"The Lord Accepts My Service"

July 23, 2012

Hello from Black Mountain!

Sometimes our investigators are not all the way ready so they need to be little fishies thrown back into the water for a bit until next season.  Sister Hanny and I baptized 5 people together because of the faith to let them go.  It is so hard because you love these people so much and they show some interest but they aren't quite there yet.  We have a ton of things on the horizon and Billions of people that are waiting to hear the gospel and we just havent found them yet. SO I had some pretty amazing experiences this week! It was incredible.

This isn't the picture she sent, I couldn't get that one from showing up sideways!

#1 We got to go to transfer testimony meeting and it was soooooooo great! I got major spiritual uplift that I needed. Sister Hanny is going home in the middle of this transfer because of school starting so she got to bare her final departing testimony and that was amazing. It totally freaked me out because that means I have less than 4 transfers left. At most 2 more areas (probably 1) and a few more companions. Wow that is really scary. But I love it! So this picture of sister Hanny and I are when I said my goodbyes to her until after the mission. ALL of my companions are going to be in Utah after the mission. I hate Utah but if all my companions were there that might be incentive enough to get me to Utah someday. Who knows. BLAHHH  hahaha. Anyways but I love my compys. I will miss sister Hanny so much!  (Wow, I had no idea she had such strong feeling about Utah! hee, hee)

#2 I got to see sister Abeyta this week! It was amazing to see her. I love that girl so much! and I got to meet her family too. Amazing people. It is so crazy to think that all of my companions are off their mission except for Medina, Cheatham and Tahi. Insane. Seeing sister Abeyta again was like little childhood friends were getting together. I miss her!

#3 The last thing is Saturday. Oh boy I do not have words to describe Saturday. PURE JOY is all I can think of. So I was called by Bob from my first area. He is the guy that got baptized a couple days before I got to the mission field. I got really close with him over the time I was there. But his year mark had passed so that he could go through the temple to receive his endownment and he was inviting me to come!!!! With permission I was able to go and it sounds like Bill, Carey and Gerry are coming to the temple soon too! I will be able to go just in time before I come home. I have a feeling that I will be making random trips, if means provide, so that I can come down and see more of my recent converts go through and get sealed and stuff. But here's the cool part.....we needed a ride to get to the temple and we had been trying to find one for a couple days. Then the thought came to me....the Mccullough hills ward temple night is the same session as bob's session. So soon enough I got a call from the bishop's wife saying, " I had a prompting this morning that I needed to call you sisters and see if you wanted a ride to the ward temple night session tonight." Of course we said yes! :] It was amazing to see people I loved from McCullough hills ward AND the Green Valley ward together in the same session. I was overwhelmed with the joy of my mission and all the loved ones around support Bob and doing work for those who have gone before us. I looked over at Bob during the session and he was GLOWING. Incredible. I will never forget when we went into the celetial room and seeing Bob and everyone else. SUCH PEACE. Also to top it all off there is another mini story. During the session I was sitting by someone that looked so familiar to me but I couldnt put it together for some reason. When we were in the celestial room she gave me a great big hug and said "thank you for everything you have done." Then she showed me to her dad and said that he would like to see me. Then it started coming back to me. I think we must have known each other before this life. So then she led me to this little old man with a big smile on his face holding his cane. He looked into my eyes and said "are you Sister Fine?" I said yes and he said "I will always remember you for singing at my wife's funeral." I remembered then....I sang "I know that my Redeemer lives" and it was the best time I had ever performed it. I remember feeling angels all around me helping me to perform for this family. As I was talking to this man in the celestial room my heart overflowed with joy. It was the best feeling I have ever felt. I love my mission and I know that the Lord is pleased with me and my service no matter how many doors have been slammed in my face, no matter how many unpleasant situations I have been in. The Lord accepts my service. :]

I want to express my gratitude to my Heavenly Father for allowing me to serve a mission. Lately I have been told, "You are lucky you even got to come on your mission because of your anxiety."  But because of God's grace he gave me the strength and the opportunity to have that not be withheld from me.  I love my mission. I love you my lovelies and I pray for you every night and day. Until we write again. I love you.

Sister Fine

Ps-Mom I heard your voice when I was taking a 5 min lunch nap and I could have sworn you were with me. Sister Jones said that you were probably thinking of me. It was so plain to be heard...you said my name and I thought you were in the room.