Defender of the Dakotas: 49 - Changes of Scenery

So I said goodbye to a couple more people in Sioux Falls before I left the area.

This is one of the called ASL interpreters for the ward. I love her so much! Funny thing is she actually teaches blind kids and the bishop called her in knowing this and asked her to be an interpreter, not putting two and two together that blind is associated with braille, not sign language! But she was called anyway, had to learn ASL, and has been interpreting for church for a few years now. She is an inspiration to me. Oh, she was also the one who was with us way back when when Henry had a fall on the stairs and she's the one who helped him walk down the stairs a little bit before we called the ambulance. That was a crazy day.

And these are another of Henry and Elizabeth's fellowshippers.

They are awesome!

And they came out teaching with us as a couple all the time, and he is in the bishopric, and he is actually the one to gave us the council a while ago at the beginning of the transfer to call all the members on Sunday and set appointments accordingly!

Super inspired!

Windy Day!

Also, we were outside a lot having someone take our pictures on Monday and it was very windy.

Ok, now to finish up Sioux Falls lesson stories or I will never talk about them ever!

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
(2 Timothy 3:2).

So remember that girl I talked about awhile ago who fed us dinner on our first lesson with her? I am calling her Brittney. So, We've been teaching Brittney weekly, but she hasn't committed to be baptized yet. She wants to get an answer that it's true before she commits to baptism, which is totally understandable and encouraged.

We've been trying to think of people who would be good to bring to lessons. She's a young single adult and we have only like, two or three other single adults in our ward, and we had already brought one of them who was a girl. So we thought that bringing someone (who I will call Jon) would be really good, but he doesn't have a car, and we can't pick him up, so we had to meet him somewhere for the lesson. He suggested the McDonald's right across from his work. Sure. I guess. Why not have the lesson there?

...Never have a lesson at McDonald's. It's the devils restaurant.

Brittney was a totally different person. First of all, she looked completely different because she was coming from work at Cole's and all done up, and nothing about her makeup was natural. She was so rude, she was being soooo disrespectful and inconsiderate to Jon, laughing at him, being a stubborn brat, bragging about past transgressions, saying she had no desire at all to live the gospel, putting herself above everyone else, weirdly hitting on poor Jon who has cleaned up his life so much and she was just throwing his words and suggestions down in the gutter and just... it was the worst lesson in the world.

We got in the car after the lesson, ranted to each other, called Jon and apologized to him, and we drowned our sorrows in popcorn. (Cherry candy coated. Courtesy of Jon.) I mean, what the heck Brittney!? Why were you being crazy!?

We had another lesson the week after with Brittney, just ourselves at her apartment. It was worlds different. This was the Brittney we knew, not that psycho at McDonald's. It was probably just because she hates McDonald's and because a guy was there, and when you are in the world and the world is all you know, you are going to be super jerky thinking it will impress people.

So moral of the story, be in the world, but not of the world!

I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me.

And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted,
(2 Nephi 4:18-19).

Sister Sparhawk

This story is about Sister Sparhawk. She is the one who we found Josh at her house and taught him his first lesson and the Elders continued teaching him and he's now baptized and super active. She's also the one who I called to repentance about how we don't drink any tea besides herbal tea when she took us out to eat one time. Sister Christiansen actually baptized Sister Sparhawk and her husband when she was serving here, but Brother Sparhawk passed away while Sister Christiansen and I were both serving in Bismarck. Sister Sparhawk is sooooo sweet and calm and just, we love her.

We have been reading through the Book of Mormon with her. She this particular day though had something bothering her. She didn't want to talk about it. But she eventually told us what was eating at her. She was concerned about how she was doing at keeping all the commandments. Her husband had passed away, and there was someone showing interest in courting her, but he already had a wife, but she was terminally ill, plus this guy is not a member. She's flattered that someone is attracted to her, but she just wants to do all the right things. Such righteous concerns!

We told her to pray about it and she would get an answer. She is awesome!

And they began to question him, that they might cross him, that thereby they might have wherewith to accuse him; but he answered them boldly, and withstood all their questions, yea, to their astonishment; for he did withstand them in all their questions, and did confound them in all their words,
(Mosiah 12:19).

This story is actually about Jon's cousin. He wanted us to teach her. He wants her so badly to have the gospel in her life.

We went into the lesson and his cousin, who I will call Debbie, was super nice. Just cool, laid back, very chill. We talked to her about her beliefs and she said to us, "I like to classify myself as a debater of religion." We were a little worried about that comment and were expecting some hard core bible bashing to come from her. However, the lesson never got fiery, never got contentious. Though she was not receptive at all. Jon bore pretty much the most powerful testimony in the world and she didn't bat an eye. She didn't say the closing prayer when asked because she says she's never felt anything when she prays and stopped praying years ago. She has a lot of big ideas, very logical, but her spiritual eyes were closed.

We didn't have any plans of us going back to teach her. She wasn't ready yet.

That Sunday we heard from Jon that 'we won.' Huh? We won? Apparently when we left, Debbie got super mad, yelling "how were they able to prove everything wrong!? Why couldn't I win!?" "Because they came prepared. Are you going to read that chapter they gave you?" "Yeah! But!!!....AH!!" And she slammed her door and he didn't see her for a few days really.

The lesson wasn't contentious at all, but her intentions were only to shake our faith. So crazy!

SO! Williston!

I left on Tuesday afternoon for my new area.

All the Sisters waved goodbye to me as the transfer train was driving away.

Sister Springer trained Sister Park

Sister Knot

There were only Elders in the van, darn it, lol.

I put my Travel buddy (hamlet) in the food, like all pigs should be,

The Elder's wanted me to know that I was never alone in those selfies.... an overexcited Jesus piggy bank that they called "buddy" was right behind me...lol

Elder Juggler was cool though, entertaining us with some spanish singing and ukulele.

On the next stop, I got to say goodbye to Sister Christansen when we were picking up her companion to come on the transfer train!

She's home now, finished her mission, crazy! I miss you Sister Christiansen!

Yay Sisters!

I wasn't the lone sister on the train anymore!

Sister Finlinson!

We are transfer train buddies.

I met her when she was very first on the transfer train (when I was going to Sioux Falls), and now we were meeting again!

Sister Stephens, Jammin'

And she's actually going to be Sister Dennison's companion!

And it was a long way to Williston, so guess where I stayed the night...

IN MY OLD APARTMENT IN BISMARCK!!!!!

And guess who was still there...

SISTER GRAY!!! AHHHHH!

And we took awesome pictures:

G: Ok, let's take a nice one.

G: hahahahaaha, ok, this one will be a nice one.

G: hahahahhaha

S: I wondered why I heard saliva!

G: Hahahaha ok, seriously, a nice one

G: Of course! ahhahahahah

And so it was, dying of laughter once again. It was so good to stay there.

Are we in Arizona?

There's actually scenery on the way to Williston!

A "bird's eye view?"

The next day, I was united with my companion!

This is Sister Edwards, and actually we came out at the same time, but there were two districts in the MTC that came to this mission and she was in the other district, so I didn't actually get to know her, but now I do! YAY!

So, here it is, Williston, full of flat ground, strange buildings in the city area, the sketchiest Walmart ever, seagulls, and oil fields, and people popping out of the woodwork to learn the gospel!

Seriously, all our investigators are member referrals. We have five solid people on date for baptism! We are over two wards actually, 2nd and 3rd ward.

They just split the wards at the beginning of the year.

Here's the apartment!