I have to say, this week was the most entertaining, humorous week...probably of my life! AND SO MUCH HAPPENED! The adventures began last Monday, when we decided to mix things up for P-Day and actually go somewhere different!... there is an awesome Czech and Slovak Museum downtown Cedar Rapids, so we thought we would go "czech" it out! haha...Ever since going to Kosovo, I have this fascination with history and love learning about other cultures and so this was so fun! I am grateful I live here in America (at least most of the time) where we don't have to deal with anything like what other countries have.
The fun continued on Tuesday, when every single one of our appointments fell through, even service! haha... however, we ended up doing different service for Michele! When we got there, she had this giant bag of clothes she was going through to find some church clothes...well...it turned into a giant fashion show for the 3 of us. Layer upon layer of hideous dresses and skirts and jackets. *See photos attached* ...and come to find out, the coffee pot was playing dress-up too and it was a toaster that day! haha.... Okay fine, you probably would have had to have been there for it to be so comical; but it was so much fun! We did end up getting a lot of work done too, cleaning her kitchen cabinets and helping her make cards. Very therapeutic! :) We ended up having a great day, and were led to find many potentials everywhere we went!
Wednesday started out not so great, when our recent convert texted and asked if we wouldn't come over that morning, or for awhile because she doesn't want to be a part of the church at the moment. Yeah...not such a good way to start off the day...but it happens I guess! We just had to respect her agency, tell her we love her, and pray for ways to help her anyway we can!...we still aren't too sure what happened, but it'll be okay. We just kept on going throughout our day, and made the best of it! It's amazing how when we just keep going, things just work out! We had an amazing lesson with Michele at Sister Perry's home. For the past couple weeks, we have been going over our personal testimonies and what we know to be true, and how we can come closer to our Father in Heaven. It has been neat to really think back on how I have gained my testimony and think of ways I can continue to develop that testimony. If you haven't for awhile, I would suggest doing the same yourself! Write down what you know to be true, how you came to know they were true, and what you can do to strengthen that knowledge and testimony. And return and report. ;)
Thursday we had an amazing district meeting. I was reminded of how great this calling is that I have as a missionary...not just right now, but for the rest of my life! We all promised people before we came to earth that we would find them on earth and help them feel of the Lord's love and help them learn of the gospel. I know this is true, and I know it is true for all of us! Who did you promise to find, lift up, and help?
Friday, Sister Davis was kind enough to drive us down to Nauvoo to go to the temple! It was so amazing, as always! It was crazy to think that last year about this time, Sister Hill and I were at the temple cleaning it! haha... it was nice to do a session with her. :) I LOVE THE TEMPLE! Coming back into the dressing room, Sherstin and Shari were sitting there waiting for us! AAAHHH what a great surprise to see Shari again! :) I can't believe it's already been a month since I saw her last! But seriously, it was so great to get a "mom" hug. And I get a real mom hug in 6 weeks! CRAZYYYYY!!!!!!!!! Anyways... after the temple, we were able to drive and find the old Nauvoo cemetary, where our grandpa William Casper is burried. We weren't sure his tombstone would be readable, but it was! It was so cool to finally find him and feel a connection with him. I love how Heavenly Father let Sister Hill and I serve together again, and be able to serve here where our ancestor is burried! It was a wonderful day.
Okay now for the fun part...had to save the best for last! SATURDAY is all a blur.. haha. Luckily, we had all day planned with original plans and back-up plans, because we ended up using ALL of our back-up plans! I'll just list and talk about all the craziness of Saturday:
- We had found a recent convert/part member family last week that had moved here from Nebraska so we go and follow up with them and end up finding out that their daughter and her family are also moving here and are also a recent convert/part member family! They are from Micronesia, and I love them. As we were finishing talking, Sister Hill asks, "Do you have a pet rat?" I was really confused...apparently she had seen a giant rat roaming around the kitchen and didn't know how to tell them... but nope! They didn't have a pet rat...we were kind of freaking out inside...
- We go see Wisline and Cime her husband was finally home. They let us right in and we were finally able to teach him! Well actually, he pretty much taught us the restoration! As we talked about the great apostasy and how many churches formed and people became confused, he talked about how this is exactly where he is. He has been trying to find a church, but everywhere he goes just doesn't feel right. "They say the are God's church, but they do not do what God says to do"... he then goes on about how you have to read the bible and pray to know what God wants you to do... well...thanks Cime! Perfect transition into the First Vision, to which he replies that he wants to take the time to learn more, to study, and to share this with everyone he knows! He thanked us for bringing him this simple knowledge and how true it was...HE IS AWESOME!
So next Saturday we might be teaching a room full of people from Haiti because Cime wants us to... haha. WAIT, not done yet... we get up to leave and I go over to see what Wisline is cooking in the kitchen and to tell her goodbye...I get over to her and THERE IS A GOAT HEAD she is shaving with a knife in the sink... A FULL ON GOAT HEAD, eyeballs, horns, and all...in her hands!...and the guts are on the counter next to her! welp...that' a first! Instead of being totally grossed out, I found out how she cooks it! It was quite exciting! So all the while we were teaching Cime and having this awesome lesson with him in the living room, Wisline was fixing a fine supper of goat head. :D no...we did not stay for supper... and were quite grateful they did not ask us to stay. haha.
-Joe, Joe, Joe..... Joe has been meeting with sisters on and off for awhile now. He tried dropping us for the first 45 minutes of our lesson, then told us to teach him. We kind of ended up being very bold with him...and he told me I was "spunky". At the end, he goes inside and comes back out with something in his hands and tells us, I've never done this before, but you two are very special to me, and proceeds to give us a framed picture of him from when he was back in highschool...about 45 years ago... haha. We just about lost it... so now, we have a beautiful vintage picture of Joe we can keep forever! ..that would be a first as well!
Man...I can't believe that all, and so much more, happened in just one day! Sorry to take up so long...but hey, I rarely journal so I need something to look back and remember things from! ...sorry again uncle Dan! haha. Anyways, I am so grateful I am here serving the Lord at this time. I'm grateful he has allowed me to continue stretching and growing and becoming who he needs me to become. I know Heavenly Father is there, that He loved us all so much and wants us to be happy...and I know that happiness comes from living the gospel.
I LOVE YOU ALL and hope you have a marvelous week.
Love Always,
Sister Natalia Alston
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