Week 24:Comincia che Dio Provede al Resto

     

The only Italian I can speak is "spaghetti," "lasagne," and "pizza!" I am no linguist, but as we were knocking this week I came across this phrase that really struck me. "Comincia che Dio Provede al Resto," now to me that would mean absolutely nothing without the translation, "Begin, and God will provide the rest." What a profound statement, "begin, and God will provide the rest." Often it is hard to start a day, knowing that you will work your hardest and you will be exhausted by the end of the day. It is hard to start a project, knowing it will fill your thoughts incessantly until you finally finish. It is hard to start anything, especially when you know how hard it will be. But all you really need to do is... begin. This morning it snowed in Shelton, I am not one for snow and I was so looking forward to a winter without it, but as I gazed out my attic window I saw the glittering snowflakes and just thought about how beautiful it is. A new beginning, a fresh start.

     Picking up all that I have and coming to Shelton was one of the most terrifying moments of my life, I would again not know anyone and I would again be in a foreign place. But as I have been here, I have been so grateful for a new beginning, a chance to start fresh and to enlarge my heart to include so many new people. I can always agree that beginning is hard, I often don't want to start cleaning in my little old house because I am scared of the disgustingness that I might find. Yet, as I remember that when I start something, it will eventually get finished and then it is over. If I chose to begin something, it will eventually end, and the satisfaction that comes from accomplishing something is incomparable.

      Philippians 4:13 states, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Christ can make anything possible, there are no limits to what we can do as we trust in God and learn to do His will. My favorite scripture is Alma 26:12 " 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea,behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever." As we choose to trust that God knows better than we do, we come to understand that we are better off as we do as He asks. God knows us perfectly, and He only gives us as much as we can handle. 

     This week I met a woman named Brittany. Brittany is a less active member who desperately wants to come to church but has so many stumbling blocks getting in her way. She has four children, ages 9, 6, and two 18 month-ers, and her husband has brain cancer. Because the cancer was so bad her husband had to have a huge chunk of his brain removed to defeat the cancer. So she is raising four children on her own while taking care of her husband. I have never met a stronger woman, God only calls us to bear what we can and I am in awe of her, and the faith that she has to get out of bed each morning and face the world head on.

     I know that as we have the faith to simply begin, God will truly provide the rest. We just need to take that leap of faith and it will all work out in the end.

    I love you all!

     Sister Megan Monson

Week 23: Bonus Photos

A beautiful spot to live with wildlife and water and boats and Sister missionaries!

Sister Philippi and Sister Monson

Week 23: An Attitude of Gratitude

Beautiful place to live

Sometimes it is so easy to focus on the negative things, the pain that my bed causes to my back due to an un-supportive mattress, or the fact that I literally had to spend an entire week staring at the walls of my little house. But something that I have realized is that when you focus on the negatives you can only get more negatives. Pessimism is a sad trap.

On the other had you have optimism, the opportunity to recognize the blessings that you do have. In Doctrine and Covenants 78:19 we learn "And he who receiveth all things with thankfulness shall be made glorious; and the things of this earth shall be added unto him, even an hundred fold, yea, more." When you focus on the positive things then you can only gain more positive things. That's a great truth that I learned this past week. If you think about it, missionaries really have a lot to complain about: they are away from home, they don't get to talk to their families, and they have an intense schedule and have more on their plates than they can handle. But we're happy. God blesses us so much that it's just crazy! I love this time of year, Thanksgiving, the opportunity to thank God for all that he has given us, because we are truly so blessed.

So Now I am thankful, my gratitude list is extensive so I will only include a little bit.

