First things first: Thanks for the reminder about Adam Lambert. I did remember halfway through the week, but it's still nice to know that you're keeping me in the loop. Also, Sister Kemp and I have been wondering if you could give us a brief synopsis of the story of the Three Billy Goats Gruff. And not because we want to talk to them. I just can't remember it, and I remembered that I couldn't remember it when we walked across a little bridge the other day. Please, my literature reputation is at stake!
Now, I have a few random celebrity (sort of) stories to tell you.
ONE: Have you been watching Dancing with the Stars? Because everyone down here is talking about Donny Osmond being on it, and I don't recall YOU mentioning it, which stuns me, to say the least. Is he any good? I get kind of mixed reviews from different sources, but I know your opinion and mine would certainly be the same.
TWO: We had a service project on Saturday, helping out with someone's Eagle project in our ward. They had us come, and also had us recruit any elders in the area who wanted to come and help. They made it sound like there would be a million non-members there, plus a camera crew from a local news station. In reality, neither of those things were true, but ten elders plus two sister missionaries did show up to help. Sister Kemp and I arrived first with some Spanish-speaking missionaries, even before the prospective Eagle Scout. We're talking 7 in the morning. And while we're standing around waiting to be put to work, Elder Inkley starts laughing and says, just loud enough for the four of us to hear, "I didn't know Billy Ray Cyrus would be here." And sure enough, about thirty feet away from us, stands a man who looks just like Billy Ray Cyrus of the "Achy-Breaky Heart" years. If you think you're having a bad hair day, well, he's having a bad hair life. But people keep telling him it looks good. What's worse? Elder Inkley also said, "Where's Hannah?" AWOL, that's where she was. In the end, Sister Kemp and I ended up doing mostly odd jobs due to the fact that no one wanted the sister missionaries helping to remove the old tin roofing and replace it with shiny, red, new roofing. At first we felt like secretaries, because they assigned us to check people in when they arrived. Only the entrance was really confusing, not to mention I hate just sitting there while there are like thirty men working like crazy right by us. Eventually, we abandoned the permanent secretarial post and became more like wandering secretaries, finding odd jobs to do here and there, like gathering acorns, washing a million dog dishes, removing plastic covering from the new tin roofing, etc. In the midst of our wanderings, I discovered a connection to Idaho Falls. Apparently, Cody's mom's cousin is in our ward. When she found out I was from Idaho Falls, she said, "Do you know any Jardine's there?" "Well, I know a Cody Jardine. He's practically my brother." "Oh, Cody's my cousin. Actually, his mom, Deedra (sp?) is my cousin." I don't know her first name, but her last name is Keck. Also at the service project there were huge--HUGE--spiders everywhere. Yuck. Cassidy, do you remember when we had to get changed in that bathroom at Weimea Falls and there were spiders in the corners? They had a bathroom kind of like that. EW!
THREE: Last but not least, I discovered that there is a shop on Main Street in Tomball that sells odd pets, including Ron's Rats. Too Harry Potter, eh? The owner's name is Ron, and he sells rats; thus, Ron's Rats. It could also easily pass for a shop on Diagon Alley. I tell you this in honor of Halloween. There's also a really funny story about Ron's Rats that I cannot tell here, in order to protect the innocent. But remind me about it later. I wrote it in my journal this week.
Sadly, Main Street Tomball also has what I call "the ghost of a Sonic," or "the graveyard of Happy Hour." Apparently, there used to be a Sonic on Main Street, even this summer, and then one day the sisters got a call from the elders saying it had closed. Permanently. And sure enough, it was all painted and boarded up, and now it's just a boring grey color. I'm even sorrier to hear about the one in Idaho Falls, but I'm guessing it's some kind of symptom of the recession. Every time I've been to Sonic recently, they ask if I want to buy something else, like Jalepeno poppers or some of their other greasy weird side dishes. No. No, I do not want fried string cheese. Not even once. But maybe no one else does either. Where will we get the ice for my wedding?
This has been a wonderful week, although it's had its ups and downs. One of our investigators, the Vietnamese lady, can no longer meet with us because her husband wants her to go to his Vietnamese Catholic church and not ours, even though we can tell she is feeling the Spirit at ours. That's hard. BUT--our other investigator, Alex, is back in town and eager to be baptized as soon as possible. We're meeting with him a lot this week. His first contact with the Church was twenty years ago in his home country of Venezuela, although he is now a U.S. citizen, having served ten years in the Navy. Unfortunately, he technically lives outside of our area, so we're not sure if he'll be able to be baptized into our ward or not. Either way, right now November 7 is the day.
Also, on Friday we get to go to College Station for Charles Marshall's baptism! I'm ecstatic! He is just one of the best people I've met since being in Texas, hands down. The sisters in College Station even said he's been asking about me, and can't quite grasp the concept that I moved. So, if everything goes according to plan, three of my favorite people will be getting baptized in the next two weeks. What joy!
A few quick tidbits from yesterday. They had the primary program, and the kids sang this cool song called "Jesus is Coming." It almost sounds like a Southern spiritual. I felt like I certainly was in Texas, and I almost wanted to stand up and say, "Hallelujah!" I refrained, but the temptation was present. Also, during our Relief Society lesson, the teacher was telling a story about some of her kids doing something on-line, and she was saying, "I can't remember it exactly ever. I call in MyFace." You know, a mixture of MySpace and Facebook. Too hilarious. Too clever.
Okay, now to respond to your e-mails. Dis.Gus.Ting. about Sister Hill having a spider bite. Ev.En.Worse. about Cassidy having swine flu. GET BETTER! That's an order, and congratulations on being an American history genius, even in a state of sickness.
Any music you could send would be greatly appreciated. Jenny Oaks Baker sounds amazing. More amazing than the Cougars this year. But maybe they can finally escape the Las Vegas bowl by virtue of going to no bowl game at all. Doesn't sound like that big of a sacrifice to me.
I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday morning. Hopefully the expense won't be too high. His secretary also informed me that he likes his patients to have a primary care physician, so I'll be making some phone calls on that one based on some recommended physicians from Sister Hansen. It's wonderful to hear that your car insurance expenses decreased. Truly, the Lord is blessing our family. There's no other explanation for it.
The final question: What is Eli going to be for Halloween? (Besides an eight-year-old boy being baptized.) I NEED to know. Send pictures.
From the girl who's going to make it after all,
Sister Whitney Sorensen
P.S. Thanks for the $10 in Halloween money. We bought some stuff to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and I guessed at the recipe from scratch. Not too shabby. Just call me Paula Deen.
P.P.S. Is that Elise's full address? There's not an apartment number or anything? Just want to be sure...
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