We're almost to FOUR WEEKS in the field. I've said it before, but time is so weird in the mission.
Here's the weekly rundown!
Zone conference!🫶
Creeper party🎮
Ice cream fixes everything🍨
Hanging out with old peeps👵
Service for our local hoarder😬
My favorite new convert🤩
REALLY QUICK VISA UPDATE: Australian visas are slowed right now and so I might be able to go to Adelaide before next transfer, but odds aren't looking good. Any prayers towards that would be greatly appreciated, but at the end of the day, wherever I am is where God needs me!
This week was one of the best so far. I got to go to my first ever zone conference (half of the mission gets together for training and activities) and it was really up lifting. We talked about inviting and recognizing the Spirit with our friends and in our own lives. We heard some really good musical numbers, but I'm worried someone might rope me into singing at the next zone conference (assuming I'm still there).
They talk about magnifying your talents, but I still get nervous when I perform😬.
We got to hear from the mission leadership, do a Kahoot (game), eat 1/4 burgers this week (we go to In N' Out a lot), and practice our missionary work!
Sister Pennington and I realized we both love making Minecraft villager sounds and decided we would plan a two person creeper party. We decorated our pad, got some treats, and her mom sent us some sunglasses that I plan on wearing for the remainder of my mission #bestcompanionever #iloveminecraft #twopersonpartiesarethebest
We had an interesting experience with an inactive member this week. If I'm being candid, it was a very unholy experience. There was an evil aura attached to the whole visit and we wanted to get out of her home as soon as possible. She said a lot of things that left us both weary of her. Thankfully, hearing such things didn't rattle either of our testimonies, and strengthened them if anything.
However, after an experience like that, we were both left feeling spiritually drained and sat in our car for awhile after, not really knowing what to do. We had about 30 minutes left in our day. I was pretty visibly upset, having never been in a situation like that before, so Sister Pennington suggested we get some ice cream to cheer us up.
She really is an angel because that was exactly what I needed to turn our night around. The ice cream was amazing (sorry mom, I forgot to take a picture).
We did SOOOO much service this week (like ~15 hours). We spent some of that at an independent living community for retired folks, doing stretching, coloring, chatting, and games with them.
An old man who doesn't speak was quite fond of me and Sister Pennington. We figured that out pretty quickly because he kept grabbing our hands and kissing them! We thought it was cute the first few times but were a little over it towards the end. Chivalry is not dead apparently.
Side note: DO NOT accuse old people of cheating in games. One of the other residents made that mistake and got some profanities in return. They're feisty for not remembering what you said 15 seconds before.
Sister Pennington told one lady she was from Oklahoma about 10 times. It went like this:
"Where are you from?"
"Oklahoma"
"Oh, my sister lives there. I can't remember the town."
"Tulsa, right?"
"How did you know that?!"
Our other service was spent at a sweet members house. She came to us asking if we could help her organize her backyard and move some hefty things around (aka ovens). However, she had probably 100 big totes in her backyard filled with all kinds of things (at least 5 were just cookbooks).
We enlisted the help of 8 of our elders over two days and we were able to get MOST of it done. She was incredibly gracious and bought everyone In N' Out both days. Before the mission I would've grumbled about having to do so much unpaid labor, but it's my favorite thing to do on the mission!
"And behold, I tell you these things that ye may learn wisdom; that ye may learn that when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." Mosiah 2:17
Edward recently joined the church, and as missionaries we work with new converts to support them through this new change in their life. Since Ed lives alone, and we're sisters, we can't meet in his home without another woman present. Last week, we went to a pizza place with him. This week, we went to his house and he surprised us with a pizza, half with my favorite toppings, half with Sister Pennington's.
He also remembered our drinks of choice, set out two lawn chairs, a table, and talked to us through his door. He was trying to be so nonchalant about it. He's not an emotional guy, but we're glad he is comfortable with us. He was pretty bummed when the elders left, so we must be doing something right!!
Spiritual thought: Nothing super profound here, but an important thing to continuously recognize! Christ's atonement is so amazing because He makes up ANY and ALL the difference we can't. He walks every step with us and then some. He will complete the race after all we can do. There is nowhere too far, no mistake so bad, that we can't be made new through Him.
It is a joy to be a little better each day, and He's given us that opportunity! Don't forget how much He loves you!!
I love you all too! Thanks for keeping up with me, I know I have lots of words in me.
Love, Sister Kline