North Carolina Charlotte Mission - 

Oct 27 2014

Hey!  How are you guys?  I'm doing pretty well here in North Carolina.  This week was insane.  We started off on Monday by going to Walmart with the H family right after I emailed you.  Seriously, you guys would love them beyond imagination.  They are literally the funniest people I have ever met!  (Apart from our wonderful and crazy family of course!)  We had the best time!  She is crazy and funny enough without the rest of her family, but she decided to bring along her son, who is basically her other half, and it made it even better!  I don't think I could go for even 10 minutes without laughing at something that someone in that family said or did.  I told R and Sister H that they have to come out to California with me and go to Hollywood and Disneyland.  I can only imagine how fun that would be.

On Tuesday, we went to see our neighbor D M after we finished studying for that morning.  She and her mother are such sweethearts.  They are so funny.  I can't remember if I mentioned though, that her mother is 91 years old – just a little older than grandma. :)   We go over to sing her songs because even though her daughter is a Baptist, she is a member so we go to sing songs instead of teaching a lesson.  It gives her the biggest smile on her face and everything else that day seems to be worth it after that. 

We met a lady out in front of the Wine House while we were street contacting, and she asked if we were Jehovah’s Witness – we said no, we are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She gave us a glassy eyed stare and we realized she was probably a little tipsy.  It was followed up by this statement “Well if your Mormons I think I am going to need another glass of wine”. HAHAHAHA  We told her she didn’t and had a lovely conversation after that.  We had a ward activity that night, where we played Skittle bingo and did a great service project.  We filled up shoe boxes with toys, socks, toothbrushes etc and gave them to less fortunate children all over the world.  It was really cool.

We are working with an investigator – her name is C, tonight we are teaching her about the law of Chastity, so wish us luck and send prayers our way.   It is amazing how your senses are heightened on a mission and with the holy spirit you can quickly learn to read people and situations so that you know what is going on and what to do next.  I don’t know what to call it – some of the sisters call it being able to “read people”, but I call it being observant and using common sense, while also listening to what the Holy Ghost is telling you in a certain situation - which is pretty cool actually. 

(Sorry I'll make this brief.  I'm trying to condense a little bit.  I think I am going to write out each day as it happens for next week so that all I have to do is type it.)  Geez, I have never been so bad with time management.  Haha

So, fast forward to Friday at about dinner time.  We went to Sister L's house.  I was SOOOO HAPPY!  I swear she and Sister H are wonderful cooks and make really healthily food.  It was delicious.  We had grilled chicken and salad and rolls.  We had a few more appointments that night and I got one of the investigators that we have been working with FOREVER to commit to come to church for the primary program.   On Saturday, we finished studying and went to mow our next door neighbor’s lawn like we do on every Saturday. (Good Service Project)   Then we had lunch and went street contacting for a couple of hours.  Apart from meeting some very rude people from Lexington, we didn't meet many people that day.  We had dinner with the H's last night who are evidently related to the H’s (Different Last Names).  I have decided that everyone in the south is related some way or another.  hahaha  There are 4 families in our ward that aren't related to anyone.  Then we went to a Bonfire with the W's, but we could only stay an hour because we had more appointments.  It was fun though.  We had hotdogs, chips, doughnuts, etc.  Then we went to our appointments and went to bed.  

So Sunday we woke up and went to church, we finished church and went to choir.  Down here, our church invited all the local churches to an activity on the 5th where we sing 3 songs as a choir, and then each congregation gets to do the same. At the end of the evening we will all sing “Silent Night” together, look at nativities, and have refreshments.  I really like that because it displays unity in the community even though we don't belong to  the same religious groups.  The other churches are really excited!!! As excited as we are !!! After church, we went home, had lunch, went to an appointment - which by the way, they invited me to their temple sealing in 2016 because he is a new convert and they are working toward the temple. 

The work is progressing – I am really loving being here.  Til Next time – So Long Ya’ll