Week 72

December 22, 2009

Well I can hardly believe that this is my last email from California. It has been a crazy week. A lot of things have happened. It was Sister Taulanga's birthday on Saturday. I had asked someone if they had ever had asphalt pie awhile ago and Sister T has wanted it for her birthday ever since. I didn't know what to get her for her birthday and I wanted to make it special. The Beaudoin's were having us over for dinner so I decided to have them make it and have it be a surprise. It is pretty difficult to pull off a surprise when you are with a person 24/7. However I decided to try. I wrote a note for Brandi and gave her instructions and money to get the groceries. The only cash I had was a 50 dollar bill. Sister T was mad that I had written a note not on Pday. I didn't care if she was mad because I knew that it was different than she thought. She asked if it was for the Beaudoin's and I said yes. She was less mad. It set me up perfectly to go over there and give it to them without question. Kenady was a little shocked that I was giving them $50. I told her to trust me and read the note. She did and all was well. That end was covered. Then I had to figure out how to deal with Sister T. She kept asking and asking and I would say "We'll see". Our dinner appointment cancelled friday night which meant that we would be at home with plenty of time to make it. She was excited I however didn't know what to do. Then the next morning while exercising I tripped and fell. I fell on the asphalt and cut up my knee and hand pretty good. There was still a lot of dirt in it after cleaning it and I didn't want to scrub it myself. So I called Sister Sexton to see what I should do and if there was anything else I could do. I didn't want it to get infected. They instructed that I should go to the doctor. So we went to Long Beach and went to the doctor. L&L, an amazing restaurant, and one of our favorites was across the street. I decided to tell Sister T that that was her birthday from me and that we weren't going to make asphalt pie. She was super sad but I told her I would make it for her for Christmas. That satisfied her. I sighed a breath of relief. I just prayed that it would all work out. It was all good and then Kenady called in the afternoon and asked a question. My answer made Sister T a little suspicious but we ended up pulling it off and she was surprised. Man it was a headache. To add to the stress of my falling we left our cell phone at the doctor's office and then had to go back and get it. Luckily we discovered it before they closed for the weekend. I know that our Heavenly Father helped us out. Our plans fell through and if I hadn't looked in my planner and saw that we needed to call someone we wouldn't have discovered it until it was too late. God is in all of the details. We just have to listen. So anyway it was a crazy time. We went to the ghetto on Saturday. It freaked me out a little but we were fine. The elders gave us a referral for someone they are teaching. They could never find a priesthood holder to go with them so they turned her over to us. She was so funny. Half the time I couldn't understand her. She is very intelligent and she kept referring to all of these famous people that I didn't know and I just smiled and knodded my head. She doesn't have time for us to come back until after I come home but she is a nice lady. I think that she will be baptized. I am so excited for the Beaudoin's baptism this weekend! I can hardly believe that it is here. We have been talking about it for months and it is finally here. Satan is working hard but they are holding on. Brandi tells me that Saturday can't come soon enough. They are amazing! This will be the best Christmas ever! At dinner the other night President Hale told them that this was the best gift that they could give their kids this year. I believe it. This is what Christmas is about. Remembering the Savior and the reason that we exist. Their baptism enters them on the road to an eternal family. What is better than that? Funny story. So the Hale's(an amazing family in the ward) came as surprise guests to Sister T's birthday dinner. They were telling us how they met and then Jeff and Brandi told some stories. At the end President Hale said "Now we will be waiting to hear how you met your husband in February". Everyone laughed and I said I don't think so. I will take that road when I get there. Last night I had dinner with President Sexton and his family and elders Hodson, Orr and Neilsen. We ate homemade chicken noodle soup with mashed potatoes. One of my favorite meals of all time! It was so good. I wanted seconds but I was full so I didn't eat anymore. I wouldn't have enjoyed the rest of the evening. Afterwards we had a testimony meeting. We sang a missionary hymn that only exists in the spanish hymnbook. One of my favorites "Placentero nos es Trabajar" and then I offered the prayer. I was in tears before I even began. President gave us some words of counsel. One of the things that liked best was about obedience. He told us that the reason that we have the spirit is because we are obedient not because of the schedule that we live. We don't have to maintain that same exact schedule that we live now in order to remain as we are now. All we have to do is continue to be obedient to the laws that are given to us. I really liked that insight. He counseled us to always act and look like a returned missionary so that we will be ready to serve in any capacity. If we do that then we won't have to make changes to be ready to accept the call, we will already be ready. I really am going to miss them. They are so good. Well I hope that you all have a wonderful week! Merry Christmas to all! I love you and look forward to seeing all of you again! Thank you for all of your love and support that you have given me while serving. I couldn't have done it without all of your love and prayers. They will get me through these last days as a missionary. I have grown so much over the last 17 months and I owe all to my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ. I know that this church is true with all my heart. I know that God lives and that He is mindful of all of us. He stands with open arms waiting for us to embrace Him. I am grateful for Jesus Christ and His atonement. We would be nothing without him and we are everything because of Him . I know that we can be together forever if we live faithfully and do the best that we can. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen. I love you!
Love Sister Mickelsen