24 Jan 2011

Miguel and I exchanging chocolate for his lighters.

My first Slurpee from 7-11.

Well, let's start the week off right! Sister Kendell and I are headed down to the Tri-Cities for some specialized training, so that's what p-day was changed to Monday. Anyways, about the last week.

Last Tuesday, we had some pretty good lessons. We stopped by Emy and Miguel to see how they are doing. We read the scriptures with them and Miguel and I made a bet. He was saying how he always beats everyone at everything and Emy had made a comment earlier about how Miguel was trying to stop smoking. So, I made him a bet that I could give up chocolate faster than he could cigarettes. So we decided that on Thursday, he would give me all his cigarettes and I would give him all my chocolate. So, that was the plan.

Wednesday, we had District Meeting and for it, the elders planned this huge thing. In addition to making one of their crazy videos, they created Selah-opardy. Which, was fun. But crazy. And took forever. But, they had all these categories about PMG, The District 2 movies, the scriptures and what not. Pretty fun stuff and I learned something, so it wasn't wasted effort at all. We saw Heather too and she seemed to be doing better on Wednesday. Semi-coming back, but still not fully there yet. We read from 1 Nephi with her, so that was good. We also saw a less active named Anabel. And she's sooo funny. We had dinner with her and everything was awesome. She told us she couldn't cook which was okay because we ate a late lunch at a Chinese buffet...which my companion almost died at and I did too. Stinking places. Oh well.

Thursday, Miguel and I made the trade with the addictions we have. After reading M. Russell Ballard's talk from Conference, I handed over my 3+ pound bag of chocolate. He had smoked all his cigarettes, so I took all his lighters. It was funny. But, the lesson went awesome with him and he's doing great! We also talked about baptism, which isn't something he's ready for right now, but will definitely be something he'll do in the future, I just know it! He's so awesome and when they get sealed, I'm so there! Heather was doing worse on Thursday. She just completely had forgotten everything...where she was, what city she was in, etc. It was nuts and we had a hard time trying to find something to talk to her about because she was just so out of it. And that really concerned us, because she was starting to come back. We also got the call on Thursday that we were going to the Tri-Cities for the training because we're the exchange sisters in Yakima. So, that'll be good.

On Friday, we watched the Restoration with Heather to try and trigger something in her memory. She was still out of it, but watched the movie and said she felt good about it. After talking with President and Bishop DeGooyer, we decided to postpone her baptism. But, she's still awesome and stuff. It was crazy, because Bishop is a doctor and he said all that we were telling him sounded like she had had a relasp. So, he asked us to ask her if she'd taken anything. It was really overwhelming for Sister Kendell and I. All week long, we've kept saying 'I'm too young for this'. And I really am. I should automatically earn a degree from this or something! But, we also had dinner with Emy and Miguel. Hna. Kendell and I made crepes for them, since they had never had them...and we just spent our dinner laughing and having a blast. I love those two. And I will be really sad when I have to leave. I had a sweet experience on Friday when Sister Kendell was helping the member Heather lives with with her math. There's a Native American lady that lives there on and off named Roma Jean. And she's an alcoholic. Well, she was sleeping on the couch when we came in. We had our lesson, and then Heather went to bed and Sister Kendell helped Sister Wilsey. I walked back into the living room and Roma Jean was awake and so we started talking. Granted she was so intoxicated, but we had a really good talk and while we were talking, she just started to cry. She was crying because she'd lost a daughter and felt alone and just hopeless. It was a wonderful chance to share the gospel with her. She's been scared of us and would run away from us each time we would come over. But, Sister Wilsey saw us on Saturday and asked what I had done to Roma Jean because she had told Sister Wilsey that she wanted to see me again. It was a tender mercy from the Lord, I know it!

Heather was doing slightly better on Saturday. She received a blessing on Sunday and when we saw her Sunday night, she was doing a ton better and coming back to her old self. Still swollen tongue and sore body from everything, because she's had more seizures, but she's coming back. And we're so excited! We love Heather and I'm so thankful that I've been able to be here at this time to meet and teach her. She told us that we can't leave. She's so cute, and I just love her.

Sister Kendell and I are headed to the Tri-Cities tomorrow before 7, so it will be an exciting trip for us. We're staying at the mission home and going on exchanges with the Spanish sisters. We also have zone p-day today, so that'll be fun.

I love you all! And I am so grateful for all you do for me!

Con amor,

Hna. Pleshek