December Week One

Dearest Friends and family,

So, probably one of the most annoying things about missionary work is you meet these awesome people that you get so excited about and then... you never see them again!!  Despite your very best efforts to contact them again.  There must be a purpose behind it all! 

On Monday last week we went to beautiful downtown Wilmington.  It was a ton of fun and there are lots of cool shops and places to eat.  We got ice cream at the famous "Kilwin's Ice cream.”  We saw Leslie and Kenny that night, but didn't have much of a lesson cause they were in the mood to talk. 

Tuesday we were out tracting and ran into the most amazing lady!  She is a single mom with three kids and recently moved here from Wilmington.  We talked to her for a really long time which never happens at the door!  She was very open and shared about her experiences with depression and how she feels that God has led her to Wilmington for a specific purpose.  HEY we know what that is!  To meet us.  Anyways, she did quite a bit of talking so we weren't able to really teach anything, but we got her number and will hopefully see her again!  We also had dinner with Sis. McGill and we watched a bunch of Christmas Mormon messages.  I totally forgot how much I loved last years, "He is the Gift" video.  Watch it again if you haven't!  While you are at it also watch the new "A Savior is Born" video.  It wasn't my favorite at first, but now it has grown on me. 

Wednesday we finally ran into Rhiannon again after weeks of trying to see her again, but she was on her way out, but we set up a time to meet again.  We have been given Christmas themed pass along cards that have the link to the new video on them so we have been trying to give out as much as possible.  On Wednesday, Sis Michael came up with the great idea to attach candy to them!  People accept chocolate a lot more willingly haha We walked along a local running trail and handed them out to people.  It was a lot of fun!  Thursday we helped Sis. McGill make 6 dinners for a family in our ward.  They are raising their 5 grandchildren and the wife has dementia.  Talk about some hard circumstances.  She was very nice though and they are from Yorkshire, England.  It took us most of the morning to go to the grocery store, make the dinners, and wrap them all up, and put them in the freezer.  We were also finally able to see Cari!!  It has been about a month since the last time, things just kept coming up with her.  So this was the first time Sister Michael met her.  We had a great visit.  I always feel the spirit so strongly whenever we see her!  We set a solid date for February 13 for her baptism!  She said, "I'm feeling excited now!"  And she said she really wants to make it to church she just hasn't been able to with everything going on in her life.  Pray she makes it this next Sunday!  I'm so excited to see what the Lord has in store for her. 

Friday was an interesting day.  So they have been renovating the apartment complex that we live in and Friday was the day they were replacing both our door and windows.  So at 8 o’clock that morning while I'm still in my robe, we start hearing some pounding on our windows.  Sister Michael turns to me and is like, "You better run!" haha so I dash up the stairs and get some clothes on just in time for the workers to tell us they are about to take out our window.  So thankfully Sis Kandare came to the rescue and we went and had breakfast at her house.  We then spent most of that day weekly planning at Sis Kandare's house and had dinner with Sister Francis and helped her decorate the tree. 

Saturday we had an awesome experience helping serve lunch at the Good Shepherd house with Sister Karp and her daughter, Jenna.  The Good Shepherd house is a homeless shelter where they let people stay for extended periods of time and help them get jobs and back on their feet.  They especially help out families.  Once we helped serve the lunch we were able to visit with the people there.  We talked to one lady, Teressa, who was very friendly and told us she would like to come to our church because of how much she enjoyed talking with us!  We spend some time downtown Saturday as well trying to contact people and give out cards.  We ran into a guy who has met with missionaries for years, owns a Book of Mormon and reads it!  But wasn't interested in converting.  I will never understand those people, haha but it was great to meet him and he was incredibly nice and friendly to us.  It is always nice when people treat you like a human.  I have noticed that a lot in people.  There are those that are just plain rude, try to ignore us, or slam the door.  I do not understand why people feel the need to treat us that way, just cause I've got a tag on my chest with the name of Jesus Christ on it.  I appreciate so much the people who just politely decline and wish us a blessed day.  I wish we could all just treat each other as human beings with feelings, and emotions, and trials. 

I am very grateful though to have this experience because I then get to feel just the smallest part of how the Savior felt.  I am proud to wear His name and be His representative.  It is such a short time I get to say that and I plan to make the most of it!  I am so excited for the Christmas season and the added reminder and opportunity for reflection on Christ and His birth.

 I love you all and wish you a wonderful week!