Cue One Direction....

Because this was the BEST WEEK EVER!!!!!!

 

We were SO incredibly blessed this past week. Our area is FINALLY starting to blossom!! Our hard work and obedience is finally starting to bear some fruit. Our numbers for this past week were the best that they have been my whole mission. Okay I know I know, numbers aren't everything, but they are called "key indicators" for a reason. We got lots of new investigators this week who we think are sincerely interested and we are so excited for them. We also got to go to Christian's choir concert this past week which was so much fun. Also kind of weird. We definitely got a lot of strange looks from people. We got a headquarter referral which in this area is practically like manna from heaven. No joke. Things are really picking up lately and we are so incredibly grateful for all of the blessings and miracles we have received this past week.

 

So Monday night we stopped by Lauren and Christian's house and ended up reading the Book of Mormon with Christian outside on the grass for a little bit. [Lauren wasn't home] This little girl rides up on her bike and is just looking at us and so I asked her if she wanted to read with us. She enthusiastically nodded and came and sat right next to me. She snuggled up to me so she could look at my book and try to follow along. She quickly got bored though and started thumbing through my pages. I gave her some temple pass along cards to keep her occupied and she looks up at me so excitedly and asks, "I can keep these?!" It was so precious. She held them like they were her most prized possessions. It reminded me of Mom's story about the old woman at the Gilbert temple open house and the pamphlets. It was such a sweet moment. I love those little moments that I have while I am on my mission that just make me smile and I remember, "I'm a missionary!!" I still don't think that has fully sunk in yet.

 

Throughout my mission I have had this really bad habit of being way too hard on myself, setting my expectations way too high, and trying to take on everything at once. Constantly I am having to tell myself to chill out and slow down. I was really struggling with that this past week and this morning I came across a Q&A article in an old Ensign that addressed just that subject. There was story that someone had shared about how he felt the same way while in the MTC. His dad gave him this advice that I loved so very much. "The only way you'll ever be able to eat an entire elephant is one bite at a time." The Lord teaches line upon line, and we must apply that principle to our lives as well. Heavenly Father does not expect me to have 100 lessons, find 50 new investigators, and baptize 15 people every week, so neither should I. As long as I am working my hardest, doing what Christ would do, and trying to bless the lives of others, He will be pleased. I just need to take one bite at a time.

 

I am almost certain that I will be transferred next week. [Oh FYI P-day will be on Tuesday next week] I am excited for a change, but also know that my heart is going to be ripped out when I leave here. I think that leaving this area is going to be harder than when I left home. I love this area so much, and especially love this AMAZING Great Lorain Ward that I have been so privileged to serve in. I am going to miss the members here more than anything.

 

I cannot believe that I hit my 6 month mark this week. A year ago I was starting summer camp in Boyarka, Ukraine with my trusted gingy at my side. Today I am on my mission with another gingy by my side. A year from now I will be back home with you all in Arizona. [Elder Havig, you're going to have to be the gingy by my side then :) ] I am loving this incredible journey that Heavenly Father has sent me on. I never would have imagined that my life would have brought me so many amazing adventures. His truly does have the best plan for all of us. It won't always be the easiest plan, but it will be the best.

At mission conference last week!! I love all these sisters so much!! :)