January 13, 2014

I seriously feel like I am in the movie Ground hogs day, so this was the last thing that I would of expected to happen to me for this transfer.  Turns out that I am staying in my area and will probably will be going down to one ward.  Apparently there is more work that the Lord needs me to do here in this Boise West area, I just need to dig a little deeper and really push myself to work even harder.  I will be training a new companion, just one this time.  Both of my companions are going to different areas.  That was totally unexpected for me.  It is funny when I felt like I had have my fair share of training that the Lord likes to tell me otherwise.  Just shows you how the Lord is the one in control.  I feel like both of my companions will just do amazing and blossom so much more as they go to different areas.  They grew so much while they were with me and I can't wait to see them again and see even more how much they have grown.

    Everyone in the ward is glad that I am staying, I joke with them that they can't get rid of me.  I have really built that member trust these last few months and I feel like that has been so key with the missionary work here.  Because the areas are smaller we aren't able to really tract as much and find success, but as we work with the members that is where we will see the success.  This week has been pretty good in our area, we actually picked up a new investigator this week from a member.  We had dinner at the members house and their neighbor was there, the members asked us to teach the plan of salvation because they felt like that was what was best.  It went really good and she agreed with a lot of what we had taught.  She agreed to let us start teaching the lessons to her which is exciting, we invited her to church but she didn't come which was a little disappointing.  Things with Max have been going well, we are still hoping for him to be baptized on Feb. 1st so I am excited for him, he is just so excited.  The lesson with him was great and kind of funny because we tried to do an object lesson where you try to fit a hard boiled egg in a jar and it doesn't fit, but when you but a match in the jar it get sucks in(conversion by fire-Holy Ghost).  Well the second egg we had was smaller and could fit in easily so we had to do it quick to make it look like the fire sucked it in and that it didn't just fall in.  It was kind of funny, but it all worked out in the end.

   So it is funny how I was telling everyone that I was good and not going to get sick because Tuesday I got the stomach flu.  Not the greatest and I hated being stuck at home.  I ended up staying at a members house so my companions could go out and work in our area and the member took really good care of me.  Apparently the flu has been going around like crazy, especially in our mission with the missionaries.  Luckily I was just out for a day.  I was still achy the next day but just pushed through it.  There have been some missionaries that were home for a whole week, so crazy.  I am so glad that I am not in a third world country, that would be so tough to deal with while being sick.  Other than that this week has been a pretty normal week.  My companion I had in the MTC went home, she was released honorable.  The medical staff thought it was best for her.  It is tough to see companions you have go home early.  I worry about Sister Roberson, but more importantly her companions.  The trio that she is in now, one of the companions is staying and the other is leaving.  I feel so bad for the one staying, she came up to me and just started crying.  I talked to her for a little bit and just hugged her.  Sometimes I wish I could just take the stress off of others and just take her back, but I know that her companions will learn and grow so much from each other.

        Other than that nothing really new, our mission is still continually growing.  We get 25 new missionaries this transfer which will bring up the total to 192.  Next transfer we should be getting 17.  I still can't believe how many are still coming in.  Well sorry that this is short, I love you all so much.  I hope you know how much I love you and miss you all. He Lives!

Love

Sister Metcalf