My new companion is Sister Slade. She is from Rye, Colorado, about 30 minutes south of Pueblo. I feel like an old lady around her because she was born in 1994! Holy Cow! She is so ready to work hard and get the job done. I honestly cannot keep up with her! Such determination! I thought I worked hard, but guess again, haha!
Elder Bloomfield is in Blaine, so he is definitely staying in the Everett Mission. It was fun to see him a few times this week down at the Mission Office! Unfortunately, my camera died before we got a picture and he didn't know if he had a cord to send pics, so hopefully we can send one to you some way, some how. We also got to know our cousin Elder Merrill who was just called to be an Assistant to the President! My old companion, Sister Cromar kept telling me how much we look like cousins, haha.
What an interesting week last week was! So many new changes and challenges! We had another week with a lot of appointments falling through. I felt really bad for Sister Slade having that be her first few days in the field because she took it really hard. We had to take a break one day and just get the frustrations and disappointments out. However, God is merciful and we have seen his tender mercies along with the struggles. I have thought a lot about that concept in 1 Ne. 1:20 (Lari) this week. I think it is very important that the Lord uses the wording "tender mercies" rather than "big miracles." As was discussed in the New Missionary Training this week, the Lord has to try our faith. He doesn't give us signs and wonders to build us up, but constant, personal, quiet, thoughtful, meaningful tender mercies. We have seen so many tender mercies this week. We found many potentials while tracting and had great experiences with the investigators that we already have. And we had two investigators at church (probably the hardest standard to meet)! I have no doubt that as we keep the faith and endure to the end, we will be blessed. Sister Cromar and I had previously discussed that to us, "enduring to the end," really means to keep the commandments and do what the Lord has asked. So we decided that it wasn't really "enduring," but "en-doing." Doing is everything, so we are determined to continue.
We have had so many beautiful experiences with Sandra and her family. Her faith is amazing! Her brother is coming up to perform the baptism (June 22!) and I am so excited for them! It is going to be such a special experience for them. I cannot wait for their family to start realizing the blessings of the Gospel bringing them closer together and for them prepare to be sealed together in the temple. We were lucky enough to have dinner with a family in our ward last night and they also invited Sandra, Alex, and her husband Jim to dinner. We were able to have a wonderful time getting to know them and sharing our testimonies with them. I know that they were all touched by the Spirit and felt it's influence. I hope that Jim takes that to heart and will desire to unite himself with the Church and his family in their decision. He is so close.
I have really felt the urgency of the Lord's call to hasten his work. I know that there are so many prepared people here in Oak Harbor and I cannot wait to meet them to share the truth with them. I know that the Lord will place them in our path in the coming weeks as we continue to be obedient. It is seriously time to gather Israel. Do it now! Maria shared with me that she has really caught the missionary spirit since Elder Bloomfield started preparing for his mission and I hope that you will all catch it as well. In the true missionary way, I would like to extend a commitment to you all. Give the missionaries referrals. I know that you all know people from school, work, and your communities that are ready. I promise that they are. The worst that can happen is that they will say no. And if they say yes, they will be so grateful to you for the blessing that you introduced into their lives. And "how great will be your joy in the kindom of God!" Haha, my new and favorite maxim: Pull a Nike, and just do it!
Love you all lots and hope you are all well!
Sister Turley
Deception Pass (how we get on the island)
Me & Elder Merrill (ok, we do kinda look like cousins...)
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