It's that special day of the week again, P-DAY! P-day is always a strange day. And guess what, I get 2 this week! My P-day is switching to Friday this upcoming transfer (which starts tomorrow) so we get 2 this week. P-days are also switching to the mornings because of the busy Christmas season. So be on the look out Friday morning mom!
This week is a strange week... Monday we had transfer conference, where we find out what is happening next transfer, with outbound, p-days, new zones, new rooms, and most importantly new companions! Now what happened to me you might ask? Not much... when you're being trained, you typically stay where you're at. So I'm still with Sister Gudiel, in the same apartment. But we unfortunately aren't going to be at HC anymore, we are just on Square now. Sad but exciting at the same time. So we will be able to talk with a lot more potential investigators now!
Other strange things this week: Tuesday, P-day #1. Wednesday, crazy transfer day. Thursday, Thanksgiving, which means a party. I'll talk about it after. Friday, P-day #2, and first day of lights! So this is the start of a crazy fast transfer. The busier you are, the faster it all goes!
So for Thanksgiving, we rent out a huge party place and have a dance, TONS of food (turkey, chocolate, etc... basically the best stuff ever), photo booths, and most importantly... PING PONG! I don't know if everyone knows how much I love (and miss) ping pong. It became my passion this past summer. And President Gillette challenged me to a match, so stay tuned on Friday to find out how much I smashed him. So that's what my Thanksgiving will be full of, all of my favorite stuff basically! Dancing, food, ping pong, food, pictures, food. Could I ask for more?!
Christmas season is going to be absolutely crazy! They said it's busier than conference... OH BOY! We had to have a training the other day on Christmas season, that's how crazy it is. So many things change during this season. First off, we aren't allowed to take tours after 5pm, because that's when the lights turn on. So we are strictly at our assignments or getting referrals from people on the Square. So I'm super excited! There are also a lot more assignments! Like we have to have 3 companionships of sisters at the Christus, 2 for crowd control and 1 for running it. And then we have movies running every 5 minutes, so there's another set of 3 companionships. So basically we're all going to be crazy busy, which means crazy FUN!
This week at HC, we were waiting for our next tour when a big black guy from Nigeria walked in. And I'm on high alert for finding investigators from Africa so I was excited when I saw him, well come to find out he's a member! And you'll never guess what his name is... Godswill. Yes you read that right! He said he sometimes just goes by Will though, I prefer Godswill. So now I know Godswill! He is going to give me some referrals from Nigeria next time I go to HC.
So my funny/interesting event this week: Okay well everyone knows that there are creepy stalkers at the Square right? Like they follow the Sisters around all the time. And I usually come in contact with like one a day, and security comes pretty fast. So I was running map desk in the North VC (visitors center), and 2 creeps come and talk to me for awhile. They start like cornering me against the desk and like put their arms on the desk so I literally can't move an inch or else I'll feel their breath down my cheek. Oh, and my companion I was on exchanges with was over in the couches this whole time talking with a group of Spanish people... so I was all alone. So I totally forgot to give the sign that I'm in trouble and in need of security. And so they started asking me the usual question.. "You're pretty cute, do you have a boyfriend back home?" And keep in mind, these guys are like 40 years old. So I proceed, "nope, just me!" And they keep harassing me about a boyfriend when I see 4 security guards come busting through the door! THANK HEAVENS! They eventually skedaddled and left me alone. So then just probably 2 minutes later, ANOTHER stalker came and was talking to me! My companion is still gone at this point. So I gave the sign and security came, but this one wouldn't leave! He again was asking me about some boy I must have back home. Well finally the security kicked him off the property. So at this point, the security is probably thinking I am a magnet for the stalkers, so all 4 of them stayed with me at the desk for like the next 2 hours. They are all so great! They are like my big brothers/dads/grandpas, depending on their age of course. We're pretty good friends now, they said they want my schedule so that they will know where they need to be. haha! Well I won't go into the next stalker, but there was another one, even with the 4 security guards right there. So 4 creepy stalkers within 2 hours, the security said that that's a record! Yahoo! I'm still waiting for my award.
