At first I wanted to keep a few of my missionary experiences out of my weekly emails to y'all. But I have these experiences not to bottle them up, but to learn from them and hopefully give others strength to overcome their own trials.
This week I saw Sarah. She's an LDS Family Services counselor, and she helps missionaries when they're stressed or depressed or need someone to talk to. As I talked to her and learned a few things about myself and what I'm capable of, I felt as if a load had been lifted off of my back. It makes me so upset when people talk about going to see a counselor or therapist as an act of weakness. How is reaching for help a weakness? A dear friend of mine once pointed out to me that part of our baptismal covenants is to bear one another's burdens. It doesn't say bear the burdens of others. Instead, the "bear one another's burdens" insinuates that we are to give help but also accept it. And how are we to be true disciples of Christ if we aren't willing to complete that aspect of our covenant?
To see Sarah, Sister Springer and I had to go up to Riverside. We had to be there a little early to sign paperwork, so we decided to have lunch up there! There's this pizza place called Blaze Pizza, and it's basically Chipotle for pizza. You watch them make your pizza (after you choose your toppings), you watch it get thrown in a brick oven and within 5 minutes you're eating the best pizza of your life. Not upset. We also did some retail therapy at a Nordstrom Rack, and we each bought a pair of Toms! (Mine are gold sparkle ones. #fairyprincess)
This week I saw Sarah. She's an LDS Family Services counselor, and she helps missionaries when they're stressed or depressed or need someone to talk to. As I talked to her and learned a few things about myself and what I'm capable of, I felt as if a load had been lifted off of my back. It makes me so upset when people talk about going to see a counselor or therapist as an act of weakness. How is reaching for help a weakness? A dear friend of mine once pointed out to me that part of our baptismal covenants is to bear one another's burdens. It doesn't say bear the burdens of others. Instead, the "bear one another's burdens" insinuates that we are to give help but also accept it. And how are we to be true disciples of Christ if we aren't willing to complete that aspect of our covenant?
To see Sarah, Sister Springer and I had to go up to Riverside. We had to be there a little early to sign paperwork, so we decided to have lunch up there! There's this pizza place called Blaze Pizza, and it's basically Chipotle for pizza. You watch them make your pizza (after you choose your toppings), you watch it get thrown in a brick oven and within 5 minutes you're eating the best pizza of your life. Not upset. We also did some retail therapy at a Nordstrom Rack, and we each bought a pair of Toms! (Mine are gold sparkle ones. #fairyprincess)
We visited a few families in the ward, trying to find more people to teach. We stopped by a less active's home. His name is Dave and his wife, Kim, isn't a member. So we stop by, and he opens the door and invites us in, calls his wife down, they invite us over to dinner the next week, they want us to share messages with them...! It was a dream come true! She's been taught the lessons before, but it just wasn't the right time for her. Hopefully Sister Springer and I (and the Holy Ghost, obvs) have what it takes to see her to the waters of baptism! I love them soooo much!
Sunday was interesting. Sister Springer had to go up to Lake Elsinore to give a talk at a baptism for a family she taught, so I was with Sister Roberts and Sister Petersen. We had a break the fast Hawaiian party in their ward only to have dinner with a recent convert family in my ward. It was so fun! So the Soto parents were baptized last August. They have a 5 year old girl and a 3 year old boy. The daughter was the one who coronated me queen last week. Anyway, love them. They made so much brisket. Soooo yummy. The best part of the lesson was being chopped into pieces with a ninja turtle sword and given yet another makeover. No complaints.
God is good and I love the Gospel. Read your scriptures every single day. Pray morning and night. Always count your blessings.
Sister Turner
God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs. - Spencer W Kimball
Sunday was interesting. Sister Springer had to go up to Lake Elsinore to give a talk at a baptism for a family she taught, so I was with Sister Roberts and Sister Petersen. We had a break the fast Hawaiian party in their ward only to have dinner with a recent convert family in my ward. It was so fun! So the Soto parents were baptized last August. They have a 5 year old girl and a 3 year old boy. The daughter was the one who coronated me queen last week. Anyway, love them. They made so much brisket. Soooo yummy. The best part of the lesson was being chopped into pieces with a ninja turtle sword and given yet another makeover. No complaints.
God is good and I love the Gospel. Read your scriptures every single day. Pray morning and night. Always count your blessings.
Sister Turner
God does notice us, and He watches over us. But it is usually through another person that He meets our needs. - Spencer W Kimball