Yep you read that right. (Hope my family caught the Jaws reference;) Since September 13 I have been living and loving little old Greeneville Tennessee, but transfers are this Wednesday and I am going to be spending my last transfer in another lovely "ville" called Maryville. It is just south of Knoxville and actually is where I would go on exchanges when I was first out on my mission serving in Rockwood. So I have been there a few times and am excited to serve there with my new companion Sister Horman. She served in an area nearby a couple of months ago and I had the opportunity to go on exchanges with her and just love her so I am really excited to be companions! Her parents are also friends with one of my high school friend's parents so small world there.
All of that being said I do have mixed emotions about leaving, I will so miss the ward, our investigators and my dear sweet Hermana McCune, BUT she is going to be getting a brand new missionary to train and so that is so exciting!!! I am so proud of her and excited for the good they do here, I know they will have so much success together in both Spanish and English and feel confident about leaving the area to their care.
I had an interview with President Pickett this past week and he said that he hoped I saw why it was neccessary for me to stay another transfer. He said that part of it was for Hermana McCune. We have both really grown a lot and taught each other a lot. He talked about how when he receives inspiration he doesn't always understand why but trusts it and then after the fact can see how divinely orchestrated it all is. That's revelation, trusting a prompting even if we don't understand and then LATER finding out what the Lord had always had in mind. That is what President Nelson encouraged us to do in one of his addresses to us this past general conference is to increase our ability
"I urge you to stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that “if thou shalt [seek], thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things—that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.”
I am so grateful for President Pickett's inspiration and the revelation he received for me to stay here for a fifth transfer. There were times when I have wondered why I was still here, but I want to share an experience that testifies that I was kept here reasons beyond my ability to comprehend or understand until "after the trial of your faith".
About a month before I got here the sisters who were serving here before me went to try an elderly less active woman and instead found her daughter who told them that the lady that they were looking for lived next door. However she allowed them to come in and talk to her, something that she hadn't done in the 20 years that missionaries had come by. Something told her to let them in... that something was the Spirit. So a few weeks went by and I got there and we went and had some lessons with her and as the weeks passed we started going later in the evenings when her non-member husband was home. We would "sneak" in lessons. We taught almost all of the lessons with fun activities and object lessons. I'll never forget the day this woman's husband turned to her and said "When you are ready to go back to church I will go with you."
I was floored, FLOORED. And guess what, they came!!! On Christmas THEY CAME. Since then, she has continued to come sometimes off and on, but here recently she has come pretty much every week, her husband hasn't been back but he came this past Sunday, which was fast Sunday. He was there as his wife got up out of her seat and walked to the front and bore her testimony. She shared how she had fallen away for so long, but that when those two sisters had knocked on her door she knew she needed to let them in. She shared that she knew that it was time, that she was ready. She never doubted the Church she only doubted herself. And she said she knew I needed to be there to help her. The Spirit I felt as she said that was indescribable, I found a scripture this morning that is as close as I can describe to what I felt:
"When I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy;" (Alma 29:10).
JOY. That is the reward for service. That is what the world tries to mimic and offer. But true joy can only be found by receiving and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can definitely say I have found joy. And I have seen others find joy and it has increased my joy.
I am so grateful.
As I said "see you later" to my sweet Greeneville family this same lady said that she knew that there was someone else I needed to touch in my next area, I know that she is right there are people in Maryville that need a little more light a little more joy, and Sister Horman and I are going to find them. Like my aunt always tells me we are going to go "give em' heaven"
Love y'all as always thanks for the love, support, prayers, and encouragement. I need it and am grateful for it.
Have a great week!!!!
Love,
Hermana Hall
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