healthier and hard work

I am doing better health-wise this week. No days where I was down for body betrayal. I appreciate the book about elimination diet stuff, and I'll look over it when I get it, but there's no way I can do while I'm here- the members feed us very frequently (we actually are booked all this week in that regard), and for the most part they remember I'm dairy free. I tried soy-milk for the first time and enjoyed that. The members we live with also bought me a container of lactose-free vanilla ice cream, and it was delicious. I had a big bowl.

 

It sounds like it's been a good week for all at home- I'm glad to hear it! I can't wait to see the boys' new computers and to see mom's new vintage sewing books (I might have to look at them myself ;) ) We have not gotten IPad and I do believe it’s because our mission president is pushing against them- every mission I've heard of getting them has had a steady decline in obedience since their arrival. So it's going to be more interesting to see if the new mission president allows them (or if the mission department will even give him a choice)... But this is all conjecture.  (The IPads are to make it easier for the Missionaries to show the videos to investigators, schedule appointments, and get appropriate information…however, since they are connected to the internet, I imagine that the temptation of that can be too much for some.)

 

We haven't been directed to ask members to pray about who they could invite into their homes, but it’s a common idea, as I understand. We have a couple of different go-to lessons for members. My current favorite is inviting families to create some form of family mission plan.

It has been getting warmer, but we're scheduled for a whole week of rain as I understand, and the house we live in is very well insulated, so it remains cool all day inside. So far we have not suffered much in the way of heat, knock on wood. But I am coming to the end. 2 months to go.

This week has been noteworthy- Monday afternoon some hooligans graffitied the church building and suggested that religion was quote 'the opiate of the people'... But as we were not the only ones hit, it didn't seem to be specifically Mormon related. Our building just happened to be easiest because our north facing wall faces a corn field and nothing else, whereas most other buildings have suburbia on all sides.

We did a ton of service this week- it seems everyone's got that spring cleaning, so I feel like I spent most of this week in pants. A welcome change. We set up a couch and a desk and have taken in total dozens and dozens of trash bags to the curb. The most noteworthy of our house cleanings is a 25-year-plus hoarder who is finally agreeing to part with things. She's excited to find the things we've found in our excavations and has been willing to part with a fair amount of it. Progress!

We have started a regular service thing every week where we are recorded reading magazines or newspapers. They are then broadcasted so the blind can listen to them. I enjoy it because it makes me feel like I'm Cecil from the podcast 'Welcome to Nightvale'. I sort of want a microphone of some quality to do amateur voice acting stuff online when I go home... So I guess I have people I can talk to about that now. Get some direction as to good starter pieces. My companion however, is uncomfortable with the service as she's super self-conscious about her voice. But we'll see.

We saw a former investigator this week and she was sad we were no longer working with her. We had a small lesson and told her we couldn't work with her if she wasn't willing to keep commitments. Hopefully she starts to progress, but she didn't keep the commitment to come to church, so we'll see.

We did find a new investigator, which was a miracle in and of itself, as we dallied at a previous appointment and arrived just in time to have her appear at her house. She had forgotten about us but was super pleased to have caught us. We have a more formal appointment next week.

 

We had dinner this week with the bishop and there was this outpouring of love and adoration and he told each of us that we are fantastic missionaries and such. Then my district leader described me as bubbly (though not in an airheaded sort of way). It was an interesting experience.

And then my companion accidentally called 911 (butt-dial) and 2 sheriffs appeared at our mission leader's house after we had left. Woops.

Eventful week. Hope all is well at home. Love you!        Christine

new investigators and friends

We have had rain and sun and rain but no hail. Tender mercies, I suppose. The longer it stays cool the longer I'm not cooking. But we are just putting off the inevitable.

Things go well here- we found 3 new people to work with this week. Hopefully we actually see them again, but that is the running gag. One was a retired lady who let us in, we taught a great 1st lesson I feel like (though she was extremely adept at deflecting questions), she accepted a baptismal invite, and then declined to have us back the following week to follow up. Weird. Some conversating at least let us come back for a few minutes to see if she actually kept any of the things she committed to (reading/praying about the Book of Mormon, etc).

