How's it going? I hope everyone had a wonderful week! I cannot believe that it's almost Halloween, and that November is right around the corner. Do you have any fun Halloween plans? What's everyone going to be? You'll have to send me some pictures! We have a ward Halloween party tomorrow and I'm excited for that! They said they usually have a really good turn out and that lots of nonmembers come. Plus, Sister Steinagel and I as well as our elders get to judge the Chili cook off and the pumpkin carving so that'll be a good time. It seems like these last few months of the year really seem to fly by. Lately I have really enjoyed all of the colorful leaves and have enjoyed the pumpkin aroma, and the spirit of Fall that is in the air. It's been getting a little bit chilly, but I'm sure it's nothing quite like Utah yet. I am not really looking forward to all of the holidays just because I have a feeling it's going to be hard and I'll probably get homesick, but I'm excited to share the Christmas message with the world and help share the gift of love. I am praying that the people's hearts will soften these next few months as the holiday spirit enters into their hearts. I have always loved Christmas time because everyone is always so kind and loving, and people seem to be in a better mood for the most part. I picked a new ponderizing scripture and it's Doctrine & Covenants 54:10. Thanks mom. Y'all should go read it. :)
It's been a really tough week for me mostly due to transfers. It's been very hard for me just because it's quite a big change. I like change, but not this big of a change haha. I feel like I'm starting my mission all over. Since I haven't ever transferred before, it was all very overwhelming for me. Saying goodbye to Sister Stratford and Sister Stephanie Hargus was absolutely miserable. One of the hardest things I've ever done. Sister Hargus helped me so much and literally saved my life. She is like my second mom. I got so close to her and was able to feel my mothers love for me through her. I'm glad she was able to take me to transfers though and send me on my way. Transfer meeting was really good and the spirit was really strong. President just really made sure that we knew that these transfers were inspired by God and he really wanted us to make sure that we prayed extra hard this week to know that we are where we need to be and that we are with who we need to be with. When President called my name and told me where I was going and who my companion was going to be, I turned around and she wasn't even there! She ended up staying back in the area to work and so the anticipation was killing me. I found the random member that was going to take me to my new area and packed up my stuff, and off I went. My new area is 2 hours from the mission office which is really weird because I've been so used to being so close! My area is called Tanglewood, and sometimes I feel like I'm Rapunzel in Tangled, except for not quite as magical. Well, I got dropped off and met my sweet companion. Her name is Sister Jenna Steinagel and she is from St. George, Utah. This is her last transfer and she will be heading home real shortly. It's been kind of hard because she keeps talking about how she gets to see her family really soon.. and i'm just over here like yep. I still have forever. Don't mind me. I miss you guys SO much, it hurts. You have no idea. We are very different and look at missionary work quite differently... but I know that it'll work. I know that I am supposed to be her last companion for some reason. She has already taught me a lot and I have been able to really grow and learn. A LOT. We live in a cute little apartment and I've already moved in and made it feel like home. My companion laughs at me all the time because I have been de-cluttering everything and deep cleaning everything. When I got there, there was like 10+ things in the fridge that were moldy. Like are we serious? You know I don't do well with that. Being on a mission has really made me realize how OCD I am and that I am actually quite a clean freak. I think my companion thinks I'm nuts. During lunch hour I clean out and organize everything and she just stares at me while she sits on the couch and eats potato chips. It's pretty funny. Overtime sisters just leave so much stuff and it just drives me nuts. Anyways, I've had fun doing it though and it's been a good time. Except for when we went to take a huge basket of crap to the Goodwill today and I brought my favorite clothes that I was going to change into after P-day and set it on top of the basket, and then donated it to Goodwill without thinking of it, and now I lost my favorite shirt, sweats, and shoes, so that really put a damper on my P-day. But life goes on I guess. I was so mad. Ew.
I have really loved being a Sister Training Leader! It's been super fun. I am now in another full car area so that's super nice, especially during the winter! Sister Steinagel lost her license so I have to drive, but I've been actually really grateful for that because it has helped me become more familiar with the area. It is SO huge and wayyyy bigger than Waxhaw. So, I have a feeling it's going to take me a while to get used too. We have lots of meetings to go to and are super busy, and I like that. We also get to be with the elders a lot and that makes me happy. There really are a lot of great elders in my mission. My zone leaders are the BEST and it's been so fun to work right by their side. We are really trying to work on helping our zone RISE UP and become the missionaries that God needs us to become. We haven't been able to go on any exchanges with the other sisters yet but I am really looking forward to that. We call them almost every night and it's so fun to talk to them and feel of the sweet spirits that they have. I know that God has placed me in their paths to love them and help them become who he needs them to become. I am so excited to get to know everyone! We have a mission leadership conference next week and I am so excited because I get to see my favorite zone leader from my last area and my trainer, Sister Ekstrom. It's been sooo long since I've seen her. So, i'm really looking forward to that.
