Aug 22-29th
PDAY sports wear me out! The same elder always picks me to be on his team. I
think he either a)has a crush on me or b) he is afraid to be on a
different team than me because I'll beat him. I'm going with the
latter.
We had dinner at the bishops house and they are so funny! Sister
Daulton was telling some story about how she road her dog down the
street pretending to be riding Asland from Narnia. Bishop responded
with a "hey you better watch what you say that with the accent you have".
She didn't get it but I was busting a gut thinking about how
embarrassed she would be if she thought people heard her say "ass
land" instead of Asland. Hahaha
On our way home a sweet storm rolled in and I got some awesome pictures.
Tuesday was the youth temple trip for the ward. We got creative and
invited our investigator Jenna to have a temple tour while they youth
were doing baptisms. She was really nervous at first because she
didn't know what to expect but she thought it was beautiful and
enjoyed the spirit. We even took her to the new family history center
next door because she loves doing family history. Afterwards we read 3
nephi chapter 11 when Christ comes to the Americas to visit the people
at the temple in the temple waiting room as more youth came out to
join us. (The Las Vegas temple has a big area to wait in for
nonmembers unlike the OKC Temple.) The spirit was really strong. I'm
excited to see Jenna grow in the gospel, it's just really difficult
because she doesn't have a support system at home to help her progress
faster.
Afterwards we ate dinner with the Chowens. Sister Chowen is the Young
Women's President and her family is awesome! They are the ones who had
me flick whip cream in my hand and catch it in my mouth. After dinner
they took us to this donut shop that reminded me of daylight donuts.
So great!
Wednesday we had exchanges. I was in my old stomping grounds, the
Foothills YSA ward. We saw a lot of miracle revisiting the people that
I had once taught but fell under the radar because of new missionaries
coming in and out. Our dinner appointment was with a family I hadn't
met before but they recognized me from speaking at the Camp PMG
fireside like a month ago! I spoke for 5 minutes and now I feel like a
celebrity!
Thursday, throughout the whole day we had been teaching about the Plan
of Salvation. To top it off we had an incredible lesson with a guy
named Mike. We had met him our first week in the area and he was
really nice but super busy so we never were able to catch him after
that. However the spirit lead us to knock on his door and try again.
He came out and talked with us and as we talked our conversation
flowed into teaching him about the plan of salvation. It so happened
that just earlier that day he and his wife (who is pregnant) went to
the doctors to hear their baby's heart beat for the first time. He
soaked up everything that we were saying and could not stop smiling
when we would testify because he knew it was true. He especially like
our answer to "what happens to those who never had the opportunity to
be baptized in this life?". We explained to him the purpose of the
spirit world and doing temple work. This gave him so much comfort. At
the end we invited him to be baptized and before we could say anything
else he told us he would pray about it.
Friday we invited a young women to come with us to teach about the
plan of salvation and asked her to be prepared to share her testimony
on how families can be together forever. When we picked her up she had
her written testimony on index cards, a small family photo album and a
book "My Turn on Earth". She was so excited and said that she was
meant to come to this lesson because she was adopted and has a strong
testimony of Gods plan. Unfortunately the lesson fell through but she
so badly wanted to teach with us so she took us to one of her friends
house, Carly, who has been to almost every church activity and was
even supposed to come to the temple but makes us every excuse to come
to church. Missionaries have never been able to meet with Carly so
this was a miracle! The young women basically lead the lesson and it
was so neat seeing the member missionary work. I forgot to mention
this young women was 12! Stellar!
Saturday at the ward party, we told the Young Women's president about
all the miracles that we've seen having the young women come out with
us. She said that she believes we were sent to this ward for a reason.
Some of the young women have been sitting on a fence but now know and
feel the blessings from being truly devoted. It's neat seeing the
conversion of nonmembers and members.
The ward party was at a park up against Black Mountain. While we were
walking to the picnic we met a lady who had just moved from Edmond and
had worked with someone who's kids went to Memorial! Small world.
