Well I didn't go far! I am still in
Brooklyn but am in Bensonhurst, a little south of Midwood kinda close
to Coney Island in the same zone and everything. Let me tell ya, I
don't think I should be allowed as much fun as we are having here. I
got put back with my MTC companion Sister Emma Andersen!!! (She's
from Walnut Creek, CA) It's round 2 except we are WAY better teachers
than we were in the MTC, and I'm twice as obsessed with her as I was
back then. She is so great at everything! I could go on all day about
her but I guess you can just look at the pictures cause her
personality is as cute as she is. Packing was crazy, I am always
surprised I can still fit everything into my 2 suitcases. We had to
be to transfer mtg a little early for a meeting and the trains were
jammed and haha I got kinda aggravated cause I didn't want to be
late. I feel like I'm turning into a New Yorker? AHHH. So I get to
the office and president told us who we were with. Of course there
was screaming and hugs and freaking out. We are both seriously so
happy. I went to get my packages and guess what was there? A package
from Sylvia with plastic bags full of manure, tractor grease,
sagebrush, alfalfa, and weeds. I was seriously dying, it was the
greatest thing ever and probably made me more homesick than skyping
the fam on Christmas haha. Thanks for all the letters and support. It
seriously makes me so happy to hear from ya'll.
Transfer meeting was awesome, we
always say the missionary purpose in like 10 different languages
cause our mission is so diverse, I know it in 4 languages now!...so
cultured this kid. After Transfer mtg we had MLC, it was super great
we talked about how the best leaders are those who give of
themselves completely and selflessly. That is something I hope to be
able to work on in the coming weeks. Some elders with a car were
nice enough to bring my bags back to Brooklyn (kind of a bummer, I
took them to Queens on a train for 2 hours only to bring them all
the way back haha) but it allowed us to have enough time to see a
recent convert, I actually know some of her family from when I was
in YSA so that was cool! We had a really powerful lesson with her
about the atonement and sacrament. Satan always tries to tell people
they aren't worthy to take the sacrament or to even repent. That is
never true.
On Wednesday we went to service at
Prospect Park. It was weird to go and be with all my old district
but I'm not there anymore haha. Sister Andersen and I are having so
much fun together! When we got back together it was like being put
back with Rebekah or Val or someone I was already close to. BEST
FEELING EVER. When we were at service one of our investigators
called and said that she was in the hospital (in labor!) and wanted
us to come have a lesson to comfort her. Haha I was not down to see
childbirth but we went and it turned out okay. It really reminded me
how much mothers go through to get their kids into the world. Moms
are the best. Then, (this is my FAVORITE) we went to Sister Dorsky's
house for dinner. She is older and pretty much deaf so you have to
yell. I tried to talk loudly but she didn't hear me, like, you have
to SCREAM. So Sis Andersen says the prayer and she's like THANK YOU
FOR THE FOOD it was seriously SO LOUD and SO FUNNY. I was trying not
to laugh. Sister Dorsky fed us some berry herbal tea and it made me
super sick so it just added to the hysterical experience. We were
able to see two less-actives that night and have super powerful
lessons with them. We were early to one of the appointments so we
sat at a park for a few minutes talking about how to help her and
Sis Andersen had a really powerful discussion with each other about
the atonement. Sometimes I feel like I learn way more than I give
out here. I benefit so much for each gospel experience. Ever since
being here with Sis Andersen we have both felt the spirit so strong
and it has been a really cool experience as we seek revelation for
our area and the sisters we are called to help. Transfer planning
was one of the most revelatory experiences I have had on my mission.
We both felt so guided as we made decisions about where to put
people and with who for exchanges. The spirit is so central to all
we do in life.
Thursday we spent a lot of time
planning and we had an amazing lesson with an investigator who we
set a baptismal date with! The pool was a little dry when we came in
but the work is really picking up and we hope to have lots of people
with dates very soon! The lesson with Jaema was soooo good. She came
and had already read the restoration pamphlet so she was prepared
with questions and we had an amazing discussion about the Book of
Mormon and the restoration. The members who taught with us were so
cool, they testified at all the perfect times. It was the perfect
lesson. We had it on a hill at a park with the perfect view of the
city. SO GREAT!!
Friday we met with Sister Reynolds to
plan out the sisters conference for all the sisters in the mission. I
am in charge of a health and fitness presentation which is right up
my alley so I'm super pumped about that! People think it's hard to
eat healthy and exercise but if you don't make time for it you'll
definitely take time to be UNhealthy! It's so cool to spend more time
with Sister Reynolds, she is "sweet above all the is sweet"
in my opinion.
Saturday we had an amazing thing
happen. We went to see a les-active who didn't seem to excited to
meet with us and she wasn't there when we first knocked. So we called
her and eventually she came walking up the sidewalk with her
non-member friend. We ended up reading Alma 32 with them and taught
her friend who talked the less-active into coming to church on
Sunday! We walked about 4 blocks when she called us up and said she
didn't have any money. I had $2.75 in my purse, the exact amount for
metro fare, so we went back and gave it to her for church. It worked
out perfectly!
On Sunday we had some miracles. We
fasted together as a companionship and we had some great plans but as
we were walking out at 6 they all fell through! We decided to go see
these twins who just turned 21. They weren't home but their parents
were and invited us in. Turns out they were having quite the tiff and
we knocked right when it was about to blow up. We settled them down
with some scriptures and a prayer and they said we could come back to
teach them!! What are the chances of us getting there at such a
perfect time?! God knows what He's doing. We just got back from
grocery shopping at BJ's and a cashier asked us if we would come
teach her! So cool. This week has been amazing. I love this area and
I love being with Sister Andersen, she is such a hard worker.
This week I have really seen the
importance of the spirit in all we do. It's a lot easier to mess up
when making decisions if we don't have the spirit. When we do have
the spirit we can be enlightened to not only make good decisions, but
to have the spirit to help us have crazy good ideas. I was reading a
talk this morning by Pres. Hinckley and he was talking about how we
should not even mess with sin.
He spoke of an Indian boy who climbed a
high mountain. It was cold up there. At his feet was a snake, a
rattlesnake. The snake was cold and pleaded with the young man to
pick it up and take it down where it was warmer.
The Indian boy listened to the
enticings of the serpent. He gave in. He gathered it up into his arms
and covered it with his shirt. He carried it down the mountain to
where it was warm. He gently put it on the grass. When the snake was
warm it raised its head and struck the boy with its poisonous fangs.
The boy cursed at the snake for
striking him as an answer to his kindness. The snake replied, “You
knew what I was when you picked me up” (“Restoration of the
Aaronic Priesthood,” Ensign, July 1989, 77). We should never even
toy with sin, even if it seems harmless. God has given us
commandments so that we can be protected. I know as we obey Him we
can have the spirit to guide us. I love this church and am privileged
to be doing this work.
Thanks for your love!
Sister Wadsworth
1. Transfer Day!
2. We were meant to be together
3. Pretty much what this world is
coming to haa
4. Her name is Sariah too!
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