September 12, 2016
Albertville, Alabama
Family! Hello!! How have you all been? Well this week has been pretty dang good! We got to Alabama at about 2 PM on Tuesday and we went straight to the mission home in Hoover where we had dinner and interviews with President Sainsbury. They sent us all over to a hotel that night and all 27 of the new missionaries stayed there Tuesday night. Then Wednesday was transfers. My comps name is Elder Messick! He is a complete Stud! Love the Kid! He is from a little town in Wyoming. We get along super well. I am in a little town called Albertville which is about an hour southeast of Huntsville (at least I think so. I don't really know where I am at to be honest). But everything has been great! We had stake conference in Huntsville yesterday and Elder Uceda, President Sainsbury, and President McChesney (Birmingham Temple President) all spoke. It was quite the meeting. Elder Uceda has a way of speaking that brings the spirit and keeps you completely sucked in the entire 40 minutes. He spoke while I was in the MTC so it was super good to hear him speak again.
I have a pretty cool experience to tell you about as well. Elder Messick and I have had zero investigators and zero people we know cause we both are new to the area and we got doubled in to this small town so we don't know anything! But I'm up for the challenge. We had just knocked all the doors in this apartment complex and we got back in the car and started driving. I asked him if we could pull over and say a prayer to see where we should knock. We pulled over and I said a prayer. We both lifted our heads up after the prayer and were both lost in thought. We looked over and saw this house that looked like it was shining. Well, there was a motorcycle in front of the house that the mirror was faced right at us and the sun was shining off it. So I said "Thats the one. Right there." We parked the car and went and knocked on the door. This guy opened the door and started ripping into us thinking we were Jehovah Witnesses. We let him give his "shpeal" and he was pretty uptight and frustrated with us even though we had only said "Hi, How are ya?" So we then explained that we were Mormon missionaries and he went off.... He was saying stuff that was not even in my vocabulary. So he starting talking bad about the Book of Mormon and I said, "Well have you read the Book of Mormon?" Wow.... Like Wow.... That was not me speaking. He instantly backed down and apologized and said "Ya know I haven't so I have no room to be treating you like this so I apologize." We then asked if we could give him a copy and he said that he already had one and we challenged him to read it and pray about it. He said he would. I walked away from that door knowing that the Spirit works through us and we are here to let others see the Light of Christ in themselves and feel the spirit in their own lives. It was truly an amazing experience. This gospel is amazing! It is so exciting and it is something we should all be excited about whether we are missionaries or members or hold a calling. We can all help this work move forth, even by just being an example and saying hi to random people or waving to them as you drive by. This gospel is amazing and I know the Lord loves everyone and he wants the best for you. He just needs you to reach out to him. He is sending his love to each and everyone of us constantly and he wants us to reach back to show us that he lives and that he loves us!
Thank you all for the support and the emails! I love hearing from everyone! And yes. I did hear about the BYU game.... "KAHNNNNNNNNN" and yes I was getting play by play updates on every door that I knocked on. Football is insane down here. People are walking down the street doing the Heisman pose. Like honestly anything I tell you won't give it justice but just know that I am getting play by play updates! So that's about all I can ask for! I love football and at least I'm getting updates! HA! Love you all so much! You are the greatest people ever! Love you FAMILY!!!
(I don't have my camera right now and I don't have time to run back to the apartment and get it so I'll just have to send tons of pictures next week!)
Oh my... I forgot to "post" before checking out, so I'll start again!
ReplyDeleteWe are so glad you have arrived safely and are happily engaged in the work already. So happy that you have a great companion too - it helps so much to get along and enjoy your companion. What town is he from in Wyoming? We have friends here who are from Wyoming too...they owned and operated the Wyoming Downs for years and years. Now they gave up their ranch etc. and moved here to Gilbert after serving a couple of missions. We just went to dinner with them and a few other friends in a group we organized of Senior returned missionaries from our ward.
I do hope you get to meet Elder David Wilson somewhere there in your mission. He is a great young man from our ward. I think I told you about him before. He is very musical and a great guy (not a football player though.) Speaking of football, I can't believe you got to keep up with the big BYU/UTAH game... sounds like football is going to be a good "in" with the people there. We watched the game too of course and were rooting for the Y (even though we are kind of BYUtes) but our kids are Utah fans and it makes it tough on us! I think they secretly love the Y too, but have to root for their alma mater. I have a cousin who is the president of the UofU alumni but his kids go to the Y !
So you are in a small town in the south... you no doubt will meet lots of interesting (and good) people there. I loved hearing about your "shine from the mirror contact. " You must have been guided as you did well with the door approach! I hope he does read the Book of Mormon - let us know when you return to visit him again. We will keep him and you in our prayers.
Uncle Bob and Aunt Marva just returned from their 6 month mission in Ghana and on Labor Day all the Pothier and Poelman kids who live in Arizona got together at Dave and Shawni Pothiers to welcome them home and to celebrate Labor Day in general. Dave and Shawni have such a fun place to gather for dinner and fun. Pickle ball, lawn bowling, trampolines, big grassy area to just run around and of course a big pool for swimming and diving. With all the grandkids I'll bet there were 30 kids or more in the pool! Then on Saturday day Annie Pothier Ruden's oldest boy was baptized and had this same family support at the baptism and the lunch following. I'm so grateful we have not only our two youngest children and their families here but also that we are included in the events with our Pothier family. (It's hard on us as grandparents when our children and grandchildren don't all live close by! We miss our Utah families - your family included!) Oh, but I must not make you homesick!!! You are where you are supposed to be and doing what you are supposed to be doing for the next two years and we are proud of you and want you to enjoy every bit of this great stage of life.
I've just returned from taking Uncle Stuart to the gym where he goes to swim every morning and after I pick him up I'm off to the temple with a few friends. Stuart doesn't drive any more and can't do endowments any more either as he shakes and gets confused with handling the clothing changes and standing up and down, but I can still go and try to go regularly. I need to pick up my friends in a few minutes so I'd better get this message sent off to you now with my/our love.
Again, we are so glad to hear from you and know you are doing so well and into the work with the spirit and your own full intent. Love you dear boy!
XOXOXO Aunt Helen