Summer is Hot in Georgia

June 16, 2014

Hey Fam Bam! J

Well it has been quite the day.  I will be glad when it is over.  Even when you love someone you can get edgy with them when things haven’t gone as smoothly as you would like.  Sister Arbon has been really good with me this past week while I have been sick but I think we have hit the wall.  Today has been an “I know I am on Sister Arbon’s nerves” kinda of a day.  That doesn’t mean I don’t love her because I really do.  And it doesn’t mean that I don’t think she cares about me.  It’s just been a very long week with too many hours looking at the walls of our apartment and now we’ve been stuck at Pep Boys all day long.  Sometimes the hardest part about a mission is literally being with someone 24/7.  I can’t say it’s something that I will miss all that much.  I guess I need an attitude adjustment and be thankful that Sister Arbon is my companion.  She is a good missionary and I know that I am blessed to have her in my life.

We went and emailed first, as usual, today.  Thanks for the e-mails and pictures. J  I love y’all so stinkin’ much!  Fo reals!  I never could have asked for a better family. J

Momma, I love you buckets!  I always hate it when you have days where you miss me.  Mostly cause I hate havin’ you be sad.  But it does always make me feel very loved. J

Because our tire blew out on us and we were driving on a spare we had to spend basically the rest of our P-day at Pep Boys.  So that was totally not fun!  As we were there the Cleveland sisters called.  Their car had been broken into.  So they had to cancel the exchange we were set to have.  They don’t know when their car is supposed to be fixed and so that takes priority over the exchange.  The funniest part of the story is Sister Smith.  They had parked to go tracting and then afterwards as they were walking back to the car, they see the guy breaking into their car.  So Sister Smith runs at the guy!  He hops into his car just as she gets there and she opens his door and yells at him to get out.  But he drove away!  I can laugh at it cuz she is nuts and totally lucky she didn’t’ get shot or hurt!  Her purse was stolen but all her cards and stuff were cancelled so everything is good!  Ya gotta love Sister Smith!

Dinner was with Sister Kekoolani.  I sure love that lady!  She is great!  And she’s got her two kids out right now which is super awesome!

Last we had a lesson with Musgroves.  They have been taken off date for now, which is a bummer.  But they will get there!  So not the most exciting P-day I’ve ever had but not that bad.  Y’alls emails were hands down, no question, the best part of the day. J  So thanks!!

June 17, 2014

District Meeting was SO good today!  I gave a training on knowledge for our Christlike Attribute.  I don’t feel like I did too bad of a job.  The Zone Leaders came (of course. . . Ha J) but it was good.  I love Elder Angilau and Elder Jensen!  They are awesome!  I’m glad that I get to serve with them. 

The best part about DM though was Elder Court’s training.  He kind of made up his own training because he can, because he is the district leader. J  He started out asking us if we had ever wondered why “Faith in Jesus Christ” is a Christlike attribute.  Which was a good question cause the Christlike attributes are qualities Christ has that we strive to have.  So, He had faith in Himself.  So we talked about how it is all self-confidence and how if we know who we are we will thrive as missionaries.  It was probably the best training that I have ever had as a missionary!

Both Elder Court and Elder Orme’s greenies are training this next transfer.  That’ll be interesting. We will have a bunch of GREEN elders and then us.  I will be the oldest missionary out in our district.  And either Elder Evans or Elder Bloomfield will be our DL.  It will be interesting to see what happens.

After lunch, we literally tracted for 4 hours straight!  Oh my goodness!  So.  Much.  Tracting!  I don’t know what it has been about this transfer but tracting has been hard and really not that fun!  Which is frustrating because I have always kinda like tracting.!

Our last hour of tracting it started getting cloudy and started thundering and lightning.  We kept going because there was no rain, but then the lighting started getting really close to us, which was a little sketchy.  So we headed back to the car.  Good thing we did cause about 2 minutes away from the car, it started dumping rain!

