So I hope you are all prepared for the craziest, most amazing email ever... because this week was somethin' else.
I don't even know where to start!!!!!
About 2 months ago, I had an experience I will never forget. It was kept on the down-low. I'll share it now :) Right before I left for Omaha, I was able to go to the temple. As I was sitting in the celestial room, I couldn't help but feel that President Gardner was going to tell me something. So I was sitting there, waiting for him, but he didn't do anything - just shook everyone's hands! So we left, changed, and waited outside for everyone to finish. I honestly forgot about the impression and then President came up and started talking to all of us missionaries. He started to direct his attention mainly to me, asking me about our ward and our investigators in Omaha.
I noticed that he was thinking and had something on his mind. He then started talking about the other missionaries that speak Spanish and asked me what I thought about having Spanish STLs - Sister Training Leaders. We have never had Spanish ones in our mission but I've thought it would be GREAT! We talked about all the goodness it would be to have Spanish sister leaders in the mission. He then looked at me and said, "You know, Sister Gould, you would be one of them." I about lost it. I stood there, just staring at him, with my mouth wide open.
The two months that followed were crazy - plans kept changing, I had to keep the whole thing on the down-low, I got transferred, etc etc etc. President had initially wanted the STL's to be in Omaha. But this last week, we got the call (finally)...
I AM NOW A SPANISH SISTER TRAINING LEADER AND I CAN'T EVEN HANDLE IT.
I am staying here in Sioux City, and Sister Castagnola is my companion, the other STL! I am beyond excited, grateful, pumped...!!!!!! Ahhh!!!!! I am so grateful I get to be with my bud Castagnola, she is a gem of a human. We are going to blow Sioux City up! When she first found out last week that she was going to be an STL, she screamed - in the library, might I add - and said, "WE'RE GONNA BE LEGENDS!"
Hahah ok ok, chill.
But honestly, this is so amazing, it's hard for me to even describe it. I am so incredibly humbled for this opportunity. These next 6 months will be the best ever.
We will be doing exchanges with the other Spanish sisters, doing trainings at meetings, helping plan Spanish conference, working one-on-one with President to improve the work... so many amazing opportunities to grow and change and be so much better. I am just on cloud 9.
We now are working so close with the other sisters. They both called us yesterday, almost in tears, as they excitedly told us about all of the AMAZING miracles they saw that week. I was crying, Sister Castagnola was laughing, it was awesome.
Amazing things are happening with the Spanish sisters here in this mission. Doors are opening, hearts are softening, it's overwhelming.
Remember Esmerelda? I found her my 3rd week in the mission back in Omaha. We baptized her husband, Jose, back in September. She and I became best friends - we sobbed together when I got transferred. But guess what?
SHE IS GETTING BAPTIZED. She is actually, really getting baptized!!!!!! This has been my mission goal since the day I found her and now it's happening! When the Omaha Sisters called us last night to tell us, I just curled up into a ball and laughed/cried for several minutes... haha I am just so excited! Do you know what this means!? I get to come back in a year when they BOTH go to the temple and get sealed as a family!!!!!! Oh my heart is full!
God is so incredible - I have always known it but never has it been so apparent before. This week was so amazing. We got 10 referrals from members, 15 returning members at church, 2 new investigators, and lessons with investigators we haven't seen in forever.
Miracles have ceased? HA!
This week changed my mission. This mission is changing my life.
xoxo
Hermana Brie Gould
No comments:
Post a Comment