Happy Tuesday! :) I don't get to say that to you very often. I missed you all yesterday, but I literally had a life changing day. I will get to that in a minute, though. First, I want to tell you about an experience I had earlier in the week on an exchange.
Remember on the movie We Bought a Zoo how the dad talks about having 20 seconds of insane courage? That saying has come back to me over and over on my mission. I can do anything for 20 seconds! On Saturday I had the wonderful privilege of being on an exchange with a sister in her area. She expressed her concerns to me of just being afraid. I asked her what she wants to change/accomplish while serving in this area and she said, "I want to be brave." This sister has such a powerful testimony, just has a hard time opening her mouth--as we all do sometimes! Once again, the 20 seconds of courage popped into my mind so I shared the thought with her and that is what we decided to do that day.
We found ourselves mid afternoon in a trailer park in the middle of nowhere, Indiana and all of the people we had come to visit had fallen through. So, we walked around and it was seeming a little deserted. Then we spotted a woman about to get into her car. I knew this was our chance so I pulled Sis. A ahead with me and we may or may not have speed-walked/jogged up to this lady. We started to talk and found out........ She just moved and had met with sister missionaries in her last town!!! And she was more than happy to meet with us again :) WOO! Definitely a tender mercy of opening our mouths. We kept walking and didn't see anyone else, so we knocked on a door and had a pretty awkward experience I won't go into details about. Almost back to the car, I had a feeling we hadn't yet fulfilled our purpose of being in this area so I told Sis. A we would knock on one more door (20 more seconds). A certain trailer was standing out to us so we headed in that direction and when we got closer it had a giant 17 on the side of it-- I KNEW it was the one (mom and dads birthdays, of course this was it). The door was wide open so we started talking to the woman inside. One thing led to another and we found out her dream vacation was Salt Lake City, Utah. I'm pretty sure that was the first time I have ever and will ever hear anyone say that. As we continued to talk we found out she LOVES genealogy and has used the church site for years and was always curious to learn more about the church! At the end of our visit she told us she would buy a Book of Mormon before we came back so she could start reading. We assured her we could get her a copy at no cost :) WOW! What a miracle of exercising a little faith, just 20 seconds of courage to say hello to a woman and in turn change her eternity.
Exercise your faith for 20 seconds this week and you will see miracles!!
Now onto the sisters conference. It was wonderful! All 94 sisters in our mission were there and it was just one big happy reunion/spiritual feast. We started the day with two life changing talks by president and sister porter, then the sister training leaders sang a song one of the STLs had written. Then everyone changed and we kickboxed together :) Next was a delicious lunch followed by break out sessions with the STLs (Sis Bowers and I talked about seeing ourselves as God sees us). Then we played some games and had a clothing swap and ended the day singing the new version of Sisters In Zion. POWERFUL. I was just overcome with such a love for my sisters and an overwhelming sense of the love God has for his daughters. President Porter talked about the divine role of women-- how we were God's crowning creation. His talk also helped me understand the priesthood in a new light. He explained that Priesthood holders are to preside which means to bless, teach, and set in order. They are also to provide and protect us women. Women don't hold the priesthood because we are not meant to protect ourselves and we are His crowning creation, of course he wants us protected! He then went on the explain our divine role in bearing and nurturing children. He said every time a child is born he is saved from the grasps of satan because he or she now has a physical body. So, we as women are co-creators with Jesus Christ. We have the best position of anyone on Earth to bring someone eternal life. Pro-creative power= power to defeat satan! Just to be a mom= Just defeated Satan forever. WOW.
I agree with President Porter in saying, "The formative years of my life were formed by my angel mother."
If you can't tell, I am feeling pretty empowered as a woman, which I already have gained over my mission and it just increased yesterday. I am so grateful for the knowledge that I am God's DAUGHTER. I have a DIVINE purposed here! And so do each and every one of you. All of you mothers reading this, please stop being so hard on yourself, stop comparing yourself with all of the women of the world, and rejoice in fulfilling your divine role and calling!
I love you all more than words can express,
xoxoxox
Sister Rolfe
For more womanhood awesomeness, read this :)
Pictures:
Exchanges!
My AMAZING missionary cousin, Sister Ryan :)
My Posterity (from right to left)
Sister Holtz (granddaughter) Sis Wight (daughter) Me! Sis Parker (mom) Sis Fox (daughter) Sis Fausett (granddaughter) It's so wonderful to see my posterity grow :)
Sister FOXY and I!! REUNITED :)
A Few More Pictures:
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