Monday July 14, 2014

Christmas in July

So earlier in the week i had this thought come to me after a few events that took place(i will explain them later) and Mom sent me a year mark card with that exact same thing this week so I felt like it fit my subject line perfectly.  Yes mom I got the little gift and i love it, i wear the necklace almost everyday :)

    So let me just start off with the biggest miracle for me in the longest time.  So you all remember Charlie Wilson right?! I have been teaching him since I have gotten here and he has been taught by missionaries for the last 5 years.  So last week we talked to him about picking a date, that we weren't going to pick one for him but he needed to since it was all being factored around the family reunion.  Well we sat down at his house last Monday night and were just small talking, and then Charlie brings up his baptism.  He said "I have a date" And I just said"okay sounds good, when are you thinking". He then replied "That it wasn't going to be in August". My heart just dropped, i thought great he is pushing it back like he has done in the past. He then walked over to the calendar to check the date and asked if the 26th would work. I paused and said of "which month?!" and he said "July". My mouth just dropped opened.  I said "Wait July 26th?! Like this month" and just said "Yep". I just replied "I think that could work", but inside I seriously was screaming and jumping up and down. I seriously cannot believe still that this is happening! We actually taught he again lesson 1 that night, he had read the pamphlet before we had come over. He seriously was the one that taught us, we just asked him questions and he just taught us the lessons.  I was so shocked because he was taking everything seriously and we could tell that he had actually retained and remembered a lot of things from these past 5 years. We set up an appointment to go back on Wednesday later that week to teach him the next lesson, because we had less than 3 weeks we would have to meet with him twice a week to get everything in.  He called us on Wednesday and I seriously thought that he was going to cancel, but he was just letting us know that he had read all of the pamphlets.  I couldn't believe it! This was not the Charlie that I have been working with for the past 5 months.  We went and taught him the next lesson and it was just as amazing as the the last one.  He literally just taught us everything, we just asked him questions and he just led us straight into the next section.  I seriously haven't been able to stop smiling this whole week and just jumping up and down with joy.  This is for real, I can just tell that this is serious for him this time and that he is taking everything seriously.  I don't know what it was, but I know this has been a testimony builder to me that I just need to trust in the Lord and his timing.  JULY 26TH!!!! It is happening! I can not explain to you the excitement I have and the feelings that I am feeling right now. It is moments like these(and of course other ones as well) that just makes everything worth it, all those hard days and lessons that you have with those investigators, those moments when you just want to drop them or take away their agency. It just clicks and miracles happen.  I feel so lucky to have been here, I know that this is one of the reasons why the Lord needed me to stay in this area for one more transfer.

     Also this week we went back to visit Anne, I don't know if you remember me talking about her.  She is an excommunicated member in the elders ward(that requested sisters) that has been meeting with missionaries as well for about over a year.  I had really been thinking about her a lot lately. A few weeks ago we really didn't feel like she was progressing, all she had left to do was to set up the interview with the Stake President but she was dragging her feet about it.  Sister Hatch and I told her that we felt like we had done all that we had done and that it was on her and that we wouldn't be stopping by anymore.  Well we hadn't heard from her in a few weeks and the Elders were telling us that she hadn't been to church as well for the last few weeks. I was really worried about her and I called her to ask if we could come by the next day which she agreed.  We met up and it all went really well. We had a good talk about everything and she had said that what we did had really shaken her up, but it was the wake up call that she needed.  She is out of town this weekend, but she said that as soon as she got back she would set up the appointment and asked us to call and remind on Tuesday. It was just a tender mercy of the Lord, I am glad that I stayed here another transfer because I feel like I would of never been able to know what happened to her after I left.

     This week we went on two exchanges and went two 3 district meetings. Kind of a lot.  Our mission president asked us Sister Training Leaders to attend the other sisters district meetings once a transfer of the zones that we are over that we don't attend their zone meeting.  As much as it seemed, i kind of loved it, ill take every opportunity I have to get a spiritual upliftment. I feel like this week has been great overall! Just a lot of tender mercies and miracles. We actually received 3 media referrals this week which is unheard of!

   One of them I am a little excited about, we received a referral of a family moving to Boise that is in our area, and the person who sent the referral told us to contact him with results and gave his phone number.  Well that person just happened to be the Mission President of the Spokane Washington Mission. Yep, i get to call and talk to Megan's mission president.  I think that is just so funny. What a small world, I wounder if it is a quiescence that this happened. 

   We saw some miracles at church as well this week, we had some less actives come that we haven't seen in a while as well as an investigator that we actually dropped a few weeks ago because we weren't able to  meet up with him and teach him for the longest time.  I guess it is just all in the Lord's timing. That is one thing that I have learned a lot this past transfer I feel like.

