Week 76: Closer and Closer!
31 DAYS!!! I think Sister Fairbanks is doing a good job of remaining focused, but it's really starting to sink in that she's headed home in a month, so it's been keeping her mind a little busier, I think. She was doing much better after our video chat, though, because we were able to answer some of her questions. *whew* I'm sure the anticipation is going to be the hardest part, in many ways.
Here's some of her email to me:
My week was pretty great!! I think my email is going to be a little shorter today, too. Just nothing super earth-shattering this week. :D (side note: I can hear Sister Hunt in the next room misquoting me to her family... it's interesting...)
This week was fairly generic, but excellent. Quite a few lessons, lots of talking to people, and still lots of little experiences with the Spirit.
Happy Anniversary, by the way!!! :D I'm so glad you and Dad got married. It has certainly blessed my life.
Friday was fantastic! We had Friday Forum in the morning. It's always fun to hang out with the Nielsens and go to Cornell. I remember driving through Ithaca with Dad and he said teasingly, "You could go to Cornell, hehe." I said, "Yeah, right." But you know what, if I go to grad school for anything, Cornell would absolutely be in the running - not for the school, for the people. This Ward and Branch that is full of students and professors has some of the kindest people I have ever met. Anyway... We also had an awesome lesson with Liliana that day. Our translator wasn't able to come, but we still had a wonderful lesson. She loves reading the Book of Mormon and has amazing insights. She reads it like an institute student would. She loved church on Sunday and really wants to come again. She told us that she has been praying to learn English better so that she can teach people about the Book of Mormon. It really doesn't get much better than that.
Saturday was by far the best day ever!! We drove up to Syracuse with the Nielsens and met with Elder Christofferson and FOUR Seventies [other church leaders, members of the Quorum of the Seventy, also called General Authorities]. It was a fantastic meeting!! The whole mission was gathered as the Syracuse Mission for the first time in history. We got to sit on the front row on the far left. Missionaries were crammed in shoulder to shoulder and we filled the entire chapel. We opened the meeting with "Called to Serve." I've never heard a booming noise so beautiful. I was stunned in the first few words and loved to watch the faces of everyone on the stand. The Vests were in tears. The General Authorites were grinning from ear to ear. I sang even louder and was filled with so much joy. What a mighty army. The meeting was spiritually uplifting and what a privilege it was to learn at the feet of an Apostle. He spoke last for just a few minutes, then opened it up to a question and answer session. There were some good questions asked and it was fun to have Elder Christofferson answer and sometimes had one of the others answer. He has a great sense of humor and I was just honored to be there. It was fun to read your notes that afternoon and see what was similar [I sent her notes from a leadership conference I attended with Elder Christofferson a month ago]. I wrote down a list of what was similar so I can tell you, but I left it at home, so I'll tell you on our call.
After the meeting, I got to see Sister... briefly. She definitely doesn't hold any hard feeling against me for that rough transfer, which really teaches me a lot about forgiveness. I also got to see Sister Sessions! She said she's doing okay in her new area, but she told me a little bit of the struggles ... I got to hug Sister Di Iulio one more time and then we headed out.
I've been having a hard time falling asleep this last week. My mind would just keep going, but I didn't think it was about anything specific until Sister Hunt and I were talking about it last night and I figured out that I am just a LITTLE stressed about coming home. Not nervous or freaking out, just a little crazy. Hehe. SO, we should have a really needed conversation on the phone today. :D I am still so super duper excited, and still so focused which is nice.
I hope you have a fantastic week!!! I can't wait to talk to you today.
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
And here's the very short group email:
Hello!
Well this turned out to be one of the most fantastic weeks of my mission. On Saturday, we were privileged to have Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles come to Syracuse! He was accompanied by four members of the Seventy and they addressed the entire mission. It was so wonderful! It was a very inspirational meeting and so amazing to meet an Apostle. That's a once in a lifetime event. I was grateful to hear his testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ - that He lives and He loves each of us. Pretty incredible.
