babababababaaam

So. I am not connecting with this ward. At. All. Or my investigators. Or less active members. Like it's getting to the point where members and less actives have commented on how I just don't seem to be clicking.

I had been trying the whole "fake it till ya make it" game plan. Doesn't seem to be working out too well in this situation. Baaaaaah. Sister H and I finally had a heart-to-heart about it, which consisted of me eating a ton of Hershey kisses and saying, "I'M NOT CONNECTING WITH ANYONE AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING WRONG! EVERYONE MISSES THE PREVIOUS SISTER MISSIONARY!"

"I know. I've noticed it too. I'm getting frustrated with it, too."
"WHAT DO I NEED TO CHANGE?"
"I really have no idea."
"ME NEITHER!"

Then I ate another handful of chocolate.
It was a low moment in my missionary life.

But no need to worry. I know it'll get better, and this has been a very....blessed....opportunity to practice the Christlike attribute of Hope. And Patience. And Charity. And Diligence. But in the meantime I still get a little grumpy and have probably gained a pound due to the amount of Hershey kisses I've been devouring like a mad squirrel.

Have I told you guys about the squirrel that adopted our porch? Yes, so we have a squirrel that would always crawl around our porch. And then we started feeding it Cheetos. And then it went a little crazy and started climbing our screen door and scratching at the entry of the door and running around super fast and super crazy. Then we decided to go more natural and we switched to feeding him almonds and he's calmed down a bit.

And this is why the national parks tell you NOT to feed the animals.

Anyway. Here's how this week went:

Monday - Preparation day

Tuesday - Spent in Saratoga

Wednesday - Drive in awful snow to Albany to pick up the Albany Sisters. Then a day spent in Glenville with Sister R's trainer and Sis. J (my MTC companion).

The Albany sisters don't have a car and had to go to Utica. Our TIWI unit (the thing that yells at us when we drive too fast) in our car is broken and needed to go to Utica to get fixed. Sister R's trainer and Sister J are our Sister Training Leaders. We had an exchange planned for Thursday night to Friday night (when you switch companions for the day).
So the AP's call us and said, "Sisters, the Albany sisters are going to take your car to Utica. In the meantime, you will spend the day in Glenville. You can stll go on your exchange as planned."

Let's put it this way: Wednesday, Thursday and Friday were a complete Missionary party.

Wednesday night Sister J and I taught  a member a lesson about missionary work. Then they gave us a lot of ice cream and we danced our way back to the apartment.

Thursday, I went tracting with Sister R's trainer, and Sister H and Sister J went tracting in a street that was kittycorner to us. Sister R's trainer and I talked about funny mission stories as we trudged through the snow. AND! Then, we knock on this door and I start to introduce ourselves to an old woman who answered, when she said, "Would you like to come in?"
"We would LOVE to!"
She let us in and told us how her son dated a Mormon. And then in between talking about Family Home Evening, the church welfare system, politics (well we mostly just listened to her rant about them), we somehow managed to talk about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. AND she told us she'd like us to come back!
Investigator found? Check. It was awesome!

Then we visited / practice taught some members. And they gave us cookies. And brownies.
Then we went home for dinner, and ate cinnamon roll pancakes.

My food choices have not been the best lately.

Thursday night, Sister R's trainer and Sister H drove the Albany sisters back to Albany, then went to Saratoga, and I spent the day with Sister J in Glenville. We tracted a trailer park where we danced on the doorsteps of the houses that didn't answer (we have way too much fun together) and talked to a nice and only slightly-drunk man about the Book of Mormon.

Slightly drunk guy: What is the Book of Mormon anyway? Is it like more of the New Testament?
Me: Well, we study from the Bible and the Book of Mormon. While the Bible takes place in Jeruselum, the Book of Mormon takes place at the same time period but on the American continent as well.

Slightly Drunk guy: OOOOOOH! I get it! Why aren't you out telling more people about this?
Me: ........we're trying to!

Slightly Drunk Guy: Wait......you're not from the Latter-day Saints, are you?

Me: Um.....we are, yes.

Slightly Drunk Guy: OOOOOOH! I had you confused with someone else. How many husbands you guys got?

Me: We um....don't practice plural marriage. And I have none.

Slightly Drunk Guy: OOOOOOOOOH!

Classy.

Saturday we had a girl who is preparing to serve a mission spend the day with us. We visited our investigator and she said, "I've just been feeling so much more peace since I've been seeing you girls. It makes me so happy!"

She came with us to a church activity. We took her on a tour of the church and at the end she teared up and asked us to pray that she'd have strength to change her life and her ways. Later, during the activity, she pulled the Elders aside and said, "I've never felt this much peace at any other church before! And I finally know what it is! It's the Holy Spirit, isn't it?!"

Awesome? Yes. I was SO happy!

So now you're wondering what the activity was. It was Mormon Family Fued. Near the end, the elders and us convinced her to be on a team with us. So she comes up with us....and one of the questions was "What are some things Mormons do after church on Sunday?"

She tried to run away.
I grabbed her and said, "Say take a nap."

She nodded and went back to the table. When it was her turn, she said, "Take a nap!"

Number one answer. What!

The next question was: "What are some things to bring to a ward potluck?"

She looked really confused at us and tried to run away again. Once again, I grabbed her and said, "Say Jell-O."

"JELLO?"

"Trust me. Just say it."
So the host guy comes up to her and says, "Um....so....this may be a hard one...."

"JELLO!" she shouted.
Number two answer. What!

After the activity, she high fived us and pulled us aside and said, "I'm working this Sunday, but I really, really want to work it out so I can come to church next Sunday. Is that okay?"

UM. THAT'S MORE THAN OKAY!

It was so exciting to see her progression, and I hope she continues to progress!! It was also exciting, because this is how our lesson went with our ninety-year-old investigator:

Us: SO. HAVE YOU BEEN DRINKING COFFEE?

Him: Of course! Every single morning! The doctors say it's good for you!
Us:  DON'T YOU REMEMBER WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT LAST TIME?
Him: Yes.

Us: WHAT WAS IT?

Him: Wisdom.

I groaned on the inside.

Well my friends. I must be off. Transfer calls are this Saturday. I am assuming I'm staying, but with how I've been connecting to this ward, I really don't know. We'll see next week! Sister H has been here three transfers so she's assuming she's leaving. LOVE YA'LL!

Hurrah for Israel!

Sista' Stimpson