Sister Harley Munk: 3/6/2017 March ;)

Happy March everyone. It's hard to believe it's already march... I feel like time is getting faster and faster every month.

This week has been a week I never want to repeat again for as long as I live. It's been full of emotions and panic and fear. It has also been a week of love and hugs and laughter. What a week.

Monday we had a good day! We didn't have any lessons so we did some finding and then had a really good leadership meeting with the zone leaders and with the district leaders.

Tuesday we had MLC. It was amazing as usual! Our mission president is just so in tune with the spirit and with all of us missionaries. It's really cool :) We talked about a lot of things but one thing I loved was when we did some role plays. I only loved that part because I was the one being taught not actually teaching in front of everyone 😂 The missionaries teaching first were not aloud to testify and the next set of missionaries were. As they were teaching I could feel he difference. When we testify of the things we know are true the spirit is so much stronger. That goes for every member of the church I think. Our testimonies are powerful!!

Wednesday we did tons of finding!! It was great :)

Thursday we had did a blitz on the waterman sisters area and went on teamups with them. I went with Sister Hanekamp :) I love that girl!! We have to much fun together lol

Friday we had zone training! I was really nervous for it but we were very well prepared :) Our zone is really good at participating so that is always nice. I feel like the training went well and I hope each missionary felt the spirit and learned something. I know I did! The purpose for our zone training was to become a master teacher by spiritual preparation, testifying frequently, and extending bold and loving commitments. We talked about how doing all of those things ties into charity. It was really awesome! After zone training we went to lunch with some of the sisters and then out finding.

The rest of our weekend took a sad turn for the worse. I am not going to go into major detail.. but Friday, our amazing recent convert Shina took her life. We talked to her on Friday, she called us in desperation. So that day was spent contacting family and the police and trying to do what we could to locate her. We got the news on Saturday that she had passed away and so we spent time with her family, helping them through this process and working through funeral arrangements. Shina was the only member of her family, but they respected her decision to be LDS so much that they have decided to do a "Mormon funeral", despite their catholic and other religious backgrounds.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has reached out to Sister Moffett and I over the past few days. We have a testimony that the atonement is very real and that Shina is busy working hard and that we will see her again. But to be very honest, that doesn't make this in any way easy. It has been so hard! So I appreciate the love and prayers.

Our lovely bishop and his wife have allowed us to stay in their home for the past few days so we aren't alone. Our mission president and his wife are also doing all they can to help us heal and grieve.

Please pray for Shina's family. They are hurting and need the extra heavenly help. Also please go tell everyone you love that you love them. Life is crazy and you just never know.

I want to leave you with my testimony. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that He is my savior. I know that his atoning sacrifice is very real and it is for everyone. I can testify that God has a plan for each of us. He loves us and wants us to be happy. I don't know for sure why bad things sometimes happen but I can only guess that it is because we are here on earth to be shaped and refined and molded into amazing people. Sometimes it hurts but like my mission president told me it will get better. I know that Shina is busy! She is very much alive in spirit. I know that my cousin Andrew and that Annie are also very busy. They have a work to do :) I love this gospel and I love being a missionary.

Have a good week! Be safe and know that I love you guys!

Love,

Sister Harley Munk