Drops of Awesome

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It's always a little weird looking back over the week and realize how many things happened. For example, I saved a life this week. It was a birds life. I was at the church looking for some scriptures that an elder had left behind from zone conference. We couldn't find them so I literally searched all over. I went to the top floor of our little villa and I hear a noise and see something suddenly come shooting out of one of the rooms. I honestly thought it was a bat and was afraid of being attacked. Turns out it was a poor little trapped bird. I have no idea how he got himself stuck in there. I wasn't sure how to get him out either. I trapped him in the room he'd originally been in and opened the window. The window doesn't open very far in there though so I wasn't sure if he'd be able to figure out how to get out. I had to leave because we had to get the sister training leaders ready to go (they were here for exchanges). So I just closed the door and told our elders to go save him later. Well, things kept happening and the elders didn't get a chance until a few days later to go check on him. When they arrived, there was no sign of him, meaning he figured out how to get out. So yep, I saved a life.

We started English classes this week. Sora Ralls and I are teaching a children's class, and so far it seems to be going well. A few of the kids come with their parents and they are learning together, which I think is great.

Remember those great people I mentioned that we ran into? The woman who we talked to in the park came to church yesterday! And she agreed to meet with us to have another lesson. She told us that she started reading a bit of the Book of Mormon and that she likes it. She also said that she can see how it goes hand in hand with the Bible. I'm so grateful for the members in our branch. I saw many of them go and introduce themselves to her. One member helped us give her a lesson for Sunday School and this member told us that she would love to be this woman's friend and help fellowship her. This branch is awesome! And I'm so happy that we had an investigator at church!

We also met another potential investigator this week. We met him bloc knocking (knocking at apartments) and he allowed us to share a message with him. He knew a good amount of English which he learned from watching CNN. He understands it really well. He said that it would be okay for us to stop by again and talk to him some more.

As I mentioned, we had exchanges this week with Sora Polatis and Sora Lund, both of which I love. Sora Polatis and I had the opportunity to teach a lesson to an English student. We invited her to come to church, but she politely declined. She's a really great woman though who highly values family. I really admire that about her. We also were able to visit a less active family with our elders which was really cool. One of our elders, Elder Adams, served her before and when he did he baptized this family's son. Now that he's back it was really cool to see their reaction at seeing him again. I really enjoyed that lesson.

Sora Polatis and I had some good discussion, and a couple of those thoughts have stuck with me. One is something called "drops of awesome." You can read the original blog post where that comes from here: http://www.daringyoungmom.com/2012/12/19/drops-of-awesome/

Ever since we brought this up, at the end of my journal entry for each day I write down my drops of awesome. For example, one of my drops of awesome from yesterday was, and I quote, "I'm wearing my retainers." That's a big deal. I just love this idea. I think a lot of times we are too hard on ourselves and we don't realize even the little things that are good that we are doing. And I know that we don't realize the impact we have for good in the lives of others. Keep doing good. You make a difference.

The other thought was about trials. We all have trials. That's a part of life. It's something that helps prepare us for the eternities. We may not be able to completely see how in the moment, but as we overcome trials, we are strengthened. We are becoming something grand and we will continue to "become" as we utilize the atonement of Jesus Christ and strengthen our relationship with our Father in heaven. Many times we may want Heavenly Father to rid us of our trial, to take our hardship away from us. A lot of times, instead of taking the trail away, He works with us through the trial, lightening our load but still allowing us to work through it. We never have to make it through a trial alone, but He let's us face hardships to refine us, to help us become what we are capable of becoming.

I hope you all had a great Halloween! Guess what this week is. My halfway mark. Weird? Definitely. I'm pretty sure I was just in the MTC yesterday and time is just a lie. At the same time, that also seems like a completely different life! Have a great week!

Cu mare drag,

Sora Adams