Sister Anderson Mission Blog: Rollar Coaster

This week has been really good but also really sad. We had a funeral of someone in the ward's husband. We sang a musical number for her and she's a strong woman. It was a really good service though.

Here are 7 things I loved about the week:

1. We watched the Joseph Smith movie with Gaia and it was so good. She really liked it and learned a lot from it! She even got to learn a little about Brigham Young since she will be going to BYU soon. The Spirit was strong after while we were talking about the movie and the different things we liked. She also gave me a copy of her testimony/conversion story that she wrote to a seminary class back in Utah. It was the first one she ever went to so the teacher wanted to share it with her students. It made me cry. I love her so much and I'm so grateful for her.

2. Seeing Eglayda. Fernando left recently and it's been super hard for her. She's so happy for him and they are both doing it for the good of their family but I know they are both excited and anxious for the day that she can go join him in Paris. Grace has taken her first steps! She's gotten so big over these past few months!

3. Seeing Chiara and Rosella. We were able to share a super good video with them that has a similar situation to what they are going through. We had something else planned but once we got there we had a feeling to throw it out the window because they needed something else.

4. I got shut in the metro door. I booked it to catch it and hold the door for Sorella Fife. But it had zero mercy and I got shut in it until I wiggled myself out. Usually if someone is standing in the doorway they won't shut. It was pretty funny anyways.

5. We saved this man from falling down the escalator even if it was at the expense of Sorella Fife shoving her hand into a sweaty armpit.

6. Sorella Suffardi has moved into a nicer nursing home. She likes it a lot more and it was good to see her. We hadn't seen her in a while. She's the little rebel in the nursing home and loves to run (that's what we will call it) past the food cart even though the elderly aren't allowed to pass it because it takes up a big chunk of the hall and could potentially be dangerous. She's so funny.

7. We had some new people in church so I'm excited to get to know them and work with them!

A thought I really liked from this week is from Alma 5:12-14 (it's probably my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon).

12 And according to his faith there was a mighty change wrought in his heart. Behold I say unto you that this is all true.

13 And behold, he preached the word unto your fathers, and a mighty change was also wrought in their hearts, and they humbled themselves and put their trust in the true and living God. And behold, they were faithful until the end; therefore they were saved.

14 And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

When you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed. Jesus Christ can do more for us than just changing our behavior, but He can change our nature. I'm grateful that I have had the opportunity to see this change become more apparent not only in myself, but in those around me. I think one of the biggest miracles I've seen on the mission is the change in people through the power of the Atonement.

I love you all and hope you have a good week!

Skull church