My Journey: Virginia Richmond Mission: Time to move on:(

Hello Everyone!

I have news. I am leaving the Chippenham YSA Ward....I am sooo sad! I am kind of in shock that I am leaving and I am so sad that I am leaving also because everyone else is staying together and will be here for the Holiday Season. I cried a lot...but I will do it because I know that there must be a reason. I cannot express how happy I have been to serve in this ward and to be around so many great people and so many great examples. I have learned a lot here and kind of have grown up here...It's like leaving my home ward. I have no idea where I am going yet because I find out on Tuesday, but all I know is that I am not staying. I have had so much fun and it has been so cool to see progress in the people we are working with. I am very nervous that I could be moving to a family ward because I do not know how to be a missionary in a family ward. I mean...I have to be normal. Haha, but I guess it will be a fun adventure.

And I always wanted to be a 2 Nephi 33:3 missionary. "But I, Nephi, have written what I have written, and I esteem it as of great worth, and especially unto my people. For I pray continually for them by day, and mine eyes water my pillow by night, because of them; and I cry unto my God in faith and I know that he will hear my cry."

But I am so happy Sister Bunnell is staying because I trust her with all my heart to keep this ward and things going. It was cool because last night we were in the area of the Bishop and so we stopped by with cupcakes (food always works! Haha) and we talked to him for a little bit and he was so nice to me. He told me how proud he was of me and that I have been really good for this ward. He thanked me for my service and said that I have done a great job. It was really cool to hear that from him and to feel like my service has been enough:)

Anywayssss, this week has been a good week. Minus the fact that the Richmond Marathon was this weekend and Sister Bunnell and I were smart and were downtown driving. We got stuck in traffic for over an hour. It was probably the worst thing. You know how I like to drive in traffic. I was so hungry and I was angry because people are mean and don't let you in. I honked at an old lady...then I felt so bad. Haha, it was a mess, but luckily we got out of it alive and well. For a while I was not sure that was going to happen...haha. Then we also had another funny experience when we were walking downtown to do a hot chocolate stand. Elder Thomas was carrying the table and he accidentally hit a pole and it really startled us and sounded like we were being shot at. We laughed really hard because you never know in Richmond. Man, I am going to miss this place! Good ol' downtown Richmond. Where all the people I love live:( But that is okay. at least we had a good week to hit me off in a new area. Missionary life is so funny. Elder Thomas says, "We live an inconvenient life" which is true. I mean as a missionary it is bad to get to comfortable because that means change is coming.

On a spiritual note, this week we had a cool thing happen with a less-active we met. She is the sweetest thing. She loves animals and actually has swam with manatees....I know, I almost cried. But, we had a lesson with her at her house and her friend was there and her boyfriend. It was cool because when we were just talking her animals were going crazy and her boyfriend was not paying attention or her friend. When we started to read The Book of Mormon, they all listened and you could feel the spirit so strong. We hope that something happens with that and she comes back to church because she has a testimony of it still, just hasn't been coming. We hope we can make a good impression with her and remind her of the reasons that she joined in the first place.

I am sad to be leaving, but I do know that there is a plan. Sorry this isn't all that happy, I promise that I am happy. It is just hard to leave so many people I love and go and start over somewhere new. Who knows, maybe I will be in brazil soon! Well, I love you all and I hope you have a good week!:)
-Sister Siepert:)