Week 56: Hear His Voice (July 29, 2019)
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:27
When you are in the small town of Lima, MT, staring down a dirt road at fifty little homes with no people in sight, your faith that anyone is out there and is ready to hear the message of our Savior, wavers just slightly. You feel sweat drip down your back, your feet are a different color than the rest of your body, and about fifty mosquitoes have decided to be your friend. The road looks hazy from the hundred degree heat, But it is in that moment, that what you decide and think to do, matters more than many other moments throughout the day. You have to decide to walk forward, having faith that someone is out there.
And there was.
Lima is next to Dillon, a smaller town on the Idaho/Montana border. We drove out there, around the mountains and through Butte, to go on exchanges with some sisters there! Sister Snyder and I walked down that little dirt road, and found lots of people.... Including a family of five. It was an incredible, hot, experience. That same exchange in Dillon, we happened to be at a dinner where we needed to be at. We ate some amazing porticoes food, and met Larry. Larry will join the church someday, just you wait. We got home around 10:30 that night, and had to speed through Butte, but it all worked out.
We had so many funny moments this week.... And some not so fun. In Dillon, the sisters who just got their this transfer after Elders had been there, had an absolutely terrible bathroom. So Sister Jones and I spent three and a half hours scrubbing their bathroom... When we went to pick up some things at the dollar store, we watched the whole town of Dillon line up outside the dollar store, including some angry old woman. It was a great time. By the time we finished the bathroom, the sister missionaries we had helped were in tears. They were so grateful we had helped them, and it was a tender moment between us all. And hey, I can get rid of lots of mold no problem now. We had zone conference in Bozeman, a pioneer day BBQ where I got to square dance, and we ran around as if time didn't exist... And it feels that way. We enjoyed ourselves so much this week.
Our week ended with Chris... My favorite person. Chris has been hesitating to pick a date to be baptized, and last night I looked at him and said, "Well, Chris I am getting out my calendar!" He laughed and said, "I like Sister Walstad... She gets me." And his fiance said, "She just gets things done!" I am grateful to be in Helena for them. They make my heart happy.
Without the Spirit, these amazing and tiring weeks would not happen. Without the Spirit, I would not be able to walk down a dirt road and look to my companion with a smile, and say we are gonna go find somebody. Why what you decide to do when you are staring down that road matters so much, is because when you decide to walk, you are following Him. You are hearing His voice.
The family we found in Lima, was only found after we had already walked past their house. Both of us looked back, saw the home, and ran to it. But we don't always heed the promptings, or even know they are there, do we? We have to be trained to hear Him. And how could we ever hear a master, we have never served?
Look down your own metaphorical dirt road, embrace the heat, let out a smile, and go. He will go with you, and you will never be alone. I promise, He will put peace in your heart like He has put into mine, every single time.
"From observation we could say that most people think there are several ways to climb up a tree.... You could get up and climb it, or you could sit down on an acorn and wait. But the thing is, which way actually gets you to the top? .... You could run a race without endurance, but it would probably suck. Likewise you could face your trials without faith, and without hope, but you will be a lot more miserable that way."
May you face your mountain with faith, enduring to the glorious light promised ahead. I am gonna go run up my own Mountain now, climbing tall trees. Go and face yours. Come to know His voice, and walk.
Sister Walstad
P.s. Please pray for Helena as we have a massive fire in the north valley, that is causing members of our own stake to be evacuated. Incident Management Teams and rescue firefighters have been called in, and as of last night, it was being called "zero percent contained". All of us are currently being effected, and your prayers for the homes and people here would mean a lot to us all. Pictures attached come from missionaries here in Helena.
When you are in the small town of Lima, MT, staring down a dirt road at fifty little homes with no people in sight, your faith that anyone is out there and is ready to hear the message of our Savior, wavers just slightly. You feel sweat drip down your back, your feet are a different color than the rest of your body, and about fifty mosquitoes have decided to be your friend. The road looks hazy from the hundred degree heat, But it is in that moment, that what you decide and think to do, matters more than many other moments throughout the day. You have to decide to walk forward, having faith that someone is out there.
And there was.
Lima is next to Dillon, a smaller town on the Idaho/Montana border. We drove out there, around the mountains and through Butte, to go on exchanges with some sisters there! Sister Snyder and I walked down that little dirt road, and found lots of people.... Including a family of five. It was an incredible, hot, experience. That same exchange in Dillon, we happened to be at a dinner where we needed to be at. We ate some amazing porticoes food, and met Larry. Larry will join the church someday, just you wait. We got home around 10:30 that night, and had to speed through Butte, but it all worked out.
We had so many funny moments this week.... And some not so fun. In Dillon, the sisters who just got their this transfer after Elders had been there, had an absolutely terrible bathroom. So Sister Jones and I spent three and a half hours scrubbing their bathroom... When we went to pick up some things at the dollar store, we watched the whole town of Dillon line up outside the dollar store, including some angry old woman. It was a great time. By the time we finished the bathroom, the sister missionaries we had helped were in tears. They were so grateful we had helped them, and it was a tender moment between us all. And hey, I can get rid of lots of mold no problem now. We had zone conference in Bozeman, a pioneer day BBQ where I got to square dance, and we ran around as if time didn't exist... And it feels that way. We enjoyed ourselves so much this week.
Our week ended with Chris... My favorite person. Chris has been hesitating to pick a date to be baptized, and last night I looked at him and said, "Well, Chris I am getting out my calendar!" He laughed and said, "I like Sister Walstad... She gets me." And his fiance said, "She just gets things done!" I am grateful to be in Helena for them. They make my heart happy.
Without the Spirit, these amazing and tiring weeks would not happen. Without the Spirit, I would not be able to walk down a dirt road and look to my companion with a smile, and say we are gonna go find somebody. Why what you decide to do when you are staring down that road matters so much, is because when you decide to walk, you are following Him. You are hearing His voice.
The family we found in Lima, was only found after we had already walked past their house. Both of us looked back, saw the home, and ran to it. But we don't always heed the promptings, or even know they are there, do we? We have to be trained to hear Him. And how could we ever hear a master, we have never served?
Look down your own metaphorical dirt road, embrace the heat, let out a smile, and go. He will go with you, and you will never be alone. I promise, He will put peace in your heart like He has put into mine, every single time.
"From observation we could say that most people think there are several ways to climb up a tree.... You could get up and climb it, or you could sit down on an acorn and wait. But the thing is, which way actually gets you to the top? .... You could run a race without endurance, but it would probably suck. Likewise you could face your trials without faith, and without hope, but you will be a lot more miserable that way."
May you face your mountain with faith, enduring to the glorious light promised ahead. I am gonna go run up my own Mountain now, climbing tall trees. Go and face yours. Come to know His voice, and walk.
Sister Walstad
P.s. Please pray for Helena as we have a massive fire in the north valley, that is causing members of our own stake to be evacuated. Incident Management Teams and rescue firefighters have been called in, and as of last night, it was being called "zero percent contained". All of us are currently being effected, and your prayers for the homes and people here would mean a lot to us all. Pictures attached come from missionaries here in Helena.
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