ASDFGHJKL:;

ASDFGHJKL:;

Yep. That about sums up this week. It wasn't good. It wan't bad. It was... ASDFGHJKL:"

Okay, I'll expound. But I need you to prepare yourself because Hermana Gonzalez and I look back on it and say, "did that really just happen...?"

WE GOT DROPPED. Over and over and over again. Which, I mean, what else is new? I've come to terms with the fact that the stressful part of missionary work isn't having appointments cancel on you, or having the door slammed in your face, or people telling you you're going to Hell, in fact all of that stuff just kind of serves as the source of humor, believe it or not. (Either that or singing along to Christian music with your head out of the window like a dog because there's really very limited options for recreation here in Wichita Falls.), Annnyway. The stressful part of missionary work is having something so valuable, so pertinent to each individual on the earth, and having them tell you to never come back again. Even though they're having a really rough time in their life. And you KNOW that you can help them! You know that God can help them! So, anyway, that's my schpeel. People dropped appointments like flies all week and it was super devastating for a myriad of reasons. But Wednesday.... Oh, Wednesday.

I was sick. I woke up with a fierce stomach ache that made it hard for me to even move. Heaven knows why. It might be the stubborn part of me that drinks milk even though I'm pretty positive I'm lactose intolerent. Or it might have been God. Because I sat in bed all day. And when it was time to take the Elders to their dinner appointment, we did so and the other Elders were there. And they said to us, "How mad would you be if we taught somebody in your area?" And I'm sure any other day we would have fought it, but I was sick, so we just shrugged it off and let them go. So then, we went to dinner and came back to drop off the Elder and the other Elders pulled up in a cop car. They then proceeded to tell us that the referral they went to go see got shot and killed by a cop...right in front of them! In our area. In fact, in the very part of the area we had planned to be in that day. It was terrifying to say the least... We had to drive them to the crime scene so they could get their bikes and while we were waiting for the elders to convince the cops to take their bikes from the investigation, we saw the body, still there, still covered in blood. So our whole district has been... a little shaken up. But we're safe. God is watching us. It's been very easy to see his hand in our lives this week.

I probably shouldn't have written about that. Mom, Dad, stop worrying. I'm fine. There are messed up things happening all over the world. I'm just as safe here as I would be at home. Well, debatable, because at home I'm not knocking on the most broken down houses in town, but it's all good. You get the point. I'm fine, I promise.

I did, however, have wonderful revelation this week! Guess what?! I'm in the South. And if I were anywhere else, I would have to go around explaining who God is and trying to explain the atonement of Jesus Christ from the very beginning, but we have yet to meet or teach one person who isn't a Christian. It shows me how much the Lord sends us on very specific missions. I know that if the Lord had sent me somewhere where no one knew who God was, I would be spending a lot of time bearing testimony of something I was already very firm on: that there is a God and he loves us. But instead, I have to teach people that this is Christ's church, which is forcing me to strengthen my testimony in ways I didn't realize I was struggling with. But I'm learning so much about the order, justice, and mercy of God. And it's all relative to the organization, justice, and structure of the church. I'm not saying we should worship the church, but we must give credit to all of the programming and organization that goes into it because there is no doubt in my mind that THIS church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is the progressive restoration of the church the Jesus Christ started when he was on the earth. It is burned into my heart, my brain, I know it.

And that's as much as I will say for this week. But just know, GOD LIVES. He loves us. He is in every detail of our lives.

I love you all,

Sister Best