A Good Week

We survived another week without the car and using public transportation and without fail interesting experiences come along.  

the coveted bus pass

Tuesday was a pretty good day, but it sure was cold!  Anyways we started out helping one of the Less Actives paint her living room,  afterwards we were able to go and do service at the YMCA.  We then headed over to Oakridge where we had some great lessons with Alice, Odell, and Dorothy!  With Alice we focused on Faith in Jesus Christ and the spirit was so strong, and she accepted the baptismal invite!

 

Wednesday we were able to meet with Carrie and she didn't remember a whole lot from church, but she did like it and wanted to go back. She ended up coming again yesterday! So that was exciting. 

 

As we were riding the bus on Wednesday we were at one stop and this lady got on pushing a stroller with a teddy bear in it.  It totally made my day! 

 

Wednesday evening we went and had a lesson with one of the African families, and then they fed us dinner, which was my first time eating real African food.  As we were eating dinner, we were helping them with their English and they would tell us the words in their language, so there was a lot of laughter as we were both trying to speak the other's language.  But good thing is laughter and smiles are universal among languages. 

 

Thursday was amazing!  We had zone conference here in Des Moines that went from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  The first half of zone conference was trainings from the A.P.'s and President and Sister Jensen.  President focused his on Jesus Christ and Sister Jensen's was on the gifts that the Savior has given us such as repentance, eternal life, being an example, etc.  We then had lunch, and then the afternoon session started.  Each district presented their musical number or skit and it was so fun to see different personalities of missionaries come out during the skits! As well as just to sit back and relax.  After the skits were over we then watched "Ephraim's Rescue."   AMAZING! 

Our district moments before going on stage.

Saturday morning was our ward Christmas party and the missionaries in the ward had been asked to do a musical number for it.  haha.  Anyways there were so many people at the party!  Tons of less actives and some non members it was fantastic!  So after the ward party we decided to celebrate at a frozen yogurt place since we survived the musical number. 



Des Moines ward missionaries

L-R Elders Bowers, Swenson, Sister Call, Sister Broome, AP Elder Saunders, AP Elder Anderson

Okay,  Saturday night was a little creepy.  We had a media referral that we were going to at 7:00 pm  and so we were walking over there from the bus stop.  And I have felt very safe here in Des Moines, except for when we were walking that night.  We passed one guy that tried to pick me up and was yelling different things, as well as a car full of guys about a block later that were yelling things from their car.  Basically I was saying a prayer the entire time that Heavenly Father would protect us.  We did arrive at the referrals home and she ended up being a member from Liberia, but hasn't been to church since she moved to Des Moines about a year ago.  She is going to come next Sunday, but she was talking about how she had been an African Pioneer for her family and how all of her kids are members in Africa, and how she is going to come back!

 

Yesterday was wonderful!  It the Christmas program for Sacrament meeting and for Relief Society, and the stake put on their Christmas performance!

I can't believe how fast time is going by, but what a wonderful time of year to reflect on the gifts that the Savior has given us, the gifts that we can give to Him, and the spirit that comes with Christmas!

 

I love you all!

Sister Call