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Tifton Transfer 15 Week 4
Date
April 11, 2022
Area
, , Peru
Companion
Tifton Transfer 15 Week 4
Hollyy coww what's going on? Y'all had an amazing week? Full of tender mercies and the love of God? So good to hear. Same here! Crazy busy, crazy stressful, and we saw some crazy miracles as always. Let's dive in!!
Holy cow what an insane week. So starting out, we had tradeoffs with the Valdosta elders this week on Tuesday. We drove down to Valdosta, had lunch with them at a customizable burger joint called Relish (aka heaven), then traded off. Elder Whittaker came back to Tifton with me. So we went back, had a few lessons up in Sylvester, then all of a sudden he started talking about how his stomach was killing him. Usually I don't really like using the sick pass haha, we just grind through it, but he looked like he was dying. So we stopped at a CVS so he could do his thing in the bathroom, and I just waited outside. 45 minutes passed by, and I was still waiting outside. Then, close your eyes to imagine the next part. The sky grew dim, the wind picked up, and all you could hear in that quiet little town was the sound of the wind whistling through the trees. All of a sudden, the sharp shrill of a tornado siren rang out through streets. The storms were here. Rain began to fall, and as it fell, my hope fell with it. Thunder, lightning, rain, tornados, and my companion was still chilling away in the bathroom. All of a sudden they started talking about shutting down CVS and locking the doors so we had to bounce haha. So I knocked on the door and Elder Whittaker opened it, he literally looked like he was a dead man. But we had to go before we got locked in, so he got himself together, we booked it to the car, and drove back to Tifton. (And mom I promise we were safe). Then the rest of the night consisted of him throwing up and sleeping, so I just did a whole lot of phone work, calling and texting and stuff. Good stuff. So that was a fun tradeoff. I just feel bad for the guy, he's been out for just about 3 weeks. And turns out he had gotten salmonella from some cookie dough that some sisters had made for them.
So that was fun. The next day though was Zone Conference, and that more than made up for the day before. It was amazing. President and Sister Wood, angelic as usual. And the major theme of Zone Conference basically was that missions are hard, but they're supposed to be. Because it's in the hard times where we feel most like the Savior, and also learn the most from and about the Savior. We gave the zone a training, and when we were planning it, we had tried out like 3 or 4 ideas but nothing felt like it was right. Then we basically decided on a major hype up session for the missionaries, and it was cool to see that it went right along with the rest of Zone Conference. Revelation is a real thing y'all. So Zone Conferencr was so hype, such a spiritual experience.
So after that, the rest of the week kind of felt like a blur. Lots of lessons, lots of work, lots of little miracles. But we did have a major miracles this week. Which helped affirm to me a true principle. One thing that I've realized recently is something that Elder Christofferson touched on in General Conference. Sometimes we do our thing, make our efforts, and expect an immediate result, or some sort of fruit from our efforts. We feel like A+B should = C. But that's not how God works. Because agency is involved. But when we work our hardest through adversity, when we're dilligent in our efforts, we eventually do see the fruit. It may not come in the way that we were expecting, it may not be coorelated to our efforts at all, but it'll come!
So the last few weeks have been a little frustrating. We have had lesson after lesson fall through, and it felt like we were getting nowhere. Especially after monday night this week. We had a few lessons we were super excited about, but unfortunately they all fell through. We stayed dilligent in doing some good ole spirit finding, contacting, all that stuff, but no success. 9 o'clock rolled around, so we went home feeling a little defeated. But, God is too good to us y'all, and he saw our efforts. So while we were driving home, we got a call from some missionaries up in Columbus GA. They told us that they had a guy who they just found who's moving down to Tifton who's just elect as they come. To make the story short, we met with him this week, realized how prepared he is, and put him on baptismal date for April 17th, next Sunday. We're so excited for it, and for him. His name is Derek Walker, he's 26, engaged to a member, and basically as humble and sincere as they come. So we're excited to say the least.
