Monday, September 30, 2013

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

First, don’t send the electric blanket quite yet. The apt I am in has great heating and its just something else to haul around, in fact I might ask you not to send it at all... it depends on where I go. THANK YOU for the boxes, haven’t gotten them yet but I should soon. And I will let you know what you sent.

And just so you can keep an eye out... when Christmas rolls around and your thinking of things to send, I need some long sleeved cardigans. I have all half sleeves, which I like, but I only have two that have long sleeves. So thats one thing that I could use, and tights and socks are always welcomed as well :)

Well this week was really good. Sister Carrigan is teaching me a lot! More than I realized I didnt know, and I love when I realize those types of things.

Also we talked to this lady who didn’t speak very good english and so when we left her she said thanks, hugged us and kissed us and called us "Sister Jesus Christ" it was cute. Also we talked to this man who was standing outside of a tattoo parlor, smoking and drinking a monster. He ended up taking a book of Mormon and saying "you have another book? That’s pretty ballsy!", he was fun to talk to.

The biggest thing I realized this week was how much sarcasm cuts. I have pulled back and tried to take a step back and see how it affects other people, but I truly haven’t been able to do that until  this past week I think. It took being around people who are sarcastic like I am to realize how much it wears on you. I didn’t know how much I didn’t get that.
Which is something that Sister Carrigan and I have both expressed as qualities that we have that we have been wanting to change. And its been something I have been wanting to change for a long time, but I didnt know how  to make that change. So I just kinda jumped in head first and decided I would figure it out as I went, and that kinda happened but not fully until this week, and even this morning in my personal studies.
I was reading in the Book of Mormon in Jacob where he is talking about the allegory of the olive trees. One thing that I have been trying to do when I come across an allegory or a parable is to try and relate it to what is going on in my life at that time so I can apply it into my daily life.
As I was reading it this morning I related the branches to the different characteristics that we can have or that we do have, the allegory talked about pruning away the branches (or characteristics) that we dont want (like my cutting sarcasm, or something like our pride etc), but not only focusing on cutting them out, but focusing on what we are grafting into our lives (such as a greater love of all people).
In the allegory the Lord said to not prune away too much at once, because that leaves the roots stronger than the branches and will kill the tree. I related that to me, if I cut out everything that I dont like and that I want to improve all at once, then I have no where to send my energy. I need to focus on cutting out one thing, and then grafting in another good quality. I need to have places to send my energy.
So I need to not only focus on the things that I want to change, but also what I want to improve. I need to focus on replacing the things I want to change, and not just cutting out things.

Its been a great week. I have learned a lot! Its been a very inspirational week and I am forseeing a lot of changes in my future. Its such a blessing to be here with Sister Carrigan and to be learning from her. I am learning how much more fully I can rely on the Lord and how to put my relationship with Him above everything and anything else. I am so grateful that I have the opportunity to serve a mission. I am learning so much in such a short period of time, it astounds me.

Thank you for everything! Thanks for all of your letters, emails and support. (And the mission office is perfect to put on the program)

Love you all! Sorry my letter is not longer, not a ton of time this week. But Love you all!

Love, Sister Wilson

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