Greetings from North Carolina. :) Don't freak out about the subject line, I'll address it later. All is well. It's a beautiful sunny and it's a good day to be a missionary. I hope this little email finds everyone happy and healthy! It's been another week full of ups and downs! Mostly ups, but a few downs. I am doing really well today though so that's all that matters. The 18th of the month is always a special day. I cannot believe I've hit thirteen months now. Where is the time going? Ahhhhhh. I am so grateful for this precious time that I have had to serve the Lord and serve the people here in NC. I love these beautiful people. I cannot wait for you to meet all of the people that I have been able to associate with in my little journey.
This past week was one that I will never forget. I'm sure I say that about a lot of weeks, but this one was legendary. Elder Zwick of the seventy came and did a mission tour in my mission. Last Monday we were able to have a mission leadership training with him and that was just wonderful. I learned so much and was so grateful that I had the chance to be in the presence of Elder and Sister Zwick. On Tuesday, we had a half mission conference all day and it was absolutely amazing. It was so good to see all of my previous mission buds and spend the day with some of my favorite people. I don't really even know what to say regarding the meeting because I just learned way too much. I was literally on a spiritual high overload. I definitely came out of the meeting with a stronger desire to do missionary work and a stronger desire to be more obedient and loyal to my covenants and to the commitments that I made when I decided to serve a mission. We learned so many things to help us become better missionaries and I really felt that this past week I have been a more effective missionary. Sister Zwick said, "Once your duty becomes and offering, then you will truly be serving with all of your heart." I loved that because I think this whole time I have looked at my mission as a huge sacrifice. Once she said that and talked about it, I started looking at my mission as the GREATEST BLESSING and not a simple sacrifice at all. Yes, I gave up many things, but I am starting to see how that's not sacrificing. It's giving things up for a greater cause and giving things up has actually been a blessing in my life. It's been a blessing to not have my iPhone attached to my hip. It's been a blessing to only be able to listen to church music and wear church clothes 24/7. It's been a blessing to not have to go to school, work, and have to date. All of these things that would seem like sacrifices, have actually been blessings. I don't know if any of this is even making sense, but I have gained a greater appreciation for my mission this week and it's really just helped me see how blessed I am to be who I am and to be where I am, doing what I'm doing.
Wednesday was a great day. We were able to do our community service with the elders that we do each week. Little did I know it was going to be my last one. :( Yes, I'm getting transferred tomorrow! I have loved being able to serve with my sweet little old residents. I have come to love those people very much. I am so grateful that Sister Alexander has made such an effort to do community service on our missions. Each area on the mission has somewhere to go serve once a week. I don't know you have heard of the Just Serve Initiative, but that has been something that has really been booming lately. I have definitely been able to see that as others see us out serving in the community and just going about and doing good, they look at us, and the church differently. They start to see that we are good, normal people, just here to help! :) Surprisingly we have been able to share the gospel a lot and many people have asked us questions. After we did our service, we went over and saw one of my favorite families in the ward. It's a part member family that I have been working with since I got to Winston. On Wednesday Sister Cottis and I put the son who is 15 on date to be baptized on April 30th and he is super solid! His mom is a single mom and is a recent convert of 2 years and this boy, Jacob, took all the lessons with his mom, had his baptismal interview and passed it, but then chickened out last second. 2 years later and he expressed to his mom that he wanted to get baptized and that he's been really thinking about baptism. We went over and taught him and he is so committed! It's SOOO neat how it's happening so fast. This past week we taught the restoration and plan of salvation. So many miracles are starting to happen here in Lewisville. It was kind of a few hard, tough weeks the past few weeks, but we are just starting to see the fruits of our labors! Of course right when I get transferred, but hey! That's what it all about, right? Building up the area ALL the time!!
;) He basically knows all of the lessons, but we are going over and reviewing them. He came to church yesterday and it's amazing how fast the Lord is hastening his work and how he is aware of his children. It was such a testimony to me to know that as we plant seeds and continue to nourish people, they will ripen and they will finally be ready to accept the gospel and be baptized. It's so amazing. God's plan is SO good. I am super sad that I'm going to miss his baptism, but I am so grateful for the tiny part that I was able to play in his life and helping him accept the best gift in the entire world. I am so excited to be able to come back to my mission and visit them! They are so amazing!
Thursday was a good day. We taught lots of lessons and met another miracle family. Robert came out teaching with us and that was super fun to have him with us. He is soooo good to us. He literally spoils sister Cottis and I so much. I am going to miss him so much. It's not even funny. He has become one of my bestest friends. We were able to drive out to the very edge of our area and contact a bible referral and see a lot of people that we typically don't see. It was a long long day, but super worth it. I love the days when we teach a lot and when we are able to talk to lots of people.
