Hola family.
This last week felt long. We did a TON of finding and it is so hot and humid, so that's probably why. I'm mildly terrified of the approaching summer.
Monday was a good pday, zone pday. We semi watched the Best 2 Years... except the dvd was ripped from BYUTV and it was skipping every few minutes... so the movie was less than an hour long haha. But it was okay. We just hung out. It is so good to be with other missionaries sometimes. I love our zone. I don't know anyone in other zones, I feel like. Except Kingwood. Have I told you about our amazing district leader? He would be so awkward if he ever saw this haha. But I think he is such a good leader. I just want to be exactly like him. He motivates us to do better and then we actually do better. It's crazy. Anyway, I really like our district with the senior couple the Fuits. They are neato. Monday night we ate with a member, Sister Struthers, and then went to see Brock. The Hour of Power miracle. It was an okay lesson. We were like "Brock, if you want this, you have to read and come to church." And he was like "I do want this, I do. I will read." That was that.
Tuesday was Sister Training in Kingwood! Oh my gosh it was great. I love Kingwood. I am currently not sleeping again (glorious) so I was really tired the whole time. But President and Sister Crawford showed us the new missionary dress guidelines for sister missionaries on the computer and they are all so cute! I am so so so so haggard. For real. I just feel like I'm worn out looking and gross at all times. It's sick. But I did get a haircut last monday! Ah the Wal Mart! By Bernadette, the black lady with platinum hair. It was fun. I'm totally going to hair school when I get home! I've decided. Then tuesday night we exchanged and I went to spanishland with Hermana Hauser from San Diego California. She is the sweetest girl ever. I felt so so much love from her the whole time I was there, just acceptance and no judgement. She is not very confident, so if we served together all the time, I think that would grate on me, but since it was only an exchange I felt like I could build her up and then she just was loving in return. So awesome. I took a benadryl so I would sleep haha.
Wednesday was my dia de espanol! It was fun. They live by our Elders and the Zone Leaders so every morning they go play basketball with them. That was really fun. We had some appointments in the morning and tracted some and then we had lunch with a member. And HO.LY. CRAP. They have the best food. Oh my word. She didn't speak any English and mi espanol is no bueno so we didn't communicate much but I ate a LOT and apparently the hispanics like that. So I felt good about it. However, since I had my benedryl in me, I was zonked pretty much all day. It didn't help that it is now boiling, sweating hot and I couldn't communicate with people very well. I totally love spanish though! ahhh!!! I want to speak it. I can say words in spanish, but my grammar is really really non existent. So. My day in spanishland was good. It was good to come back, though.
Thursday we had 8 quality contacts (that's a LOT) and talked to a lot of people. We had dinner/hour of power with Angie the recent convert. She is awesome. She made the BEST chicken. It's better and healthier than fried chicken. I am learning some gooood recipes. We tracted and talked to two girls that we set up appointments with to go teach. One of them had been to Utah before! She was like "Yeah, but there's nothing to do in Utah." and we asked "Where did you go in Utah?" Cause she was there for some wilderness class. And she was like "In Vernal." And I was like "Yes. There is definitely nothing to do in vernal." hahaha it was really funny. Earlier in the day we had gone to see brock again and he was hanging out with his "best friend" and may have been high and he was like "Oh sorry, I haven't read and I forgot about yall coming over and I have to go over there with my friends yada yada yada." I'm fed up. So we will just do whatever we do.
Friday it was district meeting. I think I've gushed enough about my district for one e-mail. It was also my "one year in texas" mark. I flew in a year ago last friday. BIZARRE BIZARRE BIZARRE. I go back and look in my journal from a year ago and see what I was doing and how I was feeling and it's just insane how time has traveled. Seems like forever ago, but seems like yesterday. So cliche, but I can't explain it any other way. I was again exhausted but I'm rubbing off on my greenie and she kept thinking of people to go and see and stuff to do. That was nice. But I also just wanted to sleep so bad. It didn't happen haha. We saw these two people, Amy and Cory. They are cool, he has looked into religion before and they are open to us coming and sharing our message. I feel good about them. If they will do as we teach, they will find out and be so happy! She would be a great young woman's leader.We also taught this lady, Veronica, who was one of our quality contacts. It was a good lesson and the spirit was there. I love asking people to be baptized in the first lesson because it shows them we're serious and it brings up their concerns. I love it. We then had dinner with some people that I guess had been in our ward for 30 years or something and moved 8 years ago to Boise? Or something. Yo no se. Anyway it was really fun. They are full of life. And, whoda thunk, on their second marriage each. Man it's starting to mess with my mind!! I just really really only want to get married once, okay?? Then we went to the Agnarrsons! Their pugs had puppies! (don't you love pugs mom?) they are cute little babies.
