The Adventures of Sister Pew(ny): Week 45 - Our baptism goal this week is 8000

Hi y'all!

This has been another crazy week. I don't know if it's me or South Carolina (or both) but I feel like I say that every week.

This transfer is coming to a close and I am feeling a bajillion emotions right now. But I'm going to make you wait until later to find out why this is going to be a psycho transfer coming up.

Monday we went to Columbia to get ourselves...a new car. This is number 2 for me on my mission. Yes, it is verrrrrrrrrrry nice. It's another 2017 Malibu. It's light silvery blue. We also have beautiful rims. They are chrome. It's a beautiful vehicle. And then we went to see the Ws and talked to them about how they can share the gospel with their friends. Tonight we're going back so we can teach their neighbor! So I guess it worked. Thanks, Spirit.

Tuesday was our last DDM as a district and the elders were all salty about our rims. They're really jealous that the sister missionaries are driving "a nicer car than them" even though it is THE EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL just a different color with different rims.

We then went to practice at Sister S's house for a special musical number with the YSA elders (one of which is Spencer from the Elder Bednar Face2Face, I think I mentioned that last time.) We were planning on singing Where Can I Turn For Peace...but then Elder T is now being transferred to be a district leader somewhere because he's awesome, so looks like I'm on my own. *insert displeased face here* Then we went to see Sister M and went to sing at a rest home. That night we saw P & D again and it was great! We put them on date for December 2nd. Y'all need to be praying for them, though. P still has a lot of questions, but she is leaning toward being joined with the saints. We just need her to gain a firmer testimony in the Book of Mormon. D's basically in the font already. But anyway, just a really good day overall.

Wednesday we went to the soup kitchen. We had a good time and were able to sing for the ladies there. (They're all Baptist so we sang How Great Thou Art.) They enjoyed it a lot and even had us sing for their pastor! He now wants us to sing for his church. I'm thinking they should ALL just skip their church one day and come hear us sing at our church. Because their church is missing the pieces. Y'know. That night we had Book of Mormon class, which was sad because the zone leaders were on exchanges with the Greenville 2nd elders so Elder E was gone. I am a huge fan of Elder E. But the good thing was I got to meet Elder B! I have heard a lot about him from a companion I had. He was her zone leader and served in her ward with her a while back. She said he was awesome and he really was pretty sharp. He and Elder B did a great job teaching the class (even though we only had 2 attendees and they were both members).

Thursday we went over to see L in the morning to help her prepare for a doctor's appointment. We also were able to talk to our friend M, owner of the really good Mexican restaurant, on the phone for a few minutes. We invited him to church, and he said he'd try to make it. He didn't end up coming, but he was still very sweet.

Friday WAS THE MOST INSANE DAY EVER IN THE HISTORY OF MY MISSION. So we went to be interviewed by President and first Sister Graves went in there and then we went in there together and then President sent Sister Graves away. Our interview was going so well and President and I were just yukking it up ya know. But then he decided to really shake things up and went, "Well, since I've got you here I'll just save myself a phone call."

And I went. "...Okay." And my stomach dropped. Because I remembered that transfers are on Wednesday, and leadership calls are to be made in the morning on Friday.

And then President goes, "I want you to be a trainer."

Long, awkward pause.

"...Will you do that for me?"

Me: "Yes." (no hesitation. Proud of myself for that timely recovery.)

And then the rest of the conversation was basically President being like, "I don't know which of the newbies you're getting, but we have great faith and confidence in you" and stuff like that. So obviously I made Sister Graves come to the bathroom with me afterward and was like "SO I AM TRAINING AND YOU ARE LEAVING" and we had a lil cry fest in the bathroom and it was chill.

So, yeah. I'm getting a greenie on Wednesday! I am HAVING A BABY. Which is hilarious, because so is one of our investigators AND my sister-in-law. (HEY SISTER HANSEN AND SISTER GOETTSCHE YOU'RE HAVIN A GRANDBABY)

I am excited! and nervous! But mainly excited! I feel grateful that the Lord trusts me. I had a moment this week when I was praying and felt very sure that I really am doing all I can to be obedient and overcome my weaknesses. I know that this is just the Lord refining me and making me the person I need to be -- for right now as a missionary, and later as a wife and mother. I'm grateful He loves me enough to let me do hard things! And I am so excited to be around mainly really green missionaries (because half the elders are babies as well). They are just so hopeful and optimistic and on fire with the Spirit. I also feel strongly that my sister will be a very powerful missionary and will change many lives. So I'm pumped about that.

So the rest of the day was a whirlwind of emotions. Sister Graves began saying goodbye to everyone and stuff at the ward activity (trunk or treat) that night. D, P and our YSA investigator T and his less active buddy G came! It was lots of fun -- kinda hard to balance all those people who needed our attention, but the ward was very helpful for D & P and the elders did a great job with G & T. It was wonderful.

The next day we went over to G's house (who is a recent convert). She fed us lunch and we played with her kids. G is actually their grandma and she's their legal guardian and raising them. Those kids just soaked up the love we showed them. The youngest one, K, is so sweet. Since we aren't allowed to hold him, we just play peekaboo and stuff. He came over to our side of his play pen where I was kneeling and just leaned his head against my hand and breathed in like he was sighing a little bit. I learned a lot and felt a lot in that experience. After that, the elders had a baptism! So the fun thing about this district is that it usually comprises us (sisters), the B S elders (who are the zone leaders), and two other sets of elders...who all speak Spanish. Each companionship covers half the Greenville East stake. However, we lost a Spanish elder because he went home last transfer, and there was nobody to finish training the elder that elder started training, so they combined both areas and had them covering the entire stake together. They were in a 3 pack. And they are the greatest. THEY ARE THE GREATEST. THEY ARE THE GREATEST. I don't know if I can emphasize that any more. But anyway, this particular baptism was of the Spanish variety. So the entire thing was in Spanish. Also, they asked me to play the piano for the baptism and that was an interesting experience. We sang Llamado a servir and Soy un hijo de Dios which was fun. Elder C (the awkward 3rd wheel) translated for Sister Graves and I just didn't even listen because translators are for the weak. I understood most of the entire baptism -- talks and everything. And it was awesome. I LOVED IT. The Spirit was like, a bajillion. That doesn't even make sense. I don't care that it doesn't make sense. That's how I felt. A bajillion Spirit. Yep. Also after that we went to the R home to help her paint and then went out with the Rs. We went to visit a less active named K. She has the cutest daughter. I will send a picture.

Yesterday in church they called a new ward mission leader! It's Brother R! So we finally have one! Hoorah! Also they announced over the pulpit that Sister Graves was leaving and the S family (who is the greatest) offered to have us over to their house because they were hosting a drop-in for their son who just got back from Brazil and so Sister Graves got to say goodbye to a lot of the ward before she left. That was inspired. Also the Ss (our ward elders quorum president) had us over to talk about their conversion story and feed us. Also, did we mention that we can eat with members again??? Heck yeah. We also said goodbye to J & K last night. J was sad. He filmed us singing together :)

Our subject line this week came from when we were reading from the Book of Mormon and decided to just randomly open up to a page and that was going to be exactly what we needed to hear. Sister Graves got a verse that said basically the wicked will be chastened and humbled and she was like....okay.... and mine talked about when Nephi and Lehi baptized 8000 Lamanites. So. Basically. Time to baptize 8000 people. Better get on that.

You guys. The church is true. Promise. Ask God.

Don't let the muggles get you down!

All my love,

Sister Mama Bear Pew