I got all of your letters! And the packages! I felt so loved! Thank you so much. That birthday package was incredible. You guys spoil me too much! I am embarrassed to admit it but I might have cried while opening up the Jane Austen address book :) Who knew I was so sentimental?? I just thought it was so sweet that you individually wrapped them. I also cried when Dad started sending me bits of books in his emails. Family and literature! My two favorite loves all in one place! That polka dot purple skirt is my new favorite! It is so comfortable and cute :)
This week was a bit different than most. We had a leadership training meeting up in Columbia that lasted 2 days which means....SLEEPOVER! It was so fun being able to meet other sisters and hearing about their experiences. Being sister missionaries makes for an almost instant camaraderie. I love it. We also got to listen to president, who taught us about being executing the things we learned in the conference. He told of planes that land on those landing strips (not the exact term but hopefully you get the gist!) in the ocean. I guess there is a hook on the back of the plane that they hook to the end of the barge to slow the plane down. The hook is relatively small and so they immediately thrust the engines on landing in case it doesn't hook. Otherwise they wouldn't have the speed they need to take off on such a short landing and would go straight into the ocean. Anyway, it takes years of training and practice assimilation to master. He said that missionary work is very similar. We plan and practice during personal and companionship study, but sometimes things don't go as planned and we need to be ready to take off immediately and not get discouraged. I think this analogy can apply to families, too! Parents teach their kids correct principles--how someone can hook themselves to the gospel--but if the children make mistakes and miss than the Lord has provided a way for them to come back and try again! It is a bit of a stretch and I think it made more sense in my head, but there it is :)
This week was a hard one on our companionship. We became frustrated with each other. I didn't know how to fix it. None of us did. We tried a couple companionship inventories, which helped but didn't solve anything. The Spirit just couldn't be there and the love we usually had for each other was just gone. Luckily the Lord knew exactly how to fix it! In every transfer we have one companionship exchange with another companionship. One person leaves and another person comes. Anyway Sister Jackson left for Conway and another missionary, Sister Anderson, came to Florence. I know the timing of this exchange was inspired of God. Those sisters could have chosen any week for the exchange, but this was when it was most needed. Usually companionship exchanges are to help inspire missionaries to work harder or give them ideas on things they improve on, but this time it unified our companionship! Sister Anderson is a sweet girl, but my goodness! She made Sister Houston and I really appreciate each other. Our frustrations immediately vanished and our companionship has never been more unified! I just love Sister Jackson and Sister Houston so much and I am glad that things are back to normal.
The miracle moment of the week happened yesterday. We were looking for Regina, a former investigator, that Sister Houston had been trying to find for 3 months. It turns out that Sister Houston had been knocking at the wrong address the whole time! Anyway we went unknowingly to this wrong address and knocked. No one answered. Frustrated and disappointed we turned and started walking back towards the car. Then two kids--who came out of nowhere-- ran over and said that we had been knocking on their door and told us to follow them. They led us to their mother who was across the neighborhood and guess who she was talking to?? The long, lost Regina! We set up an appointment with her and then her friend, Tammy, requested that we visit her too! That scripture that says, "And a little child shall lead them" took on a whole new meaning" :)
Anyway, I love you guys so much! I am going to try to write a handwritten letter every week, too, so I can keep you more updated! I plan on writing those crazy boys too! So hopefully I'll have time this afternoon.
Love,
Sister Daniels
P.S. Oh my goodness. You won't believe this. I JUST got a phone call from President Holm and I am leaving Florence and my companions. DEVASTATION. I wasn't supposed to leave for a few more weeks, but I guess one of the sisters in Marion went home and President Holm said he was inspired for me to take her place at least for the week until transfers. I only have a little while to pack all of my things and say good-bye to my companions. I am just in shock and don't know what to think!
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