S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g!

This week marked our one year point as missionaries.  Time is flying.  There is so much to do.  I admit that I never much cared for the idea that the harder you work the happier you are but I have begun to see things differently here on our mission.  We are often called to do things that stretch us far beyond what we thought we were capable of.  There are times when the “busyness”, in any other time or place would be overwhelming.  I feel like we often experience what I call “mission blessings”.  The kinds of blessings you feel like you get because you need them as missionaries.  This past week (and due to 9” of snow—into next week) has been Mega-zone conferences.  This is a busy time for me because I usually attend all 4 of them to help Marc inspect cars and to work helping prepare lunch for about 60 missionaries.  Marc is busy inspecting cars and then, after lunch, instructing missionaries on how to keep their cars in good condition and trying to convince them not to eat in their cars.

Our 9-inch "dusting" of snow.  This is my least favorite part of our 80 step walk to the office.
The building on the right is our apartment building.  The office is behind it.  My companion cleared the walk
each hour all day.

Yesterday I went shopping with an investigator, Patricia, who was getting baptized today.  The young sisters have allowed me to sit in on some of their discussions.  Then, in my spare time, I have been preparing my talk for the baptism, learning a song in sign language to teach the kids in Primary, and preparing my Primary lesson.  Marc has been busy preparing his Sunday School lesson, preparing 5 cars to sell, giving driving tests, etc.  We wonder what it feels like to be retired.  However, the mission blessings have been evident in all of this.  Somehow we are able to feel spiritually and physically and emotionally, energized.  I truly feel like my mind is “quickened” and works far better than my pre-mission mind.  My talks, lessons and activities seem to come together faster than I have ever experienced.  It almost makes me want to stay on a mission for all the extra Spiritual help we are getting.

The baptism was well-attended.  In my talk I mentioned Mosiah 18:8-9. In this is talks about being desirous to come into the fold of God. We had talked with Patricia in one of our lessons about how we can think of a fold as something that “enfolds” us and pulls us in.  The Flushing 1^st Branch is such a good example of this.  A new person comes in and they all enfold them and make them feel like part of their branch family.

Patricia's Baptism
Sister Williams, Sister Wuthrich, Patricia, (other) Sister Williams, Elder Liljenquist

I feel so blessed to have a wonderful companion.  It would be hard to be together so much with someone who was difficult to get along with.  He even lets me go shopping as much as I want (almost) and hardly ever complains.  Seriously, I feel blessed because he tries very hard to understand and be patient with all my faults and quirks.  It’s either something he has become better at or, more likely, something I haven’t noticed before because I wasn’t with him so much.  We laugh together A LOT! And just enjoy being around each other.

We love being here and love the friends we are making and I marvel to think that a year ago I didn’t know these wonderful people existed.  These are people who will stay in our hearts long after we have left here.