One investigator had us over for dinner (Her 13 and 15 year olds are members- she's not. Lots to work through, I guess.). She's inviting the spirit back into her house, as we have another meal scheduled this week as well.

There's a lady here who has a 3 story house and a bunch of squatters she lets live there because they have nowhere else to go. It's... Wild. She's a hoarder but she recognizes it and is actively trying to change, but she had a heart attack 2 months ago and isn't really the most mobile. The house has to be like 75 years old, too. We showered after we worked for a few hours at her house.

Speaking of experiences that should build character but I wish would stop happening, it seems either the lactose intolerance is getting more aggressive or its branching out into other normal things, such as maybe gluten. Me and the porcelain throne are friends. I am apparently not allowed to have other friends. I feel disgusting but we are trying to figure out what is a passable meal for me. So far we have rice. We're trying to branch out. As I write, I'm pretty light headed, which feels like my vertigo. I really can't win here. (Mom is sending a book that helped other family members – an elimination diet to see what is ailing her)

Oh, while knocking yesterday we met this Catholic lady from Boston with a very strong accent. She was lovely. She complimented me on my outfit and described me as "good girl meets steampunk". I find this acceptable as a representative of Jesus Christ.

 

The work is great, and members here are actively trying to fellowship and find people in their circles of influence to invite to meet with us. But not a whole lot of traction there. It's a struggle some days.

My companion and I are great. I love her to pieces. I'll be sad when we part, whenever that is.

Macomb is a university town, through and through. Everything ebbs and flows based on the school, which is why it’s so painful that they're laying people off in droves. They seem to have a variety of programs here, but I'm not clear on what. It's got a main drag and a town square where most of the noteworthy things (that aren't on campus) happen. There's a lake pretty close where you can fish and paddle boat and picnic and stuff. It's big enough to have a Wal-Mart and a K-Mart, plus the super market chains Aldi's, Fareway, Hy-Vee, as well as a little mom and pop one (Country Market?). There's also a Walgreens here, and a car dealership and a John Deere dealership. Lots of farms in the surrounding area. The Square has a comic shop and board game shop.  Fast food, we have 2 McDonalds, a Dairy Queen, a Wendy's, a Subway, Taco Bell, Jimmy Johns (akin to Jersey Mikes), as well as a number of diner/hole-in-the-wall type joints. The Asian food here I would not touch with a 10 foot pole, but the pseudo-Italian is pretty decent. Lots of Mexican places too.

We have meals planned with members almost every night this week. Definitely spoiled.

Love

Christine

 

 

warmer weather and thoughts of home

As of May 12th, it will be 10 weeks to go. 2 1/2 months sounds so much longer. Coming to the end.

It was good to see everyone (We were able to skype the day before – Mothers Day! YAY!), and as you probably guessed, the handful of people online at the time were pleased to hear from me as well. Minor celebrations in my skype window (We heard several bells and dings indicating new Skype messages).

A box went out today. It is weighty. It has the books inside it (apparently the box would have been almost $40 had I sent it in anything other than a flat rate box. Whoo.)

It’s been a whirlwind of up and down again. The dreary weather has more or less passed and beginning its steady climb into the unfathomably hot (and humid…ew), but it’s in the 60s again today and periodically sneezing from the sky; a very confused weather pattern indeed. Pattern is perhaps a strong term.

We found one new investigator who is the stepson of a member. We met a less active member of the ward, too.

People are -generally- kinder to us here, though the non-committal noises people make when we ask if we can share more with them is still frustrating. Is it really so hard to tell us “no I’m not interested”? I make sure to thank people who are direct in their declining. Maybe the lesson will spread.

We were more or less grounded Sunday because Sis. Carter was super sick. It was a little awkward when she was vomiting in the church bathroom, but what can you do? She sat in the foyer while I sat with a less active in the chapel, and so a member thought we were fighting. No, just need a quick exit to the bathroom when her body continues to rebel. But thanks for the concern (they and the mission nurse are trying to figure what’s wrong…and what to do about it).

