Dearest Family,
What a week! I love being a missionary sooooooo much! I am just so happy here!! I can't even express it. Alma 26.
Where to begin. Well, last Thursday was transfers, so all of the
new sisters are here. I love them so much! I have so many friends here.
It is so nice to not be the new one anymore. It was also an amazing
opportunity to look back and see how much I've grown in just 6 weeks!
I'm so much more confident and really I am much more myself than I was
when I started. I belong here, and already I wouldn't trade this for the
world.
This Sunday was a crazy good one. It was invitation Sunday, so we
were really excited for our investigators to come. Lyric and Selene both
came!! I think they enjoyed it. I think it was a little overwhelming,
but I think that is inevitable the first time. The lessons and the talks
were perfect, and the members were all so friendly. I love our ward.
In Relief Society the lesson was on judgement and exaltation, which
is pretty scary, but the teacher decided to just teach the plan of
Salvation. She taught the whole second lesson, basically, with a diagram
on the board and everything. It was the next step for both Lyric and
Selene, really, and it was wonderfully taught! What a blessing! They
both seemed to take it well, so it was good.
Right as she introduced the Celestial Kingdom, the Fire Alarm went
off, just to add to the craziness of the day. In the chaos, I lost
Sister Dodd for a minute, but it all worked out, and we were back in
class within five minutes to wrap everything up quickly. Selene promised
to come next week, too. :) We left church totally exhausted from
juggling investigators, introducing, being friendly, and keeping
everyone happy, but it was such a good Sunday. SOOO good. :) Our work is
finally paying off.
As far as Tammy's family goes, they didn't show for their
appointment, so they might be avoiding us, which is pretty normal. You
win some and lose some. We'll keep trying. And Lyric canceled her
appointment with us this week, which was really hard on us, but we'll
keep trying. We love her so much!
The main events of the week started Tuesday night. There is a
family in our ward that is basically falling apart. The mom is what
holds everyone together. Her step dad, his girl friend, her brother, his
girlfriend, her husband, and her son all lived in the same house. She's
the only one to hold a job (she has two and works over time), and
everyone else (except her son, Boby) have emotional and mental problems.
They are all pretty messed up (I think I told you about them before).
It was little Boby's birthday this week, but her family is completely in
pieces. Everyone except her step dad moved out in the last week, and
Boby is feeling a little abandoned, right before his 4th birthday. So
his mom tried to make it special, putting in even more hours to afford
Chuck-E-Cheese, and doing everything she can for him. He loves the VC,
the missionaries, the temple, and especially the Christus, so she signed
up to bring us dinner at the VC for his birthday. We made him cupcakes
and helped make it a big deal for him. It was so cute and so worth it.
:)
The dinner they broght was Church's Chicken, which is KFC basically. It didn't look really good, but I was really hungry.
The next morning, I woke up at 4 am, very hot, with a huuugge pain
in my gut. My stomach has been hurting (pain more than nasuea) for about
a week now, and I think fried chicken was enough to push me over the
edge. I don't think I got food poisoning, but I was very very sick. I
emptied my stomach and went back to bed, hoping it would be gone in the
morning. I got sick again right after we woke up at 6:30, but I still
didn't tell Sister Dodd (because I'm stubborn) right up until we were
walking out the door. Why? Because Wednesday was my first ever Zone
Conference! I didn't want to miss it! And I really thought I would get
better. The sisters who had had Zone Conference the day before mentioned
how amazing it was. I was excited. (by the way, Zone Conference messed
up the whole VC schedule, and that is why our P-day is today).
So we went to Zone Conference. They had a big breakfast, which I
skipped, and then headed right into things. Honestly, I don't remember
much of the day. We had to run out of two of the classes for me to make
it to the bathroom. but it was worth it! Really, it was a miracle that I
got to stay the whole day. I did manage to drink some water. One of the
new sisters wasn't feeling well either, so we all stuck together. It
really cheered me up.
As a part of Zone Conference, they give everyone a topic to prepare a
five minute talk on, and then randomly pick 2 missionaries of the
roughly 80 to give their talks. We aren't allowed to bring any materials
up with us, and we have to include one memorized scripture. The topic
was the Birth of Our Savior. I had thrown up about 15 minutes before
this meeting, but was stubbornly there. None of the leaders knew,
though, so of course, they picked me to give it. Somehow I knew they
would ask me to give it. Beforehand, Sister Dodd said she would go up
for me if they called on me, but I was feeling well enough (in the eye
of the storm), that I got up and gave it. I shared 3 Nephi 18:24 and
talked about the signs of the savior's birth having to do with light. It
went really well (even if that sounds really disjointed right there). I
didn't feel sick at all when I was standing up there in front of
everyone.
President Keyes liked it enough that he stood up and expounded on
my talk. I know it's bad, but I was proud. It made me feel really good
to have done well on such a hard day.
The Zone Conference ended at 4ish. I was totally drained. Sister
Dodd dropped me off at the VC and took another sister out with her to
our area (the nice thing about having the VC). We set up a cot in the
guide's room and I slept. I tried to eat two crackers, but they didn't
stay down.
Then yesterday, I felt well enough to go to our area! I managed to
eat half a bowl of soup (minestrone - no meat and little pasta) and a
small cheese sandwich. :) I'm improving. So I'm still not 100%, but I'm
doing sooo much better. It makes me so grateful to be healthy! I'm
working on adding foods back into my diet. Rich foods, sugars, and meat
might not be for a while, but I'm doing so well. I don't feel sick at
all, just a little fragile, so I'm trying to take care of myself.
Really, I learned a lot from being sick. First of all, I learned
that I could be taking a lot better care of my body. I'm going to watch
my diet much more carefully now. If I don't, then I won't be able to be a
good missionary. Second of all, you would not believe how excited I was
to go to our area the next day! I was still weak, but so excited and we
tore it up as far as numbers and lessons go! It was a wonderful day! I
do need a nap today. :)
Oh, have Rachel tell you the story of the new sister that I got to cheer up. :) That's a good story.
I loved your email, mom, and I loved your letter dad! Thank you so
much for being amazing and for writing me! I've gotten Christmas cards
from some families in the ward - the Kellys and the Christensens. So
sweet.
I'm out of time, but I do love you! Make sure Rachel has a wonderful birthday!!
Love,
Sister April Atkin
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