Sister Pierce is Called to Serve: "Hello President!"

August 24, 2015

Good morning everyone!! I hope you have all been doing well, and that this week is an exciting one!

Well, it's that time again...transfers. I can't believe another 6 weeks have gone by! This is going by too quickly. So the big news is...(drum-roll please).....I'm being transferred and going co-trainer!! I'm going to be in a trio companionship! Weird. Thats going to be something to get used to! Also, Sister davis is being transferred as well and going Sister training Leader. Yep! We're being shotgunned out and Elders are coming in. HUGE shock. When president called us Saturday night at 9PM (he always calls for trainers) we couldn't even plan because we were in shock. We thought something would happen with the area, but not that we would both leave. When president called, he told me that I was leaving first and that I was going to co-train a new missionary. I was pretty excited and shocked about that too! haha Then he said sister Davis was leaving and going sister training leader. He then broke the news that elders were coming in. I couldn't even sleep that night because I was thinking about all of the single ladies we have been working with, how much the relationship with the ward has grown, how much fun we had that day with the ward (we had a ward BBQ), and then how much we had to do in less than 72 hours to be ready for elders to come in. Ridiculous.

When we went to ward council, Bishop asked us if there was anything to expect with the missionaries (investigators at church, people that need help, etc) and we told them to expect Elders. The reaction that we got from the ward council was priceless. They were all super surprised and upset at the same time. I'm pretty sure everyone in the room said "really, No!" and they just stared at us with wide eyes. It was super cool to see that we have created such a strong bond with those people in the ward and that they were all sad to see us leave. The rest of church was pretty emotional. At the end of ward council, the Ward Mission leader said a prayer and prayed for us in it. Then the news was shared over the pulpit and we were both asked to bear our testimonies. Right as the news was annoucnced, I started to tear up and then we were asked to come up and speak. So rude. I just started crying. Sister Davis and I both cried as we bore our tesimonies. We then were prayed for again in the closing prayer. Then in Relief Socity (no suprise) we both said a prayer. The whole meeting was somber, life shattering, heartbreaking, etc. As I bore my testimony, I looked out into the congregation, and everyone had the same face of confusion, disappointment, and utter destruction. It was ridiculous. After sacrament meeting, people came up to us and said "What the heck! Why????...They always do this to us. Right when we get Sisters back, they send Elders. We're a Sister's ward!' It was pretty upsetting and everyone is not too pleased with President right now. However, Sister Davis and I are trying to look at the bright side and have trust and faith in the Lord, as well as president, and see the reason why this is happening. I know it will all work out and that everything will be okay with the people we have been teaching. I'm so grateful that I have been able to serve in Hanover and experience having such a great love for the area and people. I now know what it might feel like when it comes closer to me coming home. I'm not sure if I'm a huge fan of this feeling....

Anyways, hopefully this week goes good and that I don't go too crazy with 2 new companions! haha can you believe I'm going to be training? And I start on my 6 month mark!! yeah, I've been out for 6 months already too!! Weird.....

Not too much happened this week, other than getting closer to the ward with member meals and the ward BBQ, and going to the JSM with our investigator Nancy. She has concerns about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon, and we hope that she felt the Spirit there and that some of her concerns are resolved. The spirit was super strong there, so I'm sure she felt it. I just hope she listened to those feelings and that the Elders can help her continue to see the truth of this gospel.

This is a long email...sorry! But I hope you all have a great week, and good luck with school to those of you who are starting soon!!

Keep P.U.S.H.ing!

Sister Pierce