Weird Thanksgiving Week

November 30, 2015

The week of 9/23/15-9/29/15 in Sister Rodda's eyes.

Let's just say it was a weirdddd week. Because of the Holiday we had a lot of days and schedules switched around. The fact that Monday wasn't a preparation day just made the week weird.

Monday: Monday we had our studies and then we were able to email for one hour. That one hour was like a mad rush everyone was silent and just typing as fast as they could. We were able to email on Monday (even though it wasn't our preparation day) because we had to email President Bonham and he told us we had to at least email our families so they wouldn't worry... I don't get it. ;) So that's exactly what I did. After that we tried to go out and work. I say tried because the whole day just felt "off." Everywhere we went we just got bad feelings so we followed the spirit, everything fell through, it was a Monday and we were out contacting people... The only way to describe it is: it was weird. By the way I have been using the word weird a lot so I thought I would give you the definition.

Weird: ADJ. 1. of or about ghosts, etc; mysterious, eerie, etc. 

Yeah I don't know where Webster's New World Dictionary got that definition because the only ghost I know is the Holy Ghost and I wouldn't use "weird" to describe the third member of the Godhead. 

I am going to go with the second definition in the dictionary. 

Weird: ADJ. 2. strange; bizarre

That sums it up.

Tuesday: It was a typical missionary day. The best days! The best day is when you have literally nothing. You have a whole full day to plan for. Nine full hours of contacting. I love those days. We didn't see a lot of outward miracles but we know that there were a lot of tender mercies "behind the scenes".

Wednesday: We had district meeting in the morning! Sister Johnson and I had to give instruction on "setting realistic goals" it turned out great and the South Whidbey sisters gave instruction right after on "Accounting." Sister Bell did a great job. I love her! We also taught a less active we found. She is a convert of 15 years and has a lot of health issues that restrict her from going anywhere. We read in the Book of Mormon with her and we are excited to see her progress. We have a lesson with her on Tuesday and the relief society president is coming with us! We also had a lesson with Maria, Reymundo, Adolfo, and Jacob our cute little investigator family- except Reymundo is a recent convert now! They are doing great. We talked about service and we shared my favorite parable in Matthew 25 of the sheep and the goats. It is the same concept of Mosiah 2:17 "When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

Thursday: THANKSGIVING! It is funny because holidays in the mission field don't really feel like holidays. They just feel like really good days! A lot of the typical traditions we do with our families back home don't happen so it doesn't feel the same. It was a great day though. We were able to email for a little bit in the morning. Then we went and played soccer at a nearby park with a few sets of elders. It was so much fun! We used my ball and the field was so muddy. You would try to turn or stop running or even kick a ball and all the sudden you were on the ground. One of the elders crossed the ball in and I tried to run onto it but before I knew it I was on my stomach like I was sliding into home. I wish Hayden would have been there. He would have called me "SAFE!" Another time I tried to take a shot from almost half and the next thing I knew I was on my back. I didn't miss the ball though. I just kicked and kept going. Sister Johnson said she saw my head bounce on the ground. It was fun and most of the time we couldn't stop laughing. We went to a members house for dinner afterward. The turkey was great and it was just a good day! We had to be in by six to avoid the drunks and to do weekly planning. We were so stuffed so we took the pie to go. But by the time we started weekly planning I had eaten all the apples out of the apple pie. Typical, I know.

Friday: In the morning we finished weekly planning and then had a meeting with our ward mission leader. We were trying to come up with a new ward mission plan. We brainstormed some ideas and came up with a rough draft. When we presented it in ward council they all LOVED it! So that is a good. :) We just went out and worked the rest of the day. OH MY GOODNESS MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT EVER. We were at a member’s home for dinner. Actually the same members who fed us thanksgiving. We were eating on their couches (because a lot of people do that here) and it is just the wife, Sister Johnson, and me. She told us her husband was sick and was in bed sleeping. Then all the sudden the husband throws something and literally scares me half to death. The plate that was sitting on my lap was now face down on their very light colored rug. It was beautiful. Luckily the cranberry sauce stuff landed right next to the ONLY red flower on the rug. That was at least a positive. Nothing like mashed potatoes mashed in the rug.

Saturday: Once again I was sick. I had been feeling kinda crummy a few days before. I called our mission doctor and he told me to stay in most of the day. It was like a cold but all in my chest and lungs not in my head. I still have a cough and a sore throat but nearly as bad!

Sunday: Well we got to speak in sacrament meeting. YAY. They gave us two topics earlier this week and let us pray and choose who did what. Then we got a text from a member of the bishopric asking which one of us was the senior companion. Whoever was senior had to be the closing speaker. That was me. We both gave 20 minute talks and shoot, it is so stressful thinking about how you can add or take away from a talk you've written depending on the time. It turned out great though. Sister Johnson spoke on how to overcome the fear of member missionary work and I talked on how to gain a testimony. In my talk I used Alma chapter 32 when Alma compares the word unto a seed. I compared gaining and strengthening a testimony unto a seed. I shared how I gained my testimony and how I decided to serve a mission. I will send home my talk mom so you can read it. ;) I don't know what to do with a talk after you give it. I feel too bad just throwing it away after spending so much time on it. After we gave our talks the member of the bishopric that assigned it to us said, "You know, I prayed and prayed and prayed about who should talk on these subjects and you two did it perfectly as to what Heavenly Father wanted to be conveyed." We finished the rest of our meetings on Sunday, did our studies, had dinner, and then visited more people!

There is a great thing that started yesterday and that is the new Christmas initiative! Some of greatest experiences I have had on my mission include the Christmas and Easter initiatives. Where someone can watch a truly powerful video and then you can simply testify. This year it is called, "A Savior is Born." And you can find the 2 minute video at christmas.mormon.org or use #ASaviorisBorn. It is a great way to quickly invite the spirit and to remember the true meaning of Christmas!  

Ponderizing: The scripture I chose this week is 1 Nephi 21:16

I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ. There have been many tragedies of people I served and people I know back home and it is comforting to know that Heavenly Father has a plan for each of his children. I know that Jesus Christ suffered so we don't have to. I know that he truly broke the bands of death and that we can live with our families forever. As a missionary you have the greatest privilege of all and that is being able to testify of the truths of the Gospel. You can bring the spirit into someone's home who is grieving and just watch as they are slowly comforted. We truly have a front row seat of the greatest miracle of all: the effect of Christ's Atonement on people.

I love you all and I am so grateful for the example I have in my life. I am excited for this Christmas season! It will be a white Christmas in the Pacific Northwest, I am sure of it!

Love,

Sister Rodda