Week 65: Lift (September 30, 2019)
"To heal the body, we have to turn inward, and focus only on ourselves. But to heal the soul, there is no way you can look, but out."
I do not think that I could look back on this week, and not feel immersed by the loving arms of my Father in Heaven. The joys I experienced, the pains, and the opportunities, were too incredible. And the Lord gave us moment after moment to strengthen us. We had blizzards, we saw moose, we saw friends, and there was no lack of warmth amidst the weather.
I have studied a lot recently the connection between our bodies, and our souls. How great an effect our spiritual nourishment can have on our physical performance - and vice versa. Something I wish I had fully comprehended earlier in my life, was the ability that focusing on others can have on the atonement working in our personal lives. When we go to serve someone else, when we focus our time and talents in serving them, we allow ourselves to grow closer to the Savior in the process. We are literally the catalyst at times, to bring the atonement into not only one, but two people's lives. My mission president's wife asked me how I cope with things at a leadership conference this week in Billings, and I would say there is not much more than that.
I learned my first few weeks in the field, that the only thing that made my weeks completely worth it, the only thing that distracted from the other heart aches, the mortal trials and silly annoyances, was to focus on bringing the Savior into other's lives. And my God has never let me go a week, when I search for those opportunities, to find them.
We had Mission Leadership Conference this week, where I got to see my Mission President, President Larson, and his wife for the first time since they returned from a leave for medical reasons. I cannot describe the deep rooted love I have for them, and the big hug I gave and was given from them. I had amazing conversations with them, and felt enveloped in the love of my Father in Heaven as I spent hours talking with my mission president. We are sent to certain places for people, and often I would say those people include other missionaries, including your mission president and his wife.
There was so much joy and comfort in those two days, as I saw my friends and attended the temple. It led to more amazing days to come.
I absolutely adore exchanges - they are some of my favorite things. I love being that tool for the Spirit to lift or help teach someone else. It has made every week of the last 11 months of my mission, incredible. I get really excited for them, and maybe this was the first week I really recognized that, and for good reason.
Each start of a transfer, we do interviews with our sisters that we will be doing exchanges with. With one in particular, it was like talking to myself 15 months ago. Her feelings, her thoughts, her tears, all reminded me of what I felt when I came into the mission field. I felt strongly during that conversation, that we needed to do our exchange the following Thursday. When it rolled around, I loved getting to know the amazing Sister I brought back to Helena with me. To be able to feel of the atonement lift us both, and strengthen us for the weeks ahead.
It is all about the lift, and there was no lack.
I drove that sister back to Great Falls, picked up my companion, and another set of sisters, who we drove back to Helena. We had them come and be in our area all day on Saturday, when the snow started to fall. We played Frisbee in the snow, and taught lessons back to back all day long. We had a lesson scheduled with my friend Russ, but he texted us saying he was not feeling well. So me and Sister Shepherd, who I was on exchanges with, "heart attacked" his door, and left a bag full of the things that we would want if we were sick. We taped it all up, and ran away, peeking around the corner just long enough to see him open the door. We received a text a few minutes later that said,
"Thank you so much and I'm so grateful to have you as sister's I'm thankful for your prayers and support in this week ahead.. I'm in happy tears right now.. I love you Lord Jesus Christ.. I say this in Jesus Christ name Amen .."
MY HEART MELTED! I share that with you, because that simple act lifted Russ's spirits. He needed the loving arms of the Savior that day, and he needed someone else to help him find them.
Again, it is all about the lift. And with the Spirit, there is no lack, because the Spirit will help us see an opportunity, and act.
Now let me tell you about the INCREDIBLE Sunday services we had. Sunday was the worst for the weather here in Helena, and it was pretty darn cold. Only 1 out of 5, who we are teaching, who regularly attend church, was there. BUT WAIT! Have I ever told you about my buddy Zane?
We have been teaching Zane for the entire time I have been serving here in Helena... He is a twelve year old boy with an interesting family situation, and me and him just understand each other, to put it in simple terms. For the past three months, we have been trying to help him come to church with his Mom, and it has never worked out for them. This week in our lesson, I felt strongly to talk to Zane about baptism. I asked him if he would want to be baptized, and he said, "Who wouldn't??" Sunday morning, his Mom texted us saying she wasn't feeling well, but that Zane really wanted to come. So we texted a few people and got him to church. And then Caleb, who is on date to be baptized, came for the first time as well that day.
