This week was a roller-coaster. It was full of multiple different emotions, but in all it was wonderful! I love my Savior with everything I have. I am truly, immensely grateful for the atonement and its application in my daily life, as well as the guidance of the Holy Ghost. My testimony of the love that God has for us grew exponentially this week; mostly this weekend! I have felt the spirit much more abundantly in my life this past week than I have for a long time. I'm not sure why, but I'm grateful for it :)
So very aware of you :) I am so grateful to be on a mission!! I wouldn't trade this experience for anything :) Training is so much fun :) I absolutely love my companion :)
I testify that God IS there and that He IS aware of you.
So very aware of you :) I am so grateful to be on a mission!! I wouldn't trade this experience for anything :) Training is so much fun :) I absolutely love my companion :)
Monday was pretty relaxed! We didn't do a whole lot until it was time to head out for the night! We had dinner with a member who is getting married soon, and we shared a message on aligning our will with the Fathers will. It was not the lesson we had planned and prepared, but as soon as we started talking, we knew what we needed to share. The spirit is the coolest :) After dinner we got a call from an elder in our zone saying he had a referral for us! I'm telling you.People keep dropping at our feet. Heavenly Father is so good to us! Then we went to check on a different referral, but she wasn't home. So we left a plan of salvation pamphlet and a note at her door, with our number in case she had any questions :)
On the drive to and from different places that night, Sister Jones and I practiced street contacting people :) This means I would give a description of a person and situation and give her 5 seconds to approach me with more than, "Hi! How are you? :)"
- The first scenario I gave was of a big, buff, African American with head phones in walking past her. (because this is real life. We see them everywhere and they're the coolest people!) She goes, "Hey! I have a question for you! ... Where'd you get.... Your shoes??" :) hahah I love Sister Jones :)
Tuesday morning after studies we went to interviews with President Riggs! It's his last set of interviews with everyone before he leaves next month. It went so well! I am grateful for all he is and all he does. He is a fantastic mission president :) The rest of the day was so fun!
- We went to a lesson with a member but it canceled, so we went to check on a potential who didn't answer the door. On our way out we said goodbye to the lady at the front desk of the apartment. Her name tag said, "Robbin", and just as we were about to push on the doors to leave, I turned around and asked, "Robbin, are you religious at all?" Turns out she was baptized a while ago, had her kids baptized, and then fell away. We had a good chat and shared a Mormon message with her :) sweet sweet lady :)
- We then needed gas in our vehicle, so we got some. While we were at the gas station we talked to the guy on the other side of the pump, and as we drove away we rolled down our window to stop and talk to a guy on his bike :) I love doing this 24/7! It's the coolest :)
Wednesday was so interesting. We went to drop Sister Jones off at a new missionary meeting from 9-1; while she was there, I went to district meeting with sister Todd (who was my MTC companion) :) that was fun! She let me borrow her ankle brace until I don't need it anymore!! Can anyone say blessing!? Inspired.
When that meeting was over, we went to pick our trainees up and go home. After 3 hours of studies, we went to dinner!! The lesson we shared during dinner with a member was so special. The spirit was so strong, and I was filled with gratitude for the gift of discernment. She needed the message we shared, and there is no way we would have known if it wasn't for the direction of the spirit in preparation for it.
- Then we went to a lesson with another member! Here's where it gets weird, but so cool at the same time :) First of all, parking is impossible in Virginia. They tow everywhere, and the streets are full of cars, so you can only park on the street if you get lucky enough to find a spot. There wasn't a spot, so I just decided to brave it and park in a possible towing zone, just for a couple minutes while we went to see if this guy (George) was home. While walking to his apartment complex, we say hello to a couple guys hanging out on the street. Ky and Fr. They believe in God but then from there they have their individual beliefs. Ky has been surrounded with different beliefs his whole life, while frank doesn't really believe in anything. He thinks the bible stories and Jesus Christ are all just fairy tales. At first it seemed contentious and felt like if we stayed any longer talking to him, it would be pointless because it wouldn't go anywhere. Then I felt impressed to ask if they've ever wondered where they came from, or why they're here. Ky said, "I've always wondered what my purpose is! Why are we here? I always get stuck on that". Oh how I love my calling! :)) For whatever reason, Fr invited us all to go inside and learn more. We asked if they had a parking pass so we wouldn't get towed, but it turns out we had parked in the lot that Ky lives at! He said we wouldn't get towed, and if we did, he'd tell them we were cousins :) Ky is 6'3 and African American :) hahah That made me laugh :)
- On the way we ran into some more of their friends, so we invited them to come, too :) one of them said, "Sisters! :)" another said, "my grandmother goes to your church! You're Mormon right? I went to church with her on Sunday!" Basically. All I'm thinking is.... What even is this!? #miraclesanyone?? So they came. We taught the plan of salvation. We bore testimony and invited them to pay attention to the feelings of their hearts as we taught. The spirit was strong :) we gave them pamphlets for the plan of salvation and before inviting them to read them, Ky said, "Thank you so much! I'm going to read this before I go to work!" These kind fellows walked us out to our car, and on the way frank told me that he had never trusted women because of what he grew up with. He said he knows he can trust us because of the look in our eyes :) He said, "I can see your loyalty when I look in your eyes. You're genuine, and when I shook all of your hands! You can tell a lot about a persons character in a hand shake. I trust and respect you. I want you to come back". I don't know if anything will come of this. All of them wanted our number (and wanted to know if I had a boyfriend :) hahah) BUT they seemed genuinely interested in the gospel as well :) I love being a missionary.
