Yay for "Greenies!" 5/17/2010

Dear Family,

This week has been absolutely wonderful! I just love my new companion so much. She is from Ogden Utah, and has been such a powerhouse sister right from day one. She is really fun, and we get along very well. She isn’t afraid to talk to people, follow promptings, and bear testimony. She is full of stories. New missionaries are the greatest missionaries, I’m convinced. It’s fun to see someone take in the mission through “new eyes.” Everything is so exciting! Giving away the first Book of Mormon, getting the first return appointment, preparing for the first baptism they will see…speaking of, our nun is doing great!

It’s been so wonderful to see this investigator’s testimony develop. She has to be the sweetest woman ever, and just wants to feel loved and accepted. The ward has heard me sing her praises, and is excited to get to know her better. She certainly has quite the conversion story.

Well, thank you for the articles you sent. I read all of them, and they have helped a lot. It’s interesting how something as elementary as the Godhead can be “found new” as I’ve studied it this week. I’m glad that I’ve been able to develop a greater understanding of this, and hope to continue to learn more. For Zone Conference, President Anderson asked us each to memorize a scripture about the restoration and be able to recite it. I chose Isaiah 29:14. In the marvelous work and a wonder of the restoration, it is so true that the understanding of the “wise” men of the earth will be hid as eternal truths are restored.

I can’t believe that this Wednesday will be my last Zone Conference. Throughout my mission, I have loved hearing the “words of wisdom” from departing missionaries’ testimonies. And now it will be my turn in just a few days. So crazy. The time has gone by pretty fast. A mission is something you look forward to your whole life, and then it’s over. Life goes on. Life gets more crazy. I’m grateful for the lessons I’ve learned in the field. I’m grateful to have seen gospel principles from the scriptures played out before my very eyes in the lives of the people I have met. The mission is gospel in action. I’m grateful to have received divine help on my mission, and know that it is always there when we don’t feel like we can do important things by ourselves. Before Sister Crossley went home, she talked about listening to missionaries’ homecoming talks. How they always have a few “miracle” stories. But that not every day is like that. There are a lot of days where you just work, and it seems routine. Most days are like that. I am grateful to have had “miracle moments” on my mission. It is an interesting experience to review what has happened over the past year and a half.

We’re putting a lot of things together as a mission for president and Sister Anderson, since they are going home, signing quilts, flags, and letters. It’s weird to feel like I’ll be going down with the ship. Some of the senior couples that we adore are finishing their missions too.

I swear people have the oddest pets in New Mexico. I told you about the wolf dogs and the Easter colored chicks at the beginning of my mission, but one of our potential investigators has a tortoise, it’s probably about a foot tall and 2 feet long, roughly. They also have tame parrots. I think I will miss meeting the most interesting people, and having the tag as an excuse to talk to everyone.

Brother Parks gave me a blessing this week. Sister Parks may have emailed you another picture, she said she would. I love them. I love being able to receive Priesthood blessings, although I have to admit I’m not the most forward sister about asking for them. One of the brothers in our ward has horror stories about the sisters in his mission asking for blessings. I’ll share it, just because it’s kind of funny.

He served in Argentina, and he went to the sisters’ apartment one day and ended up giving them all blessings because they were sick. But the sisters were all very angry at him for not coming earlier. They said he should have listened to the spirit to know they needed a blessing. He asked them how they knew they were sick…and they said they ate rotten meat. “How did you know it was rotten?” he asked. “It was green,” they replied. Yeah, don’t worry about me. I won’t eat any green meat.

There is another man we are teaching. He wrote a children’s book, so Sister Barello and I both want him to sign copies for us. He hasn’t been active in awhile, but we had the neatest lesson last night. He told us that we answered his questions better than the other people had in the past, and that he would think about everything we said. “Somehow, the Mormons always show up.”

OK, so I’ve basically finished writing everything I want to say. I’m sure sister Barello is just scrambling to type up all her reactions and thoughts about this first week. There is nothing like your first week. I remember sitting at the computer and never feeling like there was enough time. I love her! This last transfer is going to be awesome!

I love you all. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. Thank you for sending me so many articles. I’ve got the best family in the world.

Love,
Sister Waters