Monday, December 8, 2014

In Which I'm the Lucky Stomach Virus Lottery Winner and We Have the Sweetest Video in the World. Watch It Now.



Oh, hey. I just really wish this email would write itself, because I kind of have no idea how to organize thoughts today. We'll see how this goes. It was a really long week - not in a bad way, just a "it felt more like 3 weeks" kind of way.  

The week was kind of governed by this nasty stomach virus of death that I got last Monday night and that continued through Saturday. It was really lovely. We spent all day inside on Wednesday and Sister Davis and I crashed on Friday because we were both sickies, so the motivation thing was pretty scarce. I'm all better now, though, and we still did some cool stuff, so it's all good. 

On Tuesday morning we went to the Hafer building where I dropped my Sister Roe off so that she could go off into the wide world of Katy. Sister Sylvester and Sister King both went home, which I really don't like and would like even less if I weren't following them soon. I just love those girls, and they both have done so much for me. I was extra super lucky and got to see them that night, too, so I'm pretty happy. 

My new companion is named Sister Hudgens, and she is from SoCal. #weargueaboutthedefinitionofcoldalot Ready for a surprise? She goes home at the same time I do, which means that they'll either, A. take the Sisters out of Olde Oaks in February, or B. I'll get moved for my last transfer in 5 weeks. 

I totally wasn't expecting that one. 

I was able to go on exchanges with Sister Davis this week, and it was like the miracle fairy passed over us, sneezed, and dropped all of the miracles on our 5 hour exchange. Holy smokes. 

Miracle #1 - Remember the little girls we taught the Restoration to last week? We found one of them again and met her mom. She said that she'd seen all of the stuff we'd given her last week and has been looking for a church - new investigator? Don't mind if we do. 

Miracle #2 - We saw Marquita, my best friend. We found her a couple weeks ago in the u-turn miracle. We set up an appointment for Saturday (which fell through, but we won't talk about that.)

Miracle #3 - We found Bobby, this potential investigator we've been trying to meet with for forever. He had a bundle of weed in his hand, but it's whatever. We also set up an appointment with him (which also fell through, but we won't talk about that either.)

Miracle #4 - We got a text from Mirta, who is an investigator from another ward that just moved into our area - it said, "you may come over." We laughed, and then we went and saw her. She started off by saying that she just wanted to learn more about our church and that she wanted to stay Catholic, but then we started talking about how she felt while she was being taught, and we were able to set up a baptismal date. We got in the car afterward and asked each other what had just happened, because we had no idea. 

Miracle #5 - We stopped by some very tatted, very pierced black young men and invited them to be baptized - they ended up being ridiculously nice and said that they'd been wanting to be baptized but wanted to learn more about it before they did. We might be able to help them with that. 

There was one experience we had this week that is really dear to my heart and has changed the way I think about things. We were contacting at the Polo Club yesterday (my favorite super ghetto apartment complex,) when we met Jason, Chris, Seth, JJ, and Jarron. They're teenage black boys from the hood, and so we started talking to them about the He is the Gift video 

*Side note - if you have not watched that video yet, repent and get your little self over to christmas.mormon.org. Watch it, cry, and share it with all of your friends. It's incredible. 

Anyway, we got to talking to them, and they opened up and told us about their lives. I've heard about the poverty cycle and low income areas my entire life, and all of the sudden it was literally looking me in the face. They want to go to college, to get married and have kids and make something of themselves, but they're stuck in a world where they trade drugs to survive. Jarron kept making comments about how we couldn't understand what their life was like, and I can't - I'm a white girl from the middle class. I have no idea what they're going through. They're no older than 17, and they've seen things that I never will. 

At the same time, I was so overcome with the knowledge that the gospel that we share has everything they need to help them become all they can. I have no idea how they feel, but the Savior does, and He is the only one that can get them out of the world they're in. I had nothing to give them, and yet I had everything. 

This is what it's about. This is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

That's all I have for this week. Y'all are great - thank you for all you do. I sure do love and appreciate you!

Love, 

Lil' John Cusack 
(Courtesy of Brother Shepley)



Basically the cutest picture of all time. 


Sister Andreason, Sister King, and Elder Hillebrant
Me, Sister Jeppson, and Sister Hudgens

 
At the mission home on Tuesday night


The District and Michelle



Sister Davis and I are the coolest. 




Super quality Zone Leaders, right here
The muumuu in all its glory. Be jealous.

 

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