HELLLLLOOOOOOO amazing friends and family!!!!! It's so nice to be able to talk to y’all again. To be completely honest this week has been an absolute joy and I have loved every second of it so let's Pocahontas swan dive in! BUT FIRST, another spiritual thought from Elder McMullin (que a single confetti popper that accidentally sets off the fire alarm and sprinklers). This week is the last full week of the transfer and I have been reflecting on how much I have grown in these short five weeks. When I first came to Rapid City and learned that part of our area covered a Native American reservation, I was pretty terrified. In case you don't know Reservations, or as we call them, the Rez are similar to walking into a third world country surrounded by drugs, alcohol, feral dogs, and collapsing shacks names houses. Because of the environment and associated stigma, I had a strong dislike to talking to Native Americans and would always try to invite other people around them that I deemed more "perceptive". I'm not going to sugar coat it; my behavior was racism. This avoidance continued for nearly three days until I had the wonderful opportunity to meet one of the cutest families ever who were Native American. During the lesson I had a very spiritual experience where the Holy Ghost confirmed to me that God loves everyone equally regardless of race, economic standing, or personality. Since that moment I have made it my own personal goal to stop judging and assuming, but rather love as He first loved us. Scrolling through my Twitter and Facebook feed I see the world constantly descending into hate and aggression to fellow children of God, our Brothers and Sisters. We need to adjust our perspective and stop looking at people from a temporal/mortal state, but rather one of eternal love and compassion, just as our Father in Heaven does. This is what Christ would do; therefore, it is what we should do.
Okay so Gulong time. It all begins in a volunteering warehouse owned by a major food bank called "Feeding South Dakota". We as missionaries often get the opportunity to volunteer there and it just so happened, we got the opportunity to serve on the day when we were making 1,000 snack lunches for sweet little kids in school and on the Rez. We get in there and I'm signed up to be the person that knots the sack that the lunches are in along with one of my companions. The first 15 minutes were easy breezy, I was even able to make light conversation with the sweet old lady's next to me. And that's when the crap hit the fan. Suddenly Elder Whitaker abandons ship and runs to the bathroom leaving me on double duty for tying bags and putting them into boxes. A few minutes later a guy at the front of the assembly line, not noticing that I was already starting to hold up the line, had the brilliant idea to do three bags at a time to "maximize our volunteer hours". Suddenly groups of bags three at a time came pouring into my station which by this time was already full because of the loss of Elder Whitaker. I tried tying bags even faster, but only made it worse because I would keep snapping of handles. I desperately asked one of the sweet old ladies next to me if they could tie some bags for me to which she smiled and said "I'm sorry honey, I've got Arthritis. I think you've also got it under control". Luckily a couple minutes later some other volunteer came over to help, but after a couple minutes of tying bags she locked her legs and ended up blacking out on top of the applesauce and animal crackers. So yah, working at the gulag that is feeding South Dakota is crazy!
FRIEND UPDATE!!!! This week we were able to meet an awesome guy named Jay who is a recovering drug addict, but is really turning his life around back to Jesus Christ and making amazing progress. We were also able to continue meeting with Feather and Skeets and exciting news turns out they have other kids that were living on the Rez with Feathers grandma that are interested in the gospel that their parents are learning- miracles have not ceased! But in all honesty one of the biggest miracles that has happens this week was with Tommy and Linda. In order for them to be baptized they need to get married and they both agreed that if marriage wasn't so expensive, they would get married. When we told them that the Bishop could marry them, they got so emotional and excited and told us that when they could be ready for Baptism they also wanted to be married and have me bake their wedding cake!!!!!
All in all, a mission was one of the best decision l have ever made! Words cannot describe the joy I feel every time someone says they would be interested in learning more about Christs restored Church and progressing towards the sacred and wonderful covenant of Baptism. I love my mission! Anyways, hope you all have a fantastic week!!!!!!!!!!! Love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your favorite McM from the NDBM
Elder McMullin :-)