Thursday was rough! We were inside a lot of the afternoon because we had studies and had to take an online survey for Sister Jones that we didn't even finish because it's so long. Also, I was exhausted! Mentally and physically. Training hurts my brain; I feel like the majority of the responsibility is on me (though I know we share it) and it consumes my head until I'm worn out. You know when you're so tired that your body is so weak and it's hard to find the energy to move? That's how I felt aaaaalllll stinking day! And we had zero success that night. But the lord blessed me with a tender mercy the next morning by turning my alarm off so we could sleep an extra half hour. Usually we wake up at 6 to have more time to exercise, and I am positive that I set my alarm!! But when I naturally woke up at 6:24 I noticed that my alarm was turned off! Weird. But I felt so much better!
Friday was weekly planning... In the park :) remember my sunburn from a couple weeks ago?? Well my sweet companion currently suffers the same result of planning in the park :) I'm broken and she's a lobster! We look so good. ;)
- In the evening we went out to dinner with a member, and then cold stone was right next door so we HAD to stop there, of course. When we were satisfied we traveled to see some investigators. The GPS took us through an airport maze and basically we were completely lost for a solid 10 minutes. So stressful. Good thing I have a companion who knows how to laugh at everything and helps me find the humor in it all :) Once we got out of that mess, we followed the GPS to a potentials house. Turns out he lives in Maryland?! Ya. Whoops. We drove across the Potomac river (which meant we were officially outside of the mission boundaries). Sister Jones was crying laughing and I don't think I've ever been so stressed out in my life! THEN we went to see someone else and the GPS took us to the wrong address -_- at this point I'm ready to go home to bed, but it was one of those moments where you smile through it and think, "Ohhhh my gosh. What a day..." Because you can't do anything about it :) haha missions! They're the greatest! Needless to say, we didn't have much success that day either.
However; I have been blessed with a companion who still has fire and who isn't mentally exhausted. She has new ideas, and her spirit hasn't been dulled by the rejections and trials that come with a mission. She had the idea to sit down at the end of every day and write the blessings that take place. On days like Thursday and Friday, this is a super good idea to help us see the good and remember to be thankful :)
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| My shoes decided to break! It's cool. I just pulled that metal thing out and they still work :) |
Saturday was good! We had a lesson with an investigator and had a member with us. This investigator was found by sisters in November, so I had never met him, and he had some really good questions. He really wants to know how to feel that God is there, but he isn't patient enough to wait for an answer. He wants to know right now, and if he doesn't get it, he gives up. We taught him how to pray, and we taught the atonement to explain that he is understood; Christ knows how he feels and Heavenly Father is very aware of him. It was good! We have another lesson with him on Thursday and he's coming to church on Sunday! :)
- When we got home we had a text asking us to teach gospel doctrine on Sunday (yesterday), so in addition to writing a talk (I was asked to speak on Sunday) we created a lesson plan. We also had to finish companionship inventory and the online survey for Sister Jones. Our Saturday was BUSY! But good :) We taught T that night, too which went well! T is my favorite :) We were talking about the Book of Mormon and reasons why I loved it; one of which was that it brought pure happiness in my life every day, and she said the most random, sweetest thing. I totally got teary eyed. She said, "You impressed me that first time we met. You just radiated something and I kept looking at you trying to figure it out". Heavenly Father is so good to me. Once again the man answered my prayers and then blessed me with a tender mercy moment.
Sunday was a big day! I gave my talk in sacrament meeting, sister Jones and I taught gospel doctrine, and it was my 8 month mark :)
- In preparation for my talk, I prayed fervently to be directed by the spirit so that I would prepare the things that the congregation needed to hear. I really only wanted to say what the Lord would have me say, and I prayed that the spirit would teach as I spoke. Afterward I received a handful of comments from people saying they needed to hear the message I shared (The topic was missionary work). Later in the evening a sister in our ward told me my talk inspired her so much that she posted a comment on Facebook inviting anyone to ask her questions about her religion, and it opened a couple really good conversations!
- After church we ran into sisters in a different ward who are teaching J! (We taught him the restoration but had to pass him because he was too old for our ward). Anyway, they had just gotten out of a lesson with him and they said the coolest thing. They told us that he went to his catholic mass and after about 15 minutes he felt like he needed to come to our ward, so he did, and he said he needed to hear the talks that were given. What a testimony builder to me! I don't share these things to boast and let you know how awesome I am for preparing a talk that everyone needed. I share this with you because it strengthens my testimony to know that the lord hears our prayers. He works through us, and we are privileged to be tools in His hands if we so desire :) God is good :)
For dinner we ate with a recent convert, her non-member fiancé, and mother in law who is also not of our faith :) The message we shared was on love and everyone was in tears. The mother in law said that us coming over was inspired because she needed our message. Again!! The Lord truly is amazing :)
Today we had the opportunity to go to the temple!! :))) I haven't been to the temple for about 7.5 months; I was temple starving! We can only go once every 6 months and the last time I went was the first month I got to Virginia. I should have made a paper chain for that ;) All week I have been telling sister Jones, "Guess what we get to do on Monday?? :)))" My heart was and is overflowing with gratitude. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!! It's true. I know it. I live it. I want everyone else to know it. So I'm on a mission :)
I could keep writing, but if I do it would be repeated words of gratitude and genuine love for my Father in Heaven. So just know that I'm happier than I ever have been because of the Lord and the privilege that I have to be an instrument in His hands, and I'm grateful for your continuous prayers on my behalf :) I hope you can feel my passion in this email because I'm bursting over here just writing everything :) Have a good week!!
I love you!!
Sister Chandler
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