We stopped at home really quick.  Then we had dinner with the Woodfords.  Brother Woodford is in the bishopric, he is really nice.  He has a wood workshop and he makes pens, which are so very cool!  He gave us each a pen that he made.  So very nice!

Our last appointment was at the Sisics.  Ah!  I just freaking love them!!  Tiffany just had surgery so their house has been a little nuts and Anel has basically been being a single dad for a bit.  I love their kids so much!  They are adorable!  Sticky faces n’ all! J  I love kids in general but some more especially.  These kiddos are like that for me.  Kids - - yes they make messes, yes sometime they get so dirty that they look like little hobos.  But how can you not look at them, look past the dirty and sticky, and not see the Celestial light just gleaming from their little faces?!

Sorry random tangent.  Anyways we asked Anel the feelings he has when he read.  He talked about how it is peaceful.  But he still hasn’t’ prayed about it.  So we asked him to pray about it tonight.  He so badly wants to believe!  He just needs to get his answer.  He will though.  I know he will.  He will ask and God will answer.  He always does.  Sometimes we just have to persist.

June 18, 2014

Well, we started off our day by going to the dentist for Sister Arbon.  Whoot.  Brother Carter in our ward is a dentist and does the missionaries for free when they need it which is super awesome of him.  They are a really great family.

After that we had a lesson with Ashley at Sister Murphey’s.  Ashley is super awesome and if we could get her husband on board, she would be baptized within the next month.  She really is great!

Then we went to follow up on a referral we got from Mormon.org.  Turns out it was a lady that Sister Anderson and I tracted into while on exchanges.  The lady was interesting.  She was super curious but would start to try bashing and then go back to being curious.  We gave her 3 Nephi 11 to read.  Hopefully as she reads the spirit will touch her heart!

After a late lunch, we went to drop off Sister Brown’s pan and ended up staying and talking.  She is hands down in my top 5 favorite people in the ward!  She is great!  She was telling us her whole story.  Oh my heck!  She has been to hell and back and has one of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard!  I love her SO much!  I leave on a spiritual high every time I talk to her!

Sister Mahedy took us out to eat at Moe’s.  I really wish there was a Moe’s out west!  And a Waffle House.  Though I’m not a fan of their waffles, more their hash browns.  Hmmm. . .maybe I should buy into both of those and get ‘em going in the west.  But then I would have to live there forever, and since I’m staying in Georgia, that won’t work.  So I’ll just enjoy ‘em here I guess. J 

The rest of our night was spent tracting and tracting and tracting some more.  We really need some new investigators!!

June 19, 2014

Today was a really good day.  It was one of those days where we worked hard, had fun, and couldn’t wait for bed! J

We called all the sisters and talked with them about how things were going and to discuss what their July baptism goals were.

Sister Iketau and I talked for a while when we called them.  I love her so stinkin’ much.

After calling the sisters, we went to Sister Shirley’s.  She finally had a few things for us to do!  Ah!  I love her! J  For the past few times we have sung to her.  This time she had an old hymn book lying out for us from 1948!  Come Thou Font was in it (why don’t we still have that in our books?!) so that is what we sang. J  How grateful I am for this black name tag.  If I didn’t have it on, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to do these kinds of things, like singing to a lovely lady who just needs to feel loved.

Before lunch, we went to contact a referral we had gotten.  No one would answer even though we could hear people.  I felt prompted to leave a Book of Mormon there, so we did, along with a sticky note and our card marking 3 Nephi.  As we were flipping around the door opens and a girl sticks her head out.  So I just stop the car in the middle of the road and run up to her.  Haha!  I probably looked crazy. J  It was the girl’s mom we were looking for but she was at work.  So I talked with her for a minute and explained about the Book of Mormon and told her to have her mom call.  All the while cute Sister Arbon is still in the car with the window rolled down!  Neither one of us expected it to take too long.  Probaly one of the oddest contacts I’ve ever had. J

As we were headed home for lunch, we passed a bakery and decided to stop and get a treat.  We walked in and it wasn’t set up too well, but we figured that’s because they had opened a few months ago.  It was called The Lemon Tree Bakery so we decided to try their lemon bars.  We started eating them in the car. . . FAIL!  It was tasteless. L  Serious, there was no flavor at all!!  We were SO disappointed!!  It was kinda funny though, we couldn’t help but laugh.

