yesterday was a holiday day in ottawa so pday is today.
yesterday we were EXCEEDINGLY TIRED. (side note- did you notice how much nephi loves the word exceedingly? he uses it all the time, i imagine it was one of his favorite words to use). and the reason we were EXCEEDINGLY TIRED is because sunday night, ten minutes to midnight, THE STUPID FIRE ALARMS WENT OFF IN OUR APARTMENT BUILDING. we live in a 12 story apartment building and the fire alarms were going off through all the intercoms and speakers. we went out into the hallway and some people were out and we were all wondering if this was an actual fire or a false alarm. some people said it was a false alarm, but we heard tons of fire trucks coming and people were going outside. we figured we should probably go outside because who knows what was going on and missionaries are supposed to follow rules and stuff.
other side note- it is hilarious to see what people bring with them when they think the building is on fire. some guy had a whole bunch of pvc pipes and a cast iron pot...
well we sat on the lawn for 20 minutes while the firemen went in to the building and looked around and stuff. i thought i saw smoke but those were probably just how well my eyes work at midnight. i'm sorry for my english it is diminishing. well we got told it was a false alarm after all, a short in the fire alarm or something and we went back inside. but at this point sister dampt and i are wide awake and the fire alarms still decided to go off for the next hour. and yes, i got pictures because if not what kind of missionary would i be?
other than the sunday night excitement,
sister dampt and i have been contacting A TON. but it is paying off this week we have many appointments, potentials, and new investigators. also our investigator eleanor came to church and an inactive member we have been visiting came to church for the first time in 8 years!!!!!! wahooo!! eleanor is doing pretty well. her biggest hangup is the book of mormon (big hangup) but we are reading through it with her, that way she reads it on her own as well. she is really starting to understand the seriousness of this message. it is eternal life after all!
sister dampt and i have been working on reading a chapter in the book of mormon, a chapter in the bible, and 2 pages of preach my gospel together every single day during our companion studies. it has helped me to see and love the scriptures in a different way because we talk and discuss what we are reading as we are reading it. i love it! and i know it grows our companionship unity and helps us to be more prepared for our lessons.
i don't know if you have had a chance to watch the new mormon message about the husband whose car gets stuck in the snow, and it isn't until after he loads his truck up with wood that he can move it. his "burden" gets heavier, but with that he is able to make it out safely and go home. elder bednar says that, "sometimes we mistakenly may believe that happiness is the absence of a load. But bearing a load is a necessary and essential part of the plan of happiness." there is a lady we visit in our ward who feels overwhelmed by her trials. sister dampt and i are trying to help her recognize her blessings during these hard times through a gratitude list every day. i think of in the book of mormon when the Lord doesn't take away burdens, but He asks that we turn to Him so He can make them lighter. i know the Lord gives us trials to help us grow and refine us and because He trusts us. but we MUST turn to Him or else we can't be happy during those times.
there is another quote i love by CS Lewis that i keep in my planner, " Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explantion is that He is buliding quite a different house from teh one you thought of- throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself."
i love this quote because it helps me to remember that the Lord trusts me to handle this thing that He gave me. it has made me so sad to see this sister feel like there is no happiness or hope because of her trials. i hope as she tries to find things she is grateful every day she can find happiness and hope again, because it is in the tiniest things.
i love you all! thank you for all the support and we feel the prayers!
love,
sister paine
pictures 1-2 sister dampt and i outside our building at midnight and the commotion
sister dampt and i wearing sister dampt's mumus and making arepas
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