Hello Family and Friends!
Last Monday my companion and I went with a member to the Columbia outlet store. We found some really cute, nice rain jackets! And they were on clearance!! We happened to get the same one...it's a pretty teal color with a black fleece insert. I'll try to remember to attach a picture. That night the member we were having dinner with took us in her 1976 jeep/truck thing and we went to a really nice diner. (The car is also in the picture) It was a fun joy ride with our hair whipping in the wind.
I love the fruit in Oregon!! I buy some delicious blueberries every week. I don't remember if I've told you but there is a cute little fruit stand next to the library that we shop at every Monday. When I come back to visit Oregon, it will definitely be in the summer. Well, we're on bikes this week. We were able to obtain some nice ones from two members in our ward. We have helmets, bike locks, bike lights...the whole deal. I'll take a picture of us sometime this week.
Yesterday in sacrament meeting Sister Porter and I had a musical number. I played the violin and she sang. The song was "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul"--the arrangement from 17 Miracles. We recorded a practice that we did so I'll try to put it on a CD and send it to you! We're running out of time this week though, especially because we have to ride our bikes to dinner. We also went to the mall today with some sisters in our Zone! We went to the Lego store, got a $1 massage in those chairs that are there, ate some food, shopped, and went to the 'Made in Oregon' store. It was fun to do a bit of tourist-y things. Yes, I got a 'Keep Portland Weird' bumper sticker :) I also bought a keychain, playing cards, and buttons (Those kind with safety pin type things on the back). Speaking of Portland, we had exchanges this week! I found out that the east side of Portland is still in our mission because I was paired with Sister Ramirez there. Did I mention that there are two sets of training sisters? I learned SO much from Sister Ramirez! And we witnessed many miracles :) It was fabulous.
We were able to have a lesson with Rhonda, Jeff, and Nicholas on Friday!! We answered Rhonda's questions on the origins of race and language through the great apostasy and dispensations. We explained that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. She said to us "It makes sense that there is a latter-day prophet! Joseph Smith is no different than Noah." We invited them to church and explained how we would be doing a musical number. They were excited to come! However, they didn't show up to church. After church, we stopped by their home and Rhonda opened the door in her robe and pajamas and explained with a guilty expression that they had slept in. We offered an invite to come hear it at our pianist's house before we had to return the violin. They accepted! The spirit was so strong as we taught through music. Rhonda cried. It was also a great opportunity to bond with members of the ward! We have a lesson set up for them this Friday and will invite them to church again. They are excited for the upcoming general conference :)
Recently we've been trying to get more organized with our ward directory, area book, etc. We go through them meticulously so no one falls through the cracks. We are working a lot with our members and are going to start setting up member referral lessons this week. The bishop has had many women of the ward come to him explaining that they don't feel like they belong. He has given us some names of those women to go strengthen and help feel needed and included. It's wonderful to see their faces as we give them little opportunities to serve us at the same time we're serving them. I love our members! After a week of rejection Sunday is great to be around people who love you and will bend over backwards for you.
Yesterday Sister Porter was baking some toast in our oven on broil. Awhile later I asked, "Do you smell that?" (She's had a cold this week so she couldn't smell anything) She said, "My toast!!" She opened the oven and smoke poured out. She closed it and we watched the giant flames--it looked like a camp fire!! We sat there for a second in panic wondering what we should do. Sister Porter turned the oven off and the fire put itself out from the lack of oxygen. Once again, we were protected. We really should just buy a toaster...
A member shared this piece of wisdom with me this week: "Decide what it is that you want and then be okay with receiving what you need from God." God doesn't just hand us what we need out of the blue; that would be taking away our agency. We need to master the technique of setting goals. There is a quote by Elder M. Russell Ballard in Preach My Gospel that says: "I am so thoroughly convinced that if we don't set goals in our life and learn how to master the techniques of living to reach our goals, we can reach a ripe old age and look back on our life only to see that we reached but a small part of our full potential. When one learns to master the principles of setting a goal, he will then be able to make a great difference in the results he attains in this life." (pg. 146) We were told by President Morby that Chapter 8 is the one we take home with us. We're learning how to manage our time and set goals now. It's hard sometimes with Satan pushing against you. But I can just see God telling Satan, "Go ahead, try her. I know she won't leave Me." Furthermore, sometimes goals feel like standardized tests; we're accountable for the number key indicators we accomplish. There's no real way to measure all that we do to further the work but I know that the most important thing is accountability before God. As long as we're following the spirit and striving to fulfill our purpose, we'll be blessed.
I love you all :) Thanks for your support!
Love,
Sister King
P.S. It's been raining quite a bit here lately! Today was beautiful though, so hopefully it stays that way while we're on our bikes! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment