Monday, September 29, 2014

A Testimony of Missionary Work

Hey everyone!

Wow! This is the last time that I will email you, since by this time next week I either should already be at the temple or be on my way there. It still doesn't feel quite real yet that I'm coming home so soon! Just think of it-next week I'll see you guys in the flesh! It's crazy! I am still trying to stay as focused as possible and work hard! My talk at the wedding wasn't very long, as it was on a topic that I don't know anything about! I used you and Daddy as an example in it though. :) I won't need the wheelchair at the airport I don't think. The zone leaders only brought it for me because I can't walk as far or as much on the crutches so it was hindering our missionary work. I can walk with crutches though, and I can also walk without them, but I limp (it looks really pathetic, haha!) Anyway, I don't think I'll need the wheelchair at home. I can use crutches. :) We did go back to the doctor and he ordered an MRI, which was taken last Thursday, and I have a follow up appointment with the doctor about it tomorrow who will tell me what's on it. I also have a copy of the disc to take back to the States with me.

Fun stories from this week though. Someone else was pushing me in the wheelchair, but they started to go before I got my feet up, and my good foot got ran over! It now has a lovely, scabbed bit on it (it was bleeding), and it's a bit swollen. I'm just an accident waiting to happen! Sister Erasmus and I also ended up getting ill this weekend. For two days we were sick enough that we couldn't even leave our flat, but we're doing so much better now! I know that you probably don't like hearing about all these not-so-fun things that keep happening to me, but that's life, and I'm doing fine, so it's okay! :)

On more positive notes, my mission truly has been a huge blessing in my life! Heavenly Father has definitely prepared the way for me to be able to come. I have a firm testimony of that! This is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to experience. On your mission you go through a lot of tough times, but the amazing miracles that you see happen far outweigh the tough times, and you don't even notice them anymore. I have really come to realise what it means to be "in the world, but not of the world" (see John 17:14). That's really how it is as a missionary! I've never seen so many worldly things as I have on my mission, but we have a "bubble" around us of the Spirit that helps us to be IN the world, but not OF the world, just as the Saviour was. It means living on a higher plane of thought and action, and as we are obedient to the commandments and the mission rules we are entitled to have the Spirit with us, which gives us the spiritual power to do what we do. Our purpose is to "Invite others to come unto Christ..." That is the whole point and purpose of why we do missionary work! It is the most amazing experience, and I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to take part in the great work of salvation!

I want to thank you guys so much for all of your love and support! I know that I couldn't do any of this without your help, and I so appreciate all of it! You are such an amazing family and I am so grateful that you are my family! I'm excited to see you all, and to be able to share more of my mission experiences with you guys! I hope and pray that you have a good week, and that everything will go well! I love you guys so much!!! :D See you next week!

Love,
Sister Connery

Monday, September 22, 2014

Two Weeks To Work

Hey guys!

Foot update first: I really think that once I get home and rest it like I'm supposed to then everything will be okay. I think it really just needs the rest that I haven't been able to give it. Oh well. I will see the doctor tomorrow and see what he says. You wanna hear a funny story? So, I have been using crutches, but this past week, our zone leaders came round and brought me a wheelchair! Oh my gosh it was so funny and really sweet of them! I actually quite like it because it's really easy to get around in (unless we're using the buses, going uphill, etc (which is basically all the time, but it's fun anyway), it's just a bit embarrassing sometimes. Oh well! I'll keep you guys updated on how everything goes!

I'm sorry about the baptisms as well. It was a real bummer, but it happens to the best of us. Oh well, they will get there sometime in the future. We've had a pretty good week this last week! We got several referrals which seem like they're really cool! We've got several appointments set up this week as well, so this should be another good week for us! We just have to keep plodding along and doing everything that we can! We also had some interesting things happen this week. We attended a wedding at the chapel that we were asked to participate in (a member was getting married and her less-active daughter that we are working with was putting it together and asked us to help out.) Sister Erasmus was asked to sing, and I was asked to do a talk...on marriage...the single, sister missionary, talking about marriage. It was interesting. lol. I also gave a talk in Sacrament yesterday, and that was good I think. I shared an experience that highlighted just how great Sister Erasmus is, and she was so embarrassed! I felt bad for embarrassing her, but I also felt good because I was able to share my appreciation for her with others as well. :)

Soon enough I'll be back home but don't get trunky for me! I've still got two weeks to work, and I'm gonna work hard! :) I hope that you guys have another good week and that things keep going well! Miss you guys, and love you lots! :)

Love,
Sister Connery

Monday, September 15, 2014

Heavenly Father Will Prepare Them

Hey guys!
 
