letter of weekliness

I've resorted back to the whole 'where's your coat' stage. It is almost April. I refuse to accept this weather. So I've been wearing my light, peach colored pea coat that a member gave me in Owego. It is virtually nothing, but it's cute. It's a coat, and I refuse for it to still be 24 degrees outside. Sister H bundled up in her marshmallow coat, ear muffs, and gloves then looked at me and said, "Really? That's the coat you're wearing?"
"Hey, I'm wearing long sleeves underneath this!"
And during the walk from the car to the library I kept muttering to myself, "It'snotcoldit'snotcoldit'snotcold" as if to convince myself it really was warm.
I'll miss this weather when the humidity comes.

So this week was a roller coaster of emotions. Sister H was pretty sick, so we had to stay inside for a couple days. I was going a wee bit stir crazy. Sick days on missions are not as fun as they are at home!

We ventured out to go visit our elderly investigator this week. As soon as we arrived, he said, "I was praying you would come!" My heart swelled - that's always a good response to us!
We sat down and he said, "I've been doing a lot of soul searching."
Good. Soul searching is good.
"And.....I want to be baptized fully in the water - like Jesus was. I know that's how your church baptizes people...."
Yes! Yes, this is good!
"But....don't get me wrong....I just can't commit to a church. And it's not just your church -it's any church. And I know that's what you're trying to have me work towards, is baptism....and I just can't commit to that. So......I think it's best that we stop meeting."
Just rip my heart in two pieces, why don't you?

He said he would still come to church occasionally, and he actually came this Sunday to hear our musical number! But man, I was feeling REALLY down for a couple days. I kept beating myself up, because it seems like this area had always done well until I got here. Thankfully I was able to rationalize myself out of it, and am trying to just stay positive through all this.

After Sister H was feeling better, we decided to crack down and do some serious finding, seeing as we have virtually zero investigators now. Now, the weather is....kind of.....warming up, and a lot more people have been out now. Our ward mission leader suggested we try some street contacting, and gave us a few tips as to how to approach people. One of the tips is to ask if we could share a story with someone, and share the story of the Book of Mormon. Essentially - the people coming from Jerusalem over to the American continent and their dealings with Christ there. So, we decide to do it.

It started out pretty dreadful! I haven't done this since my first two transfers in Owego! We're walking, pass a person, "HELLO! Um......................" then they'd be clear down the street.
Oh boy.
So then, I see two guys sitting - one at a table, and one on the ground right next to the table.
BINGO! People sitting! These are people I can approach!
So I go up to them and say, "Hello! Can we share a story for you for a minute?"
The guy at the table looks at us hesitantly, and the guy on the ground says, "SURE! JUST WAIT FOR MY BUDDY TO CROSS THE STREET!"
And that's when I realized.
These two guys sitting next to each other aren't together. In fact, the one guy sitting is a homeless man.
And he's totally drunk.
Awesome.
So his buddy is trying really hard to cross the four-lane, busy street. I finally shout, "JUST WAIT UNTIL YOUR LIGHT TURNS SO THAT YOU DON'T GET RUN OVER!"
He listened to my advice. Look at me - saving lives.
So his buddy joins us and says, "HEEEEY! You're church ladies."
Now I'm trying to think of how I can get out of this really fast.
I say, "Yeah, and we're sharing a story about Christ visited the people on the American continent after he was resurrected---."
"I PRAY EVERY MORNING! RIGHT ON THAT HILL UP THERE! AND I KNEEL! I KNEEL LIKE THIS!"
So he kneels down in front of me. I just kind of stare at him, as he looks at the sky, his arms outstretched like an eagle. I blink and go,
"That's......yeah, prayer's a good thing to do."
"Sister, I need help getting up. Can you help me get up?"
By now, Sister H is shuffling closer to the normal guy, sitting at the table. I say, "Um.......how on earth can I help you up?"
"Ah, never mind I got it."
So slowly, very slowly he starts standing up and I say, "That's great. You're doing a good job. Look! You did it all by yourself. Here's the Book of Mormon! It talks about Christ visiting the Americas. It's free. Here you go."
I give it to him, and then we start to talk to the normal guy, when the buddy interrupts me again.
Sister H continued to talk to the normal guy about our religion, and I decided to talk to the buddy.
"Now, what religion you from?"
"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Or Mormons. People call us Mormon."
"I PRAY EVERY DAY ON THAT HILL UP THERE!"
"That's great!"
"Yeah. What's your first name, doll?"
"Sister."
"No really. What's your first name?"
"As missionaries, we go by Sister just to show respect."
"And I respect that, doll. But c'mon. What's your first name."
".....................Emily."
"Beautiful. I'm going to call you Scarlet."
"That's.....fitting."
Now I'm eavesdropping onto Sister H's conversation as this guy keeps rambling to me. She's giving him a restoration pamphlet! And giving a brief run down on how Christ's gospel is restored to its fullness! I like where this is going! Then I notice that this guy is staring at me, waiting for my response. So I go, "Oh wow that's cool!"
To which he says, "IT IS NOT COOL! HE GOT SHOT IN THE HEAD! I LOST MY SON!"
Crap.
But he forgives me pretty quickly and says, "You have beautiful eyes."
"Thank you."
"No, I mean it. You have BEAUTIFUL eyes!"
"Thank you."
"I mean it! Your eyes are beautiful!"
"And I mean it when I say thank you!"

Hey guys, the guy next to me totally complimented my typing! Now I'm strangely aware of how I'm typing. He says I'm probably about 100 words a minute.  Ahem.....anyway........let me go back to the story.

So then Sister H decided to rescue me. She says to me, "Okay, well we really got to get going!"
"WELL HONEY LET ME SAY A PRAYER BEFORE YOU LEAVE!" says the buddy.
"Um.......okay....." we say, as he kneels back down on the ground.
"Okay, you kneel, we'll stay standing. Um, I'll say the prayer." I say.
He stretches his hand towards us and says, "LET'S JOIN IN HANDS!"
".....My hands are full." I said.
"Yeah, sorry my hands are in my pocket." said Sister H.
I said the quickest prayer of my life, then we left. And as we walked away, they continued to compliment us.

So then we turned the corner, to allow myself to let out all the laughter I had been holding in. It was absolutely golden.
Singing went really well! Our elderly investigator came, and said we sounded good! I was really surprised - a lot of women told me I should take more singing lessons when I go home, and that I have a lovely voice. They were surprised when they found out this is only like the third time I've ever sung in public. I really am shocked by the kind words I got, and was SO grateful for this opportunity! And the woman who asked me to sing in public hugged me and said, "If you stay another transfer I'll have to snag you for another musical number!"
Oh....good?
I'm still no Celine Dion, but I at least know I can sing in public, and I actually enjoy it!

Well, transfer calls this Saturday! It will be interesting to see what this next transfer brings! I love you all!

Hurrah for Israel!

Sista' Stimpson.