Week 38 - Consequences

Hello!
this past week has been quite the... sore week. I think all of my patience muscles were torn, and now I'm just pushing through the ache of an overworked muscle. but at least like a torn muscle, I will only grow stronger.
I have gotten to the point where all I am able to do for my companion is teach her by example. she won't learn until she has to do. and she doesn't correct until there is a consequence. and this week has been full of learning.
Beginning of the consequences that I had to enforce was the consequence of having put food in the sinks disposal. this is a very temperamental sink. which means No Food Goes Down Sink. I had to make sure that she cleaned out all of the food she put in it and asked her to clean her dishes and put them away. In which she didn't get all of the food out of the sink and didn't take care of the dishes. so the members had to tell her.
Next consequence happened after my watchfulness failed me, I did not catch that she had used too much toilet paper again, so when we returned home that evening I went into the bathroom to find water spilling out of the toilet. the floor was soaked. I quickly turned off the water to the toilet so that no more water would keep coming out. Brother Hall came down and he got the plunger and worked on the toilet while I got the shop vac and started sucking up water. I sucked water for over an hour. turned on some fans and put them into the bathroom.   Later she couldn't open a drawer because her binder was stuck inside. I got it to be unstuck and gave her the folder and then proceeded to collapse in exhaustion.
What I learned from this transfer: I am prepared to take care of children... and I will be able to calmly take care of problems and issues.
This I am grateful for.

And now for my spiritual thought for the week. It is based off of a lesson we taught to a family.
the story of the prodigal son.
When we think of the prodigal son we don't always remember that this young man was foolish, but he was human. all of us make mistakes in which we regret and have to repent for. But one thing that really stuck out to me was the fact that this parable was almost like the church in these days. There are some of us who have wandered away from the church and got lost in the things of the world. and then one day we reach a breaking point in which we turn back to the thing which gave us comfort, our family. Not only our physical family, but also our church family. the only thing that ruins a moment that is so precious as someone returning. is when someone turns a cold shoulder to their fellow brethren and sisters. Too often when someone returns, church members and sometimes family members are there murmuring and bickering and gossiping in the background of which the returning individual is always within hearing range. And offense comes again, and then the individual either leaves or decides to stay and stand above what others have said.  But we as members, have to remember that we cannot come under the influence of the world and destroy the confidence of those who are returning, we are suppose to be like the father of the prodigal son. Who ran to his son and embraced him and welcomed him back with full love.
Take them who are new and returning and love them and take care of them.

I love you all

-Sister Cindy Call