This week has been good. We're still doing lots of finding and not so much teaching - but we are successful! We've gotten two new investigators, lots of referrals, and many phone numbers from people we talk with. I've gotta say, even though I'm not always very good at opening my mouth, talking with strangers is one of my favourite parts of missionary work! Especially here in Montreal because there's so much diversity! One minute I'm talking to a Haitian businessman from New York, the next it's some 20-year-old from Korea, then later it's an elderly Iranian woman who's lived here for decades. It's awesome!
We've had a couple of unfortunate things happen this week too. My companion got really sick and spent a whole day in bed. The power went out and the fire alarm went off while one of the other sisters was in the shower. We're losing two great elders from our district this week.
But! It's all good. I gave a short training in district meeting this week, and I wrote a poem. The 8 elders really liked it and asked for a copy, so I guess it's okay. I figured I'd share it:
There used to be a farmer’s son
Whose dad was always gone.
He worked ‘til late, came home to sleep
And left again at dawn.
The son grew up not knowing much
About his parents’ lives.
It led him every now and then
To question, “Who am I?”
‘Experiment’ became his theme.
‘Adventure’ was his goal.
“To find myself,” he thought inside,
“I’ll travel every road!”
As time went by and carelessly
He threw his time away,
Confusion was his great reward;
No satisfaction came.
One day Father sat him down
To ask, “What’s in your heart?”
The son replied with teary eyes,
“I don’t know who you are.”
The farmer smiled and kindly said,
“Because you always leave.
Forget yourself and go to work –
Come, and follow me.”
At dawn the pair arose and left
To work just as they should.
The day was long and hard, and yet,
The son somehow felt good.
Weeks and months and then two years
Flew by and something changed.
The farmer’s son now found his life
Completely rearranged.
His outlook changed; he didn’t feel
The need to search for more.
Each hour spent by Father’s side
Had changed his very core.
Working arm in arm with Him
He really learned a ton.
In knowing Him, he knew himself,
Because he was His son.
The answer he’d been yearning for
Impressed upon his mind:
He couldn’t find his place until
He left himself behind.
In connection with this poem, I shared Matthew 16:25: For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
One of the greatest things about serving a mission is that we get an inside look at how God works with His children. We get to know Him personally. As we move along the ladder from sacrifice to obedience to consecration, we "lose ourselves" in the work, but in so doing, we learn who we truly are: eternal beings with divine destinies to one day become like our Father. That is beautiful.
Sister Shaver
PS I FORGOT SOMETHING
REALLY IMPORTANT! AT MISSION LEADERSHIP COUNCIL PRESIDENT PATRICK TOLD US THAT
BECAUSE SOME OF US HAVE SCHEDULING PROBLEMS WITH GOING HOME, HE TALKED TO THE
MISSIONARY DEPARTMENT AND CHANGED OUR DEPARTURE DATE TO A WEEK EARLIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'LL BE HOME AUGUST 25TH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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