6 Months!!

I’ve hit 6 months!! Wahoo!! Six things that I've learned on my mission so far:

-8 hours of sleep will never be enough for a missionary. 

-There is a special place in Heaven for members who give missionaries rides.

-The field really is white and ready to harvest. We just need to find those ready to hear the word. 

-That hour of personal study is precious, because it's one on one time with Jesus, and the best part is: it's quiet. 

-I don't need to know everything, I am called and authorized to teach simply and what Christ needs my friends to know. 

-Praying in the closet is the best way to pray. 

Highlights:

☆had the BEST EXCHANGE with Sister Dunn. We both played competitive soccer growing up, and even better, both played in Utah so we have the same pool of people we knew which is fun. We had an absolute ball, ran into some strange people, had crepes at a ranch in the middle of nowhere with the cutest family. Took pictures with a "caranchula" that did not turn out well. Taught their friend Ale and let me tell ya I have never seen an individual so excited for baptism. ☆We were teaching a lesson on Cynthia's porch and a tornado watch was issued. We told her and all she said was, "yeah it's been kind of muggy today." By the end of the lesson the sky looked kind of scary and we were planning to go straight to our weather contact. Within 10 minutes we had hail the size of golf balls, severe thunder warnings, and a tornado warning. And we weren't even CLOSE to our weather contact. So we ended up going to a member's house, and we sat in her tiny shelter for 4 hours straight with 3 adults and 3 children who were scared of us, and to top it off we had a flood warning issued as well. I just love it here. 

☆I love the old people. Hands down one of my favorite things during the week is playing Bingo at the old folks home. One lady put her hand on my cheek and said "I really like you. Thank you for helping me." It feels so good to be appreciated by the elderly. 

☆ We had been trying to get a hold of a lady named Angie for 4 weeks. She finally texted us and said she was free that night. We went over, taught the first lesson to her and her kids, (and half of the 2nd because they all had so many questions) and then at the end after we closed with a prayer she asked if she could pray for us. She said the most beautiful prayer to end the night♡

☆finally met Carla and put her on date for baptism!! May 20!! She is going through a lot so please pray for her. 

☆crashed a 10 year olds birthday party, they love us haha. They thought it was hilarious that sister missionaries like Taylor Swift. 

Spiritual thought:

Sister Dunn is one of the realest people I've ever met. Her and I talked about everything under the sun, but one thing that stuck out to me was how hard the mission is. If you just skim my emails every week it looks like I'm "thriving" out here and I look so happy. Although I am doing really well, and my mental health is the best it's ever been, this is the hardest thing I have ever done. It's a mission, so that makes sense. 

Those who have served missions understand that everything depends on our efforts, and other people's agency- like a lot of things in life. We work so hard to plan a lesson, get a member to come with us, work out the miles to drive there (or bike- we've started to do that more) and get no answer when we knock on the door. It can get pretty frustrating when that happens to all 5 of your lessons planned that day. 

But why do missionaries keep going? Sister Dunn and I also talked about that. Jesus Christ has blessed my life more than I could ever imagine. He has brought peace and hope into my darkest hours. And other people need that, even if they don't know it yet. 

In John 21, the Resurrected Jesus Christ comes to see His disciples at the sea of Tiberias. He turned to Simon, and asked if he loved Him. Simon replies, “Yea Lord; Thou knowest I love thee.” Jesus says, “Feed my lambs.” 

He asks Simon a total of three times if he loved Him. It says that Simon was grieved, and probably a little bit confused too. Of course he loved the Savior! And the Savior knew it! 

Simon said for the third time, “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.” Jesus saith unto him, “Feed my sheep.”

There are so many reasons why Jesus could have asked him three different times. Maybe it was because Simon denied Christ three times. I have a different way of looking at it. Every day I feel like Jesus asks me if I love Him. Every time I wake up tired. Every time someone slams a door in our face, or ghosts us. Him asking me is what keeps me going. What am I going to do because I love Him? Feed His sheep. 

 No matter how frustrating and tiring the work can be sometimes, I love the Lord too much to not feed His sheep. 

Just some thoughts I had this week. John 21 is good y’all should read it. 

Anywho, have an awesome blossom week! Jesus love you and so do I!

Sister Jenni<3