Monday, December 2, 2013

The One with the Fruits of My Labors


 
December 2, 2013

I have considered many titles for this email. Sometimes I struggle to find a new one and at other times there are so many names that it is hard to choose what to title it. So many things happened this week! I considered all of the following as titles:

"The One with/where....”

The Anthill Round 2

A Pug Sneezed on my Face

Thanksgiving

I Gained All My Mission Weight and Then Some

Mudpuddles (The Dessert, not the Water)

I Saw Snow in Texas

The Priesthood

I was Sick

The Longest Week of my Life

Some of those are pretty self-explanatory. Like, a pug sneezing on my face and Thanksgiving and the fact that it snowed in Waller. (It only snowed for like 2 seconds and it didn’t stick; but, IT SNOWED IN TEXAS.) The other ones requiere (hey, I wrote that in Spanish, but I decided to leave it because it was cool that I wrote in Spanish on accident, haha) more of an explanation.  

#1—We were asked to babysit our neighbor's dog (the pug that sneezed on my face). Apparently, I am a cursed house-watcher because on day three of babysitting I found an ANTHILL IN HER HOUSE. *Flashback to the plants story*.  This is a sign that no one should ever leave me alone with their property because ants WILL attack their home!  
#2—I got the Flu Shot this week which made me sick for a day. It was a terrible day. I was sitting in Walgreens waiting for my companion to do something and there is a sign that says "Get Your Flu Shot Today".   I remembered the words of our mission doctor: "If you get the flu and call me, the first thing I am going to say is: 'Did you get your flu shot?' And if you say no, I am hanging up the phone."  Knowing myself and my body’s wonderful ability to pick up any and all sickness, I figured I might as well get my flu shot.  So I did. The next day was the worst day of my life! But hey, at least it was only one day and hopefully I am protected from all the rest of the ick in the future. If I still end up getting the flu, then I am going to be so mad.
#3—Mudpuddles are these delicious, little desserts our Branch President’s wife made that I could eat for my whole life. They were so good.
#4—I got a blessing from President Bayles (Branch President) this week and it was probably the most needed blessing I have received since I’ve been on my mission. It was beautiful. I was so grateful he was there to help.  
#5—The ACTUAL title of my email. We worked hard this week. And I prayed harder than I have ever prayed before. The Lord blessed me this week. I sat in church as I slowly watched 4 of our investigators enter the doors.  4.  That is unheard of, people.  FOUR.  In the Texas Houston Mission that DOES NOT HAPPEN.  Our zone goal is to have 10 people come to church in the month of December, per companionship, and we had 4 on DAY 1!!  It was the biggest tender mercy I have experienced/the most perfectly timed small miracle from the Lord.  It was like I could hear the Spirit whispering in my ear: "Mira a los frutos de tus labores."  Of course, they aren’t my efforts.  No one would care if it was just little ol’ Alivia preaching at their door, but I felt the comfort of the Lord as I watched these people sit themselves in the chapel.  President Bayles looked down and we smiled as we looked at the very people whom we had talked about getting to church, that morning in correlation, sitting in the pews.  
I am so glad to be a missionary. I can’t say it enough. I love this work.
I love you all!

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