Tuesday, August 30, 2016

Week 8: My One Month Mark in the Field

29 August 2016

Monday (last week on August 22)…So today, after P-day, we got texts from Victor talking about how he had asked Danielle out to lunch and she "shot him down hard". Sister Foulke and I were face-palming because missionaries are NOT a dating service. All we could tell him was that it must suck and that he can still be friends with Danielle (much, MUCH more tactfully I can assure you! xD) So yeah.

We tried to contact people for a bit before going to FHE (Family Home Evening). For FHE they were cleaning out a wash (a creek without water).  So, Sister Foulke and I were climbing up rocks and things in our skirts to clean out the wash. There were some sketchy plastic bags that kinda concerned me a little. But all is well!

As we were coming home it started to rain! Lightning and thunder too!!! Sister Foulke (from Oregon) and my lovely self (from Missouri) were SO pumped to see RAIN! :D Both of us love thunderstorms so we were pretty happy!

-------------------

Tuesday (August 23rd) was really interesting xD.  After proselyting in the morning and lunch, we went over to the Barlow's house to do service. They had gotten hundreds of cucumbers to make into pickles to be distributed to the less fortunate. So we spent an hour and a half chopping onions, breathing in vinegar, washing mason jars, and the like. My eyes stung SO bad. :D The onions were really ripe and my eyes were watering so much Nevada almost became a jungle. 

While we were in the midst of this, Ellen was asking Sister Foulke and I what kind of pillow-pets we would want if we were to get one. I had no idea what a pillowpet was so she pulled up the website on her laptop and whilst cutting pickles we oo-ed and awed over the pillow pets. My FAVORITE was the mystical panda! It is so cute and fat and happy! xD Sister Foulke said that she wanted the one that was a plushy of the smiling poop emoji... I love my companion! XD

After we finished with the pickle making we had a lesson with Victor and we had to take Ellen with us because Danielle felt like Victor was crushing on her so she felt awkward. So Ellen came with and it was actually REALLY good! We talked about Lehi's vision of the Tree of Life and all of the symbolism in it. The account is in 1 Nephi chapters 8 and 11.   *thumbs up and wink*

Then Sister Foulke and I felt prompted to go over to the Villas (where the Bate's live) a little early and walk around. So we did. As we were walking, planning on visiting some other potential investigators, we saw Alice and her boyfriend outside! We walked over and it turned out that their car had broken down and she was late for work. Sister Foulke and I looked at each other and had a silent-eye-conversation about how cool it was that the Lord guided us there at the right time! We called a member of the Ward and they immediately came and picked her up and took her to work! How crazy awesome is that???

After talking to Alice about how the Lord is always aware of us and wants to help us (#thechurchisSOtrue) we went over to the Bate's to teach them a lesson in preparation of their upcoming baptism. It was wonderful! I love going over to their house.  The Spirit is always there and Sister Foulke and I always leave there feeling better than when we came.

That night my eye hurt so bad that it took me a long time to fall asleep. I tried rinsing it out with water and eye drops. Nada mucho happened.

------------------------


The Elder on the left is our
District Leader
Wednesday (August 24th) was eventful to say the least. Today we had District Council and Monday night. I was asked to give a training during District Council. I was so very nervous but I didn't show it. I was asked to train on "We Invite" because as missionaries our whole purpose is to invite others to come unto Christ and we do that by inviting people to make commitments to begin changing their lives to become more in harmony with Christ's life. Anywho…I gave this whole training on how and why we need to extend invitations... and after the whole District Council was over, I realize that I didn't extend an invitation to my district. *hardcore facepalm* So I felt like a doofus, but hopefully no one else noticed.

We were out proselyting later that afternoon and we came across a man sitting outside his apartment and so we talked to him naturally. His name was... *drumroll* KIRK! I died I was so happy! He said that all his friends call him "captain" and we were more than welcome to do so. And guess what? His favorite Star Trek series is Deep Space Nine!!!!!!!!!!! Do you all know how many people know about DS9? NOT MANY! And his favorite Star Trek couple is Jadzia Dax and Worf! I'm so happy! *nerd tears of joy* So we asked if we could visit with him again and he said yes.

Then we went over to another apartment complex looking for a potential investigator named Breesha and we came just at the right time and just barely caught her! She set  up an appointment to meet with us next week!

