Skirts in January!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Hey Everyone!!

It’s so funny that it’s January, seriously, because even though it’s a little chilly, every morning at 6:30 am I go outside in shorts and a t-shirt and I'm perfectly fine. It’s the best thing ever. It doesn't even feel like January. I'm a big fan of this weather. Also it’s not even that cold in skirts and such. Yesterday I forgot a sweater and even though I got some goosebumps I was surviving and not getting frostbite. Win!

There have been highs and there have been lows. But I'm grateful for both because they have made me who I am today and will continue to make me who I need to be. I'm finally getting to the point that I don't see my self worth as how many people I've baptized, which has only been 2 in an entire year, and one isn't active, or reactivated but that I've worked to do my very best each day to bring souls to Christ, and that is all that the Lord expects of me and all that I can expect of myself, regardless of how the world views it. It’s weird because I've become super hard on myself as a missionary, and I just need to practice what I teach and apply the atonement in my own life as well.

So this week was good. Sister Tanner is incredible. I love her. She is super easy going, strives to improve all the time, is willing and up for anything, and is just so nice. I'm pretty sure she is turning into my favorite companion and I've only been with her for three weeks. =) I don't know if I told you about her but she is from Canada. She has shortish hair, doesn't like sports, and is super clean - which means, with much concerted effort on my part - our apartment is REALLY neat. I know! Crazy! But it’s true. I'll have to take a picture so you'll believe me. *laughs* It feels really good though. I'm going to try to do that for the rest of my life. It makes life so much easier when it comes time to deep clean.

Sister Tanner is a MAGNET for less actives. We've had a couple of less actives that we've been working with, but Sister Tanner gets into the area and now we have like... 10? I've never seen anything like it. But Kelsey is definitely the most prepared. We went to go see her and she just started crying and saying that missionaries are an answer to her prayers, and that even though she looks different on the outside that she is still the same Kelsey. I love her so much, so much. She was a tender mercy from the Lord to us, even as we were to her.

Funny story: So this week we had some good times with members coming out with us. It started out with what seemed like a miracle and turned into a .... not as much miracle. We were driving down this street to try and contact a referral and I was kind of annoyed because there was NO ONE on the street to street contact, and I honestly really love to contact random strangers, and so I told Sister Tanner that if I saw someone on the street that I was going to pull over and talk to them. Well... the next street comes along and I see someone. So what do I do? I pull over and go out and talk to them. He's super nice, friendly, we talked to him a bit and he gave us his address and set up a time so we could come back and see him. Miracle, right? Well we went back to see him, with our Relief Society President, go through leaps and bounds to get into this SUPER gated community, find him, and he's hung over, high and a drug dealer. Lame. 

But I guess we have his address and phone number and we gave him to the zone leaders because he's 31 and in their area. So... maybe someone in his apartment complex needs the Gospel. *shrugs* But anyway... that's one of the good times we had with members. Another one was with a girl named Blakely who reminds me of Sister Croker which automatically means that she's great, and we go and visit Mark. Hurray! His friend Brandan sat in on the lesson with us, and even though he didn't set a return appointment he told us he'd read the Book of Mormon. That was definitely a miracle, and Blakely is amazing.

We had interviews with President and it was awesome. I feel so blessed and so lucky to be at San Diego at this time to serve under him.

Yesterday I took someone on tour that still had the misconception that Mormons have multiple wives and that we don't live in society. It was SO good that she came because now she knows that we're normal, that we believe in Christ and that women are not mistreated. It was definitely not a normal tour that's for sure; actually all the tours I took yesterday were out of the norm. I'm not really sure why *shrugs*

But I'm happy as a little clam. I love this work. I love the Gospel. I love you all! Keep working hard and staying strong! Do the little things each day - C-church P-pray R- read. It’s CPR for the soul. =)

Love you!!

~ Sister Tardiff