   Things are going really well, I seriously cannot believe that I hit my year mark this week! That is just crazy to me and scary at the same time.  I hope all of you are receiving those blessings that you deserve, I love you all so much! Keep doing what you are doing!

ALL IN!

Love
Sister Metcalf

P.S. Found a Bruins street at just had to take a picture 

Monday July 7, 2014

Ida (home)

This place is really starting to feel like my home to me.  I have really come to love the people here in Boise Idaho.  This week was kind of a slow week with us being the forth of July,we did see some success,but with the holiday and meetings this week it took a toll on our numbers for the week. Not to mention how blazing hot it is, it is already in the triple digits up here! It is crazy!!! 

   This week we actually helped a part member family that we have been working with build a wood picket fence. It took a couple days to do(we only helped out a few hours here and there). I blame their uncle who was in charge of it because whenever we finished one part of the fence he would have something else in mind and then have redo it or have us do it a different way.  It was a great opportunity though to really bond with them.  They have a 20 year old son and his friend(mikey and ryder) that lives with them who we have talked to from time to time on the street.  They have really warmed up to us and this was a great opportunity for us to better get to know them.  On the last day of the fence we actually had the elders come over to help that are over the YSA ward that these guys would attend.  They got a little intimidated because they were in the slacks and shirts and didn't want to change. They did start to warm up to them and Ryder actually showed up to church yesterday.  We were so shocked, we have been inviting them to church for months! We are hoping that he will go next week to and bring Mikey with him as well. Last week the parents came but sadly this week they didn't. But hey we will celebrate with this success. It was kind of a lot for him, he hasn't really ever gone to church before and this week as you know was fast and testimony meeting.  I feel like while being on the mission i have become more sensitive about the talk topics and peoples testimonies, especially when we have an investigator there.  People love to tell stories, i am realize that a lot of the times Christ isn't even mention until the end when they close. And that is sad to me sometimes, because this is His Church and we tell people that everything we teach is centered around him.  With about 15 minutes left i decided to bear a short simple testimony of the Savior and I had my companion go up after me, i feel like that really change the meeting, people started giving shorter testimonies more focused on Christ and gospel principles.  Remember that paper the bishops read a while back about testimony meetings? Ya i think they need to read that again.  Overall though church was good. We had some less actives that we have been working with come to church.  One of them i was a little shocked about because the day before we had met with them.  They essentially told us that the reason they don't come is because of the people and they had gotten offended. I talked to them about the purpose of church and why we go and how they shouldn't let others stand in the way of them receiving blessings.  The husband started going off about some things and he and my companion got into a heated discussion.  I would try to calm her down by taping on her leg and she would, but then she would just get right back into it again when he would bring up a new point. The spirit was defiantly gone there and so i just tried to be polite and tell them that we had an appointment to get to.  This is what Satan wants us to do, to get all upset and get angry at the people, when we should be trying to see them as Christ does and just love them. My companion apologized for getting upset, but the damage was already done.  I was shocked to see them the next day, they came with their daughter(who is active) that was visiting for the holidays. You could tell there was tension between us and I didn't like that.

    This week we had Missionary Leadership Council as well, it was really good and I really enjoy going to those meetings.  I feel like they really pump me up and give me the energy that I need to carry on through out the week. No big chances but we did set a goal for our mission for the next two transfers for baptisms.  We want to keep the fire going here. 

  The fourth was an ordinary day for us, we did get invited over to some peoples houses, but it was funny because some of the people that we had set up appointments we ended up going over there and then when we showed up they had some change of plans and cancelled.  So it was stressful for a few hours trying to figure out what to do, but it all worked out.  We saw some fireworks that night outside our bedroom window but not many.  It was tough going to sleep but we eventually did. This week was a pretty average week for us nothing too special, except for that we set a baptismal date with Elvira's daughter for the 9th of August. We are pretty excited about it.  Things are kind of getting into a routine here for me, it is kind of strange.  Nothing too big happened this week for us, this might be the calm before the storm hahaha

    I hope that all is well with you back at home, know that I love you and miss you all! Remember ALL IN!!! 

Love

Sister Metcalf

Monday June 30, 2014

Companionship of 3

Well this week is one for the books, that is for sure!  Three exchanges, a baptism, and transfers.

   So for transfers I am staying!!!!! It is crazy, I am so excited to be staying in this area, i am actually staying with my companion, Sister Hatch! We are excited, it is funny though because a few months ago I kept saying how rare it was for companionship to stay together for 3 transfers, but not it is becoming more normal! I miss getting a new companion every transfer, but apparently the Lord needs us both in this area.  I have decided that I want to train again, not that I have a say in it, but I really do miss training. I am not sure if my Mission President grants dying request, but it is worth it to try and ask. That is what I want, to train my last transfer.  So they did open up an area in Idaho City, I was kind of hoping to be sent up there. President Winder and I had some talks about it, but apparently people think it isn't fit for sisters hahaha Maybe next year.  He did ask me to extend for two more years, I told him I would be willing if he would ask President Monson.

