It really started to snow in Irondequoit a couple weeks ago... My hair would freeze when we'd go out into our area. And there were a few times that I thought I was going to have to amputate my toes because of frostbite. (Hahaha all I wanted was to go somewhere warm on my mission. The Lord has a sense of humor!:) haha
It was a hard week having to say goodbye to everyone. My heart was broken. That is something that I will openly say that I STRONGLY dislike about a mission. I've spent the last 6 months of my life getting attached to these people, building their trust, feeling God's love for them, and trying to help them feel that as well, and then I have to leave them. Between the ward and the people we were teaching, my heart was completely torn to pieces to say goodbye! I was pretty upset about it. It didn't seem fair. I was so scared that I wouldn't love the people in my new area as much as I loved the people in Irondequoit! That was my home. But the Lord knows better than we do, what we need, who needs us, and where we should go.
Last Sunday night I got a call from President (as the 4 sisters in our apartment were making a music video). My heart dropped because Sister Rogers had already gotten her training call so all president had to do next was choose sister training leaders, district leaders and zone leaders. I got the call to be a sister training leader which is so exciting and terrifying at the same time. I'm thrilled to do exchanges with the sweet sisters, but terrified to do trainings at zone meetings and zone conferences. I feel too young in the mission for that! But the Lord knows that I need to learn to serve and love others better, so that's why I got this call. :)
Then Monday morning transfer calls came! I got called to go to the Clarence/Amherst area which is right outside of Buffalo. It's a full pros area so I'll be doing only proselyting while I'm here since we're about 2 hours away from the sites. My companion is Sister McLaren. She's been out for 10 months. She grew up in Belgium and England in a military family. We're going to see a lot of miracles together! I'm excited.
So Tuesday we went to transfer meeting and carpooled out to good ol' Clarence with the elders in our mom-mobile (aka the mini van). It was awkward at first being in the van with just us and a couple elders but it was a really good experience. Elder Walker was telling us all about the people we'll be working with since he'd been serving here for the last 3 transfers. And remember that fear that I had that I wouldn't love these people as much as the others? Ya... That feeling was ridiculous. Just as he was telling us about these people I KNEW this is where I needed to be and I could already feel my love for them growing. Over the next few days the elders came with us to a lot of the people they'd been teaching so we could carol and they could hand us over and introduce us. All these people that I have met so far are sooo wonderful! I had heard that the Amherst ward was the promised land and from day 1 that was confirmed. We have dinner appointments every single night. The members are so willing to do missionary work and come teaching with us. It's so wonderful. This area is so different from Irondequoit. The houses here are probably worth more than my life (and tracting here is super out of my comfort zone) whereas in Irondequoit 75% of the people were on welfare. It's a HUGE difference but I'm already in love with this area.
Everyone is so excited to have sisters here. All the sisters are in the Rochester or Palmyra stakes so that they're closer to the sites and so to have sisters out here in Buffalo is pretty crazy! We're the only sisters in our zone. Everyone has warmed up to us so quickly though! For example Elder Walker was telling us on the drive up here about Bill and Dee. Dee loves having the elders over and she's been so open to the messages but doesn't want to act until Bill is there with her. He said that Bill hates talking about the gospel and only talks about hunting. But after we had caroled to them, I started talking to Bill. Just asking simple questions and getting to know him and eventually it led into a gospel conversation where we talked about the restoration. I was amazed! It was so funny because Dee was in the kitchen talking to the elders about how she couldn't believe that Bill was talking to us. And Bill looked at The elders and said "You guys never explained it that way before. This makes a lot more sense!" I felt so bad because Elder Walker will be going home mid-transfer to start school so this was kind of his last time to see them and I didn't want him to feel bad that almost everyone had been warming up to Sister McLaren and I so quickly. But it really showed me that were really supposed to be here. The Lord knew sisters needed to be out here.
There was no reason to worry about whether or not I'd love these people. I've seen in the last week that love is multiplied. Never divided. There's no such thing as loving too many people. The Lord will always place new people in our lives at times when we aren't sure we can love them as much as anyone else, but just because you've learned to love others, doesn't mean you can't love more. There's no limit. LOVE IS MULTIPLIED, NOT DIVIDED.
I love all of you so much! Thanks for being a part of my life!
Love,
Sister Nield
Ps. I'll see some of you Thursday when I skype!
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Pss. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!
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