I am trying to internalize one of the things we learned
in conference this weekend which is: gratitude! So hit me if I complain
in this email. I am grateful for humbling weeks. For the kind of hard
days that bring you to your knees. I am grateful for warm blankets. I am
grateful for the prophet and for his uplifting words this weekend. I am
grateful for awesome members who take a ton of stress off our shoulders
by giving rides to investigators. I am grateful for a companion who
knows to let me sleep when my body is beyond the point of exhaustion. I
am grateful for Tiff who gives amazing hugs that keep me going. I am
grateful for the many emails and all the encouragement I receive from
week to week. I don't think many of you know what a difference it makes
to make it to P-day exhausted physically, emotionally, and spiritually,
and have so many kind words to lift me back up. I am grateful for the
ability to get lost in the work. I am grateful for little moments of
laughter with my companion. I am grateful for an amazing and supportive
bishopric. I am grateful for bottled water. I am grateful for a Heavenly
Father who sustains me from day to day. I am grateful for letters from
home, and from Bri. I am grateful for the promise of tomorrow, for hope,
for faith. I am grateful for the scriptures and all the things the Lord
is able to teach me through them.
I am grateful for my health and for my hands. This week we went to
visit a nursing home. as we do every Wednesday. One of our favorites,
Flossy, rolled herself close to the piano as I played a quick song for
them after their morning exercises. Once the song end, she held my hand
tightly, and thanked me. "That's just beautiful." She said. One of the
nurses told me to ask her to play us a song. I walked back over
to her wheelchair and asked if she would play for us. Her left hand is
almost all taken over by arthritis, and two fingers in her right hand as
well. She clunked out the tune of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart". Flossy,
being a perfectionist, scolded herself and her hands for not being able
to play as she used to. She told us how she used to play in a band. I
tried to pick out the tune of "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" but I don't
know much other than the first line. I left that day very humbled. I
want to use these hands as long as I can. For playing, for helping, and
especially now for the Lord's great work.
I am grateful for the Lord who has a plan for everything. We went
to visit an investigator one afternoon and she wasn't there. She's on a
welfare phone that's out of minutes so we couldn't get a hold of her. We
left frustrated, sighing, and sad since we had prepared to make a
prayer rock with her and were really excited to show off all of our
artistry skills.
After that we had a lesson with a less active (of which there is a
picture of her sleeping during conference). We asked if she'd come with
us to a lesson after hers. That lesson canceled as well, and we thought
we'd stop by the investigators house from before, who wasn't there when
we tried her. When we got there, a woman answered the door who we didn't
recognize. The investigator was there this time and they both invited
us in. We asked the woman if she was staying with our investigator, I
thought maybe it might be her cousin. She started to tell us and tears
welled up in her eyes. Her boyfriend had severely beaten her the day
before. Our investigator had let her come and stay the day over in her
apartment. She choked on her words, telling us she didn't know where to
go or what to do next. Our less active chimed up. This less active, just
last month, had ended her stay at the local Women's Shelter. She
wrapped her arm around this discouraged woman and offered her not only
the number to the shelter, but advice and encouragement. She bore her
testimony that God loves us, that he is aware of our specific situation,
and that only he can help us in these desperate times of need. We left
her with a Book of Mormon and with a testimony born by our less-active
that was much more meaningful and powerful than we could've given to her
at that time. We all left so humbled and inspired knowing that God
always has a plan. Whether we are frustrated with plans that fall
through, or heartbroken by trials that we face, we must trust that He
knows us, loves us, and has a plan for us. Everything I have learned in
the past five months, and nineteen years, has testified of that.
On a funnier note, I threw up Saturday night. I
stopped counting after about the 6th or 7th time hurling my guts and
ended up spending most of the night curled up with my blanket on the
bathroom floor. Sister Huch is mad that I didn't wake her up. What was I
gonna do?! "HEY SISTER HUCH IM PUKING MY GUTS OUT, WANNA WATCH?" So I
let her keep snoring. (Yes, she snores. And yes I love it. It reminds me
of Daddy) I have no idea what I ate especially cause I've actually been
eating fairly healthy besides whatever fun dinners members decide to
feed us. I finished all the granola mom sent but I also think I puked
most of it back up! It was all pink. Super weird. I puked so much it was
unbelievable. I wish you could've seen. Don't worry about me though, I
took a nap and kept trucking on!
I love you and miss you all
keep sending prayers, love, and letters!
Sister Valdez
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