So I figured out why I always refuse to sing solos this week. There I am shaking like a leaf and break into the giggles halfway through... Rough. But that's okay because it was a great kick off to this whole overcome pride thing that I was working on this week.
I remember very distinctly one sister sleepover with my older rockstar of a sister where she told me how she thought she was too prideful and was working to overcome that... yeah right. You are the least prideful person in the entire world and then thinking automatically how neither of us needed to work on that. False. Every single person needs to work on it. The moment you think you aren't prideful, you are prideful. Tough spot eh? Like you can never say I have mastered humility. There is no checkmark. It is a constant cycle. No wonder it is such a constant pattern in the scriptures... pride cycle? I see what you mean now.
So if you need a little humbling at this moment. Go read the talk Beware of Pride and anytime you are feeling that little pride bug nipping you in the booty again. Read it again. And Again. Seriously that is enough to keep my humble tank full for a few weeks at least. As I was reading it I was thinking about the parts I need to specifically work on (which is like all of them but it overwhelms me when I focus too much on it) and I think the biggest thing I learned about myself this week is how much I like people's praise. seriously it is a problem. I like compliments. I like feeling like I am doing a good job. I like people appreciating what I am doing. But as soon as that happens I lose a better reward. Satisfaction that comes from Heavenly Father. Knowing that I am doing what he wants me to do no matter what my little world cheerleaders think about what I am doing. Again going along with our whole theme of doing the Lord's plan. Man, why didn't I figure this out earlier? Life is so much better. I just see Heavenly Father carrying me doing things that I definitely could not have done by myself.
Yesterday at church might go down as one of the craziest Sundays on my mission so far. We had a little misunderstanding and ended up giving an impromptu lesson in Relief Society. Thank goodness for prayer and participation. Then we are midlesson for the second hour and people kept coming up to us saying people are here for us. In comes our little asian crew. So excited. Continue teaching. In comes Nelly and her Dad. Eeep. They havn't been here in forever! The day continues: A girl from Brazil visiting for the day. Emily. Sister Link. A random man off the street just stopping in for curiosity purposes. Like where are all these peeps coming from? We were having a heck of a time trying to get them all to the right place and greet the world and try to get them hooked up with some friends in the ward. Happy day. I was grateful for the best kind of business cause without it I think I would have coughed up a lung or fallen asleep in every single class. Phew. Heavenly Father is just too great. Totally enabling me to do way more than my sicky sleep deprived body could do right now. Don't you just love him?
Last thing. You know how as a missionary so many stories happen that you never know the end to? well I have an ending for you. Actually it really isn't the end. There is so much more but it still makes me so happy. like so happy. Remember that 100 Book of Mormon Challenge back in Münster? Remember how our last Book of Mormon was given to a 17 year old Aphganistanian (sp?) boy, Abdulle? Well the missionaries back in Münster have been meeting with him and helping him to find the truth in his life. And He was baptized on Saturday. Oh how I wish I could have been there but I did get to see him on my split to Münster this week and he is just so happy. It was so cool to see the difference in his life. Ah I am just so happy to even play a tiny little part of his conversion. So many miracles came out of that 100 Book of Mormon Challange. I am never going to forget that.
I love this work.
xoxoxox
s. heywood
