Until We Meet Again

6-30-14

On June 27^th, Darcy received one of those phone calls that no one wants to receive.  Comfort and blessings came to her in specific, beautiful ways, but most of what she wrote that week is too tender for the blog.  

Friday began super normal, until lunch. Well, first of all, you have to realize that Thursday was the day the new mission president, President Salisbury, was to land, and when he landed, the keys to the mission go to him.  I got the call just hours before, so I got the call from President Pitt, and that means SO much to me. 

So anyway, during lunch we get a call from President Pitt, which never happens. So I answer, and he asks me if we could speak privately. So I go into the other room wondering what was going on. He starts off by saying he loves me, and that I need to brace myself for the information he was about to tell me.

A million things ran through my brain in those moments. I stared out the window as he told me that he had received a call from my father who had informed him that my friend in Madagascar had passed away. I think I gasped a little because it caught me so off guard. President Pitt asked me, "Do you know who that would be?" The tears had already started against my will as I answered, "Matt, Matt Palmer." President gave me some of the most beautiful words of comfort and counsel after that. He told me that Matt had a beautiful work to do on the other side. He bore testimony of the plan of salvation, and the beauty and comfort that is our Heavenly Father’s perfect plan. There are no mistakes. Matt was, and is, exactly where he needs to be. I am exactly where I need to be. This is God's plan. President also told me something that hit me to the very core. He told me that Matt would want me to work my hardest, and live every day like it might be my last, and that he would support me from the other side.

Matt’s hands are vivid in my memory.  I remember all those hours I spent sitting on the piano bench next to him watching those hands. Those hands helped me up time and time again.  They were always rough from working,  but then, those hands would make the most beautiful music I've ever heard. I honestly don't think I have ever heard anyone play music like Matt. He played with his soul, and that's why you couldn't listen without tears coming to your eyes. Matt was a beautiful, inspiring influence, and he really did change the course of my life.

matt-palmer.bandcamp.com

Morgantown

6-23-14

I survived the transfer to Morgantown!  My new companion is Sister Long from Provo. My first Sunday in the Morgantown Ward I'm sitting feeling all lonely because the first days in new wards as a missionary are always a little lonely. And then the meeting starts and this beautiful man comes and sits down to my left on the next pew over. I kind of look over at him and do a double take. He looks JUST like B------ Wilcox's dad, who taught my mission prep. class. But I think, "No way, that's impossible. He's just a member." But the whole meeting I keep looking over at this guy and I'm thinking, "no way... this is definitely Brother Wilcox." At one point he catches me staring at him and gives me a big smile and I'm like, "Oh. My. Heck. This can't be real. Because it really is him!" 

After the meeting I stand up and he gives me that big smile again and still stunned, I can't think of anything better to say, so I say, "Uh.... what are you doing here?" (You would think that after dealing with people non-stop every day I would have more imagination than that... but no. I'm still just the same.) He proceeds to tell me how he works out here for a few weeks at a time and so he goes to church out here when he's working! We got to talk about how B------ is doing and it was SO nice! I really, really wanted to hug him, which was weird because I don't really even know him and I'm not allowed to hug men... but it was just like a little piece of home was sent to me exactly when I needed it! He texted our Stake President and told him he ran into me. I saw him a few times throughout the rest of the meetings and every time I couldn't keep this huge ridiculous smile off my face because I was just SO happy to see him! I love my West Bountiful family so much. I really do come from such a good town.

Elder Maxwell (J----- Maxwell who I graduated with) is in the other ward in our building and so is Sister Reed from the MTC! I'm so happy she's here! This morning I got to cut the tops off onions at this hippie dude's farm with Sister Reed and her companion!  Gardening with this wonderful guy was just what I needed. It made me so happy!

Sister Long with a Goat.  Welcome to the WVCM.

Mo-town Bound

Camera card--saved from the sewer!

6-18-14

This kid is headed to Morgantown, West Virginia in the morning! I'm pretty excited to finally serve in the state that was written on my call letter! Morgantown is about as north as our mission goes, and it's home to West Virginia University, which was voted number one party school in the U.S. last year, I believe. Morgantown is referred to as "Babylon" in the mission, so it should be interesting!

