Saturday, December 29, 2012
Transfer 4: Week 5! Merry Christmas to all!
So.....I had a double sinus/eye infection this week. I was put
out of work for a few days, but was still well enough to call home (had enough
of a voice at least!) and stay up for the MADNESS of Christmas at Temple Square
with 180 sister missionaries, Santa Claus (He came!-- it was one of the Senior
couples but still HILARIOUS- some of the sisters had never
seen Santa before and this was their first Christmas coming from non
Christian countries). It was a Christmas to remember. We had tons of snow and
it was full of gift giving, gift receiving, surprises, a few Christmas movies,
laughter, (some sickness for me...) and lots of love from our wonderful Mission
Presidency, senior couples and their families all to help us on our first
Christmas away from home. Yet in some ways these wonderful sisters and Temple
Square have become home. My home away from home. There's no better way to
celebrate Christmas than by wearing Christ's name on your badge over your
heart.
Long story short, I haven't
been on the Square since Christmas night, and this is the first time out of my
apartment since our doctor's visit. But I have an angel
companion who has been taking care of me because obviously I can't wear my
contacts, so I'm blind and pretty stinking weak because my body is really tired
so I've been sleeping a ton, and when I can't sleep, I've been reading Jesus
the Christ, which is seriously now my favorite book I have ever read. That's a
big deal. I love it so much.
Anyway. I'm feeling cheery
enough and feel so 100% different being on the antibiotics in the first 5 hours
of it than before. Slowly making gradual progress. Don't think I'm well enough
to come back to the square after pday but I'll just take it slow. Sister
G told me to as well. This is just the time of year of sickness too.
Luckily practically all of our investigators we can't contact because they're
on vacation or etc. so being sick really was perfect timing. I'm so grateful
for Sister C. She even woke up with me a night ago when I couldn't sleep
because I was coughing (we got a cough supressant the Dr. recommended as well
yesterday) and just talked to me between the inconvenient hours of 3-5AM.
Honestly, through this whole
process what have I learned this week? How much I love being a missionary. And
how much it kills me to not be out there doing the work and cooped up inside
and not able to bless other people. How much even
this morning, I loved and was rejuvenated and so happy to just greet
the people passing by, even though my voice isn't very melodious yet ;). There
have been times that I can't sleep when I was sick. But there will
always be treasured in my mind of my mission the memories of then going in the
living room and bringing a pillow out and cuddling up and reading the book, Jesus the
Christ. Wow. I have learned so much about
Jesus Christ, and learned to love Him and my Heavenly Father and the Holy Ghost
even more. Understanding their different but so important roles, and how they
testify of each other, and how all of them want our success and Heavenly
Father's great master plan of Salvation, of Success, of Joy, of Happiness, the
Perfect Plan, is flawless. The only flaw, is our agency. It's our choice. We
can follow the formula, so to speak, and follow the Prophets of old and new, and
follow Jesus Christ and become everything that we need to become, or we don't.
It's our choice. We get exactly what we want. Our choice is the most precious
gift the Father gave us of all, and Jesus Christ's whole purpose is to support
our choice, to guide to direct, to be the builder of the Architect's great Plan
for each one of us to come here and learn, grow, experience, and become more
refined and finished.
A few interesting things that I
have learned from Jesus the Christ about Jesus Christ are these. Jesus Christ
was a master of scripture and well read, studied and pondered all things. He
learned from all His surroundings and observations from 30 years of reflection
before He taught- the lillies of the field, the foxes, the carpenter, the
merchant, Pharisee, rich man and poor man, etc. When Satan tempted Him or the
Pharisee or Scribe with scripture "it is written", Jesus Christ didn't
just come to earth with a remembrance and with perfect omnipotence and
knowledge of all, no- He had to study and learn the scriptures and the
teachings (including the very words which He, Himself told Prophets like Moses
and Abraham) to be able to quote and teach and expound the scriptures. He had
the very same veil of forgetfulness that each one of us, the other children of
our Heavenly Father, also had. He had the exact same agency that He and the
Father so preciously perserved. He could have chosen to do evil, He was capable
of it. But He didn't. It says in Jesus the Christ that He grew from "grace
to grace" or that He grew from good to even better- but that He too was
progressing in life here. He didn't have a perfect understanding of everything
that He would do when He surprised the Elders in the Temple when He was only 12
years old- even though He had a very good understanding and inspired questions
and comments. He had to prepare for 30 years for His short ministry too.
I guess, basically what I'm
saying, is that it's okay. It's alright that we're not perfect (or as the Bible
Dictionary defines perfect as = finished) yet. Jesus Christ even had to
progress according to His age and experiences that He had. However, it's this
incredible perfect Plan that I spoke of before that matters. It is that Plan
where we receive mercy and justice and are judged according to our
understanding at the time of our actions, and that it doesn't matter how far we
are along the path but just that we're on the right path. That there is
repentance and an atonement that can cover all the unfair things in our whole
life, all the things that others do to us, and what choices we make and
consequences we chose for ourselves. All things will be made right. Right will
win. We must be patient in our progress and not frustrated that we
don't understand everything yet or that we still have weaknesses. Our Savior
Jesus Christ understood that as well.
We must ponder, pray, study and
learn and research as well. That is what following Christ's example means
right? If He still had to do all of those things- how much more important is it
for us to plant the "SEEDS" (Spiritual Experiences Every Day) and weed the "WEEDS"
(Worldly experiences every day).
Well, anyway, sorry about the
ramblings today. Wow do I love this gospel and know that it is true. I know
this is the continued revelation and continued teachings of Jesus Christ's
church today. It is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know my
Redeemer lives and loves me too. I know my Heavenly Father has a plan for my
life and it's a perfect plan, better than anything I could have planned for
myself, and I know He has one for you too. Onwards and Upwards!
Love,
Sister Fisher
PS (Thank you so much to all for all
the letters and packages. They mean a lot to me and my companion and Fijiian
& Mongolian roommates! I will slowly get back to you all... I've been sick..
haha)
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