We then went over to a member's house from the YSA (Young Single Adult) Ward for dinner and it was just her and her mom. And guess what.... They are Shakespeare nerds!!!! XD So we were able to chat about Shakespeare and twas glorious!

After that was the YSA Ward correlation with Ephraim and it made us a little sad because he is the Ward Mission Leader and has Ward missionaries called to help him. None of them show up to any of the meetings. None of them do their calling. It's very frustrating for both Ephraim and us since Ward missionaries are actually very crucial. I must needs repent when I return. :)

Then we went out to do more street contacting and, as we did so, we knocked on the door of a woman named Bodai (bo-day) and she was super cool and asked us to come over again so we set up an appointment for next week! :D

My eye still hurt really bad all day. So that afternoon we called the mission office to see what we should do and they told us to set up an appointment with the eye doctor. Thankfully they had an appointment available for Thursday at ten in the morning.

----------------------

Thursday (August 25th)  So... We went to the eye doctor appointment and they ran a bazillion tests before the actual eye doctor came in. He came in and was looking at my eye and asked me why I had come in. I told him that my eye had been burning with the wrath of a thousand suns for two days now to which he asked what I had been doing when it started hurting. I replied that I had been cutting onions and he cut me off and he was like, "No way!" He grabbed a q-tip like instrument and he started rubbing my eyeball. Then he said... *drumroll*  that I had an ONION PEEL ON MY EYE!!!!! Yes. You read correctly. The reason my eye was burning with the wrath of a thousand suns and my vision was blurry was because I had an onion contact on my eyeball!!!! Apparently, it had somehow gotten through my glasses onto my eyeball while cutting onions for the pickles. Sister Foulke was shaking with laughter in the corner. XD #neverservingmyfellowmanagain

Yeah. Still a little bitter about that. Afterwards we had a lesson with Victor Lopez.  We brought Ellen again and on the way there I told her the onion contact saga and she cried with tears of laughter. I'm so glad to be of amusement XD

We then went to Shannon's house and she's 60 or so and struggles with her health a lot so we helped her clean up her house and just talked with her and her youngest daughter Carli who is seventeen-ish.

That evening we had a lesson with Victor Ranga and the Bishop's house. And it went SO much better! Sister Foulke told me right before we went in that I was taking the lead on this lesson and I was like "Whaaaaaaaaaaaat?" We taught him from a talk by Brad Wilcox called “His Grace Is Sufficient" Because Victor didn't understand how we viewed Christ's grace. And he understood by the end. Seriously, Sister Foulke and I walked out of that lesson and breathed a few sighs of relief.

That night the STLs (Sister Training Leaders) came and crashed our apartment and watched us daily plan and stuff. They make me laugh. They are a joy! XD

--------------------

Friday (August 26th) morning we had a lesson with Andrew Kay and it was pretty good :) He struggles with chewing tobacco but he is trying so hard. It makes my heart ache for him. But I know how much more happy his life will be when he's free from his addiction.

Afterwards, we went and tried to contact a referral named Shon. This was the second time we tried to contact him and so when he actually opened the door we were surprised yet elated. He then said that his wife had given birth so he was like, "Could you come over again later?" And Sister Foulke and I went "Of course of course!" We were not going to go, "your wife just gave birth a day ago but you should still let us in and teach the two of you." Yeah no. Newborn babies are taxing to say the least.

After that we stopped by Alo's house to find him again and he was there! He and his brother Tano were super nice and told us that whenever we were in the area and needed water to stop by and use the family knock. But they weren't interested in our message. :/


with Boo and Monty
Then we had dinner with Ephraim and he took us to my new favorite restaurant!!! It's called "The Habit" and the only reason it is not a habit is because I am broke XD

When he came he grinned at us and gave us two boxes. Ellen had gotten us the pillowpet/plushy that we had talked about!!!! Ellen had charged Ephraim to give it to us!!! XD SO HAPPY THAT I HAVE MY MYSTICAL PANDA. 

When we went home Victor Lopez texted us. Yeah. He now has a crush on Sister Foulke it's ridiculous.... He texted her saying things like "Why you no text me?" "Why you no send me nice messages?" And things like that. At first it was hysterically funny and then it was just plain irritating for the both of us. We didn't reply because he was ridiculous.

