Okay, well, this week was crazy. I discovered I am a very "Adventure is out there!" sort of missionary. I'm also that kind of missionary that REALLY needs to pay attention to the "it's not requisite that you should run faster than you have strength".
First of all, our president has said that we are now including active family lessons in our key indicators. So we took that and ran with it. Not only did we teach a lot this week, but next week, we have a ton of appointments lined up! And then we taught seminary twice and did some guest appearances in Primary. Primary and Seminary. Pure molten AWESOME.
This week was also a pretty sweet miracle week. For Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, our schedules were JAMMED with appointments and exchanges. It was incredible!! Tuesday, we challenged Marta and her daughter, Teresa to baptism and they both accepted! it was such a powerful lesson that Sister Christensen and I had to sit in the car and recover for a second afterwards. The Plan of Salvation means so much to me... and teaching 3 generations at the same time has brought it all into perspective somehow... It's really cool! One of the members we brought on an exchange to teach them is super concerned that they're not going to be ready by April 19th.... It's a little deflating to hear someone not be quite as excited as you are, especially when we're all working towards the same thing. Especially over baptism. And yes, we recognize that they have a long road to walk, but they're not walking it alone. We see them almost every day. If they come to church and read their scriptures and follow the commitments we give them... they can be ready. Even if they're not, that shouldn't discourage us from setting goals. We must always be progressing, but there's a handful of people who don't know how to progress. That's why we use a baptismal date: perspective. So that they know where they're going and they can get there a little faster than just aimlessly footling about in the mists of darkness, praying that maybe, just maybe, one of the specs of mist will make sense and give them direction. How productive is that?
Anyways.
Like I was saying before, we had a crazy week. And so Friday afternoon, after lunch, I opened up to my companion. (See, all week I've grown more and more wired and anxious... even my Friday morning studies were frantic and crazy too! I do this thing where I over-plan my studies and that's "supposed" to help keep me focused, but that day, I was like "I HAVE TO FINISH 2 NEPHI RIGHT NOW SO I CAN STUDY THAT ONE ELDER HOLLAND TALK AND GET INTO PMG!!! RIGHT NOOOOWWWWW" And that's not very conducive to the Spirit, now is it?) So I told Sister Christensen that all I wanted to do was look at pictures of Christ. I thought "maybe if we go to the church, we can walk around and look at those pictures..." but I was torn because I had "the best thing for missionaries is work" going through my head... But for the sake of my effectiveness as a missionary, I needed to stop for just a second. But the thought of napping made me more anxious... so what could I do? (wow, that's a lot of "but"s--are you visualizing the anxiety yet?)
We live with members. And sometimes, members have artwork... sometimes they have the "Reflections of Christ" book by Mark Mabry. As I was venting outloud, I found it. Everything in me stopped and I said "SIster, I'm taking 15 minutes to look at this book." Within seconds of opening the book, I felt warm comfort and relief wash over me. It was like when you're crying and Mom totally engulfs you in a hug after a rotten day. I curled up on a rocking chair and was sucked into these beautiful pictures... I'm telling ya, I hope I get to meet Mark Mabry one day and tell him "sir, you saved me that day. You and the Man you depicted."
And afterwards, I thought "how could Jesus Christ NOT be the promised Messiah? If simply looking at an artist's depiction of what He did could fill me with such... serenity, such love... It's just not possible unless Jesus was who He really said He was."
All y'all, The Savior loves us so much. No matter what we do. He has perfect love and although He will rebuke us when we're being stupid (I doubt He enjoys that...), He LOVES to comfort us. If it weren't for the whole "walk by faith" thing we're supposed to do in life, I would stagger to guess that Christ would LOVE to walk and talk with each of us as He did with His disciples on the road to Emmaus. Personally. Physically. and Lovingly. So many times in my life, I've felt like the Savior was right next to me. I realized this week that I miss Him. I haven't seen y'all in a long time, but I haven't seen Him in a much longer time. It's hard to be away from your Brother for so long.
As hard as this week was, it was so full of tender mercies and crazy random happenstances. We saw a woman painting a fence, got out and, without knowing her name, asked if we could help. We'll probably get to help her at least once a week with her house-fixing projects for a while. And yesterday.... long story short, we might be having a baptism on Saturday. If we do, I'll tell you about it next week.
Because a lot happens in a week. Too much, almost. We get up VERY early in the morning for this kind of stuff.
Have a great week!!
Love, Sister Gunson
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Monday, March 17, 2014
Ich Bin Ein Texan.
So, Lantana is an interesting place. When they film a sequel to Stepford Wives, it'll be filmed here.
Things, while progressing, have been slow moving. Like molasses.... So Sister Christensen and I sat down and figured out how to make it move faster. So there was a lot of planning that went into this week. And a lot of... bureaucracy, I'm gonna say. Just trying to whittle down the ways we can do the work God has sent us here to do and build it up for the next missionary.
But this week has done something to me. For a while there (you know, since May) I was "the Californian Missionary in Texas." I was a transplant that was brought in from over there and shoved into here. Functioning, but not really a part of the body. Not this week.
Every day, this whole week, I've woken up, done the day and gone to bed, feeling like this was where I belonged. Lantana, Double Oak, Bartonville, Argyle... Briana, Marta, Dakota, the Ward... it feels like my house. I know these people, I love these people, I know my area like I know Disneyland! And it has all come from spending and being spent here. It's not like I've been here for a forever, this is only my 3rd transfer here. It just feels like home.