I was blessed to have a really incredible last week in Pikeville. The week started off with some CRAZY storms, which put our power out for a whole night. The next day was our walking day. We headed out walking to a place called Mossy Bottom. We thought it was only a couple miles away so we were like, “alright, we can walk that, no big deal!” We decided to take what we thought was a "short-cut" and ended up slightly lost in some holler. We asked two guys working on some power lines how to get to Mossy Bottom, and they got us headed the right direction and also gave us some much needed water. People are so nice out here, it's ridiculous. The way they directed us DID in fact lead to Mossy Bottom, but it also led us over the top of a mountain on a dirt road . . . in the rain. We hiked over that mountain in our ballet flats, in the rain, with big smiles on our faces though, because this mission really is just a grand adventure, and I love every crazy moment of it with all my heart. It also helps that I was hiking in the best of company. It's so fabulous to serve alongside a true friend. I love Sister Morgan with all my heart.

We finally did make it to Mossy Bottom, and by that time, it was about 6:00 in the evening. We taught the woman we had planned on seeing, and then, we get out of the lesson, and we realize, “Dang. We have to walk home now.” It was way too late, and our feet hurt way too bad, so we called our girl M-------, and she came and saved us and gave us a ride home. When she picked us up, the first words out of her mouth were, "You all WALKED here???" We laughed about it the whole drive back, and we figured we had walked somewhere over 10 miles that day.

On Saturday we decided to go check out the street fair that was at the end of a marathon they were having in Williamson.  We thought we could pass out some cards. We decided to get lunch at Taco Bell, where a random lady (she apparently ran the marathon and was a member from Virginia) bought our lunch for us! That NEVER happens in the WVCM, but we hear stories of it happening to other missionaries, and it made our day! Thank you nice Virginia lady wherever you are! While walking around Williamson, we found this really cool alley and we just had to take a few quick pictures in it. So, as I'm pulling out my camera to do so, my camera card falls out, and we watch, as if the world is in slow motion, as my card falls to the ground, and rolls ... into the sewer. By some miracle it landed on its side, and after much prayer and planning, we found two boards and were able to carefully pull it out. 

While we were trying to rescue my card though, we get a text from Sister Pitt telling us that the Pitt's would be at church with us in Pikeville the next day, so we needed to make sure J----- and the W---------s family knew. Through a series of tender mercies too personal to put on the blog, J-----was able to be there. 

The next day at church, the Pitts showed up and it was so good to see them. We brought them inside and they started talking with the branch. Then… J----- walked in. Watching him walk in was a reminder to me of how beautiful people are. Because they are beautiful. We really are children of God. Sister Morgan and I nearly ran over to greet him. It felt so good to have our Pikeville dad at church with us on Fathers Day, as well as our mission dad, President Pitt. It was the best Fathers day gift I could have received. J---- caught us up in the warmest handshake ever, and then, I got to watch as he hugged the Pitts. I'm learning that you can sometimes SEE love, and I definitely saw it as J---- and the Pitts embraced each other. I wish I could describe the happiness of that morning, but I can promise you that words will never do the feelings that were there justice. The love the Pitts have for J----, and that we have for J----, and that J---- has for us, and that we all have for the gospel, it was overwhelming. We got to teach the Gospel Principles class with the Elders, in front of the Pitts, for J---- and the Elder's Biker gang investigator, R-----, which was pretty intimidating, but it was an incredible lesson with the Pitts there to add their insights. Before he left, we got a picture with J----, because he was our stand-in dad for Fathers Day. The picture I have of me and Sister Morgan with him, is one of my most prized possessions now. it represents miracles, and happiness, and I think above all, it represents love. Before J----- left, he gave both Sister Morgan and I a big hug. Because it was Fathers Day.

I'm so grateful for all the father figures I have in my life. Especially you, Dad. You know as well as I do that I wouldn't be here without you, and not in the "oh where would I be without you, you helped me get here" kinda way. You literally are the reason I'm here on a mission. And I can never repay you for that and the blessing it has been, and will be for me. I love you. so much.

