Aug. 11, 2014 Bethel, Maine

Bye Beautiful Bethel!              Aug.11, 2014

So, there it is.  The results of transfer calls.

I pretty much knew that it was coming, but still, I'm going to miss this area, my wonderful daughter, Sister Banda, and especially the ward, so much!  I've been able to see so many miracles here and I feel like I've grown so much.  I hardly know what else to say.  I'm just so glad that I was able to serve here for so long, I'll definitely miss it. 

Sister Banda and I had a good last week together here, which was great.  Ah, I am going to miss that sister!  I've just learned so much from her and I'm so grateful for the chance I've had to be with her.  She is so focused and hard working. We've both grown a lot. It has been an honor to train, it really has.  So, this week, we focused a lot on finding, and we tracted and tracted most of the week.  Mostly up big hills.  Needless to say, my legs feel way stronger, but also kinda dead.  We had a good time singing hymns along the way though! :)  Especially "Today While the Sun Shines!!"  So, we found some good potentials, but no one that was too interested in learning more, yet.  We had an awesome experience with this one guy who let us share a quick message from the Restoration pamphlet.  When we got to the Book of Mormon he perked up and said that he had a story to tell us about that book.  We didn't really know what to expect, but I never would of guessed the experience he had with the Book of Mormon.  So, a while ago he worked on a construction crew and they were tearing a house down in Lovell, ME. Lovell is teeny tiny and in the middle of nowhere.  As they were working someone found a book in-between the walls of the building.  It was a brown Book of Mormon.  They opened it up and saw that it's serial number was...2.  Indeed.  The second copy of the Book of Mormon ever printed somehow made it's way into the walls of a building in the middle of nowhere, Maine.  He said that they contacted the church and handed it over to them.  Pretty sweet!!  It was great being able to give him a copy of the Book of Mormon he could keep, and he said that he was really interested to read it.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Something new our mission president is doing is having us keep track of the people that we invite to learn the gospel.  It has really changed my perspective of missionary work and motivated me to work hard.  Tracting was never really my favorite because for me it got pretty easy to get discouraged.  However, now that we've been keeping track of these invitations, I have a different view of what I do everyday.  It's not so much about whether or not others accept the invitation, it is more about whether or not I give it.  And when an invitation is given, I feel successful.  I've definitely been able to see how much more rewarding the work is when I think about it this way!  I just need to apply this principle to like, everything in life.  As long as I do my part the best I can, that is success!  I cannot judge my success based on other people and their agency.  Pretty great! 

So, another great thing that happened this week was being able to have dinner in Andover with the McLarens, Sister McLaren's mom and our investigator Michael.  It was pretty much the best thing ever.  I love all of them so much!!  It has been great working with them, and now seeing the support that they are for each other, it is fantastic!!  We talked about scripture study with all of them, and Michael bore a sweet testimony of how the scriptures have changed his life.  It was so powerful.  I was also able to bear my testimony, and I know that doing so strengthened my love for the scriptures.  I know that they are true!  I love them so much, and I've learned so much from them.  I'm grateful for everything they teach me about my Savior and how I can get back to Him.  What an incredible gift! 

Church was great, great, great!  It was really hard saying goodbye to the members though.  I really feel like they're family.  They have done so much for me, and I'm just grateful for everything I've been able to experience with them!  Getting to know the people here has probably been one of my favorite parts about serving a mission!  I love Maine.  The people in it, the scenery, just everything. Love it. I would live here in a heartbeat!  I'm so grateful that I've been able to spend the past 14 months here and learn from these incredible Mainers!!  And honestly, my heart is practically breaking even thinking about leaving this state.  But, I know that no matter where I go, it will be where Heavenly Father needs me most, and where I need to go to grow more.  It is sad, but at the same time I am excited to experience this change. I know that it will definitely help me rely more on the Savior and increase my faith.  I'm going to get there and leave everything I've got there.  A new adventure is waiting to be had!! 

Love you, love you family!!  Have a super awesome week! 

Work with a will! (Hymn 229)

 Sister Bergeson :)

(Jessica finds out tomorrow where she will be going next.)