The ocean will always have a place in my heart and I still love y'all too! but just letting you know, I'm different. When I first got here, people would ask "where'd you transplant from?" And that's because Texas wraps you up in a big hug and never lets go. I finally feel adopted into this big ol' state. I quote Ammon: "Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yeah perhaps until the day I die." (Alma 23:17) At some point in my life... I will probably move back to Texas. I really do like it that much.
And that's an awful lot like our purpose in life. We were born into mortality, into a carnal world. And we spend the entirety of our lives forsaking it. It's pretty flippin' hard to do, that's why Heavenly Father gave us so much time to do it. As happy as we think we will be doing what we want because we're young and #YOLO, you will never be as happy as God knows you could be if you would just listen. Follow the commandments-- are they really that hard? Considering what's being offered? Let's face it-- we were not meant to stay here. We're from someplace else. Like it or not, believe it or not, it's true. (go pray about it)
I have never felt more comforted or more at home than when I have been in church houses or temples. I have been in many of both but they are still my Father's house. That's where I belong, that's where YOU belong. Y'all better be there when I get there.
Have a great week!
Love, Sister Gunson
PS: I'll never have to give up the ocean -- Texas has one too.
Things, while progressing, have been slow moving. Like molasses.... So Sister Christensen and I sat down and figured out how to make it move faster. So there was a lot of planning that went into this week. And a lot of... bureaucracy, I'm gonna say. Just trying to whittle down the ways we can do the work God has sent us here to do and build it up for the next missionary.
But this week has done something to me. For a while there (you know, since May) I was "the Californian Missionary in Texas." I was a transplant that was brought in from over there and shoved into here. Functioning, but not really a part of the body. Not this week.
Every day, this whole week, I've woken up, done the day and gone to bed, feeling like this was where I belonged. Lantana, Double Oak, Bartonville, Argyle... Briana, Marta, Dakota, the Ward... it feels like my house. I know these people, I love these people, I know my area like I know Disneyland! And it has all come from spending and being spent here. It's not like I've been here for a forever, this is only my 3rd transfer here. It just feels like home.
The ocean will always have a place in my heart and I still love y'all too! but just letting you know, I'm different. When I first got here, people would ask "where'd you transplant from?" And that's because Texas wraps you up in a big hug and never lets go. I finally feel adopted into this big ol' state. I quote Ammon: "Yea, I desire to dwell among this people for a time; yeah perhaps until the day I die." (Alma 23:17) At some point in my life... I will probably move back to Texas. I really do like it that much.
And that's an awful lot like our purpose in life. We were born into mortality, into a carnal world. And we spend the entirety of our lives forsaking it. It's pretty flippin' hard to do, that's why Heavenly Father gave us so much time to do it. As happy as we think we will be doing what we want because we're young and #YOLO, you will never be as happy as God knows you could be if you would just listen. Follow the commandments-- are they really that hard? Considering what's being offered? Let's face it-- we were not meant to stay here. We're from someplace else. Like it or not, believe it or not, it's true. (go pray about it)
I have never felt more comforted or more at home than when I have been in church houses or temples. I have been in many of both but they are still my Father's house. That's where I belong, that's where YOU belong. Y'all better be there when I get there.
Have a great week!
Love, Sister Gunson
PS: I'll never have to give up the ocean -- Texas has one too.
Monday, March 10, 2014
We Got This
Well folks, it's that time again! Lantana did not dodge the transfer bullet, so on Wednesday, my brain (Heap) took off for Weatherford and I picked up Sister Christensen! Honestly, all I pray for when asking Heavenly Father favors concerning a new comp is that they'll be funny and she is. We've laughed a lot.
All laughters aside, this week was weird. This is only the second time I've been left behind in an area and for the first couple of days, despite having been here for 12 weeks, when we sat down to plan, my brain went "durrrrrrrr" which was a little awkward.
Saturday rolled around and I told Sister Christensen that I had no idea what to do. Truth be told, I had been feeling that way even before Heapy left. I didn't feel like we were progressing ENOUGH. I felt like the work should be moving faster. Bad missionary moment: I didn't listen to the spiritual promptings.... So we took some time to do some extended planning. We were able to chart out some stencils of the spiritual journeys we want our 'gators to take, complete with mini-goals and commitments to help them get to baptism. After that, we called our WML (ward mission leader) and set up an extra Ward Corollation for after church so that we could all figure out how to mobilize the troops of the Lantana-Day Saints. We have several plans that are currently not being acted upon... which is a little frustrating to the 3 of us. But after that extra meeting, if felt good to be on the same page as everyone.
This morning for personal study, I looked at everything we had to do. There's a TON of work to be done. It's a little intimidating. But for the first time in I don't know how long, I looked at the work before us and went "we got this."
Our Relief Society's motto (in Lantana) is "We Got This." And it felt so good to be able to say that about this companionship. We can only say that though because we're in a trio: Me, SIster Christensen and the Spirit. It all looks like a ton of work, but it's nothing Heavenly Father hasn't done before. I'm sure restoring the church was a pretty big work load, but He did it. And now we have 15 million members and an army of 80,000+ 19 year olds, Heaven-bent on changing the world. Yes, I changed the phrase Hell-bent to Heaven-bent because that's the only way any of us can do this thing.
For the first time in a while, I didn't balk at the task before. I'm just excited to do this thing.
We got this!!!! ;)
Lurbz, Sister Gunson
All laughters aside, this week was weird. This is only the second time I've been left behind in an area and for the first couple of days, despite having been here for 12 weeks, when we sat down to plan, my brain went "durrrrrrrr" which was a little awkward.