When we went home we tried to name our new pets. Sister FOulke Named hers "Montezuma's Revenge" to which I replied that she could call him "Monty" for short XD And I named my beautiful mystical Panda "Boo". I LOVE HIM!!!

--------------------------------

Saturday (August 27th) was my one month in the field mark! CRAZY!!!!

I made Snickerdoodles for Alyssa because apparently her member boyfriend broke up with her when she went to visit him in Utah. She is literally the sweetest thing so Sister Foulke and I were quite indignant on her behalf. But we made Snickerdoodles and dropped them off at her apartment to let her know that we love her. We really hope she won't stop investigating the church because of her stupid ex. There is so much joy and peace waiting for her if she would accept the gospel!

After proselyting in the morning, we went over to Ashlynn's apartment for lunch (she is Victor Ranga's girlfriend) (and yes, Sister Foulke and I do get confused by the two Victors). It was super good! She Mae us paninis along with some tomato BISQUE from a place called Smith's. We talked about her and her life and about Victor and just got to get to know her. It was really awesome!



Saturday was the day that Elijah (14) and Arquarius (11) got BAPTIZED!!! XD It was crazy stressful for Sister Foulke and I, but everything went smoothly and we were SO HAPPY!!! And afterwards we took the entire Bates family to the temple for a tour and it was amazing!!!! While we were at the temple there was an LDS family there and a little girl came up to Sister Foulke and I and asked us if we were missionaries. We said we were and she said her name was Logan (about eight years old) and she told us that she had a fake missionary tag and that she wanted to be a missionary. I started to tear up because I suddenly had a flashback to eight-year-old Moriah and I just hope that Logan makes her dream come true just like I have. :)
Bates Family at the temple.

Then we went to dinner at a YSA member's house for dinner.  She still lives with her parents and they live in a gated community where they call the residents to make sure that you are actually invited #willneverbethatrich. It was awesome because Erin is a huge “Doctor Who” nerd so we were able to talk about all of that.

------------------------

Sunday (August 28th) was long but good as always. Sister Foulke and I had to go on splits so she could go to Ward council and so I could stay and make sure that everything went smoothly for the investigators and the recent converts. It was CRAZY! Elijah and Arqaurius were confirmed in Sacrament meeting today!!! It's where they are given the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands and it' super cool! :D

Later at the YSA Ward a young man gave a talk about "His Grace is Sufficient" and Victor Ranga were there and Sister Foulke and I were amazed because there was NO way that was a coincidence! (See Thursday’s summary above.) In his talk, he spoke about how every day in his journal he writes an entry of "In remembrance of Him" where he talks about how he saw Christ in his life that day.

It was super cool because Nyja Bates (19) came to the YSA Ward with us and she really liked it. We're hoping that she will want to get baptized soon!

We then had dinner with the Roberts (Ward Mission Leader and family) and it was super cool. I was in charge of the spiritual thought and I had no idea what I was going to say but I was prompted to read this one scripture and after I did I was prompted to say something else, and then prompted to say something else until the whole spiritual thought was complete. The Holy Ghost honestly does reveal what we need to say when we need to say it. And it's usually not all at once but step by step.

That night we taught Victor about the Word of Wisdom and it was super cool! He really agreed with everything we taught and it was a refreshing change. XD

--------------------

Today (August 29th) Sister Foulke and I cleaned really well and then we grabbed groceries before making a batch of chocolate chip banana muffins. We had put all of the wet ingredients together before we realized that we didn't have enough flour... We didn't want to go back to the store so Sister Foulke and I got creative. XD We had two and a half cups of flour and we needed four. So we had oats so we put them in the smoothie blender and blended the oats up as much as possible and just prayed that it would work as well as normal flour. IT IS SO GOOD! XD Points for creativity!

Then we went out to Goodwill because Ellen works there and she wanted us to stop by so we did. :) After that we went to this really good restaurant called "Great Harvest" where missionaries eat for free once a week because members pay in advance for us. :D Aren't members so sweet???

Then Sister Foulke and I had extra time before emailing so we went to Petco to look at all the pets we couldn't have xD

Transfers are next Tuesday and I'm a bit terrified. But it's all good.

I love you all!!! Be good human beings, my lovelies! :)

Sister Longo

No comments:

Post a Comment