August 9, 2010

Okay, I have so much to say this week it is crazy. I don' t even know where to start or if I will be able to say everything today. Here we go...It has been extremely hot this week. There was one day that it was already really really really hot at 6:30 in the morning. I kind of forgot what temperature it is at 6:30 in arizona. All I know is that is was very hot that day and I am glad we had too many appointments to tract that day.

Tuesday we went to Kathleen's house to see how she was doing. She is a 'gator and when we got there I almost threw up. She smokes and her house is sososososososososo stinky and I just could not handle it. We were there for only ten min though thankgoodness. Well, something kind of funny and embarresing to her happened. We read a scripture to her and then we asked if she had our phone number. She looked at Sis Graham, who asked her, and kathleen says no and that mary and larry had the number and that she could not believe that we had not given her the number. So as sis. graham is looking at the planner, kathleen asks if she could smack sis. graham on the forehead and then without an answer from us, does it. I could not believe that she slapped my companion on the forehead! Some people sometimes I am telling ya.

Keith has desided to stop chewing finally! It was amazing the experience we had with him. Not this past saturday night but the other saturday, we were done with Amanda's baptism and we were in a room with him and two other elders talking. These elders have been so amazing and keeping kieth strong and motivated and they actually got kieth to say that he could. Keith said, 'i can'. THat was the first time I ever heard keith say that. Sunday was even better. We go over to his house and right when we get into the house, he says "I have done something stupid." We are looking at him with wide eyes and thinking oh no! You didn't chew did you? He says no to that thankfully and says, "I took my 20 cans of tobacco and dumped all of them down the drain." We exchange glances and we say, "So, what is the stupid thing???" :) it was such a funny moment and it was awesome. Keith has been going strong and has been tobbaco free for over a week now! He is going to be baptized on this saturday and it is amazing! He just needs to stay positive. Oh, please please please, when ever someone says something to you that is offensive to you, please please please do not take it to heart. Forget about it and still go to church. You really are going to church for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Not neccesarily for the people. Although having friends in the church is really good to have as well. There are just so many people here that take offense to alot of things and that influences them in the decision to not go to church. There are so many less actives like that.
We made keith a priority this week. We did so many things this week. One special thing each day last week. monday was candy day, tuesday was grapefruit day (which helps with tobacco), wednesday was sticky note day, thursday was quotebook day, friday was breakfast day, saturday was serving day for keith, and sunday was mini celebration day. It was really fun. Expecially friday. We did not serve the breakfast. We went to eat breakfast at the Emerson's. As well as the four elders in my district. They don' t have a lot of money and for them to host breakfast was a big thing for them. They were blessed so much that day for serving the missionaries. They were so excited for it too. They made a bright sign and put it in their yard and it said Welcome Missionaries. They were so so so so excited. Keith comes with us to district meeting on fridays he is so excited for missionary work.

Okay, so we have another baptism date!!!! Sheila Masterson has picked out a date to be baptized! She will be baptized on the 21st of August. So much sooner than we or she thought. I don' t know if I told the story yet or not but I will tell it again. I believe in was about two weeks ago and she went to court to recieve disability pay. She has much health problems and she needed help. So, she goes to her court and she finds out that her attorney dropped her case. So she has no lawyer to represent her. She was pretty upset and discouraged but she prayed. Her son danny even prayed and he had not ever prayed in his life. She had that choice to wait for 3 weeks to get a lawyer or just go in to represent herself. She didn't have to time to wait so she represented herself. The Lord was her attorney that day. She won the case and she has her diability pay now. She was so excited. When she told us the story I was very excited because she also told us something else. A week before her case, she told us that she was very dedicated to her religion. Well, after that discussion I was in the car and I said to sis, graham, I hope that her religion offends her somehow or does something that she did not like and end not going back to that church. I kind of felt bad for saying that but I really wanted it to happen. So what does she tell us? Her religion offended her. I was shocked and of course we were sincere and didn't shout for joy...yet. She said she needed a wheel chair for a day and knew that her church had one. She asked if she could use it for ONE day. and they said no. She could not believe it expecially since the reverand's wife told her no. She was pretty upset about that because she had been at that curch for 20 years and they didn't even lift a finger to help her. So...I got my wish. :) We were shouting and excited in the car for sure when we left her house. We were so excited!!!! Now she is going to get baptized if...she stops smoking. Which I know she can do..I think.

Mary and larry were the two other baptisms that were supposed to happen this week but didn't happen. They dropped us. They left a letter on their door and said they didn't want to take the lessons anymore and didn't give us reason. It is very frustrating. Hopefully we can talk to them soon. They are not a lost cause yet.

I get to get a shot soon. I have to go get the Hep A second shot. :( lame. I keep running long distance in my dreams. Which make me kind of tired during the day. I don't think I like to dream on my mission. They just make me tired. I have been coughing for a couple weeks now and it is just not going away. Is that a concern? Someone at church told me to go to the doctor.

Well, I have to get going now. Time to do laundry. I am sorry that everyone was concerned last week. I am alright though. You just have those weeks sometimes. This week is going to be really good. I know it will. We need more 'gators. Our pool is dwindeling. We have lots of finding time so as bubba said, we are going to get out of the car and knock on lots of doors this week. :) Hope everyone is excited for school and stuff. I love you all!!!!

Amanda

August 2, 2010

I didn't have time to write about all that happened this past week. It has been good though. Getting over the flu and the cold and having people stop taking lessons and having to drop some people this week. It has not been the greatest week. It will all be good though in the end. I am still here though in Tell City Indiana for another 6 weeks. As well as Sister Graham. My address is stil 1047 14th Street Apt. A Tell City IN 47586. I love you all and hope that 'you all' (common saying here) are having a great day.

Love, Amanda