Y'all, I have been so multicultural this week. I was not expecting to get to try crazy foreign foods when I came to Arizona (except maybe a little Mexican food, which has been very good), but in the last three or so weeks, I've gotten to try authentic Russian, Mongolian, Japanese, Colombian, and Macedonian/Albanian food.
It's been another incredible week here in the Arizona Gilbert Mission. I got the email for MyPlan this week, a six week course that missionaries complete prior to returning home. I don't have to start it for . . . a long, long time still, but it was still weird to get the email. One thing that has been cool about my mission is that it has changed the way I deal with stress (and let's be real, getting that email was a wee bit stressful, among other things). Before my mission, I probably would have been hiding myself behind a screen, watching TV or mindlessly scrolling down a social media site. Well, that's not really an option for me, so I've learned to rely more on prayer and reading the scriptures or asking for a priesthood blessing. I think I knew that I'd learned to rely on that somewhere in the back of my head, but it really clicked when I was listening to a song the other day. It was a song I've listened to a lot on my mission, and one of the lines says, "I will feel no fear. I know that You are here." I realized then just how amazing it is that any time I am having a hard day or need some help, I always know a sure place to turn 1000% of the time. I can always turn to Jesus Christ--and as I've been serving, it's something that has become a lot more instinctive for me.
My funny moment for this week also relates to that. Well, more with the MyPlan email. Elder Matua, who I served with in Highland Zone, is in Temple View Zone now. Back in Highland, everyone always said we acted just like siblings. Well, the sibling rivalry is still going strong. It is quite a joy. When I was at District Meeting, I overheard some of the Elders talking about MyPlan. I made a comment like, "Too soon! I just got that email!" And family, I kid you not, there was sheer panic in Elder Matua's eyes as he yelled, "You're going home??" It was fabulous.
This week was a week full of miracles, too. On Friday, the Zone decided to go to In 'n Out before heading to a service project. We were absolutely brilliant and went right in the thick of the lunch rush. So I sat and waited a long time for my food. There was a lady standing by me, and so I decided to start talking to her. Her name is Jo. We started talking, and when we all got our food, the other sisters and I got to sit and talk to Jo. I think what made it special is that Jo is not LDS, but she was perfectly happy sitting and talking with missionaries. It's nice to not have people run away from you. She said she would keep the missionaries in her prayers.
We met with Charles again this week. He is awesome. He loves the Book of Mormon and hearing about Christ's ministry, and he is so excited to learn. This week, we were able to invite him to be baptized, and he said yes for October 21!
Laura and her kids also met with us, and that was another amazing lesson. Sister Schultz, the Primary President, came with us to tell Anthonee and Alyra about primary. We taught them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and it was so fun to see the kids teaching each other when they had questions. Anthonee and Alyra are so smart. Sister Schultz also bore an amazing testimony while we were there, and we were able to invite Laura and her kids to be baptized too! They set a baptismal date for November 8.
There is also this lady in our stake named Sister Worley. She is awesome. She called us up because she wanted to make homemade bread and take them to people in our area. She said she's been doing this for the last 40 years and makes about 800 loaves of bread each month. She said she's seen lots of miracles come from it, so she wants to do it with all the missionaries in the stake. We decided to take one of our loaves to Renee. She had been meeting with missionaries in Mesa, and Sister Ulziiduuren had been able to help them move in when they came to Gilbert. It was just meant to be a quick stop by, but we talked to her a bit, and she is going through a bit of a rough patch. Sister Worley was with us mentioned priesthood blessings, so we were able to offer her one. She said yes, so on Sunday, we got to bring two men from the ward. It was a beautiful blessing, and especially after Elder Rasband's talk, I don't think it was by chance that we went.
Speaking of Conference, (see how I casually did that?) I was so grateful to have been able to watch it this weekend. I took questions, and it was amazing to, once again, see all of them answered. Afterwards, I was asked which was my favorite talk, and I suddenly could not remember many specific talks for the life of me. So I thought of what I did remember, and I remembered how happy and peaceful I felt, and I remembered the answers to my questions. I thought it was powerful that out of all the things I could remember, the things that the Spirit needed me to know was what actually stuck. I love that personal revelation works like that. And of course, I was able to take notes because, as I've been told over and over on the mission, "Revelation carefully recorded is revelation in a time of need". I looked back at my notes and I realized that in addition to what I could immediately recall, I had recorded a lot of themes: serving others, putting down the smartphone, continuing to be faithful, moving forward with faith, and not being afraid. Elder Vaupel (my district leader) pointed out that there was a lot interwoven about things pertaining to post-mission life. It was interesting that he was the one to point that out because he will be finishing his mission six weeks after me. I realized that it truly is revelation for what we need to know for the next six months, on a very general AND a very specific and individual basis. I'm not excited to come home because I still have so much to do here, but I am grateful for a Heavenly Father who gives me specific direction for what I need to know in all things. But don't worry too much, Family. I still love you!
Sister Emily
1001 N Burk Street
Gilbert, AZ
85234
I'm still adding to my collection of how many languages I can say "I am an apple" in. Featuring: Mongolian, Arabian, and Japanese.
Sitting in a couch in the back of a truck
Smart Phone + Temple View Zone = lots of selfies with the temple
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