So many things happened this week, big and small, but first I need to
tell you how much I love my companion. Sister Donato is leaving this Thursday :(
bittersweet for her, but secretly I'm really sad about it. She is going home!
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| L for love, U for You |
Before I was transferred to this area I prayed for a companion to help me better learn meekness and how to become more charitable. I can honestly say that no one could have taught me those things better than
sister Donato. She is FULL of patience, meekness, love, joy, forgiveness... everything I prayed for help with. I've never met a more relaxed, happy person in my life.
We have worked incredibly well together for the past 12 weeks; I haven't had better companionship unity since I was trained, and a lot of that is because we both put forth the effort to be humble and submissive. Our goals have been the same, spiritually and temporally. She is so supportive!
On Monday night she offered to massage my shins (that sounds so weird) with Deep Blue (lotion similar to Icy Hot), and of course I didn't turn that down! But she did that for a solid 30 minutes voluntarily, and that was just the climax of my gratitude towards her. I love that sister. My heart is so full.
Monday evening was a blast because after dinner we went to a less
active's home for FHE and made treats to go spook people as part of
our lesson on service :) sister Donato has never ding-dong-ditched
anyone before, and it was hilarious because she was just as giddy as
the 5 and 7 year olds in the family ;) It was FREEZING but so fun :)
On Tuesday we did a lot to prepare sister Donato to return home; of
those things included visa stuff, so while she did that, I did stuff
for college applications. It was time well spent! We had a meeting
that night with our ward mission; we are in charge of the ward
Christmas party, so we spent an hour planning that before we talked
about missionary things :) it was a very productive day!
Sister Donato had her departing interview right after district meeting
on Wednesday! So weird! Sometimes I feel like I'm going home this
week, too because I'm by her side doing all of these departing
missionary things with her 24/7 :P But lucky me, I still have 5 more
months :))
The rest of Wednesday was so stinking good!! I got a lot done for my
application to schools; my essays and such are written and finished,
so that's off of my plate which is incredibly nice. Sister Donato had
to fill out some departing papers, so I started writing "Open When"
letters for her 12 hour flight home :) just because I love her, and
she will still be a missionary so her forms of entertainment will be
limited.
After dinner with our ward mission leader and his family, we spent
some time with Ka and her mom reviewing the baptismal interview
questions before our district leader came to interview her! For those
of you who are wondering why the heck people need to be interviewed
for baptism, we believe that this is a big commitment that one needs
to be ready for; the interview is to make sure the individual truly us
ready to make sacred promises with the Lord.
We finally saw a less active and her spiritual dinosaur of a son that
evening as well!! This is the sister who can't ever come to church
because she is extremely busy from 6am to 8pm every day, and her son,
T, is the most spiritually in-tune 9 year old I've ever met. We
taught the gospel of Jesus Christ, invited them to come to church, and
put her son on date to be baptized for December 19th! It was such a
good day :)
We had our last zone leadership meeting of the transfer Thursday
morning. My companion continued to complete departing tasks, while I
worked on "open when" letters. I also pulled out my journal and read
from December of 2013 to now. It's insane how fast time flies, and how
much can happen in such a short amount of time. I'm thankful that I've
kept a journal since I was 8! It's been fun to be able to go back so
far and see how I've grown :)
We had another lesson with Ka Thursday evening; the last one before
her baptism, on the priesthood. She was so excited for Saturday :)
Then we stopped by P's home to 1) see his new puppy and 2) remind
him about church on Sunday. We were still picking our jaws up from off
the ground from last week when he said he wanted to come :)
him about church on Sunday. We were still picking our jaws up from off
the ground from last week when he said he wanted to come :)
Our last appointment for the night was with C, the gentleman who
feels the need to convert us. It ended up being a mutual dropping;
both parties felt like it wouldn't go anywhere, so we had a nice discussion about Christ and how we have
seen Gods hand in our lives. We bore testimony of the truthfulness of
the things that we share, and he gave us a book on grace as a gift to
say, "I have enjoyed our meetings! Thank you for your time and
efforts". He's a nice man :) walking away from that appointment, we
felt good! We both feel like this is one of those stories where we are
the first set of missionaries that he drops, and there will be a
couple more, until eventually he will come around :)
All day Friday we kept thinking it was Saturday! We just weekly
planned and continued preparing for sister Donato's departure. There's
so much to do when you get ready to leave! We have been really good at
staying focused and living in the moment though, so that's a tender
mercy :) neither of us is homesick or "trunky" which is what
missionaries say when they're mentally on their way home :)
For dinner we went to a recent converts home and she needed Tylenol,
but didn't own any. We offered to go home to grab some for her, but
when we got there we realized we actually didn't have any. So after a
quick run to the store, we got some Tylenol for B :) she's lonely
and sick, so after we shared a message with her, we sat on her couch
to look at her high school year book from the 60's. Holy cow!