The rest of the week was great too! We had quite a few great lessons with our people and have really enjoyed talking to so many people in Ithaca. I truly love this work. I love the gospel.
Lots of love for each of you,
Sister Fairbanks
Here's some of her email to me:
My week was pretty great!! I think my email is going to be a little shorter today, too. Just nothing super earth-shattering this week. :D (side note: I can hear Sister Hunt in the next room misquoting me to her family... it's interesting...)
This week was fairly generic, but excellent. Quite a few lessons, lots of talking to people, and still lots of little experiences with the Spirit.
Happy Anniversary, by the way!!! :D I'm so glad you and Dad got married. It has certainly blessed my life.
Friday was fantastic! We had Friday Forum in the morning. It's always fun to hang out with the Nielsens and go to Cornell. I remember driving through Ithaca with Dad and he said teasingly, "You could go to Cornell, hehe." I said, "Yeah, right." But you know what, if I go to grad school for anything, Cornell would absolutely be in the running - not for the school, for the people. This Ward and Branch that is full of students and professors has some of the kindest people I have ever met. Anyway... We also had an awesome lesson with Liliana that day. Our translator wasn't able to come, but we still had a wonderful lesson. She loves reading the Book of Mormon and has amazing insights. She reads it like an institute student would. She loved church on Sunday and really wants to come again. She told us that she has been praying to learn English better so that she can teach people about the Book of Mormon. It really doesn't get much better than that.
Saturday was by far the best day ever!! We drove up to Syracuse with the Nielsens and met with Elder Christofferson and FOUR Seventies [other church leaders, members of the Quorum of the Seventy, also called General Authorities]. It was a fantastic meeting!! The whole mission was gathered as the Syracuse Mission for the first time in history. We got to sit on the front row on the far left. Missionaries were crammed in shoulder to shoulder and we filled the entire chapel. We opened the meeting with "Called to Serve." I've never heard a booming noise so beautiful. I was stunned in the first few words and loved to watch the faces of everyone on the stand. The Vests were in tears. The General Authorites were grinning from ear to ear. I sang even louder and was filled with so much joy. What a mighty army. The meeting was spiritually uplifting and what a privilege it was to learn at the feet of an Apostle. He spoke last for just a few minutes, then opened it up to a question and answer session. There were some good questions asked and it was fun to have Elder Christofferson answer and sometimes had one of the others answer. He has a great sense of humor and I was just honored to be there. It was fun to read your notes that afternoon and see what was similar [I sent her notes from a leadership conference I attended with Elder Christofferson a month ago]. I wrote down a list of what was similar so I can tell you, but I left it at home, so I'll tell you on our call.
After the meeting, I got to see Sister... briefly. She definitely doesn't hold any hard feeling against me for that rough transfer, which really teaches me a lot about forgiveness. I also got to see Sister Sessions! She said she's doing okay in her new area, but she told me a little bit of the struggles ... I got to hug Sister Di Iulio one more time and then we headed out.
I've been having a hard time falling asleep this last week. My mind would just keep going, but I didn't think it was about anything specific until Sister Hunt and I were talking about it last night and I figured out that I am just a LITTLE stressed about coming home. Not nervous or freaking out, just a little crazy. Hehe. SO, we should have a really needed conversation on the phone today. :D I am still so super duper excited, and still so focused which is nice.
I hope you have a fantastic week!!! I can't wait to talk to you today.
❤❤❤ Sister Fairbanks
And here's the very short group email:
Hello!
Well this turned out to be one of the most fantastic weeks of my mission. On Saturday, we were privileged to have Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles come to Syracuse! He was accompanied by four members of the Seventy and they addressed the entire mission. It was so wonderful! It was a very inspirational meeting and so amazing to meet an Apostle. That's a once in a lifetime event. I was grateful to hear his testimony of our Savior, Jesus Christ - that He lives and He loves each of us. Pretty incredible.
The rest of the week was great too! We had quite a few great lessons with our people and have really enjoyed talking to so many people in Ithaca. I truly love this work. I love the gospel.
Lots of love for each of you,
Sister Fairbanks
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