October 8, 2014

Ok, well to make up for my terrible email last week, I will gift you all with something long and full of a lot of crazy things.  

   First of all, the main reason that I didn't write last week is because a lot of crazy things went down and just thinking about writing all of the stress on email was too much for me to handle at the moment.  So my companion, Hermana Torres, came into the field with some past medical history.  But everything was going fine on her mission and her first transfer was great.  Until we were 2 weeks into our transfer and she kept getting super sick and was constantly exhausted with intense pain.  We ended up in the hospital a few weeks ago because they thought she had some blood clots.  She is almost as stubborn as me and just wanted to keep working and not rest.  But I made her rest a bit to see if she could recover.  But nothing worked and nothing was helping her get better.  So for almost 2 weeks the work was slow and it was almost impossible for Sister Torres to go out tracting and other things, it was just too hard on her body.  Out of ideas on how to help her, we finally called Sister Murdock, the mission president's wife.  They talked about the option of her going home to get some rest.  Sister Torres refused at first (can't blame the poor girl) but after praying about it for a few days God told her that she needed to go home.  And everyone supported her in that decision.  So it was a long weekend with a lot of tears.  I can't imagine how horrible it would be to go home so soon on your mission when your only desire is to serve God.  Sister Torres was baptized at 16 yrs old and has only ever wanted to serve a mission and give back what she has been given.  She truly is a great example.  

   So last Monday, her mom came to the mission home and picked her up.  It was heartbreaking to see her go.  But it is what is best for her.  And she is doing good and getting the medical attention she needs.  So I was randomly put in another trio for the last week of the transfer.  But thank goodness it was with the other spanish sisters, Sister Gailey and Sister Arnold.  I finally got to live my dream of being Sister Gailey's companion a week before she died!!! Whoo hoo haha.  So we spent the week trying to work in both areas and keep them going.  And I spent the week on the floor and living out of a tiny suitcase haha.  But it's the mission life here, I am pretty used to it.  

    But it has been a difficult transfer with not a ton of work happening.  I have a lot of work ahead of me these next 6 weeks.  But I am up to the challenge!

  But I honestly loved being with the other sisters this week!  We have had a blast and it felt good to be working hard every moment.  And I loved being with Sister Gailey!  That girl has helped me out so much and I know we are going to be close when we go home.  It will be weird for her to go home tomorrow and not be here with me :(  But hey, I've already killed off 4 other people, I am used to this feeling.  Actually I have the record in the mission for killing people off!  It is going to be 5 after sister Gailey.  The joke is that I have a lot of blood on my hands around here haha.  That I have a curse.  Which is basically true.  Everyone is shocked about the things that have happened to me on my mission and the weird situations I am put in.  Well, i guess nothing is new.  It will probably be like this for the rest of my life.  :)

   But we still have some solid investigators handing on even after all of the craziness.  There is a great woman named Gloria who loves learning and wants this gospel to change her family.  she has the cutest little girl named Pamela who is 7 and adores me more than anyone haha.  I always give her a quick piano lesson after they come to english class on fridays.  And Gloria even came to our movie night again!

   Ok, let me tell you about the movie night.  It was a complete success!!  We had at least 40 people there!  And most of them recent converts, less actives, or investigators.  We had a ton of  food donated from action center and members!  And the best part, the laptop and projector worked without a problem!  It was so great and our spirits could not have been higher!  I love the movie "The Testaments" and the spirit is so strong at the end.  It always brings tears to everyones eyes.  And I looked over at Gloria and she was crying!  I can't wait to talk to her tomorrow and see how she like it!  

  Then kind of sad story here:  We were teaching that man named Jesus Garcia and he has been doing awesome!  He is the cutest old man and so funny!  I love teaching him!  But he moved this week to 30 mins outside of our mission :(  We won't be able to teach him anymore but he still wants other missions to come and visit him.  

   And now I have a few funny stories for the week.  The first one is that we were driving to a lesson one day when all of a sudden this old man on the street falls over really hard and can't get up.  So we pull over and try to help him.  Turns out he was super drunk and just mad that he spilt his beer everywhere haha.  We kept trying to help him up but he was so off balance it was almost impossible.  And when we asked him if he had been drinking he started laughing and said "haha heck yeah i've been drinking.  You young ladies should think about doing it yourselves one day"  It was just so random and a funny moment in our day.  We deal with a lot of drunk people here on the streets of Federal.  And we see a lot of fights.  The other night we were at the gas station and a huge fight broke.  There were 2 guys and then their 2 girls started screaming and running in their heels.  It was the most intense fight i've seen and sister Gailey and I enjoyed watching it haha.  But seriously, those 7/11 gas stations down federal can get pretty sketchy.  We usually don't go there past 8.  

    And last funny story of the day.  The other elders in our district had a baptism last sunday so obviously we all went.  And there was some confusion about a musical number so the missionaries had to fill in and sing a hymn.  We have all done it multiple times, it's just something you have to do on a mission.  Be willing to do things that make you feel uncomfortable.  But this time it turned out horrible.  It was the 4 sisters and just 2 of the elders with the piano playing.  We started singing off super quiet and no one was really hitting the notes.  We were all sick with colds because of how bad it had been raining and it had been getting colder.  And then Sister Gailey started laughing.  Which made Sister Arnold and Sister Torres laugh, which made it impossible for me to sing.  It was horrible.  At a baptism we couldn't sing and we kept laughing.  They were all hispanics so they couldn't tell really how bad it was, but they still knew.  One of the members kept trying to mouth the words to us.  And then when we were done and sat down, Emma, a member, said "that was beautiful good job."  It was a total pity thing.  Then after the testimony the bishop invited all the missionaries up and said" Even though they can't sing good, they are set apart by God to teach the gospel.  So use them to help your  friends come to the truth."  Etc.  Etc.  It was humiliating and just made us laugh some more.  The bishop was totally serious.  I joked about it in my next testimony which lightened the blow haha.

   But anyway, a lot of crazy things have happened lately.  But I still love this work more then anything in the entire world. And I loved conference this weekend!  It was amazing and the voices of the prophet and apostles brought so much peace to my soul.  How lucky are we to have a living prophet to follow and trust in.  It is incredible to think that there is at least one voice amidst millions that will never lead us astray and will always be a voice of truth and light.  I have come to appreciate conference more then anything in the entire world.  And I hope that everyone back home was able to watch/listen and feel of the spirit.  And recieve the answers that Heavenly Father was waiting to give you.  If not, then go and do it now!  Don't procrastinate and don't waste the INCREDIBLE gifts that we are given in this life.  

   I love you all and am so thankful for the support I have back home!  

Con Amor,

    Hermana Adair

p.s. I am staying here in Denver another transfer because of crazy circumstances and will be finding out who my new companion is tomorrow.  Wish me luck! :)