Photo Journal of my week!

We were invited to the Crain's house for dinner with Herb. They have a house on the water in Surf City.

We drove to Raleigh with the Zone leaders for a Missionary Leadership Training Conference (MLC). Sister Muder and I are the Sister Training Leaders (STL's for the Wilmington Zone). 

Sister Muder

MLC

Departing Elders and Sisters from the March transfer

Home-Bound!

 

Haircuts, lessons, meetings and FUN! 

Freshly cut...aren't we cute?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Library

Interesting District Meeting

Lesson with Herb! Love that guy; he is so ready for baptism

Pranking Sister Macrum with a blanket

Sister Macrum made a fort... don't ask why!

We went to the Smith's house and made goodies (PB power bites) for a baptism on Wednesday. Sister Macrum had an investigator in Jacksonville who was getting baptized and we got to attend. 

Baptism in Jacksonville with the Jacksonville missionaries.

Making fun of Sister Macrum because she can never keep her eyes open in a picture!

Last time seeing Sister Alldredge

My Last Two Weeks!

So I only have some time for a few highlights from this last week!

HERB is amazing.  We have been teaching him for almost 7 or 8 weeks now, and have grown to really love that man!  Each time we teach him something new he accepts it readily, studies, prays and comes back telling us he knows it is true.  He is so excited for his upcoming baptism.  He came to a fireside the missionaries put on last night and said it was very enlightening and wished he had found the church earlier.  He always had religion, but when he started learning about the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, he said he felt at home.  I loved that. 

Herb is in the middle of us!

This week we also had interviews with President James and his sweet wife.  It is weird to think that it was my last one as a full time missionary.  But the culmination of what I have learned on my mission is something I won't ever be able to forget, nor would I want to.  It has shaped me and created a canvas on which I can continue to work on for the rest of my life.

Ward Missionaries

As we come across people each day with such different beliefs and such different opinions, I find myself grateful for my testimony and knowledge.  I love everyone we meet (yes, even the challenging individuals) and try my best to share with them what I know will make them happy.

The McEwen's

I am thankful for these past 17.8 months I have had to learn, grow, and serve.  The people you work with and associate with out in the world will be drawn to you because of your desire to be like the Savior. Let your love for Him shine from your eyes. Let there be no doubt that He is who you follow. You have an understanding of the Atonement of Jesus Christ that the world needs to see and feel. The Book of Mormon is what teaches and clarifies the Atonement in a way that changes our hearts so that we can be born again.   Let us do our best to let other people see our truth and light.  As missionaries we have the capacity to bless many people here in North Carolina with our talents and abilities that are magnified in the Lord.  Go forward to teach and testify.
“Our talent is God’s gift to us. How we use that talent is our gift to him. My sincere hope and prayer is that God finds my gift back to him a worthy one. May God bless you, keep you and continue the good fight of faith.” –Emmitt Thomas

Love, Sister Golden

Happy Valentines!

Hello My sweet family!
This last week was a HARD week.  Sometimes we get into a really good flow and when a hard day comes it takes your breath away.  Well Sister Macrum and I experienced a hard WEEK!  But we overcame it and did a huge high five and dance when Monday (our preparation day) came.

Last Monday we drove down to Wrightsville beach to have an activity with our Zone.  Let me tell you- the next day we were SO sore.  We played soccer and football and tag and other games.  It was a blast.  The beach was chilly- but we warmed up quick with all of our running around haha.

That night as well as Thursday we had a lesson with Herb in two different couples homes.  It is amazing when a person from church is willing to let you teach in their home!  The spirit is strong, the friendship is made, and they help bear testimony.  We love Herb; he is just so prepared.  He loves each lesson we have and says we have a 'way with our words.'  He told us he feels something special when we teach and that we just aren't the run of the mill girls that this day and age produces.  Isn't that sweet?  Whenever we ask him if he has questions he says, "Why would I have any questions? This stuff just makes sense!"  He reads in the scriptures, prays and loves the people in the local congregation.  He is 'Golden' ;) haha

After Monday is when things started getting tough.  Members who were going to drive us to a certain place cancelled.  People coming with us for lessons fell through.  Investigators called and said they were busy.  I was reminded that life isn't always easy.  And when we are thrown into a rough situation, we CHOOSE how to react.  Our ability to look at things in a positive light will drastically change our attitude and ultimately the outcome.  I got to practice this a lot this week.

On Wednesday we had ZONE TRAINING!  My last one on the mission.  I got to bear my testimony of what I learned and knew to be true- which I was grateful for.  After this training all the missionaries were treated to lunch- the senior missionary couples bought 8 Costco pizzas and brought them back to the church for us to eat.  There wasn't a slice left :)

Departing missionaries from my zone!

