Week 5: I pull ramen noodles out of a hole

Tsuut'ina First Nations Reservation

On Monday, all the missionaries serving in and around the actual city of Calgary helped clean up the Tsuut'ina First Nations reservation after their annual rodeo and powwow and someone had apparently made ramen, dug a hole in the ground, and put the ramen in the hole, so yours truly got to pull the ramen OUT of the hole. It was one of those experiences that stays with a person for a lifetime. I collected lots of cigarette butts, wads of gum, and chewed food. Service! We did the haka and sang together, which was pretty cool. The reservation was FAR and so I drove 164.58 kilometers (like 102 miles) in one day! We carpooled with the other sisters in our district and a member who came to help out so it was a par-tay. I also got fried! It became apparent after we left that I am going to be nice and crispy all week.

Tsuut'ina First Nations Reservation

I taught my first real real lesson! It was over video call because the girl we're teaching is housesitting pretty far away. This girl, Natasha, seriously found herself. She was listening to Vocal Point and she looked them up and found out they're members of our church and just ... wandered into sacrament meeting one day. We taught her the Restoration and she really liked that we have prophets today, but she asked us about polygamy. Lots of people ask us about polygamy. I guess I'm gonna have to figure out how to explain polygamy to nonmembers #thatchurchhistorylife.

We have now met two different people downtown who have stopped us to tell us Sister Bangura should go out for modelling. They BOTH talked to us for half an hour, both asked me if I'm English or Irish (my face is just really true to my heritage), and both mentioned how weird the Mormons are, clearly not understanding exactly who we were. One lady named Rema told us she's a galaxy traveller and that she goes faster than the speed of light. She also told us that Satan isn't a fallen angel, he lost his wings trying to save ANOTHER angel, or something like that. She said she doesn't like Mormons because they are "too forgiving" (one that I'd never heard before, so! expanding my horizons!) and "too lenient, like a piece of grass". She was definitely on something. When you're a missionary, you get to meet and love ALL of God's children.

Sis. Willis & Sis. Bangura

I spoke in church on Sunday and I did! Not! Cry! This is a major milestone on my path of public speaking achievements. It might have been because I was reading the whole talk off my phone and I kept getting Facebook friend requests (thanks guys!) and the keyboard kept popping up, so I was panicking and trying to read off the two visible inches of screen. Speaking in YSA is scary because they're all either on their phones or are RMs who are convinced they know more than you judging every word that comes out of your mouth. But it was fine. No one booed.

I got to go to my first ward council! I didn't really know what to expect, but it turns out they spill SO much tea at ward council. It's all to figure out the best ways to help people, so I guess it's important to know who's dating who, but still! I've never been so in the loop in my life.

Last p-day we played glow in the dark scatterball, which is basically a bunch of missionaries running around in the semi-darkness of the church gym, trying not to get hit by a glowing racquetball-looking thing. Someone's phone was hooked up to the speaker so we were doing all this to the Tabernacle Choir version of There Is Sunshine In My Soul Today. I felt like I was in a bad Desert Book-produced comedy.

Arlo

There's a VERY cute boy who lives in the apartment upstairs from us. His name is Arlo and I think he's a German Shepherd? He likes to dig holes in the backyard and get tummy rubs and sit next to me when we study outside. We live in a basement apartment that has windows at the ground level near the ceiling, and one day our windows were open and Arlo was sitting outside of one so I was like "Hey babe, did you know that I love you? You're my best friend. I hope you're having a great day" and then I saw my NEIGHBOR'S LEG step in view of the window! So! I guess they know I'm crazy and probably won't be taking the lessons anytime soon.

In relief society, we talked about Elder Rasband's talk from April conference. It's a good one so you should definitely reread it. Don't forget to build those spiritual fortresses!

Lots and lots of love,

Sister Willis

P.S. I am changing my mission scripture to Acts 18:11- "And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them."

P.P.S. everyone is more spiritual than me and does like, scriptures of the week instead of just writing about the dog that they met? So I guess I can try to be ~inspiring~ this week's scripture is Mosiah 5:12-13:

"I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you. For how knoweth a man the master whom he has not served, and who is a stranger unto him, and is far from the thoughts and intents of his heart?"

Anyway, I used this in my talk on Elder Uchtdorf's conference address. Don't forget to share what is in your hearts!

I promise I'm really done this time!

Love you!