Week 23

Hey family and friends! This past week was crazy. I had a lot of fun experiences which make me really happy to be a missioary. I will share a few with you.

I got my hair cut last week! It is so much healthier now, which makes me happy.  We got a cold front here in Florida. We have to go out with ALL of our jackets on, because it gets so cold at night. I think that's because of the wind, humidity, and the lack of sun that makes us feel freezing. We're surviving though! I'm wearing socks to bed at night, which I've never really done before.

OH I have fun story for you all. On Thursday we were tracting near a park, and so we sat and ate dinner at the park. It looked like the Superstition Mountains back in Arizona, but flat. It was really pretty and it felt great to be there, Until the squirrels came. They surrounded us because they could smell our food. It was the funniest thing because C was with us and she kept chasing them away and they kept coming back. It actually was pretty scary! But we ate our dinner and then we got in the car. Those squirrels were vicious. They really wanted food.

We all were struggling and feeling a little discouraged this week, so Sister Macfarlane and I surprised the sisters by buying them Ice cream! We got Caramel Coast Getaway, which is a limited edition Publix ice cream. It is divine. Sister Macfarlane said "if this ice cream were one of God's children, it would be a prophet." It cracks me up, but it was a really accurate metaphor. In my journal, I wrote "I feel so satisfied right now. I'm warm, full of ice cream, and with some of my best friends. I love being a missionary."


 Zone Conference was great! We learned so much and I got to sing with sister Briggs! The song went very well, and it was great to get to perform again. I love singing!!!

Zone Conference on Wednesday

I feel like this past week has shown me how to appreciate the memories I'm making here, even if it is hard. People don't understand how hard missions are. There are very individual, personal challenges that come with serving a mission, challenges that no one can ever fully understand or comprehend. The same goes with the rewards and blessings. No one can ever understand how happy I am. I am doing the hardest thing I have ever done in my life, and I am so incredibly happy. Does that make sense at all? I think you have to have gone on a mission to understand what I mean.

On Saturday Elder Kopischke of the Seventy came and visited our mission. We held a special meeting that was 4-5 hours long, and then we attended a meeting for the Ward Council Members immediately following, which was around 2-3 hours long. We did the math afterwards, and we were in that building for 8 hours, sitting and learning. My bum and my brain were both so tired!! We learned so much though, and I feel like my vision of my mission has changed. Elder Kopishke is from Germany, so for lunch we had a German food called spatzle. It is a weird kind of noodle that looks like worms. They were pretty good though! 

Leadership Council on Saturday

The last experience I can share is about this interesting guy named G. We met him last night while we were tracting, and he is around our age, probably around 22 or so. He was so interesting! We walked with him for a little bit, and he talked about everything under the sun. He used the word serendipitous, which made me happy. (I love using big words, so that was fun.) He was really intriguing and I hope we get the chance to teach him about our beliefs! He expressed that he wasn't affiliated with any particular religion because he didn't feel like any one of them had the full doctrine of Christ. I really want to share with him the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are the true church!! I know it. And I want him to know it too. We got his number, so we are going to try to get ahold of him and share our message with him.

 I LOVE LOVE LOVE being a missionary. I needed three loves because just one isn't enough.

With love,

Sister Minson