Greetings Goblins,
We had an extremely busy week, so busy that we basically didn't go longer than an hour between appointments and meetings all week. And that was the LONGEST we had between things. So we tried to fit finding and administrative stuff between those times the best we could.
I hope each of you reading this had a good week! Those of you who don't read it hopefully you had a mediocre but not bad week. :)
Monday was New Years and our mission president allowed us to sleep in until 8:30 since he had let us stay up until midnight the night before. I of course didn't sleep in because I was busy writing last week's email! We did our shopping and laundry, and then sat around most of the day. Or at least Elder Bradshaw did. I spent all afternoon cooking a mini feast of wontons, no-bake cookies, juice, a cheese and cracker spread, popcorn, chips, bacon, and dip. Then after many blunders after I had finally finished we went and surprised the Millers with a great feast! They were very surprised, and happy to spend New Years dinner with us. In the evening we went and found some super interested people (Ashanti and Jess) at an apartment complex in south Magnolia. Both of them said the Gospel is just what they need! We had a good lesson with one-legged Chris as well, and ended up talking about wrestling with him more than the Book of Mormon haha
Met Herbert too who was wandering between his car and apartment as if looking for something.
On Tuesday we drove to district council with the Millers. It's funny to drive with them because we always tall about the same things cause Sister Miller forgets what she's told us. So we drive along, she talks about Juan in jail and how sad but probably for the best it is that the judge sent him back to rehab instead of letting him out. Then she will talk about how much they will miss me when I leave. Then she makes some comment like "honey don't pass him!" And closes her eyes in fright while Elder Miller bombs down the highway 20 over the speed limit past a logging truck. Then she asks us about Becky, and tells us how they found Jared Fuller and they think he's really promising and we should reach out and offer to work on his farm to fellowship him. Then she talks about Allen Barton and whether she thinks they should try again to find him even though he had a rifle and was hiding in the shed as they talked to his parents last time (she switches from drive to drive on if she thinks they should try one more time or not). Then it's a rinse and repeat of the same subjects haha--it's fun because you can always predict what's next! I like driving with them more and more these days. We had a good district council (even though there were a few unsavory comments regarding how good tracting is) and had a good training on the Book of Mormon! We ate at Cottons for lunch and then drove back and visited some referrals and members with the Millers on the way back. Everybody had moved or was gone blast them!
In the evening we did some walking around and it got sooo creepy because we walked down this super dark street in the outskirts of town that leads to nowhere and there were woods on one side and a fenced field on the other side with faint outlines of figures in white clothes. Probably scarecrows or something but the dark definitely made them look scary! We found a guy named Tim though who's interested and really nice down there so it was good!
Then we had a crazy lesson with Jarriod. He again asked us the same stuff he always does like "you don't celebrate holidays right?" And "yall are just like the Jehova's Witnesses right?" I was ready to light into him this time because you would think us answering those questions and others the previous 5 lessons would finally give him the picture, but I guess not. Luckily I was very patient as usual and we were able to talk a lot. We went deep into commandments cause he thinks they are too restrictive and thats why we have repentance. We also had to prove to him that we read the same KJV Bible he does because I guess us telling him that wasn't enough. So he finally believed us that we dont just read the "Mormon Bible" after we had him look up a verse to compare to ours in his haha--so bad
Wednesday we went with the Millers to Sister Hunter's estate in the morning to share a little lesson. Afterwards she showed us her huge shop of old motorcycles and antique cars that her husband used to love. It was really cool! We ate some fantastic food at My Kitchen Table with Royce, and then in the afternoon taught Brooklyn and Debbie! Brooklyn had so many good questions and is excited to be baptized. We talked all about how it will work and how the church is set up. Debbie thought it was really cool too--although she speaks on behalf of her daughter way too much. We stopped by Camero Brent and he was completely naked peeping out from behind the door when he answered--why do people answer the door in this state?? Just don't answer haha you know you dont HAVE to get the door don't you? We found some partygoers who expressed interest as well, and want to learn more about the Book of Mormon. We stopped by Jasmine who's kids told us now was not a good time while we heard yelling and slapping and crying coming from within.
President Taylor came to Magnolia and we had interviews with him. I had my final interview and it was in MY office haha--it was weird being back on the other side of the desk. He talked the whole time about My Plan for what to do when home and then spent much of the time talking about how I need to kiss a girl as soon as I get back and how I need to try all the flavors of ice cream and so forth haha--his words not mine.
