The Cure

Family!!

How are you's?! (The people out here totally say that ...I don't
really, but I think it's funny) This week was slower, but still a
good one!

Before I go on though, thank you thank you THANK YOU for the package
and all of the letters!!! I absolutely LOVED ALL of it!!! And that
blanket--oh my goodness it is so soft, it's like sleeping on a cloud!
Honestly, that is all I need for Christmas. Nothing else!! I am so
happy with it and it is absolutely beautiful!! Thank you SOOO much!!!
I'm sure that was a big sacrifice, so thank you over and over again!!
I already set up the little tree, and will start the (adorable) advent
calendars tomorrow! Can you believe it's December?!

So this week. It didn't start out well...it started out rough...Monday
night, Sister Talbot and I just came home and cried. She has been
struggling with things, and I have too--especially facing a major
holiday away from home. But on top of that, I have felt so lonely, so
burdened down with the weight of the world on my shoulders and not a
friend in the world. Missionary work is exhausting. I had no idea that
this is what I was signing up for. I hate to say it, but it's true.
I'm trying to do my best, but man, it's so hard. She's been feeling
similar things, so we just cried together. We called Elder Hansen and
Elder Stallings seeking comfort and counsel. They helped somewhat, but
I fell asleep that night still with a heavy heart.

The next day, we went to the old folk's home to help with their
Thanksgiving lunch. All we did was help serve food. But it put a
smile on my face. Later that night, we met Danielle at Dunkin' Donuts
with the stake addiction recovery missionaries. We talked to her and
helped her see that God hasn't given up on her, that here is hope from
the Atonement. If she is willing to change. And she is. She expressed
it over and over again. Even the senior missionaries with us knew her
before and said she is different--they can tell she's changed. As we
said goodbye to her and walked away, the Spirit washed over me and I
realized the cure. The cure for this sadness and despair I had been
feeling--it's simple. The cure for all of that is to help people.
Serve them. Go to work. It isn't anything huge--but it is the cure.

"One of the greatest secrets of missionary work is work. If a
missionary works, she will get the Spirit; if he gets the Spirit, she
will teach by the Spirit; if she teaches by the Spirit, she will touch
the hearts of the people, and she will be happy. … Work, work,
work--there is no satisfactory substitute, especially in missionary
work." (Ezra Taft Benson) . . . It's SOO true!! Remembering it is the
key!!

That night we also went and saw Tim and his son Tristen. We hadn't
seen them for two weeks, but after our visit with them, we could tell
things had improved on their situation, so we are going to start
seeing them again.

THANKSGIVING. Thursday morning, Sister Talbot and I got up, got
ready, studied, and went to Bishop Snowden's house. We watched a bunch
of people play in a turkey bowl, and then we went inside to help
Sister Snowden in the kitchen. We helped her bake pies--it was great!!
They have a big family (6 kids) and some of heir extended family was
over too. We cooked and then we all ate a delicious Thanksgiving meal.
It was so good!! Had some good 'old favorites like green bean
casserole, homemade stuffing, and of course all the other good stuff.
I also had the best apple pie I've ever had, and I tried Pecan pie for
the first time. So so yummy!! The best part was being surrounded by
their family--they got to be my family for the day. :-)

Ponderizing this week has opened my eyes and changed my perspective
about my mission. I chose Ether 12:27 and have thought a lot about
weaknesses:

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give
unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient
for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble
themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak
things become strong unto them."

Weakness. A word that almost always comes with a negative connotation.
But in the Lord's eyes, weaknesses are purposeful. He doesn't give us
weaknesses as a punishment or because we aren't good enough. He gives
us weaknesses to give us an opportunity to turn to Him for strength.
He gives us weakness to humble ourselves and rely on Him.

Elder Robert D. Hales said this perfectly, relating to missionaries:

"The Lord doesn’t promise to remove our handicaps when we become
missionaries; but by making the extra effort it will take, we develop
more ability to cope with individual shortcomings, and that coping
ability will be needed throughout our lives in our relationship with
others, in our employment, and in our families. Everyone has something
they must learn to master. Some are just more obvious than others."

"While Satan is eager to use our weakness to entice us to sin, God can
use human weakness to teach, strengthen, and bless us. Contrary to
what we might expect or hope, however, God does not always "make weak
things become strong" unto us by eliminating our weakness. When the
Apostle Paul prayed  repeatedly for God to remove a "thorn in the
flesh" Satan used to buffet him, God told Paul, "My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness" (2
Corinthians 12:7, 9)." (Wendy Ulrich, April 2015 Ensign)

Our weaknesses won't leave us in this life--instead, we are afflicted
by them to humble us. My weaknesses drive me to my knees, but in that
act I cry out for help, for strength to endure that can only come from
above. I believe the cure for our weakness lies in praying DAILY for
strength, for grace--that enabling power that can only come from the
Savior's Atonement. That is the only way we can learn to cope with our
mortal infirmities.

Wow, that was a lot of quotes and a lot of thought, but I hope it all
made sense. ;-)

I do have to tell you something really sad--our district leader, Elder
Stallings, has been really sick off and on for the past several months
because of a food-borne illness. It hasn't been getting
better, so they are sending him home to give him time to heal and get
better, and then he plans on coming back out (he's been on his mission
about a year). But please, please pray for him!! He really needs it.

Also, please keep praying for our investigators--we didn't get to see
many of them this week, but they need your prayers!!

Well, I love you all sooo much and I hope you have a wonderful week!!!

Lots of love,
Sister Bartlett


                                        District Christmas Party

                     


                               Bri with yappy Savvy (Savannah)