How is everybody doing? I am doing great! Especially since it has gotten a little warmer in ABQ and I am not an icicle anymore! Yay! We are looking pretty good on our bikes. We were riding with the other sisters to dinner on Sunday and these two extreme bikers with the outfits were riding by and I said "Yeah that's how good we look too!" (Yeah right) hehe As long as I don't look completely ridiculous on a bike I am happy! I am getting pretty good at mounting and dismounting in a skirt. Plus we get to talk to lots of people. Strange things happen here though. Just the other day we were headed to dinner and we see these two cowboys riding their horses in downtown ABQ going to Sonic! I wish I had gotten a picture, but they didn't turn out. :( Maybe they'll want another half price shake next week too!
Well just when I think I won't have a roach story to tell, one magically appears. I made it all the way through the week until yesterday. We were sitting in this new lady's house and I saw one walking across the floor and so I smashed him with my foot. The lady said they had lots of roaches and I told her that I understood completely. So we continue talking to her and not more then 5 minutes later I feel this crawling on my hand and I looked down in horror to see one walking on my hand! That was a first! Ok I shrieked a little and flung it away, but I was proud that I didn't totally scream and jump. Just a little one. :) I now have a cockroach sling slot (thanks Stephanie) so watch out little buggers I'm gonna get you!
We are having success finding people because we have made a goal to talk to as many people as we can each day. We are meeting lots of wonderful people, but we have also had some interesting experiences. Actually just yesterday there was this elderly lady walking down the street and she kept stopping and she was holding a bag. So we flipped around and turned the corner to go ask her if she needed help. I saw her ahead and she had just done one of her stops. I pulled up next to her and I asked if she needed any help and she just stared at me. She gave me a kinda a creepy stare. I asked in spanish because maybe that was the problem. She didn't say anything and kept staring, so I told her to gave a great day and I started to bike way. I had hardly gone two paces when she gave this super loud piercing scream and I looked back and she was staring at me and screamed at me to get away from her. My poor companion had been behind her and she just looked afraid. We left, but it was really weird. I didn't expect that reaction. As I was pondering on this experience it made me think of people in the scriptures and church history and the mobs that had intense hatred for people for doing nothing wrong. Even the Savior of the world was mocked and crucified. I am nowhere near the caliber of those people in the scriptures, but I am proud to wear His name and withstand a little bit of unpleasantness that others too have felt in his behalf.
Last week we had zone conference and Elder Foster of the Seventy came. It was awesome! I am feeling inspired and uplifted! So they always do car inspections first and we just got to socialize and not have to feel guilty when they had to tell other missionaries to get back to work. Maybe in the future they will do bike inspections. That might be good, although I am getting pretty good at fixing a bike and the best thing about living in an old elders apartment is all of the tools that we have. Like WD40. What sisters apartment would just randomly have some of that stashed away when you need it?! So thanks Elders! Back to zone conference. Elder Foster talked about missionary work! Surprise! He talked about where missionary work is heading and how we are a partnership with the ward. He talked about the different phases of missionary work. Phase one: Missionaries doing work. Phase 2 members helping missionaries. Phase 3 missionaries helping members do missionary work! Right now the majority of the units are in phase one or two, but when we all catch the vision together and realize that every member has a responsibility to share the gospel, we will get to phase three and the Lord will pour out his blessings upon us! It's important to see that missionary work isn't just the theme for this month or this year, but is going to be continue to a central focus and you can bet the apostles and prophets will continue to talk about it's importance. So go help your missionaries! We need you!
The other point that really stood out to me was during Sister Foster's talk. She used the phrase "I can do hard things." Ever since I went to Philmont at the end of my senior year, that has been a little bit of a recurring theme that has popped up in school life and here on the mission. It was just in brief passing, but it felt like the Lord included that just for me. I know the Lord knows each of us. Missionary work is one of the most rewarding, but it can also be one of the most challenging things. You have good days and bad days. You have cockroaches and old ladies that love you or scream at you in street. I have been stretched and pushed to my limit on various occasions, but that's what life's about. It's about growing and learning, and I know the Lord doesn't give us anything that we can't handle. He gives us experiences and trials to help us become who we are meant to be. I want you to know that I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ and that He is the head of this great work. This time of year we should all spend a little less time thinking about ourselves and more time thinking of others and most importantly our Savior Jesus Christ.
Con Amor,
Hermana Klaus
PS
Pellet is enjoying his transfer north! He likes doing exercises in the morning with us!
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| Pellet Exercising |
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| Sisters on bikes... |
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