Leaving Chumdeon is going to be so weird. I love it so much and part of me doesnt want to leave but the other part of me is like 'this is what you signed up for buck up and pack your suitcases woman'.......................happy..............sad......excited......nervous.
i dont even know.
moving on.
My favorite experience from this week (of which is one of my VERY favorite moments from my mission so far)::
My companion is Sister Training Leader, which basically means that I get moved around like a foster child between meetings and splits and house exchanges and the lot (sound familiar Sister Nitas? Can you see me rolling my eyes all the way from Yaysang?)
This week was no different.
I was scheduled to go on a split with a sister who is not exactly my cup of tea, to put it kindly. I mean, I can be nice to her and be around her but A SPLIT?? (insert groan here) I was dreaaaading it the whole day and almost told my companion I couldnt do it because I was afraid that it really would be THAT bad.
Fast Forward to that night.
The split was started. Even though there was a smile on my face, on the inside, I was filled to the brim with the poison of bitterness and annyance. As we were crossing a crosswalk I finally kicked myself and began to pray within my heart- HEAVENLY FATHER, I need your help right now. I know that this sister has a lot of good in her. Please help me to see that and to be able to be a friend for these short hours that we are together. Please soften my heart.
We got home that night and started making our Christmas message cards for members in the ward as I was watercoloring Christmas lights and trying my very hardest to brush away the annoyance, the sister walked into the living room and started to tell me a story, a story that i know she held very close to her heart.
She told me about her dear mother, who passed away 2 years ago due to breast cancer. She told me how much she missed her and how lucky I was to have my mother here on this earth. She told me about her mothers last tender months of life, up until the last moments she had with her, as she peacefully passed away in their home.
She must have talked for an hour as I sat there, listening so intently.
My heart was not only softened, but totally and completely melted as she ended with her testimony of the plan of salvation and that she knows that no power on earth or below the earth could ever seperate her from here mother.
We sat in the kitchen and bawled together. I truly truly have such a deep love for this sister now, and feel ashamed to have ever had bad feelings about her to begin with. I learned SUCH a valuable lesson that day.
What strikes me as amazing about missions is that the missioanaries have just as messy of lives as the people we are teaching. Too often in our church, many people seem to think that 'everything is perfect'. The families, the marriages, and even the missioanaries. I can firsthand tell you that I myself have my fair share of life problems and that this sweet sister was no different. I was ashamed to have held her to ignorant terms of perfection, when I myself was found with many beams in my eye.
Challenge of the Week- Forgive quickly. Overlook imperfections and offer kindness to all, regardless of what 'cup of tea' they appear to be.
God softens hearts. I have experienced it myself.
I love you all so much! Thank you again for all the love and support that you offer to me. Each of you mean more to me than you ever could know.
The big Two Oh. (oh and thanks for the decorations mom, I LOVE THEM!!!)
Mokpo hike. I LOVE KOREA.
I LOVEEEEE the sisters I live with.
xo sister pappa
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