Hello family! Things are going very well. I will tell you about the week:
Monday we just went to the church with Elders and played games. It was fun and relaxing. That is what I need out of pday. Plus, I'm totally my father's daughter and I feel 90X better when the apartment and the car and everything is clean. It's awesome. Monday night we had dinner with some members who are so wonderful. The Morris. he is from Lake Charles and she is from Utah, but she has adopted an accent in the 40 years she has lived in Louisiana. They are wonderful. I love the members who love the missionaries. From some members we get this judgemental, "you're not sister whats-her-name that we had here a year ago. She is amazing and you are not her." and from some members we get unconditional love. The morris are the latter. Love them.
Tuesday we had Zone Conference. It was fun. Except I was exhausted. But we watched this video of "Team Hoyt"? I think. It's the father that has run a bazillion triathlons with his son who had his umbilical cord wrapped around his neck when he was born. I'm sure yall have heard the story. It was really good. We talked about how that is like us. We have no limits but the ones we set on ourselves. It was cool. We also talked about finding new investigators which is what we need to do in our area. Big time. That night when we got home we had dinner with a part member family (except the husband didn't even say one word to us the whole time, except come in and have a seat) and then we went to see a girl that just moved into our apartment complex. She is doing an internship at the big casino here in town. She is a pastry chef, and has been a member her whole life. But she is awesome we are excited to get to go talk to her. It's nice to have a member living in our apartment complex. I love it.
Wednesday we had a great day. We went to see our potentials. Wayne met us out on the porch (where we got attacked by love bugs. disgusting.) and he was handing us back the book of mormon saying "I don't need it, blah blah blah, I'm catholic..." and by the end of the conversation he invited us back to for this wednesday. He is Cajun. Awesome. Then we went to see Susan and talked to her about setting a new date for baptism. That made her cry. So we're not sure how to proceed here. We'll work it out. She comes to everything though. She even came to stake conference on Sunday and said she needed to study her articles of faith. She is doing great. Then we went to see Sister Harper. She is so cute. A member all her life too, but husband not a member. And she drinks coffee and tea and doesn't want to give it up. That seems to be the #1 word of wisdom issue here is COFFEE?? Who would have thought? We have tons of less actives who just won't give up the coffee. It's crazy.
Thursday we went to see Miss Viola. She is this old lady who went on a mission when she was 50 and is so cool. But she doesn't come to church. (Did I tell you we have like 600 inactive people in our ward. yep. awesome.) then we went to see Larry who is an investigator who is not goign anywhere. His excuse is health problems. I don't know why everyone is so full of excuses here. It's nuts. We will figure out a way to help them keep commitments. Then we had the hour of power and met some great people. This one lady gave us a pretty strong no on the way up the street and then on the way back she ran outside and was like "I have a question for yall. Is the world going to end on December 21 of this year?" And we said "No body knows when the Savior will come again. etc etc" but I'm thinking I seriously hope it doesn't end two days after I get home from my mission. That would be super lame. It might as well come right before I go home so I go straight to heaven, right? haha. kidding. kind of. :]
Friday we didn't have district meeting so we went to see Miss Ethel. It was RAINING LIKE CRAZY!!! AH! The rain in Louisiana and Texas is awesome. I love it. The number one thing I will miss about the land here is that big sky. The sunsets are pretty incredible. But so we went to see Ethel and sang to her. She is old as can be, has dementia, and lives in a nursing home. So we go drop by when we visit our investigator Betty there. We also saw Betty and gave her some dresses donated by women in the ward. Betty doesn't understand our purpose so when we go over tonight we're going to do a lesson 1 (the restoration) again. Then we went and dropped by this old Catholic couple who LOVE the sister missionaries. They are so cool. We were planning to show a video from the Mormon messages about the Atonement. And they totally shot us down. It made me so sad. I wanted to be like "What are you afraid of?" But I didn't. Poor LeLanes. I wish they'd listen. Then we had dinner with the Zachary's and the elders brought a part member family that they are teaching. It was cool. I like them a lot.
