Be Thou Humble

email 01 July 2015

So so sorry that this email is late like all my recent ones have been! I feel like they get just a little bit later every time. And finally it's on a different day. Haha

So AGAIN we were part of a parade. Hahaha. Utah is so funny about their small community parades and how they want the missionaries to be in all of them. This week we also found out that our landlady has 2 boxes of puppets! And for anyone who knows me well, they know that puppets are my weakness. They make me DIE laughing. I was laughing so hard that my abs STILL hurt. It ended up being a friendly reminder from Heavenly Father that I need to be better at working out in the mornings. 

Wow this week has been a little crazy! It's been interesting going through the mission split. I've lost a few mission buddies to the Logan mission. But it's weird because my best friends in the mission are all dying soon. Sister Magsayo goes home at the end of this transfer. And Sister Smith and Sister Betzold both go home at the end of next transfer. Then I'll be a lone wolf. But the leadership all had a dinner tonight with the Jaggi's and their family! (Pronounced yaggy). They are AWESOME!!! They're young and spunky and have an awesome family of 4 kids. Their oldest is 17. Once we got there it started to settle in that the Hiers were gone. But as they shared their testimonies with us, I had the spirit touch my heart and tell me that they are MY mission parents. Just as the Hiers were for my first 10 months. It's amazing how Heavenly Father doesn't call the qualified. But He qualifies the called. I know this transition is different for EVERYONE. But we're all working together for the same cause. To bring souls unto Jesus Christ. And it's so cool to see how all of us are just regular people. But because we are called to do this sacred work, we are all transformed into someone who is qualified. 

This week was rough but humbling. (That's how it works most of the time). We have received a lot of rejection lately. And we had a training from our district leaders about how we decide before we go somewhere whether they are going to be receptive or not. Well we were out knocking doors and we had just driven to this house. We said a prayer and were walking up to the door and I realized that I had no hope and that I had already decided that they didn't want to hear from us. And I felt soooo bad! I'm so dumb!!! So right then and there I said a prayer in my heart and repented. I told Heavenly Father how sorry I was for not having hope. I told him that I KNOW these people would be receptive. And as we opened the door, this lady let us right in. We had an amazing lesson with her and are going back next week for another one! OH MY GOSH!!! It was so amazing! When we left I told Sister Magsayo what happened. And she told me that she did the same exact thing! It was a really humbling experience to see how just changing our mindset will bring to pass miracles. We definitely gave some prayers of thanks after that experience. 

A cool insight that I had this week is about ourselves and who we are. As missionaries a lot of people ask us to tell them about ourselves. And I always say, "I sing and play the ukulele." But I realized that those are things I like to do. They're a huge part of my life. But that's not ME. That's my hobby. If I put who I am completely on singing, my whole identity could be taken away in an instant. Maybe one day I won't have a voice. Or maybe it won't be as good as it once was. When I take away my singing, will I still know who I am? What defines me? So I've been trying to think this week about some things that define me personally and not just what I like to do. As I've been doing this, I've found a sense of self worth. I've been able to see what Heavenly Father sees in me. Not that he doesn't appreciate my singing. But there's more than that. We all have so many spiritual gifts and talents that are easily missed because they can't be displayed on a stage. I want to invite all of you to ask Heavenly Father in your prayers to help you notice your spiritual gifts and talents. 

Boy, do I love missionary work and cherish every second I'm here. I love you all! 
Love, 
Sister Sarlls