Week 34

Hey there my dearest friends and family(: Wowowow these times are just weird. Dillon is starting to feel more like home and I love it! I'm becoming more familiar with the geographical area and I am beginning to remember details about those we work with which is exciting! We've had some wonderful contacts this week in which we were received more warmly than anticipated, and goodness gracious, were those nice moments. There have been many instances this week in which we've had to repeatedly (and of course graciously) deny thoughtful kindness. Ahh! We ran into some members at the store and they wanted to bring us food to our apartment. We said we couldn't receive anything so they wanted to buy our groceries and more, trying to find SOMETHING they could do to help us out. There were a few that we messaged or called that did the same kind of thing... My heart hurts not to accept persistent offers of kindness, but we do all we can to follow the direction we receive. We trust that our leaders are guided by God and there's a reason for it all! I've recently been pondering how we often try to find and then grasp onto something --which might be a constant for us-- but in the end realize that we can't rely on anything in this world. There's not one thing provided by the world that would give us the solid foundation we need! The only way that we can fill the longing we have for a sense of safety, solace, and belonging, is through finding Christ. It's through building ourselves upon Him who is the only perfect foundation, the only One we can truly trust and rely on. If we look elsewhere, we will eventually find disappointment. The fact that He lives and is who He is brings us an incredibly bright hope -- a hope that we can have the missing pieces of our souls filled. We can trust that He will never leave us alone or fail us because HE IS NOT CAPABLE OF ANYTHING BUT PERFECTION. I personally have tried to cling onto what I knew before all the corona virus craziness and with isolation, everything has changed (at least on the topic of missionary life and efforts)! I had a vision that one day I would know what I was doing! I'd feel confident, I'd FEEL LIKE A MISSIONARY. Nope. That is not it at all folks! This is neither how life works nor how God works. Once we begin to feel as though we're getting the hang of things, He switches things up on us (that's why missions are so short, we get sent home before we can think we know what we're doing). There is a reason for all of this. We need to be constantly reminded of our dependence on God. We need to be reminded of our small and simpleness, we need to be humble and meek. We have all joined in fasting and prayer over the worldwide pandemic and unrest. God hasn’t delivered us FROM this pandemic yet but He certainly is delivering us IN this pandemic. There is a reason we have to go through this. So, instead of wishing to be out and focusing on the negative--look around and see God’s angels holding back your lions (like Daniel in the lion's den, he wasn't delivered FROM his trial). When the timing is right God will deliver us FROM this, until then let’s remember He is delivering us IN this. There is an awesome facebook post on this: https://m.facebook.com/groups/534352464165662?view=permalink&id=561743978093177 I love you all and hope you find the unique opportunities that come with this unique challenge! Find God! Hear Him! See Him! He is in everything. 💛, Sister Alger

Since we aren't allowed to see anyone, we have been doing a lot of hiking and wondering around the old part of town. It's been COLD, but a ton of fun!