Incredible

Friends, Family, Strangers... Hello! :)

Have I ever mentioned how amazing it is to serve a mission?? 

My heart is LOADED with gratitude for the work and this experience in total :) Sister Donato and I are working our tails off, seeing a lot of less actives and part member families, as well as our investigators. I thought training was exhausting, but being a Sister Training Leader is even more so! But it's a good exhaustion and I don't ever want it to end :) 

Monday was Pday, and quite relaxing! 

• We took a 2 hour nap because the late night baseball game was still taking a toll on our bodies. Much needed! :) 
• we had a member come out with us to check on some people; we ran into a couple investigators whom the sisters haven't seen in a while, and made appointments with them for later in the week. 
• THEN, we ended the night with a part-member family. Ready for the coolest story ever? 

Two seconds before we knocked on the door, the father of the home had just gotten the mail. By the time we got up to the door to knock, it flew open and a big envelope was launched into our faces as a giddy parent exclaimed, "Is this what it looks like?!" The oldest son of the family was currently out of state, but his mission call had arrived! The dad isn't a member, so he asked us tons of questions regarding a mission. We were able to testify of the blessings that come to both the missionary, and the missionary's family while one is in the field. It was... adorable, really :) to see the countless number of emotions run through these parents. It's a big deal for them! They don't really come to church a whole lot, so it was super fun to witness and experience with them :) They invited us over for dinner this coming week :)

Tuesday morning we went to MLC (Mission Leadership Conference). 

• It's a conference held once or twice a transfer with president huntsman and the leadership of the mission; zone leaders, district leaders, and sister training leaders. We spent a good amount of time discussing changes to be made regarding transfer meeting, and even the length of a transfer. Currently a transfer is 6 weeks long, but President Huntsman opened discussion on the topic because his handbook mentions having 6-8 month transfers. Eek! We made a good chunk of changes for transfer meetings, but the length of a transfer is still 6 weeks as of right now. It will probably change. 
• After lunch we received some spiritual, enlightening edification and the spirit was so strong. Later in the day we taught English to a woman who escaped Isis!! Yeah. Super cool. She showed us scars from her escape. We love her :) for exercise every day, she does the hula-hoop :) 
• We also visited with a sister in our ward who lives with her inactive daughter and her family. We shared a message and were invited over for dinner with all of them this coming week. 
• When we were walking to our car, we stopped a guy who was in the middle of an evening run. I felt a little bad, because I personally hate when I have to completely stop in the middle of my momentum, but at the same time I didn't feel bad because the gospel provides lasting happiness while running is only temporary happiness ;) While testifying of modern day prophets, a couple members of our ward happened to be walking their dog right by us! So they stopped, bore testimony as well, and kept on walking. How stinking cool is that?? Heavenly fathers hand is in ALL things :) 

Wednesday was jam packed!

• We had district meeting,
• and then after lunch we went to help a less active move out of his house. 
• When we were done there, we went to a women's shelter where we volunteer weekly. The project they had for us was to organize a closet full of school supplies! It wasn't until that moment that I realized how much I truly am my mothers daughter; I found an immense amount of satisfaction and joy in organizing! It was therapeutic! :) 
• when we finished it was time for dinner. The day just flew by! Our evening was packed full of lessons with recent converts, less actives, and members. The spirit was so strong in each lesson, and it was amazing to hear the testimonies of the individuals that we met with. 

Each time I teach, I learn that much more and I can literally feel my testimony being strengthened :) 

Thursday morning we went to a meeting with our zone leaders and district leaders to plan some major events taking place this transfer. 

• Our zone leaders are stellar! I love working with them because they are on their A-game, always trying to be creative and productive, and their focus is on unifying the members and missionaries. We talked about how we can help members strengthen their conversion and testimonies of the Atonement, because it's at that moment that the gospel becomes something one strongly desires to share. We have a lot of fun things planned and I'm excited to write about them when they draw closer :) 
• We had a couple lessons in the afternoon, and taught English to our middle eastern friend again :) we will call her A :) 
• Our bishop gave us a couple people to check on, so we started with P! He didn't answer the door until after the second time we knocked, and when he did open it he didn't seem super happy. We told him we were new to the ward and our intention was simply to become better acquainted with the members. He was definitely closed off and hard hearted for the first 5 minutes, but eventually he softened up. So much so that he decided to step outside to sit on the porch and talk to us! But before that, he pulled a gun out of his backside and set it on the table inside. Apparently he doesn't get many visitors, so when we knocked twice he got suspicious. His interest in the church is nonexistent; he doesn't want anything to do with God or church, but he is so bored most of the time so he enjoys going to social events that the church puts together. We are going to make him cookies and bring them over tomorrow. He needs friends. And God :) 
• After meeting P, we went to a lesson with a less active and her children who are all over the age of 8 and not baptized yet! One of the daughters is 13 and asked the sisters when she could be baptized; we are waiting for the mothers approval :) so we taught the gospel of Jesus Christ! We had the relief society president with us, and the spirit touched all who were present. This family is coming back into activity, and it's so neat to see the blessings they encounter as they do so :) please keep J and her family in your prayers! They are progressing and hopefully we will be able to assist her daughter to the waters of baptism soon! 

