October 14, 1013

Well Howdy Hey Thereeee

This week is a blur.  It feels like forever ago that we had P-day.  haha but some highlights! 

1) we found a new way to get into Less Active members homes.  Sister Greenfield and I were going to make contact with a LA in our ward that we had never met before.  We go up to the door and when she answers Sister Greenfield says, "Hi we are the new missionaries in the ward and we were in the neighborhood and saw that you lived here, could I use your bathroom, I am dying!?"  where that came from, I have no idea.   BUT! It worked.  No matter what your religious beliefs everyone can relate to the urgency in going to the bathroom.  Haha so while Sister Greenfield did the deed I talked and got to know her a little bit.  GOLDEN! haha we will be using that more often fo sho! 

2) We went to go make contact with another LA couple in the ward one night where we knocked and the their dogs went nuts. (side not: everyone and their mother have dogs here, even their dogs have dogs.  They get their dogs, dogs so that they aren't lonely, and then they end up getting a cat because the dogs dog does not get along with the dog....WHAT hahaha) Anyway their dogs are going nuts and then we knock again, lights are on in the house we know people are  home, and then we knock again.  FINALLY a man answers the door but only opens it up a crack so we can see his face.  We introduce ourselves and he kinda laughs and says, I am so sorry I am in a towel right now, let me grab my wife.  The door had a glass window and sure enough the man was straight out of the shower.  Coool cool.   We met his wife and she just died saying how sorry she was her husband answered the door.  hah they ended up being super awesome and want us to come back.  WOOT WOOT!

Worst shut down of the week.  There was a woman that we talked about in Ward Council that we planned on going to meet that is LA.  She answers the door and is the sweetest woman! She came out on the porch and talked with us for a while and told us that she LOVES missionaries and has so much respect for them.  She said, "It is such a sacrifice for you to be away from your family, I appreciate what you do and for coming over here, but we aren't active right now.  But thank you so much for stopping by.  It's very thoughtful of you."  what. like what?  If you appreciate us so much, LET US IN! It was so sad to hear her story, apparently she and her family had been active for years and years and years when BAM! Out of nowhere they stopped going to church.  No one knows why. I am not sure if that shut down was worse or if someone were to slam the door in our face....

So each Saturday we go play Bingo at the nursing home.  BEST PART OF MY WEEK! I love it.  We have the same people come each week and they are hilarious! There is this old woman that always sits in the same spot next to whoever is calling, and if someone yells out a bingo or we get talking she will look at the caller and say, heyyyy whats the hold up.  hahaha she is a champion bingo player and does not mess around.  We got to meet with one of our ward members that lives at that nursing home beforehand and ohmygosh I want to be her! She is 91 years old and is basically blind but SO FUNNY! She saw us walking down the hall and said, hey you! Are you the missionaries?  I am so freaking blind I can't tell! hahahahahahaha we got to visit with her and she was telling us about back in her day she slept with all her siblings in one bed to stay warm and how they didn't have a bathroom in the house but would high tail it to the out house in the winter.  She was saying freaking and crap and just funny as all get out.  

Sadness of my life! We met with Cara the LA and her roommate Keeta on Thursday.  I think I told you about keeta, but she is 16 her dad owns the house she lives in, her parents are divorced and she doesn't want to live with her Dad and step mom so she lives there with Cara.  Anyway we read 2Nephi something something about feasting on the words of Christ and through that we will know what we should do in our lives.  And it was a really good talk, she was super engaged, giving her thoughts and got a little choked up.  TENDER.  Cara planned on coming to church this week and was going to bring Keeta! Solid Solid! 

At the end of this week we had 4 people coming to church.  Ketta, Cara, Danny and LB. HOLLA HOLLA! And then.....none of them came.  Stab in my heart.  I was so frustrated when no one showed up.  It was a week killer for sure.  But there is next week! And the week after that! Hopefully they can come this week.  Sister Greenfield and I have been fasting since sacrament yesterday.  Because we feel like we have all of these Progressing Less Actives and investigators that are all at a stand still.  We were able to talk to Cara and her husband came into town and stayed longer than she had expected and I assume Danny didn't come because he had to pick up his girlfriend from work.  We met with him on Saturday and he told us that he usually picks up his girlfriend from work but that he has asked if she would start walking home so he can go to church, but it was raining during church, so I wonder if he went and picked her up.  It's okay though! There is always next Sunday! 

In answer to your question Dad, no.  hahaha I am so bad! But I seriously do not have time.  We get home at 9:00 do numbers and plan for the next day and we are in bed by 10:30. I have no idea how Maurie had time to make forts with her companions.  We have no time when we get home. But on Sunday we still get up at 6:23 but don't have to exercise so I write in my journal then.  I will try and be better!  MAURIE finally wrote me the bum! hahaha And yes Mckay emailed me a few weeks ago.  Something that I get a lot of strength from is meeting with older members and hearing their stories.  There is a woman we meet with every Wednesday named Catherine.  She lives in a nursing home by herself and she told us about her conversion and her life.  She has gone in active 2 different times since she was baptized and now is as strong as can be.  Same with another Sister in our ward.  She grew up LDS and all that jazz and has gone in active before but is back and has been for several years.  And sometimes the inactivity is 10 years before they come  back.  But they do.  They have come back.  It seems that way with many of the people I have met with.  They go in active for a time but always return. Knowing about Kay gives me motivation to do my best and work my hardest.  

OH! NEWS! I am on Facebook! Our ward just called a facebook specialist where they make a ward facebook page where both sister greenfield and myself are admins and can post spiritual thoughts, activities, info about the ward for not only the ward but less actives, and investigators.  It will be an easy way for us to connect with the ward and get in touch with people we are working with.  Anyone can FOLLOW me but cannot be my friend.  I can only be friends with those in my area, missionaries, ward members, investigators and less actives.  my name is Sister-Mckenzie Moline I don't have a profile picture yet, but I will put that up this week.  By following me you can see what I post and stuff like that but I cannot see anything that you post on my newsfeed.  Also don't tag me in any pictures. 

Another big thing is that we are starting to pilot ipad minis.  We got a voicemail the other week about that starting up within the next few months.  Part of me doesn't even want to have to deal with it. hahah but obviously it is supposed to help.  We shall see. 

I am excited for you all to spend time with Mckay and Adrian! I am so jealous! That sounds like such an awesome time.  Totes jelly yo!

Anyway, I better go.  Sorry for the randomness of the letter.  I love you all so much! I feel your prayers everyday.  Thank you thank you.  Lots of love!

Sure love ya!

Sister Moline