сестра Тенни: I have the truth

My dearest Family and Friends,
I decided that I need to be both more informative and expressive in my
emails. So here it goes for all of you.
This week was jam-packed, yet once again what we accomplished doesn't
seem to show all the hard we have been doing. We haven't been super
successful lately, which just about kills me, BUT I know miracles are
right around the corner if we continue to keep working as we have
been. So for some reason, this last Sunday (a week ago), as we were
preparing to start a new week of goals and accomplishments, I felt
very ambitious and ready to go tear it up, so in our companionship
prayer, to end the night and kinda start that next week, I prayed that
we would work so hard each day that week, so that we would come home
and be exhausted. A word of advice: NEVER DO THAT!!! I dont think I
have ever had a more exhausting week than this one haha.
So one interesting thing that happneed this week, as we were heading
home from a meeting and talking with people as we did so, this woman
we contacted got pretty angry at us and started saying things like "I
think its not right, annoying and rude for you to be out on the
streets preaching what you think is right. We all believe in God! And
we all have our own faith and way to God, so go back where you came
from.... and anyways, if that church really is "the truth" why would
you even need to be out preaching about it???? wouldn't people be
running to it themsleves????". So, before my mission, and maybe even
the first few months of my mission I would have had no idea what to
say, and just shyly testified, but NOW. Oh gosh, these days its
almost bad, but arguments such a these do not scare me one bit. These
people do not realize that I HAVE THE TRUTH!!! And NOTHING, not one
thing, can shy me away, make me back down, or feel ashamed. I looked
at the lady, and somehow was inspried to respond " You believe in the
Bible right? Well CHRIST himself spent his whole life, GAVE his whole
life actually to preaching the fullness of truth. If Christ himself
had to do so, how much greater of a need do we need to do so now???"
The woman kind of mumbled a few things, we testified and turned away.
I really trully felt so inspried, I have no idea where that answer
came from. But something I do need to be careful about these days, is
arguing. I was never one who argued before the mission, and now Im
like "bring it on!". But I need to remember the spirit of contention
helps with nothing, really testifying and walking away is what you
should do, even though it can be so hard to do so...
A reason I LOVE my companion right now, is that each week we are able
to identify what we need to do to be better, we work SO hard that next
week to improve, and by the end of that next week, its become a
STRENGTH of ours! Its incredible to see the rapid growth and
improvement in all aspects of missionary work. Oh how I love her!!!
Its just such an exciting time with her... regardless of our
success...
OLYMPICS MOMENT: thank you for all the updates everyone!! We had a
hilarious incident the other day when we walked into a flower shop and
found a TV playing the olympics! We freaked out and become good
friends with the ladies working in the store. They complimented our
woman's gymnastics team (WOOHOO!) and they couldn't stop talking about
how much they love Phelps. It was cool to be able to be having a
friendly conversation with Russians about the olympics. I may in
future years cheer on my russian friends :)
I finallly had another "missionay moment" in the fact that I
completely WORE out and BROKE my shoes one day. They completely fell
apart and I had to walk home barefoot (hahahah I felt like such a
rebel).
So this weekend President Clark and his wife flew out to K-grad. It
was actually kinda intense. You see k-grad is so seperate from the
mission the members feel really isolated. Because of this the
leadership here in the ward isn't the best and Pres Clark often had to
do some clean up whenever he flys out. Yesterday in church, we had
such a sweet testimony meeting, and I was so proud of my k-grad members,
until, the very last testimony, a lady got up and started yelling
about how the leadership has completely ignored her and her daughter
and how she never wants to come back to church. I wanted to crawl into
a hole! The worst part is, that Pres Clark immediatly took her into an
interview, and I had to be the translater!!! UGH! SO hard and intence.
But President Clark, in his awesomeness and love-ingness worked it all
out and everything is going to be ok. But really translating for such
things is not easy. I also had to translate this week as Sister Harps,
a senior couple missionary spoke at a baptism. Translating from
Russian to english is one thing (which I have to do each sunday and
district meeting), but taking english and forming it into RUSSIAN,
thats tough. But I'm learning and the Lord is definetly helping!
BUT while President Clark was here we had interviews..... and somehow
I am now the mission's first corrdinating sister???? WHAT??
Coordinating sisters are sisters who iron their clothes and know how
to be reverent and that "perfect sister missionary". (if you are
wondering I do NOT fall into that catagory!). BUT considering that I
am the oldest sister in the missionary I think Pres Clark had no
choice but to call me haha. Im actually secretly stoked. I asked pres
clark what I will be doing. He himslef doesn't really know... I;m just
going ot be training the other 11 sisters and working alot more with
the leadership of the mission. AWESOME!
SO yea, thats my week. I love you all and hope all is well!!!! Being a
missionary is such a privilage and i love it! make sure your opening
you mouth, sharing and testifying at home. The Lord will bless you. I
promise.
Love, Сестра Тенни
Ps- I GOT MAIL THIS WEEK! THANKS ALL!
pps- the photos
me stoked about my package!! We ate the reeces right away :)