We are going to start this email off with a little social experiment. First, everyone go get a pie. Or a pizza. Just make sure it's circular. Next cut the pie into 6 equal pieces. Finally, eat one piece. Congratulations, you have finished the social experiment. The results will be available shortly.
This week involved a couple phone calls to 911. Not out of necessity . . . or intentiality (I don't think that's a word, but it is now). I guess that sometimes, the phone gets bounced around in my bag just the right way to make phone calls sometimes. And I guess that this week, the lucky person who was called was 911 . . . twice. We had absolutely no idea that had happened, and later noticed a missed call from the sheriff (whom we also had accidentally, unintentionally called back). Other than that, the week passed peacefully.
We had interviews with President Wheeler this week. I cannot begin to tell you how much I love President and Sister Wheeler. They are just the sweetest people. President Wheeler is always making the funniest statements. Sister Sprouse told me that in her interview, he said to her, "You're just low maintenance city!" Sister Wheeler is also just wonderful and she always wants to make sure all of us missionaries are taken care of. I love them.
I learned how to frost a wedding cake this week. Kenzie, who was baptized in June, is getting married to someone in the other sister's ward. Her fiance's mom asked us to help frost wedding cakes. It was the single most stressful experience of that morning. But it was also a lot of fun. Who would have guessed all the things I learned on my mission.
Okay, the results from the social experiment are available. That piece of pie that you ate, is how much of my mission has passed. I am officially three, and almost done with training! It's crazy because I still feel so new, but one sixth of my mission is a lot of time! It feels like it's been so fast.
We met a wonderful family this week! Sister Sprouse and I were tracting and we met a young mom named Cristy. She has three adorable little kids who had been reading a Veggie Tales book when we stopped by. Cristy's babysitter for her kids is LDS, and Cristy began telling us how she always has a lot of questions. We were able to give her a Book of Mormon, and share a little about it. Sister Sprouse and I are going back over tonight. Please pray that she'll have allowed the Spirit to touch her heart.
While I am mentioning prayers, please also keep Shannon in your prayers. She loved church when she came, and since then, Satan has been determined not to let her experience any more. We have wanted to take her to the Mesa Temple and Visitor Center, and every time, something happens so she can't. Last week, her car broke down, and this week she ended up having a trip to the Emergency Room. It breaks my heart to see Shannon having trials like she does, especially when I can see just how much the gospel will change her life and how ready she is. Please please pray for Shannon.
Amist all the ups and downs, I'm learning more every single week, and I am doing my best to share what I learn with those I meet. This week, I began thinking about the central themes of the Old and New Testament and the Book of Mormon. I'm currently reading the Old Testament, and it's a lot of "God told the Israelite to do something and then sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't". It's not always super exciting, but I've found a lot of meaning in it. On missions, exact obedience is essential to being a successful missionary, and the Old Testament teaches just that. It's a case study of exact obedience, the blessings that come when we are, and what happens when we aren't.
The New Testament is a case study of being receptive to the Spirit. Throughout the entire book, Christ or His Apostles or followers are boldly testifying of His divinity and what He would do/did for each of us. Some people listen, and some people don't even when Christ is standing right in front of them. It teaches us how essential it is to be willing to listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost to teach us truth.
Finally, the Book of Mormon is the story of pride versus humility. Over and over and over throughout the Book of Mormon, people are going back and forth between the two. With the lessons in the Bible, it completes and bares a second witness of those lessons, and more importantly, that Jesus is the Savior. Thinking about that has helped me realize just how important the Book of Mormon is. It requires exact obedience to follow God and study His word, and being receptive to know that it is His word. It teaches of things that all of us struggle with today, and more than anything else, it bares witness of what Jesus Christ did for each of us. I love the Book of Mormon, and I know it to be true.
I love you all and if I could tell you one thing, it would be to read the Book of Mormon every single day! Thanks for all your love!
Sister Sabey
Celebrating my third birthday with Bahama Bucks
Rain!!
When it rains, it pours (and we get a bunch of new ponds)
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