Sister Lisl Karony: Letter_Week 14_Yakima

This week was insanely crazy! We almost had a surprise baptism this past Saturday, but it was just too much logistics to make it happen so fast. We were giving a lesson and out of my mouth came the suggestion for him to be baptized that Saturday, and this was on Wednesday... It WAS NOT me who said that, even though it came out of my mouth. I was as confused by it as he and Hermana Williams were. Then it felt right and Hermana Williams agreed with it. He was super surprised by it all... it was really interesting seeing the expression on his face. Glad those words weren't my idea, because he would've run right then and been gone forever! Talk about God literally putting the words in my mouth and speaking them. It was weird, but the good, cool, reassuring kind of weird. (And yes, Captain Literally, that WAS a correct use of the word "literally". BALANCE RESTORED!!!)

We also have one, possibly 2, baptisms this Saturday!

So I didn't get my ukulele because they are going to be enforcing the policy of no instruments in the mission field soon, and I'd have to send it home... I'm so sad! However, even though it stinks to have such a let down to something I've been looking forward to for so long, I want to be obedient because I love my Father in Heaven and He's given us this rule for a reason. I'll get in return more than I'll ever sacrifice to serve Him; so I'm not really losing anything at all. I will strive to be patient... striving...

-I felt discouraged this week when everything we'd planned went wrong! But we still kept on going and planning to do better this week. Also we learned this week that we need to recenter our focus and faith on Christ and make sure it's not on the fruits of the work. A good reminder! GO JESUS!!! Already there's been a difference in this week's spirit and I'm anticipating the further understanding I'll get as I strive to follow and apply this council from my leaders!

-All the chaos and disappointment only reminds me that my faith must be focused and centered on and in my Savior; and it fuels my fire! "I WILL NEVER, NO NEVER, NO NEVER FORSAKE!!!"

-I felt triumphant this week when:

~One of our investigators didn't come to Church. No more than five minutes after church ended she called us and said "now that I know what it feels like to miss church, I don't like it! I never want to feel like this again! I feel like crap! I'm never going to not go to church ever again! Only if I can't walk because I'm super sick! Never again! Where did we find this woman!?!!????!!! She is so AWESOME! She has been so prepared that we don't have to do much besides teach her the true principles, because she figures out SUPER quickly how to govern herself! I'm so grateful God let me be here to be a part of serving her! GOD IS GREAT!!! He truly has, is, and will prepare the hearts of His children to hear His message!

-I was reading in Mosiah 14 and compared it Isaiah 53 and also 1 Nephi 21 to Isaiah 49. There are so many differences! The Bible has changed punctuation, tenses, and words, even whole parts of verses left out or changed! Reading this and listening to the Spirit, my testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon as the most correct book on earth was strengthened even further. I KNOW THE BOOK OF MORMON IS TRUE!!!

-1 Ne 21:16 is my favorite this week!

-The Sister Karony-ism this week is that I caught a cute little mouse with my bare hands yesterday. I let if go down the street in sage brush. We were at a member's home for dinner and their cats had caught and left a live mouse in the garage, so when it opened to let the car go in, it ran out, and I went and caught it! I'm am so strange!

Got to go now! I love you all! Don't forget the ensigns I've been asking for! Don't forget FHE tonight! LATERS!!!!

Love,
Sister Karony

It's Hermana Williams' 20th Birthday today, so we went to Red Robin for lunch! She's awesome-sauce! This also counted as a late birthday lunch for me! I got a Red Robin's gift card from the members we live with, so I had lunch for free too! YAY!