Today I had the whole thing extracted.
Gone, poof, goodbye!
Nothing I can do about it.
Since it's tooth #31 (I think), or in other words,
the last molar in my mouth, I won't miss it much-
well, that's what my dentist said anyway.
But the extraction was A KILLER!
I went home with such a sore jaw and mouth!
Christian has been in Tennessee for work, so I asked Gigs to
take me home and pick up Lottie and grab us dinner.
(I needed soup!).
He also picked up my pain prescription at the pharmacy.
I went to bed, turned my heating mattress on, opened my window
(I like it cold outside and toasty warm inside),
and read a book about Hygge.
Soon, Ollie came downstairs after finishing up his MTC day 4
today. Today was a little discouraging and overwhelming
I listened to him share his feelings;
I hugged him and repeatedly told him that he WAS DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB!
Portuguese is so hard, and they're moving so fast,
but he's doing it! He's showing up every day and trying his best
because he LOVES the Lord, and we do it FOR HIM!
It's so amazing how much these cute young missionaries love the Lord.
I reminded him that the girls felt this same inadequacy,
but look at them now!
Gigs got back, and we had dinner in my bed. I read
Ollie, the best advice, words that I had given Jane when she was
feeling low and discouraged, given by Elder Ryan K. Olsen,
which, as it turns out, was the same talk that Oliver quoted quite a bit
from for his farewell talk on Sunday. (God knows what He is doing!).
(I could barely get through it; I cried so much!)
"During regular interviews, one of our great sister missionaries
walked into the office.
She was a successful missionary, an excellent trainer,
and a dedicated leader. She was looked up to by her
companions and loved by the people. She was obedient, humble, and confident.
Our previous visits focused on her area and the people she was teaching.
This visit was different. As I asked her how she was doing,
I could tell she was troubled. She said,
"President Olsen, I don't know if I can do this.
I don't know if I will ever be good enough.
I don't know if I can be the missionary that the Lord needs me to be."
She was a remarkable missionary. Excellent in every way.
A mission president's dream.
I had never worried about her abilities as a missionary.
As I listened to her, I struggled to know what to say. I silently prayed:
"Heavenly Father, this is an outstanding missionary. She is Yours.
She is doing everything right. I don't want to mess this up.
Please help me know what to say."
The words came to me. I said,
"Hermana, I am so sorry you are feeling this way.
Let me ask you a question.
If you had a friend you were teaching who felt this way, what would you say?"
She looked at me and smiled.
With that unmistakable missionary spirit and conviction, she said,
"President, that is easy. I would tell her that the Savior knows her perfectly.
I would tell her that He lives. He loves you.
You are good enough, and you've got this!"
With a little chuckle she said,
"I guess if that applies to our friends, then it also applies to me."
When we have questions or doubts,
we may feel that the solutions are too complex
or that finding answers is too confusing.
May we remember that the adversary,
even the father of all lies, is the architect of confusion.
The Savior is the Master of simplicity."
I kissed him, and he went to bed feeling peaceful.
That's all we can ask for!
