The Low's, High's, and Flirts

October 28, 2013

Hey hey!

Yay for p-day!  Usually I only really start looking forward to p-day on Sunday night but it hit Friday and I was just so ready to hear from y'all and read your e-mails.

We first went to target.  I bought myself some boots that are flat.  They are pretty nice and I think they will last a good while.  It felt so good to have boots are my feet.  I had been missing that.  We went with Sarah Holgado.  That girl has a hoot!  I love her.  We went to lunch and Sarah thought one of the waiters was so cute.  She was getting all this info about him from our waitress.  I was dying.  It was funny.  The then our waitress, Tina, turned to me and asked what about me?  I grinned and told her that I was unavailable at the moment, because I was on a mission.  We ended up getting to talk about the church.  She had never heard about Mormons before and asked what denomination we were, and a few other things.  I told her we were Christians.  I invited her to come to our fall festival on Saturday.  Maybe she will come.  That would be cool!  I love how easy it is, and continues to get, for me to just start talking about our church!  I know that when I get home I will have to work from keeping that ease, but I can do it!

Then we went and emailed.  Ah!  I just love being able to e-mail.  It takes me a long time because I get distracted and start talking to the Elders.  They tease me for taking so long.  All well!

Hey Lacey, I love you!  I love that you are so faithful in writing me and I am your missionary!!  I hope that what I said helped a little, though I am not too sure if I did.  I am sorry that you are so sad and that this is happening with your friend.

Sydney, I'm sorry you haven't gotten a response from me and that I can't be online at the same time when you e-mail.

We went to the Holgados for dinner.  I like their family.  Brother Holgado told us he had a video for us to watch.  He went to lds.org and on the front there is a video called "Receiving a mission call:  Process of a Mormon Mission Call".  He clicked on it and we start to watch the video.  Suddenly Shane Pace is on there.  I was surprised and yelled, "Hey I know him!"  We kept watch and there was Brett Davies!  When did Brother Pace become a bishop?  So go to that video.  They're on it!  It made me feel a little home sick 'cause I just want to call you and tell you because it was kind of fun.  So, if you haven't already seen it, then watch it.  It's kind of cool!

After that we went over to the Watkins.  I just love them!  There just solid!

October 29, 2013

Today was hard.  I was feeling like a slacker.  I didn't want to work, all I wanted to do was just go home and sleep.  I wanted to not talk to anyone that I did not want to tract.

We had district meeting today and I was really missing our old district.  I was missing Sister Carrigan and Sister Alvey a lot.  I love Sister Knight, I do.  I am just feeling sorry for myself.  I know that.  I look at myself and I think, "How dare you feel this way!  You are so blessed and you're just whining right now!  How dare you!"  Then I try a little bit to stop but I don't, and then I just get frustrated.  It will take awhile for our new district to be as tight as our old one was.  And since I already like cute Sister Knight like I do I know I will be a mess when I no longer get to have her with me 24/7.  I guess that is one of the things we learn on a mission.  You learn to love and you learn that leaving is hard, being left is hard because you still love them so much.

We went and helped Marni today.  She is always a sweetheart.  She made me feel a little better.  I just needed someone to talk to while we were cleaning.  I decided to text the Spanish Elders.  I needed some reinforcement that I was doing OK.  They were really nice and kindly reminded me that I know what I'm doing and that I am a good missionary.  I was better after that.

We went tracting and ugh!  Some Halloween decorations are so YUCKY!  I don't know why some people like decorating the way they do!  Some of them look like real people or I guess monsters!  It's gross!  No thank you!  I hate the gross stuff and it makes me sad because I know that there really are a lot of fun, cute, and NOT yucky stuff out there to decorate with.

As we were walking and a huge dog came running towards us.  It wasn't mean or anything, just huge!  It jumped up and almost knocked me over!  Its paws were muddy and it got mud on my shirt, like a huge chunk.  Luckily I had a sweater in the car.  Not luckily, it was warm outside.  Dumb dog!

We had dinner at the Beasley's tonight.  Their son Josh is the one I bonded with over being scared of things.  He is a cutie.  He just turned 13 about two weeks ago.  Sydney I'll set you up :-) teasing!  Kind of…  Sister Beasley is really nice but kind of quiet.  She always warms up by the end of the dinner.  What a very nice family.