   So Saturday we had the Baptism of Mary, it is one that I don't think I will ever forget.  She ended up having to be baptized 3 or 4 times(i lost count). I think Sister Hatch and I just have the curse of the threes or something hahaha So we got everything ready and filled up the font(that was a first for me having to do that).  Tex(Mary's husband) and Mary show up about a half hour before.  We got them their clothes and everything and after the changed they sat down.  We saw that Tex was looking through his scriptures for something, when we asked him what it was for he said for the Baptismal prayer.  My companion and I started getting a little nervous because we thought they might of gone over everything and that he would of showed her how to hold his hands and everything but he did not.  SO we had to do that with them, and we ended up having to write down what Tex had to say and tape it on the glass.  So they had chosen some of their friends to give the talk, the person who was suppose to give the talk on Baptism, i think mentioned the word baptism once.  In the beginning he brought up his grandson and asked him if he was excited for his baptism. His grandson responded "ya, but I am more excited for cub scouts". From there he talked about fellow shipping and the 3 things she needed to stay active in the church.  Luckily the person giving the talk on the Holy ghost talked about both Baptism and the Holy Ghost, she eccentrically read talks from conference.  Then came time for the baptism, well the font in our stake center is a little different than others. It is a small rectangular shape in the front so if you aren't staying as far forward in the font then there is a chance the person getting baptized will hit their head.  We filled up the water level as high as it would go, with this font they have a tall pipe so the water level will only go so high before it starts going down the pipe into the drain.  So for tall people this isn't the best set up. Well Mary is tall and she has carpal tunnel in her left hand so she really couldn't hold on to Tex's wrist that well.  Her hand or feet kept popping up each time.  Here is the other part that plays into everything.  Tex got remarried to Mary recently, and his only son has had a hard time with it.  He was at first not going to come to the baptism, but ended up deciding against it and ended up being a witness.  Well his son is a little short tempered so he had no problem telling his dad what was going wrong, and it wasn't in a nice voice. You could tell there was so tension between them. Between each try he would kind of yell at his dad to step on her feet. After the 3rd try my companion went up and told them what to do calmly because her hand kept coming up.  So after the 4th try she was fully immersed.  But Tex didn't think so, so he started telling Mary what to do, his son just yells at his dad "Dad she is fine!". I was trying so hard not to laugh, my companion and I just went to the go greet Mary when she came out of the water. As she got ready to change to put the Cherry on top, she told us she had forgotten to bring a change of underclothes.  And her change of clothes was mainly white.  This baptism is one that I will never forget! But besides all that it was really good, it was awesome to of been able to teach her and see her baptized, you could see how happy she was after everything was said and done.

    Yesterday we had dinner with Elvira, we had set that up the week before just in case one of us was getting transferred.  When we first walked into her house the first thing she asked us was what was happening to us, to tell her the bad news.  When we told her we were both staying her and her daughter just started jumping up and down shouting for joy and almost started to cry.  That was a great feeling, to know that the people you teach truly care about you and you have made a difference in their lives.  Yesterday was the first time that we had them go to their ward without us being there, Sister Hatch and I were a little nervous about it, but they told us how great it was. Elvira was saying how she never wants to miss church and how much happier she is.  Her kids also really enjoyed church and Maya(her daughter) actually brought her friend with her as well that is not a member and her son Dennis actually prayed in church too! I am seriously so shocked, they both said prayers last night and they were amazing, you would of never guessed that they had never grown up in the church.  Last night we taught Maya the first lesson.  Both of her kids want to get baptized! It is so awesome! Elvira was talking about how excited her children are to go to church.  So Dennis is going to summer camp for four weeks out in Missouri, and says he wants to take the lessons when he gets back.  We talked to Maya and her mom and extended two baptismal dates, July 12th and August 9th. So either before or after Dennis gets back from summer camp.  They will let us know which one when we see them Tuesday.  Dennis will probably get baptized in September.  The work is really picking up, Charlie is planning on getting baptized the end of August! We are really trying to work on finding new people to build up our teaching pool because after these baptisms then we have no investigators.

   Things are really going good here, i seriously cannot believe July 4th is this Saturday! I plan on taking so NyQuil that night, hopefully that will knock me out hahaha I hope you all have a safe fourth of July! Don't forget your sunscreen, I know I won't with it being in the triple digits this week! I love you all so much and feel so blessed to have all your love and support! I seriously am loving every minute being up here, the ups and the downs! I wish you could be out here experiencing every minute with me.  Keep reading your scriptures and saying your prayers. I love you!!!

