Hola my dear family!!
So this week's email
is gonna be in two parts because we're going to Nauvoo today! We're
going with the Medinas and we don't have enough time to email it all
today. We're going to go to baptisms and maybe a session if we have
time--I'll send pictures tomorrow.
This week has been a great one! I love my companions
more than I love nutella (which is A LOT) and I'm sad to leave them
this week, but I know that it is 100% the Lord's will. I am excited to
do whatever He has in store for this next transfer. This week I have
learned a lot about the purpose of this life, and for me especially as a
missionary. For these past two transfers, I've been easily discouraged
whenever I am not "perfect" in accomplishing all of my goals and duties
as a missionary. I've learned so much how to rely on the Savior and how
important trusting in God is. I am going to fall short every day and
I've learned that that is okay! Our weaknesses are given to us for a
definite reason and God has a plan for each and every one of them to
become strengths. Thank heavens for the Atonement of Jesus Christ that
allows us to become better and work on those weaknesses, one by one, day
by day, and step by step. I know that He loves us perfectly and wants
to help us in anything and everything in our lives, if we just make the
efforts to put Him first and follow His will.
My mom sent me some gospel
pictures a couple of weeks ago, and one of them is of Jesus Christ
standing at the helm of a boat, calming a torrential storm. I was
fascinated by the men that were on the boat with Him. A couple men were
mesmerized by His power and saving grace--everything they were doing was
focused on their Savior. A few others's eyes were fixed on Him, but
were still grasping the boat, desperately clinging to the broken
material they foolishly thought could guide them back to land. Lastly,
there was one man sitting at the stern of the boat in shadow, facing
away from his Redeemer and frantically scooping water out of the boat,
pail by pail. This man was so concerned with the water swelling up
around his ankles that he did not stop to notice Jesus Christ at the
helm of the boat, willing and ever so ready to solve all his problems.
How often do we do the same thing--frantically trying to order our
life's problems without consulting the Lord, and trusting in God? I know
that if we do the same thing as the first men--drop all of our worries
and come to Him, that all will be possible.
Anyways, last friday/saturday was transfer calls
(where the APs and Pres call you to tell you what's going on). Friday
Hna Phelps got a call saying that she'll be staying here in IC 1st
spanish but going sister training leader!! What a blessing to her and to
the sisters here! She's going to be fantastic :) All saturday we waited
for a call as well. I was pretty darn sure that all of us were going to
stay together until I got my visa mid-transfer probably....(that's what
happened to the last Argentine waiter). Every time the phone beeped,
buzzed, or burped Hermana Howell had a freak-attack. I would pick it up
and yell, "It's presdient!!!!" and throw it at her. She would catch it
excitedly every time, to just realize that it was nothing. Hahahah it
was so funny :) We get along really well, can't you tell??? LAst
transfer Elder Van Woerkom (AP) called us at 10:26 at night with the
news that we were all staying so that was my bet--the same time and the
same news. We got a call from him again this time at 9:30ish however and
I was wrong. "Hna Phelps you're staying. Hna Howell....you're staying
too! Hermana Harkness.......you're leaving.........." I thought he was
joking because he did that last time too...but then he wasn't. I asked
if it was a visa and he said no, that I was needed in another area and I
would see why later. I'm not training or opening a new area, just
transferring. We were all in shock and I just teared for a minute or
two. It makes me so sad to leave Becky and Joe and the people that I
love here so much!
This week has been incredible with those two (more on
that tomorrow), and I felt multiple times that I was sent here at this
time to be with them on their path to conversion. They were both kind of
sad yesterday at Church and Joe said that they'll have to come and
visit me wherever I go. I don't know where I'm going yet; probably Des
Moines. But the other areas I could go are Mt Pleasant, or Ottumwah.
There are two more spanish sister areas (iowa city and washington), but
I'm not staying here and the washington sisters aren't moving around at
all. Anyways, I'll let you all know next week where I end up :) Although
I was completely shocked by transfer news, I know that it is the will
of the Lord and that it is for the best! I am excited to see what this
next transfer holds and cannot wait to improve and become better :)
Well, that's all the time I've got for today--I'll write you more tomorrow :)
Love you!!!
Hermana Harkness
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