What a week y'all! Good as always. One of these days I might just finally have a stink week but not yet. Missions keep ya busy and working hard but NEVER a bad week. Its too filled with pure happiness and miracles to be bad.
For example, I even had one mean door this week. Which isn't as mean as it could be. But really most the time, people are at least nice about hating on us - The man shoo-ed us straight away and said "No. go away." And then the next door an old lady hugged me and the door after that we got a return appointment. So I can't have even a bad hour! :)
Then New Years is just the best. I love being type A and setting all new goals and an excuse to get more pumped and motivated. The other sisters spent the night again (we may or may not have moved our mattress back since Christmas... aka I get to sleep on two twin size beds #kingstatus). We just ended up playing Settlers most of the evening since we had to be back in the flat at 5 for safety. I won 2 of the 4 games btw. So the Rushing side of the family, don't worry, I still will dominate yous in 11 months :)
One of my many new goals (which are mostly mission goals) is my gratitude journal. It is in addition to my regular journal which I have written in everyday so far (woot woot!) and is just one specific thing I am thankful for that day. I love it! It really helps me see the good. I love having the problem each night of trying to figure out what is that one thing today out of everything good that happened to write down.
And 2013 was such a great year. I felt so blessed reflecting on that. BYU with my EFs, a trip to Cali with the now Sister Vail and Sister Rozsa, St. George girl's trip, a completed semester in the nursing program, a trip to Hawaii with my fam, etc. etc. But what really hit me is that I was submitting my papers exactly a year ago. Getting my mission call the next month, and the whole second half of 2013 I have been serving the Lord and his children in Australia. I have been here for half of 2013 and am so grateful for that. There is nowhere else I would rather be than on a mission.
We also had the perfect pick me up Zone Training. Even though I'm known as the positive, energetic, smiling missionary I have been feeling a tad bit burned out. C'mon I have been in the same ward for 23 weeks. But I love it. So the training about keeping the spirit, the diligence and enthusiasm was inspired. Even though I was the missionary they used as an example, I think I was the one there that actually needed it the most that day.
But did that sound a little negative?! Because its not! I LOVE IT HERE. I think I am gone though. Transfers are a week from today (so you bloody Americans will get my email next Monday). I would LOVE to stay because we have a lot of good going on and our teaching pool is now all amped up. But I think I might be off. I am a seed planter and I feel like I have checked off all the things on the Belconnen list I need to do (i.e. give part-member husband Book of Mormon, get the lady that is my buddy at the post office in touch with missionaries which we did after I called her up for a dinner appt. #noshame, get a long-term less active member to church and by that I am talking like 15+ years and she came yesterday, etc) So I feel like if I leave now it will be with a bang! If not, I get to stay and harvest a little more in the best ward in the mission :)
Some cool things this week though: One of our new investigators we found last week is even more GOLDEN then expected. We had a lesson and her sister, who has researched our faith on her own, was there and we had the best lesson ever. They even agreed to baptism and the sister asked "How soon?!" That investigator showed up to church yesterday and loved it and will be back with her son and sister next week. So yesterday my heart was so full at church. Especially seeing the older Spanish lady there who hasn't been in over 15 years. The one that didn't ever make promises (despite that big one she made when she was baptized right?!) but this time she promised to come to church and she did. The 17 year old girl we teach and have dinner with each Sunday also came and she hasn't come in over 5 years! And then the 19 year old that we were blessed to help reactivate, bore his testimony in sacrament meeting. It was a great Sunday. Oh and I love 1:00 church even more when early meetings are involved :)
We finally set a baptismal date with a Sudanese - she will do it if she gets that answer, we straight up prayed with her in a lesson and paused to listen. She felt warm and good. We explained those are the fruits of the spirit (Galatians 5) but not cutting it. She needs a dream. So if she gets the dream, sweet as. If not we will have to drop her because it's that brick wall that she has hit with missionaries since 2009 :( I hate dropping people!
Stacey had a baby! A beautiful baby boy! We were the first ones to visit him in the hospital! Auntie Rushing! I may or may not have broke a rule in the "white handbook" and held him.....
Funny/embarrassing story. For 3 days we couldn't use our headlights (those things we have to have on when we drive 24/7 for safety...) just the parkers and the brights. Went to 2 different members even to check it out before we realized the handle was locked back and we just had to pull it forward.... #shame #shame #shame
Loved my studies this week though. I have been reading all the conference talks. I feel so blessed to have such comforting words from prophets and apostles today. They are so inspiring! I love studying the gospel, I love sharing it, I love being a missionary! Hope everyone had a safe and happy new years and here's to 2014! I'll catch you at the end of it :)
Love, Sister Rushing :)
P.S. Huge shout outs to Mama Mad-dawg, Kate and Mad-dawg. I got your Christmas packages and you are toooo kind. I sent thankyous that should be there soon! I love my "I'm on a mission shirt" from Nike so much that I am even wearing it right now :) Creative as!
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