What Was That Again?: In Which Riding a Bike in a Skirt is Difficult and So Is Saying Goodbye

Once upon a time, I was on a mission. Aaaand... It was never like I thought it would be. This week has been one of those "change everything that you know about everything" weeks. So, I don't really know where to start. Bear with me.

Oh! Okay. So, last week, if you couldn't tell, was pretty rough. I got to the point on Tuesday where I was just done. I've been really nauseous and headachey and exhausted all the time, and I was ready to throw in the towel. (Which, in my mind, meant sleep for the rest of eternity.) We went to do service in the morning and Elder Vought confirmed the worst rumor of all time. I'd heard about it before, but I didn't want to even think about it - one of my favorite Sisters from my MTC District went home. I have no idea why, but it just broke my heart. That's more discouraging than anything I've faced so far, to be honest. We ate dinner, and I was just done. Sister Quist decided that we should visit some people, so I went along, however grudgingly. There was a name that just showed up on our records that the Relief Society President asked us to check out, so we went over to her house to see what happened. She opened the door and said, "Oh - I bet my name is still on the records, isn't it?" And that was the beginning of my deep and abiding love for Theresamaria. I ADORE her. She is originally from Michigan, where she lived next door to and was close friends with the Elders. They taught and baptized her and she was really excited to go to the temple, but then she moved down here. We don't know what happened to her records, but she's been here for a long while and we just got them. When she moved she had just been batized and without anyone taking care of her, she just kind of slipped away from the church. She's married to an excellent nonmember named Darren, and she's just great. She's been totally desperate for friendship, so we sat and talked for a long time. She said that she's still been studying - she has her daily devotion, as she calls it - and said that she wasn't all that far away from activity in the church and expressed interest in going to the temple. WHAAAAT?! She just loves us, and we love her, and the ward is going to love her - it's just the greatest miracle of ever. I'm thinking that we'll have to reteach her (and hopefully get her husband to take lessons as well... wink, wink) but I'm thrilled. SO. COOL.

The next day we went to help at the horse boarding farm, but Kaity wasn't there when we got there, so we mucked stalls until she came. Let me tell you something. Horses? They're smart. They're also a lot more sassy than even me, and they know that they can be large intimidating animals. They know when Kaity isn't there, and they were messing around the entire time. We had to take one horse (the biggest one, mind you) out of her stall to clean it, and she would not go back in. Scariest... It was really terrifying. However, we succeeded, Kaity came back, and we got to drive her tractor/industrial mower to mow pastures. It was an adventure. That afternoon we spent some more time with Theresa, and she insisted on spending a lot of money on us. It was excellent, and I am not complaining. but missionaries don't really know what money is, or what to do with it besides buy ramen and milk, so it was odd. She's the greatest, though.

On Thursday, we had our first cleaning check. About once a transfer, Elder and Sister Isom come and raid our apartments, telling us all of the things that we need to improve on. The first companionship to get checked usually gets a horrific score (ain't no missionary got time to clean the apartment,) and then they text the rest of us to warn us. We got a text from our District Leader (who got a score so high that they didn't bother to count it,) and went into a cleaning frenzy. It worked, though. We only got 5 points against us, which was the best score of the day, so they gave us coupons for free pints of Blue Bell (only the best ice cream on earth, no big deal.) Score...

We had a really excellent Zone Meeting on Friday, and afterwards, Elder Vought had a score to settle. Once upon a time, he told some Sisters that riding a bike in a skirt wasn't that difficult and that he could easily show them wrong. On Friday, he made good on that challenge. We went to the Imperial Oaks Sisters' apartment, got him a skirt and a bike and made me him ride it. He struggled just a lot. He insists that the riding part isn't too hard, just the getting on and off and carrying it up the stairs part. We told him to wait for the wind, and then he'd change his mind. It was probably the funniest thing I've ever seen...ever. It made my entire life.

After that, we spent time at the Hand Me Up Shop with Elder Vought and Elder Cornwall, and then they came with us to dinner when the family cancelled on us. So, once upon a time Elder Vought is leaving the field tonight and going home tomorrow, so it meant so much to be able to spend time with them. He's a really cool kid, you know.

CONFERENCE! Okay - does everyone love Conference as much as I do? It's my favorite holiday, which is awesome because it happens twice a year. So. Good. There were two talks that I'm pretty sure were meant just for me, and they strengthened my faith in my Heavenly Father and His care and concern for me. We got to spend 3 of the 4 sessions with members, and 2 of them with Kezza and Raymundo, so it was just stellar. Conference is great, people. And remember - the greatest blessings of Conference come after its over.

In between the sessions on Sunday we met with Elder Vought and Elder Cornwall to say goodbye. Have I mentioned how much I hate goodbyes? They stink. A lot. You grow so close to the people you work with because you come to know them on a spiritual level as well as a friendship level - that, and you see them aaaall the time. It's just hard when you've gotten so close to people and then have to realize that talking to them is going to be just like talking to people from home - where they were just a text or call away, you now have to email or send letters, and you don't know how you'll get along without them. I'm so grateful to have served with Elder Vought. He's a truly quality guy, and Arizona is lucky to have him back. We'd probably be best friends if he'd let go of his ridiculous obsession with the second lamest football team of ever (namely, the Cowboys.)

After the session last night we were eating with the Lunts and Schecks (only the best member family ever,) and we got a lovely little text from President Pingree saying that, due to scheduling, the transfer meeting would be happening on Tuesday, and calls would be happening that night. I may or may not have had a mini panic attack - no big deal. After the longest 4 hours of my life, we finally got a call from Elder Vought saying...that we were both staying. Huh? The only person from our District that's leaving is Elder Ririe, which is just weird. Sister Quist has been here for 6 months already, so if she stays for the transfer after this, she'll have spent half of her mission in one area. We were sure she would get transferred. It's just weird. It's cool, though. I was sure that I'd be training at 6 weeks like all of the awesome people in the mission, but I had to get knocked off of my pride pedestal and remember that what I think I can handle or am cool enough for doesn't matter - that I'm where the Lord wants me to be, and for the best reasons.

What all of this means, then, is that all y'all who haven't been writing me letters have absolutely no excuse now. Write the letters, lame faces!

So, I love you. I'm not sure how much sense this email makes, but if not, I hope it made you chuckle just a bit. I miss y'all and think of you all the time. You're cool, cool people, and I'll see you soon.

Love, Me

Trying to solve the "getting on" dilemma