I am grateful for:

• My wonderful family! They are my rock and my motivation.
• The Shelton 1st ward that has literally welcomed me with open arms.
• The wonderful people In Lincoln who I miss like crazy.
• The incredible opportunity I have to be a missionary, it truly is a blessing.
• A fourteen year old boy who had a simple question and was willing to act on whatever the Lord told him.
• My little house in the most beautiful place in the world.
• My rain boots, raincoat and waterproof everything! Definitely a necessary set of equipment!
• The rain because it makes everything so green!
• My wonderful Mission president and his wife who are so awesome at helping me out when I need it.
• The Gospel, because I would be so very lost without it!
• The Book of Mormon, my absolute favorite book in the entire world.
• And, most importantly, my Savior, Jesus Christ, who is my best friend and my older Brother, the one who would do anything for me and who already has.

I Love the opportunity to get on my knees and thank my Heavenly Father for all the many blessings that He has given me, this truly is a wonderful life!

All my Love,

Sister Megan Monson

Christmas decorations

decor

Shelton Washington

Shelton Washington

Shelton Washington

Interesting?

Week 22: We're not in Tacoma anymore Toto

 Shelton first is the exact opposite of Lincoln Ward, Tacoma, it literally could not get any more different. In Lincoln there were people to talk to we averaged about 175 street contacts a week. This week we got 7, no that is not a typo. Seven people for the entire week! This is a very different place than I have been in really ever. My area covers a huge chunk of the mission geographically, but a very small amount population-wise. The minute we drove into the area it hit me hard, I'm most certainly not in Tacoma anymore! It is crazy to see the differences only a few miles can make!

    I can't honestly tell you much more about my life right now, my new companion, Sister Philippi, has been sick since Wednesday. I have memorized every nook and crany of my little house, watched every movie in the apartment, read 140 pages of Jesus the Christ, and colored several complex pages in my coloring book. Essentially I am BORED out of my mind. Hopefully this next week will bring more missionary work and less twiddling my thumbs trying to figure out how to fill my time.

All my love,

Sister Megan Monson

Leaving Tacoma for the unknown

Driving toward Shelton Washington

Sister Hyde

Goodbye Sister Webb, wonderful companion

Barb

Bisop and Sister Anderson

The Scott's

Sister Lee

Week 21: Better Promises

The other day I heard a song on my USB that I hadn't heard ever before, which is really too bad because it basically describes my time in Lincoln. It's called "Better Promises" by Hillary Weeks, and you should all listen to it because it so perfectly describes life. As I was listening to it the chorus really struck me,

"You gave me bread

But I thought it was a stone,

And before you could tell me yes,

You had to tell me no.

If you had given me what I wanted,

I would not have seen

That you had better promises for me."

I won't even lie, six weeks ago I was a brat, I did not want to stay in Lincoln and I fought against it so hard. But I didn't get my wish. I got what Heavenly Father wanted for me and I am so grateful that He knows so much better than I do. I have been so blessed to have the opportunity to stay in this amazing place for four months of my mission. I have made friendships that will last for eternity and I have learned to rely on my Savior more than I ever have before. And now, I am leaving.

     Saturday afternoon we got a call that said "Sister Monson you will be transferring to the Shelton first ward. And Sister Webb will be staying." I didn't expect to be so sad! So this week has been full of good-byes and tears! So not fair that they leave you until you love it so much that you never want to leave and then they make you go!

    The miracle of this week was the Keesee family. On Sister Johansen's (one of my roommates) last week I got to go knocking with her, and if you ever have the chance to go knocking with a missionary on their last week, you do it. So we prayed about it and we chose to knock a street that I have now knocked three times. And as we knocked we came to a door that I had little hope for, having been turned down both times before. But this time someone else answered the door, and they were interested and their whole family is now on date to be baptized! I never expected to find anyone on that street, who knew we would find the most ready family? Man, I love missionary work!

I love you all!

Sister Megan Monson

Ben, Chantell and Becky

The Braggs family-goodbye

The Bakers

Ben and Chantelle, Sis Monson, Becky and Sis Webb

the dog Bently

Sis McConnell and Bently

Sis McConnell goodbye

The Bakers-goodbye

Lincoln city streets

adorable sisters

Sis Webb and Sis Monson

investigators at church

Sister Guinup goodbye

Sis Hatch goodbye

new little house