18 February 2019

Everyone here is completely bonkers

Before we even get the weekly email there was stunning news that came out this week. Missionaries are now allowed to call home weekly!!! And sure enough I was sound asleep this morning because ya know it's a holiday and no school and I can sleep in. Well 6:30 am rolls around and my phone starts making this weird sound. I picked it up to find Erik on the other end. He couldn't figure out why we were all in bed as he thought he would catch us at our scripture study time. It was fabulous talking to him today. Next week I'm sure will be a little more rushed. For missionaries who struggle being away from home, this will be a good change. My sister Katie said that it was always a little weird telling people that we were a family-oriented church but yet as a missionary she could only talk to her family twice a year.

It was a great way to start off the morning. Scroll to the end to see news from our other missionaries . . . the parents.





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I got transferred this week to Lake Placid with Elder Hintikka. I'll tell you a little about him. He is 23. He is from Finland. He is engaged to be married upon his return. He is the best. It's been a really fun week and I can tell it will be a good transfer. I also went from the smallest apartment in the mission to the biggest, so that's a good bonus.

We had about 20 people being taught when I got here. That is too many, so we spent the week contacting them and figuring out which ones were really interested that we should focus on. We have about 10 pretty solid people now, which is a lot better. 

Everyone we talked to is crazy. We just have a branch here, and they're also crazy. I went to scripture study the first day I was here, and I was like "Oh boy, everyone here is completely crazy." This will be a fun area. 

One person we are teaching is the girlfriend of a member, and he referred her to us. She is totally normal, but he is not. She wants to break up with him, which is honestly a good decision because he is crazy and laughs histarically every ten seconds, but she probably wouldn't be interested then. We'll see what happens this week.

We started getting people we are teaching to come to our weekly scripture study, which is great. The problem is the members are crazy. One member feeds us every week and loves missionaries, but doesnt come to church. She comes to scripture study though. She doesnt like the Book of Mormon, but absolutely loves the Pearl of Great Price, so she's always talking about it. It forces us to explain what it is and where it came from to our investigators, which is a little too much information to take in while their still trying to grasp the Book of Mormon. 

Elder Hintikka met Samantha a few days before I got to Lake Placid. She just moved here from Texas, and had been working with missionaries there. She wants to be baptized, but didn't know if she could be baptized because she has a learning disability. Then on Wednesday I talked to her and she said she knew an Elder Leary in Texas. Apparently he taught her not to drink coffee a long time ago. I said I didnt know if I was related. She asked if I was related to him about 10 times on the call and she said sorry for asking about 10 times on the call. She definitely had some learning disorder. Then later that night she called again to tell us his name so I could find out if I was related. Then she called again to say he lived in West Jordan, which was unusual. And apparently she lived in Tooele by what she called the haunted hospital. Either she's completely crazy or it's all a really weird coincidence. 

The branch here really is really good though. They get together for a scripture study every week, they do a branch brunch every week, and they have linger lingers after church 2 times a month. They are very tight knit, and they are very food at fellowshipping people. I just hope we don't find any normal people because they might not fit in too well. 

In other news, we can call our families every week. Whaaaat? That's a big change. My family is going to have to see my face every week.😁

As always, there are some cool photos in the google drive. If you dont have access, just request it and within the day I'll add you.

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Yo Missy, Tyler, and family,
All these fish.  


Big seamonsters  begging for a ride in the boat.    After a good day on the sea, what better way to relax than enjoying life like the locals do, sitting on your can inside the outhouse

or better yet, on your can in the great outdoors (pic #4) 

enjoying a Miller or a Bud, or some coconut beer. The locals only drink the cheap stuff because that's all they can get or afford, unless they rob the bank like they did last week.  Somebody figured that the chicken wire over the window at the back of the bank was NOT impenetrable so they got some wire cutters and presto, they were in side.  These folks are smart....Chicken wire is good for chickens but not the local thugs.  How did they solve the chicken wire heist?  They nailed up some boards and posted a KEEP OUT sign.

These guys are funny. 

Pop


the fishing for men is picking up.  I think we have a BIG one on the hook. 

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