First, Tuesday. We headed over to The Thompson's house to help Reo Grover Sr. dig the septic tank line. Really he just supervised on his tractor. Old age and whatnot. His first comment when we arrived, "You have used a shovel before right?" I looked him straight faced and said "No! What is a shovel? How do you use this 'shovel'?" He thought I was being serious for about a minute until I finally started laughing and told him that of course I had used a shovel. And yes, I knew how to work hard. Don't worry Reo. I can do this!
We ended up finishing in 2ish hours which surprised Reo since he was sure we wouldn't be able to do it, being ladies and all. Challenge accepted Reo. Challenge accepted.
We also volunteered at 360, the thrift store in town. The people there are a hoot. We have been going in on Wednesday mornings to volunteer before district meeting. This Wednesday they had just gotten in a balloon party pack, which included a helium tank, balloons, and string. We of course had to test it to see if it worked. Just to make sure. Andjewn (antoine) decided we should all tie balloons somewhere on our bodies and walk around with them. Just for fun. So we did. We looked pretty silly and everyone got a good laugh out of it! Good start to a day!
Another service activity involved helping Heather Gipson, who we watched General Conference with, deconstruct a pool she was given so she could transport it to her house. Turned out to be a HUGE task. We enlisted the help of the Elders and spent some good times unscrewing screws, tearing up decks, getting up and personal with devil wasp nests (my nose literally touched the nests, and the wasps. Good thing I wasn't stung. That would have HURT!) and digging like dogs in sand to get the posts out. I will send some fun pictures of that! Heather's brother was impressed when he showed up to help and saw Elder Wells and I rolling up the metal support wall that goes around the whole pool. One of us on each side. We were both soaked with filthy water from the pool, which had been sitting almost empty in the sun, and filled up with algae and nastiness. We were also covered in sand from digging out the posts, and were dripping in sweat from the heat and the exertion of rolling up the heavy wall. We then carried that wall and the very heavy pool liner onto the trailer. Chris was trying to figure out who could carry it since there was only three men. I jumped in and Chris looked at me like
I laughed and Elder Wells just nodded. Hahah. I paid the price for that one. I woke up the next morning with sore arms and aching muscles throughout my body!
Funny side story. The pool liner was brought home and we began scrubbing the algae and heavily dried on leaves off. Then, after an hour of scrubbing, Heather saw a hole in the liner that would prevent the liner from working in the pool. She made the decision to get rid of it. So we rolled it up and carried it up the hill, slowly due to the weight of it, to the park strip by the mailbox for the county to pick up.
It disappeared the next morning. Heather thought the county had picked it up. Then SA and I went to visit our investigator Patrick, who lives across the street from Heather in a camping trailer while he is building a house into the hill. He is a bit of a hoarder of random things. And we look around and see the pool liner. I died laughing. I don't have any idea how he got it in his truck! It took all four of us, all adults, three of whom were strong men, to get it up to the mailbox!
Now onto "the other stuff" we did this week!
Christan's two children, Ava and Grayson, were blessed in Church yesterday! I was so excited to see it happen! It is amazing to have been a part of this whole process, from teaching her and preparing her for baptism, to her actual baptism, and now her children becoming more a part of it all as they are put on the records of the Church. So humbling and remarkable!!!
Christan is truly an amazing woman that is working hard to make the best for her kids. She is devoted and loving to everything and everyone! I love her so much!!!
Rebecca, our investigator that I have been so excited about, dropped us. She had a date set to shoot for for baptism and was loving everything we got to discuss with her. She was a shining example of what missionaries ask for in their investigators. Then something happened. We don't really know what, though we have tried to get more information to better help her address her concerns. But it all comes down to the fact that she no longer wants to be baptized or meet with us. She has asked us to not come by anymore and told us she will continue searching in her own way. We were really saddened by it, especially the timing of it. The past couple weeks have been a little slow in regards to teaching. We have been hoping that it will all work out, but we are quickly getting tired of driving around, from door to door, only to have our investigators not home, not interested anymore, or simply too busy to meet with us right then. We then end up trying to knock on doors, usually with little success. Then we went to read with Rebecca, who said she would love for us to come over Tuesday evening. Then she said she wanted us to come so she could tell us in person that she wasn't interested anymore. Sigh. Another bites the dust.
We will continue to hold out hope and trust. I know God has a plan for us!
We had our Stake Women's Conference this weekend. It was such a good time! The highlight was a video we watched about how our decisions determine our destiny. Here is the link for y'all to enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZBdZEG7PSI (Every kid is ONE caring adult away from being a success story)
Amazing story and ideas expressed! Watch it!!
We also had a book exchange and got to get some new religious books to enjoy! The one I am reading now, "Why I Believe" includes the testimonies of prominent members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is so good!
One of the classes at the conference talked about Strong Women in Christ. The sister presenting the class shared this poem as she talked about how we can truly become strong women in Christ.
Audrey Hepburn's Beauty Tips
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his or her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge you'll never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; Never throw out anybody.
Remember, If you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.
The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair. The beauty of a woman must be seen from in her eyes, because that is the doorway to her heart, the place where love resides.
The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mole, but true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives, the passion that she shows, and the beauty of a woman with passing years only grows!
I love it so much! If we are serving others, we are truly beautiful and are becoming stronger in Christ.
Last night I had an interesting thought last night as I was writing in my journal. I wrote down my thoughts and the experiences for the day, then got down to pray before going to bed. As I was praying, the words came to mind "Thank you Heavenly Father for having a plan for each of your children" then "and thank thee for thy Son and His sacrifice that made it possible for all these plans possible" It was interesting to think of it that way. God has a Plan for each of His children, but it is through Christ's sacrifice that all those plans are made possible. Cool to think about.
LOVE Y'ALL!!! Only three months!
