What Was That Again?: In Which President Pingree Kicks Me and We Become Elders

I can't even remember the beginning of this week... Let's see...

Ah! Well, we had Zone Conference on Wednesday, which was quite the adventure, and one of those days on Thursday where all of the people we visited were people who needed to see us - they were all stressed, or needed help, and it was amazing to be able to help them.

While we were at Zone Conference, Sister Quist and I had an interview with President Pingree, and somehow we got onto the topic of her fiancée. I mentioned that I was getting a dog, and Sister Quist clarified that I meant dog instead of a husband. President Pingree looked at me, kicked me in the shin and told me to stop being ridiculous. It was pretty great.

We had the ward Fall Festival on Friday night (it was a Halloween party, but they refused to call it that,) and Sister Quist and I - by the tutelage of the former Sister Zamacona - dressed up the greatest missionary costume of all time. There's not really much you can do as a missionary, but we decided to go...as Elders. We wore black skirts, found ties, stole some shirts and nametags from the Elders, and became Elders Cornwall and Murdock, while Sisters Quist and Liljenquist were at the other ward's trunk-or-treat outside. It was quite excellent. We won a major award, too! Never mind that it was for the most last minute, because the Elders were a half an hour late with half of our costumes, it's a major award!

When we came home that night, I had SIX letters! Never mind that I won't be getting mail for the next two months, I got SIX LETTERS. It was quite the Best Two Years moment as Sister Quist pulled all of them out. Thank you to everyone who wrote - you rock my socks.

This Saturday we got to help out at a food fair with the county food bank. They had it at a stadium and started lining cars up (seeing as there had been fist fights the year before because people were cutting in line.) The started lining people up around 8 o'clock, and by 8:30 or so, the aisles were full, so it fell to me, Sister Quist, Elder Petersen (the very same Elder who hates happiness and joy,) and a high school senior named Sam who was volunteering with her high school to control traffic. It was quite the morning. We started lining people up and down the road on both sides for a mile, if not two. I was running all over the place, and ended up with Sam at the end of one of the lines to keep people from cutting for about two hours. Can I tell you just how much I love that girl? We just sat and talked - I told her about being a missionary, the good and bad things that go with that, and she talked about school, her new boyfriend, applying for college and wondering whether or not she should keep playing soccer. She's not a member, but it was neat because I didn't feel differently toward her at all - I just loved her. I shared some of the feelings I have about the church, but it was a "this is how this has helped me" sort of thing - no intense testimonies, so offering the Book of Mormon. When she left, she seemed really sad to have to leave, and she thanked me for talking with her. I gave her my number, and who knows? Maybe she'll call sometime, or maybe at some point down the road she'll remember the Mormon missionary who was her friend. It was neat.

Elder Petersen showed his true colors that afternoon as well. There were some truly kind people who came to get food, and there were some really grumpy, angry people. I was sworn at, I had to argue with some people, and I did a lot of running around trying to appease them. As soon as Elder Petersen learned that I was having troubles with the people at my end, he came down to help Sam and I. He had offered to take care of people before, and he spent the rest of the afternoon doing the hard stuff - telling people to move, arguing, being yelled at, all of that nasty stuff, because "No one should treat girls like that - especially my Sisters." It was really special, and a memory that I'll always treasure. It seems like a little thing, but it meant so much to have someone protecting and taking care of me.

This weekend was stake conference, and the theme was missionary work. Yeusssss.... It was really good. President Pingree spoke at both sessions, and I really came to understand the connection between missionary work and temple work. President and Sister Pingree made some excellent points and gave some excellent ideas, like just sharing how the gospel has blessed your life with nonmembers and asking if they'd be willing to listen to a brief message about ____ from the missionaries. It was good stuff.

Keep up the good work, people. I am so grateful for the prayers and support and am praying for y'all as well. Keep praying, and keep writing letters.

Sister Me.

LOOK AT THE TEMPERATURE!