Martha and Robert saying goodbye
Madeleine and Rosemary
Georgia sunrise!
Sunrise photo of our district prior to transfers.
Yep- we're riding bikes!
Hello!
Every week honestly is so crazy. So much happens that it doesn't feel like a week, more like a year each week, but at the same time it's always "I can't believe I'm already...." etc. So weird.
On Monday morning we received the call for Transfers! Sis Hanks was sent to UGA campus, and Sis Patterson was staying to take over Kennesaw, and I am still here in Big shanty!
Monday: Sister Hanks said goodbye to everyone. Hence the pictures.
So the first picture is Rosemary. She just cracks me up.
Oh, and when she said goodbye to Sister Hanks, it was literally like watching a love scene or something because Sister Hanks was trying to leave, but Rosemary was hugging her, and ran out to the car even when we were all in the car to kiss sister hank's forehead... again..... and then she stood in the doorway and watched until we were away.
It was hilarious!
Then we said goodbye to Martha and Robert. Martha is also a recent convert. Her husband isn't a member, and isn't gung-ho about taking lessons, but he made Sister Hanks a bench! and as you can see from the sweet picture, they really cared about her! They are the sweetest, cutest couple. Isn't their house so cute?! They even have a garden in the back! and When they fed us dinner, they fed us pork and bean casserole. HOW PERFECT?!
Tuesday: Sister Hanks said goodbye to more people while on splits with a girl from Kennesaw. Sister Patterson and I then worked with Big Shanty.
Wednesday: Transfer Day!
We had to drive to a church building and pick up Sister Kafu and Sister Castleton, while Sister Hanks left with her companion and Sister Patterson got hers!
I love my companions. I can tell that they are truly converted to the gospel and they teach me so much every day.
It's great.
As soon as we got back to the apartment, we moved all the furniture around to better accommodate 3 people.... (because I'm just destined to have trios apparently) and I honestly like moving furniture around after transfers because then it changes everything up and makes me feel more ready for the next chapter of my mission, so you could say. I know it definitely helped with the Emergency Transfer, because I missed my trainer so much and it was so weird to not have her with me!
Thursday: We set the game plan for the area. So because I'm new (in my first 12 months), and Spanish, I get 4 hours of study: Personal, Companion, Language, and 12 week. Then we get an additional hour to update the area book. So that's five hours out of our day right there! We sometimes break it up though so we aren't just sitting in the apartment the whole morning.
Friday: You'll never believe it! I rode the bike! We rode bikes! Since we are no longer in Chaos, we no longer have the car... Sister Kafu got me on the bike! and we wound up riding, looking for a referral for about 3 hours. Bike shorts would be much appreciated because the next day, we were SO SORE. But it got me to love where I am! It is so cute and country! I love Georgia! I love it so much honestly.
On Saturday I was left in Charge! So Sister Kafu is a sister training leader, and so is Sister Stenquist now (they are solo training leaders...) so they went on exchange. That left me with Sister Castleton, and Sister Russelll. I was terrified. Well, exchanges kind of freak me out because I feel like I have to make an itinerary for the whole day or otherwise whoever I'm with is going to get bored or think I'm lazy! (It's probably moreso that I'm just not used to making all the plans because I am still technically a new misisonary....) We had 2 lessons in the morning, then we went back to the apartment for lunch. I then did my language study and worked on my talk for Sunday. We then walked to our branch (because none of us are approved to drive- I'm not because I'm new, Sister Castleton doesn't have her license, and Sister Russell just can't. So we walked to the branch and had a lesson with our investigator Blake. I felt so bad, but the spirit told me to have a lesson with him! Blake is a hard investigator. It's interesting because every lesson we threaten to drop him, because he basically winds up trying to prove that the church is not true, but then he will show a lot of spiritual progress and he keeps commitments.... It's weird. But he can just be intimidating, and I felt so bad because here I'd brought these super sweet and tender sisters to one of the most complex people I have ever met. But WOAH! Sister Castleton was AWESOME at teaching him and was just bearing her testimony and explaining things perfectly, and then sister russell hadn't been saying anything to him the whole lesson until she spoke up, as I was trying to drop him by telling him we can have meals with you, we like you and respect you, but if you are not sincere about these lessons and actually want to know the truth, then we can't meet with you anymore, and he was saying "Well I do want to know if what you are teaching is true" and Sister Russell spoke and boy was she bold! She then just said, "Then can you lose all the pride and have the humility to admit that what we are teaching you is true?" The spirit works in mysterious ways. I was thinking about it, because there are some people who you could expect to be bold because of their strong personalities (like me.... ) but I couldn't ever say something like that because I don't think people would listen to someone like me if I said that. But because Sister Russell and Sister Castleton are so sweet and have such tender spirits about them, people do listen when they are bold!
This is why we have companions.
Anywho....
I spoke in church yesterday on the thirteen articles of faith. It went well, I think... I wound up not speaking as long as I thought, but I figured as missionaries we are supposed to "condense and intense" so....
Good morning brothers and sisters. I am sister Wallis, one of your missionaries! Today we are focusing on what members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints believe. Sometimes this can be a daunting subject: there are a lot of rumors and distorted truths about what we believe. Thankfully, we have the thirteen articles of faith, found in the back of the pearl of great price, to summarize what we believe. Our beloved apostle L. Tom Perry spoke on the doctrines and principles contained in the thirteen articles of faith in the October 2013 General conference, and much of what I have to say today is based on that talk. He divided the thirteen articles of faith into five sections, to break up our beliefs and better explain them.
