"Serving From The South": Emotional Roller Coasters

Mission life is so full of emotional roller coasters. You get so attached to an investigator, you pray for them, you fast for them, you think of them all the time - of what they need and how you can help them. And then when they choose another path, it is truly devastating. I come to see them just as Heavenly Father does, a precious child of God. So that was pretty sad this week when an investigator I have come to love chose to go another way. I think there are some family issues, but still I feel sad. I understand how a parent must feel about a wayward child or even how our Heavenly Father must feel when we make mistakes and choose to go off of the path we know to be right. I have faith that if she is ready The Lord WILL help prepare a way for her. So I will just have to hold on to that faith.

Other than that, not much else has happened. We had interviews with the mission president this week and those went really well. It always feel so good when the Mission President tells you he is proud of you. So, while our zone was waiting for interviews we were getting taught and receiving instruction from the AP's. At one part they handed out a quiz, multiple choice, T/F and fill in the blank all about the white handbook (or book containing all of the missionary rules). Well we all took the quiz, then passed our paper next to us to grade each other's and I was the only one in the zone who made 100%! It was awesome! And one of the AP's came up to me after during break and was like 'thanks for working so hard, and striving to be obedient, you're a great missionary and it shows'. It was so nice!

I've also become really interested in Family History lately, I've used our email and mormon.org time a couple times a month to go on family search it has been so interesting. I just love it! When I get home I really want to make it a goal to do indexing and other things like that. I also want to sit down with grandparents and hear all the stories first hand of them and their ancestors. I just find it so fascinating and have this drive and desire to learn. I think I really have caught that spirit of Elijah.

I am learning so much. This week I have really been studying priesthood authority. I most recently learned that not only was Jesus baptized to be an example but He himself was baptized by proper authority as John was a descendant of Aaron, both parents being of priestly descent. His father a priest and his mother a "descendant of Aaron's daughters" (Luke 1:5). Every day my testimony is strengthened as I study the scriptures that this IS the exact SAME church that Christ set up while He was on the earth, that God directed Adam to set up, that Moses taught the Israelites. Its the same. God designed one church not 1,000, and I keep learning more and more how the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is that church.

Not too much else is going on here, its been a good week. Ups and downs and all around, but at the end of the day I know I am doing my best and trying my hardest on the Lord's errand.

So this weekend I get to go back to Whidbey for "I"s baptism, and she also asked me to be one of the speakers. SO EXCITED :)

I also found out I'm slightly lactose intolerant. hah! So now I'm on lactose-free milk, but it tastes the same as regular milk. So funny...I always picked skim because it tasted more watery and didn't make my stomach hurt, but ice cream and milk always makes my stomach hurt so it's good to know the problem. Lol

Thanks for all the love and support.

Love

Sister Wawro

PICTURES:

We were walking and we saw a house with dead grass I was like "ahh home!!!!!!!!!!!!!" haha! It reminded me of Texas. It was funny!