After dinner, we had about an hour left.  We didn't have any more Mormon.org cards that were filled out- - so that we could hand them out.  We decided that would be a good use of time so we went home and filled out a ton of them.  Sorry.  I feel like I just gave a very depressing/pathetic day.

October 30, 2013

Well, what a day!  Last night I prayed long and hard and asked for forgiveness.  It was not a good missionary day yesterday.  I felt bad about that.  Today was a day where I felt Heavenly Father just told me he loves me and that I am forgiven.  I woke up with a better attitude today.  I was ready to make this a better, happier, more hardworking day!  It is sometimes hard for a brand new missionary to do 12 week program as well as all the other stuff.  But Sister Knight is doing well and will continue to learn and it will get better and better.

Sister Watkins called us to ask what we wanted for dinner.  We are going to have a lesson with a referral we had gotten but the referral ended up canceling on us.  Sister Watkins told us she had talked to Sister Wolfert.  I guess tomorrow that Sister Wolfert has a meeting with some of the sisters who want to go home.  Sad, right?  It breaks my heart every time I hear things like that!

We started off our day going to visit a lady named Betty.  Sister Carrigan and Sister Morrison tracted into her.  Every time we passed her house, Sister Carrigan would say we should go visit her again.  We never did.  I took it into my own hands!  Betty is a cutie!  She is 83 years old and lives on her own.  Her husband passed away a while ago.  We asked if there was anything we could do for her.  She had us take down a curtain rod she didn't want any more.  Then we just sat and let her talk.  She is lonely and I was fine to lend an ear. :-)

Then we went tracting.  One door a little boy answered with his dad.  The little boy had on Superman footie pajama's.  We talked to the dad then I bent down and said, "Hi Superman!"  He giggled and said, "I'm not superman.  Just Josh.  This is a costume, see-this is my skin."  Then he unzipped it a little and pointed to his chest.  I said, "Oh!  You tricked me!  I thought you were Superman!"  He again giggled and looked up at his dad and gleefully said, "I tricked her!"  It was cute.

After tracting for quite a few hours we had to get home so Sister Watkins could pick us up.  She told me you had e-mailed her, Momma.  I like that she gets to be in contact with you.  Before she picked us up we checked the mail, yah for surprise packages.  Thanks Grandma!  She made Sis. Knight happy that there was a bag for her too.  Sis. Knight hasn't really gotten any mail, so she liked that!

We had dinner at Moe's a Mexican place.  I shared a story with Sister Watkins.  A story that I included with this week's set of letters.  I told her thanks for being my Suwanee mom (I have a couple, her, Sis. Galt, Sis. Olson, Sister Johnson and Sis. Fullwood.)I made her cry.  Oops!  But for a good reason!  After that we  went with Sister Watkins and visited with Sister Fullwood.  I love her!  I think I have told you her story but I got how long she has been in the church wrong.  Only 3 years!  But she investigated for 2 years before that.  It wouldn't have ever guessed it though!  She knows EVERYTHING!  She is so humble about it.  I shared with her the story too.  Then we got on the subject of how it is nice members can talk to our parents.  Then Sister Fullwood said, "Let's see if we can do a video?"  So we did.  And you got it!  I'm glad.

On our way home Sister Watkins told me to put your number in her phone.   I thought she was going to text you later, so I did it and handed it back to her.  Suddenly, she is calling you!  And telling me to not say anything.  Man, oh man.  Even though she had the phone to her ear, I could hear you!  I lost it as soon as you said hello.  I was crying and laughing at the same time!  It took everything I had not to rip the phone out of her hand and start talking to you!   I had my hand clamped over my mouth, wanting to talk to you!  That was a dirty trick of Sister Watkins.  I don't know if you heard me but right before y'all hung up I couldn't take it anymore and yelled "I love you Momma!"  What a way to end the night.  I love knowing you are so very close to me!

October 31, 2013

Happy Halloween.  What did you all dress up as?  Picture please.  We had to be in by 6 tonight.  So we really didn't have much time to do anything.  It was weird to go in so early!

