My dear companion, Sister
K, is now the main character in a spin-off, "The Little Girl Who
Cried Transferred."
Yes, that's right, even though
President Kosak told us three weeks ago that she was leaving, she is staying
for her seventh transfer in this area (about 9 months so far) and our third
transfer together. Shocked but thrilled are we. I am so stoked to spend
Christmas with her and though I haven't had a companion for so long before, I
am glad that it is her. The only embarrassing part is that she keeps telling
people that she is leaving and writing cards and saying goodbye (this is her
second time believing she was leaving) and other sentimental things only to
show up at church and say “PYSCH! I'm still here!”
No one is going to believe her
next transfer when she really has to go.
In honor of Thanksgiving, which
we don't celebrate here, I thought I'd write a gratitude list for you all about
my week and my life. I am therefore thankful for...
·
Making
it home despite getting lost 20 minutes away from our apartment in the dark.
Somehow because of varying bahn and bus schedules and paths, it took an hour
and a half for us to get home from somewhere where we can ride our bikes to in
twenty minutes. But the important thing is that we made it home before 9:30.
Into our warm apartment. J
·
We had
a good street display this week and I got to use my chalking skills again to
share my testimony. It's a little harder wearing gloves though.
·
I saw
my dad. Wait, scratch that. I SAW MY DAD! Yes, that-person-who-raised-me-that-I-
haven't-seen-in-10-months dad. That was weird. But so great! He was here for
work and got permission from my mission president to say hello, so we ate
dinner together and he came to church and met all of the wonderful people I get
to serve and it was just a crazy missionary experience that missionaries don't
usually have but brought an extra dosage of Ammon Joy (see last week’s letter)
regardless.
·
Funny
people. Or maybe they aren't that funny but somehow you end up laughing because
they are drunk and alternate between crying, complimenting your skirt, and
questioning the authenticity of your American citizenship. Oh the people we
see!
·
Our
constant supply of new investigators. Even though most of them don't stay L. Like
the miracle Cameroonians from last week. But we can get them back.
·
Sister
K staying for another 6 weeks!
·
Christmas
is coming! And coldness and darkness. But Christmas!
·
Canned
pumpkin. Gifted from my mother through my father to me. Score.
·
Our
nice apartment.
·
A
living prophet and apostles who give us revelation and direction from God.
·
Living
with three other wonderful sisters. I love them so much.
·
Getting
to serve as an STL (Sister
Training Leader) and
work with other sister missionaries in our program.
·
Church!
I love going to church and feeling uplifted for the upcoming week and I love
that the church is the same all over the world and how you always have a family
in the Gospel.
·
Music.
Especially Christmas music. Which is not yet played to excess, but simply to
satisfaction.
·
Chocolate.
·
Socks.
Especially in winter and in cold apartments.
·
Friends
J
·
My
family. My grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and especially my wonderful
brothers and parents and dog.
·
Laughter.
·
Scriptures.
·
Quark. (a German dairy product--sort
of a cross between non-lumpy cottage cheese and yogurt)
·
Books.
Even though the only books I read right now are the scriptures. But I still
love them.
·
Words.
Connected with the above point.
·
Letters
and emails.
·
A fridge.
·
The
ability to remember and the faith to look forward to the future.
·
Education.
·
Shoes
(that should probably have gone with socks).
·
A
wonderful mission president.
·
Prayer!
And especially answers to prayer.
·
Health!
I think that was a good
sampling of some of the feelings in my heart. I am just dang blessed all the
time. I really know that God gives us people and experiences in our lives
exactly when we need them so that we can be lifted up and so that our faith can
grow. Also I realize that two of my bullet points are not grammatically correct
in how I introduce them, but it is too late. Actually it's not. But. Yes.
So that was my ode to
Thanksgiving. Just spreading some Thanksgiving cheer among people who
understand Pilgrims and Indians and what really went down. And the cherry on
top comes from Elder Gordon Watts: "The depth and the willingness with
which we serve is a direct reflection of our gratitude."
I know our gratitude increases
when we are actively involved in expressing it. I am so happy to show every day
how grateful I am for Jesus Christ and His Gospel.
--Sister Claire Michelle Woodward
Sister Woodward and her dad
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