Prince is doing well. He didn't come to church because he just got a new job but he should be able to come next week hopefully. I have gotten emails from Sam, but not since he left, it will be good to hear form him. That is so cool that Braydon is getting baptized. and I am so jealous that Sam got to hang out with Shannon and Braydon so much. Tell Krade happy birthday for me. Sounds like it was a good one. We get roaches quite often here I think I would still rather have those then beetles. No thanksgiving here, that is pretty sad. I am trying to spin it so I can go over to Elder and Sister Jacksons who are from Utah. We will have to see.
This Week:
So last Monday I had an awful experience. We were at the flat just having lunch. I was making my version of Mac & Cheese and our landlady rolled up. She was coming to inspect the flat. The flat was a mess. All 4 of us got double shifted into this flat and the last 4 elders that moved out didn't really clean anything at all because they were leaving and wouldn't have to deal with it. We were left with a huge mess and we have been playing catch up. The night before however we had gotten into a really big sleep over party mode - we had some other Elders stay with us. We had an important Zone Leader meeting so we had 6 extra Elders staying with us from up north because they drove down the night before. So when I say the flat was a mess, it was a mess! It was an awful time to get an inspection.
My companion answered the door, and she asked him if he could move his car from off the grass, so we went out to move it and she started inspecting. We came back in and my companion decided to use the toilet. So there I was with the landlady, trying to make excuses/explanations for everything that was a mess. I am glad I can think on my feet. She asked me if I would live like this at home, and I just said, "No". When she asked me "why not?" I pulled the whole, I am just a young kid living far from home and my mom would never allow this and how I haven't seen her for a year now... I think that softened her up. By the end of the 45 min inspection (my companion is still in the toilet) I had her laughing. At the beginning I tried to make a few jokes and she didn't even crack a smile, but by the end I think she realized my situation and how everyone else wasn't around and she was just taking it all out on me. She actually apologized to me at the end and I said "Don't worry Coraline, I deserve it, I made this whole mess." She busted up laughing. She is a nice lady, with a few kids. She enjoys walking and biking. I asked her to give us a chance to fix everything so she said she is coming by today to check the flat again, pretty much to give us a second chance.
Later in the week there were two packages dropped off at two of the sisters flats. They were sprayed with perfume, and had a note that said happy birthday on them. When they opened them one flat got a dead rat, and the other flat got a dead hedgehog. We still don't know who did it. Somehow the sisters had heard about me dropping off dead possums up north and they are all convinced it was me. I will admit, I would not be above pulling that prank, but it wasn't me or my companion we are still trying to figure it out. It wasn't anyone in our zone - we have alibies for all of the Elders in the zone. It must have been someone from out of zone. We will get to the bottom of this.
Sorry it wasn't too spiritual this week, the church is true.
Elder Summers