Hi hi hi fam! 👋
This week has been a fantastic week! I've learned so many things and had lots of opportunities to serve, teach and also learn!
To start the week, we had exchanges! I went to Granite Bay with Sister Kikel and we had so much fun! I love getting to know the other sisters in the mission. I also love getting to experience other areas. We had a lot of errands on this day. Like watering flowers and other little appointments, but we were able to talk to one of their investigators who let us in and invited us back. It was pretty exciting. Apparently they haven't been able to get ahold of him all transfer. He and his wife were very nice. They were asking us questions though without even letting us answer them. But hopefully when they go back they will be able to answer all of their questions in full. :)
We had interviews with President Marston after exchanges because we had a lesson during the last interviews and we missed them. So this week has been a lot of lasts with President. It's been bitter-sweet. President Marston and I had our last interview together. We talked about how coal is turned into diamonds with pressure and heat. He related that to us as we go about our mission and asked how he could help us continue to become those diamonds. It was a great opportunity to talk to him again. Interviews are always the best!
Ok. An experience I can't quit laughing about. We met this guy and set up a lesson with him at Starbucks. We can't meet in the home of a male without another female present. So he insisted on meeting us at Starbucks. Sooo... Imagine this. Sister Cowden and I, two Mormon missionary sisters, are set out to find this Starbucks We first go completely in the wrong direction to the taco bell that we knew because Costa said it was by a Taco Bell. We went in and asked where the nearest Starbucks was. We were directed the other way just down the street from our apartments. We thought ok! We've actually seen that before. We get there and no Costa. Costa calls us and says he's waiting for us. We were so confused! There must be another Starbucks. Were at the wrong one! So we get back in and hurriedly follow the directions he gave us. We entered Roseville and found the Starbucks there. He calls us again and we tell him we've arrived! We go in and Costa is not there. What?! I asked the workers if there was another Starbucks close by and they start talking about several around the area. We were like what are we doing? Why are there so many Starbucks? Why have we never noticed all these Starbucks? He mentions a street name that was familiar from Costa's original instructions. We were like that's it! That's the one! So we got back in the car and headed to Starbucks... again. This time we finally made it! 30 minutes late to our Starbucks meeting with Costa. Lol I guess what can you expect when you ask the sister missionaries to find you at one of the biggest coffee chains. Clueless! So we go on to have our lesson with Costa giving him a Book of Mormon and really getting in depth with the history of the Jews because that's what Costa loves. We soon jump to Costa's yell, "FATHER!" We turn around and Costa has already stood up and ran to hug the minister of another church dressed in full on robes and cross necklace. I smiled real big and introduced myself to him. I've decided awkward situations like that give me confidence and energy because inside I'm bursting out laughing at the situation.... and maybe a little on the outside. So we had some drinks (no coffee or tea) with Costa and attempted to have a spiritual discussion in Starbucks with some pretty good music going. It was quite the feat we were tackling. Hahaha But it's ok because we tried our best. :D
Friday we had our last Zone conference with President Marston. It was one of the most testimony strengthening days I've had. Just listening to all the mission presidency bear testimony of the Book of Mormon and of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the leaders we have in the mission and that I came on a mission. I was struggling a bit with a certain fear for myself. And President Marston did the neatest thing. With the keys that he holds, he blessed us as a group. It was one of the most beautiful blessings I've ever heard. I bawled just a little. I couldn't help it. My testimony grew so much. He addressed the very things that I needed. I had been in need of that blessing for quite awhile and I can't believe how it was addressed to my needs. I was later talking to another sister and she felt like it was for her and her needs. It's amazing the power that God has through men who worthily hold and exercise the priesthood. I'm so grateful for this in my life and never want to live without it. I am going to miss President and Sister Marston. I love them so much. Also President gave each of the sisters hugs before we left. It was the greatest thing! :)
Another neat experience form this week was right before dinner one day, we were trying so hard to be diligent. We were getting a little frustrated, some probably due to the heat and dehydration. But we got to this apartment complex and we wanted to get to this certain one. So in our determination, we walked around the complex towards the one we were looking for. To our dismay, there was a gate between us and the apartment we wanted. A gate! Why would there be this random gate splitting this complex into two different sections? That was dumb. We were so frustrated and walking this gate and just loathing it the whole time, hoping it would end. We thought several times of jumping it, but... skirts... and we'd have to jump it again to get back. We were just so set on what we wanted to accomplish before dinner. Then, Sister Cowden looks at our area book and sees well... I guess there is this other family somewhere around here. Not kidding - we literally look up and it is directly in front of us. We felt kind of slapped in the face. Here we are just walking this fence and complaining of the stupidity that there would be a fence there and the whole time the family that we were really supposed to see was right in front of us. No matter how much we want something, sometimes our Heavenly Father says no. But his plan is always a better plan. We were able to see this family and set up an appointment with them. Most of the time we loath that fence holding us back and we walk it hoping that one day it will end. We contemplate jumping it. But in reality that fence is directing us in the path that we should go.
Love you guys more than anything. I sure miss ya.
Love, Sister Crowther
#notinKansasanymore
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