Love

Sister Metcalf

Keep sending letters to 844 south curtis rd.(apparently i am still getting mail from my last place hahaha)

 I looked at my kingdom and I was finally here, welcome to the prince of Belair" hahaha 

 After walking around the grounds with Elvira and her daughter. 

 Awesome sign I found of exchanges. Yep, Boise is the rescue mission

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 Filling up the font for Mary's Baptism

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Monday, June 23, 2014

"Where there is cake there is hope"

This might be a short one this week.  This past week was so amazing, Elvira got baptized on Saturday and it was such a neat experience.  It was a little stressful at the beginning, our Mission President and his wife showed up, but we had to end up starting 15 minutes late because the person giving the talks had gone to the wrong building at first, so we had to wait for him.  Overall it was good and everyone really enjoyed it.  She has such a sweet spirit about her and there was such a special spirit there.  Sister Hatch and I got to see her before she entered in the waters and then helped her when she got out.  She kept talking about the feelings that she was feeling and how special this day would mean to her.  She ended up bearing her testimony and saying the closing prayer.  She will forever hold a place in my heart.  Her daughter asked us if we would be her missionaries we told her we would love to teach her, but that we had transfers coming up in a week and so we might not be able to stay together.  Elvira was so sad to hear this but we promised her that we would keep in touch. This week we are going to the temple grounds which she is so excited about.  We talked to her on Sunday evening about doing family history work and being able to go to the temple to do the work for her ancestors.  I promised her that I would visit her often and that I would for sure be back up next year when her family is sealed into the temple.  I think this is one of my favorite parts about being a missionary, not only helping people to enter into the waters of baptism, but to help them get to the temple.  I wish you all could of been there for her baptism or could be able to meet her, she is just an amazing person.  Sister Hatch and I were excited to give her her gifts after the baptism.  We made her russian hats(its a bosnian dessert), we asked her a few weeks ago what her favorite dessert was and she said that.  So we surprised her with that and she was so happy.  We also gave her a croatian Book of Mormon with her name engraved in it and we both wrote our testimonies in it, we gave her a framed family proclamation, a picture frame that said families are forever, and a journal so she could write her feelings about this whole experience so she would never forget.  When we went by her house yesterday after church she had already written in it.  She talked to us about the change that she could see in herself as well as how her co-workers these past few weeks had seen a change in her as well.  At church yesterday we were a little nervous because her kids were coming to church for the first time and there is not many youth that are in the ward(maybe like 3-5) that are around their ages.  Elvira texted us after church and said how they both had really liked it and made some friends.  I felt like that was a relief because I have been so nervous as how the ward would grasp on to her after she was baptized, and things have been going really good.

      So it is official, we are having another baptism this Saturday for a lady in our ward Mary, I am pretty sure that I had mentioned a little bit about her last week.  Well she wants to keep her baptismal date for the 28th so we really have been meeting with her every single day to make sure that she is ready.  It has been a little crazy and stressful, but has been worth it.  The ward is excited and we are hoping that this will help them to pick up the enthusiasm of missionary work.  We found out yesterday that Charlie is for sure not wanting to get baptized till August.  We were both a little disappointed, but have come to terms with it.  We know that one of us is going to be here in August so we won't let him slack.  I think this is one of the hardest things to adjust to on the mission is aligning our will with God's will and timing.  Things have been really going well in our area and we are hoping to find some new investigators this week to build up our teaching pool.

   Yesterday Sister hatch and I had to speak in church about missionary work, we really didn't have much time to prepare.  I feel like one thing that has gotten easier for me on my mission is public speaking and being able to free hand a talk on the spot.  Although this was an easy topic to talk about.  It was us that spoke and then the Bishop, he feels like the ward is getting complaisant and he wants them to step it up and help us to stay a little more busier as well. 

  I cannot believe that it is already transfers, we find out this Saturday what is going to happen.  I am kind of torn on what I want to happen, on one hand I love this area and want to stay and on the other I want some change as well.  We will see what happens.  So until you hear from me next Monday just send mail to the mission office on Cole road. Sorry this is a short one this week! Know that I love you all so much and I am loving every second of this time of my life.

Love,

   Sister Metcalf

Elvira got baptized on Saturday 

help clean a hoarders house. It was weird, everything was 5 years or newer.
She lost everything in a fire years ago so it explains why she holds onto
everything

Me and my companion

A cute kid in our ward

Me and the other missionaries

How to get your kids to do the laundry

More house hoarder pictures

Dug  a hole in a back yard and found this

Is swimming allowed? ;)

With our new convert

Monday June 18th, 2014

"Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith. We must never allow doubt to hold us prisoner and keep us from the divine love, peace and gifts that come through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."‏

Sorry that I forgot to tell you all last week that my preparation day got switch to Wednesday this week, it is because we are going to the temple today!!! I am so excited.  I feel like so much has happened in these past 10 days and my faith has been really tested by the Lord. 

