Taking on Tacoma: Missionary Stuff

Hello Everyone!

Nothing too terribly exciting happened this week!

Last week, after emailing we had a Zone Activity. We played "Life" at the Stake Building. I tried to encourage a hike or something but Elders are lame. They would like to play basketball inside of a church building that looks the same as their church buildings back home every single p day rather than go outside and enjoy the fresh Washington air that they only get to be in for 2 years.

On Tuesday, Sister Harris and I went to a stake quilting thing. They do it every Tuesday and they make quilts for people in hospitals. It's all service for other people. We walked in for our first time and we had like 10 people say "Oh yay! We have sisters! Elders are okay, but Sisters are way better!" (The elders go every week) They were also all jealous that Belfair gets sisters and the rest of them have had to have elders for years. So, that was a nice boost to my ego haha. I'll have to humble myself. It was fun though, we pinned a quilt and then cut some rag quilts and did other random tasks. These old ladies are VERY particular and perfectionists, so they started us with small jobs to do. We can work ourselves up to sewing.

We also caught a wasp. In our apartment. On Sunday we caught one, and then there was another one. The second one died that day, but the first one lasted FOUR days and was still kicking. So, we let it go. It'll probably come back to get revenge....

Wednesday was our district meeting. Sister Harris and I decided to dress up like elders. And by that, I mean that we wore black skirts, but also wore white button down shirts and ties, and a blazer. We thought it was pretty funny, we kept our conversations to protein powder and how much we bench for a few minutes before I couldn't stop laughing. The other elders just thought we were weird. haha. We changed after the meeting, because white button down shirts and ties are really uncomfortable. Also, we would never wear those kinds of clothes while proselyting. It wouldn't be professional.

We found out that our area covers an island called Treasure Island. We didn't even know it existed, but when we found it we decided to knock it. At almost every other house, someone would say "um, you aren't supposed to be knocking here, no soliciting" but we felt like we should keep going. One man (Rodger) said "Right now is dinner time, but I'd like you to come back and I'll talk to you. I was just in the hospital for 11 days and I've had some time to rethink some things." So, that gave us the courage to keep going in this neighborhood. His neighbor said "I'm going to be nice about it, but if you knock on my neighbors house he'll run you out of the neighborhood." and we looked at each other and said, "you mean the guy with the beard?" (Pointing to Rodgers house) "This house right here. He won't allow solicitors in the neighborhood." "We just talked to him. He wants us to come back..."

Anyways, my dialogue skills aren't great over the computer, but it was a tender mercy. This neighborhood really does not appreciate missionaries and the one house that houses the man who is in charge was nice to us for the first time because he'd had some time to rethink things. Which allowed us to keep knocking, which led us to finish knocking doors at 7, the normal time, and as we left the neighborhood we ran into a couple who we've been trying to contact. So, it was all God's timing and it was pretty cool.

On Thursday, we had a really good church tour with Jamie and Lucas and the spirit was really strong. Sister Harris and I sang Be Still my Soul for them in the chapel and Lucas had tear in his eyes when we finished. Sadly, they said they would for sure be at church though, and then they didn't come. But there is still hope there.

One other funny experience before a spiritual thought:

On Saturday night we were knocking doors and we met this guy, who I'm pretty sure was high, and he wanted a copy of the Book of Mormon. We then said if you'd like to learn more, here is our card and you can just call us if you ever have any questions. Then he said "What if I just want to hang out?" and we said "Um, then you'd have to call someone else... we're missionaries. This is what we do for 18 months" and he said "Whoa! That's hot! Like, honestly, that is so hot!" Haha so, for those of you who aren't sure if you want to go on a mission, missionary work is "hot." (Just kidding, don't go on a mission for those reasons.) He also said "Do you think Jesus would smoke with me?" And we said "Uhh... Jesus loves you a lot, but He wouldn't smoke with you..."

So, those are the kind of people that we meet here in Belfair. There are actually about 5 medical and recreational marijuana shops here in town. It makes it really super easy to teach the Word of Wisdom to people. Not.

"No illegal or addictive substances."

"Well, Marijuana is legal! And it isn't bad for you! Chocolate is worse!" -_-

Anyways, I don't have anything SUPER spiritually uplifting. No huge epiphanies or anything but a good scripture that I heard the other day was Alma 38:5. "remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day."

Trust God, He has a plan for you, and He knows what you need. :)

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Sister Warburton