Anna's Arizona Adventures: Sept 14th: What a week...

Okay. Hello. :) I am finally emailing you :) ha-ha! Well this week feels like a lot has been happening but actually not too much. Just the fact that we talked to over 70 people this week. And asked them if we could teach them/talk to them about Jesus. But a lot of people in this area have talked to missionaries at least once before and so a lot of people are not interested! But... that’s okay :) because the lord has a plan and if that plan is for us to not teach anyone right now then that’s okay! And to answer dads question that I just remembered, yes we do do a lot of reactivation. Also! How cool is that that you guys invited the new neighbors to the snack and stroll thing! That’s so fun! And that really is missionary work! "BY SMALL AND SIMPLE THINGS ARE GREAT THINGS BROUGHT TO PASS". I know that for a fact. Baby steps! We also talked to two gay people this week and that was really cool. Sorry that this email is all over but I just have so many thoughts and not enough time in the day to write them all to you... but as a missionary you are very aware of your imperfections and I have a lot of weaknesses I have discovered. But I also have found that I have a lot of talents that I didn’t have before. I am also learning so much for my future. I am learning work and personal responsibility and I am learning to work with all kinds of different people... it’s crazy the things you learn on a mission. I remember that Alexis one time said that she couldn’t imagine being a mother or wife without the skills she learned on her mission. I also remember some advice that Trent Whiting gave me and he said to not compare myself to other missionaries and to not worry about swimming, but just to keep my chin up enough to breathe. Because everything is overwhelming and we just kind of jump in feet first and get right at it and no we are not just going to be able to know how to swim, so we have to start small. And most of the time I even struggle with keeping my head above water... but, it is getting to a point where I am starting to get the swing of things and I am finally starting to learn what a mission is all about. It’s not about the "stats" it’s not about us... it’s about the people and it’s about the lord. This is his mission. This is his work and I am just the instrument an sometimes it’s hard to be an instrument because I am so human and so weak. But as we trust in the lord and rely upon him for everything, I know that that is when we will see success. It’s hard. But, with the lord’s help and with his strength, I CAN DO ALL THINGS. WE CAN DO ALL THINGS. YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS. Through our lord and savior and redeemer. I love my savior. I couldn't have even imagined what a mission would have done for me even a year ago. I had no idea what I was getting into, but I am so so grateful that I did it anyways. I have relied upon the Savior for almost everything. When I am homesick, he is there. When I don’t know what to do with my area and I feel like I am killing it, he is there. He is always there for you and for me. Because he loves us and he knows how to succor or run to us. So that’s my thought for you on this Monday. I love you guys and miss you every day. You are so amazing to me. Keep being awesome!

~.S M I L E. ~

Second letter that she sent to her dad:

It sounds like you guys had a pretty awesome week! Also, just a comment but your emails always make me laugh out loud and people, including my companion, look at me like I am crazy! Ha-ha! :) But yes I have been having a pretty good week. It has been hard not to teach people. But it’s also all I know. and usually we only have 1 or 2 set lessons for the week, but also we end up teaching people on their porch or someone will invite us in. so it works out :) we tract a lot and we talk to everybody we see that’s out and most of the people here in our area, since it’s so small have talked to missionaries before, and are not interested. I am surprised that rejection isn't hard for me! It’s actually nicer cause then they are not wasting our time by beating around the bush to tell us they aren't interested. So it works out. we are just struggling to know what we can do better to qualify to find people to teach and to do what is needed to find those new investigators and to find those people that are ready. But a while back I got a blessing from my DL and he mentioned that I was here to plant seeds. And that was hard for me to accept at first, because we read in D&C 4 that the field is WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST not a seed ready to be planted... But you know what?? If it’s the Lords will for me, then I will go and do the things He commands. Because I know that he will provide a way for me to be a planter. I know that if that is my reason and my purpose here, then so be it. I really need to work on not letting Satan get me down. he really works hard on my sometimes and sometimes I feel as if he is right there in my ear whispering at me to be rude or sarcastic to my companion, or that I am not good enough or that I am breaking/killing the area. And it’s really hard to tune him out sometimes. And I used to think that the missionaries just had this little bubble of perfectness around them, well I thought wrong. I am so imperfect and I am constantly shown my weaknesses. Some of them I have seen turn into strengths... but others I still struggle with. I also realize how much my mission is preparing me for my future. It’s weird the things you learn. About yourself and about life. Well... that’s enough venting for the day... :) I love you daddy. You are so awesome. Also I have caught a scorpion in a jar and it’s on my study desk WOO HOO!!!

Have a wonderful week!

Be happy!

Keep doing missionary work!!!!!!

You are awesome!!!!!

-- MUCH LOVE!

-Sister Anna Haymond :)