After lunch this morning we went to go clean our car cause the zone leaders had texted all of us and told us they were coming around for inspections.  It really wasn't too dirty, but enough that we needed to go clean it.  As we were going, we got a call from the Elders.  They were going to pick up games from a member and wanted us to put them in our car.  We were close but the car wash was pretty far away.  We told them we needed to hurry though cause we were going over to Marni's after we cleaned the car.  Anyway we flipped around and we were almost there when we get another call from the Elders that the members were not home.  So we flipped back around again and hurried to the car wash.  Then we went to Marni's house.  Poor lady!  She is so very lonely!  She has friends come by and visit but while the kids are at school and her husband is at work she is all by herself.  Lots of times we just listen to her for the first little bit.  I like her.  She likes us too.  I will for sure keep in contact with her when I leave.

Ah!  We got to see Kiaundra today!  I have missed her!  Even though her family has told her not to, she so badly wants to be part of this church.  She said she will continue learning and figure out for herself what she wants to do.  She is just a little ray of sunshine and I just love her!  I have an image in my mind of her walking into the baptismal font.  I know it is Heavenly Father telling me she will get baptized.  It is just a matter of when.  And that, I don't actually know.  I pray that it is while I am here though!  She needs this church as much as this church needs her!  And that is a lot!

After the lesson we were supposed to go see Sister Watkins.  She wasn't home though.  Later she called us and told us about the temple.  She was doing her great-granfather's sister.  She said that during the session she could see in her mind a picture of the woman.  I believe all of the stories that she tells us.  They are pretty cool! 

We went and had dinner at the Reynolds house tonight.  They are probably in their 60's.  Sister Reynold's mom lives with them.  Sister Reynolds is a hoot!  She is funny!  We had tacos for dinner .  Halfway through Brother Reynolds phone rang and he just sat and talked.  Ah well, we had fun talking to her and to her mom.

When we got home, we ended up talking to the elders for a bit.  The zone leaders never came to look at our car so we called to chastise them.  Elder Bridge and I talked for a while.  We were all on the speaker phone but mostly Elder Bridge and I did the talkin'.

The night went by faster than I thought it would.  It is gonna be weird to come back home and have even more free time!

November 1, 2013

Happy first day of November!  It's crazy that it is already November!  Before you know it, it will be December and we can face time!!!  I'm so excited for that.  Today was a pretty stinkin' good day.  We started out with weekly planning.  The past few weeks it has been hard for us to focus as a companionship for the couple of hours that it takes to plan.  We did really well today.  Neither of us really wanted to go tracting today.  As we were leaving our apartment I grabbed some paper and an envelop.  For the past few days I have had Richard on my mind.  It has been nagging at me that somehow, I need to let him know we hadn't given up on him.  I told Sister Knight and we drove to his apartment.  I wrote him a letter and bore my testimony to him and told him that we loved him and were thinking about him.  I didn't dare knock on the door because if his wife was there, I didn't want to make things worse!  I shoved it in the door and just prayed that he would get it and not his wife or son.  I may never know what happens with Richard but I know Heavenly Father will work it out.  My heart breaks every time I think about him!

We went to go see Barbara after that.  Her son Eric was outside and told us to come back later.  We will try tomorrow or sometime next week.  Then we went to go see Mary.  She and Arianna were home.  I walked in expecting their house to be all packed up.  It's not.  She even put everything back that we had packed for her.  She said that the owners asked her to be out today.  I'm really nervous for her.  If she doesn't get going she is going to get kicked out and they won't have anywhere to live.  I invited her to our Fall Festival tomorrow and I hope that they come.

We had about 2 hours and 45 minutes before dinner.  We didn't have an appointment.  So we just figured we would eat at 7 and then the Watkins had asked us to go visit so we were going there at 8.  We started down the street and started knocking.  Across the street was a little field that people could play football or soccer or whatever.  There were 4 boys playing football.  They were kind of just standing talking for a minute and I heard snippets.  They were talking about us.  Suddenly one of the boys yells out "Do you want to come and play football with us?"  His friends go, "Dude, shut up!"  We laughed and told them another time.

We got to a door and knocked.  I could see a lady in there and she was talking on the phone.  She was walking really slowly.  When she finally got to the door she finished her phone call and Sister Knight told her who we were and explained the Book of Mormon.  The lady took one and then told us that she had just been in a really bad car crash earlier in the week.  I told her as part of our calling as representatives of Jesus Christ we give a prayer.  And then asked if we could pray with her.  She said yes and told us her name was Rhonda.  I said the harvest prayer of peace and blessings (first time I have done it) and by the time I finished Rhonda had tears in her eyes and she just kept saying thank you.  I think we will go back in a week or so and see her again.

