FREEDOM!

Great news: I’M FREE!!!!! Today I am officially walking without crutches. I still have the brace on, but other than that I will be able to be out working again this week.  Friday night, I got a call saying that I won’t need the surgery which was great news.

In other news, the lost dog effect struck again! Right after my decision to love my companions, Hna. Peña got an emergency transfer this week because a missionary went home for sickness and they had to
move people around a bit. But, I am moving forward.

This week was a big one as far as Sister Troubles go. I got a call because a Sister thought that her companion was throwing up, so I had to go verify the situation. Of course, if you just show up there and say “Are you bulimic?” nothing good will come out of it, so I always have to try and take it slow and ask inspired questions and pretend like I don’t know anything until it comes out and she admits it. So, it worked and she admitted it and then Hermana Gomez came to talk to her and the sister just talked about how she doesn’t like herself and all that.  

Hermana Gomez asked her to give three reasons of why she didn’t like herself. She said “Well, I don’t learn fast, I’m boring….” And then she looked at the ground and was silent and said “AND I’LL NEVER BE HERMANA SIMONSON!!”

It was like someone punched me in the stomach. NO, even worse. It was like someone punched me in my infected leg. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had somehow acted superior or made her think that she HAD to be more like me.  I felt really, really bad.

I was assured that it wasn’t anything I did it was just because she looked up to me and that I didn’t need to worry about it. But then, Hermana Gomez made a really good point when she mentioned that all the good things that that sister sees in me are things that I have acquired on my mission. She talked of how much I have grown up and changed and it hit me really hard that I owe SO much to this mission. I really do.

On that note, decision time. I was going to write more about sister problems from the week, but then that little letter I just read that invited me to extend my mission threw me for a loop. I am going to have to do a lot of reading and praying this week. I know that once I’m home, I’ll be home for good, so what does six weeks matter? 

Not a lot changes at home in six weeks, but a lot can change in the mission in six weeks. A lot of good can be done in six weeks. I am leaning towards extending, but I know it will be a test of my faith.  I can’t lie and say that I can’t wait to be home with you, but I also know that there is a work that I need to do here, and maybe I can do it in six weeks. 

It’s a bit of a dilemma for me, but the Lord has the answer and now I just need to do what I ask investigators to do everyday: Pray, and listen to the Lord’s response. I’ve got a good week ahead of me to really figure out what the Lord has in store for me. I love this Gospel and I love this work and I know that whatever happens, the Lord is in it!

Other than that, we baptized a family on Saturday and it was so sweet. It is an old grandma that is seventy years old and raising her ten year old grandson that she adopted when his parents abandoned him. I love how this work can change lives in such a sweet way.

Have a great week!

Hermana Simonson