The One with Biking & Repenting

Week 61 (Oct 16th- 23rd 2017) & Week 62 (Oct 24th-30th 2017)

Calling others to repentance is the joy and duty of every missionary. Lesser known is that as often as we invite others to come unto Christ and repent, we are called to repentance too. The past few weeks I’ve been called to repent several times, and I absolutely love it. What an amazing blessing it is to recognize how we can be better and then repent and improve! The first I wish to detail in this epistle is while with our Sister Training Leaders last Tuesday.

I don’t know if you recall how occasionally in our mission we blitz. It’s basically exchanges, but instead both STLs go to the other sisters area and switch companions. Sister Staten (from my MTC squad) and Sister Sorensen came up from Lake Nona and spent the night here with us in Winter Garden and we started the day bright and early as per usual. The first half of the day I was with Sister Staten on bicycles and it was our quest to find the prepared. Herein is where the call comes.

While riding to an apartment complex we had planned to go to find and follow up on some people, I was leading the way with Sister Staten behind me. When we passed the first bus stop there was a scruffy young man that I flew past, but when I checked behind me a few seconds later I saw Sister Staten stopped and chatting with him. Call to repentance: talk to everyone.

We introduced ourselves and he asked if we were mormons, and we were surprised and said yes. Most people don’t know who we are right at the get go. We asked how he knew and he said, “I can feel it.” His name was Jonathanial, and he told us he was a prophet. Oh boy. After answering some of his questions about our beliefs, he was pleased to know that we agreed on several things. We gave him our card but the bus rolled up before we could get his number. Right before he got in the bus he shook my hand and cryptically told me that in the next few days I would be having dreams, and to stay strong in what I believe in and left. So I’ll keep you updated on if I have any trippy dreams or if he ever calls us.
(Side note: as members of the church we believe that there is only one living prophet that has the authority to direct God’s work on the earth, which is currently Thomas S. Monson. so that means we believe that the guy we contacted is not the prophet)

At lunch we met back at our apartment and switched and I was with Sister Sorensen for the rest of the day until dinner. And we had the car. Which was lovely. We also went about finding and talking to people. We all met back up at a Members house for dinner at the end of the day and it was grand. Blitzing is a good time.

I got to have an interview with our mission president, President Clark, this week. He asked me how I liked the area and I just absolutely gushed at how wonderful the people are, how amazing the Ward is and how missionary minded they are and how they help us out so much and he joked, “Well there’s your problem, it looks like we gotta get you out of there because you’re having too good of a time!” so that was basically the death sentence of my time here in Winter Garden. (Speaking of, transfers are next week so I’ll find out this Saturday what’s happening so stay tuned)

But I told President how I was having a hard time with dealing with the fact that my mission will be ending sooner rather than later, and he gave me some good counsel. I also shared with him something that I found in my personal study. I read President Utchdorf’s talk from October 2012 called “Of Regrets and Resolutions”. It’s about living a fulfilling life, but when I read it and applied it to my mission life, it was pretty impactful. Especially the following quote:
“Doesn’t it seem foolish to spoil sweet and joyful experiences because we are constantly anticipating the moment when they will end?”

Last Sunday we had the best Sunday of the year, Primary Program! There were so many people there! We had 5 Investigators! Gladys, Brandon and Jossette and two of their kids! It was fantastic. This week we didn’t have any Investigators make it there, but we did have Sister McEntire come! I think I mentioned her when I first came here, she’s a sweet elderly lady who hasn’t been able to come to church in 6 years due to her health. But after a weekend teeming of Ward member service helping her move from her trailer to another one in her park, she got the courage and the fellowship to get her there! It was fantastic.

Cool thing: anyone familiar with Sione Kelepi? Popular dancer on the internet and featured in the All About that Bass music video? Yeah, he’s in the singles ward in the stake I serve in. I’ve gotten to see him a couple of times, but this weekend we went down for a Baptism and I finally got to have a full on 15 min conversation with him afterward. So we’re basically besties now.

This Saturday is my birthday, and funnily enough my companion Sister Bullard and I have the same birthday! I’ll be tributing t-swift turning 22 and she’ll hit the double decade and be 20. Double party! We’ve got breakfast/brunch, lunchtime cake, and dinner already scheduled with some of our favorite members. So we’re all set. I hope you all get the chance to party this week as well.

-Sister Olivia Petty🙏🏻

Myself and Sister Staten while blitzing 10.17.17

Me and Sione 10.29.17

just a bunch of missionaries 10.14.17