For companionship study this morning, Sister Gudiel and I came super early to the Square in the north VC where the theaters are. And we watched Testaments! Wow. Seriously wow. It is so good at explaining what was happening in the America's during the time the Savior was on the Earth, not only when he was in the Americas, but when he was in ancient Jerusalem. It was such a great movie! I feel so blessed to have so many amazing resources here. I mean, what other missions get to go to their own movie theater and watch Testaments for their companionship study? We even went way early to the vending machines in the under ground tunnels (that the Prophet uses) and got ice cream and cookies for breakfast! So we were living the dream this morning!
Just yesterday we had an "Enduring to the End" meeting for all 1st and 2nd transfer sisters. And wow. Just wow. Something very unique about our mission, is we get to have full mission-wide meetings and conferences like all the time because we are the smallest mission in the world. So yesterday we got to watch an MTC devotional by Elder Holland. And I'm completely obsessed with Elder Holland. He is so powerful and so piercing, he makes you want to change! He was talking about our divine role as missionaries, and why PMG (preach my gospel) was created. Well, in short, PMG was created to convert the missionaries. I know that as we become truly converted to the Gospel, we will not be satisfied by keeping it to ourselves, but shouting it to all the nations! And that is what being a missionary is all about. By learning, living and loving the Gospel, you WILL become truly converted, and you will not be satisfied keeping it to yourself. But you will desire others to have the blessings that the gospel brings. We have such a divine calling as missionaries, to help bring others unto Christ! What else is more important? This is the most important work in the entire world! Elder Holland said "Do not fail to share the message you are called to preach." We must not fail. We cannot take a moment off, a moment of personal need, we must always fulfill our calling to bring others unto Christ! I don't know about you, but I don't want to stand at judgement and not be able to say that I gave it all I had. I want Him to be proud of what I was able to do, through Him, through His atonement, through His word, and through His mission. The world needs us to be successful as missionaries. Success doesn't mean that we have the most baptisms though. In a different talk from Elder Holland, he said my ALL TIME FAVORITE MISSION QUOTE!....
"You only get one chance to serve a mission; it's your responsibility, your duty, to use it to its fullest; to give every last ounce of energy until you collapse in exhaustion at the end of it. all the hardships, all the tears, all the hard work will be looked back upon as the best thing you have ever done, not because you enjoyed it, not because you baptized everyone, but because you gave it everything you had, even when you didn't think you could, and especially when you didn't want to. Live your mission to your fullest, work harder than you've ever worked before. Let people know that this is the most important thing in the world to you... if you do not run until you have nothing left to give, and then keep on going anyway; cry and pray and work and sweat and plead until you are so drained that all you can do is turn to the Lord; if you don't do this, then these people will not come to this joy because of you--- their failure to come to Christ will be partially upon your head. Come out of your mission proud of what you've done. And this experience WILL BLESS THE REST OF YOUR LIFE."
-Elder Holland
Uhhh.. powerful right? That's the quote I keep at the front of my scriptures. Success as a missionary means you gave it all you had, and then more. Even when you think you couldn't! But you always can, anything is possible in the strength of the Lord. I know this to be true! I have seen it countless times in my mission! So many times, I had little faith and didn't think something could happen, or that someone wouldn't accept the Gospel, but as I pressed forward, miracles happened. I can promise that there is so substitute to being converted to the Gospel, there is NOTHING that will bring you greater happiness than knowing and living the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Luke 22:32 it says... "When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." This applies to everyone, not just missionaries. We all have a duty to God, a divine calling, to strengthen our brothers and sisters. To help bring them unto Christ! We ALL are called as missionaries. When Christ came back to his apostles when they went back to fishing, he told them that when he asked them to leave their nets, it was forever. When he asked them to follow him, it was forever. When he asked us to be missionaries, it is forever. We are never truly released as missionaries, even after this life! Our call, is to feed his sheep forever. I can promise each and everyone of you, that as you proclaim this Gospel to the Heaven and the Earth, that you will be brought up in the strength of the Lord! That you will be happier than you can ever imagine. I can promise you that, because I have personally experienced it. I know that this Gospel is what changes peoples lives, that as we make the decisions to come closer to Christ, that we will receive the happiness we desire. WE MUST give others the opportunity to use their agency to choose eternal happiness. We must. It is our duty and our divine role as followers of Christ.
Missionary work is the most important work. Never forget that! Write the name of Christ upon your hearts. Share a message of peace and joy this Christmas season!
I love you all and I will email again this upcoming Friday :)
Much love,
Sister Brock
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| My beautiful companion |
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| Our faithful member-present: Selene! |
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