Week 16 - Trains and Trains and Blisters

 Hello from Borth Dakota once again!


I sure am missing the Black Hills and trees, but it feels good in a weird way to be back up North. There is a ridiculous amount of sky. I still can't quite grasp it. While I was prepared for flatness and lots of cows when I got my call here, but I was NOT ready for the trains. There are so many dang trains, and--how lucky for me--there's a few tracks that run right by my new apartment. And, even better, they blare their horns the entire time they pass through. But wait! There's more! They also come blaring through every night. I'm waiting for a night where I sleep until my alarm goes off.

This week is pretty exciting for me as it is my first week officially not in training! I'm just a regular old missionary now. My new companion here in Dickinson, Sister Taylor, is also incredible. We get along great, and she is completely ok with getting down to work all day every day. This week since getting to Dickinson has been productive enough to make my head spin! We are currently working on teaching all of our recent converts their lessons and getting to know our members. We aren't going to have much success over Facebook and video calls if we don't work with our members. Everyone I've talked to so far has been amazing. 

This week I also feel like I have gained two trade mark missionary milestones: I got my first blisters and sunburns! Granted I got them while not talking to a single soul, but I'd rather get blisters from walking outside than carpal tunnel from typing on a phone all day inside. 

One super exciting thing is we have 35 missionaries coming in from international missions in the next 3 weeks and I got to help train them on Facebook! It was so fun. Things are going to get turned upside down and backwards to get them all in though. We'll basically be having 3 weeks of mini transfers. I really hope nothing changes too much here. I'm missing some stability for sure. Three areas and three companions in three transfers has been fun in it's own way, but it would be rather nice to be able to get settled in for at least two transfers. It's hard making so many friends then leaving them so quickly. But hey, that means more friends in the long run!

I've also recently learned to crochet the plarn into the mats, which has been so much fun! Once the quarantine is lifted, Sister Taylor and I are thinking about hosting a plarning relief society activity that we'll announce on facebook and have members invite their friends to. It will be so much fun! I can't begin to describe how much I LOVE being a missionary. I never want it to end.

One of my favorite parts of every day as a missionary is having an hour of studies every day. This week, I've been studying hope. I am so glad I have been, and I think I could study hope for the rest of my life and never completely understand it. If you want a high quality spiritual thought, here are two articles from Ensigns to read. Honestly, I'd love to hear some of your thoughts on them. I'm still wrapping my head around it all, otherwise I'm sure I'd write more. Maybe by next Monday I'll have something more put together. Here are those two links:




I love and miss you all. Until next week!

Sister Balls

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