#soccermoms

Dancing with Grandma

Trio for a week

Sister Eddy, The Rothermel's and me

More Creatures

I am dead. Tired.

This week we were back and forth between Kingstowne and Fort Belvoir everyday. We had appointments every hour. We slept in Kingstowne four nights and Fort Belvoir three nights, which resulted in a lot of packing and unpacking and driving and quick showers. On top of that I HAVE BEEN SICK.  
I still had to teach the entire zone for zone training and Sister Malufau got transferred so we had to get her all ready to go as well. There was not even time to breathe this week.


On Tuesday we had a lesson with J. at the Rothermel's. There is this fifteen step program to quit tobacco in seven days. He is starting it. Sister Rothermel switched him chew for breath mints. We picture documented it. Sister Rothermel looks excited, haha. It was pretty awesome.  She didn't give him a forewarning. He is on date for baptism for April 25th. We talked about fasting and we are all fasting for him and this addiction... So he can be baptized. He's excited. We think he is awesome. He has requested to be baptized in a river, like Jesus. He said "I don't want to be baptized in one of those hot tubs!" (Haha) So let's hope the Potomac outside our church building has warmed up a couple degrees so nobody gets hypothermia. We got a phone call from J. just the other day and he was SO excited. He got a job interview and he said the guy was so awesome and they actually talked about God and being religious and the guy is going to help him out. He was stoked. Then he texted us later in the week and forwarded the guys text and HE GOT THE JOB. I'M STOKED.

APRIL 25 APRIL 25 APRIL 25 APRIL 25

I'm so excited to send this picture to Sister Eddy she's going to die / cry. We taught this guy this week but I'm pretty sure he just wanted to bible bash. It ended in me telling him I would go to his church If he came to ours *exposure* wish me luck at Grace Bible. Hopefully they don't call on me to lead the Lord's Prayer or anything. :l

We taught about "teaching for understanding" in Zone meeting. I convinced Sister Malufau and Fakatou into helping me. At first they were like PAH, were not Sister training leaders good luck! But I softened 'em up ;) I was grateful I wasn't the only one up there talking forever. I think it ended up real good. I told this story about how Sister Eddy and I were teaching J. about auxiliary
leaders and callings and at the end of the lesson we asked him if he was willing to participate in callings and church functions and he was just like "guys... I just don't think I can do this whole pack up your bags and serve a mission for a year thing." We died laughing. 

But the point was... he didn't understand what we were talking about somewhere along the line. We weren't teaching for understanding and helping him know exactly what we were talking about. We went onto talk about how the gospel is simple.  So when we teach we need to keep it simple. We need to define our "Mormon words" so people understand. When we use simple language and ask questions and explain clearly, people will understand clearly. And there will be a better chance that they will feel the spirit more powerfully in the lessons.

We are also teaching this girl named B. who is in high school and wants to be baptized. She is a friend of a young woman in the ward and she is super awesome and wants to be baptized. We watched General conference with her and we taught her the restoration. She is super awesome and she is six feet tall.




So transfers happened this week. THEY WERE CRAZY. I basically called it... 
I prophesied and I was RIGHT. I even made a written document before hand to prove it. Sister Samantha Stewart from Sunset, Utah is my companion! 

Woohoo. Finally I have an official companion here in Fort Belvoir. And even more crazy SHENANDOAH YSA IS A SISTER TRAINING LEADER AREA NOW. 

I died and went to heaven...
I have to go back there for my last transfer. 
I have to. 
...but back to Fort Belvoir...

Pretty much our whole zone got revamped this week. But I'm excited for all the new people I will be serving with. Especially Sister Stewart. I actually had no idea who she was but one day I saw her picture and I was like yup, she's going to be my companion in a couple weeks. I just know it. She's perfect for the people we are teaching here.  They are all going to love her I'm so excited. She's cool. 

This transfer is only five weeks long, crazy right? Next transfer is May fourteenth.  I think, something like that. Right after the Mother's Day phone call. And then I will only have one six week transfer left. I can't believe it. I would love to stay in Fort Belvoir for both, but I just have so many Shenandoah vibes. I'm going back to Shenandoah again for my last transfer I just know it. I have got to. *fingers crossed* 
if not I'll probably extend my mission.

Lol.
Jokes.

Also I have some more news.
We drive a mini van.
We have four elders in our ward on bike so we have to haul them around everywhere so they gave us a mini van. Blah. We're going to clean it this week and make it smell good because it's gross. They all call us the soccer moms :l 

I'm not sure how I feel about it. But I'm trying to find the positives. I feel like God is like "you still need to get over the fact that you were obsessed with your superficial maz. Cars aren't even important and you can't afford a Mazda when you get back." And then gave me a mini van so when I get home I'll be grateful for ANY CAR OTHER THAN A MINI VAN. seems legit.

