Stressed!

Happy Monday Everyone!

Sorry to hear that all the kids are sick! Hope everyone gets better soon! Mom, I would love to come to camp but Im not sure if I'll be able to? My best friend from the mission (the one who's wedding I was trying to go to in Hawaii) is having her reception in Utah on July 9th. If I can somehow make it back in time I'll come. Dad, thanks for the offer to help with the MTC. I will definitely get recommendations from President Sorensen and Elder Butterfield if needed. However, I think the greatest determining factors are going to be the number of available openings and my teaching skills. So we'll see what happens?

 

This weekend we got over a foot of snow! I'm ready for winter to be DONE! In our weekly missionary coordination meeting (Saturday) our ward mission leader mentioned the snow and asked if we were ok driving in it. We told him that it hasnt stopped us all winter long...no reason to stop us now. He then proceeds to say, "Well a snow storm is better than a Tsunami." This comment seemed rather irrelevant considering #1 we live in Ohio where the largest body of water is Lake Erie which is about 40 ft deep across #2 we had NO IDEA about the Tsunami that had just ocurred in Japan. We (the four missionaries in the ward) sat there silently awkward as we tried to figure out where he came up with comparing a snow storm to a Tsunami. Finally, one of the members of the ward spoke up and informed us on the matter. Sometimes it's nice not to know what's going on in the world today. Other times, however, we feel so out of the loop! We'll continue to keep the people of Japan in our prayers and hope they can recover quickly! It's nice to know that all of the missionaries there are safe! Four of my roommates in the MTC went to Japan.

 

 The computer is kicking me off so part 2 of this e-mail will arrive shortly

(if it will allow me to log back in!)

Here's part 2!

 

This morning we had our weekly training meeting at the John Johnson Farm in Hiram, Ohio. We had it there to celebrate the 76th section of the Doctrine and Covenants, which was received there in February 1832. We were also commemorating the tarring and feathering that also occurred there  a month after section 76 was received. I LOVE the Johnson Home! To be in the revelation room where Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ were seen together in vision is incredible! I dont know how Im going to leave these places behind when I come home.

 

As far as investigators are concerned, Jaclyn has a baptismal date for April 9th! She still has some things to work on but she's come a long way! She texted us the other day and asked if she should take her lip ring out! We were shocked because we hadnt even talked about it yet. We read the  For the Strength of Youth pamphlet with her at our next lesson and she took it out that night :)  It seems like such a small thing to us, but it's really an act of faith on her end.

 

In other news, I have two cold sores on my bottom lip! I would always get cold sores around finals time because I get so stressed out. I think stress is the culprit this time around as well. Let me tell you why Im a little stressed this week.  First of all, Im sleep deprived! haha On top the the time change we had to wake up at 4:45 this morning to travel to the Johnson Farm. Second, we have two ward activities this week (mutual and the chili cook off) where we have some pretty heavy responsibilities. I'll tell you more about those next week. Third, we're in charge of the monthly investigator fireside and it happens to be this Sunday. Fourth, we're trying to find new people to teach and prepare Jaclyn for baptism! I think the fifth reason why I'm stressed takes the cake though.

 

Last night Sister Stewart and I received a phone call from one of the A.P.s. Elder Hunt asked if we would accept an assignment he had for us. I asked if we had to accept before we knew the terms and he said yes haha. So we accepted. He asked if we would give a workshop at the leadership training meetings this week. The topic is on obedience and opposition. We'll be giving this workshop to all of the District Leaders and Zone Leaders in the mission, and also in attendance will be President Sorensen and the A.P.s of course. We about peed our pants when we received the assignment! Especially when he told us we have 40 MINUTES! I was thinking 20 minutes max! So needless to say, Im a wittle nervous! Sister Stewart and I have been joking about what to say to these Elders for 40 minutes. We've talked about doing multiple musical numbers, all hymns focusing on obedience and opposition, and having them guess the topic of our workshop. Hahahaha! Just Kidding! We're seriously pondering and hoping that we'll receive some type of revelation on what to share. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

Well, thanks for reading this elongated e-mail! I love you all and hope you have a great week!

 

Love Sister Kingston