It rained here, and although that doesn’t sound like a bad thing especially since we are in a drought, but because it rained so severely and it hadn’t in such a long time there were flash floods. The creeks near the homes in Mt. Baldy got severe mudslide damage. That happened Sunday night, so Monday we got a call and were asked if we would be willing to give up our Preparation Day to go and help them. Of course we accepted, so from 10 am to 3 pm we were up helping.
Sister Broderick and I were able to help some cars that got buried and carried away with the mud, and also a garage that had at least 3 feet of mud and debris that had gotten inside. We have the opportunity to go back tomorrow as well.
When we were there we were able to meet some of the residents and others who volunteered their time and service to help those in need. It was an amazing experience to be able to see the charity of others and to see how humble those people whose homes were damaged, or who were in it. We got to meet some amazing people. The man whose garage we were helping clean out for the majority of the time bought us pizza to thank us for the service that we were doing. All of us were working as hard as we could. We only took a break to eat the pizza. Today, I am so sore, but I don’t care because I saw all the damage and I saw all the help that they needed and I just want to go back and help some more. You could see how much they needed the help.
It reminded me a lot of how Heavenly Father is with us. He sees the trials and the mental disasters that we might be going through and He wants to help us clean those up. He wants us to be humble enough to ask for help, and to be willing to get down and dirty to work to change our lives and the way that we are living. I can tell you right now that I definitely got down and dirty! I had mud from head to toe. I sunk down into a pile of mud in the garage half way up my calf. That was fun. :) I know that we can make a difference in our lives and we will feel accomplished and willing to continue to keep our lives clean of mistakes because that is how I felt after finishing the garage. I felt happy and not thinking of myself the entire time we were there. Not dwelling on the fact that my muscles were sore or that I was getting blisters all over my hands from the shovel. I was helping others.
Not only this week was I able to see how helping people can really make a difference, but I was able to see how being on a mission has really given me patience. And how important it is to develop the quality of patience. Before my mission I had the mentality that I wanted everything now. Why do I have to wait for it? I didn’t understand why it was necessary to have to wait for things. Think of all the blessings Heavenly Father gives to us if we wait though? If we take the time to think of the little things in life. To appreciate all that God has given us.
This transfer really has been about patience. We lost all of our investigators, well there has to be a reason for it. The members haven’t been giving us referrals, and so many other little things that I have had to wait for. Well this week we were able to talk to two of our investigators, and we are going to be able to see them this week. Then I was able to receive an answer to my prayers that I have been waiting for, for almost two transfers. Good thing Heavenly Father doesn’t have instant messaging or else I wouldn’t have been strengthened because of the trial of waiting for my answers to come. Everything happens for a reason, and I am so glad that we don’t always have to get a reason or an answer now. Especially when it comes from a patriarchal blessing, just think when you have that blessing you get to know of all the blessing you are going to receive if you just stay diligent and faithful to the commandments God has given us. That definitely takes patience to wait for all of those, but you know that they will come when you need them the most.
Nothing major really happened this week though. We were able to meet with a lot of less actives that are really progressing. I went on exchanges with Sister Price! She came down from the desert this transfer and is my STL again. We went and had 6 lessons and got a potential investigator from the Philippines named Rodrigo. He is pretty cool. We were able to Help Maddi Estrada with her personal progress, and learn a little more about faith and the Atonement. All in all this week went by really quickly, and was a really good week. I hope that everyone else had a great week as well. I love all of you, and you all are in my prayers.
Love,
Sister Bell
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