Livin' on a Prayer!

Monday, May 7, 2018

Burke, Virginia

I drank sour milk last night on accident, and I haven't been the same since. My eye keeps twitching, and my mind can't focus, and I shudder every now and then. Not to mention the nightmares. *shudder* Make sure you check the labels before drinking milk from the carton. It could save your life. 

Good times, good times. Whelp, Armstrong was baptized on Saturday! It was awesome. When we got to the church, I asked about the font, and our Ward Mission Leader said he had the water filling for 3 hours now. I walked in there, and I guess something is all funky with the drain because it was barely to the 2nd step. To paint you a picture, the water for a children's baptism should be covering the 3rd step, and for an adult baptism, it should be covering the 4th step. We needed a lot more water to sufficiently dunk Armstrong that morning. So I gather together the four people we had in the building and handed everyone pitchers from the kitchen, and we marched to the bathroom where the font was being filled. We started filling them up with the little sink in the women's bathroom, but my mind kept going "this isn't enough!" Then, inspiration struck, and I ran to the showers to fill my pitchers up there. Thank you, Heavenly Father! Man, we looked like crazy people. I was very wet very quickly. While we were filling the font, I heard someone yell "Sisters?" And so I poked my head out the door, and President was standing on the other side of the font on the men's side and just gave me a thumbs up and said "Keep up the good work." So, I did. Anyway, we ran out of time, so we had to skedaddle to where Armstrong was patiently waiting for the whole shebang to start. The program was awesome. President gave a talk on the Holy Ghost for it, and afterwards, he came up to me and told me how nervous he was up there. He said it was the first talk he had ever given at a baptism. Well, you are welcome for providing you with that experience, President! He did very well, by the way. Then when Armstrong was getting baptized, the water was still too low, so after a few times of his appendages coming up out of the water, Bishop made him sit down to be completely submerged. And it worked! But it was overall a really spiritual thing, and I am just so happy that I was able to be there and teach Armstrong from the beginning. He got up to bear his testimony at the end and just talked about how happy he was. Yay! It's funny- we live in the same apartment complex as Armstrong, and he didn't know it because we're not supposed to tell people where we live. But we kept running into him every day the week before his baptism! I guess Heavenly Father is helping us with daily contact. I'm sure Armstrong thinks we're stalking him. Poor guy. Oh well. 

 

Armstrong, Sister Kleven, Sister Merritt

Sister Koch, Armstrong, Sister Kleven, Sister Merritt

Armstrong's baptism

 

He showed up late to church yesterday, and I almost had a heart attack. My heart was palpitating to extreme levels during the opening song because he wasn't at church. And, if he doesn't come to church, he doesn't get confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost! It's pretty serious stuff. He finally walked in during the Sacrament song, and I didn't explode. Success? I think yes!

In other news, some exciting stuff happened this week! We went to the S* Family's for dinner, and I asked how everyone's day was and their youngest, who is 4, told me that he was playing at a neighbor's house and "An ant got on him so he had to run home and scream." It was hilarious. He's the cutest kid. 

Also, Sister Merritt lost her tablet. It was in her hand one moment and then gone the next. We have retraced our steps multiple times and it's nowhere to be found, apparently. If it's outside somewhere, it's completely ruined because there was a big ol' rainstorm. Maybe it floated away. Poor Sister Merritt.  

We went to a member's house to do service while they were out of town, so we took a picture of ourselves all serious like at their dinner table.  We printed it out and got a frame and put it on their piano for them to enjoy on a later occasion. 

I got my first mosquito bite of the season. Maybe I should commemorate this occasion by burning something. Because that is just how happy I am. 

Last night, I realized that we had about 0 miles left to go before we ran out of gas.  So we started to panic because it was the Sabbath, and the mission doesn't like us getting gas on Sundays.  Anyway, we were about 5 miles from home, and we just kept singing "OOHH!  Livin' on a prayer!  OOH!  We're halfway there!  Take my hand, we'll make it I swear!"  And guess what?  We did!  We pulled into our apartment complex on fumes, but we were able to get gas this morning.  Good stuff.  

 

A picture from M* during church.

 

This morning we went to Café Rio with the STLs and the Hermanas, and I got a delicious burrito.  Then we went to Burke Lake and walked around for a little bit with our Café Rio.  We popped a squat and partook.  It was a good morning.  Then we went to the mission office for two hours and gabbed with the senior couples.  Elder Nielson taught me Swedish and gave me a fountain pen.  It was delightful.  Man, I don't ever want to leave here.  One of our members is going to bribe President with cookies to have him keep me here another transfer.  I hope it works.  I'll keep you posted.  

 

With Sister Merritt at Burke Lake

P-day at Burke Lake with the Sister Training Leaders

 

I think that's it in Burke!  Missionary work is awesome, and I love it, but I hate allergies, but it's okay because... well, sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven. 

Love you lots!  

 

Sister Kleven