June 7, 2021 "It's Only an 18 Year Age Gap"

 Hello brothers and sisters! Its been a long and crazy week, but I hope that you are all doing well. I pray for you. 

Well, I guess I'd better explain the email heading real quick. I had a couple of local men message me on Facebook who were... not looking for the gospel. One of them was 38! (Thats 4 years younger than my dad!)

Yuck.

Well, anyways, there were two big things that happened this week. 

First, there was an older sister in our ward who was moving. As she bought furniture, the missionaries would be enlisted to help her bring it in. (I constructed a table and bed that several of the ward members hadn't been able to figure out, which I give credit to my dear father who taught me how to use problem solve through difficult tasks). Anyways, this Sister, whom we will call Sister W, bought one of those large TV stands. But the big ones, you know, like the ones that a TV can sit in, with shelves for DVDs and all your video game controllers? So she called us up, because the elders weren't able to make it, so Sister Poulsen (who can't be more than 110 pounds even with her scripture bag) and I roll up. And she's got this 300-400 pound TV stand that she needs to take down the stairs and through the narrow concrete hallway with a sharp turn into her apartment. 

And Sister W tells us that she doesn't think that we can do it, but she thought she'd give us a call so we didn't feel left out. So Sister Poulsen and I roll up our sleeves and get to work. We pull that sucker off of the truck and carry it to the stairs. 

Because I'm bigger, I've got the bottom end as we head down. And its heavy and bulky, and I ask Sister Poulsen if she needs to set it down.

And I get a look.

You know those glares? The ones that make you take a step back? This 110 pounds woman GLARES at me and grabs this TV stand and PUSHES. I don't think I even carried anything. She lifted four plus times her body weight. Sister Poulsen HAULED that thing into Sister W's living room. And Sister W's eyes go wide and she claps her hands and exclaims:

"Well done girls! I didn't think you could do this. We will have to tell the missionaries about this! I know you're sister missionaries, but you know, the real missionaries."

I thought we were missionaries too...

Sister W was SOO impressed that she took us out to Olive Garden AND during fast and testimony meeting, she bore her testimony on the sister missionaries physical strength. EVERYONE was watching us. 

The second story I'd like to share is that we met the Sister Stalker! Brother Adams was at his mother's house when we visited and he was... very gracious to us. He gave us sausages and jerky and bacon and candles and butterfly haircuts for our hair, and dilly bars. 

It was... very thoughtful of him. 

Also, after he left, his mother was telling us a story and toppled over and we thought she was dead for a moment.

There never seems to be enough time for these emails, but I love and appreciate each of you. I'll try to get back to everyone who has written me. Thank you so much for the prayers.

This week I've been thinking a lot about excuses. We talk to so many people who tell us that they want to come to church, grow closer to Christ, etc, etc. But when we extend invitations, there are a thousand reasons why they can't. They work on Sunday, someone said something mean last time, they are too busy, etc etc. 

We owe it to ourselves and the people around us to be honest to ourselves. There are always going to be excuses. It is always going to be hard to wake up in time for church. There might always be oxs in the mire. You can lose a thousand book of mormons. But honestly? That doesn't help anyone. You are responsible for your time. 

You will make time for what matters for you. I know that the gospel is good and that it brings lasting happiness. I promise you that it does as well. But, if you aren't willing (or able) to act on what you say you believe, then you may need to decide what is truly important and what you are willing to give up.

Excuses don't help anyone. If you want to change, you will have to act. 

I invite you all this week, to evaluate the excuses in your life. Be honest with yourself and get rid of them. You will respect yourself more for that.

I love you guys and I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Love, 

Sister Sophie Brice