Smile. It No Broke Your Face ;)
Aloha family a me friends!
Finding young single adults in the city that are interested can sometimes feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. But I think that's what makes it all the worth it when you do find that gem because out of the millions of people here, we found the one. *Sister Lowe and I both got pooped on by birds this past week so I think it's safe to say that something amazing is about to happen :-) *
I've translated a lot of lessons learned from running to lessons to learn on the mission field. So bear with me and hang with me for a minute or two as I go on this little analogy :)
Everyone says life is a race and since being in the YSA Ward I've experienced quite a change of pace.
The course is set ahead of us and we can't change it nor can we deviate from it. Prior to starting the race we already know there are going to be hills, yet we still decide to run the race. When we get to hills during our race we must choose to push harder, to put more effort, to pump our arms more, to lift our knees higher. We trick our minds into thinking hills are flat ground. We get used to breathing hard, get assimilate to tiredness, and get acclimated to whatever altitude we may be in. We make uncomfortable the norm.
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| Weird art on the street so we stopped to take a pic of course |
Prior to going on a mission (and life in general for each one of us) I knew (and we knew in the premortal existence) it was going to be hard and yet I (we) still chose to go. When times get hard I know what I have to do because of prepartions in my life before. When hills come, I do as I was taught in running... to look up! Look up "unto God with firmness of mind" (Jacob 3:1), and remain "steadfast and immovable"(Mosiah 5:15). Like coaches who ALWAYS appear on the sidelines when we most need them (either on the bottom of the hill or top), Christ is ALWAYS on the sidelines. There are thousands of voices on the sidelines but when we know our priorities we can tune them out and tune in to the voices that matter the most. Under stress and pressure we will naturally unnecessarily tense up. But I've learned in years of running that when I smile it makes the difference between night and day. More so when we choose to remember that "being Spiritually Minded Is Life Eternal" (2 Nephi 9:39 lol Sister Lowe pointed that out to me so clever), we can let go unnecssary tension.
We don't stop running when we're tired, we stop when we are finished. We wait until the day when we, with the Lord, can say, "Ua pau ka hana"...the work is done.
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| Love it. More street art. |
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| We went to the temple last pday! Probably forgot to mention that Sister Lowe and I were also MTC Companions lol |
Randoms:
1) A woman, named Mandi, from England that I taught throughout last transfer, moved to Brooklyn a few weeks ago, and she got baptized on Saturday!! She texted us saying the she is so "happy knowing that it is eternal" :)
2) An older lady was staring at us on the street on Saturday and told us she wanted to change and go back to church. Sunday morning at 6:20 she called us up saying she wanted to go to church. She went to the family ward and apparently not only shouted Amen and Hallelujah throughout Sacrament Meeting, but darted straight to the pulpit during the closing hymn. The bishopric and the Elders had to box her out and grab her and escort her out of Sacrament. Hahaha not the first time that the Sisters have invited someone crazy to church....remember the Jamaican lady who sang her testimony?
3) Wanted to make a prayer rock for someone. Litterally could not find a single rock so we bought one for 50 cents. Sister Lowe got a kick out it.
4) I was craving pizza so I convinced Sister Lowe we needed a full medium pizza for ourselves. It took long to make. We ended up taking the whole pizza to a lesson, *facepalm* what a mess. Then we ate it at a park and watched a couple of older people on drugs (maybe) do some "arts and crafts". Free entertainment!
5) Were teaching this guy but because of boundaries we passed him off to the Manhattan YSA and when we told him that over the phone he was literally like "you guys are dumping me?!". Yes Chris, we are indeed.
6) That girl who came to church last week and was like super prime and absolutely loved church?! Lol. She called us and told us that she didn't realize that we were the "Mormon church" and basically dropped us. Sad sad day. ahhh.
7) Helped a YSA girl move and I've decided that I want to be a minimalist. We carried a dressor down Broadway. #missiongainz ha ha ha...
Me ke aloha,
Sister Ellis
Believe Believe Believe