SISTER ZACKRISON: ANOTHER JOYFUL WEEK

Hello y’all!!
Wow, what a crazy week it has been! It has literally flown by, and I feel like I have run out of time to accomplish everything that I needed to get done! But, I am happy to report that things are going really well! I feel really happy, and I feel blessed to do the work here in Booneville.

My new companion, sweet Sister Smith, is such a joy to work with. She is prepared to work hard, and she is willing to give things a try. I have been so impressed by her. It makes me think back to when I was being trained, and how shy I was. How it was harder for me to talk in lessons, and how if I thought about contacting I nearly passed out! Literally. A year has down wonders to me. Sister Smith has been involved in lessons, and she is a very outgoing, talkative, and a friendly person.

As we go about doing missionary work, she picks up on the way I do things, and then she tries it herself. I feel very blessed that I get to work with her. She asks a lot of questions, which makes me really have to think. I want her to truly have the best experience ever, and so I have been trying really hard to help it to be that way. I even wrote her a few letters so that she could get some mail. She has said multiple times how she loves this work already. I have noticed how training her has helped me improve as well, because it forces me to be the best missionary I can be, so that she could have the best example possible.

I have realized that when training, things take longer than they used to! But that is only because it is the first week, and literally the first time she has done any of this. I find myself needing to be more willing to listen to her ideas, and more patience is required. We have had a lot of fun together, and I can only hope and pray she is enjoying it as much as I am. I am starting to see how being a missionary relates to being a parent. I love Sister Smith like I do my sister, even though we haven’t even known each other a week yet. I want to serve her, and I want to make her happy just as I would my own kids, or siblings. It is pretty cool that the Lord is allowing me to learn about my future life while being here on a mission. I think I can confidently say that I finally get it. I get what it means to work with all your heart, might, mind, and strength. It is cool when the thing you ponder at night is how to help an investigator, or how to inspire a less active member, instead of thinking about how I will make it to the end. I have thought about that a lot these past few nights as I have tried to teach Sister Smith. I love this work more than I have ever loved anything else before.

Here is my beautiful new daughter. We even matched one day. :

This week we saw some miracles, even though we spent the majority of it introducing Sister Smith to the area. On Sunday when we walked in to church, we saw 4 of the less active members we have been working with sitting in the chapel! My heart was filled with joy! It was the first time I had ever seen Bobby Saylors at church, and it was a happy day. My heart cheered even more when our investigator Marilyn walked in. We have been trying to work with her for the last six weeks I have been here, and only caught her a few times. But I think she is finally in a place where she will progress. And then a few more investigators trickled in, and it was just such a good day! I know miracles happen, and I know that no effort is wasted while being here on a mission.

We also had some funny moments. One day as we were driving down a country road, we saw two wild horses on the side of it. I wanted to get out and take a picture, so I asked Sister Larsen-the member we were out with- to pull over. As we did, the horses moved into the middle of the road. Another car came and honked at the horses and they were so scared! So they began running…and then these dogs started chasing them….and then we had a squirrel join them too! Wow, it was quite the sight. Ha ha. We followed the chase for a while before they finally turned off the road. Only in the South would you see something like that.

Anyways, I think that will do it for today! The quote of the week is one my friend sent to me, and I loved it. It goes like this,”Very humble work that is where you and I must be. For there are many people who can do big things. But there are very few people who will do the small things.” – Mother Teresa. We need to be willing to do the small things. The things we don’t think anyone will notice, but the things that may mean the world to someone else. Missionary work is done by doing the small, simple things. Remember that this week. Go the extra mile to do the small things! Love y’all!

Love,
Sister Zackrison