TWENTY LESSSSSSONS!!!

Oh man, such a beautiful week! We've sung and laughed and cried and taught TWENTY LESSONS (don't mind me, just teaching the most lessons I've ever taught. NO BIG DEAL) and just had the best time! We've been totes goal orientated this week and miracles have happened left and right. It's just the greatest. AND ALSO, we had a glorious Turkey Day! We ate at the Wieland’s and it was pure perfection. We had crazy plans to stop by a few different fams and eat food all over the place...but we ended up just loving it up with the Wieland’s. They've been outta town for the past ten days, and my tender heart missed them ridiculous amounts. They're my people, through and through. So, it's been a great week. We'll talk Thanksgiving again real soon, don't you even worry. We've gotta talk about all the other perfectly perfect days this week first! We've got a lot to cover!

Last Monday was glorious. We had a magical p-day, complete with a lavender scented apartment (really and truly, nothing brings me more joy than a clean apartment), shopping trips all around (with huge packs of Christmas stickers and Olaf cards- I've got my priorities!), and headed over to the Johnson's for dinner. We ate knephlia soup and had a wonderful Family Home Evening about the history of Thanksgiving (and Brother Johnson kept bringing up the genocide of his people, such a party). The Johnsons are quickly climbing up the fave ladder- they're just such good people! We played a rousing game of Thanksgiving bingo and I'm still convinced that those Johnsons are so much of the reason I'm right where I am. So excited to be forever BFFs with that beautiful family!

After dinner, we thought about seeing the Cranes but ended up heading back to Beulah and stopping by Becky's. Her boyfriend answered and kinda sorta told us to leave them alone. Ugh. So, we came back to the apartment in the lowest of spirits and realized that we hadn't taken out the trash...it was rank. We proceeded to take out the trash when we ran into Tony, who we chatted with on my three monthaversary and gave him a Book of Mormon. He told us to try him again in a month and I hadn't seen him since that fateful night...but it's been a month! Heavenly Father is not letting that hooligan pass us by! We chatted about his fear of flying and the inevitable plane trip back home for Thanksgiving...and then we committed him to read the Introduction of the BoM. We prayed with him and I have a solid feeling that we're going to be seeing more of Tony in the coming days and weeks (and months and transfers and years- baptism is inevitable!). Already, he was different than the last time we ran into him. It was so sweet- what an incredible p-day!

Tuesday continued on in spectacular fashion (probs because it was Beck's birthday- HAPPY BRITHDAY BECCCCCCCCCCCCCCA!! I can't believe you're 17, my dear BFF!), with our refocus on goals bringing all the miracles. We kicked off the day with studies and the usual morning routine, and headed out to see Britany.

We had this crazy goal of two lessons taught to an investigator with a member present, and I wasn't sure where either of those would come from...but Sarah just happened to be hanging out with Britany when we came by! We ended up sharing a chunk of "Great Aunt Rose" with them (which they loved so much that they photocopied, huzzah!), which was the perfect way to bring the Spirit and allow Sarah to ask us some questions. We taught her the Restoration and gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon, and she said, "This all seems eerily familiar!" 😂  She accepted the Book of Mormon and was super excited to dive in! She grew up studying the Bible but always has had a problem with the contradictions in the Bible- she's going to LOVVVVVE the Book of Mormon! I am just so jazzed. We're going to see her again this week, and it's going to be glorious!

We sprinted over to Hazen after that, where we tried Bob and ended up chatting with Bro. Crane and Hailee about Conference (and cruises and Disneyland- gotta weave in the gospel where you can, ya know?)- and it was so good! Randomly, we got our second member present and it was just cray cray. When you set faith filled goals and invoke the powers of heaven, crazy things like Sarah and Hailee happen. Really, when you follow the Spirit, miracles happen! It's amazing! I just needed to be following the spirit this whole time- duh, right? 

We dined at the Cline's- they're our regular Tuesday appointment until the end of time and I'm loving it! We sang Christmas songs and cooked lasagna and danced in their kitchen- it was just the greatest time. Our last stop of the day was Becky's, and we had a really nice visit with her. She's doing well, and she's just been so happy lately. I'm loving it! We shared a Conference quote with her and it was just good. I love that Becky!

Wednesday was pure bliss, man oh man. We started our day with the morning routine (and woke up to a fair dusting of snow and general coldness- winter has descended) and ran over to Hazen. We tried Bob and scheduled an appointment for Saturday before going over to the Lee's. We taught Brother Lee a solid lesson about scriptures and reading the Book of Mormon, and he lamely committed to reading two days this week. Ugh. Brother Lee. He's got such a testimony of random aspects of the gospel but refuses to just do the work...but I do love that man. We're pretty much BFFs. He keeps me updated on the Seahawks (which is a crazy big deal, he's a 49ers fan by tradition) and it's just the best. So, even if he isn't really into the gospel right now...he does like the missionaries! That's something maybe!

Amid all this Hazen drama, we were trying to coordinate our second member present. Nothing was really coming together, but I had this super strong prompting that we should text Faye and ask to come over. We haven't seen Faye in a few weeks...but we gave it a shot...and she said YES! So, we texted Sister Leach and she was super excited to come with us- and suddenly, we again got that bonkers goal. It was just so cool!

