Monday, February 6, 2017

God is Good

Oh man OH MANNNNNNN, this week has been SO good! SOOOOO good!!!  Like, GUYS. I thought life as a missionary had reached nirvana somewhere back in Grand Forks, but life continues to just be unbelievably beautiful. God is just so good, and I can't believe how completely and totally He blesses us- even when we don't deserve it. Especially when we don't deserve it. It's all giving me hope that my inevitable return home will also bring joy and meaning and purpose...even if I don't quite trust it yet. I am just so in awe of the grace and goodness of our Heavenly Father, and the living reality of His Son, Jesus Christ, who are both so acutely and completely aware of us...I am so blessed to know of Them. Man oh man, it's been a good week! One the best, really!  I just adore the sweet calm that comes as we understand that God will continue to be good even when we become aware of our own nothingness before Him, our complete inability to ever repay Him...that's what humility is all about, I suppose. Learning a lot about that these days! 

But anyway, let me tell you about our crazy and gorgeous week- so many miracles!! Heavenly Father is truly leading us to the prepared and it is the happiest thing...He truly does answer our prayers. We are being so blessed in Bismarck, and I'm learning all over again that the secret to true happiness is living the gospel, doing everything in our power to make ourselves right before God...and that's why being a missionary is the greatest thing around. For 18 months to two years, we are given the opportunity to live the gospel as completely as possible, to perfect ourselves by learning to rely on the Atonement- best thing ever! 
Alright, I'm gettin' all excited over here- let me tell you about our week, haha. It's been such a good one! We started it off with our most pleasant Tuesday pday (because we already chatted last week about Monday, dontcha know), full of errand running and emailing and all the normal things...good times, good times. We ate dinner with the lovely Steinmans and taught Jeremiah about baptism and confirmation- I seriously adore that kid. He's the cutest! 

Also, navigating snowy Bismarck proved to be quite a struggle...Jeremiah's road wasn't quite plowed so we had to park down the street and trek to his place...here's a picture 

of that adventure for your entertainment, haha.

So much snow, man oh man! 

On Wednesday, we taught Sis. Gray in the morning and ate some lunch with her- sweetest lady ever. Man oh man! We read from the Book of Mormon with her and had some frittata and it was just the greatest...I really love her. Hopefully she'll become a permanent fixture in our Bismarck adventuring! 

We did some 12 week next thing, tried some peeps, and headed over to the office to grab Sis. Brough, who was on her way from Beulah (hollah!) to Rapid and needed a place to crash for the night- such a gem!  She spent the rest of the evening with us and it was pure perfection- I adore that Sis. Brough! Rapid is way lucky to have her!!  

We taught Brianne next, who casually dropped us and told us she'd call when she's ready...and then we ate dinner with the lovely Sis. Barnett- such a dream!! We had Wendy's salads (so fancy!) and chatted about humility and living the gospel...and she offered to teach us how to make skirts come pday, huzzzzah!!!  We've got the best mission nurse around- total homie. Love her!!

We finished up our Wednesday by helping the Hales plug in their family history...best thing ever, man oh man! Jim had like seven generations back all recorded, so we got in all the computer and printed out his fancy charty chart...I felt like such a superhero at the end of it all, haha. Family history is becoming my favorite thing- it's seriously the greatest. The Spirit of Elijah is so real!! 

Also, check out these crazy icicles. Crazy, crazy! 


On Thursday, we had another lovely day...even with weekly planning, yahoo!! We endured to the end because of glorious mail- from the Perkins, AHHHHHH!!! 
 It came this beautiful puffy purple envelope and it was shoved full of lovely Christmas notes...pretty much the greatest thing ever. Shoutout to the best people I know for sending such blessed mail- it made my whole day! 


After all that goodness and planning, we headed out to try the peeps...no dice, haha. We ended up teaching Jeremiah about the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity, so uncomfortable...but he eternally swore off his Lipton tea, haha.  He's the cutest kid ever!! 

