We have a Choir
Let's just jump right into it.
Pdays are the goofiest days. I am so glad that we have them but I feel like we never get anything done. We do get a LOT done, yet it doesn't really feel like it. We clean, write emails, call home, play games with the district, eat, and then go back to work from 6-9. It just all goes by so fast that it doesn't seem like I have any time to do anything. I don't know. We played capture the flag. As fun, as it was, we will not be doing it again. For many reasons. The story I am about to tell you is going to involve the game that we were playing but it was not the main reason we would not be playing again.
Capture the flag is a game of strategy, endurance, and skill. Elder Rice, Sister Bair, Sister Weller, and I were on a team against Elder Porter, Elder Stevens, Sister Hales, and Sister Goodman. My team had already won round one and we decided to keep the game going by going on to round 2. As I was sneaking around the Church building, (we were outside of it) I got caught on the other team's side. I was right against the building next to the planter box and where all the bushes are. So it was a little harder for me to be spotted. Elder Porter and Sister Goodman trapped me so I couldn't go forward and I couldn't go backward. I made a run for it going toward Sister Goodman because that was my best chance of escape and I would be going deeper into enemy territory.
I didn't make it past Sister Goodman and she tags me out with quite some force where I get shoved into the side of the church almost falling over. Drip Drip Drip. Blood started falling to the ground. I take a moment to look at my hand where the dripping seemed to be coming from. Oh yes. I found the source.
I am OK! My hand has healed really well and is no longer super swollen. I will just end up with an epic scar in the end.
Now remember last time when I said something crazy or wild always happens on exchanges? Well, I can take that back. Elder Porter and I went on exchanges and really nothing interesting happened. All the lessons fell through.
Elder Porter and I had a really interesting, missionary meal though. Lime Chilli Shrimp Ramen, with some ham that they got from a member. I know your first reaction already. Don't hate on it ok! You haven't even had it! To end it all, we made some brownies that we ate. The best meal that I have had on my mission thus far! Nothing can compare. Nothing. It was like the scene from Ratatouille when Remy takes a bite of the cheese and strawberry and all the shapes and colors appear. Beautiful! That's all I gotta say about that. 🤣
We had interviews with President Fox this week. I love this man. He is so loving and has great wisdom. All I gotta say about this is you need to listen to the primary song 'If the Savior stood beside me'. It is a powerful thing to think about because it is true. He asked me if I would be able to train a new missionary. I told him I have all the right tools, I might not know how to use them to the best of my ability, but I can use them. It would be wild if I trained a new missionary coming out of the MTC. I am kinda nervous that I might. So don't wish it upon me. Thank you.
We helped one of the friends we are teaching with some yard work. It was kinda by accident. We were driving to a member's house for dinner and saw him working on someone's yard. We stopped and talked to him for a minute then went to the member's house. We were leaving and passed by where he was and he was still there. We stopped and ask if we can help, he says that he will be ok, y'all shouldn't get your clothes dirty. To that, we told him that we have a washing machine and it would be fine. We started helping clean up the backyard. It was snail heaven. I think I ended over 30 snail lives this day. Not on purpose. We would just step on them because they were everywhere. I am a snail killer.
Sunday was probably the best day of the week. We went to a church that one of our friends goes to. We went to a rock concert basically. It was really cool to see how this church did its worship services. There were a few moments where I had to chuckle a bit. Not because of what they were preaching or anything like that, just some silly moments. The bass player looked like a YouTuber that I have seen somewhere before. I had to look up his name so that is what I did. Lazarbeam. If you look up a picture of him, it looks exactly like the guy who was playing the bass guitar.
One of the ushers that we met turned to me during the worship service and says
"Do y'all have a band at your church?"
"We have a choir," I said.
I look back at this experience and just can't but give a small little chuckle. I should have just said that we don't. I was at a loss for words at the moment of the question. It really opened my eyes though to how different people worship God. Quite the experience and would absolutely love to go back.
I can not believe how fast things are going. I love the work I am doing and am glad that every night we go into the apartment, I feel satisfied with our day. Some days might not be as "successful" as others but all days that I have had feel satisfying. And I couldn't be more thankful.
I didn't get very far this week in my Book of Mormon reading. I am at 2 Nephi 7.
That's about it. See ya.
Elder Kohl Payne