Zane and Caleb lifted my spirits by being there that day.
And then there was Dan. We got a call a few weeks back, from a member telling us about his friend Dan, and that he should begin meeting with us. At the time, Dan was in Bozeman, about an hour and a half away. He moved back to Helena this weekend, and we met with him for a brief period of time on Saturday, and invited him to church. He came, and sat right in front of us and Zane.
Dan has had a really rough life, and currently is not in the best of circumstances. He told us on Saturday, that he was in desperate need of changing his life around. While I stood and greeted some people in the foyer, I saw Dan flip around towards Zane before the meeting started. He said, "I'm Dan, what's your name? Are you in a bad mood Zane? Just tired? Yeah bro, it sucks getting up early. I get that, it sucks."
That sounds like a normal conversation, but it probably was one of the most heartwarming things, hearing Dan, validate and talk with Zane. Dan walked over to us not too long after and said, "Are you working with that kid? He reminds me of me." He got a smile on his face, and walked back over to the pew, where he proceeded to read from the Book of Mormon we gave him.
Following the meeting, Dan came to us and said, "Could you throw these away for me? I only pierced them a few days ago, but after today, I don't need them anymore." He handed us his earrings, which may sound funny, cause it was, but to Dan, it was a sign that he was beginning to change.
Dan needed lifting, and wow did he lift us in that process.
The concept of lift is what makes up a good life. When we focus our priorities on what lifts other people, we literally begin to change. Not just in a spiritual sense, but in a physical sense too. Our hearts are happier, our bodies feel calmer, and our souls are ecstatic.
May you feel closer to your Savior this week, as you serve and lift, through Him.
"Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming." -Dallin H. Oaks
Sister Walstad
P.s. General Conference is this weekend! Don't miss the opportunity to have the Spirit speak to you through your questions and souls searching, as the Prophets speak.
I do not think that I could look back on this week, and not feel immersed by the loving arms of my Father in Heaven. The joys I experienced, the pains, and the opportunities, were too incredible. And the Lord gave us moment after moment to strengthen us. We had blizzards, we saw moose, we saw friends, and there was no lack of warmth amidst the weather.
I have studied a lot recently the connection between our bodies, and our souls. How great an effect our spiritual nourishment can have on our physical performance - and vice versa. Something I wish I had fully comprehended earlier in my life, was the ability that focusing on others can have on the atonement working in our personal lives. When we go to serve someone else, when we focus our time and talents in serving them, we allow ourselves to grow closer to the Savior in the process. We are literally the catalyst at times, to bring the atonement into not only one, but two people's lives. My mission president's wife asked me how I cope with things at a leadership conference this week in Billings, and I would say there is not much more than that.
I learned my first few weeks in the field, that the only thing that made my weeks completely worth it, the only thing that distracted from the other heart aches, the mortal trials and silly annoyances, was to focus on bringing the Savior into other's lives. And my God has never let me go a week, when I search for those opportunities, to find them.
We had Mission Leadership Conference this week, where I got to see my Mission President, President Larson, and his wife for the first time since they returned from a leave for medical reasons. I cannot describe the deep rooted love I have for them, and the big hug I gave and was given from them. I had amazing conversations with them, and felt enveloped in the love of my Father in Heaven as I spent hours talking with my mission president. We are sent to certain places for people, and often I would say those people include other missionaries, including your mission president and his wife.
There was so much joy and comfort in those two days, as I saw my friends and attended the temple. It led to more amazing days to come.
I absolutely adore exchanges - they are some of my favorite things. I love being that tool for the Spirit to lift or help teach someone else. It has made every week of the last 11 months of my mission, incredible. I get really excited for them, and maybe this was the first week I really recognized that, and for good reason.
