Lots of "LASTS"

Twas a week filled with lots of “lasts” on the mission. 

Monday- Honestly this day was a little rough. HOWEVER. Through the midst of all the hardness, I was able to recognize the many many many tender mercies the Lord was sending my way. He is so good to me. Always. Even when I don’t deserve it. Because He always loves us. No matter what. 

Tuesday- I woke up in some serious pain. I laid in fetal position on my bed for like an hour HA. So pathetic.  It was my last Zone Meeting to attend on my mission and they stinkin’ made us sing ‘God Be with You til We Meet Again’ as the closing hymn. HOW RUDE! Hahah. It’s safe to say that I cried through the whole song. BOO. We found 2 new investigators this day and got in contact with someone we’ve been trying to for a while. 

Wednesday- I finished the Book of Mormon for the 3^rd and last time on my mission :) I love that book. It brings so much guidance, peace, comfort and direction to my life. It has for sure strengthened my testimony in the Savior too. We went to Squash Farm again and worked our tails off.

Proof of how hard we worked....dirt!

It was funny because all the elders there kept taking breaks, ‘using the bathroom’ and getting water. Aka: doing whatever they could to get out of work. Sis Brentlinger and I never stopped once. Oh, silly elders. How ya gunna let the sisters out do you like that? :p When we got home dirt was falling out of every place possible. It felt nice to take a shower and get clean ha.

We taught a 15 min Law of Chastity lesson that day. (if you don’t know what the Law of Chastity is….ask….your mom?? Hahah) It was the funniest Law of Chastity lesson I’ve ever taught. There is seriously NEVER a dull moment on the mission :) 

Thursday- We were on exchanges. My last exchanges on the mission. Blah. I was with Sister Wall in the YSA ward for the day and it became very clear to me as to why I never served in a YSA ward hahah. 

Sister Wall

Awkward encounter #1: while sitting down this guy rides up on his bike asking what’s up. He tells us he’s going around trying to find his future wife, then proceeds to ask us if we’d like an application….hahah. we changed the subject always, then at the end he asked if he could get our number so we “could talk about Jesus and stuff” but once we told him we could get him the ELDERS number he quickly declined and was on his way hahah.

2^nd one: we went up to this kid and he just kept saying “I do drugs. Do you have drugs?” hahah. Eventually we got him to take the survey we were doing and once we gave him a #BecauseHeLives card he legit pulled the front of his pants open and shoved it down. He ended the convo by saying “I do drugs. HAIL SATAN!” hahaha. Later we were talking to other people, he walked by again and screams “THEY GAVE ME DRUGS. DON’T TALK TO THEM!” hahaha. I love meeting people out here :) pyschos and all!

We got hit on all day. It was. Uncomfortable. And so beautiful hahah. I wasn’t super awkward every time it happened though which gave me a little bit of hope that I won’t be COMPLETELY weird when I get home. 

Oh, I got asked to be Isaiah and Sarahs babys God Mother hah. Cool stuff. 

Friday- We had homemade ice-cream at dinner which made me miss home! I love me some good ole’ chocolate homemade ice-cream :) 

While visiting someone that day they made the comment of “yeah, we’ll see who you are once you don’t have that lil name tag on anymore” and I say appalled. It motivated me to TRULY always be the person I was here on my mission instead of being a “one hit wonder” so to say. 

Saturday- Finally took a picture with my library buddies!

We went to a baptism in Lucerne so Sis B could play piano for them. It was such a great experience. As the teenager was baptized his non member brother got up after to bear his testimony of a sort and in it said “you know, now you got me thinkin’ about baptism brotha. I think I want to be baptized!” how sweet?

That night at dinner (with the Sleds) Sis B and I got sooooooooooo tickled at one point. They are hilarious people!!! Chase goes “Uhmmm…does anybody else notice the sisters are down here like dying??” hahhaha. My tummy hasn’t hurt that much from laughing in a looooong time. It was much needed :) 

Sunday- WARNING: THIS IS GOING TO BE LONG BECAUSE I WASN’T ABLE TO WRITE IN MY JOURNAL ABOUT THIS DAY SO I’M PRINITING OFF WHAT I WRITE TO TAPE INTO IT. :)

Hm. So things were going fine. We woke up and Sister B wasn’t feelin’ so hot, she had like a head cold type thing, but life proceeded on. After our morning full of studies and meetings we finally started church at 1. While the Sacrament was being passed I started to get really hot and dizzy. I finally looked at Sis B and said “uhm. We might have to get up and go to the bathroom. I think I’m getting sick” she goes “yeah, just let me know when.” And I very quickly was like “UUUH. Now. We need to move NOW.” Haha. Thankfully Heavenly Father helped me not to get sick until I was IN the bathroom. I felt awful. I didn’t want to go back in the chapel just incase I went to get sick again. We sat in the foyer. I had a little wet towel on my neck trying to cool myself off. A woman in the ward walked by and asked how I was and I just went to bawling….you know…women problems n all….hahah I told her “You know. I’m just really frustrated because satan is doing everything in his power to get me to stop working and I’m so over it. I only have 3 weeks left and I don’t want to be stuck inside sick.” So here I am, a hot mess, and then all of the sudden we hear over the microphone “At this time I would like to invite one of my favorite people up to bear her testimony.” Sis B and I immediately looked at one another. We KNEW where it was going…and we were right….he went on to say “I would like to invite Sister Toolan to come bear her testimony because she is leaving us soon. She is one of the best missionaries I have ever seen in my lifetime. Not to say the others weren’t , but she’s just an incredible missionary. She comes over to our house often and is very close with our family. She has helped us through some really hard times.  I love that sister like a daughter. We are fortunate to have her and we are very sad to have to let her go. Without further or do..Sister Toolan..” I go from crying, feeling pathetic and worthless to putting a smile on my face, praying and praying that I won’t get sick up there in front of everyone hahah. Im thankful Heavenly Father blessed me with the talent of being able to “fake it til I make it” haha. 

After Sis B and I got priesthood blessings and were counseled to go home and rest. So we did. We slept 2:30-8…then took NyQuil and slept thru the night hahahah. I was also counseled in my blessing to keep being of good cheer, so later while I was still sick and miserable I realized I had only ate 3 crackers the whole day…I took the counsel to heart by telling myself “Hey, this is a really good way to lose weight! YAY!” HA.  I was so weak haha. At one point when I was cleaning my sickness up I got annoyed and said “dang it! Why can’t my mom be here to clean this up for me right now!??!!” hahaha. I’m glad that day is over.

Ok, I’m done boring you. Love yall. See you way too soon :(

-hugs-

Sister Toolan