Sorella Gisseman: Week 75 -- Last Zone Conference

Good morning! This week went really well. We had zone conference, I had my last interview and it was really good -- it was really sad, but that's ok.

1. You mentioned last week that you did a 50 things list – will you share it with me?

Yes, I just need to take a picture of it.

2. How was zone conference? What did you learn, and what did you enjoy most about it?

Zone conference was so good! Maybe one of my favorite zone conferences that we've had so far. The mission goal for this year is 220 baptisms for 2020 and all trainings were really, really inspiring. I was so hyped, and I was so ready! I think one thing that I realized, one thing that I learned, is how important vision is, like the vision that when I see them I can see them as a member of the church, I can see them in white. When I'm teaching someone I see them in the temple. Things like that.

3. You said something last week about something you needed to do for your last interview with Pres Smith – what is that? How did that interview go?

I just had to fill out some papers so I did the list of things that I learned and then I wrote letter to myself and I wrote up a letter, it's called "Leaving Your Legacy," and so you just write up a letter to the new missionaries coming in.

4. What is your favorite scripture right now? And what is your favorite hymn right now?

My favorite scripture right now -- I just finished reading the Book of Mormon again this week -- and I really, really...I saw Moroni 10:3 in a different way, which was really cool. It says, "Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that you should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts." And I thought this was interesting - this time when I read it I took it to mean, like, ponder these things in your hearts -- ponder the mercy of the Lord and obviously, like, reading the scriptures we can see the mercy of the Lord also, but I think gratitude and humility play such a key role in our ability to receive answers from the Spirit. We had a lesson with a less active this week, just talking about gratitude, because she doesn't believe in God anymore. And I think, like, when we're grateful and we're humble about things it's easy for us to acknowledge God. It's when we're prideful that it's hard for us to see His hand in our life and it's hard for us to receive answers. So I liked that verse a lot when I read it this time, just, like, the idea of receiving answers comes with that humility and thinking -- thinking about everything that God's done for us. My favorite hymn....I don't think I have one right now. I like them all.

5. What made you smile this week? What made you laugh?

Just my companion. We have a lot of fun. Also we had a super, super fun ward activity and it was just super fun and I laughed and smiled a lot.

6. Tell me a tender mercy you experienced this week.

This is a funny one...I don't know if it's a tender mercy, but I was grateful for it. So we forgot to confirm for our meal appointment and then it happened that our meal appointment couldn't have us for Sunday but, like, we were at the ward party and we had been talking to this brother and he was like, "yeah, you Sorellae should come over, like if you want to come over tomorrow you can." And we were like, "oh, we have an appointment." So when he said that it reminded me that I had to text our appointment and then our appointment immediately texted back and was like "hey, sorry, we can't" and so we were like, "Yo, Fratello, we can come eat with your family!" and we got to and it was super fun.

7. What was the most interesting thing you saw or did this week?

Ummmm...it was a pretty normal week. I had to bear my death testimony.

8. Do you know how much I love you?

Of course!

9. What advice would you give to someone who is trying to decide if they should go on a mission or not?

I would say first of all, like, listen to the Spirit and understand that, I think in very few cases, God tells you not to serve, not to go on a mission. I think it's such a good thing to do and I've had so many companions, and also for myself, that were like, "no, I'm not going to do it" or "I don't think I'm going to do it" or "I don't know if I should do it" but then you start doing it and it's like, it's just the right thing, you know? And a lot of my companions have been that way where they say "I still haven't received an answer if I should be on a mission but I'm here and I love it!" You know? Or who have received their answer in the MTC. I think if we wait around, kind of waiting for that answer, who knows to say if God's going to come down and say "Yes, you're going to serve a mission", but it's when you do those little things, when you read the scriptures looking for the answer. For me that was big. And seeing the examples of missionary work in the Book of Mormon. When you start your papers and it feels good, and you don't feel bad about it, and you want to keep going. It's in those things that I think you can received that answer. I would say my mission has been the most influential period of my life and I honestly don't know where I would be without it. I don't know how I would go forward without it.

10. When was the last Diet Coke you drank? (This question is from Daddy) What do you usually drink?

Ummmm, like a long time ago because it doesn't exist here. I usually drink water.

11. Did you do more saldi shopping?

Of course!

12. Cailey wants to know – what is the prettiest thing you saw this week?

There were a lot of sunsets when we were out running and that was really pretty.

13. Who showed you love and kindness this week?

I think, as always, Pres Smith is just literally the best. I love Pres and Sorella Smith and whenever I look at them I just want to cry. And of course a lot of other people show us love and kindness literally all the time.

I'm trying to think if there's anything else....Happy Valentine's Day! I think that's it. Also because I'm just tired. But I love you so much and yea!

Ciao, ciao!!

Brie