This week has been wonderful. There have been so many miracles and blessings that I have been a part of and have witnessed this week! I love it!
Sister Gardner was gone for the beginning of the week at a Leadership conference in Anchorage so I was up here on exchanges with another sister for 3 days. It was...different. It's hard to work with someone new who does things completely differently than you do, but it was a really great experience. It taught me that I am stronger than I know and am very capable of doing the work. It's amazing to see how far I have come since I left. I still have a long way to go, but am looking forward to the person I am going to become. We all have such incredible potential in this life and in the eternities. There's a quote that says, "We often see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever." How true that is. He knows our potential and gave us the lives he did so that we could become that person. We just need to be willing to let ourselves be strengthened through trials and hardships instead of playing the "wo is me" card.
Miranda is progressing so well! We took her to a baptism on Thursday and she loved it. She turned to me and said, "I wish that was me!". I told her that it will be in just a few short weeks. She is such an incredibly strong young woman. She is faithful and diligent in all she does and all we ask her to do. She actually asked us if she could meet with us every day because she misses us when she doesn't see us. How sweet is that?? Yesterday was an incredible day for all of us, Miranda included. We were all fasting for her to have strength to tell her parents about her baptism. She said that she felt really strong after her blessing ( Elder Na'a gave her one for comfort and strength on Saturday, it was incredible!) and even stronger because of her fast. She actually got up in Relief Society and bore her testimony! We didn't even ask her to do it. She got up and bore an incredibly powerful testimony of the church and said how grateful she was for us missionaries. I may or may not have cried the entire time. I love her so much and am grateful for every moment I get to spend with her and teach her.
We don't have any other investigators, but we are doing a lot of less-active work. To me, less-active and active work is JUST AS important as finding new converts. If we don't have members who are solid in their testimonies, we won't have a strong church. It's hard work, but it's good and worth-while.
I think I say this in every email, but I am really, truly loving my mission. I have been out 2 fast sundays now, and I only have 16 left! It's such a sad thought. Before I came out I kept thinking how long 18 months is, but now that I am already half-way through my first transfer, I am starting to dread the end of my time here. Serving others and teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ is some of the best and most important work we can do on this earth. There are so many people out there who are seeking the eternal truths that we have. When we don't share those truths with them, we are with-holding blessings from them and from ourselves. Be brave! Open your mouth. Tell others what you know to be true. There-in lies eternal happiness.
I love you all and hope that you are all striving your best to live your life in accordance to the will of Heavenly Father. I know that once I made the decision to serve Him and to align my will with His, I was truly blessed. I am happier than ever with my decision to serve a mission and am grateful for the experiences I am having, both good and bad. Keep up the good work at home and write me letters! They really make a difference.
Love Always,
Sister Hatfield
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