After lunch we tracted until dinner.  It was SO hot!!  WE were dying!  And everyone just looked at us.  No offers for water or anything.  All we wanted was the sun to be just a little covered by the clouds.  But no such luck.  We looked super gross!  Dinner was at the Galbreaths.  They were going to the temple after dinner and I just wanted to jump in the car and go with them!!

Our last stop was at the Pecks.  Our plan was to finally put Vila on date since Brother Peck got the okay on his baptism.  Well, it was a pretty frustrating evening let’s just say that.  We got home frustrated and so we got one of our favorite CD’s and blasted it in the apartment and danced.  We had to get all our stress and frustrations out, so we danced to church music.  Haha. J  Oh the things I do as a missionary that I would never do as a normal person.  It was kind of a silly and fun way to end the night.

June 20, 2014

Oh Gabey!  I hope you had a FABULOUS time at the temple!!  I thought about you all day!  I was so sad I couldn’t be there with you!!

Weekly planning was just dandy today.  We have to finish it up tomorrow cause we didn’t get it all finished.  We had a meeting with Laura, the lady we had tracted into before the pig roast.  It was a kind of baffling lesson.  She kept saying over and over that she couldn’t find anything wrong with the Book of Mormon and that it parallels with the Bible, so I asked her why she wouldn’t want to be part of the only church the teaches of the Book of Mormon.  Basically it just came down to her not wanting to change.

We have been trying to figure out ways we can contact without just tracting all the time.  But there really aren’t any parks or anything to go contacting so we went to an unlikely place for contacting.  Home Depot!  We decided while we were there, we would look for the little Georgia Bulldogs that we see everywhere, so if anyone asked, that would be the purpose we gave them. J  Haha!  Well!  It worked!  We were in the garden section when one of the employees came up to us.  He was probably in his early 20’s.  He asked, “Can I help you ladies find anything?”  I told him we were trying to find the Georgia Bulldog.  He told us he could help us.  While we were looking, he ran into some people he had helped before us.  He asked them if they had found what they needed.  They said, no.  But instead of stopping to help them, he said, “Okay, well if you go up front, someone will help you.  I’m helping these lovely ladies.”  Haha!  Oh boy.  As we were going to find the statues, we got to talking about who we are and what we do.  I’m not sure if he seemed interested cause we were two “lovely ladies,” or for real.  Probably the former.  When we found them, he didn’t leave, nope!  He carried them to the checkout stand AND carried them to our car.  I opened the back door so he could put them in.  So he does, and then as I’m shutting the back door, he goes and opens my door for me!!  What?!?  Oh my.  It was very nice of him and so funny!  Not gonna lie though, it was quite flattering and I have really missed getting the door opened for me.

After that funny excursion, we went contacting at a farmers market, which was super fun!  We got ourselves our first Georgia peaches of the season too! 

Sister Brown took us to Chili’s for dinner.  I! LOVE! HER!   She is one of the most selfless, non-judgmental people I know!  I love talking to her SO much!!

We went tracting after dinner and about 45 minutes before it was time to go in Sister Arbon told me she was taking me on a date. J  She knew I had been sad that I wasn’t in Idaho Falls with my family as Gabe was going to the temple.  So we went on a “date” to the frozen yogurt place in town.  We had gotten a $10 gift card a few weeks ago from Sister Taylor, so we went and used it.  We had fun and it made me not quite so sad. J  Thank you Sister Arbon for being so thoughtful.  I’m proud of you Gabe!  I’m so proud of you!!

