Well Everybody, I'm Sailin' On!
I have been Transferred to Deschutes River, Washington. My New Apartment is Located in Reiner at the base of the Mountain, and from what I have heard, it is absolutely beautiful! My new companion will be Sister Harbaugh. I have not met her, but I heard that she is a very happy person, and an awesome Sister Missionary, so I cant wait!
From what I know, Deschutes River is the boonies again (just like my first area), so my time in the city was short lived - needless to say, I have definitely learned a lot in Tacoma!
My new area (although it is in a different zone) boarders the Tenino area, and there seems to be a lot of similarities in the landscaping. I will miss the water here in Tacoma, but I am excited to closer to Mt. Reiner- rumor has it though that it is much colder in Reiner at the base of the Mountain (where my apartment is) than any other area of the mission....maybe I'll get some snow??
My Companion, Sister Heaton, is going to be staying in the Tacoma area, and she will be becoming an STL (Sister Training Leader) which is very cool! They are converting the Soundview area into an STL area, and so they are bringing in one of my previous STL's (Sister Horgesheimer) to replace me - she's awesome, and I am so excited for those two amazing sisters to continue to see miracles here in Soundview!
I have 'one-and-done'd all of my companions so far, which is normally not the case, but It has allowed me to meet lots of different kinds of people, and grow in a lot of ways!
Last week we offered service to an older man named Juvero Martinez, who claimed to have never had anyone offer to help him for free in his life ever, just out of the kindness of their heart, asking for nothing in return. He began to cry and told us that he was a single dad of a 7 month old baby, who was struggling with a lot of things in his life, trying to care for his son. Although he could not accept our offer of service at that time, he was so grateful that we offered, and said that it changed his life -no one had ever offered to serve him so openly before. He told us he hoped that his son could grow up to be just like us, wanting to care for and serve people, asking for nothing in return. He wanted to know why we lived the way we did, and how we could be so young and have such an understanding of loving our fellow man. We told him that it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that allowed us to strengthen our family relationships, and develop a heart full of love for our fellow men. It really made me think about how grateful I am for the opportunity to have been born into this church, and to have been raised in the gospel, and be apart of family who raised me up in the ways of the Lord. I always had that love and that joy that came from having that service and love in my life, and now on my mission it is something that I came to see may people have gone with out, or do not fully understand the true meaning of being a member of Christ's gospel, and the effects that it can have on every aspect of our lives.
It really allowed my companion and I to see and better understand the true meaning of being a disciple of Jesus Christ - to share his love and inviting the spirit into others lives. Never underestimate the power of loving and serving our fellow man - it may take time, but just like it says in Alma 16:16-17 , it is the spirit that prepares the hearts of man, and the best way to invite the spirit is through prayer, service, and genuine love for all of gods children. What better way to love people than to serve them, and what better way to show your appreciation and love for God then by serving and loving your fellow men?
"I am called of God. My authority is above that of kings of this earth. By revelation, I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my master, and he has chosen me to represent him, to stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words, and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done, to say what he wants said, to be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous Latter-Day work."
- Bruce R. McConkie
No matter where we are called to serve, or in what capacity, we all have a this mandate - not a request, or simply and option, but a mandate to bring our brothers and sisters who are lost in darkness unto Christ, and the best way to do that, is by loving them in every way we can, just like Christ would have.
"Our MANDATE here on earth is to serve and lift others."
- Elder Rasband General Conference April 2014
Never forget who you are, and what you stand for.
Keep Moving Forward,
Sister Megan Chapple
I have been Transferred to Deschutes River, Washington. My New Apartment is Located in Reiner at the base of the Mountain, and from what I have heard, it is absolutely beautiful! My new companion will be Sister Harbaugh. I have not met her, but I heard that she is a very happy person, and an awesome Sister Missionary, so I cant wait!
From what I know, Deschutes River is the boonies again (just like my first area), so my time in the city was short lived - needless to say, I have definitely learned a lot in Tacoma!
My new area (although it is in a different zone) boarders the Tenino area, and there seems to be a lot of similarities in the landscaping. I will miss the water here in Tacoma, but I am excited to closer to Mt. Reiner- rumor has it though that it is much colder in Reiner at the base of the Mountain (where my apartment is) than any other area of the mission....maybe I'll get some snow??
My Companion, Sister Heaton, is going to be staying in the Tacoma area, and she will be becoming an STL (Sister Training Leader) which is very cool! They are converting the Soundview area into an STL area, and so they are bringing in one of my previous STL's (Sister Horgesheimer) to replace me - she's awesome, and I am so excited for those two amazing sisters to continue to see miracles here in Soundview!
I have 'one-and-done'd all of my companions so far, which is normally not the case, but It has allowed me to meet lots of different kinds of people, and grow in a lot of ways!
Last week we offered service to an older man named Juvero Martinez, who claimed to have never had anyone offer to help him for free in his life ever, just out of the kindness of their heart, asking for nothing in return. He began to cry and told us that he was a single dad of a 7 month old baby, who was struggling with a lot of things in his life, trying to care for his son. Although he could not accept our offer of service at that time, he was so grateful that we offered, and said that it changed his life -no one had ever offered to serve him so openly before. He told us he hoped that his son could grow up to be just like us, wanting to care for and serve people, asking for nothing in return. He wanted to know why we lived the way we did, and how we could be so young and have such an understanding of loving our fellow man. We told him that it was the gospel of Jesus Christ that allowed us to strengthen our family relationships, and develop a heart full of love for our fellow men. It really made me think about how grateful I am for the opportunity to have been born into this church, and to have been raised in the gospel, and be apart of family who raised me up in the ways of the Lord. I always had that love and that joy that came from having that service and love in my life, and now on my mission it is something that I came to see may people have gone with out, or do not fully understand the true meaning of being a member of Christ's gospel, and the effects that it can have on every aspect of our lives.
It really allowed my companion and I to see and better understand the true meaning of being a disciple of Jesus Christ - to share his love and inviting the spirit into others lives. Never underestimate the power of loving and serving our fellow man - it may take time, but just like it says in Alma 16:16-17 , it is the spirit that prepares the hearts of man, and the best way to invite the spirit is through prayer, service, and genuine love for all of gods children. What better way to love people than to serve them, and what better way to show your appreciation and love for God then by serving and loving your fellow men?
"I am called of God. My authority is above that of kings of this earth. By revelation, I have been selected as a personal representative of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is my master, and he has chosen me to represent him, to stand in his place, to say and do what he himself would do if he personally were ministering to the very people to whom he has sent me. My voice is his voice, and my acts are his acts; my words are his words, and my doctrine is his doctrine. My commission is to do what he wants done, to say what he wants said, to be a living modern witness in word and deed of the divinity of his great and marvelous Latter-Day work."
- Bruce R. McConkie
No matter where we are called to serve, or in what capacity, we all have a this mandate - not a request, or simply and option, but a mandate to bring our brothers and sisters who are lost in darkness unto Christ, and the best way to do that, is by loving them in every way we can, just like Christ would have.
"Our MANDATE here on earth is to serve and lift others."
- Elder Rasband General Conference April 2014
Never forget who you are, and what you stand for.
Keep Moving Forward,
Sister Megan Chapple