We started together at the MTC

I went to Richlands, in Jacksonville, with Sister Paynter on an exchange and had a good time.  We had two lessons lined up and got to teach together.  She is in her first 3 months still and is progressing each time I am with her.  I can't believe that I was once where she is at.  I see a lot of growth in myself- but it has come after a lot of hard work, sacrifice, and obedience.

Friday we got a storm warning saying there was going to be ice and heavy rain with freezing temperatures.  So a lot of people cancelled on us and we had to go find stuff to do! 

Hanging out at the Bishop's house after the storm warning!

We did end up doing a lot of tracting this week (knocking on doors) and talking to people!  But that helps us to get out and working, and meeting new people.  Plus it pulls us out of our comfort zone :)

This sweet dog followed us all day!

So Sunday was obviously Valentine's Day right? Well naturally as missionaries we basically forget all holiday's except for Christmas and Mothers Day because we get to Skype our families on those days.  So Sunday afternoon, and then after dinner we go out knocking on doors...I was SO EMBARRESSED!  Around 6:30 we knocked on someone's door and they opened and what do we see?  Rose petals covering the table, candles lit, steak on the stove....you get the picture.   We immediately said, "WE ARE SO SORRY!  Close the door...just close the door...we forgot it was Valentines day!"  Oh it was awful...hahaha!

The next day, yesterday (Monday) we drove to Jacksonville to throw a surprise birthday party for Sister Alldredge with our district and their district.  We had goodies, played sports, and had a super fun time.  She was so happy! All in all it was a week to remember.

I hope you are doing well!  I will hear from you soon :)
Sister Golden

To Be Consecrated!

Gig Harbor Stake sent me a poster and picture of themselves:)

Okay, so last night we stopped by a families home who we have slowly built up trust with.  The mom and dad are inactive members and their 15 yr old son isn't.  They harbor some negative feelings, but we haven't let that deter us from loving them!  And we really do haha :)  But we stopped by SUNDAY night...and they invited us upstairs where the rest of the family was. BAD IDEA!  They had the Super Bowl playing and Sister Macrum's team is the Broncos!  They were giving us a hard time about mission rules and what not...but we withstood and didn't watch it and left shortly after. But it was hard!

Earlier we went to a Stake Youth Fireside with our Recent convert Ezzie and her sister Monica who is our new investigator.  3 girls had recently returned from their missions and shared stories and insights from their 18 months of service.  It was neat to see their take on a mission and think about how I want to reflect on my mission experience. 

Something I was reading these last few days really hit me about what a mission is...and how I wanted to live my mission.  Serving is more than just going out because we have a sense of duty or obligation.  Serving a mission is about consecrating ourselves and laying everything on the altar of sacrifice.  When Roger Bannister broke the 4 minute mile he collapsed at the finish line into the hands of his well-wishers.  A journalist sensing all that was involved in that historic moment wrote, "The runner, open mouthed, thin legged, knowing only pace and goal, spending his strength so that the finish at one mile, there was nothing more."  For a consecrated missionary there is nothing more to give at the end of the day.  we have put it all on the altar of sacrifice.  Consecrated missionaries are missionaries who would finish the marathon.  They are missionaries who would go the full fifteen rounds.  They are missionaries who carry no white flags. 

Us missionaries came out here to change the world, to change lives, but there is a cost.  It costs everything that we have- we place it on the altar of sacrifice.  Our fears, our pride, our laziness, our disobedience, our weaknesses; we cannot hold anything back.  When we came into the mission field we burned the bridges behind us, I burned my ships in the harbor.  There is no retreat to my former life.  I cannot have one foot at home and one foot in the mission field.  The Lord demands our whole soul on the sacrificial altar.  That is the price we must pay, and when we do, we then become instruments in the hands of God. 

What is the driving motivational force for a consecrated missionary?  It is the Savior and his atonement.  If we fail to be obedient, if we fail to be humble , if we fail to be fearless, perhaps we intellectually understand the atonement, but somehow we fail to grasp the underlying love of His sacrifice.  Once we feel that, as well as understand it, we will give our all.  We will realize that our all is a small repayment for His all.

Whatever the weakness may be that holds us back from becoming this consecrated person, missionary, individual....the Lord has promised that if we have faith in him, and humble ourselves before him, that he will make weak things become strong unto us. (Ether 12:26-27)  I believe that.  I do not believe there is one missionary/person's weaknesses that are greater than the potential strengths within him. WHY?  Because each of us is a son and daughter of God, with his divine nature and divine potential woven into the very fabric of our souls. 

May we not be content with being GOOD, even GREAT.  When we have the capacity to be CONSECRATED.  Mormon declared with boldness: "Behold I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.  I have been called of him to declare his word among his people that they might have ever lasting life."  (2 Nephi 5:13)

Love you,
Sister Golden

Exchanges

Boiled Peanuts ~ the Southerners love these!

Super Salty!!