Week 40: Ready for the New Year!
So, yes, we got to see and talk to Becca via Facebook Messenger on Christmas! Sorry for the odd picture. I would post the pic of all four of us together, but I'm not sure my vanity can take the blow. I'd been up sick in the night, and I looked it. But, anyway... We had a great visit with her, and it did my momma heart so much good. 💖 It'd been 7 months since our last "phone call," so I hope that means that the next 4 1/2 months between now and Mother's Day will fly by!
She told us about meeting a guy on the street who declined to hear their message about Christ but told them about his buddy who lived a couple of blocks up the street and was having a BBQ, "...but don't tell him I sent you!" He totally thought the Sisters didn't realize that he was just trying to use them to prank his buddy by sending a couple of missionaries to the BBQ. Well, of course they realized that, but they felt like they should go to the BBQ anyway. When they got to the house, the unsuspecting BBQer was just coming out of the house to check on the grill. The Sisters said, "Hi! Are you Lou?" He was a little spooked that they new his name, especially when they said they couldn't tell him how. When he found out who they were, he admitted that this was really weirding him out, because only 20 minutes earlier, he had been telling his friends that he felt like he needed to start going to church. The Sisters ended up having a great visit with him, and they promised he'd figure out how they knew to find him. It sounds like he's open to their message, so this might just be the best prank that anyone could have played on him!
It sounds like her Christmas was good, but strange, which I would think is a normal way to feel on your first Christmas away from home. I know the members were stopping by and bringing gifts and looking out for them, which made things easier, I'm sure, as would the service they were able to give at the Catholic Church. Those things always help.
In her email to me this morning, Becca admitted that she's not quite staying warm enough. She said the wool tights that she got for Christmas are a welcome blessing, but she asked for a couple more things. I got on the web immediately and searched for a wool slip again--the only place I had found them before was no longer carrying them, or they were out of stock. I found another option, though, and had one shipped to her right away. I hope it arrives quickly. I had Amazon send her a polar fleece jacket to layer up with, too. She said that all the sisters got money from the mission to buy dress slacks with, now that they will be allowed to wear pants, but she's not sure if she wants to. She says boots are easier with skirts, but she'll try to be open to the idea, especially after they get more instructions at Zone Conference next week.
As for today, she thinks she might have the flu, so prayers are very welcome! She also admitted something about hitting her head on Christmas Eve and that it hurt for a couple of days, but that's all she said! Turkey. I guess if that's the worst of it, she's just fine, but still. Well, Ryan passed out and hit his head while he was serving in Italy and ended up in an Italian emergency room... So, I guess it could be worse...
No pics this week 😕. Maybe next week!
Here's the group email:
Good Morning!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I certainly did. I love Christmas. On Christmas morning we had the chance to serve at the Catholic church. We helped assemble Christmas meals to be delivered later in the day. We got to work with some awesome people and had a lot of fun.
Then after a little lunch we went to a members house and got to call our families! That was definitely the best part of the day! I am so grateful for technology and that I was able to video call my family so I could SEE them too! We had a great visit and I love my family so much.
That evening we had a nice Christmas dinner with Brother and Sister Champagne. Sister Champange is a wonderful cook and we had a grand time. After dinner we made chocolate deliveries to other members and people we know. That was fun.
This week we've done a lot of Facebook video lessons, which have been a lot of fun. A lot of the people we are teaching right now are either students who went home for the holiday or snowbirds who are in Florida for the worst part of winter. The video lessons have been a huge blessing! I never thought the my missionary work would include using technology so much, but it's wonderful!
Happy New Year! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and the best year ever! Love ya!
Sister Fairbanks
She told us about meeting a guy on the street who declined to hear their message about Christ but told them about his buddy who lived a couple of blocks up the street and was having a BBQ, "...but don't tell him I sent you!" He totally thought the Sisters didn't realize that he was just trying to use them to prank his buddy by sending a couple of missionaries to the BBQ. Well, of course they realized that, but they felt like they should go to the BBQ anyway. When they got to the house, the unsuspecting BBQer was just coming out of the house to check on the grill. The Sisters said, "Hi! Are you Lou?" He was a little spooked that they new his name, especially when they said they couldn't tell him how. When he found out who they were, he admitted that this was really weirding him out, because only 20 minutes earlier, he had been telling his friends that he felt like he needed to start going to church. The Sisters ended up having a great visit with him, and they promised he'd figure out how they knew to find him. It sounds like he's open to their message, so this might just be the best prank that anyone could have played on him!
It sounds like her Christmas was good, but strange, which I would think is a normal way to feel on your first Christmas away from home. I know the members were stopping by and bringing gifts and looking out for them, which made things easier, I'm sure, as would the service they were able to give at the Catholic Church. Those things always help.
In her email to me this morning, Becca admitted that she's not quite staying warm enough. She said the wool tights that she got for Christmas are a welcome blessing, but she asked for a couple more things. I got on the web immediately and searched for a wool slip again--the only place I had found them before was no longer carrying them, or they were out of stock. I found another option, though, and had one shipped to her right away. I hope it arrives quickly. I had Amazon send her a polar fleece jacket to layer up with, too. She said that all the sisters got money from the mission to buy dress slacks with, now that they will be allowed to wear pants, but she's not sure if she wants to. She says boots are easier with skirts, but she'll try to be open to the idea, especially after they get more instructions at Zone Conference next week.
As for today, she thinks she might have the flu, so prayers are very welcome! She also admitted something about hitting her head on Christmas Eve and that it hurt for a couple of days, but that's all she said! Turkey. I guess if that's the worst of it, she's just fine, but still. Well, Ryan passed out and hit his head while he was serving in Italy and ended up in an Italian emergency room... So, I guess it could be worse...
No pics this week 😕. Maybe next week!
Here's the group email:
Good Morning!
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! I certainly did. I love Christmas. On Christmas morning we had the chance to serve at the Catholic church. We helped assemble Christmas meals to be delivered later in the day. We got to work with some awesome people and had a lot of fun.
Then after a little lunch we went to a members house and got to call our families! That was definitely the best part of the day! I am so grateful for technology and that I was able to video call my family so I could SEE them too! We had a great visit and I love my family so much.
That evening we had a nice Christmas dinner with Brother and Sister Champagne. Sister Champange is a wonderful cook and we had a grand time. After dinner we made chocolate deliveries to other members and people we know. That was fun.
This week we've done a lot of Facebook video lessons, which have been a lot of fun. A lot of the people we are teaching right now are either students who went home for the holiday or snowbirds who are in Florida for the worst part of winter. The video lessons have been a huge blessing! I never thought the my missionary work would include using technology so much, but it's wonderful!
Happy New Year! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and the best year ever! Love ya!
Sister Fairbanks
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