Thursday, February 6, 2014

When Satan Picks On You!


You ever have those weeks where you feel like Satan’s just picking on you?  Where you are doing your darnedest to do what you are supposed to do and nothing seems to go right?  That was this week for me.  We just had ridiculous thing after ridiculous thing happen.  Why?  I’m not entirely sure.  Maybe something amazing is about to happen…Who knows.  But what I do know is that this week was really, really hard, but it was the Lord’s will for me.  That’s one of the coolest things about the Gospel I think…that I can know that nothing happens on accident, and I’m going to grow from this week! J

Anyways…enough about that J  My week…the good, the bad, and the freezing:

-Elena took us to a plantation!  This was probably my favorite part of my week…it was way fun!  We walked around the Ashley River, re-enacted the Notebook on an old, broken down dock, climbed a tower, got chased by a wild alligator (true story…Sister Lamb filmed it…)petted a deer, ate “Mexican” food (not quite Los Favoritos… J) it was great fun.  I felt like I was living in Tom Sawyer’s time!!!!
 
Bryndee is so excite to be petting a deer.

 
Yes that is a peacock above her head.

 
Bryndee and Clemson (her friend Elena's dog).

-The freeze.  So, I’m on exchanges with Sister Billin, and we get a text from the Zone Leaders…Major storm advisory for today around noon.  Work close to your apartments & if conditions are dangerous, (icy, sleet, or snowy) head into your apartments.   GREAAAAAAT!  Next thing we know all of our appointments for the next 3 days have texted us and cancelled.  We un-exchange, it starts to rain & the rain begins to freeze instantly as it hits the road…I’ve never seen anything like it!  So, we head in, and spend the next few days locked up inside.  Talk about stir-crazy!  Saddest part…it didn’t even snow L

 
This isn't snow...it's ice!  So very cold!

When we finally did get to go out, it was stinkin’ cold!  Luckily, we were able to scrounge up a few people to teach J

-MLC:  Most exciting news – Elder Zwick of the Seventy will be coming to do a mission tour!  We learned a lot about budgeting, how to politely interrupt someone (pretty much a survival skill in the south…) and having more faith.  One of my favorite trainings came from President Holm.  He spoke on symptoms, root causes, and solutions.  We made a list on the black board of problems our missionaries are having…disobedience, discouragement, “floating”, etc.  He talked about how these are symptoms of a bigger root problem…lack of faith, or depth of testimony.  It changed the way I looked at my assignment.  I’m not here to nit-pick at little obedience issues, but to help the Lord treat a bigger issue.  I’m here to encourage, uplift, inspire, and bless…to help the Sisters in my stewardship grow their faith.  When we treat the root cause, the symptoms take care of themselves.  Anyways…cool training!  J

-Something cool I found in the Scriptures:  Right now, I’m studying the war chapters in Alma.  Over and over again, the Lord promises the children of Lehi that if they keep his commandments, they’ll prosper in the land.  Now, with this promise, there can be two trains of thought.  Some might think “well, the Lord’s taught me that if I just keep the commandments.  I’m good.  I shouldn’t need to worry about anything else.”  And that’s true to some extent.  But this isn’t the direction Moroni’s people seem to take.  When the Laminates come, they take up their arms and go take an active role in helping the Lord keep his promises…and it says in Alma 50:23 “but behold, there never was a happier time among the people of Nephi, then in the days of Moroni…” I love that!  When we don’t just sit back, but take an active role in the Gospel by doing our home/visiting teaching or sharing the Gospel, or letting someone know their Father in Heaven loves them (whatever you can actively do, put it here J) We are SO MUCH HAPPIER!! 

And on that note,

Ya’ll have a blessed week!

Love,

Sister Derrick

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