Well, it looks like I don't get to be the one surprising you with the information about North Carolina!!! I'm glad that you found out so soon though. This morning on the way to the library, I told Sis. Hummel, "My family thinks I'm in VA..." I'm glad to hear that you are more in the loop than that.
So just to fill you in on what happened last week: Monday night we got transfer calls saying that we were all staying. I think I commented on how shocked I was because I was sure that the Spirit had been preparing me to leave. Anywho, the work carried forward and I was at peace with everything, but still a little unsettled. I was questioning whether I knew how to understand the Spirit. I was studying Ch. 4 of Preach My Gospel with much furvor. Then on Thursday, we went to Institute. The lesson was on Jonah, but we spent the whole time looking for similarities and differences between Jonah's life and the Savior's. It was soooo facinating! (We had two investigators there! It was great to show them that everything we do in the church is encompassed by the Atoning sacrifice of the Savior!) Anyway, the Spirit was there and was teaching me so much. One thing at the end of the 1st chapter was that it said that the Lord had prepared the whale... I was so grateful for that. I felt this overwhelming sense of peace that the Lord loves us so much that he takes care of the details. And then at the end of the book, the word prepared was written about 4 times. I didn't understand why the Spirit was teaching me that until the next day. I felt as if no matter what happens, the Lord PREPARES every needful thing. For me, he prepared me to be ready to leave.
Anyway, we were tracting all Friday morning in the rain! :) It was great! Then we were on our way to lunch and checked our voicemail. We had a bunch of messages, but one from Elder Coles. He used to be our ZL but he was just made AP last Thursday. He told us that he was just calling to see how we were doing and that we needed to call back,... "...actually, if you could call the President's cell phone, that would be best..." We were pretty shocked and Sis. Moldy said something about an ET, but we all laughed. We thought it would be strange for them to have an ET when transfers had just happened the day before. Anyway, so at lunch I made Sis. Moldenhauer call even though it was my day. President asked her about the weather and then I heard her say, "Sure, she is right here..." I don't remember all of what President told me...I was kind of in shock. He said that there was a change in the mission. One of the Sisters was having to go home on Monday and they needed me to go to Elizabeth City North Carolina to be companions with Sis. Hummel. He then gave me some very wonderful advice and much needed encouragement.
So long story short--I went from the northern most part of the Mission to the southern most part.This is such a grand adventure!!! Sis. Hummel is from Cottonwood. And Daylight savings is this weekend... we'll see how that goes. Neither of us have ever done it. But it's ok. They just sent sisters down here last transfer and there haven't been sisters here for 6 years. President stressed the urgency of the work down here and told us that we were the pair for the job. In my individual interview he called me a "missionary thoroubread"--I know it's spelled wrong, but I thought it was cool. I'm not sure what it means, but I like it.
I am so excited for the new area, but I have to admit that I miss H-burg. Sis. Moldenhauer said that the first week will be rough and that I will be homesick for it, but it will get better. I know that is true. I feel like that is my mission homebase. I love it there. I love the people! But NC is amazing! Granted I've only been here 24 hours, but I can just feel it.
This is such a grand adventure!!! Sis. Hummel is from Cottonwood. And Daylight savings is this weekend... we'll see how that goes. Neither of us have ever done it. But it's ok. They just sent sisters down here last transfer and there haven't been sisters here for 6 years. President stressed the urgency of the work down here and told us that we were the pair for the job. In my individual interview he called me a "missionary thoroubread"--I know it's spelled wrong, but I thought it was cool. I'm not sure what it means, but I like it.
I was not prepared for saying goodbye to my companions. There were many tears shed. The closing song in RS on Sunday was "God Be With You til We Meet Again". I don't know if Sis. Moldy and I even got out a whole verse. She truly is a sister...my sister! We are so much alike it's ridiculous! It's funny because we have both expressed that we bring out parts of our personality that we thought were dormant. We are both incredibly stubborn! I'm surprised that that didn't come up with her parents. So many stories from our childhood are practically identical! I'm sad that we are both hearing about how you were together this weekend, but we don't get to talk about it. I am so grateful for all the things that I learned working with Sis. Moldenhauer. She is the best missionary I know! If you see or talk to her family again, please let them know how proud they should be of her. She is the perfect example of a PMG missionary. She is great! And I hope that she moves to Phoenix. The plan right now is to go to Utah State, but who knows. But no matter what, we truly will be friends forever, that I do not doubt. Yesterday I cried a little while saying goodbye but was good all the way down. President asked us to find a worthy woman to bring me down so that my comps could still work. So Sis. Reed (the one who knew dad from Phoenix) picked me up and took me to Richmond to meet Sis. Hummel. We had a great chat all the way down! She is an amazing woman!! But once we got to the mission office, President spoke briefly with each of us (Sis. Hummel and I) and then the two of us together. In my individual interview, I was doing ok until I looked up at the transfer board and saw my comps pictures. I had to fight back the tears...let's just say that I lost. He handed me a tissue and said that it was ok to cry. He laughed and said that Sis. Moldy and I were truly two peas in a pod. His next comment was that I "shouldn't worry, you'll get to serve around each other again." I suppose that we won't get to serve together again, but I just hope I get to see her at a conference or something before she leaves in April. But if not, all is well!
Anyway, church on Sunday was amazing! Both wards had their primary programs! Talk about amazing. There was one YSA there who has expressed that his goal in life is to be a husband and father. He is so sincere, and that was his first Sunday at church. I think it reelled him in! I am so excited to hear about how that works out. Pat decided to postpone her baptism. But she is still going to be baptized! Oh, tell Sis. Lott THANK YOU so much for the halloween package. I don't know if I will get to write her today because I have to unpack, but please let her know.We went to the ward party on Sat. with Pat. We had carved our Jalloween pumpkins on P-day and brought them. We won the pumpkin carving contest hands down!! Everyone in the ward was so impressed. And our WML was so excited because I asked if he wanted the tools for carving. We brought them to him on Sunday at dinner.
I feel a little scatter brained today. Possibly because I hadn't slept from Friday until last night. Oh, and we are living with members here in NC! Crazy huh? She is a woman around our age, with a 3 year old little girl and her husband just left for Iraq. It's very different, but will be very good.
I love NC already! Elizabeth City is the "Harbor of Hospitality"! How funny...I went from the Friendliest City to the Harbor of Hospitality! I love it here!! And Sis. Hummel is so excited because her last 2 comps had to go home because of health reasons. She hasn't been tracting in 2 weeks. But we went out for a long time yesterday! It was great! The people are soooooo nice and accepting! We tracted into these men who were roofing yesterday. They were drinking beer and told us that they didn't feel it was right to talk about God while drinking. We had a great conversation, left some passalong cards, and asked them to call when they were sober! It was great!!!
I love this gospel! I love that the Lord trusts such simple men and women to carry His message to the world! I know that this is His work and that miracles happen everyday if we are willing to put our faith to action!!!
My new address is:
Sister Katie Abbott
312 Tracis Dr.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909
Well, off to do the work!! Woo Hoo!!! In your prayers this week, please pray that I will become acclamated to the new area. I know that it will come, but I could use all the prayers I can get.
I love you all!!!
Sister Abbott
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment