said "she's right there! Be quiet!" I just smiled and said "my birthday is next year!" Haha I love Shimizu Ward!
Have a great week! Be genki! 愛しています！
サンダーズ姉妹
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