Some people write me, but I don't really write anyone so I'm not offended that they don't write me. I did get 3 emails last week about strengthening less active members. We decided that we would start trying to "practice the missionary discussions" with less active and part member families. We broke up with our only investigator because all he wanted to do was bash. ): I shared a scripture with him and he was totally stumped so he basically just ignored it. Basher no bashing! Anyway we aren't actually his missionaries so we gave him to Elder Chain and Elder Gee who apparently love to bash.
This week was hard because Monday's email made me homesick for the first time since I've left. So I've been missing some people a lot this week. We got to go to the temple though and while I was praying in the Celestial room I felt impressed that I would be 500 times as homesick if not for the constant comfort of the Holy Ghost. So I'm thankful for that.
I felt like getting a blessing when I was struggling the most with missing home, but I thought I would just wait and see if it went naturally. So the next day I wasn't feeling as bad and I was trying to decide if I should still get a blessing. I said a prayer and asked if it would be ok for me to get a blessing and I just thought like "if you're afraid to get a blessing because you're not in anguish and you think you will be inconveniencing Heavenly Father then that's kind of insulting because Heavenly father is all powerful and you literally can not inconvenience him by asking for help." then I was like "oh yeah that's right..."
So I got a blessing and it ended that Heavenly Father didn't want to tell me about my homesickness at all. I have also been feeling like because I'm always laughing and being cheerful people will think I'm not serious about the work. In the blessing it said that my joy and happiness is an example to others and helps strengthen them. It reminded me again that I'M called to represent Christ and help others, and that Heavenly Father made my spirit the way it is because he needs someone like me, and I don't have to be anyone else to be a profitable servant.
There's this really cool family, the Hydes, who we asked if we could practice the lessons with. Brother Hyde is like an assistant ward mission leader I think. They are super cool. We taught them the restoration and it was probably one of the most spiritual experiences I've ever had. We ended up all talking about our struggles and how much having the priesthood helps. It was crazy how much they opened up to us after having talked to us only one other time. It reminded me that I'm called to invite and help all people come unto Christ not just non members.
We also had a really good conversation with Sister Tenney, the young women's president, about how she knows the stories of the people in her family that joined the church, and people many generations after me will know my story and praise me for my decision. I was thinking though so I got baptized so what? That is like the bare minimum legacy I can leave for my posterity. So know I'm trying to think of other ways I can be a good example so if my great great great grandchildren are telling my story they won't only be able to say that I got baptized, but that I endured to the end as well.
Now some funny stuff:
If you go to a parking lot and look at it and then imagine that all the trucks are replaced with minivans and all the sedans have clamp on luggage racks then you will be picturing a parking lot in Irvine California.
I saw this old guy wearing under armor leggings, jogging shorts, a bright orange shirt, and a windbreaker tied around his waist and it reminded me of you. <dad> I almost deleted this before publishing </dad>
OH there was an earth quake that I forgot to write about last week. I have no idea how big it was but you can probably find out online.
Every time people talk trash about the Anaheim missionaries, which is all the time, I think about Aaron. Apparently we're supposed to hate each other.
So there's this Elder, Elder Mann, and apparently when he was in high school he printed out like 200 one inch tall pictures of Nicholas Cage and he still has like ~50 left. So Elder Burk walks by and puts one face down in front of me and goes "you can have my card" then I flipped it over and it was a tiny picture of Nick Cage. They are my favorite Elders.
"Oh you're an art major does that mean you like to draw?" -Elder Burk in a sassy voice
A guy asked us for a lighter while we were contacting.
We convinced Elder Center that we all independently determined his spirit animal is a goat.
"If I had a spirit animal what would it be?" -Elder Center
"Oh man I don't know It's some kind of farm animal cause you're a farm guy..." - Brother Johnston
"Whaaaat which one???" - Elder Center
*everyone mouthing goat*
"hmm do you eat trash? you a goat?" -Brother Johnston
*Elder Center dies of confusion*
"I'm 9 months." - Elder Mann
"That's full term congrats!" - me
*highfives* "I should have taken pregnancy pictures" -Elder Mann
"Elder Dayton keeps looking at me with this dopey cow-eyed expression" -me
"......moo...." -Elder Dayton
Anyway that's my life at the moment. Your reading assignment is not from the Book of Mormon this week. So you need to go to history.lds.org and look up two articles. "That They May Know the Covenants of the Lord" and "Out of Captivity" also Elder Blue and Elder Center gave me this talk to read so y'all have to read it too "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox
Then I want y'all to think of 3 ways you served the Lord last week, 3 blessings you received, and 3 things you can do to serve the Lord this week. I promise you will think of way more than 3.
Love y'all!!
<3 Sister Atchley
A picture of her zone members
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