Oct. 27, 2014 Littleton, New Hampshire

Highs and Lows

Family Dearest!                                                Oct. 27, 2014 Hello, hello!!  I hope that you've all had a super fantastic week!!  I feel pretty scattered today, so I'm really hoping whatever I happen to write about makes sense!  It has been an interesting week, and I'm not sure where to start.  Just going by so fast, really.  Well, last P-day was a total blast!  We met at the church with our district and had a costume party!  We carved pumpkins and had a marshmallow war :)  Pretty exciting!  I learned that it is certainly a skill to shoot those things out of PVC pipes... some of the elders got them going really fast.  District P-days are great, it really helps to unwind a bit and just have a good time!  Sister Maxwell and I had absolutely no clue what our costumes were going to be, so we kept putting it off, and before we went we headed to to the dollar store and picked up some horns... I wore my BYU shirt, she wore her institute shirt with our jeans and cardigans, and we went as... Mormons.  We thought we were pretty smart :)   The next couple of days were alright, but at the same time, it just felt like we got into this routine and we were just floating along, pretty much just going through the motions.  Not a good feeling!  Not bad, but just..off.  Definitely reaffirmed the fact that attitude is everything!  There was a highlight during those off days though.  We got to eat dinner with the new Pakistani family that moved in!! :)  We told them that we just like mild spice, and when we got there they said they didn't use too much spice so we thought we'd be pretty well off.  Well, it still ended up being the spiciest meal I've ever had.  New Englanders are boiled potatoes and cabbage kind of people, so I haven't had any spicy food in forever.  I pretty much sweat my way through that meal...  It was exciting though!  They are the coolest family!  They all (even their kids who are like 6 and 4) speak four languages!  Their dog understands them all as well... awesome!  It was kind of hard to communicate with them, but they are just super sweet!  Great experience!   Thursday we had a complete turn around, we've been going, going, going!  We got to teach a lot of members, and quite a few of them have had pretty tragic things happen.  A member we've been teaching's son, who told us a few weeks ago he wants to learn and get baptized was put in jail for robbery.  That was kind of shocking news!  Another lady we see every week just had two deaths in her family.  Even though it is hard to hear about, I'm grateful for the chance I have to be a missionary and support and strengthen people through their challenges.  We were able to have some other great lessons this week as well!  I've really seen how important the Book of Mormon's role is in conversion.  We've been focusing on reading it a lot in lessons and the spirit that it brings is incredible!  I love being able to teach the gospel, and I love being able to teach with Sister Maxwell, she is wonderful!!  She always has such powerful insights, and I'll never cease to learn from her :)  I'm so glad we're companions!   Saturday was a blast!!  Everything fell through for us, so it was a day of complete finding, which was totally fine with us because there was a GIANT festival for Halloween all day in Littleton!!  I haven't seen that many people in quite a while!  It was downright crazy, especially at night.  I'm not used to crowds AT ALL!!  They had trick or treating going on during the day on Main St. and had a big pumpkin lighting ceremony, as well as a zombie walk.  There were so many people dressed in costume walking around.  The river was absolutely gorgeous.  They put pumpkins everywhere as well as on the bridge, and it was quite the sight.  Didn't take pictures though because we didn't want to look like tourists... I guess I'll just have to go back and see it again! :)  Well, yep, we did a lot of talking to people that day, and it was exhausting, but very motivating!  We invited 55 people to learn about the gospel!! :)  It was awesome!!  Not a day I'll soon forget! Yesterday was great as well! Sister Mann gave a great 'farewell' talk, which was bittersweet, I love that lady!  We also got to go to choir rehearsal!  We've been practicing the Christmas songs we're going to sing for the Festival of Choirs.  It is a super awesome thing they do in the ward, and I'm way excited!! :)  I just love Christmas music!! So, with the weird ups and downs of the week it pretty much reminded me of my whole mission.  It has all been quite the roller coaster ride!  Reminded me of a poem my trainer gave to me at the very beginning... Highs-N-Lows A mission is a strange experience. It's a trial and a test. A mission throws you at the worst yet teaches you the best. They told em this would be the best period of my life.  But I guess they didn't explain it all too clear. I came out looking for a bed of roses. I just wasn't expecting all the thorns I've found out here. Since I've been out I've never been so happy. I've never been so depressed. I've never felt so forsaken. I've never felt so blessed. I've never been so confused. My mind has never been so clear. I've never felt my Heavenly Father so distant. I've never felt him so near. I've never been so discouraged. I've never been so full of hope. I fell like I can go forever. I think I've come to the end of my rope. I've never had it so easy. I've never had it so tough. Things have never gone so smoothly. Things have never been so rough I've never travleed through more valleys. I've never ascended so many peaks. I've never met so many neat people I've never met so many freaks. I've never had so many ups. I've never had so many downs. I've never worn so many smiles. I've never worn so many frowns. I've never been so lonely. I've never had so many friends. Man, I hope this is all over with soon. Gosh, I hope it never ends. Jack L. Brinkerhoff I love this poem.  It expresses so well the feelings I've had as I've been out.  I'm so grateful for everything that I've experienced, good and bad.  I know that all added up, I've never grown so much in my life!  I've found gratitude to be the key.  It is like President Uchtdorf's talk he gave last April.  We had our Relief Society lesson on that, and it was great!  We also used the talk in a visit with some members that are really struggling right now, and the story of Nephi being tied up on the ship came to mind.  He is such a great example to me!  1 Nephi 18:15-16 tells the story of his swollen and sore wrists and ankles as well as his reaction to being unloosed by his brothers. He said, "I did look unto my God, and I did praise him all the day long; and I did not murmur against the Lord because of mine afflictions."  He is such a powerful example of being grateful no matter the circumstance!  I know that as I've looked at the big perspective, I'm just so grateful I have the chance to be a missionary right here and right now!!  I'm grateful for the miracles I've seen and will continue to see as I keep striving to serve with my whole soul!  What an amazing blessing!! Well, I hope that you have a great week and a Happy Halloween!! :) "Grateful in Any Circumstances" (Elder Uchtdorf) Sister Bergeson :)