There are two extremes here for our reactions to the Elders' behavior.
Extreme #1: "Wow..... I can't believe you said that! That was... really insightful and thoughtful."
And then there's the 2nd extreme: "-_-..... WOW........ I... I can't believe you said that..... I have no words."
Example #1: Elder Iglinski pointed out during BoM reading, in 1 Ne 4:6, how cool it was that Nephi just followed the Spirit, among other insightful comments. He's one of the goofier elders of the four in our district, and I thought, Wow, that was really, really cool that he shared that. The other sisters agreed with me.
Example #2: Elder Iglinski and Elder Gingell left to use the restroom ("for about the 5th time!"). When they got back, Elder Iglinski opened the door and then just flopped against it and walked forward to push it open. Elder Gingell walked in behind him and said, "What were you doing? You were, like, dead-fishing it." He then proceeded to ram against the door and flop so violently it looked like he was being electrocuted. I just sat staring at them like they were ridiculous, laughing. Then Sister Fielding leaned over and said, "It's that end of the spectrum." I laughed harder.
There are also two ends of the spectrum for how I feel lately.
I think it depends on what I pray for and how I decide to think and direct my attitude.
Some days, I don't want to talk to anyone. I feel discouraged, and kinda like a black cloud of negativity, to be honest. Other days, I run up and down the stairs and to classes. (Literally. I'm not exaggerating.) Yesterday, I prayed for help to have joy. And then, for some reason (because I don't know where it came from... except probably the Holy Ghost), I got "Rejoice! The Lord is King" stuck in my head. And then I skipped around and ran up and down stairs between classes. And it was 8:15am.
WHOO!
On the first day, the opening song was, "Army of Helaman," but they changed a few words in the chorus so that it was like this:
"We are as the army of Helaman.
We have been taught in our youth.
And we are now the Lord's missionaries
To bring the world His truth."
The only time I have shed actual tears so far was when we sang that song at the opening devotional. They cued the words up on a screen for us, and I definitely cried.
Everyone here knows one thing: The days feel like weeks, and the weeks feel like days.
I'm on my 6th day. And there's 18 months left.
But I'm on my SIXTH DAY. I can't believe I've been here this long already.
Oh, by the way, MAKE SURE YOU DRINK WATER.
I got so dehydrated. But I'm good now.
Just drink water.
Do it.
Oh, I should probably introduce my district.
In the picture I'm sending, we have (left to right):
Sister Campbell and Sister Fielding
Elder Gingell and Elder Iglinski
Sister Ashton and Sister Smart
Sister Kapcsos (my companion) and me
Elder Hoskins and Elder Chowen
So, Gingell is pronounced with a hard "g" in the first syllable and a soft "g" in the second. "GIN-jell."
Iglinski is pronounced like it's spelled.
Kapcsos is pronounced "CAP-sis."
And Chowen is also pronounced how it's spelled. "CHOW-in."
Elder Chowen is our district leader. He is so funny!! He reminds me of Noah, except he's extremely sarcastic. It makes me laugh so much.
Elders Gingell and Iglinski were made our zone leaders and were immediately humbled. They're the ones that are always like, "Yeah... we lift weights... I play basketball... Wanna shake my bicep?"
Like... really??
Anyway. They were humbled. It was great. But they're still goofy. I love it.
The "make it to Sunday" principle is an actual thing.
Someone named Matthew O. Richardson came and talked to us on Sunday. He's a stake president in Provo, and he sends out about 700 missionaries a year. He sent out 17 on Sunday. He said he was talking to a sister in her interview and asked her why she wanted to go on a mission. Her response was, "I've been so blessed. I want to pay the Lord back." He said it was a common response and figured a lot of us missionaries went on missions because of that. Then he pointed out something interesting.
It's hard to pay the Lord back, he said, because it's like this.
The Lord gives you bread, so you want to pay Him back.
You give the bread back to Him as a way to pay him back.
And then He gives it back.
TOASTED.
So you try to give it back again.
And He gives it back to you.
BUTTERED.
You give it back to Him again!
And He gives it back, with jam on it!
So you try to give it back AGAIN!
AND HE GIVES YOU LOAVES!
So, peeps. You can never really pay the Lord back.
Sorry to break it to ya.
He loves you too much.
Which is actually impossible because He's God.
So. He just loves you that much.
I love you all! Don't forget who you are.
You.
Are.
Children.
Of.
God.
You.
Are.
Enough.
Some missionaries serve for 18 months.
Other missionaries serve the Lord.
Sister McKay
Everyone here knows one thing: The days feel like weeks, and the weeks feel like days.
I'm on my 6th day. And there's 18 months left.
But I'm on my SIXTH DAY. I can't believe I've been here this long already.
Oh, by the way, MAKE SURE YOU DRINK WATER.
I got so dehydrated. But I'm good now.
Just drink water.
Do it.
Oh, I should probably introduce my district.
In the picture I'm sending, we have (left to right):
Sister Campbell and Sister Fielding
Elder Gingell and Elder Iglinski
Sister Ashton and Sister Smart
Sister Kapcsos (my companion) and me
Elder Hoskins and Elder Chowen
So, Gingell is pronounced with a hard "g" in the first syllable and a soft "g" in the second. "GIN-jell."
Iglinski is pronounced like it's spelled.
Kapcsos is pronounced "CAP-sis."
And Chowen is also pronounced how it's spelled. "CHOW-in."
Elder Chowen is our district leader. He is so funny!! He reminds me of Noah, except he's extremely sarcastic. It makes me laugh so much.
Elders Gingell and Iglinski were made our zone leaders and were immediately humbled. They're the ones that are always like, "Yeah... we lift weights... I play basketball... Wanna shake my bicep?"
Like... really??
Anyway. They were humbled. It was great. But they're still goofy. I love it.
The "make it to Sunday" principle is an actual thing.
Someone named Matthew O. Richardson came and talked to us on Sunday. He's a stake president in Provo, and he sends out about 700 missionaries a year. He sent out 17 on Sunday. He said he was talking to a sister in her interview and asked her why she wanted to go on a mission. Her response was, "I've been so blessed. I want to pay the Lord back." He said it was a common response and figured a lot of us missionaries went on missions because of that. Then he pointed out something interesting.
It's hard to pay the Lord back, he said, because it's like this.
The Lord gives you bread, so you want to pay Him back.
You give the bread back to Him as a way to pay him back.
And then He gives it back.
TOASTED.
So you try to give it back again.
And He gives it back to you.
BUTTERED.
You give it back to Him again!
And He gives it back, with jam on it!
So you try to give it back AGAIN!
AND HE GIVES YOU LOAVES!
So, peeps. You can never really pay the Lord back.
Sorry to break it to ya.
He loves you too much.
Which is actually impossible because He's God.
So. He just loves you that much.
I love you all! Don't forget who you are.
You.
Are.
Children.
Of.
God.
You.
Are.
Enough.
Some missionaries serve for 18 months.
Other missionaries serve the Lord.
Sister McKay
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