Meetings, Waco, Couches, Oh My

Monday:
I love P day, it is so nice to get out and exercise, andtalk to my family. I didn't think we would be quite as busy as we were today. But that's what I get for thinking that! We did the usual P day activities such as: writing emails, getting food at the store, laundry, and playing sports with the district.
It started off by getting food at Walmart. Now if you were wondering when a perfect time to get your groceries from a Walmart is, look no farther, I have an answer for you. Monday morning around 8:30, 10 out of 10 MWAH Chefs kiss! There is no better time than this! All the hooligans are in school, all the parents are at work, and it's just you and all the sweet old people that might happen to be shopping at that time. It was so quiet in the store you could actually hear the music that was playing!!
P day is over at 6 pm, you change back into your shirt and tie and get back to work.
Tuesday:
We had two lessons that we planned for that were going to be absolute BANGERS!! We had the lessons so ready to go and we were super duper excited but. . . Both of the lessons were canceled on us. :( It was really a big bummer when they told us. There goes our whole day. Not really, but most of it. It is ok though, we will just meet with them again at a future time. God didn't need us to meet with them today. One of them we will see tomorrow, or at least that is what he told us. So we will see. We like to say that we had a Barlow day. The Barlows are the senior missionary couple that are in the ward. They have told us about some of the days they have and we know they are doing all they can. It just seems like a lot to Elder Rice and I. We laughed and shared our love for the Barlows. They are truly amazing and such a sweet couple. We are very lucky to have them.
We were actually able to get a language study hour in today!! My Duolingo streak is back! I was grinding it out today in the library. I am currently 1st in the gold league. Oh please no applause needed. oh stop oh hoho I know I know. I am only 1 day strong though. I do have probably 600 some days left. So I just need y'all to remind me to do it. Please.
We drove around trying to do a lot of contacting, but not many people answered. It is spring break so that may have had an affect on the whole process. Not a very successful day. . . We had a few people/close calls. We drove up to Moody today, about a 15-20 min drive, and talked to a referral from the Barlows. We pulled up, knocked, and there was no answer. We got back in the car about to drive away when he pulled up in his truck. We talked for a bit, got his number and we told him we would be in touch. Coming back from Moody we knocked on an online referrals door. We were in the middle of writing a note, when he answered the door. He said he was a member of a different church and did the referral because he wanted prayers for him. He told us he actually wanted to cancel the referral. (Which is funny considering what happens next) He said he didn't have time to talk but then let us in and we talked for about an hour. We heard some really cool stories. He told us his entire life story! No joke. We ended up giving him a Book of Mormon and he told us that we should come back to talk more. Lets Go, I love moments like this.
Not a lot happened today other than that. I was able to read a few of my missionary friends' emails. Elder Wyatt Tobler has his P day on Tuesday! How gross is that? It's crazy how different all mission experiences are and will be. To all my friends serving and thinking of serving, keep up the good work.

Wednesday:
Texas RoadHouse in Texas hits different. Let me tell ya, something about the country music and the flat land all around makes a whole lotta difference. We went to Texas Road House with a member tonight. It just happened out of the blue. We had him in on a lesson with us. The lesson went very well and having him there and his testimony was a huge help. After, we were just talking with him and he asked if we had a dinner appointment. We told him we didn't and he was very insistent on us going with him, so we did. He is a great guy. We had a great conversation with him.
We had the Taylor's Valley Baptist Church service again. Every Wednesday y'all got something to look forward to me reporting on. The old folks are so kind and love having us there, and we love being there, so even better. Today I talked to one of the older gentlemen, I think his name is Frank. Frank told me about his life of boxing and how he would knock all these guys out. I asked him if I started boxing, would he coach me. He said that he would send me down to Houston because they have a good program down there or something.
I gave a training in District Counsel today. Talked about the talk of the week. Each Monday night we have a zoom call with the whole mission, our family home evening. Pres Fox gives us a talk to read that week. Elder Andrus asked me to talk about it in DC. I think it went pretty well. It was Elder Ulisses Soares talk titled "In Partnership with the Lord." It talks about marriage and how a man and a woman are supposed to work together. We pushed the marriage part aside and talked about how Companions are supposed to work together. If you have a chance to read it or listen to it, please do. It has wonderful insights on how we should treat each other.
I have also been out in the field for a month! Woot woot

Thursday:
EXCHANGE time. WOOOOOO This was kind of a different exchange. Elder Rice and I both were not in our area today. We both went up to Waco, I stayed there with Elder Kartchner, and Elder Rice and Elder Neilson drove further North. Elder Rice went to Mexia. Now that you have struggled with saying that word let me tell you how to pronounce it.  Muh-Hey-uh. Yeah, I know. Texas just keeps getting weirder and weirder.