That's basically a summary of missions in general. You go out, work the soles out from under your shoes, see a whole bunch of missed contacts, failed lessons, unwilling people, and it gets frustrating. It gets hard. But that's when you start relying more on the Lord than yourself. And when that happens, the Lord works His miracles. And I feel like that's applicable in life as a whole. Sometimes we feel like we're in the absolute sticks. We don't have anything going for us, it's hopeless. But we need to stop throwing a pity party for ourselves, and turn to the Lord during all of this! At that moment when you realize that life is tough, that you can't do it on your own, and you need the Lord, you are now waiting on the Lord. And as conference taught us, waiting on the Lord is a sacred, special place. That's where we learn how good God really is. That's where we learn to trust Him, and witness the miracles that He is working in our lives. So if you feel like you're waiting on the Lord, get excited! Because you're in a sacred place, with a special God sending some miracles your way.
That's all I got. Sorry for the long email, I've just had a lot of these things on my mind lately haha. But keep killing it y'all, keep waiting on the Lord. Go on a mission if you haven't yet (at least pray about it), and keep seeing the hand of God in your life! But that's about it, remember that Jesus loves y'all so very much and so do I!!
Elder Richardson
Scripture of the Week:
"Christ Heals That Which Is Broken" -- Amy A. Wright
"Oftentimes we can find ourselves, like the lame beggar at the gate of the temple, patiently—or sometimes impatiently—“wait[ing] upon the Lord.” Waiting to be healed physically or emotionally. Waiting for answers that penetrate the deepest part of our hearts. Waiting for a miracle.
Waiting upon the Lord can be a sacred place—a place of polishing and refining where we can come to know the Savior in a deeply personal way. Waiting upon the Lord may also be a place where we find ourselves asking, “O God, where art thou?”—a place where spiritual perseverance requires us to exercise faith in Christ by intentionally choosing Him again and again and again. I know this place, and I understand this type of waiting.
Exercising faith in Christ means trusting not only in God’s will but also in His timing. For He knows exactly what we need and precisely when we need it. When we submit to the will of the Lord, we will ultimately receive substantially more than that which we had desired."
Photos:
1. District pday like 3 weeks ago (cause it took a sister that long to get the photo to me)2. Tifton Fish Fry3. Pday last week (same sister wouldn't send the pics)4. Kickball w/ Jase, Bryant and the squadd5. Zone Conference6. Sports Night7. Crazy weather8. Service for sis lewis9. Crazy weather pt. 210. Hot dogs @elder barlow11. Sunset12. Service at sis Largers13-14. Nother sunset pic15. Presents16. Pday from last week (same sister)
Holy cow what an insane week. So starting out, we had tradeoffs with the Valdosta elders this week on Tuesday. We drove down to Valdosta, had lunch with them at a customizable burger joint called Relish (aka heaven), then traded off. Elder Whittaker came back to Tifton with me. So we went back, had a few lessons up in Sylvester, then all of a sudden he started talking about how his stomach was killing him. Usually I don't really like using the sick pass haha, we just grind through it, but he looked like he was dying. So we stopped at a CVS so he could do his thing in the bathroom, and I just waited outside. 45 minutes passed by, and I was still waiting outside. Then, close your eyes to imagine the next part. The sky grew dim, the wind picked up, and all you could hear in that quiet little town was the sound of the wind whistling through the trees. All of a sudden, the sharp shrill of a tornado siren rang out through streets. The storms were here. Rain began to fall, and as it fell, my hope fell with it. Thunder, lightning, rain, tornados, and my companion was still chilling away in the bathroom. All of a sudden they started talking about shutting down CVS and locking the doors so we had to bounce haha. So I knocked on the door and Elder Whittaker opened it, he literally looked like he was a dead man. But we had to go before we got locked in, so he got himself together, we booked it to the car, and drove back to Tifton. (And mom I promise we were safe). Then the rest of the night consisted of him throwing up and sleeping, so I just did a whole lot of phone work, calling and texting and stuff. Good stuff. So that was a fun tradeoff. I just feel bad for the guy, he's been out for just about 3 weeks. And turns out he had gotten salmonella from some cookie dough that some sisters had made for them.
So that was fun. The next day though was Zone Conference, and that more than made up for the day before. It was amazing. President and Sister Wood, angelic as usual. And the major theme of Zone Conference basically was that missions are hard, but they're supposed to be. Because it's in the hard times where we feel most like the Savior, and also learn the most from and about the Savior. We gave the zone a training, and when we were planning it, we had tried out like 3 or 4 ideas but nothing felt like it was right. Then we basically decided on a major hype up session for the missionaries, and it was cool to see that it went right along with the rest of Zone Conference. Revelation is a real thing y'all. So Zone Conferencr was so hype, such a spiritual experience.
