Hey all!
Guess who gets to stay in Lacey 5th? THIS girl!! Sister Bayles and I are staying together a 3rd transfer! So, in mission life, this means we're getting married. AND I get to kill her (this is her last transfer) as well. Which means I will more than likely stay here next transfer, and that I'll get to end my mission here. I'm so grateful! :)
This week has been an...interesting one. I'm not quite sure how else to explain it. We had our last exchange of the transfer - it was AMAZING! - and then things went kinda funny after that. Week 6 is always an odd one. I feel like Satan likes to mess with things to try to keep things from rolling on as usual, and to prevent things from being a smooth transition.
So, I go on exchange with Sister Rea - she was trained by Sister Bevan, so I heard a lot about her while I was companions with Bevan. Sister Rea is her favorite child :) - and am just absolutely blown away. Sister Rea is one of those missionaries who literally talks to everyone she sees and will somehow manage to invite them to read The Book of Mormon or at the very least to check out Mormon.org. Everyone. Every time. I felt like she was being my STL, instead of the other way around...though, granted about 3 months ago she WAS an STL.
Anyway, it was a dang good exchange. I learned a lot. But it kind of was the cause of some of the weirdness that ensued further on in the week. In my few conversations with Sister Rea previous to this exchange, I've discovered that she has this uncanny ability to get me to spill my guts to her. It's odd, because I've learned to cope with things by, not exactly ignoring them. I don't ignore my problems, but I acknowledge them and then push them to the side, because dwelling on them just seems to make my thoughts go negative, so I just acknowledge them and then push them to the side, because eventually, through studies and whatever, God ends up fixing them/giving me the revelation I need to deal with it. Anyways...to make a long story short...I make some comment, where I was mostly kidding, and then she asks, apparently seeing through the sarcasm, "Is that weighing you down?" And the sincerity of her question forced me to answer with a yes. And now the problem was no longer pushed to the side, and I was faced with it again. And...it didn't go away. I couldn't push it to the side anymore. It was just...there. In my face. In my mind.
In reality, it was a beautiful experience...not the negative thoughts that rolled through my mind the next couple of days. Not the feelings of discouragement and questions of why things were happening in certain ways. Those led to a couple of rough days - made rougher by plans falling through and having no one to see - but it was incredible to see how, as I took those things to God, not knowing the answers, not knowing how to handle things, not really understanding, He addressed my needs and gave me the grace I needed. He didn't give me the answers I was looking for, but He filled me with His love and helped me see how it's His plan, not mine, and that He would give me what I needed. And that I was fine!
It was an interesting week, but one where God made His love known for me. I'm grateful for it. And I'm so grateful I have the chance to share it! Especially that I get to share it here in Lacey!! I love it! So much!
I love you guys! Thanks so much for everything you all do for me.
Sister Beth Ann Root!
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