Just another week in the crazy life of an MBM Missionary! And yes, it's that time again. I have transfer news. I feel like I shouldn't have news. Things should just stay the same for once. But no. Elder Starley is going home, which I already knew. He knew the most about our area and the people. But I thought I'd have Sister Platt longer. . . NOPE! Sister Platt is being transferred up to Cambridge. AHHHHHH!!!!! That means that I will be leading the area. An area I've only been in for 6 weeks. Oh my goodness!!! That's scary! I don't feel like I know enough! And I have to drive. I hate New England driving. WAY worse than Utah; I don't know WHAT Utah drivers complain about.
This ALSO means I'll have a new companion, of course. Which is nuts. She'll be my 6th companion. I've only been on my mission for 4 1/2 months! Two trios will do that to you. My new companion is from Argentina and has never served in an English ward before!!! This should be an adventure. :) I can't wait! I'm also suuuuuper nervous. I don't feel quite ready. At least I'm not training. Sister Godoy has been out way longer than me. Just not here. :)
But I'll tell you some of the other happenings! First of all, Crystal! I love her. :) The poor girl wanted to come straight back and be baptized as soon as she left. But you know what? We made a game plan to help her feel confident and prepared by the time she gets baptized. She's been investigating for nearly 3 years. It's about time she takes the step she knows is right, and it's gonna happen! But first we're going to help her testimony grow even MORE, so she has no qualms or hesitations. And she'll be baptized before I leave this area!
We took Jocelyn, the awesome girl going on a mission, to a park and just read the Book of Mormon with her for a LONG time. And we talked and talked about amazing doctrine. She so gets it! I'm so happy for her and I admire her enthusiasm for the gospel!
I told the story of the Pre-Mortal existence to Maria's kids. Lol. It was so hard! 5 of them under 10! And they had so many questions! Which is great, but they could be random. :) I really love them though. We need to get their mom more involved so they can come to church. They have big hearts and wonderful desires to be close to God.
Alright, I had 2 AMAZING experiences with the spirit this week. Well, others did, and I was just lucky enough to be a witness. :) The first one was CC. She had the baptismal date for yesterday, and she needed an interview with someone in the mission presidency, so President Haight drove down to little Central Falls. :) For a background on CC, she has an auto-immune disease called Sarcoidosis. The top half of her lungs have completely shut down, she has a raspy voice, and the doctors said it's a miracle she's even breathing. This disease has also caused her bones to be brittle so they break far too easily, and she has sores on her body. :( She's black, 31, and bone thin. She has 3 kids. After her interview with President Haight, she asked him for a blessing. We were so privileged to be able to sit in on it. Short of my Patriarchal Blessing, I've never heard a blessing like that in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, he commanded her body to be healed. She was promised that within the year, she would return to full health. He told her that Heavenly Father had a mission and plan for her that would require a strong, healthy body, and that she would get it. It was amazing. And that was only a sliver of it. There were many other incredible things she was promised, and the Spirit was so strong in the room. Some of them were deeply personal. But I know that CC will be honored for the work that she will complete in this life, and that her ancestors and posterity will be blessed forever because of her decision to be baptized. And she was baptized on Sunday. The very same day, we started teaching her teenage daughter, Lovely.
The following morning, for the first time ever, CC's Aunt was able to go to the temple to be baptized. She had been in the Church for four years. And Saturday morning she took her mother and her sister's names to the temple and was baptized in their behalf in the house of the Lord. I can't even explain how strong the Spirit was. It was another mission-wide recent convert trip, and all of these people had pivotal, life-changing experiences. We are so blessed to have temples so close and the knowledge that we have!
There's always more things I could tell you, but this email is long enough! I love you all! Thanks for your testimonies, support and example. You keep me going every day, even when times are tough. Well, you and the Lord. ;)
Pray for this area!
Love,
Sister Merkley
MBM Missionary
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