Dear Family and Friends,
Here starts the wonderful new year - I get a good full year of missionary work! 2016 is my year, and I am so excited for it!
I am also SO excited to be done the holidays, which is weird, but it will be so nice to have a regular routine again. Missionary work has been HARD during the holidays because everyone says "come back after the new year" and so it has been really hard to teach lessons. But now we will have a routine again and will be able to see everyone hopefully!
Clara told me the spirit was amazing at the temple...ah. I miss the temple a lot. That is one of the hardest things about not having the temple in the mission boundaries. I miss going. BUT I will just have to make up for it when I get home, so its ok.
Our investigators are doing ok, we will hopefully be able to see them all this week if Sister Gaffney is feeling up to it. I am hoping the new year is good for finding people as well. We shall see :)
I am glad that you were able to use part of my letter in your lesson, I think I needed to write it more than anything, so thank you! I love you lots :)
My weekly email :)
Monday - we had PDay in town again, came home and we were both really not feeling well....I was really frustrated, cause my whole mission I've just been ill it felt like. So we rested and finished weekly planning..
Tuesday - we were both VERY ill. We slept/studied all day, and I was still frustrated but started studying about Job, and just felt very comforted to know that even though I wasn't well, I still was not yet as job. Which made me feel a bit better, and also a bit humbled
because I had been so upset at being ill again.
Wednesday - I was feeling WAY better, and Sister Gaffney was a bit better, so we were able to travel to Pontypridd for district meeting (we usually have it in Rhiwbina but the Ponty elders had a set appointment after so we travelled to them) and we had a wonderful district meeting. As we were travelling back sister Gaffney started feeling unwell again, but we stopped by a couple people (as she got worse...) and then came home.
Thursday - Sister Gaffney was still quite ill so she rested, I studied, cleaned, made brownies for the elders...took down all the Christmas decorations, cleaned some more, studied, called people, and just tried to keep as busy as I could in the flat.
Friday - Sister Gaffney was feeling much much better so we went to Taffs Well! We haven't been there for AGES, and we were going to train there but the trains weren't running as it was New Year's Day, so we just walked through the forest all the way there! It was an adventure for sure, and then we were finally able to stop by all these people that we had wanted to see, and ending up meeting two people who wanted us to come back, and one who wanted to come to church on Sunday! It was a miracle day for sure. Sister Gaffney started feeling unwell again after the long day of walking and teaching, so that night as we
went to weekly basketball she didn't play, poor thing...and I had to play...with ALL MEN. It was terrifying. They were all like 6 feet tall and...yeah. Basketball is not my favourite sport. I played though! And I am proud of that.
Saturday - Sister Gaffney still wasn't well, but we went to see Rosemary and Lisa, and then came home and had lunch, and then as we were out going to see people and just talking with people, Sister Gaffney got WAY worse and we came home, and called sister Leppard (who helps us when we are ill) and she said she'd set up a doctors appointment this coming week for her. Poor thing...she is so ill.
Sunday - we had church, which was AMAZING, and then came home and let Sister Gaffney rest, and then went to Bishop's and she got a blessing, and then came home and rested again.
Sister Leppard thinks she may have Labrynthitis (what I had when I was ill for so long and had vertigo and stuff) so that will make the next few weeks interesting if it is what she has. We are praying that it isn't, and that she will get better soon though.
Spiritual thought and challenge :)
So with this week being a week full of illness for Sister Gaffney, and being stuck in the flat. I had LOTS of time to think and study. I am reading in the Old Testament, and studying all about Job at the moment. I have been reading with the institute (which is basically just a scripture study Class for those who don't know) study manual, and I loved this part that is talking about job 27, specifically verses 2-6.
"2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty,
who hath vexed my soul;
3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove
mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall
not reproach me so long as I live."
"Job’s statements about himself indicate an important reason why he continued to trust the Lord. He knew that the course of life he was pursuing was pleasing to the Lord. He also knew that he had maintained this course under considerable stress, which he also regarded as being a test from the Lord. Thus, Job, as a God-fearing man, maintained his integrity not only to God, but also to himself, knowing that the two of them were in complete harmony. At the same time, his continuing trust in the Lord under such intense stress says volumes about the quality of the knowledge he had about the nature and character of the Lord whom he served"
Later on it talks about that the better we get to know God and to build our relationship with him, the more we will trust him. The more we understand that God loves us, and cares for us ALWAYS, no matter what, the more we will want to turn our lives over to him. I loved
this, especially during this week when I was so frustrated that I was ill, and then that everyone around me was getting ill, and that I wasn't able to work as I wanted to....this thought as I studied made me think about how well I know my Saviour and how well I know God. Was I really trusting in Him and his timing, or was I just thinking that if things went MY way, it would be best? I decided this week that I needed to learn more and strengthen my relationship with God, so that even when things are HARD and don't seem to by going my way, I can know that God has a bigger and better plan for me. His plan is ALWAYS the best one, because he wants us to be happy. He wants us to have a good life, we just sometimes need to go through trials to get there.
My challenge is....to read or listen to the story of job. You don't have to read ALL 42 chapters (unless you have loads of time to study)but just read it and think about it. I absolutely loved reading it this week, and I just know that it strengthened my faith, and my
desire to come to know God better.
