Then Sings My Soul: Full of Surprises

Written 1/25/15

Bonjour.

Before I forget.. Happy Birthday to Heather this week :)

I feel like every week for the past while there has been some sort of dramatic news to relate in my email, and today is no different. Yesterday at church we got a call (during sacrament... great job, sister missionaries, you have a phone ringing during the last speaker...) that Sister Turtal is transferring, and I will be training. Right now I'm with Sister Rey, a temporary companion who is in the next area over and will also be training. We get to work together until Thursday when we go to Bacolod and pick up our newbies. The twist is that Sister Rey and I are the STL's in the zone, even though we aren't companions. So. That makes life interesting.

I'm still in a bit of shock, but the mission desensitizes you a little bit to shocks and change. They happen way too often. So, overall, we're doing okay. I'm stoked to be with Sister Rey for these next couple days, we were batch coming into the mission. This week the work was really great, too. When we came to teach M. G. last week, I was struck by the physical difference in her countenance. I was even more surprised when she told us she wants to come out and work with us, so she can prepare to serve a mission. She gets to go to the temple this week in Cebu to do baptisms for the dead for her ancestors, too. The cherry on top was when she told us her little 16 year old sister, E., finally wants to be taught by us! We've been trying to teach her for a few weeks, but she hasn't been too interested. When we met with E. this week she told us she wants to be taught because she wants to know what caused the changes she's seen in her sister. I love the reality of the gospel.

B.'s baptism was so good. She's been waiting for this for so long, and she already has so many friends in the church that were good to support her at her baptism. I've felt this week the truth of the statement from the first presidency in Preach My Gospel on the first pages, "More happiness awaits you than you have ever experienced as you labor among his children."

To quote Sister Fitzgerald's sister... I feel like I was born in a skirt with a Book of Mormon in my hand. It feels like I've been doing this my whole life. And yet, at the same time, it feels I've only been here a few weeks. But one thing I know: This is what I was meant to do... to come here to Bacolod and serve my Savior. Whatever he wants me to do.

This week I've been pondering much on the Christlike attribute of humility. I want to share 3 scriptures that touched me in my studies this week, and especially after the call of transfers. When I got the call that I was training, it was my first reaction to think, "Alright, who's receiving the revelation here? This can't be right." But as I thought this, the Spirit brought to my remembrance a prompting I had received last Tuesday, after our "Mission President's Training" conducted by our Assistants to the President instead of President Lopez. The impression I got then, as I was listening to our capable AP's, was "We are in good hands." The mission is in good hands. I know the Lord was confirming to me that this transfer was not just by chance or because someone drew straws... But that this was His will.

Isaiah 64:8- "But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand."

Romans 9:20-21 "...O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it,Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay...?"

Luke 1:38 "And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

So, let the last chapter begin. More details to come :) Thank you to all of you for your support and love and prayers.

Palangga ko kamo,

Sister Luke