So usually I just start in the begginning of my week, but the ending of my week was crazyyyy!!!
Friday, Saturday, and of course Sunday was filled with meetings. I'm horrible, always have been and always will be, and I never keep notes, but I remember everything about those meetings.
It started on Friday at Zone Conference meeting. It consisted of the three smallest Zones in the Mission, and the three zones I always see because of the Chinese Program, so I was pretty sad about that, but it's good I like all of them. I just love the Watkins. Love them so much. I am so sad they are leaving to go home soon. In President Watkins lesson he did a role play. Some reason I knew some how I would be involved. When he said role play and asked if anyone wanted to volunteer to teach the first lesson from the first vision, he looked at me and I sunk in my chair, and did not raise my hand. Haha. My old companion (Sister Livingston) quickly raised her hand. I just sighed a breath of relief, but then he asked me to be the investigator. I was like well foot. And then I go up there feeling like a bloated fish, and I stand up there listening to Sister Livingston bear a powerful testimony teach with the power that only comes from being a missionary, and I got nothing. I didn't understand a word she was saying. I had no idea what personages were, what prophets were, I didn't understand anything, and I was like...is this what investigators and random people in the street feel like? Man this has to be so confusing. And then she asked me to read the Book of Mormon and to pray to know if it was true. And my mouth just fell open and what came out of my mouth was "uhhhhhh". I had no idea how to respond.
I learned that questions, explanations, everything is important. Facts and testimony bring the Spirit, and they can feel that, they can feel that it is good, but learning and understanding is super important. Knowing why you are feeling the Spirit is awesome.
Saturday was so fun. It was a Sisters Retreat. All the Sisters in the Mission was there. And we had a guest speaker: Sister Elaine Dalton! I was so happy to see her. Childhood memories of being bothered by her smiling all the time came back to me, but it was so weird because she was so beautiful and not annoying. And I think her public speaking has improved, or I'm just not a grumpy little teenager anymore. Now I am a grumpy adult;) But she is so awesome. We got to talk with her for a little bit. I just bragged about Sister Yu with her the whole time. Haha. All my conversations with everyone lately have been about Sister Yu. I love it though.
I have that Sister Yu needs it. I thought my little Mulan Cricket (she's good luck and Chinese. haha. I thought it was clever) was confident and not shy at all. She isn't with me, but she is with everyone else. I don't think she said one word to anyone during Sisters Retreat or Zone Conference. She thanked me the other day for letting her teach all the time, and it made me sad to think that people haven't let her in the past. She is such a good missionary, and now it is my goal to build her confidence.
Sunday, was crazy. Are Bishop was being released. I had all these theories about who was going to be Bishop: Brother Wilcock, Brother Wolleson, Brother Hughs, Brother Gulati, anyone other than the person that was called to be Bishop. The Lord took away our Ward Mission Leader. Our young, wonderful, service oriented, brilliant teacher, gets things done, doesn't look like he should be a bishop but in Middle School instead, just had a baby Ward Mission Leader. I was so horrified. Haha. But I was so happy too! I want to move back to Pleasanton just for him to be my Bishop. He is so great.
And a miracle happened! This Sunday Sister Gulati came to church. I sensed someone walk in that has never walked in the doors of an LDS church building before, and it was her! She looked so lovely. And Brother Gulati was there. I could have gone home from my mission right then happier then ever.
During all of those meetings, I had one thought throuhout the whole entire time. As I was surrounded by missionaries, members, nonmembers, and etc. I had a thought that none of this was about me. Even though I have changed to someone completely different and better than what I used to be, none of this- my mission, school, my life, everything, existance itself, is not about me. Sure things happen to me, and sometimes I have to focus on myself, and change happens, but change happens for the betterment of everyone around me. If I just stayed the same all the time, man that would stink. This life is about returning to Heavenly Father. And if we just sat down and sat for a while, didn't anything wrong, didn't progress, didn't serve and love others, didn't make sure that all of our brothers and sisters returned to him too, this life would be completely desolate and wasted. It's selfish.
So yeah, after that rampage. I know this church is true. Miracles happen! We saw so many. We taught Rhanya, who we haven't seen in two tranfers. We saw and got a hold of all of our investigators. We got into less active homes who haven't let missionaries in in years. And we are missionaries. Isn't that the greatest thing in the world?
I love y'all. I pray for y'all all the time. The chruch is true, and so are you!
Write me if you need me or even if you don't. Send me a family picture! been asking since last year. Haha.
Love y'all,
Sister Powell
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