So, about those three baptisms...we've had a pretty bummer week with that. Two of our baptismal dates dropped us this week, and the third is moving out of our area, but he will at least continue to be taught. Unfortunately these things happen sometimes, but it's okay, because Heavenly Father will continue to prepare them to receive the gospel. Now we just have to find more people to teach! :) It sounds like your mission is really pushing the missionary work there! That's good though! The members need to have that inspiration, and encouragement. I have heard about the "Meet the Mormon's" film that they'll show in the cinemas! It looks like it should be really good! It would be really cool to get it playing in cinemas everywhere, not just Utah! You guys have connections for that, right? haha. 
 
To be honest, my foot is not healing very well. It's getting easier to walk, but it's still difficult. I haven't tried going outside without the crutches, but I don't think my foot will handle it well. My mission president called last night to check on me, and he said that he thinks the doctor missed something if I am still in so much pain and not able to walk yet. He wants me to see the doctor again, so he is going to call the Area Medical Advisor and talk to him about it. I should be able to bring the crutches home if need be, but I don't want to do that. I'm sure that Mitch wouldn't mind if I took them (he has several pairs), but I'm hoping that by the end of this week I will be well enough to get rid of them. We shall see, and I will keep you updated. 
 
I'm glad that you guys aren't giving up on the scripture study because it's so important! It's one of the hardest things for us to get people to do. We can teach them all about it and help them understand the blessings that come from it, but it's up to them to actually do it, which is hard for a lot of people. But I know that you guys can do it! :)
 
Well, only a few more weeks to go now and then you guys will see me again. But for now, I will just work as hard as I can while I'm still here! Hope you guys have a great week! Love you!!! :)
 
Love,
Sister Connery

Monday, September 8, 2014

Incentive To Work Hard

Hey guys!

So, we now have 3 people set for baptism in the next few weeks! One of them will be after I leave, but that's okay. What matters is that these people get baptised! That week was really hard, and I really had to push myself, but I managed it! I'm trying to do my best, but it's hard. But I will be blessed for it anyway. It's also really good at the same time because we get to spend more time with the members. We go on splits at least once a week, and I'll go sit with a member at their home, do family history, watch church dvds, etc., while my companion takes another member to our teaches and stuff. It really helps us to build up our relationship with them.

That's really cool about your scripture study! It's interesting that you all picked different things that you liked about it! That's the great thing about scriptures! Each of us could read the same thing, but pick out things that we like that are different. We're all different, but it all depends on us and our individual situations to see what sticks out to each of us. :)

It will be really weird coming home because I'll be all alone for a few days before the weekend while you guys are all at school and work. The thing that we don't realise as missionaries is that things at home change, and life moves on, but for us, we don't see it. To be honest, I don't even know how old Adam is, or what grade he and Grace are in now. Sorry guys! I'm glad that Mama Fry is loving it so much already! Everyone should serve a mission! It's the best!!!! :)

Well, that will be a fun birthday, huh? I never thought I would spend my 21st birthday on a plane and in airports. Oh well! Well, now you guys know more about my departure than I do. They try to keep everything back from us for as long as possible so that we can stay focused, even though we know it's coming. Just more incentive to work hard these last few weeks! :)

I hope you guys have another good week! I pray for you all daily, and I know Heavenly Father is keeping his eye on you for me! Love you, and miss you all! :)

Love,
Sister Connery :)

Monday, September 1, 2014

Standard of Excellence

Hey guys!

So, my foot is okay. It's not actually getting any better. The doctor said I need to stay off of it for two weeks completely, but I can't do that as a missionary. So since I'm still on my foot, it's not getting better. It's really annoying though. My comp and I both get really frustrated sometimes with it because we feel like we can't do all the things that we want to or should as missionaries. I can't physically do everything that a normal missionary can and should do, and that makes it hard for both of us, but we had an awesome week! Our mission president has set 20 lessons as a "Standard of Excellence", and we haven't gotten that many lessons since I came to this area, mostly because of my foot. But, this last week we worked really hard! I killed my foot, and it hurt a lot, but we reached 20 lessons and have a new baptismal date! We should be having two baptisms this month! We're pretty chuffed about it! I've got lots of people looking out for me though, so it's okay. Things are going well here!

Thanks for the scriptures! It's always nice to have inspiring passages from the scriptures to keep you going! I love being a missionary and being able to be on such a huge spiritual high! I don't want to lose it when I come home! That's why daily scripture study and daily prayers are a must! Missions give you so many good habits to keep!

I will do my best to take care of myself, and I know that as I do my best for Heavenly Father that He will bless me! I hope and pray that you guys have a good week! I love you all! :)

Love,
Sister Connery