    Elvira is doing so awesome.  We finished teaching her the lessons last week, and everything turned out so much better then we thought.  One of the last lessons we taught her was on tithing, both Sister Hatch and I were nervous about how it would go.  She is still paying off medical bills from when her husband passed away from cancer a few years ago, she is a single parent providing for her two teenage children.  We thought that this was going to be a hard one for her to accept and it would really be a trial of her faith.  We had set up the appointment with her for last Saturday and we had invited her coworker that introduced her to the gospel.  Even though he lives out in Eagle we thought it would be the best because they have a good relationship and she really respects him.  Well when we pulled up to her house my heart just dropped because her car was gone.  My companion said not to worry and just to wait, but I had this feeling that we just had to call her. So I kind of disregarded what my companion said and called her, she was at her friends house and had forgotten about our appointment.  She was wanting to cancel, but I reminded her how Jackson(her friend) was coming out for the lesson.  She thought for a few seconds and then said that she would be there in ten minutes.  Let me tell you Satan has been working hard on us.  Anyway so we had the lesson with her and it went so well and two of her coworkers were there and just testified about the blessings that tithing would bring to her.  She agreed to live the law of tithing and asked us if she could start paying it tomorrow at church.  I couldn't believe it, that was the first time that I have ever taught that lesson before and the investigator wanted to start paying it right away.  We got to see her on Monday and watched the restoration video with her, we really have been trying to keep in contact with her and strengthen her testimony.  We were hoping to see her yesterday and this morning but she got called into work early, she has been working like 10-12 hour days these last few days, Satan is not wanting her to meet with us I can tell you that.  But she called us this morning and asked us if we could come over tonight and when we told her we could she was so excited.  I love this woman so much, the faith that she has inspires me, she makes me want to be a better person.  I feel so blessed to of been able to teach her, she was so prepared by the Lord.  So we were talking to her about her baptismal program and who she wanted to do what stuff.  She works with a Doctor Packer and has grown really close with him, he is a Stake President in another Stake, he actually called her when he found out that she was getting baptized.  She asked him to give a talk at her Baptism and he agreed.  We found out from Jackson(her co-worker) that Doctor Packer is President Packers grandson!!!! That is so crazy, I don't think she realizes that either.  When we told him that he would be speaking he was shocked and grateful, he is well respected at the hospital.  She is so ready for this Saturday and I am so excited for her, i know that it is going to be such an amazing experience.

    So update on Charlie.  So we really have been shooting for her to be baptized on the 28th, but we had been waiting to hear back from his brother in law to see when he could come up to do the baptism.  On Sunday when we saw him he told us that his brother in law would not be able to come up till the 12th of July, we were a little sad to here this but he said it wasn't for sure.  On Monday night we went to his house to teach us a lesson.  When we showed up, he told us that he had to cancel because his wife had a rough day and she was napping.  Then he continue to tell us that he didn't think that he was going to get Baptized till August because his sister in law wanted him to wait until the family reunion.  My heart just dropped.  He has been meeting with missionaries for 6 years and he has had so many baptismal dates.  We didn't understand why he was getting cold feet, he tried to assure us that it was going to happen, but we told him how he has said this before in the past when he has pushed off his baptismal date.  We told him we didn't understand because when we told him about the blessings he could bring to his family he was so gun-ho about being baptized at the end of June.  We talked to him about the blessings he would be putting off until August for his family and how if he was baptized next weekend, he would be able to baptize his daughter with all the cousins(Bishop was the one who told us that).  That really made him think, he said he would think things over and let us know but we haven't heard from him yet.  It is so hard to convey to people the importance of Baptism on their doorstep.  

    I was heart broken and devastated when we got this news.  I didn't understand, I had so much Faith that this would happen.  Sister Hatch and I have been doing everything that we could for this ward that we are in to see the fruits of the Boise Missions June Harvest(for ever ward to have a baptism by the end of June). (Elvira actually lives in another ward boundary but we have been teaching her because she is single and felt more comfortable with sisters teaching her.)  I felt like I had failed the ward, that all my efforts had gone to waste and that I had put all of our marbles in Charlies basket.  My mission President was right when he told us at the beginning of the month that Satan would be doing all he could to waver our faith and to disappointment.  I still have hope for Charlie, but it isn't as much as it was before we saw him Monday.  

