Our elderly investigator read the Book of Mormon and LOVED it. He told us he "learns more in this church than any other church!....but don't tell them that!"
Our young adult investigators are so, so wonderful. We had a really fun FHE with one of them at a member's home, and she seemed to really connect with the members.
The other one is getting excited for her baptism and is finally back in town!
One of our investigators just loves the gospel. And makes it known to everyone.
But, you see, then Friday, Saturday and Sunday happened.
They were insane.
And so this will probably dominate the majority of my letter.
We ventured up to Utica for Mission Leadership Council this week. There were two main themes President really hit hard on:
-Online Proselyting and
-Music
When it came to online proselyting, they began to train us on it (you'll hear more about this in the future....), and the Salt Lake City Missionary Department skyped in and observed us.
Now, whenever one of us commented, Sister Wirthlin would turn the camera RIGHT at us.
After that happening to me a good number of times, I turned to Sister L and said, "I feel very aware of my upper body."
I'd start picking my nails, remember who was watching and instantly stop.
I'd start practicing doodling with my left hand, and instantly stop.
I'd start playing with my hair or scratching my ear, and instantly stop.
Afterwards, President began to talk about the importance of keeping the volume of our music low.
He began to demonstrate by playing a classical song.
All of us began to bob our heads.
Then he blasted it.
And about half the missionaries,myself included, began to conduct the music.
Some of us had a "baton." aka: a pen.
"NOW, CAN YOU FEEL THE SPIRIT WHEN THE MUSIC IS THIS LOUD?!" shouted President.
"NO!" we shouted back, and continued to conduct the music until he turned it off.
Mission Leadership council took place the day before transfer calls, and President found himself surrounded by missionaries, asking him what was happening. He'd give them a hint, but not the full thing.
So I run up to President and say, "Okay, am I leaving the zone?"
"Yup." he said, not looking up from his transfer board on his iPad.
"Am I going to a zone I've been to before?"
"Which zones have you been to?"
"Owego and Albany."
"Yup."
"SWEET. Am I training?"
"Nope. But you'll be with a newer missionary," he said, still not looking up from his transfer board, "And you'll be in a really good area. I think you'll like it."
"Okay....will I still be a sister training leader?"
"Nope."
"Presideeeent! I really liked it, though!"
"And you were good at it! But the Lord needs you somewhere else."
"Man. I'm bummed. I really liked this."
"Well, maybe you'll get the chance again."
"Buddy! I only got 3 transfers left! OH MY GOSH. I JUST CALLED YOU BUDDY. I AM SO SORRY. Can I call you buddy? That just slipped out. Can I call you buddy? Is that okay?"
"Sure, you can call me buddy."
"Phew, thanks President."
The next day, I began to narrow down which areas I was going to, and there were only two possibilities:
Owego, or Elmira, the ward next door.
"Sister L.... I'm going to Elmira. I know it. I'm going to Elmira."
"What do you know about?"
"Nothing, really. I know it's a pretty nice area. It's a big ward. And the zone leaders are there!"
"Things could've changed between today and yesterday, though." she said.
"I know, but I think I'm going to Elmira."
Transfer calls came.
"Sister L, you will continue as Sister Training Leader and be joined by Sister L."
"YES!" we both cheered. She is an AMAZING missionary, and she came out with us! If anyone's replacing me, I'm glad it's her :)
"Sister Stimpson, you will join Sister H in Elmira."
"I KNEW IT!" I cheered.
"How do you feel?"
"Bummed to be leaving."
"It was bound to happen. You were having too much fun."
Don't worry, guys.
I still haven't fully comprehended it.
And I've already cried twice about leaving.
I'm excited to go, though. It's right next door to Owego, and it is a good area from what I hear.
I don't really know anything about Sister H, except that she just got done being trained, and that I will be her second companion.
I know it'll be good.
But I still am going to miss Saratoga and Sister L.
Sunday morning came. My last Sunday in Saratoga. I double checked to make sure my camera was packed in my bag so that I could take pictures with members. As I left the apartment, I really felt like I should receive a priesthood blessing.
"Not again," I thought, "I ask for too many. I'll be fine, this time, I guess."
At ward council, we told them that I was leaving to Elmira, and Elder T was going to Ithaca.
"So, Sister Stimpson you were here 7 months, and Elder T, you were here for 7 days?"
"Something like that, yeah." Said Elder T.
We left ward council about a half an hour before sacrament meeting. I began to dig through my purse to get my camera, when I found a disgusting, old sandwich bag full of jelly.
"Ugh."
I stood up and went into the bathroom, (the heavy door slamming behind me and making me jump, it was so loud!) and threw it away. On my way out, I put my hands against the door to keep it from shutting too loudly.
And then....my pointer finger managed to get lodged on the side of the door right where the hinges were.
INSTANT. INTENSE. INTENSE. PAIN.
"HOLY CRAP!" I screamed.
The elders and Sister L looked up. By this time I'm clutching my finger and hobbling over to them.
"What happened?" asked Sister L.
"My finger.....it hurts....holy crap...."
I look down to see blood pouring out of my hand.
And I instantly began to feel dizzy.
"SISTER L! SISTER L! SISTER L! I'M GOING TO PASS OUT."
