Hi family!
We were able to do some service and hold a funeral service for a member who was living just across the border in Austria. I personally thought it was the coolest thing to be able to comfort people by sharing with them the Plan of Salvation. I think one of the most frustrating things for me (and probably most missionaries) is that I had NO idea what I would actually be doing for 18 months. I thought I would be meeting miserable people all the time who were just searching for hope and something more in life... instead, I have been meeting perfectly fine people who are unaware of a need that the Savior's gospel can fulfill. So being at a funeral where people were sincerely wondering was a really cool and fulfilling experience for me. I have never spoken Slovene in front of so many people, so that was pretty cool too. I LOVE service! So I was happy to help! I have found on my mission that I am at my very happiest when I am doing service. Especially physical labor. Random fact.
Exchanges were also this week. I was in Maribor with Sister Redding while Sister N. and Sister R. worked in Celje. It was so much fun to be with sister Redding again. This was the first time since the MTC that we were able to work together. The second we got into the apartment and she started to pray to open our exchange, I lost it. The Spirit and tears all came at once (I am so my mother's child it is not even funny). It was such a powerful moment as I remembered the frustrating, never-ending 9 weeks in the MTC when we couldn't speak a word of Slovene or understand anything our teachers were saying to us and now here we were in Maribor, Slovenia offering a prayer in Slovene like it was nothing. The gift of tongues has been working overtime on these Slovene missionaries.
We had two of the best lessons of my mission this week. The second our investigator stated her concern, the Spirit took over the lesson. We taught about the dispensations in detail and our need for a Savior. It was the most powerful and overwhelming feeling to be speaking Slovene but they were not my words... like looking back, I don't know the word for dispensations... but I know I said it at the time. It was completely guided by the Spirit and I used some of my dad's teaching tips and they worked, as always. I love teaching the gospel! I am so not alone in this work.
Apart from that, this week was like normal? That is weird after the holidays. I feel like the past few months have been so so weird and I never know what to expect when I put on my name tag and start the day. BUT the good news is, I love it. I am happy and all is well!
Sestra Higgins
We were able to do some service and hold a funeral service for a member who was living just across the border in Austria. I personally thought it was the coolest thing to be able to comfort people by sharing with them the Plan of Salvation. I think one of the most frustrating things for me (and probably most missionaries) is that I had NO idea what I would actually be doing for 18 months. I thought I would be meeting miserable people all the time who were just searching for hope and something more in life... instead, I have been meeting perfectly fine people who are unaware of a need that the Savior's gospel can fulfill. So being at a funeral where people were sincerely wondering was a really cool and fulfilling experience for me. I have never spoken Slovene in front of so many people, so that was pretty cool too. I LOVE service! So I was happy to help! I have found on my mission that I am at my very happiest when I am doing service. Especially physical labor. Random fact.
Exchanges were also this week. I was in Maribor with Sister Redding while Sister N. and Sister R. worked in Celje. It was so much fun to be with sister Redding again. This was the first time since the MTC that we were able to work together. The second we got into the apartment and she started to pray to open our exchange, I lost it. The Spirit and tears all came at once (I am so my mother's child it is not even funny). It was such a powerful moment as I remembered the frustrating, never-ending 9 weeks in the MTC when we couldn't speak a word of Slovene or understand anything our teachers were saying to us and now here we were in Maribor, Slovenia offering a prayer in Slovene like it was nothing. The gift of tongues has been working overtime on these Slovene missionaries.
We had two of the best lessons of my mission this week. The second our investigator stated her concern, the Spirit took over the lesson. We taught about the dispensations in detail and our need for a Savior. It was the most powerful and overwhelming feeling to be speaking Slovene but they were not my words... like looking back, I don't know the word for dispensations... but I know I said it at the time. It was completely guided by the Spirit and I used some of my dad's teaching tips and they worked, as always. I love teaching the gospel! I am so not alone in this work.
Apart from that, this week was like normal? That is weird after the holidays. I feel like the past few months have been so so weird and I never know what to expect when I put on my name tag and start the day. BUT the good news is, I love it. I am happy and all is well!
Sestra Higgins