This week has been an absolutely wild ride- it feels like it's been
two or three weeks! I have no clue where to start. So Monday it is!
On Monday we made contact with Nicole, who the missionaries recently
started meeting with. She didn't make it to church Sunday- turns out
it was crazy work stuff going on. Then we walked around a lot.
Tuesday, we did service for Sister Kahm- she needed some help around
the house. So that was a lot of fun! We had an appointment with the
Wieses (less active members) and we played a Ten Commandments matching
game. Then we had a scripture study- they have that weekly. We heard
some interesting comments from Mike Dison about his theories on the
premortal life (that we all lived on a planet and as it exploded God
gained his powers and snatched up our souls and gave them new bodies
on this planet....so Krypton) so we might be talking about the plan of
salvation with him sometime soon! He's a funny guy- great testimony,
loves the Lord, and very unique.
On Wednesday we did wapis! Always fun. And then we got Panda Express!
That was exciting. Elder Read was doing this magic trick and Sister
Arnett was trying so hard to figure out the trick! It was, of course,
super simple. Anyway, that was a lot of fun. Then, lots of walking.
Met a bunch of nice people, including someone who just moved in to the
ward. After dinner, we met with the Pears and Brother Pears actually
admitted he likes when we come over- a first, according to Sister
Dearden! He likes to pretend he doesn't have a testimony, but we're
pretty sure he does.
Thursday, we had zone meeting- that was fun! Lots of good trainings
and a bunch of mind games by the elders. Then they went to clean
windows at the soccer place, but we had to go to an appointment with
Sister Carter (another member). She's had some struggles lately but
she's close to coming back to church! That's exciting! We had dinner
with the Burgoynes (they're office missionaries) and that was so fun.
Their daughter sent them Merlin on DVD and they just started watching
that. We also saw Stephanie again! She's doing alright- just pushing
through! She's really tough. She was telling us about how she got all
dressed up very professionally and she was talking about how she felt
confident and beautiful, even more that she ever felt wearing short
skirts or low shirts or stuff like that. That was awesome to hear! She
is on her way for sure.
Friday was normal planning stuff. Then Saturday we set up a regular
time with the Morrises- they just recently returned to activity and
are working on going to the temple, but they're still working on
understanding some of the basics. They were really excited when we
proposed it! We had correlation that night- lots of planning for the
ward variety show this coming Friday!
Sunday was a long day. Daylight savings made ward council at 7am
miserable. Then I got some bad news- I found out that Adam passed away
last week. That was rough. So after church I got a blessing. We walked
around a lot- the first door we knocked on turned out to be a less
active member! His wife is not a member- apparently he's been trying
to convince her to be baptized forever, yet he never comes to church
or prays. So we're thinking we'll ask him to walk the walk before he
talks the talk. We went by our dinner appointment and she'd forgotten,
clearly, so we just didn't mention it. She had signed up to have us
over for FHE though so we set that up! It felt like it lasted forever.
Anyway. That was the week! Sorry for rambling on so much. It's been
pretty crazy! This ward is pretty awesome, though different. The
members are really nice and the area is fun. We walk a whole lot but
it's okay because Sister Dearden and I are into a lot of the same
things! Music, shows, etc. So we always have something to talk about.
Thought of the week: it's a long quote from Elder Holland (Nov 2003
Ensign, "The Grandeur of God")
"There, in the midst of a grand vision of humankind which heaven
opened to his view, Enoch, observing both the blessings and challenges
of mortality, turns his gaze toward the Father and is stunned to see
Him weeping. He says in wonder and amazement to this most powerful
Being in the universe: “How is it that thou canst weep? … Thou art
just [and] merciful and kind forever; … Peace … is the habitation of
thy throne; and mercy shall go before thy face and have no end; how is
it thou canst weep?”
Looking out on the events of almost any day, God replies: “Behold
these thy brethren; they are the workmanship of mine own hands. … I
gave unto them … [a] commandment, that they should love one another,
and that they should choose me, their Father; but behold, they are
without affection, and they hate their own blood. … Wherefore should
not the heavens weep, seeing these shall suffer?”
That single, riveting scene does more to teach the true nature of God
than any theological treatise could ever convey. It also helps us
understand much more emphatically that vivid moment in the Book of
Mormon allegory of the olive tree, when after digging and dunging,
watering and weeding, trimming, pruning, transplanting, and grafting,
the great Lord of the vineyard throws down his spade and his pruning
shears and weeps, crying out to any who would listen, “What could I
have done more for my vineyard?”
What an indelible image of God’s engagement in our lives! What anguish
in a parent when His children do not choose Him nor “the gospel of
God” He sent! How easy to love someone who so singularly loves us!"
Coming to know more about the nature of God has been one of the great
blessings of my mission so far. I have come to know my Savior even
more, and also learned more about my Heavenly Father and His plan. I
came to the realization that not knowing the nature of God, not
knowing who He is, believing in some ethereal force or cloud, leads to
a loss of faith, a loss of respect and reverence. But a real,
immediate God- one who cares for us and is involved in our day to day
life, that is the God we truly can worship- and that is who He is! He
is there for us- He is not some impersonal CEO so high up the ladder
that we never cross paths. No, He is our Father, our best friend, our
aid in troubled times. He loves us! And that is so important to know.
I love you all! But not as much as God does :)
Sister Jacobs
This week was quite odd. For one, it was sunny for three days! And then, last night, there was actual lightning, which is surprisingly a first since I've been here.