Saturday rolled around and I told Sister Christensen that I had no idea what to do. Truth be told, I had been feeling that way even before Heapy left. I didn't feel like we were progressing ENOUGH. I felt like the work should be moving faster. Bad missionary moment: I didn't listen to the spiritual promptings.... So we took some time to do some extended planning. We were able to chart out some stencils of the spiritual journeys we want our 'gators to take, complete with mini-goals and commitments to help them get to baptism. After that, we called our WML (ward mission leader) and set up an extra Ward Corollation for after church so that we could all figure out how to mobilize the troops of the Lantana-Day Saints. We have several plans that are currently not being acted upon... which is a little frustrating to the 3 of us. But after that extra meeting, if felt good to be on the same page as everyone.
This morning for personal study, I looked at everything we had to do. There's a TON of work to be done. It's a little intimidating. But for the first time in I don't know how long, I looked at the work before us and went "we got this."
Our Relief Society's motto (in Lantana) is "We Got This." And it felt so good to be able to say that about this companionship. We can only say that though because we're in a trio: Me, SIster Christensen and the Spirit. It all looks like a ton of work, but it's nothing Heavenly Father hasn't done before. I'm sure restoring the church was a pretty big work load, but He did it. And now we have 15 million members and an army of 80,000+ 19 year olds, Heaven-bent on changing the world. Yes, I changed the phrase Hell-bent to Heaven-bent because that's the only way any of us can do this thing.
For the first time in a while, I didn't balk at the task before. I'm just excited to do this thing.
We got this!!!! ;)
Lurbz, Sister Gunson
All Of Your Problems Would Go Away If You Just Listened To Me
Hannah is still in Double Oak, Texas. She gets her new companion on Wednesday. She is very sad to be without Sister Heap, but is looking forward to getting to know a new companion. Her address is still as follows:
231 Oakview Drive
Double Oak, Texas 75077
-------------------------
First of all: There ain't no crazy like Texas weather crazy. We had 85 degree weather on Saturday.... and by Sunday it was ice rain. It's still bitterly cold today and I am miserable. #firstworldmissionaryproblems
So this week I had 2 contrasting teaching opportunities. Y'all remember my good friend Len who's a nit-picky doctrinal inquisitor. We teach him every week and every time we plan to do something... he skids off that plan like a super duty dodge on black ice. Fortunately, I have an answer for every man, but it's a little difficult to have a straightforward conversation with this dude. The problem, I think, is that he doesn't want to be taught. He thinks he's doing us a favor by "coaching" us. By now, it's turned into a High Priest's Group for Beginners scenarios. I just wanted to teach about the gospel of Jesus Christ.... Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost, Enduring to the End, is this so difficult a concept?
It is when you make it one.
ON the other flipper, we went to go see a Less Active, whose non-member friend (and friend's family) have started living with her. There are 2 girls, one's 2, the other 8, (Larissa and Vanessa, respectively). The other day, someone had told Vanessa about the Mormons, that we're here to take everyone down to Hell with us (rude) and so when we came over, she was reasonably scared. Her grandmother and the LA convinced her to sit with us and while Sister Heap taught the adults, I pulled out cards and pamplets and as many pictures as I could find and taught them through that. I started with a picture of the SLC temple. I told them it was the Lord's house and they both ooh'd and aah'd at the "princess castle." I told them they were princessess because they were daughters of Heavenly Father and He's a king! Then I showed them the Book of Mormon pass-along card, which has a picture of Christ visiting the Americas. I told them that Christ loves everyone so much that He visited, not just the folks in Jerusalem, but in the Americas! Larissa (the 2 year old) would put up a picture of a card and say "what's that?" and I'd say "temple!" she'd do the same with the other one and this went on for a while. She quieted down and so I pointed to the picture of the temple and asked her "what's that?" and she put it in my face and excitedly whispered "temple!" Asides from the time we taught a member's daughter the 2nd of the 10 commandments by saying "don't believe in cows" this was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen on my mission. And so tender.
The grandma (again, non-member) asked us if we would teach Vanessa what the Book of Mormon is all about. Using the pictures in the front of the book, we taught the doctrines of the Book of Mormon. Throughout the "story time," Larissa would gasp at parts that were, I guess, cooler than others. Like Samuel the Lamanite and Nephi's family sailing across the ocean. By the end, they were our best friends!
SO basically, if we are to learn anything from this, it's that Christ knew what He was talking about when He asked us to be like children. I'd rather teach Nursery/Primary than Sunday School ANY DAY.
I like working with kids. What can I say? They bring the gospel to life. And they share their goldfishie crackers with me.
Have a great week!
Love, SIster Gunson
231 Oakview Drive
Double Oak, Texas 75077
-------------------------
First of all: There ain't no crazy like Texas weather crazy. We had 85 degree weather on Saturday.... and by Sunday it was ice rain. It's still bitterly cold today and I am miserable. #firstworldmissionaryproblems
So this week I had 2 contrasting teaching opportunities. Y'all remember my good friend Len who's a nit-picky doctrinal inquisitor. We teach him every week and every time we plan to do something... he skids off that plan like a super duty dodge on black ice. Fortunately, I have an answer for every man, but it's a little difficult to have a straightforward conversation with this dude. The problem, I think, is that he doesn't want to be taught. He thinks he's doing us a favor by "coaching" us. By now, it's turned into a High Priest's Group for Beginners scenarios. I just wanted to teach about the gospel of Jesus Christ.... Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost, Enduring to the End, is this so difficult a concept?
