Week 74: No more trio?
WEEK 74!!! I can't believe we've come this far! It's a challenge to keep my excitement toned down in my emails and phone conversations with Sister Fairbanks, but on here I don't have to!! 😂
It sounds like it was another challenging week in trio life, but she's had some indicators from President Vest that she'll see a change this week during her LAST TRANSFER in the mission. It'll be exciting to see where she'll spend her last 6 weeks in New York. (I may or not be emotional while typing this...) She's hanging in there, though. She loves both of her companions, but being with one person 24 hours a day is challenging enough--it can't be fun to spend 24 hours a day with two other people who have some serious personality conflicts. 😐 I'm really proud of her for handling it so well. She got some very good advice from President Vest about it, too. Here's some of her email to me, some extra pics, and a bonus video that made me giggle:
Hiya Mom!!!
This week was pretty okay, but pretty long. Here's the rundown!
Monday night, I still wasn't able to get a hold of President Vest. Which wasn't a huge deal, but it went downhill on Tuesday.
The beginning of the day was fairly normal. I woke up grumpy ... but we had a blast at Meals on Wheels. That afternoon we had stewardship calls from Sister Black when we get a chance to talk alone with her. I asked her if there was anything I needed to know about my two companions. She just told me that both of them mentioned to her every week that they don't get along with the other. So I already knew that. But it sounds like she encouraged them to not give up on trying to be sort-of friends. Well I came out from the call to have dinner. That evening was painfully silent and there was so much tension in the air. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. So I worked basically alone all evening. And then I got a nice wave of anxiety that evening...
The next morning was not much better. Even when Sister Hunt was in the shower, I asked Sister Sessions if she was okay, but she was basically shut down and I was really worried. Later she gave me a sticky note that said, "Sorry for being a bum." haha. So then I knew she wasn't mad at me. Over sticky note and silent notes on her phone at dinner, some of the story came out. ... Anyway, the air in the companionship was better by that evening. We all started talking to each other again after a lesson with someone. (So often I have noticed immediate blessings for doing the Lord's work.) That evening was actually fun. I tried calling President Vest again, but no answer.
Thursday morning, President Vest had texted and told me to call him as soon as I was awake. I didn't see it until after I exercised, but I finally got to talk to him!!! He asked some clarifying questions about the situation and I explained how I was feeling. He wanted to make sure I [was okay] and then he pulled out some doctrine to help me. I LOVE when he does that. I asked him how I could be an objective party between my two companions. He told me that it's not fair that I am the middleman and that if they have a problem with each other, they are grown women and need to talk it out. He pulled out the doctrine on marriage and compared it to Sister Sessions' and Sister Hunt's relationship. He encouraged me to try and take myself out of the equation and stop being the middleman if I can. It was really good. He also asked if I could hang on for seven more days, haha. So whatever that means, a change will be happening this week. And that night we had a very spiritual lesson with Jim and Judy. That was wonderful.
Friday was kind of average. Nothing too exciting happened, except that that night I had a really cool, long conversation with Sister Sessions with about the temple. That was fun.
Saturday was pretty good. Nothing super exciting happened, but my sticky note for that day (because I'm behind in my journal, oops) says that it was a pretty good day. :D
Sunday, yesterday was wonderful. We went to that Branch sacrament meeting and then the Ward sacrament meeting. Jim came and sat by us. Then he was the first one to get up and bear his testimony!!! I was slightly nervous because he can talk forever, but it was perfect! He invited the Spirit and touched A LOT of people with his testimony. Then Eric got up and bore his testimony too!! He had it all written out and he was shaky and nervous, but it was stellar!! I felt like a proud sister! (Actually, he and Jim mentioned us in their testimonies and referred to us as "my sisters") The rest of the testimonies were wonderful and the Spirit was so strong the whole time. Might be my favorite testimony meeting ever.
Okay, craziest night while tracting last night. We were skipping one house because a member lives there. Well another member family was visiting them, and Sister Clawson ran out to say hi to us! We haven't seen her in a couple weeks, so it was a tender mercy that she could give us hugs before transfers this week. ...When we got done there, there was a guy walking his dog, so we approached him. He proceeded to tell us that we are following a false religion and to be cautious for our souls. That was a little intense. So that was a fun street.
I'm looking forward to transfers this week. It will be interesting to see what happens! Oh, I wanted to include what President Vest said in his email to me this morning. :)
"Loved talking with you too! You're so good and mature and positive. Thanks for being you and making such a significant difference in the mission and the culture of the mission. You're very special to us - I like your plan with the companions. I'm also so happy that you went to the temple - what a sweet experience. We love you!"
Made my heart happy. ❤
I LOVE YOU! Can't wait to talk today.
