Oh man OH MAN, it's been a crazy town week!! We
have got so much to discuss, my dear team! First we'll tackle the subject at
hand...poaching and repentance, haha. So, poaching is a term used exclusively
by us city going missionaries- when a companionship enters the area of other
missionaries and teaches investigators in said other area, that is a poach. It
varies from mild to severe, depending on how much you teach them and how apt
you are to hand them over. Usually, I'm a pretty decent person and I pass of
these poaches without too much of a fight...but then, we met Kebbah. Yup, it
was all a poach. I feel bad admitting all this, but honesty is the best
policy...it's been a rough road of justification and denial, really. BUT, at
Elder Stapley's birthday party (which we'll get to in due time, don't even
worry), we chatted it up with the too cool Elder Daley and got called to
repentance on our poaching ways and handed our dear and beautiful Kebbah over
to her actual missionaries. We're more resolved than ever to be good people,
yahoooo!!
But anyway, this has been a great week- repentance
is real! The Atonement applies to everyone, even poach-y sister missionaries! I
feel like I'm slowly learning how it actually works, and how we can actually
change- it's all about having a game plan, I'm discovering! When you've got a
solid game plan and then crank up the fervent prayers, life is good. Game plans
for days! There's oodles of baby things I totally disdain about myself, but don't
know quite how to fix...BUT, get a solid game plan of how you're going to do up
in there and life is just good. You experience true and lasting happiness!! You
feel much like my favorite emoji, haha!
Goodness, I get so sidetracked these days. I just
have too many thoughts of my heart to share with the masses! I'll
tell you about my week now, haha. Gotta stop chatting!
We kicked off our week with a beautiful pday, full
of helping the Williams move and chilling with our dear Detroit Lakes sisters.
They're the best! We also said oodles of goodbyes to our fave departing
Fargo homies, and took the requisite awkward goodbyes pictures all around- I
miss my friends! The cool part about missions is that life moves on, and that
you make new friends with every new transfer- life is so good!!
We spent our pday evening teaching the masses-
it was so sweet! We saw Sis. Juliana, our BFF, and taught her about the
Restoration...she's not quite getting it but I LOVE HER SO MUCH...it's tricky.
I just want her to progress with all the energy of my SOUL!! We saw her a
couple more times this week and saw glimmers of hope here and there...but it's
still tricky. Juliannnnnnna!!! The cause of so much stress in my life!!! I just
have too much love in my heart, it would seem. That's my constant issue in
life!
Also, more funny African food with our sweet Juliana. We love her. :)
And then, it was Tuesday. For some reason, our
Tuesday was rougher than usual...but it all ended up okay! We started it off by
going to see Sis. Shell, our recent fave...and her uber Catholic husband
answered the door and told us not to come back. The tears were close to
the surface, my friends! We ended up calling up Sis. Shell a couple days later
and all was made right once more- she let us know that we could still meet,
hallelujah!
But, the times before calling Sis. Shell were a
little disheartening. We took a media hour out of pure sadness and loss of
confidence and dropped a gospel art book off with our dear Sis. Koon before
eating some lunch. And then, we saw Sis. Bighetty, who just makes everything
better, and ran off to teach Kebbah- not all was lost! It turned out to be a
most beautiful day- to quote the words of our dear Beth Moore, a fresh humbling
is always good!
We taught Kebbah about the Plan of Salvation-
AHHHH, it was so perfect! She just gets it!! We used the cute little visuals,
which remains forever my favorite way to teach it, and she totally loved it.
Tender mercy of the Lord!! We left her with a pamphlet to read through and 3
Nephi 11 to prep up for the gospel- she's just the best!! I have total
confidence that the Elders will be good to her!
We ate waffles with the Mitchells on Tuesday night
and AHHH, it was blissful! Sis. Mitchell made homemade coconut syrup and I
seriously could've cried tears of joy. I adore the Mitchells!! We shared the
gospel with their too cute fam, and got some sweet referrals- the Mitchells are
the real MVPs!!!
We finished off our Tuesday by hightailing it to
institute and learning from our dear Raleighs- it was so wonderful! We met a
couple of potentials while there, and got the scoop for Cody Lien- he's going
to come next week, YAHOOOOO!!! We tried a couple of less actives after
all that adventuring and headed in for the night- such a crazy Tuesday!!
Wednesday was SO BEAUTIFUL, man oh man. So much
goodness!!! We kicked off the day with a PERFECT early morning lesson with our
dear Sister Lien- AHHHHH!!!! We brought Sis. Peterson along, which turned out
to be exactly who we needed, and we chatted about the Word of Wisdom and
keeping the Sabbath day holy and baptism... AND SHE TOLD US THAT SHE KNOWS THIS
IS THE TRUE CHURCH AND THAT SHE NEEDS TO BE BAPTIZED, HUZZZZZZAH!!!!! The
only thing holding her back these days is Jefferson (Davis, hehe), her super
Lutheran husband...she's super nervous to even tell him that she needs to go to
church every week! We went over the baptismal interview questions with her and
she knows everything is true...but she feels like she can't commit to coming to
church every week because of her family. UGH. When this concern of all concerns
finally surfaced, my mouth was probably ajar and I was probably sobbing because
YOU KNOW IT'S TRUE AND YOU JUST HAVE TO TELL YOUR FAM THAT...but Sis. Peterson
took the wheel and suggested that we all fast together about her baptism and
her family- AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. I'm sure I'll have more to report on the Sis.
