I don't quite know how to start this letter without sounding cliche', because what's going down now has been the same ole story for my whole mission...that's right...I've been transferred again! Just when I thought I had FINALLY proved myself faithful, at least when it comes to transfers, the Lord has seen fit to test my faith to the very end. On Wednesday I will be going to Unna (a huge car area in the Dortmund Zone) to work with Elder Vogel. I'll also be the District Leader there. I thought I would be able to get through my whole mission without a leadership position, but hey, what can ya do. The best part about this transfer, however, is that the Ward Mission Leader in the Unna ward is none other than Daniel Achtmann, my best bud whom I served with in Erlangen for almost four transfers! It's gonna be a blast to be able to hang with him for the last few months of my mission.
Unfortunately, my last full week in Wuppertal wasn't particularly eventful. We had a mission wide apartment deep cleaning day on Friday, and a lot of our time was consumed by preparation for it. But now our apartment is immaculate clean, which I must admit is nice.
It's always a wonderful opportunity on the mission to attend conference. We always have the opportunity to see the Saturday and Sunday morning sessions live and the priesthood and Saturday afternoon sessions recorded on Sunday. I must say I've truly come to appreciate conference on my mission. What an incredible blessing it is to have living prophets who speak for the Lord to us, and specifically for us in this time. It's always interesting to me how every conference seems to have overarching themes. This conference to me seemed to be a lot about gratitude, agency, and obedience, all things that I have been pondering on quite a bit lately. I've come to learn the importance of being obedient to even the seemingly little or less important commandments in order to build character and in order to have the spirit in our lives over the past month or so. This is a lesson I should have learned quite a while ago, but I'm grateful that I have learned it, and that my Heavenly Father has given me the opportunity now to improve myself so I can be a better tool in his hands for the next three months.
Last night after Conference, as I said some goodbyes to Members here that I have grown to love, just as I always have in all of my areas, the importance of what I've learned through transfers on my mission really came to fruition for me. I found that it wasn't any easier than it has been before to say goodbye, but I was, and still am, almost totally calm and at peace about it. On my mission the Lord has taught me that, in life, we will always have to say goodbye to people and places that we love, perhaps never to see them again in this life, but if we trust in him, we will always be where we need to be, and there will always be new friends to make, new and rewarding relationships to build with people, and moments and memories that will enrich our lives and continually mold us into the beings that our heavenly father has sent us here to become.
I love you all and pray always for your happiness. Have a great week!
-Andy
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