Adventures and Miracles

It's been another week of adventures here in Columbus.

The adventures began shortly after I emailed last week. We went to wash our car. One of the ladies working there stopped to talk to us. She has some family members that are Mormon, and asked if she could meet with us to learn more. We'd never used that car wash before. Inspiration? Definitely.

Other adventures of the week include teaching N the 10 commandments. The lesson itself was not particularly exciting--like most folks, he's purdy familiar with the 10 commandments. The exciting part is that we talked while he was removing the skin from the deer he'd shot the night before. The deer was hanging from a tree by it's ankles. Also exciting is that N went his first full day without smoking :D

'Nother miracle was on Friday. There was a blood-drive at the church, so a  handful of the missionaries went over to donate. I was also planning to. They checked my left arm: "Did you remember to bring your veins today?" They checked my right arm. And then my left. And then settled for my right. My phlebotomist said, "I dunno about this, but I can try". I told the Sister Carpenter and Elder Broadhead to pray. And she got it right in--probably the most successful, pleasant experience I've ever had donating blood. Small miracles.

Another miracle: We were teaching T (who is getting baptized next month) about the Word of Wisdom. She's all good to go, 'cause it turns out she stopped smoking the day she met us, three weeks ago. Purdy crazy!

We also taught a lady named T. She doesn't really believe in God, but is looking for happiness in her life. She'd noticed that her religious friends seemed to be happier, so she wants to look into it. Two weeks ago we'd taught her about prayer. We checked back with her last night. She'd prayed once, but said it felt a little weird. "Usually I don't intentionally talk to myself" :) We invited her to say the prayer for the close of our lesson, and she did! It's a cool thing to help people begin to communicate with their Heavenly Father. 

Elder Dunnigan, an area seventy, came to our sacrament meeting yesterday--so that was kinda cool, too.

On Saturday, I got to go to the temple! There is a wonderful family in our ward that took me and Sister Shaw, who is serving in the North Vernon ward. Sister Roundy (my MTC companion) was also there, as well as a couple from the Clear Creek ward--so it was really good to see all of them :)

Pictures!

N's buck from last year--that's the contraption he was hanging his new dear from O_o

Our grossly awkward district picture

~Elders Halverson, Shirley, Ercek, Mathias, Sisters Shaw, Odermott, Carpenter, and me