The Adventures of Sister Pew(ny): Week 49- "Betty!...Hi!"

This week's subject line is brought to you by the Grinch. Which is really the only movie that Sister Larsen and I can remember and quote. It is a great film.

So I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seat, wondering if I made it through my week of "WHAT IS EVEN HAPPENING". Well, clearly, I have survived. God is good. This week was really really awesome. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT IT. AGGRESSIVELY. (just kidding. I just felt like doing that.)

So, Monday! Monday was a pretty excellent p-day, actually. We went to the mall and got fabric to make Elder H a tie, we decorated Sister M's hospital room, we went to Papas & Beer (restaurant) again and it was SO GREAT, we found light up sweaters at Walmart, and we had dinner with the Hs. We also were able to teach D & P the Word of Wisdom (which they were NOT happy about, but they are converted, so they are willing to do what the Lord asks <3 literally they said that to us and it was fan-freaking-tastic. I love those two.) And we planned their interview and their baptism. So all in all, very positive.

Tuesday we had zone conference. EVERYONE, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS THING: My mission is really, really cool. It has been chosen as 1 of 12 missions to pilot new finding programs. So we talked about that a little bit. But we also talked about how missionaries are turning into door-to-door salesmen. Nobody wants to join a church full of robots who just say the same thing over and over. So they want us to bring our personalities into missionary work! If we are seen as distinct, different, HUMAN missionaries, people will connect with us and relate to us better. I'm about this new plan, y'all. I don't know if you've met me, but it's highly difficult for me to not be myself. Pretty exciting stuff. Also, as we were stuck in traffic on the way home from zone conference, we found out Sister M got out of the hospital, so we went to see her after we FINALLY made it out. And she was back to normal.

We're pretty sure she has nine lives. Maybe more. But she is still as silly and wonderful and weird as she was. They think her medication might have just made her loopy. *shrugs*

Wednesday we went to the soup kitchen. It was just us and Crazy J. Crazy J is like U a little bit. She looooooves the sister missionaries. Also, she is your standard southern lady. One day I'll film her talking and you'll love it. Later we had Golden Age, for the last time, because the elders hate it. :( Anyway, it was fun and stuff, and they all were very grateful to not be going back. And then! We had Book of Mormon class, which the elders did a great job teaching, even though it was P, D, us, them, and D and Brother S. But it was still a really good class, after which, we took a picture. ALSO, since coming on a mission, my dreams. Have been. So. Whack. I'm serious. They are so weird. On Tuesday night, I dreamed that my daughter was playing soccer against our zone leader, Elder E's daughter. My daughter was really not good at soccer and his kid was pretty great at it, and so after the game when I ran over with my daughter (and my husband, who was very good-looking and I had to give my subconscious a high-five for that one) to catch him and say hello he was like, "hah, my daughter is better than yours." And he was very sassy. Which was hilarious, because Elder E is sweeter than a thousand unicorn tears. I usually don't tell people when I dream about them, but I felt like Elder E would appreciate that, so we told him. And he did.

Thanksgiving was pretty sweet. We spent the entire day at the Bs' house. They invited 2 nonmembers over named J and A. J looks like a Viking and is the nicest human being ever in the whole world. He would be a great member of the church! Also he is like 6'4'' and weighs like 300 lbs. We took a picture side-by-side and it was really funny. I made it up to his navel. Also, we got to help cook Thanksgiving dinner and that was pretty dope. I like cooking a lot. Also we got leftovers. And Sister B showed us her son's missionary letters. They are so. Funny. Like, they put me to shame. I now desire to have Monte-level hilarity in my letters. I doubt that'll ever happen. But I can try.

Friday I woke up at 4 in the morning and cried for 2 hours. I really, really could not tell you why that happened. But alas. It did. Perhaps the stress of all the last 2 weeks just needed to come out my eyeballs. At 4 AM. So it's no surprise that I had a pounding headache for the next 24 hours. But all was well, because we got to do some pretty awesome stuff! Like FAMILY HISTORY. Sister R, J's mom, is like, really, really good at family history, and in zone conference Sister Innes encouraged us to seek out the Spirit of Elijah and use it in our work. So we went to Sister R's house and she helped me find 2 ancestors of Granny Louw who need their temple work done! WE FOUND THEM AND IT WAS AWESOME. She also was kind enough to give us 2 packets of additional information at church yesterday. And I am convinced. Family history work is awesome. So that was a cool thing. We also started our planning in the new format they gave us in zone conference and it rocked. We also had D & P baptismal interviews, which they both passed -- and even though both of them were planning on starting to live the Word of Wisdom as late as they possibly could to still get baptized, when they showed up they had been living it since we taught them on Monday. They are so precious! December 2nd couldn't come fast enough:) That was just a good experience all-around.

Saturday we had planned our day entirely, when Sister Larsen said, "Listen. I feel like we should change the plans for our whole day." And I had a billion logical answers for why that was not a good idea, but she was like, "nah, the Spirit is really telling me we need to redo it." So we did! (Grudgingly on my part.) So we made some cookies and delivered them to some members we love, and we also ended up accidentally getting 3 referrals from Brother K because he really likes to send us after all his friends. It was awesome, and he is awesome. Too bad I'm allergic to their house because cats. We also saw G on purpose and T on accident. It was a good time, we invited G out to church (again). He just keeps making excuses for why he doesn't come. Which are all lamewad excuses. But he's just afraid. He'll get there one day. T is doing pretty well, except he was a little tired. We found out he spent Thanksgiving with the YSA elders, and that was awesome. Basically he's a member. Love that kid. Then we went home and finished planning and FELT SO GOOD ABOUT IT. And that is the story of what happens when you listen to your greenie's spiritual promptings. I'm grateful she was willing to follow the Spirit even if it meant she had to disagree with me temporarily, and I'm proud of her courage to stand up to me. She is an awesome missionary!

Yesterday we went to church. D & P were there, along with A, a less active that the Bs have been working with. They invited us out to lunch after church so we could meet him. That was awesome. Sister B makes a mean clam chowder. And it was fun because A is a lifelong friend of the Bs and so he and A yukked it up about the shenanigans that were pulled back when they were younger. After that, we went to deliver a couple more things to some members and then tried to contact those referrals, but to no avail. We then had studies and then ward coordination. We got a lot done. Brother R got released from his other calling (he was still the YM president for a month in addition to being the ward mission leader for a month) and so he was SO PUMPED and is so on top of everything. It was great.

Everyone! I am so grateful for missionary work! And for being a full time missionary! The gospel is a gospel of joy and when we do what we are supposed to do we feel happy. I am grateful for the Savior who was willing to suffer for my sins. I am grateful for good friends who help me feel loved even when I'm a turd. I'm grateful for my cute companion, Sister Larsen, who is patient when I'm psycho and laughs when I don't know what I'm doing. I'm grateful for all my companions and the missionaries I've served around that have been such great examples of discipleship. I'm grateful for a good family who loves me (and emails me)! I'm grateful for God's goodness in my life. I'm so blessed.

Don't let the muggles get you down!

All my love,

Sister Pew