Changes and Service

Dear Family,

I will try to fit this whole week in this email, but it will be hard to do. I love you!

Okay. So last Monday we had an awesome P-Day with the elders. We played ultimate and I got SO TIRED. We had dinner with a less active, and she told me that I needed to go home because I looked so tired. I guess I shouldn't have played so hard...

Tuesday was a good day. We worked and taught. We taught Brother Thacker, and as usual, he had no problems with it. Right after the lesson I got a phone call from President Keyes. But I will tell you that later so that I can tell you all of the big news at once. That night we were able to visit a woman whose friends are all mormon. She lives in our neighborhood. She had a bunch of questions and was very nice. She joked that the reason she wasn't mormon was because she likes her tea. She'll get baptized someday.

Then transfer calls came full of surprises (well, not in my case):

They opened Iola to sisters! The sisters going there are great. I am very happy for them. For a bunch of reasons I talked to them this week, and they said that the ward has told them all about me saying I was their first sister missionary paving the way for more sisters to come. I think it is great because the elders were emergency transferred for disobedience, so sisters are healing the ward's hurt.

Red Bridge Ward got elders, but one isn't coming for two weeks because he is in the MTC learning ASL, so the sisters might still be double covering for two weeks (which wrecks all of our plans. We got them dinners and everything. Oh, well). The other one is in a trio until then.

And finally, I was transferred to the North Kansas City Ward. When President Keyes took me aside to tell me about it, he informed me that the temple is in my area--we meet in the church that shares a parking lot with the temple, the brand new stake center they held the open house in. Exciting! They already have elders, but the work has exploded there since the temple was dedicated, so they need another set of missionaries. They specifically requested sisters. The ward is very excited to have us. The Zone Leaders are in that area with us. We are in the Liberty Zone. I will be training Sister Karlie Harding from Lehi, Utah. We will also be serving in the Independence Visitors' Center. I also received the calling to be a Sister Trainer at the VC (basically a sister Zone Leader). Wow. I can't think of anything that could be harder. I am training, opening a new area, and acting as a Sister Trainer.

Last week I told you how stressed I was for a couple of days. Well, I asked for a blessing from my Zone Leaders just for strength. I was doing well, but I felt I needed something else to help me with what was ahead. I am so glad I did. It was a beautiful blessing that just said that God and President Keyes are both aware of me and my situation. They are both proud of me and I am training again for a reason. I just need to turn to prayer and the scriptures for help. It was all stuff I already knew, but it brought me a lot of peace. One of the elders giving the blessing cried more than I did. I was glad to give them the chance to serve, too.

Sister Hodson and I ended on a high. The night before I left we stayed out teaching as late as is allowed. It was an awesome way to end. I love her so much. I think we will be friends for life after all that we went through together. It wasn't easy, but I love her SO MUCH. I can't even tell you. She's amazing.

On Thursday were transfers. We left bright and early. I cried when I said good bye to Sister Hodson. I was sad to go. But I was also excited for the new adventure and challenge. I've learned that when the Lord gives me something new and hard to do, it is the best thing ever. I grow so much, and He helps me the whole time. That is when joy happens.

Then I met Sister Harding. She is pretty shy. She hated school, so she has worked for the last few years, and now has felt she needs to be here. Admittedly, when I first met her I was nervous. We seemed to have very little in common. And with no time to do anything, we dropped our stuff off at our apartment (new to both of us) and ran to the VC to be on shift. The other Sister Trainer is Sister Hansen. She was totally overwhelmed and stressed. I felt bad about it, but I had to leave Sister Harding for a long time to go and slave over the VC schedule, which is one of our responsibilities. The center was very slow.

The schedule is crazy. It is a nightmare. We have to consider a bajillion different factors to see who can serve when and make sure we have enough sisters on shift. Excell was our life saver. Sunday is even worse because the center stays open, but everyone has to be able to go to their church meetings. That drained a lot of my time this last weekend. Also, I am becoming aware of a lot of problems that happen in the VC that I was never aware of. I thought there was no drama there, but now it is my job to know about it and stop it. Complicated.

Also, I got to give a training to all of the sisters the day after I arrived. It went well.

Friday night we got a ride back to Overland Park for Jesse's baptism. It was beautiful. It was packed. When I walked in, I was chatting with someone and out of no where Sister Hodson basically tackled me. I didn't see her coming. She was so glad to see me. She seems to be doing well, though. She was smiling. It was a wonderful baptism. President Keyes even came. Everything went perfectly. In a way, I was glad to have that over so I could finally 100% be here now in my new area.