Then we had a good lesson on the Hily Ghost with Becky and family on her porch. We found a guy named Ocravious who was extremely high and had bloodshot eyes that couldn't even focus on us. But he seemed interested! Or as interested as you can be I guess, he was really chill.
On Thursday we walked the dogs and I think Elder Bradshaws love for dogs is slowly waning the more he deals with THESE dogs haha--he's already started barking angry orders at them like I do and scoffing at their incompetence. One of the ones I walked kept flipping itself on its back and then slumping down on the ground like jello. It also banged its head on the door and on a pole haha--looked like it hurt but it did it to itself. In the afternoon we drove down to Haynesville with the Millers for a lesson and when it fell through ended up visiting some referrals. We met a lady named Sheryl who we attempted to teach but she kept getting off on tangets about her friend's church problems. We had the mission zoom for the new missionaries to bear their testimonies and it was good to hear some short an sweet ones! The departing missionary testimonies are always long and elaborate...not at all what I like. Then we also drove 30 minutes the other way out of Magnolia a little later and visited some less-active members and interested people out there. Found some absolutely destroyed houses and some mean dogs but no people. We did actually find a person but he was coming out of an abandoned house so who knows if he will see us again!
Friday it was raining cold cold rain all morning and afternoon. We ate again at the kitchen table with Royce and then helped Brother Crye move 6 old TVs via our truck about 30 feet to the garbage pile haha--it was very rainy and we thought we would have to be moving them farther but didnt realize he just wanted them up his driveway! He told us we could use our truck so we assumed it would be farther. We walked around in the freezing cold but actually had a lot of success! Found several interested people and taught some mini lessons. I like showing the Lehi teaching in Jerusalem video to people because it ends with him running from being stoned and so it leaves people in suspense so they HAVE to read the Book of Mormon! Or at least I hope! We also went over to the Miller's home and Becky and Fatima and Farod came too and we taught them a good lesson! We read Mosiah 18 with them and Fatima especially is a really good reader and even corrected her mom several times. We had cookies and soda afterwards and visited, but we unfortunately were made 60 minutes late to one appointment and 30 minutes late to the next one too because of how long the lesson went. We kept trying to use tge body language of "we need to leave" but everyone kept droning on and on and on and on. So finally I took matters into my own hands and we stood up, said goodbye, and left. we got to go over and talk with the Flowers for a bit for Elder Bradshaw to meet them! It's always so fun talking to them, they are so normal. And we could talk to them forever. Sarah's mom is so mad we can't come to Sarah's Sealing so she is going to pull some strings and try to get that changed. We will see if it works! The mothers always know how to get what they want.
On Saturday we walked the dogs and walked around a lot in general. We found a guy named Robert who's interested in church and coming to church right after I was commenting on how we need to find more people that will come to church haha
We got an oil change and the guy doing the car next to ours was super cocky and kept rambling on and on about how he can change oil in his sleep and so on and so forth to the poor lady in that car. So we laughed at that and also our mechanic was very incompetent so Elder Bradshaw kept pointing out the ways she was messing up haha
Then we went up to McNeil and visited our one person up there. We walked around a little and even though the entire town is abandoned and small with literally nobody around we managed to run into the one guy who existed and he lives in Magnolia! He's interested so we got his info. We also went and talked with the Flowers and devised a scheme to convince President Taylor to let me go to their Sealing at the Bentonville temple even though he already said no. He said no again though. I did my tasks in the evening (we've found that if we try to teach Saturday evenings everyone is drunk or gone, so we focus our prime teaching time to the daylight hours on Saturday), and then got some dinner at Jimmy John's with my card that I know Malachi is so happy I have!
Sunday we had a good church meeting. Heard some good testimonies and I got to conduct. We had a good intro to the Book of Mormon Sunday School taught by Elder Miller too! The rest of the afternoon was taken by appointments including but not limited to:
▪︎ calling someone as the new christen
▪︎ calling someone as a new Primary teacher
▪︎ Giving a blessing to a semi active branch member who asked for one
▪︎ Branch Council
▪︎ Branch Youth Council
▪︎ finishing the quarterly report
▪︎ taking care of Tithing and finances
▪︎ interview in preparation for a calling for someone
▪︎ a lesson or two (in the evening)
-Abe
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