Let's see, every morning we go outside and play soccer with the elders in the tennis courts so that's been pretty fun, although I don't feel like it's really that good of a work out. One of the elders got really sick this past week so I took over my essential oils and cured him and now everyone calls me a gypsy, so that's kinda nice. We have two really solid investigators who are scheduled to be baptized in November so that's really exciting! We met this girl named Melissa last week and she's going to be baptized on her birthday, November 7th, and I'm SO excited. She is so elect. She lost her only child last year and me and her have just really clicked. She came to church and absolutely loved it, and we have a lesson with her tonight in a members home after dinner and i'm so excited. We also are teaching this man named Robert and he's so great. He's been investigating the church for 10+ years and is really starting to progress. We taught him in the chapel last week and had 2 great members there and we taught him all about the power of the sacrament and the spirit was SO strong. It was my first lesson actually teaching in the chapel and it was such a good experience. He hasn't come to church in years, and guess what, he totally came on Sunday, and even brought his 11 year old daughter. They stayed for all 3 hours and we have a lesson with them tomorrow night, and then they are planning on coming to the ward Halloween party on Wednesday! Miracles are happening here in Tanglewood! Please keep Melissa and Robert in your prayers! Meeting the ward was great yesterday. They aren't anything like my Waxhaw ward, but I know that I can't compare anything to Waxhaw. I am excited to get to know everyone and begin serving with them! They all seem like great people.
I don't have very much time left, and I'm typing this on my ipad, but I just wanted to share a few thoughts with you before I sign out! I have studied a lot about agency this past week and really learned a lot. If you really think about it, we have the power to think, choose, and act for ourselves. Each and every one of us. Every single day, with everything that we do. What a blessing that is. We can choose what kind of attitude that we have. We can choose what we say to others, and what we do. We can choose to follow the Savior and live the Gospel, or we can choose to not do that. How grateful I am that a loving Heavenly Father trust me so much, to give me the opportunity to learn and to grow for myself. To really be a committed follower of Jesus Christ we must have the option to reject him, and therefore that is why we have Satan. I am grateful for hard days. I am grateful for Satan. Yes, I know that's weird. I am grateful for temptation. I have come to know that "only those who resist temptation really know how strong it is." We must not just give into Satan's traps. We will grow as we resist temptation and overcome the adversary. I am grateful that I make mistakes, so that I can learn from them and feel sorrow, so that I can feel joy as well! Right now our world is flooded with choices. It's both a blessing and a curse. We have millions of choices to choose from, and they are slowly all starting to mix together. There is really no right or wrong anymore. Satan is trying to make the good bad, and the bad good. I absolutely hate it! Growing up it was sometimes hard to keep all of the commandments because I seemed to think that they were restricting me, but my mission has changed me 100% and I have really come to know that they keep us free. "He who loves and obeys the truth is free." We all want the freedom without the consequences, but unfortunately, that's not quite how it works. God's commandments have been given to us for a reason. But, God also loves us so much that he is going to allow us to choose for ourselves. Our love for the Savior impacts our agency. Agency is an eternal principle and we must come to understand how it works in this life, so we are prepared for the next. Agency is God's gift to us, and what we do with it is our gift to him. I hope and pray that all of you will be able to use your agency wisely. Make good choices. Do what is right. I know that as you do, you will be blessed. It's not always easy, but it's ALWAYS worth it.
I've gotta get running. Thanks for all the love, prayers, and support. You guys are the best!! Talk to you in seven! By the way, my new address is 6007 Claudias Ln. Apt. 101 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, 27103. Love you! xo
Sister Worthington
. To really be a committed follower of Jesus Christ, we must have the option to resist him, which therefore is why we have Satan. I am grateful for hard days. I am grateful for temptation. I am grateful that I get to learn from my mistakes and feel sorrow, so that I can feel joy. I love being a missionary. There is nothing that has brought me more peace and happiness. I wish I could be a missionary forever. I love my Savior Jesus Christ so much and am so grateful to be serving him at this time.
From One To Another
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