You said you wanted the good
the bad and ugly... Well, this week was a little ugly. ALL of our
appointments fell through. I'm in charge of our area now that Sister
Poulson is gone in addition to having to work with my new companions'
(who struggle with obedience) area and...it's just been busy. Definitely been a week of growth. I've grown in patience, especially.
Thursday I felt a little
stressed and discourged, so I went in to the bathroom of the visitor's
center and started praying. A little later, I decided to read my Book of
Mormon and got good advice, but nothing really seemed to help. I
realized that the only thing that would really help was if I could stop
focusing on myself and start focusing on other people. Right after that,
I got the chance to talk with and help three women, all members, all
coming at different times and with different needs. (The principles in
"How to Win Friends and Influence People" are spot on!) After starting up
a conversation, I hardly said a word to any of these three women. They
talked! I realized that it is much better to allow for pauses without
interrupting with a question or comment (however relevant). People are
thinking and will voice their own thoughts without you guiding them to
whatever you think they would or should say. Like I said, I hardly said
anything but all three of them (after only about ten minutes) gave me at
least one big hug saying their "thank you"s and their desire to come
back and see me and left with tears in their eyes. All of them had
shared deep and personal spiritual experiences and one when she hugged
me said "thank you for letting me share my testimony." That just cheered
me up! That was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father.
I became
friends with the members of the ward council pretty quickly! I wrote down their names the first week and worked to remember them. I really feel part of the ward. Also,
the ward mission process is really coming together. Yesterday, no time
was wasted--Bishop went right into people they should and have
contacted and were making plans for contacting people and helping with
those we were contacting with we missionaries having to say hardly a
thing.
Big news........... After ten
long years together, I have parted with ten inches of the lovely locks
of hair that you my familia have all known and grown to love. They are now waiting
somewhere in the Portland "Great Clips," likely preparing to be given to
some little child with cancer (or to be put on one of those hair
elastics that's covered in real hair.) I'm sorry Mom! I know you didn't want me to. But, it was time.
And it will grow back.
Funny thing: I was giving a
temple tour yesterday and was expounding on my knowledge on the
Southwest corner of the temple, pointing up at different engravings and
things while walking, when I turned a bit and smacked right into a
concrete bench. It hurt. I buckled a little bit but regained my cool and
kept going. No one said anything. Probably
because they had massive amounts of respect for me and were very
interested in what I had just pointed out, or because they were families
with a bunch of crazy little kids. Regardless, I'll try to be more
careful next time.
Love,
Sister Carly
 |
| Outside the Great Clips just before cutting it all off. |
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