BINGO

Whelp this was a weird week. We must have smelled really bad because we got cancelled on a ton like we were way out of style...which just couldn't be true. We just started getting popular at church too and our dinner calendar was filling up...but then they all cancelled on us. ha! The Elders were super jealous of our dinner calendar. They only had like 3 days. haha. Suckers. Yesterday was awesome though and some how we got 5 lessons so that fixed our numbers for the week and they weren't totally embarrassing to report anymore.

 

Finally people are noticing my hair around here - geez! One lady we were visiting shouted out during my companion's testimony, has your hair always been red? haha. Yes. Then she talked about how amazing it was for 10 minutes. I enjoyed that. Later in the week someone else asked me what color I use. Uh...no girl, this is for realz. She was super jealous. I enjoyed that as well. Maybe they are a little color blind in Cali.

 

This week was a disaster at the old folks Bingo game. I guess I'm now the new caller for reals. I don't mind, except for how cranky they can be! They don't like it when you get fancy or try to make jokes. The other day I was asking if they were ready for black out and they were like 'mehhh' which is old person for 'yes'. And I shouted back all cute 'me too!' Well they thought I said B2 and it was a huge to do. Later I started spinning the balls and the latch popped open and they went EVERYWHERE! I thought the seniors were going to kill me the way they glared at me in disgust. Later though, I realized they didn't hate me when they started repeating the way I said numbers, which is just hilarious. Also they like it when I say 'niner'. ha! Later an old lady came up to talk to me about God, but for some reason she had to be really up in my bubble so much so that she kept spitting all over my face. It was so gross, but I played it cool and then I ran to wash my face trying not to think about what was dripping on my face at the moment. Ahh good times with the oldies.

 

So, I'm driving now and I feel much safer. I'm very confused with all the freeways, but slowly getting around. Thank goodness for GPS! I also feel bad for making fun of my companion with her parallel parking skills because it turns out, our parking spot at the apt is really really hard and I'm not good at it either! Maybe it's been so long I don't remember how. Someone Google and send me a diagram...or tips for dummies. ha. Speaking of cars, I keep seeing twins of Red Dragon around town. I miss her and then I remember one of them could be her! She only lives like 15 min away! How fun. 

 

I got a hilarious letter from my old college roomy, C. Oh man. That was a gem. She mentioned her first Sunday in Uruguay and how she had to conduct the music and how interesting it was. I laughed because I have the same problem. No one can play the piano or lead...or sing. Music on Sundays is very interesting. Not only that but the hymns in Spanish are different, for one I don't know the words, for two the rhythms are slightly off so when I'm leading it's...well it's a disaster. So I just smile. I find that works for almost everything. Thank heavens. 

 

This week I've been thinking a lot about grace. Since we have nothing to study but the gospel it's all I know right now. I heard there was something called the 'olympics' going on - what's that? Rebekah mentioned recently in one of her letters about the rapid learning rate on the mission. It's so true! Mainly because that is our focus all the time, but the Lord really blesses you when you focus on His word and His children. Thank heavens because I need it. But anyway, grace. We listened to this awesome talk recently about grace and I really liked it. We hear a lot of people talking about how they are saved by grace, but he pointed out yeah, we are all saved by grace but more importantly have you been changed by grace? I thought about this for quite some time and realized I don't exactly know what that means. ha. I think I'm learning a little more about it and how we are not sent here to be passive in this life, but everything we learn, accomplish and care about comes as a result of the grace of Christ. As we learn to accept his grace or follow his example, we gain more and this is how grace changes us. Simple enough right? ha. In the mornings before we study, we are told to get up, exercise, shower, pray and sit at a desk before we begin. This helps us be alert and ready and not drift off back to sleep. Most of the time it works. But I'm seeing more how this is in life too...there are several steps we should take before we start to 'study' so that we can get the most out of it and don't drift back to sleep letting all the opportunities for growth pass on by. I think I had a lot of dozing off before the mission...oopsy. I'm trying to catch up now! Lesson learned: praying while you're still in bed is just more sleeping. My bad.

xoxo,

Hermana Hall