Called to Serve

Call: inspire or urge (someone) to do something: I am called to preach the gospel. <--Thank you, new Oxford American dictionary.
Serve: perform services or duties for another person. Something NO ONE EVER ASKS THE HERMANAS TO DO.

Let's start with a little rant (sorry). No one ever asks hermanas to help them. When there is painting to be done, a house to be moved into, cleaning, or heard work to do, people call the Elders. We usually find out about it after the fact. Elders are expected to serve. Hermanas are not. I speak for all hermanas out there when I say that we are just as qualified and willing as any other male counterpart. Ok? Ok.
But on the positive side, we were able to do service this week! Ana and Norma changed pisos and didn't really want to ask for help but we've gotten so close that they let us come over. Downside: they moved out of our area... And are still living with their boyfriends. We'll see how this works out.

Lleida ward

Lots of other things happened this week. Wednesday was the worst day ever. (Hate to be dramatic, but its true). Splurge buying dark chocolate and gummy octopus helped. Basically, we found the true meaning of diligence by still pushing on as everything steadily got worse.
Saturday was transfer calls. For the first time in a long time... I'm not the one that's leaving.
It'll be the first time since Hermana Manotas that I'm NOT the one saying goodbye.  Strange. Hermana Ingram will be going to Valencia (promised land!) and be a trainer-breaker. It's just the change she needed. God knows his children and President reads emails.
We said a very VERY dramatic goodbye to Élder Barney as we sent him home. For the first time it really felt real: that someday (not that distant), that will be me.

Something else about service. On several occasions on my mission, people have thanked me for serving, being an Hermana. Technically, we're not obligated to go so it's somehow more special when we do. But service is what runs the church: it's the machinery that keeps the stone rolling, it's the expectation of every member, missionary, and family. We serve one another, we serve the Lord. Mosiah 2:17 And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God.

And I'm everlastingly more great full for my call to serve a mission.  Love you all, we'll chat again next week.
Hermana Een

Companion fact: Hermana Gutoff. Doesn't like rice.

Favorite Romanian family