What Would My Mom Do?

HERRO!! 

I recognize that goals are stars to steer by and not sticks to beat ourselves with, but sometimes it gets easy to confuse the two. Not gonna lie, people asked how this week was for us and we both would go "Good!... Stressful!"  

I don't know why, probably because she's determined to get baptized, but True Grit is a new episode of Days of Our Lives every week. This week, her ex broke into her apartment while she was at work, stole the TV, and then texted her while she was on her way home to tell her what he did. His new girlfriend sent her threatening and demeaning texts. So True Grit is moving to Oklahoma after she gets baptized. It's gonna take her a couple months to move there and she's dead-set on getting baptized June 7th, so spiritually, she's intact. I just want to solve her problems and I can't!!!!! I'M ONLY 20. Last night, we shared 3 Nephi 11 with her and the spirit just FILLED the apartment. Even her kids were calm. It was amazing. I love that chapter. When you're having a bad day.... read it. The spirit is so strong in that chapter. It feels like calm, you guys. But the kind of calm that hammocks on sandy beaches can't give. It's the calm of Christ. 

So, discouragement weakens faith. And resolve. And hope. And your soul. Just, don't ever get discouraged, okay? Because sometimes, you'll be called upon to do hard things. I don't want to get into detail because it's rude to name names and the white bible (Hannah's referring to her missionary rule book...) specifically told me to not to, but when people don't work with you, it's frustrating. A lot of this week has been "okay, what do I need to do to become better? What do I lack, what's missing?" and when you can't really find a definitive answer... it wears on you. 

HOWEVER. This week was productive!! The Joker won't admit it, but it's been 2 weeks of him trying to pray and read his scriptures, he's come to church 3 times in a row, and he is LIGHTER. He's always been a funny goofy kid, but that quirkiness has been liberated. He's just not as weighed down as when I first met him. 

Not only that, but we streamlined our ward corollation meetings. We got together with the elders with whom we split the ward and basically had our own corollation meeting on Saturday, but then we spent some time figuring out how to get our WML and AsWML  (ward missionary leader and assistant ward missionary leader) on board and working with us instead of.... delegating everything back to us. We came up with this format where we organize our info into 5 seperate boxes for "Find, Teach, Baptize, Retain and Ward Work." That way, we get our ward missionaries involved and, once our WML gets the hint, he'll start working. Almost got into it with him over his cynical outlook on missionary work in this ward but there was no time.... Next week. (hopefully by next week I will have more charity and patience.) 

And that's what I'm learning this transfer. I'm learning that no matter what I do, no matter how hard I work, I still have to wait for the tree to grow. I can't make the seasons go faster, can't control the sun or the rain, so after all my digging and pruning, I have to wait. 

I hate wait. 

But it reminds me of mom.... A lot on my mission, I've asked the question to myself "what would my mom do?" and it's got me here so it's a pretty good problem-solving method! I LOVE YOU MAMA. Ma, you've tried so hard your whole life and now you're a grand master at working with troubled children!! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. Literally, I wouldn't be on this earth. I'm so glad I got to talk to you about your mission for a bit. It's all hysterical in hindsight! Can't wait to continue the conversation in a couple of months! 

ENZO, ROCKY, learn from mom!! SHE'S THE GREATEST PERSON EVER. 

Dad is cool too. Stay tuned for next month when I cry about my dad for Father's day :) 

FINISH IT! < 

LOVE Y'ALL! 

Sister Gunson

EXTENDED EDITION: I went on an XC (exchange) with our STL's (sister training leaders) and ended up planning Zone Conference. While praying, I received revelation through a popular Eminem song.... I didn't know the Lord could do that, but He did. 

Disclaimer:  I don't know if everyone already knows what "finish it <" means but I thought I'd explain it in case it's just a Hannah thing.  When she would text, she would type < and then we would type back 3.  Put them together and you have <3.  Can you see the heart?  So I would ask a favor of anyone willing to write Hannah this week--put a 3 on your letter! :)

Eminem???? *sigh*