Clear Vision

So, get this!  The other day I had this brilliant idea for a blog post.  I told my companion all about it, she told me someone has already written a book about it (who knew?), and then I had an experience that put it into an even greater perspective.  If ever there was a blog to be excited about, it is this one!

Wednesday of this week I went to see the eye doctor.  Yes, the optometrist.  I've been having some issues with my eyes going blurry for no apparent reason.  No good right?  I figured it was time to have the problem looked at.  To sum the experience up briefly: we got there, signed papers, tried not to listen to the distracting music (bah!), escorted to the back room (dun dun dun), had bright lights shined in my eyes, orange dye put in my eye (that rhymed), blue dye dabbed into my eye, a little chit chat, eye drops given, and off on my merry way with a prescription for some eye drops. 

The drops aren't bad.  They feel rather refreshing.  The gel on the other hand..... Not as much fun.  It feels as though I am putting lotion on my eyes and everything goes all cloud-like.  My companion, bless her heart, thinks it is the most entertaining thing in the world.  Myself, I like being able to see.

Stranger?

It's been seventeen months now in the mission field and I can still say that receiving mail still feels like Christmas.  Snail mail is the bee's knees in my book!  Today I received a letter from my "adopted" grandpa.  He is one of my best friends and the story of how we became such good friends is one of the greatest stories ever told, by me that is.

By now all of you are well aware that I worked at a swimming pool prior to coming on my mission.  Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning from 9:00-1:00 I was in the pool teaching swimming lessons.  While swimming lessons were going on there were a few water aerobics classes, lap swimmers, and people getting in their pool exercises.  It's like seventh heaven there!

Every day I was there to teach swim lessons there was a man that would come and do one of the water aerobic classes.  Because I am a talker and like to say "hello" to everyone and their dog, I started to talk to this elderly man that was attending water aerobics fairly regularly.  First thing I noticed was his German accent.  We talked about his days growing up in Germany, what it was like to be a member of the church there during that time, and he told me all about himself.  Each bit of information intrigued me to no end because my grandpa Nestman is from Germany. 

Give it 110%

Awe yeah!  Another post about swimming is coming at you!

I am a competitive person.  I don't like to lose.  My family can attest to this fact (we get kinda into board games....)  When I got into swimming, it was the best thing I could have done.  The competition is incredible!  Swimming is a unique sport.  It is both a team and individual sport; this made it a great sport for me.  Not only was I swimming against another person in hopes of beating them and earning points for my team, but I was swimming against myself.  Double competition!  Booyah!

On a team level, we were all working together for one cause: to beat the opponents.  We all know it's true!  No team goes into a competition or meet saying "well, let's not win this one.  Who cares?"  Haha, no.  It matters.  The goal is to come out on top!  Each of us is there trying our best.  We cheer on our teammates.  Help each other reach our goals.  There is also a coach there to tell you what you did that was good, and where there is room for growth; which ultimately helps you to become better.  As solitary as this sport may feel, it's not.  There's always someone there for you.

As much as you have a team there with you, competitors in the pool in the next lane over, it's ultimately you verses the clock.  Each race the goal is to go faster than you did before.  Drop more and more time and become better and better.  It's self perfecting at it's best!  To do this, you practice daily (sometimes more than once a day).  During these practices you better your technique, build up your endurance, push yourself to the limits, and do as much as you can to be ready for the day of the meet and beat your old time.

Swimming was something I poured my soul into!  I physically and mentally drained myself in this sport!  There were times that I thought I couldn't go any longer or give it anything more.  At those times, it was the help of my team and coach that got me to push past the limits.

In 2 Nephi 25:23 it says "...for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do."  This life we are expected to do all that we can.   Give ourselves 110% to the Lord.  Obviously, we aren't perfect.  As much as we give, it will never be enough.  That is where the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ comes in.  He is there with open arms to lift us up; He is there to help us push past the limits that we reach in this life to become much more.  To help us become "2perfect, even as [our] Father which is in heaven is perfect." 

