Thanksgiving was plentiful; turkey was had, pies consumed, and many thanks given. I hope it was the same for each of you! We were super blessed to be fed delicious food by the Richard family in our ward, and as an added bonus I got to color with one of their grandchildren while Sister Phelps helped Sister Richard with the dishes (I'm usually more useful, I promise).
Sister Phelps and I were able to pay our gratitude forward by volunteering at a small food bank in our area. Although it wasn't on the actual day of Thanksgiving, they were so relieved to have us there on Saturday; as a portion of their usual volunteers were gone for the holiday. At the end of our shift, one of the volunteers asked "Did you have fun?" to which we responded with an enthusiastic yes. He said "No seriously, you can be honest." and we told him we were! He said "Wow I must be doing it wrong then."
We genuinely had fun, we love serving.
We're actually super stoked because this is a new ongoing service opportunity we found in our area (we found it on JustServe.org which is run by the church and is incredibly cool by the way, you should look it up). We can go every week for 2-4 hours and stock shelves with cans and various food items, put together boxes for the recipients, etc. It's an emergency food shelter, meaning those in the community who are in desperate need may come and apply to receive a food order of a set amount of items once a month. It's always so busy, it breaks our hearts. So we love being able to do something to help.
And we'll continue getting new ideas of different ways to help others thanks to this years Christmas initiative that the church just released! It's called Light The World and it's brilliant! Everyday in December leading up to Christmas there will be ideas on Mormon.org on how to be the light of the world, like Jesus. "25 ways in 25 days." If you haven't seen the video yet go look it up right now! (Well after you're done reading this email) I challenge all of you to participate in this awesome initiative and try one of the suggestions on Mormon.org every day until Christmas. It really is so easy and so clever. Do it. please.
We have a new investigator that I am still kind of in awe about. Her name is Ingrid and we met her while she was out walking her dogs. I told her that her dogs were cute and she thanked us and we introduced ourselves.
"Sisters? Do you ever make house calls and come and just visit and talk with people? Because I get pretty lonely and I'd love some sisterhood." Our jaws hit the ground. Uh yes Ingrid, yes we do. We exchanged information and that's when she told us that she was actually blind. that's right. Almost completely blind since birth. No wonder she didn't turn the other way and keep walking when we talked to her, she couldn't see our name tags...
She said she's been living in the neighborhood for 15+ years and so she knows every nook and cranny and is able to walk her dogs around. She told us that she can see enough to tell shapes, but that to her we were just like blurs and that she wouldn't be able to recognize us. It's still kind of hard to tell what she can and can't make out. But when we first met with her it was like she was reading from a script of the most perfect things to say as an investigator. She told us how much she wants to learn and how she was like "an open vessel", that she'd eagerly read anything we send her (her computer reads aloud text so we email her things), and that she was a total beginner and a clean slate.
There are a few foreseeable bumps in the road ahead, a major one being that she has leukemia, meaning she has a severely low immune system and therefor wouldn't really be able to go to church, and she's living with a guy that we are honestly not sure if he is or isn't a boyfriend or just a friend, but apparently he's totally closed off from talking about religion. so. not totally smooth sailing ahead but we'll cross those bridges when we come to them.
In other major news Amy is getting baptized this Saturday! 🎉 She is so ready and so excited! We are too! It will be such an uplifting experience and a happy distraction from the pending transfers call we will be getting that day. We find out this Saturday who will be staying and who will be going on Tuesday the 6th. Sister Phelps and I are actually really hoping and praying that we will both stay here together in Belleview for at least one more transfer. Although it is unlikely, you never know. So by this time next week we will know our fate. We're just so blessed to both be here for Amy's baptism. Such a high note to end my 12 weeks training on. Yay!
Don't forget to light the world,
-Sister Olivia Petty 💡
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and now, a small photo series of us with Amy and her daughters Chloe & Sophia; wherein there were no photos where everyone looked good so just pretend one of these do. 11.27.16  |
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