This week has been one of those weeks that, looking back, felt like a month! I guess transfers always throw off time when you stay in the same area just because getting a new companion makes everything feel different and new. We picked up our new companion, sister Coglianese, on tuesday and I got to say one last goodbye to Sister Aguilar and a bunch of others that I won't be able to say goodbye to later so that was a tender mercy. Sister Coglianese is an amazing sister, she has been being trained by Sister Aguilar and a Brazilian sister but is grateful to be with us since we're not sister training leaders and have a bit more of a regular routine. She is from Rexburg Idaho and super down-to-earth and nice. It's too bad she has been so sick this past weekend (long story short we had to make an ER run friday) because we get along really well and I'm excited to get to know her better. Sister Smith has had a hard couple of days- she is dairy and gluten intolerant and someone fed us meatballs that made her have a reaction last night so I went out with a member while she and sister Coglianese stayed home. Sister Coglianese doesn't eat sugary treats ever or they make her sick so I have become the designated treat person.... this feels so backwards, I'm always the healthiest one!!!! But really, I think Heavenly Father is looking down at me and laughing. It's actually a lot easier to be healthy when you're companions don't pressure you to eat whatever junk they're eating. POTATO CHIPS ARE NOT LUNCH. CHOCOLATE AND ICE CREAM ARE NOT BREAKFAST. And Sister Aguilar- ketchup on plain toast? Still trying to figure that one out... peruvians. ;)
I don't mind being out with members and working but it is a lot better to have an actual missionary companion- splitting up as often as we do makes me extremely grateful for companions. Sister Coglianese and Sister Smith are both wonderful teachers. I've noticed more than ever week that as much as I have been trying to become more humble, I feel like I get more and more prideful, at least about my mission. I cannot count how many times different people that I barely know have started talking to us and one of the first things they've said is: "Wow it must be hard serving in Utah. What do you do here?" I have a testimony that the Lord will never send a missionary to a place that there is no missionary work to do. I understand why members get caught up in the mormon bubble- especially in this area there are a lot more members than non-members, in some places it's even 95% activity in the church, but what about the other 5%? Does God not love them too? Can he not perform miracles here because "most people" already have the gospel? Well, God didn't send us here for "most people", he sent us here to find the lost ones. And oh what joy we have felt as we have continually sought out those lost ones and seen lives change. I wouldn't trade my mission for anything, and I especially wouldn't trade WHERE I served my mission for anything.
So that's my bout of Utah pride for you, hope it wasn't too harsh. In order to reconcile, I should probably express my gratitude for the incredible members I do get to work with. No where else in the world can you find such a large amount of God-loving, charitable, willing to do anything for anyone anytime type of people. I've seen what true conversion looks like thanks to these incredible neighbors and stake and ward leaders.
We were able to teach a lot of lessons this week and have a full schedule for next week as well which is always a huge blessing! We are teaching Mike again and he is opening up even more. sadly he didn't make it to church this week because his grandkids came but he accepted the challenge to read the Book of Mormon cover to cover and has already started. He is such a sweet man and I really hope he is able to get the answer he is looking for. Or at least recognize the answer God is giving him. We switched our other stake with the elders so we now serve in the Kaysville east stake and the Fruit heights stake which border each other. It makes a lot more sense this way so we don't have to cross through areas to get to our other stake. We continued teaching a sweet mother the elders were helping prepare for baptism- she is getting baptized on August first. Her husband isn't really in the picture right now so she is basically a single mom raising her 5 year old boy. My heart aches to see how broken homes become when Fathers don't understand or carry out their role. They have some amazing neighbors in the ward with kids that the 5 yr old plays with and he came home one day and said to his mom: "Mommy, I want a family like Jason's family. I want brothers and sisters to play with and a daddy who comes home and eats dinner with us and plays with me. I'll even have quiet time like they do!" there is nothing that cuts the heart more than a 5 yr. old already recognizes the lack of togetherness in his own home. I know the Lord will bless them as they set the example for their dad and live the gospel.
Well I have just been full of things to say this week... maybe I should get out more. Speaking of getting out more, I have a funny story about President and sister Spendlove. She was talking about how she knew he was the right one to marry and as she very emotionally said "I had just never met anyone like him, and haven't since then." President gently touched her knee and said "Oh Honey... you really need to get out more!"
They are perfect for each other. Mission presidents are the best! I'll leave it at that for this week:)
Love,
Sister Pearson
Mis companeras! We called this "the adoption"
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