1/24

So I have to tell you a story. Tuesday Sister Bluth and I said farewell to her favorite members and investigators, then began the long trip up to Short Hills for transfer conference. The ride was uneventful and we made it a little before 1:30, when the conference was scheduled to start. A lot of missionaries were transfered this time around. The chapel was full of nervous missionaries, sharing memories of past areas and investigators, getting together with favorite companions, analyzing the turn-out and theorizing who would go where and with whom. The first Sister I laid eyes on was Sister White, my MTC companion. We got along at the MTC, but oh what friends we've become! Back in December at the all-mission conference we bombarded Pres. Bahr and demanded that he reopen Jersey City (where we have both served) to Sisters and double us in for our last transfer. He just smiled at us. So while waiting for the conference to start we sat and reminisced about the MTC and Jersey City and how great it would be if we could be companions again. But that would never happen because we are the same mission age, we only have two transfers left, and we would most likely finish our missions together and leave our last area at the same time--and besides which, it would be too perfect and we would kick everyone's trash and baptize a bajillion people. There's no way President would let us off that easy. The conference finally started and we bounced in our seats as he read off the transfers one zone at a time. There were some surprising changes--two spanish missionaries put in English areas! Sister Bluth was sent to Scotch Plains to be with Sister Neves, a hilarious little Sister from Brazil. My heart jumped when President said, "Zone 7, Eatontown (or the Shore) Zone..." Elder Rosas was announced as our new Zone Leader, among other changes, and I waited anxiously to hear my name. "Sister J. White," President Bahr began, and that was all I needed to hear. I squealed, started jumping out of my seat and repeatedly punched Sister White in the arm, who was busy signing another missionary's journal and hadn't heard her name. "Sister! Sister! Sister!" was all I could get out. Sister Cook came to my rescue--"Sister White, that's YOU!" she said. She finally caught on, screeched, and tackled me.

So that's my story. I LOVE SISTER WHITE SO MUCH!!! I've never felt so united with a companion. We both understand our purpose and have a vision for this area and what we can accomplish in the next two transfers. We both know what needs to happen and are so ready to hit the pavement. She already is such good friends with the members and our investigators, too. The only problem is that we are both a bit ADD and could spend the entire day just talking to each other or poking each other or throwing things at each other.

After some fear that it wouldn't go through, lots of praying, and a great deal of help and counsel from our district leader, Mark was baptized and confirmed by his son yesterday. He overcame doubts, addictions, temptations, trials and fears, having forged a strong bond with his son and a much closer relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. After coming up out of the water he just held on to his son and sobbed. Of all the many baptisms I've attended as a missionary, I have never felt the Spirit so strongly as I did there. We love Mark so much and are so excited for him. His future is bright--we've both sensed it as we've taught him over the last few days. Agh! I love being a missionary!!!! It's the best. And I love you. Bunches.

LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE,

Sister Black

1/17

I really need to learn to type faster. There is way too much to tell you in so little time, so here goes:

Sister Bluth is getting transferred. Today will be very busy getting everything done and getting her all packed. Then off to transfer conference in Short Hills tomorrow, which will most likely be an all-day event. Two hours up, a long delay because it never starts on time, and three-plus hours back with traffic. Hopefully we'll get back in time for ward correlation and Mark Sevoia's baptismal interview!

Mark's doing great. I have never seen such a humble investigator, or such a true demonstration of D&C 20:37--"...All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church"--these are the qualifications for baptism, and Mark is meeting them beautifully. The love between him and his son is a wonderful thing to witness. Through the two short weeks that we've been meeting with him, I really feel like I have been nothing more than a witness to the love and power of God working in two people's lives. After our lesson with him about the Word of Wisdom, Mark nervously stopped drinking coffee, expecting horrible withdrawals. After 20-something years of waking up every morning and driving to Wawa for a cup of coffee, Mark found that he doesn't miss it. AT ALL. We met with him at the Bishop's home the other night, and after Mark relating this to us, Little Mark immediately piped up, "That's the power of the Atonement!" And I know it's true. Nothing else could create the change that we've seen in Mark. He will be baptized this Sunday at 1:00pm by his son, just a few days before he leaves for his own mission. Ach! I can't get over how cool it all is. I'm so grateful to have been able to participate in all this--and that's really all I've done! That's all any of us missionaries really does is choose to participate in the Lord's work, to be a microscopic part of a huge miracle machine. It's awesome.

Went on exchange with my awesome greenie, Sister Cope, who really isn't a greenie anymore. She has grown into a powerhouse missionary and I am very proud of her, although I know I had nothing to do with it. During our day together we set a baptismal date, found a new investigator and received two referrals from members. The "rising generation" of the mission continues to be better and better than the last. It was great to share memories of our beloved Jersey City together. We mostly quoted our experiences there like you would the latest blockbuster. I'm so grateful for all the places I've been able to serve. I think Toms River is my last. With this and next transfer left, I don't think I'm going anywhere, and my next companion will probably be my last as well. Such a strange thought. The outside world is so foreign to me now. Hopefully I won't be too weird when you arrive in April.

Enough of that. I love you.

Sister Black

1/9

Last week brought one miracle after another. Sister Bluth and I have both been sick all week and the weather turned against us, but we know our purpose and had the Lord's strength to do what we could not on our own. We reached or surpassed all the mission standards but one. Long-lost investigator Tracey has overcome some big obstacles and is preparing for baptism this Sunday. Mark Sevoia is preparing to be baptized the Sunday after by his son, who has completely changed his life and is preparing to leave for his own mission in Utah on Jan 26. Many more people have committed to be baptized in the coming weeks/months. More members came out with us this week than I've seen since I got here. Sister Lafond spent several hours with us on Friday, and when an appointment with a part-member family fell through we asked to share a message with their cousin, who answered the door. Brandon invited us inside, and we quickly discovered that he was the only one of his family not to be baptized into the church, that he still reads the Book of Mormon, wants to marry his girlfriend and is searching for the truth so that he can raise his family in the right way. He said, "There are so many denominations out there, and they all have bits and pieces of the truth--it is like someone took a sheet of paper and tore it up into pieces, and everyone is trying to pick them up and put them back together". We explained to him that what he was describing was called the apostasy. "You mean that's real? I thought that was something I just came up with!" he said. "I've been reading the Bible and the Book of Mormon, asking God to give me understanding and show me the right way. That is what He taught me." Brandon readily agreed to meet with us again and to be baptized.

I wish I had time to tell you everything. Just know that this is the Lord's work and that He knows how to conduct it. We can either unite ourselves with Him and be instruments through which His purposes are accomplished, or we can stand by and watch the Kingdom be built without us.

I love you!

Sister Black