This week was actually really eventful!
Monday wasn't quite the same as other P-Days. We finished our 2 hours of study and then went to the Family History Center to do our email. I didn't have many emails that day, so I really just spent most of the time sitting, talking, and joking with the other Elders and Sisters that were there. It was nice. It's been a long time since I've sat and talked to other missionaries. (Yeah, I'm a boring missionary. I don't socialize much. haha) Normally we drive to Walmart to get our groceries, but that day we decided to go to a closer store called "Pauls". Oh boy. Wrong choice. First of all, there was a guy "ASLEEP" on the ground outside the store! That was weird. And second, the prices were so expensive. I'm never going there ever again. What a sketchy place. Once we got into Pauls, we got a call from some Sisters in our district and they asked us to go on emergency exchanges for the day. Great. Why does this always happen to me?! I don't even have a leadership position! haha. So, we didn't get any laundry, letters, or much of anything else done that day. But while I was sitting there and talking to the Sister that I was with, I had a feeling that THAT was why I was called here on my mission. I'm here for my companions- and the other Sisters here. I'm here to help them stay on their missions. Oh! And I went to the chiropractor as well! Man, that was the weirdest experience ever. He popped my tailbone back into place... OUCH. I went there to get my shoulder looked at! He didn't even look at it! Goodness. So, yeah, that didn't help much.
Side note before I move on: My best dinner this week? DINO NUGGETS! It was the best thing ever. Loved it.
Our district participated in a 24 hour fast this week. We fasted to find success, to focus, and to find more people to teach. (Let me tell ya, it's hard to believe that Christ fasted for 40 days and 40 nights. That would be rough.)
I've been reading a lot, and basing my studies off of, 2 Nephi 2:4-5. We have been sufficiently instructed to know good from evil. We all know what the right choices are and what the wrong choices are. I thought it was interesting, Mom sent me an article by Boyd K. Packer and, in it, he said that 90% of the time someone comes into a Bishop's office for counsel, they already know the answer! They know what they are supposed to do! They just want to feel comforted in making the WRONG choice! Isn't that interesting? It's so true. I can't even count the times that I've done that. I've gone to my Bishop, or parents, or friends, asking for advice- and I already know what I'm supposed to be doing. We have been sufficiently instructed.
The 5th was my 4 MONTH MARK! My comp and I spent a lot of time (okay, not a LOT of time) taking pictures of things with 4's. :) And it was also my half birthday- so therefore I decided to make some cake balls. Delicious. Let me tell ya. Pictures to come!
So, a little change in the mission. As missionaries, we have things called "key indicators" that help us to make goals and count the lessons that we had taught that day. Normally, in our "Lessons with Recent Converts and Less Actives" key indicator, we would count lessons with active members. I don't know why we did- but that's just how it always was. WELL. Now that has changed- and we're ONLY counting recent converts and less actives. So our dinner appointments/ lessons with members don't count anymore.
There's a lot of positives to this. It's going to stop missionaries from going to members houses and then staying there all day to just "hang out". And it's going to help missionaries focus on the work that they're supposed to be doing. It just stinks for missionaries (like us) that have dead areas and struggling members are the only people that we can really visit (other than tract all day). But we've been doing really well actually. Our numbers have been higher than they ever have been- and I know that's because the Lord is blessing us for working and doing our best no matter what. Plus, President Cannon, as well as the AP's, are very aware of our situation and they know that we are hard workers. (They called us and told us that. So, whew, that was nice to know.)
