Hello Family!
Well, transfer calls provided another unexpected change.(And intimidating!) To my surprize, (because I didn't get a leadership call) I am training a new sister from the MTC! It was crazy because I thought (plus everyone else) that I was the one leaving, but then they said Sister Jones is leaving and I didn't know what to think! We thought that our district leader was pulling our leg when he said I was training... But it was true. So I will be here in Highland for (probably) another 12 weeks! Crazy, huh?! I think so! I was definitely expecting to be leaving today, but alas, the Lord has something else in store.
Sister Jones is going to Sun City, which everyone is telling us is a senior community, so she will be working with people quite different from Highland. She was sad about the move because she thought she had more time here in Highland, but I know she is going to be learning a lot with a new companion. That is how it works. When changes come, we grow the most. I was kind of hoping that I would be with an older sister (mission age), but again the Lord had something else in store. Sister Hench just said that I have unfinished business to do here in Highland, and that might be why I am still here. I am excited and very intimidated about training this time. (I had the worst night of sleep after I found out about training...Couldn't fall asleep until past 11, which never happens on the mission! And then I woke up early and couldn't get back to sleep! But I slept well last night! Thankfully. :) ) Sister Jones was practically fully trained by the time Sister Robinette left, so that was an easy training experience. It is going to be quite different this time around, but I know that with the strength of the Lord I can do all things.
On a very exciting note, we had a wonderful Sunday yesterday! Kaylyn, one of our investigators, had an interview for baptism yesterday and she is pretty much ready to go. She is going to get married before her baptism, but once she is married, a baptism is in sight! Then another investigator Joseph LaPorta had an interview with President Smart and he should be able to get baptized soon as well. He had somethings he needed to work out before baptism, but all should be well! He has been so patient and has been to church every week for the past couple of months. He is going to be a great addition to the ward!
Then, Mark, who was baptized in November, received the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday! That was very exciting because we had been hoping for that to happen! He is now a priest. :) Then we had a less-active woman who just moved from the Philippines at church and she joined the choir! That was just a random highlight, but it was something we didn't expect. Our ward choir is TINY and she was asked if she wanted to be in it and she said yes! It was great! So yesterday was a very eventful day at church and it was wonderful! I almost forgot. We have been teaching this older woman, Frances, since I first got her and she has to have a walker, so she hasn't been able to come to church before, but she was able to come yesterday! It was great! Lots of great things yesterday! (Lots of exclamation points in this paragraph!)
Peder, you are right! Sundays are the best! In the MTC, they are wonderful! I love them. :) It is a little different in the field. I get stressed out the most on Sundays because of who is supposed to be there and making sure that everyone has someone to sit with, etc. It is a good problem to have though! We have been having 4-5 people are church the past couple of weeks, so we can't complain! But our ward is small, so sometimes we don't know who the investigators can sit with, so I get stressed out. (Does that sound like me? ;) ) But like I said it is a good problem to have! I love to see investigators at church, so it is wonderful!
So last week was a good week overall, but we have been struggling with our OYMs. I don't know what happened but we struggled this week! We were trying to talk to everyone we saw, but we just didn't meet our goal. We are going to try hard this week! We did have 28 lessons this past week, which was the most we have ever had, so that was good. But we have a lot to improve on. We need to get a lot more OYMs and new investigators, so that will have to be something we focus on!
Missionary work is wonderful! It can certainly be stressful and overwhelming at times, but I do love being a missionary. I love all the people that I have grown to love. I love that I have the Highland 1st ward as a family on my mission. It is the best! I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is restored to the earth. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and through him, the restored church of Jesus Christ is once again here to bless us. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us infinitely. I know that His Atonement covers more than just our sins, but also our pains, sicknesses, afflictions, and temptations. I know that no matter where we are in our lives, we can always turn to our Savior for the strength that we need. I love prayer! I love that we can communicate with our Heavenly Father at all times, and we can talk with him. I know that going to church is what gives us the motivation and strength to become better every week. I know that missionary work is what I am supposed to be doing right now! I am supposed to be here, learning and growing, and most importantly, teaching and helping others come unto Christ. That is my purpose as a missionary, "To invited others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Hold Ghost, and Enduring to the End." I hope and pray that I can continue to improve! I am so thankful for the opportunity to be here! I know this is where I am supposed to be! I know that. The Church is true! The Book of Mormon is true and testifies of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I know that we grow the most when life is hard. I know that we learn the most when we have to teach others.
Thank you for all your love and support! You are the best family ever and I love you SOO much! We are so blessed to be an Eternal family!
Love much,
Sister Schillemat
ps. Sorry I write really long emails! I like telling you a lot, and you deserve it. :)
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