This has been a trying week. I’m not gonna lie. Many many blessings but a lot of anxiety and stress.

I will start with the good. We still have many service opportunities that fill our time, put smiles on our faces and get us out and about! We harvested more potatoes and got eaten alive by mosquitoes, which was a blast!

Another fun thing that happened this week! Our mission President encourages us to take some time to be outside every day, and our Elders asked if they could go fishing for outside time and President said yes! So they came to the barn and went fishing in our pond! They caught around 5-6 fish and we were able to just hangout and chat and enjoy nature. Super fun!

Missionary work has been especially slow lately, which is really tough. I can’t get out of my own mind when there is barely anything to do. That means I start to stress over just about everything else going on in my life. Including my health.. correction: especially my health. If there is one thing I stress over the most, that’s it. I have had some very interesting things going on with my vision and my head and it has me so worried, I can barely function when I ponder on it for too long. “What if’s” creep into my head and I start to panic.

I called the mission nurse and I have a doctor’s appointment set for this Thursday. To say I am nervous would be an understatement. I look forward to knowing what’s wrong, but I am just hoping and praying it is nothing serious and that any tests they might have to run will go smoothly.

This has been a concern that has pressed on my mind for this entire week. I have to say, feeling constantly anxious is a form of torture for me. It is crippling. I pace for hours on end trying to convince myself that everything will be alright. But what if it isn’t?

However, one day this week, while I was lost in the jungle of my worries, Heavenly Father sent me a tender mercy. We were driving home from service, listening to music like we always do. A song came on and as I listened and sang along to its lyrics, I knew it was God sending me a little reminder. Here are the words:

“When confusion’s my companion,
And despair holds me for randsom,
I will feel no fear.
I know that you are near.

When I’m caught deep in the valley,
With chaos for my company,
I find my comfort here.
‘Cause I know that you are near.

My help comes from you,
You’re right here pulling me through.
You carry my weakness, my sickness, my brokenness all on your shoulders.
Your shoulders.

My help comes from you,
You are my rest, my rescue.
I dont have to see to believe that you’re lifting me up on your shoulders.
Your shoulders.”

Here I am, convinced and crying from thinking that I have to face this trial all alone, when I couldn’t be more wrong. Jesus Christ can carry me through this. I have to let Him take it. I have to trust that whatever the outcome is from all this, that it will be for my good. If I have to go through pain or loss, so be it. I know my Father’s plan is greater than mine and I can find rest and comfort in the healing and loving power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Yesterday, I had a wonderful opportunity to bear my testimony to a lovely girl we are teaching. As I spoke, I couldn’t help tearing up because of the gratitude and joy I feel from the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the knowledge I have from it. I really don’t have anything to worry about when it all comes down to it. What a beautiful truth and comforting promise. I’m grateful to be sharing this message. The spirit has born witness to me that what I am doing out here is God’s very work and His truth. I know it.

I will update you all next week on what the doctor says. If you could keep me in your prayers this week, that would be much appreciated❤

Scripture of the week!

Get Busy, Get Lost!
-Sister Oldham