What has helped you give your 110%?

Awkward Turtle

This is probably the most overdue blog post in the history of overdueness.  But, the wait has been well worth it.  Trust me!

Swimming!

Boom!  That in and of itself could be my blog post.  Just that one word carries so much emotion and meaning to me.  Swimming isn't just a hobby, it is my life!  This sport changed me more than I could ever possibly try to explain, but I'm going to try to do just that here.

Once upon a time Sister Nestman was shy.  Not just shy, but mortified at the idea of talking to anyone I didn't know.  Which posed a major dilemma each time my family would move and I would have to make new friends.  Thank goodness there were some great outgoing people in my childhood, or I would have had no friends!  It took a lot for someone to get to know me and crack my shell.

Middletown Miracles

I despise the heat.  When the temperatures start going higher, I feel like I am getting lower.  Like I am melting and shrinking with every drop of sweat that falls off me.  It's just gross.  On Wednesday of this week I had the opportunity of going up to Middletown California for exchanges with Sister Cluff.  It was hot.  After being in Eureka for so long and then coming to Santa Rosa (which isn't too hot), Middletown felt like the Sahara Desert.

Aside from the unbearable heat, my time in Middletown was incredible.  Our mission president challenged each of the missionaries here in the California Santa Rosa Mission to go out tracting (knocking on doors) or street contacting (talking to people on the street) every day from 3:00-4:30.  During this time with Sister Cluff, we did exactly that.  We went out, hit the street, and knocked some doors.  What we found while knocking doors was miracles.One door specifically almost put the two of us into a coma.

My Lack of Grace

Evil Pole of Doom

Things don't always go the way I plan them to.  In a perfect world they would.  But, the world isn't perfect and neither am I.  Yesterday my companion and I decided to go online here at the Santa Rosa Junior College.  We parked at the Institute building so we wouldn't have to pay for parking or worry about being towed (o.0).  As we started our walk over we met a girl who was going through the same little short cut as we were.  Kindly, she stepped aside to let my companion and I through.  Sister Kahrs went by first, then it was me.  Because I was too busy looking over at the girl, I didn't notice the pole sticking up about knee high (for a shorty like me) right in my pathway.

Other little scratches

I hit it and fell at about snail speed.  Slow motion movie at it's best!  It wasn't too painful.  Just a few scratches, and now bruises, on my arm, leg, foot, and pride.  Nothing a band aid and some missionary work can't fix!



My foot :(



Now, all of us fall short.  My status on Facebook yesterday was "sometimes I'm just not that graceful."  Fitting for yesterday's events right?  One of the comments stood out to me.  Elder Walter Hepworth said "Key word is sometimes. We all fall a bit short."  Too true!  In life, we all fall a bit short.  That's where our dear Savior comes into play.  He took upon himself all of our weaknesses and shortcomings so that we may rely on Him to help us where we lack.  I know He is there and ready to help us.  To not just put on a band aid but to make us whole again.

Transformation's

How awesome is this?  I love it!  And, as you probably know, I want to tell you all about why it intrigues me.

Progression.

It begins as an almost splurb of color (if Dr. Seuss can make up words, so can I).  From this splurb of color it slowly becomes this dazzling colorful horse.  Just what every little girl dreams of!

Now, the application to the gospel (the moment you've all been waiting for).

Each of us begins life as splurb at one time or another.  We are incomplete.  There is so much for us to become!  Right now, I think I'm kinda in the semi-formed horse head stage of these pictures.  Heavenly Father can see the end of the picture.  He knows what we are becoming.  I am so grateful that He does too!  Because He has this big picture, or the final vision of what we can become, in His view, He can help us on our way to it.

I know I have seen this happen in my life.  The Sister Nestman of today is far different than the one that entered the mission field over a year ago.  Heavenly Father has been shaping me; molding me into the person He needs me to be.  He can do that for everyone and anyone if you let Him.  Rely on Him.  Let Him change you into the wonderful creature He wants you to be (even if it is a brown and pink horse).