This week is transfers! Can you believe it? I've been in Collins Hill for 6 months! And i can't believe it's been 3 months for sister motuliki and i. I feel like I've known her my entire life though. I know I've known her since the pre-existence. I'm so grateful that I was prepared throughout my life and that I listened to the promptings of the spirit so that I am serving a mission with her. I wouldn't trade this experience or this time for anything in the world. It's definitely worth the sacrifice. I will cherish these days and moments forever:)
Yesterday, SIster Bedke and I bore our testimonies in sacrament meeting. This has been pretty hard on the ward too, two of their sister missionaries leaving at the same time. We've been here for a long time, and they're family to us. This ward has been the highlight of my mission.. so far:) I was fighting back the tears the whole time, I don't like crying. Until i bore my testimony, I was a water works! It just hit me when i was able to look out and see all the members and their smiling faces. Every missionary that serves here is a lucky missionary. I consider this place Zion. But like President Utchdorf said, wherever we are, we must lift where we stand. I want and hope to make every ward i serve in Zion.
I'm not looking forward to the split between Sister motuliki and I either. Some days i worry if she will be strong enough to take over this area. I know the members will help her, and her companion will. We had exchanges this last weekend, and it was perfect timing, so we could see if sister motuliki is ready. SHe did wonderful! They some wonderful lessons with investigators, and i was one proud trainer to see she worked hard. Poor girl broke down last wednesday night during planning and was doubting herself, telling me i can't go and she can't do this. She wanted me to write President and tell him that i can't go, but i told her that this is the Lord's decision and He knows what's best. Whatever happens, the Lord is on our side. I told her that I may not be her companion, but the Lord is her constant companion her entire mission. But that night was very hard for both of us. Like i said, I don't like to cry, but we were both sobbing, she was uncontrollably though. I don't think I've seen her so scared before and so nervous. I tried to give her the best words of comfort that i could, and we just talked it out that night. Haha I even used some words from a very wise man, John wayne.. "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anways":) She only smiled at that, (she loves anything to do with horses). But since then, we've come to face reality and know that the Lord has different plans for us. And since then, she has stepped up quite a bit and is doing marvelous! I mentioned a priesthood blessing to her, so we might ask one of the members to give her one before transfers. She's a strong sister though, and i love her so much!
I'm not looking forward to the split between Sister motuliki and I either. Some days i worry if she will be strong enough to take over this area. I know the members will help her, and her companion will. We had exchanges this last weekend, and it was perfect timing, so we could see if sister motuliki is ready. SHe did wonderful! They some wonderful lessons with investigators, and i was one proud trainer to see she worked hard. Poor girl broke down last wednesday night during planning and was doubting herself, telling me i can't go and she can't do this. She wanted me to write President and tell him that i can't go, but i told her that this is the Lord's decision and He knows what's best. Whatever happens, the Lord is on our side. I told her that I may not be her companion, but the Lord is her constant companion her entire mission. But that night was very hard for both of us. Like i said, I don't like to cry, but we were both sobbing, she was uncontrollably though. I don't think I've seen her so scared before and so nervous. I tried to give her the best words of comfort that i could, and we just talked it out that night. Haha I even used some words from a very wise man, John wayne.. "Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anways":) She only smiled at that, (she loves anything to do with horses). But since then, we've come to face reality and know that the Lord has different plans for us. And since then, she has stepped up quite a bit and is doing marvelous! I mentioned a priesthood blessing to her, so we might ask one of the members to give her one before transfers. She's a strong sister though, and i love her so much!
I also had to say good bye to Taz early this week, she told me she was leaving the next day for a week. I wasn't prepared for that. It was very hard for me.. but she taught me one thing.. never say goodbye.. its see ya later:) And i'll be sure to follow through with that.
Ok.. now for the big news! ... So It was 10pm on saturday night and we had just gotten done with planning and the phone was ringing. Sister motuliki's eyes went big and she said "SIsta, it's president Bennion!" so i answered the phone in a nervous,, and tired voice.. but he sounded exhausted poor guy. But he called me to be a Sister Training leader In the Cornelia Zone!! My companion will be SIster George.. and SIster motuliki's companion will be Sister Arbon. I'm just switching her places! So for those of you that don't know what sister training leader is.. Its the 'sister zone leader'. we go on exchanges with the sisters in our zone.. go to leadership meeting with president... and just have fun! Sister bedke is also going STL in Athens... with SIster Debry!! She was companions with her after i was trained for 6 weeks! that lucky sister, she gets her twice! But my zone is over by athens.. it's in the athens stake.. and goes all the way up to norh-eastern georgia by the south carolina border. And it's the deeep deep south out there. My area will be in loganville, which i believe is in the Monroe ward. I'm super stoked and excited!!! It's going to take alot though.. I've been really fasting and praying that I can do my best with this calling.
So i read this marvelous, amazing , and inspiring talk yesterday by Elder holland. It's called Teach the atonement. It hits missionary work and the mission right on the spot! It brought me to tears and helped me understand sooo much. The center of our message is Jesus christ.. and he is the center of the atonement. The gospel=the atonement.. the atonement=the gospel. Salvation is not easy.. missionary work is not easy. If it wasn't easy for christ it shouldn't be easy for us saints. The most important lesson we teach is the third discussion which is the gospel.. The number one thing we want our investigators to do.. is have faith in Jesus Christ. That is the first and most basic principle. Then comes repentance and then comes baptism. My favorite part of it all was when he said " we are not the kind of church that calls everyone up to the front of a football stadium and just lets them enter into the waters of baptism, let alone by no authority from god, and cries "I'm saved!" ..Anyone who does any kind of missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles. Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the baptismal font? (haha;) )
You will have occasion to ask those questions. I have thought about this a great deal. I offer this as my personal feeling. I am convinced that missionary work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience.Salvation never was easy. We are The Church of Jesus Christ, this is the truth, and He is our Great Eternal Head. How could we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? It seems to me that missionaries and mission leaders have to spend at least a few moments in Gethsemane. Missionaries and mission leaders have to take at least a step or two toward the summit of Calvary.
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not talking about anything anywhere near what Christ experienced. That would be presumptuous and sacrilegious. But I believe that missionaries and investigators, (and all of us members) to come to the truth, to come to salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay a token of that same price."
I was going to paraphrase it, but i just couldn't. It wouldn't do it justice. I can only testify of His words. This is absolutley true, and I know without a doubt that this is the true church of christ, the one and only. And i hope each of us are willing to stand as a witness of that and live up to those standards.
Also.. cool news. Dritan is back. He came to church.. some missionaries that served in albania got in contact with him and are giving him the discussions over texting. Oh the sacrifice from so many people to help this one soul!! I lvoe this work.
Ok... this is a novel. I love yall so much! God bless:) and happy august!
Love sister Hulme
Our district in Collins Hill
The missionaries, some of the ward missionaries, and the ward mission leaders.
Fatimah Nicole Holiday
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