The Wedding Singer

It was a pretttty typical week here in Cody, Wyoming. And by that I mean- I got a new companheira! 

Sisters Christensen and Mills Tracting in Cody, Wyoming

Sister Christensen and I were supposed to open the area, she would train me for 2 weeks and then Sister Huskey (another VISA waiter who came out with me, going to Sao Paulo Norte) and I were supposed to take over the area. WELL. President Meacham called Sister Christensen to talk about me and I guess they decided I didn't need to be trained? (yeahhhhh right) We get a call Friday night at 9:30 (PS we hadn't planned yet because we had been teaching the oldest whitest lipstick...iest Brazillian woman in existance. Slash the only one in Cody, Wyoming I'm almost positive. She is HILARIOUS and it's too bad her husband doesn't speak Portuguese because I can only talk to her for so long before Sister Christensen attempts suicide. Although now Sister Christensen runs around saying - "TOODOO BAMEEEE" in a country accent. I'm obviously the best teacher, well, ever. Anyway, we get a call at 9PM from Sister Taylor in Lovell, WY (the other Sister Training Leader with Sister Christensen) and she says the Pres wants us to switch companions the next morning. But that he received inspiration for a 3 way switch instead of the original plan. Soooo long story short Sister Christensen packed her bags and we drove to Burlington, WY (look it up, Population 288, not even kidding) and picked up my new companheira Sister Helm! Sister Ayala was teaching a lot of Spanish families so now she has Sister Huskey to help her because Sister Huskey speaks... Portuguese? Hahaha. So the moral here is... maybe President received inspiration that I might eventually get my VISA because I am showing Sister Helm Cody and she can actually stay here if I go! This is a good thing. So keep up those prayers! 

Sister Mills with her new companion Sister Helm

I think we are finally starting to have a break through! Our ward is so confused with a new Sister missionary one week after getting the first, but Sister (Hannah) Helm is awesome and from Corbin, Kentucky? So she.... fits right in? Hahaha. She has been out for 4 months, 11 weeks in Billings, 1 week in Mile City with a Visa waiter, 1 week in Lovell, 2 weeks in Burlington, and now 2 days in Cody. Her parents keep asking her if she is a problem missionary. HA! She is pretty quiet and laid back, but once we get joking she can rattle off. She is also 19, so even though she is Senior Comp, I know the area and am a liiiiittle older so we are pretty much even. AKA I bulldoze her, but I think she likes it? She reminds me a TON of Jamie, you guys would like her for sure.

So you know that statistic about people eating 3 spiders a year in their sleep? I've always thought that statistic was WAY off, but I think I've ALREADY eaten 3? So I can see how the average would be that, if the people in Wyoming eating 3 every 2 weeks, then divide that among all the people who are in the US annnnd 3 a year it is. But for reals. I've stopped even killing spiders because they are everywhere, prep for Brazil maybe? Supes awk. Also, prep for Brazil is people here feed us 50000000 times a day. AKA I'm going to gain weight for when I starve in Brazil? I'm getting pretty stoked for that. 

Sisters Mills and Taylor at Zone Training Meeting

So since we have like zero investigators to teach we spend a lot of time tracting. Which as it turns out no one in Cody does? I am determined I will be the best tractor (pref a John Deere?) by the time I get to Brazil. ANNNND the funniest things happen so it is so worth it. People slam the door in our face, or my personal favorite, they let us talk and we both panic, look at each other, and start giggling. That's actually gotten us a couple of contacts. People think we are funny? Although it's not that hard when you are doing awkward things every second of every day?

Speaking of awkward, we got asked to sing at a less active's wedding Saturday night. No joke. You've heard me sing. Sister Helm thank goodness can hold us together, so we get up with the zone leaders, district leader, and another set of sisters and sing families can be together forever. To like.... 10 people. Who are all wearing booty shorts and tube tops and avoiding eye contact. And we sing the first verse a cappela. Then we obviously should be done, but one of the elders (super out of tune) comes in on the second verse and so it went on. The Bishop who did the ceremony was CRYING he was laughing so hard when he helped us clean up after everyone just got up and left?? Things like this only happen on MTV and in the lives of missionaries. So then everyone knows I'm a little work-a-holic and I was determined that I could make this a good experience so I start chatting with the bride's granddaughter about her beliefs. Turns out she was raised a Christian-Wicken, then went Atheist, and now she believes in only participating in the 7 deadly sins? Yeppppp. So I told her that she was God's child and that she could return to live with him, and that he loves her no matter what, but I know he would be REAAAL appreciative if she followed the commandments. And then I pull out the plan of salvation pamphlet and give her a full fledged lesson. Well then her cousin (so 2 of the 10 people- if you are counting) makes some joke about how she will be ready to look for a church when her kids can sit still. So I asked her if she had ever read the Book of Mormon. She said she had but she was confused why we need more scripture. Soooo then I pull out the restoration and give the lesson right there. The Elders are going to visit her (she is in their area) this week. Boom. The funny part is we were 2 short of our goal for lessons this week and I had prayed that afternoon for us to find a way to make our goal. I know Heavenly Father answered my prayer in an unexpected way, but beggars can't be choosers? Sister Helm was FLOORED and on the drive home she just kept saying- "you are sooo crazy" over and over. The good news is, I'm not considering an occupation as a wedding singer.

Mom/Dad glad you loved the corn pic, people ALWAYS offer to send you pictures of us! And I'm so happy to hear you had the missionaries over for dinner that night! We really do appreciate it! Just make sure you make it easy for them to get out of there in an hour, probs the most awkward part of every night. AND I hope you are giving them lots of referrals. Genuinely pray about who you can share the gospel with even in some small way, and I promise you someone will come to your remembrance. Dad, stop going on cruises without me, I'm going to turn into Andrew over here and get bitter! Mom, keep those kids in line and have fun with the student teacher!

Eu amo voces!

Sister Mills aka everyone's fave missionary.