So the plane ride was nerve wracking. The whole time I was thinking, "What am I doing? Am I crazy for doing this?" I guess being released from the MTC bubble is a humbling experience. As you walk around the airport as a group dressed all up with tags, you receive all sorts of looks. The realization occurs that you are no longer just preparing to be a missionary, but you really are one. I still stood out being the only sister with 6 elders.
We went to the luggage pickup where we were greeted by the president and the assistants. They soon informed us that we would hand our luggage to the president to take, for we would ride the metro home contacting! I think they saw my shock. My eyes were huge and my mouth was opened wide. I wish I could lie, but i was terrified. We soon had pass along cards in hand and were sitting next to complete strangers telling them about the gospel. It was a rough go at it. When we met with the president again, I thought we would be heading back to the mission home... But, nope it was time to go to George Mason, a local university, to street contact some more. I did much better speaking with kids my own age. I met with two girls who wanted to learn more!! The next night and morning were spent getting to know each other and being taught about the mission.
Next was transfer meeting, I was introduced to my trainer, Sister Le Sueur, who is from Idaho Falls. She is fantastic; I really like her. She went to school at BYU and studied Physics. She is quirky and funny and we get along really well. Sometimes we talk too much, but it's nice. We are serving in the Colonial 2nd ward in Alexandria, Virginia, which is the largest singles ward in the mission. Yay! I love it! It's exactly what I wanted.
It is amazing the success they are having in the ward. The members are all so willing to come to lessons and give us referrals. So many of the sisters in the ward served missions and are such assets in the lessons. It helps me to see two people who know what they are doing. We have a baptism this Saturday. His name is Patrick, and he is amazing. He loves church and the Book of Mormon. I am speaking at his baptism about the Holy Ghost. I'm so surprised he asked me, being that he had been taught by 3 other sisters who will be attending. I hope to do well.
We also have 3 other dates lined up, it's amazing. I'll share more about them later. We have a big push in our mission to invite, invite, invite. We are taught to always be inviting to baptism and setting dates at our first lesson. Its sounds bold, and it is, but people need to know what we're offering. In fact it is tradition in the mission that when you first arrive, you must invite your first contact to baptism. It was scary, but i did it. It was at the metro on my first day. I was talking to a really nice girl named Lauren from Michigan. She just graduated and moved her a week ago for an internship. I told her a little bit about the church and how we help others to come unto Christ and be baptized and then asked if she would want to be baptized... she said YES!!! I was shocked and immediately looked at my trainer. She graciously picked up and finished the conversation! We got her info, and have visited her once and will teach her the first lesson later today. I am so excited. It is what my greenie calls "greenie faith that leads to greenie miracle." So Lauren is my miracle. Thank goodness for the Spirit that teaches, because I know what I said to her wasn't very eloquent, but she felt something.
There have been several miracles that i have already seen within this short week. On Monday me and my companion had planned to go street contacting in a particular neighborhood but instead felt prompted that we didn't have time to drive that far before our next appointment, so we instead went to a near by shopping center. We met all sorts of people, but one lady was great. She was Jewish, but had great Mormon friends. She had actually heard a lot about our humanitarian services through the church and thought that we might be able to help her friend in New Mexico who just lost her job and was having to move the following week and needed some help. She asked if we could do something. We told her we would get the missionaries in her area to go help her. She was so gracious. But also mentioned that we were in her dream the night before. She said she dreamed that she was having a problem and there was men that she thought were bad so so she called 911 for help and they sent two women. And she wondered why they would send girls instead of guys to help her. She said it all made sense. I cant believe someone had dreamed of us, it was amazing that she would even recognize it and shared it with us it was great.
There was also so many other neat things that happen throughout the day that helps me realize the Lord is really leading the way for his work to go forth. I really love Virginia; it is beautiful. We're in city, but because of the trees you feel secluded. It's hard to explain. I had my first day with humidity and I love it. My companion thinks its always hot, but I love it. It's like a warm blanket. Although, I must admit that when it was 90 degrees and humid it was a bit rough, but still not as bad as everyone warms you of. They also say to just wait till July and August if it was this bad in the spring.
There have been some funny things that have happened too. At church I accidentally introduced myself as Brittney instead of Sister Garbrick in our ward council. After church, someone called me by my first name and I was shocked when I turned around it and was a friend of mine from my freshman year at BYU-I. He soon noticed the tag and was also shocked. He didn't know I was going on a mission. It was a little weird, but also nice to see a familiar face.
My favorite story of the week, comes from a mother - daughter pair we are teaching. They are the most kind, sweet ladies. They have had a hard life, and are on welfare so they really like the government. It was my first time visiting and so the mom, who is pretty old, showed me the wall of pictures of her family. I was admiring them saying that it's great to remember family. She agreed, but said that the people she look at most were Obama and Jesus. When looking at the wall it was easy to see Obama since he had the largest picture in the center of the wall. Her picture of Jesus was much more difficult to find. It was a 1 inch by 2 inch picture of Christ that she had stuck in the corner of the Obama frame. Hilarious. She just kept saying... "That's right. Obama and Jesus, Obama and Jesus. Love them."
Another great story is about Dorothy. She is unfortunately having some health problems, so we arranged for the elders to come and give a priesthood blessing. After the elders had fully explained what a blessing is, that there are two parts she would need to pick two out of the three gentlemen that were there to help. She took a moment thought, than said, "I want the new girl" as she pointed to me. I couldn't help but giggle. They re-explained and went on with the blessing. At the end she said it was too bad I couldn't give the blessing to her, she just really likes my smile. I took it as a compliment. Haha! Well this is probably way too much, but I just had so much to say. I love it!!!
I love you,
Sister Garbrick
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