Monday December 15, 2014

Lucky #13

This past week was pretty jammed packed with a lot of stuff and it was all bitter sweet as well.

    On Tuesday Sister Broberg and I ended preforming in our Mission Christmas talent show.  We did a parody of the song "The Scientist" by Coldplay.  I will have to show you all the video when I get home,it was pretty funny.  It was there that I realized signing is defiantly not a talent that I have.  Only one other person did something funny, everyone else kind of took it seriously.  That was a little sad. We were more of the show I guess than talent, but it was great to see half of the mission.  We got to see Sallie Fogg earlier that day, she took us out to lunch to say goodbye to Sister Broberg.  We talked to her about Faith and how it is more of an action more than a passive belief.  She told us how she is already all the way to Jacob in the Book of Mormon.  I really see such great things for her, we are hoping to get her out to church and to help her to see that Baptism is the goal for her.

    The highlights from Wednesday and Thursday was the Live Nativity that our stake did.  It was so awesome, the youth did such an amazing job, sister Broberg and I walked through a couple of times.  The spirit there was so awesome.  Over 3000 people came out those two nights and there were quite a few nonmembers.  We ended up going through the live nativity with a potential that lives in our area! It was a great event to reach out to the community and to remind those on what the true meaning of Christmas is all about.

   On Friday I went to all of the departing missionary stuff, there was 15 of us.  It was crazy and weird all at the same time.  I was just thinking how I was glad to be there to see how much all of my friends and those that I came out with have grown, but it was also hard because they were all leaving and I still have a transfer left.  I joked with them that it felt like that book "My friends are all dead" It is a dinosaur book hahaha Anyway so we went to the temple and it was so amazing there, I balled so hard talking to some of the missionaries in there and the office staff that was there as well when I first came out.  It was there when I was praying that I had an overall whelming feeling of peace and knowledge that my Heavenly Father was proud of me thus far on my mission. And how I knew that I just neede to keep working hard and finish strong.  A tender mercy that made me aware that my heavenly father knows me happen there as well.  Before going to the temple I became all anxious with my companion leaving, plus I had 3 other companions that I had served with also going home :( So it was kind of emotional for me, but it was when I was waiting for our session that I saw the card that they give us to make sure that we had a seat.  On there was the #13.  I started to tear up, I knew that was a sign from my Father in Heaven.  For those of you that don't know, #13 is my favorite/lucky number.  It was a reminder as well that I was suppose to be here for 13 transfers with 13 companions.  There are no coincidences in with the Lord.  It was cool because before our session the temple president spoke to us and he was talking about that.  We got to ask a lot of questions and I got to ask some questions I had had for a while, it was great to see things in a different perspective. Afterwards we went to the mission home to have dinner and a testimony meeting.  It was a great experience overall.  I was ready to go though when those who were being picked up by their families started to show up.  It was cute to see, but hard as well.

    I don't know what it was but their was a couple of times this week, during the departing stuff and during our Christmas devotional when our mission president was showing a video of a family that made me a little homesick.  It was then that I realized how much I miss you all.  I mean I love serving out here and I am focus I promise, it was just a moment when I realized how long it has been since I have seen you all.

    Saturday I dropped Sister Broberg off to the mission office to be taken to the airport and also saw Sister Hatch there, lets just say that Friday and Saturday were pretty emotional days for me.  There are so many sisters that I have grown so close too and just to think of the impact that they have had on my mission and so many I consider such good friends.  I know they are glad to be home, but I will miss them as being fellow missionaries.  And I will miss the good times that Sister Broberg and I had together and all the miracles that we saw.
   We got a few lessons squeezed in this week but not that many with all the things going on and with sister Broberg starting to pack and going home.  Plus for the last few days of the week I was with another sister in her area whose companion also finished her mission.  Someone who I have really come to love in our ward is Sister Dilworth, she is so great.  She is a less active member we have just started to work with who actually has a son out on the mission.  I think that I have talked about her before, but she said how she wants to start coming out to church! I was so excited to hear that, its tender mercies like that that the Lord sends you that make your day.

   Okay now on to Transfers! So I am staying, that shouldn't be a shocker.  But sadly I am not training :( To be honest I was a little sad about this, I think I got my hopes up too much on it and was too confident since I was "killing"(being with someone for their last transfer) companion.   My new companion is Sister Smith.  I don't really no her very well, all I know is that she has some health issues and has been in the hospital a couple of times. Her last companion told me that they had to stay home quite a bit when they were together these last two transfers.  I am a little nervous, but I trust the Lord.  That is one thing that I was wanting to do this transfer, is fully give my will to the Lord.  I just hope that I am able to continue to work hard and give my all until the very end.  

   This is the end of the fourth quarter, there is no time to let up and there are no overtimes or do-overs.

  I hope all of you had a great week, thanks for keeping me updated with life back at home.  I love you all so much!!!!

Love
Sister Metcalf