"Sometimes for their eternal salvation you just have to throw them on the handle bars and start peddling." (week 8)

My oh my this has been a bit of a rough week, just emotionally. I wish I could tell you that this was the best week ever, because I got to listen to Elder Oaks three days in a row!! But unfortunately, we still don’t have a car, it’s been three weeks now, and now our phone broke, so we are running out of basic resources fast and I am low-key losing my mind. But let’s just get into my week.

Monday after emailing we went to this little place called Cajun Village. That was really fun. That place is so cute. They have little Cajun houses and shops and I bought a pocket knife and the cutest little kettle for 10 bucks, and we had a photo shoot with our district and I finally got beignets and hot chocolate and it was a good time. Then that night we had a lesson with a miss M J. in probably the sketchiest part of town that I have seen so far.

Tuesday we had district meeting, that always takes up a good chunk of time. Then we went to the library and worked on calling referrals. Then that night, which was Halloween by the way, we drove to the Varner’s for interviews.

Wednesday morning we tried to get our car, because they had told us that it would be ready by then, but when we went to get it they yelled at us. Turns out they weren’t even working on it because there was some problem with the insurance, so still no car. Well we had been planning on having a car, so we just hung out with the LSU sisters for a while. We went to Free Speech Alley, that was fun. There were like 4 companionships there in all. We even stayed out there while it was pouring rain #commitment. Then Maynard and I caught a bus home, and we were going to bike to M C's house, but there was lightning, so we called Ashley the ward missionary. We drove down there, helped M a bit, then as we were going to get in the car, we saw that a girl had drove her car into a flooded ditch down the road. We ran over there to try to help. There were several other people helping, so we tried pushing the car out of the ditch and got covered in water (It was still pouring), and the car didn’t come out. The cops and the firemen showed up, but they just told her to call a tow truck and that her car probably wouldn’t ever start and they were talking about insurance and the lady, named C probably late 20’s, was slowly getting overwhelmed. Ashley asked her if she wanted to pray with us, and she said yes and C said the prayer, asking for a miracle. She kept saying that she felt in her heart that her car would start. She thanked us, Ashley got her phone number, and then we left and Ashley dropped us off at the church so that we could listen to the BYU Singers Choir which was in town. That was a good break.

Thursday was 7 hours of biking, trying to visit less actives. But the best part of the day was Ashley texted us, and told us that C had texted her. Turns out C's car had started, and the engine didn’t have water damage. She said that she saw God in all three of us, and she could tell the we had been anointed to teach, and that she wanted to meet with us next week!! We didn’t even get a chance to tell her who we were amidst all the chaos of Wednesday, but that didn’t matter because she saw it! I am excited to meet her again.

Friday was an emotional roller coaster. We had to go up north for an appointment, and we prayed for a ride, and we got a ride, so we said a prayer of thanks, but then her dog ran away so she had to go find it, so we prayed that she could find her dog, and she did so we said thanks again, and she picked us up and we went to try some people. Turns out our appointment went to the doctors instead, so that was a bummer. But then the lady from the ward driving us saw our sad little lunches and she took us out to eat. Later some random dude sat by us on a bench while we were doing comp study, so we taught him the restoration. Then Sister Jacobs gave us a ride to pick up an investigator to take to the Dallin H. Oaks YSA fireside. We took L the most adorable human from Canada whose first language is French and who works at the old state capital. I love her. The fireside was awesome. They did a Q&A and talked about the controversial things that need to be talked about. I loved it.

Then Saturday was the mission conference with Elder Oaks. The entire mission was together and we got a mission picture and everyone got to shake his hand, so that was cool. Honestly Elder Oaks is the cutest and funniest old man. He looks really serious during conference, but he said that if you were looking into an audience of a million people, you wouldn’t be smiling either. After the conference we biked to C Q's house. She is a less active and I love her. She has a ceramic business, so we helped her paint base coat on some of her stuff. She is so funny and I can’t wait to go back there. Then we went to the mall for Elder Wilson’s birthday dinner. He is one of the AP’s and turned 21, that old man. And it was at the mall that our phone broke, which means that I kind of broke as well.

Sunday was regional conference with Elder Oaks. We had four investigators come, so that was nice. We almost didn’t get a ride there. There were some awesome talks, but my email is already really long so I won’t get into that. But the overall message that I got was to not give up, and to never forget to use the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I am trying really hard to apply that to enable me this week. After church we went to an appointment, but they never opened the door. They just turned the lights off after we knocked, and pretended they weren’t there. Then we had a dinner appointment and that was really fun.

So really this week was really good, and there were blessings and prayers answered and opportunities that only come on a mission, but I am struggling with focusing on the good. Right now I feel like I am in the dark. I have no idea how I am going to get to where I need to go, hour by hour. But I just have to keep walking in the dark, and trust that God won’t let me trip, and hopefully the way will be lit soon. I know I’m dramatic, but I am stressed so you will just have to bear with me. I love you all, and I love hearing from you!! Knowing that I have people rooting for me keeps me going. I hope next week I can be less dramatic, because once we get our car we are going to be so ready to work it will be insane. Don’t do drugs! Watch out for bikers! Love you!!!

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~Sister Danielle Reid