Over the next few days we met with the elders serving in our area a few times. Like I said, they are our Zone Leaders. They told me about the work. They had 4 baptisms the week before we came. One of them was new to the area, so it was one elder filling the rest of us in. It was silly because Sister Harding had no idea what was going on, and his companion didn't know anything yet, so basically Elder Fulmer brain dumped on me while I asked a bajillion questions. I think I intimidate him because he has seemed extra scatterbrained recently. Oops. They are good elders, though, and I am excited to serve with them. It took a few days before we even knew where our area was, and another few days before we had any kind of area book (it is currently an Area Folder).

We also met with the Bishop and Ward Mission Leader first thing. I am so excited to be serving here. They are on FIRE. The bishop is the most fiery, missionary minded bishop I have met in my whole life. Missionary work is his thing. He wants us to text him every night a report of what we did that day so he can put it on a google doc spreadsheet online that the whole ward counsel (which is all of the auxilliaries, their counselors and secretaries) can view all of the time. Wow. He told me (and got emotional saying it) that it was an honor to have me, a trainer in their ward. He said that of all callings, being a trainer is the most honorable. I think President Keyes talked me up to him. No pressure. But I guess as far as I know, I am the only sister to have ever trained three times....that's crazy. I love training, though. I wouldn't mind doing it for the rest of my mission.

On Sunday was Fast and Testimony meeting. The Bishop informed us that all four missionaries were to sit on the stand and be the first ones to bear our testimonies. Oh, and President Keyes would be there, too. No pressure.

Sister Harding was SO nervous. She is a shy person and this kind of thing scares her to death. I was fasting for her, and for our area. Specifically that I would be able to help her and that she would gain confidence. My fast was answered. I went first, and then she bore her testimony. Her voice didn't shake, she didn't break down into tears, and she spoke clearly and with power. She sat down and whispered to me after I told her she did well, "That has never happened in my whole life. I have NEVER spoken in front of people without crying uncontrollably or my voice cracking". It was a miracle and we both recognized it. Then after our part was done, a member got up and bore her testimony of missionary work and gave us--the sisters--a referral over the pulpit. Miracle number two. God is definitely been watching out for us.

Ever since Sister Harding's miracle testimony, her whole attitude has changed. At first she talked a lot about how hard this was for her, and how far out of her comfort zone she was, but now she is on fire. Her attitude is, if it happened once, it will happen again. She is bold and confident (if still awkward sometimes. We all are. Seriously, being a missionary is just awkward). She has changed so much in a matter of days. I really like her. I think we will get along great.

Yesterday we only had twoish hours in our area. But we wanted to hit the ground running. We taught 4 lessons, found 2 new investigators and 1 probably investigator. No one rejected us. It was crazy. I am so excited to be here (I am sure we will face rejection later, but God sure is helping us start out).

We have had some drama at the VC, and I have already had to take someone aside to address some concerns, but I really feel that the Lord has prepared me for this. Everything I have experienced so far has taught me the skills I needed to be a leader here. I still have a lot left to learn, but God has prepared me.

On Saturday we watched the Relief Society General Broadcast. It was so good. As I sat and watched the new presidency get up and share their thoughts, I felt a huge connection to them. I know what they are feeling right now, at least on a lower level. I know how overwhelmed, humbled, grateful, and supported they feel. It is a lot, but they trust God to help them. They are me. I can't even describe what kinship I felt to them. And then President Eyring's talk was meant for me, too. I can't wait to read that one (maybe you could email me the text?). Loved it.

Also, since we have been so busy we came in and had no time to grocery shop and no food. The Overland Park members that drove us home found out, so they dropped us off, went and bought a ton of food and brought it to us. I was SO grateful. I don't know what we would have eaten for the next few days if they hadn't done that. I was overwhelmed with their generosity. Then this week, our Ward Mission Leader's wife has insisted on buying us groceries every week. She always has bought them for the elders and intends on doing it for us, too. We felt really bad. When she demanded a list, we gave her a few things we needed. She thought the list was too short and went all out. We have SO MUCH FOOD. We were so grateful!!! Our fridge and cupboards are full! This has never happened to me ever. We are taken care of.

So that is a rough summary of what has happened in the last 10 days. My life is turned entirely upside down. I can't believe it hasn't been a month.

I am out of time and brains, but I love you. I am very happy here. Miracles are happening right and left. I just have to sprint to keep up.

I love you!

Love,

Sister Atkin