Monday, October 22, 2012

Cool Weekend -- 22 October 2012

Wanna know why? We had the very neat, once in a life-time, opportunity to have the the General Relief Society President in Indiana this weekend. She invited all of the sisters (in every stake in Indiana) to come meet her. President Collins felt it, of course, was worth our time to go, and gave permission. So all 18 sisters in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission got to go meet her.

You should have seen the crowd. They set up like they would have for stake conference with 5 extra rows on the stage, and more chairs set up in the RS, the Primary, and the YW rooms. But the fun part was that it was all women!

I was having a lot of fun, mainly because I kept running into people from North Vernon! This may be a little shallow, but I loved how everyone was approaching me and telling me that they missed me, and I am welcome in their homes anytime. They all wanted to tell me of the things that were going on in their lives, and with their families. Seriously, I have made friends for life!

THEN! We had got to listen to Sister Burton! She is such a sweetheart! I absolutely love her! Her husband was there too, and It was cute to see how much more relaxed she was in our little stake house than she was in the Conference Center. She would forget what word she wanted to use, and would turn to her husband, or you could hear him prompting her from behind. You could tell that they have a wonderful relationship, and are each other's best friends!

She talked about mainly the Temple, and what we can do to prepare our families, our homes, and ourselves to attend and receive the blessings of the temple... (that is coming to Indiana [cause she was talking to the sisters who live in Indiana permenantly]) but it applies to the missionaries too!

After, if we chose to do so, we got in a line to meet her. She is a sweetheart, and Mom, I told her that if she gets a minute to come see you and tell you that I am doing great! (Not to have doubt in her or anything, but I am sure she is super busy, and that is why I am telling you now. :)  )

She also talked about being homesick, and how that is an okay thing to be/have. As missionaries I think sometimes we think that being homesick is a BAD thing, and you are a HORRIBLE missionary if you feel home sick, and you can NEVER get it right, because you feel homesick. Now while I know that is not what your mind should be focused on 24/7, IT HAPPENS!!!! There are always going to be days that you think.... "I would rather....." or "If I could call Dad/Mom..." or "I just want a Bestest Friend hug!"  I feel like that does not make me a horrible missionary. That may be what Satan wants me to think but it isn't true. Sister Burton pointed out that if we feel homesick, that is okay, because it means we have had something good in our lives. And that we have been loved and cared for, and to just FORGET, or DROP all of that is inhuman! :) (These are my words not hers, but you get what I mean.) 

The main thing with homesickness that she talked about was our Heavenly homesickness. It's okay to have days where we just want to go back to God, because this life is hard! We know that in His presence we will be done with our trials, and our worrying, and our stress, and we won't have Satan breathing down our backs anymore! Man! I know that is what I want! But I am also so grateful for the opportunity I have to be living at this time! I am grateful for the family and the friends that I have. I am grateful for opportunity I have to be here in Indiana, and make new friends! I am grateful for this Gospel, I am grateful for the Plan of Salvation, so that we can be "Heavenly homesick". I am grateful for the living prophets, especially Joseph Smith and President Monson. I know that they are/were inspired men whom God has called. I am grateful for temples, and the blessings that come through them. I can't wait to back inside one! (First thing I am doing when I get off the plane, btw!)

Mostly I am grateful for my Saviour!!! Words cannot express the love I have for my Older Brother! He is my rock, and my Foundation. (Hel 5:12) I know that He lives, and that He loves each and every one of us! Trust Him!

With Lots of Love!!
Sister Hill

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