I'm doing well enough. We have interviews this week, and I realized it will be the last one with President Jensen- we change presidents July 1, so my exit interview will be with a man I will have only briefly met. I'm looking at my things with an eye of 'what can I leave behind' and 'what needs to be mailed home'? I'll likely send one more box home just before it's time to go with a bunch of my missionary library, and whatever other odds and ends that can fit around it. I also picked up some vacuum bags on sale, so we'll see if we can cram more in there. d:

Anyhow. love you. Be well.

Christine

 

 

Christine LOVES letters in the mail box

Write to her!  You only have 11 weeks left!




Sister Christine Kurt
8515 Douglas Ave
#19
Urbandale, IA 50322-2924




Your letter will go to the Mission Office, and will be forwarded to her. 
This way, letters aren't left behind if she moves unexpectedly.

A funny thing happened on the way.......

Wah..... all the games she can't play!  Not now.....when she gets home!

That face!

It’s been a dreary week in terms of weather. Lots of on and off rain, but such is the mid-western life during this time of the year, apparently. At least it is not snowing!

 

Last week’s P Day was noteworthy in that we spent most of it sitting around in a comic shop waiting for the elders to meet us. They had all their Warhammer on clearance- 5$ for any of it. So I picked up a codex (they only had dark angels but I couldn’t resist) and a Warhammer fantasy audio drama. I’m a sucker for Warhammer. ):

  

We’ve met a few cool people this week, and we had a really good heart to heart with the group we lovingly call ‘the friends’. They’re the gaggle all living together. We’re beginning to get to the heart of some of the true issues with them, and Sister Carter keeps pointing out that it’s likely because of my presence. I apparently think very much like one of them, and he’s the consummate ringleader, so it’s tugging the rest into light, I guess.

 

Our car battery died sometime Friday night. How we cannot even begin to fathom, but as we live on a steep hill and the members we live with have been out of town the last couple days, I got to brave the lack of power steering (for a tiny ford, it sure didn’t not want to do anything) and the questionability of the brakes to get it off the driveway (which I’m sure has to be at least a 45* angle. It’s obscene.) A member drove out in the rain to give us a jump. Thank heavens for willing members who live close by.

 

My finds, the library where we email has LOTS of games (including the pen and paper Warhammer 40k and even Traveler!), and mah face.  Wish I could play them!

 

Love

 

Christine

new area, former companion

This week has been arguably better than last week. I’m in my new area- Macomb, Illinois. We share the ward with a set of elders, one of whom is our district leader. He’s a little older (24!) and definitely different (I can't quite gauge him other than he's very go-go-go) in the way of personality, so this should be interesting. But he aims to please, so I don’t expect it to be a conflict so much as I expect a struggle to mesh personalities well.

 

The area is not small by any means, but it is nowhere near the size of Fayette, and since we share it with the elders, it’s only half the size of the ward. We live with members, an older couple whose children are long since out of the house. They’re both on the Stake level. Very environmentally conscious and very precise about pretty much everything they do, so hopefully my controlled chaos isn’t too stressful for them.

 

Our Zone is the Nauvoo zone, and we have our district meetings every week in Nauvoo itself, so we get to see the temple every week. Unfortunately, as it’s an hour drive (and a lot of miles besides).

 

The district itself is huge- 5 sets of missionaries (normally I see 3 sets), and it used to be 6, plus the zone leaders ALWAYS come and visit.

 

My companion is Sister Carter! She’s great, I love her. We served together once before in Iowa City- it was her and Sister Dilworth who took me in when I came back out initially (in the middle of the transfer). So we’d only had 3 weeks together, but now we have another 7 (the transfer is running a week longer to accommodate the changes in the MTC)! I’m very pleased. We work well together. Sad thing is though, she goes home in the September 2^nd transfer, which means she HAS to go this next transfer so I can teach someone else the area; or I HAVE to go next transfer so she can train. We’ll make the most of it.

 

The weather is getting warmer, so I’ve for the most part forgone my jackets, save in the last hour or so in the evening. Tights are gone, and likely soon I’ll be switching to my flats for most days (we just received a box of cold weather stuff). It’s expected to get REALLY hot this summer, and I’m in one of the most southern parts of the mission, so I’ll be seeing some of the stickiest, hottest, humidest (is that a real word?) times of the year. Just in time to go home. Woo. Trying not to cut all my hair off.

