Well hello hello to all of you! My goodness I love you all so much. Ok, so let me give you an update on this week. I spent 3 days in a training directly from HEAVEN! haha! President Tobias had all the zone leaders, district leaders and trainers all meet in a meeting to be taught the new curriculum. basically it's all about being more bold and fulfilling our purpose with more faith and more courage while following completely the promptings of the spirit. It's all about committing to baptism on the first or second time we teach them. That is definitely something we usually don't do, but already missionaries have been putting it into action and we have already begun to witness the miracles of the mission. I'm so excited to see how this goes! They will be starting to train missionaries in the MTC on it in May 2011. So...they are getting all the missions ready for them to come in and hit us with their new training. Too bad I'll already be home! haha! It would be amazing to see a whole force of Heavenly Father's Righteous Warriors coming in to help teach and lead our mission! :) Our area is really difficult right now. Not the area itself, but the fact that we can't be out past dark. So, usually everyone would come back from the training, all pumped, almost like the feeling after a really good general conference, and then want to bust a move in our areas. When we would get home at night it was too late to go out, so that was a little hard, but it's ok. :) Transfer announcements were today. I am officially training and staying in Victorias for another transfer. Sister Ball will be stepping up and becoming a senior and follow up train the girl in the house, Sister Nethercott! hahahaha! So she's transferring, but only into another room in our home and to the other ward. haha! It should be fun. It is just now starting to hit me about becoming a trainer. I think it does something to you and makes you realize how inadequate you are. But...I'm trying to press forward and exercise faith. It's been a hard few weeks to be honest. All of our investigators seem to be choosing to not do what they know they need to do. Emalyn is suppose to be getting her marriage license today, but she didn't come to church yesterday because she went out of town to visit family. Annalyn committed to come, and didn't. Recarido also promised to come, and didn't. Rowena didn't come. Even our recent convert didn't show up on Sunday. His older brother did with one of our little 9 year old investigators. I'm just....I'm not discouraged. But I feel at times like I'm beating my head against a wall. I'm been praying lately to know what I can do more. We've lot so many hours of proselyting this last transfer due to illness, we're not intensely ill, but you can only teach so many lessons with severe stomach cramping and incredible diarrhea. haha! AH!!!!!!!!!!! Sometimes I begin to feel like I can't give any more, or maybe that I'm honestly just not giving enough. AND...the fact that our investigators have all come to plateau is just something I normally wouldn't blame on myself, but with missing so many opportunities to teach, that is partly our fault. I was praying a lot about all of this last week and I just wasn't finding peace....until Sunday. I was playing the sacramental hymn at church, 169 As Now We Take the Sacrament, it's my favorite. As the congregation sang "for courage to accept thy will..." I just started crying. I immediately felt a huge rush of the spirit and had the thoughts flood my mind that the Savior has felt everything I am feeling, all the frustration and tension and lack of energy and tears and wishing I could be outside and the lack of support in the ward members and the love we have for an incredibly hard working bishop despite the lack of support from other members....including ward missionaries...He's felt it all! So the thought came to me, "Let it all go Sister Stadler. Focus on Christ, on your purpose, and move forward." AND...so I am. Transfers always offer a new start, and I'm ready for a new start. I love the mission. I say this every email, but I adore these people. The Lord knew what He was doing when He sent me here. I have made life long friends here. Sister Flores goes home on Wednesday and I lost it today hugging her for the last time. We have plans that in 5 years she will come up to General Conference. haha...Part of me feels like I'll never see her again. I'm just a huge emotional wreck right now. haha! But among it all, I just love everything I have been blessed with. I love the gospel, I love my Savior and I know He lives. I will never deny it. You are all in my prayers. Thank you for all of your prayers. I feel the effects of them. Keep praying please. My time is running short, but know that I adore you all. Keep writing. I love the emails and letters, no matter how lame you all think your lives are. haha! They're not lame to me! Until next week, GOD SPEED!!!
All my love,
Sister Stadler :)