It is when you make it one.
ON the other flipper, we went to go see a Less Active, whose non-member friend (and friend's family) have started living with her. There are 2 girls, one's 2, the other 8, (Larissa and Vanessa, respectively). The other day, someone had told Vanessa about the Mormons, that we're here to take everyone down to Hell with us (rude) and so when we came over, she was reasonably scared. Her grandmother and the LA convinced her to sit with us and while Sister Heap taught the adults, I pulled out cards and pamplets and as many pictures as I could find and taught them through that. I started with a picture of the SLC temple. I told them it was the Lord's house and they both ooh'd and aah'd at the "princess castle." I told them they were princessess because they were daughters of Heavenly Father and He's a king! Then I showed them the Book of Mormon pass-along card, which has a picture of Christ visiting the Americas. I told them that Christ loves everyone so much that He visited, not just the folks in Jerusalem, but in the Americas! Larissa (the 2 year old) would put up a picture of a card and say "what's that?" and I'd say "temple!" she'd do the same with the other one and this went on for a while. She quieted down and so I pointed to the picture of the temple and asked her "what's that?" and she put it in my face and excitedly whispered "temple!" Asides from the time we taught a member's daughter the 2nd of the 10 commandments by saying "don't believe in cows" this was probably the cutest thing I've ever seen on my mission. And so tender.
The grandma (again, non-member) asked us if we would teach Vanessa what the Book of Mormon is all about. Using the pictures in the front of the book, we taught the doctrines of the Book of Mormon. Throughout the "story time," Larissa would gasp at parts that were, I guess, cooler than others. Like Samuel the Lamanite and Nephi's family sailing across the ocean. By the end, they were our best friends!
SO basically, if we are to learn anything from this, it's that Christ knew what He was talking about when He asked us to be like children. I'd rather teach Nursery/Primary than Sunday School ANY DAY.
I like working with kids. What can I say? They bring the gospel to life. And they share their goldfishie crackers with me.
Have a great week!
Love, SIster Gunson
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
Sometimes A Different Outlook Can Change Your Point of View
Two very wonderful things happened today: I went to the temple and I got In-N-Out*. But mostly, I went to the temple. Which is why I'm emailing y'all on Tuuuuesday and not Moooonday. Cuz we had to switch our pdays to accommodate temple tripness.
It was probably one of the best (if not THE best) temple experience so far. We went with an elder companionship and a member couple from our ward. I think this was the first time that I went to the temple with a question (well, several questions) and was able to talk them out. When it was time to head back into the Promised Land**doing regular pday stuff seemed so mediocre (that includes emailing). I wasn't anxious to get back to do things, I wasn't antsy to talk to y'all (no offense). And that's because the temple does this thing where it unhooks you from everything unimportant (things that seem important to us and the world) and lets you focus in on everything necessary for Salvation.
This kind of perspective-paradigm shift happens a lot with the gospel of Jesus Christ.*** Briana, our newest convert (and by the way, the first convert baptism for Lantana), has had the rough time we told her she would. She's been kicked out of her room to make way for her sister who's moving back... and who hasn't been the greatest of moral supports. And while we were talking, Sister Heap and I got a little nervous because we were worried she wasn't shake-proof in the gospel. Well shame on us, cuz she is. Every time she'd express a concern, she'd say "But my testimony is fine!! I still know it's true! I'm not going anywhere!" and then proceed to bear testimony of what she knew was true. Her head is screwed on so straight.
And it's because gospel of Jesus Christ, what a surprise. Whoulda thunkit?!****
On the good ship companion*****, we've been experiencing a couple of paradigm shifts too that, strangely enough, require some gospel of Jesus Christ. We got a call from President last night. He said Sister Heap is off to white wash Hudson Oaks and be the newest Sister Training leader for the Weatherford/Fort Worth zones. I'm staying behind in Lantana to be President's "eyes and ears" (his words, not mine) and will be teaming up with a sister who's going home really soon. Odds are I might kill****** her. President was aware of that and said he's placed her with me because he needed "someone who was so committed to their mission" to keep her from getting trunkie. Again, his words, not mine.
At the end of his phone call, he said "Thank you sisters for being who you are so that I can trust you with this." This left me to reflect... what exactly does the Lord trust me to do? Maybe He trusts me to be a Sister Training Leader, but He clearly has other things in mind.
Now, I've been trying to change lives since May. But I didn't realize that some of them might already be baptized by the time I get there. On this temple trip, I found that my purpose (be it mission, Lantana area specifically, or what have you) is with the members, specifically the youth.
We******* FINALLY got Dakota Starnes at church and he was better behaved than I ever have been in church.... We got Briana baptized and set on track for the temple. And we have inspired the youth to get excited for their missions. I didn't realize the full impact of this until we were talking with the member (her name is Sister McIntyre) during the car ride. She's the Young Women's president... and has a very keen sense of what has happened to the youth.
It must feel good to write down over 9000 on your key indicators for baptized and confirmed... I'm sure Mosiah's sons really enjoyed reporting those numbers. And it must've really been hard for Abinidi's mission to be so statistically unrewarding. But without Abinidi, there would have been no Alma. And Alma takes up 62 chapters of the Book of Mormon, so that means something. I'm sure Abinidi NOW can see the effect of his contributions and service, but at the time, there's something about fiery death that's a little thankless. But if tech theatre has taught me anything, it's that it's the people you don't see that run the show. So I'm wayyy okay with helping every single one of the Lantana young men (and a vast majority of the Young Women, if I have anything to say about it) go on missions. Best job ever.
