05/17/10

Hello all,

Transfer Meeting this week. I'm now in between Austin and San Antonio in a place called San Marcos. It's a really nice area for the most part and there are a lot of college students here. We cover a regular ward and a branch for the students that go to Texas State. The past few days have been a little overwhelming. There are a lot of changes and a lot to learn about the area. My new companions name is Sister Christensen; she's a transfer ahead of me and she's been here in San Marcos for one transfer. She's 23 and she's from Utah also but I can't remember which part; somewhere up north. Her previous companion was out sick for most of their transfer together so things were and are really slow right now. I'm looking forward to a fresh transfer and a fresh week to get out and start finding people so the work can get going again.

Yesterday we had Stake Conference which was nice. President and Sister Cutler were also there and they spoke after our Stake President (Allen). The Cutlers did their talk together and they spoke about three standards which are 1.) Prayer 2.) Scripture Study and 3.) Going to Church.

Sister Cutler told a story about a small town basketball team who were able to go to State. When they got to the gym and saw how big it was they were hesitant to play. Their coach pulled out a tape measure and measured the hoop. It was 10 feet just like the hoop they played on at their gym. He told them that was the standard everywhere they went and they didn't need to be overwhelmed.

President Cutler also told a couple of stories about his interviews with departing missionaries and how he always asks them "Elder, Sister, Can you ever imagine a day when you don't say your prayers or read from the scriptures, or a week when you don't go to church"? The missionaries always say no because it's something we've been doing for the past 18 to 24 months but it's still something he talks to them about and he said he pleads with them to keep the standard after they go home.

They then brought it back to all of us as members of the church and how we all, be we missionaries or not, have a standard to follow. To pray everyday, read our scriptures everyday, and go to church once a week to renew our baptismal covenants. It was really good and I liked how they spoke together. It made/makes me really sad to think about them leaving. This Friday is our last Zone Conference with them before they go home.

Another speaker I really liked at Conference was Elder Villarreal of the Seventy. He also spoke about keeping our standards and improving ourselves. He told a story about his son and how he's on the college swim team. One day he was talking to him on the phone and he asked his son if he had ever won first place in a competition before. His son told him no but he said that every time he's competed he's beaten his previous time. Sometimes it only by a half a second and sometimes it's by a whole second but he's always beat his time. Elder Villarreal then told his son that to him he was a winner. He encouraged us to not compare ourselves with anyone else but to only compare ourselves with ourselves and to keep trying to make each day better than the previous one by improving upon our habits and talents. That to me was really helpful especially after coming here to a new area. It brought a lot of comfort to me and it was just what I needed. All of the areas we're placed in have potential and my testimony of President being called and inspired of the Lord to know where we should go has been strengthened and confirmed throughout my mission. I know good things can happen here.

At transfer meeting we always have departing missionaries who bare their testimonies before they go home. Every time it reminds me that my life as a missionary isn't going to last forever. Usually on the way to Austin we ride in one of the two vans they have but since a car needed to make it up to Austin Sister Larrosa (my trainer) and her new companion and myself drove it up. Sister Larrosa was where I am in the mission when we were companions and now she has 6 weeks left. Through out the trip we were talking and I kept thinking about how wonderful my mission has been so far, even through the most difficult times. I'm grateful and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything. If I could think of one word to describe my mission it would be change. It's never too late to change and to become a better person. The Lord is so patient with us even when we're not with ourselves because He knows and He wants us to change.

It's been a blessing to be a part of the Lord's work and to see people have faith in Him which leads them to have faith in themselves. They then realize that they can do without certain things that used to be a real part of them and they replace them with the things Heavenly Father wants them to have in this life like baptism by proper authority and eternal marriages and families. That same Spirit that works with them has worked with me in my own life helping me realize like them that I can be better too. I love being a missionary. I love the gospel.

Love you guys,

Sister Green

P.S. My address here is:

117 Seguin St. #214
San Marcos, TX 78666 <----- (interesting I know).