May 31, 2021 "Tornados and Turds"

 Good morning brothers and sisters! Though it will probably be afternoon when I send this email. 

This week we had transfers which means that my dear trainer Sister Spendlove left to stay in Nebraska City and Sister Poulsen came down to Grand Island. While it was sad to see Sister Spendlove go, Sister Poulsen is hilarious! I don't know if I've ever laughed this hard or this often in my life. And everyone we've talked to has called us giggles. 

Some highlights from this week: 

- the sister I kept getting promptings to call ISNT dead. The twelfth time we called her, she picked up and told us that she had been contemplating suicide and was in a mental hospital.

- A woman threatened to sicc her chihuahuas on us if we came over to her house to give her the Bible she requested.

- We had to wrestle a mean cat out from under one of our disabled friend's bed and haul her to an animal shelter. 

- A gas station employee told us that he loved us. I think on accident?

- I've been practicing my scottish accent when we go knocking. It's coming along fantastically!

- We went to visit the yw in Kearney and a storm hit. We ended up driving an hour home in the dark during tornado and lightning storm weather because none of our leaders answered our phone calls.

- We made chocolate and black bean turds to place on the elder apartments just to spice life up. Twas very funny.

- We had four appointment set up on Sunday. I turned to my companion and said 'wouldn't it be funny if they all fell through?' They did. It wasn't funny.

I don't want to take too much of your guy's time with this email. I know they tend to be rather long...

But I have another 'Oh Sophie' story for y'all.

So, we went to deliver a Bible to an address who had requested one. And we get to the apartment system and there's a couple of people standing outside watching us, as most Nebraskans tend to do near the evenings when they sit on their porches. Well, right in front of the door to the apartment we are supposed to be knocking on is a super cute puppy. So I bend down to pet the puppy. Obviously. And I hear what sounds like footsteps, but they sound... unsteady, like someone doesn't quite trust their feet or know the right rhythm to walk. 

And I hear a voice. "My name's Mike." A man's voice declares, slightly slurred. 

"I'm not single ladies." He continues. I turn my head to see a man in his mid fifties with a poorly buttoned black shirt and grey hair that looks like he went through a science experiment.

"Ahh, that's ok." We aren't either." Sister Poulsen says, which was surprising because that's the first I've heard of this.

"And you are too young for me!" He added, sliding his hand along his thigh like he had something on his fingers.

"Thats my girlfriend." He continues, dropping to a whisper and extending his whole body out to gesture to a woman who sat smiling, staring at us. We waved and said hello. I asked how she was doing and she smiled brighter and said:

"Gooooooood. How are you?" She nodded emphatically, her blonde hair bobbing with the movement. 

"We are doing pretty good!" I replied. The realization that they were high out of their minds finally dawned on me, along with the reason why Sister Poulsen hadn't said anything. As Mike's girlfriend continued to nod at me, I smiled back. And then I smelled something really bad. I glanced to my side where Mike had gotten closer than comfort. He looked at me, then my companion, then me again. 

"You could live here with me." He announced. "I wouldn't mind." 

"That's ok, we have our own apartment." I told him. Mike squinted, staggering a little bit in place. 

"You could live with me." He repeated, still slurred slightly. "For free!" He added triumphantly.

Tempting. I told him that it was a generous offer but that we would have to pass. 

"Mmmhmmm." His girlfriend whispered from the background. "Tell them about the party."

"Oh!" Mike said, almost losing his balance as he turned back to us. "We're throwing a party. A BIG one. You probably can't handle us, but we're having a barbecue. You should come."

But Sister Poulsen declined, so I guess we aren't going to the barbecue...

This week, I've been learning a lot about prayer. You know how sometimes, someone will pray, and you can just tell that they have learned to speak to their Heavenly Father? That they know He is listening and will answer his prayers? This week, I've been paying a lot closer attention to the kinds of prayers that people offer. I think there's a real difference from the kind of people who pray to God and the kind of people who talk with Him. My viewpoint on prayer has come so far on my mission, and it continues to grow and develop.

I read a talk about prayer titled Adversity and Prayer in the October session of General conference 1973. And it is all about how God wants us to pray. He WANTS us to talk to him. Not with the same little phrases or with some feigned happiness. This week I've really been focusing on praying to God with what matters to me. With the emotions I feel. With everything that's going on. 

I've spent far too long saying prayers that sound more like a formal business letter to a boss rather than talking to a best friend or my parents.

What I'd like to challenge each of you to do this week is to pour your whole soul out to God every morning and night for the next week (of course, if you like the results, feel free to keep it up for eternities). And I know that you might think this invitation is directed towards someone else. It's not. Pray earnestly. Pray for forgiveness. Pray with gratitude. Pray when you are angry. Pray when you are exhausted. Pray when you are so joyful you could touch the moon. Please, for one week, don't hold anything back when you pray. I promise you, you will see miracles. And you will feel a deeper connection to God. He will feel closer to you.

Remember, there's nothing you could do that would make Jesus Chrisr love you any less.

Love, Sister Brice