#FathersDay

Williamson

We Teach What We Are

Our Last Meeting With President and Sister Pitt

This week has been pretty intense. I feel like it's been ages since last Monday. A lot has gone on this week. Tuesday we had Specialized Training in Huntington, West Virginia. It was the last time I'll see President Pitt until I get home. It was emotional to say the least. It was actually a really intense meeting, for me at least. We talked about things that really hit home for me.

The meeting was centered around conversion---especially the conversion of the missionary. At least, that's what stood out to me. President said, "We teach what we are." We teach those principles that we live, and we can't bear testimony of those things that we don't live and that aren't part of our very being. We can say the words, but the Spirit can only bear witness of truth, and if we don't truly have a testimony of what we are teaching, then it won't be as effective. What we are essentially doing as missionaries, is reminding people who they are, and where they are going. We are reminding them that they are divine, that they have a Heavenly Father who loves them more than they can imagine, and that they are his literal children. They are made out of the stuff of eternity. They are divine. YOU are divine. We are divine. And I am divine. There's a quote that Sister Morgan gave to me, I can't remember who said it or anything exactly, but it talks about there being no such thing as a mere mortal. We have to remember that we are divine, and we have to be living in such a way that the divinity within us can shine through, because THAT is what will speak to people, not the words we say. I wish I had my notes on me so I could go into more detail of everything President taught, but it was beautiful, and it really spoke to me.

At the end of the meeting we all got in a big circle and had a last testimony meeting with President and Sister Pitt. We went around the circle and all bore a no longer than one minute testimony of the Savior. It was probably one of the most beautiful experiences of my mission. There was a senior couple there, and she talked about how she felt she was in the presence of angels with all of us missionaries. It didn't just feel like I was in the presence of angels though, I actually was. I wish you could have been there, because the feeling of love was so intense. Not only for one another, and not only of President and Sister Pitt for us, but you could literally feel God's love there that afternoon. To watch all these young men and women stand and proclaim that Christ lives, was SO powerful.

It was beautiful, as I sat across from President and Sister Pitt. They listened to each of us, hand in hand. You can feel how much they love each other, and even more, you can see it. It's been interesting, the closer President gets to the end of his mission, the more he talks about marriage. In his testimony he talked about how important our time here on our missions is. How it is one of the most important things we will ever do. But beyond that, he talked about how marrying the right person, at the right time, in the right place, is THE most important thing we will ever do. Family is central to God's plan. That line means so much more to me the more I learn. I'm also realizing how important it is that I'm here on my mission, and that I let it change me completely, because I can't go home and be the same dumb girl that I was. There are big decisions in my future, and I need to be the kind of girl that will make the right choice. Because consequences are real, and some are eternal.

Anyway, the meeting ended with the most beautiful prayer I have ever been part of. We all knelt together as President Pitt offered his final prayer with us. I've talked about this before, but when President prays, you know without a doubt that he is speaking with God, and he has never offered a prayer that I have been able to hold back my tears through. This prayer was no different. Everyone got to their knees and President began to pray. I knelt beside Sister Morgan, who has taught me more about love and kindness than anyone I've ever met, and Elder Bovee, my Zone Leader who is always looking out for us, and is always ready to be there for us if we ever need anything. I knelt with family. And it felt so good. President’s prayer felt more like a blessing. He called down blessings upon us from heaven. He asked that we would be changed by the time we spent here in the mission. He prayed that we would find that spouse, that right person, and that we would marry them at the right time, and in the right place. He blessed us with many other things, and expressed his love and gratitude so beautifully. As he closed, in the name of the Jesus Christ, and we all looked up, there was a silence, and a brief moment, that I knew with absolute certainty.... that this is exactly where I am supposed to be.

I'm so happy here in Pikeville. I'm so happy that I have this chance to be a missionary. I'm so happy to have this chance to find myself and become who I need to be. I'm so happy to be alive. I love y'all and miss you so much. Know that there are so many prayers from

Pikeville, Kentucky headed your way daily. I'm also so happy to hear you're reading the Book of Mormon together. SO happy. More happy than you can even know. I love you guys. With everything that I am.

Team Morgan and Lytle

M--------'s Graduation