Haha okay this is super embarrassing but it's actually spelled StrumpFhose. I was going really fast last week that I didn't notice I spelled it wrong... Whoops! [This is in response to my message that said, "GET THOSE STRUMPHOSE ON RIGHT NOW!!! I WANT GRANDCHILDREN SOMEDAY!!!" Hahaha (Don't worry Babe! I fixed it!) -- Message from MOM]
Hey it is still hard because I read your message at the beginning of the day, so I have to read through the email again anyway while I type them at night! [This is in response to my message that said: You are lucky because you always get to read my email and then respond the same day. I read your email and then respond a week later after I've forgotten some things and try to go back and reread your letters and look at all the pictures before I can write back. Message from MOM]
Hey, how did the Emergency Fair go? You said you were tired, but like, was it successful? How many people came? Anybody get a kick out of the 72 hour kit lunch?! Go you for accomplishing all of that, that had to have been a crazy amount of work! I hope you got to learn something as well!
[It was wonderful! It went off better than I could have imagined and everyone that presented was so well prepared and went above and beyond to make it awesome! the 72 hour kit lunches were interesting and made people think about what kinds of foods they would want to have in their kits if there truly were and emergency. We had a Fireman and Policeman there from the community and they had excellent things to say. They gave out fire hats to the kids and had lots of handouts and magnets etc. I could go on and on about everyone but that is not the reason for this message! Message from MOM]
[It was wonderful! It went off better than I could have imagined and everyone that presented was so well prepared and went above and beyond to make it awesome! the 72 hour kit lunches were interesting and made people think about what kinds of foods they would want to have in their kits if there truly were and emergency. We had a Fireman and Policeman there from the community and they had excellent things to say. They gave out fire hats to the kids and had lots of handouts and magnets etc. I could go on and on about everyone but that is not the reason for this message! Message from MOM]
Oh, before I forget, yeah I should have told you about that! The Jähnerts have a daughter that lives in the Shingle Creek ward I think! But I didn't know what stake that was. But yeah, when we went over there for dinner a month ago, we googled our houses and we live 30 minutes away! They are the coolest people ever, I love the Jähnerts SO much! We've made good friends with Markus (the Minnesota girl's brother) and his girlfriend. We tease them endlessly about planning their wedding for them and stuff. What a small world! They better visit their daughter in the next couple years, I would be SO happy to get to see them again! How does Audrey know her though?!
Dang Pablo is back at it again with the wild hair. Doesn't surprise me! He better not be the punk he looks like in that picture, though! Haha that is so great you got to see him, he's a good guy. UVU would be cool and definitely fits his personality a lot better! Tell that punk to write me, I want to know that he is alive and reading his scriptures!
[This next paragraph is in response to me mentioning that I was talking to the missionaries at the Potluck Sunday and said that I wasn't a super fan of the missionaries using FB while on their missions. I felt like it was a nice break from it for 18 months/2 years. He said that he felt like it would be really hard for a missionary to be away from it for two years completely and then go back to it when they went home and not be shell-shocked by it. He thought rather that it was a good time to teach themselves how to use it in appropriate ways and set guidelines so that it will be easier when they get back in the real world. He actually changed my mind about how I feel about it! He is a greenie but you'd never know it and is a really great missionary! Message from MOM].
As for Elder S. (missionary in our ward in MN) - he got that spot on with how I feel. I was less than enthusiastic at first when I had to spend hours upon hours cleaning it up, but now that I think about it, I probably never would have done that at home! Yeah, you made me get rid of weird friends, but I like how I view Facebook now. It is a tool, not a crutch. It's such a waste of time and thoughts to just scroll and scroll and scroll (and scroll!). I do feel better prepared to use it at home, but I still have learning to do. Sooner or later, I actually want to have an activity with the members to teach them the safeguards for technology that I have learned so they can 1. feel safe and protected on the internet and 2. be online missionaries as well! Less stress than us asking them to teach their friends, rather they can teach their friends first! Interesting stuff.
As for Elder S. (missionary in our ward in MN) - he got that spot on with how I feel. I was less than enthusiastic at first when I had to spend hours upon hours cleaning it up, but now that I think about it, I probably never would have done that at home! Yeah, you made me get rid of weird friends, but I like how I view Facebook now. It is a tool, not a crutch. It's such a waste of time and thoughts to just scroll and scroll and scroll (and scroll!). I do feel better prepared to use it at home, but I still have learning to do. Sooner or later, I actually want to have an activity with the members to teach them the safeguards for technology that I have learned so they can 1. feel safe and protected on the internet and 2. be online missionaries as well! Less stress than us asking them to teach their friends, rather they can teach their friends first! Interesting stuff.
