"Haha, okay so I have to tell you what a task it was to get to email you right now. So as you all well know, it's Memorial Day which means no libraries are open...and even Kent State was closed! So we're sitting thinking of how we could possibly email and decide to come to the church in Tallmadge because they have family history computers. So we come, we find the nifty hidden key but the computers are locked in these accordion doors. So Sister Call starts to try to pick the lock with my bobby pin and I start looking for sledge hammer...#desperatemissionaryprobs. But I couldn't find any sledge hammers in the church...weird, right? And Sister Call was unable to pick the lock. Sooo we pull the accordion doors up just enough for us to slide underneath and now we're smushed in this tiny area writing to our families. Haha, lets just hope the Tallmadge elders don't come and see these bulging accordion doors...."
Sooo yes, we are currently crammed in a little room trying to email fast before anyone catches us because we don't think we are technically allowed to be in here. Whoops.
Alright so this week!!! Where do I start?!?! First off I went a whole week without going to the visitors center which was too crazy long! From Wednesday transfers all the way to the next Friday. Man I don't know how full-pros Sisters go without having a visitors center. I really do enjoy having that change of schedule. I didn't realize how much of an impact it has on the week until I went without it. But no worries, we now get to go on weekends so that is a delight.
Okay so this week we did lots of fun things! For part of our p-day we played racquetball with one of our members who is married to a non-member. It was cool because, first off, I got to play racquetball which is wayyyy fun, but then we also got to talk to her about how things are going with her husband. He is just barely on the verge of getting baptized but he feels like he would be a "jack-mormon". We shall help him! So they actually live in the Elders' area but we are helping out with the situation as well because they like us better :)
Later that day we also had a miracle and found one of our less actives, Sister Davis. She is sooo great! But another one of those who is married to a non-member. She knows the church is true but her husband doesn't so she goes to a non-denominational church with him instead of ours. Dang. But we are going to start meeting with her more often to see if we can help her remember what she is missing.
This week we also had a million opportunities to do service so that has been really nice. Especially because the weather is perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. We have been doing tons of yard work which I love. It reminds me of my childhood :) and Washington. Man oh man am I grateful that my parents taught me to work. I don't think I ever thought I would say that. But oh... I do love it! Plus everyone thinks I am crazy because I actually know what I am doing, unlike some of the other Sisters, and even Elders. Its like they have never even picked up a shovel. But Sister Stone is hard-working so thank goodness!!!
There is another Sister I got to meet and serve this week. She got excommunicated but is on the path to be re- baptized. She is sooo funny and I don't know her whole story but so far what I have heard is crazzzzy. She is such a sweet and hard-working lady...and she makes some good fried chicken :)
Oh one of the craziest parts of my week was our Family Home Evening at Brother White's house. Brother White is less active because he has health issues and refuses to leave his house. But he is more than welcoming for people to come visit him. So every Tuesday we go over and have FHE with him and couple of the other less actives and shy members. But this week another member came and he is the worst!!!! He is the most rude man in the world. He is super hick and hates anyone who has more than him. He is also very arrogant and corrects everyone. So actually Bishop told him that he isn't allowed to go to FHE's at Brother White's house because last time he was there he made five people go less active. But he still showed up this week. Wowzers did I want to slap the man. He was screaming 90% of the time and Sister Stone and I didn't know what to do. He was also directly criticizing every word that came out of our mouths and just does not have a good spirit about him. I pray for him every night though. Paps, any suggestions on how we should handle the situation? We have talked to the Bishop but nothing has been done. Also this is our only opportunity really to meet with some of these less active. It's frustrating. We have it again tomorrow night so we will see if he shows up. In fact I think we are having it at someone else's house this week so I am curious if Brother White will come. They want to try to avoid these out bursts that the other man has.
Oh this week we also had the opportunity to clean all the muck under someone's trailer home. One of our member's neighbors needed some help because their trailer home has been there for years and there is so much junk and stuff under it. It's not like one of the normal trailer homes, but its one of those "pre made homes" that they drive a lot and drop off. Anyway it was pretty crazy and disgusting. But we got the job done. The people who lived there were crazy!!! This lady was following me around because I was so happy and said she wanted to keep me (probably as her slave). Then her son showed up and he was even creepier. He also followed us around and he was about 18. They both didn't speak very clear and I don't know if it was because they were illiterate or if they both just have some mental illness but were we excited to leave when it came time. The best part of the whole experience though was that the neighborhood management people came and helped and they loved us. They though it was so neat that we were willing to serve strangers. So we will be working on them and hopefully doing some more service with them.
This week we also had Zone Conference and that was awesome and kinda nerve racking on our part. We had to do the practice which wasn't that bad. We could have been asked to do a harder task but we got lucky. So the practice -- basically we had to practice teaching in front of everyone and plus President Vellinga got to throw random situations in which makes it really hard and on the spot. Basically like an appointment with an investigator but with a whole audience watching your every move. Plus afterwards they get to criticize you so that was scary...but we got good feedback.
Oh this week we also got to take some huge tours. I took 2 separate groups of 27 young single adults which was sooooo fun. I guess they have this thing called Zions Camp for all the YSA in the eastern US. It was really neat because they came to Kirtland for tours and this girl who is a returned missionary gave me the best compliment! She told me a bit about her life story and how she joined the church and later went on a mission. She said that I reminded her of a sister that was on her mission and how that Sister was the one she looked up to most on her mission. She even started to tear up and gave me a huge hug! It was the coolest experience. I didn't actually notice how much I could impact someone on a tour. Sometimes it feels like its just church history but Kirtland is such a huge converting tool. We also had a group with a boy who had been less active for years and was forced into coming to Zions Camp. So while he was on tour he started to cry and share his testimony that he was meant to come. And that the tour had a huge impact on him. He also decided then and there that he was going to go on a mission. I don't know how everything will turn out but I think that is so great that I could have an impact on someone like that! Missions are the best!
We got to end our week by having an awesome Sacrament Meeting in the Kirtland temple with the Zions Camp. They had a testimony meeting and so many people wanted to share their testimonies that it went 50minutes over. Crazzzzzy stuff!
So this week has been great!!!! And I am loving my new area! And my new companion!!!!
The church is true family!!!! Never doubt it!!!!!
Love y'all,
Sister Katie Call