You are my Sunshing!

9-15-14
Dearest Family,
     Well this week was random but really good! 

Gifts from good friends passing thru..
Hope Mom screaming in your ear when she
heard where you were didn't hurt to much!

Thank you Stokers for making my day
extra special. 

     Okay, so first! You asked if I actually got to see Brother and Sister Stoker. Sadly, no I didn't :( It made me really sad that I missed them, but I talked to them on the phone briefly. I was actually in the next town over in Duchesne helping out with a benefit rodeo for someone with breast cancer in our stake. So I was about 45 min away. And when I saw their phone number calling, I thought it was a telemarketer. I hesitated when I saw it said Washington....but I didn't follow my gut feeling sadly, and silenced it and resumed helping haul hamburger patties to the food area...Later I was bummed to find out that I missed them...it would have been strange seeing someone from back home in Roosevelt. haha! Home and here seem like two completely different worlds, so it would be weird to have them mix...but I wouldn't have minded :) Be sure to tell the Stokers thanks again! It seriously made my week!

     So, sadly I have no fun adventures to tell you about from last p-day...we pretty much spent three hours at a car garage getting our oil changed...lame...

     Wednesday was just super busy with lots of teaching appointments! We are working with two younger kids to get ready for baptism. C and J. J is the best, I think I already told you about her and she is getting baptized this upcoming Saturday! We are really excited for her! I love her and her mom. They are two people I feel like I was meant to be here for. 
     Thursday was a really slow day, and I wasn”t feeling very good that day so it felt really long... Friday was another long day. We had zone training meeting and it was super spiritual and awesome but I still wasn't feeling very well so it was hard for me to focus and I felt all scatterbrained. I got called on by surprise and totally butchered my answer to the STL's question and it was really embarrassing...  But afterward I felt better and we had a lunch picnic with our district. I love my district! Those elders are so funny and really good at changing my mood around.
     Saturday was busy with my rodeo adventure/service and getting the fun flowers. 
     Sunday was a really busy day for us too. We got up early to go to a ward council meeting at 7:30am all the way in Neola (30 min away) and then we had to give talks in the 8th ward. (Bro Ryan's ward) I gave mine on the Talk "Are you Sleeping Through the Restoration" by President Uchtdorf from the last Priesthood session. (really good talk! read it!) 

Card from a friend & words to a song
from my childhood.

      Later we made some cookie dough to make cookies today or tomorrow for our ward mission leaders to let them know how much we appreciate them! We hope to get them out to them in the next few days! There are 11 of them... Later in the afternoon we were trying to figure out who to see after an apt fell through and Sis McMurray said "We haven't seen T in a while..." and instantly I felt that we needed to go see her. Right then. When we got there her gate was closed to her driveway and chained...But we are missionaries...aint no way that's gonna stop us! So we unchained it and drove right on up. She came out on the front porch squinting at us because she didn't recognize our new car. And it was true. She did need us a lot. She struggles and hurts so much and has so many hard questions. Sometimes all I can do is repeat over and over again that Christ loves her. That if it hurts so much right now it's not the end. It's not. This life is nothing, absolutely nothing compared to the rest of what God has planned for us. If there is one thing I've learned on my mission, it's that I know nothing! There is so much I don't know, but there is so much I am excited to discover in the next life. So I asked if I could sing for her, and she said yes. I sang I Know That My Redeemer Lives. I love that song, and it is so powerful and straight forward. And after it I couldn't help but just cry (because I'm a baby, and music is the way I feel the spirit) and repeat "I know it. He does. I know it." I love T and if there is anybody out here in Utah that I am supposed to be here for, it's her. She has so many obstacles that she needs to overcome still, but sometimes all I can do for the people here is be there. Be there for them. Life is a mix of sunshine and grey and I've learned that I get to be the one to determine how I react to it, and also how I help others get through it. Is it strange that in losing yourself you actually do find yourself? Is it strange that in forgetting myself I've discovered so much more self-confidence? And a greater knowledge of who I am and whose I am? And of where I can go and who I can become. And others who I can bring with me. So many others that I want to bring with me. The least I can do is make it back to heaven. The most I can do is bring everyone else with me.
      I love and miss you all a whole lot! You are all in my prayers! 
Love,
Sister Lenise Diane Volmer