Last Sunday, Mother's Day, we were able to get together to talk with Sister Barclay via Skype Video Calling! Technology these days is really amazing. Not all of us could be in Cedar for the call, so we hooked it up so we could video call our other sister, Becca, and her little family on another phone so she could see and hear Collette just like the rest of us! We were even able to take a screen-shot-mother-daughters picture while holding up Becca on the other phone haha AND Collette got to meet her newest nephew, Lucas, who was born in February.
It was wonderful to see and hear Sister Barclay as she told us about her missionary life. We also got to talk to Sister Carpenter for a moment and she really is as sweet as Collette makes her sound! What a fun pair they are.
We touched base with her on the people she has been telling us about teaching and we got to hear her beautiful testimony of the gospel. She definitely spreads her love for the gospel through that infectious smile of hers! She had us all laughing and smiling... especially when they told us about the elders finding a turtle and taking it to the sisters' apartment! Cole told us that the turtle wandered around for a good few days and they absolutely loved it! haha
Now, as if you didn't already know how inspiring that girl is, I've shared below, her letter to us from this week. I've highlighted a few things I thought were uplifting, but really, I think there are many things she said in this letter, that we could all benefit from. She is amazing!
"Hey y'all! How is everyone??
This week has been so crazy; let me tell ya all about it! Monday (5/11): Normally on P-days Sister Carpenter makes me sweat, so this P-day I made her a deal that if she makes me sweat, I was going to make her shop! It was so fun; we took all of P-day to ourselves! We went to Plato's Closet and Ross! We had lunch and unlimited ice cream! It was so fun! And, secretly, I think she loved it! She got so many cute new clothes! We just have too much fun!
Then we went to the Harris'... they are so cool; they have traveled all over! Then she sent my mom a picture of us, because she loved when members did that for her missionaries! We also had FHE with Josh and Daisy and Family! It went really well! We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ and through our faith, we Repent and become like our savior. It was kind of crazy because everyone seemed a little distracted, but overall it went really well and they are progressing so good! They are the best! We love them so much!!!
Tuesday (5/12): We met with Lauren, who is a less active member who is really struggling. She lost her job and is now moving back to California with no money and no plans really... it is so hard to see this. We wish we could just keep her here to keep teaching her, but she is going through a lot and needs to figure out what she wants. She has just been giving us the answers she thinks we want to hear, she has given up on everything, and is just lost. I've seen so much of that here! But when we finally got to the lesson we talked about how Heavenly father has a plan for her, and that it is never a too late to come back, to repent, and to come unto the Savior. We told her that Heavenly Father is very aware of everything we do in our lives. He will never leave us! Even when you feel like He has, He is always right there waiting for you to turn to him. The Lord will make us bend, but he will never let us break. Life is not always going to be easy, but only through the atonement can we get through hard things. The atonement is for our sad face days! We need to remember that Jesus Christ loves us and doesn't expect us to be perfect, but he wants us to try our best and turn to him.
Wednesday (5/13): Such a crazy day! Lesson learned: if you have a full day planned and one of your lessons goes over 10 minutes, you are late to everything that follows! Needless to say, I did a lot of running that day. LITERALLY! We cleaned a hoarder's house! It was pretty horrible; piles all the way to the ceiling and cat hair balls everywhere... dirty clothes and papers EVERYWHERE!!
Tuesday (5/12): We met with Lauren, who is a less active member who is really struggling. She lost her job and is now moving back to California with no money and no plans really... it is so hard to see this. We wish we could just keep her here to keep teaching her, but she is going through a lot and needs to figure out what she wants. She has just been giving us the answers she thinks we want to hear, she has given up on everything, and is just lost. I've seen so much of that here! But when we finally got to the lesson we talked about how Heavenly father has a plan for her, and that it is never a too late to come back, to repent, and to come unto the Savior. We told her that Heavenly Father is very aware of everything we do in our lives. He will never leave us! Even when you feel like He has, He is always right there waiting for you to turn to him. The Lord will make us bend, but he will never let us break. Life is not always going to be easy, but only through the atonement can we get through hard things. The atonement is for our sad face days! We need to remember that Jesus Christ loves us and doesn't expect us to be perfect, but he wants us to try our best and turn to him.
