GREETINGS

Return: July 21, 2011

Monday, July 19, 2010

July 12, 2010 - Oakdale, Louisiana

Hi everybody!!!

It has been an interesting week! Reasons? #1: I have never been in a 3-leg companionship...it's different! #2: I don't drive every day anymore. It's kind of nice because I'm not in the front, so I can sleep :D Yay for driving a half hour to certain areas! #3: There are too many opinions in a 3-leg. Overall we have had ups and downs this week. I don't know if you remember me telling you about Dottie, but she was just so cute! And she seemed so ready! Well we had a lesson with her and her Sister last week, and it went okay...we had already taught Dottie a first and so we were teaching her sister a first because she was there...ugh! Her sister is strict pentecostal. Well this week we came back to teach Dottie a 2nd, and guess what there was a note on the door that said our visits proved to be "uncomfortable"...UNCOMFORTABLE?!? What the heck!?! I am not that uncomfortable. We sang them a song and shared what we believed. We didn't even get to the Joseph Smith story with her sister, and Dottie really liked the story. Ugh. I just wanted to punch her sister. FACT: Since I have been a missionary I have had a lot more violent urges. I just want to strangle people sometimes.

On a happier note, we met Jennifer and Tom on July 3rd. Oh how I love them. Tom is Jennifer's father, and he has Parkinson's Disease. When we met him, as we left he said "I just want you to know, I found God 2 weeks ago." He had given up hope, and he'd never really believed in God. He was ready to die. But he decided that there were too many things in his life that were not coincidence, there had to be a God. So we showed up at just the right time!! On Monday we taught them a lesson, and it was funny. Tom started to tell us how some Elders had come to his door in the early 90's, and he had turned them away, and ever since then he had felt so bad about turning them away. He told us "if you ever see those young men, please tell them I'm sorry." Right after that, his daughter said, "Dad, you can't beat yourself up about that, you just weren't ready!" WHAT! Yeah, she already sounds like a member half the time. And... SHE CAME TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY!!!!! But, we are going to back track a little. On Saturday we went by to see if they were going to be able to make it to church, and we found out that she had just sent her father to the hospital. Since his disease is getting worse, he has more panic attacks. He can't tell when he is having a panic attack, so he had to go to a behavioral hospital to get things figured out. So we came at a good time to try and cheer her up. But she brought her brother to church (he is mentally handicapped), and I think she really enjoyed it. But we are seeing a lot of good things in her situation that she seems truly prepared.

On Friday we had a lesson with a woman named Tina and her sister-in-law Kristi. Tina just feels like things are missing at the churches she goes to. And when we shared the Restoration with her, she was just like "THEY DONT' SHARE THIS STUFF AT MY CHURCH! IT MAKES SENSE!" We were able to clear up quite a bit of her confusion and answer questions she had, it was great. She even told us that she felt like she really connected with Sister Holmes. Maybe she is the reason Sister Holmes is here! Who knows. All I know is that we had some really good lessons this week.

On Saturday we had a really good lesson with Myka. Myka, Myka, Myka....now she is one I am ready to strangle. Every time we see her she says she really does want to be baptized. WELL SHE SURE ISN'T SHOWING IT! She reads every now and then, she isn't making an effort to get a divorce so she can marry her fiance... yeah sorry if that sounds complicated, but it's exactly how is sounds. She is working on smoking, but it is going very slow for only smoking like 3-4 cigarettes a day. And she will not come to church. This Sunday we went to even pick her up! A 30 mile drive with a member who normally cannot go anywhere but Oakdale with us, and we told her Saturday night we would come, and she wasn't there! Oh I just al;wejrgioajw3o4igj. I think I'm getting frustrated with everyone we are teaching. Patience is definitely something I am going to have to learn this transfer. I just want them all baptized! I don't see how they don't get it, but I know it's hard for them...but still.

We were store contacting a couple of nights ago and we saw someone that we have been trying to see! I don't know if you remember Brenda, well it was one of her granddaughters! When I first met Brenda, we met Robin (her daughter), Naudia (granddaughter), and Amanda (granddaughter). Out of the 4 of them, Amanda seemed the most interested, and we were never able to see her again. Well we finally saw her at WalMart, and we went by and saw her yesterday. It was funny because every time you go to her house, it's CRAZY! Her, her siblings, and their children are all running around like crazy! Amanda yelled at everyone and said "They are here for a reason! Sit down! Be respectful! And listen!" Ha, so they did! I just wanted to give her a big hug! We taught her, and she really wants to learn more, so hopefully more about her later!

Zandi (a member) had her baby this Thursday, and he is so cute! She named him Ethan Gabriel. And he has SOOOOOO much hair for being 3 days old. It is thick, and it is black. He was 7 lbs 1 oz. and 21 inches long. But! Beverly (Brother Veazey's sister) and Wayne have almost quit smoking because of those electronic cigarettes! It's really cool! I hope it works, because if it does we might be able to get Sue (Brother Veazey's wife) to quit smoking.

Anyway, I don't know what else to write, but just know that I love y'all and everything sounds like it is going well at home! Y'all are the best!

Love y'all!

Sister Stacy Earl

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