[This paragraph is in response to my thought that I have seen a few good missionaries fall away from the church after they come home from their missions. MOM] It just makes me sad to see that. However, that just makes me think of Elder Zwick's conference talk, and the story of the missionary sharing his heartfelt testimony with him a few hours before returning home. Elder Zwick said, "Elder, you could forget or deny everything that you just told me in a matter of months if you don't keep growing your testimony. I hope hope hope that I never let myself stop trying. It really takes a daily effort to keep our testimony. Heavenly Father provides all that we need if we just keep reaching out to him! But I am a firm believer that one will never fall away if they just simply read their scriptures every day. When that takes priority, the rest will follow".
That made me smile when you told me that you are on a mission at home :) You've been on a mission for 26 (is it 27 now?!) years of your life with us kiddos! You've raised us right and I always brag about how cute and wonderful my parents are. Sister Grisham and I have a running argument about whose mom is the better cook.... Mine definitely is without a doubt.
So about my week: it wasn't anything super spectacular, but as always it was good! It had a few more disappointing parts, but we didn't let them get to us! I think I told you last week that we had appointments set up with 3 new investigators. We were beyond excited! However, they all ended up falling out. We really had to find stuff to do on Tuesday and Wednesday because a lot of our plans were teaching appointments! I was getting a bit down on myself while we were walking and then I saw this lady obviously struggling to carry her groceries home. I perked up and ran over to help her. She shooed me away and looked at me like some creeper. I felt so bad. I was just trying to be helpful and kind to someone in need. It's so hard to not feel hurt when treated this way, but I understand that people don't trust others much these days. So sad. Later for companionship study, we read Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. One of the verses in there says something like, blessed are they that are persecuted and spit upon, for my sake. It really hit me. Christ actually apologizes to us for the little TINY amounts of hurt that we go through, yet he went through the worst of it all. That is just more love than I can even imagine... I really truly love my Savior, and I will take a lot worse for His cause!!
[In response to me saying that our new greenie missionary is pretty great, very strong testimony and very open and friendly - you can't even tell that he's a new missionary. MOM]
We had district meeting on Friday this week instead of Wednesday because that's how all of our schedules lined up, and we met the "fresh on the mission" new Elder in our district. Elder Beutler, I think. He's so cool, and I'm so excited to have him in our district! This marks 4 transfers in a row that we've had a trainee in our district! But we did a hand off lesson with him and his trainer Elder Fritz on Friday night because they are going to start teaching one of our investigators but it was so awesome, he's only been out for 3 days at this point, yet he gave his all to contribute to the lesson!! It reminded me of my first lesson, and I tried my best to understand, and then bore like a 2 sentence testimony. It's so nice to see the fire in the eyes of a new missionary, I sure hope that I still have that and can retain that! Then while we were talking about the lesson after, he gave a pass along card to someone that he thought looked interested as they were walking by! If only every missionary in this mission had the zeal that he does! He will do great things.
Other that that, we did a lot of finding and going by on contacts. It wasn't the craziest coolest week, but still wonderful as always. :)
Today we had a fun pday, we went to Gera!! The shopping looked better and we wanted to explore some new scenery! It was a good trip, and I actually BOUGHT some things! It was crazy! I bought a new ring, and now my CTR ring looks super dingy. Haha oh well I don't care. Then dun dun dun dunnnnnnnnnnnn: I bought you a Christmas present! Eeek, I'm excited. I've seen them around every once and awhile, but I found this for a good price so don't you worry! I'm already excited to send a Christmas package home, its so easy to find stuff here!! :)
Answers to questions:
I have not received that package from you yet. We have interviews next week, so I will most likely get it then! We only get mail 2 times in a transfer at interviews and zone conference!
The last package you sent me was of shoe soles and foot spray and random things... I think? But yes I got your plan of salvation activity and it the BEST THING EVER!!! I got that quite awhile ago, I thought that I already wrote you back thanking you profusely for it? If not, totally apologize, I absolutely love it! It made my whole day knowing that you printed that out and carefully cut it so cute for me!
It's always a fun pday! We always start the day with cleaning and grocery shopping. It's actually a super nice habit to just do that once a week, its really refreshing! And I've gotten really good at buying just about a weeks worth of food so I never waste! Life skillzzzzzz right here whoop whoop
Fitness is also going great! I really miss the gym and lifting weights, a lot of my definition is going away and it's sad. But we run every day and its a good workout! I won't ever give up! Sister Grisham hurt her ankle last week so she hasn't been running, so I've been doing sprints in our parking lot lately! It's a good burn! With nutrition, still good. Not wonderful, but good. We don't eat sweets or anything during the transfer, but we get lazy sometimes and have been making pizza... I miss pizza from home though!
I loved the baptismal pictures that you sent me, I can actually use those in a lesson!! Thank you :)
I love you a million phone calls with you!! I really miss those now. I was reminiscing about when I'd quick call you for 8 or so minutes before class. Even 8 minutes would be awesome to talk to you :)
Love, Sister Macey Ingalls
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