Oh boy. 🙂 Well, my dear family. I sure do love you. This week has been crazy. I loved flying into Spokane. IT IS BEAUTIFUL. Farmland? Heck yes. 🙂 Green? Heck yes. 🙂
So on monday: Woke up at the crack of 3:00 in the morning. Joyous. Packed up, headed out. 🙂 Arrived in Spokane, Washington around 9:00 am. Which was fun, because the flight left at 9:00 am, Utah time.
This may have been the longest day of my life. starting at 3:00am and ending at 10:30 pm…. while adding an extra hour on the plane that didn’t get counted. And did I sleep on the plane? Of course not. I had to get to know the people sitting around me. ANYWAY- it was long, and I’ll admit, it was hard for me to focus in training because I was EXHAUSTED.
But Tuesday was better. I wasn’t quite as exhausted, which was great because I met my trainer. WHO IS THE BEST. Yeah. Her name is Sister Hood (which is fun because my last companion was Sister Wood). She’s been out for 6 months- to be honest, I don’t think I could have been put with anyone better. She works HARD, but she has fun as well. She is super humble, super kind, and understands what its like to be a new missionary (because she’s obviously been there…) BUT REALLY, she’s the best.
Usually, when a sister or elder comes into a new area, there is an elder or sister who has already been serving there for at least a transfer. Then they know some background of the place and the people and can continue the work. When they bring in two new elders or sisters, its called a sweep. Well… Sister Hood and I are sweeping into the Valley. (It’s gorgeous. Exactly what I was expecting and hoping for. I wish I had time to take pictures of everything and send it home so you could see just how perfect it is. I’ve probably seen 3 stop lights in my area… other than that it’s just houses. Old houses, with character. And white picket fences.) We are serving in the Ponderosa Ward. (Which is where, ironically enough, ELDER DOWSE just finished serving).
Speaking of Elder Dowse, it was AWESOME to see him my first day in the field. They took us out fearbusting, so right when we got off the plane we went out with an experienced missionary and knocked doors and shared the gospel. 🙂 It was fun. But, we met at the church after and ELDER DOWSE WAS THERE. I jumped out of the van and we almost hugged each other- OOPS. haha. Handshake. SO yeah, we talked for a while and it was so awesome.
Sister Mullen also said that she’s had a bunch of people tell her about me… but she doesn’t remember who. So we share some mutual friends… but not sure who. Then, one of my zone leaders, Elder Whiting, knows my friend Liz Jensen really well- So we were instantly friends. Also, he’s just a really great missionary. Since my biggest weakness in the field is missing the people i love, I think it’s so great that the Lord knows that and is helping me feel welcome and not so alone in the field.
Anyway, back to the important things:
This week has been great, getting familiar with things… My companion and I, since we are sweeping into the area, have had a lot of work to do, just so we can start the work. We really needed to organize the records and things. Anyway, the work (actually teaching) is finally picking up and we are starting to teach lessons. We just feel that we really need to show the Lord we are willing to work hard so that he will send us to the people who are willing to listen. So we knock doors. and we knock more doors. We have failed to make it inside, but we are doing better every day. We are getting to know the members and we’ve been getting referrals.
It’s hard for me to see so many good people, that don’t see the importance of the gospel in their lives. I have met so many people who are firm in the beliefs they have now. Everyone says they are happy with what they have and don’t want to discuss more. All that we can do is bear our testimonies of the truth. I’m not very brave… but I am getting better, and when I bear my testimony I can feel people begin to soften their hearts. There was one man, a catholic, who is very firm in his faith. I looked at him and bore testimony and I know he felt it. He told me that he had his faith and he needed to stick to that, and I know he saw my heart break. I didn’t mean to show it, but I was giving everything and I was so sad to see him not accept even one lesson. He told me he wasn’t trying to offend me and I promised I wasn’t offended. All week, I keep telling myself, that I have been planting seeds. At night I pray for the people we have met, and pray that the seed will grow. We try to always leave a pamphlet, book of mormon, pass along card, or our mormon.org cards with the people we talk to, so they have something to think about. It’s hard to see so many people turn this away, but I’ve been learning a lot, and loving a lot, and growing a lot.
On Easter, everyone kept saying, “We already went to church today,” when they would see us walking towards them. And I just wanted to scream “YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND THE HAPPINESS AND THE BLESSINGS YOU ARE MISSING OUT ON!!” We’d usually talk to them and try to share something, but everyone has their agency.
Through all of this, we have seen SO MANY MIRACLES, every day. My companion is great at pointing them out, and now I’m really starting to see them. We finally have a couple people to teach, and I pray they will be home for their appointments.
It’s cool to see that even if people aren’t accepting the gospel fully, we usually leave them happier than we found them. Most people answer the door and aren’t happy to talk to us, but those that give us a second to speak, usually close the door with smile on their faces. We want them to know that God loves them and there is more happiness in this world.
Anyway, sorry there’s so much there, I am loving this experience.
It’s great to hear from family. Thanks for the letter, Alyssa! (and Ryan) I love you!
Cara, Happy Birthday! 🙂 Sorry I didn’t get a letter out to you, I can only write on P-days and I didn’t even think about it last P-day. But, I hope that you had a wonderful Birthday. I love you! (Also, Thank you to all the Rays for the letters, they have made me so happy. I’ll respond soon. Hopefully today. 🙂 Jeff, I was super impressed with that letter.)
Also, I never said thank you to Aunt Lynda for the journal she sent. It has meant a ton to me. 🙂 I already LOVE it.
To finish up, I know that the church is true. It is worth every sacrifice we could ever make. I have loved sharing Easter messages with people this week, because I know that Christ is my Savior, and I know that he is yours. I know that we can find peace and joy in this life because of him. Moroni 7. Read it. My favorite verse is verse 41. “And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.” We can have so much hope in our lives, knowing that Christ has felt our pains and has been resurrected so that one day, we too, can be resurrected and have eternal JOY. 🙂
The Church is TRUE. Don’t forget it. Read your scriptures. Go to Church. Pray. Those things are SO important.
Thank you all for the support- it means so much to me. I love you and I am praying for you.
Much Love,
Sister Sarah Jane Meservy