SISTER ZACRISION: A ROLL TIDE THANKSGIVING

Hey y’all!

I know y’all are probably sick of hearing all about roll tide, and Tuscaloosa, but that is actually my life right now. I hear roll tide probably once a week. Life is good here in T-Town!

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope y’all had a wonderful day, and had lots of yummy food! Our Thanksgiving was so nice here in Tuscaloosa. Being a missionary on the holidays totally changes them forever. Being here for Thanksgiving has really opened up my heart to how good God really is. My heart is so full of gratitude, and it is the kind of gratitude that is deep, and real. I can physically see how the Lord blesses us each day, and it just makes the gratitude deeper and deeper. I don’t want to have the holidays as a normal person anymore, they are so much better as a missionary! We were able to have dinner at the institute teacher’s home. Brother Lewis graciously invited all of the YSA that were staying in town for the holidays over to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast. We challenged them to bring their nonmember friends to dinner as well, and many of them did! It was so nice to be able to meet them, and enjoy conversation with them over dinner. And then the homemade pie we had was a little tender mercy. It reminded me of the pie my mom makes, and it was really great! I sure did miss my Mama’s cooking. She is hands down the greatest cook.

This week we went on exchanges with the Jasper sisters. I just have to say, I have been blessed to work with the best sisters in the mission! Sister Sommerfeld stayed in Tuscaloosa with me, and it was such a joy! She is one amazing missionary. She jumped right in, and began talking to everyone we saw. She had this genuine love for each of the people we taught, and for each of the people we contacted. I could see the way her loving personality affected these people, and they wanted to listen to her. It was really beautiful. She was so caring, and so kind, and she made me feel like I was on top of the world! I really learned about love when I was with her. She is an amazing companion for Sister Patton. They have a lot of fun together, and I know they love each other.  The Jasper sisters are doing amazing, and working really hard in their little branch. They are taking care of it!

This week, I was really stuck by a powerful scripture. Our branch president taught the lesson in church on Sunday, and he was talking all about gifts and talents, and Oliver Granger. I had no idea who Oliver Granger was. I still don’t really know who he is, except I know he helped the first presidency in the early days of the church. Maybe y’all know more than me. But what really stood out to me was D&C 117:13. It says, “Therefore, let him contend earnestly for the redemption of the First Presidency of my Church, saith the Lord; and when he falls he shall rise again, for his sacrifice shall be more sacred unto me than his increase, saith the Lord.” I loved the line where it says that his sacrifice will mean more than his increase. It really hit me that the Lord cares about our efforts, and our heart. He doesn’t care about our results. Well, he does, but he holds the effort we put into it at a much higher level. This brought so much comfort to my soul. The Lord is going to look at how hard I have been working, and not the number of baptisms I have been seeing. He is going to look at the effort I put into having an effective day, not at the reality of the people I saw. It really helps me to feel like I am doing a good job out here. And it really pushes me to work even harder, knowing that that is really all I have to offer the Lord. I want to do my best out here. I love it so much.

The quote of the week goes along with that. I saw it on a calendar, and I thought it was really sweet. It goes like this, “Nothing is impossible. Why, the word itself says I’M POSSIBLE.” That is by Audrey Hepburn. I thought it went so well with the scripture. Nothing is impossible when you have God on your side, and you have faith in yourself. The Lord will help us move mountains, but he also expects us to pick up the shovel and start digging. This week, remember that the things you deem impossible, really are possible. Look to the Lord for some help, and he will give you strength!

It has been another good week. I can’t believe it is already over. It is really hard watching the time go by so fast. I am sad that Sister Edwards is leaving. I am going to miss her a lot. I have been really blessed to be her companion. I love being a missionary, and I am so grateful I get to do it another day!

Another fun fact, we were able to go to the Iron Bowl this week! We were given permission to go if we had an investigator with us, so don’t be thinking I was a rebel missionary! We even left at half time so we could make it home on time. But it was such a blast! The energy I felt was unreal, and it was incredible to actually be in the stadium! We handed out a lot of Mormon.org cards, and we tried to have good conversations as we were walking to and from our car. We would have been contacting on game day anyway, since our whole area is involved in the game, so this time we just got to go in the gates. It was such a fun day! Y’all need to experience a game roll tide status, it is unlike anything I have ever experience before! Ahh so fun.

I hope y’all have another great week! Christmas is coming! I love y’all so much, and I am so grateful for you!