I can't even begin to tell you how much time I've spent stopped at green lights this week. I don't even say anything anymore because I want to see how much attention my comp. is paying. You know? How seriously does this guy take my life when he's driving? Apparently, not much. He was speeding up to a red light on the way to church yesterday and I didn't say anything until the last second (like, seriously still accelerating up to the light, not even just cruising). He lucked out that the light turned green just as I opened my mouth. Not that he could have done anything anyway, we were poised to run that light.
Yeah, so we have this guitar now and I try not to play it since we're not really supposed to have one (I'm really trying to be obedient...ish). But maybe on a P-Day I can work something out. But we have a Zone Activity today that I'm super excited about because all of the other missionaries in this zone are bosses. I don't know what happened... :/ But the greatest news was that we went back to the members' home for dinner again this week (who originally gave us the guitar) and they gave me a full-size BANJO complete with case and accessories! If we keep this up, I'll be shipping home a baby-grand piano by the time I leave this area... JK. But yeah, now I have this banjo with a beginner's guide book and everythang. Not really supposed to have that either so president will probs notice when we have transfers so I don't think I'll keep it around for long. Maybe Doug would like to take care of it for me until I get home? We'll
see...
Well, Sherie didn't meet with us this week cause she was "super busy." It's like everyone who isn't a missionary has this thing called 'real life' to deal with and doesn't want to make time for us to wrangle them in to Jesus or whatever. Also, we didn't see her at church. So I was real bumskeed about that.
So we went tracting yesterday. In the rain. Everyone is like "Well, thanks for coming by, but we're real solid in our faith, you stay warm though!" and I'm like "Stay warm? It's single digits and the sky is shedding tears of blood, LET US IN YOUR HOUSE SO WE CAN BE WARM!!!"
Chris lets us in and we lay down the first lesson: "THE RESTORATION." I left him with our number on a pass-along card, but also I gave it to him and he texted us so we would have his and we could meet again. We didn't get the text. I gave him the wrong number. But it's right on the pass-along card! So hopefully when he reads 3 Nephi 11 he sees it (cause I put it in as his bookmark) and he says "those goofs, I better call them and tell 'em how stupid they are."
Fast forward to the next house. My comp was like, okay we're going to knock until that brown house over there (cause he is seriously in love with brown houses. No joke, he told me that) and then go to our dinner appointment. We get to the brown house with no previous luck, when the door is answered and the man says "Come in!" So we do. He explains that his friend is downstairs and is super depressed and we need to cheer him up. Okay, but the the man that let us in is SHWASTED OUT OF HIS MIND. Like, I could hold a lighter up to his mouth and you'd think he was a dragon... just saying. So we go console this man who works himself to death and is not appreciated by his girlfriend that he lives 'in sin' (<--- his words, not mine [recognition is the first step to repentance so I was like "that's a plus!"]) with. Then.... halfway through our discussion... Leslie, who I think is Kimmy's, the shwasted man's, wife, comes home and she looks livid. But she asks who we are and after we explain she totally breaks down into sobbing tears and tells us we were an answer to her prayer this morning. At this point, my demeanor is nothing short of solemn and humble, but my mind is like "WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE I WALKED INTO TODAY!?" So we leave Wes, the depressed guy, The Plan of Salvation pamphlet to comfort him and let him know his purpose here in life and left our phone number and the address to the church for them all. It was well-received. If they don't call us soon, we're totes going back soon.
But we were then late for our dinner appointment with a really great member family. Their oldest son skateboards and their daughter does gymnastics and their youngest just has a TON of energy. I realized that I could relate to all of them and was grateful for the immense amount of talents the Lord has blessed me with. Seriously, I'm just now realizing that I have a lot. At Zone Conference last week, we all had to prepare a 2-minute talk on a Christlike attribute and be ready to give it, cause they would call on random missionaries just before it was time to get up to the pulpit. Not only do I get called, but I get called to go first and our district leader (my comp.) didn't give me the fulness of the assignment until that morning, so I literally prepared in like five minutes before we left for the conference. Anyway, I go... and afterward, my friend, Elder LeSueur (who is in my zone, thank goodness), is like, "FREAKING GRABINGER!!! YOU'RE GOOD AT EVERYTHING!" when we see each other in the hall. So yeah, people hate me cause I'm so blessed. I'm grateful for that.