 

We’re working with a few people here. One is a hair stylist with a couple of kids and a husband who’s turned off to Christianity.  She’s super enthusiastic and really wants this, but hesitates to move without her husband because she wants to go together, to share this together. Her mom is also working with us, but catching her is a little more iffy. Then there are 3 friends - two girls and a guy. He’s got insomnia and very intellectually geared, so I’m excited because this is right up my alley.

 

I'm doing better. I'm getting up a little more easily/on time, and I have yet to have a particularly horrible person talk to us.

 

Love, Christine

 

Rough week....and 3 months to go



Looks like they had a little fun on P day!

It’s been a rough week.

 

Monday was pleasant enough- we went to the Amish and picked up a few things- groceries mostly (you can’t really beat picking up a couple of boxes of hamburger helper for 65 cents a pop), but we picked up some hand-made soaps and jelly. It was very cute and just a pleasant reminder that there is a simpler way to live. I like it a lot, and the idea of keeping a garden of my own someday doesn’t seem too implausible (aside from my chronic lack of a green thumb) (sorry....that's moms fault!). But then I got sick (though I’d had no dairy as of yet that day and nothing clearly food-related as a problem), and the appointment we’d been looking forward to all week with a lady who really, really needs the Lord in her life cancelled. At least the night finished off with a lady we went to visit (a member of the church) told us we were inspired by God to come because her mother had just gone into the hospital and she needed help because she didn’t really understand how to use her track phone. We were glad to be of help, but honestly we felt like we had come because we wanted to see someone who actually wanted to see us. (wins for both of them!)

Speaking of people not wanting to see us, we had back-to-back days of the whole day knocking, and the whole day full of rejection. And not just rejection, but really cold, rude, snide rejection.  We smile, we’re polite, we’re not at all pushy, the first "no" we get we politely say good bye and leave, so why the most un-Christian behavior? I try to tell myself it’s because they don’t understand, because they’ve been misinformed about what it is we believe (we believe in Christ too…), but for people who profess to be Christians, where is the Christ-like behavior? One of the few ladies who were polite to us told us a joke. ‘A catholic priest gets up before his congregation and tells them he can tell them his whole sermon in three sentences. “We know there are millions of Catholics in the United States. We know there are millions of Protestants in the United States. We are looking for millions of Christians in the United States.” He sat down.’ We laughed and agreed with her… Jokes are funny because they have at least a particle of truth in them. That particle is a lot more than just a little particle here. The first day we came home feeling good, despite the commentary and how worn our feet felt. A member family had prayed for us that day, fasted for us, and given us a list of names of people who might be open to learning more. They fed us at the end of it. It was a good day despite other people.

Thursday was more pleasant, if only because we had a few appointments- a few people who actually wanted to see us, but then one investigator texted us after we got home and told us we didn't need to come back because his pastor and his mom didn't like the idea of him talking to us. I wonder why.

Friday, another investigator told us he needed to think and didn't want to meet us, most of the day was spent yet again, knocking and getting rejected. Saturday was more rejection.

Sunday we saw a few members, but honestly after this week I'm not sure we had the courage to really make a serious effort to talk to people that day.

So all in all, no one teach, no one to talk to, and the transfer is on Thursday. Hallelujah. I hate to leave my companion here, though I'm sure some new blood would be good for this area.

Every week we email our mission president and talk to him about what is going on in the area, and who we’re working with and how that’s going, etc. The email I got this week essentially read that I would likely get moved this transfer. Transfer calls are going out tomorrow, so I’ll be likely writing you from a new location next week. It’s possible I won’t get moved, but extremely unlikely.

My companion and I are still two peas in a pod. I am displeased to most likely be parted from her.

The 22^nd marks officially 3 months to go. (YAYAYAYAYAYAY!!!!)

Definitely relating well to the talk “But if Not” by Elder Simmons of the Seventy. (Click HERE to read the talk)

Anyhow. All my love.

Christine