We got a long one today haha, it's been a good week! We will pick up where we left off...
Last Tuesday we had exchanges right after district meeting. On the bus to the sister training leaders' apartment we saw this darling little Hispanic boy. He was five years old and named Christopher. He was the cutest thing. We talked to him --or rather he talked to us-- for upwards of ten minutes about anything and everything. He was so darling.
Even after missing our stop we still arrived about fifteen minutes early for exchanges. We sat on the stairs of the building and entered in some reports and did a few findings. Once Sisters Shiobara and
Fields came we dropped off our stuff, split, and were off! I was with Sister Fields for the evening. We went out towards bay ridge and had a dinner appointment with a sister in their ward. To sum it up: Pasta (aka Mac n cheese) + salad + pasta crab salad + peppermint tea; #superold #yellingourprayers #hardcorecrazycutecatlady
After dinner we went to a park in the area to do some finding. I'd never done finding this way, but we literally talked to everyone. Like, there would be a line of people sitting on benches and we would
go down the line and talk to everyone. It was hilarious. At first I was like, "they're gonna get all weird that we're just going down the line" or "they'll think we're crazy". Well, we are a little crazy, and
we actually found a few people who were willing to listen for a bit. I learned a few things from Sister Fields about approaching people and just getting the job done. She approached everyone. Even if they
didn't speak English (the Russians, Italians, etc) we still gave them a card and invited them to look at the website. It was cool. Me and my compañera have adapted to do the same and I can confidently say we try to talk to everything that moves! (It's kinda funny cause we talk to more things that don't move! We always do lightning rounds with the cameras outside people's homes/in elevators haha.)
When we got home we shared what we'd done with the other companionship and they did likewise. As a result my companion and I have decided to download a few of the videos in Russian after all the Russians we both met who were so willing to talk with us but had a hard time doing so in English. We'll see if we get to use any of them :)
Wednesday we wrapped up exchanges. Me and Sister Shiobara were together and we went to service at prospect only I didn't have my shoes so I had to borrow hers. It was lots of fun, and I somehow
squeezed by without getting sunburned. Had NY pizza for the first time (like, for real NY pizza) this week too. Not bad. I also hit 6 months Wednesday. Crazy. I feel like I've been here so short a time then I realize I'm a third of the way done. That's a scary thought. I wanna get as much out of this time as possible. Living for today :)
On the way to a dinner appointment with a member we had a cool little experience on the bus. We were standing by these Hispanic women and struck up a conversation with one of them. We ended up giving her a Book of Mormon and then three of the other women around us asked for copies as well! It was super cool :) We finally made it to our stop and were twenty minutes behind schedule. We had the option of waiting for a bus to come in twenty more minutes to take us directly to our appointment or we could walk the mile we had left and try to beat the bus. This is where #olympicspeedwalking comes in. I don't think we've ever walked so fast for so long --in skirts nonetheless-- in our lives
haha! Needless to say, we beat the bus :)
Following our dinner appointment we had a lesson with a referral from the English elders planned. Turns out she's a less active returning member! She's got the cutest kids. We had an awesome lesson with them, their testimonies are so solid. We just gotta help them come back to church. Her son also has not been baptized so she asked us to teach him the lessons. We'll be doing so in FHEs over the next few weeks with them :)
Thursday started off great! We went for a run! Yay! We like running. We just ran a mile but we've decided people in the mornings are much more cheerful than during the day. We went for a run today as well. We're hoping to be able to have the motivation to go running everyday for the first part of our exercise time. We'll see what happens :)
We had weekly planning Thursday and it turns out our area book is still in rebellion, but that's okay, it's getting better. The tech people have emailed us a few times saying they're working on it and asking for more info about this or that. Hopefully it'll be in top shape soon! On our way to a lesson with a returning member and her family we met a darling mom and her two boys on the bus. Can I just say, I've never seen children with so much energy haha!
