66 - Rockin' the Bakken

Holy cow this has been an awesome transfer. This transfer we taught 84 lessons total. That's the most lessons in a transfer I've ever taught ever! The Bakken is rockin'! In other words, this North Dakota area of the oilfield is awesome and has just gone up and up it seems!

I think we at least had one big event every day of the week this week.

Monday.

We watched 17 Miracles on P-Day at the church on our bean bags that we both bought. It was sweet.

And we made a sweet liahona for our lesson acting out 1 Nephi 16. 

Super awesome. 

And we met a new super awesome less active with that family night!

I also got my trunky papers...

Aka, papers that you need to fill out and mail back telling the mission which airport you will be flying into, etc.

Tuesday.

We actually had to take our car into the shop. 

And. It was oddly windy. 

Like, super, duper windy.

IT WAS CRAZY WIND!
It was blowin' hair straight up and everything! 

Went to our dinner appointment and three of their shingles blew off as we were walking to the door! 

IT was insane!

And we didn't have a car! 

It was stormy all day!

So we relied on awesome members who were willing to brave the 60 mile per hour storm and give us rides.

Wednesday.

Still no car. But we finally contacted this one referral, finally caught him home, and got two new investigators! And GASP! They are actually not African! haha.

Thursday.

"Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts  of the children of men," (Alma 48:17).

Here's how the Bakken really comes in.

That's right, we totally did service in the oil field. There's a member who works at Cache Trucking. Found out lots more about the oilfield doing service!

Before getting suited up, we gathered round and had a safety meeting conducted by this member. Seriously, this was like, the oilfield version of the Mormon Battalion I feel like.

"Alright everyone. We're going to start here. Sisters! What's that scripture about Moroni, the kinda man he was!?"

"Uh, that if everyone was like Moroni the powers of hell would shake?"

"That's the one! See, Moroni, he was a guy that would get the job done, even if it made his boss mad. There was no stoppin' him! If he was doin' work in the oilfield, it would always get done! We need to be like that. Today is an A+ day. Yesterday, lets not talk about yesterday, that was a D-. Go out and do your best today! Be safe!"

So we got suited up and headed out. The pad/site/location (the land that the pump jack is on) that we went out to was inbetween Williston and Watford. Thirty minutes away. And our assignment: Clean Mud Dog. Equipment: Tisee (Or something), a heated high pressure water sprayer that can sever toes. Also, we had a cleaning brush.

You know what's funny though? We totally got busted by the head honcho safety guy. He was like, "Do you have steel toed boots?" 

"...No."

"Who authorized you to do this. You're not supposed to be cleaning on this site. We need to be keeping water off the ground. This needs to be sucked up."

"Uhhhh.....:I)

Luckily the people who were with us, the members, took care of it. So we got half the vac truck done! We got it's good side.

When we got back to the shop, he was proud of us. And he said that the apostles have told us that the recipe for failure is trying to please everyone. He said we did good.

So that was our adventure in the oilfield! We were sore for two days after the fact, that thing is hard to continue spraying!

And we got our car back! Woo!

Friday.

Well, we had district meeting. That was pretty cool I guess.

Saturday.

The Black dot on me from hitting that snow covered curb has officially faded! Now that six months has passed, I can drive again!

Sunday.

We had good Sunday. Charity and her husband came to church! Finally, yay! And our African male investigator who is on date for the 15th!

And we had a super stressful time trying to work out rides to an awesome dinner.

Ok, this couple who are new ward missionaries... are AWESOME! 

They just invite everyone over, and everyone to church and fellowship amazingly, and this sister has really taken Valorie and the kids under her wing.

I mean, look at that pizza party that they had early in the week!

Our on date African investigator was able to make it to dinner on Sunday and we got a picture with their awesome African/White mixed family!

Monday.

Transfer calls happened. Sister Barrett will be going to Dickinson. And I'm going to be companions with Sister Lewis, who I actually came out with. Though, like Sister Edwards, she was not in my district, so I don't really know her. Again, it'll be good to get to know her.

I do have pictures of her though, from Sister Gray, who is serving now with her in Rapid City.

Sister Barrett and I are very sad... But it will be ok, because it's what's best. The Lord knows.

Good things await us! Until next week!

P.S. I made a new planner cover. :-)