Vision

So I’m sitting in a park right now, it’s like 70 degrees, there’s a man sitting on a bench playing the guitar. I’ve got no shoes on and I’m sitting cross-legged in the grass. I’m pretty sure life could not get more perfect than this. I love being a SCCM missionary…FOR REALS!!!!

This week, I lost Sister Lamb. She was such an amazing companion. She taught me so much about myself and about being a leader, and about being who I am, and not who people expect me to be. Seriously, such an inspired companionship. But…I’m super happy to have Sister Alexis Glauser from St. George, Utah! She’s 5 foot 3, Super enthusiastic, and says “literally” a lot…especially when she doesn’t mean things literally. She’s great!

 

New Companionships:

Sister ? and Sister Lamb; Sister Glauser and Bryndee

 

Sister Glauser and Bryndee with lots of animals...I guess it's common for people to have many large house pets.

Heavenly Father is sure blessing this area…people are just popping out of the woodwork, wanting to be taught. I honestly don’t think it’s because of any thing we’re doing either…I think it’s because of the faithfulness and prayers of the Summerville 1^st ward. This ward is amazing. For example we were invited to the Priesthood Executive Committee meeting on Sunday (first time ever by the way). Where they spent like 20 minutes talking about the retention of Kitt, who’s not even baptized yet, and helping him to fell needed and included in the ward. It was just so cool to see a Bishop so focused on the individual, not numbers and statistics and finances.

Let me take a min and dedicate a paragraph to Elena. Elena was on fire this week! It started with her getting her Patriarchal Blessing. Oh my heavens! She invited us to sit in, and it was completely amazing. Now, she’s sharing the gospel like crazy! She brought a friend with her to church, and has a family slated to come with her next week…she’s just so cool!

So remember all those Saturday afternoons I used to spend watching HGTV & DIY channel? That totally came in hand this week! (see mom I wasn’t anti-social, just inspired) We did quite a bit of service this week, including hanging pictures & tearing up linoleum. It was great fun!

So spiritual thought o’ the week: I’ve been thinking a lot lately about vision; who we want to become, what we want to happen, what we see for our loved ones, etc. More specifically, I’ve been thinking about my vision, and the Lord’s vision for the sisters in the Charleston Zone. Right now most of the sisters in the zone are hardcore struggling, and Sister Glauser and I have been trying to figure out how best to help them. Well I was reading in 3 Nephi 13:22, where it says “the light of the body is the eye, if, therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light!” President Holm told me once that “there are no problems in the world but lack of vision; vision of the Fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man.” The purpose of the eye (tying it back to my scripture…) is to see it’s vision. And if we can get our Sister’s eyes single to what they’re supposed to be single to, they’ll progress. I don’t know if that makes as much sense on paper as it does in my head, but it was a cool moment when we were able to receive direction from Heavenly Father on Exactly what his children need.

Welp, that’s my letter this week. Hope ya’ll have a blessed week!

Love,

Sister Derrick

Hello From The Islands!

Friends & Family

Hello!  Hope this letter finds you thoroughly happy and warm.  This week has been the most downright crazy week of my mission bar none…I literally did not spend a single day in my area this week, which made me a little sad, but it was such a jam-packed fun week!

It started with a text from the ZL’s on Monday – “the Governor of SC just announced a state of emergency for most of the state for tonight & tomorrow due to icing conditions.  So we must ground the cars through tonight and tomorrow.  Be extra safe and careful.”   So we walked to all our leads within walking distance and it started to rain…freezing rain!  Who knew this kind of stuff existed!  Then – “Elders and Sisters until further notice, we are on lock down and to stay inside.  NO EXCEPTIONS!!! We love you.”  Shoot! We were kinda confused about the reason behind the whole lockdown thing (it was cold but not that bad…I mean, we could still work!)  Untill the next morning when trees started exploding…literally.  It got so cold that the water in the trees froze expanded, and then the trees EXPLODED!!!  Sounded like gunshots!  Limbs everywhere!  Muy Loco!  Lots of power lines went down (including ours…) So the whole city lost power…we were all pretty convinced it was the second coming…but!  ON the upside, I got a lot of Book Of Mormon studying done, and Sister Lamb cut my hair! (For concerned third parties it’s not any shorter…just way more even.  Don’t wanna freak my siblings out again) 

