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| Women's conference |
Hola a todos!
This week has been so much fun. I don't know what was different about this week but I seriously feel like I haven't stopped laughing since last Monday. The work has been a little rough this week to be honest and at one point I really couldn't have handled another sentence of sad news. But looking back on the week, I can remember these hard times but I can't feel the hard. Each week I learn that missions are sooooo physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausting but in the end, the glad always outweighs the sad, always!
Two discoveries this week...
1. All I've been told about the temperature dropping in September in Minnesota is a lie (so far)... This week it has been in the high 80s and low 90s with humidity to match, which has been very strange because we've been preparing to wear layers on layers and todavia no hace frio
2. We always joke about how we have no branch council and how we don't know what that would be like. Well at least until today when the Stake President got up in Sacrament meeting during our branch conference and said, "I had the great opportunity to attend your branch council this morning." Hna Meredith and I just gave each other the side eye.... Turns out there is a branch council but these Hermanas just didn't catch the invite. No worries though, we're going to change this.
Ahhh okay this week I also felt so so so overwhelmed. It seemed like everything was falling apart. I felt so inadequate as Hermana after Hermana poured their hearts out to us about how their family is suffering from Earthquakes in Mexico, they haven't heard from their families in Puerto Rico for dayyysss, they lost their job and are struggling to support their family, their husband won't speak to them, their son packed up and moved to Germany, their husband is about to lose his job and relationship with his father, their husband packed their bags and said he may never come back, their child needs to start taking medication but they don't know how to afford it, the list goes on and on. As I've sat there listening to these incredible sisters I could only think of how unqualified I am to help them. I just couldn't relate. I've never had a husband or kids or family in another country in danger, how could my simple life of 19 years ever compare? Then it kind of just clicked and seemed way too simple for me to have missed. The message we bring is centered in Jesus Christ. He suffered bled and died for every single one of us. Yes for you and yes for me. We talk about this all the time as missionaries but in this moment the power of that statement was so apparent to me. I don't have to feel responsible for fixing the lives of these women because God already sent someone much greater, stronger, more perfect than any of us to fix us and them. This is the message I want the world to know. That Jesus Christ lives! He not only knows you individually, but He loves you personally and perfectly. President Uchtdorf said it beautifully in Women's Conference, "If you are feeling lost. abandoned, or forgotten-- fear not. The good shepherd will find you. He will lift you upon His shoulders. And He will carry you home."
This week has been so much fun. I don't know what was different about this week but I seriously feel like I haven't stopped laughing since last Monday. The work has been a little rough this week to be honest and at one point I really couldn't have handled another sentence of sad news. But looking back on the week, I can remember these hard times but I can't feel the hard. Each week I learn that missions are sooooo physically, mentally, and spiritually exhausting but in the end, the glad always outweighs the sad, always!
Two discoveries this week...
1. All I've been told about the temperature dropping in September in Minnesota is a lie (so far)... This week it has been in the high 80s and low 90s with humidity to match, which has been very strange because we've been preparing to wear layers on layers and todavia no hace frio
2. We always joke about how we have no branch council and how we don't know what that would be like. Well at least until today when the Stake President got up in Sacrament meeting during our branch conference and said, "I had the great opportunity to attend your branch council this morning." Hna Meredith and I just gave each other the side eye.... Turns out there is a branch council but these Hermanas just didn't catch the invite. No worries though, we're going to change this.
Ahhh okay this week I also felt so so so overwhelmed. It seemed like everything was falling apart. I felt so inadequate as Hermana after Hermana poured their hearts out to us about how their family is suffering from Earthquakes in Mexico, they haven't heard from their families in Puerto Rico for dayyysss, they lost their job and are struggling to support their family, their husband won't speak to them, their son packed up and moved to Germany, their husband is about to lose his job and relationship with his father, their husband packed their bags and said he may never come back, their child needs to start taking medication but they don't know how to afford it, the list goes on and on. As I've sat there listening to these incredible sisters I could only think of how unqualified I am to help them. I just couldn't relate. I've never had a husband or kids or family in another country in danger, how could my simple life of 19 years ever compare? Then it kind of just clicked and seemed way too simple for me to have missed. The message we bring is centered in Jesus Christ. He suffered bled and died for every single one of us. Yes for you and yes for me. We talk about this all the time as missionaries but in this moment the power of that statement was so apparent to me. I don't have to feel responsible for fixing the lives of these women because God already sent someone much greater, stronger, more perfect than any of us to fix us and them. This is the message I want the world to know. That Jesus Christ lives! He not only knows you individually, but He loves you personally and perfectly. President Uchtdorf said it beautifully in Women's Conference, "If you are feeling lost. abandoned, or forgotten-- fear not. The good shepherd will find you. He will lift you upon His shoulders. And He will carry you home."
Also we have a few members that left to Puerto Rico about 10 days ago right before the hurrican hit and the rest of their family hasn't heard from them. If you could please keep the Rodriguez's in your prayers it would mean a lot to me and to our whole branch out here.
I have officially been in Minnesota for two months now and I love it more everyday. This place is beautiful and the people are so amazing. I hope you all have an amazing week and keep the emails coming! I love you alllllllll
Quote of the week: "She's mocking me because I'm Mexican!" - the one and only sassy Stacy Saldana
Quote of the week: "She's mocking me because I'm Mexican!" - the one and only sassy Stacy Saldana
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| They won't let me love them, it's fine |
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| Branch potluck after branch conference (tamales are good yuuuummmm) |
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