February 2, 2015
Longmont, CO
It's the final countdown! Just saying, since I know my mom's countdown
calendar of "Fast Sundays until Emily Comes Home" ticked down to 0 yesterday.
Also, it seems crazy that this is almost the end, but I'm feeling ready for it,
which I never thought that I would. I love this work and being here and the
people and the calling and I am sure there will be many a day that I will want
to go back to the 'simpler' life of being on a mission, but there is a peace
that comes from having done what was required of you I think. And then you go
on.
For now though, I've got two more weeks! Woohoo!
To start off with, some excellently funny quotes from Brother Schroeder
yesterday. (Background for those who may not know: In the restored gospel of
Jesus Christ we have a practice of setting apart one Sunday in the month,
generally the first Sunday, as a day of fasting. Along with this,
testimonies are shared in our regular Sacrament meeting and donations are made
of the money which would have been spent on those skipped meals in order to
provide for people who are in want, as is proscribed in Isaiah 58 in the Old
Testament, see also http://www.mormon.org/faq)
So, back to Brother Schroeder:
"When I went to Church for the first time 19 years ago it was a Fast and
Testimony meeting and I thought it was the strangest thing; but it's wonderful.
It's a wonderful kind of strange"
and "It's kind of freaky processing your fast offerings, because it's like,
who is this person? And we never know your first names, but now I do!"
In other news, last p-day after emailing I got my hair cut, well only some
of them, but I now have straight across bangs! So that is fun. Also, none of
our investigators came to Church even though we were pretty sure about a couple
of them, but several of the Less Active members who we are working with did!
All of the meetings were so good! I love Sundays and I love going to Church!
The recharge, the power, the Spirit, the Sacrament. It is all so beautiful, and
the same wherever you go so it is always like home :)
This week we had interviews with President Brown, which meant this was my
departing interview. Maybe that is part of why I am feeling a little more ready
for the end. From what we talked about, I was thinking about how there are a
lot of cliff-hangers in the stories of missionaries. We don't know the end of
someone's story. But Heavenly Father does! And he is involved in every aspect,
much more than the short span of us. Like Esther though, we may be put in a
position or in someone's path for just such a time as this, and get to make an
impact on their life which can change it's course forever. Someday we will get
to know those stories ;)
We had a neat experience this week when we went to contact one potential
investigator named D__, he wasn't home, but we saw these two girls who we had
seen a couple of weeks before but hadn't talked to. So we talked to them this
time! As we were having a conversation together and gave them each a Book of
Mormon (good thing we both had one! It is harder to carry a lot of stuff when
we are walking) D__ actually came home. He came over to tell us he was pretty
busy that day and wouldn't be able to talk, but also told the girls that they
should listen to us because our message is good! That was a sweet thing,
especially for someone who has been so newly introduced to the gospel.
There is not restriction on who the Spirit can touch or who or when
though. We had a first lesson with a boy named J_____ this week. He expressed
some of the fears that he has of the 'dark side' let's say, and how he wants to
know God better. We talked about what the Spirit feels like and how it brings
peace. He wasn't sure that he had felt that before. As we continued talking
though he paused and said, "you know that warm feeling you were talking about
earlier? I'm feeling some of that right now" It was beautiful, because he had
confirmed to him to know that he has a Heavenly Father who loves him. God knows
about his struggles and wants to help him and welcome him home. He wants the
same for each one of us.
One last funny note, we were walking home one night and saw a guy walking
his two pitbulls the other direction on the other side of the street. As they
got closer the dogs started pulling towards us and their owner said, "My dogs
find you attractive!" .....Awkward pause, what is the proper response to such a
statement?...."And so do I by the way!" Haha since it was pretty dark and he
could probably only really see our shoes it was silly, but also
flattering.
I love you and hope you have a marvelously fantastical week!
love, Sister Emily DeFord
p.s. pictures. New hair and what it looks like towards the end of a week
of walking when we get home at night ;)
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