The Great Divide

email 23 June 2015

Golly gee. This week has been sooo much fun! But first the announcement on transfers is (drumroll)............WE ARE BOTH STAYING!!!!! I'm soooo excited! Finally I have a companion other than Sister Hadden for longer than a transfer!!! Also I adore Sister Magsayo. She cracks me up daily. Sister Betzold is training for her last 2 transfers. She's super excited and I know she'll do great!

Okay. Fun facts about West Warren. They have a day devoted to mosquitos. MOSQUITOS. It's a huge deal, too! They have a "Mosquito Queen" and they have a 5K and a rodeo and a parade and games. We went to the dinner and we were honored to take a picture with the queen! But the Saturday part was soooo much fun! We ran a 5K (my first one ever) in 40 minutes! It was super tiring and we took a break to feed some goats. But it was worth it! There was a breakfast after. We went home to go change and as we were driving back we accidentally got put in the parade. Someone motioned for me to drive in front of them. Little did I know that I was in the parade line!!! So we just drove around waving and I heard someone say, "It's not a parade without the missionaries!" Hahahaha. Only in Utah!!! Then we were helping with face painting. It was really interesting haha all these little kids came up and said, "I want a red, pink, and turquoise dolphin with sparkles." huh??? I'm just a missionary! But Heavenly Father guided my hands because I was able to paint everything I was asked to do! Haha. Tender mercy!

 



















Another funny moment. We were in church on Sunday and this little girl came up to us and pointing at herself said, "I have vanilla ice cream skin," and pointing at Sister Magsayo, "You have chocolate ice cream skin," and pointing at me, "You're cookies and cream." I was really confused. Because I'm unmistakably white. Hahaha. But then she pointed at all my cookies (freckles). I love the minds of little children. Haha.

This past week we had 3 testimony meetings for the mission to go to as the mission is getting ready to split next week. (One meeting for the northern half, then one for the southern half, then one for all of the departing missionaries.) The whole mission presidency shared their testimonies and it was so amazing. It
was really emotional. But I love them all so much and I feel so blessed to know them. Sister Betzold, Sister Smith, and I were able to sing a trio of "Savior, Redeemer Of My Soul" for these three meetings. [video link here - Ed] I'm obsessed with this song and it bring the spirit so strongly. We did good on the first two performances! But on Sunday was the real departure for the Hiers. We all lost it. We were all crying and could hardly sing. But I felt the spirit stronger in that performance than any other time before that. As we sang, "Never can I repay thee, Lord," that's when I started crying. I was singing up there with my two best friends. For the most Christlike people I've ever met. In the happiest moment of my life. I can never repay my Heavenly Father for the amazing moments I've had on my mission.

We received a book called, "A Heart Like His". It's a book about these women's experience with trying to have a heart more like Jesus Christ. They conducted an experiment where they are always thinking of the condition of their heart. Whether it's warm, open, and forward. Or if it's cold, shriveled, and hidden away. And as they do that, try to take opportunities to open up our hearts. It's not supposed to take any more time than needed. So no deliveries of gifts. No extra visits to people. But opportunities that come up in your regular day. We were challenged to try it as well.

I had a really special experience with this on Sunday. After the departing testimony meeting, everyone was mingling. And I saw a sister that I knew who was still in the mission...but I was exhausted, I just went to sit behind the piano. But then I had a thought pop into my mind saying, "Where is your heart?" I knew where it was. It was cold and shriveled and hidden away. I felt guilty. But I knew that was an opportunity to open my heart. So I got up and went to go talk to this sister. It turns out she actually had to go home a couple of weeks earlier for anxiety and I had no idea. She was having a really hard time being home. It was a really humbling experience. Because it's so much easier to be selfish and to keep to myself. But I know she needed to talk to someone about the struggles she was having. And I'm grateful Heavenly Father gave me the opportunity to practice opening up my heart just a little bit wider. It's hard to notice and take these opportunities! But I know it blesses our lives and the lives around us as we take them. As we take a little step to become more like our Savior.

Lastly, HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!! There's a quote that says, "It should have great meaning that of all the titles of respect and honor and admiration that could be given him, God himself, he who is the highest of all, chose to be addressed simply as Father." That alone tells us how sacred of a calling being a father is. I'm grateful for my earthly father and my Heavenly Father. And I'm grateful for all that they both provide for me. Happy Father's Day!

Love,
Sister Sarlls

 

   

We had a contest for the Best Companionship Unity video and we won with this one!!!!!!

Our other video also won an award.