4/29/14

Boy oh boy what a week I've had! We have been going non stop all week! I LOVE IT! Those are the best weeks.

 

Tuesday we had district meeting which was really good. Then we had a good lesson with Tara. We brought the YW President with us which was so good! She invited Tara to come to YW on Wed. and Tara said she would! So she went and had a really good time! She liked the girls and everyone made her feel welcome. I was so so so happy to hear that!

 

Wednesday was good. I can't really remember what we did.... but we did a lot of service

Thursday we had interviews with President. It went so good! He asked me if I loved St. Marys and I told him I LOVE IT HERE! and he asked me, "If I need you to leave, can you?" and I told him that I had been feeling for a while that I had accomplished what I needed to here in St. Marys, that it would be really hard to leave, but I could do it. He told me that he was probably moving me. That was good and hard to hear all at the same time. We also talked about when I was coming home and it wasn't a big deal at all, so that was great. I am so grateful for P. Vellinga. He is such an incredible man. After our interviews we had a lesson with Jim. He is doing so great. Still progressing! He's soaking everything up. He was sad to hear I was leaving, so we set up a night to go out to dinner. He's the sweetest. We also had a lesson with the "fiancé" of a less active in the branch. She is so prepared! She was feeling the spirit so strong the whole time we were teaching the restoration! She said that she would be baptized! I'm really excited for her. She's going to start progressing soon!

 

Friday we saw the Felvers! They are my favorite people! We had dinner with them and had a lesson on repentance. I love hearing Dane and Robin talk about how they are understanding  these simple principles so much more this time, that it's different. They are doing so great. They are still reading and praying every night. They have such a desire to come back this time! It's incredible. They get it.

Saturday we had a lesson with another new investigator, Amber! She was taking the lessons in Lima a while back and moved to our area and hopefully we can help her get back into it! She's great, so bubbly and cute, blaring her country music. I like her a lot!

 

We also went over to the Felvers again to help them out with stuff again. We moved their wood pile, cleaned out their garage where they've had their 50 chicks and turkeys and ducks, fed their goats, and a ton of other things. We were so exhausted at the end of that day. They fed us too! He is such a great cook. I love that family so much.

 

Sunday was so great! We had 53 people there! And we had a lot of families that were out of town too! It was really exciting! JIM PASSED THE SACRAMENT! It was such a good Sunday!

Yesterday we had district meeting and then had some really good appointments with some less actives and investigators. It was a really good day. We got transfer calls last night and I am leaving. I'm excited but really sad at the same time. Serving in St. Marys has changed me. This area was so hard and I struggled a lot here, but it needed to happen. I have never worked so hard in my life as I have here. I put everything I had into this area. This area is so special to me and I know that it is a special place to the Lord. This is a sacred place to me. Things have happened here that no one will ever understand but Sis. Bakker and I. and because of that she is going to be such a special person to me forever. I'm so sad because this next sister isn't going to have any idea of what she's coming into, no idea of what St. Marys is. That's the thing - this area has become mine! It's going to be really hard to place it in someone else's hands. I have grown more here than any other time in my life. My testimony of the Savior is stronger than ever because of St. Marys. I will forever be grateful that the Lord sent me here. He knew what I needed to become what He needs me to become and St. Marys has helped me come closer to that. I love it here. I can't wait to come back with you so you can try and understand what I've experienced here! It's going to be so special.

 

I'll be leaving early in the morning and will find out where I'm going when we get to the transfer meeting in Kirtland. So I'll let you know next week.

 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH! I'm excited to see you guys soon on Mother's Day!