How Was I Ever Blessed With Such Goodly Parents?

June 22, 2015

Fare thee well, Sister Scholosser!

I apologize for all the stress I've caused you through my stress about all my many stresses that I have no need stressing about :) My problem always has been stressing about stressing. Frankly, it's exhausting and I really don't have time for it anymore. In the words of William Pit from my favorite movie "Amazing Grace": "No excuses now...finish them off." No more excuses, finish it off. Finish it off strong. I had a conversation with the Savior about all that has happened and that I continue to face my personal mission. He told me to quit worrying about it, because He overcame it. And He will continue to overcome it...for His sacrifice is an infinite sacrifice. It is sad that I burden Him so much with everything the adversary throws my way, but I remember what a church leader spoke about during a BYU-Idaho devotional once: "We lift the burden off the Savior each time we lift each other's burdens. I have had so many opportunities to lift others' burdens this week, it truly dims out the struggles I've been facing to hear the battles raging in the hearts of more of God's children, with their own personal demons. One could argue that it would stress me out more, but in reality, as mentioned in my blessing, the more I talk to people and seek to help them, I find my energy and positivity increase. And I feel my Savior's love emanate through me. It is a marvelous feeling :)

I like what it says in one of the 2009 Ensigns: Trusting in the Assurances of the Lord, by Mindy Anne Leavitt.

I think every missionary needs to hear that quote from Gordon B. Hinckley's dad at one point or another in their missions. Now is the time when I need to hear it. Sure, I've thought about it from time to time, but never truly needed it until my last time amidst the harvest of souls. I am thankful for it.

Luckily, I've been able to eat much more this week--YAY! And bulk up on protein. Luckily I am adjusting to this transfer better than I thought I would :) I don't know how, but it's happening and it has been helping my anxiety lessen. I think I've reached the point where the busier I am, the less I stress...which has been true my ENTIRE mission! You just don't have time to think about things you shouldn't be thinking about, which is great! Much more incentive to work harder! Plus the members have been so gracious offering us rides. We got stranded at the South Transfer Point (the SKETCHIEST of all transfer-points) on our way to a dinner appointment so we called her and said we would try to get there, but then the bus broke down and she, in her cute little Asian voice said, "It's okay! I come save you!" Asking for help would be the LAST thing Sister Schlosser would do, but I frankly have no shame in that department :)

Welcome Sister Woods!
My new companion.

I am truly grateful for my companion, Sister Woods. After talking to president about all my hoopla via email, he responded with the encouragement to encourage my companion with her own struggle with anxiety. But despite it, she really cares about the people here and wants to help them progress. We both have been working on overcoming our fear of talking to people on buses and although this week has not yielded any investigators, we have found a few promising potentials we will be following up with this week. We have been trying the Book of Mormon App cards, but for some reason they have been trouble downloading. We will work harder to invite people to download the Gospel Principles app this week.

Nichole Kazda, our investigator of a couple years, is having many missionary experiences with her family and a close friend. She is defending the church and this has been a prime opportunity to point out to her that she does indeed have a testimony! Although she struggles with some parts of her testimony of the gospel, we are encouraging her to be true to the faith she DOES have.

Lun Cheng is having trouble coming to sacrament meeting. He loves coming to Gospel Principles, but feels that Sacrament Meeting doesn't speak to him in the same way. We plan to re-emphasize the importance of Sacrament Meeting this week and Brother and Sister Delorey volunteered to come to his lesson this Wednesday to help out. He admires Brother Delorey as a teacher very much.

Sarah Panzenhagen came to church! We had a miraculous lesson with her gearing towards picking a date for her to be baptized. She expressed her concern and fear when the sisters tried to set dates with her in the past, but the Spirit prompted us to invite her to take initiative and pray for a date. We will be praying for one as well. Baptism is obviously something she wants and her mom is finally starting to see how the gospel is blessing her life.

Shay came to church and met with the bishop finally! We encouraged her to do so after she expressed her fear of breaking up with her fiancé and finding a new place to live. She has seen what living the gospel, coming to church, and reading the Book of Mormon are doing to help give her the guidance of the Spirit in her life and we will help her continue to see the good that God is doing for her.

Sister West from our ward had her baby
 right before our dinner appointment
 was supposed to happen. She was like...
"I'm in labor, but I feel so bad for having to cancel...
what should I do?" We were like "Uhh...CANCEL
 and have your baby!" We gave her baby this as a gift.    

And yes...it has been VERY gross outside. Today was very stormy and humid, but the last couple of days have been beeeutiful!

Hakuna Matata!

-Sister Weaver-