19 - My New Companion

Welcome to Bismarck, Sister Gray!

Guess what!? I have a companion again! Sister Gray. We get along great. You wanna know why? It's because we both play the trombone. True story. Sister Gray has a punny sense of humor. She doesn't enunciate very clearly, but that's ok, it just gives my brain more of a workout for when she says a sentence and then my brain has to go back and insert the words which belong by the context of the words I did catch. It's good exercise. Best thing is though that she just wants to just get out and work. I'm sooooo glad I'm not training a new missionary because I have so much to learn still myself. I can feel that this companionship is truly inspired and things will just run as smooth as they can as long as we just keep on striving to help each other be exactly obedient.

But poor Sister Gray, she got here just in time for the mosquito ambush. See, here, in North Dakota, we actually have normal seasons. And I've found that mosquitoes usually emerge when the season is changing. They were bad right before summer and they are REALLY bad right now! Our positive thought about the little blood suckers is that... well... at least it's not negative thirty.

Man... transfers are crazy. It was so hectic trying to get all our laundry washed, stuff packed, things bought, mail sent, rooms cleaned, and goodbyes said. Poor Sister Springer stayed up nearly all night packing. Studies in the morning? Yeah, I just read aloud while the sisters cleaned and finished packing Sister Springer's stuff. Goodbyes weren't nearly as tearful as when Sister Easter left, but they were sad nonetheless. 

The Trefethens

Sister Trefethen

Brother Trefethen

The saddest goodbye was probably with Sister Trefethen. We relied on the Trefethen's soooo much in putting together the musical fireside. It wouldn't have been what it was without them. And we've been able to help her out in times of need too when she's just needed a shoulder to cry on. The spirit is so strong in their home and she reminds me of a mother hen. (a mother Trafeth-hen in fact!) We were always coming over and bless her heart, Sister Trefethen would always be asking us if we'd had anything to eat yet and would make us food. And she is such a master of presentation. We became the little triplets and it was really hard knowing that relationship between us and them would have to end. It was really quite emotional... and Sister Springer expressed after our last night of dinner that she wanted to see Sister Trefethen one last time for one last hug... There just wasn't enough time though... We had too much to do the next day.

But... Heavenly Father shows us such tender mercies, we were getting out of the car to mail a box of Sister Springer's extra stuff at the post office and who is stopping on the same street!? Sister Trefethen! ooooooh! We were so happy to see her. We flocked out of the car and were able to give her one last hug! All because she just happened to be meeting someone for lunch right across the street from the post office. I promise you, that was a tender mercy. Not a coincidence.

And like I said earlier, it's not a coincidence that Sister Gray is my companion now. And it's not a coincidence that I just happened to be involved in an emergency transfer where I had to adapt to a lot of change and be forced to take the reigns of my area in a unique way. Everything that has happened has been inspired and has helped me grow, and this change will help Sister Gray grow. It's been hard for her, leaving her first area and coming to an area that still needs to be built up, but I know it will help her in all the right ways. I feel so blessed to be able to see how Heavenly Father is giving us the opportunity to grow, because so many times you can't see the forest in the middle of the trees, so to speak. But it is evident to me that we both need each other. 

Sister Christiansen

I am glad to be back in the apartment I was originally living in though. It's like coming home. And I'm glad to be living with Sister Christiansen again. See, she's the Sister training leader, and her responsibility is to basically look out for the sisters in the zone, which are usually about  six to ten sisters. I love 'living' with the sister training leader. Not being companions with her, because then it wouldn't feel like you had a special go to person. It's so special to talk to her face to face instead of having to just call her, like all the other sisters in the zone have to do. When you live with your Sister Training Leader you can build that personal connection with her that you just don't have over the phone. And you see her everyday, giving her the opportunity to always be asking you how your day was, which could be taken as annoying or, more appropriately, as comforting and just, yes. I love living with the sister training leader. I missed it during the three weeks that I didn't. I'm so spoiled in this area! Living with the sister training leader, having a car that we don't have to share, not having to travel a lot for zone conferences and such because they're all right here, having the TEMPLE!? Yeah. I'm spoiled. 

But, OH! I'm just so excited for the happenings and growth which will happen in this next six weeks! Just throwing it out there.

P.S. Proof that Sister Gray and Sister Sanderson are trombone players.

The "mark" of a trombonist

Now, that's an embouchure!

How Many Missionaries Does It Take to Change a Light Bulb?!?!

Oh, PSS, this is a picture of everyone lifting up the light after changing the light bulb. Doesn't it remind you of that one picture of the Americans hoisting the flag? Awesome.