Hey!
So, another week in the history books! I can't believe how far time flies in the mission! Sometimes it feels like forever, and yet each week when I sit down to write y'all, it feels like I just barely did! Anyway, it's been a good week, but it was actually a pretty slow one.
First off, thanks for those pictures! I can't believe how hard y'all are gettin’ hit with the snow! Man, I miss that. I took a screenshot of the trees and I'm going to set it as my background on my iPad ☃. I'm sure you're ready for it to stop already, though! And with the threat of ice next, hopefully you stay safe! You're in my prayers, always. I bet Garrett is loving it, no school! It's almost 80 degrees outside today, and fairly sunny. Though, it did rain last night, and this morning when we left the apartment, it smelt so good! It actually totally reminded me of the Oregon Coast, because there were birds chirping, it was barely warm enough for a tee shirt, and it was slightly overcast, and the smell was awesome. Good memories! Dad, if you need a place to push the snow, there's some extra room down here you could put it! Haha J
I'm happy to hear everyone is on the up swing from being sick. That's never any fun. But that snow and cold really does a number on ya if you're not careful! However, I think that for some people it's all psychological that they almost have to get sick in the winter. Because even out here, where the weather’s been beautiful, people are getting congested and stuff. Apparently there's a bug going around, but I haven't been touched by it. Knock on wood!
So, Sister Martin and I are getting along great! I found out she actually gets migraines, poor girl. I found out because on Thursday, we knelt down to pray and begin planning, and I could tell something was wrong, so when I asked she said she could feel a migraine coming on, but that she would work through it. I told her that wasn't going to happen, so I shut her in the room with the eye pillow grandma made me to block out the light, and we tried to catch it before it got too bad. She usually has medicine for the migraines because apparently she gets them regularly, but she hasn't been able to fill her prescription yet. Anyway, we got permission to go to Walgreens to get her some Excedrin, and I felt so bad making her go out with a migraine, but sight and sound! :) Anyway, that made it so all day Thursday, and half of Friday, we were in the apartment. That's what I mean by a slow week. I had some time to study extra, clean some stuff that I haven't been able to get to, and I took a super long nap also, which was actually super awesome! I miss naps, and that made it so that I'm all caught up on sleep, and good to go!
I love that you're studying faith, Dad, cause that's been a large focus in my studies recently also! I've been thinking about a few different aspects of it recently. Partly, how desire and faith are connected. Over and over in the scriptures (not just Alma 32:27) it talks about how desiring (or hungering or thirsting) is enough to start. When Christ is visiting the Americas, He actually speaks of that a few times, and I thought that was super interesting. I've also been thinking about how our faith, no matter how great, cannot force the will of God. However, it clearly does have some influence, otherwise the Brother of Jared never would have seen the Lord. We're also told that we will see miracles according to our faith, and yet only if those are miracles God already wants to show us. If it is not his will to give us a particular miracle (say a healing) then that doesn't mean we have less faith, it just means that we'll have to take the faith we were using to ask for a miracle, and apply it differently. I'm not sure how, but maybe use the faith then for patience and endurance. Anyway, that's been on my mind a lot, and though I wish I could talk with you about it, it's a fascinating experiment to have to just try to study it out on my own, and try to reach my own conclusions, with no outside influence besides the scriptures.
I really can think of any particularly cool "missionary" experiences this week. We've been having a really hard time setting appointments with people, so that's been a challenge. In the meantime, we've been knocking doors and denting sidewalks! I actually love tracting, because you never know what's behind a door, and it is pretty fun just to be able to walk (when the weather is nice) ☀ also, I got some funny pictures from it! So enjoy those:)
I love you sooooo much! I hope you have a great week! You're in my prayers, stay safe, warm, and close to God! ❤
All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ❤
So, another week in the history books! I can't believe how far time flies in the mission! Sometimes it feels like forever, and yet each week when I sit down to write y'all, it feels like I just barely did! Anyway, it's been a good week, but it was actually a pretty slow one.
First off, thanks for those pictures! I can't believe how hard y'all are gettin’ hit with the snow! Man, I miss that. I took a screenshot of the trees and I'm going to set it as my background on my iPad ☃. I'm sure you're ready for it to stop already, though! And with the threat of ice next, hopefully you stay safe! You're in my prayers, always. I bet Garrett is loving it, no school! It's almost 80 degrees outside today, and fairly sunny. Though, it did rain last night, and this morning when we left the apartment, it smelt so good! It actually totally reminded me of the Oregon Coast, because there were birds chirping, it was barely warm enough for a tee shirt, and it was slightly overcast, and the smell was awesome. Good memories! Dad, if you need a place to push the snow, there's some extra room down here you could put it! Haha J
I'm happy to hear everyone is on the up swing from being sick. That's never any fun. But that snow and cold really does a number on ya if you're not careful! However, I think that for some people it's all psychological that they almost have to get sick in the winter. Because even out here, where the weather’s been beautiful, people are getting congested and stuff. Apparently there's a bug going around, but I haven't been touched by it. Knock on wood!
So, Sister Martin and I are getting along great! I found out she actually gets migraines, poor girl. I found out because on Thursday, we knelt down to pray and begin planning, and I could tell something was wrong, so when I asked she said she could feel a migraine coming on, but that she would work through it. I told her that wasn't going to happen, so I shut her in the room with the eye pillow grandma made me to block out the light, and we tried to catch it before it got too bad. She usually has medicine for the migraines because apparently she gets them regularly, but she hasn't been able to fill her prescription yet. Anyway, we got permission to go to Walgreens to get her some Excedrin, and I felt so bad making her go out with a migraine, but sight and sound! :) Anyway, that made it so all day Thursday, and half of Friday, we were in the apartment. That's what I mean by a slow week. I had some time to study extra, clean some stuff that I haven't been able to get to, and I took a super long nap also, which was actually super awesome! I miss naps, and that made it so that I'm all caught up on sleep, and good to go!
I love that you're studying faith, Dad, cause that's been a large focus in my studies recently also! I've been thinking about a few different aspects of it recently. Partly, how desire and faith are connected. Over and over in the scriptures (not just Alma 32:27) it talks about how desiring (or hungering or thirsting) is enough to start. When Christ is visiting the Americas, He actually speaks of that a few times, and I thought that was super interesting. I've also been thinking about how our faith, no matter how great, cannot force the will of God. However, it clearly does have some influence, otherwise the Brother of Jared never would have seen the Lord. We're also told that we will see miracles according to our faith, and yet only if those are miracles God already wants to show us. If it is not his will to give us a particular miracle (say a healing) then that doesn't mean we have less faith, it just means that we'll have to take the faith we were using to ask for a miracle, and apply it differently. I'm not sure how, but maybe use the faith then for patience and endurance. Anyway, that's been on my mind a lot, and though I wish I could talk with you about it, it's a fascinating experiment to have to just try to study it out on my own, and try to reach my own conclusions, with no outside influence besides the scriptures.
I really can think of any particularly cool "missionary" experiences this week. We've been having a really hard time setting appointments with people, so that's been a challenge. In the meantime, we've been knocking doors and denting sidewalks! I actually love tracting, because you never know what's behind a door, and it is pretty fun just to be able to walk (when the weather is nice) ☀ also, I got some funny pictures from it! So enjoy those:)
I love you sooooo much! I hope you have a great week! You're in my prayers, stay safe, warm, and close to God! ❤
All my love,
Sister Erika Marks ❤