The first section consists of the first four articles of Faith. They simply state our beliefs of the Godhead and the basic doctrines of Jesus Christ. To begin, the first article of faith reads:
"1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost."
We believe in God! Mosiah 4:9 in the Book of Mormon Reads "Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend." We believe there is a God! and he is He is our loving, eternal, Heavenly Father.
He is a just God:
The second article of faith is "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins, and not for Adam’s transgression" Our Heavenly Father does not hold us accountable for the fall of Adam. We believe that everyone is born pure and innocent, but throughout this life, we believe that we will all sin. We are held accountable for our sins, but While our Heavenly Father is just, He is also merciful and loves us infinitely:
16 ¶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3)
This brings us to the third article of Faith: "3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved, by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel." Jesus Christ paid the price for our sins. It is through Him that we can be washed clean. He is the way we can return to live with our Heavenly Father. This begins with our belief in Faith. The fourth article of Faith is "We believe that the first principles and ordinances of the Gospel are: first, Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" We believe that when we have sincere faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, we not only believe his gospel we live it. Second principle of the gospel is Repentance, followed by the ordinances of "Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins" just as our savior was baptized, and lastly, the "Laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost." When we have faith in our savior Jesus Christ, we do not let his sacrifice be in vain. We use the atonement to repent, and we come unto Him through baptism when we covenant to take His name upon us, to keep His commandments and to always remember Him. In return our Heavenly Father grants us a remission of our sins: they are washed away clean; a chance to be born again, and be made new; and the gift of the Holy ghost. Our constant companion who helps lead and guide us personally, so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father after this life.
This basic doctrine is the same Doctrine our Savior Jesus Christ taught when He walked the Earth. This leads us to our next section of the Articles of faith which consists of the fifth and sixth articles. The sixth article of Faith is that "We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth." This is because the priesthood power, the same priesthood power that the prophets and apostles had in the Bible has been restored on the earth today. As apostle L. Tom Perry stated. "It was necessary for the priesthood to be restored before the true church of Jesus Christ could be organized" therefore, as the fifth article of faith states, "We believe that a man must be called of God, by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands by those who are in authority, to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof." That authority is the priesthood, which has been restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.
The next three articles of Faith, 7. 8 & 9, are the external resources we have here on earth to help us throughout our Mortal Journey. The seventh article of faith talks about spiritual gifts our Heavenly Father has given us to help guide us, as well as protect us from evil here on earth. The 8th article of faith reads, "We believe the Bible to be the word of God as far as it is translated correctly. We also believe the Book of Mormon to be the word of God." The scriptures are another guide. Elder Perry Promised, "if we read carefully the word of God, He will reveal our path back to eternal life." Our last resource is our church leaders. Number 9 states, "We believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God." We believe that God reveals through prophets, seers, and revelators that hold the restored priesthood authority. Our church leaders such as President Murdock, Brother Brookes, and Brother Huffman, are additional resources of guidance to return to him.
The next three articles talk about missionary work. Our church is well known for it's missionaries and our emphasis on missionary work. This is because in the 10th article, 10 We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the restoration of the Ten Tribes; that Zion (the New Jerusalem) will be built upon the American continent; that Christ will reign personally upon the earth; and, that the earth will be renewed and receive its paradisiacal glory." We are preparing for the second coming! However, as we spread the gospel, it is important that we remember that we also believe in religious freedom: We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may." Freedom of religion was the principle upon this country was founded. The first pilgrims came to this country so that they may worship as they please. We honor and value the right to freedom of religion for all people. As we are spreading the gospel all over the world, "We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." We honor and respect each nation we enter.
The Last article of faith talks about aspirational attributes: It reads "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul--We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." We strive to emulate our Savior Jesus Christ in all that we do. As we strive to be good Christian people, we are striving to become like Him. We are not perfect, and will never be in this life, but it is through Him and his ultimate sacrifice that we may one day become perfected like Him. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior. I know that He paid the price for not only my sins, but your sins and the sins of all of Heavenly Fathers Children. He knows each of us personally. He loves us so much. I know that this is His church. That this is the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was aa true prophet of God, called to restore this church. I know that He translated the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. It is true. It is so dear and precious to me because it has only strengthened my relationship with our Savior. He is my best friend. I love Him so much and am so grateful for all that He does for us. I leave these things with you in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
That's it, for my talk
I love my mission and I love my new companions so much. They really are amazing and are teaching me so much! Something that I think Heavenly Father wants all of His missionaries know how to do, is how to fully rely on him! FROG: Fully Rely On God! It requires humility fully rely on Him. WE are't the teachers. The spirit is. And only HE knows what is going to help our investigators. Therefore, WE aren't the ones deciding who/what/how to teach- we should be relying on HIM fully to help our investigators and the work! It can almost be difficult sometimes because it's easy to think that we are smart and we know how to do things, but really it's not up to us. It doesn't really matter how many qualifications we had before our missions- it just up to us to rely on the Lord. A great missionary is one who fully relies on the Lord, Because after all, this is HIS work. Anything that happens in Big Shanty isn't because of us and our qualifications, it is really just the Lord working through us. We were humble enough to allow Him to do His work.
“I always remember two young men who served in my mission. One was a superstar. He was educated. He was bright. He was quick. He was a little arrogant. We had another who was a sign painter. He came from a sign shop with very little education, but he knew his inadequacies and he relied on the Lord. When he prayed, you knew he was talking with the Lord. It wasn’t a rote thing, it was a conversation and that young man accomplished wonders while the other young man went through the motions. The power that was in the one and the absence of power in the other was so apparent. Call upon the Lord. He has extended the invitation, and He will answer” (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 469).
Yup.
