So.. Sister Chandler and I got really close and it was hard to say goodbye. We already plan the adventures we are going to have at home. She is probably the companion I have been the closest to. We went to say a few goodbyes to people the last few hours I had in Huntersville. As you know, I was there for 8 months so I really knew the members well and I loved my time there. It was hard to say goodbye. I have learned so much from these people. The WML did actually have coordination last Monday we thought he was going to have a party, but we actually had coordination. Ha. On Tuesday a member took the Elders and us (one of them was getting transferred as well) and we went to transfers! There were big changes. First my TRAINER Sister Bowman went home so it was sad to say goodbye to her. Then.. all of the Sister Training Leaders got switched up and they opened new areas ( they want one set of Sister Training Leaders in each Zone, which there is not right now) and so they had to close some areas and open new ones, and it was crazy. Some of us got released and they called new Sister Training Leaders. I did get released, and will just be back to a regular joe missionary. It doesn't matter where you serve, but how. No leader is better than any other missionary, and I am glad that the other sisters get the opportunity to grow and learn and serve as leaders! I am now serving in the little town of WAXHAW, North Carolina. With Sister Stewart. She just got released as a Sister training leader as well. So she's experienced, and I know her a little bit from seeing her as MLC. She's from Cali.And she goes to BYU, was there at the same time as me! She actually worked at the cannon center almost the same time as me :) She is great and fun!
Waxhaw is so wonderful. Downtown is a really cute place, it's a small town center that kind of reminds me of Cardston. BUT then you got out a little bit and all of the surroundings are mostly really wealthy neighborhoods and giant homes. Actually there are really no apartments here, so Sister Stewart and I actually live in a small house. I will show you a picture next time :) This is another wealthy, wealthy area. Except some of the homes here are even bigger than Huntersville. Woah. They are like castles. The members here also a lot of them work at the banks in downtown Charlotte, but the ward is a little bit older than Huntersville, most people have kids in late elementary school, middle school and high school as opposed to under 5 years old. I already love all of the members I have met here. So many great families. And the work is BOOMING!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness. We are so blessed, the members are on fire. The Sisters here just baptized a family with 8 kids, who are really excited about the gospel. And we are teaching a mother and son who are on track for baptism this Saturday, the 15th. The great thing is when we went to the mission home firesides, the lady they are teaching here, was there and so I have already met her twice. So that was fun to get to teach her. She is a wonderful person, kind of like Gladys. Make that.. kind of like Queen Latifa. She speaks her mind and is fun, loud, and bold. Love it. Her son is 11 and he is getting baptized too. She loves the gospel already and loves the Book of Mormon. She wants to make changes in her live and is so excited to be baptized. We had dinner with her and her son at the Bishop's house last night, and they got a long great. She is having dinner with another member family tonight, and so they are getting fellow shipped really well. They found her because she lives with a Less Active member.
We are teaching another lady who is half Korean and she has 2 little boys. Her Husband works in the military, and he lives in the Middle East for most of the year, and is only home for a few weeks out of the year. But the Sisters found her knocking on her door and they have been teaching her for a while! She hasn't really had religion too much in her life before, and wants to find God and be closer to him. She has been taught for a little while, come to church a few times, and has a baptism date for the 22. SO exciting! She came to a baptismal service yesterday for a baptism in another ward and she liked it and is excited for hers. She came to church yesterday too.
There are a few other people who are potentials who have a lot of promise we will be seeing this week as well.
I am so blessed to be in this area where the work of the Lord is definitely hastening and the members are catching the wave! I am excited to serve in Waxhaw. This ward has about 5-10 returned missionary sisters in it, and it makes a difference to the work that we do.
It is a little weird not being Sister Training Leaders anymore.. we have a lot more time in our area together instead of going on exchanges and to meetings all of the time. It's different, but it will help me get to know the area and the members faster, so that'll be good!
I truly know that the Lord is hastening his work. It's amazing what is happening. How strong the Church will be because of this age change. I know that the marriages that my generation has will be so strong. I think the hastening of the work is definitely happening now, but it will REALLY hasten in 10-15 years from now when the relief societies are full of returned missionary sisters who know how to do the work, and who have experience. The Ward Councils will have so much more power in bringing less actives back to church, and in bringing more people into the gospel because we are learning now to have missionaries and members work together. And our children will be better missionaries because they will have been trained by two returned missionaries. I know that my mission definitely has changed how I will raise my family one day and how important sharing the gospel will be to me and to my family. I am so grateful for it. I know that this is the Lords work. I know that I am not a perfect person or missionary. But I know that by applying the Doctrine of Christ I can be just a little better every day, and every week. And I am grateful for that.
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