Week 59: There was a Blond, Brunette, and a Red Head All in Oak Harbor

Elle looking out on the Puget Sound.

So there was a blonde, brunette and red head serving in the Oak Harbor first ward, yep that's us!!

Time is going by so fast!!! I can't believe this transfer is already half way over! I feel like transfers were just last week! Maybe Heavenly Father will bless me and slow down time, a lot. I have been so blessed to have such an amazing mission that has blessed me more than I could ever know. 

This last week was so busy and crazy. We had so many things that we needed to do and had to figure out how we were going to fit it all in to the week. While trying to figure out how to fit everything in I got sick on Tuesday which made things super difficult. I looked like death.....yep......nothing that was going to fix that. I don't think there was any medication in the world that was going to fix me. But lucky for me I have amazing companions that helped me while we were out working. I was able to get a little more sleep and I think that it made it easier to go out and work on Wednesday. 

Elders Hatch, Addington, Sorenson, Luddington, Elle, Sisters Belliston and Perry

On Wednesday we had the greatest MIRACLE!! We went to visit someone and they weren't home. I am pretty sure they are going to just keep avoiding us, but that is beside the point. There are not as many people here on the Island as there are in Lynnwood. I got use to talking to people everywhere I went so when I got here and there isn't someone on every corner of the street it made me feel weird. It is a transition, but when we were walking away from the trailer we turned and looked down the street and there were so many people! I got so excited! I was grinning from ear to ear as we were talking to all that we could. We were getting ready to turn the corner onto the other street and there was a guy in an old, creepy looking van. I didn't get a bad feeling when looking at it and so I started to walk towards him to talk to him. It wasn't until I got there that I realized that my companions where 20 feet behind me. Come to find out later they didn't want to talk to him because it was creepy. But there weren't any bad feelings so we were going. We were talking to him and were able to share the Plan of Salvation with him. He lives off of the Island and so we were able to send him information to the missionaries where he lives. He has such an amazing testimony and such a kind soul. I hope that the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Restoration is something that he will allow to bless his life. At the end of our conversation I asked if there was anyone that he knew either needed service or an uplifting message. He told us of five people and we went and talked to all of them, three of them were hidden Less Actives! Heavenly Father works in amazing ways and I am so grateful that I get a front row seat to all of these blessings. We were able to talk to them and invite them to church and remind them that they are all children of God. 

Elle, Sister Perry, Sister Belliston

 Thursday was Zone Conference and it was amazing! It answered so many questions for me. There are so many different things that we as a companionship are going to be able to apply into our missionary work. One of the things talked about was our Divine Nature. We are all children of Heavenly Father who love us so much! He only seeks to help us and teach us how we are going to be able to come closer to him and become more like him. While they were talking it made me think of how people whether they are family, friends, or just people we may know who try to get us to do things we know are not right. The reason we should never stoop lower then we know is right is because our Father is a King therefor we are Prince and Princesses who will one day be returned to live with our King our Heavenly Father. I want to be able to return to him knowing that I did all I could to uphold my birthright. We are stronger then we realize and smarter then we may think. These instructions reminded me of Elder Hollands talk from last General Conference where he says, "Keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever."

Friday night we got to go and help out in the Penn Cove ward and serve the adults dinner for the activity night. It was so much fun to be able to serve the ward member's and to give back to them for all that they do for us. 

Sister Perry, Elle, and Sister Belliston

 I am so grateful for the opportunity I have been given to serve a mission and I can't thank you all enough for the love and support that I have been given. There are so many things that I have learned that I don't know how else I would have learned them. I now know what it means to be a Child of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the Prophet on the earth. I know that through Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Holy Ghost, and the Sacrament through Enduring to the End we will be able to live with our Heavenly Father again. 

To quote Elder Holland, "Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, cherish Christ like virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. It you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, "O Jesus, have mercy on me." He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek. The first great commandment of all eternity it to love God with all of your heart, might, mind and strength- that is the first great commandment. But the first great TRUTH of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life."

I love you all so much and hope that you have an amazing week!