Lien front next week, but I can honestly say that peace has again entered my
soul concerning our dear Sis. Lien and I know it's going to work out. She's
going to be baptized, I guarantee it!!! We also saw her again on Friday- we had
a gorgeous Dairy Queen date full of cotton candy blizzards- and she told us
that she knows she'll be baptized one day but can't commit to anytime soon....
Fasting brings miracles, though! Life is still great!!
Man oh man, such a crazy way to start our
Wednesday, haha. We tried Sis. Johnson after that adventure and ate some lunch
before heading over to teach Michael...who casually moved to the Elder's area,
man oh man. Don't worry, we handed him over after teaching him the gospel and
have a good feelings talk about it all- people need to stop moving, goodness!
We taught Sis. Moore about tithing after that, and
it was so good! I love that Sis. Moore so much!! She was wearing pants this
time around, haha, and it was a really sweet lesson. AND, she totally came to
church on Sunday! YAHOOOOO!!!!
We taught Oretha about the Plan of Salvation after
that- it was perfection! She's getting it!! We also discussed the craziness of
African food, and she let us know that its spiciness helps you to stay regular-
HAHAHA!!!! She gave us some spinach chicken/cow skin soup with rice as a
parting gift...that was actually super delish! Yahooooo for Oretha!! We
committed her to come to church and it didn't quite pan out...BUT, we have big
plans to bringing Sis. Michael along and converting her unto the Lord- it's
going to be a party!!
The adorable Oretha! :)
We finished off our Wednesday by trying a couple
more people and heading in- successful day!!
Thursday was pretty blissful- WE GOT OUR SISTERS,
YAHOOOOO!!!! We spent our day prepping up for their arrival- cleaning their
apartment (because Elders), weekly planning in high anticipation, and greeting
them at the church- SUCHHH a blissful day!!! We dined at the Disher's once the
whole gang was assembled- it was crazy town!! We ate crazy delish lasagna and
homemade cheesecake and we shared the First Vision with their beautiful fam-
such a good week for members, goodness gracious! I just adore the Dishers- such
total conversion! Fargo is just the greatest place on earth, I'm convinced!!
We saw Sis. Dresser following our monster eight
missionary dinner and scheduled a time to meet her friend with her next week
whose son just passed away- SIS. DRESSER IS THE BESTTTTT!!!! Totally obsessed
with that dear woman!! We also tried Bro. Jallah and met a super adorable and
cute African woman- such a great Thursday!
And then, it was Friday! We saw Sis. Lien in the
morn, as we discussed, and lunch dated away with the Sisters- such a party!! I
love having oodles of sisters around!!! I am ultimately obsessed with Sister
Elzinga and Sister Bennett- the cutest!! I sincerely regret not taking crazy
amounts of selfies with them this past week...next week, next week!
District meeting was also perfection on Friday-
Elder Swensen is just the best! Yahoooo for good trainings!! We had to sprint
outta there at top speed once it was over to see Oretha with Sis. Odegard...and
she wasn't home! We raced off to see Kebbah instead...no luck! It was a tad
discouraging, but we were able to chat it up with the amazing Sis. Odegard- I
sincerely adore that woman!! She's headed next week to Alaska for a cruise, and
they port from Seattle- YEEEEHAW!!! Goodness, so much Seattle pride in my
heart. It's the best place!! She's going to Safeco field for a baseball
game, and GAH, it was just fun to talk home with her. She's the best!!
As we were gearing up to leave, Kebbah came back
home- crazy!! She didn't have time to meet with us, but we scheduled an
appointment for Saturday- and it was perfect!! We brought Sis. Parker along and
taught her about the gospel...AND SHE COMMITTED TO BE BAPTIZED ON JUNE 25TH,
AHHHHHH!!!!! Fullness of joy, I'm telling ya!! Even though we won't
finish out teaching her, I still feel partially responsible for her baptism-
and really, she was initially our media referral. So it's all chill, haha.
We ran over to the Robert's after that for ward
coorelation and dinner- it was so perfect!! I love the Roberts so much!!! It
was just so good, full of yummy grilled chicken and more cheesecake- the
members here are so dang good to us!!!
We finished off our night by hightailing with Bro.
Roberts to the church to teach Bro. Daudier- it was sweeeeet!! We taught him
the Word of Wisdom and went over the baptismal interview questions with him-
our main man is getting clooooose!!!! We ultimately decided that he needs to
read the Book of Mormon on the daily and he totally agreed- and he came to
church on Sunday, yahoooo!!! He's CLLLLLOSE, I can feel it!!!!
Oh man, such craziness all around! I'll give you a
speed round version of Saturday, because I'm running outta time and
motivation...BUT, we taught Sis. Koon and Kebbah and Juliana and ate crazy
African once more and had dinner with our dear missionaries friends at Huhot
for Elder Stapley's birthday. It was truly a party!! We found oodles of random
gems in our apartment and cutely wrapped 'em up for our fave Elder Stapley-
such a joyful birthday!! Yahooooooo!!!! It was there that Elder Daley,
whose serving in 1st ward, scorned us for poaching and we've since repented.
The Atonement is real!!
Crazy African food!
Welp, that was my week! It was such a party from
start to finish- Fargo life is THE life!!! So much happy contentment!! I hope
you all have the most beautiful week- I love you all so much!!!
Love,
Sister Robinson
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