A Baptism and Zone Conference
Hello Friends and Family!
I wonder if there will ever be a week where I don't say, "Wow, this week has been crazy!" Haha, it amazes me how fast the weeks just fly by and how much we are able to squeeze into our schedules each day!
We started this week off with a baptism for a man named Taras. He is a refugee from Ukraine and started meeting with the missionaries just 3 weeks ago! It was amazing how prepared he was to learn about the gospel and it fills my heart with happiness that he has been able to find so much peace and comfort in Christ amidst the crazy time of life he is going through right now! The baptism was so spirit-filled and it was amazing to see how many people came to support him! It also made me happy for the 4 Russian speaking Elders in our mission! (These Elders have been moved around a lot the past few months, they were called to either Ukraine or Russia but because of the war have been reassigned to different missions 2-5 different times I believe). These Elders have not had the type of mission they were expecting but their faith and diligence to continue to serve despite the change and unknown in their lives inspires me! These Elders serve at the train station and the airport all week helping refugees with translation, food, and transportation. For them to have a baptism come out of their efforts just made me really happy for them!
Later in the week, Sora Pachev and I woke up at 4:30 to go to the train station and help with translation for refugees. Sora Pachev speaks a little bit of Russian because her dad is Russian and she also studied it at college for a little bit. When we go to the train station there is not a lot I can really do since I don't speak the language but I still help as much as I can with carrying refugees' luggage as they get off their train and just being a friendly face for those who are going through such a hard time in life right now. There was one moment where I really had to be strong and hold back the tears. A mom and daughter came up to us asking us for help with transportation and I just started thinking of this poor young mom who is having to flee her country without her husband and this poor little girl, so confused with all that is happening and not having her dad, her protector and sense of security, there to help comfort her. It broke my heart! The strength of all the refugees who are so bravely going about life right now inspires me!
Friday and Saturday of this week we had Zone Conference and it was so much fun! Friday evening we had our spiritual part of the conference and it went so well! It was 4 hours long but felt like nothing to me! I could have stayed for another 4 hours! The spirit at conference was so strong! I am so grateful for all the leaders in my mission, for my mission president, and for all the missionaries as well! All the presentations that were given (including the one that I participated in with the Zone Leaders and my companion, because we are the Sister Training Leaders) were very inclusive and we had so much participation from everyone that attended! We gave our presentation on the Grace of God and it was just so cool to hear everyone's points of view and personal experiences on the subject! The spirit there was amazing! Afterwards, all the senior couples had made us Hawaiian Haystacks for dinner and it was sooooooo good! A great way to end the night!
Saturday was full of service, yummy food, and sports at the end of the day for games night! It was so much fun! It has been warming up quite a bit and all Saturday and Sunday I was pretty much sweating the entire day! The humidity here makes it feel a lot warmer than it actually is! I do not know how I am going to survive the summer! haha we will see!
Love you all so much and, again, am so incredibly grateful for all your prayers! Thank you for your examples and for your friendship! It means so much to me to have so many people that care and support me! I hope that you are able to feel of God's love for you a little extra this week! I'm sending big hugs to each and every one of you!
Take Care :)
Sora Acton
D&C128:22 Brethren, (and Sisters) shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward. Courage, brethren; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing. Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel, who hath ordained, before the world was, that which would enable us to redeem them out of their prison; for the prisoners shall go free.
ReplyDeleteI loved being able to read your post this week. I had tears of love, tears of empathy, tears of hope and tears of peace. I know that you are having a different experience than you may have thought you would have when you envisioned what your mission would be like, but I see that God is placing Angles on the right hand and on the left hand of a people in such great need. You and your district are those angles.
I have said many times to my friends, "I am just waiting to hear how the Lord is going to use this terrible thing that is happening to so many innocent people, to bless their lives." Reading about your experiences is giving me a glimpse of how he is doing that. You are where He needs you and doing what He needs you to do. You are always in my prayers. Love you:)