1...2...3... Strikes You're Out!

We had a great week! Full of fun, the temple, food, + 3 baptism dates! (However, one has truly disappeared off the face of the earth, so that one will probably have to be dropped.)

We had the best P-day I've had since I've been in the field. Besides the computer shutting down 3 times during email it was perfect. I got a little ice cream cone at McDonald's. We did our Walmart shopping so fast! So we had time to go to Beall's (the only other store here and the only one that sells clothes) and I found a new smaller bag! We made killer flour tortillas, like 8 dozen + my neck hurt the next day, but that's a small price to pay. Making them perfectly circle is basically impossible, unless you are Luz who has been making them since she was 2! She said other kids wanted to go + play outside, but she just wanted to stay in to make tortillas every day. So mine were shaped like Africa, Idaho, Texas, squares, goats, but they still tasted great! Then of course they fed us + send us home with food. The Melendez's are every one's favorite. Oh and everyone can't even hardly stand that I saw I eat beans from a can because that is just not expectable jajaja. Then we taught Pablo that night + he gave us pineapple juice, that tasted kind of like wassail! It was warm and everything! Too great!

So we have 3 recent converts who are brothers + 1 sister, under 12, who were being wild because all of their younger cousins were there too. So I pulled out "quiet coyote." Thank you Mrs. Mills, it does work with all kids! It was a great FHE. Speaking of yeah we basically are FHE for these families, that's why they ask us to come every week, so if you have any great visuals send them my way. They are all recent converts or less-actives so something simple + fun + interactive. Yesterday we did a tithing lesson and I gave them each 10 cents + we filled out a tithing slip + put in a penny. I thought it was super fun but those kids were not having it. But we are doing it again Friday with Bryan + Adam and I know they will love it. This week we taught them about missionary work + let them borrow our tags + Adam wants to go to Idaho on his mission because he loves mashed potatoes! And their mom fed us some great Hawaiin food this week!

Also this week I was introduced to both canela and chamomile tea, both not against the Word of Wisdom, no worries. Both are huge in the Hispanic culture apparently. Canela I like, chamomile not as much.

This week I don't know how but I convinced like 3 different people that I am fluent in Spanish! It's a miracle, keep praying form my Spanish, por favor!

On our bikes one day I was determined to use the different hand signals every time we turned or stopped. That was the same day that we stopped to pet a horse + Hna. Gonzalez was soo scared! She was holding her hand all weird + I was like, "What are you doing?" And she said, "I have to hold it this way or else it will think my thumb is a carrot and will try to bite it!" jajajajaja. She's from Chicago.

We had our temple trip this week!! We rode with the Clovis sisters, and the whole "Are you from Alabama?" lives on. I have no idea why everyone thinks that but they do! But yes in this mission it truly is a temple trip complete with packing an overnight bag with dinner and breakfast for the next morning. Because you have to have a slumber in Lubbock, which sounds a lot more fun than it is jaja. But the temple was amazing, I've missed it so much!! Please everyone go!!

Okay so Saturday night somehow we ended up with 3 dinner appointments in a row. Which was not planned + I never would have imagined it possible because no one feeds us. But this week they did. And this night they did. It started at a member's house we were teaching her about missionary work + trying to get her to come with us to lessons. Then after her lesson she fed us some spice chile verde! (Strike 1) But I didn't eat very much cuz I knew we had dinner next. So then we went to the Relief Society activity to eat the dinner and it was teacos + some awesome banana bar cake! (Strike 2) So we left full from there, not dying full but satisfied full. Then we had to go to our investigator's birthday party really quick + well I didn't know it, but apparently they feed every person a huge meal + this investigator's mom does not like us so we had to eat everything not to offend her especially after we couldn't accept her coke. ( in TLM no caffeine is allowed) And because I'm white they stare at me even harder to make sure I eat their food. The pressure is real! I left in pain from all the food. (Strike 3) Hna. Gonzalez was dying! SO we drove 500 ft + had to pull over so she could puke + she did! (You're out!) Everywhere! She got back in the car with barf in her hair + on her skirt and we still had other appts to go to! Never again 3 dinners! Never!! Oh it was painful! And so funny!!!

Then we ended with a great Sunday. With children doing parkour during sacrament. Never a dull moment.

Please pray for Veronica! She is the best investigator ever. Honestly more active than all of the members here, the first person to church, the one at all the activities, the best! Anyway she isn't married because she doesn't have her residency papers etc. But she is so close to deciding just to get married so she can get baptized even if her papers aren't ready yet--cuz marriage complicates things. Anyway pray for her!! I even told her I'd make the wedding cake! And that we already have our clothes picked out for her wedding. I love her!

xoxo

con amor,

Hermana Slade

Line of the Week:

Man: I can't talk I have to go and finish mowing my lawn before it starts raining.

Hna. Gonzalez: (Looks up at the blue sky + looks around) You really think it's going to start raining.

Man: Uh...uh...well you never know. Bye!