Our Mission: A Growing Experience

I guess we're not above the missionary law after all.  Before our mission we'd heard stories of how missionaries are asked to do things with no advance notice.  I kind of on purpose ignored that little bit of information, thinking, or at least hoping, it would never happen to us. However:

1.  Four Sundays ago I was met at the meetinghouse door by the Young Women's President asking if I would accompany a YW sister who was going to sing in sacrament meeting.  I dutifully accepted the assignment.  I didn't worry too much about my lack of preparation, thinking the piece would be an easy YW rendition.  WRONG!  With only Sunday School time to practice with the sister, I realized I had a problem.  She was professionally trained and had chosen a very advanced piece to sing, with a challenging accompaniment.  I immediately became ill and then started praying like crazy.  I definitely had a tender mercy for the day in the form of a sweet young sister I had asked to turn pages for me.  During the performance, I kept losing my place. I'd keep whispering to her: "Where are we?  I'm lost!" Thankfully she'd point me in the right direction.  Elder Eddington said I did very well.  I hope he wasn't just trying to be nice.

2.  Three Sundays ago we visited a small branch in the rural town  of Piddig.  The members there meet in a converted home.  It had such a warm, welcoming spirit.  While enjoying the Spirit, waiting for sacrament meeting to begin,  some kind soul asked me if I would be the accompanist for sacrament meeting.  No problem, except that their instrument was a rickety keyboard that literally swayed to the music!  The chorister adjusted the settings so it sounded pretty much like an organ.  So far, so good...except for the fact that the chair was too short.  My hands were positioned at about the same height as my ears.  And not to mention that every time I pressed a key it glowed red. The worst of it all was the rest hymn (or standing hymn, as they call it) was one of the most challenging hymns for me.  But again, through a lot of frantic praying, I survived.  Elder Eddington had it worse, however.  He was asked to be one of the sacrament meeting speakers, so I was grateful for my assignment.

3.  Two Sundays ago in Laoag Ward 3,  again enjoying the Spirit while waiting for sacrament meeting to start, we saw the bishop approach.  Uh oh!  Not good! You guessed it: "Elder and Sister Eddington, would you be our speakers in sacrament meeting today? Take about ten minutes each."  My worst nightmare come true.  I don't know which is worse, to sweat bullets for two weeks prior to giving a talk, or sweat bullets ten minutes before giving a talk.  It was the weirdest feeling to approach the pulpit without any notes.....to rely only on the scriptures for support.  But with a lot of praying and a lot of help from the Holy Ghost, we both survived.  It was definitely a growing experience for me.  Elder Eddington did much better.  He's a natural-born speaker.

We have learned so much while being on our mission.  We have learned to study the scriptures in a more meaningful and more consistent way.  We have learned to recognize the whisperings of the Spirit more fully.....and obey the whisperings.  We have learned to rely on the Spirit for help and guidance as to what to say in teaching situations.  We have developed more charitable hearts.  We have learned a deeper love, both for each other as well as for the members, missionaries, and investigators we have met.  We have learned to appreciate the love our family at home has for us....as well as their sacrifices in our behalf.  We have learned to more fully show love and appreciation for our family. We have learned to more fully appreciate the many blessings that have and are daily being showered on us and our family.  We have learned to appreciate and love the Gospel of Jesus Christ so much more. 

Stay strong in the faith, Elder and Sister Eddington