March 8, 2021 Grand Island

 

I'm going to share another couple of parts to my week, but I thought this one probably wasn't super appropriate for everyone..

So first, I was a little snarky to a member on my very first week... 

So there's this woman in my ward.  She's an older single woman and she told my companion and I that sexual harassment wasn't real. And I got a little annoyed. And so, despite it not probably being very appropriate, I told her that it was a very real thing and that I had experienced it. And this older woman began to ask what I, myself, had done to initiate it. And I replied: "Well, the first time I was in middle school and I wore a shirt that wasn't a tee-shirt. The second time, I was fourteen and a half and was walking into a fast food restaurant for my very first job interview. And the third time..." Boy, my companion was looking at me with something- either horror or pride or a mixture of both. I didn't lose my temper, but I wasn't being kind either.

And I feel bad, but I did talk to her with respect and control. I've repented for losing my temper but I can't quite bring myself to repent for telling her off a little. It is serious subject and sometimes I can still feel the places where people have put their hands on me. I haven't had some of the truly awful experiences that other people have had,  but I have had friends who have. And I don't want to hear anyone say things like that again. 

Also, there's this guy, an older inactive man, who is... obsessed with the Sister missionaries in the ward, especially a few of the sisters who have been here in the past. We've been formally warned by the bishop, stake presidency, and many of the female members not to answer his calls. Though no one has answered him for several months, he continues to call us often sometimes multiple times a day, and he leaves lots of voice-mails begging us to call him back, to come over, to talk to us, or... explaining how much he liked certain sisters he's met before in very vulgar and disrespectful words.. Sometimes, he threatens suicide or self harm if we don't contact him back. (We let the elders take care of those times). Occasionally, he'll call the elders in our ward and ask where the sisters are or tell them how much he wants to meet with us.

There are so many people in Grand Island, especially single older women, who need so much help. There are apartments and neighborhoods entirely dependent on unemployment and food stamps and the churchs to live. The previous sisters would go up to the doors of less active members and find them sitting in filth and disease. There was one woman who the Sister missionaries (my trainer and her old companikn) and the ward helped move to another apartment. When the sisters found her, she was sitting in front of the TV. She had a stroke several years ago, so the left side of her body is paralyzed.  So she just decided to give up, I guess. She had roaches crawling across her lap and through her hair. She's doing a lot better now,  but there is so much need. I feel a little bad finding all these people who need so much help because these individuals take up so much of the member's and the missionaries time and money. We don't do much teaching or contacting because we have so many of these sisters that need help every week. Most are debilitated in some way either mentally or physically or both. I'm trying my best but I don't think it's enough. But what do you do? There are so many of these people and so few willing to help...

I thought I'd call you around 4:00 your time so that I don't pull dad away from work. And  that's great news about the medicine! I was starting to get worried! My address is 588 S Sturh Road #16 Grand Island, MD 68801! 

Love, 

Sister Brice