May 25, 2014

Most of this week was spent at church (8 hours.. 3 wards.. whew!), doing weekly planning, driving people around for transfers, in zone conference, exchanging over. I'm surprised we got any lessons in this week.

We had transfers and i had to say goodbye to the one sister i flew over to NZ with.. so sad!! We were helping with driving the new missionary up to Masterton (along a very curvy road up some mountains, 1.5 hours away). She was brand new, just came from the Auckland MTC. After we dropped them off, we grabbed some KFC for lunch and headed back to Lower Hutt. My companion asked if I was okay, with my KFC chicken sitting in my lap. I said no, and pulled over. I burst into tears (like literally burst into tears). There are only 4 weeks left of me being a missionary... so many emotions, and it all just squeezes out of my eyes in the form of tears. Luckily my companion is very patient with me.

Fast forward 2 days later to zone conference - my last one. IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING ONE EVER!!! Seriously, most powerful zone conference of my entire mission. I was seriously just crying the whole time. (Who would have thought family history would make me all weepy? what the what?) One of the other sisters was crying too, i almost offered my hanky but saw that i had used it a few days ago on the infamous Masterton Breakdown and no one else should even look at the icky thing. Right after the opening prayer, President Kezerian asked me to join him up in the front of the room in from of 20 or so missionaries all sitting at tables. He put his arm around me and asked, "Sister Rose, what happens on June 18th?" I paused, and quietly answered, "I go home." He said, "Would you mind sharing your testimony?" I quietly replied, "Sure," and he asked, "Do you want a tissue?" I said, "Thank you, I'm going to need that." Someone I got through it without using the tissue (wooo!!), probably because my awesome companion was sitting there praying for me. Let me tell you: I love being a missionary. I thought coming here was a sacrifice, but I think God is sacrificing to let me be here. We never have to be scared to share His word because the Spirit of the Lord does all the work. The Lord has promised that He will be with us as we are about his business. I have literally felt that.

Well, i love you all. :) Life is good.

Sister Rose