I
volunteered at a bike shop after class, and I biked there because my sister
wasn't home with the car. I saw this little toddler rolling on his scooter
across the street, so I jumped off my bike to pull him back into his driveway.
There were two or three cars lined up, waiting behind me. I'm so glad I was
able to see him and make sure he was safe! After that, I went home to get
everything ready for Home Evening. We had an artsy night and painted canvases,
which was super fun (even though my painting turned out terribly)!
On
Tuesday, the figure skates that I had ordered arrived! I was so so so happy! I
tried them on—perfect fit! I’m so excited for the opportunity to try them out.
On
Wednesday, I was thoroughly amused in my English class. Each group had a creative presentation—from making origami canoes and guns to an opera performance! I went over to my friend Kjetil's apartment to practice my oral
speech presentation for tomorrow, as well as the lesson I had prepared to teach
at the MTC for my applicant rating session. I desperately needed the practice…
I felt prompted to talk about patience, so hopefully everything goes well and I
get hired! That is my dream job, and I am also tired of working custodial... ;)
My
class Thursday morning got out super early, so I was able to practice my
presentation to Hallie, as well as practice-teach her about patience. I had a
really cool experience because as I bore testimony of the Savior’s patience
while suffering in Gethsemane, the Spirit filled us, and Hallie started crying.
I felt the Spirit speak through me as I spoke to her, and I know she needed to
hear those things to help her as she prepared to serve a mission. We hugged
afterward, and she left with a lighter countenance and a greater desire to be
patient. My oral presentation went well, and my practice teaching session at
the MTC went okay… That evening, I had a date with a guy named Stephan. He was
really nice and cool. We went to an ice cream place—Brooker’s Founding Flavors—and
they had dairy/gluten/egg-free options for me! Today was also Miranda's birthday, so I gave her the Texas-shaped soap... and also this magnetic mini-canvas I painted for her! She loved it!
On
Friday, I had another date, and it was sooooo awkward. The guy was shorter than
me and super weird. I felt sad that the date went bad, and I was close by
Kjetil's apartment, so I asked if I could stop by for a short while. We just
talked about random things until I had to go for Val's graduation party. I
couldn't eat any of the food (except for a bag of chips), but it was fun. Then
I left to go home and eat dinner at around 9pm... I was so hungry!
On
Saturday, I went to the temple in the morning and felt peaceful. Then I had
another date (yes, a week of lots of dates, crazy right??) where we played
basketball at a recreation center. He was getting flustered because I was
totally beating him at “Around the World” and “PIG.” Hehe... then I just had
lots of homework to work on. That evening, after finishing my 3 essays, I was
massaging Val on the living room couch when we heard the doorbell ring. I went
to answer it, but no one was there. I did hear loud footsteps running away. On
the doorstep was a bag of heart-shaped cookies that Kjetil had left for me
because he knew I had a busy weekend with lots of homework! How sweet and
thoughtful! He really is a great guy and a wonderful friend.
I
bore my testimony in church this Sunday, and felt the Spirit strong as I
testified that this was Jesus Christ’s church, that we are His saints, and that
we are ushering in His Second Coming. My sister Valerie got up to bear her
testimony right afterward, and as they lowered the microphone and pulpit to her
level, she said, "I look up to my sister in many ways... both literally
and spiritually." Everyone in the congregation laughed at that one! I also
had the amazing opportunity to talk to Rhoda and Johnny, recent converts I
taught in Brewton, Alabama. They shared about how they felt when they went to
the temple to be endowed and sealed. What an amazing experience! I am so proud
of how they are flourishing with the gospel in their lives, and I love them so
much! One new Southern phrase I learned from Rhoda is “Don’t be spittin’ on my
word!”
God’s
timing is perfect. He knows what we need, when we need it. He is determined to
make us happy, and so we cannot compare what we have (or don’t have) to others,
because there is a time and a season for everything in our individual lives. We
are supposed to find joy in the moment and learn what we can to prepare for the
future.
Spiritual Thought:
I’ve
always thought that I did not have any patience. But as I studied about
patience this week, I realized that I had no idea what patience meant. It was
such an abstract concept, and now it is slowly becoming concrete. Patience—the ability
to go through opposition and trials without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious—is
more than enduring trials. It is more than waiting for God to fulfill His
promised blessings. Patience can only be developed in trials because it is the
very thing that enables us to put off our natural man and access the enabling
power of Jesus Christ’s Atonement to endure—to endure well. It allows us to
behave as our most Christ-like selves in the midst of our hardest hours.
Patience is the ability to access the grace of Christ to keep us from giving
into our weaknesses when we are struggling—whether it is increased charity for
someone we are faltering in our love, the ability to forgive beyond our own
capacity, or a temperate demeanor when we are encompassed about by a mountain
of stressors.
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