Growing Pains

All I can say is that I had NO idea what I was getting myself into when I came on a mission. Still encountering new experiences that are pushing and pulling me in directions I didn't even know I could go or that mattered. And it's painful sometimes. But I will forever be grateful for the experiences I've had as a missionary...good and bad. I'll never forget any of it. And there has been heaps of growing this week...and it has not been particularly enjoyable, but besides all of that...we've had some amazing experiences this week.
First off: my favorites right now are Kimi & Leesa. Kimi (he's the male) is a less active coming back to church, Leesa is the investigator and just soaking up the gospel! They moved into our area a couple weeks ago and I have LOVED teaching them...probably because they're pretty much our age, so we feel like we're legit friends with them. They're getting married in January (6 days after I leave...I was praying that it was going to be while you're here, Mom & Dad, but unfortunately not). So the deal was that she was getting baptized after they get married in January, but we decided to have her pray with us to know if she should get baptized in October instead. She did not want to pray in front of us because she still doesn't feel comfortable, but we were a little persistent, and she prayed, and it was amazing, and one of the most powerful experiences I've had and she got her answer that she should be baptized in October. That was friday, they came to church on Sunday, and we had a lesson afterwards at the VC and obviously went over the Law of Chastity and how they can't be living together, and they had talked about that since our lesson on Friday. They don't think they can handle it living separately right now, but when talking to them, I've never felt so confident that God would provide a way for them and bless them so much in return. So we're still working on them. Despite what happens, we'll keep teaching them and loving them. After our lesson on Friday night, Kimi said, "Now I agree with my dad when he always said, 'Sisters are the best.' " ...feels good to hear that, haha. (PS they've met with elders in the past, but it hasn't really gone anywhere and they just decided recently to move forward in the gospel...and then they moved into our ward.)
Other miracle of the week was our little eternigator friend, Landy, decided she finally wants to be baptized!! She's met with 13 sets of missionaries, got married to an RM in January. She's busy as and is so hard to set up appointments with...but she knows it all, it just getting her to tell her family (they're quite involved in their Samoan church). And we heard at church on Sunday that she told Bishop she wanted to get baptized, so we went and saw her last night and she told us too! Oh my goodness, it was a miracle. Just scheduling problems. This weekend is "too soon" for her family, she'll be gone the next weekend, the next weekend is General Conference (which I am so frustrated with!) and so it'll be the NEXT Saturday...after transfers. Kill me. We're still hoping it'll happen this Saturday. Why not? Especially because Oct 20 is AGES away!!
Part member families, or part member couples in these cases, are my favorites to work with. Even though we're not baptizing a family of 12, but it's basically like baptizing a family knowing their kids will be raised in the gospel and bless their family for generations. It's just so rewarding!
We also went to the Temple this week...haleluja! (..however you spell that) It has been too long since I've been in, but nonetheless, still felt great to be there. I really do think everyone is better looking in white :) I had a cool experience last week with George...I think I wrote about him last week, a random nonmember who came to the VC, and he tried to go inside the temple and he told me how it was a completely different feeling in there...even being in the VC didn't come close to it.
Another highlight of the week was seeing a family from Tauranga. The parents got baptized just a couple weeks before we got to the are and the mum came out with us HEAPS to lessons. Their kids got baptized a couple months before the parents, and they were at the temple because their son is going on his mission in a couple weeks and the parents told me they're planning on getting sealed in December. They weren't even my converts, but it was just so exciting to see them and hear how great they're family is doing. They're living the dream you want for every convert!
One of the many, many lesson learned this week: how important faith is. It really is the first step of the gospel, but easy to brush over. I've just had it reinforced how important and basic faith is. Don't leave home without it.
Ofa atu!
      Sister Mullen