Dear family,
I have so much to tell you about this week!!!
First of all, I have to tell you that I have refound myself this week. It is a cycle every missionary goes through (and every person). It's just part of life. But I am very very happy. Mom, we do keep learning. Can a person who has been alive as long as you still learn new things? (that isn't an age joke) But really, I don't think I'll ever finish learning. I'll tell you some things I learned in with my stories of the week. :)
Okay, I can't wait. The big surprise of the week is that I went to Iola. :)
This has been in the works for a while now, but I didn't want to tell you until after it happened. A few weeks ago, we were in the home of the Stake Relief Society President. She mentioned that she was going out to visit Iola that week (Iola Ward is in our stake, the Olathe Stake). I got excited and told her and her husband that Iola is a very special place. They looked surprised, because it really is a little town. I told them the story. They got excited and said, "Well, we have to get you down there!"
I knew that it wasn't likely to happen, because it is about 2 hours away from where we live. It would be difficult to get permission from President Keyes to go, and I didn't really want to ask him for it. Last transfer, the elders there were disobedient and emergency transferred out. When I heard that there was no missionaries there anymore, I told President Keyes that I would love to serve there and told him the story. It didn't happen. He said my story was nice and moved on.
So I didn't really have hope of going there. But then the Crumrines got excited, and decided they could do something about it. So they called the bishop of the Iola ward and told him my story. He got excited and agreed that they had to get me down there somehow. He said it would be great if I would come speak in Sacrament Meeting there. When they told me that, I had no hope. I would have to miss our own church, which missionaries DON'T DO.
But it turns out that President Keyes owed the Iola bishop a favor. The bishop called President Keyes and specifically requested that I come down and speak in their ward. Then I recieved a phone call from President Keyes.
"Sister Atkin, I hear that you have been invited to speak in the Iola ward."
"Yes, President"
"Well that is so nice. I give you my full permission to go. You can tell them the story of your grandmother. Just don't make a day of it."
"Okay, President. Thank you!"
I can't believe he would let me go!
So they scheduled for me to speak in their ward (which I am sure they were grateful for anyway. Their ward is very small, so I am sure they hear from each other a lot) and asked Sister Crumrine to speak with me, which she was not excited about. So on Sunday, we left bright and early and it was a beautiful day. It took us about an hour and a half (he is a little bit of a scary driver). They have their own building out there, just for their little ward. Some people drive an hour to go to church. Everyone was so kind and welcoming and right away saw the new faces. The ward was made up of a lot of old, single women, some older couples, and two young families. And that was it.
I sat on the stand and just was so happy to look out over the faces of the small, close knit congregation. To imagine that there used to be no members here at all. It was a beautiful sight.
Here is a rough outline of my talk (obviously I filled it in more and added details and thoughts):
Introduced myself
The reason I am here today started about a hundred years ago when my ancestors moved to the area of Iola Kansas
But the real story begins in 1937 when my great grandfather (Leo Moss Renner) was on a business trip and had a stop in SLC. He toured temple square and received a Book of Mormon.
Ten years later, two elders topped on a street corner to pray to be led where to go
Next house--our house. She told them to come back that evening.
On May 23, 1948 Seven of the family were baptized, including my grandmother, who was 10.
(show picture) elder steed
They were the only members in Iola, so they moved to SLC
Sealed Oct 24, 1949
Lessons to be learned:
Know where you come from. The Lord did all of this for you!
Sometimes it takes time--10 years! It is in the Lord's time.
But the main lesson to be learned is the Ripple effect. Elder Steed--His only baptisms on his mission. One Family.
Family reunion about 10 years ago we met him. He was the happiest old man I have ever seen. From the one family of his whole mission he baptized, over 30 missionaries have gone out. The ripple effect continues. D&C 18:15-16
Missionary work is worth it!
It reminds me of the story of Abinadi and Alma, his one convert. But that grew. Mosiah 18:30 How beautiful Iola is to me!
The actions of one person is the difference
In 1820, there was a young boy... (I told the first vision story slowly and with detail and recited the first vision.)
What happened here in Iola changed my family. It has changed my life.
A while ago there was a poster in the ensign with a picture of the sacred grove. The caption read, "What happened here changed the world. Let it change your life." Let the ripple effect continue and change you.
Testimony
(Sorry that is so rough. That is basically word for word my notes). I looked out and everyone was looking at me and listening. Many people were crying. It was so powerful. I was filled with such clarity. It was amazing.
Afterwards most of the ward approached me to thank me. Many people shared their stories with me. One woman was balling saying that her story was almost the same--except they stayed. Her father was a post man in Iola, just like my great grandfather, but in the 1950's. She was so touched that she got my address so that we could stay in touch. I gave her both my mission and home addresses, so you might hear from her. I don't even remember her name, but she was so sweet.
Annie told me that she had found out their address of where they lived in Iola. 201 Elm Street. I don't know if it is true, and there is a N Elm St, S Elm St. and E Elm St., but we decided to try to find it. It wasn't on N Elm St., so we tried S Elm Street. And there it was. I don't know if it was the right house, but it looked old enough when we looked at the foundation (it has had siding put on it, though). So I got a picture with it (no one was home). It could be a random house, or it could be the right one. You'll have to ask grandma
.
