First week in Mississippi! My companion is Sister Meeks and she has been out for 6 months. She is great and easy going just as everyone told me. We have oppened a new area that was split off of an area that elders have been working in. We cover mostly Richland and Florence as well as a few other small towns around, all of which are combined with the area the elders are working in to make up the Florence ward. It blows my mind how BIG the ward bounderies are here. At home we have multiple stakes in one city, and here they have about 6 cities in one ward! It's crazy how much work there is to do here, but I'm glad to be here and hope that we can do the work the Lord would have us do here.
We went to church in the Florence ward for the first time yesterday and were able to meet some of the members. The chapel was so small, but the people there are so good and kind. My companion and I as well as the new elder to the ward (in the companionship of elders that cover the other area that goes to the Florence ward) all bore our testimonies and gave a short introduction of ourselves. It was so good to go to church and partake of the sacrament and sing hymns and pray. I realized how much I love going to church and how important it is that we do go if we are to stay active in living the gospel and resisting temptation.
So as far as the rest of the week goes, we had to do a lot of work in figuring out our area, where we were at on the map we were given, and going through the list of members for the ward (active and less active). We also did some tracting. We fasted as a district on Thursday and I saw so many miracles Friday. We received some referrals from some members we visited Friday morning and were able to contact so many less actives and visit with them. A lot of them said that they would be happy to have us back and would give us a call....
We are in a great apartment that is plenty big for the two of us. The only downside is it still has a slight smokey smell to it from those who lived there before, but we really are so blessed to be where we're at.
We were going to share a car with the elders in the ward, but after getting some good bikes on Wednesday, we got a call and were told that we, the sisters, would be getting the car ful-time for a while. That was nice, but we also felt bad for the elders. We're grateful to have a car though, and try to use it wisely. The mission has a thing they do called "Thirsty Thursdays" which means that we don't use the mission cars on Thursdays to help with miles and gas expenses. It's pretty neat. So Sister Meeks and I did get to use our bikes last Thursday and enjoyed that, even if we did look a little silly in our big helmets. :)
The 4th of July was pretty much like another day for us since we really didn't know anyone in the area. We could here the fireworks, but we were told to come in a little bit early unless we had an appointment with some members. It was still a good day, and I thought of all of you back home and the usual 4th of July traditions we do and it made me smile. It made me happy to think of all that you'd be doing back home to celebrate this beautiful and wonderful country that we live in. :)
To answer some questions about food, no I haven't eaten anything unusual. At least not yet :) We were privileged to eat at the Bishop's house on Wednesday night with the Elders, and at a members home Thursday night. They both had great food that was very delicious. All of the other nights we've cooked for ourselves and had fun doing it.
I think that about sums up the week! Thanks again for all of the love and support! I love you all very much! Keep living what you know is right and praying to your Heavenly Father.
May THE Force be with you!
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