Thanks mom and dad. Y'all had the most thankless job EVER of being MY parents. But those lectures finally sunk in!!
Love, Sister Gunson
* In-N-Out tastes just as good in Texas as it does in California.
** Fort Worth and Dallas missions are in a heated rivalry. And they have the temple on their turf.....
*** It's designed for that, by the way.
**** us, mostly. Couple apostles, over 15 million members.... whatevs.
***** companion-ship. Get it? It's funny because it's not actually funny, Sister Gunson just thinks she's funny.
****** killing= When a missionary goes home, they die. Their ending companion is the killer.
******* We, being the holy ghost and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Janet's note to those friends who haven't read the Book of Mormon and don't know what Hannah's talking about when she refers to Alma and Mosiah and Abinadi....Well, I was going to give a quick recap of their stories but on second (and better) thought--just go read the books of Mosiah and Alma in the copy of the Book of Mormon that I gave you. You'll love it, I promise!!!!!!!! Then get back with me and tell me what you think! Seriously. You know I love this book. Find out why!
It was probably one of the best (if not THE best) temple experience so far. We went with an elder companionship and a member couple from our ward. I think this was the first time that I went to the temple with a question (well, several questions) and was able to talk them out. When it was time to head back into the Promised Land**doing regular pday stuff seemed so mediocre (that includes emailing). I wasn't anxious to get back to do things, I wasn't antsy to talk to y'all (no offense). And that's because the temple does this thing where it unhooks you from everything unimportant (things that seem important to us and the world) and lets you focus in on everything necessary for Salvation.
This kind of perspective-paradigm shift happens a lot with the gospel of Jesus Christ.*** Briana, our newest convert (and by the way, the first convert baptism for Lantana), has had the rough time we told her she would. She's been kicked out of her room to make way for her sister who's moving back... and who hasn't been the greatest of moral supports. And while we were talking, Sister Heap and I got a little nervous because we were worried she wasn't shake-proof in the gospel. Well shame on us, cuz she is. Every time she'd express a concern, she'd say "But my testimony is fine!! I still know it's true! I'm not going anywhere!" and then proceed to bear testimony of what she knew was true. Her head is screwed on so straight.
And it's because gospel of Jesus Christ, what a surprise. Whoulda thunkit?!****
On the good ship companion*****, we've been experiencing a couple of paradigm shifts too that, strangely enough, require some gospel of Jesus Christ. We got a call from President last night. He said Sister Heap is off to white wash Hudson Oaks and be the newest Sister Training leader for the Weatherford/Fort Worth zones. I'm staying behind in Lantana to be President's "eyes and ears" (his words, not mine) and will be teaming up with a sister who's going home really soon. Odds are I might kill****** her. President was aware of that and said he's placed her with me because he needed "someone who was so committed to their mission" to keep her from getting trunkie. Again, his words, not mine.
At the end of his phone call, he said "Thank you sisters for being who you are so that I can trust you with this." This left me to reflect... what exactly does the Lord trust me to do? Maybe He trusts me to be a Sister Training Leader, but He clearly has other things in mind.
Now, I've been trying to change lives since May. But I didn't realize that some of them might already be baptized by the time I get there. On this temple trip, I found that my purpose (be it mission, Lantana area specifically, or what have you) is with the members, specifically the youth.
We******* FINALLY got Dakota Starnes at church and he was better behaved than I ever have been in church.... We got Briana baptized and set on track for the temple. And we have inspired the youth to get excited for their missions. I didn't realize the full impact of this until we were talking with the member (her name is Sister McIntyre) during the car ride. She's the Young Women's president... and has a very keen sense of what has happened to the youth.
It must feel good to write down over 9000 on your key indicators for baptized and confirmed... I'm sure Mosiah's sons really enjoyed reporting those numbers. And it must've really been hard for Abinidi's mission to be so statistically unrewarding. But without Abinidi, there would have been no Alma. And Alma takes up 62 chapters of the Book of Mormon, so that means something. I'm sure Abinidi NOW can see the effect of his contributions and service, but at the time, there's something about fiery death that's a little thankless. But if tech theatre has taught me anything, it's that it's the people you don't see that run the show. So I'm wayyy okay with helping every single one of the Lantana young men (and a vast majority of the Young Women, if I have anything to say about it) go on missions. Best job ever.
Thanks mom and dad. Y'all had the most thankless job EVER of being MY parents. But those lectures finally sunk in!!
Love, Sister Gunson
* In-N-Out tastes just as good in Texas as it does in California.
** Fort Worth and Dallas missions are in a heated rivalry. And they have the temple on their turf.....
*** It's designed for that, by the way.
**** us, mostly. Couple apostles, over 15 million members.... whatevs.
***** companion-ship. Get it? It's funny because it's not actually funny, Sister Gunson just thinks she's funny.
****** killing= When a missionary goes home, they die. Their ending companion is the killer.
******* We, being the holy ghost and the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Janet's note to those friends who haven't read the Book of Mormon and don't know what Hannah's talking about when she refers to Alma and Mosiah and Abinadi....Well, I was going to give a quick recap of their stories but on second (and better) thought--just go read the books of Mosiah and Alma in the copy of the Book of Mormon that I gave you. You'll love it, I promise!!!!!!!! Then get back with me and tell me what you think! Seriously. You know I love this book. Find out why!
