October 20, 2014

So we had Zone Training this week which is always great but it was extra classy this week because we got to watch the Meet the Mormons movie on a projector and had cookies. Clearly my take a way was that I need to take up kick boxing when I come home. Go see it and you will know what I mean. If it's not playing in Lethbridge, I know they are releasing it on Netflix soonish. In all seriousness it is a great documentary that although, sometimes cheesey, really is a cool look at the church. I use to be frustrated thinking that the church always tries to look so diverse but it hit me, it really is a world wide church. Here our ward is incredibly diverse, and it's just Wisconsin.

I love this mission and we are really lucky to eat with members a lot. However sometimes, it's 8:30 at night, you missed your bus and you are eating a pan pizza from pizza hut in the rain. I felt like a real missionary at the moment. I'm not sure why but it just felt real. Ha but on the flip side, a member here works at the Corner Bakery and they were doing a soft opening party so we got to go and eat for free to help them practice cooking and serving. It was so good. I feel like Clay here doing a food e-mail but seriously, it was so tasty. As was the pizza. I am lucky to serve here where cilantro is a food option and I'm not eating anyone's pet. (Good luck Jared)

The Lutheran Home that we volunteer at had a free but mandatory flu vaccine clinic for all the volunteers this week so I had to go in and get a shot. We all know how well I do with needles but hopefully I'll be flu free and they had skittles at the end. I laugh that even as adults, they still give us band-aids and treats. But the tender mercy was that day we were doing word games with the dementia residents and there was this super funny old lady that played softball all growing up and was so excited to tell us all about the words she remembered from playing. She kept saying umpire, bat, slide! It was so funny and I thought, hey that's me in 60 years. Actually we saw a kick butt grandma leaf blowing her lawn and I thought, that's me in 60 years. It's so cool, everyone has beautiful yards and with the humidity, no one uses sprinklers.

We had many adventures this week, including being stuck on another high way but the funniest one was we opened our screen door to unlock our actual door and there was a mouse! Sister Reese starts yelling. Now of course I am stunned into not moving, so I look calm cool and collected but we all know how well I do with small fast creatures so I am basically mentally trying to maneuver how to crawl up the fence while we are both yelling, what do we do? The mouse eventually runs away from the door and then this ninja cat jumps out of the bushes and attacks the poor little guy so we naturally start yelling again and try to bolt in the door as not to witness a murder. It's really the little things in life that keep it entertaining.

On a more spiritual note, we are lucky to have some of the coolest members and investigators to teach. We were talking to Sister Armstrong about the Word of Wisdom and how she should swap out coffee for two Pepsis in the morning. Just kidding, well we really did but we also talked about how great it is that when we keep the commandments, people are more able to recognize us as Gods children. Just as we feel proud when people say, you look just like your parents. Or oh, that's my nose! When we obey God's commandments, people can see that we are His. My goal is to always have people say, "You look just like your parents." Both heavenly and earthly. I also quoted Lion King that lesson because He really does live in you. It sounds cheesey, but that was a powerful realization for me.

We were also talking about how its easy to skip over the little stories in the Book of Mormon and just to read about Nephi. But how when we really look in the scriptures how many characters there are. In Enos we were talking about the three brothers that had to run through their palace to free their dad from prison as an unrighteous judge had taken over the kingdom and thrown the King in jail. Our Zone Leaders pointed out that they had probably run the halls before as boys playing Nephites and gadianton robbers and then had to think "Woa this just got real!" and had to mentally level up. It was funny but cool to see all the stories we sometimes miss when we aren't looking.

You will also be so proud, and possibly shocked because Holla! Guess who is the champ at directions here? Or maybe this just shows how bad Sister Reese is at bus routes but I am now in charge of routing and directing our travel plans. God blesses us in tender ways sometimes. But it's nice to know that the talent of naturally knowing what way is north does indeed come in handy.

I love you I love you!