Another wonderful week in Westport :)
We met a man outside Countdown (a supermarket) last
Saturday, and he had crazy hair and a beard, with some surfboards on top of his
big truck. He seemed like the wrong person to talk to, but it turns out that he
used to "surf for Jesus." He accepted a Book of Mormon, and said he'd
come to church on Sunday. He didn't turn up, which wasn't a big surprise
because that happens a lot. However, we actually received a text from
him Sunday night, saying he was sorry he didn't make it to church -
whaaaat? Someone we street contacted actually contacted US? Please, everybody
say a prayer of gratitude for this miracle. We met up with him a few days
later, brought the elders around so he could meet who was going to be teaching
him. He told us he has been wanted to go to church, but was tired of those
loud, irreverent churches - after all, when you're mourning, it's not
exactly an appropriate time to get "pumped for Jesus." So jealous
the Elders get to teach him, but such a sweet miracle to witness! So
cool!!
We went up to Karamea this week and saw the a couple up
there. One woman was from Norway, and she said that when she and her kids were
in Norway, they would play two games when they were in public - "Spot the
Russian" and "Spot the Mormon." She described how we take care
of our physical bodies and take our "physical health very seriously."
She said we all have a "new age christian glow" and you can just tell
by looking at someone if they are Mormon and taking care of their bodies. We
took this chance to talk about the spirit. Is this not the coolest/funniest
thing? She also said that she had been thinking about the Mormons lately, and
said she had been thinking how there are SO many of us, all over the world - we
couldn't ALL be lying. And she likes that we have a prophet. My companion was
like, "THANK YOU! Everyone thinks we're weird because of that! It's so
cool, right!"
Also, I have decided that Sister Woodbury is going to live
until she is 200 years old. She eats SOO well. She's like, "Let's have a
whole wheat pita with some zucchini," and I'm like, "Hey, we're
almost out of Nutella."
i love you all :) I think sacrament meeting is getting more
and more meaningful for me every single week. Wow, i seriously love being in a
tiny branch. We just memorized "As Now We Take the Sacrament" as a
companionship - such a wonderful, touching song. have i mentioned lately that I
love my life?
Also we biked to Waimangaroa on Saturday after a District
carwash in Greymouth. Here's how the converstaion on the way home went:
me: we're gonna bike to waimang tonight!
elders: how long do you reckon that'll take?
me: ehh, like thirty minutes.
elders: (pause) how far away is it?
me: uhh.... like 15 k's?
elders: so... you reckon you can bike 2 k's in a minute.
me: uh...
Just fyi - it takes over an hour to bike to Waimang.
love,
Sister Rose