Slapped: Physically & Spiritually

Hello hello!

Let me begin by saying that yes, I was literally slapped in the face this week. A couple times by the Spirit (that's a normal thing though), and once in the face by my dear companion, Sis. Clark. That's right. She literally threw her hand at my face and made direct contact. In front of our recent convert, the bishop's wife, and the zone leaders. All because a less active who's never come to church came to church. Yep. Adventures of missionaries. She claims that she just got so excited she had no idea what to do with herself and mid-slap she thought "what am I doing??" But it happened. My sister training leader doesn't believe that Sis. Clark slapped me....she thought I was joking when I called. Yep. That's our companionship.

So yes! It's Tuesday! Library was closed for President's day yesterday...threw off my whole p-day. But, I'm here now, talking to you, so I am now more at peace :) The week seems balanced now.

But I don't have a lot of time, so I'll be quick like!

This week we had a carnival for Valentine's day! It was great. Tons of people showed up, way more than was expected, and it was a huge hit. We had everyone participating and doing all the games. Adults and kids alike were putting Oreos on their foreheads and trying to get them in their mouths, eating donuts off of strings, throwing little rings on soda bottles, and playing dodgeball. Yep, dodgeball. The elders pegged Sis. Clark (I avoided it because I was the stuff holder!), but she got one of them back. So that was a win for the sisters.

We got some new investigators!  They've taken lessons before, but way back in like 2001, but now they're back into it. They came to the carnival and had an awesome time, and they're pretty excited to learn more :) So I'll keep you posted on them.

We walked approximately 7 miles one day :) We had a huge chunk of time, and we're trying to save up on miles in case we have to drive to Farmington for transfers (which, by the way this is week 6, so next week at this time I will probably have a new companion, or will be on my way to picking one up!). So, we walked out to this less active guy's house, and he wasn't home. My feet hurt so bad. But, on the plus side, I didn't feel as guilty eating Navajo tacos that night, and I'm getting my tan back! Yep. I have small watch and ring tans beginning to form. And I only got a little sun burnt on my neckline, so that was bueno.

Did I tell you that the missionaries make up the ward choir? It's like us, the zone leaders, the senior couple, plus two members. But it's awesome; we have a fun little choir :) We sang in church on Sunday and it was great! We sang I Am a Child of God in Navajo. It was the coolest :) Everyone was surprised, and I just felt cool. A lot of times, when picking up little Navajo words here and there, I feel like I have this help. I got a blessing this week, and I was told that I have family on the other side of the veil helping me, and instantly I thought of Great Grandpa Bliss :) So don't you ever doubt that this is the Lord's work and that He's got servants on both sides of the veil helping everyone!! I know it!!

We also got to serve this cute little old lady who spoke zero English. We were walking to a member's house to get some water, and on our way back we saw this little old lady with a cane and one hand and a miniature rake in the other. So, we asked if she needed help, and with the 7 words of broken English she knew, she told us to sort some little blocks of wood. So we put the big wood blocks in one pile, the little ones in another pile, folded a tarp, raked the leaves, and all this other random stuff. It took us like 40 minutes, and we wondered how she was going to do it all by herself. But while it was happening, I just felt like I was really doing the work of my Savior. I mean, I feel like that all the time, but I thought of all the service He did, all the people He helped. I thought of Him stopping to help people, going out of His way to do it, and doing it with a smile. And it made me so much more excited to be serving this cute little shima.

So your challenge this week is to do some service! Plan it out, do it when you feel like it, "see a need, fill a need" (that's from the movie Robots). Take the time to serve somebody this week, whether you plan to or it just kind of happens.

And your scripture is Mormon 6:17 :) I like Mormon.

I love you all so much!! I know that this is the Lord's work, and I know that He is so aware of everything that we all do. I know that He's watching out for y'all, my friends and family, and that He's always mindful of you :)

Have a great week!
Sister Courtney Garcia