In the Right Spot

I'm doing fine! I survived! I'm recovering!  I did not baptize the surgeon, but I did ITL (invite to learn) the nurse as I woke up from anesthesia. It was really hard, because I couldn't remember how to talk at first, but after several attempts I was able to say clear enough for her to understand "I'd love to invite you to learn more about our church." She didn't go for it, so I moved on to family history. :) We were supposed to do it together but she never called. Go figure. Haha! The news of my "ITL under anesthetic" has spread like wildfire through the mission. I'm famous now. So funny! I also am pretty sure that as they were putting me under I kept praying too. Don't really remember too well... But I am SO GRATEFUL that I got that little monster out and that now I can recover and get back to being a MISSIONARY!

I got to take the brand new sisters out on my first day back proselyting. That is one of the most fun privileges of being a Sister Training Leader in Charleston. I got to teach Traci with a new sister who shared a beautiful testimony. Her family doesn't really have enough money for her to be a missionary. She lives with her mom, and her income helps support the family. Now that she is on a mission, she has been a little concerned about her family back home. She received a letter from her mom a couple days before explaining that they were receiving money in unexpected ways. Like an unexpected tax return, and other ways. How cool is that?!?! The Lord provides a way.

He does provide a way. He has a plan! In my situation with the surgery and everything, it worked out so perfectly. The Lord will put you exactly where He wants you. What a privilege to be so loved that you can KNOW that you are in the right spot.

Love.

Sister Larrabee

Providing a way for more happiness

Surgery is tomorrow! Through a series of miracles insurance has cleared so that I can stay in WV! I have been living in the mission president's home for the last week. I am too sick to work. President and Sister Pitt are the most awesome people ever. It was been quite eye-opening to see how much they do! And how much they love EVERY missionary. It is a miracle that they are home for these couple weeks- they usually are traveling. And it is also a miracle that we suddenly had a sister who needed a companion who could come take my spot in South Charleston so the work can keep on keeping on. Everything has worked out perfectly and everything is going to be okay.

But can I express how difficult it is to not be a missionary right now. Oh my heck. I want to make a comparison between a Book of Mormon story, a pre-mission experience, and my current situation. So:

Very beginning of the Book of Mormon. Lehi was told to leave everything. His home, the land of his inheritance, his gold, ALL his precious things, etc. And for what? THE WILDERNESS. Gee, what fun. And what is more puzzling is that the reason why Lehi had to leave was because he was in danger, and the reason why he was in danger resulted from his obedience to the Lord. The Lord says; "because thou hast been faithful and declared unto this people the things which I commanded thee, behold, they seek to take away thy life." What? Shouldn't Lehi receive blessings for his obedience? And he did... they just weren't immediate. The Lord does all things because he loves his children. And Lehi's blessings became more obvious as he (out of necessity) has to rely deeper and deeper on the Lord. Sometimes the Lord takes away what we love most in order to prepare the way for us to receive blessings that will fill us with more love and MORE HAPPINESS.

So. I can relate to this. Not to be awkward or anything but there was a time when the Lord took away what I loved most. In this case, who I loved most. Breaking up is hard. But through that, out of necessity, I relied on the Lord and came to know Him in a way I never had before. And I treasure that. Absolutely treasure it. And it provided the way for me to come on a mission and feel more HAPPINESS! (Wait, I could be more happy? Yes. Yes, I could!). The Lord doesn't have a happiness limit, actually. He wants us to feel a fullness of joy that never stops growing.

Here's the thing, though. I never imagined that when the thing I loved the most was being a missionary, it would be in jeopardy of being taken away. It's kind of a righteous thing. But Lehi was doing a righteous thing when he was asked to sacrifice. The point is. Even though this whole ordeal has kind of caught me really off guard, I trust in my Father. Everything He does is out of love, and part of His perfect plan for our happiness. I know that of a surety. I cannot deny it. That kind of confidence that comes from trust in Heavenly Father is worth any sacrifice.

Out of time, but I love you, everybody! Next time you hear from me I will be without a gallbladder :)

Sister Larrabee

I KNOW that He loveth His children

I am ill. This week I got a HIDI-scan. What is that? Well basically you get injected with Radioactive dye and you get to lie in one of those intimidating machines that takes pictures of your gallbladder. It takes a really long time. Near the end of it, they inject what the nurse called a "liquid big mac" and see what my gallbladder does. It was not the most pleasant experience in the world... I have been eating fat free to avoid the more intense waves of nausea... so a big mac... anyways. The point of this procedure is to determine the functionality of my gallbladder. If it is working at under 35% they have to take it out. My gallbladder is working at.... drum roll please... 0%. Not kidding. No wonder I feel like garbage. HA! So it's going to have to come out. We don't know how the insurance is going to go down or anything, but I sure hope we can make this happen here in WV. I could get back to work a lot faster!

I'm doing all I can and the Lord is truly making a difference. I should be satisfied with that, but it is kind of really disheartening to not be able to do what I have been doing. We went on another exchange this week and my energy was so much lower than normal. I love being a missionary with everything I have, and now that I have less to give it  is really frustrating.

But here is the great news. I can say with Nephi "I know that [our Heavenly Father] loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things" (1 Nephi 11:17). I don't understand why all things happen but I truly have a firm trust that he does nothing save it be for our benefit. He loves us with a perfect love. He has testified it to me through His Holy Ghost. I know it is true. And goodness, isn't that nice to know?

Have a good week because God is your FATHER and He loves you :)

Love,

Sister Larrabee

P.S. These are pictures of our wreath and the wreath belonging to the sisters we exchanged with this week. Ours is disgusting. We tried to make it Eastery... but their's has a LIVE BIRD FAMILY. HA HA HA! I hope you find this as hilarious as I do.