Monday, September 9th 2013

The family we live with and their house behind us.

Free Snow Cones

   

Family,

This week has been such a whirlwind for me! So on Monday evening we had a lesson with Joe, and he told us he wants to get baptized!!!! He decided that October 26th was going to be the day, I am so excited for him, I can already see how much he has changed this past month, the Lord will truly bless his life.  Our other investigator Greg is starting to become flaky and we think he is losing interest.  He cancelled on us on Saturday because he said he had a few work things to do.  I am hoping and praying that he comes back and can grow more spiritually.  So we had a Zone Meeting on Thursday and President and his wife were there as well which was nice.  I had to give a spiritual thought and then the Zone Leader also called on me to bear my testimony at the end of the meeting.  I need to stop being so confident when I speak as well as friendly with people, i am just kidding.  But I found out from my trainer who is also the Sister Training Leader that the Zone Leaders submitted my name to train for the next transfer and she said how when she met with President she backed them up on that.  I was flattered, but didn't think anything of it because there are only 7 English speaking sisters coming into the area and 23 sisters in the area.  Well on Saturday the transfer calls went out Sister Dickey and Sister Thompson are staying together in our area, which I am a little sad about because I seriously loved my companionship.  We seemed to be one of the only few companionship's that got along and really liked each other.  Plus I was sad to leave my investigators as well.

     

So you are wondering what I am doing, well I am opening a new area in the Boise West Stake and training!!!!! I seriously am still in shock, I have only been out for 6 weeks!!!  Stress is good right? as long as it pushes you right? funny how in Zone meeting we talked about managing stress on the mission which I felt like I was doing fine.  Which I really still am, just a little stressed out which is normal.  Don't worry about me, I really am excited that the Lord already is trusting me so much! There are other sisters that have been out way longer than me, don't get me wrong I am excited, but I am also scared and nervous.  I have never opened an area and I honestly do not feel like I know what I am doing and now I am going to be responsible for another missionary.  I feel like these next few weeks I am going to rely on the Lord more than ever.  I am trusting in His decision for me as well as my mission presidents.  I guess they know what is best for me and the Lord sees the big picture of everything.  Ever since Saturday I have just been on a roller coaster.  I have fely a little sick to my stomach at times, but my trainer has given me tips and said how she seriously felt like I was ready to train from day 1.  Anyone got any good advice for me at all.  It was really hard for me to say goodbye to some of the members that I have grown close with.  I sorry that this letter is so short, my mind is just racing with all this new information and I have to organize things by Wednesday which is when I will find out who my new companion is.  Tomorrow we are doing that tracking experience again, which is never fun.  But I am honestly going to try and approach people at the door differently.  Who knows what will happen.

   

So the area I am opening up, sisters haven't been in before.  There was 2 elders over 6 wards which was the whole stake(Boise West Stake).  I am now over 2 wards: brookhollow and summerset.  Some people have already gone down to 1 ward which is crazy to me.  By January they expect to have about 250 missionaries in my mission!! There is only 112 wards in my whole mission!!! I know that I am living with members, but I have not met them yet.  There are a few investigators in these two wards and there are some girls in the area that have been requested to be taught by sister missionaries.  So I am excited about that and nervous.  I just realized that I am going to be the one doing most of the talking and teaching until my companion feels comfortable.  Well I guess the Lord feels like I know the lessons well enough.  I hope that I get a trainee that I get along with as well as can push me.  I guess the Lord is giving me what I asked for, I have been praying for the Lord to help me push myself even harder to become a better missionary.  Well I hope all is going well with all of you! I love you all so much and thank you for all your prayers. I know I wouldn't be able to be doing all of this without you.  Keep sending letters to the mission office, I will let you know on Wed. the address of where I will be staying at.

  

Side note stake conference was this weekend which was super awesome!! IT was all on getting the members excited and telling them how a lot of the work relys on them.  Turn to parable in John 21 (i believe) this is where Christ is talking to Peter and asks him 3 times "Lovest Tho Me".  The way we show the Lord that we love him is by feeding his sheep.  The talks from both Saturday night and Sunday morning were so good!!! They also talked a lot about housing missionaries and the blessings of it.  I just want to say how much I love living with members.  I don't think that the benefit is to save the church money, but honestly it is for the missionaries especially the 18 and 19 year old coming out.  I seriously was an easy adjustment for me living with members.  I felt like I was apart of their family and you could feel the spirit so strong in their home.  I also just felt a lot safer because I knew that there was a priesthood member living there.

   

I can not believe how fast time is going and how much I have already grown, I can't even imagine how much more I will grow in the next few weeks.  If you any of you return missionaries have any advice about opening an area and training send them my way by Wednesday if you can.  That is when I will be able to get on again to take my trainee to write her family.
   

I hope you all know how important you are.  I feel like my love for all of you has grown so much stronger and I see just a sliver of how much the Lord loves each and everyone of you.  Saw this video a few weeks ago and really loved it, i know how much you love videos Daddy.  http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2013-05-010-unto-all-the-world-essas-story?lang=eng 

     One last note.  I encourage you all to Feed the Lord's sheep, know that no time is a waste.  Just think of Abinidi, he was burned at the stake.  He had know idea that Alma had heard his words or taken it to his heart and look where that all went, Alma baptized hundreds of people.  Just open your mouth, you never know how what you might say might plant a seed.  It might not bring forth fruits right away, it could be years.  But know that it happens, my investigator Joe is a testimony of that to me!!! Don't think that that is impossible in our day because there is family history work.  So by you effect one person you will be effecting/helping out their ancestors as well.

   Have I mentioned how much I love you all and enjoy reading all your emails!!!

     

Love 

   Sister Metcalf

P.S. Got some nice red velvet cookies last night and some notes on my door step.  It was much needed with everything that was going on.  The Lord knew I need a boost, thank you Jensa!  Tell Ava, Chase, and Celeste thank you as well with a hug and a kiss!!

P.P.S. Can I just say it stinks to have transfers on Monday!!!!! Everyone else does it a different day of the week, our mission is one of the few that does it on p-day :(