I am in a new area!! I went from the country life in Albion to the city life in Boise! I have a new companion and she is so amazing. Her name is Sister McPhee and she is from Las Vegas! So far we are getting along great. We are in a biking area that covers 2 wards.
One thing I am getting used to is all the people around and all the noise! Our apartment is about 5 minutes away from the airport and the airplanes are always taking off and landing. It is so loud!
My first day here, we dropped off all my stuff at the apartment and jumped on our bikes to make it to an appointment we had at 6:00pm. The only thing is, my bike had a flat tire. We pumped it up and rode as fast as we could while my tire was slowly getting lower. It was flat well before we got there, but we made it right on time to teach our lesson. The next day we got it all fixed, so now I actually have a bike to ride. There is a huge hill we have to bike up every night to get to our apartment and it is awful.
I love my wards and have already met so many great people! Our ward mission leader ( he reminds me so much of Stewart Wilson) was fishing on Saturday and he met another guy there and invited him to church. This man, David, came and brought his girlfriend with him. They are both from Turkey and have been here for about 2 years now. They wanted to know why people in Idaho are so nice. He asked is it because of the church? Brother Kelley invited him to come and see. It was a simple invitation and it had a great impact on both him and his girlfriend, Berna. They are planning on coming back next week and I am excited to see them again.
On a slightly sadder note, missionary work here seems to be a lot more difficult. Everyone here has such busy schedules and everyone is so set in their ways and seemingly content with their lives. If only they knew! If only they knew the joy they are missing out on. People can find happiness, but their joy will never be full without the truthfulness of the gospel. I have faced so much rejection this past week that it hurts to think about how many people are turning away from the truth and are blinded by other things.
In this last General Conference, Dieter F. Uchtdorf said, "Pray daily with all your heart that you will find those who will come and see, come and help, and come and stay." Brother Kelley was a great example of inviting others to come and see. If we do these things, eventually we will come and help people stay. They will stay not just because they are curious, but because they have their own testimony and because they want to continue to learn and grow in the light that this gospel brings. Think about and pray like Elder Uchtdorf said for opportunities to invite others. We are all missionaries and are Heavenly Father's hands on this Earth. We have all been called to take part in this great work. It doesn't take much but miracles will happen when we act in faith and seek to help others!
Happy Mother's Day to everyone! I am so grateful to all the wonderful "mothers" in my life. I know that I would not be here (yes even in Boise) without them. I love you so much mom and I am so grateful to my Heavenly Father for giving me someone as wonderful as you!
Love,
Sister Beutler
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| Saying Good-bye... |
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| A Rainy Transfer Day |
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| My new companion, Sister McPhee |
