FAMILY AND BEST FRIEND TRUNKY!!!

It was another great, miraculous week in the life of the Missouri Independence Mission.

Sister and Elder Rowe are a senior couple who serve at the Visitor Center with us. This last week there was a flood in their home and it did a lot of damage to their home and to a lot of their belongings. I was talking to Sister Rowe and I asked, "Where was the most damage? To your home or to your things?" She said, "Most of what is inside can be laundered but the biggest loss was my baby grand piano." ...Ouch. But then she proceeded to explain to me that it's just STUFF. She said that it's during times like this that you really come to realize what's truly important. It's not your most prized piano. It's not your 30 pairs of shoes. It's not even your home. That you come to realize that if you have your loved ones and you have the gospel... then, that's enough. No more truer words were ever spoken. She is an inspiration to me. I think my mission has taught me about STUFF... or maybe about how unimportant STUFF is. Haha. Downstairs in the Visitor Center we have a model of a cabin the saints would have lived in in 1831-1833. It's small, and they would have had up to 10 families living in ONE CABIN. And I'm thinking to myself, "YEAH RIGHT! Maybe for a weekend." But in the cause of zion, they HAD to make it work. And they couldn't be so selfish. I remember going to Vegas with probably 12 girls for Megan's Bachelorette party and we were CRAZY trying to fit everyone into one hotel room... And for those of you who were there, you probably remember that we were all really CRANKY because certain girls ALWAYS got the bed. And certain girls ALWAYS had the floor. And then... some of the girls didn't care. That was great. I remember that I didn't sleep much on that trip, but spent most of my nights up late talking on the phone in the Casino... Anyway... that's not the point... In ZION, they were of one heart and one mind. I'm sure it wasn't always EASY sharing a home with so many people. But they had the perspective of gratitude in their hearts. That it wasn't about, "ME and MY HOUSE and MY BED and MY SPACE." But rather this small cabin home was seen as a palace--- and they were EXCITED to invite everyone they could to come and live with them there.

I feel like it's such a great blessing on a mission to go into homes that feel like home. Feeling like you are surrounded by family even if your family is clear across the WORLD in Salt Lake City, Utah. (haha!) I can't even begin to list all of the homes and all of the people who I have become close to on my mission, but I'm starting to realize that as excited as I am to go home, it's going to be hard to leave them all here... President VanKomen emphasized in our Presidents interviews this week that Missionary work is about teaching PEOPLE, not lessons. He is an amazing inspired man and I love him very much!!!

I also love doggies... RANDOM! But SO TRUE! Friday morning training meetings are hard for me because we have to wake up an hour earlier than normal and we don't get to exercise and we get to get trained on rules, and doing referral calls, and obedience... and still being happy missionaries.... some of my favorite things to talk about. Blah blah blah. So Friday morning, we show up and I'm more tired than normal, and we get there and Elder Nelson says, "You all need to work on being on time." BLAH BLAH BLAH... and I start doodling in my notebook... Then he says, "We're not having training this morning, we're going to have breakfast at my house!" All the sisters are like, "YAAAYY!!!!" And I'm still being a jerk-face because I'm tired... but I'm excited even if I don't show it. Then we get to the Nelsons house and there is a DOGGIE TIED UP TO THEIR FRONT PORCH and I yelled, "DOGGIE!" (Sometimes I swear I still act like a 10-year-old. haha!) And the Sisters are all like, "Why is he here?" I said, "Because Heavenly Father Loves me!! IT'S SO TRUE. That dog made my whole day better! Sister Stanton rescued him from the street and brought him to E. Nelsons house. We called the owner and returned him. The owners car broke down in the Community of Christ Auditorium parking lot, so I EVEN GOT TO TAKE HIM FOR A WALK!!!! OH MY GOSH!!! HAPPIEST MOMENT OF THE DAY! ....Thanks for letting me share that! I was really excited! I can't wait to see my puppy Sophie! I'm so glad she isn't dead yet! Haha. I'm totally doggie trunky, and temple trunky, and... FAMILY AND BEST FRIEND TRUNKY!!! I miss you all so much! But I told Sister VanKomen in interviews this week that I was only going to allow myself to be trunky for 1 hour a day! So after emailing is over, I'm not thinking about ANY OF YOU THE REST OF THE DAY!!!

Haha. It's going to be a great week! We are going to teach 20 lessons and have a baptism at the end of the week and see LOTS OF MIRACLES!!!!! ---Happy day!!!---- Miracles! Miracles!!! This is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that he lives and provides tender mercies in our lives everyday. With an eye of faith, things that seem impossible to overcome become possible to endure. Endure to the End. 100-yards. I'm going to give my best. My very best. All the way to the end. Even if it hurts. I'm grateful the Lord has helped me to get this far. The Lord is amazing! In his strength I can do all things!!!

I LOVE YOU ALL! Continue in love and faith!!!
Dream Big. Wish Hard. Love Always-
Jessica Rose