Monday, October 23, 2017

Families Can Be Together Forever

Hi Everyone!

This week I have officially hit some low points in my life. Haha, I can't believe I have stooped so low, but this past week I was eating lunch at a member’s house, having a good conversation, and I just kept eyeing the carpet rug they had. Then I just COULDN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE. I said, “Excuse me irmã, I have a favor to ask. Can I please just sprawl on your carpet right now; it’s been forever since I have felt carpet." I lost my dignity in that moment, but have never been happier. I am such an embarrassment, haha. We also saw a motorcycle accident yesterday … it was tense and scary as it ran into a car; and also last week a family was riding on a bike (a man, a woman and a baby) with no protection and a car hit them. They were okay, but needed to go to the hospital … I hate seeing these things!

My companion and I sang in sacrament meeting; yeah, you read that right. We have been discussing how we can help our ward, and one of the things was making sacrament meeting more spiritual. So we called the bishop and we just went for it. We were both a little nervous, our voices were a little shaky, but the 20 members that were there cried and thought it was the "prettiest thing they have ever heard, voices of angels and what not." We were happy to share our "talent", hoping that maybe God would improve on our talent, haha. Anyway, it was interesting but it was just funny, because in the mission I always feeling like I am throwing myself into situations like this, where I don’t know what I am doing or why, but I just know that I gotta go for it!

I am struggling a bit here with the heat recently. I have two fans blowing in my face at night but that just still doesn’t cut it. Last night, before going to bed and again in the middle of the night, I woke up and just chucked a huge bucket of cold water on my bed to be able to sleep. Also, and this is the worst part and my goodness I am embarrassed to admit this, but I keep a frozen popsicle in the freezer so that when I wake up in the middle of the night sweating I can open up the freezer and rub the popsicle up and down my arms and legs to cool off! Hahaha, I am so dumb but it is just so hot here!!!

Antonio came to church again and we are teaching his brother-in-law! Joã was being difficult and saying he was too tired to go to church, that it was his day off and so on, but we taught him about our Savior, and asked him what he was willing to do for the Savior. He responded by saying, “anything”. So I told him, okay, then we will see you at church tomorrow. He started laughing, but at 8:30am on Sunday he was there. Woohoo!

This week went by so fast and so many things happened. We had a family home evening with 4 families, and taught them how to have a family home evening, because for many of them it was their first. It was great as we talked about the importance of families. I was able to share some experiences of when I was a kid and how I was raised. It was cute how I just felt so much love for my parents and the many things they have taught me, and the way they helped me prepare to serve. I shared experiences about my dad and the impact he had on my life; how when I was younger he had to travel a ton, but every night he would call us on the home phone and follow up with us to see how our day was and sometimes to reinforce the discipline that my mom had to give me. I remember numerous PPIs (personal priesthood interviews), haha, with my dad where he sat me down and set me straight … but with the love only a father has. I talked about how every night we had family prayer, with my dad usually on speaker phone, but still there. I remember my parents always being on the same level and always pushing us out of our comfort zone. I am so grateful for families and the role that the gospel plays in our families. I know that some of our greatest opportunities to demonstrate love, charity and service are within the walls of our own homes. I love my family and the way that I was blessed by a loving Heavenly Father. I know that God is literally my Heavenly Father, that He misses me and every one of us. It is my hope on my mission that, through being away from my family for a bit, I can help others have their families for eternity.

Love you all!

Sister Vance

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