I was so sad to hear about President Monson's passing. I was at zone conference when I found out. But what is amazing to me is that not a single person shed a tear. Because we know that his work and life was complete and that he is not lost, but resting with his wife in the peace of our Maker.
Zone conference was so good. I felt like they were talking directly to me! President Browning talked about how when we lift our eyes and raise the bar for ourselves it causes us to stretch and grow and we accomplish more than we would have even if we don't hit our goal. It was a good boost to get me motivated to work harder. He also emphasized the importance of gaining gospel knowledge and how the best way to become a master teacher is to know what the heck we're trying to say. So we did some practices on how to have more meaningful studies, something I could really work on.
This week was pretty fun. I feel like we did a lot which is good. One of my favorite things from this week was going to see George! He is the absolute sweetest person I've ever met. He has the mental abilities of a 8-9 year old, and was baptized a little under a year ago. We go see him and read the scriptures with him. This time we practiced baring our testimonies for sacrament meeting. I was so impressed by his spirit. He gets so emotional when he bares his testimony, but he knows it with all of his heart. He says "Church is truth. Book of the Mormon is truth. Joseph Smith, TRUTH. Spirit truth. Jesus Christ amen". And he will ball through the whole thing. But what I was really taken away by was after, he turned to me with big eyes and says, feel it? Oh boy did I feel it. The spirit is so strong when he talks about the gospel. And he said, "I feel it right in my back!! Right here (tapping his shoulder) I can't see him, but he is here". He really was there. I feel heaven close whenever I get to talk to George. I also love that President Passey, the last mission president said that no one is allowed to turn down a hug from George. So he gives us big ol' bear hugs! It's the best. And sure enough, on Sunday he found me before sacrament to make sure that we would both go bare our testimonies together :)
The zone leaders had to ride bikes all week, and they were so funny because they got so excited to be part of our biker gang lol!! They are such dorks. They got us all together to take biker gang pics. It was so fun! We went out to the cotton fields on Friday and got some gems. We are one classy crew hahaha! We were laughing so hard at these pictures. I think they are pretty great. But really though, I love this area! I feel like we are always having a good time. Work hard to play hard, that's for sure.
Right after taking those pictures I got the opportunity to go see some recent converts from the ward be sealed in the Gila Valley temple. It was so special. I don't even know them very well, but I got to go with sister Gadd who was the one who taught them their new member lessons. I had never been to a sealing before, so to go a live one was so amazing. It was a much needed temple trip, and I am so grateful I got to go and feel the spirit so strongly. I was able to reflect on my own life and take time to just pray and talk to my Heavenly Father. It gave me a lot of hope, and helped me to feel motivated and excited to work hard on my mission and to go home and live worthy to receive those same blessings one day.
I am really enjoying this area. It is so different, but the missionaries are all so compact and so close that we get together all the time and are able to have a good time. I feel like it really helps because we are able to really help and lift each other so much more. It is fun. And we just started this new thing where we meet up every Monday night for district prayer. We all bring a list of names of people who could use help and a little extra support and blessings and we get together and pray for all of these people by name. It has been really amazing to see the miracles that happen from it, and I am sure that we don't even see most of what comes from praying for these people. I am excited for another week to refocus and continue to try to be better and improve.
Have a good week!
Sister Grant