Miracles this week! And LOTS of instances and experiences that the theme for my week turned into how "no one is perfect, even those that we THINK are perfect!" – And we just have to deal with it and move on! Ha. Well, kinda. You'll get what I mean. It's all goods!
MIRACLE MONDAY. So the miracles began last Monday, the day I felt like I was going to kill over because I felt so ill. But during emails, we got a phone call with a lady on the other end asking, "Are you the Sister Missionaries that serve in the Little Manly area?" "Yes! Yes, we are!" (Hibiscus area.) Then she proceeded to tell us that she wanted us to visit her mum, Joan. —The funny thing, after we got the name and number and the name of the daughter giving us the information, we realised the daughter is actually an INVESTIGATOR who's been meeting with the missionaries for the last couple of years in HENDERSON (my old area, except Lincoln ward). Her name is Annette, and I've met her on trade-offs when I went with Sister Cluff when I first got to Henderson. So, that was pretty brilliant! *More to come with Annette and Joan later.*
The rest of Monday was to say the least, an adventure—getting lost around Takapuna while looking for the bus station to pick up a sister who was coming down from Whangarei—Sister Vea. She was my dear Sister Hobbs' daughter (trainee), but since she's finally received her visa, she is finally able to be sent to her actual assigned mission—first to Provo to learn Tongan, and then she'll be off to Tonga! So all the excitement for her! So I did get to be in a trio for about a day –all the fun. :)
TUESDAY morning we woke up bright and early to bring Sister Gila to her orientation ("End of Mission/Self-Reliance Orientation"), even though she isn't leaving yet, but, of course, she won't be here for the next one since her release date is in half a transfer. So they invited her to this one! (Problems with leaving mid-transfer.) So I was companions with Sister Vea for the day, and we spent time with the Sunset sisters, getting Sister Vea more organized (repacking her bags, 'cause...they were too heavy). Then we dropped her off at the mission office, and picked up Sister Gila at the mission home later that afternoon—and Sister Gila and I were once again reunited in happiness :) Haha. We had a lovely dinner that night, but then suddenly neither of us were feeling very well—struggles with us and winter starting. But we got a good sleep that night, which helped for Wednesday morning. :)
WEDNESDAY we finished personal study and were just starting into companion study when we got another call from Annette! "Hey Sisters! I'm at my mum's today. Do you have time you could come give a lesson?" "YES! Yes we do!" "Could you come over THIS morning?" Alllllll the brilliance!! We went over, mainly with the intention of just getting to know Joan at first, or so we thought—but Annette and the Lord had OTHER plans for us! 'Cause, as we left the flat - I suddenly had a thought come that, "Maybe I should grab my Plan of Salvation kit to bring." ...And that's exactly what ended up happening. We taught the Plan of Salvation, and Joan was very interested :) She would pause us frequently, asking questions about thing's she's also learned from Jehovah's Witnesses lately—things she clearly hasn't agreed with. Haha. But it was a lovely lesson, and brilliant to have Annette there with us. (Annette is basically a member, without being baptised yet.) Soon. She'll be baptised soon! So....NEW
INVESTIGATER!! :) She said she only wants to be taught when Annette is going to be there, but we worked it out with Annette and she said she would come up to the shore once a week, because she REALLY wants her mum to have this! Don't you just love it? Love. Love the Gospel and the blessings it brings :)
The remainder of the day was mostly spent helping the Prendergast's again in their endeavors to get their house in tip-top shape for the photos to be taken on Thursday in order to put it up for moving. I LOVE the CLEANING service life. It's just grand! We had a delicious dinner with them, and then a meeting with Brother Maire that night to start going over the ward list to better figure out places we could be of use :)
Oh, and yes. No transfers for Sister Gila and me :) Same area, same companionship. Some changes have been made in the zone (Elder Summers is gone...sad face), but Sister Taylor AND Rarawa are still here tooooooo! (So good and sad things there, 'cause...that means I kill THREE SISTERS THIS NEXT TRANSFER. They're ALL GOING HOME ON ME.) But it's good. They're all wonderful :)
THURSDAY we went out in the morning to see our dear Emma for a bit, and attempted seeing a few people around - but, not many exciting things happened. And then, when we got back to the flat for our lunch break we ended up staying in. 'Cause... my Sister Gila wasn't doing well :( She slept, and I decorated a planner for her, and organized a few things and whatnot.
FRIDAY—ANOTHER NEW INVESTIGATOR! One that will probably take time in learning things, as our appointment with her isn't for another week and a half. But, busy times in life for her this week. We met her a couple weeks ago, and she's keen to learn new things, so we'll see how that continues :)
And a lovely member lesson that night with our dear Sister Matla as well. We coloured the Plan of Salvation – and it was ALL the exciting. I love how many people love colouring in things here! :) (We used a Plan of Salvation drawing that I made back in Henderson when teaching Eli and Hakeian.)
