into one for over a year now and regretting that I ever did. Was all
happy days for a while - chats chats with all of them, practiced
pageant questions with the most beautiful man who also happens to be
Miss Gay Philippines, and shared the pamphlets with all of them and
talked about the gospel. It was all going well until I actually saw my
hair, which was supposed to be a slightly darker blonde, but now its
the blackest of blacks. Witch black. Thats what I am now. I'm a witch.
Nobody is going to accept me into their homes now, I'm terrifying. So
I'll just have to hit the showers tonight and scrub for several hours.
At least the good thing that came out of it was I realised that I'm
nicer now. I did a little runway for them all and showed it off like I
loved it until I walked out and started to freak out. But its ok, in
the resurrection we're all going to be beautiful again, right?
Haha.
Its ok, the church is still true.
Last Tuesday we went to an investigator who was supposed to be
baptised this Saturday just gone...and she was drunk. She told us how
she had just finished a religious debate with her friends where they
asked her who Jesus 12 apostles were and she said Joseph Smith. Even
she admitted afterwards that the closer you get to a good thing the
more Satan gets in the way. Shes still going to make it, we're just
giving her an extra month to figure it all out. She has a strong
testimony shes just working on her conversion, but when she gets there
shes going to be one of the strongest converts this branch has ever
seen. I just won't be here to see her get baptised. After we left, in
the pitch black and the pouring rain we were feeling really down for a
second, which isn't like us at all. All day Sister Roma had been
humming to herself hymns that she thought related to the lesson we
just had. She started humming Let Us All Press On and next minute we
threw our umbrellas aside and were belting it out on the deserted
streets. We arrived at the next house soaking wet but so happy. When
we got home we just talked about it rationally, and got all the
sadness out. Can't let things get you down hey, just gotta press on.
We finally cornered the a less active we've been trying to catch for a
while. He recently told us while he was drunk that he is hoping to be
married to his girlfriend and for her to be baptised so his baby can
grow up in the church. We finally got him to sit down again and
questioned him about his wedding. He said his problem was money. So we
told him all the reasons why money wasn't a problem for him, and he
still wouldn't budge. We knew there was something more. He said ask
his mum because he didn't want to talk about it. Turns out, when he
was born they sent one of the kids to the municipal office to register
him, and the kid decided his middle name was Ruth, and they named him
as female on his birth certificate, which is an obscene amount of
money for them to fix. That was one of the first times I've ever been
completely stumped as to what to say, I did not know the scripture
verse to go with that one. We decided we were going to have to find a
laywer to do it for free, and miraculously, we found one.
So yesterday our branch had a visiting teaching activity, after church
a bunch of people stayed behind and we all went on splits with the
members. Was so fun and super effective as the members know all the
less actives and they can help in ways we can't. They were able to
make more progress with some of them in 20 minutes of chatting that we
can make in weeks worth of lessons, because they just know the concern
and they can help them. AJ our investigator came along, did a good
chunk of the teaching, and knows everyone in the neighbourhood so she
knew things we didn't even know. It wasn't until after the activity
that they leaders in our group realised she hadn't even been baptised
yet. They made a huge deal about her afterwards in reporting and she
even teared up a little bit feeling the appreciation of the members.
Our sweet sweet AJ, shes gonna make it.
Got halfway through the transfer and still hadn't seen the zone yet,
until last Monday in the grocery store i spotted Elder Ramsay from a
mile away and RAN to him. I missed that kid! Had a conference and
caught up on all the chika chika. This is what I love so much about
the church. We arrive at the church for our meeting and theres a
Church Humanitarian Conference going on in the next room. Sister
Barrientos told us she is an assessor for disability, and if we see
anybody anywhere, member or not that needs a wheelchair or a walker,
just to tell her and the church will get them one. The church was
filled with nonmember disabled people receiving free help. It just
reminded me how amazing this church is and how we love everyone and
just want everyone to be happy. President was there for the conference
but he kept popping over to put in a few words in our meeting.
President Barrientos is literally the funniest person that ever lived
on the planet, somehow were all crying with laughter and feeling so
inspired at the same time. Love the mish.
And love you all, thats it for me.
It's also my birthday in 6 weeks, which is also about the right amount
of time needed to send a package. No connection there, just two simple
facts.
Ay-ayatenka!
Sister McKim
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