Change and Moving Forward

Hello people I love! How are you? Seriously. I pray you're well.

It's March already!?! I realized yesterday that, at the end of this transfer (6-week period), I'll only have one year left of the mission. B-a-n-a-n-a-s!!

This week President Wilson and his wife had all of the sister missionaries get together for a luncheon and training. Sweet, merciful beauty, it was great. We're up to 21 sister missionaries in a mission of about 160 plus/minus elders. We're a rare breed, but we are mighty. I'll share something President shared that literally blew my shoes off. Often we think about the doctrine of eternal families in the context of OUR nuclear family unit--two parents, some children. But, did you know what we're really doing when we're sealed for time and all eternity to our family? We're sealing ourselves to God as part of HIS eternal family. Our families are not just one complete cross-stitched doily. We are a quilt, people! Your family unit is just one of kajillions of squares. Throw THAT in your bubble bath and soak in it!

Random thought having nothing to do with anything: if I never hear the words "Mitt Romney" again in my mission, it will be too soon. I never realized how much the Church's neutral political stance would bless me in a mission situation. I'm interested in being socially/politically conscious as a member of this great land, but I'm thrilled NOT to listen to the radio, watch TV, or peruse the internet during an election year. People, I know I'm a Mormon. I'm aware that Mitt's a Mormon. Do I know him? Nope. Do I care if Mitt enjoys the occasional episode of Jersey Shore or wants to be the president? I don't. Step off my bean, Washingtonians.

So, it's happening. Sister Hone is getting transferred tomorrow. Little Sister G (that's me) is staying in good ole Granite Falls. Remember last week how I talked about sorrow and gladness occurring in the same breath? This is a lot like that. Sad to see her go, but thrilled for her to train someone else for 12 weeks before she heads back home. I pray my new companion will be as cool as Honesauce (sparse likelihood), or I fear the ward may turn on her with pitchforks and torches.

Final thought for today: we have to accept change so that we can grow. This morning Hone and I talked about how four sisters are going home today, and how it won't be much longer before Hone goes home, too. Leaving this experience should be a rejoicing about the ability to grow, to learn from and move on. I think many of us get stuck in the "Look what I LEARNED!" stage and forget about the moving on sequence. You've got to move your feet, friends (ahem: forward, not backward). Are there circumstances I don't prefer here? You bet your bifocals there are, but there's a beautiful loophole. "Non-preferred" stages are not permanent. You face the challenge, garner all you can, and sprint to the next phase--for better or worse. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this week I'm focusing on not getting caught up in the details of change. "Make the most of it" comes to mind. The keyword is make. It's not "have the best of it," or "search hopelessly for the best of it." We make change good or bad. Something rotten is happening in your life? Your fretting won't cause it to vanish. Your willingness to accept change and be humble/able to grow from it WILL make it better, if not wonderful. P.S.--God's got it MORE than under control anyways, so keep calm and carry on.

Is this making sense? Sometimes I feel like I try to share the thought of the week and it turns into this Oprah Winfrey moment of schmaltz and weak pep talks.

Point: Accept. Grow. Move on.

Love,

Sister Goodpaster

P.P.S. My birthday's in 19 days. I'm counting.