Best Week Ever!

Well hello my fellow loved ones! I hope you are all healthy and happy!

This week has been quite a doozy for me! Let me recount for you just what has happened as of late.....

 

Monday- worst P day ever- the other sisters drove Hna Ihler and I around forever and we were in the car all day :/

Then at the end of the day I get out of the car to discover that I sat on my glasses and bent the right side and when I tried to bend it back it just ended up snapping off- awesome! I only wear them to drive now and look like a fool because they sit on my face crooked now or I have ghetto tape keeping them together which only lasts a day. Love it!

Tuesday- Got a call from Elder Hunt at the Mission Office telling me that my mother had called because someone had stolen my debit card info. I then called Wells Fargo to find out that someone had been having one heck of a fiesta in Colombia after making a counterfeit of my card- Booya! (As Hna Ihler would say)

Wednesday Night- Hna Ihler and I decide to make flyers for our Spanish activities and so as we drive to the church to do that. Well it's 8:05 and pretty dark and there are no street lights where I am- I begin to make a right when Hna Ihler points out that the church is actually straight ahead so as I begin to correct myself and stay on the road (or so I thought) we fell right into a beautiful ditch! Woop! Here's where it gets really funny- We get out of the car to see why I can't reverse myself out of it and Hna Ihler decides that I'm going to get back in the car while I drive in reverse- So Hna Ihler has her legs spread far pushing the car with all her might as I'm sitting in the car about to start crying. Welp. the car doesn't budge and we don't have a phone (booya) so we leave the car sitting in the dark ditch and run as fast as we can to the church- luckily the other sisters were there teaching a lesson. So I burst open the door on their lesson and tell them that there's been an emergency. When they find out what has happened they excuse themselves and all four of us run as fast as we can to the car. Sister Turner suggest that we say a prayer and after we do all three sisters decide that they can push it out and so I get back in the car as I watch these three sisters push with all of their might. No luck, still stuck. It just so happens that it was mutual night at the church and so as people begin to leave the building, they stop and get out to see what happened and before I know it I am surrounded by the whole dang ward! It comes to my attention from the amazing Brother Koonce that the car is high-centered and is not going anywhere without a tow truck. I make the unfortunate call to Elder Rodak who's in charge of cars and tell him what I had done. We then called a tow truck and he said he would be there as soon as possible. Welp, the tow truck guy got lost and couldn't figure out where we were, so he took a little longer than usual. As we were waiting, there were 4 teenage boys "assessing the damage" while other members of the ward joyfully kept us company. At the time I was a little flustered and wish that they had just left but now I'm grateful that they cared enough to stay with us and kept me calm. Oh, and the Zone Leaders were there too- more witnesses to my foolishness! The kind tow truck man- Bobby- finally came and saved the day and pulled the car out so gently. Seriously, he was so careful. About one hour, 20 witnesses and 10 jokes made at my expense later, all was well and we made it home just in time for curfew.

The next morning Elder Rodak called again and was so kind and so helpful and offered a lot of inspiring words to make me feel better. I did cause a bit of damage to the car but Hna Ihler and I are okay and life goes on! Elder Rodak asked that I send pictures of the damage to him and so I thought I would have a bit of fun with that- I had Hna Ihler take a picture of me laying beside the ditch showing where the car was and then at Walmart I added text that read "(Insert Car Here!)" Sure hope they have a sense of humor at the Mission Office!

 

After all is said and done, I can easily say that it is so obvious that someone does not want me here serving the Lord. He ALMOST got to me, I am not going to lie, I've had thoughts of just coming home. BUT I know that my Savior has called me to this work and that I need to be here. When life gets rough, just ask yourself A) What is Heavenly Father trying to teach me? and B) What great thing will I be doing or what blessing will I be receiving that the adversary is trying to keep me from? Wednesday night as Hna Ihler and I laid in bed, we sat and talked and she said something that gave me chills. She said that she feels like after everything that had happened, we must be so close to doing something absolutely amazing. We are on the brink of so many amazing miracles, I can feel it. The adversary can try all he wants but I'm staying right here in Paducah and following my Savior to the people and places he has prepared for us. When life gets rough, you have to make the decision to carry on and choose to follow our Savior. If you don't, things are just going to get worse and the light of hope that Christ offers us will grow dimmer and dimmer. Never let that bright light grow dim, no matter what life throws at you. If we keep an eternal perspective on everything, all is well. Nothing can ever seem THAT bad. This is my testimony that I know to be true.

 

One last thing....we have this man Billy Joe in our ward. Billy Joe is a convert of a few years, he's in his 70's and he's absolutely nuts- I LOVE it! He shares the Gospel with anyone he comes into contact with- he even gets kicked out of churches because he'll go in during their services and preach about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He came to church yesterday in a cub scouts uniform. He's the best. He got up to bear his testimony and he said some of the most beautiful things I have ever heard. I'll try and paraphrase what he shared: "You all come to church every Sunday, and every time you come you get cooked. This is a cooking process. Do you know why God cooks us? God cooks us to make us tender. These men come up here and cry as they bear their testimony because the Lord has made them tender. The Lord needs us to be tender so that he can manifest His power to us and witness that He is the Christ."

I don't remember his exact words but it was such a beautiful message. Always remember to be tender and to allow the Spirit to work within your heart. Be tender enough to feel the power of Christ within your life.

 

I love you all so much. We were able to go to a fireside last night where the Nashville Tribute Band played for just our mission and our investigators. It was incredible. We took our neighbor Kevin who we're teaching and he seemed to really enjoy it. At one point they had all of the missionaries stand up and we got to sing with them as they were singing a song from their album The Work- it was such a powerful moment and I was reminded of the incredible Spirit in this work and the incredible message that we have the honor of sharing with the world. They also talked about how so many people are praying for us and in that moment I felt all of your love and support and I just want to thank you for your prayers. I feel them everyday and need them- especially after this week! Please pray for our neighbor Kevin. We love him so much and know the impact that this gospel can and will have on his life.

 

I miss y'all so much and think about you and pray for you all the time!

 

Hermana Knight (or Hermana Noche- I have the tags now, so it's official!)

 

P.S. I could sure use some letters or pictures sent my way right now! If you've been waiting for the perfect time to write me- now is probably the time! :)