What a fantastic week it has been. Transfers were on Thursday, and I was booted out of Heyburn. Mission President say whaaaat? Sister Ellsworth is leading the area (only 6 weeks in, wow!) and she is in a trio with my trainer Sister Ely and her trainer Sister Lee. I made a joke that Sister Ellsworth was now going to be with her grandma and great-grandma. I'm hilarious! :D
I'm now in Twin Falls with Sister Snow, and we're over just one ward. Better yet, it's a YSA ward! It's so different than all the work I've done so far. We can't go tracting because we'd most likely not find a YSA aged person, so we rely on the members and their referrals! It's a good thing that our ward is so wonderful. The one person we are teaching has moved down to Utah, so we've been doing a lot of less active work and we've had a lot of success so far. I've only been here for three days, and I already love these people so much. I am so excited to work with them all!!
A miracle that happened this week happened yesterday. It was small, but for me, it made all the difference. When I first got into the area, Sister Snow and I had a weekly planning session to go over the area, and we set a goal of 3 investigators for the week. I was nervous about this number - usually, I do something lower, and with the area that we're working with, I wasn't expecting to reach that goal at all. On Sunday, we visited the house of our one investigator that moved, Musa. We had set up an appointment so we could get his address and send the information down to the missionaries in Utah. But he wasn't there. His family invited us in, and we taught the Plan of Salvation to his sister, father, and uncle. They were very receptive to our message and they asked a lot of good questions. We set up a return appointment for Friday. In just an hour, we reached our weekly goal of three new investigators. Even though we'll have to pass them off to the family ward missionaries, it was a miracle. I am so grateful for the faith and example of my companion, and for the success that we found. It was truly a testimony to me that with faith, all things are possible.
This week, I have been studying a lot about the atonement and focusing on how it can help us heal. I was having trouble connecting the atonement with healing; I have felt the peace that comes when you use the atonement to repent - that burden being lifted is the best feeling in the world. But for some reason, the emotional and physical healing side confused me. After talking a lot with Sister Snow and reading various conference talks and scriptures, I think I'm starting to understand. Jesus Christ suffered for our sins, yes, but he also suffered for all of the illnesses, sorrows, and pains that we could ever have. He chose to physically labor and suffer under these burdens so He would know how best to comfort and heal us. In one reading, it talked about two different kinds of healing: one is a cure. The burden is lifted and the pain is taken from you. Two is an increase of strength to endure the burden and the pain. Both are forms of healing, but both come through Jesus Christ. To get this relief, we must be humble and faithful that he can and will heal us, then we wait. We endure and endure it well, and eventually (according to his timing) we will feel that comfort and peace that he wants to give us. These trials that we are given are given for our benefit. We have such an immense opportunity for growth, and Satan makes it so easy to shrink from these trials and suppress that pain and not get the help from the Savior that is so readily available. I plead with you all to fight this great temptation to shrink in the midst of adversity and face your trials with courage and with the Savior at your side. I know that the latter is so much better than the former in the long run.
What a great learning experience this week has been! I feel like my mind and thoughts have been expanded, and I've come to understand myself, my Father in Heaven, and my Savior better. I still have a long way to go, but that's what faith is for! I am so thankful for this gospel, and for the hope and love and joy it brings into our lives if we let it. I say these things in the name is Jesus Christ, amen.
Have a great week, everyone!
Sister Carlson
P.S. - I've been studying Jacob 5 for the past couple days - it's amazing when you actually pay attention! I'd encourage you all to read through it WITH the footnotes (it helps a lot when you're confused) and learn about the plan and the history of God's children. It's so amazing!!
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