Hay is for Horses! And Missionaries!

This week? This week was weird. It started off so strong, with some appointments with people we'd really been hoping to see, and even one person seeing us on campus, walking up to us, and saying he could meet that night (we'd been trying to meet with him for aaaaages!). And then it started to kind of fizzle out: people cancelled, forgot, or flaked out. The weather started to get cold. And windy. And we struggled to really teach people.

But don't worry. Life is still good. I gave a training in District Meeting this last week, all about faith and my favorite chapter of the Book of Mormon, Alma 32! Hooray! Plant a seed, y'all. Plant a seed. And then nourish it. And I hope Jeanette doesn't kill me, but I told her "It is moldy" story as part of my training. Nourish your seed, but don't let it get moldy! Give it the right attention, don't let it sit there doing nothing. Anyway, the story got a big laugh. Now, if only I could find a way to work in her story of the dirty socks... (I happen to think Jeanette stories are the best. They are just so funny to me!)

Then on Thursday we went to a home for dinner, and they live on an farm with some horses and a cow and a couple of calves. And after dinner, she asked if we would help feed the animals since her husband was out of town. Would we? Oh yes! So I have had some authentic Nebraska experiences, folks. I have fed horses while wearing a skirt. And I have helped chase a cow in an enclosure to get her into the cattle chute so the calves could feed (they aren't her calves, so she sometimes won't let them feed, but she sure loves to pester them and make sure they go where she wants). And I have helped coax a horse over an (insulated) electric wire so he would go to a lower pasture. And when I got home, there was alfalfa and hay all down my shirt. So, you know, I'm living the dream.

Then on Saturday, we got a call from this sister again: would we come after conference to help put the last of the hay up? It was baled and out in the field (the elders had helped with a bunch of it earlier in the week, but there was more to do), and she had received word of possible rain and snow to come, and there were still a bunch of hay to get to the barn. So Sister Gulledge and I put on our jeans and bundled up (did I mention that it turned to fall this week? It's chilly, people. Chilly.) and headed out to help with the hay. So we gathered hay into the truck, and then stacked it in the barn. Fun times! Again with the hay all down my shirt... Oy. And down my pants. And in my teeth. You would think I had been trying a snack of it myself! Alas, nope. The wind just blew it into my face, and sometimes your mouth is open so you can breathe, you know? And so you accidentally ingest some hay. That may or may not have happened. I will neither confirm nor deny.

When we arrived home, we were cold and tired, so we went to turn on the heat for the first time, and the breaker blew and put the power out for our apartment. We sat in the dark and waited for the maintenance guy to come and put things to right. Apparently there was a second breaker that is outside our apartment that had also flipped. Oy. That's okay, though. It all works out. We now have heat and lights and we are doing splendidly.

Let's talk about conference, though. What did you all like? I loved so much of it! I liked Elder Holland's, President Uchtdorf's, and Elder Dube's talks the most--though I think Elder Ochoa's was right up there. I think the thing that I really liked the most was President Uchtdorf's saying, "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith." I think someone should put that on a big ol' billboard with flashing lights. Faith is so much more helpful than doubts. Doubts just make you sad, but faith makes you hopeful. Be hopeful, not sad, okay? Sad is just... sad! I am hopeful! And I love you all! Keep up being awesome! And I love your letters and emails. They make me happy.

Tomorrow we travel to Lincoln for a training. Wish us luck and safe travels!

Love,

Sister Loradona May