The ward had a slip and slide kickball field set up with kiddy pools
as bases. Once the game was over they made a giant slip and slide
going down the hill. It's not a fun ward party until an ambulance is
needed... Right? One of the young men broke his ankle going down. I
didn't see it but I'm sure it looked awful. Some other young men took
a giant tire and thought it would be fun to get inside and roll down
the hill a couple times. I got dizzy just watching! Overall it was
great. The ward reminds me of the old Edmond 1st, everyone is close
and was having a great time. Sister Daulton asked if she could "take a
turn on the cooking table" (the grill to cook hamburgers). Bishop said
"I don't know if that would be a good idea... It might have something
to do with the length of your arms." It was funny.
Sunday church was great. Jenna's mom wouldn't let her go so it might
be a struggle to help her get that support she needs. At the beginning
of Relief society I had sat down and a sister asked where sister
Daulton was but then saw she was up and about all over the room. She
then said "I admire you for your patience with her, do you sometimes
find it difficult?" I said in the most positive way "she keeps things
interesting. I always have stories to send home!" The members are
really good about making sure I'm okay and helping Sister Daulton.
Honestly, I try and block out most of what she says. She repeats
herself a lot. In a way she's like grandpa, how he has his bingo sheet
of stories but hers are over exaggerated. Think about living with a
hyper squirrel that I basically trips over, has a maturity level of a
12 year old but talks like she's 92! It's been a long six weeks, but I
wouldn't trade what I've learned for anything.
Spiritual thought: 1) this is a quote from one of Elder Hollands talks
"The Justice and Mercy of God". A favorite British scholar said: “I do
not think that all who choose wrong roads perish; but their rescue
consists in being put back on the right road. A [mathematical] sum
[incorrectly worked] can be put right: but only by going back till you
find the error and [then] working it afresh from that point, never by
simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot ‘develop’ into
good. Time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound.”
And 2) I've always wondered what it would be like to not have the
gospel in my life. I was reading in JSH and Oliver Cowdery gave a
great analogy as he shared his experience "What joy! what wonder! what
amazement! While the world was racked and distracted--while millions
were groping as the blind for the wall, and while all men were resting
upon uncertainty, as a general mass, our eyes beheld, our ears heard,
as in the ‘blaze of day’;". I've never had to search for the truth
because it's always been right here. Although I am still afraid of the
dark so I know the empty feeling of being in a pitch black room trying
to find a wall or a table to orient yourself with but being left with
nothing- completely empty. The gospel of Jesus Christ is not only a
wall to guide you but it's a light that makes everything in the room
clear as day. When you're used to the dark of the room your eyes
eventually adjust. It maybe uncomfortable at first when the light
initially comes on but that is because your eyes have to adjust. Just
like the gospel it's easier to walk in light than it is in darkness.
Now for your favorite part... Sister Daulton quotes:
"It's common curtesy to tell someone if you have bed bugs."
"Watch this... This is called petting a leaf... Who's a good leaf?...
Bark... Okay I'll stop"
"That's like Gandhi level of fasting."
"Now there's not that "oola" connection" (taking out a 12 year old for
a 15 year old lesson)
"A bee flew in my ear and then the wind hit my head!"
"I need to get a desk organizer for my pens because this is quite
frankly 'redaunculous'"
"Purses= saddle bags. Bikes=horses. Cars=chariots. Investigators=towns
people. Members= cadets. President= war lord. Us=warriors.
Appointments= battles. Finding a new investigators= saving someone
from a dragon. Dinner=hunting. Scriptures=scrolls. Referrals=quests.
Temple= mount Olympus. Baptism= saving someone from the underworld. "
August 15-21
Last Monday we took a tour of the Hoover dam. Sister Daulton stayed behind with a member and one of her old investigators to get her hair dyed. It was a shorter tour than last time but still super cool! The member who picked us up to bring us back was an older guy and he wanted to take us on our own little tour. Haha so we got to read a lot of those informational signs that no ever reads.
After dinner sister Daulton decided she wanted to raced the member's six year old daughter... And lost. I have a video of it.