We ate lunch, and headed home. It was a beautiful day. I was so grateful to get to go. It was neat because I felt so much peace about the whole thing. I got to go there. I feel like I fulfilled something that needed to happen. But going there, I also knew that it wasn't my calling to serve in that area. My mission is elsewhere. But now I will not have any regrets--I've seen it, and I know that I did all that I needed to.
Last week as I was preparing my talk, I was having a rough day. Sister Hodson and I weren't getting along. I had been fighting the lingering feeling that I wasn't doing enough and that God was disappointed with me. I felt like I wasn't living up to the potential that I had, and it was eating me up. So I prayed. And the first thing that came to my mind was our family story (which I had just been studying). It was almost as if God was telling me, "If I didn't love you, I wouldn't have done all of this for you to receive the gospel. I did all of this for you. For all of your family, but for you." I felt such peace. He knows where I am, He knows I am not perfect, and he still loves me. Ever since then, this week has been wonderful. :)
The other big news is that President Keyes has decided to split our area. The work has grown enough recently that he has decided to put a set of missionaries in each ward so we won't be double covering anymore. He called on Friday to tell me the news, and asked me which ward we had more connections with. My mind raced through all of the good and bad things about each ward. I told him we were more connected to the Stanley Ward. Just like that, he said, "Okay, that is where you will stay. I will put the new set of missionaries in the Red Bridge Ward." After he hung up, my mind raced through all of the factors and I kept second guessing my decision. I hadn't even asked Sister Hodson! Honestly, the Red Bridge Ward is the easier ward. Tracting actually works there. Stanley ward is the wealthy one. We talked it through, and I feel like I made the right decision. I am excited for both wards to have missionaries. Red Bridge Ward has so much potential that we haven't been able to tap yet. Elders would be able to tract hard there, and do a lot of good work. I think the ward is ready for elders again, too.
Stanley Ward requested sisters for years. They need more relationship building and referrals from members. The members love us, and everyone is missionary minded. They will help the missionaries more.
I am happy that the work has grown to the point where this can happen. I've done something good here! President Keyes at first implied that he wanted me to stay for another transfer (4 transfers with Sister Hodson!), but then he heard how long I've been here. I probably am getting moved next transfer. All of the changes will happen then.
Side note, Gladys Knight is doing a missionary devotional in Independence that surrounding missionaries get to invite investigators to. She's bringing her choir with her. I hope that I am transferred close enough to get to go!
Last Wednesday, I was driving, and sitting at the front of a left turn lane of a big intersection. Right in front of me, a teenage girl turned left into another car, causing an accident. Everyone was fine, but we stuck around to be witnesses. We got to talk to some people about what missionaries do while we were waiting.
On Saturday, we dropped by an teenage investigator's house in the hopes of getting to teach him. He saw us, and we all sat down in the living room. It turned out that we taught his pastor dad, who only speaks Spanish. The kids were translating for him. It was clear that he was a very intelligent man. He was very nice to us, and we had a good discussion. He said he would read the Book of Mormon. It was pretty intense. We'll see how that goes when we see them next. He gave us tickets to a huge celebration of the Independence day of Mexico in downtown Kansas City. The flyer was all in Spanish and had some hard core looking rappers on the front. I don't think we're allowed to go. But, he said someone from our church should go and hand out flyers. That is what his church is doing. So maybe we'll send someone.
A funny story of the week: We were tracting, which honestly is always awkward at first. We were trying to build a conversation with this 50ish year old man who was Lutheran. I felt that I had some spider web on me, so I looked down and brushed it off and said, "Sorry, I just have spider web on me..." so that I didn't look silly waving at the air.
Then Sister Hodson looked down (while my back was turned). Suddenly I heard, "Get it off of me! Sister Atkin, there is a spider on me! Do you see it? Do you see it? Get it!!!!" Panicked, she was hugging herself and staring down with wide eyes at the spider hanging from her clothes. It actually was pretty big--light brown with red stripes.
I picked up the man's newspaper (he was still looking on) and waved it around to get the spider on the ground and then madly hit at it with his newspaper, thoroughly killing it. I gently set the newspaper down, stepped on the spider for good measure, and the looked up at the man who had been silently watching.
"Um...Do you like geneology?" I asked. I quickly explained the Family History Card I pulled out of my bag and we left. When we walked away and his door closed, I just laughed and laughed. Sister Hodson was still hyperventilating. It was soooo awkward and sooooo funny.
On a different note, this week I have been studying the Law of Sacrifice. My perspective of is has entirely changed recently. Reading in the Bible Dictionary about Sacrifices and then reading Oak's talk from last conference helped. I am learning what it actually means. I find it very interesting.
Mom, I love your question. About 6 months ago in the VC I asked the very same question. What does the doctrine of the priesthood mean? I came to the conclusion that it is the knowledge of how to use and magnify that power in more and more righteous ways. When a man has virtuous thoughts, he will be more able to see ways he can use his priesthood to bless others. I know that it also works for women, and we can see more ways that the priesthood can bless us and how we can work under the direction and order of the priesthood (like in Relief Society) to bless others. The temple does help understanding. What do you think?
I do need more medicine (honestly I only have enough to last through tomorrow).
I am running out of time, but I love you all! I'm excited for this next week!
Also, I love Sister Hodson. We are great friends. You will have to meet her someday. :)
Love,
Sister Atkin
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