And here... we.... go.
The actual definition of "true grit" is not to be found in Rooster Cogburn-- though I admire him with great fervor. Anyways. The actual definition of 'True Grit' is when a woman so brutally attacked with opposition and all the unfair things in the world walks confidently into the waters of baptism, leaving the shady life of the underworld she was born and raised in and becomes a disciple of Christ. I told y'all, there's a reason for her nickname being what it is. There's so much I can't say over email but if you ever met her (and I hope you do because Mama, you'd get along great with her!) it would be like meeting Alma the Younger after he woke up from his angelic-reprimand-induced coma. There will be a day when I will tell you all she's been through and then you're gonna say "oh there's no way the church is NOT true."
So yeah, True Grit done been dunked!!!! The entire time, she was crying and saying "I'm ready I am so ready for this!" I'll be honest, when someone's getting baptized, I can't help but watch their face when they're saying the prayer... You see their inherent nobility, who they really were before they came to this "tabernacle of clay." Sister Morrill was also able to be there!!! I had all my kin there! My daughter (Sister Kuli) and my step-daughter! (Sister Morrill).
Sister Kuli's first day here, we met a woman, we'll call her Pathway. In a 5-second contact, we managed to get her information, explain our purpose, and invite her to church. Well this sunday, she came!! And then she told us that she wants to get baptized!!! And then she sent us this text: "Thank y'all so much for what y'all are doing for me and my family. I was praying that God would take the wheel and guide me and believe it or not, that's when y'all showed up!" It's so good to know that I am, in fact, doing the works of my Father because for a little bit, I started to feel like I was making too many mistakes. I felt like I was wasting God's time because I wasn't moving fast enough because why has Euless not been translated yet, it must be my fault, y'all know how the vicious cycle goes... A missionary's joy is found primarily in watching others come into the fold. But there's another ecstasy that comes from being your very best and having Heavenly Father use you in His glorious work.
Eloquent segue into my similar and concluding thought:
Last night we went to a fireside President holds every month for the whole mission and I saw 2 of my old investigators and a member from 2 separate, previous areas.
The investigators came up to me and gave me a huge hug and we all started crying. They told me they were being baptized in 2 weeks. As we talked, they kept saying that I had done so much good for them, taught them so much. As I stepped back from that moment, my worries about whether or not I had done "enough" good in the world on my mission dissolved. Sister Heap and I found them, Sister Christensen and I taught them... and now, thanks to some stalwart Elders in Fort Worth, they are being baptized. I was able to see that just because I personally would not be there to see them all the way through, doesn't mean I didn't do my job. I had laid the stone in their foundation that the Lord asked me to and I was so thankful to see that come to a realization in front of my eyes. They had spiritually grown!! They had light behind their eyes!!
The member I saw was from my first area. She was (at the time) a 16 year old Laurel who went on XC's with us ALL THE TIME. I kept encouraging her to go on a mission and when I left, we've stayed in good contact. several months ago, she started seriously contemplating a mission and quickly emailed me her thoughts. Not only that, but when she was talking about a mission with her dad, he said 'well, what would sister gunson say?"
I don't care anymore that I have not (yet) changed the whole world by now because I've impacted at least a couple of lives.
"And if it so be that ye should labor all your days and bring but ONE soul unto me, how great shall be your joy..." am I right?
There's so much more I want to say but there's not enough time and not enough gigabytes for storage on this email...
Love y'all!!!
Sister Gunson
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This last message came in another email just before she got off the computer:
HEY GUESS WHAT ELSE GUESS WHAT ELSE REMEMBER THE TWO GIRLS WE WERE TEACHING IN JUSTIN, PEYTON AND TORI? YEAH WELL THEY GOT BAPTIZED AND THEIR DAD IS CLOSE TO JOINING THE CHURCH TOO!!! WHOOOOOOOOOOO
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