So, lockdown killed Monday, Tuesday, and most of Wednesday.  We were so stir crazy by the end of it…I just wanted to get out and work!!!  Wednesday afternoon they finally let us out, and I headed up to James Island for a crazy 3 day exchange.  We have a sister up there that’s struggling quite a bit, so El Presidente asked us to go on double exchanges with the companionship.  So I ended up there for a few days.  First exchange was S. Davis from Nephi, Utah (I really ought to get a map of Utah…I never know where these places are!) 

Sister Davis and Bryndee

 

This exchange was jam-packed with Miracles!  For example:  A few minutes after I got into the car:  *phone ringing!* It’s an unknown number. 

I picked up:  “Hello Sister Missionaries!”

“Uh…hello…”

“Hey! What can I help you with?”

Long…awk…pause…

“Well my name is James.  I got this card on my door a few weeks ago and it’s been sitting on my table.  I looked up the Mormon.org website today and I was on there for like 3 hours.  I don’t know what it is, but I felt compelled to call…can you guys tell me more about this Joseph Smith guy?” Way cool!

-And then every home we knocked, we were let in, and taught some way bold lessons.

-We contacted this guy who was not interested and completely high, but he gave us some referrals.

-Plus much, much more!

Cool thing was I had decided to fast earlier that day and then miracles.  I always forget what a testimony I have of fasting until I do it.  And then amazing things happen.  Heavenly Father is just so cool!

The next day, I had Sister Daniels from Austin TX.  She was trained by Sister Houston!  Man, I miss that girl! (And Sister Gardner too!)  Anyways she was really, really fun to work with.  We taught some amazing powerful lessons.  Next we taught a less active brother that reminded me SO MUCH  of my Dad…so that was fun!

 

Bryndee and Sister Daniels

Then I came home just in time for Sunday.  We got to teach Kitt, and that was a miracle.  Whenever we teach Kitt Sister Lamb would do the singing I didn’t know, because she took 2 semesters of ASL in college.  But I’ve been studying and watching the Book of Mormon in ASL (we got DVD’s from Kitt) and I was able to answer all his questions myself this time!   Super cool experience of Heavenly Father blessing me for working really, really hard.  We’re hoping to (finally!) get him a baptism date soon. 

Welp, that’s my week.  Oh guess what! I’m finally getting to spend more than 3 months in an area!!!  Sister Lamb is getting transferred out (I’m super sad…she was such a fun companion).  But Robinson & Stoleworthy are staying.  Should be a fun transfer!

 

Sister Lamb and Bryndee...Last week together as companions.

 

Sister Lamb and Bryndee.  Summerville sure is going to miss Sister Lamb!

 

 

Sister Lamb's going away cake from a family in the ward...Too cute!

Well I love you all, and I hope you’re staying safe and sharing the gospel like crazy

Love,

Sister Derrick

 

Lovest Thou Me?

This week was good.  We taught some powerful lessons, had amazing exchanges, and a phenomenal no more strangers meeting.

Bryndee's planner...of course she has to decorate it...one can not work with a boring planner!

Coolest lesson of the week:  Brad & Jerome.  Brad is someone we’ve been teaching a while, who was on date for baptism.  He was really excited, and started inviting Jerome to come and take the lessons with him.  Unfortunately it turns out the Brad is on probation, so it’s going to take him a little bit longer than expected to get baptized, and he is pretty upset about it.  So, we had this lesson set up, and we felt inspired to invite the Bishop of the Summerville 3^rd ward, who is friends with Jerome.  We watched a Mormon message (men’s hearts shall fail them on Mormonmessages.org…look it up) and talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Christ’s message of repentance, forgiveness, and peace was exactly what those two needed.  It was so cool to feel the Spirit rush in the room as an acting Bishop was able to explain the repentance process to Brad…way cool!  Member work is the best!!!

