October 17

We had the opportunity to meet with our Branch Presidency and to get to know them a little bit and to get to know the branch members as well. As it was only the second day we didn't really have any previous opportunities to get to know the branch ( which was comprised of our zone) so it was nice to do so. Along with all of the generic introductory nonsense, they also asked us to share why we had chosen to go on a mission and a brief testimony. It was actually a really powerful experience. I don't know..it enabled us to get to know one another on a way deeper level than would be the norm in introductions.
During our meeting with the Branch Presidency we also were able to meet all of their wives. As the men took all of the elders into another room, the sisters were all asked to huddle up so that they could talk to us about things specifically pertaining to being sister missionaries. During the meeting I felt like everything about my appearance was being attacked: my shirt was too low because it wasn't touching my collar bone, my nail polish was too tight and I looked goth, my skirt was too long and I appeared to be a sister wife, my hair was too crazy and I seemed too trendy. I walked away from that meeting so frustrated and irritated! Who were they to tell me what was a attractive look and what wasn't?! They were in their 80's!
What I did learn from that experience was to take it with a grain of salt. Those women were trying to guide us to be the most effective missionaries that we could be. They weren't trying to make me out to be a sinner and a heathen but were drawing to each if our attentions, how important our appearance is as we are on the Lord's errand.
That evening was also the first in which I struggled with one of my companions. As we were striving to teach our 'investigators' I felt over and over again that my thoughts and sentences that I was trying to get out where just being shoveled to the side. That was a hard thing to stomach as I was trying to stretch myself to be more in tune with what and who my Heavenly Father wanted me to be.