Winter is (still) here! Saturday morning we get in the car at about eight in the morning to head to a meeting, glance at the temperature, and just about die of disgust. (Is that possible?) 3 degrees!!!!! 3 degrees! Oh my lanta...that is COLD. In all honesty, it all feels the same to me. Three is just a daunting number. And it sure makes 15 look a whole lot better...which is the number now found on the thermometer. Another cold story, when we got in the car this morning at six, we not only had to scrape ice off the outside of the windshield but the inside, too...How does that even happen?!?
 |
| My first snow shoveling experience! My weak arms needed help getting started but by the end of the week I was a pro! |
This week was a little strange. Time slowly crawled forward as I was homebound for two full days and part of another day. A plague of sorts has hit the Visitors Center and, you guessed it, the Sisters are dropping like flies. Don't worry...nothing serious. Nasty cough, chills, aches, fever peaking at 101.8. You know, the usual. Last Tueseday I started feeling a little punky but tried to power through the slight discomfort. There were a couple lessons that I sincerely was looking forward to attending. I was probably more of a hurt there as my thoughts were jumbled and my sentences made zero sense. Oops. So Wenesday morning my companions forced me to call our mission president's wife. I was left helpless...forced to stay in for the next two days. SAD! BUT, probably a good thing because I think those two days I spent a total of maybe three hours out of my bed...oops. Friday morning we found service we could do from home and then went to sites in the evening. I am pretty much fully capacitated once again.
Okay, now I will actually tell you something of value instead of complaining to you all.
Remember the couple from last weeks bits of awkwardness? Well we have been meeting with them weekly for nearly two months now. I love them. I really do. I want to be friends with her post-mission. She is such a sweet, cute, little lady! But it has been hard meeting with them because they do not really know what they are looking for in meeting with us. Does that make sense? has said a couple of times, "If I did not want you here, you wouldn't be here. Believe me."...but they were not searching. They would not pray to find out that there is a God. They would not read the scriptures to learn of God. They would not come to church. It was/is a little discouraging. THEN we stopped by two Sundays ago and she told of an experience she had earlier that week. While she was driving home one evening, she passed the chapel and had an overwhelming desire to go inside of the church building and just sit. She said the feeling kind of scared her because she had never felt anything like it before that moment. Well, Tuesday we went to the church and talked about prayer and God and all of the things we normally talk about together. Then, they sat in the chapel for maybe 10 minutes (it felt like an eternity though!!). We parted our ways and now they are out of town so we can not see them until FRIDAY. This is torture. I miss them. ):
 |
| Taking the best presents to the Jones family. Their very own copies of the Book of Mormon for the keeping, the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, AND the Family Proclamation |
Well, not much more to report on this end. New directors at the Visitors Center arrived this week. The Butterfield's were released after serving for three years here. We miss them already but are happy to have the Edmun's, too. It is one of those bittersweet occassions. There will probably be changes to ways around sites so I am hoping to be flexible. The family investigating are (still) amazing. The teenage boy texted us the other night and said "So if I want to pray can I pray in my head or do I have to pray out loud?" Okay..cutest thing ever! I love that family....
Sister Spring
 |
| Our "thank you" to the Facilities Management Team that takes such great care of sites and us sisters! |
 |
| Sister McAlister and I. I played dress-up in her clothes AND I forgot my name tag. Luckily, she had a spare. Two Sister McAlister's for the day! |