Saturday we did service all day. We met Susan's husband. We are best friends now. He's cool. Maybe eventually he will join the church with her. That would be neato. They took us out to dinner cause our dinner appointment cancelled. Then we also saw Debra a less active and her care taker Josetta who is semi investigating the church. It was an okay day.
Sunday was Stake Conference. Elder Giff Nielson was the speaker and he did really well. He talked about how we have the spotlight on us like never before because of romney etc etc (he even through in jimmer :] that made me just thrilled as you can imagine. how is jimmer doing anyway? is he playing? does the nba even happen any more?) After church we went to teach Souriya. He is SOO AWESOME! He reminds me of Jonathan Daigle, but not as tainted by religion in the past. So, of course, I love him immediately. He is cool. He was buddist I think. But he's very open. He doesn't understand why the SAvior had to die for us. He understands the concept of what we teach, but he doesn't understand how a just God could allow that to happen. It's just very different because he doesn't have "that solid christian background" (like ming han! haha) but I love teaching him. I was so happy after his lesson. Then we went tos ee some less actives. She served a mission to guatamala in the 80s. And Then we saw a recent convert who just hasn't been to church in a year. Nice. She is cool though. She has a hair salon in her house. She's gonna give me bangs again when the weather cools off. Then we capped off the night seeing Sister Monroe - the member who lives in our complex. Everyone always has more of a story and more of a battle in life than you'd think. We're going to work with her I really like her. She reminds me of Annie Goodell... Hamilton. :] So Iove her automatically too.
Things are going good. I went to the doctor this morning. They did blood work. Mom, Pamela says Hi. She just loves you to death haha. She thinks you're great. You would fit right in here in the South :] The doctor is really cool. But they didn't have me pay for anything so... not sure what that's about. I'm still struggling with the whole sleeping thing, but it's all worth it when we teach. I just love to teach this gospel to people who don't have it. I love it more than I've ever loved anything. It makes me happier than anything has ever made me. It's really all the cliche's that everyone says. Best two years. hardest two years. highest highs and lowest lows. It's amazing and I am grateful beyond belief that I've had this opportunity and that I keep having this opportunity. Saturday will be my 15 month mark!!! AHHH!! That makes me want to throw up. I can't believe how fast this is all going. YIKES.
Mom, thanks for your letters and cards. I love you! I'm sorry that yall have to go through all that stuff with cleaning out grandma's house. That would be rough. But what a blessing that a young couple is going to live there! I might have to go over there when I get home though. They will understand, this young couple, right? I'm sure. Your life sounds wonderful. I hope you're having a good time at work. Do you still like it?
Dad, thanks for your e-mails and your advice. I love it. I can't believe David Jackson is getting married! He's totally younger than me. So weird. How's everything with the stake? Do yall have your own set of missionaries yet? That is going to be sweet. In Utah there is a lot to be done with reactivation and retention. I'm sure the missionaries can go get em.
James, how is life? How is school? How is everything. You are great. I want to set you up with my old companions I just need the green light. Say the word and I'll get it together.
Jonny, you put your papers in ooh lala! I cannot WAIT to hear where you're going!!!!! AHHH! I'm so excited for you. How's SLCC? I just realized that you're in college. That is THEE weirdest thought I've ever had. Yikes.
I love yall. I'm doing much better. I'm going to get bloodwork results tomorrow so they will tell me if I have hyper thyroid whatever. The doctor was really nice. I liked her. Keep praying. Keep reading. Life is so good with the gospel. We have all the tools we need. Just strap yourself in and stick with it. As Elder Holland says "Stay with the good ship zion". I love this gospel with all my heart and I'm committed to this church. It's Christ's church. Of course it is. I felt that so strongly at stake conference. LOVE YOU!