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Supplies! (also, Briana got Baptized)
This morning Sister Leonard (the sister Hannah and her companion live with) sent me a photo and a note that the missionaries wouldn't be writing today. So it was such a great surprise to get this letter from Hannah! (To those of you who speak English as a second language, Hannah's subject heading "supplies" is her way of saying "surprise"; glad to see she still has her quirky sense of humour!) I attached the picture Sister Leonard sent me as well as a picture of Briana (in blue) from her baptism.
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So, remember when Sis Leonard said that we wouldn't be emailing till later?.... Well. The libraries ARE open on Presidents Day. Awkward. After a violent game of volleyball, I'm now sitting at this computer. Aren't you happy?
Well, this week, Briana was baptized!! That's really the only important thing about ever. Before the baptism, I was breathless. I was pacing back and forth, going out of my mind with excitement!! I've never been this excited for a baptism!!
When the baptism started, we had the whole RS room filled! 85 people came... estimated. That's not including the kids that came! It was packed! Even Briana's mom and sister came! They've been pretty against this from the start... and yet they both were smiling the whole time!
So, the night before, I had told my Zone Leaders that I wouldn't cry. I'd be overjoyed, of course! But I'd make it through without crying. Yeah, well, 5 minutes into the service, all you can hear are sniffles and most of them are mine. I was just hit with powerful waves of emotion as each new thought came to me. Briana is more than an investigator-- she's probably one of my best friends. We've spent so much time with her and talked and chatted about more than just the gospel and now she's looking into BYU and is aiming for a temple marriage.. SIster Heap and Briana and I are probably going to be apartment-mates or something. We just... we're friends sharing the gospel. So, as Sister Elmer was giving her talk about baptism, I realized that, because she's chosen to be baptized... she's going to be with me forever. She won't be sealed to me (obviously...) but her choices are leading her to the places where I'm going. The phrase "Sisters in Zion" comes to mind with elevated and intensified meaning. I get to be with her forever.
The service was rife with spiritually-emotional thoughts and revelations... One of the things I've always wanted was for my family to be at my investigators' baptisms. Before, I've felt like Mom would walk around the corner, and sit by me. So once again, I was just talking to Heavenly Father and I told Him "I wish my mom was here." Immediately, I heard the words "I am here." They sunk right into my heart as I realized that I do have a parent with me. Heavenly Father has seen every step of the way! And of course He would be there at His daughter's baptism.
One of the LA's we've been working with shared her testimony while Briana was changing. She talked about her conversion story... and then she said that she knows God loves her because He sent her to the most persistent ward in the world. The missionaries are over, the visiting and home-teachers are over, the bishopric stops by, her door is always knocking! And she knows it's because we love her! Haha I felt like high-fiving a million angels. It feels good to know you're doing the right thing. And to know that THEY know you're doing it because you love them to your toes.
And then they asked me to bear my testimony.
I talked about how, when I first came into the area, the first person I heard about was Briana, and she made such epic progress weekly, and she was just the best investigator ever. I talked about how she's an example to me that Heavenly Father loves us all so much because I got to watch it all happen. This whole process, I felt like I wasn't the one doing ANYTHING. It's true. In the ideal situation, you step out of the way so that the Spirit can do It's thing. Her desire to move forward with both brain and heart working in on this has told me a lot of the things I need to be doing. I don't fear her going inactive because she's so thoroughly converted.
This baptism means a couple of things to me. It means that, first of all, I'm going to be with my best friend forever,. I know the sealing powers only work in familial relationships... but knowing that she has entered through the gate, if we both do our parts, I'll be there with her in Heaven.
It also means that now, the members of the ward have seen what can happen when we invite a friend to do something simple... or get the missionaries involved in a sly way. I think a lot of people confuse missionary work with being a "name-tagged" missionary. They think that when we ask them to invite their friends, they have to give them a Book of Mormon. While that's AWESOME... it also means being a really good friend and telling the missionaries to come over and use the bathroom and get a drink of water when the friend's over ;)
That's really all it takes. Just be a good friend, everything follows naturally if you love them.
I love you guys so much. I love that I'm with Briana for forever... but I'm sealed to my mom, my dad, and my brothers. I am theirs and they are mine, legitimately. I think that's my favorite thing about the gospel. I'm not worried about the future, because somewhere in it, there will my family be.
Love y'all-- FOREVER!!!
Sister Gunson
PS: This week was also kind of a rough week... We've been waking up a half hour earlier so that we can work out harder/better/faster/longer plus an intense week regardless of lack of sleep... so....I tried some energy drinks out... I still hate Monsters, but Rockstars get the job done nicely. I didn't have one on Sunday though and man, that day was weird. Haven't had one today, I'm doing a cleanse.. But... I won't be telling you how much Diet Coke Adult Gunson has had without parental supervision. Suffice to say, there is a Sonic right across the street from where we live and we're friends with one of the roller derbies. I love being an adult. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA bad choices! ;)
-------------------------
So, remember when Sis Leonard said that we wouldn't be emailing till later?.... Well. The libraries ARE open on Presidents Day. Awkward. After a violent game of volleyball, I'm now sitting at this computer. Aren't you happy?
Well, this week, Briana was baptized!! That's really the only important thing about ever. Before the baptism, I was breathless. I was pacing back and forth, going out of my mind with excitement!! I've never been this excited for a baptism!!
