Hello friends and family,
It's the end of week 2 here in the mission field- to answer a few questions: You normally have your trainer for 12 weeks, yep. That's just 2 transfers. But Sister Halaapiapi is awesome! A lot of people have asked me if it's weird to always have someone with me. But... I don't think so. Mostly because, when I was at school, Malachi was with me all the time. So I'm used to it- and I enjoy it. :) We don't have bikes yet in this area, and it's looking like we probably won't. Skirts+Bikes= ISSUES. haha! And to answer Chase's question: Do I get time to rest? NO! haha! But it's okay. Sometimes I'll take a 20 minute nap during lunch and that seems to hold me over just fine. :) To answer some music and mail questions: any music would be GREAT to have! We can listen to anything- as long as it follows the white handbook (no romantic lyrics or pulls you away from the work). So anything would be fabulous! And MAIL- you send letters to the mission office and then they forward the letters straight to us, or the zone leader picks it up and gives it to us at district meeting. This is just to protect your mail from going to the wrong place if you get transferred.
Sooo... on Monday, I had my first bad experience with a member in the ward. Oh joy.
Man (we will call him man) is the home teacher of a less active woman in the ward. He went with us to go and visit her on Monday night and to give her a blessing.
Long story short: She never comes to church and hasn't for 10+ years. As we were visiting, the spirit prompted me to say something- so I talked with her about how she needed to attend and we about the blessings of going to church. Of course, this was all done in a gentle manner. We helped her recognize what she needed to do to repent in her life. (Since she keeps talking about how she needs to repent before she dies.)
Well, the next day, Man comes up to me and says, "Can I give you some advice?" And, being a missionary and TRYING to be Christlike, I tell him that I would LOVE to hear his advice. Not a good idea. He starts going off on me about how I need to calm down and not be pushy- how he's been visiting her for 6+ years and she's not going to change- how he doesn't want us visiting his less active son- how he knows I'm new and full of fire but I need to calm down. OH MY GOODNESS. In my head I'm thinking, "Oh MAN. You're gonna want to stop while you're ahead buddy." But I just sit there and listen to him and respond with, "I'm sorry you feel that I was pushy. I'll be more respectful of people." OHHHHH. What a great start to the week right? Haha! My companion comforted me that night and told me that I did the right thing and that Man was just a punk. (The new word that I taught her. haha) So, I'm moving on from that experience. But it doesn't help that every time I run into him he gives me the same little lecture. *sigh* Some people, right? :)
We have some investigators!
Investigator - She's 14 years old and living with a member family in the ward. She's had a bad home life and her mom pretty much begged these members to take her daughter into their home and raise her the right way. She's been attending church with them, going to mutual, going to firesides, attending seminary and living ALL the standards! We met her on Wednesday by her walking up to us and saying, "I want to get baptized. Can you help me do that?" WHAAAA?! OF COURSE WE CAN!!! We're excited to start working with her soon! But her Dad found out about her going to church and, after having not been involved in her life AT ALL, has now reappeared and forbidden her to talk to us. GRR. We're praying for a miracle. She WANTS the gospel and she's seen the blessings in her life. (She reminds me of you when you were younger- Mom. She looks a little rough on the outside- too much make up. Haha! But she's LONGING for something more! And she's reading the Book of Mormon. Ah. Perfection.)
Investigator - He's 12 today. :) His parents are totally inactive- but supportive of him attending church and doing whatever he wants when it comes to the gospel- and he hasn't ever been baptized. We've invited him to church, youth activities and to several youth baptisms. And he's come to everything! We're working with the young men to get him more involved and more active in the ward.
Investigator - A 17 year old foreign exchange student from Germany and a strong Catholic. We've taught her about the restoration and the Plan of Salvation- and she's really understanding what we're teaching her! But there's just always something missing during our lessons with her and we can't put our finger on it. She's been coming to church every week and even has her own set of scriptures in German! But we're finding, the more we teach her, that she's more taking the lessons to "learn about the Mormons" than taking the lessons because she wants to strengthen her faith/ or has a desire to learn for herself. But we're planting seeds.
Less active brother - He is a sweet man. He's been inactive his entire life- so even though he's baptized, he's really starting new. His wife passed away about a year or 2 ago, and her dying wish was for her husband to become worthy to go to the temple to have them sealed together. (CUTE!) Most recently, we taught him the Plan of Salvation. I LOVE THE PLAN OF SALVATION!!! This lesson with him was... the best ever. We talked about eternal families and how God wants us to be happy! As I was explaining to him the Celestial Kingdom, I asked him to think about his happiest memory and then to multiply that by infinity! THAT is the Celestial Kingdom! As I was talking to him, I told him that his wife was standing right outside the gates, waiting for him, so that they could go in together. It wouldn't be the happiest place ever without the love of your life... And, at that point, he started to tear up and said, "You're right. It wouldn't..." After more conversation, we committed him to prepare himself to go to the temple. He's been to church 3 weeks in a row now! YAY, GO!
I find that as we teach people, the biggest topic of discussion is how we believe that families can be sealed together for eternity- not just this life. Most of the people we talk to are widowed or young families that weren't married in the temple. As I talk with them, I can't help but think of my own future. How great will it be to be sealed to my future family for ETERNITY!!! I love it!!! And I'm so grateful that I'm sealed to my family now! This topic keeps jumping out at me in my personal study and throughout the day... And it's something that I am so eternally grateful for. Because it's true- It wouldn't be Celestial Kingdom (The Happiest Place you could EVER imagine) without those that you love the most.
Before I go on about anything else, I wanted to mention someone super fantastic. Her name is _____- and she is awesome.
Her husband was killed in a car accident about 4 years ago and ever since then, she's been in a state of depression. When we first met her, she never said much of anything. She didn't even talk about her husband at all- or anything really. She just drove us around in silence. But, as we've gotten to know her, and as she's been going out with us on Wednesdays (All Day- I may add!)... she has blossomed! She is a completely new person! She's started participating in our lessons with investigators and bearing her testimony to random people on the street. She. Is. Awesome. And I love her. End of story. :)
I'm still getting used to this missionary life. I've never experienced homesickness until now. It's hard work. Really. And, you all know me, I'm such a people person and I HATE when people don't like me. And, when you walk around wearing a tag... Well, a LOT of people don't like you. And, believe me, they will let you know. It's hard. And I try not to take it personally. Because I AM NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. You can throw things at me. You can send your dogs after me. You can cuss me out and call me names. BUT I WILL NOT QUIT. Because I KNOW that this gospel is true. And I KNOW that there are people out there who are searching for the truth, happiness, and peace that only the restored gospel of Jesus Christ can bring to them.
So, nice try, man. But you will NEVER succeed in throwing that bucket of water on my fire.
I know that this gospel is true. I know that the Book of Mormon is a true book- it is the word of God! He loves us and is always watching over us. He wants us to return to live with him. I know that Jesus Christ LIVES! That he atoned for our sins so that we could repent and so that we could return to live with God again. I am so grateful for Him! I know that Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God that restored this gospel on the Earth- and that Thomas S. Monson is a true, living prophet TODAY. That he leads and guides this church under God's direction. I love this gospel! And I love you all.
Love,
Sister Gubler
No comments:
Post a Comment