June 21, 2014

Today my cute Elaina girl got baptized and it was her birthday. J  I so wish I could have been there!  I sent her a letter on Wednesday.  So she would get it by today.  Oh!  I miss my Dustin’s!!

We had to go to Pep Boys again today.  This time cause our oil needed to be changed.  Luckily they got it done pretty quickly!  Which was nice!

We tried to go see a few less actives with no such luck!  So we headed home for lunch.   When we parked, I noticed a squirrel in the tree in front of us.  There was a bird on the branch above it swooping down over and over attacking it.  Poor squirrel!  But it was funny. J  We watched for a food 5 minutes just laughing!  Oh the things that entertain missionaries.  Okay I probably would have been entertained by that whether or not I was missionary. 

After lunch, we headed out to tract.  There is a neighborhood by our apartment that we’ve been wanting to go to, so we just walked.  It was hot, and we were getting bit by mosquitoes left and right!  At the second to last house, there was a lady sitting on a chair outside.  She was looking down, painting her nails.   We said, “Hello,” and she looked up.  The lady’s name is Marsa and she had throat cancer 13 years ago so she talks using a vibrator and breaths out of a hole in her neck.  She lost her husband a few years ago, so we talked about the Plan of Salvation with her and made a return appointment for Wednesday.  Now our only problem is if she has a desire to be baptized, how are we going to do it?  We can’t plug up the hole in her throat, it’s how she breathes!!  The Lord will provide a way!!

We kept tracting and ran into this guy, Chad, who proceeded to flirt with us.  Bless his heart. J  Haha!  I dunno what it is about this week!  I guess we both just look really good covered in sweat and sunburned! J

We stopped by Sister Mosher’s to get a drink and then headed back into the heat.  After a while we headed back home.  We had about an hour before dinner, so we tried to go see less actives with not much luck. L  Boo!

Dinner was with the Hayes’.  Sister Hayes is in the Relief Society Presidency and Brother Hayes isn’t a member.  They took us to a buffet.  I had some fried green tomatoes which were pretty good!  They are really good people and I like them a lot.  Our last stop was Morgan.  She wanted to go over her talk one last time before tomorrow.  She had fixed a few things and it sounded a lot smoother.

June 22, 2014

Church was good today.  Morgan cried through her whole talk.  People laughed when she was funny and she did a great job. 

All during Sacrament meeting Suny Peck kept playing with my bag.  She is so stinkin’ cute!  Oh!  How I miss little kids!  I miss holding them and getting down on their level and playing.  I’m just very ready to be able to play with little kids again!  I’m not baby hungry - - like I don’t really want to have my own kids.  I just want to be allowed to hold them again!!!

After church we came home, had lunch and then finished weekly planning.  Then we headed to Monroe.  We went to see Sister Seagraves.  She hasn’t been to church in a while and hasn’t answered our text or calls.  Turns out her phone is broken and her breaks are out on her car.  While we were there, she showed us her paintings.   Oh my goodness!  She is SO good!  She has an AMAZING talent!  And she is going to let us come over next Monday to teach us some things!  I’m so excited!

We went over to see a new move in before dinner.  We aren’t sure of the whole situation but from what we do know the 14 year old just got baptized and is the only member.  We talked to her mom who is super nice, so maybe if the mom isn’t a member we can teach her.

Dinner was with the Perkins’.  Brother Perkins was at a meeting so it was us, Sister Perkins and their daughter Meanie.  It was pretty fun!  Melanie is headed to SVU so I told her if she watches soccer to look for Sierra (that’s where she is going right?)

We finished the night off with Sister Alley.  She is a trip!  And I mean that in the nicest way imaginable!  She said she may come to church next week, which would be a miracle cause she hasn’t been in many, many years.  We shall see!  I believe in miracles!

I love y’all!  J  Can’t wait to email tomorrow!

Love,

Molly