Week #9 The Shortest / Longest Week of my Life

My wonderful new companion, Sister Nez!

LIFE IS GOOD, it is crazy, so hard, but it is so awesome!  It's been the longest week of my life, but all the same time has gone by so quickly!  It sort of felt like my first week in the mission field all over again, except I was the one who was suppose to know what was going on!

On Thursday I got my new companion! She is so sweet and I just love her!  Her name is Sister Nez and she is from Page, Arizona! She is super cute and she graduated from BYU Idaho with a degree in exercise physiology with an emphasis in nutrition.  I am so grateful for my new companion, as well as my trainer, Sister Anderson.  I am humbled to be serving with such a great new missionary, I learn so much from her every day and I strive to always be teaching her, by word and by example. I know the enabling, healing and cleansing aspects of the atonement are at work everyday in my life, which has only made my love for the Savior increase.

Funny tracting story:  It was sister Nez's first day tracting and we had knocked on maybe three doors.  I felt prompted to go to this house so we did. We knocked and when the man answered the door I was so confused because he looked so familiar.  Then I realized it was our BISHOP'S HOME! Haha!  I had no idea where he lived, but he and his wife are awesome and we were able to meet with them for a while and discuss the needs of the Portage Ward. Also, our bishop's wife makes homemade soap and gave us some! It smells so yummy and it is so cute!


Elk Antlers from a member's hunting trip last year...

We taught  a lesson to a less active member on Thursday evening in a member's home.  We had planned to teach him about agency and the plan of salvation, but as he started expressing his concerns and fears, I felt prompted to have him read Helaman 5:12.
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

As he read those words, tears started streaming down his face. The spirit was so powerful and my testimony of the Savior was strengthened. I have struggled with feeling like I'm not recognizing the promptings of the spirit, but in that moment I knew the spirit was working through me. The work isn't about me, but I am so grateful that I had prepared myself that morning as well as throughout my life, so I could be sitting in that home, testifying to him of our Savior.

Friday night we had a new transfer meeting with our stake president.  We all got to share one thing we have learned so far since being on a mission.  I shared how I have learned that the Lord can make weak things become strong. Often times on my mission I have felt so weak, but as I have turned to the Lord I have found the strength that I need.

It has truly been a learning and growing week. Training a new missionary has been full of emotion and learning.  I received a blessing from my district leader on Tuesday evening, before transfers.   I felt at peace and received a confirmation of my new assignment, which has been such a blessing to reflect on during this past week with so many changes. I know that this is truly the Lords work.  He is capable of doing it without me, which is why I feel so privileged and blessed each morning that He is allowing me to be a part of this marvelous work. 

Some Highlights of the week:

 1. I raked leaves for the first time in my life, so hard and so fun.  We went to a members home and helped them get their yard ready for winter! They gave us fresh cherry tomatoes they grew and we helped them pick raspberries!
2. I ate rabbit, yes, it is true. One bite was enough to last a life time. I will leave it at that.
3. Shoutout to the Thompson family who sent me delicious cookies, I loved them! Shoutout to the Nunley family for the care package of winter things, I am so excited to use them!
4. Sister Nez told me last night I was talking in my sleep and
apparently I was inviting people to be baptized. I would say that is a sign of a true missionary.  Hopefully my sleep talking doesn't scare Sister Nez too much...

Well, have an amazing week :) Thank you for the emails, letters, and words of encouragement. They mean the world to me!  Thank you for your prayers. I love you all so much!!

Love, Sister Wong