Amy in North Carolina : Week #35 - 2015 Jul 20

Hey one, hey all!

This week zoomed by. I feel like the longer I'm out, the fast time flies. I mean it sorta makes sense....but then again at the same time it's like whattttt is even going on right now. You wake up in the morning and then you're like....gosh if I blink, it'll be 3 days from now. And then bam. It happens. Ha! It's crazy. But anywho, this week was good!

So on Monday we had the sketchiest dinner of my mission so far hahaha. This family signed up to feed us and I mean...she sits on her kids in sacrament meeting so I was already freaking out. And so we go into this house and there's STUFF everywhere. Like oh my goodness. I have a confession - the mission has made me into a clean freak. Like not a word of a lie....messes irk me. Haha. So the fact that we could hardly see the floor I was like ahhhhhh I just want to cleaaann! And then she's like, y'all feel free to sit down! And so we go to sit on the couch. Sister Park sits on the end of the couch and then I go to sit beside her and there's a book in the way, so I go to move it and then under the book there's goldfish crackers EVERYWHERE. Yeah. I was like ooooh kay. So i put the book back down on the couch and just sit down on the edge. Ha. And then the husband comes out with this spaghetti stuff. And it's like mexican spaghetti. Yeah I didn't know it was a thing either. But it is...it was like spaghetti sauce with chilis and salsa looking stuff, and other mexican things that you can put in stuff...and you know it doesn't sound too bad...until you eat it. And then you're like praying for the strength to get it all down haha. And then he brings out ANOTHER plate of spaghetti with sauce that just came from a can and then he brings out a huge bowl of peas and then he brings out these no bake peanut butter cookie things and then he brings out this avocado thing with eggs where the pit is. And the eggs weren't even cooked. I was like ahhhh how bout no. So we tried to eat all we could but honestly..we were both like...they're trying to poison us. It was awkward. hahahaha but we survived....probably because we took the avocados and the rest of the spaghetti and cookies home and just tossed them....hah. Ohhh the things you go through as a missionary ;) it was terrifying at the time....but now we can look back and just laugh :)

Wednesday we had a zone training meeting. It was really good. Sister Park and I had to teach, you know being the sister leaders and all. Our topic was "What is so hard about getting investigators to sacrament meeting? Why? What do we do about it?" And for our joke at the beginning (because if you know me, you know I like to throw in a cheesy joke at the beginning of all my schpeels) was awesome. I was like "We are SO excited to teach y'all today! Actually we're sorta terrified, but mostly excited! Because! We're going to do an experiment. We tested this out earlier this week and it seemed to go pretty well. So we want to try it on y'all! Alright, if we could turn to Alma 34:4. *i read it*. Today we're going to test out a new learning technique. Learning by osmosis. Now what we want y'all to do, is get as comfortable as possible. But make sure that your head is laying on top of that scripture in Alma...and think hard about your investigators and sacrament meeting. We'll wake you up in 10 minutes and we'll discuss what y'all have learned. Consider this the roleplay. Goodnight!" Andddd oooohhh my goodness! It worked!!! All the missionaries in our zone (including the senior missionaries) had their heads down! I wish we would have gotten a picture of it because it was HILARIOUS. Hahaha so after a couple moments of silence, we're like JUST KIDDING! Hahaha don't fall asleep! And it was great. And then we actually got serious and the spirit was super strong. It was great. A lot of people told us we did a good job...so that was good to hear :)

The rest of the week was pretty good. I mean it flew by so it had to be right? Haha.

Oh...I guess the sad part about the week was - Deborah, our new(ish) investigator, her son just passed away in a car accident. It was a hit and run. He was walking alongside the road and then a car came and hit him and didn't even stop to see what they had hit. They found him in the ditch the next day. It's heartbreaking. She's doing as well as she can be. She's a strong woman and I know she will get through this with the support of her family and friends, us, but most of all God. She has a strong faith in Him and this hasn't wavered that faith. But if y'all could keep her and her family in your prayers that would be wonderful.

AH. Onto a lighter, more happier note! It was my birthday!!! I turned 20 this week! Wooooo! My birthday was SO great!!!! I was able to go out to dinner with one of the members here. They took us to the Santorini Grill (I have no idea how to spell that....sooooo that's the best y'all are gonna get hahah) which is this REALLY amazing greek restaurant. Wow. I love it. For birthday cake I had their famous Tuxedo Cheesecake. It's magical. It's like 3 layers of chocolate but it's not super rich that you can't eat it all. But it's so goooooodddd. Like pretty much the best thing ever. Oh yeah and for my main meal, they got me to try lamb chops over rice haha! It was actually pretty good. I've been hesitant to try lamb because I'm like lambs are so cute and fluffy and little! But then I was like no, I'm on a mission! I need to try all that I can! So yep! I had lamb on my birthday :) And I actually liked it a lot...haha it tasted different than I thought it would, but it was a good different. :) Overall, my birthday was fantastic.

ALSO. Speaking of that, THANK YOU again to everyone who gave me birthday love!!! It meant a lot to me and I love you all so much. Y'all are seriously the best. I really do have the greatest family and friends. :)

I think that was pretty much the jist of my week! I hope y'all are doing well and having the best summer ever :) I know I am!

Take care and remember that I love you tons.

Much Love,

Sister Blumel

xoxoxo <3

Birthday food----I mean fun!

This is the Cunningham's! And they're grandkids haha they jumped in last minute so that's
why they're blurry. In this picture you can also see the glorious Tuxedo Cheesecake.

That's the view at the Santorini Grill :)

And then that's after me and Sis Park's teaching at zone training.

#wekilledit

We matched! Haha we didn't stay matching though....
I changed cause that blue skirt is falling apart and has
grease stains on it and stuff. But yeah it was
fun matching for the few hours that we were! :)