Letter #15 12/15/14

Sister Watts....Our mission grandma.  This is a perfect representation of our relationships all around. 

This week, this week, this week.. I don't even know what to say, haha. The adversary, Mr. Diablo has just been RAILING on me as of late, ah. Haha. Sneaky guy. In an area like Burkeville, trying to build up a nonexistent Spanish group amidst the travails of the regular roller coaster of missionary life, he has many an opportunity to get on ya. The struggle is super real, and there are certain times when all the secret yearnings and doubtings and fears and difficulties in our hearts just come out full force and it's real bad news, haha. Having a companion is a super blessing, though, because although we both get discouraged, we're never discouraged at the same time. One day, I can be super bummed, and she's consoling me telling me that it'll all work out and all that jazz. And then the next day, it's reversed and she's going crazy and I'm like "chill, gurl, it's no big deal". The back and forth thing is fun, haha. 

Anyways, this week was also just really strange and after a super seemingly stellar week last week, I remember sitting in the living room during lunch and thinking, "wow.. what am I going to write home? Nothing happened this week.." decided that it had probably been the most mundane week of my existence. We then went out to work, I felt pretty sick, and I was just super down in the dumps. Every single thing was falling through, and to top it off we went to talk to these hispanic guys who were on their porch and they were SO DRUNK and the one wanted to be my boyfriend so bad and kept saying really weird things and looking back, I think it was the first time on my mission that the spirit was just super void and I couldn't feel it at all because I felt AWFUL. And I couldn't shake the feeling. Yikes, to make matters worse when we got back to the car I realized that I had lost the cell phone. We searched the car, but figured it was probably at home. So we went home to get it, because we needed to get ahold of some investigators and it wasn't there either. We searched high and low and deeply searched the car again and again and.. nothing. So, then I broke down. Haha. And Hma Clark would talk me through things and I would feel better, but then.. I would remember the phone. And then it would start all over. Hahah, sad to say but crazy emotional Becs is still very much alive and well. And I thought I had been doing so good and left my old disorganized, forgetful, lazy self at home but then.. here she was, rearing her ugly head. Haha. Finally, I got to my senses somewhat and was like, "Hey! The Lord has promised that if we cheerfully do ALL things that lie in our power, we can stand still and watch his arm be revealed".. and we'd prayed and prayed, but hadn't done EVERYTHING that lied in our power.. so we decided to get back in the car and trace our travels of the day. We drove up to the place we had parked when we ended up talking to super drunk humans, and got out of the car. I walked up and down the grass strip with no luck.. finally I just said this prayer in my head like, "Heavenly Father- PLEASE help us find the phone" walk two steps, and.. bam. Shiny little phone lying in a pile of dead leaves and grass. I fell to the ground and held it up in victory! I was covered with leaves the rest of the day, and there you have it. Basically the only story of my week, but it was a good one. So, next time you begin to think that life is a little too boring, and you desire something crazy to happen, just remember that the Lord works according to our desire.. hahah. 

Anyways, the worst email ever. I'll send pics to hopefully make up for it! Just remember that life is HARD but it's a lot harder when we forget the Lord. He's there for us, like a perfect pal to buoy us up when we're feeling super low. He LOVES us, He KNOWS us, and He wants the absolute BEST for us. I know it. I feel it. 

Love y'all! Les quiero! 

<3 Hermana Becs

Odds and ends:

- I've somehow been put in charge of teaching the crazy primary kids how to sing for the Christmas program. Just imagine me, plucking the keys of the piano with all the kids gathered around me screaming the "asleep, asleep" line of Away In A Manger.. good times in the Burkeville branch!

- We got a new branch mission leader.. Brother Mckinley! Their family reminds me a TON of the Claflins and they're really cool. He even speaks SPANISH so.. I don't know, life will probably get really good really quick. Haha, just kidding life is still SUPER good, but I just know that this is a beautiful tender mercy, demonstration of the fact that the Lord knows us because what branch needs a spanish speaking ward mission leader more than ours? Not one. 

- I AM SINGING IN THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT AT THE METRO RICHMOND ZOOOOOO! Dreams do come true, friends. Prayers are answered.

- Our little 3 year old friend Jose legitimately ate Hma Clark's hair yesterday.. you could hear the crunch. #itsawildworld