Each start of a transfer, we do interviews with our sisters that we will be doing exchanges with. With one in particular, it was like talking to myself 15 months ago. Her feelings, her thoughts, her tears, all reminded me of what I felt when I came into the mission field. I felt strongly during that conversation, that we needed to do our exchange the following Thursday. When it rolled around, I loved getting to know the amazing Sister I brought back to Helena with me. To be able to feel of the atonement lift us both, and strengthen us for the weeks ahead.
It is all about the lift, and there was no lack.
I drove that sister back to Great Falls, picked up my companion, and another set of sisters, who we drove back to Helena. We had them come and be in our area all day on Saturday, when the snow started to fall. We played Frisbee in the snow, and taught lessons back to back all day long. We had a lesson scheduled with my friend Russ, but he texted us saying he was not feeling well. So me and Sister Shepherd, who I was on exchanges with, "heart attacked" his door, and left a bag full of the things that we would want if we were sick. We taped it all up, and ran away, peeking around the corner just long enough to see him open the door. We received a text a few minutes later that said,
"Thank you so much and I'm so grateful to have you as sister's I'm thankful for your prayers and support in this week ahead.. I'm in happy tears right now.. I love you Lord Jesus Christ.. I say this in Jesus Christ name Amen .."
MY HEART MELTED! I share that with you, because that simple act lifted Russ's spirits. He needed the loving arms of the Savior that day, and he needed someone else to help him find them.
Again, it is all about the lift. And with the Spirit, there is no lack, because the Spirit will help us see an opportunity, and act.
Now let me tell you about the INCREDIBLE Sunday services we had. Sunday was the worst for the weather here in Helena, and it was pretty darn cold. Only 1 out of 5, who we are teaching, who regularly attend church, was there. BUT WAIT! Have I ever told you about my buddy Zane?
We have been teaching Zane for the entire time I have been serving here in Helena... He is a twelve year old boy with an interesting family situation, and me and him just understand each other, to put it in simple terms. For the past three months, we have been trying to help him come to church with his Mom, and it has never worked out for them. This week in our lesson, I felt strongly to talk to Zane about baptism. I asked him if he would want to be baptized, and he said, "Who wouldn't??" Sunday morning, his Mom texted us saying she wasn't feeling well, but that Zane really wanted to come. So we texted a few people and got him to church. And then Caleb, who is on date to be baptized, came for the first time as well that day.
Zane and Caleb lifted my spirits by being there that day.
And then there was Dan. We got a call a few weeks back, from a member telling us about his friend Dan, and that he should begin meeting with us. At the time, Dan was in Bozeman, about an hour and a half away. He moved back to Helena this weekend, and we met with him for a brief period of time on Saturday, and invited him to church. He came, and sat right in front of us and Zane.
Dan has had a really rough life, and currently is not in the best of circumstances. He told us on Saturday, that he was in desperate need of changing his life around. While I stood and greeted some people in the foyer, I saw Dan flip around towards Zane before the meeting started. He said, "I'm Dan, what's your name? Are you in a bad mood Zane? Just tired? Yeah bro, it sucks getting up early. I get that, it sucks."
That sounds like a normal conversation, but it probably was one of the most heartwarming things, hearing Dan, validate and talk with Zane. Dan walked over to us not too long after and said, "Are you working with that kid? He reminds me of me." He got a smile on his face, and walked back over to the pew, where he proceeded to read from the Book of Mormon we gave him.
Following the meeting, Dan came to us and said, "Could you throw these away for me? I only pierced them a few days ago, but after today, I don't need them anymore." He handed us his earrings, which may sound funny, cause it was, but to Dan, it was a sign that he was beginning to change.
Dan needed lifting, and wow did he lift us in that process.
The concept of lift is what makes up a good life. When we focus our priorities on what lifts other people, we literally begin to change. Not just in a spiritual sense, but in a physical sense too. Our hearts are happier, our bodies feel calmer, and our souls are ecstatic.
May you feel closer to your Savior this week, as you serve and lift, through Him.
"Desires dictate our priorities, priorities shape our choices, and choices determine our actions. The desires we act on determine our changing, our achieving, and our becoming." -Dallin H. Oaks
Sister Walstad
P.s. General Conference is this weekend! Don't miss the opportunity to have the Spirit speak to you through your questions and souls searching, as the Prophets speak.
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