Note from Dawn: This is last week's email. I am sorry I didn't get it posted. With my sudden and quick trip to Utah to move Grandma Atkinson out of her apartment and fly her home to live with us and all that involved I just didn't get this done. I will be posting the current week's email in the morning.
March 18, 2013
Hola everyone!
So glad anyone and everyone can email me now! I'll try to
respond to the couple of you who did email me this week :) I'm so behind on the
letters/cards, but I promise I will respond to everyone!
Shout out to
Sydney---seriously, one of my favorite letters I have gotten. Love you so much!
Will respond in the next couple weeks!
Congrats Camilla!!!!!! Roseville! My
sister lives there! And I bet Amy is freaking out. Seriously, California
missions are the best. Just saying. Ah, so happy for you!
Micah--email me.
Congrats on Les Mis! Heard is was a great show! And thanks for cleaning out part
of my room :D
Praying for Grandma and Dougarino. (Grandma's husband)
I can't believe it
was only Wednesday when I emailed you last week. That feels like ages ago. Lets
just say the past few days have seriously been a roller coaster...but! That's
just part of being a missionary. And you just pray hard, have faith, find
something to laugh about and keep working.
Ashley did not get baptized
this weekend, but she said "I have a testimony. I will never deny that. I just
can't do it this weekend." I have a lot of faith in her. Baptism is the first
step. It's the gate. She just needs to make the decision on her own.
This
week is finals week for UCLA and then it's spring break, so we'll probably be
doing a lot of work in the Single's ward.
We did a ton of less active work
this past week for both wards. Too many young adults leave home for school and
realize that they don't have a testimony of their own and are going to church
for the social aspect. When they stop coming, no one seems to sit down and just
talk to them about their testimony. That is the core of it. While yes we should
be inviting people to dodgeball nights and institute, we should be helping them
recognize that they can gain their own testimony of Jesus Christ, of the Book of
Mormon, of going to church to take the sacrament to renew the covenants we made
at baptism, etc. We just sit down with these individuals (love them so much) and
ask them one question about their relationship with God. Almost every time,
Sister Barney and I just sit there and listen while that person opens up and
tells us everything. We're not there to boost church statistics, we are there
because we genuinely love them and want to help them figure it out for
themselves. We are there as representatives of Jesus Christ to help them come
unto Him. If we could all always have that attitude when we sit down with people
and be genuine listeners...
"True doctrine, understood, changes attitudes and
behavior. the study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker
than a study of behavior will improve behavior." -President Packer
Preach My
Gospel (our missionary manual) says "You should not become discouraged;
discouragement will weaken your faith. If you lower your expectations, your
effectiveness will decrease, your desire will weaken, and you will have greater
difficulty following the Spirit." Once again "fear not, I am with thee oh be not
dismayed." :)
I feel like this email is going to be very scatterbrained
with poor grammar. My bad.
-Tomato basil humus from Trader Joe's is my
new favorite thing.
-Sister Barney asked if Michael McClean was a Mormon and
I died. Oh Utah girls. (Note from Dawn: he is a very well known LDS musician)
-We took Megan to a baptism yesterday of an 82 year
old woman (so precious). Megan made us journals. WHAT. LOVE HER.
-After the
baptism we saw this man and knew we recognized him from tv. Sure enough, his
name is Larry Bagby. He is LDS (whaddup). His mom is from West Virginia and is
also LDS---Nancy Moore, I think? Anyone? Oh and yes, Mom that new sister
missionary in my missiona is from Huntington. Small world! Oh right, back to Larry. He was the
bass player in Walk the Line (Johnny Cash movie), was the guy who always asked
for a smoke in Saints and Soldiers, and was an assistant coach in Forever
Strong. We asked for one picture that turned into a 20 minute schpiel of going
to his mini van ( I kid you not) so he could give us his business cards and free
cds. Yes. This is my life. Just wait for the pictures. OH and Chelsea Hightower?
She danced on So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars? Moved in to
my ward. Gotta love Los Angeles. Except when you get a parking
ticket....what.... -_-
-I realized I speak in 3rd person all the time. Only
when I do a sassy or ghetto voice in front of Sister Barney though. But still. I
think it helps me realize my name is "Sister Atkinson" instead of Ali. Then
again I say "Sista Akkisehn."
-Satan is so dang real. He knows us so well and
he makes me so so so mad when I can see him attacking the people that I love. But
the Atonement is real. And Jesus Christ knows us even better. Someone said last
week, "The game is already won, we just have to decide if we want to partake in
the victory."
"The Savior can wipe
away our tears of regret and remove the burden of our sins. His Atonement
allows us to leave the past behind and move forward with clean hands, a pure
heart, and a determination to do better and especially to become better."
-President Uchtdorf
I testify that it's true! I witness this everyday! Say
your prayers and make good choices. And email me. I love you all!
Love,
Sister Atkinson
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