The Ups & Downs of Mission Life

One thing I've realized this week is that here's so many people that have been put in my life, not because I think I've impacted them, but because they have impacted me.

This has just been the most humbling experience and I still can't believe how fast it's going. I reach my 5 month mark this week which means I'm almost 1/3 done with my mission!

 This week in district meeting, we had the opportunity to watch a worldwide missionary broadcast. The First Presidency hasn't done a broadcast like this for over a decade. There was approximately 1 missionary representing each mission live at the broadcast, so that was cool! Over 400 missions worldwide and over 75,000 missionaries. Amazing. It was really fun to watch and receive instruction from the faces we all know so well. I feel like the Twelve are like family or something haha.

 Still loving my companion. She is a blessing in my life and is really helping me with the language.

 Human of the Week: Nanay P - this is a sweet old lady in her early 80's who is a recent convert to the church. I have never seen a human being in my whole life in worse condition than I've seen this lady. She lives in a tiny shack with her adorable little old husband. The two have had 16 children over the course of their life, but only 11 of them are still living. 10 of these 11 however life in nice homes all around their little shack...and they do absolutely nothing to help them.

This little old couple can barely walk; all they eat is rice all day and lay on this bench in their shack, and attempt occasionally to do their laundry. It's like their kids have just left them to die. Nanay specifically is very very sick. She has some sort of disease that makes her stomach puff up. The church has offered to pay for hospitalization for her through the tithing of the members, but for legal purposes they needed a relative of theirs to sign the paperwork and take responsibility of her while she is in the hospital. All of their children refused.

 After many prayers, all of a sudden, the 11th child showed up. She'd been living in Manila and felt she should visit her parents. After talking with her, she just completely sobbed over the fact that none of her siblings have done anyhing to help them. She's taken work off for a month to take care of her parents. Nanay is in the hospital too and will undergo surgery soon. I don't think either of these two have much longer to live because of their age and the condition of their health, but it's been a blessing to see the happiness that this 11th child has brought them.

I think they really have finally just felt some support and love, instead of feeling abandoned in their little shack. It's just...I don't know what the word for it is - humbling? That probably comes closest. 

Thanks for all the love and support always! I love you all!

Make sure to keep the gospel and Heavenly Father number one in your lives and everything will always be okay.

 Love you! Sister Russon