First of all, I'm sure you all heard about Sister Vea.....I can't even tell you how this whole experience has made me and my companion feel. Brother Carter was driving. I know all of those Greenwood people. That's my other home. Sister Booms was her companion and she told me when she first got here that the only reason she was still out here was because of her friend and companion, Sister Vea. Sister Booms has had a very hard week and I had absolutely nothing to say to comfort her until I heard from SIster Vendel today (Love her so much!) And she explained to us how strong and faithful SIster Vea's parents are. They had complete and total confidence that her death was all part of God's plan and they don't doubt for one minute where she is or what she's doing. We all know that she's spreading the gospel on the other side of the veil and that she has a huge mission that is continuing beyond her time here with us. However, I do have to say that this was a HUGE smack in the face of the reality of life and God's plan. I don't think it's ever hit me so hard that we really do have such limited time here and that there's so much more beyond the grave. Ya know, we get a LOT of comments out here that are like "Well, if GOd loves us so much, why does he allow bad things to happen to good people?" "Why do children or innocent people have to hurt and suffer?" And I don't know the details of every situation but I DO know that if this life was the only time of existence and the only time to be loved, and learn and grow than all of these awful things we hear about around the world happening to innocent children and other would be DEVASTATING! There would be no point in believing in God or his prophets or his teachers. We wouldn't try so hard to enjoy life if we thought this was the end. BUT! Because I have the gospel in my life I KNOW this is not the end. This time on earth is literally just a second in our eternal progression and eternal existence. The hardships we face and the pain we experience hurt now but they won't forever. Through CHrist ALL things will be made right and ALL losses here and now will be made up for if we strive to do our best to follow God now and if we trust in the fact that the Savior truly did redeem EACH of us. It's been difficult for me to make his Atonement personal and I'm still working on it. I currently don't know how it works but I do know that somehow through Christ we can be freed from sin, pain, loneliness, and perhaps the most meaningful to me right now, fear. I'm so afraid of EVERYTHING! I have no idea if I'm capable of doing the things God has asked me to do and with transfer calls this past week I found out that I'll be leaving Berryville and heading to Henrietta, Oklahoma! I'm TERRIFIED! I've been in Berryville for 6 months! Half a year! I am stressing out about trying to pack all the things I've accumulated haha and it's NOT working! I sincerely wish you would have passed on your master packing techniques ma, because I have been working on it literally for 6 HOURS!!!! And I'm about to lose it. I asked SIster Booms if she'd pay to ship all of my crap to my new apartment and she said she doesn't love me enough and she suggested carrying a walmart bag of one change of clothes. Hahah I love that girl. :) I am proud to say that I have taught her a couple of things: 1. How to properly fold large pieces of paper into small envelopes 2. how to make spaghetti 3. how you can tell which side your gas tank is on inside your car 4.How to talk on the phone without being super awkward and 5. to kill bugs when they are annoying or disgusting instead of saving them and gently placing them outside.....hahaha I've created a monster. :) We have this feeling that we'll be companions again so who knows. Also, considering that I have LIVED in the Berryville branch for half a year now, my dear family was so sweet this Sunday when president Grat announced that I was leaving. I had everybody wanting to give me hugs and feed us and them telling me they want me to come back and live here...which I honestly will probably do at some point. I seriously LOVE Berryville branch. I have been SO blessed to serve here for so long. I've loved LOVED getting to know the members SO much!!! Mom, I had the sweetest moments with some of the people in the branch. Sister Galicia (you remember me talking about her) and I just mad e eye contact after relief society and she gave me the biggest Mom hug ever. SHe toldme how much she was going to miss me but that I have to be strong and keep sharing the gospel and keep working hard. I told her I was the other daughter she never had and she agreed :) I have adopted myself into their family. Then Sister Potempa..oh gosh. I love her with my WHOLE soul. SHe was the speaker on Sunday and I had left the chapel cause I was bawling my eyes out after SIster engel and I sang our musical number (sister booms played the piano) and apparently when she stood up she was like "I am so sorry to see SIster Moreno go. I've really come to love that girl. SHe's made a big impact in my life and her presence will be greatly missed." Then her non-member husband came up to me after sacrament and told me "You know I've known a lot of missionaries, but there's something special about you. We've really come to love you and you have inspired us. I told Tracy to get your address so we can keep in touch. But really we're going to miss you a lot." :"( I just wanted to bawl my eyes out some more, but then the youth swarmed me and they all made me promise that we'd come to mutual with them this week which is going to the fair so we used some of our preparation time today for proselyting so we can hang out with them on Wednesday. Not to mention! THey have arranged a going away breakfast for me this week during Seminary! :'( Gosh! I just don't know how I can ever go to another place that is better than Berryville. I don't think I will. They're my family. So ya. I'm having an overload of emotions and apparently my new companion came out with sister booms and she's CRAZY haha She's apparently really loud and blunt and she scared sister booms so I don’t' know haha Slightly terrified about that too but hey! Courage is being scared to death and doing it anyway. I think I can confidently say that I have courage. I just hope and pray that saying all of these good-byes this week will not be the death of me. I pray for extra strength and hope you guys will do that for me too :) Thank you. AND!!!! KALEN IS GOING INTO TO MTC THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!!! That's CRAZY!!!! Oh man he's gonna LOVE it! THe MTC is the best! Tell him to soak up every moment! And that it's ok to be freaking out, but don't let that freaking out stop you from going inside… haha. I will write him next week on his myldsmail.net email! :) EEK! Gosh time flies. Also the pictures from his farewell look great! I'm so SOOOOOOOOO excited for him!!! I love you Kalen!!!!! And I'll keep you in my prayers. ALSO! What the heck are Cass's shoes doing in my rooma and you guys converted it into a little gym???? What the heck hahaha???? No girl should have that many pairs of tennis shoes! ...Just kidding...I have accumulated 3 more pairs of shoes while here in Berryville...WAHHHHHHH I am freaking out that I won't fit all of it! I think I'm going to send some stuff home mom, so look for that. Ok I gotta go but I LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!!!!! And I am grateful to be serving in the OTM the only true mission!!! :)
Love you forever,
Sister MOreno
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