Week 58

July 29, 2013

See Ya in Tennessee

Just kidding on the see ya in Tennessee...I was joking with my companion on taking a little preparation day vacation to Tennessee, but we decided against it. 

Anyways...

Hey family,

I hope life is going superbly fantastic for y'all.  Life's is going well for me.  Again...where does time go...It's hard...no let me rephrase...it's impossible for me to believe that we are already in August, basically, and that the transfer is almost half over...I've been here in Wake Forest for 2 months. 

Sounds like y'all had a good time with Robyn and Terrance and the fam.  Good stuff.  

So this past week...oh wait, let me tell y'all letters first...i forgot last week...I receive at some point in the last few weeks letters from Chris, a package with some delicious goodies in it and a flash drive, some from mom..., some from Grandma, Holly, Kayla, Aaron Rock,...I think that's it.  But I'm not going to lie...I' ve  been pretty terrible these last couple months at writing back...sorry...I did really well for a long time...but I have all the desire to sit down and write up until the point Monday rolls around...and then all that desire disappears...mysteriously...

Regardless, last week was good :) Great actually.  On Wednesday, President Bernhisel graced our district meeting with his prescence...about 2 months ago, the thought of teaching/leading a district meeting with President and Sister Bernhisel in attendance and the Assistants to the President would have probably scared me out of my mind, but at this point, it's not a big deal.  After district meeting, President Bernhisel came out proselyting with us.  We had 2 appointments that he attended with us.  They both went really well.  Elder Nelson did absolutely fantastic.  Seriously, it's hard to believe he's only been out 2 weeks and is 18 years old.  Rarely do I even remember that he's only 18...(once in a while I do ;) )  He took amazing lead.  Invited our new investigator to be baptized.  Was powerful and real with our teachees.. Great overall.  President definitely approved.  It was pretty funny at one point...when we were walking up to our 2nd appointment...there was this girl sitting on the step of the apartment next door.  We went and started talking to her.  She was super nice.  We learned that she was 18 and pregnant, and she was outside smoking a cigarette...well...President Bernhisel is a fertility something else doctor...one step above the OBGYN's, and he just straight up asked her if she was trying to quite smoking for the pregnancy.  Okay...not really that funny...but I just thought it was neat that he was with us for that because he's like the real deal. 

Okay, so the baptism on Saturday...so good.  It definitely was powerful.  It was so special that he (the husband that received the Aaronic priesthood about 2 weeks ago) was able to baptize his new wife and the 2 kids.  It was amazing :)  The spirit was strong.  I graced the room with some piano playing...I butchered I believe in Christ for the opening hymn...it was slightly embarrassing...I thought I could play that one better but I had been practicing different songs in different keys, and my brain couldn't let go of the fact that there wasn't (or was) a b flat in that song...fail...anyways, you know that song you sent me...well...I've only been able to practice it a couple times on preparation day, but I love it and it's so beautiful and we decided that we wanted to include it as part of the intermediate time after the intermediate hymn while they were changing back...but I knew I couldn't play the whole thing, so I, in a burst of inspiration, spliced some sections together in the song and kind of made up a little snippet for the transition part in order to work the key change.  While practicing beforehand, it wasn't going as well as I would have liked, but I trusted in my God and knew He would help me.  I played it my best when I played it for everyone thanks to Him, and it was super pretty...well...when I finished, they still weren't back and it seriously didn't feel right playing a normal ol' hymn after that gorgeous piece so I wasn't quite sure what to do...and then, in another fit of inspiration, I started playing the song I composed and use as a basis for improv playing.  It matched perfectly, and then when they came back in, and succinctly ended it.  Good stuff.  For the confirmations on Sunday, Elder Nelson and myself confirmed one of the children each, and this other fella confirmed Erica. 

Not much else to say...this one was a long one today though.  Hope you thoroughly enjoy it.  I love being a missionary.  I love being a part of the Lord Hastening His work (which we all are ;) ).  I know that He lives.  I know He loves us.  I am so grateful for the Gift of the Holy Ghost.  Once we follow the first 4 principles and ordinances of the Gospel, the most important thing we can do is to learn how to receive personal revelation and feast on it. 

Thank you all so much.  Y'all are the best.

Love,

Elder Patty