Alaska Robin: HINDSIGHT: Last Leg 8/8

FAMILY and FRIENDS! (Same thing, right?)

Another fantastic week has unfolded in Arvada, Colorado. I wish I could shrink you all and chuck you in my pocket (because all good skirts have pockets) and carry you all with me all the time because then you would all get to see why MY LIFE IS SO FANTASTIC. I love serving a mission. It's the best. Don't look too closely though cause sometimes things get sticky.

...Okay, I give up. I'm trying to keep things light here, but this is the last email that I'll be blasting out as your favorite Sister Bush in the history of forever.

........

I know, right?

*sigh

Now that the elephant's out of the room...

This week really was amazing though. I keep trying to think of ways to top it but honestly things just keep getting sweeter and sweeter.

We taught like madwomen this week which made my soul happy, but I'm gonna break it down into the best of the best, the Week 5 Highlight Reel. Hopefully my fingers can keep up.

-E: Rewind to my first week in Arvada way back in February. We (Sister Anderson and I) were making some calls to set up appointments for the upcoming week. The sisters before had been working with E for a few weeks so it wasn't anything special that we were calling her. Long story short she... didn't want to meet. *dropped* Fastforward to this week, where Sister Netherton and I were digging though the former investigators in our area book, and 4 names stuck out to both of us. We decided that this week we would stop by all 4. One of those people is E. The morning that we had planned to go stop by her house, we had a zone meeting all about family history. So when we got out to working that afternoon, we felt prompted that we should prepare ourselves to teach her about family history. WHAT THE MIRACLE?? Her heart was sooo softened (not that she was mean before or anything) and the Spirit was so strong. She had been thinking about family history for a while. She's due to give birth that week (yesterday, actually) and while thinking of baby names she was trying to understand more of her family names and where they come from. I've always been pretty shy about using family history in my proselyting efforts, but that's not the case anymore. The Spirit of Elijah, SUPER potent.

-D: She came to church this week!! MI.RA.CLE. I'm so excited for her. She's

preparing for baptism on July 16th.... I'm a little (okay REALLY) bummed that it's next transfer but who0o0o0o cares. This woman is blazing a trail! Something I love that D said during one of our lessons this past week was

"I'm tired of people trying to convince me that I'm not supposed to grow in faith"

Not only was that an insanely powerful testimony to me that D has been PREPARED and that the field is ever-so white in Arvada, but it also taught me about the power that aides us when we CHOOSE TO ACT. D was NOT aware of outside influences a week ago. I know that for a fact. She wasn't sure what was God's voice, what was Satan's misguiding hand, and which way she should face. She knows now. SHE CHOSE. And now we get to show her how to use her weapons of righteousness. I love getting to teach D because I know that she is 1 of those who were prepared to be taught NOW. That being the case, my heart always slows down, and my mind is so ready to connect with hers. Because THAT is where we are supposed to be. I'm grateful for this experience because now Sister Netherton has a beautiful example of the unique sense of fulfillment that comes when you're in the right place at the right time as a missionary. When your will and Heavenly Father's will instersect. :D

-C: C is a less-active member that the missionaries have been working with on and off for the past couple of years. He's recovering from a brain aneurysm he had a few years back. About 8 months or so ago, he asked the missionaries if he could have a break from meeting with them and decided to stop coming to church. Well this week 3 things happened:

C's home teacher texted him and C mentioned that he think it might be time for the missionaries to start coming by again.
C texted his old bishop asking for the missionaries phone number, because he didn't have it anymore...
A fantastic member from our ward was so moved by the council we received at Stake Conference this past week that he started to visit members on the ward list that he didn't know. One of those was C. They had a great visit and decided that YES it was indeed time for the missionaries to start working with him again.

If that wasn't a clear enough message from The Boss, I don't know what is. We're working with C now. It was really cool to see once again just how much we all need each other.

-J: J has a special place in my heart. She's so strong, and has probably the strongest natural pull for good that I've ever seen in any individual. She fed us dinner this week <3 and shared with us the latest in her world. I hope we all realize the need that exists RIGHT AROUND US to love. Again, we all need each other. SO badly. Bear one anothers burden. I don't know how to word this so that you can feel how badly I want you to understand this.

Never let a problem to be solved be more important than a person to be loved

Thomas S. Monson

Well. This is it. 7 more days to add to the most beautiful 18 months of my life to date.

Guys. I know now. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored upon the earth today. I know that this gospel was hand tailored for EACH OF US. It is not a thing of the past that cannot be accessed today. I have felt the love of the Savior. I know that God loves me. Infinitely. No one has my permission to take that knowledge from me. I have been changed by the hand of God and taken by the hand of my dear Savior. I have felt remorse, and I have felt the sweet rise of the new morning that is repentance. YOU CAN CHANGE. Not only can you change, but you do. I have hope for myself now. And high expectations. I know who I am, and understand where I came from. I have fought and I have fallen and I have risen again. I was taught how to fly when my heart was drained. I have made my stance and declared which way I face to all of Denver. I gave up a couple of times, I'll be honest. But I was NEVER left alone. There was one who NEVER gave up on me. He is Jesus Christ. He is my Savior. And it is Him that I will follow home. He is my dearest friend, and I will never be the same. I know Him now. I am on His side, and here I will remain.

3 Nephi 5:1313 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they might have everlasting life.

My dear family. Your support and your prayers have helped me to access the Atonement. That is THE most precious gift any of you could ever have given me. I love you. ALL of you.

Thank you to those whose wards I've served in, who have loved me, fed me, housed me, hugged me, taught me, you ministered to me in such a beautiful way that I will forever remember.

MATT 25:37-40

37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of theleast of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

Thank you to my wonderful companions, you've seen it all, and you've seen me through everything. Your patience and love will echo in my mind for the rest of my life. All the sweat, tears, frustration, laughter. That's what I'm taking with me.

PROV 3:15

15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the thingsthou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.

And all the missionaries I've been blessed to serve beside. I LOVE YOU ALL. The missionaries of the Colorado Denver North Mission have carved a huge niche in my heart that will always remind me of a not-so-traditional family unit. My brothers. My sisters. My family. You all have been my home for these past 18 months.

D&C 88:133

133 Art thou a brother or brethren? I salute you in thename of the Lord Jesus Christ, in token or remembrance ofthe everlasting covenant, in which covenant I receive youto ^afellowship, in a determination that is fixed, immovable,and unchangeable, to be your ^bfriend and ^cbrother throughthe grace of God in the bonds of love, to walk in all thecommandments of God blameless, in thanksgiving,forever and ever. Amen.