OKAY.
I don't even know what my life is. I really just don't. Missionary life. It's just. I can't. I don't even know.
This week alone could be one of those Mormon movies. I think it'd be great. I'm getting bored after this 60TH GROUP EMAIL so I will just write it to you in story form I think. I might leave out a lot. But it's fine. Okay. Here goes.
Monday morning, the alarm goes off at 6:30. "It's P-day!" croaks Sister Pew in morning voice, and Sister Hamilton groans. The two roll out of bed, one of them uses the bathroom, and then they pray. "WE HAVE TO CLEAN OUR APARTMENT TODAY," Sister Pew tells Sister Hamilton after they've breakfasted, gotten ready and have read their emails from their family. "Tomorrow is the Shumates' last zone conference and we cannot let them down." Sister Hamilton nods, and the two get to work. Sister Pew has to sit on the counter to wipe the mirror in the bathroom. After they're finished, they go to refill their shocking and appalling fridge, which is low on everything except useless Spicy Hummus which nobody likes.
After shopping and emailing, the companionship heads to the church for district P-day, headed up by Elder W, fearless district leader. The elders are already inside playing ball when the sisters get there. They hurriedly change and join in. Sister Hamilton is a pretty good volleyball player, but Sister Pew sticks to basketball and learns a few lacrosse moves from Elder W. Then Elder W commands the district to divide into teams for District Olympics in honor of the approaching games. After several hilarious and ridiculous rounds of "events" such as skittle toss, piggy back racing, and a truly horrendous relay obstacle course thing, they decide to play chair soccer. Elder W wins 2 times and Sister Terry soundly beats him the 3rd. Then they play knockout, Sister Pew only just losing to Elder W once, only just losing to Elder B once, and only just losing to both of them once. But not bad!
After this the two are very sore. They try to deliver a Bible but to their chagrin forgot the Bible at their house, and so after a few other failed contact attempts they return home to finish weekly planning and coordinate for zone conference in the morning.
It's bright and early the next day, and revelation begins to flow as President Innes stands and, in normal, loving fashion addresses us on the importance of personal conversion and commitment to Jesus. We roleplay. We eat. And Sister Pew and Sister Kim sing a musical number. After that, it is the STL and zone leaders' turn to address the zone and share the zone vision, which is to purify our desires (Mosiah 28:3). It goes well, despite some nerves from Elder E and Sister Pew, who are first-timers at all this.
Afterward, Sister Pew and Sister Hamilton say goodbye for a time -- Sister Pew is going on exchanges with the hermanas, Hermana Bechtold and Hermana Jones. It goes really well -- Sister Pew gets to meet the fabled recent convert M the bullfighter, who commits to read the Book of Mormon and tells Sister Pew her Spanish is pretty good, even though it really isn't. Also, Sister Pew learns how to pray in Spanish and actually does it! And the hermanas are very complimentary, which is good. It is around this time that Sister Pew starts to feel very ill. But she says nothing and the 2 hermanas plus their gringa comrade go to English class. They weren't expecting much, but their potential investigator O brought 4 friends with him! The class was very busy and fun. They talked about how to tell people what they do in the morning, like brush your teeth or say your prayers.
Upon returning home, Sister Pew succumbed to illness, and the hermanas did a fabulous job of taking care of her. (The hermanas are just fabulous in general.) The next morning, feeling "good, not great", the 3 head out to teach Z, a wonderful mother who is very open to the Spirit of the Lord. After the lesson, they wrap up their exchange and use the opportunity of her absence to purchase a birthday surprise for Sister Hamilton - cotton candy, her favorite.
After this they go to sing at a nursing home. Here Sister Pew also gets to meet the legendary S and sing a solo for all the old people, which they were very appreciative of. It was very cute. After this the two reunited - Sister Hamilton and Sister Pew were happy to be together again, because they love each other. Together they returned to the Bible referral's house, this time with an actual Bible, and delivered it and a powerful message about Jesus Christ. The Spirit was strong, but when asked if she'd mind them coming by again, she seemed to pull back from the Spirit and said, "well, I'm really busy." Then she added, "Also, I want the full Bible." And the sisters went, "Uhhh...pretty sure that is the full Bible." She's like, "no, a thick one, with tabs." So they went home feeling vaguely discouraged.
