This
week has been crazy. As soon as I got here, I was rushed all around
and then to my class where I met my district and my companion. My
companion's name is Sister Davis. She's so cute! I'm a fan of her. There
are four sisters in my district, and we're all going to Knoxville, and
one Elder who is going, too. The other five Elders in the district are
going to Little Rock, Arkansas. The first day was mostly a blur, but
hey! I'm a missionary now!
The
spirit here is insane! I'm drinking from a fire hose! I think I've
probably cried every day, and not because I'm missing anyone, but
because the spirit is so strong. Honestly, I don't have time to miss
anyone. Our schedule is that packed!
So,
on the second day we met with the Branch President. I already have
used my piano skills. I played the opening hymn for that meeting.
After being interviewed we all got our callings. Sister Davis and I got
called as Greeters. That basically means that we're cute enough to make
people feel welcomed when they come in for Sacrament meeting, but that
won't happen until next Sunday. I'm good at being cute. :D
We
have a few investigators. One is named Segan. He's Catholic, but he
doesn't like the idea that families aren't eternal in his religion.
We're trying to focus on God's love for him, and him feeling the
spirit. Our other investigator is Carolina. We meet with her on skype and
will continue to for all of our meetings but one. She's also Catholic.
We just met her yesterday, so we haven't discussed exactly what we want
to help her with, yet, but we'll figure it out. She's so sweet! We
asked her if she wanted a Book of Mormon when she comes to the MTC, and
she was happy to have one! I love both of them so much! They're both
such great people. I just hope they can find God's love for them.
I
just wanted to share a really cool story that happened when we were
preparing to teach Segan. So, our awesome teacher, Brother Whiting, was going
back and forth between our class and the one next to us, because for
some reason their teacher didn't show up. So, I was reading D&C
11:12-14, and as I was reading that, I thought about this little
three-part clip that Elder Bednar put together about ways the spirit
works called, "Patterns of Light." At the time I couldn't think of what
it was called, so I wanted to ask Brother Whiting. He wasn't in the
classroom, so I peaked my head out of the room to find him, and he was
in the other classroom showing "Patterns of Light" to them. I freaked
out and got Sister Davis over to see it, and we knew that we had to show
that to him! It made us tear up! I can't wait to show it to Segan and see
what he has to say about it. I would highly suggest to everyone to go
watch it. It's so beautiful.
So,
before I came here I promised myself that I was going to be obedient. I
pretty quickly found out that's a lot easier said than done. But
something that my Branch President said is that you only need to decide
once what kind of missionary you're going to be - an obedient
missionary, or an exactly obedient missionary. He told us to write it
down on a paper which one we were going to be, and then sign it. I'm
happy to say that I'm going to be an exactly obedient missionary! I
definitely still have work to do on that, but I'm really trying. Don't
worry, I haven't done anything too against the rules....
Sunday
was great, but at the same time, our schedule wasn't nearly as packed
as what it was the other days, so I did start missing everyone back home
that day. But there were so many good things about it, too. We got
the sacrament! Yay! I'm trying to figure out ways to make Sunday
different than other days, because our normal days feel like Sundays
now. There were a few things that were great about Sunday. One was
that we got to go be in the choir. We sang a song called "Hurrah for
Israel." You should be able to watch us sing it on BYU-TV, but I don't
know when that will be, so just keep your eyes open! The best thing
about the choir is that our conductor will stop and explain cool things
about the song. He explained what exactly Israel was and the whole
story behind it. I was so happy about that because I was so curious
about that subject, but I never seemed to find time to figure it out.
Another
thing that was so great about Sunday is that we got to watch a
devotional from Elder Bednar called "Characteristics of Christ." It's so
good. I was crying so much... They only show it in the MTC. One thing
I remember from it was that the Savior was always turning outward to
help people. In the scriptures when it talks about Jesus fasting 40
days, and all the temptations he struggled with, when you first read it,
it seems like he sent angels to help him when he was done, but he
didn't. If you look at the JST, it clarifies that he sent angels to
John while he was in prison to comfort him. He didn't even think about
helping himself! Like, who is this guy?! Oh yeah... He's my Savior. :)
I love him! I know that as I focus on others instead of myself, I
will, without even realizing it, become so much closer to Christ than I
could imagine.
Today we got to
go to the temple! It was my last time that I get to go for a year and a
half (unless I get special permission from my Mission President, but I
doubt that will happen since we don't even have a temple in my
mission). It makes me sad thinking that I can't go any more.... I
teared up thinking about it. I love it there so much! What is life
without temples?! What is life without my family?! Oh yeah... A
missionary's life. I'm so cool. I'm a missionary!
In
my one week of being here, I feel like such a different person. A good
different. I'm becoming that awkward missionary. It makes me so
happy, and then I remember just how awkward I must be, and then I cringe
slightly, but that's okay, because God's people are a peculiar people.
Besides, it's not like I wasn't awkward before.... It's weird because I
feel so much like a missionary, but then I think about it, and it still
seems so strange.
I
have so much more that I want to write about! But I don't have much
time. That seems to be the life of a missionary. I hope you're all
doing well! Pictures should be coming soon.... Hopefully....
Sister Erin Shelton
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