We tracted for a season next thing and it was a bit discouraging...not too many people were having it, man oh man. We had tracted out about four apartment buildings with thirty minutes left until dinner...so we decided to go to one last building and finish the job. We got to the very last door of this very last building, feeling all downtrodden and such...when we met the GREATEST PEOPLE EVER, AHHHHHH!!!!  Ammar answered the door, and told us that his dad was sleeping...but Sis. Larson started chatting with him like a pro and his dad popped outta nowhere and started asking us questions...it was sweet. He initially told us that he is Muslim and not interested, but we got to know him a but better and found out that he actually believes in Christianity, too- coolest thing ever!! His name is Ali, and he's a refugee from Iraq...basically, he's the real MVP and teaching him is my new favorite thing. He accepted a Book of Mormon on Thursday night as we chatted with him at his door, and we scheduled an appointment for Friday morn- and it was the single greatest lesson EVERRRR. OH MANNN!!!!  We brought the too cool Lexi Bower with us, and Ali taught himself the Restoration while Ammar looked on with total comprehension and enlightenment...it was one of the most amazing experiences of all my mission. They both testified that what we teach is true by the end of the lesson, and we have another appointment with them next Wednesday...they're totally going to be baptized. Like, 110%. Ali and Ammar are officially my new faves- I adore them so absolutely! I feel so blessed to be teaching them! 

But anyway, we ate dinner with the Gunns after that most blessed tract, and spent the rest of our evening totally on cloud nine...it was seriously the best. I love being a missionary!!

On Friday, we headed off to district meeting after our gorgeous lesson with Ammar and Ali- such a perfect way to start the day!  Such a total miracle that we met them, man oh man. I love them so much!!

We ate lunch with the new Mandan sisters following district meeting, Sis. Baadsgaard and Sis. Carlisle...it was the best. Having sisters around is a total dream!!

We taught Jenny next thing, such a gem, and then finished up our planning...and did some 12 week and ate some dinner. Good times, good times.  During our dinner hour, the mail lady delivered and out poured goodness from the beloved Walkers- the best!!! 

Dang flab, my peeps are so good. Love 'em! 

We finished up our Friday by teaching Marie, a former that we got back in with...it was a bit unpleasant. She chatted the whole while and we barely barely barely taught any sort of doctrine- it was rough. But, she's interested and willing to learn...so I think we're going to start teaching her. I'll keep you updated. 

And then, it was Saturday. We started off with some media hour, during which I did my first bit of my plan- AHHHHHHHHHH. 

Here's the ominous screen of it...super stressful. For those of you just hanging ten back home, my plan is the "you're going home at the end of the transfer and you have no idea what you want to do with your life" program...yup. Yup yup yup.  Lose yourself to find yourself, right? Goodness gracious, so much stress. The good news is that this week was just about reflecting on your mission and thinking about all the Lord has taught it- pretty pleasant. I'll let you know how it all goes, man oh man. 

But anyway, we taught Jeremiah in the afternoon and hardcore committed him to come to church- and he totally came! AHHHHH!!! So that means he's good to go for his January  14th date- I am so jazzed!!! Dang, he's just the best. Love him!

He's seriously the cutest. Love him!  

We tracted oodles on Saturday and tried the masses...little bit rough. BUT, we ended our night with dinner and bingo at the Hale's- love them!! Best way to spend New Years ever, man oh man. They're my fave! They even gave us fancy New Years crowns, and we made out like bandits in the bingo times...ha, they're the best. Love them! 

And then, it was Sunday...such a good day!  Jeremiah came to church, Sister Larson gave a lovely talk on prayer, and life was all over way good. We ate some dinner after church (huzzah for one o'clock, yahoo!!) and the Elders called to give us a referral- and we got an appointment with her for seven that night, yahoooo!! We ended up just getting to know the crazy cool Julie and casually getting her on date for February 4- AHHHHHHHH!!!!!!  She's pretty much the greatest lady ever, totally prepared for baptism- I am so excited to be teaching her. We have an appointment with her tomorrow and AHHHH, God is so good. Too many miracles!!

We also, on Sunday night, helped Donita dye her hair...haha, being a missionary is such a party. I love it!

Welp, that was our week- such a good one!  I'm excited to see what this next one brings...it should be a party! The work here is taking off and I feel like we're just watching it happen...it is the coolest thing. Being a missionary is just my fave! 

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

Love,

Sister Robinson 











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