Dear Friends and Family,
I have reflected back on this year a lot this week because it's been a whole year since I opened my mission call. There are moments when I really wish I could have served foreign, but I know this is where I need to be.
This area is the exact opposite of my old area. Yesterday we drove to a rainforesty part of Edmonds and knocked on the doors of mansions. I was waiting for the butlers to open the doors and serve us tea and crumpets. It gives me way more anxiety than knocking normal doors, but it's cool how our message is the same for everyone. I just wasn't sure if I should bow or curtsy when we would meet the homeowners. Of course, it wasn't very successful, but they deserve the chance to hear the gospel too.
So this is a fun story for the week, especially for those of you who think that people are nicer to Sister missionaries than to Elders. This cute old lady let us into her house and we were just talking to her about how her day was, you know, small talk kinds of things. Then she got a phone call. She answered it, but she couldn't hear the person on the other end very well so she gave the phone to me. It was her daughter. She asked who we were so of course I told her, but then she started yelling and telling us that she was going to come to her mother's house right now and if we weren't gone then she was going to call the cops. We started getting up to go, but the old lady got very sad because she wanted to talk to us and she wanted to hear us sing. I felt really bad leaving, but I would rather not spend my night in jail. Basically there are a lot of haters. You can find out who true Christians are when you knock on their door and say that you are sharing a message about Christ. It's sad that most of them slam the door in our faces. But there are those real Christians who appreciate our efforts and are very kind to us even though they aren't interested.
I really love the ward here. It's full of older people, but they are so sweet and so inviting. But we had a very interesting sacrament meeting yesterday. Our investigator and her kids came, but she was just a hot mess. During the Sacrament prayers she kept telling me about all these crazy things that had happened to her the night before and how she is drinking again. Then she was so stressed out that she went outside to smoke. Later we found out that she was out of matches and a member took her to the store to buy some. Obviously we are still working on the whole Word of Wisdom thing. I just feel like my investigators are my children. I am fully responsible for them. It feels like that moment when kids tell someone that they are fat or that they are a bad person for smoking. It's not the parents fault, but you feel super bad. So that's kind of how our day was yesterday....perfection! Nailed it! If we were rating my success as a parent I would for sure get all 5 stars, haha!
Sister Barrett and I have total comp unity though. We love each other!!! Well, she is okay, but she really loves me. JK we have so much unity that we have many of the same thoughts...it kind of creeps us out. But my real responsibility is my greenie and she is doing great so the whole 5 stars is achievable.
My absolute favorite moments are finding out what "muggles" (non members) think about Mormons and/or missionaries. Today, we were called official Mormons because we wear a name tag...well I guess that is pretty legit.
Well, feliz cumpleanos a yo! (Happy Birthday to me!) This is the last time I will be emailing as a 19 year old! Have a great week everyone! I am on page 71 of the Book of Mormon! Isaiah chapters are beasts, but so so great! Keep reading!
Con Amor,
Hermana Stoddard
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| The best card I have ever received in my life... I don't know why, but I found it so funny! And our awesome thrift store couch... |
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