Sent home to church in Huntington Beach, CA.
Last week's title was funny because I am the junior companion, meaning that I get to sit in the passenger seat every time we drive anywhere. Which means it's a stupid old pickup truck I'm never allowed to drive EXCEEEEEEPPTTT when we have exchanges and I stay in our area meaning I drive because I know the layout better :) So the truck was mine. For about 20 minutes. Then we got a call from our vehicle coordinator saying our car was done at the shop and we could go give the truck back and get our Equinox. Yay!!!!!!!!!! If you didn't read that with as much sarcasm as possible then go back and read it again. So I got to drive the truck to the shop and that was it. But hey that's more than I thought I ever would!! So I got to drive but it was our normal car. But hey it could be worse. The day I have to ride a bike is the day I quit and go home. I'm sure God has a sense of humor and is going to get me for saying that.
So exchanges with Hermana Welch!! She's amazing. She's going home after this next transfer, but I love her so much. She has taught me so much! I've been struggling with being open to change, and how I'm supposed to change on my mission, but she gave me really great advice that I figured I'd share for those of you who ACTUALLY read my emails :)
So going on a mission, I feel like a common theme is that missionaries go out to gain a testimony, or learn how to live on their own, or budget (and more things like that) but I kind of felt like I already have all of that? So for me, if that is how change on your mission is defined, then I guess I can't change very much. Except, almost every missionary that's going home always says to "embrace change." So it's a struggle! How do I change, if I'm already at the end result? Hermana Welch told me that those ways of change are the typical box of missionaries. So, what happens when someone gives me this box? Throw the box away!! Fill the box with what I define as change, not others. Even if it's just better habits, or a little more knowledge here and there, I need to not only embrace change, but specifically MY change. Not anyone else's forms of change.
I don't really like when people say "The mission changed me" or talk about "the mission." This is MY mission. MY mission is different than theirs. MY mission is not THE mission. THE mission is the box. I need to live my life and change on MY mission and stop being a missionary on THE mission.
Does any of that make sense?? Whether it does or not I'm ready to change and be better.
Sunday was QUITE the day! The only friend of ours that came to church was a man we met Sunday morning in his underwear. He came to church fully clothed though :) He also asked if we were a lesbian couple. Anyways.
We got transfer news yesterday. By the most unexpected circumstances ever I'm leaving the area?? I cried myself to sleep last night and a lot this morning ahaha. I don't want to leave!!! My new area is Braun Heights/3rd ward/Timber Ridge, which is on the west side of the city. I don't know much about it and don't know much about my new companion, so we will just see where this goes! But I'm so sad. I feel like we had so many people that are sooooo close to baptism and progressing in general, and all of my efforts don't show that fruit. Alas.
Our friend David thinks Jesus wrote the Bible. Nothing we say is getting across, including pretty straightforward scriptures IN THE BIBLE so if anyone has any other ideas please let me know what else might work
We taught Pam the Restoration on Satueday and it was seriously so amazing. The Spirit was soooo strong and after sharing the First Vision she started to cry and put her hand to her heart and just whispered, "I believe it." MAN I really don't want to leave this area. I just wanted to see her go to church :(
We had a devotional with our mission president's mission president, which was super cool!! Considering that this man is so respected by a man I really respect, he's gotta be a pretty cool dude. His name is Presidente Agüero, and he now acts as a translator for any General Authority that goes to South America and needs someone to help them with their Spanish, so he's met all of the Quorum of the 12 multiple times!! Super cool! He talked a lot about looking for symbolism of Christ in the scriptures, and I like to translate that into looking for symbolism of Christ in our everyday lives, because He is everywhere!!
Sorry there was so much this week! Next week will be fun, talk to ya from the west side
Sister Roberts
Fineeeeee here's pictures