    The Lord showed me though that when one door closes another one opens.  This was a miracle within itself and the timing was a miracle!  So there is a man in our ward who lost his wife last year and there has been this big controversy in his family because he was wanting to get remarried to one of his old friends from high school. Well about a week ago he went down to Texas to get married and moved her up to his house.  We went to go help them move boxes in and to unpack, we came to find out that Mary(his new wife) was meeting with missionaries down in Texas and had been going to church since February.  We asked her if she would like to continue to take the lessons and she agreed to it and she has been coming to church up here.  So last week we had set up an appointment with her for yesterday(Tuesday).  We went and retaught her the Restoration.  Sister Hatch and I decided to take a leap of Faith and asked her if she would be baptized on the 28th of June, and she said yes!!! She was so excited, I seriously could not believe it. I am still in shock! I know that we can get her ready by that day.  I have been going back and forth these past 24 hours trying to figure out if I am pushing this because I am wanting our ward to see the fruits of the June Harvest or if she truly is just ready and a miracle that the Lord has placed into my path. I just don't think I am use to this when teaching people.  I am so use to teaching people everything about the gospel and then finding out what their concerns are about baptism, not the other way around where they want to get baptized before they fully know everything.  I still have my hopes for Charlie for the 28th, but I am still so amazed at how the Lord is involved in every detail of the work.

    I cannot believe that it is already transfers coming up in just over a week! Where has the time gone.  This week when we were talking to our bishop it really hit me that it is about 90% that I will be the one to go.  I started to cry because I have grown such a deep love for these people here in this area, the members and my investigators.  It was such a struggle for me at first and I just wanted to be transferred out the first transfer but these last two I have really come to see and love the people how God does.  It is because I have worked so closely with the Bishop and created a relationship with him that I have seen how much he cares about everyone and loves everyone that it rubbed off onto me.  If I could have my way, I would want to serve in this area for the rest of my mission.  I don't want to leave these people!  The Lord has really opened my eyes in this area and pushed me.  My faith has been really tried these last few weeks, but I am all in on the Lord's side.  I look back at the last few days and feel silly for doubting my faith.  I didn't understand how Charlie could fall through when I had given it my all, when I had so much Faith and did everything that the Lord asked me to do.  "Sometimes we don't see the big picture when we are standing in the frame(right Nathan?)"  That is what I need to do better at is trusting in the Lord in what he is doing not only with my investigators, but with myself.  He is the one that sees the big picture and although sometimes we don't understand why He is taking us down the path that we are going down, but we have to be patient and have faith in Him.  In the end His way is always better.

    So for the past few weeks I have been really studying the Atonement, it has made such a difference in my life and has really opened my eyes to everything.  I have come to realize that in any relationship that when you spend time with someone more and get to know them a little better that you come to love them a little more a little deeper.  That is something that I have realized on my mission.  That as I have come to know my Savior a little more that I have come to love Him even more.  And that since I have been out on my mission,Heavenly Father and Christ have been showing me just how much they really know me.  This has been the only time in my life where in a sense I am taking the time to "spend" with my Father in Heaven and my Savior.  My relationship with them has strengthen, we have walked side by side in a sense.  Each time I study the Gospel and the Atonement I realize just how much They love me which in returns deepens my love for Them.  I can't not express how grateful I am for the things that I have learned thus far.

   My challenge for all of you this week is to think about your relationship with your Savior and think about what you can do to strengthen that.  Study about his life a little more, ask him for miracles in your life.  I read this talk the other week by Jeffery R. Holland(seriously my favorite), and I feel his words explained it perfectly. Each day i want to strengthen my relationship with both God and Jesus Christ every single day so when I make it to the next life I will be able to recognize their faces even though I have never seen them. I love you all so much!!!!

"When (Christ) comes, I so want to be caught living the gospel. I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something good. I want the Savior to say to me: “(insert name here), I recognize you not by your title but by your life, the way you are trying to live and the standards you are trying to defend. I see the integrity of your heart. I know you have tried to make things better first and foremost by being better yourself and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.”He will certainly add: “I know you weren’t always successful with your own sins and with the circumstances of others, but I believe you honestly tried. I believe in your heart you truly loved me.”


LoveSister Metcalf

Monday June 9, 2014

Random Thoughts On A Page

This week just seemed to fly by this week.

  On Monday we had a super good lesson with the Wilson's, we really focused on how we have a short period of time here on Earth to prove our self.  I used the talk from general conference about four minutes by Bishop Stevenson.  That really hit him hard, we got him to call his Brother in law to see when he can come up to baptize him.  He left him a voice mail so we will hopefully find out tonight what the verdict is.  We are starting over on teaching him the lessons, even though he has had them a bunch of times but it has been about a year.  We are teaching the plan of salvation tonight and are really going to direct it towards him.  I am excited, I have really come to love being bold with people.  

   We also saw one of our part member family investigators that we dropped a couple of months ago just to see how things were going.  She told us that this week she had the desire to start having family prayers each night.  It might see like a small step but this is moving her in the right direction to prepare her to make the bigger commitments down the road.  I know I won't see the fruits of that while I am in the area, but I know that I have helped her along the way.

