I need to preface the following statement, and the
remainder of the email, by saying that Heavenly Father loves me sooooo
much. Like, it's absolutely ridiculous. I don't know if I did something
good in the pre-mortal existence for which I'm being rewarded, or if He just knows I can't
take many trials, and He promised me I wouldn't be tempted above that
which I can bear, but I'm just blessed so much.
Transfer calls- Lonas is going to............................
My
new (kinda) companion is gonna be............................ ELDER C!!! The same guy I was with in Manette last year!
hahahaha :) He goes home in 6 weeks! crazy. This
is completely unreal, I'm getting my dream area, with one of my best
friends. Hopefully I'll remain in Lakewood for the duration of my
mission.
New address:
9411 56th Ave SW apt. MM-106
Lakewood, WA 98499
Sad
news is I can't even describe how much I'm going to miss Bremerton.
This is my home... I'm scared to leave. But it'll all work out.
Hopefully I only need to learn this one last area, and I can just work
as hard as I can. Leave it all on the court :) I have everything I
could ask for to make these next transfers successful.
Leaving Bremerton I already knew was going to be
really hard... but as the end of the transfer got closer, I was sad,
because I felt like I hadn't done a very good job. There were specific people who I felt like I was sent to
Bremerton to help, and not all those people have been baptized yet.
(bear with me... I KNOW the right answer, but it doesn't change the way I
FEEL) So I felt kind of like I failed.
Sally isn't baptized yet, because she's scared of her Dad. (understandably so, her dad is a scary man) But she knows that the Gospel is true. And her Dad is meeting with missionaries now... and if his heart is softened, she'll be able to be baptized any given day.
Chrissie just wouldn't come to church! She could have been
baptized months ago if she would just come to church- but she has never
come. And I've been so so patient with her. She has a
good countenance. And then this Sunday, we dropped by her house an hour before church. She promised she would come. Then she didn't show up.... so instead of Sunday
school, We went BACK to her house, and put shoes on her son, and helped her get there. She finally came! She made it for
all of relief society, and she loved it. She has a couple friends in RS
now, some are almost neighbors. she's going to go to game night
tonight, she isn't afraid of coming to church now :) And you know what? I'll be gone and won't be able to baptize her. But that's okay,
because that's not what matters. It's not about "me" being able to
baptize her. I was here, and I did my part in helping her progress. She
is closer to her Saviour now than she was 6 weeks ago.
Almost every person I've baptized here in Bremerton
was at church. Everyone is doing so well. The ward relations are the
best I think they've ever been. Heavenly Father has blessed
us so much here. Not that the success here has been because of anything
that we as missionaries or as members could do. It's the principle we
learn in Jacob 5:61. WE do the work, and HE brings forth the fruit.
It's his work, it happens on his terms, and his timetable. And we're
along for the ride and the growth, as long as we're obedient and
diligent.
My heart is so full, I can't really describe it....
But I am so grateful. The Lord has blessed ME so much. He is under no
obligation to pour out so many tender mercies, He and I both know I
don't deserve them. But he does anyway. I KNOW that He lives, and I
KNOW that He loves me.
I'm going to go to Lakewood, which will be my
promised land, and I will be blessed, prospered and preserved, inasmuch
as I am faithful in keeping his commandments. There is never really a
reason to not be excited for transfer calls. Laman and Lemuel hated
transfer calls. Sometimes we as missionaries are the same
way- We forget that it's His mission not ours, and we forget that His
track record in making plans is significantly better than ours. But this
transfer I don't even have to try to have a good attitude. I've been
blessed with anything I could have asked for.
Transfer meeting will be bittersweet, as usual. One
of my best friends in the world is going home. And in 6 weeks, most of
my other close friends go home as well. Sad thoughts.
But I'm still here, and I still have work to do.
And I'm happy.
Love,
Lonas
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