I am with Sister Steadman! She is a wonderful missionary! She was companion's with Sister Carter our first transfer out here, so we served close to each other, and now we are comps! We are having a grand time being crazy missionaries together!
Here are some things I am grateful for this week:
-The kind rich people on El Camino Real.


There is a road named El Camino Real that is made up of mostly nice houses. Nice, but modest in comparison to those that reside at the end. 5 mansions that have private beaches and beautiful structures. There reside some of the nicest rich people I know. As we tracted those houses, they opened their doors to us. Not out of interest, but pure Christlike kindness. The first door opened to reveal a kind man that invited us in to cool off and gave us water. He said he knew some Mormons, one of which is his niece. He said they are very kind, but that he is content where he is. We thanked him for the water and headed on our way. The next house was a kind older gentleman. We introduced ourselves to him and why we were there. He nodded and said, "Okay. What do you want me to do?" I resisted the urge to smile and say "Get baptized?"
and instead said "We simply want to share our message with you. The message we share is centered on Jesus Christ and is of great value and importance." He smiled and nodded. Then he asked if we wanted to come share a message with him and his dinner party guests. We walked into a house with marble floors, marble pillars, fur rug, and a swimming pool visible on the back deck. We introduced ourselves again to the 4 guests, all sipping on their very expensive wine and nibbling on their fancy cheeses. I asked if we could say a prayer. They said yes. And then I shared James 1:5 accompanied with my testimony of God's willingness to answer our questions. I then handed them passalong cards and asked them to please call us if they wanted to hear more. The older gentleman that answered the door offered us a drink. We choose Root Beer, despite his very generous offer of some of the expensive wine. We then left with dumbfounded looks of amazement and awe at the house.
There is a road named El Camino Real that is made up of mostly nice houses. Nice, but modest in comparison to those that reside at the end. 5 mansions that have private beaches and beautiful structures. There reside some of the nicest rich people I know. As we tracted those houses, they opened their doors to us. Not out of interest, but pure Christlike kindness. The first door opened to reveal a kind man that invited us in to cool off and gave us water. He said he knew some Mormons, one of which is his niece. He said they are very kind, but that he is content where he is. We thanked him for the water and headed on our way. The next house was a kind older gentleman. We introduced ourselves to him and why we were there. He nodded and said, "Okay. What do you want me to do?" I resisted the urge to smile and say "Get baptized?"
The next house was owned by a kind Buddhist man that practices the Japanese zen form of meditation. He wasn't interested in changing, but gave us a kind smile and well wishes.
-Ray and Gloria Skillestad.
As we headed home we stopped by at a house that had told us to come back later to get a card in exchange for the passalong card we gave him. We almost passed it, but I remembered that we told the man we would go back on our way home, so we turned around and went to check the porch for the card, where he said he would put it. I felt impressed to knock, even though the card wasn't there. I knocked and waited. Then knocked again. Finally a woman came to the door. The man's wife. She started closing the door, then looked down at my name tag. She asked if we were the Mormons. I said yes. Then she opened the door again and told us of her interest in Family Search. She uses it to find her family as she does geneology. We told her of the class we teach about family history and invited her to come. She said she would be more than happy to!
- People that make me smile. Even when they are intending to do the opposite.
I am grateful for the kind man that made me smile as he so affectionately told his neighbors, "Give 'em a $100 bill and they'll go away"
Though he was meaning to offend, I couldn't help but laugh! How nice it would be if everyone that we ran into gave a $100 bill! 
- The even kinder woman who gave us water and let us in after I almost passed out from a mix of heat stroke and dehydration. Whoops.
We can't drink the tap water down here, so the members sign up to bring us water/gatorade (they also bring us fruits and veggies!) The member that was supposed to bring it to us this Sunday, didn't. So we have been rationing water since we are on bikes and the nearest Walmart is in D'iberville. Not a good idea. Long story short, I didn't drink enough water, and then we went out on bikes (w/o water bottles) and tracted in the hot and humid afternoon/evening hours 8 miles away from our apartment. By the time we reached the second house, I was feeling dizzy and light headed. Then we continued on and I got really hot and clammy. My muscles were cramping up as we walked and I knew I was in trouble. As we knocked on a lady's door, I was struggling to not fall over. I know. That is bad. But the woman saw that and let us in to cool off and made sure we drank water. And that I was still alive.
So kind.
We decided it was time to head home after that. Which brings us to our next point
- Angels bearing me up and pushing my bike when I could not go any further. The ride home was long and full of little hills, not too bad, but big enough to make you work harder. As I was biking and ready to give up, my bike felt like it was being pushed. Someone was pushing me and helping me get home to water. Tender mercy
- AC to come to. It is indescribably glorious to walk in from a long, hot day, to a cool and dry apartment. 'nough said.
- Soft couches to sit on after biking 30 miles on a rock hard bike seat that sits uncomfortably right on my tail bone. I am really missing my cushy beach cruiser seat right about now.
- Ice cold Gatorade to drink after almost dying. (see point number 4)
- An even kinder companion that let me drink said gatorade even though it was the last one. And is also understanding and lets me vent after interviews with President. She and I relate to each other when it comes to struggles with President. Respect the man for his authority. His handling of some situations. Not so much. It was nice to have someone that knew where I was coming from to talk to after the barely veiled inquiries as to whether or not I had abused anyone else.

"How are you going Sister Lindberg? I hope you have been able to leave the past behind you and become better?" Yep I have. And the only time I think about it now is whenever I talk to you! Because you literally can't let it go!! 

This week has been awesome! I am loving being on the coast and having a grand old time kicking butt as a missionary. Not literally though. That would be abusive and we know I have problems with that.
Love y'all! 





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