Oh goodness gracious, people!! Didn't I just sit down to write y'all an email yesterday? I'm not complaining! Haha time is such a strange concept!
This last week I had a real comin to Jesus!! It's fun how on your mission it's a rollercoaster of emotions and events! (like life...just a bit more....idk. Like life!) You are constantly readjusting, relearning and rededicating yourself to the Lord! It's so important! This week we had an exchange with the Sister Training Leaders and I was so pumped! You always see miracles, and always learn so much on exchange! But this time, I fell apart. I don't know what happened! Instead of learning new techniques from my sweet leader, I was sobbing and telling her that I was a failure! That's not the way I roll! I know that Heavenly Father was DEFINITELY humbling me! The result of the whole hoop-la was realizing that once again, I really needed to dedicate myself to my Heavenly Father. My conversion was left on the side for a minute as I focused on other things, and that is NO BUENO!!! So I am rededicating myself every day! And I zoomed out and found a quality that is in dire need of further development in my life: charity!
In the Gospel Principles manual it has 4 steps to developing charity = the pure love of Christ = I NEED!!
1) Study the life of Jesus Christ
2) Pray to have greater charity
3) Learn to love ourselves
4) Avoid thinking you are better
As I commit myself to "rise to a greater sense of commitment" [PMG] I need to become more converted! I can't teach someone and help them to become converted beyond my own conversion! I can't lift somebody, without first being on higher ground. Therefore, I am studying my Savior, who is the perfect example of lifting and conversion! I was reading through my MTC journal, and found a quote from Elder Bednar that taught me that if I go looking for myself, I will never find it! But if I go looking for my Savior...then will I become who He needs me to be and end up exactly where I need to be!
There's a quote in "Our Search for Happiness" [awesome book by M. Russell Ballard] that I would love to share!
"That's the way it is when Jesus Christ becomes a reality in your life. It isn't that He somehow makes you do things that you wouldn't do otherwise. Rather, you find yourself wanting to do what He would do and respond as He would respond in an effort to bring your life into harmony with His. And an interesting thing happens whenever you attempt to place your feet in Christ's footsteps. If you really concentrate on trying to walk the way He walked - loving, caring, serving, and obeying each step of the way - one day you'll look up and discover that His path has led you directly to the throne of God. For that is and ever has been His great purpose and mission: to lead us to our Heavenly Father so we can dwell with Him in His heavenly home."
2 Corinthians 5:17
"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
As I strive to follow the example of my Savior, I know that He will mold me into the missionary He needs me to be! I'd like to challenge y'all to join me! Rise to a new sense of commitment to follow our Savior! :) I know that we all will see miracles!!
Miracle that happened earlier in the week, we had an appointment, and when we arrived for the appointment, we were told that they would not be home for 30 min or so...so we went out our backup! We had felt prompted that morning to plan a nearby street for knocking as our backup. As we walked down the street, we quickly realized that it was all apartment complexes that you need to buzz in....pretty common here....so we felt a little bit at a loss! We continued walking, determined to find the reason that Heavenly Father had prompted us to come here, and lo and behold, there was a sweet Filipino family outside! Mom, Liselle, and dad, Nester, welcomed us instantly to join them on the porch for some water and a nice conversation!! They moved here from the Philippines about 5 years ago, and had had missionaries over to their home there. As Liselle and I talked, I felt prompted to share a scripture and an experience with her. The Spirit was SO STRONG!!! She smiled and thanked me, saying that she hadn't had a scripture read to her the whole time she had been here in Canada!! Well..long story short, they are new investigators for us and friends forever!! :) I love them so much and as they have committed themselves to reading the scriptures again and meeting with us, I am so excited to see what Heavenly Father has planned for them!!
Speaking of Filipinos....for anyone that isn't familiar with their culture...they LOVE to PARTAY!!! Woot woot!! We got invited last minute to a party at the church that they had for two little boys turning 1. We went for our dinner break. HOLY COW!! They decked the gym out with balloons, banners, and monkey balloons..they had 3 tier cakes, and a banquet to feed an army! Kids were running around playing games, and adults were enjoying it all just as much!! It was a P-A-R-T-Y!!! As we sat eating and getting to know more members of the ward, one of the dads started a game with all the kids. He would gather them all together, call out an item, and then they all had to go find one of that item and bring it back to him. The first/best item wins! It was pandemonium! Suddenly I hear "Missionary name tag!" and Sister Kim and I look at each other with panic in our eyes! Next thing we know, there is a stampede of about 20 kids running towards us and grabbing, grabbing, grabbing! So funny!! I think that the brother in charge was out to get us, because just a couple minutes later, he also called out "Book of Mormon!" And we were hit with another stampede!! We didn't get it as bad as the Elders, though, who walked in right after he yelled "Belt!" The poor guys were literally pulled across the room by their belt buckles...and were quite confused!! So much fun! XD
Here's a picture of my sweet companion eating her Filipino food! Yummy yummy!
This week we also had a fun picnic at Kitsilano beach as a Relief Society. Here's a cute pic of some of my favorite people in the universe!! On the far left is the sweet lady that did my nails, with her daughter, Rainbow! Next to her is my crazy ward mission leader's wife! She's a hoot and a half! Next to her is Sister Torman...she leaves tomorrow to go home to Utah...I love her dearly!! She loves everyone with perfect charity! In front of them, sitting down, is Sister Ross! We go help her in her garden sometimes...sweetest thing ever! In the blue is a sweet lady whose name I can't remember...but I love her! Then Sister Kim, me, and Carolina!! Carolina is from Brazil and was baptized with her husband, Rafael 11 months ago! She is SO SWEET and we are currently working with them to get them to the temple! On the far right is our super star Relief Society President, Sister Blumel. She does EVERYTHING for EVERYONE!! And on the chair to the right is the love of my life: two bite brownies!! So good! ;)
I didn't mention the sweet lady in front with the baby yet because she gets a special moment and another picture! Her name is Sister Lee, and she is Korean! Weeks back I sent a pic eating dinner with her husband and Sister Kim! This week she surprised us with some fun Korean food in a bag at the church! The bag was about the size of Sister Kim, I swear! I was so excited until we opened it up! See pics below!
Dried fish!! Shrimp!! And my favorite: Anchovies!!! If you zoom in closely, you can probably make eye contact with a couple! XP
Contrary to my face in the picture above...I love you all so much!! Have such an amazing, Christ-centered week!
love,
Sister Van Valkenburg
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