Funny Little Miracles

 

Ok this week has FLOWN by. Its been a lot better this week adjusting wise, and i finally feel confident in my missionary abilities! Last week was an emotional whirlwind full of miracles! While we've had a lot of miracles this week too, it seemed like there were a lot of funny instances as well. :-)

Just to name a few-

1) We contacted a less active and talked with him for awhile. He is kinda chubby and has white hair and a beard - kinda like Santa. A few minutes later I look over and there's a box on his floor that says "Santa Outfit"..... My companion asked about it and he said that during the holidays he works as a PROFESSIONAL SANTA! I met the real Santa Clause ladies and gentleman, and he did not smell like beef and cheese.

2) As you know I live in the less fortunate side of town, and weird things happen... We got in our car to leave one morning when we noticed a note on our wind shield. It was a note from the Police Department that there was a report of our license plate being stolen and that if this was true to call 911 and report it... Sure enough, someone had stolen our back license plate. My comp and I were shocked and thought "what would anyone wanna do with our license plate?" Then I figured that whoever stole it might plan to put it on their car and go do hoodrat things with their friends and if they get in trouble our license plate would be reported. Then I imagined the police looking up the plate and seeing that the vehicle was registered under the church's name and thinking "did missionaries just rob a bank?"... Lol its the little things that entertain me.

3) Sister Platt worked on a ranch with horses before coming out here and plans on working with them when she gets home, so she's very much into that lifestyle! I don't mind cause I've always loved horses but never been around them much. Anyway, we were driving one day when we saw a horse ranch on the side of the road, so we pulled over, found the owner, and got him to let us do service for him later that week! So Saturday came and sister Platt and I put on pants (pants are a big deal when you wear a skirt everyday..) and went to go do service. Our job- mucking stalls. We scooped up horse sewage for almost 2 hours. Believe it or not I actually had fun! The male horse in the stall next to us kept "neighing" and jumping because the female horses were near by and he couldn't see them or do anything about it...I feel you horsey. The best part- we had to go straight to dinner after service. So we showed up to a members house covered in horse poo and ate dinner :) it was all grand!

4) We were giving a lesson to some less-actives in the area when their little Chihuahua jumped up on my lab. I started petting and scratching it and thought how cute it was! Meanwhile, it stands up on my lap and tries the wrap its front paws around my arm. I couldn't figure out what it was trying to do until I realized..... the little rat was trying to hump me... Mid-lesson!!! I quickly grabbed my scriptures and tried to put them on my lap where he was/ scoot him off of me. Let me tell you, he was persistent, but I managed to get him off and continue with the lesson without anyone noticing! The lesson here - animals can't feel the spirit. And I no longer want a Chihuahua.

5) We were tracting yesterday and decided to knock on a door that was cracked halfway open. We figured since the door was open that someone was nearby to answer. Instead, a cat peaked his head out the door -eye level to us- and just meows. We laughed and started talking to the cat and it kept talking back! It put one of its paws on the door knob and opened the door a little more as if trying to let us in and kept meowing. Unfortunately the owner never showed up at the door, but that cat has a little more knowledge about the gospel and I see that as a win in my eyes. :)

6) This Sunday everyone seemed to be sick. The elders in our ward got sick and so did the ward mission leader and other important people. We were informed upon arrival at church that we would have to teach Gospel Principles second hour, and also conduct a combined ward meeting about missionaries in third hour. Gospel Principles was so fun to teach so no worries there. Third hour my comp and I had to role play different situations upon which members could do missionary work to those around him. My acting skills= mediocre. So acting in front of the entire ward was a treat I'm sure. There was one situation where we called up a guy that we had dinner with before to role play with us.. He was less than amused. We started the role play and the first thing he says is "Hiya Barbie, how are you today?!"...this man did not just call me Barbie in front of the whole ward...naturally, I responded "Oh great Ken, how are you?!" The ward really seemed to get a kick out of that and they laughed for the next 5 minutes. I think I earned their respect. #tendermercies

Those are just a few great things that happened this week, but they make all the difference!! Finding joy everyday and seeing God's blessing and tender mercies in your life allow you to see how personally He knows you and the things you enjoy- He wants you to be happy!

The work is great here - we stay busy trying to contact people. We got a new investigator this week and we were SO excited to teach him because he already knew and liked so much about the church! After our lesson- which went amazingly, he is golden - we realized he was YSA age, so had to turn them over to the YSA missionaries...this has been the pattern for us lately - find someone, give them to other missionaries...but it is A-Okay! We are determined to find and baptize a family while here!! Keep us in your prayers that we find one cause this transfer is halfway over already!

Read your scriptures and pray EVERYDAY!! I never realized how essential that was until I came out here. I love you guys so, so, so much and miss you all!! :)

Love you all!!!! Until next week

-Sister Loyd