TRANSFER NEWS: First of all, little Sister Huch will be training! I am very excited for her and very nervous as well. I will be transferred out of YSA (tears fall from my eyes) and into Kirtland 1st Ward. I look forward to the hiss of oxygen tanks and the chorus of crying children. Serving in a family ward will be very different. But I'm stoked for some change.
Last Monday Sister Huch turned 20 and we celebrated hard! We bought
party hats and I sang to her at least 15 times throughout the day.
Sister Heck and Harrah came in to stay the night for a meeting the next
day. Heck and I frantically shared stories and pictures and jokes in the
brief moments we had together.
On Wednesday we were able to teach seminary to the FHS students.
Those kids are probably the best representation of the Army of Helaman.
They put my old snot-nosed seminary class to shame. We look like a bunch
of delinquents in comparison. Shout-out to my poor seminary teachers
who put up with rowdy, rude, and sometimes sleeping, students. I, of
course, was not one of them. I would never. It was really awesome
though. The tender moment of the day was when we were cleaning up after,
we found a sticky note on which one of the students had written down
notes of what each of us had said. Things that had inspired him/her.
That same day, contrasting the very spirit-filled seminary classes,
we had a lesson at a starbucks. Since when did starbucks play
latin-techno? Probably the most obnoxious music of all time. I think I
was yelling scriptures at our poor investigator. I think I committed her
to pray and read, but I couldn't hear over the majestic call of the
wild barista: "VANILLA FRAP!!!!!!". In her defense, it was happy hour,
and we should've asked to at least sit outside.
On Friday a member made us probably the fanciest meal of all time.
He served in France so he made us quiche and crepes, and a salad with
vinaigrette. After dinner is when we received the call from president
that Sister Huch is training! She screamed. I cried. Tiff hugged me. All
was well.
Probably the most awesome experience we had this week was with our
investigator, Adam. We went to meet with him and both felt like we
needed to bring up the Word of Wisdom. We've seen him smoke before and
he's on date for baptism on the 7th. So for me and Huch there was an
elephant in the room. We read out of 3 Nephi with him and then Sister
Huch asked "What can you do to better turn yourself to Christ?"
And then he proceeded to tell us,
"Well... I guess the
last thing that I needed to do, I've already started. The only thing
that was in my way, I felt like, was smoking. And two days ago I just
decided I'm gonna quit. I threw out my last pack and I've committed
myself not to buy another."
He had heard about the Word of Wisdom from his less-active friend
and decided to start living it. If you listened closely on May 3rd at
approx. 6:35 pm, you'd be able to hear the echo as our jaws hit the
ground. Amazing. It is fantastic to invite someone to make changes in
their lives to come closer to Christ, it is even better when they make
those decisions for themselves.
I am heartbroken to leave behind the branch. I had dinner with a
member of the branch presidency on Sunday night and, in true Sister
Valdez fashion, cried a few hidden tears. But I am ready for whatever
God has in store for me next.
Faith is always pointed towards the future.
Notes from my journal this week:
Mankind abandoned mediocrity when he left the garden of eden,
It is in Gods plan for us to be more than carnal,
more than content,
more than just man.
We are to be "more than conquerors" through him who loved us.
xoxo
Sister Valdez
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