Elder and Sister Williams NY NY South Mission: My Turn: Parts 1 & 2

My Turn to Write Part 1 (7/11/17):

Elder Williams says I need to hurry and write this so I don’t end up writing about all his weeks’ stuff.

I’m sitting in the office on transfer day enjoying the calm before the storm. We had 15 new missionaries come in last night and 20 leaving. That makes for a busy day. It was sunny and pleasant when we met the new missionaries and we remarked on what a difference it made in the countenance of the missionaries. They were all peppy and cheerful. It is often dark and rainy when we meet them and I think it makes things more overwhelming for them.

4th of July was a fun day for us. We had our annual 4th Of July BBQ at the Mission Home. We absolutely love these gatherings where all the senior missionaries gather and chat and EAT—always lots of food! There is always a warm feeling and President and Sister Reynolds are so good at expressing their appreciation and making us feel important. I have realized the last couple months what a big part of my life these people have become. If we hadn’t come on a mission we wouldn’t even know they existed.

We were able to attend the baptism Saturday of a woman (Fran) who Marc had sold a mission car to. Her friends had all told her the Church would try to cheat her since we handle the title a little differently (it has to come from Salt Lake). She has been very happy with her car and now one of her friends wants to buy one. She had been investigating the Church for 5 years. One of her family members asked her, “Can’t you just be friends with them?” She replied, “But I want what they have!” It was a wonderful day. She told me what a wonderful man Marc is. I guess you never know the influence you will have even in the smallest of human interactions.

We took 3 Brooklyn sisters to the baptism with us because one of them had taught Fran. The baptism was out on Long Island in Bay Shore. They kept exclaiming things like, “Trees!” “Houses!” “Houses with Driveways!” Brooklyn is quite different than “the island”.

Last night we got the distressing news that little Kennedy is in the hospital with a fever and high white blood count. It makes it a little hard to enjoy my day when that worry is in the back of my mind. I wish I could be there to help. No mother likes to be far from their children when they are going through trials. I know the Lord listens to prayers, though, and especially those of His missionaries. This gives me so much comfort and hope.

This morning we got up at 4:00 to pick up Jay and Stephanie from the airport. Today they are “on the town” in Manhattan. I’ll let Marc talk more about their visit so he will have something to write about. We are so excited to have them here.

We got news that Kennedy is home and doing well! Prayers are answered.

My Turn to Write Part 2 (7/16/17):

So, the week zipped by so fast and I didn't finish the blog so I get to write this week too.

This has been a wonderful week with Jay and Stephanie here. We have been able to do quite a few things with them and still fulfill our transfer week duties. It was fun sharing “our city” with our loved ones and spending time with them.

I won’t give a list of all we did but here is my journal entry from yesterday:

“Today I am feeling grateful for family and that Jay and Stephanie could come spend time with us. We travelled upstate to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant and to visit several Church History sites as well as Niagara Falls.

Hill Cumorah Pageant

“I’m grateful for the many tender mercies of the Lord. The weather has been pretty good and rain seemed to stop whenever we got out to see the sites and to walk in the Sacred Grove. During the pageant the rain held out till a little before the end when it sprinkled a bit. I could just feel that the thousands of people there were silently praying for the rain to stop, which it did after about 3 minutes). On the way home we stopped to see a young man from Jay and Stephanie’s ward who is serving a mission in upstate New York. Jay is his bishop and the two of them had become close. The young missionary started to cry when he saw Jay and I could feel that he had appeared just at the right time when the young man needed to see him. He said to Jay, as they hugged, ‘the Lord answers prayers.’ I saw in this elder what I see in so many of our missionaries when they are blessed by Heavenly Father in ways that let them know He is aware of them and that He loves them.”

Our trip was so fun and we are grateful to have braved and survived driving through Mid-town Manhattan and the New Jersey Turnpike. I'm actually pretty impressed at Marc's courage and great driving skills.

Marc keeps saying that we wish that at least one of us could come up with an original thought. We are together so much (and love each other so much) that we find ourselves constantly saying, "That's what I was thinking." I love having such a wonderful soul-mate!

I’ll close by saying, I love my mission! I am just so, so happy!