Olah kids.
I didn't really keep a running list of what to write about this week... so it may be shorter and less entertaining than the norm.
Last Thursday we had a zone conference in Abilene.
Prior to traveling there, we were notified that we would be trading our clean low mileage sister car for a dirty high mileage elder car. Gross. Don't get me wrong, Elders are great and not all created equal, but nevertheless they are still young men with better things to do than keep their vehicle clean. When we told our district elders the arrangement, they all started laughing and proceeded to tell us how bad our future car smelled. Needless to say, Sister T and I almost wrote our own Riot Act. There is a gas card assigned to each mission car. Instead of putting it in its proper place, we decided to hide it and make a scavenger hunt for the Elders we traded cars with. It was pretty much an innocent knee jerk reaction to bad news that we found more humorous than guilt provoking. Each place they looked, there was a clue for them to check a different location in the car. When all was said and done, it lead them back to where the card was kept but taped near it. We threw in a coupon from Albertans as a consolation prize.
The car didn't smell that bad. Keeping the windows cracked kept us from being asphyxiated by the "Brand new car" scent they used to cover up..... whatever it smelled like.
Before we left, Sister Tall and I tried to get "transfer doctrine" our of the zone leaders. They refused, until one of them had a classic 20-year-old-elder idea; if one of us ate a cricket, he would tell us if either of us were being transfered and where to.
My comp is a vegetarian. I guess that includes bugs? My curiosity trumped my sense of ethics and propriety, and I ate the cricket. It was dead, thank goodness. But had to chew it; it didn't taste like much. I wouldn't recommend it. And the news? Sister T and I are still in San Ang! Relieving. I am not ready to leave this place yet!
They gypped us and left out part of transfer doctrine, which justified our gas card scavenger hunt. Saturday night we got a call from President Augustin (who we met and is really great, BTW) and this transfer we got another SISTER!!!!! That's right folks, we are a tri-panionship (i really hate that phrase. It sounds treky). Her name is Sister Wilson and she is from Escondido, Cali! Where Christian served!!!!!!! She said he looked familiar when i showed her his picture. Funny, eh? She is awesome. Super athletic and personable. Right from the bat she started talking with us and comes across as a go getter. I am really excited for the change. Tonight we are going on splits. Sister T and Wilson will go teach someone and I will go teach with one of the pre-missionaries from the branch. Kinda scary! But i am excited to learn from it. It's all about getting out of the comfort zone.
Our lessons have been going really well with our progressing investigators. It's so fun to see how the gospel is already blessing the lives of those that are living it as an experiment.
Lately I have loved teaching the Word of Wisdom.
Initially, it was the one that scared me the most.
"What if they ask about caffeine??"
"Will they really give up partying??" But I have such a testimony of it that its easy to teach. Interestingly enough, everyone that we have taught it to already kinda knows that these substances are bad for the bod, so the WofW is not a complete shock to them. As soon as they kick the habits, they will be able to feel the spirit even stronger when we teach. Your body is a temple. Keep it healthy and clean or the spirit can't reside there. Dey ya go.
We have been tons knocking doors lately and yesterday I had an ah-ha moment. Often, we meet people who really don't like us from the start. Before we even talk, they say "No thank you, I have a religion." Sister Tall is the QUEEEN of this situation. Naturally I want to give them a card and keep going. But no, she replies with "Thanks so great!!! How has your faith in Jesus Christ helped you in your life already?" and then she testifies of Him.
Even the hardest hearts can be softened by the gospel. We had this same experience yesterday. Sharon was not interested and really didn't want to talk to us PERIOD. But after 5 minutes, a forced conversation became a sincere discussion about Christ.
Her whole disposition changed from a rough, course woman to a sweet woman who adored Jesus Christ. People aren't comfortable with us as missionaries until they see that we know Him.
The work is awesome. that's all for today. :)
heart you mucho
SISTER ORR
Quotes of the week: "Me, Christian?? No way, girl. I am CATHOLIC! What's ya'lls believe of UFOs?"
"Today I have seen a cat eat a bird and a bird eat a squirrel. We live in such a terrestrial world." - Sister T.
"I know dat Joseph Smith seen what he said he seen he saw!"