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
1 - this was at my birthday dinner with the Nielsons
It sounds like it was another challenging week in trio life, but she's had some indicators from President Vest that she'll see a change this week during her LAST TRANSFER in the mission. It'll be exciting to see where she'll spend her last 6 weeks in New York. (I may or not be emotional while typing this...) She's hanging in there, though. She loves both of her companions, but being with one person 24 hours a day is challenging enough--it can't be fun to spend 24 hours a day with two other people who have some serious personality conflicts. 😐 I'm really proud of her for handling it so well. She got some very good advice from President Vest about it, too. Here's some of her email to me, some extra pics, and a bonus video that made me giggle:
Hiya Mom!!!
This week was pretty okay, but pretty long. Here's the rundown!
Monday night, I still wasn't able to get a hold of President Vest. Which wasn't a huge deal, but it went downhill on Tuesday.
The beginning of the day was fairly normal. I woke up grumpy ... but we had a blast at Meals on Wheels. That afternoon we had stewardship calls from Sister Black when we get a chance to talk alone with her. I asked her if there was anything I needed to know about my two companions. She just told me that both of them mentioned to her every week that they don't get along with the other. So I already knew that. But it sounds like she encouraged them to not give up on trying to be sort-of friends. Well I came out from the call to have dinner. That evening was painfully silent and there was so much tension in the air. I had absolutely no idea what was going on. So I worked basically alone all evening. And then I got a nice wave of anxiety that evening...
The next morning was not much better. Even when Sister Hunt was in the shower, I asked Sister Sessions if she was okay, but she was basically shut down and I was really worried. Later she gave me a sticky note that said, "Sorry for being a bum." haha. So then I knew she wasn't mad at me. Over sticky note and silent notes on her phone at dinner, some of the story came out. ... Anyway, the air in the companionship was better by that evening. We all started talking to each other again after a lesson with someone. (So often I have noticed immediate blessings for doing the Lord's work.) That evening was actually fun. I tried calling President Vest again, but no answer.
Thursday morning, President Vest had texted and told me to call him as soon as I was awake. I didn't see it until after I exercised, but I finally got to talk to him!!! He asked some clarifying questions about the situation and I explained how I was feeling. He wanted to make sure I [was okay] and then he pulled out some doctrine to help me. I LOVE when he does that. I asked him how I could be an objective party between my two companions. He told me that it's not fair that I am the middleman and that if they have a problem with each other, they are grown women and need to talk it out. He pulled out the doctrine on marriage and compared it to Sister Sessions' and Sister Hunt's relationship. He encouraged me to try and take myself out of the equation and stop being the middleman if I can. It was really good. He also asked if I could hang on for seven more days, haha. So whatever that means, a change will be happening this week. And that night we had a very spiritual lesson with Jim and Judy. That was wonderful.
Friday was kind of average. Nothing too exciting happened, except that that night I had a really cool, long conversation with Sister Sessions with about the temple. That was fun.
Saturday was pretty good. Nothing super exciting happened, but my sticky note for that day (because I'm behind in my journal, oops) says that it was a pretty good day. :D
Sunday, yesterday was wonderful. We went to that Branch sacrament meeting and then the Ward sacrament meeting. Jim came and sat by us. Then he was the first one to get up and bear his testimony!!! I was slightly nervous because he can talk forever, but it was perfect! He invited the Spirit and touched A LOT of people with his testimony. Then Eric got up and bore his testimony too!! He had it all written out and he was shaky and nervous, but it was stellar!! I felt like a proud sister! (Actually, he and Jim mentioned us in their testimonies and referred to us as "my sisters") The rest of the testimonies were wonderful and the Spirit was so strong the whole time. Might be my favorite testimony meeting ever.
Okay, craziest night while tracting last night. We were skipping one house because a member lives there. Well another member family was visiting them, and Sister Clawson ran out to say hi to us! We haven't seen her in a couple weeks, so it was a tender mercy that she could give us hugs before transfers this week. ...When we got done there, there was a guy walking his dog, so we approached him. He proceeded to tell us that we are following a false religion and to be cautious for our souls. That was a little intense. So that was a fun street.
I'm looking forward to transfers this week. It will be interesting to see what happens! Oh, I wanted to include what President Vest said in his email to me this morning. :)
"Loved talking with you too! You're so good and mature and positive. Thanks for being you and making such a significant difference in the mission and the culture of the mission. You're very special to us - I like your plan with the companions. I'm also so happy that you went to the temple - what a sweet experience. We love you!"
Made my heart happy. ❤
I LOVE YOU! Can't wait to talk today.
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
1 - this was at my birthday dinner with the Nielsons
And here's the group email:
Good Morning!!
It's been another beautiful week here in Ithaca! Tuesday morning, we helped at Meals on Wheels and it was a blast! We got to mix mac and cheese with our hands and then we packaged that into about 320 freezer meals. It was fun!
We had some really great lessons with our people this week - Eric, Liliana, Jim, and Judy. They are all going really well and I love being with each of them. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary right now.
Sorry it's short this week. I hope you all have a fantastic week!
Sister Fairbanks
1 - can you spot Sister Fairbanks in the corn?
2 - trio life
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