When the baptism started, we had the whole RS room filled! 85 people came... estimated. That's not including the kids that came! It was packed! Even Briana's mom and sister came! They've been pretty against this from the start... and yet they both were smiling the whole time!
So, the night before, I had told my Zone Leaders that I wouldn't cry. I'd be overjoyed, of course! But I'd make it through without crying. Yeah, well, 5 minutes into the service, all you can hear are sniffles and most of them are mine. I was just hit with powerful waves of emotion as each new thought came to me. Briana is more than an investigator-- she's probably one of my best friends. We've spent so much time with her and talked and chatted about more than just the gospel and now she's looking into BYU and is aiming for a temple marriage.. SIster Heap and Briana and I are probably going to be apartment-mates or something. We just... we're friends sharing the gospel. So, as Sister Elmer was giving her talk about baptism, I realized that, because she's chosen to be baptized... she's going to be with me forever. She won't be sealed to me (obviously...) but her choices are leading her to the places where I'm going. The phrase "Sisters in Zion" comes to mind with elevated and intensified meaning. I get to be with her forever.
The service was rife with spiritually-emotional thoughts and revelations... One of the things I've always wanted was for my family to be at my investigators' baptisms. Before, I've felt like Mom would walk around the corner, and sit by me. So once again, I was just talking to Heavenly Father and I told Him "I wish my mom was here." Immediately, I heard the words "I am here." They sunk right into my heart as I realized that I do have a parent with me. Heavenly Father has seen every step of the way! And of course He would be there at His daughter's baptism.
One of the LA's we've been working with shared her testimony while Briana was changing. She talked about her conversion story... and then she said that she knows God loves her because He sent her to the most persistent ward in the world. The missionaries are over, the visiting and home-teachers are over, the bishopric stops by, her door is always knocking! And she knows it's because we love her! Haha I felt like high-fiving a million angels. It feels good to know you're doing the right thing. And to know that THEY know you're doing it because you love them to your toes.
And then they asked me to bear my testimony.
I talked about how, when I first came into the area, the first person I heard about was Briana, and she made such epic progress weekly, and she was just the best investigator ever. I talked about how she's an example to me that Heavenly Father loves us all so much because I got to watch it all happen. This whole process, I felt like I wasn't the one doing ANYTHING. It's true. In the ideal situation, you step out of the way so that the Spirit can do It's thing. Her desire to move forward with both brain and heart working in on this has told me a lot of the things I need to be doing. I don't fear her going inactive because she's so thoroughly converted.
This baptism means a couple of things to me. It means that, first of all, I'm going to be with my best friend forever,. I know the sealing powers only work in familial relationships... but knowing that she has entered through the gate, if we both do our parts, I'll be there with her in Heaven.
It also means that now, the members of the ward have seen what can happen when we invite a friend to do something simple... or get the missionaries involved in a sly way. I think a lot of people confuse missionary work with being a "name-tagged" missionary. They think that when we ask them to invite their friends, they have to give them a Book of Mormon. While that's AWESOME... it also means being a really good friend and telling the missionaries to come over and use the bathroom and get a drink of water when the friend's over ;)
That's really all it takes. Just be a good friend, everything follows naturally if you love them.
I love you guys so much. I love that I'm with Briana for forever... but I'm sealed to my mom, my dad, and my brothers. I am theirs and they are mine, legitimately. I think that's my favorite thing about the gospel. I'm not worried about the future, because somewhere in it, there will my family be.
Love y'all-- FOREVER!!!
Sister Gunson
PS: This week was also kind of a rough week... We've been waking up a half hour earlier so that we can work out harder/better/faster/longer plus an intense week regardless of lack of sleep... so....I tried some energy drinks out... I still hate Monsters, but Rockstars get the job done nicely. I didn't have one on Sunday though and man, that day was weird. Haven't had one today, I'm doing a cleanse.. But... I won't be telling you how much Diet Coke Adult Gunson has had without parental supervision. Suffice to say, there is a Sonic right across the street from where we live and we're friends with one of the roller derbies. I love being an adult. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA bad choices! ;)
Friday, February 14, 2014
What's the Point?
This is for mah brothas and sistas:
A lot can happen in a mission. Heck, a lot happens in a WEEK. But I've noticed that each week sort of has a reoccurring theme. It's funny too because yesterday, we heard the Plan of Salvation explained 3 times. Somebody wanted to get a point across.....
I've been thinking a lot about "what's the point in all of this?" It's a question Joseph Smith asked once (he didn't use that terminology though.) and I think it's something a lot of us tend to say when we've collapsed on the floor at 2:30 am after throwing up all night (more on that later.) But in this case and instance, "what's the point" isn't in a negative light. Let's dispel those clouds around such a wonderful question.
I spent the latter end of my pday at my most thinkiest thinking investigator's, mulling over the minutae of church pamphlet phraseology and getting involved in the microscopic aspects of how to pray. As we left, all I could think of was "What's the point of religion?" Again, not in a negative connotation! And then the rest of the week spent its time proving my conclusion (which was Ether 12:4):
That knowledge is a bulwark, folks. It keeps you safe.
Because sometimes in life, there are bad things that happen to good people. Sometimes, you see scars that shouldn't be there. I've talked before about Dakota and the saddest thing I saw this week was trying to explain the concept of eternal families to a boy who barely has a temporal family. I told him he could be with his wife forever. He said "unless we get in a big fight and get a divorce." What 7 year old says that?! Someone without a solid understanding of the Plan of Salvation. This pain cuts me so deep!! SO deep, I didn't know I could feel that far...
