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| Photo we took for use on our Proselyting Facebook Page |
We had a fun P-Day on Monday and we got a ton done. We were able to email for a while and then we took our car to the shop to have the tires rotated and the oil changed. The English Speaking Sisters picked us up from there and we went thrifting. It was a lot of fun to see what we could find, I got some cute blouses. That evening we went to a barbecue with a couple of branch member families and their friends. It was the best Mexican barbecue, carne asada, chicken, guacamole, beans, and rice. It was so great!
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| "Loaves & Fishes" Zone Conference Snack Pack |
Tuesday was Zone Conference and it was so amazing. We learned a lot about being obedient to the Spirit. It was very powerful. Hermana Escobar was in a ton of pain though so there were some times we had to leave and let her lay on the couch for a while. Lunch was good and super fun because my incredible family sent me "loaves and fishes" (cookies and Swedish fish) to share with the whole zone. That evening we went to an eating appointment with a branch member family. It was really good food and we were so full. One of their sons who is a less active was there so we were able to talk with him a lot. It was great because he is a techy person and I was able to talk to him about that kind of stuff and that helped him be more comfortable talking with us. Once we finally got home, stuff got really bad. Hermana Escobar was in so much pain, more than I have ever seen her, which is definitely saying something with all that she has been through. I did all that I could for her, holding her hand and talking. We were actually able to call the Elders and they came and gave her another blessing, in our apartment, that is how bad it was! After a long time, she was finally able to get a little sleep.
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| An Indiana Moon |
On Wednesday we were able to go and have a lesson with one of the less actives that we are working with, a Hermano. I felt like it was a good lesson because I actually talked and interacted a lot more. That is something I have been working a lot on this week. We read in Mosiah 3 and I led the lesson a little bit just because Hna Escobar was still so exhausted and in so much pain. That afternoon I studied and cleaned the apartment while she rested up. In the evening we went to our Branch Relief Society Activity and helped them make little trophies and cards for the fathers for Father's Day. We enjoyed being there with the hermanas of the branch and helping out!
Thursday we spent the entire day at home. I literally studied and cleaned all day. It is so incredible to me that I can always find things to do when we have to stay in. I guess that is the key to how I haven't sick of being in the apartment all the time is that I am always finding something to do, and I don't let myself get bored!
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| P-day "thrifting" in quaint Downtown Valpo |
On Friday we headed to Chicago Heights to do a little work. Our appointment with our recent convert/investigator family fell through and so we got some good contacting work done on Facebook that morning. Then we had an appointment with a sweet member family of our branch. We were then at home for the afternoon with the English Sisters, letting both Sister Spackman, who is also sick, and Hna Escobar rest. That evening we went and helped out some of their investigators with them and then went and helped do more service at the dog kennel too.
I had to cancel our appointment with our less active for Saturday morning because Hna Escobar was just too exhausted and having too much pain. She was able to rest for a good long time while I studied. In the afternoon we went with the English Sisters to an appointment with one of their investigators because they needed another woman but it was too short of notice for them to arrange a member. That appointment ended up canceling though so we went back home and Hna Escobar and I were able to do some intense planning for this next week. We really are going to get out and do as much as we possibly can and so we are setting up all of the appointments that we can. That night we made another emergency run to the church building so that some Elders could give a blessing to Sister Spackman this time. We sure keep the Elders on their toes. Sister Spackman has been super exhausted lately, really bad headaches and feels like a knife is stabbing into her heart (typically not a good feeling I think!). This happened in her last area but the doctors couldn't find anything wrong. It died off for a while but it is starting up again now. The blessing helped and she was able to rest a little more that night.
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| Reading el Libro de Mormon out loud in the bathtub |
Sunday morning came very early. Hna Escobar actually woke me up at 4:00 am because she was in so much pain. She hadn't taken her prescription the night before because she said it was too late and she didn't think it was helping much anyways. Boy did we find out how much it really was helping! She woke me up which signified to me how bad it was because she never does that, she would much rather just lay there in agony. Then she was willing to take the medications right then even though she knew it might make it so that she couldn't get up for Church, another thing she is never willing to do. I got her medications and some ice for her. A little while later she was able to get up and take a hot shower which helped relax her muscles some. While she was showering I read the lesson for Gospel Principles because I knew that I would be teaching the whole lesson. After that we both were able to sleep for about another hour, which was really good. We had branch council where we discussed some of the people the branch wants us to focus on. Church went well, one of our investigators came. Hna Escobar just pasted on her famous smile and pushed through the whole day. After the meetings our branch had a lunch and party at the Church for Father's Day. The food was super good and it was fun to talk with everyone in the branch and translate with the English Sisters who were hanging out with us because we all carpooled to the Church together. Back at home everyone promptly fell asleep except me. I went and sat in the bathtub and read in el Libro de Mormon for 2.5 hours! There is a promise for missionaries learning a different language that if they read the entire Book of Mormon out loud, when they finish they will be "fluent" meaning able to communicate and share the Gospel. I have been working on it since the MTC and my goal has been to finish by my 9 month mark. I got SUPER behind because of all of the craziness going on. So, I shut myself in the bathroom, the only room where someone wasn't sleeping, and read all of 4th Nephi as well as Mormon. It was so good and really relaxing and powerful to just be able to read like that for so long. That evening Hna Escobar was able to get up and we went to our appointment with the Branch President and his family. We had a good dinner and just enjoyed being able to talk with them and sharing a short message from Preach My Gospel about patience. They are the cutest little family and we enjoyed being there.
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| Gorgeous Indiana Clouds and a Water Tank for Uncle Paul |
So that was our week! Sorry that nothing too interesting like in the past happened! We were able to do some work which is really good and are really hoping to be able to do a lot more this next week. I just feel so bad because I know how frustrating it is for my poor companion right now. She feels so bad because she feels like she is just holding this area back. Her and I are both working on developing patience and really trusting in the Lord because we know that He knows what is going on and He has a plan for all of this. I am so grateful for this knowledge because I really don't know how I would be able to go through life without it. But we KNOW that our Heavenly Father has an individual, specific plan for each one of us. We may not always understand or see the big picture. But we can take such comfort and peace from the fact that everything is in His hands and we just have to pray a lot and do our best! That is definitely one of the biggest lessons that I have learned on my mission so far. I cannot believe that it has almost been 9 months, that is really crazy to me! But I know that this is where I am supposed to be and what I am supposed to be doing. My plan is rock these next 9 months and live them with no regrets! I love you all sooooo very much and hope that you have an amazing week!
Hermana Allyse Meanea