One lady we ran into told us that she had been watching the Jody Aries trial and what she had heard about  Mormons was not good.  I had no idea what trial she was talking about but I looked at her and said, "Well, sometimes things on the TV are not true.  We would love to be able to clear up any of those misconceptions."  The lady told us no again.  When we were walking away Sister Knight said, "Whoa, that was bold!  I am impressed."  I laughed and told her thanks.  I hadn't thought that it was that bold but I'll take it.  

We had about 30 minutes before we were going to go eat so we went down one more street.  Last night the assistants had called and challenged Sister Knight to invite someone to be baptized on their doorstep.  At one house there was a guy around our age.  Out of the corner of my eye I had seen him watching us.  When we got to him, we just started talking.  He told us that he believed in signs from God and maybe this was his.  He grew up Catholic but didn't agree with everything.  We talked about our church and he seemed really interested.  He was flirting with us too but unlike guitar boy he was sincere about learning more.  He is coming to our ward's fall festival tomorrow.  At the end, Sister Knight asked him if he came to know the truth, would he be baptized?  He said yes.  I am pretty proud of her.  She was hyped the whole rest of the night.  I hope something will come of it.  He was really nice and I think he would like our church.  Of course, anyone would if they gave it a fair chance.

We headed home to have dinner and ended up at Chick-Fil-A.  Sister Knight ordered first and I went to the next register.  My guy taking my order was about 16 and oh boy!  I don't know what it is about flirting today but he was flirting a ton!  I asked for sauce and the guy next to him handed me some.  The guy taking my order started pulling some sauce out from under the counter and I told him that I already had some.  Then he goes, "You are cheating on me?!?  We are through!"  I was laughing.  Then he forget to get my water and when he realized it he said, "Sorry, I just can't think straight since our break up!"  I told him so sorry, it just wasn't meant to be.  I dunno what it is about being a missionary but I feel like I get flirted with so much more now than I ever did when I wasn't a missionary!  Even the night before I went into the MTC that guy at WalMart flirted with me!  (Remember mom?)  I know it will stop again as soon as I'm home and not a missionary again.  Oh boy!  It was quite a funny day.

November 2, 2013

Richard called this morning!!!  AHH!!!  He called.  Oh I'm so happy.  I had been praying that he would find my note and not his wife or son.  Thank you for prayers and for putting his name in the temple.  He said that when he told his wife he wanted to be baptized, she said to him, "Well you should just go and find a new wife then!"  Richard said he couldn't believe she would say something like that.  He sounded so very hurt about it and it made me so sad!  He said everything is ok now, though.  I'm not so sure it is.  He told me he has been studying the Pearl of Great Price.  He told me that he knows it is God reading for him.  He said, "You know when I read aloud, I stutter and miss punctuations?  Well when I'm reading the Book of Mormon or the D&C I can read perfect.  I just know it is God reading for me."  I just kept trying not to cry and shout during our conversation.  He also said, "You remember that last Thursday you came?"  (This was the week before he decided to be baptized and then dropped us).  "I thought you weren't going to come back."  I then interjected  and told him we would ALWAYS come back!   Every week he would convince himself that we weren't going to.  "Well, when you called that Wednesday, I knew that it was inspired of God".  I cannot begin to express the joy that I feel!  Every time that I start thinking about it I start crying and at the same time I want to scream and shout!

I hate not being able to call Sister Carrigan and tell her.  Sister Knight is happy but she doesn't have the same connection with Richard yet.  It's okay, we are combining with the Lilburn zone for zone conference on Tuesday.  I will tell her then.  Richard wants us to start coming again!  We are going back at our usual time, Thursday at 11 AM.  After we got off the phone my first thought was that I needed to thank Heavenly Father.  I got on my knees and thanked Him.  All day long I have been thanking Him.  I can only imagine if this is how big my joy is, how big is our Savior's and Heavenly Father's joy?!?  It just amazes me.

My second thought was that I just wanted to call you and tell you!  I didn't want to wait for Monday to e-mail you.  I told that to Sister Knight and she said, "Have Sister Watkins call."  Oh!  So I called Sister Watkins and she called you.  She said she got to talk to one of my sisters and the voice sounded very young.  Hannah?!?  I'm very jealous she got to talk to my Hannah!!  It's ok.  I just have to wait until Christmas!  That is not too far away!

