What Was That Again?: In Which I Am Ghetto and The Lady Behind the Door Doesn't Need Our Interruption

I think I'm beginning to realize how few of these I have left... Now I feel like I have to make them all good and whatever. Oh, the pressure.

It's whatever.

This week was kind of killer. I have no idea how or what is was, but I was seized by a horrendous virus from satan on Monday and I just got over it yesterday. All I know is that for most of the week, I was asleep. And sometimes, I would try to get up, and I would kind of fall haphazardly onto the floor...and then I'd sleep there.

Basically, the best thing that could happen in your last transfer. #stillnothappyboutit

I learned a lot from being ridiculously sick, though. Remember last week when I made that covenant with the Lord to get 15 ITLs and a baptismal invitation every day? Well, it was still real, and I still needed to keep that promise. So, we went out every night and went knocking on doors, and we reached our goal. Was it one of the hardest things I've ever done? Yes. Were we able to get it done, despite that? Oh, yeah. And it was great. Even when people say, from behind the door, that they don't need our interruption. Or when you feel like you're going to puke.

On Thursday, we were able to find a new investigator. Her name is Jessica, and she is just about the coolest thing to happen to my life. She let us in as soon as she opened the door and talked with us for a long time. She said that she let us in because she saw our tags and knew we'd talk with her about God, and near the end of our chat she said, "Where can I get a copy of the Book of Mormon? I've always wanted to read it."

Oh, my goodness.

We have another appointment set up for this week, and I have really high hopes for her.

It was a really humbling week, but I learned a lot about covenants. I'm going to steal one of Elder Sutton's ideas from his email (#sorry) and quote Sister Stevens from the Women's Session this last conference. She says that, "Covenants with God help us to know who we really are."

I've learned that this week. I've reflected a lot on the person that I've become, and the comparisons between the Sister Liljenquist 17 months ago and the one now. I've been sick a lot, and for most of my mission, I've been overwhelmed by it. Being sick made me want to hide away and I did. Little by little, I've been forced out of my little fox holes by stubborn, obedient companions who knew I could do more (or were just sick of being inside,) stubborn mission presidents who won't let me sit in my comfortable mediocrity, and a Savior to whom I've come closer than I ever thought I could.

The Lord truly does help us when we covenant with Him. I really don't think that our getting out each night was because of me - I really don't. I think it has everything to do with that promise, my little desire to do what I could, and the Lord making it happen. And as we stretch, we learn how far we can really go. We really don't have any idea the person that we can become, but when we trust the Lord, He will lead us where we need to go in order to get there.

And as we do so, we come closer to Him. To quote Sister Stevens again,

"They connect us to Him in a personal way through which we can come to feel our value in His sight and our place in His kingdom."

The idea of being so personally loved by the Almighty Ruler of the universe is astounding - astonishing beyond all measure, really. (#johnbytheway) And yet, it's true. And because it's true, we can do all things. I bear testimony of it, because I've seen it.

Have a wonderful week, my friends. I shall talk to you soon!

Love,

Sister Linjinquist

In other news, Betty's son, who is black, called me ghetto this week. And Jeremiah, who is also black, says I'm gangster.

I'm basically the coolest.

I ate chicken hearts this week. They were nasty.