SATURDAY. Well, Saturday was an interesting day.... I was suddenly in kind of a bad mood. And I felt bad for my sweet Gila. Struggles. And it really didn't help that we kept getting shot down by people we would meet – so, ya know, Satan pulls you farther down when you're already down. But it was okay. We DID meet a couple of LOVELY people on a street we had decided to tract, so hopefully we'll be able to visit them all again :)
We spent that night with some more cleaning at the Prendergast's (now that the photos are finished there's still more nitty-gritty things for the actual open-house this weekend). Crazy things selling a house! Loved it though. It was a time to de-stress, a time to ponder, and a TIME TO WEAR PANTS. :) Many things to love about it! And yes, we've heard about the Sister Clothing Changes! —Also with President Balli coming out and saying, "Nope. We won't be doing that!" Haha. All goods though ;)
SUNDAY. Lets just say it was an interesting day in the struggly mind of Sister Ottley—I honestly wonder sometime if I have some sort of depression. It's like... my head doesn't know how to fully cope sometimes, if that makes sense. I was just feeling really down. And then during personal study, I read the "Confessions of a Perfectionist" Ensign article you sent Mum and it was brilliant!! Because, I started to realize that sometimes the perfectionist side of me can, yes, be a good thing, but...at other times, noooooot so much. This was obviously one of those "not so much" times. But by the end of personal study I realized I was wearing very...DARK colours. And I wanted so desperately for my attitude to change 'cause I'm sick of the sad version of myself. So I changed into lighter colours, put on my delicious Wild Orange necklace (I seem to be fine with the metal against my skin again—things I don't understand), and we listened to my "Look Up" song by Taylor Olson—my "pump up" song for motivation—as we drove to Torbay. So... colour and music and it all became good. And then I laughed when the Sacrament Meeting testimonies were nearly ALL about how "No One Is Perfect" and how Heavenly Father loves each of us so much, and the simple things we can do. :) It was brilliant for my pathetically perfection-ridden mind—because at times I can't seem to get over feeling like a failure, even though I get many confirming feelings that I'm doing the things I need to be doing. #Struggles.
But after that the day continued with me feeling much better about things and with... less "perfection" on my mind. We also got to know some members better, and I've come to realise how brilliant convert members are, specifically. We had dinner this night with the CUTEST of newlywed couples. Sam is a convert of...a few years? She gave us a couple ideas of people we could visit that she used to go visit with previous sister missionaries. LOVE. And she was just so excited about the work and telling us about these people to visit. Grand things! :)
And then the Layton's. And cocoa rice. Ooooh the cocoa rice. (The "pakiha" version –supa good! Different from the traditional Samoan cocoa rice, but delish.)
Anyhoo. It's been a grand week :) I'm glad I'm still with my dear sisters, even if they do all leave me this next transfer. They're all my happiness and joy. So it's good. And, the brilliant quote that now will keep me going: "I believe happiness comes from striving for a better understanding of ourselves. Striving for perfection is the journey, not the destination in this earthly existence. It does not need to be an obsession!" —Kelli Allen-Pratt (Campbell), June 2005 Ensign
Thank you Kelli Pratt for your Confessions of a Perfectionist article! You're brilliant, and I don't think you know how grateful I am for your beautiful words about the negative effects of perfection. Happiness truly does come from understanding ourselves better, and I know I gain a little bit of knowledge each and every day about the ways the Lord blesses me. So...it's grand :) One day we'll be able to be perfect. We just have to deal with being imperfect in order to get to the perfect part.
There's a quote by Marjorie Hinckley about imperfection and perfection that I also love.
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails. I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to Scout camp. I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbor's children. I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden. I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder. I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really LIVED!" —Marjorie Pay Hinckley
And Mum, the Cheer theme of your email this week is hilarious – 'cause it goes very well with how I've been trying to figure out what my planner "theme" for this transfer should be! You've helped me find it! So thank you :)
I loved hearing about the Memorial Day festivities :) And my cute Ashley and her birthday :) And EM! She's CRAZY! Truly no fear! Glad the little crazy didn't drown!
Life in the North Shore is good :) And I know it'll get even better. Just 'gotta have the faith' :)
I love you all, and I hope you're having a most BEAUTIFUL beginning to Summer there :) —While we start getting all freezy here. (I just want to bring my blanket with me everywhere.) HaHa.
Ofa lahi atu!
Sister Mckenzie Ann Ottley
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