Liebe Familie und Freunde,
Sometimes on a mission, weeks go by really, REALLY fast. Other times, they pass by so slowly that if you breathe too hard, it will stop. Thankfully, this week wasn't super slow, but it wasn't super fast either.
It was just a week.
But Sister Quain and I can honestly say that it was a good week. Why? Because we taught a lesson!!!! Never in my life have I been so happy to teach just one lesson in a week. And it even went well! This man had met the previous sisters and they had given him a Book of Mormon in Amharric and he had a lot of questions about where it came from, what it was about, and why it is like the Bible. So we talked about the Restoration of the church and it was a way good lesson. The Spirit was so strong during some parts as we talked about Joseph Smith and how the Book of Mormon helps us today. It was so good. It's proof to me that God loves us, and no matter where we come from or where we are, we can feel the Spirit. I know that's true because I spent a summer working at Subway and trust me, feeling the Spirit there is easier said than done. :P But we did it! And he felt the Spirit! We're calling him today to set up our next appointment!
Miracles, friends.
Apparently you can now download the church's Youth Album through the LDS Music app. It works on Sister Quain's iPad, but not mine.... It's probably better that way, honestly. It's almost impossible for me to even cook dinner without listening hymns or other mission-appropriate music. And singing along. I apologize to all my companions who have had to listen to me make up random harmonies as I go along. Thankfully, Sister Quain is pretty okay with it. She even sings along, sometimes. :)
This week I've thought a lot about enduring to the end. It's been on my mind a lot because honestly, the first half of this week was pretty rough. It was just really cold (not as cold as you friends in Utah, but it's a wet cold so it's not nice either way :P ) and we weren't seeing the success that I wanted to, and our GML misunderstood some things that I had said so he thought I was mad at the ward for "not doing missionary work" and had a long talk with us all at Gemiko, and it was just a lot of stuff all at once, and I was feeling not so great about it all. It affected everything that I had to do, and it was not fun. And by not fun, I mean "like unto how I felt when I left Nürnberg" not fun.
In the midst of this, I was so grateful that I still felt the Spirit. I still felt loved by my Father in Heaven and I knew He was helping Sister Quain and I even though I couldn't see it. It was an interesting feeling to have while I was feeling so miserable. The only thing more interesting was the thought that kept coming into my head that I needed to choose to be happy. Turns out some of what Sister Robinson said during my year and a half in her Sunday School class stuck.
We get to choose our attitudes. Yes, life is hard. Sometimes things happen that make us sad, frustrated, or even depressed. But ultimately, the choice is ours. At District Meeting, Elder Wallentine mentioned that his greatest joy honestly comes from his knowledge of the Atonement and he Resurrection. He knows that no matter how bad things may get, it won't last forever and he will be happy again. He just has to do his best and keep pushing forward.
That thought has stuck with me this whole week. We just have to do our best, and keep moving forward in the Gospel. We have to endure, yes. But we can choose to endure grudgingly (like I did at the beginning of the week), or we can endure joyfully and make the most of every moment we have been given, good or bad! President Nelson said it perfectly last conference, "Life is filled with detours and dead ends, trials and challenges of every kind. Each of us has likely had times when distress, anguish, and despair almost consumed us. Yet we are here to have joy? Yes! The answer is a resounding yes! ...That’s it! Saints can be happy under every circumstance. We can feel joy even while having a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad year!"
How cool is that? No matter what happens, we can have joy in this life! That's incredible! And it all comes through our Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the source of this great happiness, and we should always remember that. I love Him, and I am so grateful that even when I am so prideful as to forget why I'm here on this earth in the first-place, He helps me turn back to the real reason and repent and become better. That is true joy.
I want to invite you all to look for the blessings in your lives, think of how happy they make you, and then go and share that joy with someone else. You could take a sibling to a movie they wanted to see, go on a picnic with a friend, or write a letter to your parents. Just do something to make someone else smile and let them know you care. Everyone is fighting a tough battle. So let's all help each other out, okay?
I love this Gospel, and I know it's true. I am grateful for the opportunity I've had to come and serve a mission, and I am so grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way. Thank you for your love and prayers.
I love you all, and I hope you have a fantastic day, and a fabulous week!
Liebe Grüße,
Sister John
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