HINDSIGHT; Last Leg 5/8

Boy oh boy oh boy. 

I've learned so much this week. 

Think Ether 12:27.

27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

​​Ohhhhh how I was shown. Them weaknesses. Mm. But! Here's the thing. I was ministered to. He does not leave us comfortless. Time and time again over the past week I was shown a weakness, and sent a solution. Shown a weakness, and sent a solution.
This pattern repeated itself over and over and over again to the point where tears pricked my eyes one afternoon as we prepared ourselves to go to someone's door. 

​It was... Wednesday. 7pm. We had blown through all of our plans, AND all of the backups we had planned if the original plans didn't work out. Discouragement loooooomed over my frizzy head (it was raining). I felt LOST. Where do we go? WHERE DO WE GO? I let myself get flustered. I hate feeling that way, so I said to myself "SELF: no more." I turned to my marvelous companion and said "Sister Netherton, can we make a pact?" Halfway through my saying "pact," she interrupted with a solid "--YES." I didn't have to say much more. 

We only have to stay frustrated as long as we want to. 

Sister Netherton and I decided that Wednesday night was a call for more organization. Further consecration, deeper dedication, and an altogether different approach of showing our love for the people we serve. Better planning ;).

I could go off on a whole sermon of effective planning RIGHT now, but I'll spare you all (but email me if you seriously want my 2 cents hahah).

I still don't feel the mental release that I feel when I know I've conveyed what I've actually learned this week... So I'm gonna keep going for a little bit, because I really did learn something special this week, and I really hope I can share it in a way that someone else can learn from it as well. What I learned this week has changed something inside of me, in an Alma 5 kind of way.

I've been hunting and yearning for the last couple of weeks for any unfinished business or incomplete assignments out here. Kind of in a crazed, unorganized, manner. Desperate. That's a good word for it.

**Enter President Mendenhall, stage right**

We went to a meeting. 

(That's how this is starting, so you KNOW it's gonna be good.) 

I love meetings. In said meeting, President shared with us a daily checklist 

(I LOVE LISTS, just ask mommy. This is how I know that this counsel was Sister-Bush-tailored)

Daily to-do:

• count your blessings (name them)
• practice kindness (how many times today)
• let go (of the things you can't control)
• listen to your heart
• be productive (yet calm)
• BREATHE

This list couldn't be more personal.

Now supplement this with a wonderful lesson on repentance in gospel principles class on Sunday. I want to share a quote from the manual from President Kimball:

There is no royal road to repentance, no privileged pathto forgiveness. Every man must follow the same coursewhether he be rich or poor, educated or untrained, tallor short, prince or pauper, king or commoner. 

Someone in the class followed that up by commenting that the fact that life is unfair is what makes the playing field even at the end of the day. And I add that that is why the gospel is so beautiful.  

Repent and DO. That's what I'm taking away with me this week. It's ok. Everything's ok. Anyways. This week follows the guns and glory (that's how the saying goes, right?) of last weeks email, a little different. A lot of personal conversion last week. A renewed commitment to my calling, and an increseased reverence for Him whose name I bear as a missionary. I'm so grateful for the things that I've been taught this week and the loving manner I was taught in. I know that I am loved. I know that though the love I feel is the most personal thing I will feel, it is not uniquely mine. I am called to proclaim that love. I am grateful for that part that I play in that. 

AHHHHHH MY LIFE IS WONDERFULLLLLLL

So much has happened since I last wrote. Within myself, and around our stompin grounds. 

This week....

• a new ward mission leader was called this sunday
• we received 2 media referrals (online) 
• new families are moving in left and right into and through (lol) the ward 
• people stop us all the time to ask who we are and what we're about. More than I've ever noticed before.
• we've found people that the missionaries used to teach but their records got lost when the ward condensed from 2 sets of elders to 1 set of sisters.
• the sun has FINALLY returned! Good thing, because my rain jacket needs a break #wetpuppy =/ ...just kidding, btw
• my companion is FANTASTIC and will be giving her first training at district meeting tomorrow! My companion's a rockstarrrrrr (you have to say that in the appropriate sing-song voice)
• our zone set a goal this morning to find 27 new investigators between today and Saturday. I'm. SO. Excited. I feel really strongly about this number and do not doubt that there are 27 souls to be found. I wish you were all in the room to feel the Spirit confirming the Lords soldiers in Arvada that there are 27 people we said we would find before we came here living within arms reach. THIS WEEK. Oh dang. 

Sister Netherton's first temple trip! I seriously feel like her mom, documenting all of her firsts hahahah

When the sun came out we LITERALLY ran at the chance to contact some people and get that vitamin D that we've been missing out on haha. LOOK AT THIS FACE. STOKED.

​

I love you all. SO much. Ta-ta!

xo, Sister Bush

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current residency:

1001 Miracle Lane 

Arvada CO 80005