What Was That Again?: In Which We Get a Free Butt Massage and We Avoid the Gadianton Robbers of the Home School Moms

Another Monday, another email from your favorite missionary. You lucky duck! I won't make any promises about this one, though. It's been kind of a doosie. (How do you even spell that word?)

First things first, we went downtown last Monday after we emailed, and it was pretty much amazing. I won't lie - leaving the mission made me feel pretty darn apostate, but also kind of cool at the same time. We went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science and had a grand old time - I saw mummies. And cat mummies. And a skull made out of a gemstone. And large skeletons of creatures that are creepier than I'll get out. Michelle took us, and Michelle and I are basically the same person, so we had a blast. Her "old and ghetto car" makes lots of strange vibrations, so she said we got a free butt massage. Fine by me.

That night when we were knocking doors, we ran into this man - I swear he knows the Bible better than I know the English language. He was very nice and it wasn't a bash at all, but everything we said he countered with verses that he just pulled from his head and I was grossly unprepared. I knew that what I knew was true, but I didn't have the scriptures to back it up - I hate that. So, we called President Mortensen, whose knowledge of the scriptures is very similar to this dude's. He said we had to do our homework, but that he'd come with us. So, I spent the last week studying the Plan of Salvation in the Bible hard core, and we're going back over tonight. I'm really hoping all goes well.

After that, the week kind of took a nosedive.

We took a member to see Amber this week, and the appointment actually started off really well - we read Lehi's dream, Sister Bay was able to help Amber understand, the Spirit was there - it was great. Toward the end of the dream, she got a call from the school saying that her son had found a syringe on the way to school and had poked another girl with it.

Are.

You.

Kidding me.

It's just one of those moments where I wonder what else can go wrong. We haven't heard much from her since then, but we know she's still alive - well, she was a couple of days ago.

As we were pulling away from Amber's, we got a text from Emily.

Oh, Emily.

She said that she didn't need us to come over anymore and that she needed to get back to her reading. We tried to ask her what the heck that meant, but we never heard back from her. We ran into her on Saturday while delivering Elder Moon's suit pants to him, and it was so awkward. Every wall you can think of was up - there was no getting to talk to her.

Her day will come, I know it. It's just not today.

We did have an adventure this week with Kate, the most recently returned missionary in the Olde Oaks ward. She came home on Wednesday and came out with us on Saturday, and it was so nice to have her. It was especially nice when we went to appointments with Lisa and Rebecca, both of whom dropped us. It softened the disappointment quite a bit.

Also, we discovered the most delicious hole-in-the-wall Mexican food restaurant.

SO GOOD.

I think the highlight of the week was probably the lesson we had with Stephen and Alexus last night. We felt really strongly for most of the week that they'd close the area and we'd both get moved, and with that we also felt really strongly that we needed to talk to them in the most lovingly bold way about baptism - that their putting it off held the door wide open for satan to come in and wreak havoc. It went really, really well, and I think they got the love and idea that we were trying to convey. We, well, Sister Lynes, challenged them to pray about the 14th of February with full intent to do whatever the Lord asked.

I really hope they follow through. They're SO CLOSE.

We got transfer calls last night, and for all of our preparation for the area to be closed, we were told that we're both staying.

It was a really hard night. I wanted so badly to go and do something grand for my last transfer, and nothing changed. All of the sudden I found myself stuck in an area that's fallen apart and will be closed in six weeks, wondering how in the world I would find the motivation to get out and work and not be trunky. I was angry and devastated, and I cried a lot. I know that the Lord knows best, but I'm still trying to be okay with it.

It's okay, though. I have faith that I am exactly where the Lord needs me, even if it's exactly where I didn't want to be. I just need to do what I can.

So that's what I'll do.

Have a great week, my friends. Please know that I love and appreciate y'all so much. It's true - all of it. I know it.

Love,

Sister Lil

P.S. Sister Lynes was invited to join a secret homeschool group this week. Who knows what that's about - so her husband, the bishop, made a joke about their secret combinations. Oh, Mormons. #ldshumor #idontthinkitshouldbethisfunn

Downtown! From the car...not breathtaking.