I'm a trainer

Family!!

So... I have to let you know.... I will be getting my first daughter/TRAINEE tomorrow!!!! AHH!!! hahaha :) gotta love missionary lingo ;) but seriously, I've been called to train! I'm super excited... but super nervous. I know that it's going to be a very humbling experience for me. I'm very excited to love and serve my trainee with all my heart :) I just pray and hope that I'll be able to help her feel loved, welcomed and help her confidence grow as a daughter of God and as a missionary. The first couple months as a missionary can be a roller coaster ride and with Christmas around the bend it might be a little shaky. But I have faith that a lot of great things are going to come from these next several transfers! Since I am training (which takes 12 weeks/3 months) I will most likely be here in New Smyrna Beach for a total of 6 months! 1/3 of my mission! That is kind of a weird thought... but I'm very grateful for it. I'm so grateful that I'm going to be surrounded by the people of this area for the holidays and to be with Ed and Michele longer. I was so worried I was going to leave!

Saturday night I found out about transfers. It was pretty crazy. My District Leader, Elder Flood, called us and started talking about Sister Damato leaving... we were super confused with how he knew she was leaving because we usually wouldn't know about transfers until Monday morning in an email. We didn't believe Elder Flood until the Zone Leaders called us and told us that Sister Damato really was leaving! Within MINUTES after getting off the phone with the Zone Leaders, President Berry's ringtone went off and my stomach did a couple flip flops... President then asked if I would train! Apparently there are only 4 sisters coming in this transfer... and there is only 1 other sister out of the other 25 sisters that I came out with that have yet been trainers, so that was flattering to hear from the President! But I also know that I've been asked to train because I have a lot to learn. Please keep my trainee and myself in your prayers. I'm sure I will have a lot to talk about next Monday! :) While we were on the phone with the President, he also told us that he has changed how transfers how happening. From now on if there is a change in transfers, the zone leaders will call those that will be leaving and let them know. Then those missionaries that received a call will meet at the Wetherby chapel in Orlando for a devotional, the announcement of companionships and areas, departing missionary testimonies and lunch! Sounds fun but also stressful! That will be crazy to find out who you are with and where you are going like that! It should be fun though :)

This past week we saw quite a few members because of Thanksgiving. In the morning, we had quite a few extra miles on our car so we decided to take an hour and heart attack several of our members to say "thank you". My adrenalin got pumping a little when we thought we were going to get caught! haha! We went over to the former bishop's home at 1:00 p.m. for Thanksgiving. Four different old women in the family started talking about how I should start writing their missionary, Jeff, who is serving out in California... it was sooo funny. Sister Damato was making fun of me so much and I was trying so hard not to laugh! hahaha! We went over a couple days later to rake leaves for one of those same elderly women and she pulled out all these pictures of the missionary and kept bringing up how I should write him... hahaha People are trying to set me up out here!! haha! But no worries. I've got my "missionary goggles" on tight!!! Later, on Thanksgiving evening, we went over to the Stelflick's home and had dinner with them and the Call family (the Jessup's friends)! It was a lot of fun to be with them :)

We had a member cancel on us last second to come to a lesson with Wayne... we had tried getting a hold of everyone that we could... and I had this thought come to mind that we should ask Ed to come! Ed was super excited to come and he was SOO awesome in the lesson! :) I was bursting with pride as I watched him bear his testimony of how he came to know of the truth and how it touched his life. It was a really neat experience. It was also a miracle and answer to prayer... Ed surprisingly related very well with Wayne. It was great!! =D Ed is so awesome.

Yesterday, Wayne came to church for the first time. He hadn't ever been to another church service other than Catholic. He kept saying the whole time that he felt very comfortable. There seemed to be more members than usual that came up and welcomed him (which is always such a relief as a missionary). He felt very welcomed and loved. Long story short... a member ended up taking him into High Priest third hour. They were talking about how they needed 3 men to be Wise Men for New Smyrna Beach Christmas parade float that the ward is apart of. Wayne immediately raised his hand and volunteered to be one!! Sweet!! Wayne knows and understands a lot about the church. He has been a little hard to teach because he seems to focus more on making everything logical instead of focusing more on his feelings... so we are working with him on feeling and recognizing the spirit. He is great though! Ed really helped with that during the lesson... he said that as a cop he has always had to look for reasons and evidence to everything but once he put all that aside and humbled himself so that he could receive inspiration, it came :) I have high hopes for Wayne!

We also were finally able to set a baptismal date with Dakota for December 28th! I have seen so many miracles out here... it's awesome! We will be blessed to see at least one baptism a month out here! It truly is evidence that the Lord is hastening His work :)

Well, I better get going... we have a lot to do to get Sister Damato packed, as well as prepare for my trainee to come tomorrow!! =D I hate to ask for prayers, but I would really appreciate if you sent up some prayers for my trainee and I. Thank all so much for all that you do! I love you!!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Kirkham

P.s. 6 months down!!!! one year to go! :)