Crazy Week

We have had a wild and crazy week, but hard to explain.  The car coordinator has been sick for two weeks, so Elder Johnson has been doing her job and his.  A missionary got his car towed, so Chris had to go get cash, find proof of ownership, and go pick it up.   We've been to the airport twice.  One was a missionary that did something pretty bad and has to go home.  Elder Johnson has been his companion for a couple of days until we took him to the airport this morning. It's hard on everyone when this happens, very sad.  I don't like to report hard things, but it's part of the experience.

Housing Miracles

I've been trying to find apartments for 3 different sets of missionaries.  We've been looking for awhile.  They give me numbers, I call landlords, they don't answer, they don't call back, or they don't take corporate rentals, and on and on.  I get frustrated.  One night I went home so discouraged.  I was praying about it and the thought came into my mind, "Tell them to step up the missionary work.  Tell them to do something new to add a spark to their work.  Tell them they might even think of a way to use their need of a new apartment to help them have more quality conversations."  So that's what I did.  I texted them the next morning and they agreed.  It was a big relief to me.  I quit worrying about it and know that when the right time comes, they'll find the perfect place.

Another miracle.  We are closing an apartment more than 4 hours away.  I've been stewing about what to do with the furnishings.  Nothing in there is worth paying for a storage unit and we don't have an immediate need for any of it.  One day the branch president there called and asked if we  could donate to a family whose house burned to the ground.  I got the mission president's approval and we donated everything in the apartment.  The family was thrilled.   It was a blessing for them and for me.

Office Missionaries

Being office missionaries is fun and interesting.  We continue to love being around the missionaries.  They are so amazing.  There are many miracles that happen here to allow the work to go on.  Satan is real and he tests and tries all of us.  The church is true!  Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior!

Saturday afternoon we went to a baptism in Anderson for 3 people.  I've said we have lots of Marshallese people here.  We also have people from Pohnpei.  That's what language the talks were in.  It was really nice.  I played the piano and Chris was a witness.  They had pizza afterward.  Then we came home and cleaned our apartment. 

Random Facts

Armadillos carry rabies and leprosy.  There are lots of Cardinals here and we love them.  Did I already say that?  Marshallese and Pohnpei people often have two names the same:  William William, Perry Perry.

Good NewsWe have 4 missionaries that were sent home 3 months ago.  We just heard that one of them has received a call to go back out into the field.  He isn't coming back to our mission, but we are so excited for him.  Also, one more has just submitted his papers to return.  Happy news!

Missionaries Serve

 


Miracle Moment! (from the missionaries)
"We had a member reach out to us and inform us that a less active owned a greenhouse in town and she was going to go buy some plants there. We asked if we could join her. We started to talk to the owner and asked if there was anything we could do to help. Her eyes filled with tears. She said "I have been praying all day today for someone to come help me. Thank you for answering my prayer" conveniently our other appointments were canceled. We changed our clothes and helped her out that day. We can be the answer to someone's prayer. Always be on the look out for opportunities to serve. Act on every good thought. God is trusting you"

"Service softens hearts and build relationships.

Around 8 weeks ago the Bolivar Sisters were out on preparation day and found an upstairs room in a local pawn shop that was filled with books and hadn't been touched in years!! They talked to the owner to see if they could help out and organize it and he agreed. The Buffalo and Bolivar sisters go weekly and have been putting the books on the shelves and in boxes. A few weeks ago he appreciated the work so much that he offered to take us all out to lunch and listen to our message. He is very knowledgeable about the church already but we had a great time getting to know him better. Now every week before we start and before we go we have a lot more interaction with him.

Also, Bolivar MO is now the home of the world's only book chair made only of books."