No Idear. Just Get In The Boat.
Aloha Family a me Friends,
I have no idear where the time has even gone.
(Fun fact: People in Bermuda often add a "r" sound at the end of words. Kind of hard to explain if you aint over her ;)
Anyways! This week we had zone conference and by zone conference I mean me and Sister Howells and the two Elders gathering at the senior couple's home and watching Zone Conference via videocalling into Queens, New York. We met Elder and Sister Haynie of the Seventy over videocall lol. It was like watching General Conference except they could see us and we could hear about half of what was going on. Nonetheless, the spirit is the teacher and speaks a universal language to our hearts whether or not wifi is strong.
Sister Teuscher, along with the Spirit, shared a story that her father had told her from his mission; it was about his travels on the island of Tonga to neighboring island and getting stuck in a storm and having to get into a smaller boat. I'll spare you the details because, quite frankly, I couldn't hear it clearly. BUT the line of the story and stuck out the most to me is what the local Tongan told the Elder and that was to "just get in the boat".
There is no time to waste, no regrets to be made, no excuses to be said. When Nephi was asked to go back to Jerusalem to retrieve the brass plates he told his father "I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded" (1 Nephi 3:7). He took no thought as to how he would or what means he would do this impossible task. He didnt waste time trying to get his brothers to go with him. He just went with faith and courage, "for the Lord is on [his] side" ("Let Us All Press On", LDS Hymn book). Likewise, as missioanries (and just people) the Lord often asks and expects us to do hard things.
May we all not get so caught up in the little details and the frivolous things of the world and "just get in the boat".The Lord is hastening His work; we need to keep up. Put on some shoes (or sandals in our case), roll up your sleeves, look forward with faith and get to work. Trusting the Lord and His plan for us each.
**(...But just be careful to not fall into the water. As last week we went to eat at a members home and they live on a smaller island nearby. So we took a ferry there and then they had to take us back to the main island in their boat because there was no ferry that late. And as I was hoping from boat to boat, my bag almost fell into the water haha. So just be careful and cautious when you "just get into the boat")
Randoms:
1) Sister Howells got bitten by a dog. She took one for the team. We were looking up a less active. I told her that dog is going to bite us if we try knock. And sure enough it did haha. But dont worry Sister Howells is doing well :)
2) We travel by walking and by bus AND by ferries!! Haha I just think its cool how we can ferry contact now. Sometimes the ferry is actally faster than the bus!
3) I gave a talk yesterday in church. I timed it at home and it was about 12 minutes long. I gave it in church and it only lasted about 8 minutes hahaha. The first counselor in the bishopric was like "Sister Ellis Sister Ellis Sister Ellis" hahaha oops my bad. Next time I'll just over prepare haha
4) In the morning we often go across the street to Warwick Long Bay and sit on the pink sand beaches and watch the waves crash on the shore. Oh! I got to put my feet into the Atlantic ocean :)
5) Mother asked me what kinds of animals there are here. There are lizards, chickens, cockaroaches, birds, people have goats as pets, and some people prefer to travel by horse and carriage.
6) Cool miracle: Yesterday we were on the East side of the island (the Elders area) for a dinner appointment and we got there early so we decided to check up on a lady being taught by the Elders. After her kids showed us their new pet goats we were leaving and this guy in a car says Sisters! . Turns out that he used to meet with Sisters awhile ago but then stopped because he had to move somewhere. And hes best friends with the lady we just visted. Small world, small island haha
7) 🇧🇲 <- thats the Bermudian flag just btw
8) We did a lot of tracting this week and found 7 new people to teach yay!
9) I got to talk to my old comp, Sister Dunne, over videocall on Friday!
Me ke aloha,
Sister Ellis
Believe, Love, Do