#soccermomlife
#hey

Also Sister McKee popped into transfer meeting so I was able to see her and talk with her for a little bit. She is in Virginia for a week. It was cool seeing her again. Crazy how fast time flies! She took us out to lunch on Saturday and we had a nice little talk at a Peruvian chicken place called Su Pollo. It was awesome because she secretely invited Frederick! Sister McKee and I baptized Frederick back in Manassas almost exactly a year ago. He was super happy and excited and awesome. It was fun.

Later that night we went to an AA meeting with J. and got some ice cream afterwards to celebrate sobriety from alcohol AND tobacco. Oh yeah did I not tell you? He told us he hasn't chewed in three days! And sobriety = 2 months now. Miracles all over this place. Fort Belvoir for the win!

We introduced Sister Stewart to Grandma. Grandma liked her so she passed the test. Sunday at church was exciting and filled with people to talk to. We made so many fun plans for the week so we are going to be insanely busy. We are also beginning exchanges this week we only have four more weeks to go on four exchanges. It is going to be tight. We are hosting a "Sisters" meeting for our Sisters this Thursday at our apartment to get to know us and each other and have a cool way to update them on events and have a spiritual experience. It's going to be awesome.

It involves the PETER POTENTIAL (thanks to the Wittwer's) we are excited for this week.

Something I saw that was really interesting this week was these two Elders story. There is this Elder named "Joe" we will call him. 

And he was supposedly kind of obnoxious and was a tough companion. But I guess all his companions were just super mean to him and would tease him and hug him because he was a little bit different, awkward and obnoxious. 

So he developed all these bad habits and just had issues with some people. But one of the Elders that was his leader watched this happen and knew that the other Elders were just making him look worse than he was and blaming everything on him and so he took him under his wing all transfer. 

Then he became his companion and for two transfers helped him to become a better missionary and more respectful and a hard worker and he totally did. He changed. Because this super confident awesome Elder just decided to help him out because he saw what was happening. 

Anyway at transfer meeting it was the coolest thing. His companion that had helped him so much was getting transferred and he got up to leave and this Elder "Joe" stood up and hugged him and they just hugged FOREVER. 

It was so cool to see the obvious change in this guy 

just because one Elder saw he was struggling and decided 

he wanted to help him change and grow... 

unlike the other Elders who gave him grief and harassed him, 

irritated him and laughed at him.

I know this story is so vague, for privacy reasons. 
But it was so cool to hear and see.


I think how applicable this is to our own lives. When do we ever take time out of our life to personally minister to the one? Or in other words, strive to make an impact on an individual on a personal basis. When do we go out of our way to make sure that those who are struggling KNOW that we are there, and mean it? And really take them under our wing and support and encourage them?

There are so many people crying out for attention, for help, for love, for kindness, for a friend, for an example, for a role model, for someone to listen, for someone to encourage them. How often do you REALLY do these things? Not just passing compliments and smiles. But really, get to know someone. Get to know there likes, dislikes, passions and fears.

It was crazy to see the difference and the change that was made in an individual person because somebody else saw a need and helped them with that need. There are so many people that need that. 

Just a thought. 
It reminded me of that story told in General Conference long ago about the two boys who saw an old farmers shoes sitting next to a tree.

The younger more immature boy said hey let's steal his shoes and watch him look for them! Because that would be funny right? Playing a prank?

But the older boy said how about we stick a coin in his shoes and watch his reaction. So they left a coin in a shoe and hid behind some bushes and when the old farmer came back they watched his reaction. He felt something in his shoe so he pulled it out and saw the money. Instantly the farmer began to cry as he dropped to his knees and thanked God for this blessing. As he poured his heart out the boys heard him cry out how he had no money to buy bread for his children and this was such a blessing so he could take food home to his children that night.

Can you imagine how you would feel if you were those boys right there? My heart would just explode. Everyone is going through there own trials and hardships. We as a human family do NOT need to make people's lives more difficult than they already are. We don't need to criticize, complain, tease, prank, laugh at, mock, bag on, put down or gossip about other people. 

Just like the Elder and the farmer... they were both going through difficult times that nobody knew about. And those boys having "innocent yet immature fun" would only create another straw to add to the growing pile of problems and inconveniences.

However doing the opposite changed the two individuals lives. 

Now what kind of person do you want to be?
What kind of person do you strive to be? 

The one giving negatively and adding more trouble to add to their problems   

or 

the person who's little acts of kindness, charity and love alters and completely changes their lives?

I think it should be a goal for everyone that when they are feeling the urge to grumble, complain, whine, gossip or tease somebody...

to stop and think about it. 

And instead to serve them. 
You never know what kind of impact you will make.


Sister Madison Paige Stucki Sent from my iPad
April 13, 2015