Hairstyles back then were so funny! I'm glad I was born when I was ;)
She told us about the different "groups" of people back then; we
learned a lot!
After that we went out with our relief society president to check on
some people none of us have ever met. Nobody answered the door until
the last house we tried for the night. Usually parking is nonexistent,
but we found a spot, right in front of the house we were going to
knock! The lights were on and everything looked perfectly promising :)
and it was! We were let inside and got to know this wonderful
individual who has lived there for 5 years!? Why has nobody ever
contacted her?! We had a lovely chat and invited her to the primary
program on Sunday :) she said we could come back, so we will :)
I LOVE our relief society president SO much! She's the bomb :) it was
a good day :)
Saturday was even better because our sweet friend Ka entered the
waters of baptism :)) It was beautiful! So many people were there to
support her, and her whole family came, too! We love her, and know
that Heavenly Father is so proud of her decision :)
Right after her baptism we went to the temple visitors center with
Mo!! It was so fun! She's super cute :) the sisters there did a
wonderful job teaching us about the temple, and the restoration. I
love this gospel so much. Every time I go to the temple, or even stand
on the temple grounds, I am filled with peace. It's an amazing place
to be :)
We ended our night with the bishop, discussing people we work with and
who we can help in the ward. Sister Donato and I were BEAT that night!
We said a prayer to end the day, and then out of no where (possibly
from a Hershey's candy bar) we became full of energy!? So we took
pictures and made a music video to "make a man out of you" from Mulan.
It was pretty great. Then we were exhausted again, so we went to bed
:) haha can anyone say sugar rush?? :)
Sunday was the primary program, and it was flat out adorable! You
can't not grin from ear to ear during those things :) you know how
there is always a teacher whispering in the little kid's ears to tell
them their part? One little boy was like, "I know my part. I know
Jesus loves me because he gives me food". That was my favorite part :)
P came! That was cool! Then he texted us and said he would
stay longer next time... The fact that he is even considering a 'next
time' is a miracle. Heavenly Father is so good to us!
We spent the evening saying goodbye to people and taking pictures for
sister Donato. It was productive :) we saw a handful of less active's
that we have been working with as well!
I love my mission. I can't say it enough. I'm so grateful for the
opportunity that I have to spend 18 months of my life, at this
specific time in my life, to serve my savior. What a blessing it has
been and will continue to be throughout my life! I'm happy :) the
gospel is true :) I hope you went to church and had a wonderful week!!
Transfers are on Thursday, so everyone pray really hard that Sister
Lewis comes to Gainesville ;) just kidding :) ..... But not really.
Love,
Sister Kailey
Ps. A from my last area in Alexandria is getting baptized on
Wednesday, and we get to go!! :) yay!! :) we clicked really well, and
I miss her bunches, so I'm thrilled :))
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We totally went up the only mountain in Virginia, parked in the middle
of a windy road, and took pictures because fall here is gorgeous :) I
love these sisters!
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