July 5, 2021 Grand Island

 Hey y'all! I hope you all had a fantastic fourth of July! I discovered that Nebraskans actually light off fireworks every morning, afternoon, and evening a week and a half before the actual Independence day so Sister Brice has not gotten a ton of sleep for awhile and has been trying really hard to not be cranky. RIP.

Well, a quick rundown of this week:

We made a pitstop at the church so we could run to the bathroom. We noticed that one of the elder companionships was parked right outside. Well, I opened the door to the mother's lounge, because the womens bathroom is through there, and came face to face with my district leader and his companions sitting on the couches. 

I didn't expect to see them, and I might have screamed. 😅

For the fourth of July, someone gave us a ham, so I jerry rigged a roasting pan and we glazed that sucker and had a missionary family dinner. It was a blast! I wasn't expecting to be fed on Independence day, but I was a fool. For I forgot how many members love to feed the missionaries. Every companionship had at least one other dinner given to them. 

We visited an older sister who was suffering from temporary delirium in the hospital. She was NOT happy to see us and almost became a hospital runaway. It's the first time that an active member has screamed me out of the room.

We went over to an investigator's trailer, armed with a restoration lesson and a free gallon of whole milk. Now, our investigator's (code)name is Melody and she has a small trailer with fourteen full sized dogs, two cats, a ferret, five fish, a loose ball python that occasionally appears in beds, and a very aggressive and abusive son in law.

We had given Melody a Book of Mormon about two weeks ago, but she likes to talk and we hadn't been able to share much of a lesson yet.

But don't you worry, Sister Brice may be a tad bit awkward, but I have mastered the talent of blurting out random questions to start lessons.

Her: *Forty five minutes into telling us everything that went wrong this week.*

Me: *Blurts out* "That's hard. How has this affected your relationship with God?"

Her: *surprised and beginning to be thoughtful* "Well, I've been praying to him a lot..."

Me: "That's amazing. That's actually what we wanted to talk to you about today."

Well, we start giving her a resto. 

We do all the good stuff: ask her questions, direct the conversation, use scriptures, bear testimony, AND THEN we throw out our invitation. 

"Melody." I stated, pausing for a few extra  moments to add effect. (It helps get people's attention). "Would you be willing to do as Joseph Smith did, and ask God if what you are reading and pondering about is true?"

AND YOU KNOW WHAT SHE FLIPPING SAYS?!?!?!

This woman, who has nothing, absolutely nothing. She has faced horrors most people can't imagine. She's found family members days, weeks, and months after they committed suicide. She's been homeless, on the streets, had her kids taken away from her, been divorced, been abused, struggles to eat every day. Do you know what she said to us?

"I know this book is true. It is the word of God and I feel peace when I read it."

And then she launched into a story about her grandmother, the only good parental figure in her life, who was a member and read the Book of Mormon with her every time she came over. Melody has been prepared. Seeds were planted in her long ago that are just now beginning to sprout, but she KNOWS that the Book of Mormon is from God.

I can add to her testimony. I know that this book is true. I know that it can change your life and bring you greater peace and happiness that you could ever imagine. I know it can heal your broken parts. I know it's true. I know it's from God. And Melody knows it too.

Unfortunately, transfers has hit again and the Lord has called me away from Grand Island. I'm really going to miss this place and all of the people in it. My MTC companion, Sister Higgins, is going to replace me here and I know she will do a good job, but it sucks to leave.

We were told this week that I give off a lot of 'mom energy' and my companion Sister Poulsen gives off a lot of 'fairy godmother' energy. I suppose its because I keep trying to stop the bigger elders from wrestling the mild one. 

Remember, there is nothing that you could do that would make Jesus Christ love you any less.

Love you all,

Sister Brice

P.S. I rode a horse (statue)