I went on exchanges this week (on Friday) with one of our Sister Training Leaders, Sister Barnes. But... they're Spanish speaking. THAT was interesting. And that day did NOT go by very well. :(
First stop was contacting a referral that her and her comp had received from the English Elders. It went really well, I thought. I let Sister Barnes take the lead- since this was her referral and I probably wouldn't see these people again. Sister Barnes talked with a 15 year old girl, Jessica, about the Book of Mormon. I also testified, and we left a Book of Mormon with her and scheduled a return appointment. It was good! Plus- the girl spoke English! Yay! hahaha
Next stop- Fredrigo. We stopped by his "house"- trailor really. But he didn't live there anymore apparently. Sister Barnes talked to the guy at the door, in SPANISH, and basically taught the entire Restoration AND left him a pamphlet AND said that she'd come back on Sunday... All while I just stood there and acted like I knew what was happening. I felt so helpless. It was terrible. I hate not being able to say anything. THIS is why I'm glad that I didn't go on a foreign speaking mission!
And then we decided to go tracting to FIND Fredrigo. (Apparently all of the Spanish people know each other around here.) We went to 2 houses- English speakers- and Sister Barnes had taken the lead with the door approach. On the 3rd house, Barnes said, "Okay, Sister Gubler. If this is an English speaker, you've got this one." Okay. No problem. I've done this a million times. Well, she knocked. An English lady answered, and... and... well... I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING!!! Oh my goodness! I completely froze! WHAT WAS WRONG WITH ME?!
Sister Barnes stepped in and saved it... As we walked away, I apologized to Barnes a million times. I still can't believe I froze. Barnes was frustrated.... And, well, that was the last house that we knocked on that day. :/
We then drove to Melba to visit a completely Spanish speaking family. Sister Barnes said that she'd translate... Nope. We go in, and I THINK she started teaching the Restoration? In the middle of the lesson, I'm just sitting there TRYING to follow what's going on, and she turns to me and says, "I just explained up to Joseph Smith, want to add anything?" Crap. I had NO IDEA what was going on. :( So I said that I didn't have anything to add. But later in the lesson she turned to me and said, "Will you testify of prayer?" YES! THAT I could do! I said my testimony sentence by sentence as she translated- and I'm pretty sure she switched up the wording on some things to fit it in with the lesson better. Man, that was rough.
I came home from those exchanged feeling like a terrible missionary...
But, the next day, I was DONE feeling sorry for myself. So I was going to GO OUT THERE and PROVE MYSELF WRONG!!!! BY GOLLY!!!! We started the day tracting! Knocking on every door! I CAN talk to people! I CAN have a good door approach! And GOSH DANG IT- I sure did! My companion was finally like, "Okay, Sister Gubler. I think we should take a break. You've proven yourself to the Lord. You have a GREAT door approach." *sigh* Okay. But I felt better about myself after that.
The entire district then came later that day to tract our entire ward area! It was GREAT! They found 5 referrals for us! YAY! Miracles happen! I'm so grateful that the other missionaries were willing to help. And I'm grateful that I was humble enough to ask... otherwise we'd still be miserable every day, trying to find things to do. But, I think I overworked my companion that day... we had to go home early. I tend to do that a lot to my companions... :/ I need to slow down a bit.
At church yesterday, we subbed for the 9 year old primary class. It was SO cute when we walked in- all the kids were CHEERING and JUMPING up and down! "Yay! It's the missionaries!" That makes everything worth it.
And, in Relief Society, the teacher was talking about following the prophets counsel and all of a sudden she starts crying- "Imagine when Sister Gubler goes home, and six years from now, when she has her own family... Imagine how strong they will be BECAUSE she served a mission." Wow. That was powerful.
That night, my comp made a comment to me: "Wow. Sometimes, when I talk to you, I think, 'Dang! She's old!' Simply because of your experience and insights on life." haha. I didn't realize that I acted like an old person... I mean, I AM considered an "older missionary". Isn't that weird?? Most my age are going home soon. Oh well. I'm okay to be 'old'. ;)
So, as I'm writing this, I'm totally holding a million tissues, a water bottle, and some nasal spray. hahaha I'm totally sick. And, guess what, I got a migrane last night for the FIRST TIME EVER! There's nothing like a mission to make you realize what help problems you may have. haha
--Sister Gubler
Molly celebrated 4 months as a missionary!
No comments:
Post a Comment