   We also saw Elvira this week a couple of times, she has so much faith and such a strong desire to be baptized.  We taught her a few commandments, one of them being the Word of Wisdom.  We were nervous about this lesson because she has an issue with coffee.  We explained to her the reasoning and blessings from keeping this commandment from God.  She said that she knew it was going to be hard, but that she would and that she had the Faith that the Lord would help her.  Sadly she was sick this week so she wasn't able to attend church.  My companion and I were trying to figure out if she would be ready or not to be baptized on the 21st of June.  It was weighing on us yesterday.  It is funny how the Lord answers your prayers though, as we were sitting in gospel principles class we were talking about baptism, which was perfect for Charlie Wilson to hear.  And a comment that the teacher made was an answer that I was looking for.  He was obviously stating his own opinion but he was talking about his opinion on baptisms.  How some bishops or missionaries are afraid to let investigators to get baptized because they are not sure if they will stay strong in the church.  But he said that if they have that desire to be baptized we should do all that we can to get them there and have faith and trust in the Lord that if they are to fall away that someone will reach out to them and help them to come back.  It is hard for me to explain it right now, but Sister Hatch and I both got the feeling that we should keep Elvira on that date, that she has such strong faith and desire to be baptized. 

   We also had our Missionary Leadership Council this week, sadly our Mission President was sick so he was not there, so his wife was in charge.  It was interesting but we learned a lot.  This week Sister Hatch and I did the training at our Zone meeting, we focused on Christlike Attributes.  We did this activity that was really cool.  We tried to focus on them seeing the bigger picture on things that their mission is not just for a season but for the rest of their lives.  We had them right down who the wanted to be at the end of their missions, what qualities that wanted to carry over from their mission.  We then had them all close their eyes and imagine that they had reached the end of their missions that they had flown home and had greeted their family.  Then they got to the stake presidents office and were released, we had them all take off their missionary name tag off.  We had them reflect if they were the person that they hoped that they would become and to write down what they needed to do to reach that point.  I know for me when i did this activity, that it was a scary moment.  There is so much more that I want to do and work at to become the person that I need to be.  We talk about them taking this day to be a turning point in their mission whither they have 2 months left or 22.  I feel like I have been reflecting a lot lately the person that Heavenly Father needs me to be and who I want to be when I go home.  I promise I am not getting trunky, this just instilled a deeper desire to work even harder and progress a little faster.  This week I have started to go through the book of Mormon again and highlight all the Christlike attributes, it has really opened my eyes as well to the scriptures.  Sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time out here for myself as I study for others, but then I am reminded that I have the rest of eternity to work on myself and to learn for myself.

   At the end of our zone meeting we paired up with someone and we wrote something down that we wanted to work at and they had to commit us to that item.  I ended up being paired up with Sister Winder(Mission Presidents wife), which I was so excited about because I knew that I would be held even more responsible for what I chose.

    I have been rereading the conference talks from April, that is something that I would encourage you all to do.  There has been so much more that I have been getting out from it. 

   I love you and miss you all, so sorry that this email is so short. Hope all is well with you! Look for the Lord's hand in your life daily! 

Love 

Sister Metcalf

Quotes:

When (Christ) comes, I so want to be caught living the gospel. I want to be surprised right in the act of spreading the faith and doing something good. I want the Savior to say to me: “(Megan), I recognize you not by your title but by your life, the way you are trying to live and the standards you are trying to defend. I see the integrity of your heart. I know you have tried to make things better first and foremost by being better yourself and then by declaring my word and defending my gospel to others in the most compassionate way you could.”He will certainly add: “I know you weren’t always successful with your own sins and with the circumstances of others, but I believe you honestly tried. I believe in your heart you truly loved me.”

- Elder Holland

Your happiness depends more on the principles you choose to follow than on the external circumstances of your life.

-Bishop Causse

If it were possible for you to receive a letter from your premortal life, what would it say? What impact would such a letter from a forgotten but very real world have on you if you were to receive it today?

This letter might say something like: “Dear me, I am writing to you so you will remember who I want to become. I hope you will remember that my greatest desire is to be a disciple of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I support His plan, and when I am on earth, I want to help Him in His work of salvation. Please also remember that I want to be part of a family that will be together for all eternity.”

One of the great adventures of life is finding out who we really are and where we came from and then consistently living in harmony with our true identity as children of God and with the purpose of our existence.

