Human Orbits

Okay first of all, I feel that I should apologize for my email last week. We were really short on emailing time and I have since realized that I used 99% of that time talking about the pointless fact that my inner voice is Italian. I promise that most of my thoughts and actions are centered on more important missionary-related things. Except sometimes the really nonsensical stuff spills out. And sometimes that nonsensical stuff is Italian.

So yesterday I was totally sick. :( Which was a bummer for a couple reasons:

1. It's really hard to missionary work when you are alternately throwing up and sleeping for 24 hours.

2. We have another mini missionary with us this week (HOORAY!) and it wasn't a super ideal picture of what missionary life is like for her first day with us. I felt the need to keep emphasizing that being a missionary usually involves less laying on the ground moaning and more helping people come closer to Christ.

3. I had to miss church and Sister Roy and our mini said it was SO. GOOD. (Side note: our mini's name is Kyla and she is sooooo adorable. She's 17 and gonna be a senior this year. She's from a beach town in Rhode Island and wants to go to Stanford and help Africans have clean water. #awesome)

But like a million people helped take care of me, so that was really nice. A bunch of different sister missionaries came to babysit me through out the day, and the elders and our ward mission leader showed up to give me a blessing and Sister Roy made me some really good soup. And all of their love  miraculously nursed me back to health! My Bishop suggested that Sister Roy probably poisoned me to insure that she would get a new companion next transfer ... thanks for the vote of confidence Bishop.

Aaaaaaaanyways, besides my recent sickness/poisoning, the past couple weeks have been really super awesome. Our area is finally getting busy and it makes my heart swell with joy! A lot of the really exciting potential stuff that we've been hoping and praying and crossing fingers and toes for since me and Sister Bringhurst opened is finally pulling through. It's amazing to be able to see the hand of the Lord in His work, especially in the tiny details! On a daily basis, something will happen that is so unlikely that there is no other explanation. The messages we feel impressed to share, the times we go visit people and catch them at just the right time, the members we feel like we should check up on ... it's definitely not our own knowledge and power that lead us to these people!

It makes me think of this quote by Elder Maxwell:

“The same God that placed that star in a precise orbit millennia before it appeared over Bethlehem in celebration of the birth of the Babe has given at least equal attention to placement of each of us in precise human orbits so that we may, if we will, illuminate the landscape of our individual lives, so that our light may not only lead others but warm them as well.”

Isn't that beautiful? I have a huge testimony that Heavenly Father is SO involved in everything we do. I know that he arranges our lives so we come in contact with those people that we can help and those that can bless us. Human orbits. Such a cool thought. It's really obvious in missionary work, and it's made me realize how true it's been my entire life! I know that each of us can bless so many lives if we are just aware of the opportunities God gives us!

This Saturday we get transfer texts! I'm pretty sure me and Sister Roy will stay right where we are, but who knows?! (God does. See previous paragraph.) But because next week is transfer week, P-day will be on Wednesday. So I will talk to you then!

I love you all and I love this work that the Lord has entrusted me to do. I feel so blessed to be a missionary at such an amazing time in history! We are so lucky to have the gospel in our lives and there are so many good people who need the peace and happiness that comes from it!

Love,
Sister Gledhill

Welcome to Boston, Where People Drive as Well as They Say Nice Things

So last P-day we went into Boston and did all kinds of touristy cliche things. Well mainly we just went to Mike's Pastries and Quincy Market. But it was super fun to be in the city! And when we were in the North End I was reminded that I think I used to be an Italian peasant in a former life. (Not that we believe in that type of thing ...) But my inner voice totally has an Italian accent and it's the only accent that ever feels normal coming out of my mouth. And, I really like pizza. Viva Italia!

This week was awesome because we had Zone Conference and every time we get multiple missionaries in the same room, it's like standing under one of those giant buckets at water parks. Except with the spirit instead of water. We are engaged in something pretty amazing. Missionary work rules. \m/

Okay I don't have much time, but just know that I love you and God loves you. #truth.

Love,

Sister Gledhill

Mini Missionary

Hello Humans!

This week was reaaaaaal nice.

One really awesome thing that happened was we got a Mini Missionary! All of the Stakes in our mission participate in this Mini missionary program. Basically kids 16 and up get to come and stay with us for a few days and experience what mission life is all about. Apparently it happens pretty frequently too, like at least once a transfer! It's an awesome way to prepare to serve or just try it out if your considering it. Our "mini" missionary was named Amanda and she was 25. SHE WAS SO COOL! She has had this crazy life where she really wasn't on the straight and narrow for a long time, if you know what I mean. But the missionaries have been working with her for the past couple of years and now she is one of the most faith filled people I've ever met. She was planning on serving a mission, but it didn't exactly work out. So this mini mission was kind of her chance at getting the experience for a couple of days. I was kind of surprised that they sent her to Sister Roy and I, since she came out by herself and not with a whole herd of minis. I would have thought that she would be sent to a ward with lots of investigators and stable work, but the assistants felt like it would be good for us to be with her. I'm glad she did, because it was great to be around someone filled with so much faith that the Lord has a plan for her! Hopefully she had a good experience ... maybe the point of her coming with us was to make her happy that she can't serve. Oh well.

Also we taught Sharing Time in Primary yesterday! I love childrens. They are so cute. We taught about prayer and how the scriptures teach us how to pray. There were only like 10 kids in Senior Primary! Definitely a change from Utah wards. Also I'm pretty sure like 60% of our ward is on vacation in Utah, so ... send them back to us please :)

Sometimes being a missionary is like in the 7th Harry Potter when Harry, Ron, and Hermione keep visiting all of the places that they know there is no horcrux at, but they just don't really know what else to do. Except we are looking for people who want to come closer to Christ, which is kind of like the opposite of horcrux hunting. But other times it feels like when Harry figures out where the Elder Wand is and has to make the decision between horcruxes and hallows - like there is too much good stuff to do and you have to make hard decisions! #missionarylyf

There is this really awesome quote from President Eyring that is helpful to ponder when making such decisions. "What would the Savior do if He had your opportunities?" Isn't that so awesome?! It's like WWJD, but way more thought provoking... even though it's essentially the same thing - but from the mouth of an Apostle of the Lord!

So this week think WWTSDIHHYO. Okay?

I love you guys!

Sister Gledhill