All day long I was just on a high!  Nothing was bringing me down!  We tracted pretty much all day.  We had picked a place that was pretty rural.  The houses were spread apart and the driveways were long.  One guy told us while we were leaving.  "You ladies are doing good work.  We wish you were on our side!"   I almost said, "You know that we are all on the same side if we are on the Lord's side."  That was a little too cheeky though and he had been nice to us.  I thought I was funny though. 

At 4:30 we went to go set up for the Fall Festival.  Austin, the guy Sister Knight had asked last night to be baptized, ditched out.  His loss.  It was so much fun.  They had games for the kids, TONS of chili for the cook off and good company.  All the kids were dressed up and one of the members had her little girl in a cow costume.  She looked SO cute.  We got to help judge the chili.  That was fun.  Sister Brinton's was my favorite.  I got the recipe!

When we got home the alarm box outside our apartment was beeping like crazy.  I called the number on the box and finally figured out how to stop it.  I can still hear the beeping in my head.

Daylight savings is tomorrow.  Yea for an extra hour of sleep.  I turned all of the clocks back tonight.  It was weird trying to figure out what the time was because of that.  Luckily we had our phone and I knew that one would change automatically.  

Momma!  I didn't get a letter from you this week.  I thought for sure that it would come tonight since I had not had any luck on Thursday or Friday, which is when it usually comes.  Bummer.  Ah well.  At least I get my e-mails on Monday.  Yay!!  I am very excited for Monday!  I always am.  Not because it is a "day off" but because I get my e-mails.  I am so very thankful for technology!

November 3, 2013

Wow!  Another week over!   I can't believe the highs and the lows of this week!  It just amazes me how I can be on a huge spiritual low one day and the next be the complete opposite!
 

Today was a fabulous day.  Fast Sundays are always good!  I love being able to fast for my investigators, you guys, and anything else.  I know that the Lord hears me every time.  Kiaundra came to church today!  I was so very glad.  I truly love that girl.  I so hope she will get baptized while I am still here.  She has until the middle of January.  I fugure they will put me somewhere else after I finish training with Sister Knight.  Anyways I will be uber sad when I have to leave.

We got our new bishop today.  I called it!  Brother (or now Bishop) Hunsaker is our new bishop.  He will be amazing.  Sadly that means that Sister Hunsaker will be released from the relief society presidency.  Brother Buddy Toliver is the 1st counselor and Brother Bill Tiszai is the 2nd counselor.  I'm excited.  They will do great!

I played the piano in relief society today.  Sister Johnson did a lesson all on music.  She asked people to share their favorites and we sang one verse.  She just found out that I can play.  It's not that I was hiding it but Sister Carrigan always played.  Sister McKenna was sick so I ended up playing.  I butchered only like 2 of the songs.  I felt bad cause they shared these amazing testimonies and then I butchered their song.  Oh well.  After church we tracted.  Sister Knight has been waiting to run into a basher.  I don't have that same desire.  But I am sure that it will happen sooner or later.

We had dinner with the Colletts.  They are a fun family.  Their kids are so cute.  I taught the dinner lesson tonight and I think that they liked it.  I had little cups with a word like faith or baptism or prophet.  We talked about each one and made a pyramid with Christ at the top.  Then I told them that if we skipped a step we wouldn't have Christ at the top.  I had one of them take the prophet cup out.  The tower fell.  Not all of the way but mostly.  So some of the churches have missing "cups" and they can't have the complete tower like we do.  The kids were funny.  Brother and Sister Collett were asking them if they liked having us over and they said, "Yeah!  Usually the missionaries just read a scripture."  I laughed and told them not to tell the Elders what we did and see who had the best lesson when they come over for dinner.

We had a little time so we went over to the Baumgarts to visit.  I like their family!  The boys have some sort of chronic illness but they are the happiest and sweetest boys you will ever meet..  They are really good at origami and they made me a box, a rose, and a little pac-man chomper thing.  Something that I will keep!

Well amazing family of mine.  I LOVE y'all.  I hope you have a fabulous week and know that I am always thinking about each and every one of you. 

Tell Grandmummy I love her and thank you for the Halloween package.  I love the CD's.

Molly