Sunday, June 20, 2010

Week 8 Visalia: Mission Home Call/ Working as a Trio/Yes, Sister Missionaries Wear Make up/ 102 degrees/Spider Door Approach/Wonderful New Members

The other night we were just leaving our dinner appointment when we saw that we had a missed call from the Mission Home. The Mission Home! Helloooo. What?? I immediately started wondering which one of my family members passed away and whether or not I would go home for the funeral or stay and finish out my mission. Yay for an overactive mind. Turns out no one has died, but we will be getting an addition to our companionship! One of the sisters in the mission had to go home due to some health problems, and President was calling us to see if we would be okay with having her companion come to Visalia for the rest of the transfer! Whoa! So I guess we will be a trio now! The sister coming is Sister Toa, the one that I was supposed to be companions with at the MTC! Haha. I guess we really need to learn something from each other. :) So the Assistants brought a bed, dresser, and desk from Fresno yesterday. Woot! This ward is getting even more opportunities to love sisters!
Sister Hernandez is pretty much the bomb dot com. We are severely similar in personality and between the laughing fits are able to teach wonderfully together. We are both lacking in directional skills but thankfully we're able to walk places some days and not use our vehicle. And, thankfully Visalia is teeny tiny so that we've pretty much got the streets down now!
It reached 102 degrees yesterday! Sometimes I wish we didn't have a thermometer so that we wouldn't know how it really is. Haha. All we wanted during the day was for some precious soul to offer us some ice cold water, and it took six hours to get some! Finally as things began to cool off we tracted on a member's street and begged for some refreshment. Boy was that nice!
I am actually getting some color to my arms.....but it's the region from my elbows to my wrists...and I have a massive watch line. Wahoo! There's a reason we don't go swimming. The contrast in skin color would shock the world. But yes, Sister Bolliger with a skin color. Miracles do happen!
It has been a challenge figuring out what is and has been going on here regarding missionary work. We were actually able to talk with President at the last Zone Conference. Trying to keep President's trust in us while remaining humble and getting out and doing the work day after day. :) But I just smile. And laugh. And then make a lame joke or something and it is alllll good.
We were able to go into Young Women's on Sunday and talk about missionary work and things that we would like to hear about in letters from home. One of the Young Women asked if we were allowed to wear makeup. Uhhhh...yeah. SIster Hernandez and I turned to each other and were like... "Yes, we can. And...we're wearing some!" I guess we didn't look as done up as we thought we did. Oh well! They also asked if we had to wear ugly clothes all the time. Hahahah. Sister H and I chorlted for the rest of the day. :)
There's currently an ant infestation in the apartment. OHH! but speaking of bugs. The other day we were going to contact a referral and as we were talking to the lady I felt something on my neck. I thought it was my hair being ridiculous so I just brushed it away. Then I felt something again. As I went to put my ridiculous hair where it needed to be, I pulled off a HUGE GINORMOUS SPIDER and promptly threw it on the ground and did a little ceremonial/freak out dance on the porch. The woman thought that I was psychotic. Realizing that I am a representative of the Church, I promptly picked the spider back up and semi-shoved it in her face. Then she freaked out. Haha. Juuust kidding. I just pointed at the spider on the ground and then she realized what I was doing. And then we set up a church tour. Hahaha. Now I am just waiting for the spidey sense and webs to come shooting out of my wrists so that I can wrangle people to Church on Sundays. :) I think that's a good plan.
The work is going well here. I am excited for the people we're teaching and continuing to realize how important and wonderful the gospel is! There are some incredible converts here in this area and I am amazed at the sacrifices that they are making to be members of the Church--but I know that it is worth it! I know that we teach of truth and that everything we're teaching isn't to make people change just because, it's to allow themselves to receive the incredible blessings of our Heavenly Father!
I am also progressively getting more and more into the missionary mindset. We were tracting on Wednesday and there was a TV going at one house when we were talking with this man and his kids were watching "Finding Nemo." While I have quoted the "Mine, mine, mine" part of the seagulls....it was nothing like when I was sitting there trying to keep my eyes from watching. I felt guilty even hearing it. Haha. And it was weird. And I have lost so much memory of everything. :) I guess my brain is just getting filled with gospel stuff.
Speaking of gospel stuff, I am currently half way through Jesus the Christ. This book literally rocks my world. I've read it before but on a mission I have come to realize so much more about the Savior's earthly ministry. It has helped so much as I am able to put things into perspective for my tiny missionary service in California. I am so excited to wake up each morning and read and learn more about the pattern the Savior set. As I am trying to develop more charity for everyone around me, studying the way that Jesus interacted with everyone is the prime example for what I need to emulate. I have concluded that no amount of superiority in knowledge or experience warrants ill will or pride. I have to love people with all of their faults, at the very least, because my Heavenly Father loves me with all of my faults. If I don't care about the members, the investigators, or just the general people, why would they care about me?
Gosh! So much to learn!! Busy busy busy!
And that is the random, not very informative, but still indicative of my general mental state e-mail about my missionary service. :)
Hermana Bolliger

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