March 10, 2011 - Letter

Just for an update on the shooting, the man didn't die.  He is still in the hospital but he is doing much better now!  They still haven't caught the people who did it, but they know who they are.  It's still crazy to think all of that happened.  It's all just like a dream now...

This week has been good so far.  It was transfers this week.  I'm staying in Roswell!!! :)  It's weird to think that I'm already in my second transfer.  My whole mission consists of 13 transfers.  Just so you know each transfer is 6 weeks.  So only like 12 more to go! Ha Ha  Time really will just fly by.  We have been homeless for almost two weeks now.  It is exhausting moving from member to members house.  We have been living out of our suitcases and out of our cars since the shooting.  We stay with a member for about two days then they have us move.  Sister Robinson and I have decided that we are going to start rating the members homes and giving out awards. Ha Ha Best Bed, goes to the Jacksons, best Shower Pressure goes to the Prices, Best snack stash goes to the Eckstiens ect..  I have loved being with the members though. They are all just so charitable and ready to help us at a moments notice. We have been looking for a new apartment but havent really had any luck so far.  Hopefully we can find something soon, so that we can get back into our regular routine.

This week we re-set the date with Marie Ramos for March 26th.  She missed church on Sunday so we had to push it back so she could become more prepared for baptism.  We also set a date with a boy names Daniel!!  YAY!!  He is 20 years old.  We have been teaching him and his family.  The parents aren't too interested but they are okay with us teaching their children.  There is daniel who is 20, Desiree who's 12, and Ruby who is 8. Last night everyone was gone but daniel, so we just taught him.  We were teaching about the Plan of Salvation and the different Kingdoms.  He asked us if he had to get baptized to make it to the Celestial Kingdom.  We just kind of laughed and said Yes.  He then through his hands over is head and yelled, "Oh NO!  I need to get baptized immediately then!" Ha Ha It's amazing to see how the gospel really can change lives. I feel like it is such a blessing to see these people change right infront of you.  You just know that their lives will never be the same and that they will be so blessed because of this new knowledge in their lives.

Last Sunday Sister Robinson and I taught the young women.  We talked about how they needed to set goals and figure out who they were.  We talked about what we had done to get to where we are now. As I was preparing for this lesson, it made me think of the song, "The Wise Man Built His House Upon the Rock."  We here about how the man on the rock built his home on that sure foundation and so when those tempests came he stood still.  But that's just it...He BUILT his house!  He didn't just idoly stand on top of the rock watching the sunsets or watching the people below,  He actively BUILT his house.  I think many times in life we make that tough journey to the top of the rock, but once we are there we become comfortable and then just sit and wait. We wait...thinking that we will be okay when those storms come.  That surely isn't the case.  We all must actively be building our houses, our testimonies, our faith on that rock.  It takes effort to build it, but building is what we must do to survie those whirly tempests.  Building isn't something that happens over night.  It is a slow process.  It is those small little moments that may seem trivial and pointless at the time, that in the end, built us up the most.  I pray that all of us can try to do a little more to build up our own testimonies.  That when those storms come, that there will be no doubt that we will stand firm.  I know that as we do the things we are asked, like reading and praying, going to the temple with faith, that our lives will be blessed. That God will watch over us and carry us through.  I love you all so much!

Love,
Sister Tracy