Phone Call Home: Monday, May 9, 2022
Glasses today. Mostly because she thinks she has a stye and didn't really want do deal so glasses it was. Good call I say! Sister Garcia went to the big 'market' swap meet shopping thing today in hopes of seeing things she may want as far as souvenirs are concerned. She didn't want to pull the trigger and buy in case she gets transferred but she said she did get a good idea of what is there and will for sure make a plan to get back and scoop up a few things.
Some highlights from our call today:
- Sister Garcia realizes more often than not that she took something as simple as Wi-fi for granted on a daily basis. She is resolved to be better and be more grateful for it when she has it, when it is working, and when she is off the mission
- This week lines up like this for Sister Garcia prepping with Sister Scioli to return home
- May 16: Sister Scioli's last pday
- May 22: Sister Scioli's last Sunday and also her final interview with President which means Sister Garcia will accompany her to that since they are companions
- May 23: Sister Scioli will have a 'get back to real life' transition course, have dinner with President and Sister Nordfelt, and then stay the night at a hotel in order to travel home the next day
- May 24: Scioli goes home!!!
Since Sister Scioli travels home on the 24th, that leaves Sister Garcia without a companion. But have no fear...President has it all worked out. :) Sister Garcia will enter into a trio for her final companionship. Her companion, Sister Bradford, is also an STL but she will also be picking up a fresh green missionary who will arrive on the 25th and will train her. Pretty much Sister Garcia is just overseeing this training of the new missionary for her final 6 weeks. (Just as a side note...this would kill me and probably put me in my grave. Babysitting is what it reminds me of. Thankfully it is not me because Sister Garcia feels fine about it)
- This week Sister Garcia had a hard moment with Sister Scioli. Sister Scioli's aunt passed away and there was a literal freak out moment that took place that caught Sister Garcia 100% off guard. Sister Garcia decided now was a good time for comp inventory so that Sister Scioli could get it all out and so that maybe, just maybe, Sister Garcia would be able to fully understand what in the heck just happened. Turns out, this aunt pretty much raised Sister Scioli and it felt to her like her Mom had passed away. Being able to be raw and vulnerable between the two of them really formed a very strong bond for Sister Garcia and she recognized and acknowledged just how hard this companion is going to be to let go of. This one is going to really hurt her heart. Listening to Sister Garcia talk this through made my heart ache for the both of them. There is a very special friendship between them and this just solidified it for forever. The trust was given, the love was received, and the bonds will not be broken.
- Sister Nordfelt grabbed Sister Garcia for a quick mini interview with Sister Garcia after all of that played out. (I believe they were at the mission office when the news broke) Sister Nordfelt commended Sister Garcia for how she acted and LOVED Sister Scioli in her hardest time. How can you not love this sweet wife of the President for making it a point to make sure this Sister missionary knows her reaction was good? Gosh I love her! Sister Garcia reminded me that it really wasn't a big deal (other than the wild freak out moment) and that her job is simply to 'help and love her companion'.
- Sister Garcia said that she recognizes that these last two transfers of her mission are going to be a test of patience and to learn to TRUST the Lord
- I asked Sister Garcia if she would do her mission again knowing now what she knows. She said she absolutely 100% would! There are 4 things she did point out if given the chance again or that she would tell her younger self
1. Live in the moment. Embrace exactly where you are at all times. There will always be something to do, someone to visit, appointment to make, etc but don't fret. Embrace the now
2. She would go in with the exact same optimism and not change anything there
3. She would approach the call the same with 'I will be happy with wherever the Lord needs to send me'
4. She would definitely tell herself that mission time goes FAST! This takes her back to the 'live in the moment'.
Sister Garcia pointed out that over these last two transfers, she can see the personal growth that has taken place within her. She said "if you go on a mission to grow your testimony, it won't. But if you choose to go on a mission to "GO TO WORK", that is when your testimony grows."
- Sister Garcia shared that over this last week she studied a talk by Elder Bednar. He posed the question of "Is it the Holy Ghost or is just me wanting it to be?" Here's the answer: Quit worrying about where or who it is coming from and JUST FREAKING DO IT! (you will not always know the why and you may never find out either)
She shared that at the time Elder Bednar was the Stake President and called the Bishop of a ward to go meet. Well, this Bishop really wanted to go watch his son play in a basketball game that he finally had a chance and open on his schedule to do so. This Bishops wife reminded him of his calling and that the son would understand. So...off to the meeting with President Bednar he went. Well, it turned out that as he arrived to the meeting, President Bednar asked him to accompany him to the basketball game to watch his own son play. It was the SAME game! President Bednar didn't know the 'why' on the prompting of "go to the basketball game" but he followed it through and what a testament to not just this Bishop but also to the family of the Bishop. I got chills as she shared this! Can you even imagine the son seeing his Dad walk in but then on top of that, the sweet wife of this Bishop who nudged him to attend the meeting? Just plain awesome.
- Sister Garcia is starting to work on My Plan. This is a way the church is helping missionaries transition back to normal life outside of being a full time missionary. She shared a few things with me that I want to be sure to account for. To be able to look back on and see where she started since who knows, maybe she changed a few things between now and when she returns home. :)
** She sees PATIENCE and SERVICE as 2 of her biggest strengths gained on her mission
** 3 Truths she has learned from serving her mission
1. She truly believes in the love that the Lord has for each and every one of His children
2. The Atonement is REAL
3. The Book of Mormon is true and is the central and main keystone of His church
** 3 Attributes she has gained from choosing to serve her mission
1. Patience. Not just with companions, but with all things
2. Charity. The PURE love of Christ.
3.
Sister Garcia acknowledged that 'end of mission feelings' are as real as they come. She was funny and tried to sell that she was the first one that would deny that coming to the end you ALL get trunky or that you all get so ready to be home that some days thoughts of 'home' take precedence over the work on the mission. She is working on balancing them because she knows it is 100% normal to be feeling these things but she does not want to leave her mission feeling like she didn't give her all clear up the end.
** I am going to insert some Mom here for you. :) I pray you will be able to look back at your 18 months as a missionary and see what the rest of us see in you and how you have handled yourself and just how incredibly HARD you have worked. Even on days when you have thoughts of home or future or whatever, you are an amazing missionary who has given your all since the moment you opened up your call. I am and will forever be, so dang proud of you and the growth that has taken place as you have been this missionary. You have far exceeded any expectations and/or wonders of who you would become in the end. I admire you and I look up to you in so many things. This mission is truly one of the biggest and best blessings that your Heavenly Father saved just for you.
- Sister Garcia will have Zone Conference on Wednesday and then they will have their final exchanges of this transfer as well.
As I sat and listened to Sister Garcia walk through her upcoming week, discuss her thoughts and feelings on working through 'My Plan', watching her facial expressions and the twinkle in her eyes and she talked and thought about home; all I can really sum it up in is this: This young lady has worked her guts out day in and day out. She has served this mission full speed ahead since the moment she knew where the Lord asked her to be. She has worked tirelessly, she has given her all to those she is working with, serving, influencing, butting heads with, etc. This girl has been selfless and is the epitome of what living and loving like the Savior did and begs us to do. We could all benefit from living and loving the way Sister Garcia does. I am so grateful for her example and for the trust she has in me to share the most intimate feelings of this mission. I am grateful for our friendship and that she has allowed me to sit back and watch as she blossomed into this truly stellar adult! I am thrilled for her as she enters her final 6 weeks and to see what is in store for her. It can only be good because she continues to put the Lord first in all things.
Keep up the things you are doing. I love you more than you will ever be able to know. To the moon and back, forever and for always,
Mom
