What a week!
It been an excellent one though- full of Sucess and Joy and Love.
Today is packing day- and tomorrow we have to be in Vista by 12. We have
transfer meeting first, and then our mission Christmas Devotional (it's a
party we just can't call it that:) full of telents shows, dinner and
spiritual messages- until 8 pm. Then all the departing missionaries will
spend the night in the mission home, and we get to do one last endowment
session in the morning, and if time permits, visit the Mormon BAtallion
Visitors Center. And then they put us on the plane! And then I'll see all
ya'll!!
During Weekly Planning this week hna Painter gave me gift... a planner for
when I get home:) And she made sure it was a green one, because I will be a
"Greeenie to life" ahahahaa I love it, and will use it too:)
We taught Susana on Thursday- The Word of Wisdom. She's addicted to coffee
actually carmel frapachinos (SP?)...so we were praying lots for the lesson
to go well. We went in and the Spirit was strong and she was SO sincere and
realized that she did have an addiction and was completely willing to
change! There was a misunderstanding at one point in the lesson when she
thought we couldn't eat pork either (eat meat sparingly) and she was
completely willing to drop pork completely too! ( don't worry we cleared it
up:) She is so great! So we got permission to go to the store and buy her
hot chocolate and carmel and whipped cream to help her overcome that
temptation when the desire comes. We ding dong ditched it, and it was
geeat!! She still hasn't come to church yet though...somethign always seems
to get in the way...Satan...that little stinker. But it will happen someday
soon!
hopefully this week!
WE had our ward Christams party on Friday- and we had a GREAT turn out!
Our ward mission leader called me up by surprise and had me bear my
testimony...I may have teared a little:)
THEN on Saturday we had Allen's baptism! It was awesome! Everythign went
smoothy, except for the fact that we started late because their whole
family was late to get there, but it worked out really well. So Allen is
very white, he understands spanish but speaks English much better. But, they
come to the Spanish ward because their mom doesn't speak any english- and
their dad is fluent is span too even though he's very white. So, with that
being said, Hna McCorkle wanted most of the program done in English so that
Allen could understand- so we prepped everythign and decided on one English
primary song and one spanish song. I worte out the words to the song and
gave it to our Ward Mission Leader to type up and put on the back of the
program.
The opening song, 'When Jesus Christ was baptized" went great, until the
very last line which read, "...And have the Holy Spirit to guide me every
HAIR" Hahahahahaha oh it was soooooo funny. It took all of my effort to
restrain laughter. I must have just written that last word really
sloppy...it was suppoed to say "Hour", But all the ward memebers sang it
without question...just a chorus of "HAIR"- and it definitely made our day.
Then later that evening we had a lesson with Jose Luis- to which we taught
the Word of Wisdom, which he accepted BEAUTIFULLY ( we were expeting some
issues) but none. He's committed to living it. AND THEN we SET A BAPTISMAL
DATE WITH HIM!!!!! it was awesome. January 25th is his date and we are
SOOOOOOO excited! Miracles miracles miracles.
Then yesterday was my last Sunday. I expected to bea wreck, but I was
actually fine. I was so fine, that I was feeling that there had to be
somethign wrong with me because I wasn't crying! I'm a crier...and I just
didn't. I was asked to bear my testimony in SAc Mtg and to give the closing
prayer. I think I really was just at peace. I'm ready for what's next.
BUT, then church ended and saying goodbye to everyone I love and taking one
bagillion pictures (I felt like a rock star). One Hna came up to me, and
she just hugged me so tight- and she started crying which made me tear up,
and it was really tender b/c I wasn't very close to hear, but she just
thanked me for all my service and for the spirit that I brought to the
branch. Love her. I LOVE THIS BRANCH!!! I can't wait until you all can come
back with me to visit all of my places- beacuse they are all so great! And
the best part is that it is so CLOSE!!!! Love it. ANyways the people herer
are just so great! I will miss them greatly. After we had gotten in the car
to leave church Hna sat down and said, "Well Geez I hope they act like that
when I leave! THey really love you so much!". She is nervous to stay and
lead and to get a new companion, but she'll be just great!
Then directly from that we went to a musical fireside that the missionaries
were participating in. IT was so spritual and powerful....and I made it
through ALL day without crying...until the very last song "This is the
Christ". Then I lost it. The tears just came and I imagined them taking my
name tag off and not beig able to wear the name of my Savior on my Chest.
It was a tender moment, and I will forever be grateful to my Savior for
giving little old me the privilege of carrying His name and His Restored
Gospel to His children here in Southern CAlifornia. I love Him. I know that
this is His true
work. If nothing else, my life has been changed forever by the
people here, and my testimony has been strengthened in a way it couldn't
have been other wise. I am forever Indebted to Him and His atoneing
Sacrifice. May we all remember Him- His birth, life, ministry, atonement,
and ressurection in the Christmas season! And share that glorious knowledge
with all that we come in contact with!
See you all so soon! I can hardly wait to see your faces!
Con Mucho Amor, y misionera para siempre, Hermana Lyndsey Whicker
P.S.
Alma 29: 14-17- read it.
D&C 6:36 "Look unto me in every thought; doubt not fear not" - It's funny
that that was such key scripture for me at the begginning of my mission and
it is again for me as well. life is full of change and we jut have to look
to the Lord and doubt not and fear not. AMEN!!
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