Heap and I got an intense little beastie in our tummies. Friday night was spent alternating from bathroom floor to bed in a carousel of nausea. Got to know a lot of GC talks (General Conference--happens twice a year when the leaders of the church talk to the world) really well as my only friends were the May Ensigns for 2012 and 2013 (magazine that the church puts out and includes these talks). And they always talked about, in some way or another, this "balm of Gilead" that comes only in and through our Savior. The Atonement does much more than we realize. Much more than I realized. How dare I limit His perfect, infinite Atonement to Alma 7:11-13?!
By the time Sunday rolled around, I wished everyone could hear what Sister Heap and I were hearing. All week, I heard case after case of anguish and pain that could easily be solved in 5 seconds with some scriptures and some prayers. The only things that hurts now is that God's arms are forever extended and we neglect to take those hands.
What's the point of all of this? Alma 34:32 says we better prepare to meet God because soon cometh a night wherein no labor can be performed... but why would we work, why would we want to be with God?
So often, we complain of the trying world in which we're placed. Too often do we curse God and wish to die. Too often, we do little to alleviate the situation. I like better worlds. I like better days. I BELIEVE in the power to make that happen and I live for it every day. My corner of the vineyard is flippin' Disneyland because I MAKE it the happiest place on earth by using my Savior's already paid for sacrifice. Please don't ever ask God if He knows you, because He does. It's you who doesn't know Him.
Standing still with the utmost assurance,
Sister Gunson
A lot can happen in a mission. Heck, a lot happens in a WEEK. But I've noticed that each week sort of has a reoccurring theme. It's funny too because yesterday, we heard the Plan of Salvation explained 3 times. Somebody wanted to get a point across.....
I've been thinking a lot about "what's the point in all of this?" It's a question Joseph Smith asked once (he didn't use that terminology though.) and I think it's something a lot of us tend to say when we've collapsed on the floor at 2:30 am after throwing up all night (more on that later.) But in this case and instance, "what's the point" isn't in a negative light. Let's dispel those clouds around such a wonderful question.
I spent the latter end of my pday at my most thinkiest thinking investigator's, mulling over the minutae of church pamphlet phraseology and getting involved in the microscopic aspects of how to pray. As we left, all I could think of was "What's the point of religion?" Again, not in a negative connotation! And then the rest of the week spent its time proving my conclusion (which was Ether 12:4):
Wherefore, whoso believeth in God might with surety hope for a better world, yea, even a place at the right hand of God, which hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast, always abounding in good works, being led to glorify God.We've been teaching a TON of children lately. A lot of them are the offspring of some LA's (less-active members). It's really fun when these kids-- who are already close to the spirit-- grab hold of these lessons. They bring such joy and innocence... I love teaching the gospel so simply. Because these kids understand it! We're taught at a very early age the blueprints by which we need to align our lives. A lot of people call it brainwashing.... I call it "being trained to deal with the people who call it brainwashing". From the time I was toddling, I knew I was a child of God, I knew my family was going to be together forever, and I knew that I was loved. I've spent my life laying that foundation down. Now I get to share it with others who don't have that same knowledge.
That knowledge is a bulwark, folks. It keeps you safe.
Because sometimes in life, there are bad things that happen to good people. Sometimes, you see scars that shouldn't be there. I've talked before about Dakota and the saddest thing I saw this week was trying to explain the concept of eternal families to a boy who barely has a temporal family. I told him he could be with his wife forever. He said "unless we get in a big fight and get a divorce." What 7 year old says that?! Someone without a solid understanding of the Plan of Salvation. This pain cuts me so deep!! SO deep, I didn't know I could feel that far...
Heap and I got an intense little beastie in our tummies. Friday night was spent alternating from bathroom floor to bed in a carousel of nausea. Got to know a lot of GC talks (General Conference--happens twice a year when the leaders of the church talk to the world) really well as my only friends were the May Ensigns for 2012 and 2013 (magazine that the church puts out and includes these talks). And they always talked about, in some way or another, this "balm of Gilead" that comes only in and through our Savior. The Atonement does much more than we realize. Much more than I realized. How dare I limit His perfect, infinite Atonement to Alma 7:11-13?!
And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.How dare I ever believe that it doesn't work for me?!?!
And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.
Now the Spirit knoweth all things; nevertheless the Son of God suffereth according to the flesh that he might take upon him the sins of his people, that he might blot out their transgressions according to the power of his deliverance; and now behold, this is the testimony which is in me.
By the time Sunday rolled around, I wished everyone could hear what Sister Heap and I were hearing. All week, I heard case after case of anguish and pain that could easily be solved in 5 seconds with some scriptures and some prayers. The only things that hurts now is that God's arms are forever extended and we neglect to take those hands.
What's the point of all of this? Alma 34:32 says we better prepare to meet God because soon cometh a night wherein no labor can be performed... but why would we work, why would we want to be with God?
- You're His child and
- Ether 12:4. (see above)
So often, we complain of the trying world in which we're placed. Too often do we curse God and wish to die. Too often, we do little to alleviate the situation. I like better worlds. I like better days. I BELIEVE in the power to make that happen and I live for it every day. My corner of the vineyard is flippin' Disneyland because I MAKE it the happiest place on earth by using my Savior's already paid for sacrifice. Please don't ever ask God if He knows you, because He does. It's you who doesn't know Him.
Standing still with the utmost assurance,
Sister Gunson
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