Scales of Darkness

Hey, team!! It's been another beautiful week in the great Grand Forks- I can't believe it's already Halloween, though! Time is flyin' by much too fast!!  I think that has been the overarching anxiety plaguing my life during this rather perfect week...time is winding down and I am getting a bit freaked for the future. It's scary to consider! I feel like I'm just barely getting the hang of the mission bit and now I have to prep for it to be over, for the inevitable return to real life...it's got me all kinds of dramatic. Usually I'm fine, because usually the work is good...but these last couple days have been slow and full of anxiety. Man oh man. I've found myself pondering my mission at great length as of late, and 2 Nephi 30:6 just gets me- "And then shall they rejoice; for they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes". So good!  This week, I have noticed more completely the "scales of darkness" that have fallen from my eyes and the eyes of those we teach- I'm learning in full that light ALWAYS overcomes darkness, that God will always be good, and that true conversion allows the darkness of the world to be forgotten. And, even though the prospect of heading home one day soon fills me with oodles of anxiety and dread, I know that my scales of darkness are off for good. And I know I have helped so many people do the same- life is beautiful. God is good! 

But anyway, let me tell you about our week. It's been a crazy one!! We kicked it all off with the normal pday shenanigans, nothing too much to report on that front...other than a glorious lunch date with my beloved Orozcos. The best!!!  I also found out, whilst going about our pday, that my dear friend Scott Dittel from back in my Beulah days got baptized in Williston- AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Such glorious news!  (so good it deserves three smiley faces, haha) I even got to chat for a minute with the Sisters that have been teaching him- it was pure perfection. Such a good pday!!

photographic evidence of Scott's baptism- the best!!

In the evening times of Monday, we ate some food and taught the Africans- and went on exchanges with the Bemidji sisters, such a party! I hung ten in Grand Forks with the beloved Sister Andrus, and it was just the greatest. I adore her!!  We taught Henry and his friend Augustina on Monday night- it was such good stuff. I love that Henry! He's been bringing all his homies to the gospel these days and it's the cutest thing ever. Augustina became a new investigator and AHHH, it was just the best. Yahoo for Henry!!

On Tuesday, we helped Sis. Kauffman in the morn with trunk or treat prep and then headed off to teach Rodeen- the besttttt!!!!  We went over the priesthood with her and chatted about the inevitable Fargo handoff...and prepped for the Wednesday move. Ugh. It still breaks my heart that Rodeen has officially moved to Fargo, but we set her up with lovely missionaries down there and I have total faith in her eventual baptism. She is amazing!

We ate some food after all that adventuring, helped by bestie Audrey tab her scriptures for a minute (a new weekly segment I'm calling "tabbin' with Audrey!"), and ran off to the church to teach Linda- such a lovely time! She's the coooooooolest!! Bro. Smith came along for the ride and we taught tithing- and she adored it, of course. So dang prepared!!  We talked about more about baptism and she said in a couple months...and we're going to get her on date for Dec. 3rd this coming week. That's the plan, at least. YAHOOOOOOOO!!!!!!  Dang flab, I love that Linda SO MUCH. AHHHHH. Greatest woman I know!!

After eating some dinner, we brought Audrey to our lesson with AJ...which turned into a lesson with Safee, haha. The joys of teaching an apartment full of Liberian men! We chatted with Safee about church and we read a bit from the Book of Mormon with him- so good. He's the best!

And THEN, we headed off to teach Ruby, a referral from the Orozco clan- it was AMAZZZZZING!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!!!!  We met up at Ruby's apartment and she is just so prepared to recieve the gospel- it was incredible. We taught the Restoration to her and her boyfriend George and scheduled a return appointment for next Friday- two new investigators, HUZZZZZZZAH!!!!  Best Tuesday EVER.

On Wednesday, we headed to Bemidji in the morn hours and exchanged back- AHHH, I love Sister Andrus. Brief moment of silence for her and her unbelievable coolness. Total homie! 

But alas, once back to homebase, we and all the troops helped Rodeen pack up shop...so sad. Man oh man.  I'm going to miss that crazy lady so dang much! We took oodles of pictures and left with oodles of treasures...including a bebe gun for Sis. Ramirez, haha.  It was a total party!

I love Rodeen! :)

We taught Cheska after our moving adventures- it was a lovely time. We went over the priesthood and left her with Alma 13 to read...and we haven't taught her since. Such a tragedy!  BUT, she did texted us all out of the blue this morning and we have an appointment for later in the week...huzzah for Israel! 

We ate dinner on Wednesday with our beloved Kauffmans (the best!!) and saw Joe afterwards- love him! We finished up our Wednesday by seeing the Africans and teaching AJ about Enos while cooking random meat stew...it was a party, haha. Being a missionary is sometimes the weirdest thing ever. Man oh man. 

We spent the bulk of our Thursday helping Sis. Kauffman set up the trunk or treat and finalizing all the details...and then, we trunk or treated away in the evening times!! Sister Ramirez and I dressed up as nuns and it was pretty much the greatest thing that has ever happened- I giggled all night long and all the members died too, haha!  Best costumes EVER. It was funny- we almost didn't do it but somehow mustered up the courage...and it was SO worth it. Best Halloween ever!! 

hehe!

Us and the Von Trapps- such perfection!

The highlight of the trunk or treat times (other than our epic nun attire and an adorable family dressed up as the Von Trapps, hahaha!) was Linda- she totally came and LOVED it, huzzah!! The BEEEEEST!!!  We helped her decorate her trunk and she dressed up as a scarecrow and it was the greatest. I love Linda the most!! 

Linda's cute trunk!

us and Linda- she's my fave! :)

On Friday, we had district meeting in the morn and went to Olive Garden for lunch- yahooooooo for perfect packages from home! The beeeeest!!! 

:)

We weekly planned away after lunch and taught Martha afterwards- ahhhh, I love her so much! We chatted about the Bible videos and about building a relationship with Christ and AHHH, it was such a lovely time. Martha is the best! 

And THEN, we went to B-dubs with the Orozcos for Jared's birthday- THE BESSSSST!!! Jared and his homies sat at another table and we hung ten at our own, stalking the other table all the while...it was such a party, haha. They even snuck in some ice cream cake and it was the greatest. I love those Orozcos!!

On Saturday, we busted out the last bit of weekly planning and tried some formers...and then, we raced over to our dear Africans. Such a party! A random media referral from eons ago, Aiyana Luke, just happened to be over for dinner...and she was all drunk and Bible bashy and general unpleasant. It was troubling. We testified and she rebuffed, and then our Africans threw her out of their apartment for being rude to their sisters- it was crazy town!  Thank goodness for those crazy buff Africans, haha! 

We ended up teaching AJ after all that craziness- such a good lesson. We talked about the Spirit and he testified of the Book of Mormon...it was amazing. AJ is the coolest!! 

On Sunday, we tried the masses and had a beautiful primary program and saw Joe and taught Henry- it was a delightful Sabbath. Being a missionary is just the best! 

Welp, that was our week! It was good one- a little long, a little slow...but overall pretty perfect. God is good and life is beautiful! Thank you for all you do- thank you for the beautiful mail and the emails and the love. I adore each of you so completely! Thank you for thinking of me!! 

I love you! Have the greatest week!!

Love, 

Sister Robinson 

also, happy packages from home!! :)