We met a guy named Chuck this week. We were making a call, about to get out of our car when he came up and started talking to us. We invited him to church, set up another time to meet, and gave him our phone number. He texted us this: "It just so happens that I ran into you guys at a time when I am going through some really rough personal stuff. And you guys seem very nice. And I may want to talk to you and pray about it along the way if that is something you guys do. If that is okay please just let me know who's number I have here so that I can save it under the proper name. It was a pleasure to meet you and I look forward to talking to you again Chuck. ...
I would appreciate it. And it would be awesome to be able to get together with you guys sometime soon. Perhaps before church at the end of this week so that I can share with you the trials that I am dealing with right now. I am very good at sensing energy around people and you guys are both vey very pleasant to be close by and to speak to. I am certain that you guys will find a way of filling in some blanks with insight. Thank you for your time. Thank you for being out here in the heat and doing what you guys are doing you guys are just as important as anybody who is working anywhere. working at the ground level sometimes has a chain reaction that you will never know or see but just have knowledge it is there." Way cool! And we had him in our plans as a potential to go see at that time because the elders before us were never able to meet with him! Miracles.
We've been taking a lot of young women out with us this week. It's incredible the impact we have on them. They always ask us a lot of questions and I know it's helping them with their testimony. Sometimes I feel like members never remember the missionaries. But I know I'm making an impact.
We had interviews this week. President always has a scripture study with us and this time we read Alma chapter 5. It's all about inspired questions and a self assessment to make sure we are on the right path. I love knowing that I can feel completely clean because of Christ atonement and I can strive to do and be better.
Sister Snow was proud of how I carried myself and my example to the mission.
President said that he will probably transfer me and give me another companion to help but thankfully no one is as demanding as sister Daulton.
The missionaries think I'm cool and want to hangout with me after the mission. I don't know why I never had friends before the mission! Haha just kidding.
At the end of interviews sister Daulton said "I'm teaching sister Gier patience!!" Everyone kinda laughed and rolled their eyes and then she said "Sister, am I really teaching you patience?" And I undoubtedly said "Yes, yes you are."
I did the Alma 5 assessment and had a mini interview with God. Sometimes I ask him 'why?' and then he gives me a glimpse of who I was before this life. Mortality is hard because we forget and have to try to become someone more. I know God has so many more "building experiences" to catch me up to speed and reach my full potential. I don't know if I'm ready for it "but a challenge isn't a challenge if you're ready" -sister Kohler.
This week seemed really long. It was nice getting a break and being around other people. Even something as simple as eating lunch with our district. My district is great.
Friday the youth always play night games at the park which reminded me of church kids I hangout with in Edmond. I gave them some new games they could play and they seemed to like them!
Saturday we had dinner at the Young Women Preidents house, the Chowens, and they had heard I could put whip cream in my hand and flick it in my mouth. So they bought a can of it and asked me to show them how. Members love some good entertainment! When they tried it the whip cream landed in their eyes and hair and clothes. Thankfully it was all on video and posted to the ward Facebook page. Haha I love this ward!
Sunday night I was asked to conduct the music for a mission wide fireside out on for everyone's investigators. You know I'm not musically inclined but I can at least fake it. However, that's not the worst part. I was wearing a pair of shoes that were a little too loose so when I was walking to the stand one shoe fell off and rolled down the stairs. I didn't want to make a scene so I let it there. President Snow was sitting near by and saw it so he had a hard time keeping his composure during the opening hymn. Haha
Other funny things that sister Daulton did: hugged a pig and chased chickens around a yard. Housed a members kid at the dinner table... Probably just because she's never had anyone speak louder than her. Every night we roll the windows down and she sticks her head out of the window like a dog as we jam to EFY music. I'm working on her. She also always asks for a pet even though it clearly states missionaries can't have pets. I'm going to get her a rock at the end of the transfer.
Quotes by sister Daulton:
"I wouldn't wish a hyper me on my worst enemy"
"I've had too many run ins with small animals... So I can't pick up your cat"
"I made a YouTube video...150 things to do with a cat!"
"Lock the doors! ...or I could get out and run around like a monkey!"
"I'm taking a shower. If anyone calls I'm not answering...but if president calls to say that he has changed his mind about getting me a horse, let me know!"
No comments:
Post a Comment