This last week was a good one! Full of all my 'lasts' and trying to
make the most of it. The departing missionaries were able to take a trip
to the temple on Friday and that was a blast. It was good to see all
my old friends again who I came out with and to go one last time to the
Raleigh temple that has become so near and dear to my heart.
I am really going to miss the south. Where it is okay to pray in a
parking lot, talk about Christ in the grocery store, where people open
doors for you, give you water after you knock on their door, and say
cute friendly phrases. I know that all I learned here will affect me
and the rest of my life. I am so grateful that I chose and was able to
come on a mission.
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Sister Houseman from Pinehurst |
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Luncheon after our temple excursion |
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Departing Sisters and our companions
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Our group of departing missionaries with President and Sister James
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Raleigh NC Temple
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Herbert Beasley and Brother Farmer
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This Saturday our investigator Herb was baptized and he said it was the
best choice he has ever made. He loves this gospel as do I- and I have
loved being able to see it improve his life.Sunday was a day full of goodbyes. We went to see a part member family
who recently lost an adult son. They were out 'oyster diggin'
earlier and had come back to put them over the fire and eat them! They
invited us to stay and said we needed to try our first oyster and clam
bake here in the South. They were...good? They weren't bad haha. I just
had to muscle them down. The cornbread is fried with pig skin to make it more salty.
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The Rochelle's
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A family that has taken our hearts in invited us over for dinner and we
grilled out. They aren't members but they appreciate what we do and
love the standards we have. They gave me some going away presents and
said they were better people after meeting us. It was so sweet. I will
miss the Bullards!
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The Bullard's: David, his wife and their little girl Kamryn
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David is a Tarheel fan! | | | | | | | | | | |
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Bishop Smith offered to give me a blessing as I depart my mission and he
said some pretty profound things in it. It was great! I have thoroughly
enjoyed my time here in Hampstead!
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The Smith Family
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"Blessed art thou, Nephi, for those things which thou hast done; for I
have beheld how thou hast with unwearyingness declared the word, which I
have given unto thee, unto this people. And thou hast not feared them,
and hast not sought thine own life, but hast sought my will, and to keep
my commandments. And now, because thou hast done this with such
unwearyingness, behold, I will bless thee forever; and I will make thee
mighty in word and in deed, in faith and in works; yea, even that all
things shall be done unto thee according to thy word, for thou shalt not
ask that which is contrary to my will."
This scripture is from the
Book of Mormon, and in place of Nephi's name I place my own name. As
can you.
In the Bible, located in 2nd Timothy chapter 4,
verse 7 it reads, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my
course, I have kept the faith." That is how I feel about my mission. I
know that I fought hard and did the work I was sent here to do.
Enduring
to the end implies “patient continuance in well doing” (Rom. 2:7) It
requires sacrifice and hard work. We cannot expect to learn endurance
in our later years if we have developed the habit of quitting when
things get difficult now. Elder Robert D. Hales said, "When we serve as
missionaries and the focus is off ourselves and on doing the Lord’s work
and helping others, an opportunity for great growth and maturity
occurs. When a young elder leaves the comfort of family and friends and
masters the skills of functioning in the real world, he becomes a man
and develops more faith in the Lord to guide him.
A missionary
faces many challenges that he has not dealt with previously. Giving the
best he knows when he arrives will not fulfill the calling. Enduring
requires doing better than your best of today by developing additional
gifts as granted from the Lord. It takes faith to listen to the Lord and
to mission leaders and learn how to accomplish whatever missionaries
are called to do. Of course, it is difficult. That’s what makes it such a
gift and why it has such great rewards. We must recognize who we are
and achieve our ultimate purpose. We must then resolve to overcome all
obstacles with great determination to endure to the end."
Love, Sister Mallory Golden
A few other photos of meetings and families we visited.
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Stake Conference
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The Shingleton's
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Tina and Carson
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Gloria (our investigator) and Scott | | | | |
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Last weekly planning meeting
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After planning it gets FUN!!!
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Tall hair!
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Last District Meeting
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