Phone Call Home: Monday, November 8, 2021

Sister Garcia

 
Happy Monday! Today was an EARLY start with us turning our clocks back an hour yesterday for Daylight Savings. Doing that makes Sister Garcia 4 hours ahead of us now instead of just 3 and even though it is just one hour it has sure made a difference already! Regardless of the time, I was happy to see the smile on Sister Garcia's face today.

Sister Garcia had another mission tour this last week. She had one when she was in the MBM so she was very familiar with what to expect and she also was very aware of how great the opportunity was to be a part of this. She loved the time with Elder Uceda and she truly felt like as she sat and listened, that the  key topics were just for her. She has been carrying some heavy thoughts and feelings on her heart and she said she was just so grateful for the things that had been shared and taught by Elder Uceda. What a special blessing for her! She said she took so many notes and she even giggled and said that not on purpose, she wrote her notes in 1/2 English and 1/2 Portuguese. :) This new language has totally become a part of who my sweet girl is. I absolutely love watching as she continues to progress daily and how much she is embracing and retaining. Simply amazing! 

I cannot soon forget that as our call began today, Sister Garcia asked if Tyler was around because she wanted to talk to him about something. So, I got him in on the call and she tells him that she learned a new word in Portuguese. The word? Midget!!! Ha ha ha. It seems that Sister Da Mata is obsessed with midgets similar to that of Tyler. It was a lot of fun to watch her giggle as hard as she did while she was sharing this with Tyler. So freaking funny.

Sister Garcia shared some things she is struggling with this week during our call and I won't lie, as a Mom I want to get on a plane and go to her or get her home so that I can help her through all of this but I also am 1000% aware that she is more than capable of working through these things without me by her side. I am grateful she shared them with me and that she trusts me with the information. Right now she is really struggling with not feeling as though she is doing enough with her time on her mission. She recognizes she is a do-er and that she doesn't like to stop, always pushing a little further and a little harder. She does not want to come home and take a look back at the 18 months she has given herself as a missionary to the Lord and feel like she didn't do enough or give it her all every single day. She is also super concerned with being a great example for both Christian and Brooklyn. She wants them both to see that she has done hard things and she has persevered and she has not wasted a moment of her time on her mission. 

Sister Garcia said she read her Patriarchal Blessing again and this time things read very differently. Normally she says that when she has read it before it has resonated about her serving a mission but this time as she read it she said that the last line is what has her mind pondering and wondering. Right now she is reading it and seeing the Lord's expectations and responsibility that He has for her. And because of the added feelings of 'not doing enough' she feels as though she is a complete let down to the Lord. Sister Garcia mentioned that she did include in her weekly email to President Nordfelt some of these thoughts and feelings. She was seeking perhaps for some advice and some direction on how to best work through this all. She said his reply was super kind and that he also included some council and advice for her. On top of this however she did mention that he was incredibly encouraging and reminded her of the missionary that she is. 

Sister Garcia acknowledged that she thrives on instant gratification the same today that she always has. She said she knows that is something that drives some of her choices that she makes. Being on the mission has not changed this. Instant Gratification on a mission makes you immediately think of baptisms and Sister Garcia says that for some time that was exactly what was driving that for her. As she has continued to work day in and day out she is learning that baptisms are not the factor anymore. Yes, she would absolutely be THRILLED to be a part of that for one of her friends she is working with and teaching but now, she loves the opportunity to talk and teach more. The gratification she gets by being able to spend the time that way feeds her soul and she is trying to focus on this a little harder with each passing day. 

Sister Garcia and I talked some about what it looks like when she gets home here in the next 8 months. I tried to help her see that she sure does not need to focus on this at all but I also was happy to lend some ears to hear her out. She is getting nervous. Mostly just about how it looks. What does her daily schedule look like? What does sleeping in her own room, her own bed, without a companion right next to her and keeping her in check look like? What does meal time look like? She is absolutely looking forward to being able to flush her toilet paper (oh goodness I cannot imagine!) and also having the creature comforts of her go to favorites at the ready when she wants. She is looking forward to spending time with Brooklyn and feels like she has a lot of time to make up. She wanted to talk about buying a car or getting a cell phone turned on. She wanted to discuss school and getting registered for classes. But by the end of hearing her out and helping (I hope) to ease some of this that she is carrying, she knows that when she returns home we are excited to just see her and catch up and get to know her in this new form of who she has become. I joked (but in all honesty it is probably real life going to play out like this) that when she gets home, Tyler and I won't have a chance to spend much time with her because Brooklyn will capitalize as much of it as she can! Let's not soon forget that it is pretty much a weekly reminder that when Brooklyn sees Sister Garcia get off the plane and through the security doors she is going to race me to get the first hug! 

This week was a little heavier with thoughts and feelings that Sister Garcia is experiencing at this time but it was also a lot of fun to hear how the Lord worked through His apostle Elder Uceda to bring some peace to my girls heart. It was fun to see her giggle and to listen to her talk with Sister Da Mata in full Portuguese that none of us understand here at home. It absolutely amazes me that in almost 10 shorts months this girl has put in the work and time to be able to speak a full new language and engross herself into this culture like she has. She has been an amazing missionary and she continues to prove week after week the dedication to this Gospel that she has. What a true honor and blessing to be her Mom. 

Boy do I love you. Keep pressing forward with all of your strength and might and know that you have prayers coming your way from home and from so many others around you. I love you for forever and for always. To the moon and back.

Mom