The missionaries of Zone 7--kind of an awkward group.
Our spoils at the Chatterbox.
Enjoying a day on the town!
A beautiful Spartian (like martian) sunset.
The lovely purples.
"On the street where I live."
My assigned language and just a kewl sign.
Dearest Family!
This week was great. Let's see, this week we taught Dawn and Judy a few times. I am so amazed by these two! Dawn is so solid and has such an open heart! She now has no cravings to smoke or drink coffee, it was rough, but she made it. She says every time she's come to Church she has had amazing revelation about her life and how the Lord has been with her through all of it. The most amazing change though is in her husband, who we have only seen come in and out of the house. Apparently he's been listening to our lessons through the wall while doing other stuff, because he asks her questions about it afterwards. Dawn ordered a giant scripture set and she reads it out loud while he watches TV. He pretends not to listen, but later in the day asks questions about it and repeats most of what she read. One night before bed he said, "Well? Aren't you forgetting something?" "What? I locked the doors, started the dishwasher--" "The Book! Aren't you gonna read the Book?" He has never been interested in religion, but she is changing and he's seeing how positive it is for her. Without saying anything he's being more helpful around the house, and says fewer snide remarks to her. And she has been getting more sleep since she doesn't wake up at 5 am anymore to smoke. And she's lost weight because she now craves fruit. Whenever she feels tempted she dives into the scriptures and the craving for cigarettes leaves. And interestingly, her husband is starting to feel nauseous when he smokes and threw up once. We gave her a For Strength of Youth for her son, since she's said he doesn't want to give in to his friends standards. She casually put it on his nightstand. He came out a while later and told her how much he loved it!
This week was great. Let's see, this week we taught Dawn and Judy a few times. I am so amazed by these two! Dawn is so solid and has such an open heart! She now has no cravings to smoke or drink coffee, it was rough, but she made it. She says every time she's come to Church she has had amazing revelation about her life and how the Lord has been with her through all of it. The most amazing change though is in her husband, who we have only seen come in and out of the house. Apparently he's been listening to our lessons through the wall while doing other stuff, because he asks her questions about it afterwards. Dawn ordered a giant scripture set and she reads it out loud while he watches TV. He pretends not to listen, but later in the day asks questions about it and repeats most of what she read. One night before bed he said, "Well? Aren't you forgetting something?" "What? I locked the doors, started the dishwasher--" "The Book! Aren't you gonna read the Book?" He has never been interested in religion, but she is changing and he's seeing how positive it is for her. Without saying anything he's being more helpful around the house, and says fewer snide remarks to her. And she has been getting more sleep since she doesn't wake up at 5 am anymore to smoke. And she's lost weight because she now craves fruit. Whenever she feels tempted she dives into the scriptures and the craving for cigarettes leaves. And interestingly, her husband is starting to feel nauseous when he smokes and threw up once. We gave her a For Strength of Youth for her son, since she's said he doesn't want to give in to his friends standards. She casually put it on his nightstand. He came out a while later and told her how much he loved it!
Judy is struggling a bit more. She went from 2 packs a day to 1 cigarette a week, woof! She feels discouraged, but Dawn is there to buoy her up.
We came upon an awkward, but mostly just sad situation the other day. We knocked on a less-active's door, and a man with lots of hair and no shirt answered. He ushered us in to see the person we'd come to see. She's an older lady, on the heavier side, using a very big and loud oxygen pump, has sores on her body, and was naked but for a blanket thankfully covering her privates. There were flies, and the house smelled of urine and death. There was a portable toilet next to her mattress. We didn't know what to do. I couldn't hear a thing she said because of the oxygen pump, but I guess she got offended by someone at Church and didn't want the Church's help. But since she let us in, she might let the Relief Society President come by to help. We sang a hymn, and that seemed to calm her down. I hope we can help her more.
Let's see, I'm doing well and so are my companions. President and Sister Jeppson got back from Utah yesterday and his surgery went well, so yay! We went to a real neat Diner this week, the Chatterbox, for Sister Torgerson's 23 and a half birthday. (Yes, we celebrate half birthdays here because we need some excitement every now and then). It's a circualr building with a different vintage car every month in the center. There are old movie posters round the walls and old tunes aplayin'. It was lots of fun!
Well, I love you guys, be safe and happy and enjoy the dry heat. The humidity, sorry 'umidity', is really gettin to this one!
OH! And a man we met the other day had lots of awesome nerd stuff in his house. I remarked on the Gollum bookend and he told me they're making the Hobbit into 3 movies!!!! I jumped up and down and in a high squeaky voice said, "Are you serious!? Oh my goodness! Agh!" And then kinda started crying. He just laughed and so did my companions. Maybe it wasn't the most professional of responses, but goons am I excited!
Love you,
sister mergle