I love you all, and am so grateful for the love and support that I have gotten and continue to get while serving a mission! Thank you, thank you, thank you :) I will be 6 months out soon
which is crazy, but the time has flown and having been supported and loved by so many has really helped me! So thank you:)
Monday - we had PDay in town again, came home and we were both really not feeling well....I was really frustrated, cause my whole mission I've just been ill it felt like. So we rested and finished weekly planning..
Tuesday - we were both VERY ill. We slept/studied all day, and I was still frustrated but started studying about Job, and just felt very comforted to know that even though I wasn't well, I still was not yet as job. Which made me feel a bit better, and also a bit humbled
because I had been so upset at being ill again.
Wednesday - I was feeling WAY better, and Sister Gaffney was a bit better, so we were able to travel to Pontypridd for district meeting (we usually have it in Rhiwbina but the Ponty elders had a set appointment after so we travelled to them) and we had a wonderful district meeting. As we were travelling back sister Gaffney started feeling unwell again, but we stopped by a couple people (as she got worse...) and then came home.
Thursday - Sister Gaffney was still quite ill so she rested, I studied, cleaned, made brownies for the elders...took down all the Christmas decorations, cleaned some more, studied, called people, and just tried to keep as busy as I could in the flat.
Friday - Sister Gaffney was feeling much much better so we went to Taffs Well! We haven't been there for AGES, and we were going to train there but the trains weren't running as it was New Year's Day, so we just walked through the forest all the way there! It was an adventure for sure, and then we were finally able to stop by all these people that we had wanted to see, and ending up meeting two people who wanted us to come back, and one who wanted to come to church on Sunday! It was a miracle day for sure. Sister Gaffney started feeling unwell again after the long day of walking and teaching, so that night as we
went to weekly basketball she didn't play, poor thing...and I had to play...with ALL MEN. It was terrifying. They were all like 6 feet tall and...yeah. Basketball is not my favourite sport. I played though! And I am proud of that.
Saturday - Sister Gaffney still wasn't well, but we went to see Rosemary and Lisa, and then came home and had lunch, and then as we were out going to see people and just talking with people, Sister Gaffney got WAY worse and we came home, and called sister Leppard (who helps us when we are ill) and she said she'd set up a doctors appointment this coming week for her. Poor thing...she is so ill.
Sunday - we had church, which was AMAZING, and then came home and let Sister Gaffney rest, and then went to Bishop's and she got a blessing, and then came home and rested again.
Sister Leppard thinks she may have Labrynthitis (what I had when I was ill for so long and had vertigo and stuff) so that will make the next few weeks interesting if it is what she has. We are praying that it isn't, and that she will get better soon though.
Spiritual thought and challenge :)
So with this week being a week full of illness for Sister Gaffney, and being stuck in the flat. I had LOTS of time to think and study. I am reading in the Old Testament, and studying all about Job at the moment. I have been reading with the institute (which is basically just a scripture study Class for those who don't know) study manual, and I loved this part that is talking about job 27, specifically verses 2-6.
"2 As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty,
who hath vexed my soul;
3 All the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils;
4 My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should justify you: till I die I will not remove
mine integrity from me.
6 My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart shall
not reproach me so long as I live."
"Job’s statements about himself indicate an important reason why he continued to trust the Lord. He knew that the course of life he was pursuing was pleasing to the Lord. He also knew that he had maintained this course under considerable stress, which he also regarded as being a test from the Lord. Thus, Job, as a God-fearing man, maintained his integrity not only to God, but also to himself, knowing that the two of them were in complete harmony. At the same time, his continuing trust in the Lord under such intense stress says volumes about the quality of the knowledge he had about the nature and character of the Lord whom he served"
Later on it talks about that the better we get to know God and to build our relationship with him, the more we will trust him. The more we understand that God loves us, and cares for us ALWAYS, no matter what, the more we will want to turn our lives over to him. I loved
this, especially during this week when I was so frustrated that I was ill, and then that everyone around me was getting ill, and that I wasn't able to work as I wanted to....this thought as I studied made me think about how well I know my Saviour and how well I know God. Was I really trusting in Him and his timing, or was I just thinking that if things went MY way, it would be best? I decided this week that I needed to learn more and strengthen my relationship with God, so that even when things are HARD and don't seem to by going my way, I can know that God has a bigger and better plan for me. His plan is ALWAYS the best one, because he wants us to be happy. He wants us to have a good life, we just sometimes need to go through trials to get there.
My challenge is....to read or listen to the story of job. You don't have to read ALL 42 chapters (unless you have loads of time to study)but just read it and think about it. I absolutely loved reading it this week, and I just know that it strengthened my faith, and my
desire to come to know God better.
I love you all, and am so grateful for the love and support that I have gotten and continue to get while serving a mission! Thank you, thank you, thank you :) I will be 6 months out soon
Wow. I feel so blessed. People have donated to my mission fund? thank you thank you to whoever it is. That is such a blessing.
Also, a fun fact I forgot to mention - I finished Jesus the Christ a couple weeks ago! WOW. I feel like I have grown so much closer to my Saviour over the last few months. That is an amazing book. Absolutely amazing.
Love,
sister Emma Beazer
send real mail to:
Sister Emma Beazer
44E Heol Llanishen Fach
Cardiff, Wales
CF14 6LE
United Kingdom
or the Mission Home Address:
Sister Emma Beazer
England Birmingham Mission
187 Penns Lane
Sutton Coldfield
West Midlands
United Kingdom
B76 1JU
No comments:
Post a Comment