This week, I learned a thing or two about unity- something
VERY important in the mission field! I have seen a number of good examples,
being fortunate enough to be a living example with my ROCKIN COMP, I have seen
some dismal displays of communication, and have had the blessing of witnessing
a change, of seeing someone give true effort to have more unity in their
family. I love the mission. Who says you need to baptize to be successful and
learn during your time in the field? NOT THIS CHICA.
Lesson Number One: This Tuesday, my comp came down with
something awful, headaches and stomachaches and being dizzy and falling down
while trying to walk from the bed to the bathroom...needless to say, she was
chained to her bed for the day. Real unity is when your comp is sick and you
don't need to ask what you can do to help- you already know that she wants lemon
mate and her manual for Principles of the Gospel to read in bed. We have some
rad unity.
Lesson Number Two: Fernanda is a recent convert that we
visit 1-2 times a week. She is totally golden in the gospel, is one of the
strongest converts I know, but struggles with her two young daughters- patience
is a virtue that we are not all blessed with, and it is not one of Fernanda's
God-given talents. She was having a particularly difficult time this week, and
was in need of advice on how she could talk to her daughter.
I thought of the story that my mom (best mom everrrrr) always
tells when on the subject of communicating with Mitchell and I- how with me
when I was a kidlett, we cuddled on the couch and watched Oprah and during the
commercials, I would tell her about my day. And if I had something I needed to
talk about, I would crawl into bed with her and tell her exactly what I was
feeling, and she would tell me what I needed to hear. But with Mitchell, it was
different. She had to lay on the floor in the dark so he didn't have to look at
her in order to talk to him about the tough stuff of life.
I told Fernanda about my mom, how she adapted her form of listening to how her children felt most comfortable communicating. She looked at me like I was crazy, but I challenged her to try it, just to see if it would work. To lay on the floor in the dark and talk to her daughter.
IT TOTALLY WORKED!
In our next appointment, she was excited to report that they
had a wonderful conversation, resolved some problems, and are now closer. Way
to go Kim Harkins, your example carries on to Chile.
Woot!
Lesson Number Three: Just picture this for a sec- Hermana
Velazquez and I finding a big path of dead leaves and getting really excited
and linking arms and stomping through the pile because we are both weird about
loving the sound of crunching leaves. We have changes this next week, and it is
almost certain that I am leaving. I have loved my time with Hermana Velazquez.
She has shown me how wonderful it can be to be a part of this work with someone
that you truly love. Not just that you love because they are your comp and that
is what you are supposed to do, but because you have had experiences together
that make you best friends. It is beautiful and I will miss her!
Lesson Number Four: Our AWESOME ward! The unity that we as
missionaries have developed with the Lo Errazuriz ward is so wonderful. We had
a ward family home evening this Friday night, put on by us missionaries, and we
had so much help from the ward, and not only in pulling together the activity.
The 6 of us missionaries all had lots of investigators at this FHE, and we
didn't have to worry about any of them being alone, because they all have
friends in the ward. They all have AT LEAST one person that they know, that
they can sit with, that we can trustfully leave them with and know that they
are being taken care of. I love how this ward participates with the mission
work. It basically rocks.
Lesson Number Five: "Hermana Harkins, you are my
missionary favorite." :) ok, so it's not an example of unity, but one of
the youth in our ward said this to me in English, it was a sweet moment.
I want you all to know that I love being a missionary. I
love being a part of this work and having people stare at me and my blond hair
and my name tag and knowing that just by being here, I am an example. I love
teaching people and helping lay foundations of the gospel. I love the lessons
that I am learning, especially being happy in trials. I love knowing that,
while my mission is not going perfectly with 2 dozen baptisms, that I can keep
genuinely smiling and be happy with laying foundations. I love this Gospel. I
know its true.
Be Bold, Stay Rad, Do What You
Do :) Also, go to The Tortilla Bar in Provo before in closes, have a delicious
empanada and think of Hermana Harkins :)
-Hermana Harkins
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