This was quite a week with lots of stories! This week I have struggled a little bit. I have felt pretty lost as to what more I can do for these people we are working with and with my area. I have felt as if all of my ideas and thoughts have been exhausted. We had transfer calls coming up again on Saturday and I was very unsure on what would happen. So I have been praying very hard for President Nygaard to be guided on where I need to be. Well... we got the news and I am staying here in East Boise and will be training! Sister Dochterman is leaving and will be heading to Oregon.
Now, I was not too happy with this news right after I heard it and did some serious praying that night. I cannot describe the peace that I felt as I prayed. I still don't know what I am going to do here but I know that I am supposed to be here for some reason. I am so excited to begin this next transfer and for the chance and blessing I am being given to train another missionary.
Another thing that has hit me pretty hard this week is all the tough things people have been dealt in life. We have met so many people this week who are struggling in many ways. Some struggle with temporal needs and barely have food to live on, living from paycheck to paycheck. We talked to another lady who is getting divorced and her husband doesn't want her and their son to be a part of his life. Other people who are searching for acceptance, love, peace, stability, the list goes on. I have concluded that everyone has something. Maybe some of you have felt this way. That really got me thinking about how no matter who we are or where we are at in life, we have all been broken at some point. What brought us back? I promise that every single one of those things that brought us back whether it was a person, a miracle, something you read, a prayer, etc. those things came from our loving Heavenly Father. He sees us in all of our imperfection and gives us these trials or opportunities to grow. They are tough, but He is there every step of the way. I look back on my life and see his hand everywhere. I am so blessed. I realized that I am also one of these broken people, but I am constantly being healed by our Savior Jesus Christ today. He still works miracles today.
Speaking of miracles, this week we were on exchanges and I spent all Saturday in Meridian with Sister Padilla while Sister Dochterman stayed in our area with Sister Brooks. Well, this week Sister Dochterman learned how to ride a bike. She had been riding for about 2 days and was doing great, so I was excited to leave her and see how it goes. I got home Saturday night and found out that she decided to take on the largest hill in our area. Lets just say that it was a wild ride! She had a pretty hard crash but she is doing fine. Her bike got the worst end of it. She did not slow down fast enough and ended up crashing right into the curb and flying off her bike into a convenient lavender bush on the side of the road. She still smelt like lavender after I got home that night. She has many bruises and doesn't remember a lot of the crash. She is incredible. Apparently after the crash she was more worried about picking up all her stuff that flew out of her bag. She is very sore but moving on!
I also have to add in here that we have the best Mission President EVER!! I don't know if I have said it before, but he likes to break out in song whenever he talks with the missionaries. We got a call Sunday night from him and he says, "Sister Beutler, how was your birthday? Would it be ok if I sang you a song?" I could not refuse that, so he proceeded to sing some silly birthday song I have never heard in my life. The members we ate with that night also found out it was my Birthday and made a cake. They made me blow out candles and everything! It was a good day!
It will be sad to say goodbye to Sister Dochterman this week, but I am excited for what Heavenly Father has in store for me and my new companion! I love you all and thank you for strengthening me!
Love,
Sister Beutler
