Oh, where to start? This week has been very extreme, but also definitely exciting.
I guess the best place to start is with missionary work. On Wednesday and Thursday this past week, my companionship went on exchanges with the Sister Training Leaders from Jackson (we're the special missionaries that get to have 2 STL's over us). What was even more special however.... Wait for it..... SISTER JOHNSON AND SISTER COX ARE STL'S TOGETHER IN JACKSON!! Yep, I got to serve with Sister Cox again--if but for only 4 hours.
(The missionaries out here are so important to me, they are all really good friends and I love them a lot, its always special to see them.)
Sister Cox and I started our exchange by going to see a woman that has been excommunicated about 13 years ago. I was really scared as we walked up to her porch. She saw us through the screen door and immediately called "Come in ladies, have a seat." I was shocked and confused. I tried to stop and ask her, "Are you Dorthy? We're missionaries from the Church. I'm Sister Stewart and this is my companion Sister Cox." But she didn't give me a chance to hardly ask her name, she was bustling around for a bit as we sat down on her couch. The funny part was that she didn't recognize that we weren't the missionaries that had visited several months before. Even cooler is that Dorthy's faith is super strong and she believes strongly that she is being watched over, so she loves angels. I mean LOVES angels. Her living room is full of hundreds of different kinds of statues and artwork of angels. It was really neat. We talked to her for a while before finally getting the chance to introduce ourselves and explain the situation. She said she still had her testimony but couldn't come to church because she didn't feel welcome. Sister Cox and I both felt prompted to tell her that she was actually a referral from the ward and that they did love her, they were just having trouble expressing it. That really touched her and she began crying. The spirit was really strong in that meeting. I shared D&C 84:88 "And whoso receiveth you, there I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." And Sister Cox gave her a picture she had in her scriptures by Carl Henrich Bloch of Jesus being comforted by an angel. After the visit Sister Cox and I sat in the car for a minute, relishing in the spirit that was still with us and realized we both had had such weeks that we needed that visit.
Then we tracted for a while and it was amazing. I have never liked tracting. I thought I wasn't going to have to do it before I came out and even though I've had some interesting experiences, I'd rather go do other work. Being with Sister Cox and the enthusiasm from Dorthy, we really had some great meetings with people on their doorstep. No lessons or return appointments, but we talked to people, they were friendly back and Sister Cox and I got enjoy each others company reminiscing and reviewing what had happened in our lives as we'd been apart.
Tuesday Sister Cooper woke up and then went back to bed after studies. When we checked on her a little later, she had a fever. Sister Holbrook and I agreed that we weren't going to make her work like that, so we stayed inside. We watches church films and I worked on some projects I had promised people. We had gotten the Doctrine and Covenants DVDs the week before and were all anxious to watch the films on it. Monday we had watched the Joseph Smith movie and took a moment now to watch "Legacy". It is amazing! I think it might be my favorite film right now next to "The Restoration." My favorite part takes place in England as Eliza's father is proselyting in England. Some men call Joseph Smith a wolf in sheep's clothing. Her father just laughs it off and quotes Matthew "By their fruits ye shall know them. This is the fruit." I love that line, its been running through my head all week. If you haven't seen "Legacy" or haven't watched it in a while, check it out. Its online on Mormonchannel.org under films.
Though I live and work in Petal, us Petal missionaries also cover the Sandhill Branch east of us. My first Sunday there was really interesting. Then yesterday we got to go back and I was looking forward to it. Right now I love Sandhill! Next transfer the area is going to be opened to sisters and I so hope it'll be me. But I won't cross my fingers, its the Lord's decision The people are so sweet, they have really good food, I love the looks of the area, it feels like Payson and being on the Rim with all the woods and back roads and I have a good feeling that Sandhill is going to pick up. Yesterday we went out with the Fitzgeralds and they took us to the place where the first church building in Mississippi was. The building is gone now, but Redhill still has a little cemetary, I was able to see tombstones from the early 1900's! Plus we had to go a little off-roading to get to it, so that was super fun!! Afterward we visited some members in the branch and shared the spirit.
Our service project this week was helping a member make book "posters" for her kids. She was so happy to have me help because I'm an artist. I was nervous to take control of the project but she said she was glad I would. Then I was nervous about doing the whole project, just my companions, Sister Linares and me. Thank you Guthrie for teaching me how to work with kids. I did the major drawings and had my companions do the difficult cutting then Sister Linares' 7 and 5 year olds cut, glued, "slapped," and painted everything else. It was so much fun and though it took a long time and still wasn't completely done by the time we had to leave, it was definitely worth it.
Wednesday was spent traveling to Laurel, MS for District Meeting (that's the area our zone leaders cover) and were taught by them there. It was really fun meeting with all the missionaries. The senior couple, Elder and Sister Blau, came and shared a treat of apple slices and some strange citrus I've never seen before (Elder Blau has diabities and they don't feel its fair that he gets to eat in DDm and the rest of us don't, aren't they sweet?). Then we went to lunch at Eatsa-Pizza--think Peter Piper Pizza combined with CiCi's--and returned to the building for a role-play-practice. Elder Crockett (District Leader) and Sister Cox were the investigators, and somehow we decided to teach the Law of Chastity. Good news moment: I no longer fear role-play, especially when we teach the Law of Chastity. The practice went great! Sister Cooper (the greenie) did really well, we made our investigators cry and each of us received a little answer to prayer through it, how I am not sure. But it is really amazing how the Spirit works.
On another note, and after a big internal debate and encouragement from my STL's, I asked Sister Holbrook if I could drive. She said yes and so I am driving again! Can I just say how much of a difference it makes for me to be able to drive? Who knew the scared and nervous little teenager with a driver's permit would ever say that.
Also I would like to add how silly my companions are. Last night we came home early so we could do our studies (they were skipped for the work in Sandhill) and Sister Holbrook and Sister Cooper took a few moments to dance. Twirling their skirts and kicking up their legs till they both fell to floor, all dizzy. This is what we do, dance till we drop and have the most awesome time doing it! No one can doubt that 3 best friends live in Petal Village #32.
Its been an awesome week. Truly. Hopefully you've had one too. Send me a letter and tell me about it :)
Love ya,
Sister Stewart
My District in Laurel,MS for District Meeting.
I made Sister Johnson and Sister Cox planners, per-request.
STL exchanges; 5 beds, one room!
Best advice ever.
Working on the Linares' projects.
Natalie's "Don't Wake up Mama! A Five Little Monkey Story" board.
Isac's "Moosetache" board.
Sleeping to Laurel, MS.
We taught Primary at Sandhill and drew healthy things (and Sister Cooper and my house!)
I carried Sister Cooper when we had to stop by the elder's apartment. Wee-hee!