Saturday we did some stuff around the apartment and I crashed! Not on my bike but phsyically. I laid down on the ground becuase I was boiling hot when we got in from trying to see our appointment (who bailed, by the way. Story of our week) and all the sudden I am waking up! I totally fell asleep. No bueno. I wasn't feeling well, sick to my stomach.. But I have no concept of when I am sick enough to be sick, you know? So that was saturday. A whole lot of nothing. And then Morris took us out to I Hop. Not a great idea for my stomach. But I made it! I was okay.
Yesterday we had church. I love this ward even with all it's challenges. It has taught me so much of what kind of church member I want to be when I go home. I've learned from what I've seen not work and some of the things I've seen work. And above all it has made me want to be a 20% person. Let me explain. When Elder Clarke was here he said "80% of people make excuses while 20% of people get it done." I want to be the type that gets things done. It is pointless to say (and it makes for an unfulfilling life) to live by excuses. If you can't do something, don't do it. Don't make excuses just don't do it and live with the consequences. If you CAN do something, DO IT. Just be happy that you have opportunities for growth. After church we had dinner with the Mitchells. Two weeks ago he had to be in the hospital becuase he's diabetic and his blood sugar was going nuts. They got home and got this book called "Eat to Live" and have been eating by what it says. In 2 weeks he has lost 12 pounds and she has lost 8. They eat a TON of food, but it's all vegetables. Yall should check out the book because not only are they losing weight, after 2 days Brother Mitchell halved his insulin intake. After another 2 or 3 days he has cut it out completely!! He is no longer taking insulin and his blood sugar is fine. CRAZY!!!! Can you believe it?? I thought that was a miracle. Plus dinner was delicious. Then last night afterward we went to see Lauro and Maria. They are the best, I love them so much. Lauro wanted to talk about Forgiveness, so I shared wtih him that story about Corrie Ten Boom and the concentration camp soldier who wanted to shake her hand. Mom do you remember? And she prays and says "I can't forgive this man. Please give me YOUR forgiveness." And then she shakes his hand. Remember? Anyway, he liked that. Because he said that only Jesus is perfect enough to really forgive others. And I said, you're right. We can't do it without him, but He can do it for us. He can help us do it. It was more eloquent than that because we were teaching. oh! jonathan came to church yesterday!!! We miss him a lot. It was good to see him.
Well that's my week. I am tired as can be all the time cause my body and brain wake up at like 5 and won't let me go back to sleep. You may say "oh, that's not that bad!" but I am trying to be a missionary and it makes me so tired in general anyway. And when I can't sleep it is worse. Sorry to complain. Negative nancy. I'm tired. But we will go on! haha
Mom, thanks for your letter and for the package!! You're the best. I am sad to hear about Grandma's house. Is that going to be done before I get home probably? Thanks for all the good juicy stuff haha. I am glad to hear that everyone's doing pretty good.
Dad, thanks for your little e-mail just now! Haha how was your week, you said busy? What's going on at home?
James, did you get my letter? I cannot remember where I put it if I didn't mail it. let me know if you didn't get it. How is life for you? How are the chica's. I forgot to give you an e-mail with my ex companion's info. Do you want it? Will you use it? is a better question.
Jonny, I seem to recall you saying you were going to write me a two part e-mail.... and yet... there is no part two...? hm. :] write to me. Thank you.
I love yall. The church is real and truly Jesus Christ's church. Too much proves that this is the case. there may be facts that contradict or questions that seem unanswered, but the bottom line is the life that you lead and the testimony that you feel and the spirit that is there. These things are not me. They interact with me, I guess, but they are not from me. I love the gospel. It helps me to be who I want to be.
I feel like I'm forgetting something... Shoot. I hate that. I love you so so so much!! Be good and have a good week.