Work Is Fun (I Can't Believe I Just Said That!)

There is no group email from Emily this week, just this one she sent to her family. While we were talking with her another sister walked by and said hello to us, told us how much she loves Emily, and how Emily is the hardest working missionary on Temple Square. So her second paragraph about working hard is totally true. She didn't mention this in her email, but our friends the Wilkes were in Salt Lake on Memorial Day and were able to go on a tour with Emily. Knowing that people care enough about Em to find her at Temple Square really means a lot to us. Thank you Wilkes family!

Okay mom and dad here is the scoop. 

Like I said on the phone: seven peeps on date but only like two or three will talk to us which is only slightly awkward. Spanish people are prepared but they also have no problems ghosting you which is pretty sad. 

This week we have been working hard hard hard. We have like no free time. The queue is still on FIRE and so there is no shortage of things to do in the Teaching Center. We exceeded our goal of lessons for the transfer which is legit. I love being on temple square because we actually teach like crazy. There are no shortages of opportunities to teach and testify and invite. 

A British flag nametag for every day wear...

This week we were in guest services (this place where people can call in and schedule tours) and we had this guy call and I was like hey thanks for calling what can I do for you and then he was like "I want to join your church, did I call the right place" and he did not because our job there was the schedule tours but you know I was like "YES YOU DID FOR SURE TELL ME MORE" and so I got the info and said I would call soon and see up the locals and everything. So, I called him yesterday and he picked up the phone and I didn't even say anything and he was like "I don't feel like talking right now" except he yelled that and then hung up. So I texted him and said I was sorry but when could I call back that would work better for him. Kind of a short-lived miracle if I do say so myself. 

Also, we had a really bad day last Wednesday. It was raining first of all and then no one on TC would pick up the phone and the people that did were rude and would hang up on me and I was struggling hardcore and then we were running late to our flagpole tour and when we got there our zone leaders were there in normal clothes and I was like crap they had to choose today for a pass off tour?? In case you don't know what that is, a pass off tour is when you are in your first transfer (aka Sister Costilla my trainee) the zone leaders come and do a big elaborate role play and they go on a tour. Usually they tell you but apparently, they wanted it to be a surprise sooooo yeah. It was the worst tour of my life. Sister Costilla literally forgot how to speak English (her words not mine) and everywhere we went was loud with either kids screaming or with organists playing loud songs right as you start to testify and I was like for reals?! And it was just a crazy mess. Our zone leaders said they would call us to evaluate and I was like oh don't bother and they haven't called yet so hopefully they forget forever. Mark my words our tours are usually the BEST EVER like so so good but we were just off our groove that day. Then we did more TC and more people hung up on me and I was just having a hard time keeping it together. So, we went to go get a pretzel from the mall because ya girl was craving one and also I had had a hard day so we were going to eat our sorrows and then the pretzel guy gave me my pretzel for free. I was like what?? And he was like please no worries and I was like wait why no I'll pay and he was just like nope it's on me. And then I almost cried because wow, what a beautiful blessing. I had been praying for comfort all day and I hadn't found any, but then this beautiful man gave me a beautiful pretzel for free and man God is just so good and He will always comfort us. Even if it is with something as small as a pretzel... even though this pretzel was anything but small. It was actually massive. 

This week we put Taijah our one referral from Conference that was working on date!!! I am so excited for her. She knows she wants to be baptized but she is just so scared of her family so if you could pray for her that would be greatly appreciated because I think she could use it. 

Also, I don't know if you heard this mom, but I passed off in German this week!! I gave Sister Metzner the tour and she said it was good! I actually thought that it was the worst, but I mean she is the German person so I guess if she thinks that I can give a good enough German tour to bring people closer to Christ then I should have more faith. I know that God won't let me screw up and I'll just keep studying and learning more and then I will be able to give tours even better in the future! 

 and a German flag nametag just for fun!

Also, we went to this hole in the wall pizza place today and it made me think of dad! It was like hidden and underground and their pizza was RIDICULOUS good and I'm pretty sure I gained like 12 pounds from my two slices. Anyways dad, the next time that you are in Salt Lake City, you should go because you would love it! 

For memorial day weekend, my roommates and I built a fort in the living room and we all moved our mattresses in there and we had a sleepover from Friday to Monday and it was so fun! It was a great way to make a dent in my box of sugar and diabetes from the Thetford Ward Relief Society. Plus, it was just fun to be there and all laughing and talking and having a fort and doing a sleepover. And it made me love my roommates more. Not gonna lie, it made me realize that they are not super obedient and usually I would have a hard time liking them let alone loving them (because it isn't that hard to be obedient and I tend to get mad when I see people not being obedient and following the rules) but I think that I am starting to grow because I can still love them even when they are disobedient because that is their choice, I just need to worry about me and do my best. Their best is different from mine and that goes for all areas of the work. Lots of people have seen more success and are better than me at lots of things here, but I don't have to worry about that and it doesn't mean I'm not good just because I haven't had as many baptisms. Okay, that was a weird tangent but oh well. 

For Memorial Day, an American flag nametag!

This morning we gave a tour to the two Polish ladies and they were Catholic and they were just like dumbfounded and kept saying "You guys aren't that different from us like it is way more similar than we thought" and we were like yeah I mean there are some differences but yeah not that many and then we were straight TESTIFYING about the Book of Mormon and about Jesus Christ up at the Christus and I know that they were feeling it and we were like "We would love for you to have a copy" and they were like yeah we were going to ask where we could buy one and we were like "Oh no we have them for free and we have them in Polish even!" And so they took and they took an extra for their mom (or grandma for the daughter one) and we got their emails and they were like "Can we get a picture?" and we were like yeah for sure and they were so cool. What a miracle! Hopefully, they actually read and respond to our emails and we can't start teaching them. They really liked everything we talked about so I think that we could make something happen. Well not us but you know God could, working through us. 

Sorry about all the pictures lately, we are trying to take one a day but sometimes the lighting is so good that we just take a million, you know how it can be sometimes. Anyways, I think that is all I have for you. It has been a great week full of work and hopefully this coming week we will have even more work to do. I love being a missionary. And even though I miss you both and everyone so so much I don't ever want to go home. I don't know if that makes sense. Like I want to go home but at the same time, I never want to go home. Think what you will about that. 

Emily and Sister Costilla take LOTS of photos. Every morning I check my google photos account and there's usually a new photo shoot waiting for me :) 

I love and miss you both SO MUCH and just getting to talk you was really nice. Don't get me wrong I love my sisters but it is nice to just talk to you two. Have an amazing week and I'll talk to you next Tuesday!!!!! 

Love 

Em