How about that
broadcast yesterday?? SO rockin' awesome. I feel SO blessed to be part of this
great work right now. What a privilege! It makes me want to work harder to
deserve such an honor.
Mom, I couldn't agree
with you more. The best way to do missionary work is to love people. As
long as you sincerely love people, and strive to live with
charity in your heart, you will find that being a missionary just
comes naturally. (I'm still working on this...).
President Packer
claims he still has "much to learn"... In that case...I
KNOW NOTHING. My eyes have really been opened in the last 4
months to how much I DON'T know. And every moment out here is an opportunity to
learn. Again, I feel so blessed to be a full-time missionary right now.
I've gained such a
strong testimony of ward families and how absolutely VITAL ward support is in
missionary work.
I'd like to take a
second and just say that my ward mission leader is truly THE best. He was
called just a couple weeks ago. He grew up here in Queens
and converted to the church at age 16 (in the Woodside Ward!). He served a
mission in the Idaho, Pocatello Spanish Speaking mission. And man, he just
knows what's up. He's helped me progress as a missionary so much even in just
the last two weeks. He makes everything seem doable, rather than overwhelming.
He grew up in this ward, so naturally he knows how best to strengthen it and
help the members involve themselves. I see a LOT of great things happening in
this ward with him on board. WOOO!
Well...Now for the
sad news, Sister van Langen is leaving us. :( I kind of saw it coming...she's
been in this ward for 9 months. I'm so scared to do this without her here!
Ahh... Heads up. I'll need a lot of
prayers this transfer. I know this transfer
is going to be very different from the last two. It'll be really hard. REALLY
hard...not living in the shadow of my far-more-qualified- trainer. But I know I
need this. I feel like I'm ready to figure things out for myself. Ready-or-not-here-I-come!
I know that
"it'll come when I start". Just like Boyd K. Packer said yesterday.
If I just get STARTED the spirit will help me know what to do, even though I
myself haven't a clue what I'm doing! So I'm just going to take a leap of
faith this transfer and put it all on the table. So what that I'm unqualified!
"When you're on the Lord's errand you're entitled to His help." With
a LOT of hard work and complete trust in God, I'll make it.
Elder Nielson is out
too. :( I've been with him EVERY SINGLE DAY for 4 months straight. He really is
my mission twin. Haha. I'll miss seein' him around, but he's going change
things for the better wherever he ends up.
And of course, Elder
Heaps is out...Home to UT for him. Man, he's an incredible missionary. I
hope I'll be half the missionary he is.
Onward and upward
everybody! Look for ways to serve in your ward! Have you all done your visiting
teaching? Home teaching? Visited someone? Go do it, if not... And encourage
your other ward members to do the same.
Keep rockin' it
wherever you are! Stay strong and keep the faith!
LOVE,
Hermana Tara
Franklin
Here's some pictures.
Alexis is the Boy who
refused to look at the camera. Haha. A 9 yearold recent convert we teach. :)
Silly guy. He's so great.
A few last pictures
of our district.
My trio and our ward
Mission Leader & Wife, Brother and Sister San Martin!