We switched buses for the final stretch to our appointment and had a rather interesting experience to say the least. The bus was very full so we were standing in the back near the door. We could feel the
stares, as we usually do, but one was a little odd. I look down and on the other side of the bus this Jewish (not strict Jewish, but very Jewish) middle aged man is sitting there staring at us. Again, this is not unusual. It was unusual when he spoke to us. We made eye contact and he said, "How do you cook your vegetables?" We were beyond confused. Everyone in the bus looked as confused as we were. Why was this Jew talking to us? Did he think we were Jewish? Was this some trick question to measure our Jewish-ness? Regardless, I wanted to answer this question right. It's not every day you get a Jew to talk to you! My compañera and I looked at each other then back at the man. He was still awaiting our reply. I looked at him and said, "...you don't." He laughed and said, "yes you do! How do you serve your vegetables?" I said, "you serve them raw...?" I was not about to have a discussion about how to season and cook your vegetables with this man on a crowded bus, but he was ready to! He laughed again and said, "no, you don't serve them raw! Don't worry, I'm not trying to hit on
you, I have a girlfriend." This just got weirder --if at all possible. The Hispanic man seated next to our little Jewish friend has about lost it at this point. Everyone within hearing radius remains as
confused as we. Our friend is not done, as he begins to tell us about Songs of Solomon. To make a long story shorter, he insists there are instructions for how to cook your vegetables within Songs of Solomon. I told him I like Isaiah and he said he likes the books of Moses. He told us all about how God called Moses twice: once to be a prophet and once to be a Jew, "cause he called, 'Moses, Moses' from the bush." It was an interesting experience needless to say :) #WearenottheJewsyouarelookingfor
We got to our lesson and it was great. She is so solid. We taught her and her kids for a bit and invited her to be a fellowship for our less-active member we are teaching. We think they'll be great friends. Her husband came home at the end of our lesson. He's less active and works a lot but said we could come by this Friday for an FHE with them. We're excited to see what we can help them with as a family :)
This Friday we finally were able to get in touch with one of our sisters again! She is so ready to go to the temple, it's not even a joke. We taught her the first temple prep lesson then and the second on Sunday right after church. She's so excited to go. She will probably move her date up because she wants to go as soon as possible and there's only four lessons left to teach, she could go through the he first week of October if we teach only one a week! I'm so excited for her :)
On our way to catch the train home from this lesson we had to transfer to the N going the opposite direction. We pulled in and saw across the other side the N was there. We ran so fast, we literally
sprinted up the stairs and around to the other side to try and catch this train. We came sprinting down the stairs just as the doers were closing. Hermana Voss stuck her hand in the door and opened it. We ran in and barely made the bus. Now, cause this was at night the trains come less frequently. Had we missed this train we would have had to wait for twenty-thirty minutes for the next one. We sat down and she looks at me, "I felt like we were in an action movie! That was so cool!" It was great.
Saturday we had another lesson with an aweseome family. We left them the video of the restoration to watch together. They were really excited to see it. We will see what they thought of it tonight at our lesson. To be totally honest I am very very stressed about this lesson with them tonight. Hopefully they have chosen to let the Spirit work in them and they have been able to come to know of the
truthfulness of the things we have taught them. We're praying for them.
And lastly, Sunday. We had church and did a few lookups, concluding the day with a lesson with one of our members! We haven't seen her since we've been here so it was great to see her and share a message. Her husband was there as well for the end. They have such strong testimonies. They also gave us two referrals so that was great as well. Hopefully we can find some more people to teach who need the gospel!
Today we had a district activity at the pier and park by our house. It was super fun! We ate together and played football a bit, even climbed some trees! We got some pictures at the pier and had a great time together. I honestly love our district so much! Hermana Voss asked me the other day what makes our district so great. This is it: So I honestly believe that in a relationship of any kind if both people are trying to make it work and have the same goal then it will work. That's how I feel about marriage, companionships, and districts. All of us are here doing our best with the same goal in mind while sharing the hope that we can make this all work. Therefore, it does!! No one is jealous of each other, we can celebrate the success of other missionaries, and we all can work hard and play hard :)
This week I have grown a lot. I've also been frustrated a lot :) I think I can be frustrated without being discouraged, cause I don't feel discouraged at all. Just a little frustrated with some things. Last night and this morning were particularly rough for me and I didn't know why. I was a little angry even about old things. I tried to begin my personal study and I just could not. I thought, "forget it, we're reading the Book of Mormon." I opened up to 2 Nephi 4. Holy cow. This was exactly what I needed. Literally the exact experience I was going through I could see Nephi going through as he wrote those
plates. He expressed his frustration with himself, then he talks himself out of it by expressing all these thoughts about what the Lord has done for him. Then he talks himself out of the pit with action
words like awake and rejoice. I love it. I love how he then expresses his desires to the Lord and tells Him, "I trust You. I always have and I always will, so please help me with this." And then he bears
testimony. I dunno, I feel like I'm rambling, but it was just exactly what I needed cause it was exactly what I was feeling. He says, "And why should I yield to sin, because of my flesh? Yea, why should I give way to temptations, that the evil one have place in my heart to destroy my peace and afflict my soul? Why am I angry because of mine enemy?" I was sitting there realizing I was giving place for this anger and frustration. What does that do? Nothing! So I've chosen to apply what I learned from Nephi and awake! And rejoice! And droop no more! Therefore, I am happy :) I encourage everyone to check themselves and choose to be happy. It's easy to sit and simmer over something, but why let it destroy your peace?? Choose Joy. Have a great week! :)
Muchísimo amor,
Hermana Karra Gourley
PICTURES! :)
Sorry fam, didn't really take many pictures this week I have realized...sorry! We've got exchanges, a subway car all to ourselves --never happens-- a radiate cheer and sunshine building, an overpass by our house, and a broken mannequin that just can't anymore. We will repent and be better this week! The days just go so fast they all glen. I feel like we've taken so many pictures then I realize we haven't taken any in three weeks, but it feels so recent! Sorry :/
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