But anyway, we came back to Beulah and ran over to Ashley's. We shared a Conference talk with her and she really loved it- it was sweet! We were thinking about dropping Ashley...until we went to the Cline's for dinner and Sis. Cline told us that she works with Ashley's mom and that Ashley loves us coming by. We realized that we can't ditch out on our sweet Ashley, and that somehow we need to help her progress. As we taught her, we could both see how earnestly she's searching and how much she truly wants this. And also, Ashley might be a member? We're trying to be sneaky detectives, but we're still not sure. I'll keep you updated. But, it was a great visit! I love that Ashley!

We headed over to Barb's after that and had a quick visit with her. I think good things are coming with Barb...even though I feel like she's moving so slow. But, we meet in her home and we shared a Conference talk- progress! It was a really nice visit.

 We sprinted over to Halliday after that, picked up Sister Leach, and went to see FAYYYYYYE!! Her dog Mercy just had puppies, so we chatted about the gospel and concerns while holding these itty bitty and totally adorable puppies. It was pure bliss!! Faye just has such a strong testimony- I wish she would do something about it! She knows the church is true and she knows that she needs something more in her life...but she's just not moving. Ugh. Hopefully, we'll be able to get again with her this week and help her progress. 

We ate dinner with the Reidheads (so delish) and talked Conference- we're obsessed with Conference, if you can't tell. It was a really nice dinner, and then we headed back out into the bitter cold and meandered back to Beulah. SO COLD. I'm generally just chilly lately, it's cool. I'm coming to terms with this being my constant state of being. But, so far, the roads haven't been icy at all! It's been great!

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spent weekly planning, eating at the Wieland's, saying hello to Becky, and weekly planning. We left the Wieland's with two huge platters of leftovers and tupperwares full of pie- it was so nice. Sister Wieland made all kinds of crazy delicious food, all the Turkey day norms plus North Dakota classics, like cucumber casserole and sour cream and raisin pie. It was delish all around, but my favorite part of the day was watching Brother Wieland and Gayle catch up and gossip about their childhood friends. Every once in a while, Gayle would need to pull up a picture to clarify a story, and he would pull out his little Santa reading glasses- it would crack me up everytime! It was driving him so crazy, haha. We chatted with them forever, and it was just the nicest day. I was so grateful that we ate at the Wieland's. It felt like home, and I was just so content. I almost fell asleep multiple times on their couch, all full of turkey and totally at ease. It was a great Thursday!

We went to Hebron on Friday, and it was also a magical day. We first saw Myra, who we contacted about two months ago. Her mom had just passed away, and we went by (on Sister Coots' suggestion) to say hello. We ended up hugging her and saying a quick prayer, but she was so impressed with us that she has been asking Sis. Coots to have us over since then! What the what! So, we went over to Sister Coots' place and Myra came by- and it was great! We answered her questions and scheduled a return appointment for next Friday- it was so sweet! 

We stopped by Gordy after that, and shared a brief message with him about prayer and Enos. I'm not sure how interested Gordy is, but he has these two little boys, Gabe and Isaac, that I love and adore. I wish I could just kidnap them and raise them as my own (in a totally normal and Christlike way, of course). They're four and six, but they always remember my name and ask for pictures of Jesus. Such sweethearts! I think we'll keep coming by just for those sweet boys. We also taught Gordy's mom, who lives next door to him and invited us in after we taught Gordy (I'm to this weird point where crazy situations don't seem so crazy to me anymore, haha), about the Plan of Salvation. She offered to give us some money for our sermon, but we told her we could instead just stop by again next time we're in town. She was a total doll! Yahoo for a random lesson with Betty!

We ran back to Beulah after that, where we finished up planning and headed over to the Rice's for dinner. I am simple obsessed with the Rice’s lately. They're the best! I feel like I haven't taken the time to really adore them the way they need to be in my emails, so here we go. The Rice’s are INCREDIBLE. They're recent converts of about nine months, and they're just the greatest. We got their whole fam history at dinner, and it was pretty insane to see juts how prepared they've been for the gospel. They have every reason to be negative about life, but they choose to be happy- and we got the Christmas invite! We're pretty much best friends- they may be tied with the Wieland’s for my fave Beulah branch fam. They're a big deal, people! We just had the best time with them, and I had my first Yoohoo! (It was delish, of course). Somehow, we are crazy close and life is just magical! It's amazing how everything changes with a new companion- the recent convert fam you always wanted to love and adore suddenly clicks with a new personality and WE GET THE CHRISTMAS DINNER INVITE!! I've been obsessed with the Rice’s since the beginning of time, but our love is becoming mutual AND I AM SO JAZZZZZZED!!! What a beautiful dinner appointment!

Alright, we're quickly running outta time- the weekend never gets the credit it deserves! We had a great Saturday and Sunday, complete with amazing lessons with Bobby, Luke, Brother Lee, Barb, the Furr family, and Cynthia Zimmerman (a less active that we've never been able to get in with- yahoo!). Bobby's lesson was mildly crazy, but we brought Sister Cline and got him excited about the Book of Mormon, so all is well. 

It was just a great week! I'm loving the faith filled goals life! I'm excited to see what miracles come with this week! YAHOOOO!! 

I love you all so much! Have the greatest week!

Love,

Sister Robinson

I won't be home for christmas....this mug is a mug of lies!!