18 months to serve, eternity to reflect... Better make it good!

It amazes me how every P-day I write down a list of things I need from Walmart and when I make it back to the apartment I have nothing that I need. I buy food that doesn't go together causing me to eat PB&J and noodles haha, and so it goes, the life of Sister Efnor..

While kneeling down to pray with Sister Nelson before we went to bed I lifted up my head and said "I love being a missionary, and most of the time I cant believe I have been out 4 months. But sometimes...", then sister Nelson interrupted me and said "and sometimes it feels like 12 years?!" ahhaha we both died laughing. 

We both love it up here in Park City I promise haha

Sister Nelson and I celebrating Cinco De Mayo

We didn't get 20 lessons in this week but we had lots of opportunities to give service. Getting to serve less active members or even active member, shoot even non members haha is the best! You get an opportunity to get to know the family and being able to help someone in need is the best feeling. 

Missionary work in the ward is definitely growing. The more we get to visit with members and teach them the lessons we would teach investigators the easier it is becoming for them to talk to their neighbors and friends. They see its not something to be fearful of, but that testifying of simple truths can open the door to possibilities. 

(We came a knockin but nobody answered... Nice fish greeting!)

With getting a new bishop and the fact that there are 600 people in the boundaries of the ward and we only know about 200 of them has become a priority. When we don't have an appointment we are knocking on addresses in our ward list to see if the person is even living there still. There have been some..interesting experiences but i love it!

We knocked on a door and the lady opened the door so i could only see her lips and one eye. We said hello and asked her how she was doing, she gave us short and direct replies. We could tell she wasn't going to let us in so i asked if the family name we had was the right one for this address. She said yes and then quickly asked "How did you know we lived here!?" What i wanted to do was clasp my hands together like an evil villan and say "The church knows EVERYTHING! (insert evil laugh)" But i didn't hahaha i just said that she was on the ward list and that we wanted to know if we can serve her in anyway. She told us that no one in the house was Mormon (which is a fib our they wouldn't be on the list haha) but we just said that we would love for her to come to church and that was that.

Sunday sister nelson and i had to speak in church. What kind of a sick joke is that?! Having missionaries talk about their mamas on mothers day?! 

But it was nice since we hadn't had a chance before to introduce ourselves in front of the ward. I talked about how it was through the love of my mom that i came to know of a greater love. The love heavenly father and Christ have for me and each one of us, then i tied it into how when we feel of that love we will have a desire to share that love with others. BABAMMM! THEN WE ARE DOING MISSIONARY WORK! 

Then after church we went to a members home and i got to Skype my family!

At first the video wasn't working but i could hear them, instantly i started balling! haha When we realized the video wasn't working I could hear my mom yell "THIS BETTER NOT BE GOING AGAINST MY MINUTES!" hahaha It was hard having to press the end button, but i felt even more pumped to DO WORK after getting to talk with them!

Oh and Sister Nelson and I are getting to stay together for another transfer! WOOHOOOO!

Everyday i thank the Lord that i have the opportunity to be a missionary, these 18 months are going to prepare me in so many ways for the rest of my life. 18 months to serve, eternity to reflect..Better make it good! haha I love you all! thank you for the emails, they uplift me every week :)

Keep it real. Keep it righteous.

Love Sister Efnor

Mom insert-  My Mothers Day call was simply the best!  I got 2 hours of love!  Steph had choreographed a number that she taught a YW group.  It was to a hymn.  Debbie asked if she would dance it for us-  She explained that it wasn't going to happen because she didn't have the music.  Anyway considering this was Debbie she was talking to she should have known what was about to happen- YES!  Debbie, Denice, and Ronnie all sang the hymn and Steph got up and did the dance for us.  IT WAS HEAVEN... 

HAPPY MONDAY ONE AND ALL!

So I actually started sweating a little yesterday, which is new. But I'm not going to get to over zealous, for fear that the snow monster will come and destroy my little ray of sunshine. 

 

ON TO A WEEK IN THE LIFE OF A SISTA!

Tuesday-

We had dinner at our ward missionaries home, the Trowbridges.  I don't think that I have ever laughed so hard at dinner. They are a pretty young couple and tons of fun.  In short, the evening ended with brother Trowbridge doing the worm and pulling his hamstring. 

Friday-

We set up a baptismal interview for a little boy Ronnie who is 9 years old. We met with him earlier that day and talked about baptism and he showed us where he is reading in those easy read Book of Mormon stories.  He opened up to Abinadi, he thought that it was so cool that even though he was being threatened with death he still wouldn't deny the things that he had said because he knew they were true. Before we left he said that he wanted to be a "baptizer" too! Me and Sister Nelson told him at what age he could eventually start baptizing people if he was obedient and always did what the Lord asked of him. To sweet.

Saturday-

Davida and her grandson were baptized. It was a beautiful baptism, we were able to get a young man from the ward who is leaving on his mission soon to baptize Ronnie and our ward mission leader baptized Davida. 

 

When people rise above the water there is a certain glow, and light in their eyes. 

I knew that as a missionary I would be involved in peoples lives, but i never had an idea of how i would truly love the people i taught and came into contact with. 

Ive never been so happy to wake up at 6:30 in the morning and read my scriptures. To find something new, to feel spiritually edified. 

I love when teenagers come into the family history center and they are deciding with they should serve a mission or they are going and they want advice. Because its then that i get a chance to tell them that being a missionary is THE B O M B!  I always think that if i can help encourage just one of them to make the choice to go that would make my 18 months!

Sunday-

Davida and Ronnie were confirmed in sacrament meeting and were welcomed into the ward. That fast Sunday most of the testimonies had to do with missionary work or how Davida and Ronnie have been an inspiration to the members of the ward. 

Oh and we are speaking next Sunday on mothers..so basically im gonna ball the whole time.

Me and sister Nelson are striving to be kinder not just in action but in thought. Being a sister missionary i find myself..lets say.."clashing" with others personalities. So me and my companion have decided that instead of saying something maybe not so nice..we say "I bet she bakes a real nice cake." hahaha Lets just say..there are a whole lotta sisters up in here that are bakin cakes! hahaha 

Im loving it up here in Park City, I cant believe this transfer is almost over. 6 weeks goes by to fast. Getting the opportunity to work at the Family tree and proselyte has helped me grow not only as a missionary but as a person. During our baptism this Saturday sister Nelson got up to bear her testimony. She put it perfectly when she expressed that we leave our families for 18 months, but days like that day make it all worth it. 

I feel so humbled to have the opportunity to serve the Lord, and to help others come unto Christ. I find myself coming closer with each day that passes.

I love you all, praying for you always.

Love 

Sister Efnor