Ok, I know it doesn't look like anything is happening, but we are walking on top of the snow! We weren't falling through! We were basically Legolas!
Sister Rittenhouse and Sister Manno (who was baptized two months ago and is eagerly awaiting her turn to serve a mission) eating tacos in Dover.
Sister Richardson experiencing the Boyles massage chair (it even gets your feet and arms!? It was so crazy!).
Little Peter and Grandma Diaz. Those two!
Corned beef with Ernesto and Doris, who was hovering around somewhere.
A really neat frozen swamp.
Sister Walker, sitting close after she found out we weren't sick. Before she was sitting as far away from us as she could. She calls me her "Ogden girl".
Family Darlings!
This week was pretty incredible. We worked super hard and taught 25 lessons! I went on exchange with the Dover Spanish sisters, and it was really neat! We ate tacos there, and they were tasty. The people we taught were so open to listening and learning, I wish more English speaking people were like that. But when we switched back to our regular areas, Sister Richardson and I did a lot of faithful praying that we'd be able to find people and have the courage to speak to them. Sister Richardson is very good at speaking to people, thank goodness. We're both pretty awkward at starting out the conversation though. But Heavenly Father will help us.
This week was pretty incredible. We worked super hard and taught 25 lessons! I went on exchange with the Dover Spanish sisters, and it was really neat! We ate tacos there, and they were tasty. The people we taught were so open to listening and learning, I wish more English speaking people were like that. But when we switched back to our regular areas, Sister Richardson and I did a lot of faithful praying that we'd be able to find people and have the courage to speak to them. Sister Richardson is very good at speaking to people, thank goodness. We're both pretty awkward at starting out the conversation though. But Heavenly Father will help us.
On Thursday, our walking day, we taught a whole bunch! We gave out two Books of Mormon, and found some really good potentials. We went to visit a less-active, and in the apartment lobby, we saw a man painting. I felt like I should talk to him, so I jumped out of the elevator, then made some awkward sounds because my companion hadn't followed me. So I hopped back into the elevator. The doors started to close, and I hopped back out thinking she would follow me. When she didn't, I made more awkward sounds (the painter had his back turned to all of this and had no idea what was going on, but probably heard the elevator dinging a lot). Then I shuffled back into the elevator. My companion was so perplexed. We went on to see the less-active, and came back down. Alas, the painter had already finished painting and left. Next time though, we'll remember to follow the promptings of the Spirit, because who knows how that could've gone. Oh, at the less-active's house, she sprayed us with three different perfumes she got for Christmas, and we smelled.... quite pungently like we were 95 years old. Maybe that's why the guy left. Later that day, we joined our Bible Study group at the local college for a presentation on the Dome of the Rock and ancient Temples. It was quite fascinating!
The next day we saw Ernesto, a member who's been struggling with smoking. He made a New Year's resolution to pray and read the Book of Mormon every time he's tempted to smoke, and he has been tobacco free for two weeks! His countenance was so much brighter and he seemed so happy and energetic! I love that the Lord keeps His promises when we keep His commandments! Much to Sister Richardson's dismay, Ernesto and Doris fed us rice, beans, and corned beef. Sister Richardson hates ground meats, and beef particularly. While Ernesto and Doris were in the kitchen, I scarfed some of Sister Richardson's food down so it would look like she had eaten more. The things you'll do for your companions...
At little Peter's we talked about the Temple. His grandma also fed us rice, beans, and meats. It was all excellent, but again, my poor companion. Little Peter went to the Temple on Saturday and loved it! Today I'm making him a journal so he can record his spiritual experiences in it. I love that kid so much! We made a secret handshake, that he now does with all the missionaries he sees. What a champ!
Saturday was chalk full of miracles. Besides teaching eight lessons, we found a new investigator, and helped a lady in dire need. The day started out gloomy, as the street we'd planned to knock had been gotten to the week before by the Jehovah's Witnesses. They're great people, but when we come so soon after, people are not happy. We kept going about the day though and taught some lessons. As we were passing a certain street I turned the wheel quickly and said, "We need to see Sister Walker, she hasn't been to Church in forever." We saw her, funny old lady, she didn't want to come to Church because she says if she gets even so much as a whiff of the flu she'll be toast. She told us to visit her neighbor. We did, and we taught her about the Book of Mormon. She's a Muslim lady, but she doesn't feel like the books in her faith are true. She says if she'd want any book to be true, it would be the Book of Mormon. She says she might have a hard time understanding it, but she's going to read nevertheless. So she's our new investigator!
Then we got a call that our last appointment cancelled. We didn't want to do our back-ups in that town since it's far away, so we decided to stay in our home town. By 8:30 pm we didn't know who else to see. Not wanting to go home early though, we decided to visit Donna. She'd ditched our last appointment, but we wanted to see how she was doing. We knocked on her door, and she answered it, sobbing with make-up streaking down her face. She told us her daughter was pregnant and going to jail, her other daughter wouldn't let her see her granddaughter, they were about to be evicted, and a whole host of other things. Her kids were out for the evening, so she was alone. She'd just been praying, telling God she couldn't handle it anymore. She was just about to overdose, when we knocked on the door. I love God so much. He prepared us to be there for her by making our appointment cancel, by helping us decide to stay in town, and by directing us to her house. The funny thing is, I didn't feel a big, "we NEED to see her" kind of feeling. It was just a random thought. But He trusted us to follow those thoughts given us by the Holy Ghost, and He answered her prayer. I'm so glad I'm out here.
On Sunday we saw James, and the members we brought were just who he needed. I would've never paired them together, but they were the closest ones to his home, and the things they said brought comfort to him. I love seeing the Spirit work inside people to bless other people! The Gospel is so true! I love it so much, and I'm going to miss being a part of this. Of course I'll still be a missionary at home, but this is just so incredible. I love seeing little Peter excited about the Temple, and Dawn receiving a calling in Church that she's excited to fulfill, and hearing that Sara (my first baptism, in Fardale) got her patriarchal blessing and is happily attending a Young Single Adult ward and is applying to BYU. Goons! This is the best calling of all time!
I love you guys so much. I'm so excited to see you and play with you and go on adventures with the kids. I can't believe I'll be home in a month. It seems quite surreal. I love you kidz! Share your testimony with someone--it'll brighten their day.
Sister Merglesby
