Hey awesome people. I saw a full moon for the first time in seriously forever and a day last Monday night, it was amazing. I haven’t seen the moon all summer #AKproblems. We were out looking for a part member family and we saw the moon peek over Pioneer Peak and I almost died it was so pretty. I pulled over and made Sister Yeates enjoy it with me for a hot sec, I’m pretty sure she thinks I’m insane but I love that girl so it all works out. It’s starting to get dark earlier up here and last I heard, we’re losing about six minutes of daylight every day up here from now until December. That means in a week, we will have almost an hour less of daylight than we do right now (*Kim K. cries). Winter is coming.
This week was a little all over the place. I feel like my time in Wasilla in general has been a little all over the place (my whole mission has been all over the place tbh) with some random service projects here and there and a lot of door knocking. And some sickness. Good times. I could finally breathe out my nose on Wednesday morning so that was a big fat blessing. Being sick is terrible #whatdoesntkillyoumakesyoustronger.
In anticipation for the oncoming snow, Mother Earth has just been dumping rain on Alaska this week. I would choose snow over rain any day, so that’s been kinda a bummer. Bobby D. (the retired bull rider with a “tumbleweed heart”) and his neighbor Peggy (a former investigator who has the kindest old lady heart) had us come and help them with their yard this week a couple of times. The first time it was just Sister Yeates+me and the weather wasn’t that bad. Then Bobby requested that the elders come with us next time #hepicksfavorites so we plan to come back on Thursday and of course...it’s totally pouring rain. Trying to be good missionaries, we show up despite the puddles everywhere and Peggy is like, “actually they’re forecasting rain for most of the day today so I don’t think I’ll be out there helping you, but the rakes are sitting around the back and all these leaves need to get raked up before it snows...” and then she closes the door and goes back in her warm and cozy house. K. Needless to say, it was some good district bonding. Peggy brought us cream soda and smoked salmon once we finished both of their yards #goteam. Maybe I’m just dumb but honestly...what’s the point in raking the leaves off your lawn if they’re just going to be covered with white snow in a few weeks? I don't get it. Raking is a good arm work out though if you do it long enough, so I guess I can see the perk of it there. It’s some good cross training prep for snow shoveling too.
We went through a copy of the Memory Lake Ward roster this week trying to find more people to teach and seriously I have no idea how Memory Lake is considered a “ward”, it’s really more like a branch. There are about 120 members on the roster and we found that more than 40 of them have moved and about another 20 are “do not contact” people. The rest of them are either active or “not interested”. Good stuff.
Saturday was the most perfect Alaskan October morning in the history of ever. After studies, I dragged Sister Yeates out of our apartment and made her go on a walk with me. I thought that because it was a beautiful Saturday morning people would be out and about but nope, they were all still snoozin. We talked to some little kid sitting on a swing set though so I guess that’s good. It’s been raining since then and in all honesty, that’s probably the last little bit of sunshine Wasilla is going to see for a few months. Killer.
Last night, we were at the White’s house for dinner and FHE with them and the Dory’s and Sister Yeates has been really excited to share this object lesson that the elders in Juneau taught her about Helaman 5:12 and building a strong foundation on Jesus Christ so that when life gets rough and bumpy, things don't get too all over the place. She put a Book of Mormon on the coffee table and set her fingers on top of it. In her other hand, she had this can of green beans that she was going to smash her fingers with. She explained how because her fingers were on the Book of Mormon, “on a strong foundation”, that it wouldn’t hurt when she smashed them. Pause: before we went to their house, I made her practice a few times because I was worried that it was going to be an epic fail. But she managed to do it, so I had full (kinda) faith in her performance at FHE. Resume story. So she smashes her fingers and everyone is freaking out because they thought the can was going to explode or that she was going to dent the coffee table or something (I was scared about that too tbh but Sister Yeates has big faith) and then when she lifts up the can, there’s the imprint of her fingers in it. She was fine! It was amazing haha. Then one of the White’s sons wanted to try it too and it worked again (bless). The whole thing is that when you set your foundation on Christ, everything ends up okay because you have a firm foundation. Christ will never let you fall. He is always there cheering you on because He loves you. Build your foundation on Him and even a can of green beans can’t knock you down.
This upcoming week: President Toone is spicing things up with Zone Conference this transfer and we are having a talent show at the end of our meeting [and we get to show up in service clothes (aka sweats...bless) for the whole thing #notmad]. Each companionship and district has to perform a talent for the zone and we have no idea what we are going to do for our district talent so if anyone has a brilliant idea (or at this point, really any idea will work), let me know asap because #strugglebus. We are having Wasilla Stake Conference this weekend and the rumor is that things are going to get mixed up; either a new bishop in Memory Lake, a new Stake President, or new ward boundaries. Or maybe all of the above. Or none. Idk. Stay tuned.
I love being a missionary. I love the gospel of Jesus Christ it’s message of hope and of God’s love and being able to share it with the people of Alaska.
Remember who you are. Trust God and the rest will fall into place.
Have a super sparkly day.
Love, Sister Dunlop
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