"Have I Done Any Good?" - August 22, 2022

It's a beautiful, rainy day here in Fairmont, West Virginia!

Yup! I was transferred last week! I'm still serving in West Virginia, which is crazy! I've also been called as a Sister Training Leader! My new companion is Sister Livingston! She is absolutely amazing!!! I love her so much! We have had a lot of fun together! Fairmont is pretty different from Beckley. It feels a little older because of the big, historical buildings everywhere! The ward here is so nice! I've met a few of the members and I love them all so much already! I'm super excited to be here in Fairmont! It will be amazing!! I'm very grateful for the time I had in Beckley but I know that this is now where the Lord needs me to be! He is in control!

Tuesday was a great day. We had a fun lesson with Teresa L! She has a jukebox! So... we spent a good chunk of time jamming out to some of the music she has on it, haha! It was a lot of fun! We talked about trials in our lives and how the Lord can make our burdens be light. He may not take it away but He can give us the strength to carry on! It was a great lesson. After we left we received a phone call from President Lindahl! He asked me to be an STL and he asked Sister Holt to be a trainer!!! So exciting!!! Sister Holt will be so amazing! *Quick shoutout to her and her new companion! Love and miss you, Sister!* We were both in shock afterwards but still had some appointments to go to! We had a wonderful visit with our new friend Kim! She was curious to hear more about the Book of Mormon and set up a time to have us come back! I'm not sure how things will go from there but pray that Kim continues to accept the gospel! We met up with James!!! It was a total miracle! He and Kayla have been MIA for about a month. We still have no idea why! But we stopped by and I had the chance to tell James goodbye. I'm going to miss them but they are left in good hands!

We found out Tuesday evening that I would be transferring to Fairmont! It was pretty exciting! It's in the Clarksburg Zone, where Sister Holt was before coming to Beckley! She was excited to tell me all about it! Wednesday was busy with packing and continuing to move this glorious work forward. We had a lesson with Krista and Melissa. It was bittersweet. Krista, her fiance Shawn, Brayden and Ryan will be moving to a different part of WV soon. But it will still be amazing! They are still wanting to learn more and attend church! I am excited for them to continue progressing! Melissa is doing well! I am so grateful I had the chance to meet all of them!

We met with Misty! I messaged her Wednesday morning, telling her I was leaving and wanted to say goodbye to her. She said that would be perfectly ok! Sister Holt and I were a little surprised! But we stopped by and talked with her. She is doing well. I pray that one day the things we shared with her will take root and begin to grow. We just have to trust in the Lord!

Transfer day was on Thursday! We drove up to Charleston and I transferred my luggage to the Clarksburg trailer. It was so much fun seeing some of my past companions! Sister Smith, Sister Humphries and Sister Morales! They will all do amazing things in the new areas and assignments they have been called to! I said goodbye to Sister Holt and we were off! There were seven sisters driving up to Clarksburg! We drove in a van! It was pretty interesting! The drive was about two hours long. We were dropped off at the Clarksburg Stake Center and that's where I met Sister Livingston! We drove a half hour to Fairmont!

The district this transfer will be interesting, haha! There are three other companionships of elders and all three are training new missionaries! Elder Bowcut - District Leader, his comp Elder Wardle; Elder Jordan, his comp Elder Winchester; Elder Woolstenhulme (Wooley for short), his comp Elder Andersen and Sister Livingston and I! They are all super amazing elders!

Saturday and Sunday I met a lot of people! We read the Book of Mormon with a sweet lady from the ward, Sister Van Fossen! After saying the closing prayer she said we should call another lady that lived in the same apartment building as her, Sister Hursey. She, too, was a member from the ward. We called that lady and she said she would come meet us! As soon as we hung up, Sister Van Fossen just got up and left! Also, we were sitting outside. But! She just got up, walked away, got in someone's car and drove away! She didn't even say goodbye! Sister Hursey came out a minute later and was so confused! We told her what had happened. Haha! It's fun being a missionary!

We ate dinner with the Fidler family Sunday evening! They are so much fun!! I'm excited to get to know everyone better! We had a last minute visit with our neighbor, who also happens to be a member! We had a very spirit led lesson of the Restoration. It was so wonderful! We also talked with a cute grandma named Katie! She has a famous pepperoni roll recipe! She shared it with us! Sister Livingston and I are excited to try it out! Also, Fairmont is famous for pepperoni rolls! Well, all of Clarksburg really is! I'm excited to have some!

Song of the Week: "Have I Done Any Good?" Hymn 223. Today marks exactly one year since I was set apart as a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I have reflected a lot on what has happened over this past year. During personal study I was reading about service and how that's what we as missionaries do! We serve others, all day - everyday. I am far from being a perfect missionary but I know that the efforts I have put in to serve others will be magnified through Jesus Christ. Because of Him I have done good! We all have! Though it is sometimes hard to see, every effort we put into serving others will be accounted for, through Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for all that has happened during this past year! I am excited to see what happens in the next little while!

I hope you all have a good week! Talk to y'all next Monday!

- Sister Sariah Francis

Pictures!!!