Tuesday, July 8, 2014

4th of July week...

First full week of training...

Tuesday
We had to wake up early to go down to the valley for a new missionary training.  What better way to start off the meeting then by being late!  OH gosh, i wanted to crawl in a hole and die.  I thought I left with enough time to spare but I guess I haven't made the trip enough times to really know how long it takes to get from Park City to the mission office.  I also didn't calculate in for traffic because Utah seems to only have two seasons Winter and construction! So here I am, running in to our first meeting as a companionship...late.  Walking in I could feel all the eyes on me and when I glanced at Sister Eberhardt it was like an icicle to my heart...But, the meeting was great and a big help to me.  I found out i had been doing quite a few things wrong for 5 months without knowing it.  Thank goodness for repentance.
Wednesday
So, there are a couple doors that I have knocked on a good, 50 times and no one has ever answered. Since I have been with sister Tigno there have been 5 of those doors where someone has decided to open up that closed door, greenie power is for real guys, so real.  Anyway, we are going to dinner Tuesday with one of the less active people we finally met.  On the 3rd she called us asking if she could bring her mother to the family tree center for the 4th of July parade.  The center has a balcony, and with her mother being 80 years old she was wondering if her mom could watch the parade from there.  We told her that would be great and we'd love to have her since all the senior couples were throwing a BBQ for us at the tree, so they could come eat with us.  On top of that, the bishop was going to be there...BBQ made in heaven or what? hahah
Friday
AMERICAAAA! 4th of July up here in Park City was so much fun!  We walked from our apartment to main street since there was no parking to be had for miles.   I thought I was gonna end up in China, its not hot up here but when you are in a cardigan and all this sister shabang it gets toasty!  We walked all through the crowd on main street and even had a huge group of members start yelling "ITS THE SISTERS!!!!" haha they wanted to take pictures with us.
We finally got to the tree and made it to the 3rd floor where a burger had my name written alllll over it.  The less active lady was there with her mom and they were having a blast with all the missionaries!  We all sat up on the balcony and watched the parade go by.  It was a different experience being in a state where the sun isn't frying you on the 4th of July haha!  When the lady and her mom were about to leave the mom went around to all of the missionaries and gave us all hugs, and said this was the best 4th of July she had ever had.



 
Saturday
Bobby..oh, large and in charge Bobby....
So we went to go see Davida on Saturday.  While parking I saw this guy out washing his big white Hummer.  Let me give you a good feel first of what this guy looked like...imagine the Hulks big brother, bleach blonder hair in a bun, tiny Golds Gym tank top, cut off jean shorts, boots, and an American flag bandanna wrapped around his Easter island skull.
Now being out 5 months i STILL struggle with walking up to random people on the street, ill take a grandma with a walker any day.  Sister Tigno and I had talked during our weekly planning how we want to work harder to over come our struggle of street contacting.  As we pull up I look at Bobby the Hulk, then at Sister Tigno, then back at Bobby the Hulk..then i said to sister Tigno, "We are gonna talk to that guy." She replies "WHAAAAT?!"  I said "oh yes, that guy is ours."
So we get out of the car, knees shaking... I walk up to him and introduce myself and ask him if he's ever heard about the church..to which he replies with the voice of Thor "I'm a Baptist boy, so your waistin your time." I told him that I wouldn't consider it a waist of my time and that I just want to get to know him..he said "I read my bible this morning, and i wish every one the best, but I'm good where I'm at." The whole time he didn't ever make eye contact with me, and after i could see that i was only irritating him i told him that when you love something you want to share it with other people.  That all I'm doing out here, is sharing what i love and hold dear to my heart with other people.  I could tell, even underneath that muscular face that he changed a little inside.  Most of the time his back was turned so i stuck my hand in front of his view so he would shake my hand.  We wished him a good day, and as we were walking away he said thanks for stopping.
When we were walking to Davidas apartment i glanced at sister Tigno, girl looked like she was about to barf!  She looks at me and said "THAT WAS SCARY!" hahahaha
We went in and visited with Davida and shared our experience with Bobby.  Davida has a roommate Terri who had always been pretty stand offish to us, and told us a long time ago that missionaries are like recruiters.  So after sharing our experience with Bobby we kinda just bore our testimony to Terri of why we are on missions.  Sure we want to baptize people, it is then that they can begin their journey to being with their Heavenly Father, but I'm also out here because the gospel makes me happy, not to recruit people so the statistics of members in the world can go up.
Then Terri said, "Ya know, that's always how I have viewed missionaries.  Even though you didn't have success with Bobby, maybe you experienced that so you could come up here and tell me exactly what you just said." I couldn't wipe the smile from my face.
Now Sister Tigno and I say "We talked to Bobby, we can talk to anyone."
 With this holiday weekend our numbers where pretty low..but just like elder Kirsi said on the phone last night..excuses are like armpits, they smell, and everyone has one hahahaha
I love being companions with sister Tigno, even though I'm technically the trainer i find myself learning from her everyday.  I hope you all had a great 4th, GOD BLESS AMERICA!
Sister Efnor