"Read your scriptures, pray everyday". That is the key to life.

Good week this week.

So last P-day we wanted to shop at all the native craft stores, but almost all of them are closed on Mondays. -_- I am half tempted to email President to see if we could change our P-day to a Tuesday one time to do the shopping we want to while in Alaska.  Though there was one place that technically was closed but a worker was there and let us browse around if we wanted to!  I got some kind of animal teeth that I am going to make earrings out of at that one store where I made my necklaces prior. We went back to the church afterwards and played basketball as usual.  Sister Randall even played with us which made it a lot more fun.  We were having fun blocking each other.  You could tell that we get along just how playful we were. 

Tuesday we had district meeting which was fine.  I did a training on charity and did an activity that involved using Sister Randall as our person who needed the charity.  All the elders completely missed it so I had them do it again.  Afterwards we helped a member in our ward decorate for our Relief Society birthday celebration.  This member gets kinda stressed out about these things but her work is always top notch. We were glad to help.  The birthday party was a lot of fun.  The theme was Getting to Know You so we did get-to-know-you activities.  We played the bingo game where you have to find a person who has had certain experiences.  Our team was so close to winning.  After eating dinner there was a talent portion so Sister Randall made me sing an aria for them.  I sang a shortened version instead of the whole, 10-minute song.  This would be the only time to sing opera for people and it not be weird.

Wednesday we helped out at the farm while we transplanted more seeds.  Jen and I had a good rhythm going.  At one point I caught up and she was lagging behind while she separated the plants and I transplanted.  We had a meeting that night with a council of members to talk about missionary efforts and events coming up like a family history workshop and an emergency preparedness event that people should invite from the community.

Thursday we had lunch with a few sisters from the ward at a restaurant owned by a member.  Afterwards we had a great lesson with a less active.  She is the one who owns chickens and a turkey that gobbles at us when we come.  For the lesson they put the dogs outside on leashes.  When we left we saw one of their chickens dead.  She immediately thought it was one of the dogs who killed it but later realized that the chicken was ice cold so it had to have happened that morning from a different dog. We did some more family history work that night which I am getting a whole lot better with.  It is easier to start with the relatives closest to yourself.  I find myself mainly "cleaning up" the information, like making sure the dates are standardized and at times finding sources to attach.  Because of some of the hints that pop up or sources I find was able to add two children to the distant family that were not already in the system.  Now when I find more information about them we can take those names to the temple to temple work for them.

Friday we had a fantastic lesson with Hara and Megan.  We went to their house this time which allowed for a more relaxed setting.  They were working on this craft they sell.  We decided to do some of it with them for a P-day next week.  We taught them about the gospel of Jesus Christ by reading 2 Nephi 31 with them.  This allowed them to ask questions open which they then had a lot which we were able to help answer most.  We are trying to teach them that they can find these answers on their own with the resources we have, like the gospel library app.  The best is to just read the Book of Mormon.  "Read your scriptures, pray everyday".  That is the key to life.

Saturday we attended a funeral.  Mormon funerals are just more lively than other funerals.  The children of the father who passed away was cracking jokes and sharing hilarious memories with the congregation.  The gospel brings peace to members lives because we know where our loved ones are going.  We know they are happier and in a better place.  Our funerals aren't a time to mourn, but a time to remember the life of those who are still living beyond the grave.  Later that evening we drove clear down Funny River Road for dinner.  The less active just has the craziest kids.  This was the first time I met her husband.  When he came home the kids, especially the youngest, were all of a sudden angels.  I see why she is so stressed all the time.

Sunday was a good day.  Maybe it is the excess about of sunlight now or just the fact that I know almost all the members in the ward now but I was just happier sitting in church.  The talks were great and one of the members brings chocolate when she teaches Relief Society.  Yay!  We later had a lesson with Dominic.  Part of our rules is that we need to have a third, adult female with us when we visit homes that don't have one.  We asked one of our ward missionaries to come but after calling and texting with no answer we asked if we could have our lesson out on the porch.  It turned out they hadn't moved their clocks forward in their house and her phone was on mute.  We suffered for 30 minutes sitting outside in freezing weather.  It wouldn't have been that bad if it wasn't for the cold wind.  We are just trying our best to be obedient.  The lesson turned out really great, though we had to push back Dominic's baptismal date.  He is just continuing to work out some things before he can be baptized.

Our relationship, Sister Randall and myself, hasn't been better.  I am really going to miss her when it is my time to transfer.  We work out our troubles and laugh all the time with each other.  This area is hard as a missionary with not many people to teach, but she has definitely made my time here better. 

Sent from ALASKA!

Sister Shelley Willden