Mini Missions

I got to spend the majority of the day w/ these LOVELY Laurels.  I was up at 6:30 just like back in my mission days.  I got ready for the day and when they got here at 7:30 I made them omelets & bacon.  We had personal scripture study, companionship study, and then they practiced going through the first discussion.  The morning went fast & before we knew it, it was time to leave for our 10:00 appointment.

We taught a family in our ward, and it was a good experience for the girls b/c this particular family has little kids and they were a little rowdy and not really into the lesson.  That happens all the time in missionary work … the conditions aren’t always ideal for teaching the gospel but you just do your best and try to bring in the Spirit.

After that, we had to take Rachel home b/c she had to do a UIL choir competition.  We went to an 11:00 appointment with real investigators who aren’t members of our church.  They are neighbors w/ a few members in our ward & they said they’d be happy to let us come and practice being missionaries on them.  I am so proud of Ashley & Andrea.  They did a great job & I was so proud of them.  The investigators were really nice and it was a great experience for everyone.

After that, we went to another family’s house in our ward for a lunch appointment.  We were served fruit & a yummy chicken salad sandwich.  We shared a spiritual thought w/ them and then went to the other side of town to pick up Rachel since she was done w/ her choir competition.

We went to our last appointment who were another family in our ward.  The Mom & Dad had a movie on for the kids, b/c they have little little kids and that way they said they could focus on what we were saying instead of being interrupted every few minutes.  The Dad gave us some great feedback when we were done.

At 2:00 we all met back up at the Smith’s home w/ the young men to have a testimony meeting and share the experiences we had.  I am SO PROUD of our youth.  I just sat back in awe at how amazing they are.  Even though it was a big sacrifice to be away from Autumn & my family last night & most of today, it was worth it.  I am thankful that I get to serve in Young Women’s.

I rushed back to Mom & Dad’s to spend time w/ Lexie & her family before they have to leave to go back home.  We all wanted to hug and sniff and cuddle Baby Adam.  He really liked it when Autumn would hold him & talk to him.

The kids kept begging Papa to wrestle w/ them.  He started wrestling w/ the kids and then Lexie got in on it b/c she knows his weak spot … his feet.  They were a big tangled mess of arms & legs & lots of laughing & screaming.  Poor Jackson was so distraught that Papa was wrestling w/ his Mama.  He did NOT like it!  He was so concerned that she was getting hurt.

After that, the kids wanted to play hide & go seek.  I love playing that game w/ them b/c they can never find me.  I just sit and wait and relax and after about 5 minutes I start knocking on the wall or door where I’m hiding so that they’ll find me eventually.  Then, when they would go and hide I would shut the door and turn off the light in whatever room they were in.  They didn’t like being in the dark, so they’d come out of where they were and I would be hiding around the corner and scare the crap out of them.  I’m so mean, but it was so dang funny.  They’d go running into Papa & Mimi crying and telling them how I was cheating.

We had steaks and asparagus for dinner and had a lot of leftovers, so we called Curt & Mary and they came over to finish it off.  It was fun to sit around the table together to eat and talk and make memories.  We had to get a picture of the 4 grandkids (we wish Olivia & Nate & Riannon could be here), and this was the best we could get.  I’m glad that they came up to visit and that I got to spend time w/ them and kiss Baby Adam’s sweet fat cheeks.  There’s nothing quite so loveable as a baby.