I hope you all had a great week! I am very thankful for the great things that are going on in our area and for the wonderful messages we got to hear at General Conference. I am also a little sad because I am really sick right now and I might not be able to work for a while or go to the temple or to our awesome zone training meeting. I have a really weird illness that developed this week-- I have a sore on my tailbone that started hurting on Wednesday and has gotten worse and worse. Ever since Saturday I have had a fever and I just feel really unwell. I am going to the doctor tomorrow and will hopefully figure it out. A member I got a blessing from called his mom (who is an herbalist) and she thinks I have a virus in my bones. She had us write down seven different herbs to take and she said it might take up to a month to heal (because bones take so long to regenerate). Those wonderful members, the Mechams, went and bought all the herbs for me. They are so nice!! Hopefully when I go to the doctor we will figure it out for sure. I am feeling the power of the priesthood carry me through when it hurts too much to bear. I was able to get a blessing on Saturday and I have felt a lot of peace. I'm grateful for all the members who are letting me sleep at their house and the ones who go out with Sister Clancy.
I am learning to trust in the Lord's will more fully right now. I really haven't been this sick at all on my mission or in years. That's a big blessing. It kind of stinks that I am sick on my birthday, but oh well. At least it will be memorable. I just want to get back to work as quickly as possible. Even though this is a true and righteous desire, I know that challenges and sicknesses are a part of life on earth. I love how so many of the speakers taught about that yesterday. This is an opportunity for me to grow and learn lessons that I wouldn't be able to otherwise. It's still hard, but I know that the Priesthood power is real and that my blessing, through the power of the Atonement will carry me through. I feel peace through it all.
The beginning of this week was so great! Something I realized is how many different places we get to teach. This week we taught some young adults the Restoration while throwing a football around with them on the street. We also taught a man while sitting in his driveway and another guy while he was working on his motorcycle in the garage. We were also able to teach our amazing investigator, Taylor, over lunch before she left to go to Salt Lake. I was sooooo excited for her and this amazing opportunity!!! And now she is eating dinner with my family tonight? How cool is that???! It just makes me so happy. It makes me a little curious at what stories my parents are going to share...
This week we were able to meet with our wonderful investigator, Rebecca (the single mom of two boys). She still wants to be baptized!!! It was so touching to see how much the doctrine of repentance and baptism mean to her, because she will have a new start, a fresh beginning. She also watched General Conference with us on Sunday (both of the sessions) and she wrote a lot of notes. She will be meeting with Sister Clancy tonight at a member's home (while I sleep at another member's house). There was nothing more special than to listen to conference and watch Rebecca as her prayers and questions were answered. Even though I was sick, I enjoyed that so much.
A really amazing experience happened this Thursday... We knocked on the door of some potential investigators who members told us to try to visit. It was an older lady named Pauline who answered. After she said hello, she pointed to me and said, "Hey! I remember you! We had a great conversation at Walmart. Remember?" I did my best to remember and said, "Yes! Well isn't that amazing!" She told us that she was sick that day, but for us to come back the next week. This was so amazing that she remembered me and even more amazing because that never happens. Most of the time people stand there wondering why we are at their door. The Lord's hand is truly in our work. He really does guide and direct us.
I loved Elder Bednar's talk at conference. I especially liked when he said, we might be awkward, we might be over-excited or too eager, but the reason we are sharing it is out of love. This is how I feel when there are awkward encounters sometimes on the street or on a doorstep. I don't want to pass up any opportunity to share this gospel that means so much to me. I know the Gospel is true and that it will carry us through storms and trials. The gospel and Jesus Christ are the greatest source of strength and hope, an anchor to our souls.
Something I learned this week is that even though we aren't perfect, the Lord showers blessings on us when we are trying to do what's right. At district meeting on Tuesday the Spirit was really strong. I was a little down on myself for my weaknesses and shortcomings, but during that meeting the Lord taught me so much and sent a special tender mercy. He taught me a lesson and related it to soccer and the experiences I've had in soccer. I can't fully explain what I learned (because it was meant just for me), but I can tell you the feelings I had when I came to understand what the Lord was trying to tell me. I felt the loving embrace of my Father, telling me, "It's okay. Try again. I know you can do this. I know you can become more. I am pleased with you and all that you're trying to become. Keep going!" This was an answer to my prayers and helped me understand how to move forward. The Spirit taught me to my own understanding and to my unique needs that day. I know He will do the same for each of you as you pray for help.
Even when we are in the midst of a trial, there are so many blessings around us. I'm grateful for the wonderful members who take care of us, who feed us, who clothe us, give us medicine, and take care of us. I'm grateful for the cooler weather we've been having. I'm grateful that Sister Clancy can still go out and work. I'm grateful to know that my foundation is firm and that no matter what happens, it is in God's hands. I'm grateful to have the chance to have more sympathy for people who are always sick. I'm grateful for medicine and pain killers. I'm grateful for the blessings of compensation whenever we have hard trials, those sweet blessings that only come from experiencing those things.
Keep being true disciples of Christ and sharing the gospel!!!
Will you all please pray for our investigators and for me and Sister Clancy??? Thanks for your continuous love and support. I feel it every day and especially when I'm sick. Have a wonderful week!!! Eat some birthday cake for me!!! :)
Love, Sister Sallstrom
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