July 9, 2018 -- Markese and Madison
Hello All!
This has been the greatest P-day of my whole mission!!! More on that later.
This week has been one of the strangest of my mission, because of the unexpectedness of everything that has happened. This past Wednesday was the Fourth of July, and the Campus District was asked to go to MADISON and help the Madison Elders with the Madison Fourth of July Freedom Festival!! Which is something I did exactly a year ago, when I was being trained by Sister Hulstine in Madison!! I got to go back to my first area for a day, and it was so crazy. It felt like no time had passed at all, but also it felt like it's been thousands of eternities since then. I got to see three of the people that Sister Hulstine and I taught, Mario, Jamea, and Travaughn. I didn't get to see very many of the members of the Madison Branch, but I did get to see the Branch President and his wife! I was hoping to see David Stanford, but he wasn't there. That's okay; I'll just have to come and visit him soon after the mission.
Being back in Madison made me realize just how far I really have come. I am not at all the same person that I was back then. Last year at the Festival we had to deal with some very... angry people. Fortunately this year we didn't have any of that, but I realized that I really wasn't scared even if that did happen. I have learned so much about my Savior and His Gospel. I know I still have so far to go, but my faith is so much stronger now. Missions are a miracle, not just for the people you teach but also for yourself!!
Speaking of miracles, Markese was baptized today!! I love having a baptism on Pday, we have just been walking on clouds all day. It has been such an honor and a joy to teach Markese. He is so intelligent and kind; and I know I said this in my last email, but it feels like I get to see my brother, Derik, every day. When I was teaching Autumn it felt like I got to see Jessica, and now I have Derik too. I think that is a testament to the fact that I was not called on my mission to teach strangers but to teach my family. Autumn and Markese are part of my family now. If they like it or not. ;D
About an hour before the baptism today everything seemed to fall apart. We had no music, no programs, no jumpsuits, nothing. Somehow it all magically fell into place with God sending us exactly who we needed to make the baptism happen! When we asked Markese about how he felt, he said, "Good." Like my brother, Markese is a man of few words, but when he says them, you know he means them. He is excited to be confirmed tomorrow. There should be more on that next week!
I am continuing to LOVE campus and working with Sister Boyce. There is nowhere else in the entire universe than sharing the Gospel with Sister Boyce on TCC. I wish you could all be here to experience it with me, but I guess these emails will have to do until I can tell you the stories in person.
I love you all! I can't wait to share all my future adventures with you. God is good, God is real, and God is leading the way for you. Until next time.make sure to read the Book of Mormon this week, it will help you know that! Talk to y'all again soon!
This has been the greatest P-day of my whole mission!!! More on that later.
This week has been one of the strangest of my mission, because of the unexpectedness of everything that has happened. This past Wednesday was the Fourth of July, and the Campus District was asked to go to MADISON and help the Madison Elders with the Madison Fourth of July Freedom Festival!! Which is something I did exactly a year ago, when I was being trained by Sister Hulstine in Madison!! I got to go back to my first area for a day, and it was so crazy. It felt like no time had passed at all, but also it felt like it's been thousands of eternities since then. I got to see three of the people that Sister Hulstine and I taught, Mario, Jamea, and Travaughn. I didn't get to see very many of the members of the Madison Branch, but I did get to see the Branch President and his wife! I was hoping to see David Stanford, but he wasn't there. That's okay; I'll just have to come and visit him soon after the mission.
Being back in Madison made me realize just how far I really have come. I am not at all the same person that I was back then. Last year at the Festival we had to deal with some very... angry people. Fortunately this year we didn't have any of that, but I realized that I really wasn't scared even if that did happen. I have learned so much about my Savior and His Gospel. I know I still have so far to go, but my faith is so much stronger now. Missions are a miracle, not just for the people you teach but also for yourself!!
Speaking of miracles, Markese was baptized today!! I love having a baptism on Pday, we have just been walking on clouds all day. It has been such an honor and a joy to teach Markese. He is so intelligent and kind; and I know I said this in my last email, but it feels like I get to see my brother, Derik, every day. When I was teaching Autumn it felt like I got to see Jessica, and now I have Derik too. I think that is a testament to the fact that I was not called on my mission to teach strangers but to teach my family. Autumn and Markese are part of my family now. If they like it or not. ;D
About an hour before the baptism today everything seemed to fall apart. We had no music, no programs, no jumpsuits, nothing. Somehow it all magically fell into place with God sending us exactly who we needed to make the baptism happen! When we asked Markese about how he felt, he said, "Good." Like my brother, Markese is a man of few words, but when he says them, you know he means them. He is excited to be confirmed tomorrow. There should be more on that next week!
I am continuing to LOVE campus and working with Sister Boyce. There is nowhere else in the entire universe than sharing the Gospel with Sister Boyce on TCC. I wish you could all be here to experience it with me, but I guess these emails will have to do until I can tell you the stories in person.
I love you all! I can't wait to share all my future adventures with you. God is good, God is real, and God is leading the way for you. Until next time.make sure to read the Book of Mormon this week, it will help you know that! Talk to y'all again soon!
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