No more strangers/interviews with President were on Wednesday.  Interviews’ were amazing.  We went through the normal interview process (“How’s your family doing?  How’s your health?”  Etc…) and then he gave me a priesthood blessing.  It was very special and tender, and I bawled.  Then, President showed us all a clip from Elder Holland @ the MTC in 2011ish.  I don’t know if it’s on the Internet, but if it is look it up!  It’s amazing.  Elder Holland highlights the story of Peter in John 21.  Basically the Apostles are gathered together trying to figure out what to do with themselves after the amazing 3 years they just spent walking the footsteps of the Savior.  After some discussion Peter says in effect “well, it’s been a good run.  We’ve seen amazing things; we’ve touched some people…now I’m going fishing.”  And so he goes.  It says in Vs. 3 that “they went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.”  The Apostles, and especially Peter, had gone back to their boats as if nothing had changed, as if they were the same people that had occupied them before…and they got the same results.  So, that morning, a figure appears on the shore.  He calls out to them “children have ye any meat?”  Probably pretty tire and dejected from a night of hard work with little profit, they call back “no.”  The man tells them to try fishing on the other side of the boat, and a miracle is preformed.  John, who knew the Savior best, whispers to Peter “it is the Lord!” and sweet, excitable Peter, literally jumps without a seconds hesitation, and starts to swim to the Lord.  He then has a life changing experience.  If we remember Peter’s history, he seems to be a little unsure of himself.  He denied Jesus Christ three times.  He fell asleep as he suffered in Gethsemane.  He was rebuked for hastily cutting off a man’s ear.  But as Peter sat with the Savior, the Savior stops and asks him “Lovest thou me?” Peter, thinking it obvious “yea Lord, thou knowest that I love thee…” the Savior repeats his question two more times, admonishing Peter to feed his sheep.  He basically asks “do you love me more than your nets?  More than your boat?  More than it all?  Do you love me enough to leave it all behind and do what you can to help in my work?  Because that is what I am asking you to do.  I’m asking you to change, permanently, and to not go back!”

This experience changes Peter.  He goes from being afraid and insecure, to being so faithful that people would lay out their sick and afflicted on the streets, in hopes that the mere shadow of Peter would pass over them and they’d be healed.  He changed!

If you think about it, isn’t that what the Lord requires of us?  He wants us to leave ourselves behind and follow him?  He wants us to give up something good for something amazing and worthwhile?

Anyways…cool talk!  Elena spoke and bore her testimony (did I tell you that she originally got interested in the church from South Park?) and did an AMAZING job!  We were supposed to have a ton of investigators there, but nobody we had committed to come actually came…bummer!  Until half way though in wheels Chris and Dave!  Dave is n a wheelchair (results of a nasty fight a few years back) and we had knocked into him a few weeks ago.  His cousin Chris got the flier we left on the door, and they both showed!  Crazy!  They both liked it and we’re excited to keep teaching them. 

One last story:  I went on exchanges with Sister Roundy and Broadbent in Georgetown.  We met a lady named Belinda, who they’ve been teaching forever!!!! Anyways, we get towards the end of the lesson, and I was being pretty bold with her and she stopped me and said...  “You know I’m pretty sure we were friends in the pre-mortal life…there’s just something wonderful and familiar about you…like we were kindred spirits.  I’m going to have to read that chapter in the Book of Mormon you suggested…”  Whoa!  So cool!

Sister Broadbent, Sister Roundy, and Bryndee on exchanges.

Welp…that’s about it for this week…next week is gonna be insane (4 exchanges and transfer calls…whaat!?) but what else is new?

 

Bryndee lost her glasses and I had to send her new ones.  Just her (and mine) luck the frames were discontinued.  So I got to choose her new frames and hope they work...I think I did a pretty good job.  Bryndee doing some selfies showing off her new look!

 

Y’all have a blessed week!!!!

Love,

Sister Derrick

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