Elder Kartchner and I had a wonderful day. I just don't know where to start. After our personal study in the morning we had to move the couches in their apartment in Waco out. The two couches had to be out by 3. They got this information last night, or early this morning, I don't quite remember. They were getting 2 new couches and a dining table with 4 chairs. How it will all fit, I don't know but it will work out. As we were trying to find a place to put them, after we shoved it in their truck and then our car, we went to 2 different places and they said they don't take couches. The 1st place referred us to the 2nd place and they were both full. We had nowhere to put it! We then went to Elder Kartchners chapel and put it in the dumpster there. Now, I don't know if we are allowed to do this, but we did it anyway. (so sorry if that wasn't allowed) The new couches would have had nowhere go if we kept them. How long do you think this activity took? 30 minutes probably right? . . . No . . . Almost 2 hours were spent cleaning the apartment to get the couches out and finding a new home for them. Everything worked out though. After getting the old couches taken care of we were finally able to do some comp study.
We went to a mall for comp study. This is pretty common for them to go to the mall in Waco. It was really weird walking in and walking through. It was the first scene of "real life" that I felt. The mall was great but just being there had a different feeling. Very strange and a little nice though. While at this mall two girls came up to us while we were sitting on a bench planning for our lessons later in the day. We talked to them and shared our views and the truth that we have. We find out that they are Baptist and go to Baylor. We shared a Book of Mormon with them and invited them to read it. It went pretty well I think.
We go back to the apartment for lunch and for the couches and table that will be coming in. We got the new table and couches. We got it all set up pretty nicely. It was really packed and tight but wasn't looking too bad. The chairs that came with the table were painted by the Sisters. Looking like something straight out of a Mexican restaurant. They all had different pictures on them, mountains, flowers, checkers, you know? Two of the Elders in the apartment wanted the chair with the mountains. So they started "fighting" The Elder who had the mountains currently was protecting it and Elder Kartchner was trying to get it. Elder Kartchner got out of the chair that he was in and the other Elder picks him up off the ground. Elder Kartchner has the mountain chair in hand and gets dropped back down right onto the chair. . . *SNAP* They Broke the chair within 10 minutes of having it. Boys!

We went to an apartment complex that they go to often and always have strange events happen. So of course it wasn't any surprise that we had a strange event happen as well. While we were about to leave, I told Elder Kartchner that we should go talk to these guys who were sitting in their car. Now you need to know that Elder Rice (my companion) is pretty bold and not afraid to approach people. I am starting to get better at this. We could tell that they were just out of it, if you know what I mean. It was a super fun conversation that was all over the place; about BYU, the skin color of Jesus, Joseph Smith, and a lot of swearing. NOT BY ELDER KARTCHNER AND I, just making that clear. There was a time when he was getting out of the car and we didn't know what he was going to do, he then gave us a hug. It was kinda sweet but super confusing. It was very random but a really good end to the night.
Then Elder Rice got back to Waco and we drove back down to Temple.

Friday:
HAPPY ST. PATRICKS DAY!! I woke up. Put on my green tie, green sweater, and green socks! I have a picture:
I was so excited. I really took this day to heart. Green all over. Ate my Lucky Charms. It's the small things ok?

Today was filled with meetings. I feel like we got nothing done. Elder Rice was in so many different meetings, busy, busy, busy. I would just chill, read, sleep, and eat. OH I also got my duolingo done during this time. (3 Days strong)
Elder Rice had to do a baptism interview for the Spanish sisters later in the evening. We arrived about 10 minutes early to the church, and the friend of the Spanish sisters pulled in right behind us. They told us that he was probably going to be late but he was in fact 10 minutes early. While they were doing the baptism interview, the Spanish sisters were interviewing me. Asking me all sorts of questions - about Elder Rice, girls, my life before the mission, and just crazy things.

Saturday:
Finished weekly planning. We never have time to do it all in one sitting. We finished it up and then had interviews with President Fox. I was so excited to talk to him, and for a good reason. I had a few questions that I asked him and ya know he answered them but not in the exact way I wanted him to answer them. He gave me counsel and helped me understand why I am here.
After the Interview with President Fox came some funny events.
During comp study we found a dandelion as we were walking. Elder Rice picks it out of the ground and I open my mouth as to suggest that he should put it in, in a joking manner. The speed this man had to shove his hand holding the dandy lion straight into my mouth could be compared to that of the flash. I do not recommend to eat one. Not the move. 0/10. Do not eat. I could still feel the weird fluffy things in my mouth for quite some time hahah It's a EeehHEEHhheeHehh feeling. Ya know?
We had dinner with some members in the ward. They are the best!! We had sloppy joes, curly fries, and apple juice. Meal of champions right there. What made this awesome was all the different animals/critters they have. We got to hold a chameleon, his name was Harrison. Can I just say, WOW!! Chameleons are so cool! Very interesting creatures. He would change color if he was scared and if he was happy. Just crazy cool. Held a snake named Bart. I was pretty scared at first but then Bart and I became homies. We shared a message with them and Bart was chillin on my arm and neck. Saw a black widow named Steve. Can't touch that one. Then the best for last, Cooper the dog. Nice beautiful golden retriever. Such a good boy, just wanting all the loves.

Sunday:
Sunday is Sunday. IT IS SO NICE!! Church is always so awesome! Sundays are the fun days. Not a lot happened but it is super nice to go to church and just relax, and get ready for the week to come. I do have a good story though. The Eggs. . .
Before church started Brother Billings came up to us and asked if we wanted any eggs, we said sure. He told us that they were on the top shelf of the fridge in the kitchen and to get them after church. We told him we would and went about the church day. Church ends and we have a lesson with one of our friends at the church. Right before we are starting Brother Billings tells us not to forget the eggs and that he moved them to the kitchen counter. We saw eggsactly (hehe) where he set them down. After the lesson we had to rush out to go to a dinner appointment not really thinking about the eggs. We were the last ones in the building. We swung back by the church later in the night because we remembered about the eggs. So we pull up, unlock the door, walk to the kitchen, and. . . no eggs. Not in the fridge and not on the counter. We call Brother Billings and ask him if he put them anywhere else. He said nope and that he will have to bring us some tomorrow. He also told us that his chickens have been eating a lot of bugs so the eggs are protein packed! Haha

Overall a solid week. I am starting to feel more and more like a missionary! I am loving Texas and the people here. It is a little goofy at times but that's what makes it really good. Jesus is pretty cool. I couldn't imagine my life without him in it. If you are ever in Temple, TX, come try to find me!
Enos 1:27
That's about it. See ya.
-Elder Kohl Payne