Usually Friday's are pretty relaxed because it's weekly planning, 

• So we stay home all afternoon in our most comfy dresses and sit on the couch while we plan the up coming week! However, this Friday was not so relaxing. We were going going going from lesson to lesson with members and less active members, so by the time we got home to breath, we had about an hour and a half to plan. Which is totally fine! :) 
• After dinner we checked on some referrals and then had a lesson with our investigator, C. We had the lesson in a member's home, and it went SO great! C mentioned again that he can't stop thinking about our discussions, and he knows the spirit keeps strongly prompting him to continue to meet with us. He still thinks it's because he needs to convert us, but we are getting there :) Sister Donato taught a brother in another area who had the same motives, but eventually softened up and found the truth for himself! He was baptized and is now the strongest member of that ward, so, there is hope :) 
• Anyway, we answered a ton of questions that he had about the Book of Mormon and baptism. He said he finds a lot of red flags while reading the Book of Mormon because they contradict what he understands to be true from the bible. He apologized for asking so many questions, but we explained that the gospel is designed for us to question! 

Questioning is a GOOD thing because Heavenly Father wants us to truly seek Him out! He wants us to FIND the truth, and that comes from asking questions :) 

• Lessons with Craig are my favorite. They are challenging because I'm not a scholar in history, and I don't know the exact everything about the gospel, but I learn SO much from our discussions. My testimony is strengthened every time we meet, and it's never a contentious environment. Both parties are respectful and try to understand one another's point of view, which makes for a wonderful learning environment! :) he keeps all of his commitments, so he is progressing :) I truly have a gigantic amount of charity for that guy. That's just something I've been blessed with on my mission; an immediate genuine love for people we simply say, "Hello" to. 

Saturday morning we went to our Bishops house for the weekly breakfast and correlation with him! 

• His wife makes a big breakfast; this week it was French toast with fresh, orchard picked peaches :)
• when we finished updating him on the work, we went home to study and weekly plan! I am so grateful for my companion! I have been incredibly blessed with each and every one of my companions. I was pondering that thought earlier in the week and came to this realization: on my mission I have recognized my weaknesses. We all do. But I have been praying for help to develop the Christ like attributes that I lack, and I notice that in every single one of my companionships so far, my companion possesses every quality that I lack. In turn, I recognize that I possess every quality that she (all of my companions) lack. Throughout my entire mission thus far, Heavenly Father has stuck someone with me who balances me out, and teaches me by example how to develop the qualities that I so badly desire to cultivate. Heavenly Father is so smart ;) It's taken me 11 months plus to figure out how to develop those qualities, but hey, some of us are slow learners and we do have eternity to master them ;) 
• For dinner a recent convert took us out to a restaurant called BJ's. It's a lot like T.G.I Friday's and Texas Road house; yummmm :) this sister who took us has a very small testimony of the Book of Mormon, and she doesn't agree with a few principles taught in the gospel, but she holds on to what she does know which is what matters most :) this is the same sister who lost her dog last week, so she is slightly depressed :/ we are going to see her again this coming week :) The rest of our evening was spent checking on referrals. It was successful in that we did everything we could/were supposed to do. 

On Sunday morning the YSA committee had a breakfast that we went to so we could get to know the YSA in our ward. There are like... 3 :) haha but it was fun! 

• Then we went to church and it was so good! When we walked into the chapel I saw the father of a family who I ADORED in centreville, my first area. He shook sister Donato's hand and looked for my name on my name tag without even looking up at my face! My hair was covering it though, so while shaking my hand and searching for my name, he looked up with a big surprise on his face and I just bursted inside with so much joy! I love love love his family. We talked for a bit and caught up. I met them almost a year ago! It's crazy how time flies. 
• We had 2 investigators at church and 3 less actives! It was so great! :) 
• We had dinner with 2 member families in one home, and didn't get out of there for a while because there was so much going on. Even while sharing our message, people (including the adults) were talking over us. Super weird and disrespectful. We left as soon as we could and checked on a couple people before we went home. 
• Just as we were climbing in bed, we received a text from our bishop saying he invited a less active/part member family to his home for FHE tonight and asked us to come share a message for the lesson portion! What a rock star :) 2 members of that family are our investigators :) 

Something I've been learning recently is living in the moment. On a mission it is inevitably easy to reflect back to your past, or day dream ahead into your possible future. Sister Donato only has a couple months left on her mission, and one of her goals is to truly live in the moment. As her companion it's my job to help her in any way that I can to accomplish that goal! So I've been trying to do that as well, and not talk about anything back home or anything in the possible future. It's helped me see the joy that I do have right now, and I appreciate every small moment of every day so much more. Duh, right? :) I've developed a testimony of the importance of living in the moment; if you find that you reflect or day dream of future possibilities a lot more often than you live in the moment, you should try it some time :) 

Thank you so much for the emails, letters, pictures, and prayers. I am full of gratitude for, well, everything :) have a superb week! 

Oh, one other thing that I find super amusing: my companion's first name is legitimately, "Princess". I guess it's a common name in the Philippines, like the name, "Sara" is common in America! 

Remember who you are. Remember why you're here. Stay classy. Love you :) 

Sister Chandler

Ps. I have a solid ZERO pictures from this week. We didn't take any because we were so stinking busy! Maybe next week :) sorry, mom :/