Last Monday when we went back to our apartment there was a letter for Sister Fisher from the mission office. It was her travel plans... She's going home on September 22, during next transfer. She's been pretty relfective about her mission this week. So it's caused me to look back on my mission and all the incredible experiences I've had! This is hands down the most incredible thing I've ever done. I am so grateful for my mission and for all the miracles, hardships, and growth I've experienced. I was reading back in some of my journals and I'm grateful for the time I took to write those things down. It brought me a lot of peace and laughter and tears as I read them! What a good life. I am grateful for the time I have left. I am grateful for my purpose and my responsibilites as a full time missionary. I love my Father, my Savior, and my calling. "How great is my calling!"
I'm emailing a little later today because there was a funeral this morning for a man in the Brantford Ward. His name was Danny Camilleri. So that was also a really reflective time. One thing that his daughter said really jumped out at me. She said that he was always in motion. And for those that knew him, he definitely was! This thought came to my head right after she said that, "As long as I'm living I want to be in motion." I read a talk from this month's ensign called "Act Upon This Land As If For Years." I also had a conversation with one sister about "being where you are." I think all of these thoughts are applicable not only to life as a missionary, but LIFE. I'm grateful I'm learning these principles and striving to apply them.
Monday night we were able to meet with Paul and Racquel. As part of the lesson, we decided to have a testimony meeting. It was incredible to watch Racquel find her testimony as she shared it. Tears filled her eyes as she expressed her belief in the Book of Mormon and the Prophet, Joseph Smith. She said she knew they were true. What music to my ears! She also said that even though she doesn't read as much as she should, when she's at word she ponders what we had talked about! YES! We talked about baptism and the Priesthood authority. She still wasn't quite sure why we kept talking about baptism, so it was great to watch her make that bridge of understanding between the two. We've decided to teach her all the lessons again to help her build upon her beautiful testimony she shared. As she continues to understand true doctrine, it will change her. Rather, it will give her the knowledge and intellectual tools to change through the Atonement.
We had a specialty training meeting on Tuesday for all the Zone Leaders, District Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders in the Hamilton, London, and Kitchener Zones. Sister Fisher and I instructed on working with the Ward Council and becoming part of the Ward and it was a blast! We showed a video called "We are one." (I cant connect the link, but you can find it on lds.org if you go to resources, callings, missionary, hastening the work of salvation, we are one video. The icon is two sister missionaries shaking a leaders hand.) And it's amazing. I invite you to watch it and be an active part of the work of salvation. Being an active part of God's redeeming work has made me so happy, and I can promise it will do the same for you. Happiness is increased and testimonies are fortified as the gospel is shared. At the end of the meeting the assistants left time for testimonies, and that was my favorite part. So powerful. At the close of the meeting, eyes were wet. There was no doubt in the room. No darkness. Just clarity and light. There is something about being in a testimony meeting of full-time missionaries... there is nothing else like it. Everyone is set apart as a representative of Jesus Christ and has the duty and privilege to testify of Him. And when we gather together to do just that, it's a beatuiful thing to be a part of. It could quite possibly be one of my favorite things about being a missionary: gathering together as missionaries and being strenghtened and edified by the testimonies of each other. It's incredibly sacred and sweet. The closing hymn was, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and I was playing the piano. I had a hard time seeing the notes through the tears because, one, that song already has personal meaning, and two, it was given a magnificient introduction of personal witnesses that had already started the tears. And they don't stop easily once they start. Hahaha. I think it's genetic ;)
Clint and Kayla almost dropped us this week. Many of their family and friends are telling them to not meet with us and giving them anti-mormon material. But because we listened, testified, and had established a good relationship with them, they are going to continue learning! We're going to have family home evening with them tonight, so I'm looking forward to that. Pray for them to build their testimonies on truth.
We had an appointment with Wayne for Tuesday, and he wasn't there. That has never happened with Wayne before so we knew something had to be wrong. We finally made contact with him on Thursday. We found him in his backyard having a smoke. He explained that some really hard personal and family things have come up and he's under a lot of stress. He said he'd rather not go through with the baptism at this time because he needs to sort a few things out first, but he knows this is true.
This was just a really good week! Really good. It went by fast. This is the last week of the transfer, so I'll let you know next week if I'm staying or packing up.
I hope you have a great week!
Love and Prayers, Sister Felix
"Often the deep valleys of our present will be understood only by looking back on them from the mountains of our future experience. Often we can't see the Lord's hand in our lives until long after the trials have passed. Often the most difficult times of our lives are essential building blocks that form the foundation of our character and pave the way to future opportunity, understanding, and happiness." -President Uchtdorf
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