Letter # 7 January 20 2014

Letter # 7  1/20/14

Dear family and friend,

Here are some answers to last weeks questions.  

All you  in Cali can have our precipitation! Just kidding it hasn't rained since the polar something left here and moved east. But it always looks like it will.  HOLY SMOKES CALI NEEDS RAIN!  So sorry for poor Folsom Lake. Poor California!  

 I think that everyone here  puts on weight. Since I have no access to a scale, so I have no idea if I have, but  probably have  since I have put on some muscle (I have pretty solid abs. so that is something I can be thankful for.

I appreciate you creeping on my Facebook. Dang it for Sister Loving for not friending me, but that's okay :)  

When I went to see Man of Steele I told you that it's weird  with all the senseless violence and that that is the new trend! An hour and a half of good plot and then straight thirty minutes of head bashing. I don't like it, it makes my eyes hurt.  I am glad I won't be seeing any movies for a while.  I don't really care.

 Transfers are on February 5th.  Not that you could tell with all the emergency transfers going on in Lawrence. FOR REALS.  We basically have a different missionary every week!  As to your question,  there are 12 missionaries in our district. 3 set of sisters and 3 sets of elders.  1 set of sisters, 1 set of elders in the Lawrence first ward, Sister Payton and I cover Lawrence 2^nd  ward,  and University Ward with Elder Stum and Elder Stanford.  Then there  is 1 set of Sisters and one set of Elders in the Wakarusa Valley Ward. (why they get a cool name, we don't really know).

The University Ward here is anyone between the ages of 18-30, married or not.  We have one couple that has the token baby.  Everyone else that has a baby moves into a family ward :( sad day.

Poor Sadie! is she sick?  Super weird.  We meet lots of doggies and they all remind me of her!  

We usually just play volley ball on pday. Although last week we played basket ball and while she was guarding me Sister Judy accidentally swung me around her body and slammed me on the floor. It was super funny but my hip is still suuuper sore and my back was out of whack for part of the week. 

  You are going to see DIANA!? if I have time I will write an email for her. I MISS HERRRR!  

.  I am speaking in the second ward this week, well giving me testimony, but close enough. It's super weird, I don't know if it's because I am friendly, easier to approach, or what, but more people ask me to talk and give me referrals than Sister Payton. Maybe because I talk to them first? don’t know

It has finally gotten warmer! I am once again going without tights! And only slightly because they are being washed right now! Haha- it was torture going tight-less last week! my goodness. Just plain awful.  Okay so stories:

WE did exchanges last week. I went to Topeka on Monday night and Tuesday.  That was eventful.  They teach a lot of smokers, so my hair just permanently smelled like cigarette smoke. Yuck. I think I am allergic to cigarette smoke because it always makes me sneeze.  We taught a super solid investigator who has wanted to get baptized for forever but has a challenge with quitting smoking.  She can do it!  We did some tracting and I tracted into my first shirtless man of the mission. And boy was he BIG and boy was he HAIRY. And still in his PJ’s's at 2 in the afternoon? Come on hairy man. Get with the program. hahaha.  We went to a less active's house for dinner, and she thought it was the next night!   So we gave her a message, but we didn't get fed. Luckily, the member who gave us a ride back to Lawrence bought us dinner at McDonalds.  While I was on exchanges  Sister Payton taught James(the crocheting investigator) and he agreed to pray to see if he should be baptized. So it's a step. And we are teaching him again today!  Say  whaaaat!

                                                  Sunsets here are fabulous!

That night Sister Payton and I had an interesting/scary occurrence. It was 10:28, and just as I was ducking into the bathroom, we heard this LOUD POUNDING on the front door!  And since 10:30 is bedtime for us it was like someone knocking on the door at midnight!  While I was in the bathroom, Sister Payton looked out the peephole and it was this giant man, but his back was turned every time she tried to see who it was!  Crazy! And did I mention he pounded on our door for like 5-7 minutes? Well, he did.  When I came out of the bathroom, she was on the phone with the zone leaders, because she had just called the district leader and he told her to call the zone leaders. Then the zone leaders told her to call the cops!   Luckily, the cops were SUPER NICE; partially because one of them was one of the cops we met when they arrested our investigator a couple weeks ago.. Funny how those things work.  But the Police checked the perimeter of our apt and found nothing.  Did I mention the entire time this was happening, Sister Payton was walking around the apartment with a GIANT KITCHEN KNIFE in hand?  She said she needed to arm herself!   hahahaha.   Then she put it next to her pillow when she went to bed. - It still remains there actually, in case the man comes back, of course.  

Me, personally?   I was super calm the entire time. It’s interesting how something that would have freaked me out 2 months ago, now? I always feel safe and calm. Ya gotta love the Holy Ghost. We certainly do.   It seems that everyone wanted us to teach them today, so we will have no pday. :( Super bummed. 

Oh and funny you should mention that other single wards have volleyball nights to fellowship.  We also have volley ball every Thursday for our investigators! but good idea otherwise. hahahaha

it's been hard being on a mission in the sense I am still the goody too shoes. Everyone likes to talk about how much they have changed and how much of a wild child they were in high school, and I just stand there awkwardly.  Sister Payton asked me what the sketchiest thing  I have ever done, and I told her Ii went TP-ing for the first time when I was 19.  I feel so lame. and I feel like I can't properly teach people because I haven't ever majorly messed up. I have used the atonement in a different way to give him all my sorrows and pains, when I see everyone else around me and how it has affected me differently, but I haven't had to personally use it for any major transgressions. I don't feel like I can relate to anyone!  And I am tired of being the innocent one. It is the story. Of. My. Life.  Oh well,  gotta make do I guess.

LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!

Love, sister Robyn Cramer