But we're at the members' home for dinner and we start talking about missions because the wife served and the topic of trainers come up and she's all "I had a great trainer, but I know you either LOVE your trainer or you HATE your trainer". My comp. agrees. I say nothing. Which is exactly what I should have said... (thank you to Mr. Mike Birbiglia right there). Later, I give the spiritual thought. It was good. The family starts telling us some jokes, and my comp. joins in and it wasn't anything bad, but we sit through like every blond joke ever and the classic rabbi, priest, pastor ones. Sometimes, in my head, I'm just like "why do I even try to bring the Spirit?" But whatever. My comp. is a fine missionary.
One man came to the door this week like FIVE MINUTES after we knocked and we turned around half way down his driveway and he was like, "No Thanks! Hebrews 1:1-3" and I was like why would I listen to you if you don't even invite me to come listen to you? Also I would like an explanation... I don't understand what you mean by that scripture.
Mike, or Richard as I like to call him, is going to be out of town for a week at least for the birth of his and his wife's first grandchild. Yippee... We'll probably never see them again.... But we've gotten phone numbers and whatnot from plenty of people so I'm sure once we get in contact this week, we'll have some solid investigators. We
have a baptism on Saturday, but the sister missionaries took point on that investigator since she was more comfortable with them. But still. It's OUR baptism. :)
You know, I was really excited to leave the van after that last trip to Utah with you all, but now, I think I would love to just be back there with you crazies. At least I had a variety. Now it's just me... and hopefully I can find someone to talk with us because... yeah. You know why. I'm glad to hear people are enjoying my blog! If only they would tell me themselves... NBD. But I'm totally jealous that you all got to visit Vance and Ludean. They're the coolest!!! And also I love nachos....
I'm glad to hear about Grandma's funeral though and that everyone was together. As far as that expert makeup work: pics or it didn't happen. (<--- I would just like to see for myself, is what I'm saying right there.)
Wow, I had no idea I had chosen such an appropriate mentor! I also love to watch Despcable Me. Well tell Jenna I said "hi" also. Okay, tell Maddie also. I'm hoping to get on a member's computer today so I can send my pics. You can definitely send me an SD memory card if you'd like, but e-mail works just fine as well.
There's just been a bunch of funny/crazy stuff this week that I haven't written down and I can't remember now so you won't get to hear about it. I'll make notes throughout this week so you guys get it all next week. My comp. is always talking about making squirrel gravy because, well.... I don't know why. But he and the sister missionaries have purchased these blow dart guns and seriously dream of like small-scale wildlife murdering sprees every P-Day. It won't be long I'm sure until I end up with a possum boiling on my stove top.
I'll keep you posted about that.
In all seriousness, I'm doing fine and having plenty of fun and really trying to fulfill my purpose. But hopefully my whole mission won't be like it has been the past few weeks...
I love you all! See you soon... maybe ; )
Totally joking.
about the loving you all part.
No just kidding, about the seeing you soon part.
I love you all.
-Elder Grabinger
P.S. J. Golden Kimball is a BOSS
Oh and don't worry. I did get a Valentine's Day package from someone. Thanks a bunch (you know who you are ;} ). As for the rest of you slackers: If I don't start seeing the postman come to my door twice daily because of all the mail I will be receiving soon, well then I will just dedicate some time and effort into really thinking about how I could actually punish you all and make you feel bad. Real bad. That's no threat... IT'S A PROMISE!
P.S.S. All of your valentines should be in the mail soon. I found a real gem at Goodwill this week.
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