Week #43 - Birthday Wishes and The White Handbook

Dear Family-

My wildest dream right now is that my mother will have the happiest birthday EVER! I love you SO MUCH! I sincerely hope that you are telling people it IS your birthday so that they can do stuff for you. You selfless woman, you.

For those who do not have access to a white hand book, page 41 states the following :

Never suggest that people emigrate to another country, even for work or schooling. You should not become involved in adoptions. Do not ask your family or people from your home area to sponsor or become involved in these activities.

Well, an adoption took place on a Wednesday, June 10, 2015. The Hermana's name is Sister Gailey, stands the height of 5'11, has German ancestry, and has been nicknamed Mt. Vesuvius for reasons I cannot disclose. She will remain with me until she no longer needs a parental guardian. The time allotted is 6 weeks. I did not have the forethought to remember this passage on Wednesday, June 10, and cannot reverse the adoption process; therefore, consequences are being administered. Such consequences include: Lack of sleep, increased appetite, weight gain, high levels of stress, sleep-talking, restlessness, feelings of inadequacy, and complete humility. However, the blessings are...UNIMAGINABLE AND INNUMBERABLE. In short, Sister Gailey is the COOLEST and I will finish training her this upcoming 6 weeks as her "adopted mother" in missionary language.



You know those GINORMOUS dogs that are lap dogs.

Well, my child is that in human form and enjoys sitting on me. Immensely.

"Nothing can prepare you for the truth." Simplified and Intensified. I had no idea how to be a trainer and I STILL have no idea today. Things with Sister Gailey are going but slowly. We've had many times to just stop and get to know each other or communicate. I look at training much differently; I'm not just helping her be a missionary, I am helping her reach her true potential just as each of my companions have done for me. It gives me a greater drive to be patient, forgiving, loving, and supportive. She is such a good missionary and that pushes me to really want to do well and to make a difference.

That being said, I received so much guidance in 3 Nephi 12 on how I can be a better trainer. I understood from verses 5, 7, and 9 that I need to be humble, forgiving, and a peacemaker. But my favorite verses are in 15 and 16:

15 Behold, do men light a candle‍ and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
16 Therefore let your light‍ so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and GLORIFY YOUR FATHER who is in heaven.

I recognize that God had been preparing me for the past 6 transfers to be her companion. All that I have learned is put into practice now. God understood that this was going to be hard BUT He knew that Sister Lake would have the abilities, talents, and testimony needed to help her. I've never been more prayerful and humbled. With God's grace I know I will be the trainer that she needs! Just the other day we discussed and shared scriptures about how Charity could help her learn the language. That was something that I barely even understood! God spoke so powerfully through me and helped me answer some of her prayers whilst answering several of my own.

We had an miracle that was AMAZING! We went out knocking and found 3 FAMILIES that wanted to hear the gospel. 2 accepted baptism on the spot and were so very prepared. It was amazing. But one family in specific couldn't have been found if we didn't try to talk to everyone in our path. We walked by as Luis was walking back into his home. We asked him if we could give him a card and then proceeded to offer a prayer. After the prayer he was SO grateful saying that he had been super stressed with how he could provide for his family and after the prayer, he felt as though the worry, stress and sorrow he felt was lifted off of him and he had peace. He knew everything would be okay. HE IS SO COOL! Progressing to be baptized right now and LOVES the Book of Mormon. We read with him 2 verses in 3 Nephi 11 and he just kept right on reading almost the whole chapter out loud during the lesson. Turns out his wife is also a less active from Colombia!

Also, Patricia Mera (who is the sister of Robert and Gabriela Mera- both recently baptized) is getting baptized! She told us time and time again how much better her life is now that she has the gospel, that the Book of Mormon "is not just any book", and how much happier she is. She starts crying almost every lesson with the power of the Spirit. SHE IS AMAZING!

I love you all dearly!

Hna Lake