September 25, 2014
HI
I say it every week but seriously this week was SO GOOD. I am not even sure where to start so maybe I will just start with the best part of the week.
Well actually there were a lot of good parts. We had a ton of fun at the Gladys Knight and Saints Unified Voices fireside/musical performance shindig. They were so good. She was amazing for being so old. The spirit was really strong and it was fun to see people standing and singing and clapping and all that jazz. It was super fun. And the senior couple who took us, took us out to dinner afterwards at this super fancy fun seafood place.. it was heaven. I felt like I was on vacation or something haha.
But I think the highlight of the week for me was yesterday. So this is a super cool story. We were working at the visitor center... and it was weirdly busy. And so they split me and my companion up and she was out with a group, and I was inside just waiting. Then this group came in and they asked me to take them on tour.. and then all the sudden they decided that someone else should take it. I had no clue why but I was like... okay. So I sat down on the front couch... and then like 15 minutes later I see MICHAEL (my investigator from Ashtabula) walking to the door! It was such a miracle that I wasn't on a tour. Especially because I got to have the BEST lesson ever with him. So he told me that he is still meeting with the Elders.. but that he isn't doing as well. He said he had a really hard when me and my companion both left.. and he hasn't been reading the Book of Mormon as much.. and that he has gone to church but not as much. He told me that he feels like he hasn't been learning as much or changing as much, and he has seen that his life just isn't going as well as when we were there. ... which I was really sad about. But then I got to teach him that it is up to him to learn and progress. I explained that it wasn't Sister Coontz and I that were teaching him so much.. it was the spirit. And it was himself. Because he was reading the Book of Mormon every day when I was there and he was quitting coffee.. and that is why he was progressing so much and seeing so many positive changes in his life. And it totally made sense to him. And it is actually really cool because it is strong evidence of the power of small things. Reading every day makes a huge difference. And he is starting to really see that. I also got to help him understand some things and work through some concerns. The coolest part was all of the things he is struggling with and questioning... are things I have studied the past week. Not even joking every single one. I could feel the spirit telling me what scriptures to share and it was just one of the best experiences of my mission because I could really feel the spirit working through me to help him. My companion was amazed that everything he asked about was what I had just learned about. God totally prepared me to help him yesterday. I just wish you could have been there. It was the best lesson of my mission. I feel like I can't begin to explain it like I want to.. but it was seriously just so powerful. He told me that he felt like after meeting with me yesterday he felt like he can really move forward and be better and he knows what he can and should do. He said that meeting us completely changed his life. Yesterday he got all quiet and serious and just said "how did I get so lucky?" It was really neat. Basically just the coolest thing ever. It was the biggest tender mercy to get to see him and help him again. I am positive he is one of the main reasons I needed to come to Ohio, so it is neat to be able to still help him.
SOO there is that novel. Also mid lesson with him there was a bee flying... and out of nowhere he just grabbed it mid flight in his fist and then threw it on the ground. It was hysterical.
Let's see.. I got to do some fun service this week. It consisted of scooping up horse poop out of a barn... I just LOVED that... cleaning out cobwebs in a barn... I really loved spiders falling on my face... and we cleaned out this old lady's food cupboard... there was stuff that expired in 1992. BEFORE I WAS BORN. There was some sketchy moldy stuff back there. I hope I never have to do that again. haha. The worst part was she like breeds dogs.. and had these 3 huge dogs that shed everywhere... there was a good inch of hair on the floor. And we had to walk through this room to throw all the food away.. and it was the worst smell in the entire world. I actually thought I was going to die.
We got to see Fiona a few times this week. She was funny as always. Some classic quotes..
So I asked her if she had been eating any peanut butter lately.. and she said "Why do I have some on my face?" and I said "oh no I was just wondering" and she said "Well I just try to eat as much of it as possible." hahaha goes right along with her "Peanut butter is the only thing that makes me feel good about myself" comment. She also sang some Rihanna for us... it was the best. And she showed us her year book and we were laughing at some kids pictures and she got all serious and said "please don't laugh about my classmates. I love them." it was sooo funny.
And don't worry I made myself look dumb this week as always! We met this really cool kid and had a super awesome discussion about prayer and prophets and all that good stuff... and I asked if I could say a prayer before we left... and in the prayer I said "please bless Kyle" and then something else about how we were glad we could "meet Kyle" and we got done and he said "My name is Derick." and I was like COOL. Where did I even get Kyle from? Apparently I am losing my mind. Let's just hope DERICK will still let us come back haha.
We also got to meet the COOLEST LADY EVER named Homa. So this missionary gave us a referral to stop by this old lady.. so we drive for a billion years into a creepy forest and finally find her huge house. and we go up to knock on the door and she is sitting on the couch, and I knocked and she just looked at me like "Who the heck are you?" And I tried to explain we were missionaries.. and she was super freaked out. She wouldn't open the door.. and then it was really crazy all the sudden I said something about Jesus Christ and she said "I am Muslim. I like the Christian. Come inside." so she let us in.. (sidenote she has an awesome house) and we had the best discussion ever. So she is from Iran, she lives alone now.. her husband was a doctor, she has a daughter who is a professor at Harvard, and another who is a professor in Canada, and all of her family is brilliant. So obviously she is a genius. And so nice. We got to talk all about her religion, which I luckily know quite a bit about so we were really able to connect. We got to talk about faith and prayer and the importance of religion. It was just super enlightening and I learned a lot from her. And I love when that happens. She told us that we made her entire night. And then she said "If I know anyone who ewho is struggling who needs to meet with you.. can I give you their names and numbers?" DREAM COME TRUE. Basically Homa is my new homie.
This week was also full of lots of good food adventures. First I took Sister Heckert to her first Chipotle ever... she loved it of course. We also got to go to a picnic with a bunch of old people. They gave us awesome steak. Mom would have been so happy. Also one day I had a bag of jerky in my purse... and this lady's dog started attacking my bag trying to get to the jerky... I literally had to take my bag to the car because the dog was having such a spaz attack. Jerky probs.
And then.... we went to a SKETCHY HOUSE for dinner... we were terrified about dying. But for reals I am so good at the hiding gross food in my napkin and getting rid of it later. It's a talent. Luckily the Robbins (this super sweet senior couple that serves at Kirtland) invited us over for pie and ice cream.. so we survived. They are actually the nicest people ever. They invite us over for ice cream at least twice a week and they take us out to dinner and just really spoil us. I have no clue how I got so lucky but I am just grateful for it!
Kirtland was pretty busy! We had a fun group from Englad come. And yesterday I had a bunch of old people who asked the WORST questions... I thought I was going to die. This lady was looking at the map of people's homes and said "Did Eliza Snow really have a house here or is this map wrong?" I was like.... clearly we would just lie on the map for fun. And then this one lady, oh man it was a struggle, so I shared the first story in the School of the Prophets.. and then she said "Do you even know what else happened here?"... I was like... actually YES, I do, because I WORK HERE. Hahah it was just crazy. People sometimes just don't use their brains. And I think it is so I will learn patience. I have 4 more months to learn it so hopefully it happens. haha.
And just like that I am out of time! But yeah super awesome week. I love this area and I really love my companion. I basically forget I am even training her like every day. She is awesome. And we are having a lot of fun. I honestly am so happy I am a missionary. I appreciate it more every single day. And I have to go. But I LOVE YOU and hope you have a wonderful weekend! I will talk to you on Tuesday!
Love Cassidy
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