So after that, the rest of the week kind of felt like a blur. Lots of lessons, lots of work, lots of little miracles. But we did have a major miracles this week. Which helped affirm to me a true principle. One thing that I've realized recently is something that Elder Christofferson touched on in General Conference. Sometimes we do our thing, make our efforts, and expect an immediate result, or some sort of fruit from our efforts. We feel like A+B should = C. But that's not how God works. Because agency is involved. But when we work our hardest through adversity, when we're dilligent in our efforts, we eventually do see the fruit. It may not come in the way that we were expecting, it may not be coorelated to our efforts at all, but it'll come!
So the last few weeks have been a little frustrating. We have had lesson after lesson fall through, and it felt like we were getting nowhere. Especially after monday night this week. We had a few lessons we were super excited about, but unfortunately they all fell through. We stayed dilligent in doing some good ole spirit finding, contacting, all that stuff, but no success. 9 o'clock rolled around, so we went home feeling a little defeated. But, God is too good to us y'all, and he saw our efforts. So while we were driving home, we got a call from some missionaries up in Columbus GA. They told us that they had a guy who they just found who's moving down to Tifton who's just elect as they come. To make the story short, we met with him this week, realized how prepared he is, and put him on baptismal date for April 17th, next Sunday. We're so excited for it, and for him. His name is Derek Walker, he's 26, engaged to a member, and basically as humble and sincere as they come. So we're excited to say the least.
That's basically a summary of missions in general. You go out, work the soles out from under your shoes, see a whole bunch of missed contacts, failed lessons, unwilling people, and it gets frustrating. It gets hard. But that's when you start relying more on the Lord than yourself. And when that happens, the Lord works His miracles. And I feel like that's applicable in life as a whole. Sometimes we feel like we're in the absolute sticks. We don't have anything going for us, it's hopeless. But we need to stop throwing a pity party for ourselves, and turn to the Lord during all of this! At that moment when you realize that life is tough, that you can't do it on your own, and you need the Lord, you are now waiting on the Lord. And as conference taught us, waiting on the Lord is a sacred, special place. That's where we learn how good God really is. That's where we learn to trust Him, and witness the miracles that He is working in our lives. So if you feel like you're waiting on the Lord, get excited! Because you're in a sacred place, with a special God sending some miracles your way.
That's all I got. Sorry for the long email, I've just had a lot of these things on my mind lately haha. But keep killing it y'all, keep waiting on the Lord. Go on a mission if you haven't yet (at least pray about it), and keep seeing the hand of God in your life! But that's about it, remember that Jesus loves y'all so very much and so do I!!
Elder Richardson
Scripture of the Week:
"Christ Heals That Which Is Broken" -- Amy A. Wright
"Oftentimes we can find ourselves, like the lame beggar at the gate of the temple, patiently—or sometimes impatiently—“wait[ing] upon the Lord.” Waiting to be healed physically or emotionally. Waiting for answers that penetrate the deepest part of our hearts. Waiting for a miracle.
Waiting upon the Lord can be a sacred place—a place of polishing and refining where we can come to know the Savior in a deeply personal way. Waiting upon the Lord may also be a place where we find ourselves asking, “O God, where art thou?”—a place where spiritual perseverance requires us to exercise faith in Christ by intentionally choosing Him again and again and again. I know this place, and I understand this type of waiting.
Exercising faith in Christ means trusting not only in God’s will but also in His timing. For He knows exactly what we need and precisely when we need it. When we submit to the will of the Lord, we will ultimately receive substantially more than that which we had desired."
Photos:
1. District pday like 3 weeks ago (cause it took a sister that long to get the photo to me)2. Tifton Fish Fry3. Pday last week (same sister wouldn't send the pics)4. Kickball w/ Jase, Bryant and the squadd5. Zone Conference6. Sports Night7. Crazy weather8. Service for sis lewis9. Crazy weather pt. 210. Hot dogs @elder barlow11. Sunset12. Service at sis Largers13-14. Nother sunset pic15. Presents16. Pday from last week (same sister)
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