Monday, July 11, 2016

Kimber mail 7-11-16: "But first....💁🏼"


   Hey Hey Hey!  Life is just dandy here in P3, it's always an adventure! Ha, ha.  J   Well this week was all over the board - crazinesssss!  But it was cool because we had some awesome "first experiences."  I'll give you a little run down of the week so you can see what I mean:
   Monday (4th): After P-day we had a dinner with the Elders in our Garage (so they would be allowed to eat with us 😜) in the pouring rain on our broken ironing board as a table.  We heard some fireworks but sadly didn't get to see any.  I was super bummed but hey there's always next year!!
   Tuesday (5th): We had 2 "light bulb" lessons (as I like to call them).  We visited Jen and Kompheak, who are both members but are going through some tough things right now.  I've come to learn that every day is our own personal conversion battle and we have to decide if we are going to let the Lord help us overcome our weaknesses or if we are going to keep going in circles.  As I said, both of these lessons happened to be like the light bulb finally turned on for them!  And what a cool first experience that was. I was reminded with this experience, that sometimes we are quick to just say what we think would be best but I know that when we listen and say what the spirit tells us to that the end result is far better than trying to do it on our own!
   Wednesday (6th): Well today was my first funeral of my mission.  Brother Wittkopp in our ward recently passed away.  We didn't get the chance to personally know him before he passed but we have become pretty close with his daughter Sherry, and wanted to do all we could to support and uplift her in a time like this!  So we showed up to the funeral home last night trying to figure out what we will do right?  So Sherry asks us if we could sing a song.....ugh no no no the struggles.   So we tell her we will.   Okay well flash back to today and so we sing  "Abide With Me."  Sweet sister wheeler played the piano for us and told us that we would do great and if anything just focus on letting our testimonies of what we would sing shine through.  Ha, ha I was like okay whatever that means...so we sang and bam I realized what she meant! It was super powerful because we just were able to try our best and sing what we know in our hearts J  #OneAndOnlyTime
   Thursday (7th): We had a party at Zone Training in Oakland all day #PartyingItUpInPitt. The Zone Leaders gave a training on the "How To Begin Teaching" section in chapter 10 of Preach My Gospel.  I love this section! It's full of awesome powerful points for us to use when we first come in contact with people so that they understand our purpose.  When Sister Hansen was training me we memorized all the points and I did the same thing with Sister Thorson when I was training her.  This really helped to have them fresh in my mind and the training was awesome because it reminded me to be better at looking over them!  At the end all of the Zone sang happy birthday to me and pulled out cupcakes...  that was a first! It was really sweet!!
   Friday (8th): What better way to celebrate your birthday than with lots of service?!  My first experience of a birthday on the mish! Ha, ha!   It was an awesome way to start off the day for sure.  I was on exchanges with a brand new sister, Sister Belnap, who is currently serving in Monogahela.  We went and helped some people in the ward move in and unpack and then went over to our Ward Mission Leader's house and pulled the majority of the jungle growing out of their drive-way for a little surprise when they got home that night from their vacay in Cali!  Then we exchanged back and had dinner with Sister Ramsell and she made DELISH roast and mashed potatoes and guys I had like half the bowl of potatoes. I really miss good mashed potatoes!  Then she brought out this huge cake and afterwards we went to the Ritzes for even more cake.  Wow, was I spoiled or what?! Ha, ha, ha!  Then when we got home I got to talk to my mission "mom" and "daughter" and Sister Roberts!!  It was the cherry on top!  Then Sister Taunima had a scavenger hunt for me to do before bed.  So epic!  It was a fabulous day- thank you to all who sent birthday wishes, cards, presents and love my way! I love you all so much😁😄
   Saturday (9th): Since our week was kind of thrown off with exchanges and Zone Training we spent most of our day weekly planning. But we had a bomb lesson with a less active member we've been working with.  It was another first (hopefully of many) "lightbulb experience" for this sister as she realized she's got to take a leap of faith to get out of the rut she's in! Boo-Ya! I love when things click for people!
   Sunday (10th): We had dinner with our bishop's family and it was superb!  The food was great, we laughed and lot and were so spiritually fed. Before we left we sang Bishop Snow our rendition of "Our Bishop" (Children’s Song Book pg. 135- adding his name in). Ha, ha it was really good if I do say so myself 💁🏼 .  Basically I am just so grateful for Bishop Snow. He is an AMAZING, top notch, one of a kind bishop that has helped the work and the ward so much. I am lucky to be in the ward and be at his aid!
   I am so grateful for all the awesome "first experiences" and lessons I was able to learn this week and for the blessings I am able to see each and every day. I know that you all can have awesome "first experiences" of planting seeds and touching hearts wherever you may be by just living up to the light within you.  Like President McKay once said "Every member is a missionary!" I love you all and know that our Heavenly Father does too! I know that if we ask for opportunities to plant seeds and work miracles he will provide  J 
~Sister McDonald

Ponderize: D&C 58:3-4
“Ye cannot behold with your natural eyes, for the present time, the design of your God concerning those things which shall come hereafter, and the glory which shall follow after much tribulation.
For after much tribulation come the blessings. Wherefore the day cometh that ye shall be crowned with much glory; the hour is not yet, but is nigh at hand."
Commitment: "Follow Christ daily and have the faith that he will help immediately" ~Elder Rasband







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