Hello,
After last week's run in with the unique kid hopped up on
who knows what, I feel like this letter will be uneventful. We had a
pretty slow week. We spent a lot of time trying to contact inactive
members which is my least favorite activity. It is just frustrating when
people have known the truth and then they choose not to live it AND are rude to
you when you try to contact them. It is necessary though. This week
we have more appointments already so hopefully they don't cancel and we won't have
to spend as much time being blatantly ignored by people. We stopped at
one inactive person's house and they flipped the outside light on and peeped
through the blinds very sneakily. No one answered the door so we rang the
doorbell again (sometimes we are pushier than I would like to be, but I guess
it's people's salvation we're talking about). We heard a parent whisper,
"Tell them we're not home, actually, and don’t get the door."
Another family never answered the door even though all their lights were
on and the TV was going. There isn't much we can do in those situations
except report to the bishop so that he knows they very clearly are not
interested.
I didn't get transferred and I didn't get a new companion,
but we did move to a different apartment that is closer to our areas.
Same area, same shadow, new digs. We are the only sisters in the
apartment and I miss having roommates, but I do like having my own bathroom and
closet. I miss living with Sister Adams. She was the Oliver Cowdry
to my Joseph Smith (well pre-apostate Oliver Cowdry. We're talking about
when they were young and best chums and translating together and having lunch
dates and getting revelations and the priesthood and stuff)
#likeningchurchhistorytoourselves. We wept on each other's necks when I
left...and by that I mean she jumped on me when I was sitting in my desk chair
and we embraced and were sad. But that doesn't have a biblical ring to
it. She also said my favorite quote of the week, "I have started to
believe that you can be consecrated and still use inappropriate
terminology." I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks that.
Sometimes the only way you get through to people is if you use analogies
and examples that are at their level. And sometimes that involves comparing
the Holy Ghost to a contact high (I never actually did that, but I did come up
with a really good analogy that I wish I could have shared with our former
substance abusers). While we were discussing all of our great ideas (like
making a movie called P-Day, a rap about the Restoration, and our interview
with Ellen DeGeneres) I decided that we would be like Saturday Night Live, except
we would be called Sunday Morning Pre-taped. I think we have a promising
future.
Guys, I have had 12,944 views on my 6 Things to Do Before
Assuming Mormons are Crazy blog post. THAT IS SO MANY PEOPLE.
I can't believe the number of people that shared it on Facebook.
Thank you. It made me feel good to realize that while I can't pay people
to listen to me in Mesa, I do have people that will read my blog. Unfortunately
I will never top that though. I've been out a transfer and I've already
peaked.
Just pieces of advice, missionaries don’t want you to feed
them soup when they come for dinner. We had soup three times last week.
I don't want to sound ungrateful, but soup isn't a meal. Okay, that
sounded ungrateful. I am grateful...but seriously. SOUP? IT'S
88 DEGREES OUTSIDE. So just feed them steak and other cuts of meat.
That's what they want.
We have training for the pageant this Friday.
Unfortunately we aren't working every night. We feel a little
cheated because they're having sisters from Gilbert, Phoenix, and Tempe come to
help. Gilbert didn't want us for the temple open house, so I don't know
why we're letting them come and work our pageant. They're all going to be
super fancy because they're in a rich mission. They'll probably be cuter
than us too. WE JUST CAN'T WIN.
Can you tell I've been a little crabby this week?
Because I have been. I'm just frustrated about life. I'm
clearly supposed to be learning patience, but it's not being learned very
quickly. I'm tired of working so hard and seeing no results. I feel
like I'm not anything special so I don't know why I'm here. Everyone
always says that you're called to your mission for a specific purpose and I am
starting to doubt that. I haven't done anything amazing since I've been
out, so why am I here? My companion said she can see results, particularly
with Hermione, which she attributes to me being here and teaching and
connecting with her, but I don't know if I believe it. I feel like I am
being myself and doing what I would normally do and people are reacting to me
the way they normally would. I connect well with most people already,
that isn't special, that's just me, so I doubt that I am doing anything
extraordinary with Hermione. I guess I'm being humbled too. I don't
know. I'm just frustrated and don't know. I DON'T KNOW.
On a more positive note, BIRTHDAY MONTH IS UPON US!
That is right. I can't even wait.
Here's the funny story of the week for ya. Harry
Potter has a dog named Hedwig (name changed to protect the innocent K-9).
Hedwig has so much puppy mama drama. He has impregnated two dogs in the
last two weeks on his block! Hedwig needs to be a little less friendly
and think about how he is going to support all the little pups he's already
fathered. He clearly wasn't tuned in when we taught the law of chastity.
We had a really great combined 5th Sunday lesson in one of
our wards about missionary work. Our bishop in that ward is so supportive
and bends over backwards to try and help us. He gave the ward clear goals
and told them they need to step it up because we are working really hard but
won't have much success until they help us. We are going around now and
helping families create family mission plans and encouraging them to invite
their neighbors and friends to family home evenings and the Easter Pageant. The
ward members love us, we just need to help them love missionary work as much as
they adore us. I think with this bishop though things will really start
to pick up because he is so motivational and is a good example of a member
missionary.
Love from AZ,
Sister Poppe
This is my motivational desk art. My family reminds me
to work hard when I don't want to because I imagine you guys are getting
blessings for what I'm doing. The shark is just scary and scares me into
working hard. The quote is one my companion and I share with each other
when we feel ugly. And Jesus. Well he's Jesus.
Mom's note: You can't see the quote on the post it note but it says, "You're value doesn't decrease based on someone's inability to see your worth."
Additional note: Amanda's other much funnier blog is poppesplates.blogspot.com be sure to check it out!
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