Wednesday (5/13): Such a crazy day! Lesson learned: if you have a full day planned and one of your lessons goes over 10 minutes, you are late to everything that follows! Needless to say, I did a lot of running that day. LITERALLY! We cleaned a hoarder's house! It was pretty horrible; piles all the way to the ceiling and cat hair balls everywhere... dirty clothes and papers EVERYWHERE!!
We also had a lesson in a tree, with Haley, a Free Speech Alley contact. She's so cool! She works at the observatory and she took us to the park nearby to have a lesson in a tree that grew over a creek!
Then we ran back to campus for Andrew! He's also a Free Speech Alley contact, who is super cool and progressing extremely well! We introduced the Book of Mormon very quickly and he committed to read it!
Then the best part of my day... we got to go to the temple for Ginger Jensen [interruption from Liz: We know Ginger from Cedar City (Collette's home town) and now she is living in Baton Rouge! How cool that Collette was able to experience that with her!] She is so beautiful! That was my first time in the Baton Rouge Temple and let me tell you, it was so beautiful; very small, but I could feel the spirit so strong. I could feel Heavenly Father and I just felt so peaceful and could feel that I was suppose to be there! It is such an amazing feeling as we do work for others:)
Thursday (5/14): Exchanges! I was with Sister Ochs (you say it like 'Oaks', it's German or something)! It was so fun; I got to take over LSU for a day and a half! Let me tell you, it was hard, but everyone thinks I'm going to be a trainer soon, so I needed to stay! I'd be a pretty crazy trainer; that poor missionary! haha Jk
Thursday (5/14): Exchanges! I was with Sister Ochs (you say it like 'Oaks', it's German or something)! It was so fun; I got to take over LSU for a day and a half! Let me tell you, it was hard, but everyone thinks I'm going to be a trainer soon, so I needed to stay! I'd be a pretty crazy trainer; that poor missionary! haha Jk
We had coordination with the other missionaries in our ward, Elder Lehr and Elder Richardson, and the ward mission leader, Brother Tucker, at his new business Area 51, the trampoline place!
Then we made our way back to campus to meet Allison, Lauren's roommate. With her we talked about the Atonement. Sister Ochs drew her a picture and talked about how because Jesus Christ atoned for our sins, we can cross the bridge and not fall into sin or death. Christ made the atonement possible. She really loved it; the spirit was so strong!
Friday (5/15): Still on exchanges, we went and saw Phil; he's my favorite! He took us to lunch and we talked about his perception of God and how he loves him so much and he'll always answer prayers! We are really making progress with Phil!
Friday (5/15): Still on exchanges, we went and saw Phil; he's my favorite! He took us to lunch and we talked about his perception of God and how he loves him so much and he'll always answer prayers! We are really making progress with Phil!
We also met with Chelsea. We got to know her and she told us all about her wedding plans, that aren't going to happen for another 2 years because until she finishes school, she's not getting married. That's a really long time, but shes really excited!
I held another turtle we found at the Institute building it was a lot bigger than the last one! I'm in Turtle Heaven over here!
Saturday (5/16): We went to a roller derby for Andrew! It was quite the experience! But it was really fun! Right before we went there, we went to Pastimes to check up on Daisy. Little did we know, it was a restaurant, and she worked in the bar part. We had calzones and po-boys... and prayed in a bar! It was so weird! But Daisy was doing really good!!
Saturday (5/16): We went to a roller derby for Andrew! It was quite the experience! But it was really fun! Right before we went there, we went to Pastimes to check up on Daisy. Little did we know, it was a restaurant, and she worked in the bar part. We had calzones and po-boys... and prayed in a bar! It was so weird! But Daisy was doing really good!!
Being a missionary is probably the hardest thing I have ever done in my life and sometimes I really struggle being here. Every day comes with challenges and some days you just don't want to get up at 6:30am to get ready and hit the books, and sometimes you feel like you are not being successful or doing any good, and you lose your way, and you just feel Satan is throwing everything your way, but I have learned so much and my testimony of the Gospel is never shaking! I have learned that no matter how many times you fall, Heavenly Father is always right there picking you up and loving you perfectly, even when you are feeling like the smallest person on this whole earth.
Heavenly Father called me, SISTER BARCLAY, to be me; to come with my weaknesses and strengths and help others find their way! I love my Savior; I know he lives and hears my prayers. I know this church is true and that families can be together forever. I know that because of the Atonement, we can cross those bridges and get back to our Heavenly Father, so don't give up when life gets hard! Pray and COME UNTO THE SAVIOR and trust in him!
No comments:
Post a Comment