Thursday Sister Pew awoke feeling no bueno. The two went to see a member who was recently baptized named C, and though C is hilarious and somehow ended up talking about the Donner Party and cannibalism a lot, through the whole lesson Sister Pew was just feeling worse and worse until finally, afterward, she requested some time to go home and nap. Sister Hamilton heartily agreed, having noticed her companion's schlump and her lack of the usual pizzazz and also remembering that there was, in fact, a flu epidemic circulating around South Carolina. So, in and out of sleep, Sister Pew has an odd dream. She can very vividly picture a house with a black door, and when she knocks on it, a cute African American man whom she knows is named J is inside. And J NEEDS a Book of Mormon. Upon waking, Sister Pew writes down the dream. And immediately is almost entirely healed from her illness. "WE HAVE TO GO FIND J." they both decide. But how? They settle for some knocking. Nobody named John was found, but it was still good. And then the two went to visit a member named R.
Friday they awoke and Sister Hamilton was thrilled to discover the cotton candy she had been purchased. That morning they did some service and saw a member in the hospital, then did some weekly planning. President Innes called to wish Sister Hamilton a happy birthday, and then some members threw Sister Hamilton a dinner party at the church where they played the "how well do you know Sister Hamilton" game and Sister Pew won by a roaring landslide, but Bishop W's answers were by far the most entertaining. Not to mention, the YSA sisters heart attacked the door, and the Summerville 3rd sisters got Sister Hamilton Zebra Cakes, flowers and balloons. To top it all off, Elder W gave Sister Hamilton a rock that said "suck on this" which sounds really rude, but it's actually a reference to the Office, which Sister Hamilton loves. So she thought it was sweet. All in all, it was a very wonderful day.
Unfortunately, it was not to last. The only redemption Saturday had for itself was that right at the tail end of the day, the forlorn sisters visited a member who gave Sister Pew a sweater. Every door knocked either did not respond or was less than friendly. Every plan made fell through. Luckily though, the sisters did not lose hope. "Tomorrow is going to be wonderful," they vowed.
And they were right. Two different members brought an investigator/family to church. One was named N and she came last week as well, and the sisters have planned to see her today. But the most jaw-dropping miracle was the other family. As the sisters went to leave the church building they ran into an African American family. Sister Pew stuck out her hand to greet the man, who didn't see her and continued on. As he left, Brother S called the sisters over. "Did you get to meet J, Brother C's friend?" he asked. "I gave him a Book of Mormon. Large print. He's legally blind."
The wheels in Sister Pew's head started turning. "J...Book of Mormon," she thought. "Those two things sound familiar together." And then, the memory of the dream, and the face of the man she had just seen, came colliding into her brain with astonishing force. "J?" she said weakly. Sister Hamilton looked at her, confused. "Yeah, that's his name," she said. And then Sister Pew said, "Sister Hamilton, J." And Sister Hamilton went, "Ye- oh." And then Sister Pew's eyes filled with tears. Brother S looked on in complete confusion, but the sisters knew they had just witnessed a miracle. BECAUSE REMEMBER THAT DREAM ABOUT THAT AFRICAN AMERICAN GUY NAMED J WHO NEEDED A BOOK OF MORMON? Yeah. (They also explained to Brother S, who went, "FREAKY. THAT IS A FREAKY STORY.")
The end.
Hahahaha, no not really. But yeah, that actually happened. This week I witnessed the promises of God be fulfilled. We got J's address from his member friend yesterday and felt inspired to try him on Wednesday. I am excited. It was just so perfect, after the bad day, to have something so wonderful happen. So if you're going through a rough patch, hang on. You never know what sort of miracle God has in place for you as the days roll on.
I KNOW THAT HE DIRECTS HIS WORK AND HIS CHURCH. And I love y'all.
Don't let the muggles get you down!
Love,
Sister Pew
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| Goofy elder |
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| Happy Birthday Sister Hamilton! |
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