Friday was good. Nothing too crazy happened. Well, except for I was about ready to cut my whole toe off. Lately my big toe has been bothering me. I didn't really think much of it, but Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, I just couldn't take it anymore! It started to get super swollen and super infected. Little did I know, I had a crazy ingrown toenail. Well, I have never experienced one of these before so I wasn't quite sure what was going on. We have a podiatrist in our ward and I was able to see him and talk with him. He gave me a few options and one of those options was getting my ingrown toenail surgically removed. Yeah, no. He told me I could attempt to take it out myself, without having to go through getting shots and all that lovely stuff, so last night I attempted to get it out myself and think I succeeded. :) We shall see. It is either going to really feel better, or I really ruined it. One or the other. I'm not all about getting surgery on my mission without my mom by my side, so I wasn't too fond of that idea haha. I was able to buy some flip flops and have been wearing them for the past three days and that has been super nice, but I'm sure I don't look all that professional haha but I just couldn't take it anymore. It has been absolutely miserable. I don't know if that's just cause we do a lot of walking and biking, but I have just been in lots of pain! Ah! I am doing better today though and hope it continues to feel better! #prayformytoe. Hahah such a sad day. I haven't had a single issue on my mission, never have gotten sick, nothing! But this is definitely the first. I guess it has to happen to everyone! :) Oh how I love trials.
Saturday was pretty decent. We were able to teach a few less active lessons and were able to do lots of finding. Thankfully the weather was good and we were able to be outside most of the day. I love the sunshine. I got my first mosquito bite though and that was definitely not fun. I absolutely hate the summer here for that reason. :( Ew. It's only beginning. Saturday night I got a call from President Alexander informing me that I will be getting transferred. AH! I freaked out. I kind of thought it was coming, but then again not really. Since we moved areas, I figured that he would keep me here. He informed me that I would be going to Charlotte and that I will be taking over the assistants area and serving in the YSA (young single adult) ward. I am going to be whitewashing the area with a new sister from Hawaii! I am super excited that I get to be working with kids my age and am super excited that I get to be working with President and Sister Alexander! I am super excited for that. I am also super excited that I get to be serving in the heart of Charlotte. That is every missionaries dream here! There is so many people and always things going on. It's super busy and crazy, and I'm not so sure how ready I am for that, but it'll be a good experience. I know that God needs me to grow some more! Just when I think I'm figuring it all out and getting all comfortable, he throws a curveball at me and gives me another opportunity to become more like Him and become who he needs me to be! :) This will be really good for me. I'm really grateful for this opportunity that I have to serve, to grow, to learn, and to create memories that will last forever. :) I am really sad that I have to leave my dear Sister Cottis, but I am so grateful for the chance that I had to serve with her. We have a friendship that cannot be broken. I love the girl to death. We will remain friends for the rest of our lives, and the rest of eternity. She goes home next transfer, please go to her homecoming and give her loves for me!! I'm going to have a hard time leaving her.
Sunday was a hard day. It was hard seeing my ward family and having to say goodbye to some of my favorite members. We were able to see Melissa, Pat, Robert, and some of my favs. I am grateful for all of the people that I have been able to serve here in Tanglewood/Lewisville. Just another place that has changed my life! I am grateful for the sacrament and am grateful that I get to partake of it worthily each week. What a blessing that has been in my life. I have such a deeper appreciation for that sacred ordinance. I have learned so much about it on my mission and have really come to see how it changes lives. I am no longer the same person because of the beautiful sacrament. Please please please take that ordinance seriously and learn how to apply the atonement in your life. It will be the greatest thing that you will ever come to understand.
Well, I have to get running, I am so sorry that this email was pretty lame and more informative than anything. Usually I like to share with y'all what I learned, but this week I just didn't really have the time. Sister Cottis and I went to the mall all day and then came and spent time with all of the missionaries in my zone and had to be with them for one last day before I leave!! So, I didn't have all that much time to email. One of my favorite quotes I read this week was, "If you want to reach your potential in the future, if you want to become the person the Lord wants you to be, you had better work on it today, because it is a true principle that we become what we do. If we want to be a successful university student, we had better be successful in high school. If we want to live a celestial life in the hereafter, we had better live a celestial life here on earth. Our futures are truly connected to our past." I hope that we can realize how important our choices we make today really are. It reminds me so much of President Monson's conference talk. We have to make righteous choices if we want to receive the blessings. Also remember that on some of your toughest days, the greatest blessings come.
Thank you so much for all of the love, prayers, and support! I love you all so much. I hope you have a wonderful week. I will give you my new address next Monday! :) Be good. Remember who you are and what you stand for. Sending you all my love and more! Xoxo
I love you dad! I love you mom! I love you Kaiden! I love you Chelsea!
I love you Kamryn! I love you Knighton! I love you Kennadi! I love you Lulu!
Sister Kyla Worthington
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