The Southern Sister: 21 September 2015 - I need my Pop...or someone that lives with me.

So this week was a different one! Pop had to get a medical treatment done and so he was out of the house for the week. Last Sunday we were teaching primary and the Green's granddaughter bumped her head off the chalkboard shelf. She just dropped to the floor holding her head and calls out "I need my Pop, or someone who lives with me!" She was really ok but it was so cute that that was her first reaction. But for me all this week that has been my reaction too because Pop has been out of town. There are a lot of missionaries struggling and depending on Sister Widdison and I right now and so whenever the stress gets to high I just look at her and say "I need my Pop, or someone that lives with me. Anyways Pop is home now and that means Ms. Robin is around more to because she isn't away with him. They really are family and treat us like we are their daughters. We are so spoiled and are just soooo taken care of. This morning Pop took us out in his Jeep to see the Kasatchie forest right down the road. We went trail riding and went to the gas station and got some Hot Chocolate. It was actually cooled off this morning, IT FELT SO GOOD!!
This week was good, we were able to get somewhere with a less active, Lauren! For me that is one of the most exciting steps, being able to re kindle that fire. So she is so ready to work on changing her life and truly returning to full activity. She literally has just been waiting for missionaries to help her change, she is a convert of a couple years but still needs help. Just because someone is baptized LDS dont assume they know how to use the Atonement or what the sacrament means. She wants to be a spiritual giant like some other church members but gets discouraged because she doesnt know how. We talked about using prayer, scripture study, family home evening and temple worship to change her life and to get her to where she wants to be. I am really happy for her. Once we talked she opened up to tell us that when she was doing all 4 of these things she truly was happier and felt a lot more invincible.
We had exchanges twice this week so the week flew by. I went to DeRidder, La. It was good we went to a chinese buffet and I had frog legs... hahaha its like chicken consistency with a fishy flavor. I went with Sister Honey she is really cute but is also having a hard time. So much to focus on, trying to balance my focus i'll probably get it figured out right before I get moved out of here haha good learning experience! We also had specialized training with President Hansen. It was really good, he gave us all sorts of ideas. One of them was to draw the plan of salvation with chalk at the park and then walk people through it. That sounds pretty fun to me! That is one of the things I have to remember is you have to have fun while doing missionary work, if you dont people think youre miserable and dont want anything to do with you or you message.
Mr. Joe got baptized in McComb, Ms!!! Yay, I got to FaceTime with him and the whole Branch. It was spectacular and it filled a hole. I MISS MISSISSIPPI. His baptism was on Saturday the 19th of September. On Friday the 18th we had to drive to Baton Rouge to get our inspection on our car. It expired at the end of August but for some reason we were not able to make the 2 and a half hour drive until 18 days later haha. But I now know why. There are absolutely no coincidences. So Friday morning I talk to the McComb about Joe's baptism and how we would FaceTime and got all the details worked out. I got off the phone and cried my eyes out because I miss Mississippi so bad. Then once we were in the car heading to Baton Rouge the McComb Sisters texted me to let me know that one of my members from McComb was in the hospital under suicidal watch. I asked them to send me a phone number for the member and I texted her to check in on them. She was so happy to hear from me and I was so excited to talk to her. We talked for a bit then she randomly told me that they were at the Baton Rouge Hospital because the Jackson, Ms hospital didnt have room for her. I immediately told her I was in Baton Rouge too! She drove over to us right then and when I saw her we both ran to each other and gave each other a great big hug. I sat there and just felt peace, I felt like I was in Mississippi and I knew that God had heard my cries that very morning. As we hugged I felt her hot tears roll down my cheeks and as we pulled back she looked at me and asked if we could go see her daughter in the hospital. I said absolutely! So we went and I hugged her daughter for 10 minutes straight until we had to leave the hospital and pick up our car. As I was leaving they both told me that I had made their day! And I just thought about how they had made mine. God is good and I have never felt so loved by Him in my entire life. He knew just what I needed and He knew just what they needed and He made our paths cross. I know that He loves us all and that there is no greater feeling in this life than the tender mercies of our God.
Have a blessed week yall.
Youre in my thoughts and prayers.
Sister Kerr