Rose Bud Thorn: No stress, God Does His Own Work - October 27th, 2011

Last night as we were waiting on the metro to head home, my compy doo Sister Andy Pandy (haha--thank President for that one) looked at me expectantly and said: 'Rose thorn bud.'
Uhhh--what?
This is what it means:

Rose (best part of the week): Meeting with Tonda. We invited him to read the Book of Mormon every day for at least 10 minutes. He told us that 10 minutes wasn't nearly enough time--that he could read for at least 20 minutes each day. :)

Thorn (worst part of the week): [Readers: THE BULK OF THE THORN EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN OMITTED TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT!!!] . . . However, this thorn also has a rose. Somehow it all worked out. God does what He wants. Afterwards one told us that he'd bring his friends next week. Another asked when church started on Sunday. Everyone wanted to come back. I love that God is totally in charge--I wouldn't have it any other way.

Bud (something you're looking forward to): THE CONCERT IS NEXT WEEK!!! WOOO! All this transfer's hard work culminates in this, the penultimate week of the transfer. Woop. Pray for us. :)

Also: Li Hang's been having a bit of trouble. His family's thinking of leaving to go back to China. He had a lot of anxiety over whether he should return with them or not--there, he'd be with family, but without the Church, here, he'd be with the Church, but he'd have to find a job, and the only jobs he qualifies for here are really demanding and low-paying. All week he told us he had a 'bad mood'. But yesterday we met with the Skype Elders. He was happy because he finally made up his mind to stay and to prepare for a mission. He received his answer from reading in the Book of Mormon. He said that the Church could be like his new family. On Tuesday he will have a Skype interview with the branch president to get the priesthood.
Awesome.

Yes, Ma. The mission stories in the Book of Mormon mean everything to me as a missionary. Alma 26 is perhaps my favorite chapter in the entire book. We always discuss them and analyse them and try to emulate the great missionaries of the Book of Mormon. As I've been reading this transfer I've been marking the ways we can apply the atonement in our lives. It's always repentance. And the things we must do to prepare ourselves to repent, like humbling ourselves. What a beautiful thing repentance is! What a beautiful message of the gospel--that everyone can change and grow and be better. I love that.

Please don't send a box. This is all I want: a copy of the conference Ensign. And I want you all to read it before you send it and mark your favorite parts in it and write why you like that part so much. Then it will be like a letter and scripture all in one. That's all. And that will fill me for the holidays. :)

I lurve you!

s laskou,

Sestra Dean

P.S. I DID see a picture of Mike and Brandi's kids--I just got it yesterday! MY, what good cousins I have. Thanks. :)

And I almost cried when I heard about Michelle's pumpkin. Stinky kids.

Molls/Beks: sometimes when it gets around Halloween time I just can't help but think to myself: I wonder what NieNie's mantle piece looks like this year.