Just figured I should start with that this week, because it's true! :) How do y'all always know what I need to hear? Thank you so much for your emails, I love them ❣️
So yeah, I'm training! I absolutely love it!! Sister Martin is my new companion, she's from Bakersfield, California. Well, she was born in Virginia, raised in California, and her family lives in Utah now, but she doesn't really consider that to be where she's from. She's super nice, and funny. I think we're going to get along great! She came out ready to work, and for the right reasons, which I'm so thankful for. I was honestly so concerned that I was going to get a sister who was lazy or wasn't here for the right reason, but sister Martin is awesome! I know I've only been training for a few days, but it's great. It's definitely harder in some aspects than I thought it would be, but at the same time easier. Isn't that how it usually is? It's always better to just jump in and actually do it, rather than try to anticipate what's going to happen. Anyway, it's great, and I love the fire she brings to the field!
On a different note, Denise and John dropped us. They accused us of killing people (because of transfers) haha! I don't hold it against her, because I know it was just her medical condition speaking, but it makes a good story! Really, she just said that she needs time to study for herself, though she hasn't been reading the Book of Mormon even with meeting with us. We told her we wouldn't do lessons for a month, and we hope she will (and John of course) be able to come back after the month, and I pray that was the right thing to do. We're keeping in weekly contact, and I just hope she and John will be able to progress again in a month. Everything really started deteriorating after the law of chastity lesson, which is hard because we thought the lesson went really well with them. Oh well, I put it in Gods hands as I continue to I love them.
Both of the people at church last week that said they were interested told us this week that they actually weren't. So, that came to nothing (for now) but we hope that they will be interested again sometime in the future.
Did you hear about the changes for missionaries? Isn't that awesome! The new missionary schedule has more freedom for us to do what we need to do, when we need to do it, which is a huge relief. Though, to be honest, it's not much different than what president Whitney already had us doing. He was ahead of the game! Haha, I love him so much. ☀️️
Well, that's about it for me this week! I love the work, and I love the precious time I have to be a missionary! I'm doing my very best, and though at the end of so many days, I feel overwhelmed with all that I'm supposed to be doing, and often inadequate, I know that I'm truly not. I know that the Lord wouldn't have called me out here if there wasn't something I was bringing to the table. I mean, Heavenly Father has chosen 18-21 year old kids (for the most part) to share his gospel. That means that he must be pretty good at working with shortcomings, and he must have a reason to do it. I think He's pretty smart ;) haha. Anyway, I just have to remind myself that Heavenly Father doesn't expect me to be a perfect missionary, but he does expect me to give a perfect effort. I know I have shortcomings in a lot of ways, but a perfect effort is not one of them. Which is interesting actually, because my perfect effort may be different on different days (and I have to remind myself of that on days when I'm down on myself). However, at the end of my mission, I'm going to be able to say that I gave it my all. Partly because I don't know any other way to give. God has called me to be here, and I told Him I would be. Therefore, I will give everything I can, never give up, and when I step off that plane in 15-ish months, I am determined to be able to hold my head high, with no regrets about how I served the Lord for the last year and a half.
I love you both so much! Thank you for being the best parents I could ask for, and amazing examples.
All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ❤❤
The Gnome Ranger
was here! Oh my goodness, I love him! Thank you so much! 😎 I was so
surprised to see a package from y'all, and even more surprise to find
a gnome! I love these little guys so much, and I think they're such a
fun reminder of home. If you really are sending one every month, by my
last companion, I'm going to have a lot to explain, haha😂 I love you!
Hope you have a great week :)
❤️sister Erika Marks ❤️