Week 21

Hello all!

This week has had so many ups and downs. I am going to start with the down just to get it out of the way. We’ve had a lot of investigators who we’ve had to stop teaching this week. It is really discouraging to have to stop teaching them because I have grown to love them all so much. A few days ago we got a text that another investigator didn't want us to teach them anymore. It was just the icing on the cake of a hard few days and I could barely hold myself together. I was just feeling really sad and sorry for myself. I had so much doubt about my ability to teach and was taking everything that had been happening as a personal insult. Then I realized that I didn't need to feel that way. It was lunchtime, so I grabbed my scriptures and sat on the couch and started to read. I read 2 Nephi chapters 23-24. It was crazy how even Isaiah chapters could so quickly bring peace to my heart. Verses 31 and 32 in chapter 24 stood out to me:

"Howl, O gate; cry, O city; thou, whole Palestina, art dissolved; for there shall come from the north a smoke, and none shall be alone in his appointed times. What shall then answer the messengers of the nations? That the Lord hath founded Zion, and the poor of his people shall trust in it”

Well, it kind of feels that our area is being dissolved into nothing. But I have to trust that, as long as I am working as hard as I can and being as obedient as I can, everything will work out. The Lord has founded this little patch of Zion and I, the poor, need to trust in Him. My whole day completely turned around and I just felt so content. I have such a testimony that The Book of Mormon was written by prophets through the inspiration of God. There is no other way that a book that I don't even understand all the time could bring me such peace. I know it is true and I am so grateful for it and the power it has in my life. 

Chewbacca dog - i'm bringing him home with me

So there is the bad - now for some good! This Thanksgiving was SO great. My family knows that I am big into traditions so I was a little nervous for the fact that it was going to be a holiday with no traditions. Well, I didn't get to participate in my normal traditions, but it was still so fun. We started the day off doing service. We set up for a thanksgiving party for the homeless. I was put on the cutting station where we cut squares out of paper for three hours. They made little coloring booklets out of them for the kids. My finger is still tingling a little. Then we went and played volleyball with all the missionaries in the area until a family from the branch showed up to the park with a football. Then we had a little turkey bowl, complete with the sprinklers coming on and hitting us. But that didn't stop the game. A major difference between Arizona turkey bowl and Oregon turkey bowl: In Arizona we wear shorts and t-shirts. After the Turkey bowl we got ready for dinner. We had three dinners. We started off with a family from the branch and had a mixture of Hispanic traditional food and American Thanksgiving food. We had this spicy turkey and tamales, among other food. Then we went straight to our next dinner, which was with a family from the ward. We had the normal Thanksgiving dinner and I even got some pumpkin pie (a really small piece because I was SO FULL). Then we went to our last dinner with another family from the branch. They were so sweet and knew that we had already eaten a lot so we took some food home with us and just got to talk to them for a little while. Then we went around to visit people from the ward that our bishop thought might not have anyone to spend thanksgiving with but none of them were home. We finished the night off with some studying and then went to sleep very full. It was the best!

Before our first dinner,
after our first dinner,
after our second dinner

We also got to play soccer this week (we play every second and fourth Friday). It’s so fun but I am SO bad. Everyone that comes is super good and I think they get a little frustrated that I am so bad but over all are great sports about it. I play goalie - no idea whose idea that was. I let more pass me than I save, but lucky for me not many shots are made because everyone is so good. I have pictures of the group that showed up this week. Me and Sister Teniza are wearing our normal clothes because it was right after we changed to leave, but I promise we really did play in workout clothes like normal people. 

This week I got some crazy news. They did transfers two weeks early for all of the missionaries who are serving in French areas. That means that the sister we live with (who got switched to French) left to a new area today. Her companion is Sister Ferre who is one of my favorite people in the mission. She is so funny and I love living with her. She got news that her new companion is a sister who only has two weeks left on her mission. Sister Ferre asked the mission president who her next companion will be and he said ME. So unless that changes, which it still could, I will not be staying in my area for Christmas. It makes me so sad to think that I will be leaving this area, especially so close to Christmas, and I hate the thought of leaving Sister Teniza, because she is amazing. BUT I would be so excited to be companions with Sister Ferre and to spend Christmas with her. Plus I only have to switch rooms in our apartment. So that is not a for sure plan but it does have a good chance of happening. The only thing that makes me slightly nervous is that Sister Ferre is not a native Spanish speaker either, but we will be fine! Her Spanish is great and we will figure it out. Plus, I would get to stay in Phoenix so that makes me happy. 

This week we have a mission tour which means that a General Authority is coming and speaking to the whole mission. I am so excited. It does change our p-day schedule though. For the next two weeks I will be having p-day on Wednesday instead of Monday (so the 9th and the 16th). 

Sister Teniza, me, Sister Handa, and Sister Ferre

We have two really solid investigators who I love so much and we get to go to the Mesa Temple lights with them this Friday. I am so excited to be on the temple grounds and feel the spirit there and get to share that spirit with our investigators. 

I have a great week planned ahead of me and I hope you all do too! Stay safe and enjoy DECEMBER!

Love, 

Sister Doxey