Come Follow Me

Hey folks!!!

Another week has passed and I can’t believe it. Am I really leaving for my mission on the 25th??? Yes! Crazy!!!

I gotta first share about a great Sister Smith language moment. She had been practicing super hard at transitioning the lessons into a word of prayer on our knees but instead of saying, “can we please end with a prayer on our knees,” she said, “can we please end with a prayer on our sons.....” After she said sons I immediately corrected her but it was too late. Our investigator and I started laughing our heads off! It was a great try! The next day, word gets around with the teachers and our other teacher joked with us about it. Gotta love it.

Well I gotta get to the wonderful part of week!! We were really trying to study hard and prep for our lesson and I had the idea of singing a bit of a hymn for our investigator who is preparing for baptism because I wanted her to get a feel for all the songs we sing in sacrament and at baptisms. The lesson was going like normal, and I explained that we were going to sing just one verse of Come Follow Me and right as soon as we finished, I went to start talking again and it hit me.........the tears started flowing and so did the spirit. A wave of love and concern and gratitude for Andressa (our teacher/investigator) just hit me. I was so happy for her progression and felt so much love. I kept crying and trying to talk but words barely came out. Andressa was crying as well and I luckily explained that music always does this to me and that she was feeling the spirit. I didn’t want to continue talking/bawling so I looked/nudged Sister Smith to say something. She said a few things and teared up as well. Luckily I composed myself enough to talk quickly about following the prophet but what a great experience that was! And on my 1 month mark no doubt :) I had always heard about these amazing spiritual experiences with investigators in the MTC but I hadn’t really had any until now :) I think it was a blessing from Heavenly Father to spiritually revive me and keep me going strong! Sometimes you get in the motions here but that certainly woke me up and made me realize just how much I love these people and the message I’m here to share.

Other times when I felt the spirit was during our devotionals and Sunday meetings. How refreshing those meetings are too! Who would’ve thought that I’d just love going to meeting after meeting after meeting? I wouldn’t have until I realized how much you can be spiritual uplifted and strengthened through the words of the teacher through others, and the spirit.

Today in the Campinas Temple, I was enjoying the Celestial room again and saw the chandelier. Remember that? Well this time there were many different colors spread out and it made me think of you all! How grateful I am to have your influence and that I’m not the only purple person, but there are greens and yellows and reds etc.

I also felt the spirit while playing the piano last night for the devotional. I played Love at Home and I pictured my Heavenly Father smiling down, and saying “Way to try again even though last time was awful!” I love music. I love mission life. Most of all I love the relationship I have with my Heavenly Father. What a blessing it is to have an all knowing Father, who wants the best for you, who always knows what’s going on. When I don’t know how to express something in writing or in words, I always take comfort in knowing that the most important thing is that He knows. He can see into my heart and that’s all that matters.

I love it here, even when our roomies get up at 6 am to get ready for some reason, or when there are super SUPER loud fireworks going off outside at 11:00 pm and you think they’re gun shots, or when you only get a juice box and a little granola bar for lunch time, or when you can barely understand what the teacher is saying and is laughing her head off so you chuckle with her......that happens all the time :) These things aren’t that bad really but it’s what makes life fun and different! It’s what helps me learn and grow and experience the unknown. It’s what reminds me I’m in another country! Another world! I’ve been called here for some reason. A reason that I hopefully will know soon :) I’ll let you know when that happens.

Love you guys! Keep shining bright and never forget what a wonderful plan you’re a part of. Next week I’ll be in the mission home! Talk with you then. Tchau.

Love,

Sydster Oldroyd

The spiritual song singer sorta crier :)