"Turtle Rock"
First off let me tell you how great it is to have super weird lessons as a
missionary. They make for the BEST stories. All missionaries will understand.
Our "Turtle Rock" incident was hands down the highlight of the week. I will get
to that story in a second. Try not to lose hope in humanity.
This week was actually really crazy. We had a lot of random things pop out
of nowhere. Sister McWilliams and I both got sick. We had nasty colds... and we're
still recovering. I hate runny noses! We've basically used a whole box of
tissues in 5 days. Awesome. I know you're all super jealous.
Our investigator, Anne, pulled out pamphlets on Anti-Mormon stuff this week
at an appointment. I had never seen it before. It was crazy. Most of it wasn't
even true, and the other stuff was taken out of context so it sounded really
weird. Anne said she knew that most of it was a lie and the truth was stretched, so we aren't
too concerned. But we'll definitely be watching her.
We also had dinner with a Pastor. That was quite an event. His church
preached Anti, so we got hit with that, too. (twice in one week....) He was
basically nicely bible bashing us. It was really cool to see how flustered he
was getting in the lesson. Sister McWilliams and I were completely fine and he
was always all over the place. It was mostly just a Q and A thing. He's a
talker, and he was reading some "notes" during our lesson and asking us
questions from the papers. It was anti Mormon stuff. Sister McWilliams couldn't tell, but
let's be honest. Nobody types 5 pages of notes to discuss with the Mormon missionaries when they come over for dinner. Nobody. And it was all weird
questions.
TURTLE ROCK STORY!
So we got a referral for another set of sisters. So we went to go visit him
with a member. He seemed pretty normal. So we sit and get to know
him a bit. His name is Lamar he used to meet with the Elders a several years
ago. This and that.. then our member asks about his religious background...And
so it began. Turns out he is a schizophrenic and has visions and hallucinations
all of the time.. After we get past the initial shock of hearing this craziness
we ask how he could see religion and faith blessing him in his life. He responds
simply by saying that he could definitely appreciate it as he knows that it
would enhance his "voice hearing" experiences... things like that. Haha!! So we
try and clarify the purpose of religion and ask if he is interested in learning
more.. His response goes something along these lines... Well the other day I was
on a walk and I found this rock and on it there's this turtle like fossil on
it..I couldn't find it anywhere on the internet or anything! So it has to be the
source of all spirituality. Okay basically he
tells us that right now he is enjoying too much his worshipping of his fossily
turtle rock. YEAH! I never thought I would actually meet someone that worships
false Idols!!! Like I said. Don't lose hope in humanity.
Yep. So it was a
pretty normal week. Hahahaha. But all of these things made me grateful for the
gospel and how much it blesses us. There are so many blessings that we are given
that we don't even see. I love that I know what I'm doing here, where I'm going,
and where I came from. It gives me peace to know that there's someone who knows
more than me. That He has a purpose for me here on earth. :)
I love all of you.
This is my last email as a teenage missionary. HOLLA. :)
Watch General
Conference. Its going to be SO GOOD.
All my love,
Sister
Gardanier
