June 8, 2015

Just kidding! Just older than your average missionary. We were at District Training Meeting asking where everyone would be in 5 years and I looked up and said, I'll be 30! That got an awkward laugh, especially since all our Elders are 19 and 20. Ha it's been a great week though. One of my favorite members has the same birthday as me and so we went out to lunch today and celebrated together. I thought that was very kind. We really are spoiled in this area. 

It would be unfitting to start out this e-mail with anything else but I love Cori and happy birthday! It's hard to be apart. Really hard. But I feel her influence with me all the time and God is so good. He gave me Cori!

This week has been so good though. We finally had some time to do some finding and ended up meeting a man named Richard who knows his bible intimidatingly well. I looked at him and said I'm no perfect teacher but I like talking of Christ and we'd like to come back. He said yes and now my bible study has increased til we see him again on Wednesday. Ha after that we ended up at a Philippine pig roast and talked to a lady whose nick name is Coconut. As we were talking she was telling us of her experience, that by the grace of God she was able to do missionary work for her church in South America. Some people called her crazy for going but she said she liked talking to us about it because we were clearly the same kind of crazy for moving to Wisconsin to teach. Ha I've been accused of crazy a few times, but I liked this one.

Speaking of crazy, we were out at Den and Pen's house yesterday for a little campfire and marshmallows. This man pulls up to the house and walks over in his pjs and says, "Dennis I need your help." Apparently this man had a snapping turtle in his yard and needed help getting it out. Dennis is Grandma's son and is known for getting the turtles out and giving them to Grandma to cook. However right now, you can't cook them because it's their laying season so it's illegal. Dennis said Grandma probably wouldn't use it but the man insisted he still come. Turns out this man was too afraid to move the turtle on his own. I was laughing at that thinking how could a snapping turtle be that scary. But then Dennis brought it over after he got it from the yard and let us see it. It's like a baby dragon that thing is terrifying! I'm afraid to eat one now out of fear from revengeful family members. 

We had some great lessons this week but my favorite had to be with John, Grandma and John's friend Todd. Todd is actually an investigator working with the Elders in Shawano and referred us to John. We were talking about how John should come to Fast and Testimony meeting when Todd pipes in, "Yeah, it's like AA for Mormons." I thought that was a weirdly accurate description. The next day we were having a lesson on faith with John and compared faith "like unto a seed. This seed will grow into a huge unshakable tree, much like the one in your yard John." He looked at us dead pan and says, "Yeah but sisters, that tree is actually dead." Ha ha I was laughing so hard. Luckily Sister Dunlap pulled in a beautiful analogy of the roots still offering strength to the smaller trees around but phew, God is funny sometimes.

My studies lately have focused a ton on the plan of Salvation, happiness, eternal perspective and blessings of the Lord. It just makes you excited to be here. Life is good! I hope you all know how much I love you and appreciated the birthday wishes. 

From your turtle fearing 25 year old tomorrow,

Sister Kaytie