Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Sprint to the Finish


3-23-15
Sis. Robertson, new comp. Sis Inman, Jules
and Lenise.
Dearest Family,
     Yet another week on the fly! Ever since I signed my “Sprint to the Finish” papers, God has been holding me to my word. Busy busy busy to the finish. I had the amazing chance this week to go to the temple three different times in three different temples. 
     Last P-day we had a district activity and we played Tennis (I think I dislocated my shoulder...Haha) and basketball. Elder Pastor was getting transferred along with Elder Thompson which was really sad...but Elder Pastor had these floral sunglasses he was wearing and he made like a billion 3 pointers and kept saying "it's the shades" haha. 
     Tuesday was a whirlwind day. We were able to go to the temple in the morning at the Mt. Timpinogas temple. It is a beautiful temple!! Absolutely gorgeous! That day was busy and we had some great lessons. I told you about W and his legal stuff last week, so we have to wait, but there is another foster kid here named J who we have started teaching and we taught them the Restoration. It went really well, and I'm excited to see how well J progresses. I invited them to my final testimony, and they warned me that if they came they would be jumping around in the back and cheering if they went...(well, they went and were jumping around in the back like maniacs where nobody could see them but me! At least they weren't cheering loudly like they threatened) 
Saying goodbye to the mission - then working
for another week.
     Wednesday was super surreal and interesting... We went to the transfer meeting that morning to pick up Sis Inman, our new companion. We are a trio now! Girl party! She is a sweetheart and super lady like and dignified. She is super awesome and loves to laugh at me and Sis Robertson being weird together. It's been a great week together. It was weird sitting up on the stand and looking down at all the other missionaries during the transfer meeting and watching the new missionaries come in. We were then given a sack lunch and all jumped in some cars to head out to Salt Lake. (When I say we I mean all the departing missionaries who left the next day, except for me and Sis Tripp, we are both staying a few extra weeks) I got the chance to ride in Pres. McCune’s car with him and his wife and a couple other missionaries. It's always fun to talk to him and his wife because they are so opposite. It was awkward because Pres. McCune kept making flirting jokes with the other missionaries who were going home, hinting at them to date each other... Haha super awkward. But on the car ride and found out that our mission is having a reunion this upcoming October after Pres. and Sis. McCune finish their mission! Yay! It's going to be called the Mcunion! Haha! Felt bad for one of the Elders because his legs were really cramped in the car. We then went to the Salt Lake Temple and did a session. It was really interesting! I loved all the paintings on the walls in the super old-fashioned interior. It was soooooo beautiful and I learned a lot of new things from just doing a live session there. It was kind of cool seeing some of the other missionary's families greet them in the temple! It was really interesting to meet some of their parents after having served with quite a few of them. It was just a super neat experience and so interesting. Bro Syd from my Orem orchard area was there and he is a huge church history buff so he was able to tell me a bunch of really interesting facts about the Salt Lake temple! I want to go again! It was neat. 
     After the temple we took some pictures and then headed back to Utah County, and went to Tucano’s for dinner! All you can eat Brazilian food/meat. I was proud of myself for not absolutely stuffing myself. It was yummy! We then headed over to the chapel for the final testimony meeting! It was a really neat experience! We only had about 2 to 3 min to bare our testimony, because there were about 28 missionaries who needed to share, and somehow we only went a little over an hour! It was an amazing meeting and the spirit was so strong as a ton of missionaries bore testimony of Jesus Christ. You can't deny that much fire power! The people that I saw there were Travis, Emily Strong, Justine Olsen, Rachel Goodrich, Camry and Christa Balero, Stephanie Crandall, Mom’s relatives (Dennis and Cloene -they were so sweet to come!), the Hair family and a bunch of other people. Sis McMurray was there too! Dusty couldn't make it because he had a funeral which made me sad L  A ton of RMs were there from our mission and it was crazy to see them all again. 
     After the meeting we all went back to the mission home. Sis Tripp and I spent the night there with the rest of the returning missionaries. After we got there we all got our stuff and changed into PJs and then got back together again for dessert.  It was weird sitting in my owl pajamas surrounded by other missionaries in pajamas.  We all sat around and talked about super funny stories from our mission and also really spiritual miracles that we saw. It was really neat to talk and listen to other's stories and experiences. It was also cool to hear Pres.  McCune’s testimony and then advice to the departing missionaries. I was super tired and almost fell asleep on the couch so when it was time to go to bed everybody was knocked out. The next morning it was strange as missionary families came to pick them up or they headed off to the airport. One of them got released at the Mission home over the phone. Wow! and that was weird to see his father telling him to take his name tag off. He was sad he didn't get to have an airport moment so all of us missionaries went outside at the end of the driveway with his mom, held up a big sign and cheered for him as he came out of the house. It was weird that everyone else was going home....and I was going back to work! Haha
     The rest of the week was crazy busy! We had a ton of lessons and lots of miracles. One of our less actives who is returning to activity was really scared to pay tithing because they were running low on money and only had enough for food for the month. We committed her to keep the law of tithing and she decided she would. She texted us later that week letting us know that she had paid her tithing and they had run out of money for food. She then followed up the text with saying that out of nowhere she had found a savings bond and also got a call from her tax return saying they had messed up and that they owed her more money!!! Crazy miracles! I remember making the promise to her that God would provide and really praying he would. It's amazing when your faith comes through in the lives of others. Her faith must have been so strong for this to happen. Saturday I was able to go to the Provo temple with a recent convert I worked with in YSA named Ali. Sis Jones was there and it was good to see her again. We had some amazing lessons with J and D is doing so much better! He is planning on being baptized mid April now! We have been going on splits like crazy people and running around trying to contact people and get lessons in. We had a total of 43 lessons this week! Success! That number is real people who listened to the word of God is week and had their testimonies strengthened, not by me, but by the spirit!! Great week!!! 
     There is so much more, but I don't have enough time anymore! I love you lots and will see you soon! There is still so much work to be done in my last week and a half! Hoorah for Israel!!!
All my love,
Sister Lenise Diane Volmer

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