-Bishop Causse

Monday June 2, 2014

"You're either Pregnant or you're not"‏

Okay Okay, I know exactly how Megan feels about subject lines.  I know mine seems odd, but you will have to read my email for it to make sense.  Never a dull week here in missionary life, i seriously feel like this last week just blew by.  We didn't meet our goals we had set for lessons this week, but that is driving us to work harder this week. Overall this was a really good week for us, the Lord has been really forcing me to turn outwards and focus on others which I love! We actually did some biking this week because it was the end of the month so we had to save on out miles.  It has been a ton of fun, we actually asked the members if we can use their bike a little bit longer.  Only story from that is that some how we both have managed for both bikes we were on for the pedals to fall off! hahaha I think the worst one was on Thursday, we were in a hurry because we thought we had a meeting on Saturday, but the people text ed us that morning and said it was today. So we hurried up and left our apartment and started biking the two miles to the church where we park the car.  It normally takes ten minutes, well my companion forgot to tell me how on the previous day when we were on exchanges she used my bike and the pedal fell off. So we got about a quarter of a mile and the pedal fell off and we didn't have the tools to fix it. I tried but it would only last for about 10 feet. So I ended up running/jogging the rest of the 2 miles with the bike. People were looking at us like we were crazy, but I just kept laughing. Tender mercy from the Lord was the cool breeze he would send my way. Let's just say that that was an eventful day for us.That is one thing that I have been trying to do better at.  Is being grateful during my times on trial. So far it has been tough but has been working out really well.

    This week we went on exchanges with some sisters that we are over, they are really struggling so that was a big focus for us this week.  They don't communicate with each other, which is a huge part in companionship unity.  We told them how this is just preparing them for the rest of their life, that they need to voice their opinions and speak up when they feel like something that the other companion is doing is wrong.  We had a good talk with them and they seem to be doing a lot better these past few days which has been good because I was worried about them.  

    While on exchanges, Sister Hatch stayed here and met up with our investigator, Elvira. They read the Book of Mormon with her and it just went so well.   We have to go a little slower with her because we read a verse in English then she reads it in Croatian (her native language) and then we talk about it.  She knows English really well, she has been in the U.S. for 13 years but it is the old English that is hard for her.  She is just amazing and just soaking everything up.  She knows that she doesn't need to understand everything now that it will take time and she will always be continually learning which is just awesome that she already knows that from this point.  She has been really feeling the spirit and she is just glowing.  We sent a Baptismal date with her last week for June 21st!!! She is so excited, she went to church for the first time yesterday and just loved it.  She told everyone about how she was getting baptized and is just so excited, she has even told all her co-workers who are LDS and were the ones that introduced her.  She just has that desire and drive, now we just got to make sure that she is ready for that.  It has been a while since I have had an investigator like this, one who is ready to get baptized before they know everything and are ready.  Usually its the other way around, they know everything but they have concerns holding them back.  I know that the Lord has prepared her and she will be ready by the 21st.  She keeps telling us how good she feels when we teach her and when she prays(she loves to pray!), and we explained to her how that is spirit! Its amazing that she knows that she is not going to know everything and she doesn't let that over whelm her.  Everyone just loves her, and I am just so excited for her.  She even asked us on Sunday to meet with her this week on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday!

   Now we are just hoping to get Charlie on date tonight.  Since march our mission has been doing a "harvest", us as leaders wanted our mission to strive to have each ward to have a baptism by the end of June(which is about 130)/  We are short by just 45.  I have so much faith and hope that our mission is going to reach that, I know there will be obstacles put in our place but we will over come them! Just talking to the other sisters that I am over, it is amazing the miracles that the Lord allows us to see as missionaries.

    On Saturday I got to go to a Baptism in my last area, it was a daughter that I started to teach of a lady who is trying to come back to church.  I don't know if you every remember me telling you about Ursula or Mercedes? Well it was Mercedes baptism.  It was so good to see them both and to hear how they were doing.  I miss them, Ursula really challenged me and asked me hard questions.  She always kept me on my toes, she was so happy to see me too. We had a good talk about how things are going and they seem to be going well for her. She will always hold a special place in my heart, she is such an amazing person. The baptism was great, kind of funny because she had a 2 year old cousin that just kept shooting things out like "I want to say the prayer" or "you go get into the water Mercedes"

   Also on Saturday we had a last minute meeting, all the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders got called in to have a talk with Elder Godoy.  He talked about how we need to be better leaders and set the example to those missionaries we are over.  We talked a lot about obedience, it was just so good and really made me want to be a better missionary.  What he said really hit me, he said "we are either obedient or we are not, there is no in between" "Just like being pregnant you are either pregnant or not".  It was funny that analogy he made but it made sense, we can't pick and choose the rules that we want to follow, we either follow them all or we do not! I wish I could just send you all my notes. He made me feel like I need to have a better responsibility over the sisters that I am over. It overall was great and he was just so funny.

   Things here have been going really well overall. Things have been great. I am just loving the work and enjoying all the moments.  I hope that all is well with you! I love you all so much and love hearing from you each and every week. Know that if the small things matter to you, then they matter to your Father in Heaven.  Read your scriptures and say your prayers every night!

Shout out with love,

Sister Metcalf

(from the Gem State)

P.S. You may laugh at me but for the longest time I thought Idaho was the potato state until I saw it on a license plate and said something to my companion. She just laughed at me. You learn something new everyday.