Week 23

Hello all!

So this last week was full of ups and downs..

...the best "up" being that Jennifer got baptized on Saturday!

It was kinda stressful haha. She was late getting to the baptism...she forgot a towel...she took 15 minutes getting ready...but it turned out beautifully in the end. :) President Eaton was the one who baptized her! I gave a talk on baptism, which went pretty well. (In front of my mission pres...no pressure.) Jennifer is so sweet, and it was so wonderful to watch her be baptized.

With the baptism of Jennifer, we are back to ZERO investigators! Blank slate, I guess! Time to start tracting hardcore! It'll be fun. :)

This weekend I got pretty sick, which was a bummer. I had a bad sore throat, headache, stuffy nose, ear aches...just a bad cold. So, Sister Hehl and I did splits. I stayed at Sister Grisham's, and Sister Hehl went out with two other sisters from the branch. Sister Hehl is such a hard worker. I'm so blessed to have her as my comp.

Going to the Relief Society Broadcast this weekend was THE BEST! I am so so so so so excited for General Conference. Even as a missionary, I still need to fill my spiritual well every once in a while. I loved that the focus of the meeting was covenants. I became very overwhelmed with gratitude as I realized how blessed I am to have made sacred covenants in the temple at the age of 19. I'm so grateful for the temple. I miss it so much! Hopefully we will be able to go to the Seattle temple once or twice in the next year...

So funny story, Jennifer figured out my name from my scriptures, and now she calls me Rachel. Yesterday, in Gospel Principles, I made a comment and she commented after me. "I really agree with what Rachel said..." Everyone started giggling. I heard some people behind me say, "Her name is Rachel?!" You know you're a missionary when your first name is some big secret....

One last thought. During personal study this week, I read from some old Ensigns we have. The particular one I was studying was from the October conference of 2010. David M. McConkie gave a really great talk called "Gospel Learning and Teaching." My favorite quote from the talk: "Successful gospel teachers love the gospel. They are excited about it. And because they love their students, they want them to feel as they feel and to experience what they have experienced. To teach the gospel is to share your love of the gospel." This really made me step back and look at my teaching style. Am I teaching out of love? How can I develop the attitude necessary to be a successful gospel teacher? Well, Elder McConkie answered my questions.

1. Immerse yourself in the scriptures

2. Apply the things you learn to your life

3. Seek Heaven's help

4. Act on promptings you receive

This talk made me realize that to be a good teacher, I need to be a good student. I need to absorb the gospel, and love it with all my heart. :)

I love you all, and I am so thankful to be a missionary. Hurrah for Israel!

Love, Sister Morrow