"It can't be that bad, let me see--- Oh....my.....gosh. Okay, um, um, um, um-"
"SISTER L I'M GOING TO THROW. UP."
"Okay! Um...hurry, let's go to the bathroom."
I run to the bathroom, and by now my stomach is CHURNING! I stand by the sink and close my eyes as Sister Lloyd began to wash off my hands.
"Don't look at your hand. Do NOT look at your hand. Ew....oh my gosh...."
My vision is really bad, and I feel like my whole stomach is about to come up. I knelt down on the ground, keeping my hands in the sink.
"I'm going to throw up." I said.
"Okay, um, um, um.....okay hold on. I'll put a bandaid on. Can you sit up anymore?"
By now I'm laying completely flat on the ground, the pain being SO intense, and mumbling incoherently, "I'mgoingtopassouti'mgoingtopassouti'mgoingtopassout."
Sister L slapped a bandaid on my finger (by now I'm just completely sprawled on the bathroom floor) and said, "Okay, um, stay here. I'm going to go get help."
She ran outside. The Elders were in the foyer, laughing and joking when Sister L RUNS to them and said, "Is there a woman in the building yet?!"
She said their faces went from laughing, to sincere concern and they went to protective-big-brother mode.
"Um....I think there's a lady in the chapel!" said Elder T.
"Okay! GO TELL SISTER STIMPSON I'M GETTING HELP!"
Meanwhile, I'm just laying on the bathroom floor thinking, "Man....this is ridiculous......this is a new low moment in my life......I REALLY hope nobody comes in and has to use the bathroom...... they'd probably think I'm dead.....ugh and now I'm sweating. Why did I wash my hair today?........crap my finger's numb. That can't be good."
I hear a knock on the bathroom door.
"Um....Sister Stimpson?" said the Elders.
"Heeeeey."
"Are you alive?"
"Yuuuuup."
"Sister L and a lady are getting some ice and bandages. Can we come in?"
"Suuuuuure."
They walk in and go, "Ooh."
Apparently my face was beet red, the sweat was noticeable, and the rest of my body was SHEET white.
"Sorry," I said, "I don't normally hang out on bathroom floors."
"It's okay just....close your eyes." they said.
"Why?"
They grabbed a handful of paper towels and said, "There's just some.....um...... red kool-aid on the floor that we're going to wipe up."
"Ah, man. Sorry, guys."
Sister L and the lady from the ward burst through into the bathroom.
The first words out of the ward lady's mouth?
"Oh, Sister Stimpson, that is NOT sanitary!"
"Sister T," I grumbled, "I am going to pass out."
"Well, here. We'll help you up and at least move to the couch."
My thoughts about sitting on the couch?
"But....it's cold here......and the couch is even MORE in public!"
But I didn't say that.
They go to help, but before they do, I pop right up.
Hello, spinning, fuzzy black world.
Goodbye, all color in my face.
"I.....stood up.....too fast....." I whisper.
The Elders: "Uuuuum---."
Sister L's hands pop up and said, "DEEP BREATHS!"
Somehow I manage to flop down on the couch in the front foyer. Sister L wrapped some bandaids around my finger and held the ice on it.
Now, this whole time, I'm refusing to look at my injury. But everyone ELSE is mesmerized and want to see it.
At one point, the ward mission leader, the second councilor, the elders quorum president and our investigator were all surrounding my hand and Sister L took off my bandaid.
"OOH." they all said in unison.
Later, I had to leave sacrament meeting early to change my bandaids and get more ice. About 5 women in relief society surrounded my finger, asking to see it. Sister L took off the bandaids again.
Their reactions?
"Oooh!"
"Oh, ow."
"That's disgusting, man."
"Um...get your stuff. I'm going to take you to the Urgent care."
After getting a blessing, we called Sister Wirthlin to see which urgent care we should go to.
Seeing as I hadn't looked at the injury, Sister L began to describe it to her.
"Well, she ripped the skin off above the nail--"
"My skin....ripped....OFF?!"
"And the whole finger is purple---"
"MY FINGER IS PURPLE?"
"And she's probably going to lose the nail soon."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN MY NAIL'S GOING TO FALL OFF?!"
We ended up just going to the ER.
First, they thought I broke it. After looking at it more, they thought I had fractured it, but weren't sure.
After doing some x-rays, they determined that my finger was NOT broken.
They cleaned the disgusting, disgusting wound, wrapped it, and now....I have this HUGE bandage on my finger.
I stared at the cast-like bandage and said, "Well. At least I'm leaving Saratoga with a bang."
Our young adult investigators' reaction when they saw the bandage?
They grabbed a sharpy and signed it.
Why are they so great?
Why?
BECAUSE IT HURTS TO TYPE.
But what did we learn from this experience?
-If you feel prompted to get a blessing, follow that prompting or you'll get your finger smashed in a door.
-Don't doodle with your left hand during mission leadership council, else you'll get your finger smashed in the door.
-The first aid kit in the church really needs to be updated.
Anyway, thankfully I was with amazing ward members and amazing missionaries when it happened. And now I can finally say I have a sweet mission injury!
Well, my friends. My finger hurts and my time is up.
Looks like I'm opening a new chapter in my life.
I love you all, so much!
Hurrah For Israel,
Sista' Stimpson
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