This week has been wonderful (with an emphasis on the FULL)! There's a lot to say and a lot I want to share so it might seem scattered.
1) We got to host new missionaries this week (meaning we got to go meet them at the curb and take them to check in, to their room, to get their books, and to their first class). It was so exciting and I loved seeing all the new missionaries come in, so excited and nervous. It's hard to believe it was really a month ago (today) that I was in their position. The coolest part was that the first sister I got to host was Sister (Amanda) Coffelt!! One of the other sisters in my district was going to, but when they opened the car door and we saw each other we were both super excited. I completely forgot she was reporting this week! (It's a little hard to keep track of time, here). So that was great!
2) I got my travel plans yesterday. It didn't hit me as hard as I was expecting, but it's weird to think we are leaving in a week and two days. I leave the MTC at 4:30 on July 1 and we fly to LA, then Hong Kong (for which our plane leaves at 1:15 AM...that'll be an exciting trip!). We aren't sure exactly how long the flights are, because we don't know the time differences, but I leave on July 1 and arrive on July 3 (because the Philippines are 14 hours ahead of Utah) so it's probably about 30 or so hours or travel.
3) On one of our first weeks here, our teacher told us about his family and mentioned that his mom makes the best cookies. Our current district leader, Elder Hart, decided it would be fun to write her a letter and ask if she would send us some. So he wrote a highly amusing letter, and we all wrote our own notes to her along with it, mostly about how much we love her son, and he sent it. She was on Trek last week, so she couldn't get the cookies to us, but we received a package yesterday, with the promised "manna in the desert of cafeteria food" (according to Elder Hart's letter).
4) As you probably know, the worldwide leadership broadcast thing is tomorrow. Our whole district is in the choir, so keep an eye out if you get to watch. You may see me. :) Anyway, it's crazy though because campus is nuts right now. We're having all our meals in the gym because the main building is being used for training the new mission presidents. There are actually some apostles on the floor right above me right now (I'm typing this on a computer in the laundry room). It's pretty exciting. Some of them will be around next week too, so I might get to meet one...no promises though. We do get to meet our mission president tonight though! He's here being trained, so we are missing most of our evening class to go meet with him and his wife. :)
5) What I really want to share is the message I've learned this week about trusting in the Lord. There are so many things I want to say, and not enough time, so this is all I will share:
From Elder Holland's devotional "Remember Lot's Wife" (published in the Jan 2010 Ensign as "The Best is Yet To Be"): "A more theological way to talk about Lot's wife is to say that she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord's ability to give her something better than she already had." That always strikes me, because I feel like I do that a lot. I'm wary of change, or the future, because I love where my life is already. I need to trust the Lord that He will continue to bless me and that everything He has in store for me is exactly what I need. I need to remember 1 Corinthians 2:9 (what I always claim as my favorite scripture when asked)---we can't even comprehend all that the Lord has planned for us!
Something that Brother Mansfield shared with us earlier this week. We were talking about humility and how there are two parts: 1) knowing that we are nothing, and can do nothing, without Christ; and 2) knowing that WITH Christ, we can do ANYTHING. One thing he said that really struck me, is how we are Christ's servants, and putting limits on ourselves (lacking faith in ourselves) is putting limits on God, and His ability to perform miracles. We need to have faith in ourselves if we truly have faith in the Lord.
I know that Christ lives. I know that this Gospel is true. I know that there is true power in the Atonement that can help us overcome ANYTHING. It is the answer to everything, and the only way to find true joy in our lives. I've seen it in my own life, and in the lives of our investigators (and I'm not even in the field yet)!
I hope you all remember that the Lord loves you more than you know, and that He is always there for you and WANTS to help you (remember Moses 1:39---WE are the center of His life).
I love you so much! Mahal ko kayo!
Love always,
Sister Emma Franks
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