A beautiful sunrise

How's everything going with everybody!? It has been another adventurous week again, and it went by like ZOOMness. I was able to get my hands on a bike, so we don't have to as much walking anymore, but lotsa biking. This week was kinda "feast, famine, feast, famine" repeated during the week. Tuesday was a good day for numbers, Wednesday was famine, Thursday was feast, Friday was famine, Saturday was feast, and luckily Sunday was feast too. But no matter what the numbers are, we always make sure to work our butts off, because that's what makes a missionary successful: if they work hard, not how many lessons they teach or new investigators or people they baptize.

They even have some of the same songs as we do!

So that bible basher Wonda? Well, Elder Hill and I were able to get her to church on Sunday! Whaaaat? So here's the story to that:She told us that if we showed up to her bible study class on Tuesday night and she'd come to church on Sunday. So, we did go to that bible study class, and you know, it was just a typical Baptist study class, but she wasn't even there herself! We stayed after for about 30 minutes and talked to some people about what we do as missionaries, our church, stuff like that. They had hot dogs and french fries afterwards, and they invited us to eat with them, so that was pretty cool.

Thursday we met with her to give her a hard time about not even showing up to her own bible class, but it's all good, because she had to hold up to her end of the deal hahaha and she did! It was awesome to see her in church, and as much as a rough start we got with her, she seemed to like church quite a bit and is making some good progress.

We were wiping tears and sweat off our face,
      but dang it was gloriously delicious

Wednesday for lunch we went to some hole in the wall Mexican restaurant as a district. It was literally in the back of a Mexican style convenient store, and when we walked in I didn't see it at first, so my first thought was "We're having lunch at a Mexican 7-11?" Hahaha but it was amazing and delicious and crazy spicy and we were all tearing up and sweating it was so stinkin' hot, but we'll probably end up going back there again some time soon

This stuff is so HOT I'm crying!

Thursday President Miller (the branch president) took us to do some service and move a members couch out of his house. After that I thought he was going to take us home, but instead he took us about 45 minutes away to his step-daughters barber where she works to give us a haircut! I've never been to a barber before, so it was pretty dang funny when she asked "What I wanted" and I replied with "A haircut that'll shorten my hair" haha I didn't know what I wanted! On the way back I was talking about how I've got family in Arizona, and he started showing me all these pictures on his phone of returned Sister missionaries in that area I could date when I get back. President Miller, I'm flattered really, but I've got close to two years before I can even think about dating again hahaha it was funny. But afterwards he took us to a Wendy's for lunch, and we learned he's actually been a convert to the church for only 4 years and is already BP, so he's still learning about the gospel himself. He's such an awesome guy.

Saturday we tracted into a drunk guy, and as soon as we walked up to talk to him he said to us really loudly "I SMOKE *$#@*#* WEED!!! Wanna know how I don't get caught? *looks left, looks right, whispers* I don't drive when I'm high! Cause that's how the police getcha!" And he went on about a bunch of random stuff, I mean this guy was drunk out of his mind, and his friends in the background were mouthing and mentioning for us to leave for our own safety, but he talked for about 15 minutes or so and thanked us for our uplifting message about Jesus, even though we hadn't said two words to the guy. The whole situation was just funny.

Elder Hill & Elder Ahching all cuddled up & ready for night night time

Last night we had the missionaries from Brookhaven spend the night, because sometimes we do that just to make things easier, because they have to drive to us in the morning to pick us up so we can go to Clinton anyways. They shared a bunch of stories about missionaries going home, like how some sister missionaries ran out of gas in the middle of the highway with no gas station in sight, so you know what they did? They poured water into the car where the gas goes and prayed it would turn into gas. Well, instead of Heavenly Father turning the water into gas, He decided it would be best for the water to stay water and completely ruin the motor, and because those Sisters made such a crazy move they got sent home. I know that the Lord has the power to do that, but I mean, come on. So that water stayed water and the motor in the car was completely shot because of it. There was another story they told about these two Elders who literally found a turtle on the side of the road, kept it, taught it the five lessons from Preach My Gospel, and baptized it. Literally baptized it. They baptized a turtle. Filled up a baptismal font and everything. But they didn't stop there, oh no, they gave that turtle the Holy Ghost and even filled out the papers for it as a new member and everything. So yeah, needless to say those Elders got sent home.

But oh my gracious it's been such a great week. I mean, people say that after 3-4 months your mission starts to fly by, but it's flying by right now! I went to bed last night and was like "It's P-Day already again? Holy cow". But so much greatness and many blessings have come from this mission, it's amazing. So many karazy stories I can't even type about because it would take all day to explain, but I've got my journal always updated every day, like my personal golden plates, so that way I don't forget nothing that's happened. Anyways, love you all, hopefully all is well in the land, and as always, God be with you till we meet again.

Feel it rain on your skin, no one else can feel it 

for you only you can let it in, no one else, 

no one else can speak the words on your lips. 

Drench yourself in words unspoken, 

live your life with arms wide open,

today is where your book begins..."

-Elder Cook

P.S. And another thing I forgot to mention: yesterday while we were heading home, we got totally SOAKED in the rain. It only rained for about 5 minutes while we were on our bikes, but it was so great being rained on while heading home. We were both laughing and shouting to each other "I'm meltiiiiing" while biking home. Luckily none of my stuff in my bag got wet, but it was great getting that rain on us.

Elder Hill in the rain

Crazy Crazy Rain!

Elder Davis be takin' all my icecream...

Brother Larry Mobley and I. He's a little less active,

but only because of his work schedule. 

He's a really awesome guy & one of my favorite members.

This is a picture of Elder Hill and I fishing 

with a member who invited us out one day. 

We didn't catch anything, but we taught him 

a little bit about being a fisher of men for when he goes on his mission

We live just about a mile or two from a train track, 

so every now and then we'll hear it blow it's whistle 

and go on it's merry way, it's really awesome